SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "RNG-ing in the New Year" Edition

It's the first Monday of 2017, so that means it's time for the first SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs edition of 2017 as well! We're RNG-ing in 2017 with five songs from some very fun RPGs this special themed edition.

Starting off with the most modern game on the edition, Final Fantasy XV gives us a powerful and intense battle theme. Then, Chrono Cross delivers a lovely dungeon theme. The World Ends With You takes us to Tokyo with some J-Rock, while Legend of Mana gives us an earlier taste of Yoko Shimomura's musical style. Finally, Paper Mario sends us home with a fun little song for desert outpost exploration.

If you need a reminder (and no worries if you do), just click on the VGM volume name to hear that song. Also, check out the VGM Database for a whole healthy heap of VGM volumes collected throughout the years! Now, let's get on to the music!

v1301. Final Fantasy XV (PS4, XB1) - Stand Your Ground

Yoko Shimomura kicks off 2017's first edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with the standard battle theme for Final Fantasy XV, a game ten years in the making. It still feels unreal that the final product is actually out and people can play it! Stand Your Ground is a tense track, using strings for the main melody with some nice brass eventually backing the song. It even has a callback to the Prelude theme from the Final Fantasy series near the beginning. This is just a sample of the excellence that is the soundtrack of Final Fantasy XV, one that was so special that it was SuperPhillip Central's pick for Best Original Soundtrack at our Best of 2016 Awards.

v1302. Chrono Cross (PS1) - Ancient Dragon's Stronghold

From one prolific composer to another, Yasunori Mitsuda worked on all of the music for Chrono Cross, a classic PlayStation RPG. Ancient Dragon's Stronghold plays during the Fort Dragonia dungeon of the game. There, one must process the overarching puzzle inside related to the direction that dragon heads point. The theme starts out slow and mysterious, and then the main melody kicks in, a catchy piano riff. It's a nice dungeon theme that doesn't really grating despite all the time you'll be spending in the fort, and you WILL be spending a good deal of time there!

v1303. The World Ends With You (DS) - Emptiness And

On the official The World Ends With You soundtrack, this song is labeled Bonus Track. It's a hard rock song that plays during specific enemy encounters within the game, and its chorus gives a pretty intense feel to it. All sounding great, however. It's a song that really fits the modern world and modern Tokyo that the game is based in. Now, Tetsuya Nomura-- where is our long-teased sequel?!

v1304. Legend of Mana (PS1) - Hometown Domina

We started off this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with Yoko Shimomura's latest released soundtrack, Final Fantasy XV. Now, we enter the way-back machine and listen to one of her earlier works, a pleasant town theme from Legend of Mana, a cult classic PlayStation original. I think that word "pleasant" is the perfect word for this theme. Hearing it brings such nostalgia, especially if you have a fondness for the beginning town in the game.

v1305. Paper Mario (N64) - Mysterious Dry Dry Outpost

Placed smack dab in Dry Dry Desert stands the Dry Dry Outpost, home to the Dry Dry townspeople, bartering for goods and living their lives. This hokey tune plays as Paper Mario carouses through the booths and homes of the outpost, getting ready to make his way to a puzzle-filled pyramid. Compared to the music of Paper Mario: Color Splash, however, Paper Mario doesn't seem to compete, despite having some nice tunes. At the same token, gameplay-wise Color Splash doesn't seem to compete with the original Paper Mario!

First Things First: Best Openings in Gaming - Part One

Earlier in the week we took a look at some great credits sequences in games. To wrap up the work week here at SuperPhillip Central, there is a completely new series of articles that makes the rounds. The best games have a terrific opening to hook players into playing them. This new series of articles delves into the absolute best openings ever seen in gaming history. These can be completely cutscenes or they can be interactive. For part one of this list, we'll be dealing with the former. Click on the game name to watch the opening mentioned.

Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)

One of the most intense openings on this first part of this list, Final Fantasy VIII's opening is an epic menagerie of pulse-pounding scenes and imagery. From the beginning with the words protagonists and love interests Squall and Rinoa say to one another later in the game to the sensational battle of blades between Squall and Seifer which leads to both men receiving permanent scars on their faces, the opening of Final Fantasy VIII ups the pageantry and drama immensely. This is all while the excellent Nobuo Uematsu composed vocal theme Liberi Fatali plays. It all adds up to an unforgettable opening in an otherwise flawed, but still enjoyable, Final Fantasy game.

Chrono Cross (PS1)

"What was the start of this? When did the cogs of fate begin to turn? Perhaps it is impossible to grasp that answer now, From deep within the flow of time..." And with those words do the slow and steady start of Chrono Cross' opening begins. After the poetic words wrap up, the instruments and rhythm kick in, as do the gorgeous visuals. Through a series of brief glimpses at events that happen throughout the game, the icing on this enticing cake is Yasunori Mitsuda's brilliant composition, Time's Scar, also known as Scars of Time in some parts of the net. Chrono Cross isn't a perfect game, but if the quality of the title was as good as the opening throughout, it certainly would have been.

Wild ARMs (PS1)

Wrapping up our look at original PlayStation game openings, we have Mediavision's Wild ARMs opening to enjoy. This opening is unlike the prior two as it is devised up of sleek and stylish anime visuals instead of computer-generated graphics. The animation is top-notch, and the theme song heard invokes memories of the Old West, fitting for Wild ARMs' Western world mixed with sci-fi. The opening shows interactions between all three main characters of the game, Rudy, our silent protagonist; Jack, our treasure hunter; and Cecilia, our magic user. The combination of glorious anime visuals, awesome imagery, and sublime music makes for a memorable opening.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GCN)

We move away from serious openings to something more comical with this upcoming pair of Mario sports title openings for the GameCube. The first of which is Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, colorful and great playing arcade golf game featuring the lovable Mushroom Kingdom cast. This opening shows Wario and Waluigi up to know good in very hilarious ways. Whether they're putting opponents to sleep in how long they take to sink a putt to being chased by Bowser due to hitting him with a stray drive, this dastardly duo definitely gets their just desserts in this incredibly humorous opening. Certainly makes the effort (or lack thereof) that went into Camelot's latest sports title, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash look all the more disappointing.

Mario Power Tennis (GCN)

Wario and Waluigi just don't know when to quit, do they? After earning their comeuppance in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour's opening, the two are at it again in the opening of Mario Power Tennis. Angry over their initial loss to the team of Mario and Luigi, Wario and Waluigi add some graffiti to the Mario Bros' tournament picture, resulting in getting some undesired attention by some police robots. The robots humorously chase Wario and Waluigi all around the Peach Dome before the two escape by entering a door. This door leads them to Bowser's secret training room where the King of the Koopas put the pair through the wringer. Through the torturous training, Wario and Waluigi feel strong enough to take on Mario and Luigi. However, instead of a traditional tennis match, the pair launch Bob-Ombs from a tennis ball shooter at the Mario Bros. All heck breaks loose with explosions everywhere, including one that destroys Bowser's flying blimp and Wario and Waluigi in the process. The comedy is rich in Mario Power Tennis, and the game itself is one of the better ones of the series.

Mega Man 2 (NES)

Sometimes all you need is some simplicity to have a memorable and awesome opening. That's at least the case with Mega Man 2's opening. It tells the tale of how Dr. Wily was defeated in the first game, and how he plans his revenge through creating eight of his own Robot Masters. What follows is the screen rising upward along the side of a tall building. At the very top stands Mega Man against the night sky, hair blowing in the wind. The riveting title music plays, energizing players to go on a new adventure with the Blue Bomber.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Monday Night Raw Edition

What do RPGs and Mario have in common? Well, if you thought Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Paper Mario, or Mario and Luigi, you made an educated guess, but it's an incorrect one. Instead, this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs leads off with three special RPGs and ends with two Mario games.

Chrono Cross takes us to emotional heights right from the get-go, followed by an intense 16-bit boss theme from Final Fantasy VI. We then listen to a satisfying vocal theme from Wild ARMs 3. Wrapping up things, we get some time on the links with Mario Golf, and then drive home in style with Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Also, be sure to check out the VGM Database for all 1025 previous VGM volumes. It's been reorganized slightly into 100 volume chunks.

v1026. Chrono Cross (PS1) - Star-Stealing Girl

We begin this edition of the old VGMs with a heartfelt tune from Yasunori Mitsuda's Chrono Cross soundtrack. From the touching piano accompaniment, to the heart-tugging strings, to the clear as crystal vocals that garnish this song, Star-Stealing Girl is a true delight from beginning to end. Even if you haven't touched Chrono Cross, you need no emotional attachment to the game to appreciate this theme, a true sign of a great VGM.

v1027. Final Fantasy VI (SNES) - The Decisive Battle

My absolute favorite normal boss theme within the Final Fantasy series, The Decisive Battle is a catchy and tense theme that plays during Terra's party's encounters with bosses big and small. Nobuo Uematsu was at the top of his game when he composed the music for Final Fantasy VI, and it is without question my favorite Final Fantasy soundtrack. That's high acclaim, as the Final Fantasy series has no shortage of sublime soundtracks.

v1028. Wild ARMs 3 (PS2) - Wings (English Version)

Wings is the ending theme of Wild ARMs 3, the first of four Wild ARMs games that would hit the PlayStation 2. The others consist of Wild ARMs 4, 5, and the remake of the very first Wild ARMs, Wild ARMs Alter Code f. If you're looking for a science fiction game set in the Wild West, then this RPG series might just fascinate you.

v1029. Mario Golf (N64) - Toad Tournament

For the longest time my favorite arcade golf games were Hot Shots Golf Fore! and the Nintendo 64 Mario Golf. Then Camelot wowed me with their Nintendo 3DS Mario Golf entry, World Tour. Not only did the game have an abundance of original courses, but the well-worth-it downloadable content had all six of Mario Golf's courses remade! Still, though, I do enjoy the N64 Mario Golf's soundtrack better than 3DS. Perhaps the only thing I prefer now!

v1030. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN) - Credits

Let's end this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a staff credits theme from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a truly underrated Mario Kart entry. The credits theme starts off with the motif from Mario Kart 64's credits theme, one of my favorite staff roll themes of all time. With Double Dash's theme, I really dig the mellow piano and the finale where the game's main theme is heard.

The Top 50 Game Soundtracks of All Time - #20-11

Welcome to week four of the Top 50 Game Soundtracks of All Time, as chosen by yours truly. There are but two rules for games to be listed here: 1) They have to be from games I've played, and 2) They can't be made up of licensed music.

After the conclusion of this week of game soundtracks, we have but one more to go through-- numbers 10-1! Everything so far has led up to next week! Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though-- let's get to this week's selection of soundtracks!

Check out entries #50-41 here.
Check out entries #40-31 here.
Check out entries #30-21 here.

20) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

Like last week, we start this week's list of ten game soundtracks with some Legend of Zelda! In this case it's the newest non-remake/remaster console installment, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The game utilized a mostly orchestral score, and it sounds just heavenly, whether it's for the more tender, emotional moments of the game or action-packed battles that pack this Legend of Zelda game.

Ballad of the Goddess

File Select

Skyloft

Koloktos /Moldarach

Staff Roll

19) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

It's only my favorite video game of all time, so it makes sense that I would have it somewhere in my list of top 50 game soundtracks of all time. The themes that Koji Kondo composed for the game will forever be etched in my memory as an important companion through the first fully 3D version of Hyrule. It's a game that means so much to me as a gamer, a game creator, and a game blogger.

Title

Kokiri Forest

Boss Battle

Hyrule Field

Zora's Domain

18) Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

While I enjoyed the music from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, it's not my favorite soundtrack of the series. I still very much enjoy listening to the old school SNES trilogy. Well, that isn't wholly true, as the third game, Dixie Kong's Double Trouble, will not be making an appearance on this list at all. Still, it amazes me what Dave Wise and the Rare composition team were able to get out of the Super Nintendo's sound card. It's just astonishing how good these songs still sound.

Jungle Groove

Aquatic Ambiance

Ice Cave Chant

Fear Factory

Gang-Plank Galleon

17) Jet Force Gemini (N64)

Speaking of astonishingly good-sounding songs, Jet Force Gemini is without question my favorite Nintendo 64 soundtrack. Again, Rare's team of composers got an exceptional amount of quality of the Nintendo 64's sound capabilities, creating majestic themes, pulse-pounding rhythms and beats, and unforgettable melodies that play as you, Juno, Vela, and Lupus shoot and blast Mizar's alien insect menace from the galaxy.

Character Select

Sekhmet

Rith Essa

Eschebone

Boss Battle

16) Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

A more modern entry on my list of 50 favorite game soundtracks, Mario Kart 8 sports a jazzy, big band soundtrack, much like Super Mario 3D World in some very similar regards. Right when you pop in the disc and the initial loading screen finishes, your ears are also ready to go on a wild ride rather than just your kart and bike and choice of character. This is one soundtrack that I continuously listen to, as it seldom fails to put a great, big, old smile on my face.

Main Theme

Mario Circuit

Dolphin Shoals

Bowser's Castle

Mute City

15) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Taking the Mario series to new heights and into outer space, Super Mario Galaxy 2 features a mostly fully symphonic soundtrack with some tunes containing synth instruments for a wackier approach to the music. However, most of Super Mario Galaxy 2's soundtrack is big, bold orchestral themes that heighten and accentuate the platforming action that Mario performs across the stars in this great platforming epic.

Sky Station Galaxy

Yoshi Star Galaxy

Puzzle Plank Galaxy

Bowser's Lava Lair

Melty Monster Galaxy

14) Chrono Cross (PS1)

Chrono Trigger probably would have a place on this list, but the only caveat is that I haven't actually played it yet. (Remember rule #1.) That said, Chrono Cross contains some of the PlayStation's best themes. The soundtrack itself is so worldly, offering a myriad of musical styles with a variety of interesting instruments, rhythms, and melodies. Yasunori Mitsuda did a marvelous job with the Chrono Cross soundtrack.

Time's Scar

Another Arni

Another Termina

Ancient Dragon's Stronghold

Dragon God

13) Bravely Default (3DS)

Another more modern game to hit this list of 50 games is Bravely Default. Composed by Japanese progressive rock artist Revo, Bravely Default's music has definite roots to Revo's favorite genre to make music in. The music is part times rock, part times orchestral, and all the time awesome. It even makes going through the infamous parts of the game less of a pain in the neck to do when you have fantastic music to go along with it.

Conflict's Chime

Ship Racing Across the Ocean

Fighting to the End

Love's Vagrant

Serpent Eating the Ground

12) Xenogears (PS1)

Another Yasunori Mitsuda soundtrack, Xenogears is a game that Squaresoft didn't think would sell well in the West. However, when demand outperformed supply, Squaresoft wised up to its mistake. There's no mistaking that Xenogears soundtrack that creates a wide range of emotions in the listener and player is anything short of phenomenal. It makes you wonder why Yasunori Mitsuda isn't given more games to compose soundtracks to nowadays!

My Village is Number One

Emotions

Fuse

June Mermaid

Wings

11) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GCN)

One of my favorite Final Fantasy soundtracks doesn't even come from the mainline series. Instead, it comes from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Square's return to Nintendo home consoles. Kumi Tanioka composed the music for the game, and it uses worldly instruments to create a lovely, rustic sound to the entire soundtrack. There isn't a theme in this soundtrack that I don't enjoy, and that's somewhat of a rarity when you have two compact discs-worth of songs!

Caravan Crossroad

In the Gloomy Darkness

Prosperity and Tradition

Magi is Everything

Monster's Dance ~Rondo~

Top Ten JRPG Final Boss Themes (Spoilers)

There are sometimes top ten lists that write themselves. You can easily select ten items and bestow them with an order no sweat. This is one of those lists that was incredibly arduous to pick from the hundreds of JRPGs that had the most marvelous final boss themes to them. Still, we overcame the struggle of selecting ten themes from ten games and just ten, and we pretty much reached a compromise among staff. This list contains what we deem the best final boss battle themes in JRPG history. If you think we left out any good ones (which we most likely did with only ten picks out of hundreds of games), please let us know in the comments section below.

Also, it's important to note that we've tried to limit the amount of spoilers in this article, but you should still tread carefully. We mostly talk about older games, but there are a couple more recent titles that you may not have been able to play yet. In that case, we don't show the final boss's picture.

EDIT: This wasn't made clear, so let us do so. Each entry title is a YouTube link. Just click on the entry title, and you'll arrive to the YouTube video showcasing each song.

10) Final Battle VS. Rival - Pokemon Blue/Red/Yellow (GB)

This is it. You've come a long way as a Pokemon trainer. From your humble beginnings in Pallet Town, you've acquired the eight necessary badges from gym leaders around Kanto, and you've put the Elite Four in their place. However, there's but one last obstacle between you and the title of Pokemon master-- your rival, Blue! Although in retrospect it isn't as powerful as it once was, the theme heard while fighting Blue's six Pokemon was haunting, imposing, and let all trainers who dared face Blue know that this was not going to be an easy battle.

9) Last Battle (Opportunity) - Skies of Arcadia (DC, GCN)

This theme perfectly punctuates the tense feeling of facing the final boss of Skies of Arcadia. Even though the theme is pure synth, it still gives off an emotional impact all the same. At 1:53 the music changes direction into a hopeful song. This part plays as the final boss is on his last leg, so to speak. Victory is in your grasp, Vyse and crew, can you clench it?

8) Battle Vs. Lord Blazer - Wild ARMs 2 (PS1)

Using the main theme of the game as its focal point, Wild ARMs 2's Battle Vs. Lord Blazer hits all the right notes, not feeling foreboding like many of the themes on this list, but rather sounding heroic, as if this final boss is going to get his and Ashley and friends are without a doubt going to let nothing in the way as they save the day. Michiko Naruke's talents know no bounds, as the ending battle tour de force shows.

7) Dragon God - Chrono Cross (PS1)

Yasunori Mitsuda did some fantastic work on the Chrono Trigger soundtrack back on the Super Nintendo, but his compositions on Chrono Cross, in our humble, collective opinion, outshines them. Dragon God is a final boss theme that is one part chilling with its female vocalizations and one part pulse-pounding with its quick string riffs and motifs. Dragon God lets you know that you're in for one showdown against a boss that is anything but a pushover.

6) Awakening - Xenogears (PS1)

We change PlayStation One RPGs and move on from Chrono Cross to another Yasunori Mitsuda-composed soundtrack and game, Xenogears. Technically, Awakening plays during the penultimate boss encounter, but the boss that follows is a story-related boss that cannot be lost against, so we're going to say for the sake of things that Awakening plays during the true final boss of Xenogears. The tense and rapid pulse of the theme creates a sense of urgency, and the use of vocals accentuates the theme splendidly. Awakening is truly a theme that's like listening to a sweet dream.

5) Id ~ Purpose - Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)

Going from one Awakening to another, this time in the actual title's name, Fire Emblem: Awakening's final map theme for the final boss of the game is similar to Battle Vs. Lord Blazer, as it is more a theme of hope, heroism, and glory. Fire Emblem: Awakening already has our favorite soundtrack of the entire series, but this theme, Id ~ Purpose, is a cut above the majority of themes heard in any Fire Emblem game. The choir that chimes in to offer a deep and rich harmony that is hard for other songs to compete with.

4) The Strongest Foe - Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PSP, PC)

We love Ys: The Oath in Felghana's soundtrack to pieces, and one part of that is its rocking, head-banging final boss theme, The Strongest Foe. The action of battle is accentuated  by this uptempo track, delivering a theme that builds up the final boss as this sensational last challenge this Ys III remake has to offer. At 1:29, a heroic motif leaps into the picture, essentially telling players that there is hope to defeat this ultimate evil despite the odds being against them.

3) Serpent Eating the Ground - Bravely Default (3DS)

Whether it's called Serpent Eating the Ground or The Snake That Devours the Horizon is irrelevant when you finally get around to hearing this increasingly more epic final boss theme. The chanting going along with this orchestral blend of metal music makes this theme sound absolutely awesome. When this lengthy theme progresses, it eventually reaches a point where it plays the special move themes of each of the four characters. However, our favorite part of this theme is its epic finale at 5:20, which basically tells the boss that its butt is grass and your party is the lawnmower.

2) One-Winged Angel - Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

A theme that is so well-known that it needs no description, so we'll move onto number one on our list.

...

Just kidding. The final battle against an angelic Sephiroth has a theme that doesn't mess around. The introduction brings the tension, but the most popular part of One-Winged Angel is without question when the choir unleashes a flurry of Latin onto the player, ending with "Sephiroth" as the conclusion. One-Winged Angel perfectly takes Sephiroth's ordinary character theme and turns the knob past 11 to make a fully realized, kick-ass final boss theme.

1) Dancing Mad - Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

However, our favorite final boss theme from a JRPG comes from our favorite Final Fantasy with our favorite soundtrack. It's a final boss theme that was simply put ahead of its time. Starting off with a version of the theme Catastrophe, Dancing Mad plays its haunting opening moments. The song is split up between four movements. Each movement masterfully transitions to the next as soon as a piece of the Esper tower being fought is eliminated. Everything builds up to this final showdown with Kefka himself, where this part of the theme plays as Kefka's heavenly new form descends onto the battlefield. Soon, a rocking version of Kefka's character theme plays as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Whether you agree with Dancing Mad edging out One-Winged Angel or not, there's no questioning the genius that is Nobuo Uematsu. A genius so great that we had to limit the Final Fantasy franchise to two entries on this list!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Home for the Holidays Edition

Christmas is but a couple of days away, and even if you don't personally celebrate it, it's hard to get away from it. Let your friends at SuperPhillip Central bestow you with the gift of VGM. Sure, we do it all year long, but this time we've wrapped a pretty figurative bow around the entire package. This week's edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM includes music from Chrono Cross, Rayman Legends, and Yoshi's Story.

v531. Chrono Cross (PS1) - Dragon God

Last week we ended our edition of the VGM with a song entitled "Merciless Lord." In keeping with that theme, we have "Dragon God" from Chrono Cross. Unlike the Chrono Trigger soundtrack, Chrono Cross' music was entirely composed by the great Yasunori Mitsuda.

v532. Rayman Legends (Multi) - When the Wind Blows

One of the best multiplatform games of the year (which next year will be receiving an Xbox One and PlayStation 4 release), Rayman Legends sadly suffered low sales despite nearly universal critical acclaim. We're just in an industry where quality doesn't always equal success. Rayman Legends is one of those sad sales stories that make you curse consumers.

v533. Super Mario 64 (N64) - Inside the Castle Walls

We move to another platforming series, though this one is much more iconic. Super Mario 64 was an absolutely revolutionary game. It set the standard for 3D gaming with pitch perfect controls and wide open levels to explore. "Inside the Castle Walls" is the theme of Princess Peach's castle, a peppy little ditty perfect for running up and down the halls and stairways of the Mushroom Kingdom leader's home.

v534. Yoshi's Story (N64) - Baby Koopa's Castle

From one castle to another, we move to "Baby Koopa's Castle" from Yoshi's Story. The theme is appropriate for the castle, somewhat sinister, sounding like something appropriate for a toy box of terror, etc. "Baby Koopa's Castle" is without question our favorite theme from Yoshi's Story, a game that has a polarizing fan opinion.

v535. Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo (Wii) - The Siege of Muscle Tower

An overlooked gem in the Wii's library, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo was a 2D beat-em-up with some platforming elements. Its soundtrack, like many Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT games, is positively stellar.

SuperPhillip Central's Top 100 Games of All Time (100-91)

If you're not in the loop, let us enlighten you. Five years ago on this very day, one person started a little blog. Little did he know that this small blog would evolve into something many readers would stick with worldwide. Little did he know that he'd need more staff to help him deliver content on every weekday. Little did he know that his blog would reach over 400 reviews. And little did he know that his blog would reach one million views on the very same day as the site's five year anniversary.

Yes, today is SuperPhillip Central's five year anniversary, and the site that was just about SuperPhillip has shifted focus since its inception to become an all-encompassing game site full of news, reviews, editorials, interviews, top ten lists, and more.

We're celebrating in a big way. SuperPhillip Central's staff have come together to come up with our top 100 games of all time. These don't necessarily have to be the best, but they are indeed our favorites. Coming up with an order for these games has been an immense challenge. We're sure you won't agree with our order-- heck, we don't even agree with our order. That said, for the next ten weeks, we will be counting down our favorite games of all time. Please join us for this great undertaking. Let's get to the countdown!

100) Chrono Cross (PS1)

Chrono Cross is the successor to the 1995 Super Nintendo classic Chrono Trigger. Many staff from that game moved onto work on Chrono Cross, including director Masato Kato, composer Yasunori Mitsuda, and art director Yasuyuki Honne. The game followed the exploits of Serge, a teenage lad who, in an alternate reality, is dead. You see, parallel worlds is a theme of Chrono Cross, and one that makes the plot so appealing. From the turn-based battle system, where players could run from every battle if they so choose, to the immense amount of characters that could join Serge's party, Chrono Cross is one of the PlayStation's better RPGs to grace the platform.

99) Saints Row 2 (Multi)

So often the press and gamers are so eager to name upcoming games as the *insert game series here*-killer. That was true with Saints Row 2. Unlike the original Saints Row, Saints Row 2 was a multiplatform affair, and one which was all kinds of wacky. While Grand Theft Auto IV went in a more realistic route, Saints Row 2 captured the fun and craziness that made past Grand Theft Auto games so enjoyable. Being able to customize your character however you wanted, participate in a myriad of off-the-wall side missions, and exploring the living, breathing city of Stilwater are all facets of Saints Row 2 that make it one of our favorite open world games.

98) Tales of Symphonia (GCN)

Tales of Symphonia released on a system, the GameCube, that didn't really receive a lot of RPGs. Now, we're not saying Tales of Symphonia is only worthwhile because it was on a system that didn't get many RPGs. No, we're listing this game because it was very good. Tales of Symphonia sported a beautiful cel-shaded art style, a great soundtrack by Motoi Sakuraba, and an entertaining battle system that made battles not a chore but a fun experience. We can't wait to replay the game when it hits the PlayStation 3 in HD form. We salivate at the very thought!

97) LocoRoco 2 (PSP)

A platformer like no other, LocoRoco 2 is played with the shoulder buttons of the PSP. Pressing the L button would make your LocoRoco move to the left, while the R button-- you guessed it, you smart, smart reader-- would move your LocoRoco to the right. Hitting both shoulder buttons at the same time made your lovable blob jump in the air. LocoRoco 2 featured a wealth of platforming challenges, a notable art style and musical score, and loads of charm. Between saving Muimui characters, finding all of the fruit in a given level, and saving the world from the Moja threat, LocoRoco 2 is one of our favorite PSP titles.

96) Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS)

We're going to admit something. We are not very good at rhythm games. We love them to death, but the skill that we need to play them just alludes us. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is one of those rhythm games that we were actually good at, and that's not the only reason the game makes our list. The game was a Final  Fantasy fan's dream, filled with a multitude of music from all thirteen mainline Final Fantasy games. Leveling up characters, getting a high rank on a given song, defeating powerful enemies through tapping, sliding, and holding the stylus on the touch screen, and unlocking new heroes and heroines all made us giddy with excitement. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is an excellent, excellent rhythm game that strays from the norm.

95) Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (DS)

There have been five Professor Layton games that have been released in the West, but our pick for the best and most memorable is the third entry in the series, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (or The Last Time Travel, if you're a PAL pal). The amount of puzzles in the game made for some late night brain-busting. We could honestly feel our craniums grow as we solved puzzle after puzzle. That was just one part of the game, though. Unwound Future possessed one of the most touching stories in a Nintendo DS game-- actually, in a game in the past ten years. It really made us emotional. What, we're man enough to admit that!

94) Mario Golf (N64)

Phil's very first golf game was Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, so we had to include it on this list or else he would give us grief for the rest of eternity. Mario Golf was a tremendous golfing title, featuring familiar Mushroom Kingdom characters as well as "normal" characters like Charlie and Plum, six well designed courses, a memorable soundtrack by Motoi Sakuraba, and more modes than you can shake a 3 Wood at. Many nights Mario Golf was the game of choice-- trying to get that ever-elusive albatross or hole-in-one, acing that fifty foot putt, and trying to come out top in a tournament. All of these activities made for one excellent golf game.

93) Hot Shots Golf Fore! (PS2)

From one golf game to another, we go from Mario to the world of Hot Shots Golf with the fourth installment of the series (and the second on the PlayStation 2), Hot Shots Golf Fore! We all agreed that Hot Shots just inched out Mario Golf as the top golf title. It featured more characters, more courses, more challenge, and more options than its competition. We especially loved unlocking new characters like Ratchet and Jak (from their respective PlayStation franchises) through Match Play, new caddies to support (or criticize) us while we play, and recording our favorite shots. Hot Shots Golf Fore! is one of those games that we get very nostalgic for, despite mostly featuring a cast of one-time golfers.

92) Golden Sun (GBA)

Camelot knows how to make games. We've already featured them on this list with Mario Golf. They know how to do more than golf games, however, as evident by Golden Sun, one of the best RPGs to be found on the Game Boy Advance. We prefer the original Golden Sun, as the game was much more novel than its successors. Golden Sun featured the addicting turn-based combat, Djinn-obtaining, summon-summoning, puzzle-solving action that made it a unique title in the GBA's wide catalog of software. Using the wide amount of Psynergy (magic) in the game's many towns and dungeons to solve puzzles and progress was something that we hadn't seen so much out of an RPG. Couple all that with an engaging battle system, and you have the #92 game on our list.

91) Dead Rising (360)

One of our favorite Xbox 360 exclusives is Dead Rising. It came from the mind of one of the folks behind Mega Man, Keiji Inafune. Dead Rising was quite unlike anything at the time. You played as Frank West, a photojournalist who has covered wars, y'know. However, no war could really prepare him for a zombie outbreak in a Colorado town's mall. To survive, Frank would need to utilize as many things in the mall to stay alive, including chainsaws, lawn mowers, baseball bats, soccer balls, hammers, and much much more. This was all the while Frank had to carefully watch a clock, for if he could miss story-related events and survivors to save. The former of which meant that the player would have to restart the game, though they would keep all of Frank's upgrades. Dead Rising is a technical marvel, sporting hundreds of zombies on screen at the same time. It's also just an innovative and special title in the Xbox 360's library.

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Our first of ten features on our favorite video games of all time is now in the history books, much like the games we've talked about and are going to talk about. Every Wednesday for nine more weeks we will be counting down our top 100 games of all time. We hope you'll join us, and we hope you continue to enjoy SuperPhillip Central's content for the next five years!