EarthBound, known in Japan as Mother 2, is a Super Nintendo role playing game released in 1994 in Japan and 1995 in North America, starring Ness, a boy who develops psychic PSI powers. In battle, PSI moves are Ness and his friends' special attacks, separate from normal weapons. The game gained a lasting cult following despite modest early sales, and Ness's later appearances in Super Smash Bros kept its sounds familiar. Fans ripped the short battle effects for soundboards, where the PSI blast became a reusable hit for gaming memes.