The series is known for its combination of humorous and emotionally evocative tones. Itoi wanted to tell "Mother 3" through a technique that swapped the active player-character, which he first attempted in "EarthBound". The two games also share similar visual styles, both with psychedelic battle backgrounds and cartoonish art. While "Mother 3" music is both similar in tone to its predecessors and completely new, it features similar sound effects. "EarthBound" characters such as Mr. Saturn recur, and "RPGamer" wrote that "Mother 3" final chapter is "full of blatant links" between the games of the series. "Mother" also shares similarities with its sequel, such as the game save option through phoning Ninten's father, an option to store items with Ninten's sister at home, and an automated teller machine for banking money. Additionally, the members of the party follow behind the protagonist on the overworld screen in the first two games. Ninten's party members in "Mother" are analogous to those of "EarthBound" in style and function.