As an adolescent in the early 90's I got to see the beginning of the video game age. Sure, video games were around long before the 90's, but that is when the storytelling and interactivity really coalesced into the engrossing experiences video games provide today. The game that defines that experience for me is Earthbound.

Earthbound puts you in the shoes of four unlikely heroes, chosen by the cosmos to save the Earth from an evil invasion. It sounds cookie cutter, but what Earthbound lacks in premise it more than makes up for in the details. In Earthbound you take control of a nerdy, pre-pubescent boy (not unlike the childhood version of myself). He longs for the pretty blonde girl, gets homesick when out adventuring for too long and, oh yeah, he's got psychic abilities that can crush alien invaders.

With the exception of the psychic powers, I saw myself in this character -- so much so that I named him Dusty (there are only five letter slots to customize his name, so Dustin was too long). I named the female lead after my current crush Julie, and the other two companions after my close friends Billy and Matt. With that, myself, two of my friends and the girl of my dreams set off to save the world.

What you get with Earthbound are all the exciting battles, plot twists and endless hours of gameplay that RPGs are known for. What you don't get in other RPGs is the sense of humor that Earthbound brings to the table. Fully aware of how silly it is for a group of four kids to save the world from an alien invasion, Earthbound never takes itself too seriously. Villians range from an Angry Businessman to Psychic Picasso Paintings, you'll travel to a far off desert land but always able to have a pizza delivered to you within 30 seconds, or you might purchase a house for $10,000 in game money thinking there is some great treasure hidden inside only to find out that it's empty.

Earthbound has kept me coming back. Everytime I play it there's some new joke or reference that I didn't get last time because I wasn't ready for it. The characters feel fresh with every playthrough because you get the distinct feeling that it's up to you to get these people where they need to be. Reasons like these are why Earthbound is one of the most sought after games of this generation. Selling for upwards of one-hundred dollars a pop on eBay while most Super Nintendo games are barely worth one dollar.

It's the only game I've kept from my younger years and I will continue to hold-on to it. The game touched me in a way no other story has and I will remember that way it made me feel forever. I've got a tattoo of the characters on my leg. Simply put, it's the greatest game ever.

[Admin Note: This is a video game review only and not an indication of stock. If you would like to know if your favorite Bookmans location has a copy of Earthbound, please visit the store or call them directly.]