[Source Gaming] A Breakdown of Magicant

While characters receive the most attention in Smash, stages and series representation is something that isn't highlighted as much. That's where SmashBoards moderator and Source Gaming author, @Frostwraith comes in. Frostwraith has continued his excellent Smash Stage Analysis series, this time focusing on the dream-like place, Magicant.

His previous analysis include a Gerudo Valley analysis and an extensive breakdown of Ganondorf's representation.

Magicant is an area that exists inside characters' heads in the first two Earthbound games. Because of this, Magicant is different per appearance. In the first Earthbound game, Earthbound Beginnings, it exists inside Maria's mind. There, Magicant is populated with various houses shaped like sea shells and is pink. In Earthbound, Magicant exists Ness' head, and has a lot of vegetation scattered around it.

In Smash 3DS, the stage combines elements from both of these appearances, and includes various other references to the Earthbound series. To learn more, check out the the full write-up on Source Gaming.

PushDustIn's Magicant would be filled with coffee cups. More than Warchamp7's Magicant? That's debatable. Follow the debate on Twitter.​

 

Cool details, This make me wish if there is a 3D remake of the first MOTHER game coming any time soon.
And get Ninten in smash

 

Magicant is an area that exists inside characters' heads in the first two Earthbound games.

Hm... no wonder...

 

Ah yes, Magicant: where your courage is buff birds and they'll beat up anyone so long as you get your hands on them first.

 

Magicant is an excellent stage. When they put Duck Hunt in the 3DS version, I was hoping to see them put Magicant on the Wii U. It bothers me that Onett is the only Mother stage when we've seen it twice before.

And speaking as somebody that didn't have to use google to figure out what Magicant is and what's being referenced, it's a wonderful representation. Makes me sort of cringe that somebody on the development team went through the long, unrewarding experience of playing Mother 1. When I saw it, I said I would prefer to have this stage over Lucas as a playable character. I still sort of stand by this even after Lucas was put into the game, it's that good.

 

Makes me sort of cringe that somebody on the development team went through the long, unrewarding experience of playing Mother 1.

What are you on about? Mother 1 was great for its time.
In my opinion, it still holds up today.

 

One of my fave 3DS stages.

also obligatory:

 

What are you on about? Mother 1 was great for its time.
In my opinion, it still holds up today.

I disagree. Final Fantasy 4, a game released two years later, was great for its time, and that was on brand new hardware. Mother 1 is unfocused, unconcerned with its own plot, and its world is filled almost exclusively of empty space to create more random encounters as a "difficulty curve". It's not revolutionary because it follows the trends of other jrpgs in its same decade in everything but theme and characters. For every thing they almost did right, they did two more things wrong. The random stat ups from a level up makes every new game a slightly different experience, like what we see with pokemon and its randomized stat modifiers and growths. But in Mother 1, the possible difference in hp is too harsh. I spent my entire playthrough with Ana dying in just one hit, but when looking at various guides with pictures of battles, I always saw that she had nearly double the health in these other playthroughs. And you need Ana because she's given the bulk of the abilities you care about. The fourth party member is also excellent for damage and durability, but he ends up being temporary which almost made me quit the game.

In the 80s, JRPGs had this annoying trend of creating difficulty through the act of needing to grind. But in Mother 1, you have to spend literal hours getting just one level up in the last portion of the game, and when you earn just one HP, it's not fair. When people tell me I have to save and reset before a level up, that's not a solution provided by the game, it's an exploit. Only HP and psi abilities matter, the other stats just don't in this battle system when you and the enemies use instant death spells. And oh my god is this world too big. If you're not paying attention, you'll easily get lost in the game's lack of landmarks and area map. The encounter rate is wildly inconsistent, there's no indication of what parts of the towns also have random enemies, money becomes useless after you've bought the best armor 5 hours into this 20 hour game, and everything I've brought up in this paragraph is fixed in the second game. Except random stat ups, but I'm willing to put up with at least that much for Earthbound.

It stinks, and I don't like it.

 

I hate this stage with a passion.

 

Hm... no wonder...

Dude......... THIS IS PERFECT. You just made my day

 

I'm still salty that Fourside did not return.

 

Here's my analysis of Magicant, it sucks! You know why!? It's the reason Bowsercide sucks now!

 

Dude......... THIS IS PERFECT. You just made my day

Huh? I just suddenly have that comic appearing in my mind when I saw that quote. At first I was pretty confused, but when I saw the article, now I get it.

 

I'm still salty that Fourside did not return.

me too

 

I'm still salty that Fourside did not return.

So true about that...