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When thinking of Earthbound, many unique aspects of the game come to mind. Its enormous North American box, the use of 'real' world locations, visible enemies on the map at a time when that was unexpected, and the creative choice of enemies to fight are all highlights of Earthbound. One mechanic the game used has, unfortunately, not made an appearance in any games over the fifteen years that have elapsed. Is the amazingly convenient idea of instant victory over enemies it is a waste of time to fight truly so radical a notion? Earthbound was apparently ahead of its time, thus the strange refusal of others to use this concept.
For those unfamiliar with the game, the system to which I refer is Earthbound's unique means of making weak enemies take minimal time away from the player. If an enemy group is significantly weaker than your team, the game grants instant victory, with money and experience still being awarded. Enemies make a point of trying to run away if Ness's group is significantly stronger than they are, which helps keep unwanted weaklings from bothering the player constantly.
Why hasn't this idea been incorporated into more games? Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Golden Sun, Lunar, Seiken Densetsu - the list of games where enemies that you overpower by an incredible amount keep getting in the way is huge. There is no chance of losing to them, so fighting these pathetically weak adversaries is a waste of time. Some games deal with the problem by making enemies vanish once the boss of an area is conquered, but why not use the Earthbound solution and vanquish these peons with no effort? It was a good idea in 1994, and it's still a good idea.
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