EarthBound Zero (or Mother, if you wanna go by its original Japanese name) is one of those weird, charming RPGs that feels like it shouldn’t exist on the NES. Instead of swords and dragons, you’re swinging baseball bats at hippies and stray dogs in a modern-ish version of America, all while dealing with psychic powers called "PSI." The vibe is quirky right from the start—your adventure kicks off when weird stuff starts happening in your quiet little town, and suddenly you’re out there recruiting oddball friends to figure out what’s going on.

It’s got that classic 8-bit grind, but the writing and setting make it stand out. The music’s a weird mix of cheerful and eerie, and the enemies range from sentient taxis to possessed toys. The game was supposed to come to the West back in the ‘90s as "Earth Bound," but got shelved—though a prototype translation eventually leaked online, which is how most of us played it before official re-releases.

If you’re into retro RPGs with personality, this one’s a cult favorite for a reason. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand—those random encounters can be brutal.