Top Five Disney Games of the Past Five Years

With Disney announcing a couple of months ago that they were getting out of making games, the news was a shock. However, of course that doesn't mean that games featuring Disney characters won't be made. This incoming list shows that for the most part, the greatest games featuring Disney weren't actually created by the house of mouse, and instead were from outside partners. After you've checked out this list of the best Disney games of the past five years, feel free to name some of your faves in the comments below.

5) Disney Magical World (3DS)

Take one part Animal Crossing and one part dungeon crawler, and you have Disney Magical World for the Nintendo 3DS. This game saw players taking on the role of a new visitor to the town of Castleton, completing quests for the reward of stickers. Stickers enabled players to access new portions of Castleton and do more within the town such as building furniture, creating new outfits, and venturing to new worlds like the Hundred Acre Wood of Winnie the Pooh fame and Agrabah from Aladdin. The game's dungeons served as a means to battle enemies and bosses while solving simple environmental puzzles for materials. The sequel to Disney Magical World is set to hit the Americas this October.

4) Disney Infinity (Multi)

Recently halting future development as of May, Disney Infinity was Disney's toys-to-life venture, following the route Activision's Skylanders series traveled. Using toy figurines which are brought to life in the game world via the Infinity Base, players were able to use the characters in either the Play Set mode, a self-contained area based off a film series like Pirates of the Caribbean or The Incredibles which had its own characters and plots, or the Toy Box mode, which was a sandbox style mode which served as an open world setting for players to utilize their imaginations to the fullest. While the maximum potential of Disney Infinity wasn't fully realized, what was presented to players was something truly magical and special.

3) DuckTales: Remastered (Multi)

A remake of Capcom's classic NES DuckTales, DuckTales: Remastered saw developer Wayforward bring this essential NES game into modern times with new cutscenes, updated levels, enhanced graphics and sound, and a myriad of other cool additions such as an added tutorial level to get players accustomed to the controls. The game's visuals were a mix of 2D and 3D, specifically 2D character sprites and 3D environments, equaling an incredibly impressive sight for the eyes. While one can easily argue that there was an overabundance of story elements in the form of scenes featuring new voiced dialogue from the still-living voice actors from the time, I personally found these scenes added to the fun and brought even more personality and character to the game. Overall, DuckTales: Remastered remains a highlight in Wayforward's lengthy library.

2) Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS)

The latest all-new Kingdom Hearts entry in the series, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance served as a branch between the past Kingdom Hearts games and the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3. The story followed Sora and Riku's trials to become the one and only Keyblade Master. Along the way, players switched between Sora and Riku, each with their own storyline, while tackling foes with the all-new Flowmotion combat. Flowmotion allowed players to attack enemies in a variety of ways, such as swinging around poles and slamming into foes. New worlds from films like Fantasia and The Hunchback of Notre Dame were included, and the addition of helpers in battle known as Dream Eaters were able to be recruited as well. Kingdom Hearts 3D will see an HD version later this year as part of the wordy  Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

1) Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Multi)

This is a remake done right! Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse was a remake of the 1990 Sega Genesis game featuring the same name. The game saw Mickey Mouse enter through re-imagined levels from the 1990 classic, remodeled into newly structured areas, some in 3D, new puzzles, as well as re-envisioned boss battles. Castle of Illusion played wonderfully back on the Sega Genesis, and it played beautifully with this digital-only remake, offering tight controls with masterful precision, perfect collision detection, glorious 3D visuals, and so much more. I generally don't make it a challenge to myself to get all of the trophies or achievements in a given game, but I enjoyed Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse so much that I couldn't help but do so this time around.

All-Star Franchises, Underrated Entries - Part Five

If you've been around SuperPhillip Central for a little while (it's still okay if you haven't, so no harm done), then you know that I like talking about underrated and overlooked games. I've done various series on the subject. However, most of the time, the games mentioned in these articles are from wholly new or overlooked franchises themselves.

There are also a multitude of series that I can think of that have one, two, or a handful of games in it that aren't viewed as highly as the others, whether just or not.

These ideas are where the concept of All-Star Franchises, Underrated Entries comes from, and since part four, I've come up with six more underrated entries to big-time franchises, some bigger than others. If you'd like to see past parts of this now long-running series, check them out here:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

God of War - God of War: Ascension (PS3)

Perhaps better saved for the PlayStation 4 than releasing so late in the PlayStation 3's life, this seventh mainline installment of Sony Santa Monica's highly popular and iconic God of War series (and prequel to the entire series) follows Kratos who starts out in the game as chained up by the Furies, tormented and tortured for breaking his bond with Ares, the current God of War. What follows is an action-packed, intense series of set pieces, scenes, and boss battles across a wide variety of locales and areas. God of War: Ascension played it safe with the formula (perhaps too much so), but it did add new aspects like elemental abilities and a generally enjoyable online multiplayer piece that allowed big battles across a collection of maps. Yes, it might have been too safe of an entry, but the quality that the God of War series is known for was ever-present in God of War: Ascension.

Kingdom Hearts - Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS)

After a thousand side titles (okay, I might be exaggerating a little bit... a LITTLE), the final chapter leading up to the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III was released with the Nintendo 3DS's Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Bewildering as usual subtitle, the game features both Sora and his best friend Riku as main playable characters, exploring myriad Disney worlds (including new worlds such as ones from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Three Musketeers) to decide who will become a Keyblade Master. The combat uses Flowmotion, a mechanic that allows Sora and Riku to bounce off walls, swing from poles, and other acrobatic acts to assist in battle. Also, the two can collect Dream Eaters, magical beasts that can be taken care of and help out in combat situations. Perhaps the only part aside from the nonsense story that many critics including myself didn't like was being timed with each character. Once the Drop Gauge emptied, you were kicked out (or dropped) from one character and forced to play as the other. Still, I look forward to returning to the world of Dream Drop Distance with the HD version, releasing on the PlayStation 4 next year.

Super Mario - Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)

It's the last full day of summer in some parts of the world, so it only makes sense to talk about a game that screams summer, and then launches itself from the bill of a Cataquack, Super Mario Sunshine. Returning to this game several years ago after the nostalgia had faded away like a summer tan in the winter months, I was greeted with a camera that caused plenty of problems for me, some objectives and levels that were a total pain to play (hello, river of poison and pachinko board!), and an endless sea of blue coins that were required to seek out and collect to get all 120 stars in the game. However, there is plenty to like about Super Mario Sunshine, too. The FLUDD on Mario's back opens up a whole new arsenal of moves for the portly plumber to utilize and unleash, the majority of levels, despite all being tropical-themed, are engaging to play in, and the summer theme of the game is nailed to great lengths. It's an imperfect game, but Super Mario Sunshine shows that the plumber for summer is definitely Mario.

Kirby - Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (Wii U)

The announcement two E3s ago that a sequel to one of the best examples of touch screen usage on the Nintendo DS, Kirby Canvas Curse, floored me with excitement. While the actual game, the Wii U's Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, did not fully live up to my expectations when it released earlier this year, it did, however, remain a great game regardless. One of the biggest issues with Rainbow Curse is that the gorgeous and colorful HD graphics were wasted unless you had the sixth sense power of looking at the TV screen while playing on the GamePad. An impossible task for most. Thus, many had to use the GamePad's inferior screen to play the game. Still, drawing lines to move Kirby through fabulous worlds of hazards and obstacles is an amazing gameplay aspect of Rainbow Curse. Throw in exceptional boss battles, great level designs, and one of the better original soundtracks of the year, and you have three sizable reasons to check out this overlooked and underrated Wii U title.

Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - The Crystal Bearers (Wii)

Layle stands as one of the great Final Fantasy protagonists of recent memory due to him not being obnoxious by any stretch of the imagination, neither looking like a Japanese boy band member, and just in general being cool when compared to other protagonists in recent years in the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - The Crystal Bearers doesn't follow the same gameplay style of past games in this spin-off series. Instead of patrolling dungeons, defeating enemies with hack-and-slash gameplay, The Crystal Bearers is more about using Layle's magical lifting abilities to chuck enemies and objects into one another to create fascinating results. In addition to that, The Crystal Bearers focuses more on side quests and mini-games throughout its relatively lengthy story. Couple all this with a wonderful soundtrack and environments, and you have a Final Fantasy spin-off that while criticized for straying too far away from the dungeon-exploring formula of past Crystal Chronicles games, is still worthy of those attentions that are a bit more open-minded.

Wild Arms - Wild Arms XF (PSP)

Not actually pronounced "XF" but instead "Crossfire" (I now have the lyric "you'll get caught up in the... crossfire!" in my head from that one board game commercial that aired in the States in the 90's), Wild Arms XF went in a different direction than its console brethren for its PlayStation Portable debut. The game went for a tactical RPG route. Think of it like chess with anime RPG characters in the wild west, and yes, it's as awesome as that sounds. Combined with expansive battlefields and arenas to combat in, multiple types of party members to add to your ranks, and a myriad of mechanics to spice battles up and make them interesting, Wild Arms XF delivers a lesser experience than the best in the franchise-- say, Final Fantasy Tactics-- but the game is far from a disappointment. If you're into the series, then this tactical take on Wild Arms should surely excite you and be enjoyable.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - The 3K Edition

Maybe I'm trying to get too creative with these edition titles, but the "3K" is a reference to the starting letter of three of the games this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs contains. "Ah-ha!" you exclaim.

This week has two Square Enix games as bookends, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance and Final Fantasy XIV. The games in the middle include Kororinpa: Marble Mania, Elebits, and Knuckles Chaotix for some retro goodness for this edition.

If you'd like to go back in time and see what past VGMs I've included in this weekly segment of SuperPhillip Central, then check out the VGM Database. It has over 900 different themes from countless games both classic and modern.

v946. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS) - Traverse in Trance

We begin this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a delightful track from the Kingdom Hearts 3D soundtrack, Traverse in Trance. It uses the Traverse Town theme from the original Kingdom Hearts and turns into a slower and more soothing song in this currently Nintendo 3DS exclusive game.

v947. Kororinpa: Marble Mania (Wii) - Heaven's Park

If you're a fan of games where you guide a ball through a labyrinth or obstacle-laden course, you'll definitely find Kororinpa: Marble Mania an interesting game. A sequel released on the same system, the Wii, called Marble Saga: Kororinpa. However, that game's ball physics were tinkered with for the worse unfortunately. Still, both games feature a pleasant soundtrack to roll the various unlockable marbles within the game, as Heaven's Park from the original game shows.

v948. Elebits (Wii) - Boss - Sea, Sky, & Land

The first three bosses in the vastly overlooked near launch title for the Wii, Elebits, is a very peppy jazzy piece that works well as your scramble to take down the large Elebit creatures plaguing the protagonist's town. The Castlevania series' Michiru Yamane assisted with the stellar soundtrack of this unique Wii game.

v949. Knuckles Chaotix (32X) - Evening Star

Let's slip some Knuckles into this edition of the old VGMs, shall we? Unlike Sonic, Knuckles doesn't chuckle. At least that's what his theme song in Sonic Adventure says, anyway. Knuckles Chaotix was the premier title on the doomed Sega 32X for the Genesis. It's definitely worth playing as the two-characters-tethered-to-one-ring mechanic was a very interesting and enjoyable one.

v950. Final Fantasy XIV (PS4, PS3, PC) - Ultima

After the middling reviews and negative fan feedback of the initial Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix showed remorse for putting out a poor product. The updated version, A Realm Reborn, made the hassle of the original release up to players with a much better game. Not just a better game, but an excellent MMORPG for both Final Fantasy fans and newcomers to the franchise.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Yearly Nintendo 3DS Edition

Welcome to a Nintendo 3DS-centric edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs! We have music from games new and old to share with our readers this fine Monday afternoon. On the docket this week includes Bravely Default, Fire Emblem: Awakening, and Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure. If you can take your eyes off of your 3DS and quit StreetPassing, you can take a listen to our picks this week!

v561. Bravely Default (3DS) - Bell of Battle

Our friends across both ponds have enjoyed Bravely Default already, but this past Friday, North American Nintendo 3DS owners received their chance to pick up the game. One sign of a great battle theme is that even upon hundreds of times you hear it, it seldom gets old. Revo's Bell of Battle is one of such songs.

v562. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS) - Dream Drop Distance ~ The Next Awakening

Played during the credits of the latest brand-new Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, the song of the same name presents listeners with a sprawling series of themes from the game. Yoko Shimomura once again delivers an exceptional piece of music that wraps up this Nintendo 3DS installment wonderfully.

v563. Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS) - "Don't speak her name!"

This is such a pretty song for a significant event in Fire Emblem: Awakening. From the sweeping orchestra to the melodic piano, "Don't speak her name!" is an adventure for the ears that takes one on a journey through sorrow and regret. Did we bum you out? We hope not!

v564. Scribblenauts Unlimited (Wii U, 3DS, PC) - Capital City

One of the more underrated soundtracks comes from 5th Cell's Scribblenauts Unlimited. Capital City is a theme that starts off innocently enough with a catchy acoustic guitar riff, but then the song gets layers upon layers added to it until it becomes very moving.

v565. Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure (3DS) - Moon Princess

A gorgeous piece led by the violin, Moon Princess is played in one of the earlier rhythm games within Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure. The rhythm game itself requires players to slide the stylus back and forth as if holding a bow to a violin's set of strings. It all ends with a glorious conclusion, fitting for this excellently composed theme.