The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games - Part Four

Over the past several weeks we have looked into and analyzed many Wii games. This fourth week of the best the Wii has to offer (in this writer's opinion, of course) enters into several well known franchises and lesser known franchises. The Wii is an often mocked console, called kiddy, casual, or whatever insult-of-the-day is considered cool by a vocal minority of gamers. This list of fifty terrific Wii titles is meant to show the console's library as quite competent and worthwhile. No, you won't just be seeing Mario and Zelda games on this list. The library is much more exhaustive than that as this list of fifty has proven. We now roll on to part four of The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games. Which games have you played and enjoyed?

Metroid: Other M

An infamous title to Metroid diehards, but even if its plot, script, and cutscenes are under heavy fire by critics, I overall enjoyed this first game on the list immensely, Metroid: Other M. What I came to enjoy in the end was the brilliant gameplay with all-new never-before-seen melee moves in a Metroid game. The combat system was fast-paced and incredibly intuitive, and the ambiance was as good as ever with some great level design. Unlike past Metroid titles, Other M was a more linear affair, sort of similar in structure to Metroid Fusion. However, rather than be in 2D, Other M allowed Samus to explore in three-dimensional areas, albeit with a fixed position camera. At any time during the game, the Wii remote could be pointed towards the screen, entering the player into a first-person viewpoint where she could aim at enemies more easily and scope out her surroundings. Despite the linearity within the game, Metroid: Other M did open up quite a bit near the end, giving the player a marvelous sense of freedom as they explored the Galactic Federation Bottle Ship. New moves would be given to Samus or accessed with the word of her former commanding officer, allowing her to visit previously inaccessible areas. Missile tanks, energy tanks, and power bomb tanks were hidden all around the innards of the ship, giving the player a reason to explore. Metroid: Other M may have its missteps, but overall it is a quite competent game.

GoldenEye 007

A re-imagining of the 1995 GoldenEye movie as well as one of the Rare's classic and revolutionary FPS of the same name, Eurocom's 2010 effort, GoldenEye 007, transplanted Daniel Craig's likeness and voice over Pierce Brosnan's for the game. The game featured modified levels because of the updated story. What I love about first-person shooters on the Wii is the ability to point and shoot with the Wii remote. It feels much more precise than dual analog, but not quite in the same league as a keyboard and mouse combo. Regardless, if you don't care for the Wii remote/nunchuk combination, you can opt to play the game with the Classic Controller (Pro) or the GameCube controller. The multiplayer is still popular and frequented by many online to this day. Similar to the Call of Duty franchise, XP is gained for kills and performing various tasks, and players level up, allowing them new skills and weaponry. The offline multiplayer is available for up to four players with four different modes to choose from. Online, however, ups the available modes to nine. A PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version would come out to their respective systems a year later, but good luck finding anyone to play against online; it's a ghost town.

Animal Crossing: City Folk  

The Wii edition of Animal Crossing was called Animal Crossing: City Folk, and it was an all-around wonderful game. You wouldn't think a game where you do chores and live your life virtually would be any fun, but Animal Crossing proves time and time again that this thought is wrong to most people. Catching bugs and fish, watering flowers to prevent them from perishing, paying off your debt to Tom Nook, expanding your house, decorating it with furniture, flooring, and wallpaper, chatting with your fellow villagers, participating in holidays, designing your own clothing, wallpaper, and flooring, and living every City Folk minute as a real life minute are just some of the activities that can be done in your individual randomly-designed village. The "City" in City Folk alludes to the ability to enter the city for various shopping needs. The game was the first online Wii title to be compatible with Nintendo's rarely used Wii Speak peripheral, offering voice chat for friends who visited your village via Wi-Fi. One of the most common criticisms with City Folk was how it was too similar to Wild World, the Nintendo DS entry in the series. Those criticisms were founded, as I feel that City Folk is a half step forward rather than a full step. That said, being able to play Animal Crossing once more on a home console with new features was something that I cherished greatly, and the 3DS installment of the franchise looks to actually reinvent the wheel somewhat with the entire Animal Crossing series.

Klonoa

A remake of the PlayStation 1 classic, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, the simply titled Klonoa pushed the floppy-eared character's first adventure into new graphical heights on the Nintendo Wii. New to this installment included unlockable costumes such as Klonoa's attire from Lunatea's Veil, as well as much more difficult challenge stages for hardcore fans of the game. As someone who had never played the original Door to Phantomile, this Wii remake was a sensational, albeit relatively easy platforming romp. The game was played in a 2.5D perspective. Klonoa ran along a 2D plain, but the world around him was animated and rendered in full 3D. The game wasn't your typical platformer either. It had its own original mechanic to separate itself from the pack. Klonoa was equipped with a Wind Bullet, allowing him to shoot it out at a foe, and then grab the baddies over his head. He could then toss the foe forward or use it to double jump. The game's story was like the world of Phantomile, bright and bouncy, colorful and whimsical, but look out for that ending that comes out of nowhere! For a budget title that is far from feeling like a budget affair, check out Klonoa on Wii, or if you prefer to go it old-school, track down the PS1 original or download it on the PlayStation Store.

Punch-Out!! 

A new installment of Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series entered the ring in 2009, courtesy of Next Level Games. Right away players were treated with a gorgeous cel-shaded Saturday morning cartoon style that was perfect for the Wii's limited power. The game still looks splendid, showing what a glorious art style can do for a title. The Wii edition of Punch-Out!! brought back all of the cast from the NES and Super Nintendo installments of the series, and also included several new opponents such as Disco Kid and a super secret boss that players went ape for. The mechanics of the game are the same as previous entries. Little Mac, the star of the show, enters numerous boxing matches where he must dodge the choreographed attacks of his opponent and then punch back when the adversary leaves an opening. One might think that Punch-Out!! would not have a lot of replay value in this day and age, but Next Level Games added a lot to the package to make it appealing for long-term playing. After boxing up the ranks in Career Mode, earning the championship belt, Little Mac would enter Title Defense Mode, where the boxers that he previously K.O.'d returned with new tricks, new moves, and new weaknesses. If you haven't yet checked out Punch-Out's Wii debut, the game is only twenty dollars now MSRP, so take a chance and enter the ring.

A Boy and His Blob

This list is full of re-imaginings it seems. From GoldenEye 007 to Klonoa, we're certainly representing the future and the past with this list of ten games. The next re-imagining we're taking a look at is 2009's A Boy and His Blob, modeled after and influenced by original Nintendo Entertainment System title, A Boy and His Blob: Trouble in Bloblonia, in celebration of the game's twentieth anniversary. The end result on Wii was this touching, beautiful, and highly rewarding 2D platforming featuring abundant amounts of puzzles. The titular boy feeds the eponymous blob jelly beans in order to turn his amorphous friend into one of fifteen forms such as a rocket ship or block. Each level gave the player a set amount of forms they could use to get through the many obstacles in the boy and blob's path to the goal. There were 80 individual levels within this remarkable rebirth including 40 traditional stages and 40 challenge stages, unlocked through discovering three treasure chests within a given traditional stage. For those who shy away from any Wii game with motion controls, A Boy and His Blob might be for you, if you can overcome the deliciously adorable art style and themes. Any game with a hug button is indeed a game worth playing. Couple that with the more forgiving gameplay than seen in the NES original and the engaging and endearing art style, and you have the makings of a Wii game that should certainly be in an open-minded gamer's library.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Mini-game collections are not favored or thought of too fondly by the typical internet gamer. However, there is huge market for them, and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is a capable title featuring multiple events both realistic and nontraditional. If you played the original Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, get those memories out of your head. This 2012 Olympiad romp was nothing short of a good time, unlike the first Nintendo-Sega mascot collaboration. Alongside new events like badminton, soccer, and horse riding (equestrian), there were improved iterations of previous summer events such as sprint races, cycling, and table tennis. To add to the fun were Dream Events where took ordinary Olympic events and threw them into the worlds and locales of Mario and Sonic games and added a twist to the rules. Imagine a hurdle race set in Super Mario Galaxy's Battlerock Galaxy where items were used, or a trampoline competition set in Sonic Adventure 2's Crazy Gadget stage where you could perform as many tricks as you wanted as you fell hundreds of feet to the trampoline. Making this package more enticing were remixed songs from Sega's wonderful set of composers and arrangers as well as unlockable costumes for the player's various Miis. The game is great for local multiplayer fun (Party mode was exceptional) and even solo fun (earning medals and awards was enjoyable). The real Olympics may be over, but Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games can last you long up until we're talking about the Olympics in 2014.

Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

The sequel to the Japan-only Sin & Punishment on Nintendo 64 (until the game was released on the Wii's Virtual Console service for a special promotion), the Wii's Sin & Punishment: Star Successor put players in the shoes of either Isa Jo or Kachi. The game was set on-rails, but the player can move around while the screen scrolls. The action was always hot and heated with bullets, missiles, and lasers flying at you in every which direction (though missiles can be deflected with a sword, which can also be used for strong melee damage). The game also was never shy about throwing a boss at the beginning, middle, or end of a given level. Learning patterns was the key to success. Online leaderboards added to the fun. By destroying enemies and not getting hit, a player's score multiplier would continually rise. Like IGN UK said in their review, "Forget bullet hell - Treasure has created an awesome slice of bullet heaven." And indeed they did. Treasure is known for their work on such cult favorites as Gunstar Heroes, Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, Wario World, Ikaruaga, Mischief Makers, among many others. Add Sin & Punishment: Star Successor not only to the list of Treasure's... treasures, but also a game that should be in any self-respecting Wii owner's library.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

If you are in any way familiar with Fire Emblem or turn-based tactical RPGs, you should feel right at home with the Wii installment of the long-running series. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn keeps with it the standard gameplay the series is known and loved for, but introduces new elements as well such as new field units and an elevation advantage between units. What many Fire Emblem fans enjoy about the franchise is its difficulty, something that a lot of Nintendo series cannot say. The games are punishing in that in many of the entries deceased party members stay deceased and can in no way be revived. This can be a real turn-off to more casual players who wish for a more relaxing experience. How many times have Fire Emblem fanatics had to reset a game because one of their units died in battle? Regardless, the upcoming Nintendo 3DS game Fire Emblem: Awakening is the game for them as it not only has the normal difficulty, but it has a mode where party members that perish return after battle. Continuing on with Radiant Dawn, the game was a masterful tactical RPG that demanded of the player strong strategy and foresight in thought. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn might not be the best the series has to offer, but it is still a welcomed addition to the franchise.

Bully: Scholarship Edition

The original Bully debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. A new version of the game with updated visuals and content was released on the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii two years later called Bully: Scholarship Edition. We're focusing on the latter version of the game, particularly the one I prefer, the Wii game. The idea behind Bully has players entering Bullworth Academy as the forever rebellious teen Jimmy Hopkins. The game is essentially an open world experience, though not to the degree of a Grand Theft Auto game. You're limited to the campus and the town around it. Through completing missions the story progresses, and through completing optional classes (four new ones were added to the Scholarship Edition) Jimmy learns new helpful skills and abilities. The fun of the Wii version comes from the pointer controls and other Wii remote-exclusive features. The Xbox 360 version of the game was littered with bugs and glitches that ruined the experience for most owners. Regardless, despite the lack of HD, I prefer the Wii version and consider it to be the definitive version of Bully. Here's hoping that we finally see a sequel from Rockstar.

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And with that we have but one more part to The 50 Best Nintendo Wii Games to go. Have your favorite Wii games been mentioned as of yet? Well, there's ten more titles to be listed, so you still have a chance to see your favorites yet! Next week we conclude this special series of five articles naming the most superior Wii games in the system's under-appreciated library. If you somehow missed a previous part of my ongoing series, look no further than these links:

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

Until next week, have a splendid weekend, everybody.

Killer Soundtracks - My Personal Favorites, Part Four

Time to brighten your Thursday with Part Four of Killer Soundtracks - My Personal Favorites. I hope you have gotten to know my tastes in music through these special articles. If not, well, perhaps I need to get my point across better or you need to pay better attention. Regardless, enjoy ten more video game soundtracks that I just happen to adore. 

Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)

Banjo-Kazooie is one of my favorite 3D platformers of all time, and for good reason-- it has plenty of challenging jumps, a lovely sense of humor, colorful graphics, and loads of challenge. The soundtrack is also a plus for me, featuring such tracks as the mischievous Gruntilda's Lair, the tropical Treasure Trove Cove, the sensational strings of Freezeey Peak, the peppy Click Clock Wood, the xylophone-filled Bubblegloop Swamp, the industrial Rusty Bucket Bay, and the dramatic Final Battle.

Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

David Wise does his compositional duties wonderfully well with a cheery soundtrack with lots of life with his Diddy Kong Racing soundtrack. Who couldn't have nostalgic flashbacks with songs like Ancient Lake, Jungle Falls, Hot Top Volcano, Crescent Island, Frosty Village, Darkmoon Caverns, and Wizpig Challenge? Well, unless you never played DKR, then shame on you! Diddy Kong Racing remains the best kart racer in its genre, and it's a shame that we won't see a proper sequel. 

Perfect Dark Zero (360)

A heavily rock-centric soundtrack (but that's not all there is to it), Perfect Dark Zero was my most played launch title of the Xbox 360. And then the system and I sort of parted ways after the menagerie of shooters and Western-themed games took over. That said, the music by David Clynick is quite good. You have a familiar theme in Combat Arena, hard rock songs like Glitter Girl (Dark Side), Subway Retrieval (Descent), Rooftops Escape Main Theme, Trinity Escape Main Theme, and Bridge Assault (Action), as well as the soothing beats of River Extraction (Lab Escape).

Sonic Unleashed (PS3, 360)

One part good game, one part bad game, Sonic Unleashed was an interesting experiment, harmed by the questionable decision of adding the completely sluggish and slow Werehog Sonic into the mix. That said, like all (and I do mean all) Sonic Team games, Sonic Unleashed is supported by a stellar soundtrack of fast tempo tunes and terrific hub world tracks. You have the "inspirational" opening theme in Endless Possibility. You have various songs to speed through levels to such as Windmill Isle - Day, Savannah Citadel - Day, Cool Edge - Day, and Rooftop Run - Day and hub world themes like Empire City - Day and Shamar - Night. A nice mix of music indeed.

LocoRoco 2 (PSP)

Not like any other soundtrack you have ever heard, the LocoRoco 2 soundtrack is certainly... eccentric, no? You can tell with such songs like dadhi dado da, muimui house, muimui (my favorite of the themes), buibui, Moja's Song, uwauwau, and arten daffu. The LocoRoco series utilizes its own made-up language, so don't feel the need to try to translate any of the lyrics you here. LocoRoco 2 is one of more creative and charming titles in the PSP software library, and it is a game that I cannot recommend enough as it launched at the price of twenty dollars. It is bound to be cheaper now.

Viewtiful Joe (PS2, GCN)

Viewtiful Joe is a series that will most likely and sadly never see another installment. Sure, Capcom teases with the character's inclusion in games like Tatsunoko VS. Capcom and Marvel VS. Capcom 3, but fans like me can see the writing on the wall. If Capcom turned its collective back on their main mascot Mega Man, why would they bother with a lesser known character? While you are now depressed, why not check out these tracks from the first Viewtiful Joe such as Some Like It Red Hot, Let's Ride Six Machine, The Viewtiful Escape, Another Joe, Inferno Lord, and Standing Ovation?

F-Zero GX (GCN)

F-Zero GX is a fantastic futuristic racer, but man, is it supremely difficult. Sega's Amusement Vision and Nintendo teamed up to create this high velocity arcade-style racer, and it still impresses both gameplay-wise and graphically to this day. The music is also great, showcasing genres like techno and rock. You have theme songs of the pilots like Captain Falcon, Dr. Stewart, Mrs. Arrow, Phoenix, and Princia Ramode as well as track themes such as Fire Field's Feel Our Pain, Aeropolis' ZEN, and Casino Palace's Shotgun Kiss. I like how the track themes change when you are on the final lap to something even more intense.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)

The London 2012 Olympics are almost here. Can you feel it? Even with the long wait that didn't stop Mario, Sonic, and their friends to get a jump on the ceremonies and have their own pair of games (Wii and 3DS) to participate in the global event. The soundtrack itself is made up of remixes of past Mario and Sonic games like Mario Kart: Double Dash's Mario Circuit, New Super Mario Bros.' Underwater Theme, Sonic Heroes' Grand Metropolis, as well as Sonic & Knuckles' Flying Battery Zone, and totally new themes like Badminton, Beach Volleyball, and Football. Some of the mini-games don't work so well (just a handful, really), but Mario and Sonic's latest Olympic outing is definitely worth a look, especially for Olympic fans.

Final Fantasy IV (SNES, PS1, PSP, DS)

Over these past four parts of Killer Soundtracks I have posted a lot of music from the Final Fantasy series. It is one of the best franchises for music, and our journey through the series takes us to Final Fantasy IV, most likely my most played entry of the mainline titles. Nobuo Uematsu moved from the basic 8-bit sounds of the Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom to the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom to blow the doors off the joint in style. We have such unforgettable tracks like Red Wings, Battle 2, Into the Darkness, Mt. Ordeals, Battle With the Four Fiends, Giott, the Great King, and The Big Whale. A true classic in every sense of the word.

Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)

From one Square game to another, we have Kingdom Hearts II on our proverbial plates to listen to now. Composed by the incomparable Yoko Shimomura, this soundtrack captures the whimsical nature of the Disney brand to a "T." We have the soothing Lazy Afternoons for Twilight Town, the bouncy battle theme Working Together, the chorus-backed Fragments of Sorrow, the theme of Beast's Castle Waltz of the Damned, the majestic Olympus Coliseum, the rocking Hazardous Highway, and the ending theme of Fantasia Alla Marcia. Nothing better than exploring Disney worlds with Sora, Donald, and Goofy with some lovely music playing overhead.

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Ten more of my favorite soundtracks have been unveiled. Next week, Part Five will be posted. Until then, why not check out a previous part of Killer Soundtracks - My Personal Favorites?

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

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - ...Out Like A Lamb Edition

March came in like a lion, so the saying goes that April goes out like a lamb. I'm certainly not quieting down here on SuperPhillip Central as I have more of my favorite VGMs to share with the SPC populace. On today's edition of the VGMs I have music from Kid Icarus: Uprising, Beautiful Katamari, and Advance Wars! The music is here and so are you, so let's begin!

v76. Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS) - Boss Fight 1



Recently given a 9.25 on Friday, Kid Icarus: Uprising is Nintendo's latest important title for the Nintendo 3DS. The game is split up between air and ground combat, the latter being tricky at first to understand. The soundtrack of the game was created by an all-star team of composers such as Motoi Sakuraba (Star Ocean, Tales of), Yuzo Koshiro (ActRaiser, Streets of Rage), and the man behind this guitar-riddled theme, Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger/Cross, Xenogears).

v77. Beautiful Katamari (360) - Into the Sky



Performed by Itokubo, these girls certainly know how to rock. Beautiful Katamari was the Xbox 360's entry in the long-running Katamari Damacy franchise. The creator of Katamari Damacy left Namco because of the company's desire to milk the series as much as possible. Who knew there was dignity in the video game industry?

v78. Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) - Mario Circuit 



Mario and Sonic's latest Olympic excursion took them to London before the actual festivities took place. Their game on Wii is quite entertaining even if it is just a mini-game collection, something the Wii certainly does not lack. One of the best parts of the game is the amount of fan service and remixed tracks from past games for Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. Mario Kart: Double Dash's Mario Circuit is but one of these, but I feel it impresses the most with its peppy rhythm and bombardment of brass.

v79. Phantasy Star Online Ep. 2 (GCN, XBX) - Tricktrack PART 2

 
One of the GameCube's only online-enabled games (Phantasy Star Online Episode 3 was the other one), Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 and 2 brought the Dreamcast classic to Nintendo and Microsoft's then new systems. I spent all my time either fighting monsters alone or teaming up with my older brother to tackle fire-breathing dragons, giant griffons, and ornery sea snakes. My favorite tactic would be to hit a high-leveled foe and then run back to the door. This hit-and-run tactic made the levels last longer, but survival was most important.

v80. Advance Wars (GBA) - Nell's Theme



The Orange Star CO from Advance Wars, Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, and Advance Wars: Dual Strike, Nell looks like something out of Delta Airlines' waitress. Don't let her cute exterior fool you, though, as she has all the gumption and know-how to tackle the most ridiculous battle scenarios. Her subordinates, Andy, Sami, and Max, all trust her with their lives as they battle the evil Black Hole army.

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What a wonderful sampling of video game music! And we'll be back at it again next week with five more sublime songs from video games old and new. Stick around for some fascinating themes!

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (3DS) North American Advertisements

I played the demo for the next game I'll be showcasing on SuperPhillip Central. It's Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. I reviewed the Wii version late last year, but the 3DS version is a different athletic beast entirely with different events and different controls. I don't see a reason to pick up the handheld version, but don't let my opinion stop you if you are interested. I'm just Olympic'd out. Not even Bob Costas can save me now. Instead, enjoy these highly humorous commercials for the game. (The video below is the first commercial.)

Commercial 1
Commercial 2

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - Mario & Sonic at SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs EdItion

Before we begin with the weekly VGMs, I'd like to thank all of the readers of SPC, either one-timers or all-the-timers as last month netted this blog with its highest amount of traffic ever. There were over 37,000 views total. It's your continued patronage that makes SuperPhillip Central as successful as it is.

Regardless, it's another Monday, so let's dig out the VGMs for a special edition. Instead of the traditional five videos, I have ten in store for you this week. There's five for Mario, and five for Sonic the Hedgehog-- Hence the title of this edition. Get your ears locked and loaded, and let's begin!

v26. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) - Melty Monster Galaxy


One of the later levels in Super Mario Galaxy 2, named number two on my Games of All Time ~ 2012 Edition list, Melty Monster Galaxy has one sensational theme to accompany the hot and heated action that takes place in the world. It begins with a bombardment of brass which is then followed by several strings. The theme gets louder and louder before playing the main theme of Super Mario Galaxy 2. By itself the game is already an impressive beast, but the soundtrack only solidifies Super Mario Galaxy 2 as one of my favorite titles of all time.

v27. Super Mario Sunshine (GCN) - Ending Theme of Super Mario Sunshine


Some people believe Super Mario Sunshine to be the weakest 3D Mario or even not a good game at all. While I can't agree with the latter statement, the former pretty much succinctly summarizes my thoughts on the game. Don't get me wrong-- I loved this GameCube classic and everything it brought to the Mario universe-- F.L.U.D.D., Isle Delfino, Piantas, Nokis, Toadsworth, etc., but it also had some scathing issues like a poor camera in some places. Nonetheless, this live version of the game's ending theme is performed like a party by the Big Band of Rogues at the Mario & Zelda Big Band Live concert that took place September 14th, 2003.

v28. Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN) - Let's Play Baseball (Staff Roll)


Catchy but admittedly corny, Mario Superstar Baseball's Let's Play Baseball, the credits song of the game, is what players who have successfully vanquished Bowser's baseball team get to enjoy for their victory. Packed with guitars, drums, and an electric piano, we truly do love baseball. While Mario Superstar Baseball wasn't perfect, it was yet another interesting entry into Mario's catalog of sports games. Boy, does that plumber ever get around.

v29. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (DS) - Sherbet Land


Way back on volume 20 on the VGMs, I mentioned that Tatsunoko VS. Capcom's Orbital Ring Systems Cargo Bay was a great workout song. Here's another one that puts me back to the nineties with its beat, female vocals, and instrument selection. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 was one of the more worse sports efforts of Mario. Developed by Square Enix, your teammate AI was brain-dead and did little if anything to assist you. You were pretty much on your own for every game you played. I did, however, very much enjoy the immense variety of courts from Luigi's Mansion to Marlboro Garden to this stage, Sherbet Land.

v30. Mario Party (N64) - Rainbow Castle


A gentle, mellow melody is what one hears as they play Mario's Rainbow Castle board in the original Mario Party. The board is pretty straightforward. You follow a path to reach the tower where you can purchase a star. However, every time a star is bought, the tower rotates 180 degrees where Bowser then sells fake stars for twenty coins. Then the tower rotates back to Toad and the process continues. I liked Mario Party save for the impossible to win rotate the stick mini-games. As for the song, Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, and Xenogears fame composed the music for this game, making Mario Party 1's soundtrack the best score of the series.

v31. Sonic Generations (PS3, 360) - Crisis City
Act 1


We move on from Mario to Sonic the Hedgehog. One of my favorite themes from the recently enough released Sonic Generations just happens to be Crisis City Act 1. While many Sonic fans know of Jun Senoue since he is pretty much the man behind most of the music from Sonic Adventure on, Tomoya Ohtani is also a very talented composer, maybe more so. His work on Sonic Unleashed, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), and now Sonic Generations is unmatched in my book as evident by this rocking theme.

v32. Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii) - High and Broken


A grungy Sonic theme with a Middle Eastern flair, High and Broken is the music heard during Sonic's race through the Levitated Ruins in Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic Team's first attempt to create a decent 3D game on the Wii. The fact that one had to buy skills to even get Sonic to control anywhere near decently says a lot about how this game was. Regardless, the music of the game is as good as ever. The band Runblebee lent their talents to the soundtrack as well. It's just a shame that soundtracks alone do not a great game make or Sonic Team would be golden.

v33. Sonic Rush (DS) - Ethno Circus


Hideki Naganuma is a name Sega fans should know as he penned the soundtracks of such games from the series of Jet Grind Radio, Super Monkey Ball, and yes, Sonic the Hedgehog. His specialty is generally in the genres of hip-hop, big beat, breakbeat, funk, and electronic music. His work on Sonic Rush is stellar. Ethno Circus is but one of the many themes that are not just catchy but they are infectious, getting into one's head and not wanting to get out. This theme plays on Mirage Road. Sonic Rush is an okay game, but its many bottomless pits make for an annoying time.

v34. Sonic 3D Blast (SAT) - Green Grove
Acts 1 and 2


Richard Jacques composed the music for the superior Sonic 3D Blast soundtrack. The Saturn version, having CDs instead of cartridges, obviously allowed composers to have a much richer and realer-sounding compositional voice. This is a mash-up of both Green Grove acts, the first zone of the game. The first act is pleasant enough, but the real joy and pleasure comes from listening to the kick-butt second act. Full of prominent trumpets, piano, and perfect percussion, Green Grove Act 2 is truly a terrific treat to listen to.

v35. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (PS3, 360) - [Boss] Solaris Phase 2


Listed number two on my favorite final boss themes list of all time, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) had an incredible and adrenaline-pumping song for its final boss, Solaris. Sure, listening to this song within the game meant you had to suffer through the endless glitches, bugs, uncontrollable mach speed sections, boring missions, and other problems which plagued this rushed out game, but would it be worth it just to hear this fabulous theme? ...Well, no. Not really. Instead, why not forget the headaches of playing the game and just listen to the extended version of the song?

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This week's fun-filled festival of VGMs is now complete. Next week another (yes, ANOTHER) ten VGMs will be posted. This time we'll be looking at efforts from Nintendo and Sega. Their best all-stars will be represented, so please look forward to that. Until next time, have a great start to your work week.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) Review

Let's break up the awards ceremony with a new review, shall we? It might still be 2011 (unless you sport a time machine, then ooh-la-la! Look at you, Doc Brown!), but that doesn't mean you can't party like it's 2012! That's exactly what SEGA and Nintendo want you to do with the subject of my latest review. It's Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Does anyone else struggle with the order of words to these darned Olympic titles?

You'll See Gold Everywhere--
Rings, Coins, and Medals, Oh, My!

If you were to utter the words "Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog will appear in a game together" in 1996, you would have been laughed off of the face of this earth. If you said it in 2001, you would also have been laughed off of the face of the earth. Then SEGA went third-party after the less-than-stellar worldwide sales of the excellent Dreamcast, and Sonic appeared on Nintendo's GameCube in the form of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Sure, there were rumors that Sonic was a secret character in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but it was only just that-- a rumor (Sonic would appear in the sequel, however). Now with two Olympic Games under their belt, the universes of Mario and Sonic merge and meet in jolly old London, England, the site of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. It might be the dead of winter for some parts of the world, but let SEGA and Nintendo take you on a trip to London without ever needing to watch Bob Costas. Do so with Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games for Nintendo Wii, also coming to Nintendo 3DS early next year.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games sports twenty characters. There's ten from the Mushroom Kingdom and ten from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe. There's such characters as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Daisy, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Donkey Kong, Wario, Waluigi, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Dr. Eggman, Shadow, Silver, Blaze, Mecha Sonic, and Vector. Each character is part of one of four classes: All-Around, Power, Speed, and Skill. A Power character might be terrific at the Javelin Throw, but keep them away from events requiring endurance. And if the colorful cast does nothing for you, why not compete as one of your many Miis?

Take your applause, Mario. You've earned it.

No competitive athlete goes to the Olympics to earn a bronze medal. No, going for gold is the name of the game, and that is what players should aspire to. With over thirty unique events to partake in, there's no shortage of activities in Mario and Sonic's third Olympic outing. There is the 100m Sprint, the Hurdles, the Discus Throw, Freestyle Swimming, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Badminton, Football (the one that actually and primarily uses one's foot), Beach Volleyball, Equestrian (horses), Fencing, Cycling, among others.

Paddle in sync with your partner for maximum speed.

Apart from the regular Olympic-sanctioned events, Dream Events make their much anticipated return. These take place in the worlds of Mario and Sonic lore. For instance, the Dream Equestrian event has a group of four working in tandem, twisting the Wii remote to control a carriage full of Yoshi eggs, avoiding potholes made by Monty Moles, and trying to keep all of the eggs from falling out of the carriage while they carouse through Mario Kart Wii's Moo Moo Meadows. Another Dream Event takes place in Sonic Adventure 2's Crazy Gadget where players twist and turn the Wii remote as they rebound and leap from a trampoline from tall heights, performing as many tricks as possible before they once again reach the ground. Other Dream Events include Dream Spacewalk (a battle against Peewee Piranha from Super Mario Galaxy 2), Dream Sprint (a Monkey Ball-esque romp through BINGO Highway from Sonic Heroes), a battle royal in Ocean Palace's Dream Fencing with items and bombs to worry about, Dream Long Jump (something I loathe since the computer even on easy is cheap), and so much more.

The bane of my existence, the Dream Long Jump.
Long jump this.

Every event can be played with the Wii remote solo, but some are recommended with the Wii remote and nunchuk in tandem. Most events work as advertised with the game registering movements and small gestures, but some like Synchronized Swimming absolutely blow chunks all over the place. You are supposed to perform particular poses, but the game rarely-- if ever-- registers movement in this event. Another poor event is the Hammer Throw. Frustration is commonplace here. Some of my favorite events are the simpler ones such as the 100m Sprint, the Hurdles, most of the Dream Events, Table Tennis, Football (though I'm poor at it), and Freestyle Swimming.

There's nothing really "bad" about Badminton.
...Well, maybe those wimpy rackets.

Then there's London Party. This mode is for four players either human opponents, computer opponents, or a mixture of both. The goal here is to gather enough stickers to fill your sticker book before the other players (either 16, 32, or 48). Stickers are earned through playing mini-games. These range from coin collecting exercises to quizzes regarding everything from Olympic history to character trivia to testing your know-how on the country of England. During Free Time, players explore a small version of London with many roads and paths to explore. Event characters waddle around the town, and it's your job to speak with them and accept their challenges. The player who initiates the mini-game gets a bonus sticker win or lose, so it's a mad dash to begin a game. At six hour intervals (game time, not real time) old Big Ben rings, chiming in the start of an Olympic event. One player gets to select from a list of four events. The winner is rewarded with five stickers, second place gets three, and third place nets themselves one.

Use Speed Sneakers to collect the most coins in this mini-game.

It wouldn't be a party on a Nintendo console without efforts to make the game for everyone, usually screwing the better player out of the win. This is true with London Party. First, there are Chance Times where stickers are handed out on a luck-based system, generally involving a revolving wheel of sorts and darts. Last place goes first, then third, then second, and then first. Then there are question marks on each player's sticker board that causes a random reaction. Sometimes you'll get a bonus sticker or stickers, sometimes you'll lose stickers, but occasionally first place will switch sticker pages who places a sticker on the question mark. This can pull the rug out of an opponent and act like a metaphorical kick to the nuts.

There are a smorgasbord of activities to do outside of going for gold medals and participating in a London Party. Every time you finish an event whether a Dream Event or one set more in the realm of reality you earn a scratch card. In the Bonus menu, you can take these cards and scratch any two of the six panels. If you match two icons, you win the prize shown. These can be anything from remixed and original music tracks to clothing and Mario and Sonic character costumes for your Mii. If your two icons fail to match or you reveal a Sorry space, your card goes into the blank card pile. Blank cards can be traded in for rewards. Two cards will get you a music track, five cards will get you a costume piece such as a hat, jersey, suit, shoes, or gloves, and ten cards will get you a character costume. Who doesn't want to dress as Mario, Sonic, Princess Peach, Dr. Eggman, or Bowser?

Furthermore, completing certain in-game goals will net you with completed Challenges. These can be things like winning London Party five times or getting first place in every event. The fun is in trying to check off as many as possible. If you're the competitive type, you can post your best times online via the leaderboards. Compare your best times against the world, within your region, or within your group of friends. Then there's trying to not only receive a gold medal in every event, but also beat the Olympic record on each event. Case in point, if you have the gumption, there is plenty of content to be completed in Mario and Sonic's latest Olympic escapade.

What happens when Weegee watches too many Westerns?
Here's your answer right here, buckaroo.

If you're looking for drop-dead visuals, high polygon counts, and immersing worlds, you best look to another title. Mario & Sonic 3 isn't that. This title is, however, pretty impressive looking with fluid and colorful visuals, high presentation values, and plenty going on in the background, even if the crowds consisting of Toads, Shy Guys, and animals from Sonic the Hedgehog past are fully two-dimensional. The music is big and bombastic. The original tracks that accompany the various events are certainly hummable and pleasing to the ears, but the star of the soundtrack comes from the remade music. Songs like Bowser's Domain from Super Mario 64, Circuit from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and Windy Valley from Sonic Adventure all receive the remix treatment. In addition to this you can assign songs to play during any event you want. Don't like the standard fare used? Change it to whatever your little heart is desiring. Mario & Sonic's third Olympic Games are indeed promising in the presentation department as is expected when SEGA and Nintendo collaborate.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games has mileage that will vary depending on who you are. If you're the type who loves continuously honing their skills, getting new records, comparing times with others online, and unlocking goodies via the scratch and blank cards, you will find a lot to enjoy. If you're the type who if you've played one mini-game collection, you've played them all, then perhaps you should just stick with watching the Olympics from home instead of participating in them in virtual form with a cast of famed mascots. While not all of the events are winners (I'm looking in the general direction of Synchronized Swimming, the Dream Long Jump, and several strength-related events), the majority of them are tremendous fun, and the joy of playing with family and friends in regular events, Dream Events, and London Party will keep most players satisfied. Instead of training 24/7, why not sit down in a comfy chair and go for the gold?

[SuperPhillip Says: 7.5/10]

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii, 3DS) - North American Advertisements

A duo of ads have been uploaded to YouTube by SEGA of America. They have been up for about a week, and they have made the rounds on television over here in the States. Not only are they humorous, but they show off some of the interesting events such as horse riding and soccer (or football depending on your location). Don't forget ring-collecting in Windy Valley!

Mario ending here

Sonic ending here

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii, 3DS) - London Party Trailer

While the true 2012 Olympics may be months upon months away, that isn't stopping Nintendo and SEGA from releasing Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games in November. I'm willing to bet money that's it is going to be a big seller with long legs. Watch this trailer to see some of the party games featured in the game. Go for gold, Mario and Sonic!

Take it to the streets with the direct link.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympics (Wii, 3DS) - Gamescom Trailer

Has it already been four years since the last summer Olympics? Wow, does time fly! Examine this all-new CG trailer sporting the various events from the hurdles to more equestrian activities in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympics. The Wii version is set to release this November while the Nintendo 3DS version hits store shelves in February of next year.

Go for the gold here.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympics (Wii, 3DS)

Sure, there's no gameplay to be seen, but this trailer does show a sampling of the events available to play including badminton, swimming, and horse riding. Watch the wonderful visuals of this all-CG trailer to get in the mood to go for the gold.

Direct Link Here

Rank Up! Mario Sports on Wii

Mario Sports Mix slam-dunked its way onto the Wii last month, so now's the perfect time for Rank Up! Rank Up! is the every now and then feature where we list a series of games from worst to best. It's a simple concept that's been very popular here on SPC. Today we're taking a look at Mario's sport outings on the Wii. There's been many, but which ones reign supreme? Let's find out, but first let's see which games we'll be putting under the metaphorical microscope.

Mario Sports Mix (Wii)
Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
Mario Super Sluggers (Wii)
Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (Wii)


Ever since the Game and Watch days, Mario has spread his wings and dabbled in other jobs and sports. On the Nintendo Entertainment System, he teed it up on the green in Golf, while it was on the Super Nintendo where seemingly his most popular sports entry was given birth in the form of Super Mario Kart. That series would go on to be one of most popular Mario sports series in history. From then til now, Mario has participated in nearly every sport under the sun sans North American football.

7) New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (Wii)


The New Play Control! line of games was to fill the holes in Nintendo's own release schedule. What better way to do this than port Gamecube games to the Wii with special Wii remote controls? Seems flawless. Unfortunately, the controls in NPC Mario Power Tennis were anything but. In fact, they were fundamentally broken. The game did not register whether you were hitting with topspin or backspin, and the game would randomly lob the ball up into the air. After playing this game for less than a hour, I was embittered and quickly sent the game back to Blockbuster. A perfect chance to show off what motion controls can do, and Nintendo absolutely botched it.

6) Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)


When it was announced that Mario and Sonic would be in the same game together, millions spun their rumor mills guessing what type of game it would be. Would it be a 3D platformer in the ilk of Super Mario 64 and Sonic Adventure? When it was revealed that their first game would be a mini-game collection, the hype died down considerably-- but not the sales, mind you. Regardless, most mini-games required you to waggle the Wii remote to speed up your character which by now, waggle was no longer a fun concept. We did it in Wii Sports boxing, we did it to control Link's sword in Twilight Princess, and most of us had had enough. Even with all of the fan-service in the game, nothing could stop this title from being the below-average game it was.

5) Mario Super Sluggers (Wii)


Taking Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom out to the ballgame, Mario Super Sluggers was the sequel to Mario Superstar Baseball on the Gamecube. In this sequel, the single-player mode consisted of an adventure-like mission mode where saving the day awarded you with new items and new teammates for your roster. The fundamentals itself added motion controls to swing at the ball. Holding the Wii remote back charged your swing while for pitchers, it charged their throw. With multiple stadiums to play on including the gimmick-free Mario Stadium, the topsy turvy Daisy Cruiser, and the frozen floors of Peach Castle, America's favorite pastime was well-represented in Mario Super Sluggers.

4) Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)


One could label this as a glorified mini-game collection, and they'd be correct in that assessment. However, each sport unlike this game's predecessor did not rely heavily on waggle to play. Instead you twisted and turned the Wii remote and nunchuk to carve through the snow as you skied downhill, participated in one of many dream events which had you racing through Mario Kart Wii's Mario Circuit track or speed skating in Eggman's Base, and unlocked character costumes for your Wii in the in-game shop. There were many events to partake in from real to dream, and the variety of control made each event feel different from the last no matter if you were interested in speeding through the bobsled course or the slalom course.

3) Mario Sports Mix (Wii)


From multiple mini-games to four sports in one, Mario Sports Mix was an enjoyable romp through all four sports: basketball, volleyball, dodgeball, and hockey. Each sport had its own set of three cups to participate in to earn the mythical star cup trophy in each sport. Doing so enabled you to take on Behemoth from the Final Fantasy series in a two-on-one battle for supremacy. Each sport had just enough depth that repeated playings wouldn't get boring. The arenas were filled with eye candy as well from Waluigi Pinball's giant steel pinballs looming around the stage to Luigi's Mansion's ghosts turning off the lights during play. Mario Sports Mix ranks third on this impressive list of Wii Mario sports titles.

2) Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)


We go from a game with four sports with a game with just soccer as its focus in Mario Strikers Charged. In Europe, this was the first online game for Wii allowing players to take on one another across the nation or across the world. There were multiple captains and secondary teammates to choose from--from the eccentric Boo to the hammer-spamming Hammer Bro. You could even score up to five goals at once using a super shot which randomly shot five balls at your opponent's goalie who had to use the Wii remote to point at the screen and swiftly deflect said shots. One of the better anti-simulation soccer experiences, Mario Strikers Charged is an excellent edition to Mario's sports legacy.

1) Mario Kart Wii (Wii)


At last we've reached the number one spot where Mario Kart Wii zoomed into first place. Filled to the brim with content, Mario Kart Wii features a multitude of unlockable characters, weekly online racing challenges, online play with up to eleven other racers from around the world, sixteen new races, and sixteen retro races from past Mario Kart games. If you can get past the cheap AI who constantly seem to abuse items in later difficulties, you're in for a wild ride. Yes, you'll be cursing out the computer or human opponents when a lightning bolts stops all of your momentum while you're careening over a pit, but for all the cheap moments you'll experience, there's a lot of fun ones to be had as well.

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Rank Up! is out for the time being. Until next time where we rank a series of games, we'll be seeing you! Do you have a franchise you'd like to see get the Rank Up! treatment? Let me know in the comments section.