Earthbound

• You DO have to grind a bit on the purple guys before you take on the first boss. Level 8 at least for your big damage PSI ability, level 10 for an even easier time. Just spam that ability as much as you can on the boss.

• Give Paula all of the vitality capsules you find, she needs them the most.

• Don't give Jeff any IQ capsules, he doesn't need them. (Counter-point: If you give him your IQ capsules, he learns to repair broken items sooner and can get you some really powerful weapons earlier. I don't think IQ even does anything significant for the other characters.)

• The Sword of Kings is the only "rare" item worth the time in getting.

• If you see a red or green caterpillar, chase it!

• Don't be afraid to experiment with strange items (toothbrush, ruler) in battle.

• Don't buy the seaside house in Onett unless you're swimming in cash.

• About 2/3 of the way through [the first dungeon] is an outdoor area that connects two caves. A PSI Butterfly commonly spawns out there, giving you back 20PP. Keep refreshing the area until you're full, letting you spam Lifeup and (Rockin) to your heart's content. You can use it as a "base of operations" if you need to level up for the boss. He can be a pain if you don't heal on EXACTLY the right turn or he gets a critical at the wrong time.

• PSI FavoriteThing is handy during the boss fight (he has two flunkies and PSI FavoriteThing hits all targets) and at that level it should be enough to win without much trouble by then (you learn it at level 10).

• There's a hidden clubhouse where a kid will give you a cap that's better than anything else available. It's by the library with a kid standing guard so it shoudn't be hard to find. It isn't significant, but every bit helps.

• Here's a good stat grinding trick: If you use a Rock Candy with a Condiment (I think Jar of Delisauce works best) when it pumps one of your stats, the condiment is consumed, but the rock candy isn't.

• Make sure you have your attack spell by the time you get to the boss of Giant Step.

• Speaking of Giant Step, there's a reappearing Magic Butterfly just outside of the boss chamber. It's the only part of the dungeon that you actually are "outside" for. Use it to regain your PP, and by extension, your HP.

• Once you get Jeff, feel free to stock him up with Bottle Rockets. He can't use PSI, so you might thing he's underpowered. Bottle Rockets are key.

• The hardest boss in the game, in my opinion, is made much easier by using PSI Flash. It should be obvious which one it is.

• When you get to the Guardian Diggers, leave the third strongest one for last.

• There are a couple places where butterflies respawn if you see them.

• Freeze call stop an enemy for a while.

• Lots of stuff that Jeff can use is repeatable and his Heavy Bazooka is broken, after you fix it.

• Krakens don't drop any bats.

• Eggs will be a great source of income if you hold on to lots of them.

• Don't get to level 99 when Ness is alone by the end of the game.

• The L button does everything, talking to people searching trash cans, L does it all.