WATCH MY EARTHBOUND BLIND RUN

[Drago]

Introduction
Nowadays, most people are familiar with EarthBound: its protagonist, Ness, has become a worldwide sensation due largely to his inclusion in the Smash Bros series. If you're anything like I was though, you first looked at that strange little boy with the red hat and asked yourself... Who in god's name is that?

Released on the Super Nintendo in 1994, the game takes your typical RPG standards and puts them on a strange slant, set in a modern American setting. Gone are the goblins and swords, replaced by Unassuming Local Guys and weapons like yoyos and baseball bats. For whatever reason, the game didn't do well in America, stalling its development and robbing Europe of a localisation.

With the rise of the Internet and the power of retrospection, EarthBound has found a new renaissance in today's era, rereleased on the Virtual Console at long last. And that's where I come in! I'm finally giving this cult classic a go for the first time, with a blind run that's two decades overdue.

So grab yourself a Hamburger, hold on tight to your trusty Teddy Bear, and shield your face! Spiteful Crows will give your eyes a right nasty pecking if you give them the chance.

Disclaimer
This LP will be loaded with colourful language; it's not family friendly, so if that's not your style, look elsewhere. As this is a blind run, you will not be seeing any high level gameplay or hidden secrets revealed. Unless I happen to stumble upon them through complete happenstance.

Check out the whole playlist here!


Episode #1: Meet Crumb
In our first episode, we're introduced to the resident criminal, Crumb. When a meteorite crashes in the middle of the night, it's up to him to investigate. Why, exactly? Because he's the protagonist, silly!

[Drago]

Episode #2: The Mean Streets of Onett Town
With a heavy heart following the demise of Buzz Buzz the Beautiful, Crumb heads south to begin his glorious quest. He soon runs afoul of the Sharks, the local gang of thugs. Without his guardian bee, will Crumb be able to muster up the courage to set things right?

[Drago]

Episode #3: FRANK THE TANK GETS SPANKED
The previous episode ended rather ingloriously, with Crumb stabbed by a gang leader in a back alley. Fortunately, Crumb feels no pain (nor does he feel any mercy!!), so he gathers himself up and engages in an ancient form of training... It's called: beat up the weaklings, then jump Frank when he's not looking.

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

Nice playthrough, you should have more views!

[Drago]

Thanks for that, man. I really appreciate it! Hopefully in time more and more people will happen upon my LP, and I can start building up a viewership base. Until then, it's anonymity for me!!


Episode #4: A Very Merry Mugging
Crumb's journey leads him towards Giant's Step: the first 'Your Sanctuary' location. But the way is fraught with danger, pesky vermin and numerable ants all itching to do him in! Fight on, Crumb! But beware, their commander may be watching...

[Drago]

Episode #5: Quiet Riot
Needless to say, the underprepared Crumb was not quite up to besting the Titanic Ant at first. But he's got an armful of junk food now, and won't let anyone stop him! Maybe the police will help, too? Oh! They're leading Crumb into a special room, maybe something good awaits him there...

[Drago]

Episode #6: Teddy
After roughing up Onett's finest, Crumb can at long last head towards Twoson. There, he takes in the sights and the sounds. He nabs himself a bicycle, buys out the local burger place and, most wonderful of all, gains a teddy bear of his very own! Oh, what fun! (The audio quality of this episode is subpar, and nothing of particular significance happens, so feel free to give this one a miss.)

[Drago]

Episode #7: Lost and Afraid, Chapter One
Bicycle at the ready, Crumb sets off to rescue Lube from wicked, mysterious clutches. He heads through Peaceful Rest Valley towards Happy Happy Village, but what's this? A bizarre pencil-like obstacle in his path? This could be trouble... BIG TROUBLE.

[classy_cat18]

DK, you LP? I didn't know that! I want to do a blind run myself, so I'll put this off until I play the game. ^^;;

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

I think in order to get more viewers you should do a LP of one of the really popular games at the moment. Like Undertale.

[classy_cat18]

Undertale's been overdone. You should try to get ahead of the LP crowd.

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

Undertale's been overdone. You should try to get ahead of the LP crowd.

Probably but it's super popular. I can't think of anything else that is at the moment.

[Drago]

Thank y'all both so much for watching, and for your feedback!! I probably should get on Undertale while the iron is hot, but it'll have to wait until my EarthBound run is over; I don't think I could juggle two JRPGs at once!!


Episode #8: Lost and Afraid, Chapter Two
Crumb's got a plan! After several failed attempts at overcoming the almighty iron pencil statue, he's figured out how to clear the path and continue onward. Alas, the denizens of Peaceful Rest Valley won't make it easy for him... Will Crumb see the forest from the trees?

[Drago]

Episode #9: Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Let's paint the town blue!! Crumb has finally made it, nicked and bruised, to Happy Happy Village. But something seems to be awry; not only is the whole township decidedly monochrome, but it's littered with crazy (yet oh so very happy) cultists, intent on making Crumb see red - err, that is to say, blue!!

[Drago]

Episode #10: LIKE LIGHTNING
Having located the source of all the insanity, Crumb focuses his boundless rage on the cultist leader, Mr. Carpainter. But beware, for he has more than a few tricks up his sleeve, and he will not hesitate to let them loose! There's nary a cloud in the sky, but I fear that a storm is coming...

[Drago]

Episode #11: Umm... Lube?
Crumb's finally found a fancy friend!! With Lube at his side, he decides to partake in his favourite activity: bashing the ever-loving snot out of anything that comes within his reach. However, there's a few slight issues that emerge. Chiefly, Lube cannot fight to save her life, quite literally. Oops!

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

How much time passes between you playing and uploading the video? What I mean is, have you e.g. already finished Earthbound and are just uploading stuff now over time? Not that it matters, just wondering.

[Drago]

This is in fact a bit of a backlog that I'm releasing progressively over time - I'm actually up to episode 27 now, but I figured it worked better spreading them out.


Episode #12: Super Mole 50
This rodent is going down!! Crumb and Lube have gathered all of their courage, and are taking it to Mondo Mole for the last time - what have they learnt from their previous failures? Is there some clever trick they haven't yet attempted? What can be done to stop this hideous beast in its tracks??

[Drago]

Episode #13: Music Gets the Best of Me
Their business finally done in Happy Happy Village, Crumb and Lube return to Twoson to continue their quest. The road ahead leads to Threed, but a tunnel full of ghosts hinders their progress. Maybe a quick concert will give them the inspiration they need?

[Drago]

Episode #14: Boogie Nights
The Runaway Five plonk Crumb and Lube dead center in the town of Threed. Which is frankly rather inconsiderate, because there are ghosts, zombies and (eeeeek!) trick-or-treaters! Our intrepid explorers seek answers wherever they can to put an end to this terror!

[Drago]

Episode #15: The Omen
Mysterious youth O-Man continues on his quest to rescue his newfound (and yet unfound) friends - it's a slow and arduous process, owing mostly to the fact that the bespectacled blonde isn't exactly a juggernaut. Keep on dancing, kiddo!

[Drago]

Episode #16: (Tentative)
Slowed, shaken and battered, but not yet ready to quit, O-Man proceeds on his never-ending quest to save his peeps! But beware, brave warriors, for a new attraction has appeared in the south end of Threed... And this one... is to die for!

[Link]

Nice videos, DragoKnight. We can safely be confident that EarthBound is a huge, huge game that deserves to be on the Wii U, 3DS, New 3DS, or even, the upcoming NX.

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

To be honest I didn't enjoy Earthbound much when I played through it back in the day but your videos are really good. Voice, fun, video quality ... all neat!

[Drago]

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! It really means a lot to know that even a game that you didn't particularly like can be made enjoyable.


Episode #17: The Grave Escape
The zombies incapacitated, Crumb and company (henceforth Crumpany) make their way north towards the next township. They may have bested the urban zombies, but they'd best be wary of stragglers out in the sticks, as well as a croc or two, mate!

[Drago]

Episode #18: A PLACE WITH FRIENDS
At long last, Crumb's party has found a place of solace, arriving at Saturn Village. The residents, the eponymous Mr. Saturn(s?) may be a little offbeat, but they're certainly accomodating! Saving the world can wait until later, now's the time to chill out.

[Drago]

Episode #19: Industry is EVIL
Into the belly of Belch Base we go... tread softly, intrepid explorers, because the minions are many, and they're out for blood! Can team Crumb fight through the masses, and face off against the foul Master Belch? Or will he fall victim to the combined force of the wicked Foppies?

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

Who is making the title cards for your videos? They are really well done.

[Drago]

Thanks man. I do all of them myself, using only the built-in Macbook 'Preview' editing software. It's limited, but it gets the job done.


Episode #20: Pitiful Pile of Puke
The showdown is on!! Crumb and his compadres square up against Master Belch, the gargantuan glob of goo who's behind the zombie infestation in Threed. If his grim visage is anything to go by, this will most certainly not be a clean fight. Hold onto your noses!

[Drago]

Episode #21: Sand in Mah Shoe
It seems our friends are out of the frying pan and into the fire; no sooner have they undone the zombie curse, they're thrust out into the harsh frontier that is Dusty Dunes Desert. The foes are many and the popsicles are few!! (The first eight minutes of this video suffer from lag, but this is later rectified.)

[Drago]

Episode #22: Big City Life
From his sleepy beginnings as a simple boy in Onett, Crumb has seen it all, and now he's hit the big time - the city of Fourside! The stars are out and the streets are abuzz (and the taxis are alive! AHHHH!!), but there's something strange in the air. What could it be? No time for sightseeing, let's investigate!!

[Drago]

Episode #23: Sub-terror-anean
Finding nothing but poor manners in Fourside, our heroes double back out into Dusty Dunes Desert, to see if there's some hidden clue they'd previously missed. Funnily enough, the miners have made their way deep into the catacombs below, but much to their dismay, it's filled with dangerous critters! Looks like it's up to our team to get cleaning.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

A fine game deserves fine blind run. Keep it up da 'tte ba yo!

[Drago]

Haha thanks man.


Episode #24: Perpetual Death
Deeper our heroes venture into the malicious Gold Mine... Though it seems as though they fall victim to toxic poison with each step, they will fight on until they drop dead! Unfortunately for them, this is actually a recurring theme. This episode is particularly suited to those who enjoy hospitals. And murder.

[Drago]

Episode #25: WHERE IS THAT FUNKING MOLE?
With brittle bones and broken spirits, Crumb and his cohorts continue searching for the remaining Guardian Diggers. Though in essence, if these are in fact, guardians of some sort, aren't they just protecting their home? Oh... it's neither here nor there. Indeed, where are those moles, anyway? Are they here? Or there??

[Drago]

Episode #26: Shopping Maul
With the precious(?) diamond in tow, our heroes head back to Fourside to pay off some debts and prevent some serious kneecapping taking place. To celebrate their charitable ways, they take to the newly reopened department store. Surely, some shopping will ease their weary souls, yes?

[Drago]

Episode #27: Bringing in the Big Guns
Retreat! Flee! Cower!! Apparently the Fourside Department Store is loaded to the gills with EarthBound's mightiest foes (musical instruments and hot coffee), so it's time for our heroes to regroup. Let's head back to Twoson and see what kind of heavy artillery we can unleash? GET READY TO GET TEDDY.

[Drago]

Episode #28: What Sorcery is This??
Though the dastard behind Lube's abduction has been revealed, how exactly to deal with this situation remains a mystery to our heroes. A fateful visit from Mr. Everdred leads to a secret passageway to... NOBODY KNOWS, EXACTLY. WHY HAVE WE BEEN FORSAKEN?!

[Drago]

Episode #29: Statue of Limitation
EarthBound: a continued journey through time and space...! While still trying to gather their bearings in Moonside, Crumb and O-Man happen upon a mysterious fellow who could be the solution to their problems. But will they have enough might left to best the sinister Mani Mani Statue? Send us to our destiny, muscular blonde man!

[Drago]

Episode #30: Monkey Business
So it's come to this. The heroes of Eagleland have been demoted to monkey feeders. Animal rights activists may cry foul on the concept of giving protein drinks and personal pizzas to chimps, but we must adhere to their selfish demands!