- Step 0 Try to find a legit copy of the game. It’s not cool to brazenly pirate stuff! Itoi, Nintendo, HAL, and Brownie Brown worked hard on this game. Assuming you can’t find a retail copy (they're extremely rare) you should consider buying some official merch (below).
- Step 1 You need a copy of the ROM before patching. You’re on your own for this step.
- Step 2 Open the MOTHER 3 Fan Translation zip file. Inside you’ll find “patcher” programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. Use the patcher to apply the translation to your MOTHER 3 ROM. Problems? Click here.
- Step 3 Ta-da! Your ROM is now in magical, sexy English. All you have to do is open it with a Game Boy Advance (GBA) emulator. Here are our recommendations:
PC
Mac
Linux
After more than 13 years of waiting, the sequel to EarthBound is now in English! I hope fans of the series, new and old, will find MOTHER 3 to be just as unique and interesting as its predecessors. We tried our very best to make a worthy translation, and I think we came close to hitting that mark. With any luck, the translation will seem just as "strange, funny, and heartrending" as the original Japanese version.
MOTHER 3 is filled with secrets and rarities. Characters say new things after even the tiniest of events. Take your time to explore the game's intriguing world - you won't be disappointed! And when you're done, be sure to come back here, because we've prepared many more goodies for fans to check out and enjoy post-game!
Enjoy your time in the world of MOTHER 3!
- Mato
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Use these tools to translate MOTHER 3 into your own language! They're not perfect and they have limitations, but they could be helpful!
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The MOTHER 1+2 Fan Translation is something Tomato worked on after the M3FT was completed, with help from Jeffman. Check it out if you're a fan of the series!
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Tomato has taken the time to analyze some of the deleted/hidden MOTHER 3 content scattered throughout the ROM -- sprites, sounds, music, maps, and even text that never quite made it into the game!
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They're called notes, but they're more like commentary tracks on a DVD. Tomato's MOTHER 3 Fan Translation notes are an inside look at the translation side of the process -- kind of an analogue to the M3FT Blog, which covered the technical side of things.
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The free online version of the MOTHER 3 Handbook is now available! This super-visual MOTHER 3 Walkthrough features more than 500 illustrations, including custom-made clay models and custom illustrations of every enemy and character in the game.
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Chewy and Tomato have taken great care in translating one of the most informative and interesting MOTHER 3 interviews in existence, courtesy of Nindori.com. If you’re a fan of the MOTHER series, this is required reading (but you should beat the game first). Go read the Itoi Interview!
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A complete and thorough MOTHER 3 Walkthrough compiled by Tomato, ShadowX, and many other faithful fans at Starmen.Net, including some ultra-useful lists, stats, and maps.
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A translation of a quiz from Itoi’s site. If you can answer all of the quiz questions before you’ve even had a chance to play with the patch, please seek psychiatric attention.