---
title: Great UX patterns in games
description: How EarthBound creates a better gaming experience by removing tedious actions.
pubDate: 2012-01-15
---

import Figure from '../../components/Figure.astro'
import EB1 from '../../assets/earthbound-1.jpg'
import EB2 from '../../assets/earthbound-2.gif'
import EB3 from '../../assets/earthbound-3.jpg'
import EB4 from '../../assets/earthbound-4.jpg'
import EB5 from '../../assets/earthbound-5.jpg'
import EB6 from '../../assets/earthbound-6.jpg'

EarthBound is one of my favorite Super Nintendo games. It's witty, hilarious, and extremely fun. I played this game over the holidays and discovered one of the best user experiences in a video game.

<Figure src={EB1} caption="You go to a store to purchase a new item" />
<Figure src={EB2} caption="A character's panel will blink if this item is stronger than their currently equipped item" />
<Figure src={EB3} caption="When you select the item, the clerk will ask who should carry it." />
<Figure src={EB4} caption="Once you select the party member, the clerk will ask if you'd like to equip your purchase at this time." />
<Figure src={EB5} caption="If you say yes, the clerk will inform you of your offensive or defensive improvement." />
<Figure src={EB6} caption="And, finally, the clerk asks if you'd like to sell your older item." />

This is one of the **best** video game experiences I've had.

In one dialog, I bought a better item, assigned it to the correct character, got rid of my older item, and made cash on it. The game walked me through a process that would normally be tedious and kept me focused on what's important: gameplay. Less organization, more gameplay.

Want to develop a great user experience?

Become a user yourself!

---

Credit to [Stephan Plays](https://www.youtube.com/user/stephenplays) for the [high resolution video of EarthBound gameplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8xniC8Jos0)