Earthbound
Developed by Shigesato Itoi.
Core elements of Earthbound include:
RPG elements
PSI (psychic) magic system
Odd blend of simplistic character designs and dark themes
Set in an idiosyncratic portrayal of Americana and Western culture
Earthbound Beginnings (1989)
During the early 1900s, a cloud forms over a small American town, during which a couple, George and Maria, are abducted. Two years later, George quietly returns, and begins a study of powers called PSI, while Maria was never to be found.
In the year 1988, Ninten, a young boy north of the city of Podunk, has his house wracked by a poltergeist. Upon defeating the poltergeist, his father calls and instructs him to go on an adventure to realize his PSI skills. He advises Ninten to find his great grandfather's diary left in the basement which eventually directs him to Magicant, a mystical world ruled by Queen Mary. Ninten is asked to travel to various towns and locations to find and collect Eight Melodies to complete a song.
Returning to the normal world, Ninten befriends a frequently bullied boy-genius named Lloyd, and a psychic girl named Ana who joins the party. In the town of Ellay, the fearsome leader of the Bla-Bla Gang, Teddy, attacks the group in the Live House, but soon becomes amiable after losing to Ninten and joins the party leaving Lloyd behind to rest. On Mt. Itoi, the party is attacked by a large robot R7038 but is saved by Lloyd in a tank. Teddy, however, is severely injured, forcing Lloyd to rejoin the team. The party continues to climb Mt. Itoi, and meet George's benevolent robot, EVE. Their quick ascent ends after EVE sacrifices herself to defeat an upgraded large robot R7038XX, however the wrecked EVE is revealed to contain a melody for Ninten to learn. At the peak of the mountain they find George's gravestone. Suddenly crystal fragments appear to teach Ninten the final melody. The party returns to Magicant to sing the full song to Queen Mary. She recalls the Melodies along with her adopted young alien child named Giegue, and reveals herself as Maria. Magicant, a result of her own conscience, disappears, along with Maria herself, leaving the children to face the alien threat at the summit.
At the top, Giegue reveals himself, expressing gratitude towards Ninten's great-grandparents for raising him, but reveals that George had stolen vital information that could be used against his race by hindering their plans. Giegue attempts to unleash an attack on the party, but the children sing the Eight Melodies to him. Giegue, recalling Maria and her motherly love, is overwhelmed by emotion, and departs from the Earth, vengefully promising to Ninten that he will return. The children free the captive adults from Mt. Itoi's summit; Ana is finally reunited with her missing mother; Teddy recovers and begins performing daily at the Live House in Ellay; the captive parents from Youngtown happily return to their children; Ana and her mother return to Snowman, with Ana promising that she, Ninten, and Lloyd will meet again; Lloyd returns to Merrysville and is treated as a hero by Twinkle Elementary School's students, effectively abolishing his bullied status; and Ninten returns home. Later on, Ana receives a letter from Ninten, expressing her wish to see him again upon reading it; Ninten then falls asleep in his bed now that the earth's crisis is over.
After the credits, his father calls, and while waiting for Ninten to answer, states that something has come up.