Top Five Wii Exclusives

The Wii set the world on fire in sales, and it has an exhaustive library of games to choose from. As I did last week and the week before I am going to post a list featuring the exclusives of one of the big three's main consoles. Today it is the Wii's turn to shine. Which games will make the list? There is no need to wait. Just read on right now!

5) Donkey Kong Country Returns

When Rare was purchased by Microsoft it seemed that the Donkey Kong Country series was in jeopardy and was never returning ever again. Then one E3 Nintendo revealed a trailer for Donkey Kong Country Returns, made by none other than Metroid Prime series developer Retro Studios. The game plays just like the Super Nintendo trilogy of DKC games. There were deviously placed obstacles and bonus areas, plenty of tricks and traps to watch for, and clever level design that continuously offered a new gimmick each stage. The game brought with it incredibly mine cart levels, intense rocket barrel sections, and cooperative play for up to two players. Donkey Kong Country Returns simply outclasses two of the three games of the original DKC trilogy; only Diddy's Kong Quest beats it.


4) New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Speaking of cooperative play, New Super Mario Bros. Wii had four player action with Mario, Luigi, and a pair of Toads. The levels were expertly designed featuring motives such as grasslands, jungles, deserts, beaches, icy plateaus, and lava oceans. The Koopalings were back from their extended hiatus and came back in force. The controls were not as tight as previous games in the franchise, but they were serviceable nonetheless. Jumping off the head of your partner to reach an out-of-the-way star coin, entering the secret ninth world of ultra-hard levels, and running from a gigantic Bowser in the final showdown while leaping carefully from moving platform to platform all make for wonderful memories of this marvelous title. New Super Mario Bros. Wii got a metric ton of sales, and they all well deserved as this 2D Mario is one of the best the series has ever seen.


3) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Let me preface this by saying that if you are "waggling" to play this game... you're doing it wrong. Stop blaming the game because you blow at it. That said, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was named SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2011, and it was a remarkable title. The addition of Wii MotionPlus was used for a plethora of tasks such as controlling the Beetle item, swimming, swinging from vines and ropes, and of course, battling with Link's sword. Enemies were not fodder this time around that could be generally defeated by lazily swinging around the Wii remote like Twilight Princess. No, you needed smart swings to fell them. An enemy who holds two blades horizontally could be taken out with a horizontal shot of your own, aimed right in the middle of the foe's two blades. While the game had some tedious hand-holding as well as extensive padding late in the game, Skyward Sword still ranks as one of my favorite 3D Zelda games. The world is interesting, the characters are lovely, and the music is one of Nintendo's best soundtracks.


2) Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Essentially a love letter to Nintendo fans all over the globe, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of the meatiest games I can think of. It had everything and more. There were over 500 trophies to collect, various modes like the all-new Subspace Emissary, Classic, All-Star, Event, Boss Battles, and Stadium, stickers, a myriad of items, 30+ characters with Final Smashes, ultimate moves which are acquired by breaking a Smash Ball, 30+ stages such as Delfino Plaza, Mario Circuit, Mushroomy Kingdom, Smashville, Skyworld, Distant Planet, Port City: Aero Dive, Luigi's Mansion, Lylat Cruise, etc., there was the ability to create stages, and there were over 200 songs to unlock and listen to. Then there's the Challenges which are like achievements except these aren't just for you to brag pathetically to your friends about. You can actually unlock in-game content with them. Super Smash Bros. Brawl trumps Melee in nearly every department, and with bated breath I await Super Smash Bros. 4. Make it happen, Sakurai!


1) Super Mario Galaxy 2

Not only was it SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2010, but it is one of my favorite games of all time. Why? It only has some of the tightest, most responsive controls around and some of the most marvelous level design in 3D platforming existence. The story is pretty much a non-thing with Peach once again being captured by Bowser. Thankfully the game spits you out right into the thick of the gameplay, allowing you to get your feet wet almost immediately. The great galaxies (or levels) the game offers has a wide variety of themes, areas, and trials for Mario or Luigi to triumph over. Some galaxies switch between a fiery motive and an icy one while another reintroduces the portly plumber to his old friend Yoshi from his Super Mario World days. After the initial 120 stars have been recovered, you have just begun. There are 120 green stars to retrieve, placed in precarious locations around the numerous galaxies. Super Mario Galaxy 2 shows that Nintendo is on top of their game when it comes to whimsical game design, and that they are the masters of pumping out compelling software for their systems.

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I always feel sorry for those who hate on the Wii. Such ignorance means they will never get a chance to enjoy the abundant range of titles the console's library has. Such a waste. As for those who love the system like I do, there is always something new to discover; a niche title that went under the radar that you just came across or a popular game that you just happened to miss. Which Wii exclusives do you deem the greatest? Hit me up with a comment below to start the discussion.

SimCity 5 (PC) First Trailer

As you, the avid reader of SPC, know I do not generally cover PC gaming. When I review a game that is multiplatform and also on PC, I purposefully do not mention PC. Some games are just too important and entertaining to not mention, even if I will never have the competent hardware to play them. SimCity 5, announced at GDC, is one of those games. EA and developer Maxis unveiled the premiere trailer for the city-building title due out on a currently ambiguous date next year. And while there is no gameplay footage in this trailer, it does whet the appetite of fans like myself wanting some SimCity action.

Direct link

Bad Levels in Gaming History - Volume One

In the past I have listed some of my favorite levels in gaming history. Now it's time to take a look at the opposite, some of the poorer attempts at making competent levels. These areas might be convoluted, designed with best intentions but end up being messes, or are repetitive beyond all get out. Volume One has five of these monstrosities for your viewing and reading pleasure.

Eggmanland - Sonic Unleashed (PS3, 360)


There's something to be said about a level that takes nearly thirty minutes even with a pro player going through it. That is the HD version of Eggmanland from Sonic Unleashed, a platforming and perilous hell on the level of past haunts from games like Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). The level switches you between normal Sonic and Werehog Sonic as you jump and maul your way through increasingly more challenging scenarios such as tiptoeing as Werehog Sonic on incredibly thin pipes with a bottomless pit, the cornerstone of recent Sonic games, taunting you from below. It doesn't help that the camera is fixated in a position that is not beneficial to your jumping prowess. Then there's the coaster part as Sonic where you must control a seemingly uncontrollable roller coaster car through a hellish halfpipe as you leap over chasms, dodge spikes, and hope for the best. After this there is a portion as Sonic with square sections of wall with an Eggman-esque mug on them that push out. If you happen to be standing there when they do you end up getting pushed off the level and die. This is very easy to lose precious lives at. The whole level is a life-stealer, and it says something about this incarnation of evil when I start with 99 lives and end in the forties. Not only is the level way too long, but it is unbelievably cheap, too.

The Dam - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)


Without a doubt one of the most obnoxious water levels in gaming history (they are usually already a pain to begin with) is the dam stage from the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The premise of the level is that you must disarm eight bombs that are placed around a labyrinthine underwater stage before they detonate and destroy the dam and turn you into turtle soup. Electric seaweed lines many of the soggy corridors of this stage, demanding pinpoint precision of the player. Good luck with that with the unwieldy swimming controls. And don't forget the other shocking obstacles in this nightmare of a swimming level. Many gamers never made it past this the second stage of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Blaze Heatnix Stage - Mega Man X6 (PS1)


Now, Mega Man X6 is already a poor Mega Man X game. That much is for certain, but the creme de le crap comes from the Blaze Heatnix Stage where you face off against the same mini-boss (seen in the picture above) about 5-6 times throughout the level. The battleground may be different each time, sometimes you're facing the boss in a vertical chamber with rising purple flames on your tail while another you're battling the boss in a horizontal area with multiple chasms to worry about, but the way to beat this annoyance is always the same. You must shoot out the multiple green weak points of the snakelike robotic baddie to temporarily defeat it. Mega Man X6 is known for some of the lamest level design in series history, so taking the prize as worst level in the game is some stellar feat.

New Pork City - Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)


My problem with Super Smash Bros. Brawl's New Pork City stems from the fact that not only is it way too large, but it is also just a seemingly random pile of platforms put together to form a stage. At least with Super Smash Bros. Melee's largest stage, Temple, the level was designed to resemble something. This is not the case with New Pork City. The many thrown-together platforms and huge negative space means that throwing your opponents out of the arena takes much longer than a normal-sized stage. Now to be fair, I like the aesthetics of New Pork City, but looks alone do not a good Smash Bros. stage make. This is why I have the level turned off when I decide to play on a random stage. Too big and too difficult to get K.O.s on, New Pork City winds up in the Super Smash Bros. Brawl hall of shame.

Planet Wisp (Classic) - Sonic Generations (PS3, 360)


Planet Wisp (Classic) from the recently released Sonic Generations starts out innocently enough as you stroll or speed through a verdant valley with badniks wearing construction hats and armed with pickaxes, but as you enter the actual factory, the second part of the level, things turn crappy fast. Sonic Colors, the game Planet Wisp is picked from, had wisps, beings that for a limited time gave the blue blur powers like the ability to drill through certain floors and the laser which bounced Sonic off walls for as long as the wisp's power held together. The lone wisp power in Planet Wisp (Classic) is spikes. Sonic turns into a spiked ball and can use those sharp quills of his to climb walls and ceilings. The problem is when you get to special and small gears that need Sonic to charge his spike power on them in order to operate/move them through hazardous hallways. This is all the while dodging a barrage of missiles that fly throughout the level. Planet Wisp becomes maddening when you're tasked with moving four different platforms to line them up to lead the azure hedgehog to the goal. It's an annoying second half of the level and one I wish only to my enemies.

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That wraps up Volume One of Bad Levels in Gaming History. To get some better vibes and view some Great Levels in Gaming History, check out one of the following volumes:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five

Which levels in games do you deem as poorly designed or made? Hit me up with a comment discussing this or post whether you agree or not with my choices.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS) New Screens

It is a popular week for new screens here at SuperPhillip Central. Nintendo and Pit join the fray with new screens of the upcoming Kid Icarus: Uprising. The game features both a single-player campaign (part on-rails shooter, part ground combat game) and a robust multiplayer mode. I am sure we will continue to get a steady stream of new media for the game as we await its March 23rd release date.

Halo 4 (360) First Screens

From the Xbox event that was under a non-disclosure agreement before comes the first two beautiful screens from Halo 4, the beginning of a new trilogy. You know what would make this the essential first-person shooter for me? Bots. Lots and lots of bots. ...Don't look at me like that. As for now we have two shots of Master Chief holding a gun and staring at the environment. Yep, that be Halo!

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - Marching On Edition

It's a new month, so why not ring March in with five new VGMs? That makes sense to me, and I have a simple mind. On this week's installment of SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs we have music from multiple PlayStation RPGs such as Chrono Cross, Kingdom Hearts II, and Xenogears. But that's not all! Just read and listen on to see the rest!

v56. Chrono Cross (PS1) - Time's Scar


We begin with an incredible track from Chrono Cross, the sequel to the Super Nintendo classic Chrono Trigger. Trigger is not needed to be played to understand the story of Cross. Time's Scar, the opening theme of the game, starts off with a majestic flute being played alongside an acoustic guitar. After we've warmed up, the song gets into the main theme and has swift strings playing and the main melody. It is a Celtic cacophony! I never did manage to get far in Chrono Cross (the game bored me to tears), but I will always appreciate the sensational soundtrack of the game. Bravo, Yasunori Mitsuda. Bravo.

v57. Kingdom Hearts II (PS2) - Working Together


Starting off with pizzicato strings before kicking into overdrive, this battle theme of Twilight Town when playing as Sora, Goofy, and Donald is quite energetic and peppy. I for some reason opted to play Kingdom Hearts II without trying the original game. To this day I have still never touched Kingdom Hearts I even though I have read that it is superior to its sequel. Am I deranged? Am I mad? No, I just haven't had the time to go back in my PS2 library and plop this game into my backwards compatible PlayStation 3 to have a go at it.

v58. Mega Man 2 (NES) - Wood Man Stage


It is commonplace when you mention Mega Man 2's soundtrack to mention Wily Stages 1-2 as your theme of choice. I am bucking this trend with Wood Man's Stage, set deep in a forest with robotic panthers and ostriches. 8-bit music generally gives me a headache even though I grew up on it. Regardless, the Mega Man series is one of the few that I can actually stand. Wood Man's Stage's theme is incredibly catchy, allowing you to shoot up Dr. Wily's creations with ease.

v59. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PS2) - Path of Goddess Claire (Holy Land La-Lakoosha [Outside])


I was first introduced to Klonoa on the Wii with the game of the same name. I then was feverishly searching for any other title featuring the floppy-eared hero. I came upon Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil on the PlayStation 2, and it quenched my thirst for a 2 1/2D platformer. It had plenty of challenge, nice visuals, and a steady difficulty curve. Path of Goddess Claire is a mellow piece that plays alongside you as you delve deep in Lunatea to find the legendary Goddess. Between the two main Klonoa games (not to mention the Game Boy Advance spinoffs) it is a shame the character did not gain more popularity across the world.

v60. Xenogears (PS1) - Flight (Orchestra Version)


We start with a classic RPG from the original PlayStation and we conclude with a classic RPG from the original PlayStation with Xenogears. Xenogears came out around the same time that Gundam Wing aired on American television, so my fascination with giant robotic suits of armor duking it out was satiated greatly. Myth is a recently released orchestral album of several of the most notable themes from Yasunori Mitsuda's Xenogears album. Flight is but one of these poignant themes. I encourage you to listen to the whole album if and when you get the chance; there's some positively good stuff on there.

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We have stumbled upon the conclusion of another edition of SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs. We've heard Time's Scar, Working Together, Wood Man Stage, Path of Goddess Claire, and Flight. Not satisfied yet? Why not take a look (or is it listen?) to past volumes of the VGMs? You can do just that with SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs Database. It's all there for your pure, unbridled listening pleasure.

Fable Heroes (XBLA) First Screens

The first screenshots of the Xbox Live Arcade's Fable Heroes have surfaced. They show a Mario Party-like title with a plentiful amount of mini-games and doll avatars (as seen in past Fable games on shelves in homes). Microsoft has been gearing towards a more casual audience for a year or so now. Nothing wrong with that, but if there is one thing that this game shows it is that Microsoft doesn't need you, the hardcore gamer, anymore. Sorry. They were quick to bury the evidence of knowing you, weren't they?

Top Five PlayStation 3 Exclusives

I really like my PlayStation 3, but it is an older model and I cannot help but think it is a ticking time bomb just waiting to die on me. Apparently QA on hardware was something the big three did not deem important this generation. Regardless, like two Tuesdays ago when I listed my favorite Xbox 360 exclusives, today I am filing through my library of PS3 games and listing the best out of those. With a greater diversity of exclusives than the 360, this list will show why Sony's black box is the ultimate in HD gaming.

5) ModNation Racers

I have mentioned the ModNation Racers series multiple times in my various blog entries, and now it has shown up again. The big draw behind ModNation is the ability to design your own racers, karts, and tracks with the easy-to-use creation mechanics. Then the fun is sharing them online with either friends or total strangers. The choice is yours. If you lack a creative bone in your body there is always the opportunity to gain inspiration from the campaign mode where you vie for first place and even perform unique challenges as you race. The only drawback to ModNation Racers comes from the huge load times. Perhaps the power of the cell isn't even enough to hold the beast that is ModNation.


4) God of War III

Kratos may be the most unlikable character I have ever played as, but his third epic adventure to seek revenge on the Gods of Olympus including Zeus himself. On his quest he will journey through both heaven and hell in his search for unbridled vengeance. There is nothing like scaling the back of a behemoth-sized titan and gouging its eyes out with Kratos' dual-wielding chains of pain. God of War III possesses glorious to view vistas, incredible depth and detail, and amazing graphical effects that really push the PlayStation 3's cell processor to its limits. Rumor has it that a fourth installment in this popular franchise is set to be unveiled some time very soon. Seeing as how the story of Kratos pretty much concluded, will we see a new protagonist?


3) Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Ratchet & Clank is one of many Sony IPs that I adore. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time escalates things to new heights with Ratchet and Clank being separated after the events of Tools of Destruction. Ratchet has a plethora of high-powered weaponry to take down the sinister Dr. Nefarious' goons with which the lovely lombax can level up with continued use, a staple of the series. Meanwhile, Clank can alter time, slowing it down, solving crafty and clever puzzles as he searches for a way to find and reunite with his friend. The range of colorful and vibrant levels in A Crack in Time is only matched by some of the best Ratchet games like Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal. For those looking for a platformer on a console with few to mention, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is a perfect game to plop down and play.


2) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Nathan Drake's first adventure was quite good, but it was missing some elements to make it a classic. Not so with his second outing in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Faced up against a rogue mercenary with a rebel army of hundreds, Nathan follows the trail of his "ancestor" Sir Francis Drake in search of the mysterious Shambhala, a secret city hidden away for centuries. Our smarmy hero will venture from war-torn cities to icy mountains in his journey. The intense gun fights of the first game are present and accounted for and offer tons of strategy just to survive. The ledge-grabbing, chasm-jumping platforming has also returned. What makes Among Thieves a classic is the perfect blend of action and adventure elements as well as the excellent pacing and set pieces. Uncharted 2 is definitely the best of the trilogy, and sitting down with a copy and playing will show that Naughty Dog did not just get lucky with Crash Bandicoot or Jak and Daxter.


1) LittleBigPlanet 2

The first LittleBigPlanet introduced the world to Sackboy, a character made of felt and yarn that you could customize with various costumes and articles of clothing. LittleBigPlanet 2 raised the stakes with more creative level design, more options for players to craft their own levels, and shed the platformer-only gameplay of the original. Now you can create shooters, arcade-style mini-games and much more. The wonderful story levels made by Media Molecule are worth the price of admission alone, but the ability to make your own masterpieces with the vast assortment of creation tools just elevate LittleBigPlanet 2 as a terrific platform for games. Sharing levels with the large community, playing with three other happy gadders as you assist one another through areas, and collecting the plethora of prize bubbles are just a few of the activities that can be accomplished in this cute, charming title. It remains my favorite PS3 exclusive (it was also named runner-up for Game of the Year at the SPC Best of 2011 Awards last December).

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Sony has done an admirable job of pushing new franchises along with old favorites in their lineup of exclusives for the system. While the PS3 does not have any third-party games on the list like the 360 had (Metal Gear Solid 4 does not count as that is a C-rate movie with some game elements), the system has provided me with hundreds upon hundreds of hours of fun times. What five PlayStation 3 exclusives are your faves? Let me know in the comments section.

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy (3DS) New Screens

While some of these are a tad on the old side, gorgeous screens of Square Enix's 3DS exclusive entity Bravely Default: Flying Fairy have surfaced. The game sports beautiful backgrounds, cute characters, and the RPG action that the system is sorely lacking. Hopefully the game comes to the West, but Japan can keep the inane title.