Perhaps the most debated topic plaguing the video game industry is whether or not video games are for children only. This battle has been going on for quite awhile, as long as video games have existed. The common stereotype is that games are completely unsophisticated blips. With the help of Earthbound and an archetypal formula that is taught in prestigous schools and respected worldwide, I will prove that games can tell a well thought out and emotional story that can make people think.

This archetype, created by Northrop Frye, is the basis for all stories and myths. It is a sixpart formula, and called the "Monomyth." Here are the steps. It applies to the hero of the story, and the steps generally occur in this order:

1."Mysterious Birth." The character is marked at birth as special in some way.
2."Orphaned." The character is literally orphaned or is somehow detached from his parents.
3."Secluded Education." The character grows up in a secluded environment.
4."Perilous Journey." The character leaves home and goes off on a long and perilous journey.
5."Critical Battle." The character fights a great nemesis, the climax of the tale.
6."The Return." The character returns to the places where his journey began, he is hailed as a hero.

Now I will show that Earthbound fits this literary device.

1.Ness' birth is mysterious because he has the power of PSI, and fate has chosen him to save the earth.
2.Ness does not really have a fatherfigure in the family. In this way, he is partially orphaned.
3.Ness grows up in the secluded suburbs of Onett, away from the mainstream of everyday town life.
4.This is painfully obvious. The entire game is based around Ness'perilous journey, with the dangers that he faces.
5.Ness battles an incredibly powerful foe in Giygas, this is the game's climax.
6.After the battle, Ness returns to where he started from, and everyone hails him as a hero.