The Games We Bought PlayStation For

On December 3rd, 1994, 26 years ago, the original PlayStation was born, ushering a new console and competitor in the market. Today, on this 26th birthday of the PS1 and the PlayStation brand in general, let's celebrate on SuperPhillip Central with a personal journey of sorts from yours truly, going through the games that pushed me and my family (hence, the "we", since when I was a kid I couldn't buy a PlayStation myself) into the PlayStation ecosystem again and again. Whether on consoles or handhelds, I've owned almost every major PlayStation platform (save for a recent, quite obvious one!). So, join me on my journey as a reminisce and briefly touch upon those killer apps that enticed so nice that they pushed me towards these PlayStation platforms.

[PlayStation One]

Final Fantasy VII 

Let's begin with a big one. Nintendo lost a lot of immediate ground to its new competitor, Sony, in the console race due to sticking with expensive cartridges on its Nintendo 64 over the PlayStation's CDs. What was seen as a massive betrayal was then-Squaresoft moving its complete focus to the PlayStation. The biggest game that Nintendo fans were going to miss out on (until 20+ years later, of course) was Final Fantasy VII. My older brother and I definitely didn't want to be one of those fans, so we begrudgingly begged our mom for another console, the PlayStation. It's fortunate that we did, as we have been happy PlayStation customers ever since. Maybe not so much big-time Final Fantasy fans, though, due to the series' quality over the years... 

Mega Man 8: Anniversary Edition

Like Squaresoft, Capcom, too, opted to jump ship from Nintendo to PlayStation after the rising costs of cartridges on the Nintendo 64, and they took one of our favorite franchises with them: Mega Man. Perhaps Mega Man 8 and its anniversary edition was more of a killer app for us than Final Fantasy VII was! Not only was the game gorgeous with its colorful, vivid, and vibrant sprite-based visuals, but the game featured so many new things, such as fully (and badly) voiced anime cutscenes, collectible bolts to use to purchase permanent upgrades at Dr. Light's, and a Mega Ball item, for kicks, of course. We would have missed out on so many Mega Man games--particularly one of my favorites, Mega Man X4--had we not leaped into Sony's ecosystem.

[PlayStation 2]

Final Fantasy X

With the PlayStation 2, the initial launch wasn't too exciting, so it was rather easy to pass on the PS2's offerings in the beginning. Of course, we all know how that story played out--the system has one of the best, all-encompassing game libraries of all time now. But, there were two games that truly tested my brother's and my will to ask for a PlayStation 2. One of these was Final Fantasy X. After adoring the PlayStation Final Fantasy games and much of Squaresoft's catalog on Sony's first system, it only made sense for us to have extreme hype for the first Final Fantasy on a bold new platform. Final Fantasy was already impressive and exceptionally large on the PS1, so we couldn't even imagine how big the newest game would be on the PlayStation 2. While the end result wasn't the best game in the series to us--far from it--Final Fantasy X will always have a special place in at least my heart for being the bait that lured us to the PlayStation 2's sunny shores.

[PlayStation 3]

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

I should take the time to note that my family has never actually gotten a PlayStation platform at launch. But, if there was a case of purchasing one the closest to launch, that would be the case with the PlayStation 3. That's funny because we would both argue that the PS3 was Sony's weakest home console in terms of library. Regardless, my love for the Ratchet & Clank series' PlayStation 2 outings, especially Going Commando--my first game in the series--saw me absolutely drooling at the thought of playing the newest entry. Not only would be a bigger and bolder adventure, but it'd be in glorious high definition for the first time. That game was of course Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, and thank the lovely lombax for that, or else I would have never gotten to play his other PS3 adventures or this next game on this list.

LittleBigPlanet

"Play, Create, Share." I love making video games. Sure, I've only published one real game, but the act of creating levels, designing characters, and implementing all of it to work into one cohesive project is both exciting and fascinating to me. LittleBigPlanet came with the promise of being able to create massively complex level creations and share them with the world. You can bet I enjoyed doing just that! LittleBigPlanet quickly jumped to the top, right by Ratchet & Clank, as my favorite PlayStation franchises, and basically I'll now go anywhere Sackboy as well as Media Molecule does!

[PlayStation Portable]

Mega Man: Powered Up

Let's take a detour from PlayStation consoles to Sony's handheld efforts starting with the PlayStation Portable, or PSP. Another case of getting the system almost a year after launch like several other PlayStation systems, we did the same with the PSP. However, this time around I did something I never did before--I bought a game before even owning the system. Yes, my love for the Blue Bomber was so much that I NEEDED to own a copy of Mega Man: Powered Up, a remake of the original Mega Man with new content. The main selling point and killer app-potential for me with Powered Up was, like LittleBigPlanet, the ability to create and share my own levels. The fact that it was dolled up in Mega Man clothing, one of my favorite franchises, only made that decision stronger. 

[PlayStation Vita]

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

With the PlayStation Vita, despite all three of the games that attracted me to the system were launch titles, I didn't purchase a Vita until six months or so after the fact. Nevertheless, one of the top titles that enticed me to buy a Vita was Nathan Drake's then-latest adventure, and his first handheld epic, too: Uncharted: Golden Abyss. While I could have done without several of the hardware-themed gameplay gimmicks, there was something mightily impressive about taking a PlayStation 3-sized, graphically gorgeous adventure and having it in the palms of my hands. This was an amazing future for portables. Little did I know that the PlayStation Vita wouldn't have as bright of a future as many owners like myself would have hoped from Sony's first-party studios.

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

If there was ONE game that I had to pick that single-handedly thrusted me into the PlayStation Vita ecosystem, it would have to be none other than Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational. I adore the Hot Shots Golf series, now known as Everybody's Golf here in North America to match the PAL naming scheme. The game's phenomenal visuals certainly wowed me as an introduction, but what really got me was the tried and true excellent golfing gameplay. Developer Clap Hanz definitely knows how to make a great golf game, and while it's not the best in the series, it certainly shines as a bright title in the Vita's impressive library.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip

If you haven't picked up on the theme yet (and no worries if you haven't), something that gets me running to a game, or in this case putting the pedal to the metal on a game faster than 200cc Mario Kart is a game that allows me to create my own content. ModNation Racers: Road Trip was one of these games, and it was in one of my favorite genres, the kart racer. Not only was the allure of designing my own custom tracks appealing, but so was building my own karts and characters! I spent so many hours designing content for Road Trip, yes, but the single player campaign was also a blast all by itself to its own credit. A double dose of kart racer awesomeness, indeed--whether creating or actually racing!

[PlayStation 4]

Ratchet & Clank

With the PlayStation 4, I did something I never did before with a console: I bought it used and online, and I did it just for Ratchet & Clank, the re-imagining of the very first game in the series and tie-in to the movie of the same name. The latter was a bust, but the game itself was my favorite upon the year of its release. Both Ratchet and Clank never looked better, and the various planets and environments seen throughout the game absolutely stunned. The risk of buying a used console online ultimately paid off. I got the system for a price I could realistically afford, and I got to enjoy one of Sony's best lineups of games on offer for one of their platforms.

[PlayStation 5 ...eventually!]

Astro's Playroom

While the jury's still out on when a PlayStation 5 will grace the SuperPhillip household--due to the console's incredible and insane popularity that sees sellouts on the words "we now have stock"--I know that one game that I just can't wait to try out is Astro's Playroom. Plus, it comes free with the system, so that's a plus already! Add in the fact that it's a 3D platformer (another plus) and that it looks adorable, charming, and masterfully made as all get out, and I have more than enough reasons to be jealous of gamers who can put Astro's Playroom on their "best of 2020" lists!

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Hopefully the stock situation with the PlayStation 5 clears up by the time this last game on my personal journey through PlayStation releases. It's my favorite PlayStation franchise's latest game, and I don't know if I'll have the self control and patience to wait for stock to come in after Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart releases. I might just pay people to rent their PS5s! Okay, okay. I wouldn't be THAT desperate, but my desire to play Rift Apart at launch is darn near excruciating. Between the visuals that make my jaw fall down to and through the floor, to the awesome gameplay showcase that Sony showed several months back, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will most likely be the game that puts Sony's shiny new white toy in my entertainment system... that is, if that large goliath fits in there!

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What games on PlayStation systems were YOUR killer apps that made you want to get those systems? Let the SPC community know in the comments below!

Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) Review

SuperPhillip Central may not have had an explosive month when it comes to review quantity, but goodness, is the site ever ending April with a bang! It's time for my thoughts on Final Fantasy VII Remake, one of, if not THE biggest game release of the year. Here is my review.

A long-awaited reunion with one of gaming's greatest RPGs

When you think of the holy grail of video game remakes, what game do you think about? I'm talking about those classic games that would be a dream come true to see lovingly retouched and retold in such a way that they could move the coldest of gamer hearts. For a sizable generation of gamers, the holy grail was Final Fantasy VII, and for the longest time, fans clamored for a full fledged remake, especially after other remakes in the Final Fantasy series like I through IV, for instance. 2005 saw a tech demo on the PlayStation 3 that revealed what could be with remade Final Fantasy VII. It would be ten years and one PlayStation generation later that fans would finally see their fantasies realized with the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Is the game a dream come true? Well, let's mosey and find out!

Final Fantasy VII Remake is but part one of what I have to assume will be a lengthy endeavor--a retelling of 1997's Final Fantasy VII. However, take any idea of a 1:1 remake of the 1997 classic that redefined the role-playing game and throw it out the window. Final Fantasy VII Remake takes great liberties with the original story of FFVII, adding lots of fluff both story and content-wise. Final Fantasy VII Remake occurs all within the confines of Midgar, where we join a ragtag team of vigilantes known as AVALANCHE who are themselves joined by a new recruit, a mysterious mercenary named Cloud Strife. The objective is clear--bomb the Mako Reactor to stick it to the nefarious Shinra Corporation who plan on using the reactor to siphon energy directly from the planet. An eco-friendly group such as AVALANCHE doesn't take too kindly to that. 

Cloud gazes at the rather foreboding Mako Reactor.

While Midgar was but a small part of the original Final Fantasy VII and while this is but part one of a multi-game remake, by the end of this particular game you'll feel that you'll have some resolution and that a full arc of the game has been completed. Of course, you'll desperately want to know what happens next, but a lot of plot points that begin with part one of this remake due end conclusively.

Familiar encounters see new life breathed into them in this remake.

Despite the game staying in Midgar for its entire duration, Final Fantasy VII Remake offers a lot of variety in its environments and in your activities in the game. Each major story beat is contained within one of 18 chapters, usually within a special contained zone. You can guess with a structure like this that Final Fantasy VII Remake possesses makes the game a more linear affair, and you would be safe with your assumption. However, you'd be wrong in assuming that the design echoes nightmares of Final Fantasy XIII's corridor level design. There are ample opportunities to go off the beaten path, explore, and discover unique treasures and items just like in the original. 

While most chapters do have a linear structure to them, much like the game structure itself, a good handful of chapters offer myriad points of discovery and exploration. That's whether it's happening across various side quests or participating in one of this remake's engaging mini-games. The side quests may not raise the bar in quest design, offering lots of "go here, find this", "go here, kill this" type design, but the actual moments between the characters that you interact with offer such a pleasant expansion of the world of Final Fantasy VII Remake that they're worth checking out and completing. That's if the rewards for completing quests weren't satisfactory enough--which they are.

The game itself is a lengthy one, rounding out at over 35 hours my first play-through. Now, veterans of the original might find it difficult to imagine how the developers managed to stretch out a gameplay experience that took a mere five hours in the original game and multiply that sevenfold. This is where a lot of liberties were taken with this remake. Apart from stretching certain gameplay segments out to sometimes tedious effect, a great portion of the story content is brand-new. Some of it is expanded upon with brand-new characters, while more importantly, several familiar characters get a whole new lease on life with expanded characterization. The team of Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie are given a bigger role in Final Fantasy VII Remake, and comparing their portrayals now to 1997's game, you'd think they were one-dimensional in the original compared to the fully fleshed out, emotive characters in this game.

While familiar scenes get an abundance of tender, loving care and are all the better for it.

Final Fantasy VII Remake does feature plenty of padding in its 30-40 hour story, but a lot of it is enjoyable. Sure, there are far more sections where the player is forced to slowly saunter through corridor after corridor, or inch through a narrow passage far too many times, but overall, the game is a decently paced one. As a chapter-based game, you'll encounter plenty of points of no return, though thankfully you're given warning of this usually. Even still, upon beating the game you unlock Hard Mode and the ability to choose chapters to play, keeping your character's levels and various loadouts intact. Though it's disappointing that Hard Mode is locked behind beating the game, once you realize that enemies are properly scaled difficulty-wise and meant to be taken on by a party at level 35 and not a measly level 7, then you won't mind so much. Considering items are also unavailable to use in Hard Mode, it's probably--moreover decidedly--a good thing this mode is locked behind beating the game!

These Shinra security officers definitely don't get paid enough for this!

Much like the story and structure of the game, Final Fantasy VII Remake's battle system has been greatly overhauled as well. This time around the main mode of combat is all in real-time, more akin to an action-RPG like Kingdom Hearts than your typical, traditional Final Fantasy game. Combat is much more fast-paced and instant, while also providing a more-than-adequate amount of strategy as well. You need to learn how to dodge, evade, and block attacks consistently, while also healing up your party as needed. 

The Active Time Battle (or ATB) system is still in use, but in a completely different manner. As you unleash attacks, take damage, and just allow time to roll on, a gauge for each character increases. As that gauge increases, it fills one of two bars. When a bar is full, that character can use an item, spell, or ability from the Command menu, thus using up a bar. When selecting from a Command, the action on screen essentially stops dead in its tracks, or at least slows down considerably. This gives you some much needed time to breathe and formulate a strategy. 

Final Fantasy VII Remake introduces a stagger gauge to enemies and bosses. When staggered, enemies are especially susceptible and vulnerable to attacks while they're in the staggered state, allowing Cloud's party to deal and dish out some major damage. Different enemies are staggered in different ways. Some enemies have their stagger gauges rise when they're hit by a specific element of magic, while others become more easily staggered when they're in the middle of a specific attack.

Some foes will stagger more easily than others, but when they do,
it's the optimal opportunity to unleash hell on them.

You can switch between characters on the fly mid-battle with the D-Pad, and of the four playable characters in this remake--Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith--each has a play style that makes them unique from one another as well as each being of use in battle. Whereas Cloud and Tifa do heavy up-close-and-personal melee damage, Barret and Aerith excel mostly in long range attacks. 

Barret's long-range firing is fantastic for taking out foes over long distances and those in the air.

The Materia system from the original 1997 release makes its return in this remake as well. By stocking characters with Materia via weapon and armor slots they're equipped with, they can use all manner of spells and magic, as well as receive bonus abilities like increased health, magic, and more. Materia can be leveled up and mastered by earning points from defeated foes, which allows for greater versions of spells to be unleashed as the Materia levels up. It's engaging and enjoyable to experiment with Materia combinations on characters, but I couldn't help but wish there were different loadouts that I could save for various combat situations. Instead, you can only have loadouts on a per-character-basis instead of a per-weapon or just have a selection of loadouts to work from. Thankfully, when a character temporarily leaves your party, you can still change their equipment and Materia attached to them when they're gone. 

Fire (magic) in the hole!

Weapons, too, have unique properties to them, and can also be customized with skill points earned from leveling up in battle. You can use SP to increase the attack power, defense, magic attack, magic defense, speed, and more of your characters, as long as they're equipped with that weapon. In addition to basic stat upgrades, specific weapons have unique bonuses to them, offering improved debuff resistance, for example, or the ability to equip more Materia at once. There's no need to be frugal with your SP either, as earned SP goes to each weapon in your arsenal and not just the one equipped to your character--so spend away! This remake encourages experimentation pretty much at every juncture, and that continues with weapon abilities. As you continually use a weapon's ability in combat, you can master its proficiency, allowing you to use it even when that weapon is not equipped.

Ah, the Airbuster. I remember you when you were just a bucket of bolts and a smattering of polygons!

Also returning from Final Fantasy VII is that of Summons, and like many other aspects of Remake's design, these have been altered as well. Only available for use in certain battles, Summons fight alongside with you when they're called upon, allowing you to select commands for them when a given character has enough bars in their ATB gauge. Summons are invincible and otherwise automatically attack enemies in battle. Once their summoning gauge has emptied, they bid adieu with an ultra-powerful attack that erupts across the screen to deal heavy damage.

When it concerns the presentation of Final Fantasy VII Remake, it's no surprise that Square Enix delivered an uber-impressive experience. Jaw-dropping vistas abound, characters amaze with their degree of detail and superb animated quality, and effects like fire and lightning dazzle and delight. Things aren't totally perfect, however, as some textures noticeably fail to load or offer such a strikingly low quality that even someone who usually doesn't mind such things like myself couldn't help but get turned off by them a bit. Hopefully a future patch can correct this, if such a thing is possible.

Square Enix is like Jurassic Park's John Hammond when it comes to presentation.
They spare no expense, and it certainly and satisfyingly shows!

On the other side of the presentation equation, the sound performance is exquisite. The voice acting is mostly of great quality, though the dialogue sometimes doesn't do the voice actors any favors (that's not their fault, though), and the musical renditions of familiar Final Fantasy VII favorites are utterly fantastic. The completely new tunes added round out the package, and are of a pleasant sound as well, offering a well-rounded soundtrack that both pays homage and pays great respect to the original.

And, that's really the theme of Final Fantasy VII Remake. It's an exceptional game that breathes new life into the Final Fantasy VII universe while respecting a lot of what fans loved about the 1997 classic. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a Final Fantasy game for a new era. Its battle system walks a fine balance between fast-paced finger-fu and tactical strategy, its story is engaging and excites in familiar and totally brand new ways with an abundance of increased and heartfelt character interactions, and it sets out to do almost everything it intended to do. While the pacing of the game can get bogged down at times, and some technical performance problems do hinder the experience a little, they don't slight the game that largely enough to be substantial burdens. Final Fantasy VII Remake has made a believer out of me for the development team's vision for the future of the franchise. I can't wait to see where Cloud and his party venture to next.

[SPC Says: A-]

First Things First: Best Openings in Gaming - Part Three

A great opening or introduction can be the hook that grabs onto you and doesn't ever let go. It's the thing that can make for a strong start to a game that keeps its momentum up right from the very beginning. With the First Things First line of articles, it has been SuperPhillip Central's intention to showcase the strongest opening cutscenes from gaming history. This third edition features favorites from Final Fantasy VII, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Donkey Kong 64, and more.

For SuperPhillip Central's previous looks at great game openings, check out these links:

Best Openings in Gaming - Part One
Best Openings in Gaming - Part Two

(And just click on the game name to watch its opening on YouTube.)

Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

Final Fantasy VII is one of the most important games of its kind. It introduced a plethora of players and PlayStation owners to the world of RPGs, particularly of the Japanese kind. It was also an impressive showcase of the possibilities of CD technology over cartridges, a reason why Squaresoft moved from Nintendo consoles to Sony's new PlayStation. The opening cutscene that serves as the opening to Final Fantasy VII floored gamers back when VII originally released. From showing off the denizens of Midgar to cuts to the train housing members of AVALANCHE showing their trip to the Mako Reactor, the opening of Final Fantasy VII is one of the most engaging beginnings to any Final Fantasy game both past and present.

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)

Imagine (or remember depending on how old you are) being a fan of Nintendo, putting the Super Smash Bros. Melee disc into your newly purchased Nintendo GameCube, and being greeted with this epic opening feature a host of characters and references from the big N's big history. You get Donkey Kong rushing through a jungle, an army of multicolored Yoshis stampeding through a grassy knoll, Ness speeding through Onett as he leaves two trails of fire behind him, Captain Falcon in the Blue Falcon slamming Samurai Goroh off the track, and so much more. All of this is punctuated by one of Nintendo's first orchestral scores, and you get a highly memorable and still awesome opening to this day.

Star Fox 64 [3D] (N64, 3DS)

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Nintendo 3DS remake of Star Fox 64, but the more memorable opening is definitely from the Nintendo 64 original. It showed Nintendo at its most cinematic, showing off its then relatively recent Nintendo 64 hardware with tremendous effect. There was unforgettable fully voiced dialogue, strategically done camerawork, and great production values in place for the opening that introduced many players to Team Star Fox, its main craft the Arwing, and a quick briefing from General Pepper on the story of this classic game. Whether you play it on the Nintendo 64 or can track down the unpredictably rarer Nintendo 3DS version, you're going to get a terrific arcade game to enjoy.

Donkey Kong 64 (N64)

With a rap theme that has gained great notoriety over the years, even from composer Dave Wise himself, you can't help but fall in love with this cheeky and charming opening for Donkey Kong 64. The rap introduces all five playable Kongs-- Donkey, Diddy, Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky-- with their own verses detailing each ones' abilities. Meanwhile, you get Cranky Kong serving as DJ, scratching his paws along the spinning records and mixing table. He surely knows how to take it to the fridge. This lovingly weird, whimsical, and ridiculous rap is a highlight of Donkey Kong 64 and got players ready to roll with the DK crew.

Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)

Before Rare went all ape **** crazy with the collectibles of Donkey Kong 64, they made a nice balance of platforming, exploring, and adventuring with one of my favorite 3D platformers of all time, Banjo-Kazooie. When I let the game idle as a middle schooler and saw this intro, I knew then and there I was watching something that clued my brain into knowing I was about to play something both ridiculously charming and special. Banjo-Kazooie's opening begins with Banjo and Kazooie playing their titular instruments before cast members Tooty and Mumbo Jumbo begin interrupting with their own instrumental performances. Feeling upstaged, Banjo gets increasingly angrier, but eventually lets that anger subside and happily plays along with the group for a joyous performance.

No More Heroes (Wii, PS3, 360)

Originally released on the Wii, No More Heroes gained cult classic status with many owners of Nintendo's revolutionary system. The game would go on to have a fully HD version on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, though not as enjoyable to those who loved the Wii original. Regardless, No More Heroes' opening is as stylish and cool as the game itself. It details the premise of the game with great narration by hero Travis Touchdown. You get the ultra cool opening with the super catchy main theme of the game with its infectious ostinato. The Wii version of the opening has cool transitions between shots via the staff roll, as well as urging players to grab their Wii Remotes and let the bloodshed begin.

The Worst Things About SuperPhillip Central's Favorite Games II

The easiest thing to do when reviewing bad games is ripping them to shreds, taking all of their faults and going through each, one by one, eviscerating them. However, it's much harder to look at games that you have a great love for, perhaps irrationally so due to them being an important part of one's childhood, and picking out the things that just don't work so well in them. That's what this series of articles from SuperPhillip Central is all about: figuring out what didn't work-- no matter how small-- in the games that I love so much.

If you'd like to see five of my favorites from the first installment of this article series, click this link.

Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

We begin with a game that has the gaming world excited for its upcoming remake, though with Square Enix's history, we might be sitting here five years from now still waiting for it (okay, okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration). Of course, I'm talking about Final Fantasy VII, one of the most popular entries in the storied Final Fantasy series and many players' first foray into the franchise.

The game has a lot of variety to it, an excellent story, and one of the best casts of characters in the entire series. Everything from the memorable locales, then-impressive visuals in both gameplay and CG cinematic form, the stellar Nobuo Uematsu-composed soundtrack, and rewarding Materia system makes for a wonderful and lengthy RPG that seldom outwears its welcome.

Certainly, it was an arduous proposition to come up with something truly bad about Final Fantasy VII, but then I remembered something that stops me from regularly replaying the game. After the intense and excellent introduction of VII inside Midgar, many players found themselves bewildered by the fact that Midgar was just the tip of Final Fantasy VII's iceberg. They were thrust into a world map that meant that Midgar was but a small part of a much grander and ambitious game.

However, soon after arriving on the world map, the part of Final Fantasy VII that brings me pause upon starting up a new play-through so easily rears its head into the picture. I'm talking about the approximately 40-minute flashback sequence that occurs upon arriving in Kalm. There are good things about this moment in the game, such as showing off Sephiroth's amazing power in battle by killing a giant dragon with one attack while the soldiers joining him can hardly put a dent into its HP, as well as establishing character relationships and some back story (as well as making a later revelation in the game have a much larger impact).

However, upon repeated play-throughs, it's a section of the game I wish I could skip sometimes. Even then, that's big praise that a quick fraction of a gigantic game is the thing that bothers me the most about Final Fantasy VII.

Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1, PSP, iOS, Android)

While Final Fantasy VII's Kalm flashback sequence can stop me from doing a run of the game, Final Fantasy Tactics has something that can stop beginning players from successfully continuing their first run of the game.

Final Fantasy Tactics' various missions generally take place isolated from one another. However, occasionally within the game, there are missions occur one after the other without the option to return to the world map. That isn't a problem so far. The problem here is that you're given the option to save in between these missions. What's wrong with that? You can find protagonist Ramza's party too underleveled or not strong enough to tackle a mission in these successive battles. With no option to return to the world map upon losing (you get a game over instead), you can find yourself stuck with no possible means to progress in the campaign.

The first set of battles that this can become a problem is Riovannes Castle, a setting housing three successive fights. The second, against a transformed Wiegraf, is quite possibly one of the toughest encounters in the game, much more a massive jump in difficulty early in the game. Without proper knowledge of this, beginning players can find themselves having to start a new save data from the very beginning of the game if they weren't aware to make a second save ahead of time. I know my early struggle with this problem caused me to drop Final Fantasy Tactics for months. Thankfully, I went back to it and found myself thinking Tactics is one of the greater games in the franchise, mainline, spin-off, or whatever.

Metroid Prime (GCN)

Retro Studios and Nintendo seemingly did the impossible-- not only take the then-previously all 2D Metroid franchise into 3D with fantastically epic results, but it was done with a team that was inexperienced at best. Really, Metroid Prime is one of my favorite games of all time, but it's not without an issue that many players might find frustrating.

This particular segment of Metroid Prime occurs late in the game. Samus Aran is tasked to venturing to the Impact Crater of Tallon IV after exploring all other areas within the game. There she finds a series of nine pillars that require you as the player to venture (see: backtrack) through the areas of Tallon IV to find the Chozo Artifact designated to each pillar. You get a clue for each artifact's location from each pillar.

Personally, I found this little end game scavenger hunt enjoyable, but just imagine other players' perspectives, thinking they were at the end of the game, ready to take on the final bosses, only to be stopped by this late game collect-a-thon. Many found themselves turning to places like GameFAQs and the like to rush through this section of the game to finally get the chance to take down Meta-Ridley for good (at least in the original Metroid Prime "for good") and then go on to face Metroid Prime itself.

The funny (perhaps I should have put that in quotes) part about this late game scavenger hunt is that it would be used in the Metroid Prime games succeeding this one. I found them fun, but then again, I found the Triforce Quest of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker somewhat tolerable, so I have my own issues!

Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Mario Kart 8 is the latest in the long-running and most successful arcade kart racing series on the market. With every iteration, Nintendo delivers fun and fast racing that is accessible to all skill levels while possessing enough depth to remain engaging for gaming veterans.

This is a rather humorous inclusion to this list of my favorite games with problems because the problem I am going to talk about is getting fixed with the Nintendo Switch's Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, coming out at the end of April. That problem is one many players of the Wii U original know all too well-- the omission of Bowser Jr. Okay, no, while that was an issue I had with the Wii U original, the real problem is the Battle Mode.

What made previous entries of Mario Kart so engaging with their Battle Modes were dedicated arenas to pursue, hunt down, and attack opponents on. In Mario Kart 8's Wii U incarnation, the Battle Mode consisted of tracks from the Grand Prix mode of the game with no real alterations that could be traveled on in both forwards and backwards fashion (i.e. no major glider sections that could only be traveled one-way). While the varied geography of the battlefields weren't inherently awful, the size of them meant opponents took much longer to find one another and confrontations weren't as thrilling as they would otherwise be in an arena setting.

Thankfully, a big part of the appeal of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch is the return of the classic arena-style Battle Mode. Sure, for many who owned the Wii U original, it might not be worth a second purchase. However, at the same token, most gamers and consumers didn't own a Wii U, so the package will be an entirely new game to them regardless.

[Poochy &] Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS, Wii U)

I recently reviewed the Nintendo 3DS port of the Wii U's tremendously creative and charming Yoshi's Woolly World. To me, both versions of the game are modern classics that rival even the original Yoshi's Island on the Super Nintendo. One of the major things I like over the SNES classic is that getting 100% in a level doesn't need to be performed by doing every task in one run (getting all five flowers, collecting all 20 red coins, or badges in Woolly World's case, or having full health by the end of a level), making for a much less stressful experience.

However. Yoshi's Woolly World isn't without its faults. Let me focus on the main one that can drive many completionists crazy. A good deal of collectibles within the game are found in hidden cloud bubbles. I'm talking literally hidden in that they're invisible to the eye until Yoshi brushes up against them. This means that in many levels and in order to find everything, you need to obsessively jump in any suspicious space to have the bubbles appear.

Inside the bubbles are usually things that are required to fully complete a level, such as a flower, a collection of colorful beads where one or two of them are badges you need to nab, or a yarn spool. While there are items you can spend beads on to reveal their locations, it feels disappointing that the collectibles almost require you to do that for so many levels. It's like the developers knew how much they overdid hiding secrets in the game and gave themselves a way out. Nonetheless, even with this problem, I find Yoshi's Woolly World on Wii U and its Nintendo 3DS port amazing platformers worthy of any fans of the genre's time and money.

Just in Time For Christmas: The Great Winter Wonderlands in Gaming

Merry Christmas to everyone who passes by SuperPhillip Central, both frequenters and rare passersby! SuperPhillip Central wishes you and yours the very best, and if you don't celebrate Christmas, then a happy holiday season to you!

SPC gives you the gift of a new article for this Christmas night: a look at some of my favorite winter-themed levels in gaming. By no means is this an exhaustive list, so after you've checked out my picks, name some of your favorite winter wonderlands in your favorite games. If you're so bold, also tell the community why you chose that level or levels!

Freezeezy Peak - Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)

When I think of Christmas and winter in gaming, this level in Banjo-Kazooie is usually the first that comes to mine. Freezeezy Peak is all winter all the time, featuring a wide array of landmarks fitting for the season. Such sights include the massive, and I do mean massive, snowman structure in the middle of the level, where Banjo can climb the length of its scarf, get a Jiggy from its cob pipe, and even reach the top of its hat where a Jinjo stands. Then, there is the Christmas tree where you can save a bunch of lights from being gobbled up, a cave housing a bear-loathing walrus, frozen ponds, angry snowmen that love chucking snowballs at inattentive bears and birds, and an igloo housing a family of four polar bears. Top it all off with this sensational theme, and you have a cold yet cozy world worth exploring.

Snowball Park - Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

There are so many terrific levels and worlds in the Super Mario series to choose from. I was leaning towards Cool, Cool Mountain and Snowman's Land from Super Mario 64, but then I remembered this recent example of a wonderful winter wonderland. While it might not have the same openness of the Super Mario 64 levels I mentioned, Super Mario 3D World's Snowball Park is a great reminder of the season with Mario and crew able to pick up and toss snowballs at enemies and slide around on the ice. Then, you have the second half of the level where our heroes can leap into giant ice skates, zipping across the ice as they maneuver their way to the level's end. Snowball Park is a modern Mario level that just screams winter.

Sherbet Land - Mario Kart 8 (Wii U) / Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

Debuting as an original track in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for the GameCube and then appearing as a retro track in Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, Sherbet Land is a fun, snow-filled course that sees Shy Guys skating along the ice, enjoying themselves (but you won't if you crash into them!), a cavern of icicles, a frozen-over lake full of Freezies that can make any racer become frozen solid upon bumping into them, and festive flags hanging all around. In Mario Kart 8's version of the track there are two sections where you can dive underwater, taking an aquatic route through the course. Speaking of Mario Kart 8...

Animal Crossing (Winter) - Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Nothing in a game gives me as warm a feeling as walking around my town in winter in Animal Crossing, no matter the version of the game. Mario Kart 8's second DLC pack brings that same exact warmness in a race with the winter version of the Animal Crossing track, a track that comes in four varieties, each a different season. Everything in Mario Kart 8's winter theme of Animal Crossing is covered in a generous dusting of snow, illuminated under the starry night sky. Houses have their lights on both indoor and out, providing a soothing glow, while many of the trees have beautiful Christmas lights on them. There is no better track in the Mario Kart series that exudes the feeling of Christmas and winter as well as this version of the Animal Crossing track in Mario Kart 8.

Ice Cap Zone - Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (GEN)

When a level starts out with your character zooming down a mountain on a snowboard with an avalanche hot on his trail, you know you're in for something way past cool. In fact, the Ice Cap Zone is way past cold! (I'll see myself out later.) A two-act zone that features both outdoor sections and indoor cavernous sections, the fifth zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the Ice Cap Zone is a one-two punch of awesomeness. From the rocking soundtrack to the breaking through chunks of ice and walls of snow, there is no better zone in my opinion from the Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis trilogy that is as fantastic as Ice Cap. Of course, as a kid I could never reach it because of that stupid barrel in the preceding zone, but now that I'm able to, I appreciate the Ice Cap Zone even more!

Icicle Inn - Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

Located north of the nearby Great Glacier, Icicle Inn is a winter resort town that gives off a warm (there's that word again) and inviting feel. The light that pours out of the windows of the various cabins in the town shine brightly and magnificently, and the sun in the sky glistens on the snowy ground. It's a town so lovely and welcoming that you really want to stay there for as long as you can. Of course, that isn't possible as there is a world to save and a villain to defeat in Sephiroth. Still, you can enjoy a trip down the slopes with an enjoyable snowboarding mini-game, one that became so popular that Square Enix turned it into a mobile game. Nonetheless, between snowboarding sown the slopes and admiring the pure and genuine beauty of Icicle Inn, I'll always choose the latter.

Winter Crash - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Multi)

If you're tired of running and gunning through sand, then maybe you'll appreciate this wintry and Christmas-y take on the OG Crash map in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Instead of sand and an afternoon sky, you get snow and nighttime air. Buildings once derelict and dull are now covered with Christmas lights and decorations, fitting for the season. Those aren't the only major changes to the map, as standing tall and proud next to a downed chopper is a 20-foot Christmas tree with all the trimmings, including a whole slew of Christmas presents at its base for all the good little soldier boys and girls involved in combat.

Shadow Moses - Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

We go from one game with guns to another, although this one has more tact and strategy involved, unless you're not one to go all stealthily. Metal Gear Solid's Shadow Moses is the locale that the entire game takes place in. While most of the game takes place indoors, some of the more memorable moments occur outside with modest visibility and sizable snowfall. From the ambient sounds of Solid Snake's feet crunching the snow below him to the arctic winds enveloping the area, Shadow Moses's outdoor areas ooze with wintry atmosphere. Shadow Moses was such a pivotal place in the Metal Gear Solid series that it would return in Guns of the Patriots with even more fanfare but even less visibility!

Phendrana Drifts - Metroid Prime (GCN)

My first time stepping into Phendrana Drifts, like a lot of players, led to a breathtaking moment of seeing a wide open expanse filled with falling snow, icy and intricate architecture, and a Metroid-style winter wonderland before my very eyes. Between the first open room complete with Chozo ruins on both ends of the map, the underwater expanses, the icicle-covered caverns, and open canyons, Phendrana Drifts is one of the more beloved areas in the Metroid Prime trilogy. Few areas in gaming exhibit as much wonder as Phendrana does. You can feel the cold and chill of the area just by the stunning ambiance and environmental cues. Retro Studios did a phenomenal job with creating Phendrana Drifts, and it still remains one of the most prolific places in Metroid series history.

Snow Barrel Blast - Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

The first level of Gorilla Glacier in Donkey Kong Country gives you a rough feeling of what to expect in the world. With a breathtaking scenery and environment of snow-covered pine trees, you can easily find yourself losing focus and falling into a pit or smacking right into a foe. As you progress through the level, what was once a slight flurry of snowfall turns into a generous gift of snow from the sky. It makes the final section of the level where DK and Diddy must time with perfect precision their being shot out of a series of rotating barrel cannons all the more difficult to complete. But, once you do, the feeling of relief and accomplishment is one you won't forget for quite a while, much like the entire level of wondrous winter spectacle.

Frosty Village - Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

I have fond memories as a middle school student where one Christmas one of my presents was the gift of Diddy Kong Racing, a kart racer that remains my favorite to this day. One of the reasons for this was memories of racing through the wintry and snowy Frosty Village track. From the start of the race, a body of water surrounds the track on each side before leading into an archway that starts a downward slope towards the titular village. A quick right turn leads into an icy tunnel that opens up into a large and expansive section of track surrounded by shining streetlamps and massive trees. Following that is the home stretch, a right turn that if you have a hovercraft, you can pass through a waterfall on the inside, a fun shortcut to take given you've got the vehicle. Besides the well done track design, the environment is full of winter touches that really puts me in a happy and joyous mood no matter what season I race on Frosty Village-- though winter is preferred!

Chilly Castle - Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Multi)

From one kart racer to another, Chilly Castle from Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed represents Billy Hatcher & the Giant Egg, a GameCube-exclusive game from the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog, Yuji Naka. The race starts off with a series of turns and a branched path through a cozy winter village. The village roads soon converge as racers ride under a gate leading into a section surrounded by castle walls. After a handful of increasingly tighter turns, the race enters a frozen tunnel where racers' rides transform into aquatic cruisers and boats. After this watery ride is finished, the tunnel launches the racers back to the starting line. The immense amount of detail in Chilly Castle, welcoming starting village, and feeling of winter all present a superb track worthy of the season.