SuperPhillip Central Best of 2021 Awards - Top Five Multiplayer Games

Multiplayer games can bring us together, even when we're doing some good-natured trash-talking or ribbing of our friends and family members. This next award on the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2021 Awards is all about this very subject: multiplayer games. Whether featuring competition or focusing on cooperation, these five games were some of the best multiplayer experiences in 2021.

5) Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (NSW)

We kick off this countdown of magnificent multiplayer experiences with some Mario, specifically the Super Mario 3D World portion of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. Like the Wii U game, when you get more than one person in the game to run and jump around the colorful and hazard-filled courses of the game, you're in for an absolute treat. Now, with the Nintendo Switch port of the game, players don't have to limit themselves to purely an offline multiplayer experience. No, now the multiplayer mayhem can happen online, too, with up to four players. When the connection works well, it's a wonderfully fun and chaotic game, and it created some of my most cherished multiplayer moments this year.

4) Monster Hunter Rise (NSW)

Imagine, if you will, staring down the face of a behemoth Royal Ludroth, or worse an electrifying and all too terrifying Zenogre. A scary prospect when you're all alone, but unite up with three other hunters and it's an absolute blast. That's what Monster Hunter Rise bestowed onto Nintendo Switch owners earlier this year, offering some of the most mechanically sound, enjoyable multiplayer hunts in Monster Hunter series history. Part of that is due to the wirebug attachment that allowed players to shoot through the air, zooming past monster defenses and unleashing heavy damage onto them. Battles could already get heated in Monster Hunter games, but never as hot as it was in Monster Hunter Rise. Whether playing with friends or teaming up with total strangers/randoms, Monster Hunter Rise was always a good time to get a feel for the thrill of the hunt.

3) It Takes Two (Multi)

The idea of a co-op only game sort of totally falls apart if the multiplayer isn't up to snuff. Thankfully for It Takes Two, the co-op multiplayer featured here, whether done locally or online, was incorporated wonderfully to create one of gaming's most unique and enjoyable multiplayer experiences of 2021--if not ever. Two players teamed up together, supporting one another, working mostly asymmetrically with different tools and equipment to help each other through the game's wondrous worlds. New ideas popped up constantly, and better yet, they were consistently polished well. Playing It Takes Two with my older brother locally made for some of the best times the two of us have had sharing a game together in a looong while, and for that, I will very much appreciate the game. That's on top of what I already appreciated It Takes Two for: simply being an exquisite co-op based adventure.

2) Halo Infinite (XBS, XB1, PC)

Halo multiplayer is seldom a bad time, and Halo Infinite brought the series' marvelous multiplayer, its deathmatches, and its team skirmishes to an entirely new level. Whether playing online in custom-made matches or ranked play, players could compete in the ridiculously enjoyable first-person firefights that have made Halo a cornerstone in the FPS genre and as a multiplayer shooter. The ability to zip around the battlefields with the new Grappleshot (as used by Master Chief in the also-excellent campaign) opened up a whole new layer of mobility and strategy to matches. Couple all this with the ability to play offline against bots (THANK YOU, 343 Industries!), and you have one stellar multiplayer showcase for the Xbox brand. But, perhaps that's to be expected from Halo as a series after 20 years.

1) Mario Party Superstars (NSW)

Nintendo finally did it. It developed and published a Mario Party game that not only returned the series to its roots but managed to surpass past efforts in many ways. First and foremost: online play that actually works and was fully featured! It made the past hassles of poor connections, disconnections, lag, and connection errors seem like a distant memory. The ability to quit a match mid-game and return to it later whilst online was a fantastic and most welcome addition, stickers--how ever spam-able--were cute inclusions, and being able to have the CPU join in when a human player disconnects was also wonderfully added. Throw in the five boards from Mario Party 1-3 and the 100 mini-games from Mario Party 1-10, and you have one positively stellar party package with Mario Party Superstars. The amount of fun I had this year playing with offline and especially online friends (some of whom I met just this year and have grown close with) will be something I will always cherish, putting Superstars at the top of this list of Top Five Multiplayer Games in 2021.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2021 Awards - Top Five Best Original Soundtracks

Welcome, one and all, to the annual tradition that concludes each and every year here at SPC: It's the SuperPhillip Central Best of Awards! This time around we're looking back at the gaming year that was 2021. Like we've done in previous years, we'll be providing you, dear readers, with eight unique countdowns in list form, celebrating the best and brightest in gaming this past year. From the year's biggest surprises to the most overlooked games, and of course the crowning of SPC's Game of the Year on New Year's Eve to say goodbye to 2021 in style, there will be a wide assortment of lists to get through together. With that, let us get to the very first list of this year's awards!

And we're doing so with a bang, and a boom... and some stellar notes, too! Subjectivity is always a thing with video games, but perhaps that is no truer than with this first top five list and awards category: Best Original Soundtracks of 2021. After all, one gamer's great soundtrack is another's passable one. It's all up to the listener! While there has been no shortage of excellent tunes to trance out and vibe to, the truly fantastic soundtracks of the year have left a memorable mark with stirring sounds, magical melodies, and a robust repertoire of tunes. 

Games with soundtrack comprised mostly of licensed songs, such as Forza Horizon 5, how ever much a super sampling of music that is, do not qualify for this list. Hence, the "original" adjective thrown in before "soundtracks", of course! Now, onto the list!

5) Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (PS4, NSW, PC)

To kick off this list in style, we have a game series that will always have a place on one of these types of lists in the year of its release: the Ys series! The ninth numbered installment in the series, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, brought with it a more Gothic sound to it, in addition to the series's traditional hard rock and heavy metal goodness of more modern entries. It's all fitting for the darker and more intense approach that Ys IX delivers, giving the soundtrack an almost Castlevania-like quality to its music. That's a high compliment if I've ever written one, which I just did! 

Decision

Dreaming in the Grimwald

Welcome to Chaos

Heart Beat Shaker

Feel Force

4) Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania (Multi)

Bright and bouncy, much like the Monkey Balls that speed through the game's death trap courses, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania's soundtrack is one part original music and one part returning tracks from Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2. It IS a celebration of 20 years of Monkey Ball madness, after all! We'll be focusing on the former set of songs, as it doesn't seem that fair to set our sights merely on previously used music. Regardless, the new songs are absolute bops and amazingly fitting for the Super Monkey Ball series. Many rival or downright obliterate the original themes, if such a thing isn't sacrilegious of me to say as a Super Monkey Ball fan. Either way, these songs do not get grating even after your sixtieth time "falling out" on the same floor!

When a Person Dreams

Skip Forward with Me

Attack is the Best Form of Defense

Star on the Black 2021

Monkey's Highway

3) Monster Hunter Rise (NSW, PC)

Monster Hunter music with an especially Japanese flavor, Monster Hunter Rise brings a joyous reverie of sound with its stellar music. From the title screen and main camp's pleasant and pretty vocal tunes, to the riveting and rambunctious battle themes with monsters and beasts alike, listeners of Monster Hunter Rise's soundtrack receive an absolute treat in their ears. There's something for everyone and for every mood with Monster Hunter Rise's music, and the amazing melodies only further enhanced my opinion of this game's soundtrack.

Kamura's Song of Purification

Sanctuary Abandoned by the Gods

Where Wyverns Go to Die

Cold Blues and Flaming Reds

Quest Completed

2) Death's Door (Multi)

To say that I was floored by Death's Door would be quite the understatement. David Fenn's work on this excellent action-adventure game accentuates said action when it needs to, and is more subdued but still delightfully melodic, when needed when exploring the depressing yet beautiful world of the game. Battle themes like Avarice and Betty deliver thrills while Ceramic Manor and The Old Watchtowers offer a hauntingly gorgeous sound to them. The soundtrack fires on all cylinders, and it's very much worth a purchase. Check out the full soundtrack on David Fenn's Bandcamp page, along with other soundtracks of his.

Death's Door 

Ceramic Manor

Avarice

The Old Watchtowers

Betty

1) Bravely Default II (NSW, PC)

Speaking of being floored by a soundtrack, there's the grand return of prog rock maven Revo to the Bravely Default series with his Bravely Default II masterclass of music composition. Whether you're navigating the world, towns, or dungeons of the game, or facing a climactic confrontation with a boss, you're in for a wild musical ride. There are really no losers when it comes to this soundtrack, whether that be a song or the listener! The brilliance of this soundtrack culminates with the last boss theme, which seems to effortlessly weave leitmotifs throughout the game to create one sensational note (or notes) to go out on. All of these factors make Revo's Bravely Default II the top original soundtrack of 2021 here at SuperPhillip Central.

Halcyonia, Home of the Spring Breeze

The Horizon: Endless Plains

Wiswald, The Scholars' Haven

Battle Against the Ones We Inevitably Confront

Eyes That Gaze into the Nexus ~ The Ones Who Gather Stars in the Night

The Tuesday 10s - Co-Op Multiplayer Games

After coming off one of the most satisfying co-op gaming experiences in recent years with It Takes Two (you can read more about the fun times that were had with the game with the SPC review), it only makes sense to follow that up with a special edition of The Tuesday 10s that focuses on ten of the better co-op games around. We'll be diving and delving into a lot of modern games, for sure, but there will be a couple classics tossed into this list as well. So, sit back, get comfortable, perhaps even get a buddy to read this article with you (as that would be rather fitting), and get ready for this latest installment of The Tuesday 10s!

It Takes Two (Multi)

What better way to start this edition of The Tuesday 10s than with the game that inspired it? It Takes Two is a 3D platformer with a whole heck of a lot of variety. So many of the ideas--and there are an immense number of them--could be crafted into their own game, but instead, the folks at Hazelight Studios took each idea, used them sparingly, and moved onto the next to keep the experience really fresh. The kicker here is that each idea and mechanic is lovingly and fully realized, so there's nothing that feels off, despite the myriad mechanics introduced throughout this 10-15 hour co-operative adventure full of puzzles, platforming, and other peril.

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW)

Really, any Monster Hunter with online could be included in this list of fantastic co-operative games, but seeing as Monster Hunter Rise is not only the most recent release in the franchise, but also the most accessible, it seemed like a smart pick. Battling behemoth beasts and colossal creatures with friends and other players online is seldom a bad time, and considering the wide amount of added mobility and ways to take down these titular monsters within Rise, it's pretty much always an exciting and excellent time! Team up with a pack of hunters to tackle the most ferocious monsters seen in a Monster Hunter game, work together to take them down, and to the victor goes the spoils of carved monster pieces to craft even better equipment. It's a gameplay loop that has worked for a decade now, and it's made even better and more fun with friends.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

If taking down hulking monstrosities isn't your cup of tea and you'd prefer a more laidback gameplay experience with your pals, then may I suggest Animal Crossing: New Horizons? It was pretty much THE game that helped many of us get through the jerk of a year that was 2020, and it continues to give players around the world pleasure and joy. Meet up with friends and explore your island homes-away-from-home together, interact with one another, chat with the locals, fish and catch bugs together, and perform all sorts of other enjoyable activities together. Animal Crossing: New Horizons brought with it hundreds of hours of entertainment all yearlong for this particular writer, and no doubt my total playtime is on the low end compared to the more... let's say... dedicated player base out there!

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (NSW)

Get ready for a whole mess of Mario with FOUR games featuring the mustachioed mascot of Nintendo! We begin with the most recent game to release starring the portly plumber: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. The original 3D World released on the Wii U, and this Nintendo Switch port introduces faster gameplay to 3D World, online play (a lovely addition that works more than it fails), and a brand-new adventure with Bowser's Fury. Playing 3D World online or even locally with friends and family alike has been some of my most cherished gaming memories. Sure, we might hinder more than we help one another at times, but that's all part of the platforming fun. Super Mario 3D World remains one of the better 3D outings featuring Mario and company, and it's an excellent game that is made even better on the Nintendo Switch.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (NSW)

We move from 3D to 2D with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, a dual package of platforming adventures. There is the original New Super Mario Bros. U, which served as a launch title for the Wii U, and then there's the additional DLC adventure, New Super Luigi U, featuring bite-sized, much more difficult levels to play through. I talked about hindering more than helping other players with Super Mario 3D World, and yes, as you can imagine, that's the case as well with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. And yet again, that's simply part of the fun as well. Laughing at one another when Mario and Luigi are over a pit, and Mario accidentally leaps off Luigi's noggin, thus resulting in the lean green plumber plummeting to his death, will never not be funny. Yes, I am a sadist at times in my gaming exploits. Regardless, two of the better 2D platformers within the Mario series in one package, and a great co-operative game to boot? That's just super!

Luigi's Mansion 3 (NSW)

We return to the 3D realm of gaming with the third game in the Luigi's Mansion franchise, and dare I say the best entry yet: Luigi's Mansion 3. What makes this optional co-operative mode with Luigi's haunted adventure so terrific is that while one player can control Luigi, the second can control Gooigi. This second player not only can help Luigi through puzzles which require two players, but Gooigi's great for beginner or lesser skilled players, as Gooigi has unlimited lives and can walk through most dangers unscathed. In the standard solo adventure, the player controls both Luigi and Gooigi, which can sometimes feel like trying to rub one's stomach while patting one's head (don't brag to me if you can do that easily, by the way). At any rate, Luigi's Mansion 3 offers lots of co-operative fun for both beginners and veterans of gaming alike to enjoy themselves and help one another out.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

Let's take a trip back into the past by almost two decades with some Mario Kart: Double Dash. This Nintendo GameCube entry in the Mario Kart franchise is one of the most creative and innovative in both the series and the kart racing genre as well. Two players ride along the same kart: one player drives and the other fires off items. The two can--with the proper communication--switch positions mid-race to change racing duties. This is often necessary to succeed in a given race and cross that coveted finish line in first place. This is a co-operative kart racer that demands cooperation, communication, and patience with one another, or else you'll find yourselves careening off course, getting gob-smacked by the competition, and winding up in the back of the pack and low on the leaderboards. It was a terrific one-off installment of the Mario Kart series, but I know I can't be alone in wishing that this dual kart mechanic would return in a future installment, right?

Rayman Legends (Multi)

Moving on from Mario to a lesser beloved and appreciated platforming hero, we have Rayman's most recent platforming adventure: Rayman Legends. Play with up to three other players in some ingeniously crafted levels, some of which return from Rayman Origins with brand-new secrets and window dressing inside them. The stars of the level show happen to be the Murfy levels, where one player controls the flying little wonder as he manipulates level obstacles and platforms to help the other players through these hazard-filled gauntlets safely. Like any co-operative game worth its weight in Lums, teamwork, communication, and patience are required to survive. Outside of the Murfy levels is some of the most creative and enjoyable designs seen in a 2D platformer, from the lovely music levels to the entertaining bosses. Case in point: Rayman Legends is an excellent platformer whether you're playing with a full group, another partner, or simply by your lonesome.

Overcooked 2 (Multi)

Co-operative cooking action! No, this isn't a Hideo Kojima game, it's Overcooked 2! Players and prospective cooks alike team up together in kitchens of all shapes, sizes, and gimmicks to cook and serve multiple menus of delicious goodies. Simple enough in theory, but much, much more difficult in execution. When you have obstacles in your way, kitchens that shift and split up as you try to move around them, and of course having to delineate tasks between your co-operative partners, things get mighty tense mighty quickly. It's almost as intense as trying to run a restaurant's kitchen in real life! Almost, of course! With dozens upon dozens of levels to perfect for great scores, progressively more challenging menus to construct, and plenty of teamwork to be found, Overcooked 2 is one rowdy co-op cooking experience!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES, ARC)

The oldest game on this list, but by no means one of the only retro co-operative games available for players to enjoy (no, no, that's FAR from the case), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time stormed arcades before releasing on the Super Nintendo for players to enjoy at the comfort of their cozy couches and homes. Shredder was back and down to his typical dirty deeds, but this time around, he had a trump card in the form of sending the Turtles back in time. This particular TMNT beat-em-up featured the most variety of locales and level gimmicks than most other games of its genre. It's the type of game that is just fun to play, and not just for one time and then you put the cartridge away to forget about it for the rest of your days. No, the gameplay was so enjoyable, especially with a second player, that it made for a title that saw repeated plays at the SuperPhillip household and without question repeated plays in gaming households the world over. 

Review Round-Up - April 2021

Rising to the occasion in a big way, Monster Hunter Rise definitely delivered,
 earning Game of the Month honors here at SuperPhillip Central.

An April shower of reviews--eight to be exact--brings May flowers! That's how the saying goes, right? Or something similar to that, at any rate! It's the conclusion of another month, so before we make the march into May, let's review the month of reviews for SuperPhillip Central that was April 2021!

Beginning with some family-friendly fare, we joined Ty the Tasmanian Tiger's Bush Rescue team for the remaster of a 2004 game with Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD. It received a C+ grade. Then, we took to the starting line and raced with Nickelodeon's all-star lineup of colorful characters with Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix, speeding through the slime to get a satisfying C grade. 

We then went cheep--er, cheap, with an ultra-affordable Nintendo eShop game more than worth its one dollar price of admission, Toree 3D, a 3D speed-running platformer with some out-of-place spoopy elements. The game earned a solid B. From 3D platforming to 2.5D platforming, we then took a look at Stitchy in Tooki Trouble, a pretty short and unoriginal game, but also a somewhat enjoyable one, receiving a C+ grade.

We then moved from consoles to mobile with SuperPhillip Central's first ever assortment of Apple Arcade reviews, starting at the tee with Clap Hanz Golf, from the makers of the Everybody's Golf series. The game birdied for a great B grade. The other Apple Arcade exclusive reviewed this month was Way of the Turtle, a side-scrolling 2.5D Metroidvania. It was a shell of a time, getting a B-. More Apple Arcade reviews and content will be forthcoming here at SPC in the coming months.

Concluding the month of reviews in April were two extremes. Effie, specifically the poorly performing Nintendo Switch port, received the lowest score of the month, a C-, while Monster Hunter Rise rightfully earned an A grade and Game of the Month honors here at SuperPhillip Central.

It was a surprisingly busy month of reviews here at SPC, full of variety and good games. Let's continue the momentum as SPC heads towards its 1,000th review, which we're just eight reviews away from at the time of this post. To see all previous reviews ever posted on this site, check out the SPC Review Archive. Finally, for your convenience, here are links and excerpts from all eight reviews published this past month. Until next month, we'll catch you later, Review Round-Up!

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD (NSW) - C+

...Even as someone who didn't play the original games when they released but has a fond remembrance for games of this era, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD serves as a nostalgic trip for me. The platforming and level design are overall solid, as are the touched-up visuals. Everything else involved with the design? Well, that's better left in 2004. Still, I don't regret having Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 take up 15 hours of my time. It was a worthwhile game to play, despite my many misgivings with Ty's not-so-ripsnorting sequel. 

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC) - C

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix doesn't necessarily finish at first place on the podium, but it also doesn't necessarily limp across the finish line on fumes, either. I appreciated the improved presentation (lack of character voices and familiar music aside) and increased number of shows and characters included in the game, whether they be playable, chief and crew members, or track designs. Better balancing of the harder Grand Prix speeds would have made for a higher level of enjoyment, as I don't know what kind of kid would not rage at the nonsense that happens during these races when a grown adult almost does, but overall, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix 2 is good slime--er, time. Lack of originality and balancing, notwithstanding.

Toree 3D (NSW) - B

Toree 3D more than justifies its dollar price tag, offering well executed 3D platforming and engaging levels that encourage repeated play-throughs to attempt to aim for those coveted "A" ranks (though leaderboards, even offline ones, would have been appreciated). This is a game that is perfect to pick up and play, put down, and then come back to now and again. It's a beauty to look at, it runs well, and it even has some cool, light spooky elements as well, though these seem to clash with the style of the game ultimately. Still, if you're up for a quick, bite-sized 3D platformer, have a dollar or some Gold Points to spare, then you should definitely download Toree 3D.

Stitchy in Tooki Trouble (NSW) - C+

Despite my brief and breezy time with Stitchy in Tooki Trouble, I did find myself enjoying the game. There are some well executed ideas and concepts presented in Polygoat's title, and it looks and sounds pleasant as well. Veterans of the platforming genre won't find themselves tested too terribly much from Stitchy's adventure, aside from perhaps certain time trials, and the short length of the game is another glaring issue that might make a purchase less than ideal. For everyone else, there is a lot to like about Stitchy in Tooki Trouble.

Clap Hanz Golf (iOS) - B

Between the over 20 characters to join your golfing team, 6+ themed courses taking place in locales like New York City's Central Park or the Egyptian pyramids, and hours upon hours of thrilling golf gameplay, Clap Hanz's first foray into self-publishing is a great success. While the swing system takes a lot of getting used to, as it has a somewhat steep learning curve, the overall difficulty of the game isn't that high that it creates a ton of frustration. Sure, I wanted to curse the golf gods when yet another shot of mine went off track or I missed a simple putt, but ultimately, I kept plugging and putting away, enjoying myself with Clap Hanz Golf. 

Way of the Turtle (iOS) - B-

Currently, with what is available in Way of the Turtle feels like a complete title gameplay and length-wise, just with a sudden cliffhanger that left me wanting more. That's a good thing--the "left me wanting more" part, as it shows that I did enjoy my time with the game. Inconsistent touch controls, occasionally poor camera angles, and an unhelpful, undetailed map are issues with the game, but on the whole, Way of the Turtle gets from me a recommendation like a turtle's shell: a solid one!

Effie (NSW) - C-

Sadly, while Ellie is most likely a thoroughly enjoyable, if not short, adventure on other platforms, it simply is not that enjoyable on the Switch. The game is simply put, a technical mess in need of some serious fixing in the frame-rate and the bug department. It's wholly unpolished, which sadly is far too common an occurrence when it comes to ports from other platforms to the Switch. I do recommend Ellie--but with a HUGE caveat that it be for platforms other than the Switch, because what's here is just not worth it. It's a real shame, too, as I genuinely had fun playing Ellie on the Switch despite this port's problems.

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW) - A

All in all, Monster Hunter Rise definitely has risen to the occasion for this player. After so many unsuccessful attempts to fully breach into the series' intimidating defenses, I finally got through with Rise. With its magnificent new mobility options with both Palamutes and to a much greater extent, the Wirebug, I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back to previous Monster Hunter games with the same level of enjoyment. They may just feel like tremendous regressions instead. Regardless, Rampages, wyvern riding, online hunts, expansive maps with not a loading screen in sight, and a robust arsenal of engaging weaponry makes Monster Hunter Rise more than just my favorite Monster Hunter game yet--it's also one of my favorite games of 2021 so far.

Clap Hanz Golf was one of two Apple Arcade exclusives covered
by SuperPhillip Central in review form this past month.

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW) Review

Our final review for the month of April is a big one. It's all been leading up to this for SuperPhillip Central's month of reviews. Monster Hunter Rise launched late last month to equal positive acclaim from both fans and critics alike. Now, as both, I throw my Great Sword into the arena to give my opinion on the latest in a franchise of games that I have a difficult time getting into. Here is the SPC review of Monster Hunter Rise for the Nintendo Switch.

 The thrill of the hunt returns to the Nintendo Switch

I've tried to get into the Monster Hunter series so many times, and so many times I bounce off before even seeing the ending credits roll. I start off promisingly enough, completing quests, hunting smaller monsters, but eventually I get to a wall and just stop playing. Perhaps it's the included quality of life measures added to make the latest game in the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Rise, so accessible that it allows a generally poor hunter like myself to feel actually competent and capable in hunts, but I wound up absolutely adoring this game. With so many new twists on the old, familiar formula, Monster Hunter Rise certainly does rise to the occasion, offering one of the most impressive series of hunts in series history.

Monster Hunter Rise is set in Kamura Village, a blossoming and bustling little burg, which has recently seen a higher number of monster attacks including those known as Rampages. You play as the village's sole hunter, a promising new hunter which is tasked with completing quests and hunting monsters to keep monsters at bay. Though there are still quests where your hunter is asked to gather specific materials like in past Monster Hunter games, the majority of the time you'll be exterminating pests both small and large. Occasionally, you'll enter the aforementioned Rampages, an all-new type of battle in the Monster Hunter series.

Your custom-made character serves as the hunter here at Kamura Village.

Rampages are one of the new features presented in Monster Hunter Rise. These are essentially tower-defense battles where you place and plant a certain amount of defenses, such as turrets, cannons, bombs, and more, in an attempt to slow down and turn away the monsters that seek to destroy the last line of Kamura Village's defenses, a large gate. You can operate the defenses yourself, or you can jump in and attack monsters directly. The former offers the ability to attack foes from a safe distance, while attacking monsters directly delivers a substantial amount of more damage. Rampages not only have resource management to worry about but also micromanagement as well. Some monsters will attack your defenses, while others will charge gates, making them practically required to center your attention on immediately as your number one priority. 

These Rampage battles can get a bit tedious and frustrating at times, especially when you're operating a defense like a cannon or Gatling gun, for instance. It's annoying when you're constantly smacked around by a monster when you're just trying to get on the turret, or worse, in the chaos you accidentally uninstall the defense itself. This results in a mad dash to reinstall it and attempt to operate it without getting smacked on your butt again. Still, despite some annoyances with Rise's Rampages, they're overall a welcome addition and were quite enjoyable to me.

No, thanks, Royal Ludroth--I'm not interested in a bath just yet.

There is more that is new feature-wise to Monster Hunter Rise than just the Rampages, however. The biggest, most groundbreaking addition to the gameplay side of Rise and the Monster Hunter series as a whole is the Wirebug. This tool lets your hunter zip through the air quickly with short, intermittent slings. It's perfect not just for getting around and reaching higher places in a faster fashion, but it also helps in both retreating from a monster's attack and charging straight into a monster to deliver your own hunter's brand of offense. The Wirebug has a short recharge period before it can be utilized again, so you can't just use it freely with reckless abandon. Heck, if you do use it with reckless abandon, you'll often find yourself unable to escape from a monster's clutches in time--possibly resulting in getting knocked out in battle. 

The open, expansive maps of Monster Hunter Rise are the perfect playground for the Wirebug. These areas are all one map, rather than what previous Nintendo-centric Monster Hunter games possessed, which were individual areas or essentially "rooms" separated by loading screens. The level of verticality in these maps is impressive, and they're absolutely packed and dense with content, whether they be places to spawn Great Wirebugs, which launch you a further distance--many times across a large expanse of map--areas where materials can be picked, mined, or otherwise gathered, or find sub-camps to serve as fast travel points in hunts to instantly become transported to them for easy convenience.

What also makes Monster Hunter Rise so wonderful is how much more accessible it is as a game. Part of that is due to the ease of use of the Wirebug, but also another substantial part is that so much of the hassle from past Monster Hunter games has been streamlined. For instance, you don't have to craft consumable whetstones just to sharpen your weapon. Instead, you automatically have an reusable whetstone on you that does that itself. The addition of companions in the form of Palamutes and Felynxes that join you on hunts in single player, offer a means to not only distract monsters at times, but also deliver damage and occasionally heal you as well. The Palamute is especially helpful because you can ride on top of it to get around maps quickly. One of my favorite things to do in Rise with a Palamute is ride on top of it, rush towards a large beast, jump off my canine companion, and slam my weapon straight into the beast's back to deal some preemptive damage to it, starting the battle in style.

Here's some Great Sword in your beak!

The amount of hunts and monsters featured in Monster Hunter Rise is quite sizable. You start off with smaller--though still twice or three times the size of your custom character--monsters to hunt, and these have easier patterns to pick up on, simpler attacks to avoid, and deal less damage. As your Hunter Rank increases from completing quests, the hunts get predictably harder, offering large behemoths of beasts to battle, complete with massively challenging and stronger attacks to evade. These are ones that can cause status effects like poison, burn, and weakened stamina, a kiss of death to unprepared hunters. 

One of the new innovations to battles in Monster Hunter Rise involves when two or more monsters enter into the same section of map and engage in a turf war. One monster will usually weaken the other, resulting in the ability to hop aboard the beast and ride it. From there, you can either bash into the other monster, slowly weakening it while chipping off rare resources in the process, or charge into walls, damaging itself in the process. It's a blast to ride one monster, weaken the other, and then luck out by being able to ride the second monster, starting the wyvern rodeo all over again.

Two insanely powerful monsters going claw to claw? Let them fight.

As the saying goes, to the victor goes the spoils, with ample opportunities for monsters to reward hunters with rare materials for battling them, defeating them, capturing them via pitfall or shock traps, or even carving up their corpses (macabre, yes, but it's not THEY'RE going to need their materials anymore!). These materials, like any Monster Hunter game, can be used to craft new weapons and armor, offering stronger attack power, defense, and even elemental advantages (as well as DIS-advantages). Petalaces and decorations are also available, with the latter being able to be equipped in certain weapons and armor to grant bonus abilities when worn. Of course, the rarest and most impressive of weapons and armor require the rarest of materials, and many times you'll need to battle a specific monster to either capture or defeat it multiple times before you ever get the specific material you're looking for. This can be frustrating at times, but I found hunts so fun in Rise that it wasn't that much of an issue for me, unlike past Monster Hunter games.

Getting attacked right now could make my hunter go a bit batty.

There are two types of quests in Monster Hunter Rise: Village and Hub quests. Village quests are solo affairs that are basically the tutorial of the game. That isn't to say the monsters you face are pushovers, but they're but an appetizer to the hunts that occur in the Hub quests. Essentially, the real game begins once you start tackling Hub quests. Monsters have more health, as well as take and give more damage, meaning that those who play alone will be at a bit of a disadvantage. However, those with a Nintendo Switch Online account and subscription can join up with three other hunters for some online hunts. You can either create a lobby to have players join you--this is better for people you know and can coordinate with--or do a Join Request. These Join Requests have you either creating and entering a Hub quest by your lonesome, with players eventually joining in, or have you joining in the middle of another hunter's quest like players will do if you create your own Join Request hunt. Either way, all of my countless hunts online were nothing short of lag-free and immensely enjoyable.

While several familiar monsters from past games return, many possess new moves and attacks this time around.

Monster Hunter Rise is one of the more captivating Nintendo Switch games in the visual department. The RE Engine really struts its stuff and looks incredibly lovely in Rise. Monsters are magnificently detailed and superbly animated, and the environments are full of strong ambience with lighting and shadows that look utterly phenomenal. I absolutely love the short but sweet narrated introductory sequences that play at the start of hunts featuring new monsters. They ooze with personality and charm. The music, too, strikes a sensational chord, bringing with it captivating tracks, awesome themes, and pieces of music that absolutely dazzle and impress. 

All in all, Monster Hunter Rise definitely has risen to the occasion for this player. After so many unsuccessful attempts to fully breach into the series' intimidating defenses, I finally got through with Rise. With its magnificent new mobility options with both Palamutes and to a much greater extent, the Wirebug, I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back to previous Monster Hunter games with the same level of enjoyment. They may just feel like tremendous regressions instead. Regardless, Rampages, wyvern riding, online hunts, expansive maps with not a loading screen in sight, and a robust arsenal of engaging weaponry makes Monster Hunter Rise more than just my favorite Monster Hunter game yet--it's also one of my favorite games of 2021 so far.

[SPC Says: A]

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW) Kamura's Hope Trailer

It's less than three weeks away--yes, I'm referring to the latest in the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Rise! Capcom provided a new trailer full of gameplay as well as a bit of news in the form of a second demo arriving on March 11th and new monsters including Chameleos clawing its way to Rise in late April. For the time being, check out this gameplay-centric, action-intense trailer for Monster Hunter Rise below!

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW) "Nintendo Direct 2.17.21" Trailer

With a new Nintendo Direct comes a new trailer for Monster Hunter Rise, no doubt the biggest third-party game heading to the Nintendo Switch in some time. New monsters and story elements arise in this trailer. Monster Hunter Rise makes the leap onto Nintendo Switch on March 26th.

The Tuesday 10s - Most Anticipated Games of 2021

Welcome to the first major post of 2021 on SuperPhillip Central, as well as the first edition of the Tuesday 10s of the year as well! Looking ahead and leaving 2020 rightfully in the dust, 2021 is shaping up to be an incredible year for games. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series line of consoles are kicking into overdrive, and the Nintendo Switch continues its successful run. This installment of the Tuesday 10s looks forward to the games that most excite and bring the hype in 2021. For this list, games that have a somewhat firm 2021 release period will qualify, so titles with nebulous launch dates like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's sequel (albeit well worth hyping up) won't be listed. Now, with that out of the way, let's get to this list of the most anticipated games of 2021 with the Tuesday 10s!

Horizon: Forbidden West (PS5, PS4)

Our first most anticipated game set to release this year is Horizon: Forbidden West, the follow-up to 2017's fantastic Horizon: Zero Dawn. A planned cross-gen release, Forbidden West takes place in the titular locale, specifically the United States' west coast, though one that has gone irredeemably south in a post-apocalyptic setting. We'll be able to explore above and below ground, even underwater--a first in the series--on a map that is set to be even larger than the already expansive original game's world. Aloy's sophomore adventure is shaping up to be an excellent one, that's for sure, and I'm eager to discover more about the game later this year.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)

All of Sony's first-party PS5 projects and games use the system's enhanced hardware and solid state drive for sensationally fast loading times, and none show this as excellently gameplay-wise than with the latest in the Ratchet & Clank series, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. One segment of last June's first footage from the game showed our lombax and robot pair falling through portal after portal, where complex and completely different action-packed environments--that on any other platform would require loading screens to show--displayed themselves instantaneously in utterly impressive fashion. Rift Apart showcases a lot of the PS5's processing power, most certainly, and it'll be nice to have a wholly original game in the series to play, with new worlds and characters (such as a new mysterious female lombax!), after all this time!

Gran Turismo 7 (PS5)

Arguably the king of racing simulation games (the "arguably" is due to Forza being in contention), Gran Turismo 7, comes screeching down the PlayStation 5 pipeline. The ultimate driving simulator is estimated to make its PlayStation 5 debut sometime this year, and I cannot wait. Several classic modes are confirmed to return in this installment from past games, such as the GT Simulation Mode, the helpful tutorial and practice mode known as the Driving School, Special Events, and Championship modes, to name a handful, as well as various modes and features from Gran Turismo Sport. This seventh numbered edition of Gran Turismo is shaping up to speed into the hearts of many racing game lovers and delight!

Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PS5, PS4, PC)

A graphically stunning game made by a small but ambitious studio to boot, Kena: Bridge of Spirits looks absolutely delightful--almost Pixar-esque in its graphical glory. The game follows our eponymous protagonist as she serves as a spirit guide in an oriental-inspired world. There, she goes around venturing through the world collecting spiritual creatures. The developers have revealed that the name of these spirits is collectively known as the Rot. Using her staff, bow, and even getting some help from her new Rot friends, Kena engages in combat and sets off on a grand adventure to learn more about herself and restore the village hub to its former glory. Kena: Bridge of Spirits was delayed to later this year, but with a game with this much potential for being fantastic, I'm just fine with the developers taking as much time as they need to make Kena's debut adventure as great as possible.

Bravely Default II (NSW)

We move on from PlayStation projects and games on the horizon to the Nintendo Switch, which has some mystery surrounding it on what will actually release on the darn thing from Nintendo this year! Will we see the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the series' 35th anniversary? While we ponder that question, let's turn to Bravely Default II, the direct sequel to the Nintendo 3DS RPG hit from Square Enix. The Brave Point combat system from the original game returns, though in altered and refined form, as does the sensationally talented composer Revo. This time around, players find and collect asterisks in order to change each party member's class, making this job system function in a different way when compared to the 3DS original. After receiving feedback from players last year from the first demo, a final demo for Bravely Default II released a month ago, offering one last look at the game before it arrives on the Nintendo Switch on February 26th.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (NSW)

One of the few remaining games that could realistically make the jump from the Wii U to the Nintendo Switch without drastically reworking the game, Super Mario 3D World prepares to make the leap to Switch on February 12th. However, it's not just a simple port with little work done. In fact, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury seems more than worth its asking price with the new content packed into it. While we don't fully know the details about the new Bowser's Fury content, we do know that Mario and company have faster maximum running speeds to alter the gameplay rather significantly, and more interestingly, online co-op has been announced! I adored Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U, as you can see by the SPC review from 2013, so it'll be terrific to replay the game on a more enjoyable platform in the Switch with the game's new features.

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW)

It's time to rise up, hunters! Well... or at least will be come March, and possibly even in two days if the announced limited-time demo is set to debut that day after the big Monster Hunter Rise stream. Regardless, Monster Hunter Rise is currently set as a Nintendo Switch exclusive (though a Capcom leak revealed a PC version in the pipeline), and the game looks absolutely sensational so far. New and familiar monsters await battling, and the movement and mobility options on display in Rise have reached levels never witnessed before in the Monster Hunter franchise. It's going to make hunting down monsters an even more thrilling activity than past entries--and that was exciting already! The fact that Monster Hunter Rise looks so good running on the Switch is pretty astounding as well, as we all know that the system isn't the most powerful under the hood, but Capcom's development team have done superb work. It won't be long until we all get our hands on the final version of the game, but in the meantime, let's have that demo, Capcom!

No More Heroes III (NSW)

Suda51 is a master at making provocative, eccentric, and at times, just off-the-wall crazy games, and that's why a great deal of gamers love his titles. No More Heroes III seems to take the craziness and insanity and turn it up all the way to 11. Alien invasions? Check. Super Sentai-like abilities? Check. All the familiar beam katana action that fans of No More Heroes have come to love? Check and much more! No More Heroes III seems to serve as Suda51's magnum opus, at least for the No More Heroes series. If he and his team can nail down the mechanics and gameplay well enough so the game has a nice balance of style and substance, No More Heroes III will no doubt knock it out the proverbial ballpark. I can't wait to see just how masterfully insane No More Heroes III is and where the game goes.

Hollow Knight: Silksong (NSW, PC)

After its debut at Nintendo's E3 2019 showcase, fans of the original Hollow Knight were left in the dark, like being lost in the Hollownest, after there was complete radio silence from Team Cherry's Hollow Knight: Silksong. Fortunately, last week saw the reveal of new information as part of Edge Magazine's cover story for the game. While not a drastic departure so far from what made the original game so beloved and cherished--and for someone like me, that's great news--Silksong does feature some new gameplay and mechanical upgrades. Of course, there's the new playable character Hornet, whose move set is much different than the Knight's, but there is also a fresh quest system where Hornet can speak with various characters and assist them with tasks and missions. This is all the while keeping the intrinsic exploration and discoveries that fans like myself adored about the original Hollow Knight. Hollow Knight: Silksong will hopefully launch this year initially for Nintendo Switch and PC.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (PS4, NSW, PC)

Our final game on this edition of the Tuesday 10s, and the one that is closest to release--February 2nd for North America, to be exact--Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the latest in the long-running series of action-RPG games. Once more, Adol Christin finds himself on a new adventure, though this time he seems to have gotten himself into a real pickle, being imprisoned and cursed as a Monstrum in the process! His new abilities grant him--and players themselves--new means and methods to get around areas, such as a warp that he can use to shift himself to higher platforms, and even the ability to run up walls. The familiar, tried and true high-octane combat Ys fans like myself love about the series returns with a new flavor as well, as many of the new mobility options available to Adol and his party are useable in battle, too. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox debuts first on PlayStation 4 with Nintendo Switch and PC versions launching later this summer. 

Monster Hunter Rise (NSW) "The Game Awards 2020" Trailer

A brand-new trailer for Monster Hunter Rise debuted tonight at The Game Awards. It features an abundance of new gameplay footage as well as a look at some additional, never-before-seen (at least in Rise) monsters to Rise's roster. Monster Hunter Rise launches on Nintendo Switch on March 26th, 2021, but that's not all! A demo will be available to try out Rise before its release for a limited time in January 2021.