EarthBound the Key Inspiration for South Park: The Stick of Truth

Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming South Park: The Stick of Truth looks to be a classic RPG with the most unorthodox setting. While many turn-based titles tend to follow brash, spiky-haired warriors who can slay the most powerful of dragons with enough critical hits, The Stick of Truth is based on one of the crassest, most-beloved cartoons to ever air on TV. It’s not your average video game, which is why it almost made too much sense when creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed its anything-but-ordinary inspiration.

Speaking at a Comic-Con panel, the comical duo discussed how EarthBound, another bizarre take on the genre, was the game they continued to look to when thinking up The Stick of Truth.

"We're big gamers and I think what was inspiring the game was a lot more lofty than what we could pull off," Parker said. "I was a big fan of it and what I kept thinking in my mind was EarthBound."

It was actually the authenticity of EarthBound that made it so appealing to Parker.

"I haven't played it again in forever, but I just remember something being about 'Oh wow, I'm a little kid in a house and there's my mom and I go outside my house and am fighting like an ant and a little mouse.' It started out feeling so real," Parker continued. "I kept having in my head 'do I really want [South Park: The Stick of Truth] to feel like that you are a little kid and you're playing this game and bigger shit ends up happening.' But I really loved that feeling that EarthBound had of I'm a cute little kid in my neighborhood and we're running around playing a game.'"

It’s a classic, and hopefully a good example to follow for The Stick of Truth. Everything that’s come out about the game looks solid, and thankfully, we should still see it sometime this year.