This week we learned that Nintendo will be shutting down the Virtual Console and everything else connected to the 3DS and Wii U eShop in a little over a year. That sucks, but what makes it feel a thousand times worse is how Nintendo has been treating their barely-existent Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. This month we received both Earthbound on the Super NES and Earthbound Beginnings on the NES, the first new games on that standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription since July of last year. Expansion Pack owners will also get The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask on February 25th. Today we're going to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, Super Play and more to see what critics said when these classic games were first released. Join me for an adventure game-focused episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew.


Earthbound is the perfect example of just how much opinions can change on a game in twenty-seven years. These days, the 16-bit role-playing game is considered an all-time classic, rivaling genre greats like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger. However, back when it first came out, the reception for Earthbound was a lot more mixed. Some outlets liked it, others were not impressed and some, like Electronic Gaming Monthly and Next Generation, completely dismissed it by not reviewing it at all. If you were to go back and tell a 1990s critic that Earthbound would eventually become an unassailable classic, I'm not sure many would believe you.

The person who would have scoffed the hardest would have been Jeff Lundrigan of Game Players, who concluded that "it aint't bad, but it ain't real exciting either. Combat is handled through static display screens that look like throwbacks to 8-bit Dragon Warrior days. RPG addicts looking for a quick fix (like me, for instance) could do worse, but without a doubt, the younger you are, the more you're gonna like it." GamePro was also underwhelmed by the game, though disagreed that Earthbound was for kids: "Earthbound can be amusing if you know where to look for the funny parts. Otherwise, the humor is too mature for little kids and the gameplay is too immature for older gamers."

Turning slightly more positive, Nintendo Power gave the game a 4 out of 5 and liked the "great story, fun graphics, good sound effects" and the "Ident-a-Smell scratch-and-sniff card" that came with the physical cartridge. They didn't like the "frequent, sometimes tedious battles" and "poorly designed inventory system." Super Play also liked it, calling it "an all-American RPG that could only have been written by the Japanese. An RPG that's very much more than the sum of its parts. There's nothing like it on the SNES." However, Die Hard Game Fan's K.Lee who ended up being Earthbound's biggest cheerleader. They concluded that "This game justifies the old adage 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' At first glance, Earthbound seems like an RPG for children with its dinky Playschool-like graphics and youthful main hero. In reality, this game has one of the most coherent, sophisticated and funny storylines of any RPG. Earthbound is downright hilarious. What's even better is the further that you venture into this game, the more you get addicted to it." While that excitement echoes a lot of today's sentiment, it's clear that Earthbound wasn't seen as an all-time classic back when it first came out.

Earthbound isn't the only controversial adventure game coming to the Nintendo Switch Online service this month, because The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is the big new entry for Expansion Pack subscribers. Released only two-years after everybody called Ocarina of Time the greatest game of all time, I think it's fair to say that this follow-up had a lot to live up to. So, when Nintendo decided to go in a darker direction and make radical changes to the core structure, it's easy to understand why not every fan was on board. To this day, fans of the series argue whether Majora's Mask is a great Zelda game or a major disappointment.

When it came to the critics, the consensus was a lot clearer. Edge gave it a 9 out of 10, it got a 96% from N64 Magazine, Nintendo Power went as high as 9.4 out of 10 and every single critic at Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a perfect 10. Mark notes that while the "wow" factor of a Zelda game being in 3D may be gone, "the thrill of exploration is still there and controls and actual gameplay are stronger than ever. Everything else is done right: The memorable characters (old and new), the funny subplots, the added emphasis on time, the bosses, the mini-games. Incredible." Greg concluded that this sequel was "kinda like Zelda meets Groundhog Day. Besides the novel approach, what you really get in Majora's Mask is more of the same great gameplay from the last game." He also complained that the fuzzy graphics really hurt the game, "but not enough to mess with the score, though."

While EGM gave the game perfect marks, other critics weren't ready to go that high. GamePro, for example, gave the game a 4.5 out of 5 and concluded that it was worth the wait. "While the story line could've been more enthralling, Majora's Mask is still an epic journey, combining top-notch graphics, sound and control with a unique style of gameplay." Next Generation, on the other hand, was noticeably let down by this update. After naming Ocarina of Time the best game of all time, the best they could scrounge up for Majora's Mask was a 4 out of 5. Their issue? That clock: "There's so much to see, but Nintendo will have players racing to see it; the greatest enemy here is not the fiendish Skull Kid, but rather the ticking clock. And each passing moment, it seems, is to be savored more than the previous one." Of course, they also compared the game to a "rawhide birthday cake," so make of that what you will. Whether you feel like this is a franchise highlight or a disappointing follow-up to Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask remains an epic adventure game that deserves to be played.