Ness's Father is a character in EarthBound. He is also Tracy's father and the husband of Ness's Mother. Because their neighbor Aloysius Minch allegedly loaned a large sum of money to Ness's father and was never repaid, Aloysius and Lardna Minch seem to hold a grudge against Ness's father and his family for this reason alone.
Ness's unseen father, a reference to the creator's plight in work-centered Japan, only appears as a voice on the telephone. Even in the cast roll during the game's ending credits, the telephone's sprite appears as Ness's father. To save the game, it is necessary to locate a phone and call him. He also deposits battle earnings into Ness's bank account. At the end of the game, Ness's father stops saving game progress so he can be home in time for Ness's thirteenth birthday, which allows the player to fight the final boss again. It is stated in the EarthBound Player's Guide that Ness's father works in the "hamburger industry", although he never shows up.
Theory[]
Theory warning: This section contains theoretical information based on the viewpoints or research of one or several other users. It has not been officially verified by Nintendo and its factual accuracy is disputed.
When EarthBound Beginnings was being translated for EarthBound Zero, the year the game takes place in was retroactively changed from 1988 to 80 years after the 1900s. This led fans to theorize about the possibility that Ness's father could be Ninten, as the vague date given makes it conceivable for Ninten to have a 12–13-year-old child in 199X. Fans also pointed to how Ness's mother has blonde hair, which must mean that Ness's father had to have black hair to give Ness the black hair gene. This would explain why Ness has psychic abilities, much like Ninten. Ness's father also brings up an interesting line during their first telephone conversation, "I feel like such a hero." which some interpret as referring to his own adventure instead of Ness's; He was proud that Ness was continuing his legacy of saving the world from Giygas. On the other hand, Ness's father gives no indication that he is aware of PSI or acknowledges its existence, nor does he ever give any hints about his prior adventures or about "Giegue".
Theory warning: Theories end here.