SuperPhillip Central Best of 2015 Awards - Top Ten Games of 2015

Here we are, ladies and gentlemen! Every list so far of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2015 Awards has lead up to this moment. It's time to announce my top ten favorite games of 2015. To be on this list, I had to have played these games somewhat in-depth, so keep that in mind if some egregious omissions stick out at you. With that out of the way, let's get to my list of 2015's most awesome.

10) Trine: Enchanted Edition (Wii U eShop)

Starting off my list of favorite games from 2015 is a holdover from last year, but it first arrived on the Wii U eShop early this year. It's Trine: Enchanted Edition, a gorgeous 2D puzzle-platformer with an exquisite visual style to it, plenty of secrets to be found in its well crafted levels, and with the ease of use of the Wii U GamePad touch screen, magic casting and precision was all the easier. Trine: Enchanted Edition played great with both friends online and off, and it was a treasure of a title.

9) FAST Racing Neo (Wii U eShop)

The future is indeed fast with this next title. Shin'en's FAST Racing Neo came out in the middle of December, so it's the most recent game on this list. The game is a nice supplement to the lack of an F-Zero or even a Wipeout on gaming systems, though FAST is its own beast altogether. Through a clever shifting between phases, players can utilize boost pads with their vehicle, pending they're shifted to the right phase, either orange or blue. With sixteen fantastic courses, blistering fast speeds, and a hefty challenge, FAST Racing Neo delivered plenty of thrills and chills this past December.

8) Adventures of Pip (Multi)

I'm a sucker for a good platformer, as you'll see with this list if you don't already know me by now. Indie delight Adventures of Pip was one of these releases that had me enthralled with it from beginning to end. Through its charming cast of characters and humorous dialogue, terrific level design that had plenty of secrets to be found, and a unique gameplay hook, the ability to shift between bit forms, Adventures of Pip brought me hours upon hours of fun. It was a blast to play on the Wii U, but it's also available on other console marketplaces like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

7) Freedom Planet (Wii U eShop)

It's quite great that indie developers brought their A game in 2015. This list has four indie titles on it, which is a wonderful turnout. It shows that these smaller developers can easily rival those of bigger developers in fun games, and that a good game is a good game, regardless of who developed it. GalaxyTrail's Freedom Planet is a great example of this, a title that won SuperPhillip Central's Best Downloadable Game for 2015. The game was a derivative work, a Sonic the Hedgehog fan game, before the developer wanted to create something unique. The gameplay remains similar in some regards, but quite different in others. It all amounts to a game with fast platforming sections, slower action-focused areas, a lovely soundtrack and art style, and beautifully chaotic boss battles.

6) LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (3DS)

After waiting several years for the LBX game series to find its way to the West, LBX: Little Battlers eXperience for the Nintendo 3DS gave us Westerners a taste of what we had been missing out on that our Japanese friends have been enjoying for quite a while now. LBX on the 3DS had an engaging story and entertaining cast of characters, but the biggest luxury of the game were the robot battles taking place in a myriad of arena types. The customization options and different parts you could use for your LBX were overwhelming yet enjoyable. It'd take eons to use all part combinations. The fact, though, is that LBX was so much fun for me that I probably wouldn't mind taking the time to use all part combinations... Okay, I'm lying, but LBX was really good regardless!

5) Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)

Hunters unite! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate was a long awaited game to get localized for the West, but to use a cliche, the wait was worth it. At the beginning of the game you're picking up mushrooms, while as you progress, the challenge increases ever steadily, presenting gigantic beasts to bring down. This isn't a game for the timid, as timing and patience are required to overcome the odds. Still, if hunting alone isn't your thing, you can always bring along some friends or total strangers for some local or online hunting action. Whether it's thinking up new strategies to take down a seemingly impossible behemoth or being addicted to crafting new weapons and armor, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has got the goods.

4) Splatoon (Wii U)

Many had clamored for Nintendo to release a competitive third-person shooter of some type, and what these folks received was a competitive third-person shooter with Nintendo's trademark spin to it, one that was accessible for beginners yet deep enough to keep players playing. The main goal of traditional matches in Splatoon was to coat the grounds with paint. While shooting goop out on walls didn't count for points, it did allow players to travel in squid form up walls, and anywhere else where paint was. Traveling around as both a squid and a kid were enjoyable, and the online play keeps getting better with more maps, gear, and weapons-- all free DLC. Add in a superb single player campaign, and you have the number four game on my countdown, Splatoon.

3) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS)

When it originally released in 2000, I only played The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask a couple of times. I kept putting off revisiting the game due to the stress the game caused me to get certain events done in time before the three day cycle was complete. With the Nintendo 3DS remake of Majora's Mask, what I got was a more accessible game that ran great, had a much better and more consistent frame-rate, was decorated with bright, vivid colors, and a game that didn't stress me out anywhere near as much as the Nintendo 64 original. While it's still not a top five Legend of Zelda game for me, Majora's Mask 3D shines as one of my favorite games of 2015, and my favorite Nintendo 3DS game of the past year.

2) Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U)

A game that has rivaled a Super Nintendo classic for me, after having several predecessors that fell quite short in comparison, Yoshi's Woolly World brought forth the child in me, and made me enjoy its brilliantly designed worlds, full of hidden trinkets, secrets, and collectibles. Everything from the yarn and fabric presentation (such as the lava flow of background volcanoes being made up of rolling scarfs), infectious music, pinpoint precision platforming, jolly and adorable vibe of the game, and the great unlockables all add up to a 2D platformer that is as awesome to play as it is to look at. After less than perfect offerings like Yoshi's Story, Yoshi's Island DS, and Yoshi's New Island, it was a fantastic feeling to be playing a game that pretty much surpassed the Super Nintendo Yoshi's Island, something I never thought I'd utter.

1) Super Mario Maker (Wii U)

Probably the game I spent the most time with in 2015 was also the one that I enjoyed playing the most. It's Super Mario Maker, and I can't help but keep coming back to this delightful game. It's more than a game, though. It's a level creator to make Mario levels in. While that concept is by no means new, Nintendo somehow managed to make the arduous process of creating games and make it fun, accessible, and easy for anyone to do. Whether you're wanting to create articulated masterpieces of levels or just want to mess about with the level creator, fun is a few seconds away as soon as you pop in that Super Mario Maker disc into your Wii U. Even after several months of playing the game, I still see myself coming back to Super Mario Maker, playing others' levels, getting ideas for my own works, and creating some courses of my own. These reasons and more are why Super Mario Maker is SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year 2015.

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So, there you have it! Super Mario Maker is SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year! What games were your favorites in 2015? Let me know in the comments below!

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.

Review Round-Up - September 2015

Build your own Mario masterpieces with Super Mario Maker,
SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Month for September.

SuperPhillip Central didn't receive its biggest total month of reviews-- far from it-- but it did have quality over quantity. We kicked off the month with Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, as a retro review that earned a B-. Then the Game of the Month, Super Mario Maker, scored an excellent A. Following that was another Nintendo DS retro review with Tony Hawk's American Sk8land, a much better product than what Activision recently put out with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5. Sk8land ollied into a B. Finally, two Nintendo 3DS reviews capped off the month, LBX: Little Battlers eXperience and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. They earned a B and a C respectively.

Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (DS) - B-
Super Mario Maker (Wii U) - A
Tony Hawk's American Sk8land (DS) - B
LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (3DS) - B
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS) - C

Not all was happy with Happy Home Designer, but I enjoyed
the customization options enough to give it a mild recommendation.

LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (3DS) Review

We have two reviews to end the month of September here at SuperPhillip Central. Both are Nintendo 3DS releases, so let's kick things off with the first. The game is in a series that has seen multiple games, but this one is the first to reach the West. It's LBX: Little Battlers eXperience.

Custom Robo

Based off the anime that currently airs on the Nicktoons channel here in the United States, LBX, standing for Little Battlers Experience, features small toy robots with huge power behind them. Battles take place in the safety of special fortified cardboard box arenas where up to six robotic battlers can combat one another either in teams or in a battle royale setting.

While Nintendo and Level-5 have come together to localize LBX: Little Battlers Experience for the Nintendo 3DS in the West, there have actually been a myriad of titles based off the property that first released on Sony’s PlayStation Portable before moving onto the Nintendo 3DS. Now, for the first time, us lucky Westerners get the opportunity to see what all the fuss behind this miniaturized mech combat series is all about. Does LBX: Little Battlers eXperience make for a good first impression to the series for the West?

LBX follows the story of Van Yamano, a middle school student who is unlucky in the way that all of his friends battle and enjoy LBX robots, miniature figures with awesome power, and his mother currently does not let him do the same. It seems this will continue to be the status quo for young Van until a mysterious woman gives him a special LBX model that she says could help save the world. Now, not only does Van have an LBX to call his own, but he has a shifty organization looking to retrieve his LBX through any means necessary.

The anime cutscenes look absolutely glorious.

The story of LBX features well-done dialogue that while sometimes rote anime stuff, does occasionally separate itself from clichés. Some of the dialogue is read aloud, while other times most of it is needed to be read. Special anime cutscenes play during more important scenes of the game. The story itself has plenty of twists to keep players engaged throughout its 10 or so episodes, loosely following the cartoon, so if you’ve watched the show, you will somewhat familiarity with what happens in the game.

Unfortunately, this leads to one of the first problems I need to address with LBX. On many occasions, you’ll find that you are unable to skip certain scenes of dialogue in the game. There was one point in a special tournament within the game that I kept failing. This meant I had to not only restart from an earlier point in the tournament, but to add insult to injury, I had to wait basically four minutes to get back to the point I was at, sitting through dialogue and flashy sequences with no guarantee that I would succeed my next “at-battle”. Nothing but anger and rage consumed my impatient soul as the game taunted me with no ability to skip a scene I must have watched at least five times after four separate failures at the tournament battle in question.

Furthermore, a lot of LBX’s play time will consist of you running from place to place in the real world, which can sometimes be very tedious, divided up between areas of the town, whether it be the residential district, commercial district, Tiny Orbit HQ, the riverfront, and so forth. This is particularly noticeable if you do the optional quests that can have you involved in mighty fetch quests with the bonus of having some nice rewards such as LBX parts, items, and money.

As stated in the introduction, battles in the world of LBX take place in arenas set inside fortified cardboard. The thought behind this is that before the invention of this special type of battlefield, LBX battles were much more dangerous, leading to a ban on the usage of them until fortified cardboard came along. This made it so battles have all the safety both LBX users and everyday citizens who might have been caught in the crossfire previously can appreciate.

Ready for battle? Then let's get it on!

Battles can have a wide set of rules. Some are one-on-one affairs while others are team battles with Van and his friend(s) taking on two or three rival opponents. Sometimes the goal is to simply eliminate the other LBX before they do the same to you, while other times you’ll have to knock them out three times.

The "D" in "Team D" stands for Destroyers!

With team battles, you basically have to micromanage, which if the partner AI were smarter, you wouldn’t have to do. This means healing your teammates with your own items, and hoping to the LBX gods that you aren’t once again put into a situation where it’s 1-on-3 because your worthless teammates’ LBX robots are already eliminated.

Typical battles give you various options to utilize: a simple attack button, a jump, a block, a dash, an item button, and a special attack button. Using these in conjunction in one another offers plenty of offensive and defensive possibilities in each LBX battle you participate in, whether as part of the story or through talking with an NPC in one of the game’s numerous hubs.

A wide selection of arenas is available in LBX,
from plains and forests to glaciers and ancient temples.

The life bar of each LBX is affected by what equipment (i.e. parts) is tied to it. In addition, there are other considerations to make note of in battle, such as the tension gauge. This gauge will quickly empty after successive attacks. Once it reaches zero, your attacks do little damage, so you have to back away and let it replenish itself which takes a few seconds. This is to make it so you can’t just mash your way through battles to win them. It takes some grace to win LBX battles! This goes into when an LBX falls on its back or front in battle. There is a nice invincibility period for LBX battlers that stand back up so they aren’t involved in an unfair and endless combo attack.

The customization options for LBX fighters are pretty much limitless. You can mix and match parts of models for the head, body, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right leg. Depending on the parts chosen, your robot will move faster if it has light parts or move more slowly if it has parts that weigh it down. It’s an important consideration to make outside of just designing an LBX that looks awesome. You can also opt to just use a basic model set if customization of LBX does not fully appeal to you. Any set of LBX that you come up with can be saved in one of 30 slots, so you always have a loadout perfect for the battle ahead.

There are a handful of weapon types that LBX can use. For instance, my favorite happens to be a lance or spear that has a good reach that can attack foes a little further away than those that use a sword. However, the latter is great because it can attack more quickly. You can even equip two swords at once for more attack opportunities, but the catch is that you can’t equip a shield to block enemy advances. In addition to close-range weapons, you have guns that can fire bursts at faraway foes, as well as sniper rifles that deal heavy damage from afar, but take precision aiming and some time to reload.

Grinding for levels is an optional and by no means mandatory task in LBX, which is great as it bucks the trend of typical RPGs. Just because you’re a lower level than your opponent, does not mean that you’re necessarily going to lose or be at a disadvantage. It more boils down to your tactical fortitude and how you operate your controlled LBX.

LBX offers multiplayer, but it sadly and confusingly only offers local play for up to six players. Finding six players with the game much less another person can be tough in this day and age, so the lack of online multiplayer is a severe oversight.

Online play is very ni-- wait. No, no, no.
It's totally missing! Not very nice at all!

For those who like the idea of battling heavily customizable robots with a large layer of depth in its combat mechanics are sure to love LBX. It does have its small issues that gradually build up to be big problems, such as being forced to relive certain scenes again and again if you continuously fail the battles after them. However, overall, LBX: Little Battlers eXperience is a game that both children and adults can enjoy. It’s great for children for the joy of battling toy robots, and it’s great for adults for all of the customization options available to them.

[SPC Says: B]