SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "One wE3k Away!" Edition

Ta-da! As one of my special surprises for this week celebrating SuperPhillip Central's ten-year anniversary, SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs return to their previous glory, and we're continuing right where we left off back in January with VGM volume 1551! As is customary, we're kicking off the work week right with five new VGM themes, and many of these come from recent releases.

Starting off, the fight is on with Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. Then, we take to the battlefield and rack up an impressive K.O. count with Hyrule Warriors. A duo of Nintendo Switch platformers follows, one Wii U port and one brand-spanking-new with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Kirby: Star Allies. To wrap this grand return of the Favorite VGMs up, we go back in time a little bit to the world of Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen.

No doubt you need a recap of all previous video game themes ever posted on this once again weekly-recurring segment, so check out the VGM Database to get your fill of all the spotlighted video games and music ever featured! Finally, it makes me happy to be able to reiterate these words after several months off, "Now, let's get on to the music!"

v1551. Dissidia Final Fantasy NT (PS4) - Battle with Alexander

Returning strong with an original piece of music from Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs is officially back in action! This theme mixes synth with rock to produce a stirring sound for the battle against a longtime summon within the Final Fantasy series, Alexander. While Dissidia Final Fantasy NT didn't shape up to a truly worthy successor to the popular PlayStation Portable games, it did shape up to an energizing fighter all the same.

v1552. Hyrule Warriors (NSW, 3DS) - Title & Dragon: Wind Waker

As of this past Thursday, Hyrule Warriors has been reviewed on SuperPhillip Central three unique times for each of its three ports. First, it was the Wii U original, then the 3DS port with new content, and finally and most recently, the Nintendo Switch version as seen here. The Wind Waker scenario in Hyrule Warriors does not appear in the Wii U original, debuting in Hyrule Warriors Legends and being fully realized in HD in Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition. One of the themes that plays during the scenario is this rousing rendition of both The Wind Waker title theme and the theme of Dragon Roost Island. It's a rocking combination perfect for eliminating enemies on the battlefield!

v1553. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (NSW, Wii U) - Busted Bayou

Speaking of recently reviewed games, SuperPhillip Central took a look at the Nintendo Switch release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze with my review. The Switch version retained the same excellent gameplay and masterful level design of the Wii U original while throwing in a brand-new mode featuring Funky Kong for lesser skilled players. What was also retained was the stellar David Wise-composed soundtrack. I've previously featured four songs from the soundtrack on SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs in the past, and now I have a fifth to share: Busted Bayou! This theme plays during the titular level, the first players can experience that has DK and environment in glorious and visually stunning silhouette mode.

v1554. Kirby: Star Allies (NSW) - Forest Area

We keep on keeping on with recent releases here on SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs! This time we're taking a look--er, rather a listen--to Kirby: Star Allies, one of the few really big original releases for the Nintendo Switch's first half of 2018. This remix of the Kirby: Return to Dream Land's Forest Area has never sounded better. Kirby himself may not have played better with Star Allies, but the adventure was an enjoyable and engaging one regardless, especially with some friends.

v1555. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (Multi) - Town

The remake of Dragon Quest IV originally appeared on the Nintendo DS, but has since made its way to mobile platforms. With updated graphics and sound, as well as some other neat gameplay improvements, Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is a remarkable remake, for sure. The famous town theme from the game has been remixed in several Dragon Quest spin-offs. Most recently, it's been remixed in Dragon Quest Builders, as it appeared on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and now the Nintendo Switch.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "An Extra Spring in SPC's Step" Edition

It's officially the first day of spring here in Central City! The temperatures will get warmer, the flowers will begin blooming, and the skies will shine brighter. Oh, and SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs are only going to get better! Okay, maybe they'll stay as awesome as they were before. I don't want to over-promise here!

This first day of spring edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs begins with a upbeat city theme from the new batch of Pokemon games, Pokemon Sun and Moon. Then, we kick it up with some hard rock from Hyrule Warriors. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride soon follows with a delightful town theme, and 7th Dragon III: Code VFD and The Last Remnant close this edition with equally intense battle themes!

And you know the drill by now, but even if you don't-- just click on the VGM volume name to hear its song, as well as look at the VGM Database for all past VGM volumes. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1356. Pokemon Sun/Moon (3DS) - Hau'oli City (Day)

It might be the first day of spring here in Central City, but here's a song that's much more fitting for the summer. It's a Hawaiian inspired ukulele-driven theme for Hau'oli City's day version. It's a relatively short theme in how quickly it repeats, but it's not a problem since it's so darn catchy. Get mellow as you prepare for your Pokemon journey!

v1357. Hyrule Warriors (Wii U) - Skyloft

Master, there's a 100% chance that these renditions of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's Skyloft town and Ballad of the Goddess themes are absolutely awesome. Hyrule Warriors was a delight for Zelda franchise fans, and it was one of the more enjoyable Musou-style games for me because of its source material. Everything from the characters, to the settings, to the items, to the music was all incredibly wonderful and a divine love letter to Zelda fans.

v1358. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (DS) - Town

With Dragon Quest XI being hotly anticipated by many RPG fans around the world (mostly in Japan), I wanted to showcase one of the better classic entries in the franchise, Dragon Quest V. Western gamers didn't get a chance to play a localized version until it arrived on the Nintendo DS courtesy of Nintendo and Square Enix with Hand of the Heavenly Bride. This town theme brings such a warm feeling to my weathered old heart.

v1359. 7th Dragon III: Code VFD (3DS) - Battlefield - Invasion of the 7

The name of the game might be a mouthful to say (and a confusing thing to remember if you're trying to type it like me!), but 7th Dragon III: Code VFD is a tremendous RPG for the Nintendo 3DS, which is a piece of hardware that has no shortage of amazing games in its vast library. Code VFD's soundtrack, as exemplified by this tense battle theme, is an astonishing body of work, and it makes me want to play the game right now.

v1360. The Last Remnant (360) - Schismogenesis

From one climactic theme to another, we turn our attention to The Last Remnant from Square Enix. The Last Remnant was one of the Xbox brand's attempts to seriously branch out to the Japanese market. I really wish Microsoft didn't complete forgo trying to breach the Japanese market like they stopped doing with the Xbox One. That's a topic for another day, as we're here to listen to some awesome music, and this rocking theme for one of the big battles in The Last Remnant is an epic masterpiece.

Bad Boss Battles in Gaming History - Part Seven

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR THE FOLLOWING GAMES AHEAD!

• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
• Hyrule Warriors (Wii U, 3DS)
• Bloodborne (PS4)
• Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1, PSP)
• Mega Man 2 (NES)

Thanksgiving was celebrated for a lot of folks in the States, and while you may have had your fill on turkey, dressing, and all the fixings, I would like to talk about a different kind of turkey. No, it has nothing to do with the feathered creature at all. I'm talking about boss battles that are turkeys-- fights that are annoying, badly designed, or just plain "ICK!" Check out past parts of Bad Boss Battles in Gaming History with these links:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

The Imprisoned - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a pretty polarizing entry in the franchise. That's the case either because of the motion controls or the game's need to hand-hold for a significant duration of the adventure. I'm on the side that really enjoyed the game, finding the motion controls to be an extension of my own movements, really feeling like Link doing away with enemies and solving puzzles either in the overworld or in dungeons.

By and large, Skyward Sword features some of the most entertaining boss battles in the series. That's why it's so disappointing that one of the worst bosses in Zelda's history doesn't just show up in the game once but three times!

This boss is the Imprisoned, a big black beast that either marches slowly or slides and slithers around on its belly. While each encounter with the Imprisoned has some variations, the fact that you have to face it three times turns a game I can go back to easily into one that makes me think twice about doing so. Everything from how annoying it is to deal damage to the time constraints you have to beat the boss in time creates one Zelda boss that I hope I never have to fight again.

The Imprisoned - Hyrule Warriors (Wii U, 3DS)

...DAMMIT! Here's a first for Bad Boss Battles in Gaming History-- the same boss appearing two times in one volume! While the Imprisoned was indeed a tedious pain in Skyward Sword, it managed to be just as obnoxious and maybe even more so with its various appearances in Hyrule Warriors for the Wii U and Hyrule Warriors: Legends for the Nintendo 3DS.

In Hyrule Warriors, whenever the Imprisoned appears on the map, you know you're in for a fight. It's a battle of attrition as you slash, slice, or slam away at the standing beast's toes. Once those have been eliminated, the Imprisoned falls onto its chest. It's here where the boss's health gauge is vulnerable. The fact that even with a relatively strong character you're still slowly chipping away at this foe's health is one to be aware of and dread. Then, when it rises back up to its two feet, it starts sending out utterly painful shockwaves with each step, making getting in to take out its respawning toes all the more annoying. The Imprisoned is a creature that had a lot of promise in Skyward Sword, whiffed at that (thrice), and then whiffed at it again with its appearance in Hyrule Warriors.

Micolash, Host of the Nightmare - Bloodborne (PS4)

Generally the bosses in FROM Software's highly acclaimed series of Souls games feature fun, frenetic action with a challenging-but-never-unfair difficulty. I say "generally" because one of the bosses in the much beloved PlayStation 4 exclusive Bloodborne does not meet these qualifications.

Micolash, Host of the Nightmare-- I'll just call him Micolash for short, as he isn't really deserving of such an extravagant moniker-- is a boss that has you slowly pushing through enemy after enemy while trying to navigate a labyrinth. The enemies are annoying to contend with, and the maze itself is a confusing mess.

Upon catching up to Micolash, the "fun" continues, except this time it's in the form of an attack that can kill with one strike. May I also add that this boss absolutely loves to use this one-hit kill move over and over and over again? Micolash from Bloodborne is a rare miss from the developers as an entertaining boss battle, as he is anything but.

Wiegraf / Velius - Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1, PSP)

Final Fantasy Tactics is an often loved spin-off in the famed RPG franchise. Its ability to craft an engaging narrative while giving players a robust turn-based tactical RPG is something that many developers still try hard to beat, and often fail at doing. While the majority of the game makes it my favorite tactical RPG around, there is one sticking point for many a-beginner that if you don't have prior information to, you're probably going to find yourself cussing like a sailor.

Riovanes Castle is a three-part area in Final Fantasy Tactics. The second part is the most challenging, having Ramza face off against villain Wiegraf in a one-on-one confrontation before moving back to his starting spot. Then, he pulls out the Aries stone and transforms into the hell demon Velius. While it may be comforting that Ramza's party enters into the fray, it's short-lived, as Velius summons three Lesser Demons to settle the score.

Velius and the Lesser Demons are extraordinarily tough customers, but that would be fine and would make for a challenging boss battle. What makes this battle bad is how Final Fantasy Tactics' save system works. You are able to save your data between each of the three parts of Riovanes Castle. The problem is that you can become stuck in an unwinnable fight by being under-leveled with no way to return to the world map, because when you lose the fight, you get a game over, forcing you to reload your save. If you saved in between the first part and the second part of Riovanes Castle, you're stuck doing the second fight. Many promising save files were put to an abrupt end by not only not having a second save before entering Riovanes Castle, but also the largest jump in difficulty seen in the game yet. Some really weird oversight must have slipped by the developers, because for many, the many hours it takes to get to this point of the game meant that some just gave up and didn't get to enjoy the rest of this otherwise fantastic game.

Boobeam Trap - Mega Man 2 (NES)

Ending on a game that is a part of the recently released NES Classic Mini from Nintendo, Mega Man 2 is one of the greatest adventures the Blue Bomber has ever had. (Though I do prefer 3, but that's an article for another day.) However, there is one boss in the game that makes the game less than perfect: the Boobeam Trap, found at the conclusion of Dr. Wily Stage 4.

The boss is like a puzzle. Sounds cool so far, right? There are several Boobeams that are positioned out in the open and behind walls. These enemies require Mega Man to use Crash Bombs to destroy them, all the while they occasionally launch projectiles at our hero. The problem comes from the limited amount of weapon energy for the Crash Bomb that Mega Man has. He can only shoot seven bombs before his weapon energy is empty. The puzzle comes from being required to destroy all Boobeam targets before Mega's weapon and life energy runs out.

The problem here is that many Boobeams are placed beyond walls that also require the Crash Bomb to destroy them. So, in essence, you have to use all seven of Mega Man's Crash Bombs smartly and perfectly to solve the puzzle, or else you'll not only be unable to beat the boss, but when you are put back outside the boss room, you'll have to tediously round up enough weapon energy capsules from fallen foes to have a full supply of Crash Bombs to try the boss fight again. Sorry, but puzzles like these not only have no place in a Mega Man boss fight, but it makes for a really sizable sore spot in an otherwise excellent game.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Labor Day 2015 Edition

Maybe you're lucky to be off school or work today, but Labor Day isn't some worldwide holiday. Some of us have to work! Well, to be fair, that isn't me because I'm a student in the United States, but still!

Regardless, one thing that does have to work today is SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, but this weekly segment is more than happy to do so and oblige you guys and gals with five new fantastic and favorite video game themes of mine. We'll start with a playful theme from the PlayStation Vita's Gravity Rush, monkey around with Ape Escape 3, get terrified with the original Resident Evil, go Dynasty Warriors with a mix of Zelda with Hyrule Warriors, and end things on a climactic note with the regular boss theme from Final Fantasy IX. All in all, this is going to be an exciting edition!

If you want to check out past VGM volumes, you can do so at the VGM Database.

v956. Gravity Rush (Vita) - Old Town

Gravity Rush is one of the more magical PlayStation Vita games. It is certainly quite innovative with its gravity shifting mechanic that the heroine Kat uses. Old Town is one of the city areas within Gravity Rush, and it comes with this playful and tranquil symphonic song, perfect for meandering through the town, interacting with the locals.

v957. Ape Escape 3 (PS2) - Seaside Resort

You darn, dirty apes! But how can you stay mad at them when they're so adorable? Ape Escape 3 features a peppy and entertaining soundtrack, great when you're wandering through levels searching for monkeys both smart and dumb, fast and slow, and competent and incapable.

v958. Resident Evil (PS1) - Save Room

Take a deep breath or two while you still can. You're safe in a room where you can save your progress. However, you can't hide in this room forever. Soon enough you'll need to head out back into the unspeakable horrors that the Spence Mansion houses. Be sure to bring your trusty shotgun, a pistol, some herbs, and mind your amount of ammo!

v959. Hyrule Warriors (Wii U) - Eclipse of the Moon

Hyrule Warriors combined two loves of mine, The Legend of Zelda series and good old fashioned Dynasty Warriors action. The game is packed with content, and it's all given a Legend of Zelda glaze to make for one fabulous game. The soundtrack features arrangements of classic Zelda themes, but it also features some brand-new themes, such as this epic one, Eclipse of the Moon.

v960. Final Fantasy IX (PS1) - Battle 2

The Final Fantasy series of video games possesses some of the greatest boss battle themes of all time. SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs has been trying to keep up by listing a vast amount of them. Final Fantasy IX's boss battle theme, simply titled Battle 2, as an ode to how the battle themes were named in Final Fantasy IV's soundtrack, is a tense affair and a force to be reckoned with.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Nintendo's DLC Strategy

Like many online-related things in gaming, Nintendo took their sweet time entering into the world of downloadable content, or as I'll shorten it to DLC for my own sanity's sake. Starting off, the company showed great promise in the way they were testing the waters. Nintendo has approached DLC in a multitude of different forms and ways. Some good, some bad, and some really undesirable. 

First off, Nintendo seemed to be doing all the right things with DLC with the Wii U. The three major games featuring DLC are Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. This trio of games offers tremendous value to the buyer already, but the added DLC only makes the packages all the more enticing. 

For instance, Mario Kart 8 owners are able to purchase one or both of the DLC packs, each featuring eight new tracks, three new characters, and three new vehicles. Buying both at the same time gives a discounted price that is cheaper than buying both separately, despite both packs not being out at the same time. In fact, the second DLC pack is set to release next week, offering eight more remixed and brand-new tracks into the equation. Thus, you're essentially buying another half of Mario Kart 8 for less than $15. That is one heck of a deal, especially since the actual content is so desirable.

Moving onto Hyrule Warriors, Nintendo seems to have a great handle on making a compelling season pass if this Omega Force-developed title is anything to go by. Unlike Mario Kart 8, there is a staggering amount of content already on the disc that would make anyone who purchases it fulfilled without needing to fork over any extra cash. Though, don't get me wrong, what Mario Kart 8 has content-wise is nothing to honk one's horn at; it's just that any game compared to Hyrule Warriors' content would seem like slim pickings in comparison!

Hyrule Warriors was the gift that kept on giving to those who purchased the season pass. New characters which completely different strategies and play styles for players to learn, new adventure maps which allowed players even more fun completing each mission, and the brand-new weapons made for a game that could easily make players lose hundreds of hours of real life time, and I say that in a good way. Maybe not so much if you have an unhealthy addiction to playing video games, though.

Finally, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the third game from Nintendo that I believe does DLC well. Recently (as in yesterday), the first of two announced DLC characters, Mewtwo, was released for people who purchased and registered on Club Nintendo both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U copies of the newest Super Smash Bros. games. A lot of time and effort goes into creating a new character, as you can probably imagine. I mean, after all, there is balancing the new character against the entire roster, making the character work on all of the stages and with all of the items in the game. It's a lot of work, for sure. 

While Mewtwo will be available for purchase for everyone else later this month, another DLC character was announced at this past Nintendo Direct a couple of weeks ago, Lucas from the unlocalized Mother 3. This enables fans to purchase and play as these returning fighters for a fair price while not putting players who don't pay for them at any kind of disadvantage besides not having the coolness that is Mewtwo and Lucas in their personal roster of available characters.

These three examples are good forms of DLC practice because they aren't already on the disc completely, they weren't held over from the base game to get people to pay more for cut content, and they were created long after the initial development of the base game was over.

However, Nintendo started to slide into more, well, sleazy forms of what we can essentially also call DLC. It all began with one term-- amiibo. Many games recently released by Nintendo have features of the game locked away by an amiibo paywall-- that is, one needs an amiibo figure to unlock that content. Therefore, things like having a member of the Fire Emblem squad join you in Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is locked behind not only owning a New Nintendo 3DS XL but also owning one of the amiibo figurines. The latter is more important factor to focus on. You're basically forced to buy a $12-$13 figure for something that could have been unlocked with a much cheaper DLC digital key. Speaking of keys, not only is the content already in the game itself, this expensive physical amiibo serves as the key to unlock this reward for players. 

The most egregious (and this is where it starts to get ugly) example of hiding something behind an amiibo paywall is Mario Party 10's amiibo Party mode. To play this mode, at least one amiibo is required. This makes essentially one-third of Mario Party 10 locked away from players without an amiibo, and considered the price of amiibo, that makes a $50 investment turn into an over $60 one. That is pretty slimy to me.

What's worse here is that a lot of the amiibo are too difficult to find. To get Mii costumes in Mario Kart 8, for instance, requires some of the rarer amiibo like Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud. Good luck getting those at a reasonable price, but even at the standard price of, again, $12-$13, it's a huge expense compared to just being able to go on the Nintendo eShop and just pay for a key to unlock all of the costumes yourself with a pain-free, scalper-free transaction. 

Things don't seem to be getting better with the amiibo front either. Wave 4 figure pre-orders sold out incredibly quick, new amiibo were announced for upcoming games like Splatoon and Yoshi's Woolly World (the former locking exclusive costumes and missions away from non-amiibo buyers), and the hope of restocking for most of the rarer amiibo seems hopeless. 

It's my wish that Nintendo leans more toward the good path of DLC (i.e. Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors, and Super Smash Bros.) rather than the amiibo route. Sadly, as the figures continually sell out and are in great demand, these make Nintendo a lot of money. In turn, this reinforces Nintendo's desire to go the amiibo route with adding optional, but usually much desired content to its future lineup of software. Seeing my disgust with trying to even find amiibo figures or make pre-orders, if this were a card game (funnily enough Nintendo wants to make a line of card-based amiibo), I'd definitely say "deal me out."

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2014 Awards - Top Ten Games of 2014

Welcome to the final list of SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2014 Awards! This is the list where I talk about my favorite games of 2014, so it's an extended top ten list this time around. Game-wise, 2014 was a year that I will look back on fondly, due to its staggering amount of gameplay-centric releases. Without further ado, here's my Top Ten Games of 2014!

10) Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)

Nintendo is great at putting out games that I didn't even know I wanted until they're released and I play them. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is one of these games-- a puzzle adventure game with levels that are more akin to interactive dioramas than anything else I've ever seen. With an abundant array of adorable characters and worlds, clever puzzles, and plenty of replay value, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was a big surprise to cap off a great year of games that was 2014. Each level introduces a new component to the level design that delights, shows off the impressive knowledge of game design that Nintendo EAD possesses, and wows players with its brilliance.

9) Shovel Knight (Wii U)

Indies continue to astound me with their quality. When a studio devised up of a dozen or less can create an experience that rivals what big developers can do, my jaw drops to dangerously low levels. Yacht Club Games' Shovel Knight is a NES-era retro game inspired by action platformers like Mega Man and DuckTales. The end result is a two hour tale that offers immense value, tight platforming, unparalleled action, and terrific level design. The entire package of Shovel Knight is polished so incredibly well that it makes games made by some bigger developers look like student projects in comparison. Since the game is on sale for 33% off at both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS eShops at the time of this top ten list, there's no better time to see what the hubbub around Shovel Knight is all about.

8) Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (3DS)

The rhythm game genre is one I absolutely adore-- even as someone without much actual rhythm (d'oh!). The original Theatrhythm Final Fantasy made its mark on me greatly, making it my favorite music game of all time. Curtain Call, its sequel, adds so much to the formula-- over 200 songs from both mainline and spin-off Final Fantasy games, a wealth of Final Fantasy characters to choose from, and multiple new modes like Quest and online battling to create a fantastic rhythm game. Throw in the simple yet tough to master gameplay of tapping and touching the screen to make Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call a fantastic musical journey.

7) Fantasy Life (3DS)

Many people throughout my gaming career have told me to get a life. Well, with Fantasy Life I outperformed their meager expectations of me and got twelve different lives! Har-har... In all seriousness, while the campaign of Fantasy Life is short compared to the rest of what the title offers, the real meat of the game happens when you try to take your life (i.e. job type) and become better at it. There are a wide amount of objectives to complete for each job as you make your way from fledgling to master, massive numbers of lands and areas to explore, creatures to defeat, and a wondrous world to journey through, making Fantasy Life one of my favorite original handheld games of 2014.

6) LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS3)

Next to Ratchet & Clank, the LittleBigPlanet series is my favorite that SCEA publishes. Although released with many issues (welcome to next gen, baby!), by the time I picked up the game and played it, these problems were taken care of. LittleBigPlanet 3 is a game that features 16 layers of depth to play and create levels in, allowing for levels that look and play absolutely awesomely. The way tutorials are implemented into actual levels rather than having you sit through the dry humor of Stephen Fry makes LittleBigPlanet 3 a much better game in teaching the player to create than past entries. Throw in different characters in how they look and how they play, a bustling community that is as creative as any I've seen on a console, and you have a fantastic game and tool kit to work with.

5) Hyrule Warriors (Wii U)

The last Musou styled game I played while Dynasty Warriors Gundam, and that wasn't the most varied gaming experience around. However, Nintendo and Tecmo-Koei managed to mix two series that originally seemed like the gaming equivalent of oil and water, The Legend of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors series, to create one of my favorite games of 2014. It's certainly one of my most played. Hyrule Warriors is fan service comes to life for Zelda fans like me, and it definitely doesn't hurt that the actual game is a blast to play, teeming with a massive amount of content and modes. Even without DLC, Hyrule Warriors is packed to the gills with content, co-op play, and fan service that oozes out of every orifice of the title. The game is without question a fantastic love letter to both Zelda and Dynasty Warriors fans, doubly so if you're a fan of both!

4) Mario Golf: World Tour (3DS)

I am a definite sucker for a good arcade golfing game. For the longest time, the Nintendo 64's Mario Golf was my personal choice when I wanted to hit the links with Mario and friends. That is until Mario Golf: World Tour for the Nintendo 3DS came out. This game is absolutely packed with cool characters, well designed courses, deep golfing gameplay, a solo mode that while not an exact RPG mode like the GBC and GBA Mario Golf games offers longevity and entertainment, online play, tournaments, and so much unlockable content. The DLC which is essentially the N64 Mario Golf courses and four different characters is the icing on the cake, solidifying Mario Golf: World Tour as my favorite golf game of all time. I just didn't know I'd love it as much as I did and do.

3) Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

I haven't been this enamored with a Mario Kart game in quite some time. Perhaps the long-missing inclusion of being able to play Grand Prix mode with a buddy added to my love of the game. Perhaps also the 32 expertly-designed tracks, terrifically tight controls, and gorgeous graphics makes for a Mario Kart that is as much a treat to look at as it is to play. The all-new anti-gravity sections of tracks makes for a Mario Kart that is heavily reminiscent of F-Zero, and since that series is in hiatus until who knows when, that's definitely not a bad thing! Add in excellent online and offline multiplayer, one of the best soundtracks the series has ever witnessed, and some of the best valued downloadable content around, and you can see why Mario Kart 8 is on a lot of folks' game of the year lists this year.

2) Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U)

When Retro Studios was revealed to be working on a sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns and not something new like Metroid, gamers collectively turned up their noses. However, when the actual game, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, released to the public, many of these critics quickly aimed their noses back downward and enjoyed what I absolutely consider one of the best 2D platformers ever created. Each level is a new adventure. Each of the four Kongs is a dream to control. The return of David Wise to the series' soundtrack adds a gigantic exclamation mark to what is otherwise an immense treat to experience. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is gaming nirvana, particularly if you're a big fan of the platformer like I am.

1) Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U)

After the relative disappointment that fans experienced with Super Smash Bros' showing on the Wii with Brawl, many felt that they were owed a better game from the ever-hardworking Masahiro Sakurai and his team. Well, while I wasn't one of these people, I definitely am of the opinion that Sakurai and friends achieved practical perfection with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, a game which not only plays well for both casual and competitive players (and everyone in between), but it is an absolute love letter to any fan of Nintendo history. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is jam-packed with content-- so much so that even after nearly a hundred hours of playing the game I have yet to see all that there is to see. Most importantly, though, this new console version of Smash Bros. is just an amazing pleasure to play. It feels responsive, it plays great, and it looks extraordinary, making it my favorite game of 2014.

===

As you can see, Nintendo dominated this year for my SuperPhillip Central end of year awards ceremony. I think it's more to do with the fact that the majority of Western gaming continues to move in a direction that has pretty much alienated me. The only main platforms for big Japanese-style gaming, the style that I really appreciate and meshes with my tastes, are on Nintendo systems. That isn't to say that the PS3 and Vita have let me down. That's not the case at all.

Regardless, I hope your 2015 is a joyous year full of fun games and gaming experiences! I will be here on SuperPhillip Central for another great year. I hope you are with me, too!

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2014 Awards - Top Five Biggest Surprises

Plenty of times I've hyped myself up on a game in dramatic, frenzied fashion only to have a cloud of disappointment blow up in my face. Then there are the times that are much better-- when I don't think much about a game (if I think about it at all) and when I finally play, I'm floored by how good it is. These five games on this list were games that either weren't looking so hot initially, were completely overlooked by me until I played them, or had quality that was so much higher than what I was expecting. Here are my top five biggest surprises of 2014.

5) Armillo (Wii U eShop)

I'm a lover of 3D platformers, so Armillo seems like it would be an easy game to see coming, right? However, Fuzzy Wuzzy Games was a studio I hadn't heard of or knew of their past work. What Armillo ended up being was not just a fantastic game in its own right, but one of my favorite indie games of the year on any platform. It plays so well, is full of wonderful ideas, and it made me smile on a number of occasions. Definitely a title I'm glad I tried despite not thinking much of the developer at first.

4) Fantasy Life (3DS)

I had loosely followed this next game on my list prior to its release, and this was back when the game had more of a cel-shaded art style. Fantasy Life managed to blow me away with its immense amount of content, things to do, places to go, creatures to defeat, materials to acquire, crafts to make, and a story that brought with it lots of humor and well-written dialogue. It's not hard to be astonished when you go into a game not knowing much about it, but it's hard to be as impressed with Fantasy Life as I ended up being.

3) Hyrule Warriors (Wii U)

The only Dynasty Warriors-styled game I enjoyed (and that was just a little bit) was Dynasty Warriors Gundam. That game was mighty repetitive, despite the premise of thousands of mobile suit mechs fighting one another on one battlefield. Thus, I didn't think I'd like Hyrule Warriors as much, even as a fan of the source material. It wasn't as repetitive as I thought it would be. It was, dare I say, actually fun to grind in, whether it be character experience levels, rupees, or materials. Hyrule Warriors became one of my favorite games of 2014, and here I thought it'd be just another rote Dynasty Warriors experience.

2) Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (Wii U, PS3, 360)

Here comes a game that I had low expectations set, and they were more than met and exceeded! While Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 doesn't do a lot that is new, it's a massively well made, cleverly designed, and polished game. After the original last year, I wasn't too sure how a sequel would pan out, but the more streamlined approach, better level design, and just plain greater amount of fun overall. It's for these reasons that Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 is one of the games that surprised me most this past year.

1) Shovel Knight (Wii U and 3DS eShop)

Coming to PlayStation platforms next year, Shovel Knight dug his way onto the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS this past year with critical acclaim and great sales to boot. I expected some Mega Man wannabe whose only merit was tugging on the nostalgia heartstrings of 8-bit gamers of old. Boy, did my ignorance blind me! Shovel Knight isn't a marvelous Mega Man wannabe-- it's its own beast, and it's quite a mighty one, too. One that I've played through more times than I care to admit just because the game is so polished, well put together, and hits all the right notes throughout its campaign.