SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Chaka Khan Edition

It's Chanukah for our Jewish readers, so Happy Chanukah, everybody! As part of the festivities, SuperPhillip Central's gift to you is the gift of song with five special VGMs! Just click the song titles to be whisked away to the song listed!

This week we have music to share from God of War III, a sequel to Golden Sun with Golden Sun: The Lost Age, fantastic music from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, a catchy tune from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and finally, we wrap up with some Banjo-Kazooie.

If you'd like to take a look and listen to past VGM volumes, take a gander at the VGM Database. With that out of the way, let's get to the music!

v1021. God of War III (PS4, PS3) - Boss - Poseidon

The beginning of God of War III pulls no punches. It's an absolutely chaotic and epic battle with Poseidon set against the backdrop of all hell breaking loose near Mount Olympus and the titans. This intense orchestral theme plays during the madness, setting up a brilliant battle with Poseidon who winds up on the losing end of Kratos's wrath.

v1022. Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA) - Battle - Felix

Whereas Golden Sun was seen in the point of view of Isaac's party, its sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, is seen in the point of view of Felix's party. His battle theme is just as peppy and energized as Isaac's, and it's once again all thanks to the magnificent talent of Motoi Sakuraba, a name that is quite well known to frequenters of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs!

v1023. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES) - Lockjaw's Saga

The underwater levels of the original Donkey Kong Country took place in lakeside, riverside, and ocean side waters. Meanwhile, the underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country 2 take place in the depths of a sunken pirate ship. Some levels feature the piranha Lockjaw while others require the cooling down of the water before it gets to dangerously hot levels. No matter the level, this excellent theme from David Wise plays to keep you enthralled in these particularly waterlogged levels.

v1024. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64) - Astral Observatory

A place that Link goes to to view the telescope and look into the moon to get its tear, the Astral Observatory is equipped with a lovely theme, as you can obviously here with this link (no pun intended). The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask saw a Nintendo 3DS remake early this year, and it made a great game even greater. Perhaps it'll wind up on SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2015 list?

v1025. Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA) - Mr. Vile's Game

Mr. Vile is a crocodile that lives in a crocodile shaped dome in the middle of Banjo-Kazooie's Bubble Gloop Swamp. To get his Jiggy you need to participate and win against him in a three part mini-game where the goal is to eat the right colored fruit. This catchy mini-game theme plays during all three variants of the mini-game, requiring speed and precision as you gobble up fruit as Banjo and Kazooie's alligator form.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - A Fascination With Roman Numerals Edition

SuperPhillip Central is here on this lovely Monday morning to pump up the jams-- video game jams, that is. This week we're all about games with roman numerals in their titles. All of these games are sequels to well known series. We have Saints Row, Street Fighter, God of War, Breath of Fire, and Final Fantasy to satiate your thirst for great video game music. If that somehow doesn't, however, why not check out our VGM Database? It contains every theme we've ever put under the spotlight in this weekly segment.

v606. Saints Row IV (PS3, 360, PC) - Main Theme

What better way to kick off the first morning of the work week than with some dubstep? Now, we must admit that we aren't the biggest fans of this more modern musical genre, but we can't help but enjoy Saints Row: The Third's main theme given a dubstep makeover.

v607. Street Fighter II (SNES) - Guile's Theme

This is apparently the song that goes with everything. You've most likely heard or read that if you frequent the Internet and its underbelly. This triumphant theme for the patriotic American fighter Guile, gets the body energized and primed for battle! Now excuse us while we go home and be family men.

v608. God of War III (PS3) - Rage of Sparta

We need to drop a bomb on you. Kratos of the God of War series is the type of antihero that we absolutely despise. He's always angry, he's always a jerk, and he does both of those things obnoxiously well. Still, it is way too much fun hacking and slash foes into huge combos, exploring majestic palaces, temples, and mountains, and hearing all of it backed by this chilling score.

v609. Breath of Fire III (PS1) - The Insane Warriors

Played in the battle arena, Breath of Fire III's The Insane Warriors definitely has a 90's feel to it. This jazzy piece has a really nice beat to it, consists of quick motifs, and gets the toes a-tappin'. A port of this PlayStation One classic arrived on the PSP. However, only PAL and Japanese markets received it. All others needed to import, which could be rather expensive.

v610. Final Fantasy XII (PS2) - Ending Movie

Longtime series composer Nobuo Uematsu only wrote one piece for Final Fantasy XII. The majority of the rest of the music was composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, whose credits include Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and more recently Valkyria Chronicles. This symphonic masterpiece does Final Fantasy XII's climactic ending supreme justice. It's stirring, riveting, and makes one's pulse pound with its excitement.

Best Levels in Gaming History - Volume Eight

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Welcome to volume eight of one of our favorite segments here at SuperPhillip Central, Best Levels in Gaming History. No, your eyes do not deceive you. We're retroactively changed the name of our segment from Great Levels in Gaming History to Best Levels in Gaming History. Oh, the nerve of us. Regardless, we continue our look at levels that we deem the greatest in design, most fun to play and most memorable of all. Today we have some of the most entertaining games of all time to share with you-- many of which were listed on SuperPhillip Central's Top 100 Games of All Time ten week event.

If you've missed a previous volume of Best Levels in Gaming History, check out the links below:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven

Phazon Mines - Metroid Prime (GCN)

Things get much hairier for Samus Aran when she enters the Phazon Mines, the center of all Space Pirate activity on the wondrous planet of Tallon IV. With the heavy pollution, massive amounts of machinery, and radioactive Phazon that will damage Samus upon contact unless she is wearing the ultimate suit in the game, the conveniently called Phazon Suit.

The Space Pirates are certainly up to no good in the Phazon Mines, mining Phazon, pollution the sky into a pink haze, and keeping multiple Metroids locked up (but not for long) under quarantine.

Phazon Mines is so awesome because you feel like the Space Pirates are putting everything they have in stopping Samus from venturing into the depths of the mines. There's automatic turrets, cloaked drones, different elemental varieties of Space Pirates, Elite Pirates, and the most menacing creature of them all, the Omega Pirate, delivering one heck of a boss battle for players. Then there's how vertical the area is, offering plenty of fantastic first-person platforming action and adventuring. The Phazon Mines are indeed a very cool sight in a game that is full of magnificent areas.

Click Clock Wood - Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)

The final world of the Nintendo 64's greatest 3D platformer (in SuperPhillip Central's opinion at least), Banjo-Kazooie, is one that requires players to visit each of its seasons. It is none other than Click Clock Wood. You start off in a wooded area with four doors, only one which is accessible to Banjo and Kazooie, Spring. Through finding the switch to open the next door containing the next season, you can venture from Spring to Summer, and then Fall and Winter.

The fun of Click Clock Wood is how doing something in Spring will affect the next season, and so on. One Jiggy objective requires you to perform actions across all four seasons to obtain it. There's a squirrel to gather its acorns in the fall so he can hibernate for the winter, a beaver whose home is blocked by a giant rock that Banjo can destroy during the summer (when the moat surrounding the central tree structure is barren), and the ability to freely fly around the spring version of Click Clock Wood thanks to Mumbo Jumbo's bee transformation. Click Clock Wood is a terrific way to cap off Banjo-Kazooie, and it's a highly creative world, too.

Cronos - God of War III (PS3)

What's great about this level is that it works as a level AND a boss fight. We're choosing the former to represent Cronos from God of War III. After Kratos got Pandora's Box, Zeus banished the titan Cronos to the Pits of Tartarus, and this earth-based colossus is pretty pissed about it.

The sheer size of Cronos makes the bosses in Shadow of the Colossus even envious of him! Kratos is but a bug to him, as seen in the screenshot above, nestled between the titan's two fingers. Kratos, however, gets the upper hand... and arrives on Cronos' upper hand, where he does battle with summoned enemy fodder. He battles these foes while dodging the humongous hand and fingers of the boss.

This level, this boss encounter, is one that is truly unforgettable, as it has Kratos scaling up the behemoth body of Cronos, as if he were climbing a wall, slamming his chained blades into the titan's flesh, swinging around, dodging Cronos' advances. Perhaps Cronos' undoing is when he swallows Kratos. Unfortunately for him, Kratos uses his blade to carve a path out of the titan's chest. After impaling Cronos with his own crest, Kratos leaps up to the titan's forehead, slams his sword straight into his skull and wins another battle. Absolute coolness... and icky, too.

Tower of Babel - Final Fantasy IV (Multi)

One of the most memorable dungeons for us in the earlier Final Fantasy titles is Final Fantasy IV's Tower of Babel (or as it is called in the Game Boy Advance version, Babel Tower). It's a hulking structure that stretches from the inside the earth all the way up higher than airships can fly. The tower features multiple hidden pathways and rooms that lead to some terrific treasure. Unfortunately, a lot of these treasures hide monsters inside, and deadly ones at that. Regardless, when the encounters are as challenging and as fun as the ones in this towering dungeon, we really can't complain. It's a dungeon so nice that Cecil and his party just so happened to visit it twice.

Katina - Star Fox 64 (N64, 3DS)

Unlike the other levels previously mentioned in Best Levels in Gaming History, Katina from the brilliant Star Fox 64 does not have our heroes on rails. Instead, Katina is a 360 free-flight mission, and the immense number of enemies and friendlies that soar in the sky around the center base is a pure adrenaline rush.

Taking a page straight of Independence Day with Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum, an enemy mothership enters into the fray about a minute into the mission and hovers over the resistance base of Katina's forces. The goal is simple, destroy the four hatches on the underside of the mothership when they show themselves. Then the core will appear, requiring Fox and the team to destroy it before it can obliterate the base with a massive energy beam.

Whether you succeed and go to Solar or fail and go to Sector X (I usually succeed and opt to go to Sector X anyway, as I like that level more), Katina is a mission that is just spectacular, flying with your buds, engaging in intense dogfights with enemy ships, and "accidentally" shooting down friendlies. "Wait! That's one of ours!" You said it, Peppy. You said it.

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Which levels have you played in the past that you think should hold a spot on a future volume of Best Levels in Gaming History? Think about it for a little bit, and then return here with your thoughts.

Best Boss Battles in Gaming History - Part Eight

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Welcome to a new edition of Best Boss Battles in Gaming History, SuperPhillip Central's long-running series celebrating the greatest encounters against some of the coolest baddies in gaming's illustrious history. With Part Eight, we have bosses from God of War III, Kingdom Hearts II, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, for starters. If you missed a past part of Best Boss Battles in Gaming History, no worries. We have all previous installments nicely arranged below for you.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six 
Part Seven

Top Ten PlayStation 3 Exclusives

This past Sunday SuperPhillip Central listed our favorite ten Xbox 360 exclusives. (Yes, yes. Get your "The Xbox 360 HAS ten worthwhile exclusives?!" comments out of the way here and now.) To cap off the work week we are now going to list what we consider the ten best PlayStation 3 exclusives, whether first or third party. The PS3 is without a doubt our favorite HD system of this past generation. It was actually quite difficult to come up with an order and list of games that we could agree on. Nonetheless, we have arrived at a finalized list of terrific PlayStation 3 exclusives so far. Obviously the PS3 isn't leaving the marketplace any time soon and it will get future classics like new titles such as Gran Turismo 6, The Last of Us, and Puppeteer, to name a few. Regardless, here's what we like most of the PS3's wide range of exclusive games that are currently out.

10) God of War III

God of War III launched in 2010 with lots of fanfare. It was the final game in the original story of the God of War trilogy with Kratos and the Titans climbing up Mount Olympus to finally take down Zeus once and for all. The game contained the same combo-based combat that fans of the series have grown accustomed to, and while some might yearn for something different, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The added power of the PlayStation 3 made for some incredibly awesome action scenes, such as the battle with Poseidon early in the game (expect a detailed description of this fight in a later edition of Best Boss Battles in Gaming History) or pursuing the swift Hermes in an elaborate platforming chase segment. God of War III might not be the best in the trilogy (we rank God of War I and II higher), but it certainly is an epic conclusion to Kratos' saga.

9) inFAMOUS 2

inFAMOUS 2 took Cole MacGrath to a higher level with even more electrifying open world sandbox gameplay, parkour-like platforming, and high-powered superhero (or villain) antics. Everything was bigger and arguably better than the game's predecessor. The addition of user-generated content made for some strong replay-ability within Sucker Punch's open world setting. Perhaps our only gripes with the game comes from the weaker pacing inFAMOUS 2 struggles with as well as a less-than-optimal camera for melee combat. Nonetheless, these problems don't ruin the game. It's with inFAMOUS 2 that our expectations for the PlayStation 4's inFAMOUS: Second Son are so high. Whether or not Sucker Punch can live up to them is an answer we won't get for another six months or so.

8) PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

When this next game was first announced, many dismissed it as simply another Super Smash Bros. clone. SuperPhillip Central leaned towards that line of thinking, but actually trying out PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale for ourselves, the two series are different enough to both have a place in the marketplace. Rather than knocking opponents out of the arena or making them lose their health to score K.O.s, Battle Royale had  Supers that were earned through connecting attacks on opponents. Unleashing a Super and making contact with it meant you scored a point. The roster was full of both familiar first and third party characters such as Uncharted's Nathan Drake, God of War's Kratos, Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, and even Ape Escape's Spike. Earning points to gain levels for each character meant you were always unlocking something new, whether it be victory themes, backgrounds, poses, and alternate costumes. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale may be a Smash Bros. clone, but it's a really good one. Note: We know that this game is also on Vita, but console-wise it's exclusive to the PS3.

7) Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Much like God of War III was the end of a trilogy, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time marked the end of the Future trilogy, containing Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty, and this game. A Crack in Time began with Ratchet and Clank being separated from one another. However, Clank wasn't totally defenseless as he had a special time scepter that could not only attack foes, but it could be used on time pads to create holograms of Clank's past maneuvers. This cool trick was used to solve many of the game's brain busters. A Crack in Time also featured space exploration, albeit on a level plane, where Ratchet could explore optional moons and compete in combat. We look fondly back at Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time as it really was the last honestly excellent Ratchet & Clank game.

6) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Once again enter the shoes of Solid Snake-- well, an older version at least-- as he once again goes on a mission to save the world as we know it. Well, as we WILL know it, as this game takes place in a not-so-distant future. Anyway, the traditional stealth-action gameplay consisting of moving around enemy-infested areas without being spotted and utilizing close quarters combat to take out those who wish to intercept you was all present and accounted for with this much anticipated sequel. New features included the Psyche Meter, which could make it quite difficult to aim if Snake was seriously stressed out, as well as the CamoSuit that allowed Snake to blend in with his surroundings a la the camouflage in Snake Eater. Metal Gear Solid veterans would even get to revisit an old haunt in fantastic fashion with Guns of the Patriots. While we'll always have a soft spot for the original MGS and MGS3 as our favorites, Metal Gear Solid 4 is still a worthy installment in the popular stealth-action series.

5) Killzone 2 

We are all familiar with the rather infamous tech demo that was shown to onlookers at E3 2005. While the final game did not look as lovely or as graphically intense, what PlayStation 3 owners got to enjoy was still an incredibly fast and fluid first-person shooter with tons of fierce weaponry and vehicles to mow down the Helghast forces with sensational efficiency. Many members of the press and gamers too seem to always be fascinated with first-person shooters. Not just this, but they're always looking for that so-called "Halo-killer." Killzone 2 was not that, but the game did make it known that it was the premier first-person shooter on the PlayStation 3. We eagerly anticipate more news on the PlayStation 4's Killzone: Shadow Fall, even though we definitely show symptoms of FPS fatigue. That just shows how remarkable a franchise Killzone is.

4) Journey

We hate to speak in overly emotional terms, as we're freaking talking about video games here and not the Mona Lisa. However, Journey evoked such interesting feelings from us, such as wonder and awe. Exploring a giant sandy wonderland made us feel so minuscule in comparison. The game allowed for multiplayer, but the catch was that you could not voice chat or communicate greatly with your online partner. Despite not knowing the anonymous helpers that were assisting us in our adventure across the desert, we found ourselves getting a bit of an attachment to each and every one and a sense of companionship. Journey would later come in retail form alongside thatgamecompany's other PlayStation Store projects, Fl0w and Flower in a $29.99 collection. There's a reason we picked Journey as the PS3 Game of 2012 at our end of year awards show, and these are but some of the reasons why.

3) Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Level-5 and famed animation studio Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke) teamed up to create one of the most beautiful games we've ever witnessed. We don't say this with a lot of hyperbole either. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a glorious-looking game. It not only looks nice but it absolutely plays like a dream. Players took the role of Oliver, a peppy 13 year-old boy who recently lost his mother. No sooner than it seemed that this incident occurred that a stuffed animal came to life and transported the two to another world. There the true fun began with traditional RPG activities such as exploring monster-filled dungeons, initiating battles with Oliver or one of his many Familiars, and visiting towns to converse with the locals. When one says that the JRPG is in a state of decline, we confidently scoff and point them to such games like Ni no Kuni and Xenoblade Chronicles.

2) LittleBigPlanet 2

Listed as our favorite new I.P. of the past generation, LittleBigPlanet didn't really come into its own until the superior sequel, LittleBigPlanet 2. Not only did the sequel have much more in the way of creator options (you didn't even need to make platforming levels if you didn't want to), but it allowed players to take their progress and levels from the original LittleBigPlanet and import them into the sequel. The levels already pre-made by Media Molecule were insanely clever and inspired us to try to do even better. We've lost so many hundreds of hours concocting our own creations-- more than we care to admit, really, but when you have a game that is as compelling as LittleBigPlanet 2, you learn to live wit hit.

1) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Metacritic's most critically acclaimed game of 2009, the year of its release, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the pinnacle of the PlayStation 3 platform. While the original Uncharted was an intense thrill ride, Uncharted 2 came along and made everything more astounding and amazing. From taking cover while a tank bombards you with shelling to running atop a speeding train while a helicopter targets you, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is certainly not lacking in the thrills department. The game didn't stop with the single-player campaign. Naughty Dog implemented two multiplayer functions: one for up to three players to play cooperatively and one for competitive play, so long after you completed the campaign you could log even more hours into Uncharted 2. "Masterpiece" is a word that is thrown around so casually these days, but we think we're safe in giving that title to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

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Did we leave out one of your favorite exclusives for the PlayStation 3? Set us straight in the comments section below.

Top Five PlayStation 3 Exclusives

I really like my PlayStation 3, but it is an older model and I cannot help but think it is a ticking time bomb just waiting to die on me. Apparently QA on hardware was something the big three did not deem important this generation. Regardless, like two Tuesdays ago when I listed my favorite Xbox 360 exclusives, today I am filing through my library of PS3 games and listing the best out of those. With a greater diversity of exclusives than the 360, this list will show why Sony's black box is the ultimate in HD gaming.

5) ModNation Racers

I have mentioned the ModNation Racers series multiple times in my various blog entries, and now it has shown up again. The big draw behind ModNation is the ability to design your own racers, karts, and tracks with the easy-to-use creation mechanics. Then the fun is sharing them online with either friends or total strangers. The choice is yours. If you lack a creative bone in your body there is always the opportunity to gain inspiration from the campaign mode where you vie for first place and even perform unique challenges as you race. The only drawback to ModNation Racers comes from the huge load times. Perhaps the power of the cell isn't even enough to hold the beast that is ModNation.


4) God of War III

Kratos may be the most unlikable character I have ever played as, but his third epic adventure to seek revenge on the Gods of Olympus including Zeus himself. On his quest he will journey through both heaven and hell in his search for unbridled vengeance. There is nothing like scaling the back of a behemoth-sized titan and gouging its eyes out with Kratos' dual-wielding chains of pain. God of War III possesses glorious to view vistas, incredible depth and detail, and amazing graphical effects that really push the PlayStation 3's cell processor to its limits. Rumor has it that a fourth installment in this popular franchise is set to be unveiled some time very soon. Seeing as how the story of Kratos pretty much concluded, will we see a new protagonist?


3) Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Ratchet & Clank is one of many Sony IPs that I adore. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time escalates things to new heights with Ratchet and Clank being separated after the events of Tools of Destruction. Ratchet has a plethora of high-powered weaponry to take down the sinister Dr. Nefarious' goons with which the lovely lombax can level up with continued use, a staple of the series. Meanwhile, Clank can alter time, slowing it down, solving crafty and clever puzzles as he searches for a way to find and reunite with his friend. The range of colorful and vibrant levels in A Crack in Time is only matched by some of the best Ratchet games like Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal. For those looking for a platformer on a console with few to mention, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is a perfect game to plop down and play.


2) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Nathan Drake's first adventure was quite good, but it was missing some elements to make it a classic. Not so with his second outing in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Faced up against a rogue mercenary with a rebel army of hundreds, Nathan follows the trail of his "ancestor" Sir Francis Drake in search of the mysterious Shambhala, a secret city hidden away for centuries. Our smarmy hero will venture from war-torn cities to icy mountains in his journey. The intense gun fights of the first game are present and accounted for and offer tons of strategy just to survive. The ledge-grabbing, chasm-jumping platforming has also returned. What makes Among Thieves a classic is the perfect blend of action and adventure elements as well as the excellent pacing and set pieces. Uncharted 2 is definitely the best of the trilogy, and sitting down with a copy and playing will show that Naughty Dog did not just get lucky with Crash Bandicoot or Jak and Daxter.


1) LittleBigPlanet 2

The first LittleBigPlanet introduced the world to Sackboy, a character made of felt and yarn that you could customize with various costumes and articles of clothing. LittleBigPlanet 2 raised the stakes with more creative level design, more options for players to craft their own levels, and shed the platformer-only gameplay of the original. Now you can create shooters, arcade-style mini-games and much more. The wonderful story levels made by Media Molecule are worth the price of admission alone, but the ability to make your own masterpieces with the vast assortment of creation tools just elevate LittleBigPlanet 2 as a terrific platform for games. Sharing levels with the large community, playing with three other happy gadders as you assist one another through areas, and collecting the plethora of prize bubbles are just a few of the activities that can be accomplished in this cute, charming title. It remains my favorite PS3 exclusive (it was also named runner-up for Game of the Year at the SPC Best of 2011 Awards last December).

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Sony has done an admirable job of pushing new franchises along with old favorites in their lineup of exclusives for the system. While the PS3 does not have any third-party games on the list like the 360 had (Metal Gear Solid 4 does not count as that is a C-rate movie with some game elements), the system has provided me with hundreds upon hundreds of hours of fun times. What five PlayStation 3 exclusives are your faves? Let me know in the comments section.