Opprinnelig skrevet av Jeremy Parish
There's more to the battle system than simply dishing out menu commands, though. Despite its turn-based style, combat in Mother 3 rewards gamers who happen to be blessed with a good sense of rhythm and timing. The series has always been unique for its habit of featuring dozens of battle themes, but this time it's an integral aspect of fighting rather than simply a novelty. Each action in battle is accompanied by a musical tone, and by tapping the A button in time to the rhythm you can create a sort of counter-melody to the music that deals extra damage with each action. A perfect 16-hit combo (the maximum possible) is usually worth more than double damage over a basic attack.
Nearly every enemy in the game has its own distinct theme -- should you encounter several enemies at once, the primary enemy's theme plays -- so the trick is in learning the proper timing for each tune. A straightforward march is simple, but certain enemies are graced with unusual time signatures and shifting beats, adding a unique touch of involvement to the battle system, and introducing an extra element of strategy to the mix.