Ninten

Overview

Ninten is the first and main protagonist of the Nintendo Entertainment System Turn-Based RPG Earthbound Beginnings. Originally lacking an official name, the placeholder of Ninten was given by fans based on screenshots from strategy guides. This name was made official when a sticker of Ninten appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Until that point, Ninten's identity had been left intentionally vague in official channels as the character is intended to be a cipher for the player. Before Brawl, he was often referred to simply as, 'boy,' or with generic pronouns in official media.

Ninten has psychic powers (PSI in the game) and a mysterious background. At one point in the game, it is stated that Ninten has asthma. Ninten has constantly been compared to Ness, the main protagonist of EarthBound, due to the similar appearance and similar goals. Many other similarities present themselves throughout the game, but it is unknown whether or not they are the same.

When Ninten first sets out on his adventure in Mother, it is to investigate a strange occurrence of a poltergeist in his humble village of Podunk. Similar occurrences are happening all over the globe, eventually leading up to a malignant alien entity known as Gyiyg (Giygas in EarthBound).