Tomato is awesome, if you don't know him, it's okay, he accepted to answer a few questions from me, here's how it went. My questions are in bold and mato's answer are in italics

#1: In a quick short answer, Mother 3 versus Mother 2?

Mother 2.

#2: Some people say that Mother 3 wasn't the Mother game the "fans" wanted, what do you think about this? Do you think it would have been better if Itoi made "ness and friends versus pokeytron v2?"

Nah, it wasn't what most fans wanted. Most wanted something very similar to the previous two games, where you walk around a large variety of towns in a somewhat lighthearted adventure using common everyday household items like frying pans and bats, fighting wacky enemies like runaway dogs and hippies. Mother 3 has almost none of those. It's quite linear, there's really only one town, it's not lighthearted by a long shot, and you fight mechanized dragons, cyborgs, and bizarre scientific experiments.

Whether going this route would've been better than what most fans expected, I can't really say, but I think if the game was too similar to the other games, it might've suffered from the "forgotten syndrome", where lots of things similar to previous games would've been easily forgettable *because* of the similarity. Plus we've had over a decade to think up ideas for sequels, side stories, and the like, so I think a true sequel to Mother 2 could've been disappointing. It could've been just more of the same.

#3: As a important figure in the Mother community, what do you think will happen in the following months and years? How far do you see Mother 3 generating interest?

Obviously, in the short term, there'll be a fan translation. I really doubt it'll be professional-level quality, but it's pretty much inevitable. There are still rumors from respectable sources though, so it's possible that in the coming years there could be an official release. That'd generate lots of interest, but I think fans of that game will be somehow different from the current fans we have at the site. Kind of like a generation gap, in a way.

#4: What's the better one? No translation at all or a "fan" translation?

If a fan translation is handled properly, it would be fine. Itoi put A LOT of work into the text, and a poor fan translation (or even a medicore one) could ruin the experience Itoi was intending. So I'm of the opinion that no translation is much better than a crappy translation. It's difficult to explain, but simply being able to understand what's going on doesn't equate to a fun gaming experience. Basically, a bad translation can take away a lot more from the experience more than no translation at all, at least in Mother 3's case.

#5: Your favorite Mother 3 enemy?

The painting ghost. When I first ran into it, I was like OMG, I wasn't expecting it. Plus it's outside animation rocks.

#6: As a professional translator guy major pro mojo, how hard do you think it will be to translate and localize Mother 3 for western audiences?

Not particularly any harder than most other stuff. It would just take a good deal of time of polishing, double-checking, and such.

#7: Is it a good thing that Mother 3 was released? Do you see it as a long-time, nostalgic-enabled, community-worthy game? Or is Mother 2 going to stay the top in that category?

I really doubt Mother 2 will ever be topped. It's had a decade to ferment into a fine gametastic wine. The amount of love for the game is too huge an obstacle for any other Mother game (now or in the future) to overcome.

#8: Your thoughts on Mother 4? Could somebody else than Itoi do it? Do you have any ideas as who?

Yeah, I can see Itoi being in a supervisory role while a new person takes the reins, kind of like how Miyamoto overlooks projects now. As for who, he knows so many writers, gamers, game makers, and the like that he would have a huge group of people available to choose from. Even in the live broadcast he did around the game's release, he had a famous novelist as a special guest, and apparently she's a huge, huge fan of the Mother series. I'm sure many more of his writer friends love the series too. So probably any of them.

#9: How awesome is Duster?

He's OK. No match for Flint or Salsa though.

#10: Mother 3 was a game that we waited for alot. About eight years. Is Mother 3 the game you've waited for? Why, or why not? How do you feel in general about it? Are you happy-happy?

Can't say it's what I was waiting for, but it was definitely one worth waiting for. It was a very unique game experience and will continue to enjoy it for years to come, just as I've done with EarthBound. I do hope more Mother games get made, though.