SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "64 Reasons to Celebrate" Edition

Here at SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs I like to occasionally spice things up with themed weeks, and that's exactly what we've all found ourselves in this week. It's all Nintendo 64 and all the time. Let's go back to the era of 64 bits and getting 'N or getting out.

We'll do this by first exploring Bob-Omb Battlefield in Super Mario 64 before returning triumphantly from Venom with the ending credits of Star Fox 64. Continuing the theme of credits, we'll hear the staff roll theme of Super Smash Bros.. Finally, two third-party titles appear on the VGMs, Bomberman 64: The Second Attack and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.

Click on the giant VGM volume names to hear the song linked, and as always, the VGM Database houses every VGM volume ever featured on this weekly series of articles. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1426. Super Mario 64 (N64) - Bob-Omb Battlefield

With Super Mario Odyssey hyping much of the gaming world like crazy with its return to a sandbox style, open world adventure, let's take a look and more importantly, listen to the original Super Mario 64 that put Mario in that type of game in the first place! Bob-Omb Battlefield is the main theme of Super Mario 64, and it's heard in various worlds and levels outside of the grounds of the Bob-Ombs but Bob-Omb Battlefield is the first time a player hears it in-game.

v1427. Star Fox 64 (N64) - Staff Credits

With news of the Super NES Classic officially releasing with Star Fox 2 on it at the end of September, it's another chance to bring up a related game like I did with Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario 64. This time we're listening to the cinematic wonder that is the Star Fox 64 soundtrack. After a job well done (and depending on which path you took, a mission complete or a mission accomplished), Team Star Fox returns to Corneria to accept their congratulations and reward from General Pepper and the Cornerian Army. It's a really well done piece that gets me excited to this day.

v1428. Super Smash Bros. (N64) - Credits

We move from one Nintendo 64 game's credits theme to another with the triumph end credits theme of the very first Super Smash Bros. The Super Smash Bros. series is known for stellar music atop its amazing, addicting gameplay. That was true with its original entry, a game that almost didn't exist and was released in relative obscurity. It obviously wasn't until Super Smash Bros. Melee's release on GameCube that the series really went into hyper drive. And, as they say, the rest is history.

v1429. Bomberman 64: The Second Attack (N64) - Battle Royal

Let's move on to some third-party offerings on the Nintendo 64. One of my favorite unsung games on the system is Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, a game with much greater rarity than its predecessor. It comes complete with a more traditional battle mode, where this song comes from, a greater story mode experience, and awesome customization. It's my favorite Bomberman game by far.

v1430. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (N64, PC) - Rogue Theme: Reprise

Let's conclude with the only non-Nintendo 64 exclusive game on this list, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. What I wouldn't do for a remastered (better yet, remade) trilogy of the Rogue Squadron games. Regardless, the Rogues are indeed the fleet taking it to the Empire in missions both well known in the Star Wars mythos and not so much so.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Back from a Short Break Edition

I'm back from an extended weekend for a new installment of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs! Just click on the VGM volume link to be taken to that song's YouTube video!

This week I'm dedicating this edition to colorful mascots. We start off with Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. Then we take a trip with Klonoa in Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil. Following that is a voyage to space in Bomberman 64: The Second Attack. Then, Blinx the Time Sweeper represents the original Xbox, and Mario Hoops 3 on 3 wraps things up.

As always, check out the VGM Database for all past VGM volumes featured on this weekly segment. Now, on to the music!

v1171. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PS1) - Warp Room

To celebrate the announcement of Crash Bandicoot's original three games getting the remake treatment on the PlayStation 4, here is a song from the third game in the series, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. This catchy tune plays in the room where you transport to the game's various levels.

v1172. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PS2) - Moonlight Museum Ver. 1

Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil is a severely overlooked PlayStation 2 platformer from a series that doesn't get its due diligence. Sure, some gamers have gotten to experience the glory of Klonoa, but not enough! This ethereal theme from Klonoa 2 plays in the Maze of Memories. The alternate version of this song can be heard here.

v1173. Bomberman 64: The Second Attack (N64) - Planet Select

The theme that plays on the planetary map in the intergalactic adventure Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger, Cross, and Xenogears fame composed the music for this game, as one of his more under-appreciated roles. Good luck finding a copy of this game if you don't have one already. Used, cartridge-only copies can easily go for $150+!

v1174. Blinx the Time Sweeper (XBX) - Forgotten City

Some platforming stars have stuck with us to today: Mario, Sonic, and even Rayman. However, most have not. The Xbox's Blinx the Time Sweeper is one of the latter, and actually saw two games devoted to the time-shifting feline mascot. Still, while the games weren't the most interesting around on the Xbox, the music was quite good, as Forgotten City is a nice example of.

v1175. Mario Hoops 3 on 3 (DS) - Bowser Castle

A heavy metal version of the castle theme from the original Super Mario Bros., Bowser Castle's theme is pure rockin' awesomeness. Masayoshi Soken, the composer for Mario Hoops 3 on 3 would go on to compose many of the pieces for the expansion to Final Fantasy XIV. How far he has traveled as a composer in this industry!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Lightning Strikes Thrice Edition

We're back from a mini-vacation with a new installment of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. While many celebrate St. Patrick's Day with copious amounts of alcohol, SuperPhillip Central is celebrating with five new video game tracks to add to our VGM Database. This week we have Lightning's third outing with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Mario Kart 7 revs up with a colorful track. We also take an old school trip with Lufia II. If you're ready for some awesome music, then look no further than SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs!

v586. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, 360) - Savior of Souls

Lightning is a character that is not really liked by Western Final Fantasy fans. Her appearance in multiple games, including this Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, as well as the director's odd infatuation with her have caused a lot of folks to be absolutely sick of Lightning. Her latest game, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII didn't receive the best criticism around, but its soundtrack still shows that Square Enix's composers at least keep an aura of quality around them, as evident by this battle theme for the game.

v587. Mario Kart 7 (3DS) - Daisy Hills

With Mario Kart 8 high on our anticipation list, why don't we take a look at its predecessor? One of our favorite courses in Mario Kart 7 comes early in the game. It's the second race of the Mushroom Cup, Daisy Hills. The race takes place in a Netherland-like countryside full of windmills, goats, and rolling hills. Its melody is highly catchy, offering a bouncy motif.

v588. Bomberman 64: The Second Attack (N64) - Aquanet II

Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears fame lent his musical abilities to the Bomberman 64: The Second Attack soundtrack, delivering a more cinematic sound than what was present in the original Bomberman 64. Aquanet is a planet that has Bomberman inside a water-filled palace, as he makes his way through paths both wet and dry.

v589. Final Fantasy IV (SNES) - Battle 2

We're doing a double dose of Final Fantasy this edition of the VGMs! Final Fantasy IV's iconic Battle 2 theme gets players in a serious mood to tackle whatever diabolical boss stands in their way. This quick tempo tune encompasses the warrior spirit of Cecil Harvey and his comrades. Just don't let the fastness of this theme make you rush!

v590. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES) - Sinistral Battle

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is a 1996 RPG that arrived near the end of the Super Nintendo's life cycle. Nearly everything about this SNES classic is fantastic, from its exquisite puzzles, to its action, to, yes, its music. A remake of Lufia II arrived on the Nintendo DS. However, this remake is an action-RPG unlike the original.