Top Ten Sky-Themed Areas in Video Games

For this Tuesday, the sky is the limit for this special top ten list. I initially planned for this list around The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's release due to the sky islands that game possesses. Seeing as it's more than year since that time, I think I'm a bit late to the party. Instead, we're just going to talk about some of my favorite sky-themed areas, levels, tracks, places, etc. in video games for no real reason other than why the heck not! After you've checked out my choices for top tier sky areas in gaming, I'd love to read your thoughts on what places that you feel I should give proper props to!

10) Tengu Man's Stage - Mega Man 8 (PS1, SAT)

We begin this journey through the skies and levels adjacent with Tengu Man's Stage from Mega Man 8. Not only is the Robot Master cool in general in his design, but his stage is also rather enjoyable, taking place high up in the air among floating and hovering platforms--the latter of which bob and undulate under the Blue Bomber's weight. The level is so high up in the sky that at one point Mega Man must call upon Rush to stand on and ride via Rush Jet mode, turning Mega Man 8 into a light shoot-em-up as the pair slowly maneuvers through the hull of Tengu Man's aircraft. Pitting Mega Man against wind, an armada of enemies, and gravity itself, Tengu Man's stage is a wonderful one and highlight of Mega Man 8's first four Robot Master levels.

9) Pirate's Isle - Skies of Arcadia (DC)

The opening isle of the overlooked, underrated, and severely needing a modern remaster game, Skies of Arcadia, Pirate's Isle is a quaint and cozy place. However, underneath, buried under the surface in its core rests the home of the secret base and headquarters of the Blue Rogues. Heck, to the unbeknownst (i.e. pretty much everyone outside of the isle), it's known as Windmill Isle. This titular windmill actually powers the underground port where the Blue Rogues' Albatross airship lays. That said, the island's covert nature eventually gets alerted to by the evil Valuan Empire who proceeds to lay siege to it. Upon progression in the game, the protagonists of Skies of Arcadia not only vow revenge but also assist in rebuilding the town. Whether you know it as Pirate's Isle or Windmill Isle, the chill nature of the island at the start of the adventure and the subsequent rebuilding from the ashes later in the game makes it a memorable location to all who have had the privilege to play this underrated Dreamcast gem.

8) Floating Continent - Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

We move from an underrated RPG to one well loved for great reasons: Final Fantasy VI. An insanely cool concept for a dungeon as well as one that is incredibly important to Final Fantasy VI's story as well, the Floating Continent is the final dungeon played during the World of Balance portion of the game. To say that the story takes a notable pivot here would be an understatement. Non-story-related, though, the place is just an awesome dungeon in general, full of powerful enemies to defeat, quite unstable terrain that deforms, shifts, and collapses as Terra's party progresses through it, and mounds that create tunnels which transport players from one area of the island to another. It's not only a cleverly designed, brutal skill check for players, of course, but the Floating Continent serving as the moment where the proverbial sh-t hits the fan makes it one of most memorable in a game full of notable moments.

7) Cloudtop Cruise - Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Take a cruise aboard the clouds in, coincidentally enough, Cloudtop Cruise debuting on the original vanilla Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. As expected, though, with a course from Mario Kart, this won't be any Sunday drive. You have twists, turns, and multiple opponents ready to give you a cruisin' for a bruisin' in the sky. Set on a windy, snaky, fluffy white cloud road that eventually leads to the top of an airship's deck before launching players directly into a thunderstorm, Cloudtop Cruise serves as the starting track of Mario Kart 8's Special Cup. It certainly doesn't ease players into the action, offering quite an amount of turbulence, but also a highly entertaining track, too. In fact, it remains one of my favorites from the base game. For good reason, too, it's just a lot of sky high fun.

6) Skyloft - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

We talked a little bit about quaint and cozy spots and towns with Skies of Arcadia's Pirate's Isle. We move to a place that's even more so those with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's Skyloft, the opening area of this early timeline series adventure. For me, Skyward Sword successfully made a stellar sense of space and place with Skyloft, bringing its inhabitants and series of islands set in the sky to life in a way that some previous Zelda games failed to do for me. Many notable locations rest in the rather expansive set of isles that make up Skyloft, including the Bazaar, the Knight Academy, Beedle's Shop, a Waterfall Cave, and the Statue of the Goddess. The people of Skyloft utilize winged bird-like creatures known as Loftwings to travel through the sky and surrounding islands, and they're a major part of the opening of the game. Skyloft is a common place to return to throughout Link's adventure, growing more and more like home with each and every visit.

5) Palace of Winds - The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)

It's difficult to mention The Legend of Zelda series without making note of a major element in the games: its dungeons. With dozens upon dozens of dungeons in the series' history, no doubt there have been ones set in the sky. In fact, it was quite a challenge to choose between Twilight Princess' City in the Sky and this selection: the Palace of Winds from The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. In the end, what makes the Palace of Winds more memorable and enjoyable for me is multifold. For one, its dungeon item is one of my favorites in any 2D Zelda: the Roc's Cape. It allows Link to leap into the air and glide across gaps and chasms with ease. It makes Link's mobility and where he can go open up immensely. The dungeon itself is one of the final trials within The Minish Cap itself, making for potential brain-stumping puzzles, some of the most difficult enemies in the game, and a multiple tiered structure. It's essentially a two part dungeon with the climax of both being a super exciting boss battle aboard the backs of flying creatures in the sky. All of this makes for a gloriously unforgettable dungeon within this underrated Zelda game.

4) Sky Land - Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)

Speaking of places in two parts, the fifth world--commemorating the back half of Super Mario Bros. 3--Sky Land is deceivingly small when Mario and/or Luigi first arrive. For one, where's the dang sky? As players find themselves on a map on the ground. It's only until players scale and complete the absolutely tall tower--a bridge between areas, essentially--that they're led into a land above the clouds and the massive amount of more levels to complete! What's even cooler is being on the map and seeing the land on the ground below that players had just finished. Having this latter portion of levels taking place in the sky, no doubt you can imagine myriad moments to fall via large swaths of bottomless pits, enemies like Lakitu and the nightmare-inducing Fire Chomps to contend with, and loads of challenging platforming trials to take on. 

3) Gusty Garden Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

 We're still not quite through with Mario's adventures yet. While his last entry on this list saw him taking to the skies, Super Mario Galaxy's Gusty Garden Galaxy takes him to the outer reaches of space and all the lovely gravity gimmick goodness that goes with it. Filled to the brim with bountiful flowers--some of which can be grabbed and used as a means to gain altitude--beautiful blue skies, and plenty of platforming potential in the form of garden mazes, thorns to evade, Piranha Plants and moles to take on, and one of the coolest challenges--using Ice Mario to wall jump up the faces of waterfalls. Gusty Garden Galaxy is one of my favorite levels in any Mario game. Between the boisterous orchestral, moving melody of the level, to the absolute enjoyable way Mario can move about the level's many planetoids, worms, Wigglers, and vines, Gusty Garden Galaxy never fails to make me smile when I enter into its atmosphere. It always is a level I eagerly anticipate returning to in any repeated Super Mario Galaxy playthrough.

2) Columbia - BioShock Infinite (PS3, 360, PC)

While time hasn't been kind to my thoughts on BioShock Infinite as a game (various reasons there), I cannot say that my opinion of the game's major locale, Columbia, has diminished in any way whatsoever. In fact, it's possibly only increased over time. This essential continent in the clouds contains many sights to see, lavish locales, and is a testament to incredible architecture, chiefly that of Neoclassical works (look at me knowing something small about architecture!). This massive city-state floats in the sky, creating some drop-dead stunning environments practically at every turn. One of the coolest parts of Columbia in a gameplay sense is the ability for the main character to grapple and attach to various overhead rail systems, grinding through the skies from island to island in this open and expansive locale. 

1) Sky Sanctuary Zone - Sonic & Knuckles (GEN)

One of the most memorable and entertaining sky-themed areas and levels in gaming to me is none other than Sky Sanctuary Zone from Sonic & Knuckles. An ancient series of ruins set in the sky, Sky Sanctuary is one of the final zones for Sonic within the game while the final destination for Knuckles during his story. Either way, players will discover riches in platforming goodness as they scale the scared sanctuary to reach the top. For Knuckles, it's to protect the Master Emerald. For Sonic, it's to reach Dr. Robotnik's Death Egg space station before it fully reaches into space. 

In Sonic Generations, Sky Sanctuary is one of the returning zones in the game, featuring multiple paths to take, platforms that wind up and move with Sonic's dash, plenty of perilous opportunities to fall into the bottomless depths below, and bridges that collapse one panel after another upon receiving a step from Sonic. Sky Sanctuary is popular throughout the Sonic series and even some spin-offs as well where it's appeared in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Bring them on, I say, as it's definitely a remarkably cool area to explore, platform, and sometimes race in, whether in 2D or 3D.

The Games We Bought PlayStation For

On December 3rd, 1994, 26 years ago, the original PlayStation was born, ushering a new console and competitor in the market. Today, on this 26th birthday of the PS1 and the PlayStation brand in general, let's celebrate on SuperPhillip Central with a personal journey of sorts from yours truly, going through the games that pushed me and my family (hence, the "we", since when I was a kid I couldn't buy a PlayStation myself) into the PlayStation ecosystem again and again. Whether on consoles or handhelds, I've owned almost every major PlayStation platform (save for a recent, quite obvious one!). So, join me on my journey as a reminisce and briefly touch upon those killer apps that enticed so nice that they pushed me towards these PlayStation platforms.

[PlayStation One]

Final Fantasy VII 

Let's begin with a big one. Nintendo lost a lot of immediate ground to its new competitor, Sony, in the console race due to sticking with expensive cartridges on its Nintendo 64 over the PlayStation's CDs. What was seen as a massive betrayal was then-Squaresoft moving its complete focus to the PlayStation. The biggest game that Nintendo fans were going to miss out on (until 20+ years later, of course) was Final Fantasy VII. My older brother and I definitely didn't want to be one of those fans, so we begrudgingly begged our mom for another console, the PlayStation. It's fortunate that we did, as we have been happy PlayStation customers ever since. Maybe not so much big-time Final Fantasy fans, though, due to the series' quality over the years... 

Mega Man 8: Anniversary Edition

Like Squaresoft, Capcom, too, opted to jump ship from Nintendo to PlayStation after the rising costs of cartridges on the Nintendo 64, and they took one of our favorite franchises with them: Mega Man. Perhaps Mega Man 8 and its anniversary edition was more of a killer app for us than Final Fantasy VII was! Not only was the game gorgeous with its colorful, vivid, and vibrant sprite-based visuals, but the game featured so many new things, such as fully (and badly) voiced anime cutscenes, collectible bolts to use to purchase permanent upgrades at Dr. Light's, and a Mega Ball item, for kicks, of course. We would have missed out on so many Mega Man games--particularly one of my favorites, Mega Man X4--had we not leaped into Sony's ecosystem.

[PlayStation 2]

Final Fantasy X

With the PlayStation 2, the initial launch wasn't too exciting, so it was rather easy to pass on the PS2's offerings in the beginning. Of course, we all know how that story played out--the system has one of the best, all-encompassing game libraries of all time now. But, there were two games that truly tested my brother's and my will to ask for a PlayStation 2. One of these was Final Fantasy X. After adoring the PlayStation Final Fantasy games and much of Squaresoft's catalog on Sony's first system, it only made sense for us to have extreme hype for the first Final Fantasy on a bold new platform. Final Fantasy was already impressive and exceptionally large on the PS1, so we couldn't even imagine how big the newest game would be on the PlayStation 2. While the end result wasn't the best game in the series to us--far from it--Final Fantasy X will always have a special place in at least my heart for being the bait that lured us to the PlayStation 2's sunny shores.

[PlayStation 3]

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

I should take the time to note that my family has never actually gotten a PlayStation platform at launch. But, if there was a case of purchasing one the closest to launch, that would be the case with the PlayStation 3. That's funny because we would both argue that the PS3 was Sony's weakest home console in terms of library. Regardless, my love for the Ratchet & Clank series' PlayStation 2 outings, especially Going Commando--my first game in the series--saw me absolutely drooling at the thought of playing the newest entry. Not only would be a bigger and bolder adventure, but it'd be in glorious high definition for the first time. That game was of course Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, and thank the lovely lombax for that, or else I would have never gotten to play his other PS3 adventures or this next game on this list.

LittleBigPlanet

"Play, Create, Share." I love making video games. Sure, I've only published one real game, but the act of creating levels, designing characters, and implementing all of it to work into one cohesive project is both exciting and fascinating to me. LittleBigPlanet came with the promise of being able to create massively complex level creations and share them with the world. You can bet I enjoyed doing just that! LittleBigPlanet quickly jumped to the top, right by Ratchet & Clank, as my favorite PlayStation franchises, and basically I'll now go anywhere Sackboy as well as Media Molecule does!

[PlayStation Portable]

Mega Man: Powered Up

Let's take a detour from PlayStation consoles to Sony's handheld efforts starting with the PlayStation Portable, or PSP. Another case of getting the system almost a year after launch like several other PlayStation systems, we did the same with the PSP. However, this time around I did something I never did before--I bought a game before even owning the system. Yes, my love for the Blue Bomber was so much that I NEEDED to own a copy of Mega Man: Powered Up, a remake of the original Mega Man with new content. The main selling point and killer app-potential for me with Powered Up was, like LittleBigPlanet, the ability to create and share my own levels. The fact that it was dolled up in Mega Man clothing, one of my favorite franchises, only made that decision stronger. 

[PlayStation Vita]

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

With the PlayStation Vita, despite all three of the games that attracted me to the system were launch titles, I didn't purchase a Vita until six months or so after the fact. Nevertheless, one of the top titles that enticed me to buy a Vita was Nathan Drake's then-latest adventure, and his first handheld epic, too: Uncharted: Golden Abyss. While I could have done without several of the hardware-themed gameplay gimmicks, there was something mightily impressive about taking a PlayStation 3-sized, graphically gorgeous adventure and having it in the palms of my hands. This was an amazing future for portables. Little did I know that the PlayStation Vita wouldn't have as bright of a future as many owners like myself would have hoped from Sony's first-party studios.

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

If there was ONE game that I had to pick that single-handedly thrusted me into the PlayStation Vita ecosystem, it would have to be none other than Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational. I adore the Hot Shots Golf series, now known as Everybody's Golf here in North America to match the PAL naming scheme. The game's phenomenal visuals certainly wowed me as an introduction, but what really got me was the tried and true excellent golfing gameplay. Developer Clap Hanz definitely knows how to make a great golf game, and while it's not the best in the series, it certainly shines as a bright title in the Vita's impressive library.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip

If you haven't picked up on the theme yet (and no worries if you haven't), something that gets me running to a game, or in this case putting the pedal to the metal on a game faster than 200cc Mario Kart is a game that allows me to create my own content. ModNation Racers: Road Trip was one of these games, and it was in one of my favorite genres, the kart racer. Not only was the allure of designing my own custom tracks appealing, but so was building my own karts and characters! I spent so many hours designing content for Road Trip, yes, but the single player campaign was also a blast all by itself to its own credit. A double dose of kart racer awesomeness, indeed--whether creating or actually racing!

[PlayStation 4]

Ratchet & Clank

With the PlayStation 4, I did something I never did before with a console: I bought it used and online, and I did it just for Ratchet & Clank, the re-imagining of the very first game in the series and tie-in to the movie of the same name. The latter was a bust, but the game itself was my favorite upon the year of its release. Both Ratchet and Clank never looked better, and the various planets and environments seen throughout the game absolutely stunned. The risk of buying a used console online ultimately paid off. I got the system for a price I could realistically afford, and I got to enjoy one of Sony's best lineups of games on offer for one of their platforms.

[PlayStation 5 ...eventually!]

Astro's Playroom

While the jury's still out on when a PlayStation 5 will grace the SuperPhillip household--due to the console's incredible and insane popularity that sees sellouts on the words "we now have stock"--I know that one game that I just can't wait to try out is Astro's Playroom. Plus, it comes free with the system, so that's a plus already! Add in the fact that it's a 3D platformer (another plus) and that it looks adorable, charming, and masterfully made as all get out, and I have more than enough reasons to be jealous of gamers who can put Astro's Playroom on their "best of 2020" lists!

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Hopefully the stock situation with the PlayStation 5 clears up by the time this last game on my personal journey through PlayStation releases. It's my favorite PlayStation franchise's latest game, and I don't know if I'll have the self control and patience to wait for stock to come in after Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart releases. I might just pay people to rent their PS5s! Okay, okay. I wouldn't be THAT desperate, but my desire to play Rift Apart at launch is darn near excruciating. Between the visuals that make my jaw fall down to and through the floor, to the awesome gameplay showcase that Sony showed several months back, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will most likely be the game that puts Sony's shiny new white toy in my entertainment system... that is, if that large goliath fits in there!

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What games on PlayStation systems were YOUR killer apps that made you want to get those systems? Let the SPC community know in the comments below!

First Things First: Best Openings in Gaming - Part Two

It's the first day of autumn here in Central City. Soon, the temperatures will drop, as will the leaves from the trees. Speaking of firsts, how about a return at looking at some of the best scenes that are the first thing you see when you either boot up a game or start a new save data? That's exactly the point of First Things First: Best Openings in Gaming. Toward the end of last year saw the very first installment, and now, nearly a year later, we're revisiting this segment. New openings from games like Sonic CD, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and even some Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD are included in this second edition!

Sonic CD (SCD)

I must admit that I am a huge fan of the US soundtrack for the Sega CD's Sonic CD, and part of that is the way '90s theme song for that version, Sonic Boom. Spinning in a world of motion, this anime-inspired opening sees a well animated Sonic the Hedgehog speed through the land, spinning around and vaulting off of rocks in an impressively acrobatic display. It all concludes with Sonic knowing that Robotnik is up to no good (but this ain't his neighborhood) when he sees the colossal Death Egg high in the sky. Hooked to a rock by a massive chain, Sonic dashes across it to start his CD-based adventure. The stare-down with the Death Egg is such an epic moment, and Sonic Boom punctuates the action far better than You Can Do Anything, at least in this writer's opinion.

Mega Man 8 (PS1, SAT)

One of my favorite series character design-wise is the Mega Man series. Whether it's Classic, X, Zero, Battle Network, Legends, or anything else, the series has consistently great designs for its characters. Seeing numerous old haunts of Mega Man throughout the opening CG for Mega Man 8 is an absolutely delight for a Mega Man fan such as myself. The first Mega Man game on the PlayStation used the disc technology well, showing off a sophisticated anime opening with tons of action, familiar foes like Robot Masters such as Guts Man, Snake Man, and Shade Man, as well as giant bosses like Yellow Devil and Mecha Dragon. It's an awesome way for Mega Man to enter the 32-bit era on the original PlayStation and Sega Saturn.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX - Final Mix (PS3)

Kingdom Hearts is a series that combines the worlds of Disney and Final Fantasy. While the focus on the latter over the series has decreased, the feel of Final Fantasy still surrounds Kingdom Hearts. This opening cinematic for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, the Final Mix portion of that remastering, briefly goes through as small sample of the events of Kingdom Hearts, leading up to Kingdom Hearts II. Utadu Hikaru's Sanctuary plays, perfectly syncing up with the action and various scenes. It's a really well put together opening that should have Kingdom Hearts fans in high spirits.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

The all-star brawl might not have been to every Smash fans' liking, but it's hard to deny that Super Smash Bros. Brawl's opening is not mighty impressive. When you have one of the greatest lineup of characters in video games in various settings backed by an orchestral and choral piece by one of the greatest composers of video game music, Nobuo Uematsu, the sheer epic nature of this opening can hardly be contained. Okay, okay. I might be overdoing it there and being a bit too overzealous. Regardless, it's an exciting opening that gets you ready for a brawl like nothing else at all. (Oh, and don't worry, Melee fans. We'll be seeing Super Smash Bros. Melee on a future installment of Best Openings in Gaming!)

Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN)

Let's wrap up this second part of Best Openings in Gaming with a theme. Major League Baseball is closing in on the playoffs, and what a perfect opportunity to end this segment for now on a baseball note! In this opening for the Namco-developed Mario Superstar Baseball, Mario and friends get challenged by Bowser to an epic baseball showdown. Four teams, each led by a character (Mario, Wario, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong), face off to see who will face the King of the Koopas on the diamond. Through multiple humorous bits like Wario doing his best to get a bunted ball called foul by blowing on it for all he's worth and Donkey Kong getting up-close and personal with a Chain Chomp, Mario Superstar Baseball's opening is chock full of amusement. Batter up!

Mario Super Sluggers (Wii)

A double dose of Mario baseball game openings! Much healthier than a double dose of the tobaccy! Better for your teeth and gums, too! This opening for the Wii sequel to Mario Superstar Baseball introduced Mario and friends to an isle of baseball goodness. Like the GameCube game's opening, Mario Super Sluggers sports humor, and this time some explosive action-- literally! It all culminates with a heroic moment by Luigi of all characters, being charged into by the powerful Donkey Kong, yet still holding on to the baseball! That'll teach anyone to call you a second banana, Luigi! Colorful, cute, and exciting, Mario Super Sluggers has an incredibly entertaining opening, a nice way to round out this edition of Best Openings in Gaming - Part Two!

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What video game openings do you remember fondly? Let the SuperPhillip Central community know in the comments section! I always try to reply to every comment!

Top Eight Best Eighth Entries

And now for something completely different! It's SuperPhillip Central's eight-year anniversary today, as you probably know by now with the preceding posts on the site. Time for a special list to commemorate this historic day. Sure, I could have done a top ten list, but that wouldn't be anywhere near as special as a top EIGHT. In this gaming climate, a long-running series is impressive. Just hitting three entries is something astounding, but EIGHT entries? That's a reason to celebrate. That's exactly what this top eight list does, talking about the best eighth entries in video game history. After you've read these eight entries, remind me of any franchises that I may have forgotten about in the comments below.

8) Mega Man 8 (PS1, SAT)

The first Mega Man platformer to hit the PlayStation, Mega Man 8 is a colorful and gorgeous game that packs a wallop filled with fun levels, well designed challenges, and memorable Robot Masters. Added to this installment of Mega Man are bolts that are hidden in levels which can then be used to purchase helpful upgrades as Dr. Light's lab, such as more powerful charged shots, an energy balancer, and even speed upgrades to climb up ladders faster and move along the ground more quickly. It's an absolute shame that Capcom didn't adopt this lovely style of Mega Man much in the future, instead going back to original 8-bit style for Mega Man 9 and 10 a decade later. Not to say those games weren't good or the style wasn't nice to look at, but the style of Mega Man 8 pushed the classic Mega Man series forward, more so than heading back to the NES.

7) Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (PS3, 360)

Mortal Kombat has been a persevering fighting game franchise in an industry where long-term gaming series don't happen too often. With the eighth Mortal Kombat entry, a crossover from seemingly out of nowhere occurred when the characters from the Netherrealm in Mortal Kombat faced off against DC Comics' wide array of superheroes and villains. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe brings the two massive collection of all-star characters together in combat, even including the fatalities the Mortal Kombat series is known for. Though, DC's superheroes would perform something called "heroic brutalities" that would not kill opponents in order to stay true to their positive morals. With a full-fledged story mode, superb fighting game mechanics, tight controls, and lots of pageantry, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a fantastic fighter.

6) Kirby: Canvas Curse (DS)

The eighth Kirby game, Kirby: Canvas Curse is the game for me that cemented the Nintendo DS's touch screen as a must-have feature for the system. This stylus-only controlled game has you poking Kirby, stuck in ball form, to have him speed up and dash into enemies, as well as drawing rainbow lines (as long as you have enough ink) to guide the pink puffball through a myriad of challenging and creative levels. Kirby's trademark copy abilities are present and accounted for in Canvas Curse, allowing Kirby to smite enemies with many different powers and reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible, usually housing rare medals to collect. As I said in my top ten best Kirby games list Kirby: Canvas Curse was the game that made the summer drought after the Nintendo DS's launch go by very fast until games like Mario Kart DS, Advance Wars; Dual Strike, and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow released the following fall.

5) Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)

Final Fantasy VIII is considered the black sheep, the odd game out, the eccentric one in the original PlayStation Final Fantasy trilogy. It eschewed many franchise conventions to create an interesting and very different experience. For one, the junction system has players equipping summons or Guardian Forces to utilize a multitude of different spells and abilities. To get magic in general, you have to draw it from enemies instead of earning it through leveling up and other more traditional means. These magic spells can also be placed onto specific statistics to boost a given party members' strength, speed, and other stats. As you can see, Final Fantasy VIII is quite different from past and present Final Fantasy games, even having it where leveling up is sometimes more dangerous than staying at a lower level. I'd be remiss of I didn't mention my favorite part of FFVIII: Triple Triad, a collectible card game that screams addicting gameplay. It's the sum of its parts that make Final Fantasy VIII a worthy entry in the series, despite its obvious flaws.

4) Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

The latest Mario Kart is one of the best the long-running series has seen. With 32 initial tracks, and 16 additional ones via an incredible steal of a Season Pass or via separate download packs, the content of Mario Kart 8 made it positively packed with racing goodness. The tracks themselves are some the best in the franchise, using a new anti-gravity mechanic similar to F-Zero, which has the tracks loop, twist, turn, and forgo the limitations of gravity. The multiplayer, whether locally (thank goodness we could finally play Grand Prix with a friend again), or online makes for some very exciting and entertaining experiences. The presentation is also fantastic, featuring jaw-dropping cartoon visuals and a sensational rock and jazz soundtrack. While the battle mode isn't up to par with the series, the rest of what Mario Kart 8 offers more than makes up for it.

3) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages or Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

This is an interesting predicament discerning which Legend of Zelda game is the true eighth entry. That's because the seventh and eighth entries of The Legend of Zelda series released as a duo meant to be played together. Data from one game could be transferred to the other through a series of passwords. Either Oracle of Ages or Oracle of Seasons could be played first, and then the remaining game could be played after, so it makes it challenging to make heads or tails of which of these two Zelda games is actually the seventh and which is the eighth. Hence, why I simply put "or" in the entry heading. Which ever of the Oracle games you consider to be whatever numbered entry, you'll get a phenomenal handheld Zelda adventure, chock full of interesting puzzle-filled dungeons, clever boss battles, an amazing world to explore, and lots of longevity.

2) Sonic & Knuckles (GEN)

While Sonic & Knuckles is considered the fourth mainline installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, it is actually the eighth release of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, counting the Master System and Game Gear releases before it. Essentially an expansion pack in the most literal sense, the cartridge allowed other games to hook up to it, most notably, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to create a massive sized 2D Sonic adventure. Full of enjoyable zones and levels (well, maybe not Sandopolis Act 2 for some of us), a nice mix of speed and more slower paced action sequences, and a rockin' soundtrack, Sonic & Knuckles absolutely rules, and its ten month launch after Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was mighty impressive.

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

My personal favorite eighth entry comes from the illustrious Dragon Quest series. From this first and only PlayStation 2 mainline installment, multiple new happenings occurred. For one, the Dragon Warrior name that North Americans knew was dropped, and this eighth entry introduced for the first time fully 3D environments to explore, opening up the exploration to a delightful degree. Still, several series and genre tropes remained the same, such as randomly occurring turn-based battles, gaining experience, and the general charm the Dragon Warr-- I mean-- Dragon Quest series is known for. From the refreshing simplicity of the game systems within Dragon Quest VIII to its sensational cel-shaded visuals, Dragon Quest VIII is a phenomenal entry and one of my favorites of the franchise. With it receiving an iOS and Android port, and soon to see a localization for the Nintendo 3DS version in the West, things are still looking up for this memorable Dragon Quest game.

Mega Man 8 (PS1, SAT) Retro Review

Today's July the 4th, and around the United States of America plenty of people are celebrating the country's independence. There will certainly be fireworks tonight in more ways than one. What do I mean by this? Why, I have in the schedule the plan to post SuperPhillip Central's longtime coming 600th review tonight! What game will it be!? You'll find out in a few hours.

For now, let's get focused on Mega Man, a great run and gun platforming franchise. Actually, let's get focused on the eighth installment, to be exact, Mega Man 8, with my review. It makes sense, as today Mega Man maker Keiji Inafune unleashed a Mega Man Legends-like Kickstarter project for backing. See? These retro reviews usually have a good reason for being posted! ...Usually!

Classic Mega Man Modernized

Mega Man is one of my favorite franchises ever, and we've seen so many titles featuring Capcom's Blue Bomber in the past several decades. He may be on a bit of hiatus now, not starring in any big games of his own, but Mega still does have a strong following. After Nintendo continued with the cartridge route with its fifth generation console hardware, many third parties moved over to Sony's PlayStation with the promise that CD-ROMs brought. Capcom was one of these third parties, and it brought over Mega Man in the form of the eighth installment of the long-running series, Mega Man 8. See why this modernized Mega Man is worth a play.

Mega Man 8's plot begins with two forces of energy, one light and one dark, duking it out in the middle of outer space. The forces collide, causing both to tumble towards the closest planet to them, which just so happens to be Earth. Upon crashing at a secluded island, Mega Man is sent out to find the source of the crash, but unfortunately, Dr. Wily is there to pick up the dark energy. Meanwhile, the being of light is found in an impact crater, who is then taken back to Dr. Light's lab. Eventually working together, Mega Man and the force of light energy, named Duo, must overcome the nefarious Dr. Wily's plan to beef up his robot army with the power of the dark energy and take over the world.

Ah, Rush... A Mega Man's best friend!

Mega Man 8 uses the PlayStation and Sega Saturn hardware to great effect. There are a series of well animated cutscenes that occur throughout the game, though the voice work that plays during them and throughout gameplay ranges from passable to absolutely awful. (Dr. Elmer J. Light being the worst example.) That said, the story really comes to life with Mega Man 8. While most who play a Mega Man game don't play the games for superfluous story elements, you can skip all cutscenes if you really just want to get into the game.

That's the problem with crabs. They'll get you every time.

The structure of Mega Man 8 is most like its SNES predecessor, Mega Man 7. There is an opening stage to play through, and then you get a selection of four Robot Master levels to choose from. After the initial four boss levels are completed, a midway stage opens up, followed by the latter four Robot Master levels.

Mega Man 8 is a globe-trotting trek across the planet.

As with any classic Mega Man game, the best course of action in choosing which Robot Master stages to tackle comes from which special weapons you have in your possession. For instance, starting off, you just have your Mega Buster, Mega Man's standard weapon, so it's best to take on a Robot Master that can be defeated easily without any other special weapon. A defeated Robot Master means gaining their special weapon, making it a lot more manageable to beat the Robot Master that is weak against that weapon. Every Robot Master has its own weakness to a special weapon. The Flash Bomb does heavy damage to Frost Man, while the Astro Crush makes short work of Aqua Man.

"I'm Aqua Man, but you can call me 'screwed'."

Levels in Mega Man 8 also put to good work the beefed up hardware. For instance, Clown Man's stage features a robot with a mallet in the background that intermittently comes out of its door to ring the clock tower bell. Whatever block Mega Man is standing on when this happens results in some kind of interaction. An "O" means safety, while an "X" causes a punching glove to pop out like a cruel and painful jack-in-the-box. Then there is Frost Man's infamous stage which consists of snowboarding down a perilous pathway with great speed, listening and watching the signals for Mega Man to "jump" and "slide." I mustn't forget Tengu's Man stage, where Mega Man rides Rush through an intense on-rails side-scrolling shoot-em-up section!

Would anyone else like to join our aerial strike team?

Like Mega Man 7, Mega Man's eighth outing has several reasons to return to levels. Instead of a wide range of collectibles that require painstaking digging random spots in the ground as Rush, Mega Man 8 houses 40 special bolts to find and acquire. This is, of course, totally optional to do, but they're great for two reasons: 1) They beef up the replay value of the game, and 2) They can be used at Dr. Light's laboratory to pay for special chips. These chips range from an exit chip, allowing exit from a level without having to lose all your lives and returning to the stage select menu, to special upgrades to Mega Man's Mega Buster. Bolts often require taking the road less traveled, as well as returning to levels once a new special weapon has been acquired.

Unlike most of Mega Man's past games, Mega Man 8 is noticeably much easier to play and to beat. There is no shortage of 1-ups to come across, enemies don't do much damage to Mega Man compared to past games, and levels have ample amounts of checkpoints so redoing whole sections of levels isn't as much of a punishment this time around. Still, while it's not the challenge for the thumbs that pre-32-bit Mega Man games were, Mega Man 8 is still a blast to play.

Mega Man swimming proves once again that it's never
too late to teach an old robot some new tricks.

I've talked about the voice work and excellent cutscenes in Mega Man 8, but allow me to quickly discuss the visuals and sound as a whole. Mega Man 8 features lush, colorful, detailed environments, brimming and bursting with sights for the eyes to behold. Enemies and especially Robot Masters are animated and articulated abundantly well. Meanwhile, the music contains plenty of catchy tunes that while not as memorable as a Mega Man 2 Wily Stage 1 level, offer nice background noise while playing.

Areas are abundant and rich with color and detail.

Mega Man 8 isn't the most popular game in the series, but I really enjoy playing it. It makes me feel regret that Capcom didn't continue this more modern style of Mega Man for the two sequels, Mega Man 9 and 10, instead going for the 8-bit style of the series's past. Still, I have hope that we'll see Mega Man back in the spotlight soon enough, and perhaps with a colorful and modern Mega Man game to his name all over again.

[SPC Says: B+]