Underrated Games With Even More Underrated Soundtracks - Part Five

SuperPhillip Central habitually checks out underrated and overlooked games throughout the year, and every Monday we post music from various video games. So the idea came years ago to combine these idea into one new series of articles: Underrated Games With Even More Underrated Soundtracks! We're now on our fifth installment since beginning some time ago. Part five of this series looks at underrated gems like the recently released Gravity Rush 2, Paper Mario: Color Splash, and a Wii U launch title, Nintendo Land.

To check out past parts of this article series, here are some convenient links for you:

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)

We begin with a game that if I hadn't already owned it, the soundtrack would have pushed me to do so. That's how fantastic Gravity Rush 2's soundtrack truly is. The music of this very overlooked early 2017 PS4 exclusive is composed by Kohei Tanaka, whose resume is as long as it is impressive. Such composition credits include his work on the PS1 cult classic Alundra, as well as working on anime like a little known title called One Piece. Tanaka-san brings his embarrassment of composition riches to Gravity Rush 2 with a lot of playful themes on top of more rock and jazz focused numbers. Gravity Rush 2 itself is a much improved sequel to the PlayStation Vita original, offering better gameplay and control. If you're looking for a game with lots of charm and personality for your PS4, Gravity Rush 2 is that game.

Title Menu

Storm and Triumph

Fire-Bound Lions

Combat II

Pleasure Quarter

Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U)

Speaking of charm and personality, you get that sevenfold with Paper Mario: Color Splash. You also get one of the funniest games on the Wii U and recently released in general. Color Splash is a marked improvement over the base gameplay found in the Nintendo 3DS's less than well received Sticker Star. It brings forth a reason to participate in battles, it offers more direction with its puzzles, and you'll seldom be frustrated as to what you need to do next. Then there's the music, which like Sticker Star is quite catchy and memorable. Color Splash has one of my favorite soundtracks of last year, taking familiar themes and giving them a clever twist, as well as wholly original compositions that stand up to any other pieces in the game. By virtue of releasing near the end of the struggling Wii U's life, Paper Mario: Color Splash didn't receive much fanfare from the gaming community, but don't be mistaken-- the game is well worth checking out if at least not listening to its stellar soundtrack.

Ruddy Road

Cherry Lake

Onstage at Oceanfest

Sunglow Ridge

Chateau Chanterelle 

Nintendo Land (Wii U)

Nintendo Land didn't exactly have the greatest reveal. With a lackluster appearance of gameplay and no fireworks to speak of, Nintendo Land and consequently the Wii U in retrospect were doomed from the start. Nevertheless, Nintendo Land itself is a really entertaining party game with 12 attractions all based around Nintendo franchises, such as Mario, Zelda, Pikmin, and more. Many of these have multiplayer components to them, and they showcase the Wii U's asymmetric gameplay where one player uses the Wii U GamePad while other players use the Wii Remotes. Each side is doing a different gameplay task, hence the term "asymmetric gameplay." If it's still not clear, don't worry. It's hard to explain perfectly, and that's part of the reason why the Wii U itself was hard to market. Regardless, Nintendo Land isn't just special as a party game; its soundtrack is a collection of familiar remixes of Nintendo franchise music.

Main Plaza

Gerudo Valley (The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest)

Mission 10: Battle Kraid (Metroid Blast)

Stage 1 (Mario Chase)

Stage 1 (Animal Crossing: Sweet Day)

Rayman Legends (Multi)

Rayman Legends is a similar game like Rayman 2 before it in the case that Ubisoft just can't help but port it to every system under the sun. The Wii U was the original, and that was ported to the PS4 and Xbox One. Then, the Vita got its own version. Now, the Nintendo Switch is due up for what Ubisoft is calling the "definition edition." Whether or not the version of Rayman Legends is the definitive one or not, what you're going to get is platforming nirvana with a side of charm, humor, and gorgeous art using the Ubi Art game engine. The music is also quite nice, offering a boisterous orchestra to accentuate all the action. Pretty much everything about Rayman Legends is well crafted and makes for an engaging experience, particularly in multiplayer and particularly if you own the Wii U version which delivers some of that asymmetric multiplayer I was talking about in the Nintendo Land blurb.

Mysterious Swamps

Babel Tower

Storming the Castle

Enchanted Forest

Luchador

MadWorld (Wii)

MadWorld was quite the interesting game. It was unapologetic in its violence and crude humor, and it was the Wii of all consoles, a platform known for its more family friendly content compared to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Despite this, Platinum Games' MadWorld ended up being a really fun game even with its somewhat repetitive gameplay. That wasn't what players jumped on first, however. No, it was the game's showcase black and white art style which accentuated all the red blood that would pour from enemies. The soundtrack is all original rap and rock music, and damn awesome ones at that. Sure, songs like "come with it" are a bit too vivid and detailed with their violent imagery and wording, but it's all catchy and it all fits the game really well. It says something when I can enjoy a game's soundtrack despite not having a major love for rap music. Whatever the case, MadWorld was an underrated gem in the underrated library of the Wii.

come with it

Survival

ain't that funny

Let's Go!

You Don't Know Me

Mega Man X8 (PS2, PC)

After some stumbles in the Mega Man X franchise with Mega Man X6 and then the failed attempt for the X sub-series to enter 3D with Mega Man X7, it was a greatly pleasant surprise to discover that Mega Man X8 was a winner of a game. Sure, it had its own problems like two of the eight Maverick stages being vehicle-based and not traditional platforming stages, but overall, Mega Man X8 was a good game. Like X7, Mega Man X8 used fully 3D polygonal models instead of 2D sprites, and this was used to nice effect with some levels wrapping around themselves, fully using 3D depth and the like. The soundtrack continues the Mega Man X sub-series' penchant for excellent music. Most of X8 is hard rock, as you can see-- er... hear-- by these examples provided below.

Main Theme

Middle Boss Battle

Booster Forest

Boss Battle

Lumine 2nd

Let the Good Names Roll: Great Credits Sequences in Gaming - Part Four

The staff roll, otherwise known as the credits of video games. This is where not only do we see all the names of the folks who worked on the game you just beat, but perhaps something special to go along with it, whether it's an overview of your adventure, the cast of enemies in the game, or something else. This article delves into some of the very best and most memorable staff rolls/credits sequences in video game history. From old school classics to modern marvels, part four of this expanding list continues to bring the excellent staff rolls. Click on the game title to see the credits sequence described, and to click these links to see part one, part two, and part three.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

The first game on this edition of Let the Good Names Roll takes us to a video game franchise that celebrates its 30th anniversary this Sunday, The Legend of Zelda. Its most recent all-new home console entry, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword brought a whole new gravitas to the series with a glorious orchestral soundtrack. The incredibly moving staff roll theme sends shivers down the spine, as the credits show what Zelda and her protector Impa were doing during Link's adventure. Followed by gorgeous views of Skyview, Faron Woods, and more, this epic credits sequence is my favorite of any Legend of Zelda game for good reason.

Vanquish (PS3, 360)

Throughout Vanquish's fast-paced shooter, you're in a third-person perspective. Vanquish's credits sequence turns into a first-person perspective, tasking you with shooting down oncoming asteroids. The asteroids shot down reveal names and pictures of those who worked on the game. Sure, you can just let the asteroids fly by, but not only should the development team get their due time in the spotlight, but you also get points just like you would in-game for participating in this fun staff roll sequence. Each asteroid takes a hit to explode, save for director Shinji Mikami's who takes a handful of shots to bring down its much larger asteroid.

MadWorld (Wii)

"How can you tell which one's the lead programmer? He's the one not getting laid more than the other programmers!" And so John DiMaggio and Greg Proops continue to take on the roles of MadWorld's commentators, Kreese Kreeley and Howard Holmes respectively, dishing out insults like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on open mic night. The jokes are as off-the-wall and foul as the game itself, but so lovable due to how self-aware they are. MadWorld may not be Platinum Games' best work, but it indeed knows how to make the player laugh, that is if they don't mind some in-the-gutter-style humor.

Viewtiful Joe (PS2, GCN)

Viewtiful Joe was made by many members of who are now part of Platinum Games. It's one of my favorite games of the PlayStation 2 generation, and its creativity and freshness surge through it, from its gameplay to its style, to its humor, and yes, to its credits sequence. The main credits part has Viewtiful Joe performing various punches and kicks in the background while on the side, mock movie posters based off real life films show the various levels. What follows is a cast roll. When the bosses show up, various statistics, often goofy, are shown, such as height, weight, likes, dislikes, and hobbies. What I particularly like about each boss being shown is that the credits theme plays a quick taste of that boss's fight theme when they are on screen.

Double Dragon Neon (PSN, XBLA)

After getting uppercut into the abyss by the game's heroes, antagonist Skullmaggedon breaks out into song as he falls into the abyss. It's a sing-a-long, complete with bouncy ball on the lyrics in this rock opera ending. The jewel on this credits sequence's crown is when Skullmaggedon (voiced by director Sean Velasco (now of Yacht Club Games)) sings the lyric, "here's a medal for your victory." As soon as those words are uttered, an achievement/trophy notification pops up for the player. A well earned credits sequence and a well done song are what you've earned through getting through the competent Double Dragon Neon.

Transformers: Devastation (PS4, PS3, XONE, 360)

If you want even more '80s cheese, then you can sink your teeth into some Transformers: Devastation. In particular, I'm talking about its credits sequence. Complete with pure electric guitar-driven, high octave vocals, and music that feels like it belongs in the old school Transformers cartoon, Transformers: Devastation's credits add to the awesome with some really cool camera angles showing off still shots of battle. While the second part of the credits is average, only showing names on top of footage from in-game cutscenes, the first part is so bodacious that it puts the credits on a whole different level of excellence.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - The Final First Edition of 2016 Edition

Can you believe it's already the final first edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs of 2016? Time surely flies. Don't worry, though. SuperPhillip Central will continue to deliver VGM goodness to you every Monday all 2016 long! Let's start the new year right with some great video game music!

This year of SuperPhillip Central's  Favorite VGMs starts things off right with music from a wide range of games, from the bright and colorful to the dark and macabre. There's some Darksiders II to start this edition off on the right foot. We then go full mascot with music from Ty the Tasmanian Tiger and Crash Nitro Kart. Following that, we learn the concept of love with Jet Set Radio Future. Finally, MadWorld raps us back home.

If you're still interested in looking back on the past before moving towards the future, check out the VGM Database for all past VGM volumes spotlighted during this segment.

v1046. Darksiders II (Multi) - Guardian Boss

We start this new year of VGMs off with a tense orchestral theme, perfect for a boss encounter. This theme comes from Darksiders II, a game that recently saw a "Deathinitive" edition release on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. I played a lesser version on the Wii U, but overall, if you like an enjoyable mix of God of War-style combo-based combat and Legend of Zelda-esque dungeons, puzzles, and exploration, then Darksiders II might be worth checking out.

v1047. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger (PS2, GCN, XBX) - Bridge on the River Ty

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger was one of the games on my backlog that I went through on my holiday vacation. Going back to that collect-a-thon style platformer was quite a trip, but other than the quality of the game (which was good), the one thing that surprised me most from my time with the game is how nice the soundtrack is. This theme plays during the eponymous level, taking place under a nighttime sky with spiders, cockroaches, and a frog you need to escort to his home.

v1048. Crash Nitro Kart (PS2, GCN, XBX) - Main Menu

My adventure in backlogging stayed around the PlayStation 2 generation of game platforms, as you can see with last month's Review Round-Up. After playing some of Crash Nitro Kart, the Vicarious Visions-developed Crash Team Racing sequel that pretty much takes everything from Naughty Dog's fantastic PS1 racer and just reiterates on it, I see myself really liking the game for what it is. By no means does it surpass Naughty Dog's effort, but it does indeed deserve more praise for getting what Crash Team Racing offered and delivering it well.

v1049. Jet Set Radio Future (XBX) - Concept of Love

When SEGA went third-party after the underachieving Dreamcast, the company released games on all three then-current platforms, the PlayStation 2, the GameCube, and the Xbox. The latter received some of the most striking content from SEGA, games like Shenmue 2, Crazy Taxi 3, and yes, Jet Set Radio Future. With SEGA releasing the original Jet Set Radio digitally, it makes sense to have the hope that the Xbox-only sequel will finally get to be played by more people with a digital release on current gen consoles.

v1050. MadWorld (Wii) - Survival

Platinum Games turns ten this year. Now, that's more of an achievement than posting the final first edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs of 2016, I'll admit. The company of former Capcom/Clover Studio devs has made some truly fantastic titles in their tenure, and while MadWorld isn't the studio's brightest work, it does offer an absolutely sensational soundtrack. When a soundtrack can turn me onto a genre I don't normally listen to, that's also one heck of an achievement.

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.

Most Overlooked Wii Games - Part Eight

When we read from some gamers that the Nintendo Wii had a small selection of titles that were worth playing, we just roll around laughing to their ignorance. Then, we realize, "okay. That's subjective, so we can't make fun of them. We can only greatly disagree." The Most Overlooked series of articles talks about games that are worth playing that a good portion of the gaming community or consumers simply did not play. The sales numbers were low, the hype was nonexistent, etc. This is most likely our final look at the overlooked titles of the Wii's actually wide-reaching and varied library. Join us for Part Eight of Most Overlooked Wii Games, all of which can be played on your Wii Us, if you wish!

For those who haven't seen previous installments, here are some links for you!

Wii - Part One
Wii - Part Two
Wii - Part Three
Wii - Part Four
Wii - Part Five
Wii - Part Six
Wii - Part Seven

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MadWorld

Platinum Games has a bit of reputation for creating excellent, niche games that simply don't sell all that well. MadWorld was something that was obvious to say it was doomed from the word "go." It was released on the Wii, which wasn't exactly the market for a black and white (and red) gritty, ultraviolent action game. Perhaps had it released earlier in the Wii's life cycle when titles like Red Steel, Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles were actually selling, then Platinum Games and SEGA would have had a better shot. Regardless, if you enjoy taking a chainsaw and slicing foes in half, slamming stop signs into the craniums of foes, and taking down bosses big and small, MadWorld might be a good game for you.

Wii Play Motion

A game that came packaged with a Wii Remote Plus, Wii Play Motion was released at a time where "Wii fever" was pretty much over-- thanks to Nintendo itself mostly. Regardless, this mini-game compilation featured plenty of interesting takes on the more capable motion controller of the Wii. A fun fact about the game was that a different studio worked on each mini-game. Some favorite mini-games that were in the twelve game package included Wind Runner, a game where you raced through a twisting course using the wind to give you speed, and Veggie Guardin', whose premise was based off of Whac-A-Mole. Not all of the games were winners, but overall, the package which was Wii Play Motion delivered enough innovative and engaging activities to make it a fair addition to one's Wii collection.

We Ski & Snowboard

Coming off We Ski, Namco Bandai gave Wii owners a second trip to the slopes with We Ski & Snowboard, the latter using the Wii Balance Board to have the player shift their weight to guide their character down the snowy and icy terrain. The game gave players the entire mountain to explore from the very start, and completing events and satisfying certain conditions meant unlocking new clothing and gear. With winter fast approaching now, it seems like a great time to check out this underrated gem in the Wii's often overlooked library.

Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars

We're suckers for old school 3D platformers. You know, stuff from the PS1 and N64 era. Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars was one of those titles that harked back to a simpler time in gaming. We weren't concerned with 1080p vs. 780p. resolutions, and we didn't argue on message boards over a game running better on system X versus system Y. Mushroom Men was a fun platforming romp, if not a bit by-the-numbers, a complaint that some review publications had. We welcomed this formulaic approach, as there were so few games of Mushroom Men's ilk around. Even today we're still not seeing a lot of 3D platformers around. Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars can easily be found for a budget price, and it's worthy of trying out.

FlingSmash

Our last game we will be talking about is FlingSmash. This game came with the Wii MotionPlus accessory, and thank goodness it did. Otherwise, you'd simply be waggling the regular old Wii Remote helplessly as you tried to play the game. FlingSmash had players hitting a ball to collect points and acquire other goodies through auto-scrolling levels. It was a new IP from Nintendo, and it sold really poorly. Perhaps that's why Nintendo is so shy about creating new franchises outside of their digital stores, but perhaps Nintendo could have actually made an attempt to let people know about the game. You see, FlingSmash came out when Nintendo's support for the Wii dropped off a cliff, essentially and successfully killing the console early. It's a shame, as we have fond memories of the old Wii...

A Truly Timeless Art Style: Our Favorite Cel-Shaded Games

Many games from the past generation (think PS2 era) have already become dated mostly due to their graphics and art style. However, we at SuperPhillip Central believe that one art style helps in making a game stand the test of time. That's, of course, cel-shading. While there are dozens upon dozens of games that use the artistic tactic, we have come up with a list of fourteen of our favorites. From Zelda to Dragon Quest, this list comprises the very best of the art form.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)

We start off with one of our favorite cel-shaded games of all time. When it was originally announced, many Nintendo fans felt slighted. They felt they were victims of a bait-and-switch. The previous Spaceworld showed a demo of a more "mature" (for lack of a better word) Link facing off against Ganondorf in sword combat. However, the following year, a toon Link appeared, revealing the art style of Nintendo's next Zelda game. Deemed "Celda" by gamers and members of the press, when the final product, The Wind Waker, finally came out, gamers loved it. Another example of fans seeing their skepticism turn out as nothing to worry about after all. What we are left with now is a game that is looked back on fondly, and that is greatly due to The Wind Waker being Link and the gang being at their most expressive.

Okami (Wii, PS2)

A game no doubt inspired by The Legend of Zelda series (and you won't see us complain because we feel there aren't enough Zelda-like games as is!), Okami starred a goddess in the form of a white wolf named Amaterasu. Okami separated itself from Zelda by looking like a watercolor Japanese ink painting come to life. The original game came out on the PlayStation 2 on 2006 (Japan, North America) and in 2007 (Europe, Australia). It then was ported to the Wii in 2008, and popped up on the PlayStation 3 as a downloadable game recently. There's currently a recent rumor that Okami might be making a return of some sort. The Nintendo DS system's Okamiden was a nice start, so we're interested to see where Capcom would take the franchise next.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3)

The most recent game on our list seems to honestly be an anime, more specifically a Studio Ghibli film, come to life. Seeing a full game based on the mastery artistry of Studio Ghibli (makers of such fine films as Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke) was an astounding delight. Exploring the animated world with Oliver and his familiar partners was something totally special, and if we can get this from the PlayStation 3, we just wonder how beautifully done cel-shaded games on the PS4 and next Xbox will look.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)

Dragon Quest VIII, the PlayStation 2's sole mainline Dragon Quest entry, arrived on the system in 2004 in Japan, 2005 in North America, and 2006 in PAL territories. The game used cel-shading for characters, textures, and the environment to create the series's first three-dimensional world. Using Akira Toriyama's (Dragon Ball series) art, Dragon Quest VIII is one of the prettiest PS2 games for us, and that's all thanks to our favorite art style, cel-shading.

MadWorld (Wii)

Platinum Games' sole Wii offering was MadWorld, a blood-soaked beat-em-up starring Jack Cayman in a competition to kill as much as possible through any means necessary. Right away when you look at the screenshots associated with this game, you will see something quite striking, a trichromatic color scheme with black, white, and myriads of red. That's essentially what you do in MadWorld, paint the town red with the blood of your many many victims. MadWorld unsurprisingly bombed on the Wii, as the market for those kinds of games either was never there or abandoned the system.

Killer7 (PS2, GCN)

Looking like something lifted from a graphic novel, Killer7's cel-shaded art style feels gritty and perfectly suited for the noir-style game it is. Critics were split in their opinions of the game. Some found the on-rails paths your members of the Killer7 assassin group could traverse on to be limited, they disliked the controls, and the story confused them. Then you have people like us who enjoyed the unique approach to movement, got used to the controls, and loved the complex story and quirky nature of the game. Goichi Suda (Suda51) would use the cult status success of Killer7 to make another delightful cel-shaded and well-received game, No More Heroes.

Viewtiful Joe (PS2, GCN)

It seems like it was just yesterday we were talking about Viewtiful Joe. Oh, wait. It was yesterday we were talking about Viewtiful Joe! We jump anytime we have the chance to talk about one of the best games from "the Capcom 5", so let's dish again. Viewtiful Joe was a superhero action movie put in video game form, complete with a comic book cel-shaded art style and all the puzzle-solving, superpower action you could shake a red hot one-hundred at.

XIII (PS2, GCN, XBX)

The first-person shooter genre is one that we feel has run its course for the most part. We know it's popular, and there's nothing wrong with those who still enjoy it. We've just been burnt out on it because so many games feel the same, just set in different universes with one or two small changes. XIII is like a breath of fresh air in comparison, and that is mostly thanks to its comic book presentation (makes sense since the game is based of a Belgian comic book of the same name). It still is a looker despite being almost ten years old, and if more first-person shooters went with style instead of realism, perhaps we'd still be enamored with the genre like so many consumers are today.

Ultimate Spider-Man (PS2, GCN, XBX)

Speaking of comic books converted to video games, that is exactly what Ultimate Spider-Man was. Based off Spider-Man in Marvel's Ultimate universe, the game had players web-slinging around Manhattan as the webhead as well as switching characters to play as the strong-armed symbiote Venom. We listed Ultimate Spider-Man as our top Spider-Man title two times in a row. It really isn't just a great Spider-Man experience, but one of the best superhero games ever conceived.

Jet Set Radio Future (XBX)

One of the most sadly under-appreciated titles in the Xbox library, Jet Set Radio Future featured an immensely detailed cel-shaded art style, an eclectic soundtrack of songs outside the mainstream, and challenging roller-blading gameplay. Tagging the streets of the city was a blast, and the visual orgasm of colors made for an utterly beautiful game. A certain site yesterday (not naming any names) might have asked for this particular series to make a glorious comeback.

Naruto: Rise of a Ninja (360)

Like many games before it such as Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2, Naruto: Rise of a Ninja on the Xbox 360 showed that anime and the cel-shaded art style is a combination that generally works, and when it does, it works really really well. While we haven't hit the level where games look exactly like animated movies come to life, the games of this generation certainly came close. We cannot wait for what the next round of more powerful gaming hardware brings, and you can most definitely believe it.

Prince of Persia (PS3, 360)

The last video game version of Prince of Persia to release did so in 2008. Since then, the game has sold over 2 million copies worldwide, and the following year won the "Outstanding Achievement in Animation" award at the twelfth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. It's no question why-- the game is highly detailed, looks like a painting at parts, and just animates like a dream. We wish Ubisoft would return to this form of the Prince of Persia franchise with a follow-up for this upcoming generation. Do it, Ubisoft, as you seem to be doing the right things lately.

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

Punch-Out!! on Wii by Next Level Games (Mario Strikers: Charged, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon) proved to the gaming populace that not only was the studio capable of making excellent titles under Nintendo, but also that good-looking and greatly animated games could be on the less powerful Wii as well. The animations are just top-notch for this reflex-based fighting game. If the fighters you face as Little Mac don't knock you out, the marvelous art style most likely will!

Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)

Valkyria Chronicles was a PlayStation 3 exclusive that looked radiant, sensational, and somewhat understated in its beauty at the same time. Using Sega's CANVAS engine, the game looked like a watercolor painting in motion, something that fans of the game cannot get enough of. It's just a shame that the other entries in the series went on less powerful hardware, the PSP. Still, we cannot be too mad at Sega because they did make two more sequels for gamers, though one of them never left Japan.

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We no doubt did not list every terrific cel-shaded game in existence, so that is where you come in. What games using this fabulous art style do you enjoy the best? List your faves in the comments section below!