Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn (3DS) Review

SuperPhillip Central's next review takes us back to one of Kirby's past adventures, but this time it's on the Nintendo 3DS as one of the system's final major releases. It's Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, and SuperPhillip Central has an in-depth review for you.

A game so fun that you'll end up in stitches

2010 saw the release of the original Kirby's Epic Yarn, a game that weaved its charm through each and every one of its threads. While the game was an excellent one, there was a single issue that many more experienced players took issue with--you simply couldn't die. Instead, when Kirby took damage or fell into a bottomless pit, he'd lose beads that would serve as currency for the game--as well as act as the means to earn medals depending on how many beads were collected in a particular level.

It's nine years later and the big home console version of Kirby's Epic Yarn has shrunk down to the small screen--the Nintendo 3DS's small screen, to be exact--with Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn. Taking to heart the complaints that many had with the game's difficulty, a brand-new Devilish Mode has been added. In this optional mode, Kirby is routinely pursued by a flying devil creature who, depending on the level, attempts to attack Kirby in several ways. Whether it's with a thrust of its tail, dropping spiked balls from the air, or drilling across the screen, the devil wishes to take out our pink protagonist. While this pesky creature can be defeated, it's only temporary before it returns to cause more havoc in Kirby's adventure.

"Heeeeeeeere's Johnny!"

In Devilish Mode, Kirby gets five shards of health. For every time the devil successfully damages Kirby, or if Kirby takes damage from standard enemies, hazards, or pits, he loses a shard. Lose all five shards, and you fail the level. Most players will find that finishing a level with at least one shard is still a cakewalk, but proficient players and completionists in general will want to try to hold on to full health when they reach the goal. 

You see, for every five shards of health you collect of the 250 total across the game's levels, you earn a piece of exclusive furniture for Kirby's Pad--a room where you can place furniture and customize its overall appearance. It further goes to getting 100% completion on your save file, which for some will probably be the stronger incentive. 

Be it Waddle Dees or fire-breathing dragons, no foe will put an end to Kirby's appetite for adventure.

Devilish Mode isn't the only new addition to the 3DS version of Kirby's Epic Yarn, as new copy-like abilities have been added. These power-ups found in levels give Kirby various abilities such as a sword to slice through enemies like a pair of scissors through cloth, the power to throw explosive bombs, and the power to roll up balls of yarns out of thin air. 

The inclusion of abilities such as this ball-conjuring one make for an easier go of things.

Ironically, in having these new abilities, Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is somewhat easier than its Wii counterpart, which is the total opposite of what the developers probably intended. The reason for this is that many of the puzzles within the game can simply be solved through sheer brute force rather than through smart planning and thinking. This is exemplified most apparently in the abundance of solid orange blocks that Kirby comes across in his journey. Generally, these are destroyed by grabbing an enemy with Kirby's lasso and throwing the foe into the block or through environmental means. With the newfound abilities added to this 3DS version of Kirby's Epic Yarn, these become mindless as you can simply break the blocks with them with no puzzle solving skills whatsoever.

Finally, two side games have been included as new additions to Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, one starring Meta Knight and the other starring King Dedede. Meta Knight's is an auto-scrolling flight-based action game where the goal is to defeat as many enemies as possible while collecting beads and avoiding attacks. King Dedede's mode is essentially a runner-type game with a similar goal of collecting beads while evading hazards. Both consist of four levels each, and while that's on the short side, these encourage multiple runs to achieve that elusive "S" rank for each and every level. Of the two, I had more fun with King Dedede Gogogo, as the levels there didn't outwear their welcome unlike Meta Knight's levels.

Just as the band Rush sang, "Fly by knight."

Kirby's Epic Yarn is as charming and delightful as ever with its transition from the big screen to the small screen. The yarn and fabric aesthetic goes a long way in both presentation and in gameplay as well. For instance, when Kirby dashes, the yarn making up his body unravels into a car, and when he floats slowly down to the ground upon a jump, his body turns into a parachute. That isn't even speaking of the adorable objects Kirby can transform into, such as a tank, a train, a U.F.O., and even a shoot-em-up-like spaceship. 

Turning into a car when Kirby runs? That's like this level--sweet!

Levels are lovingly crafted and show off developer Good Feel's creative designs. The aesthetic on display here shows up in the level and boss design as well, whether Kirby's pulling a shower curtain open to reveal a hidden item or unraveling a boss's head to reveal its weak point. Collectibles in the form of treasures and beads are smartly placed, some being deviously located, either in the challenge of finding them or reaching them. 

Kirby might not have a license for this tank, but he does have a license for fun,
which Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn delivers in spades.

Now, it's hard to say if Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is the definitive edition of the game or if the Wii original is still at the top of the bead-filled mountain. It really depends on what you value more--do you like a higher resolution and co-op play? Then, go for the Wii original. Do you prefer more content and a challenging new Devilish Mode (while making note that the base adventure is easier than ever)? Then, check out this 3DS port. As someone who adores portable play and loves the majority of new features added to this 3DS version, Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn gives enough extra to not make for a threadbare minimum port.

[SPC Says: B]

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Get N or Get Out Edition

Time for a special Nintendo-themed edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, an edition full of bright and bouncy music. This week SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs have music from Pilotwings, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Tetris Attack, and Super Mario 64. As always, if you'd like to see and listen to the previous VGMs featured in this weekly segment, check them out at the VGM Database.

v871. Pilotwings (SNES) - Light Plane (Vocal Mix)

This version of the Light Plane theme from the original Pilotwings comes from the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U soundtrack. It plays during the Pilotwings stage, featuring battles aboard multiple airplanes as they soar around Wuhu Island from Wii Sports Resort and various other Nintendo titles. The vocal mix version is my preferred version of this happy-go-lucky theme.

v872. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) - Main Theme (Vocal Mix)

Another version which comes from Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Donkey Kong Country Returns itself had a relatively nice soundtrack, though it paled in comparison to the Rareware sound team's efforts from the SNES trilogy. However, this vocal theme based off the menu music is absolutely wonderful, featuring what appears to be the Kong crew singing along.

v873. Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) - Mt. Slide

Mt. Slide in Kirby's Epic Yarn is a level where fast-paced snowboarding is the order of the day. It's a very perky and triumphant theme, perfect for slip sliding down slippery slopes in search for beads. Good Feel, the team behind Epic Yarn, is now pretty much wrapping up work on their next project, the hype-inducing and incredibly adorable Yoshi's Woolly World. While Europe gets the game in a month's time or so, us North Americans will have to wait until the fall unfortunately.

v874. Tetris Attack (SNES) - Forest World

We go back in time to the Super Nintendo with Tetris Attack's Forest World, hosted by the Wiggler enemy of Super Mario fame. Known as Panel de Pon in Japan, the game was given a Yoshi coat of paint for its Western release and a new name, Tetris Attack. The soundtrack is a mix of cute, charming and catchy themes.

v875. Super Mario 64 (N64) - Encore (Slider) - Mario & Zelda Big Band Live

This version of Super Mario 64's Slider theme comes from the Mario & Zelda Big Band Live concert from 2003. It featured music from Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Yoshi, mostly focusing on then-recent games like Super Mario Sunshine and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. This version of Slider was the final theme played during the concert, the encore.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Working Off the Turkey Edition

Thanksgiving is over in the states, and we've gobbled up the last leftovers of our turkey bounty. Time to start sweatin' to the VGM that we enjoy most. Our continuing list returns for another segment this Monday evening with MadWorld, Final Fantasy II, and Kirby's Epic Yarn. As always, past VGM can be found in our VGM Database.

v516. MadWorld (Wii) - You Don't Know Me

MadWorld was Platinum Games' sole Wii project. It's a shame it didn't do that well in sales, but then again it wasn't the deepest game on the market at the time. Still, it was a poor console choice to put the game on, as the Wii's market was mostly into Nintendo titles and casual games.

v517. Graffiti Kingdom (PS2) - Try One's Skill

We go to a big shift in gaming tone from impaling enemies with road signs to creating colorful creatures in the platforming adventure known as Graffiti Kingdom. This game was a cult classic, and a game that slipped under so many gamers' radars. When you have a library as impressive as the PlayStation 2's it's no wonder that a lot of lesser known games fall through the cracks. (Art by Thunder Bunny)

v518. Final Fantasy II (NES) - Rebel Army Theme (Scene VII)

From the Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite album comes the final scene of the concert, the Rebel Army Theme of Final Fantasy II. It's certainly majestic and poignant. When the choir chimes in and the brass accompanies them, we get honest to goodness goosebumps.

v519. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii) - Smooth Sherbet

For such a shoddy game, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz certainly had a lot of delightful and catchy music. The composer for the Jet Set Radio series and Sonic Rush had a hand in the music for this game. Just how far into the rabbit hole his hand reached is unknown. Regardless, the frustration of falling off a given course due to sloppy controls is lessened if only fractionally by the infectious music.

v520. Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) - Fountain Gardens

Kirby's Epic Yarn had a sublime score attached to it. You had soft jazz, bouncy piano tunes, and whimsical melodies with a hint of childlike wonder imbued to them. While the game was definitely on the easy side (Kirby couldn't perish whatsoever), the presentation, with the music being a huge part of that, made for a game that was just good to just great.

The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games - Part Three

We've already had two weeks totaling twenty unique Wii titles that are the best the system has to offer. We continue our look back at the Wii's library with ten more games spanning various genres and franchises like Donkey Kong, Kirby, Final Fantasy, and Resident Evil. It is my hope that with this list of fifty that the mindset of the Wii having a weak library is, well, weakened. It's a console with an overwhelming amount of variety and mass diversification within its collection of games. Let us see what the next ten highlights of the Wii's library are.

Once again, I remind people that only North American releases will be listed here. Sorry, Fatal Frame, Disaster, and Pandora's Tower fans. 

Wii Sports

Not just a game but a phenomenon, Wii Sports is one of the primary reasons for the Wii system's sensational success. The game transcended gaming, showing up on TV shows, talk shows, commercials, movies, and award shows. And this is all for good reason to, Wii Sports has the gameplay to back up the hype. Containing five sports: tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing, Wii Sports introduced a majority to motion control gaming. The simplicity of the controls allowed even grandparents to get in on the action, using the Wii remote as an extension of their body as a golf club, as a baseball bat, or as a tennis racket. Each sport had three modes: a standard mode, a training mode, and a multiplayer mode. Solo players could compete for medals which were earned through satisfying certain in-game conditions. Training mode would give a player a fitness test based on their stamina, skill, and ability. By far the most popular part of the Wii Sports package, though, was the multiplayer. Parties and family functions focused on playing the game took place. Wii Sports is without a doubt one of the most revolutionary games of the generation, and its title as best-selling game of all time (bundles included) is well earned.

Donkey Kong Country Returns

It seemed with Twycross-based developer Rare's departure from Nintendo that the Donkey Kong Country series would never be returned to. That was until another Western collaborator with Nintendo, Retro Studios, was given the task to create a brand new entry in the franchise. The end result was Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii. The game featured all the throwbacks to the original trilogy that you might expect: mine cart levels, KONG letters (though these did more than just give the player an extra life this time around), secret areas, vine-swinging, and banana-nabbing. However, there were several changes made to the formula. For one, the Kremlings were nowhere to be found. Instead, a group known as the Tiki Tak Tribe were the antagonists after DK's precious banana hoard. Also new to this installment of the Donkey Kong Country franchise was the ability for two players to cooperatively play through levels simultaneously. In solo mode, Diddy Kong would ride on DK's back, giving him jet pack support. Donkey Kong Country Returns was a great *ahem* return to retro sensibilities. The game was mighty challenging and fans of the great ape can be rest assured that if the DKC line continues with Retro Studios, the series is in quite capable hands.

Kirby's Epic Yarn 

It had been ten full years since a Kirby platformer arrived on a home console (the last was Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards in 2000). Despite it being an atypical Kirby adventure, Kirby's Epic Yarn was a spectacular addition to the franchise nonetheless. I said the game was atypical, and that is most certainly true. Kirby's traditional ability to copy the powers of foes through inhaling and then digesting them was gone. Instead, his primary form of attack was unwinding his arm like a whip to lash at enemies, turn them into balls of yarn, and toss them at other baddies. Kirby could transform into a number of forms such a gliding parachute to replace his ability to float, a car which allows Kirby to traverse the ground at a faster rate than normal, a dolphin for underwater exploration, and even a toy train. This Good Feel and HAL Laboratory collaboration does not have health or lives for Kirby. The sole penalty for taking damage or falling down a bottomless pit was the loss of valuable beads that Kirby had collected. These beads unlocked new, more challenging levels as well as were used to purchase furniture for Kirby's pad in Quilty Square, so holding onto them was paramount. Finally, like Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Epic Yarn could be played with two players cooperatively. A charming game with one of the most interesting art styles this generation, Kirby's Epic Yarn is a terrific title that oozes with visual and gameplay delights.

Excitebots: Trick Racing

Part One of The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games had Excite Truck being represented in the first batch of ten excellent Wii games. Now, what I consider to be the superior game as well as one of the best arcade racers this generation, Excitebots: Trick Racing gets its chance to shine. No doubt the game was overlooked by many as it was released with no fanfare whatsoever by Nintendo, was not released in PAL territories, and was only given the opportunity to be owned by Japanese gamers via Club Nintendo. Despite these mitigating factors, Excitebots: Trick Racing is worth tracking down. The game was solely controlled by tilting the Wii remote in a horizontal position. The 20+ courses offeedr plenty of opportunities for going off the beaten path, finding places to score big air and big points in the process. You see, getting first place wasn't the sole goal in Excitebots. No, getting the most points (or as they are referred to withing the game, stars) possible was the objective here. By performing tricks, spins, stunts, beating the rest of the bots across the finish line, and participating in short mini-games mid-race, players earned stars. At the end of the race the stars were tallied and the racer with the most was deemed the winner. So while one was racing they could gain stars by smashing into another racer, kicking a football through the uprights, hitting a soccer ball into the net, slamming into a set of bowling pins for a strike, throwing a pie into a clown's face, and many other tasks. The replay value of the game came from getting S ranks in every track in every difficulty, as well as online races. Excitebots: Trick Racing is not your average racer, and that is most definitely what makes it an outstanding game.

Endless Ocean: Blue World

Known as Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep in PAL territories, Endless Ocean: Blue World put players within the waters of oceans, seas, and rivers in search of aquatic life, treasure, and ancient lore with increased graphical fidelity and much grander in scale areas to explore than in the original hard-to-find 2007 game. Blue World was primarily a scuba diving adventure game with a major focus on plundering the deep, though the ability to swim in the river of a South American jungle was added, in addition to a new polar area. The waters were home to a wide variety of animals like whales, manatees, sea lions, penguins, and dolphins -- the latter of which could be rode to traverse through the waters much more quickly. However, the waters of Endless Ocean: Blue World weren't habituated by all friendly creatures. Sharks, piranha, and crocodiles also called various sectors of water their home, and while things wouldn't get violent, they would take a good portion of your oxygen away, cutting a dive short if a player wasn't careful. Aside from the single player story, Endless Ocean: Blue World also featured multiplayer functionality for two players to communicate with each other online via Wii Speak, taking pictures, and exploring the vast blue together. A soothing and relaxing experience, Endless Ocean: Blue World will pour waves of intriguing gameplay onto those that are open enough to try it.

The Munchables

No. Really. Take a trip to the planet of Star Ving as this is where The Munchables call their home. The eponymous characters are embattled with the evil space pirates known as the Tabemon. The Munchables was a game that was similar to Katamari Damacy in how levels were completed. The basic premise had either heroes Chomper or Munchy starting at a certain, predetermined size and let loose within a level. At the start, smaller enemies could be eaten up easily, but larger scale and larger level foes could not. By gulping down smaller or enemies of the size, your Munchable could grow more and more until it could chomp the previously mentioned larger leveled baddies. Every enemy devoured would give you a meal point. At the conclusion of a level, the meal points added up to reward you with a letter grade. The more your Munchable ate in succession without much of a breather, the higher your meal point total would be. There were eight worlds within The Munchables, and the game takes about five to six hours to complete the first go 'round. However, if you want to see everything there is to the game, that total amount of time could exponentially increase. Namco Bandai quietly slipped out this low-budget Wii exclusive onto stores shelves for a budget price, but if you can get over the wacky and zany look of the game, you are bound to find a title that is appetizing. 

Little King's Story

One part real-time strategy, one part life simulation, and one part role-playing game, Little King's Story was a title that encapsulated charm and ingenuity. Players took control of a young boy named Corobo who became king of a place called Alpoko. The kingdom does not look like much to begin with, but with some ordering around of the faithful denizens, Corobo could start making them create buildings and training places for new citizen types. As the little king sauntered around Alpoko, he could enlist the help of various citizens to accompany him in and around the kingdom or out into uncharted lands. The citizens of Alpoko start off weak, but Corobo could send them into various training facilities to turn them into different types of workers such as farmers, hunters, soldiers, and carpenters. Each type of worker had their own strengths and weaknesses and helpful abilities such as being able to build bridges or do well in combat. When the little king and his followers left the safety of Alpoko, they were greeted with monsters and creatures of all shapes and sizes. The main story had them trying to conquer the seven surrounding rival kingdoms, but there were also a wide breadth of side quests to partake in within Little King's Story's world. Little King's Story got new life recently as it was made available in remake form on the PlayStation Vita in New Little King's Story. Which ever version you decide upon, you are destined with greatness when you are in the presence of the little king.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon

A roguelike game that is perfect for beginners and especially fans of the Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon offered a light-hearted story revolving around a town of Lostime and the city's citizens' forgotten memories. When Chocobo entered the mind of a citizen, he entered a peril-filled, multi-floor dungeon. Each dungeon was made up of a number of floors which ranged from small to large. The later dungeons in the game being the lengthiest, some of which lasted 100 floors. Each dungeon was randomly generated, so no two trips to a single dungeon were ever the same. Monsters filled the halls and rooms of each dungeon, having Chocobo participate in turn-based battles. New to this installment of the Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon series was the ability for Chocobo to join the working class and get one of ten jobs such as Thief, White Mage, Black Mage, and so forth. One of the reasons I love Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon, outside of the accessible gameplay, is the wide array of Final Fantasy touches the game has such as memorable monsters, bosses, items, and spells, as well as remixed music (some of the best Final Fantasy remixes of any spin-off). What you are left with is one tremendous Final Fantasy spin-off that is immensely enjoyable (mechanics and presentation), simple enough to learn, hard enough and deep enough to feel rewarding, and anchored by compelling gameplay.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

A rail shooter might not be your idea of an exciting genre, but the Wii made them popular once again. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is one of the deepest rail-shooting experiences on any platform. The game featured scenarios from Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil Code: Veronica, and all-new scenario starring Leon S. Kennedy and Jack Krauser, prior to their appearances in Resident Evil 4. There are a myriad of missions within Darkside Chronicles, having Resident Evil fans relive moments from past games. Pulling off head shots was much easier and much more satisfying. At the end of every mission, players were rewarded a ranking detailing how well they performed. Overall score, time taken, enemies blown away, head shots achieved, and more were taken into account. The rating system not only encouraged multiple play-throughs of missions, but it also unlocked cool costumes for player's characters. Along with rankings, gold was earned for completing missions. This could be spent on new upgrades to preexisting weaponry such as better rate of fire and strength. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles and its predecessor, The Umbrella Chronicles, would be ported and placed in glorious high-definition on the PlayStation 3 last year (Move recommended). Regardless of the version you choose, this rail shooter is one of the best on the market.

The House of the Dead: Overkill

The final game for this batch of ten Wii games is The House of the Dead: Overkill, a game that had the claim to fame of having a Guinness World Record for most expletives in a video game (the record would be beaten a year later by Mafia II). I find Overkill to most definitely be a guilty pleasure with content that is more immature than mature. Regardless, The House of the Dead: Overkill's seven chapters took players through a bayou mansion, a hospital, a carnival, a train, a swampland, a prison, and an underground lab in search of mutants to mutilate. Like Darkside Chronicles, grades were awarded for a player's performance, and money could be spent on new guns, new upgrades, and new content. A combo could be achieved through attaining multiple head shots and killing as many mutants as possible without missing a shot. Additionally, the game could also be played with a second person for double the mutant destroying fun. The House of the Dead: Overkill had a distinctive grindhouse feel to it with grainy film reel graphics, the aforementioned excessive expletives, and bizarre story. The end result is a title that is unabashedly unapologetic, full of point and shoot fun, and is entertaining from the title screen to the closing credits.

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If you missed a previous part of my list of the fifty best Nintendo Wii games, no need to panic. I have the article listed as part of my feature catalog for the site. Also, they're right here for your viewing and reading pleasure:

The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games - Part One
The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games - Part Two

Next week we will see ten more Wii games as Part Four of The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games is posted.

Killer Soundtracks - My Personal Favorites, Part Three

Music makes the world go 'round, and it is something I feel like a bit of a connoisseur about. Y'know, but without being all snotty and uppity. This makes three weeks in a row that I am sharing my personal favorite soundtracks from unforgettable video games, some more memorable than others. I hope with this part of Killer Soundtracks, like the two that came before it, it will have you listening and enjoying the samples of songs I link to. With that out of the way, let's get ten more soundtracks some time under the sun.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

Quite possibly one of my most cherished Zelda soundtracks, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the first time featured a full orchestra for the majority of musical pieces. Hajime Wakai, Shibo Fujii, Mahito Yokota, Takeshi Hama, and Koji Kondo all lent their creative compositional expertise to this stellar soundtrack. Note: the track names are entirely unofficial. We have the familiar classic of File Select on one hand while on the other we have new classics like Romance Theme 1, the Asian flair of Bamboo Isle, a boss theme in Koloktos/Moldarach, the full choir of Final Ghirahim, the overly triumphant theme of the Staff Roll (featuring Ballad of the Goddess and The Legend of Zelda Main Theme), and the beautiful piano-filled Fi's Farewell. While nostalgia tells me that A Link to the Past has the better music, Skyward Sword is still up there as one of the best.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Speaking of Mahito Yakota, he lent his abilities to the superb Super Mario Galaxy 2 soundtrack. I actually prefer the sequel's music to the original, but it really is a heated race between the two. I mean, how can you not love fully symphonic pieces like the familiar Throwback Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Generator, the increasing tension of Melty Monster Galaxy, the grandiose nature of Final Bowser Battle with full choir, Haunty Halls Galaxy with the returning Ghost House theme from Super Mario World, the super perky Puzzle Plank Galaxy, and the second homage to Super Mario 64, Bowser's Lava Lair?

Jet Force Gemini (N64)

The composers at Rare, as proven last week by their incredibly impressive Perfect Dark soundtrack, are some kinds of sorcerers. How they managed to push the Nintendo 64's sound card is anyone's guess. Seriously, feel free to guess-- I'm all ears. Anyway, the team once more put forth an excellent treat for the ears with Jet Force Gemini's wondrous soundtrack. There's the militant march of Character Select for starters, Rith Essa, S.S. Anubis, Eschebone, Sekhmet, Ichor Military Base, and the ultra tense Boss Battle theme. Jet Force Gemini amazed me way back when it released in 1999 or so and it absolutely floors me now in retrospect.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

Yoko Shimomura (mostly known for her work on the Kingdom Hearst franchise) contributed the lion's share of music for Mario's first foray into the RPG genre, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. It would also be Square's last game on a Nintendo system for an extended period of time. Of course, we all know tracks like Beware the Forest's Mushrooms and Hello, Happy Kingdom (which would get a remix in the Wii's Fortune Street), but what about lesser talked about themes like Fight Against An Armed Boss, The Merry Marry Bell Rings, Going Shopping in Ripple Town, Let's Do the Fooka-Fooka!, and Goodbye, Geno? Those are all tremendous tracks worthy of one's attention. A cute, quaint, and charming soundtrack, Super Mario RPG is near and dear to my heart.

MadWorld (Wii)

From cute, quaint, and charming to brutal, violent, and visceral, MadWorld's music is mostly vocal. It's also quite explicit lyrics-wise, so be forewarned, you younger scamps who visit SuperPhillip Central! The majority of music is hip-hop, rap, and hard rock. You can hear this in songs like Come With It, Survival, You Don't Know Me, the Asian beat of Ain't That Funny, Crazy, Body That which was used in the North American ads for the game, and the credits theme, Get It Up. I generally dislike the types of music MadWorld contains, but something in the game infected my mind like a brain worm.

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)

How do you segue from rap to the gentle, flowing tunes of the adorable Kirby's Epic Yarn? I'm a good writer, but I'm not that good. Regardless, Tomoya Tomita penned and possibly performed the majority of music for this simple-to-beat game. The piano-heavy music really complemented the easygoing nature of Epic Yarn. You have songs like Fountain Gardens, VS. Fangora, Snowy Fields, Lava Landing, Outer Rings, and last but not least, the recital-sounding Patch Castle. Like I said, the music marvelously matches the calm nature and pace of Kirby's Epic Yarn.

Wario Land: Shake It! (Wii)

Now, here's a simple segue. Both Kirby's Epic Yarn and Wario Land: Shake It! were developed by Good-Feel. They're talented people who work at the company, and the quality of their titles is pretty good. While Epic Yarn had more of a piano focus, Shake It! branches out much more to incorporate a wide menagerie of musical instruments. We have the Latin-flavor of Launchpad Labyrinth, the Egyptian-flavor of Whoopsy Desert, the African rhythm of Savannah Valley, the professional piano of Gurgle Gulch and Run-Down Pyramid, the glitzy Glittertown (as inspired by Wario World), and the rocking Windbreak Bay. Wario Land: Shake It! supplies listeners with an abundant array of themes from multiple musical genres in fine fashion.

Mega Man X6 (PS1)

Now, if you have followed SPC for an lengthy period of time, you know my thoughts on Mega Man X6. It wasn't a really good game. In fact, a lot of it was pretty bad. That is except for the music which was sensational. We rocked out to Blaze Heatnix Stage (Magma Area), and even after hearing it loop over and over again while fighting the same mid-boss in different arenas, the song still holds up. Then there's great tracks like Gate's Laboratory 1-2, Commander Yammark Stage (Amazon Area), Shieldner Sheldon Stage (Laser Institute), Infinity Mijinion Stage (Weapon Center), Gate, and Sigma 2nd. I'm not saying such songs make up for a less-than-stellar game, but it did make the experience all the more bearable.

Sonic CD (SCD)

There are two versions of the Sonic CD soundtrack-- the JPN/PAL soundtrack and the U.S. soundtrack. I am in the camp that prefers the latter. I find the JPN/PAL one to be too goofy and not having as many memorable melodies and songs as the U.S. one. It could also have to do with the fact that I grew up on the U.S. soundtrack. We have numerous cool and soothing to hard and rocking songs like Palmtree Panic Zone (Present), Palmtree Panic Zone (Bad Future), Collision Chaos Zone (Good Future), Stardust Speedway Zone (Good Future), Stardust Speedway Zone (Bad Future), Wacky Workbench Zone (Present), and Special Stage. Overall, a nice soundtrack, though I do like Japan's Palmtree Panic Zone (Present) version.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PSP)

Ys: The Oath in Felghana was an unexpected surprise and my first encounter with the Ys series, one that I wish to dive into even further after finishing off Felghana. One reason (other than the brilliant action gameplay, of course) is the music, remade and remixed for the PSP. If you didn't like the PSP's music, you could switch to the originals. But why do that when you get wonderful songs like the final boss theme of The Greatest Foe, The Boy's Got Wings, the theme of the clock tower, Sealed Time, dungeons themes like A Searing Struggle, Steeling the Will to Fight, Snare of Darkness, and Be Careful? Combining violin with electric guitar and synth made the PSP version of the Ys: The Oath in Felghana soundtrack amazing to the ears.

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If you somehow missed a previous part of Killer Soundtracks, you can easily get to them through one of the following links:

Killer Soundtracks - My Personal Favorites, Part One
Killer Soundtracks - My Personal Favorites, Part Two 

As for everyone else, what did you think about Part Three's soundtrack and song selections? Give me a holler in the comments section.

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - Nintendo & Sega All-Stars Edition

We have reached that point in the week where I divulge more of my favorite themes from the annuls of video game history. Today is a special week as I have five songs from Nintendo games and five songs from Sega games. Before they were bitter rivals, but now they play nice like good companies should. This installment of my favorite VGMs has music from such franchises as Star Fox, Kirby, Super Monkey Ball, and Space Channel 5. Let's start with thing!

v36. Star Fox Assault (GCN) - Sauria


The Aparoid menace has invaded Dinosaur Planet, and it's up to Star Fox to clear them out. Fox takes on the threat by trekking through caverns, temples, and plateaus in this open-ended mission. Whether he chooses to go by foot, by Landmaster, or in the air via the Arwing, the mission is backed by this lovely orchestral theme. Star Fox Assault was one of Nintendo's first games with a full-fledged orchestra, and it sounds just heavenly. Many dislike Assault, but it's right up behind Star Fox 64 as my favorite in the franchise.

v37. Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) - Lava Landing


This piece solely uses the piano for both its melody and accompaniment. The bass creates a sense of tension while the light piano melody creates a sense of wonder. Lava Landing was a level which had players turning into a fire truck to extinguish the volcano's fiery flames and progress deeper within the level. Kirby's Epic Yarn was originally going to be its own IP-- without Kirby at all. Nintendo opted to throw in Kirby to the gorgeous graphical engine where everything is made of yarn and patches, and their decision seems to have worked wonderfully as the game is in the millions sold.

v38. F-Zero GX (GCN) - Captain Falcon


Captain Falcon's theme is a poignant, rockin' one. Dai Kasho composed the various pilot themes of F-Zero GX. If his name is not familiar to you, he also did the original vocal songs from Gran Tursimo 4 on the PlayStation 2. Alan Brey lends his vocal talents as the main man singing. As for the game it puts your driving and racing skills to the ultimate test. There's 29 other racers gunning to take you out, so it's best to pull out all the stops and go mach speed and leave them in the dust!

v39. Wario Land: Shake It! (Wii) - Whoopsy Desert


Wario Land: Shake It! is yet another proficient project from Good Feel, the team behind Kirby's Epic Yarn. Another great graphical style with cutscenes from the terrific anime studio of Production I.G. I liked Wario Land's Wii entry as there was a lot to do such as finding treasures, completing challenges, and finding paths to exit levels quickly. Whoopsy Desert could be classified as what you get when you combine Arabian flair with pure, driven funk. All-in-all, it's a nice combination if I do say so myself.

v40. Animal Crossing (GCN) - 8pm


The game that took over my life the year it came out, Animal Crossing is a series that is near and dear to my heart. I greatly enjoy conversing with my fellow villagers, collecting furniture, sending out rude letters, participating in the various events and holidays, and making my town the best it can be. The GameCube version of Animal Crossing holds the greatest soundtrack of the three games that were released in the West. It seems more wholesome and tender. I anxiously await the Nintendo 3DS installment due out some time this year.

v41. Space Channel 5 (DC) - Blank TV: Ulala Support Chant


We begin our journey through the world of Sega music with Space Channel 5, a cult classic from the Dreamcast, Sega's final console effort. Though fans of the series won't have to wait long for action similar to the game as the upcoming Nintendo 3DS title Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure has a section of the game based off Ulala's antics. This song begins a capella before eventually building a crescendo with a bass guitar, brass, and heavy vocals. It is a reinvigorating track for sure.

v42. Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (GCN) - Tumbling Xylophone


Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg was Yuji Naka's (Sonic the Hedgehog's father) creation, and it was a GameCube exclusive. The game had players in the role of Billy Hatcher who rolled eggs over enemies, bounced to new heights, and took down evil pirates. All in a day's work for Mr. Hatcher. Naka would go on to form his own company, Prope, and would create such games as Let's Tap, Fishing Resort, and the in-limbo-though-completed Rodea the Sky Soldier. As for this song it is particularly peppy as is commonplace for the music of the game. Shocking news: there's a xylophone that plays prominently in this piece.

v43. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii) - Monkey Island


Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz for Wii was a launch title for the system, and it introduced a jumping mechanic and ill-fated boss battles to the game. Unfortunately the level design wasn't quite up to par, and the game suffered for it. What didn't suffer was the incredibly catchy soundtrack that accompanied the game's colorful worlds. Monkey Island is the first world in the game which was full of courses with railings and easy-to-navigate pathways. My favorite part of this theme just so happens to be between 0:33 and 0:58.

v44. Phantasy Star Universe (360, PS2) - Moatoob


Performed by the Hollywood Session Orchestra, Moatoob is the theme of the desert city that players frequent in the underwhelming Phantasy Star Universe. Coming off Phantasy Star Online, Universe was anything but impressive. The developers somehow managed to take something special in the Dreamcast original and bastardize it completely. The single-player story mode was tedious to trek through, the online was glitch-filled, but the only solace of the game was its sensational soundtrack as Moatoob proves.

v45. The House of the Dead: Overkill (PS3, Wii) - Get Funky


Before you click the link, just be forewarned that the content in the lyrics and words spoken is explicit. It is recommended for ages 17 and up. With that out of the way, The House of the Dead: Overkill was an unapologetic on-rails shooter with a grindhouse feel. Everything from the rude and crude story to the film reel filter given to the game's graphics gave off this sentiment. Get Funky is one of the better songs in the game, and it is not only catchy but it is definitely a comical one, too.

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And just like that this week's worth of VGMs is complete. Since we've done music from Nintendo, since we've done music from Sega, why not do some music from another developer? Let's do Capcom next week! From Mega Man to Resident Evil, Capcom is home to lots of unique franchises. Stay tuned as it is sure to be captivating. Ooh, I made a pun!

Rank Up! - Kirby (Consoles)

Last week I reviewed Kirby's Return to Dreamland on Wii, so it seems like a perfect time to take a look at Kirby's mainline console efforts. It is also the twentieth anniversary of the pink puffball. But first, what is Rank Up!? Rank Up! is where I take a handful of games and rank them from least great to greatest in one nice, concise blog entry. Before we begin, it is tradition to take a glance at what games I'll be ranking:

Kirby's Adventure (NES)
Kirby Super Star (SNES)
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES)
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)
Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)
Kirby's Return to Dream Land (Wii)


Kirby celebrates his 20th birthday later this year, and boy, what a life it has been for the cute and cuddly character from the mind of Mr. Sakurai and HAL Laboratories. His ability to suck up enemies and copy their powers was unheard of and is a terrific gameplay mechanic to this day. Kirby is generally Nintendo's go-to character for unique gameplay styles such as a racing game that only uses one button to accelerate, brake, and handle, a game where you draw lines to guide Kirby around, and a game where you tilt the Game Boy Color to move the pink blob around labyrinthine-like levels. Happy 20th, Kirby, you're nearly old enough to drink legally!

6) Kirby's Adventure (NES)


The first Kirby game where it was revealed that that everyone's favorite powder puff was actually pink, Kirby's Adventure brought Nintendo's blob mascot to consoles. For a Kirby game that difficulty was pretty high as the player only had a handful of hits to work with before they lost a life. Bosses like Kracko and Whispy Woods proved challenging while familiar to this day landscapes and levels like Butter Building and Ice Cream Island made for an edible vacation unlike any other.

5) Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES)


Kirby's Dream Land 3 came out a year after Super Star and unlike KSS was a full-fledged adventure as opposed to multiple bite-sized ones. Players could team up together in Kirby's first cooperative journey, playing together to help one another out. Several animal friends assisted players along the way such as a fish, a bird, and a gopher, for starters. Each level had its own optional side challenge to accomplish such as rescuing Metroids for Samus Aran or not stomping on any flowers in a given level. Plus, the soft painted look of the game is highly pleasing to the eye.

4) Kirby Super Star (SNES)


Kirby Super Star was a collection of games both mini and mega that varied in greatness. The eight games had Kirby exploring a series of levels in search of treasure in the Great Cave Offensive, had Kirby swift-stepping it with King Dedede in Gourmet Race, playing through a remake of Kirby's Dream Land in Spring Breeze, battling a winged warrior in Dyna Blade, and carousing through Revenge of Meta Knight as well as Milky Way Wishes. If you can't get enough Kirby, then Kirby Super Star is an admirable effort to expand the pink puffball's horizons.

3) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)


One of the more overlooked of Kirby's adventures, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards introduced our round hero to three-dimensions... well, technically 2-1/2D, but everything was 3D visually. The main draw to the game was combining two abilities to form a new one. This made for a lot of experimentation as some portions of levels couldn't be accessed unless you had the correct combination of abilities. Three crystal shards were hidden in each level, and you had to gather them all in order to reach the true final boss of the game. One of my favorite Kirbys, The Crystal Shards is definitely worth a look.

2) Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)


Originally planned to be a new IP entirely, Kirby was shoe-horned in and thus Kirby's Epic Yarn was born. Two players could delve into co-op mode together, collecting beads, lassoing foes, and transforming into multiple different forms like fire engines, cars, and UFOs. While the game itself is one the easy side, the presentation alone makes this game worth playing. Everything in Epic Yarn is-- unsurprisingly-- made out of yarn from bad guys to environments. And that music... So phenomenal. Kirby's Epic Yarn is indeed one special little package.

1) Kirby's Return to Dream Land (Wii)


The latest and in my mind greatest Kirby adventure yet, Kirby's Return to Dreamland (or Kirby's Adventure Wii for PAL people) pits players through countless vibrant and lush worlds such as Cookie Country and Onion Ocean in search of Megalor's missing spaceship parts and Energy Spheres used to unlock bonus content such as Challenge Rooms, Copy Ability Rooms, and sub-games. The addition of four-player co-op creates a zany dynamic with all players working together and sharing a life counter with player one. Multiplayer alone makes this game the best console Kirby yet, but all the unlockable modes post-game makes for a game that definitely does not suck, even if Kirby literally does.

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This edition of Rank Up! is over, but stay tuned later in the week as we'll be examining Kirby's mainline hand-held escapades in a bite-sized version of Rank Up! See you tomorrow, all.