EarthBound features many traditional RPG elements; the player controls a party of characters who travel through the game's two-dimensional world that is composed of villages, cities, and dungeons.
Along the way, battles are fought against enemies, after which, the party receives experience points for victories. If enough experience points are acquired, a character's level will increase. This increases the character's attributes, like strength, defense, and health. EarthBound breaks traditional RPG features by not utilizing an overworld map.
Instead, the world is entirely seamless, with no differentiation between towns and the outside world. Another non-traditional element is the perspective used for the world. The game uses oblique projection, while most 2-D RPGs use a "top-down" view on a grid or an isometric perspective.
EarthBound, unlike its predecessor EarthBound Beginnings, does not utilize random battles. When physical contact occurs between a character and an enemy, the screen switches to battle mode. In combat, characters and enemies possess a certain amount of hit points. Successive blows to an enemy reduces the number of hit points. Once an enemy's hit points reach zero, they are defeated. In battle, the player is allowed to choose specific actions for their characters.
These actions can include attacking, healing, or the use of items. Characters can also use special PSI attacks that require "Psychic Points." Once each character is assigned a command, the characters and enemies perform their actions in a set order, determined by character speed. Whenever a character receives damage, the hit point box gradually "rolls" down, similar to an odometer. This allows players an opportunity to heal the character or win the battle before the counter hits zero, after which the character is knocked unconscious.
If all characters are rendered unconscious, the game ends. Because battles are not random, tactical advantages can be gained. If the player physically contacts an enemy from behind, the player is given a first-strike priority. However, this also applies to enemies, who can also engage the party from behind. Uniquely, as Ness and his friends become stronger, battles with weaker enemies are eventually won automatically, forgoing the entire battle sequence altogether.
Currency is indirectly received from Ness's father, who can also save the game's progress. Each time the party wins a battle, Ness's father deposits money in an account that can be withdrawn at ATMs. In towns, players can visit various department stores where weapons, armor, and items can be bought. Weapons and armor can be equipped to increase character strength and defense, respectively. In addition, items can be used for a number of purposes, such as healing. Towns also house several other useful facilities such as hospitals where players can be healed for a fee.
Text by EarthBound Wiki