SPC Highlights

Friday, October 30, 2015

Most Overlooked Nintendo 3DS Games - Part Seven

SuperPhillip Central's Most Overlooked series of articles, one of the oldest and longest-running on the site, is back! This time we're dealing with the Nintendo 3DS, a system that I argue has the most quality content across any platform this generation. Regardless of platform, however, there are bound to be games that we overlook, that are underrated, and games that just don't get their due diligence and time in the spotlight. The following five games may not have gotten the best scores, have the most mindshare, or have set the sales charts on fire, but they're still remarkable titles all the same.

For past parts of Most Overlooked Nintendo 3DS Games, look no further than these six links:

Nintendo 3DS - Part One
Nintendo 3DS - Part Two 
Nintendo 3DS - Part Three
Nintendo 3DS - Part Four
Nintendo 3DS - Part Five
Nintendo 3DS - Part Six

LBX: Little Battlers eXperience


Based off the anime cartoon available on Nicktoons (at least here in the States where SuperPhillip Central resides), LBX: Little Battlers eXperience comes packed with customization options and parts to design the ultimate LBX battler depending on the opponent and the scenario. An intriguing story that surprisingly gets dark at some points (at least for a game meant for the younger demographic), great voice work, fast-paced and frenetic battles, and an abundance of replay value in both optional quests and just earning new LBX parts make for a game that should give Custom Robo fans their fix as well as anyone who just loves robot battles. Although selling well in Japan, this first LBX game for the West did not create a big spark in sales. A shame, as it's a highly addicting, massively fun game.

Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash


Beat down in reviews by most outlets and critics, Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash deserves much better than the lack of acclaim it received. Its biggest problem was the Destination Wheel, which players spun to determine what level they would play next instead of a traditional 1-1, 1-2, and then 1-3 structure. However, there are many ways to cheese the system and play the levels you want. For instance, after beating a world, you can choose any level in that world that you desire. Regardless, the actual gameplay of Zip Lash offers the ability to use Chibi-Robo's plug to whip enemies, grab and pull himself onto certain objects, hang from ceilings, and angle his plug to hit off multiple walls to reach out-of-the-way locations and items. The developers said that this could be the final Chibi-Robo! game if sales do not impress Nintendo. Going off by Japan's cold-as-the-stainless-steel-Chibi-Robo-is-made-of shoulder to the game, with the first week sales being less than 20,000, it seems this will be the case. Still, Zip Lash is one heck of a swan song for Nintendo's miniature robot.

Yoshi's New Island


It seems like a good time to talk about this next game, as SuperPhillip Central had just talked about Yoshi's Woolly World earlier this week. While Yoshi's New Island doesn't reach anywhere near the same heights of the either that Wii U game or the Super Nintendo original Yoshi's Island, it does deliver some quaint and cute fun. One of the best new features of this edition of Yoshi's Island is that you don't have to collect all 20 red coins, 5 flowers, and 20 hearts in one run. This was annoying and sometimes even aggravating to accomplish in the original Yoshi's Island. In that regard, Yoshi's New Island is an improvement. While the level design doesn't hit the same notes as the Super Nintendo classic, there are some clever ideas here and there, and some of the bonus stages will definitely test your platforming prowess, especially one that is all vertical and requires multiple well controlled bounces off Bullet Bills with seldom a steady platform to stay on. It's not the best Yoshi has to offer, but Yoshi's New Island is far from a bad game. Bad selling? Definitely.

Disney Magical World


Doing abundantly well in Japan, Disney Magical World in the West didn't receive as much attention from Nintendo 3DS owners. The game itself is a combination of simulation-style gameplay where interacting with Disney characters, running your own cafe, and acquiring materials to build furniture and costumes pieces and dungeon exploration. The latter has you fighting monsters, enemies, opening treasure chests, and plundering for materials. As you earn stickers that serve as a means to progress through the game, new shops, new areas, and new points of interest open up, allowing even more longevity to this already content-rich game. Bandai Namco recently announced a sequel to Disney Magical World, and this one will feature a Frozen world with a scenario written by crew members of the movie. It's SuperPhillip Central's hope that Nintendo will localize this sequel for those of us who enjoyed the original game.

Mercenaries Saga 2: Order of the Silver Eagle


For those craving a tactical RPG on a system with no Final Fantasy Tactics game to speak of, unlike the Nintendo 3DS's predecessors, the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS, Mercenaries Saga 2: Order of the Silver Eagle is a highly competent and most importantly, very inexpensive 3DS eShop title. Don't confuse affordability with cheapness, nor think the game's quality is similar to its price. Mercenaries Saga 2 is an engaging RPG with a compelling story, excellent, though unoriginal tactical gameplay, and plenty of maps, strategy, and character types to partake in. It blows me away how a game similar to this would have been sixty dollars back in the Super Nintendo era, and now such a title is but a handful of dollars. We've come a long way, for certain.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Let the Good Names Roll: Great Credits Sequences in Gaming - Part Two

The staff roll, otherwise known as the credits of video games. This is where not only do we see all the names of the folks who worked on the game you just beat, but perhaps something special to go along with it, whether it's an overview of your adventure, the cast of enemies in the game, or something else. This article delves into some of the very best and most memorable staff rolls/credits sequences in video game history. From old school classics to modern marvels, part two of this expanding list continues to bring the excellent staff rolls. Click on the game title to see the credits sequence described, and for the first part of this series of articles, click here.

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)


We kick things off with a game I talked about in SuperPhillip Central's top ten list of the best platformers on the Wii U from yesterday. Super Mario 3D World delights as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad make their way back to the Mushroom Kingdom through the very same clear pipe that transported them to the Sprixie Kingdom in the first place. Along the way home, they see various characters from throughout their adventure, such as various rescued Sprixies, the helpful water creature Plessie, cute rabbits, and even disappointed, defeated Boom Boom, Pom Pom, and a bottled-up Bowser. All this occurs while a sensational big band theme plays makes this one terrific staff roll sequence.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)


After reliving the same three-day cycle over and over again, though not as many times as Bill Murray had to relive Groundhog Day at least, Link finally defeats Majora's Mask and saves the land of Termina. After some exposition to tidy up loose ends, the credits of the game start running. We see a peaceful Termina, comfortable in the present and hopeful for the future, with multiple scenes showing the denizens enjoying their newly saved lives. We see the organ grinder playing to a full house in the Milk Bar, we see the father and daughter outside of the Music Box House celebrating their lives together, and we see the wedding of Kafei and Anju at the very end. It's a wonderful recap of the lives of the people you, as Link, helped save.

Final Fantasy IX (PS1)


Speaking of recaps, here's a literal one with the credits sequence of Final Fantasy IX. It hits some emotional highs, showcasing CG moments from Zidane and the player's adventure throughout the game. It certainly helps that the two themes that coincide with these moments are absolutely sensational. The first is Melodies of Life, a beautiful ballad that uses the melody of the world map theme. The second is simply Final Fantasy, the main theme of the franchise that plays in most of the mainline games up to this point. The ending, where Zidane and Dagger's two different worlds combine into one, is a powerful one, as is the glowing, rotating crystal that forms the Final Fantasy IX logo adds up to a worthwhile end to the game.

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)


We move from two credits sequences that are emotionally empowered to a credits sequence that is its own game. Most of the Super Smash Bros. games feature interactive staff rolls where you can mess about with the names of crew members displayed on the screen. What many consider the most memorable of these credits sequences is the one from Super Smash Bros. Melee. It features a first-person view of the player flying through a sector space with flying names coming from all directions. It's possible, as this video shows, to hit all of the names. Since players see this sequence after every Classic mode run, it can either be zoomed through by holding a button, or one can try to hit as many names as possible.

Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)


There are actually two ending sequences for Banjo-Kazooie, one focusing on the enemies of the game, after completion of Grunty's Furnace Fun game show, and this second one that is played after defeating Gruntilda. This latter one is the one we'll focus on, as it not only shows a parade of supporting characters and bosses, but it also displays the names of the development and production team behind the game. The names are read in the voices of the characters currently shown on screen, each given nicknames such as Eveline "Twinkles" Fischer and Chris "Chomper" Peil, for instance. I love it when games show off their cast, and Banjo-Kazooie's setup is perfect in this regard.

God Hand (PS2)


Now from a comical game to an even more comical credits sequence. You can tell that Clover Studio (rest in peace) had a lot of fun working on God Hand. This is especially apparent in the incredibly goofy and unapologetic in its cheesiness ending credits, helped immensely by the '80s-esque vocal theme played during it. I mean what else can you say about a song that with lyrics that go, "dragon kick your ass into the Milky Way. (Milky Way!)" The credits feature clips from the game's cutscenes, but it also shows the cast shaking their groove thangs like crazy. It's just a balls to the wall ridiculous staff roll, and I, as well as many others, can't help but love it.

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What credits sequences from games would you like to see in future installments of Let the Good Names Roll? Hit me up with some suggestions in the comments below!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Top Ten Wii U Platformers

Last week SuperPhillip Central delved into the best 2D platformers on the Nintendo 3DS. After a positive review of Yoshi's Woolly World, it seems like a great time to talk about the best platformers, whether 2D or 3D, that the Wii U possesses. The system has no shortage of platformers to talk about-- retail, digital, AAA publisher, indie-- so this list was a little challenging to come up with. However, I managed to persevere and come up with the top ten platformers on the Wii U game console.

10) Adventures of Pip


The first game on SuperPhillip Central's countdown of the best Wii U platformers comes from a smaller indie studio, Tic Toc Games. This title is also available on the PS4, Xbox One, Steam, and iOS. It's Adventures of Pip, and it's quite unlike any 2D platformer you've played before. The central gimmick has Pip as a pixel, but through defeating certain enemies and touching specific objects, he evolves in 8-bit and even 16-bit forms. Each form offers different abilities to Pip, so the challenge is being the right form to progress through the game and even find the myriad hidden areas Adventures of Pip contains. The game is well designed through and through, and it simply amazed me just how much I enjoyed it, making it one of my favorite games of 2015. Big praise from a little blog!

9) DuckTales Remastered


Bless me bagpipes! DuckTales Remastered is an exceptional remake of the NES classic, offering intricate 2D sprites set against 3D backgrounds for quite the lovely design aesthetic. Everything you loved about the NES original is present in DuckTales Remastered... and then some. An added, more in-depth story helps players understand the reasoning for boss battles and Scrooge McDuck's adventures in places like the Himalayas and the Amazon, while a bonus final level adds to the game's longevity. Throw in unlockable goodies like behind-the-scenes sketches and Jake "Virt" Kaufman's excellent interpretation of the original DuckTales game score, and you have one worthy remake that any DuckTales fan or lover of the NES classic should play.

8) Rayman Legends


What I consider the definitive version of Rayman Legends, the Wii U GamePad just brings so much to the table with this game. You can opt to play multiplayer with a friend or three, using the GamePad to move obstacles and interact with the environment to help out your fellow players, or you could play solo and use the GamePad the same way, only with a quite capable AI player instead. While Rayman Legends is indeed a highly competent and enjoyable 2D platformer, most of its content is recycled from its predecessor, Rayman Origins, and some might not care for the Murfy levels I talked about. Still, it's a strong entry in the Rayman series and one of the best uses of the Wii U GamePad around.

7) Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition


What do you get when you combine luchador wrestling with Metroid? You get Guacamelee! What do you get when you combine Guacamelee! with a more complete version? Why, you get Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition. This game is an exceptional Metroid-style 2D platformer, offering deep combat, tremendous 2D art, and a world that is mighty fun to explore, looking for every hidden nook and cranny the game has to offer. Gaining new moves like dive kicks, charges, and more not only add to the combat possibilities our protagonist Juan has, but they allow him to use these moves to explore new areas of the world map. What it all boils down to is a humorous, self-deprecating, action-packed game full of video game references that anyone who needs some Metroid-structured gameplay will enjoy.

6) New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U


I'm including both the base game, New Super Mario Bros. U and its DLC, New Super Luigi U, for number six of our countdown. The base game features some of the greatest designed levels in Super Mario Bros. series history, and it's a shame that it's held back by the less than amazing art style and music. New Super Luigi U brought with it Luigi in the starring role, more difficult levels to complete-- especially if you wanted to collect all three star coins in a level-- and shorter levels. The games alone are some of the Mario series's best, but together, they really make a case that Nintendo has definitely not its way when it comes to 2D Mario.

5) Yoshi's Woolly World


For 20 years now, Yoshi's Island fans have waited for a suitable successor to the SNES original's crown. Nintendo had attempted to create sequels, but these were lesser experiences to fans, not really being anywhere near the same exceptional quality of the SNES classic. This year, however, Nintendo, and more specifically developer Good Feel, have finally created an entry in the Yoshi series that not only is more than an excellent successor, but it many ways, it outshines the original Yoshi's Island. That game is Yoshi's Woolly World, and with its exceptional level design, always introducing new, fresh concepts into levels, a terrific art style with basically everything being made out of yarn or fabric, and a tremendous soundtrack, Nintendo and Good Feel have a game that is absolutely sensational and worthy of the Yoshi name.

4) Shovel Knight


The only title that appears on both this and the top ten Nintendo 3DS platformers list, Shovel Knight is an exemplary title that borrows ideas from many NES classics and retro titles like Mega Man and DuckTales, while remaining a completely fresh entity of its own. Yacht Club Games' maiden game launched rightfully to high praise, and it's so popular that a Shovel Knight amiibo is being made. Shovel Knight will be receiving a retail version across most platforms at the beginning of next month, so it's yet another excuse to relive this action-intense 2D platformer. From digging up treasure to making precarious, death-defying leaps, Shovel Knight brings plenty of challenge, entertainment, and tight controls to the Wii U, making it SuperPhillip Central's number four pick as a top Wii U platformer.

3) Super Mario Maker


Not only is Super Mario Maker an ingenious, intuitive, and easy to use level creator, but it obviously has the Mario series's intricate platforming as the base for the game. The level creator itself brings forth an easy means of creating levels with tons of options to create classic Mario levels, Kaizo Mario monster creations, and great experiments to the formula. Want to make a totem of Hammer Brothers? Have at it. Want to chain a Chain Chomp to a moving platform? Go for it! Super Mario Maker is an expansive level creator that allows players to share their crafted levels with the world, granting players the ability to star favorite levels and creators. While the level search system is not up to perfect standards, Super Mario Maker still remains an incredible value for any Wii U owner. Just imagine if this game released at the Wii U 's launch. I think the Wii U's fortunes would have been different, as Super Mario Maker is an exceptional game that uses the GamePad really well.

2) Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze


When it was announced that Retro Studios' next game was actually a sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns instead of a new IP or Metroid game, many fans were quite disappointed. Well, actually, since they were Nintendo fans, they went absolutely crazy with overreactions. Regardless, the actual final product turned out to be immensely incredible, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Featuring dynamic, well crafted levels, interesting boss battles, a steady difficulty curve, and a fully Dave Wise-composed soundtrack, Tropical Freeze delivered gameplay thrills and platforming perfection to players. Not only would I consider Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze an amazing game, but I would consider it one of the best 2D platformers of all time. Yes, even besting my former favorite DKC game, Diddy's Kong Quest. THAT'S saying something.

1) Super Mario 3D World


SuperPhillip Central's top Wii U platformer is none other than Super Mario 3D World. Many expressed disappointment when it was revealed that this 3D Mario was more like the Nintendo 3DS game Super Mario 3D Land rather than a more blockbuster game like Super Mario Galaxy. It didn't help that the original E3 trailer didn't do much to excite. However, subsequent trailers soon changed the tune of many skeptics, myself included. Finally playing the game, and many fell in love with the ingenious level design, the constant introductions of new gameplay and level concepts, the brilliant art style and direction, and the ultra catchy, big band-inspired soundtrack. Super Mario 3D World succeeds as not just a solo experience, but especially as a multiplayer one, delivering an amazingly fun experience with up to four players. Super Mario 3D World may not have been the Super Mario Galaxy-caliber game fans wanted, but you'd be hard pressed to find many who would say it was anything but extraordinary.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U) Review

I had planned this review for Friday evening, but I just couldn't tear myself away from this game. It's Yoshi's Woolly World, and it continues the Wii U's tradition of highly capable and entertaining platformers. Sure, the system is overflowing with them now, but it doesn't mean the game should be rated lower because of that. SuperPhillip Central judges a game by its own merits, and not what it does or doesn't mean for a struggling system's diverse or not portfolio of games. Here's SPC's review of Yoshi's Woolly World.

Yoshi's Epic Yarn


Yoshi fans have had a bit of a rough go of it since the Super Nintendo classic, Yoshi's Island, released. While Yoshi's Story on the Nintendo 64 delivered quaint, cutesy charm, it didn't follow the typical structure fans of Yoshi's Island were expecting. Nintendo has since left development of direct sequels of Yoshi's Island to lesser developers like Artoon with the Nintendo DS's Yoshi's Island DS and the Nintendo 3DS's Yoshi's New Island. While these games are by no means bad by any stretch of the imagination, they lack the originality, the superb level design, and the charm of the SNES original.

Now, Good Feel, hardly a lesser development as the studio is fresh off its two Wii games, Wario Land: Shake It! and Kirby's Epic Yarn, is sitting in the driver's seat, and its take on the Yoshi's Island formula is Yoshi's Woolly World. Not only does this Wii U exclusive hit many of the same high notes of the SNES classic, it actually surpasses the game in some regards. Yoshi's Island fans waiting for a true successor with bated breath can now stop and relax. Yoshi's Woolly World is the real deal.

It's a lovely day as usual on Craft Island, and a myriad of adorable yarn Yoshis hustle and bustle around the island's grounds. Suddenly, a rogue Kamek zooms onto the island from the horizon, wanting nothing more than to turn each and every Yoshi into a ball of yarn. To his scheme's credit, he mostly succeeds-- save for the spare two Yoshis that hid themselves in a pile of yarn. Try as they might to pull at Kamek's sack of Yoshi yarn balls, the two Yoshis cannot stop Kamek. He escapes, though not without dropping various yarn balls along his way to a castle. The two Yoshis make chase, and thus, this woolly adventure has begun.

To anyone who has played a Yoshi's Island game, Yoshi's Woolly World should be quite familiar to you. The only major difference here is that when you take damage, you don't have to worry about rescuing a wailing Baby Mario. Instead, a given Yoshi has up to twenty hearts of health, though you start just with ten at the beginning of a level. Through falling in a pit, losing all your hearts, or getting crushed, you start from the beginning of the level or from the last checkpoint you reached.

Why are you sweating so much, Yoshi? There's only a ferociously
hungry Piranha Plant ready for dinner below you.
Yoshi has the same arsenal of moves as he did back in 1995. He just looks a lot yarn...ier. He can gobble up smaller enemies in his mouth, and decide to shoot them out or have the player press down to create a yarn ball out of them. Yoshi has the ability to hold up to six yarn balls at his side, and you as the player can aim and shoot these with a target reticule. Shot yarn balls can bounce off walls, allowing for angled shots for particular tricky targets. He can also leap and flutter jump, though in Yoshi's Woolly World, a proficient flutter-jumper can do so almost infinitely instead of losing height after each flutter.

Yoshi's about to take this coin purse... er... crab, out.
Yoshi's Woolly World reminds me so heavily of Super Mario 3D World in how it is always bringing something new concept-wise to levels, keeping players engaged from beginning to end. One level you'll be riding the sunset skies on zooming shower curtains, leaping from one to another with death-defying jumps, while another level you'll be inside a spooky ghost mansion where a scrolling pink curtain reveals platforms to walk on over a bottomless pit. The levels are constantly introducing fresh mechanics and concepts, but they're not just fresh-- they're most importantly, fun. There is seldom a stinker of a level to be found, and even if a weak level presents itself, a weak Yoshi's Woolly World level could be confused for a great level in a typical 2D platformer. Thankfully, Yoshi's Woolly World is anything but typical.

These hungry Piranha Plants are about to get a Chain Chomp rock in their diets.
Many levels offer transformations to Yoshi that thankfully, unlike Yoshi's New Island, don't revolve around any kind of controller or gyro gimmickry. Instead, they're timed excursions that have you wading through the watery depths as Mermaid Yoshi, speeding along hilltops as Bike Yoshi, or just stomping foes under your feet with Giant Yoshi. These transformation sections are a great deal of fun and add even more freshness to Yoshi's Woolly World's formula.

Every fourth and eighth level in Yoshi's Wooly World's six main worlds consists of a fortress and castle respectively to saunter through, taking on their trials. I mention these specifically because these levels always conclude with a boss battle of some form. The fortress levels cycle between two bosses, a giant Monty Mole and a large Paratroopa, though each new fight against them presents new challenges and ways to defeat them. Whereas the eighth level, the castle, is always against a new opponent of some type. The boss fights aren't anything overly difficult, but they can definitely cause you to take a hit or two as you learn their patterns. Overall, they're entertaining bouts, if not a bit of a breeze to beat.

Many bosses use the third dimension in some regard to great effect.
Simple jaunts through levels don't take too long-- and you'll find the game to be quite easy if you just run through them-- but if you want to fully immerse yourself in Yoshi's Woolly World and get the most out of it, you'll want to aim for 100% completion in each level. This is performed by collecting 20 stamps found by nabbing certain beads in levels, collecting five flowers, five spools of yarn, and also completing a level with full health, or 20 hearts on one Yoshi's life bar. Plus, a bonus here is that unlike the original Yoshi's Island, you don't have to worry about doing everything and collecting everything in one run. Nothing like losing a red coin because an errant egg hit that Fly Guy and cause it to fall in the abyss. Am I right, Yoshi's Island fans?

100%-ing a level fills you with a great sense of accomplishment and a much larger appreciation of levels because you get to better explore them, finding their secrets. It also rewards you as well with in-game content. For instance, securing all five flowers in a level helps to unlock a bonus level in a world. Each of Yoshi's Woolly World's six worlds contains eight levels, and getting all the flowers in each unlocks said bonus level. In addition, finding all five spools of yarn in a level presents you with a new Yoshi design, such as a cow-patterned Yoshi, a citrus fruit-patterned Yoshi, and even some Nintendo console-oriented knit patterns.

Nothing like having a world full of starred levels to make Yoshi's day.
You can also use all those shelved amiibo you might own to unlock unique character patterns based off of each amiibo. There's nothing like cruising the desert world as Ganondorf Yoshi, or perhaps slipping into something more comfortable like Zero Suit Samus Yoshi. The designs are fantastic, and almost every Super Smash Bros. line of amiibo unlocks a unique outfit. (Curse you, Pokemon Company, for keeping me from Pikachu Yoshi!).

With all my gushing compliments towards Yoshi's Woolly World in this review, you and I would be hard pressed to have me find something that I truly dislike about the experience. However, there is but one small issue I have with Yoshi's latest, and that has to do with the before mentioned collectibles within the game.

They are all fun to find, but the designers of Yoshi's Woolly World have sort of gone overboard a little bit. Fans of the Yoshi's Island games will know that secrets can be found in hidden item clouds that only shows themselves when Yoshi or an egg-- or in Woolly World's case, a yarn ball touches the area they are located. Many times the level designers hide collectibles inside the hidden item clouds, which means if you're not combing through every inch, every nook and cranny of each level, you're bound to miss one or two... or several, even.

That lava might look like a quilted pattern,
but I assure you, it's quite hot and hazardous to Yoshi.
This problem is mitigated by something in the game known as badges. Badges are optional use items that can be used before the start of a given level. You begin the game with zero, but as you progress through the game, you earn new badges that can be purchased for use in a given level. These range from making your yarn balls always large, giving you more speed, having nearby beads and other items get sucked into your Yoshi like a vacuum, and something for the hidden cloud item problem. You see, there is a badge that you unlock midway through the game that shows the locations of hidden item clouds as well as secret areas (through highlighting a fake wall) and stamp locations (a bead is highlighted if that is a stamp you can collect).

Spools of yarn like this lay about in precarious and usually hidden locations.
Yoshi's Woolly World is an exceptionally gorgeous looking and sounding game. The entire world of the game is made up of yarn, thread, curtains, scarves, and more. I love the small touches to the world and how everything is conjured up by knitted objects. For instance, an ingenious touch is seeing volcanoes in one level's background. The flow of lava from them is actually a scarf being unrolled from the top and its body flowing like lava. It's this attention to detail and the cleverness of what objects are made of that are so amazing to me. This is a highly creative and charming game, through and through.

"Surprise!" (You should have seen the look on Yoshi's face.)
Moreover, the soundtrack is absolutely sensational. It hits all the right notes with catchy jingles, melodies, and rhythms that stupendously set the stage and setting of each level the songs are played in. You have hard rock in the lava levels, a lovely, folksy song for a level featuring windmills, and a peppy winter jaunt featuring the game's main level theme for the outdoor snow levels. It's a fantastic soundtrack that I can happily listen to outside of the game.

Yoshi's Woolly World is a phenomenal game that oozes charm and personality, delivers exceptional level design with a constant stream of interesting level mechanics and concepts, has great cooperatively play for two players simultaneously, has a good difficulty when going for 100%, and features an art style that continues to focus on Nintendo's strengths with their system's visuals. Yoshi's Island fans, you've been searching for a successor to the Super Nintendo classic's crown for twenty years now. I am happy to say that you can finally stop looking. Yoshi's Woolly World is it, and it will leave you in stitches.

[SPC Says: A]

Gravity Rush 2 (PS4) Paris Games Week Trailer

Kat returns, and this time she has a much bigger audience with the PlayStation 4's user base! Gravity Rush 2 is the sequel to the highly regarded PlayStation Vita game, offering new perspectives-- literally-- with the gravity rush mechanic of Kat. Enjoy this all-new Paris Games Week trailer!

Ratchet and Clank (PS4) Paris Games Week Trailer

Ratchet & Clank's newest offering, coming this spring to PlayStation 4, may tread familiar ground, being a revision of the first Ratchet & Clank game, but it's far from a simple remake. Debuting at Sony's Paris Games Week press conference, this new trailer from the new reboot shows the game is shaping up to be absolutely incredible.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Beat 'Em Up Edition

Welcome to a special Tuesday edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. This week might have Halloween at the tail end of it, but SuperPhillip Central has a special beat-em-up edition in store for you guys and gals this week instead of a cliche "scary music" edition. Kicking (and punching... and throwing) things off is Streets of Rage 2, followed by Battletoads & Double Dragon. It's then morphin' time with Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie. Finally, we end this edition with Final Fight and Super Double Dragon.

If you want to catch up on past VGM volumes, check out the VGM Database.

v991. Streets of Rage 2 (GEN) - Go Straight


Yuzo Koshiro, a god among video game composers, created the music for Streets of Rage 2, a personal favorite of SuperPhillip Central for the Sega Genesis (or for our PAL pals, the Sega Mega Drive). Go Straight is the theme for the first level of Streets of Rage 2, a game considered the superior of the three Streets of Rage games.

v992. Battletoads & Double Dragon (SNES) - Stage 1


Before such historic crossovers like Mario and Sonic, there was Battletoads and Double Dragon with the rightly named Battletoads & Double Dragon on the Super Nintendo. An NES, Genesis, and Game Boy version would also be released, but since this theme comes from the SNES version, that's the only one being noted here.

v993. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie (SNES) - Shopping Center


This beat-em-up is a guilty pleasure of mine, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie for the Super Nintendo. What makes it part of a guilty pleasure was my devote following of the Power Rangers television series in the early '90s. What also makes it fun is the simple combat, ability to morph into a Power Ranger from teen form, and battling familiar enemies like Putties and Cannontop from the TV show.

v994. Final Fight (SNES) - Round 01 - Slum Alleyway Stage


We go with a song with a tribal rhythm with this pick from Capcom's Final Fight. The Super Nintendo version of Final Fight is based off the arcade game, which saw more than its fair share of ports across various systems.

v995. Super Double Dragon (SNES) - Mission 3 (China Town)


We conclude with my favorite of the Double Dragon series, Super Double Dragon. It's a fun game to pick up a knife and chuck it at your teammate, instantly killing him. Of course, it's much funnier if that teammate of yours is your older brother, who appears completely dumbstruck when this happens. Regardless, Super Double Dragon also contains a really well done soundtrack, full of catchy themes to kick Shadow Warrior butt.