How did the creator of Undertale make such an incredible game? For the answer, we began to explore a little-known SNES classic, EarthBound, which helped to inspire much of the humor, music, and meaning behind the story. In the process, we've set out on a journey together that will take us deep into more great video games, past and present. For anyone who loves video games and wants to develop their own someday, our close study of classic games from Undertale to EarthBound--and beyond--will provide an important foundation to build upon. 

Current semester: CRPG Studies
Meeting Wednesdays at 4 PM Pacific


History below. Note that this course was on hiatus over the summer.

Past semester: Roots of the JRPG

January 2021: Dragon Quest/ Dragon Warrior
Week 1 - Dragon Quest I-IV
Week 2 - Dragon Quest V-VII
Week 3 - Dragon Quest VIII-XI
Week 4 - Spinoffs and related media

February: Xeno Series
Week 1 - Xenogears
Week 2 - Xenosaga series
Week 3 - Xenoblade Chronicles (original and Definitive Edition)
Week 4 - Xenoblade X and 2

March: Chrono Trigger
Week 1 - Opening thru the Trial 
Week 2 - The Future thru the End of Time
Week 3 - The Village of Magic thru Magus' Castle
Week 4 - The Kingdom of Zeal thru Death Peak
Week 5 - Side quests and Endgame 


More past discussions. I'd be happy to reopen any or all of these topics for a new section of the class, per request--

2020
Weeks 1-3
Wed Sept 16, 23, 30 at 4 PM Pacific (more times may be available based on demand)
Over the first three meetings, we'll discuss the history and gameplay of EarthBound (MOTHER 2) in detail. Playing the original game (in any of its releases) or watching videos of a playthrough outside of class is strongly recommended, as I'll elicit comments and questions during the live discussion.  In the course of the conversation I'll give a brief introduction to the rest of the MOTHER series, noting consistent themes and important developments in each of the games. Some recommendations for where to begin learning how to code and design games will be discussed as well. In each session, we'll also look at the impact EarthBound had on Undertale. We'll discuss the implications of moral choice and nonviolence as game features and as meta life lessons. The first meeting will focus on Undertale's characters and humor, the second on the art style and music, and the third on the branching story and endings (spoilers welcome). 

Weeks 4-6
Wed Oct 7, 14, 21
Let's glance ahead to the next games we should investigate: Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI (released outside Japan as FFII and FF Anthologies, respectively), which EarthBound is in many ways satirically challenging and slyly critiquing. Over each week's discussion in sessions 4, 5, and 6 (in case you're rusty on your roman numerals), we'll look at one of the Final Fantasy games in depth. Recurring themes, gameplay elements, and characters, as well as famous twists and turns of the story and dialogue, will frame our discussion of the games. We'll briefly consider their connections to table-top role-playing games (RPGs), fantasy literature, and mythology.

Weeks 7-8
Wed Oct 28, Nov 4
The class has spoken: we shall continue with the RPG greatest hits and compare the original Final Fantasy VII to the new FFVII Remake. Class session 7 will deal with the original Final Fantasy VII and its impact on the so-called console wars between Nintendo and Sony (Sega & Atari, requiescant in pace). Themes of environmental and social dissolution will frame the discussion of our band of misfits saving the world from meteoric destruction. Session 8 will be our look at the Remake, with its updates and changes to the story and gameplay. Overall, did it improve on the original? We'll see. 

Weeks 9-10
Wed Nov 11, 18
We'll preview Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and revisit Zelda: Breath of the Wild in an effort to predict what the future sequel might be about. Then it will be time to vote again: Paper Mario series, or the Mario 35 celebration.

Wed Dec 2, 9, 16 at 4 PM Pacific
Week 11 - Overview of the Mario 35 release blitz
Week 12 - Focus on Mario 35 and the ethics of modding communities
Week 13 - Retrospective of the course so far and sharing projects for the coming year

See the top of this section for the current games and topics. 

Future topics might include the Super Smash Bros. series and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. Games will be chosen per student interest. Check back here as the course progresses for more details! Join for as much or as little of the course as you like, and message me with suggestions for future games. 

Throughout the course, further resources for video game study will be suggested. Students will have a chance to share their own gaming research projects or works in progress. 

Image credits: Public Domain Review