Spoiler-light version
If you get stuck, you can always talk to a hint man. There's one in the top right house in downtown Onett.
If you're a big Earthbound fan and want to go in without spoilers, the Onett checks are:
- Buzz Buzz's last words
- Lier X. Aggerate's Mani Mani statue
- The meteor
- The library shelf
- Mayor Pirkle (after beating Frank).
After that you can probably guess and blunder your way through finding all the checks. The only other ones as obscure as the Mani Mani statue are Saturn Coffee and Tenda Tea.
Conveniences
- All text speeds increased by one. The new "Yikes!" speed is near-instant.
- Y button is run. You can switch to always running and Y is walk on the file select menu. You can even run on ladders and stairs!
- Y button is also auto-mash. You can hold Y during text to automatically mash through everything except menu prompts.
- Because the run button makes skip sandwiches useless, they are replaced with repel sandwiches, which turn off enemy spawns for 10 seconds (20 for DX).
- The R button lets you rearrange or drop your last-received item. It's more versatile than you may expect! Try it all sorts of places.
- You can hold two exit mice.
- Swamps, sewers, and the Lost Underworld do not slow you down.
- The Giygas prayer sequences are greatly truncated.
MSU1
You can enable the MSU1 in the file select screen, but what is it?
The MSU1 is a fictional expansion chip for SNES carts, which adds the ability to play CD-quality audio. Several emulators including higan, bsnes, and recent versions of Snes9x support the MSU1, as do many flash carts.
To set up the MSU1, you will need to download an MSU pack, rename your copy of your randomized ROM to match the name of the files in that pack (typically eb_msu1.smc), and put them all in the same directory. Better instructions for how to do this can be found elsewhere.
Some Earthbound MSU packs can be found here. I recommend The Hip Hop Journey by Ballz!
Arborelia has also created a great Katamari-themed MSU pack, "Lonely Rolling Starman".
Scaling Logic (click to show)
The randomizer chooses some logically-possible route through the game and scales everything according to that. The route it takes tends to favor checking breadth over checking depth, but is very random. Whenever it passes through an area with a boss or many enemies, it increases the "level" it will place everything else at.
Levels are used in the original game to determine when an enemy will run away from you because you're too strong, and range from 1 to somewhere in the 70-80 range.
- Most enemy stats are scaled to match their new level.
- Enemy HP takes into account both the level and how many characters the logic has found.
- Enemy attack scripts, particularly fixed damage and PSI-like moves, are scaled to the level, number
of characters, whether the logic has found the Franklin Badge, and whether the logic has been to Magicant.
- Compared to vanilla, attack scripts tend to be more willing to use high level PSI Fire and PSI Thunder, and less willing to use high level PSI Starstorm and PSI Rockin.
- New lower-level PSI attacks have been added in case you encounter a PSI-using enemy early on. For example, if the logic goes to Fire Springs first thing after Onett, the Psychic Psychos might only have PSI Fire ε.
- New names have been added for PSI-like attacks (such as Electrical Shock Attack and Glorious Light) for when they get scaled to levels they wouldn't have in vanilla.
- There's only one or two copies of each equipment and repeat-use combat item. Each copy may be placed in a shop or a chest.
- Items in chests are scaled according to level, with a wide variance that favors rolling high (up to +20 or -10).
- Items in shops are scaled according to level. The best item in a shop tries to be exactly on level, but it fills in with worse items at random. For unique items, it may fill in with much worse ones.
- Incentivised shops have +8 levels, and don't remove items from the pool. Currently these are Fourside Department Store, the expensive shop in Summers, and the Tenda Horn Of Life shop.
- Shops sell similar item categories to vanilla.
- Chests can have just about anything. Note there's garbage like rulers at all levels.
- Enemies drop similar items categories to vanilla, and do not remove items from the pool.
Since you read all that, some free hints.
- The garbage can next to the arcade is scaled with the Sharks, so you can sometimes get a hint what level they're at without fighting them.
- Due to his logical placement behind the Pyramid, the merchant in Scaraba South tends to be loaded.
- Everdred can be logically much deeper than Twoson, and the Burglin Park bakery and junk shop are locked behind him, so if you can beat him early you might get good things.
I'm stuck (click to show)
- Turn in all your key items. The only key items that remain in your inventory after being used are the Pencil Eraser and Franklin Badge.
- If you have Paula, talk to Everdred.
- If you have Jeff, talk to the Boogey Tent.
- If you have Poo, talk to his master, then perform the Trial Of Nothingness.
- Check your teleport list, and do all the open checks in places you haven't been.
The most commonly missed check is going through the Threed tunnels after beating Belch.
What do I do with this item? (click to show)
- Carrot key — Apply to the bunny statues in Dalaam.
- Diamond — Pay off the Topola Theater manager in Fourside.
- Eraser eraser — Apply to the eraser statue in Stonehenge Base, Winters.
- Fly honey — Enter Belch's Base, behind the waterfall near Saturn Valley.
- Franklin badge — Fight Carpainter in Happy Happy Village.
- Hawk eye — Use in the darkness of Deep Darkness, and navigate the swamp.
- Hieroglyph copy — Talk to the Sphinx at Scaraba.
- Key to the cabin — Free the character trapped at Happy Happy Village.
- Key to the shack — Open the traveling entertainers' shack in Onett.
- Meteorite piece — Give to Andonuts in Saturn Valley. (You can find a hint for the location of this item by talking to Andonuts and trying the incomplete phase distorter. The hint is in his speech you get toasted.)
- Monkey invitation — Enter Talah Rama's cave, at Dusty Dunes.
- Pak of bubble gum — Talk to the monkey at Lake Tess, Winters.
- Pencil eraser — Apply to various pencil statues.
- In Peaceful Rest Valley, east of Twoson.
- In Talah Rama's cave, Dusty Dunes.
- In Winters, south of Lake Tess. (Optional)
- Police badge — Talk to Captain Strong, Onett Police Department.
- UFO engine — Check the Sky Runner in the zombie prison, Threed.
- Shyness book — Give to the Tenda Leader, Tenda Village, behind Deep Darkness swamp.
- Signed banana — Give to Mr. Spoon at the Fourside Museum.
- Tendakraut — Enter the big Tenda village in the Lost Underworld.
- Tiny ruby — Pay off the museum guy at Summers.
- Wad of bills — Pay off the Fireside Theater manager in Twoson.
- Yogurt dispenser — Talk to Electra, outside the Monotoli building.
- Zombie paper — Apply inside the tent at Threed, then stay at the hotel. (At some point during your seed, you may receive a phone call from Apple Kid, which contains a hint where this item is.)
Characters also unlock checks:
- Paula — Talk to Everdred in Twoson.
- Jeff — Talk to the Boogey Tent in Threed.
- Poo — Perform the Trial Of Nothingness in Dalaam.
Full check list (click to show)
Onett Mountain
- Buzz Buzz's last words, in Pokey's house (PK Check)
- Mani Mani statue, in Lier X. Aggerate's "basement" (PK Check)
- Meteor (Key item)
- You can freely walk to Onett City, unless Random Start Location is enabled.
Onett City
- Library, first room, left bookshelf (Key item)
- Defeat Frank, then talk to Mayor Pirkle (Key item)
- [With the Key To The Shack] Giant's Step (Your Sanctuary)
- [With the Police Badge] Talk to and defeat the Onett police force. (Grants access to Twoson) (If Random Start Location is enabled, this also opens up Onett Mountain)
Twoson
- Apple Kid, bring food and $200, then follow his instructions. (Key item)
- [With Paula] Everdred. Note that Everdred, and thus Burglin Park enemies, have a nasty habit of being higher level than Twoson itself. (Key item)
- [With the Wad Of Bills] Bribe the manager of the theater to let the Runaway Five free. (Grants access to Threed)
- [With the Pencil Eraser] Navigate through Peaceful Rest Valley. (Grants access to Happy Happy Village)
- Hint: Talk to Paula's dad and then leave the preschool for a hint where she is.
Happy Happy Village
- Talk to the character imprisoned in the cabin. (Key item)
- Lilliput Steps (Your Sanctuary)
- [With the Key To The Cabin] Use the key to bust that character out. (Character)
- [With the Franklin Badge] Defeat Carpainter (Key item)
Threed
- Follow the Zombie Lady into a hotel. What could go wrong? (Character)
- [With Jeff] Talk to the Boogey Tent at the south of town. (Key item)
- [With UFO Engine] Repair the Sky Runner in the zombie prison. (Grants access to Summers.)
- [With Zombie Paper] Use the paper in the tent in the middle of town, then sleep at the hotel. (Grants access to Saturn Valley)
- Hint: After completing some number of Your Sanctuary locations, Apple Kid will call you to tell you where to find the Zombie Paper, if you haven't yet.
Saturn Valley
- [With Meteor Piece] Give the meteor piece to Dr. Andonuts. (Grants access to the Cave
Of The Past) (Note: you can return from the Cave Of The Past using the Phase Distorter.)
- Hint: Talk to Andonuts and try the prototype Phase Distorter to receive a hint about the location of the Meteor Piece.
- [In Cave Of The Past] Talk to the Star Master. (PK Check)
- [In Cave Of The Past + all Your Sanctuary locations] Talk to Dr. Andonuts in the cave to go to the endgame.
- [With Fly Honey] Go defeat Master Belch. The guard will take your fly honey. You have to defeat Belch for real, like any other boss. (Grants access to Upper Saturn Valley. Grants paths between Threed and Twoson, Threed and Fourside, and vice versa.)
- [In Upper Saturn Valley] Have tea. (PK Check)
- [In Upper Saturn Valley] Milky Well. (Your Sanctuary)
Dusty Dunes
- Defeat all five Guardian Diggers at the Mines, then talk to Montague outside. (Key item.) If you talk to Montague before completing the mines, he will tell you what item he has.
- [With Monkey Invitation + Pencil Eraser] Solve the monkey cave puzzle, then talk to Talah Rama and the monkey with him. (Key Item + PK Check)
- You can take a bus or walk to Fourside. (Grants access to Fourside.)
Fourside
- Check behind the counter at Jackie's Cafe then do a bunch of moonstuff. (Key item)
- Defeat the Department Store Spook. (Unusually good shops + reveals name of character stuck with Monotoli)
- [With Signed Banana] Show the signed banana to Mr. Spoon at the museum, then do the sewer dungeon. (Key Item + Your Sanctuary)
- [With Diamond] Bribe the theater manager. (Key item + Access to Threed)
- [With Yogurt Dispenser] Give it to Electra then get to the top of the Monotoli Building. (Key item + Character)
- You can walk or take the bus to Dusty Dunes. (Grants access to Dusty Dunes.)
Summers
- [With Tiny Ruby] Bribe the museum guy, then talk to him inside for a key item.
- Do the entire Stoic Club quest chain, yes all of it. Then talk to the Magic Cake saleswoman at her cart and the captain at his ship. (PK Check + Grants access to Scaraba)
Scaraba
- [With Hieroglyph Copy] Talk to the Sphinx to access the pyramid. (Key Item + PK Check + Grants access to South Scaraba)
- [In South Scaraba] Go through Dungeon Man. (Grants access to Deep Darkness)
Deep Darkness
- [With Hawk Eye] Defeat Master Barf, then talk to the character behind him. (Character)
- [With Hawk Eye] Grants access to Tenda Village.
Tenda Village
- [With Shyness Book] Give the book to the leader. (Key Item)
- [After Shyness Book] Talk to the tea tenda. (PK Check)
- [After Shyness Book] Talk to the strong tenda. (Your Sanctuary + Grants access to the Lost Underworld)
Lost Underworld
- Fire Springs (Your Sanctuary)
- [With Tendakraut] Talk to the giant rock. (PK Check)
Winters
- Buy an item from the woman in the shop for $1. (Key Item)
- [With Pak Of Bubble Gum] Give the gum to the monkey at Lake Tess (Grants access to Southern Winters)
- [In Southern Winters] Rainy Circle (Your Sanctuary)
- [In Southern Winters] Apple Kid's Mouse at Dr. Andonuts's Lab (Key Item)
- [In Southern Winters, With Eraser Eraser] Stonehenge Base (Key Item)
Dalaam
- Talk to the character on the throne. (Character)
- [With Poo] Complete the Trial Of Nothingness. (PK Check)
- [With Carrot Key] Pink Cloud (Your Sanctuary)
Magicant
- Defeat Ness's Nightmare at the center of the Sea Of Eden. Magicant behavior depends on flags.
- Optional bonus (default) - Gives a large stat boost
- Required - Allows you to talk to Andonuts and go fight Giygas.
- Regular check - Acts as a PK Check.
- Removed - You won't get access to Magicant in the first place, don't worry about it.
Anywhere
- Jeff starts with a key item.
- Poo starts with a key item.