SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - We Don't Have Anything Special Planned for the Olympics Edition

The 2014 Winter Olympics is set to have its opening ceremony this Friday in Sochi, Russia. While the world casts its collective eye towards the games, SuperPhillip Central would rather cast its eye on video games as opposed to Olympic games. We start this week with SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, featuring music from some killer titles. This week's additions to our VGM Database include: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Tearaway, and Odin Sphere, to name a few.

v556. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360, PC) - It Has to Be This Way (Full Version)

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance released on the PC last month, a year after its console brethren. Now, even more gamers can enjoy Platinum Games' shining creation. What makes the entire package complete is the soundtrack, made up of many high octane vocal songs, perfect for frantically slicing and slashing enemies of all shapes and sizes.

v557. Tearaway (Vita) - Gibbet Hill - Pilgrimage

If you own a PlayStation Vita and have not yet picked up Media Molecule's Tearaway, then what is wrong with you? To be less forceful, Tearaway is a whimsical tale supported by endearing characters, a lovely world, and a sublime soundtrack. Gibbet Hill - Pilgrimage is but one of such themes played during this Vita Game of 2013.

v558. Pikmin 2 (Wii, GCN) - Perplexing Pool

Whether you're interested in the Wii Nintendo Selects version of Pikmin 2 or the GameCube original, be ready to fork over some sizable change for each. Pikmin 2 introduced Louie into the series, offering duties that could be split up between Captain Olimar and Louie. Hajime Wakai composed the music for Pikmin 2, and Perplexing Pool is one of our favorite compositions from the game. It's so peaceful and tranquil.

v559. Viewtiful Joe (PS2, GCN) - Inferno Lord

The official soundtrack for Viewtiful Joe has bits of dialogue from the game beginning each track, leading into the actual song. This YouTube video axes such part to give us Fire Leo's boss theme. Fire Leo is the sixth level's boss-- as if tackling the previous bosses in one big boss gauntlet wasn't enough. The theme would be remixed in Viewtiful Joe 2 for Frost Tiger, Fire Leo's brother.

v560. Odin Sphere (PS2) - Rally

Odin Sphere has a lot of themes that could easily be placed in the Final Fantasy Tactics universe. That's for good reason, too, as the composer behind Odin Sphere was none other than Hitoshi Sakimoto, a brilliant mind in video game music creation. Odin Sphere was made by Vanillaware, who are known for crafting visually artistic and appealing games. Odin Sphere's soundtrack is audibly artistic and appealing as well!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - The Dreamcast Anniversary Edition

Today is the anniversary of the Sega Dreamcast. To celebrate, we have zero themes from Dreamcast games. Yeah... we didn't realize that the Dreamcast was having its birthday until today, so we already had some video game themes planned for today. Still, happy birthday, Sega Dreamcast. The memories you've given us will not soon be forgotten. Neither will these video game tracks chosen for today either!

v456. Pikmin 2 (GCN) - Awakening Wood

The long awaited Pikmin 3 finally released on the Wii U last month, but we're going to focus on the second game in the franchise. Pikmin 2 was everything that one would expect from a true sequel-- it was bigger, it was better, and it got rid of that thirty days to beat the game hassle. The music continued to complement each area well, as evidenced by Awakening Wood.

v457. Mario Kart DS (DS) - Delfino Square

If you've read SuperPhillip Central, you know our love for Mario Kart DS and its Delfino Square. We love city courses, after all. The race through alleyways, by the pier, and around the main fountain will forever be ingrained into our memories. Oh, and the song that plays during it isn't too shabby either!

v458. Mega Man (NES) - Cut Man Stage

All series have to start somewhere, and with the Blue Bomber that game was Mega Man on the NES and Famicom. Cut Man's level is a nice introduction for beginners. It doesn't have much in the way of danger or difficulty like the Guts Man and Ice Man stages possess. With the stage comes this memorable melody and track that has stood the test of time.

v459. The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (SNES) - Snow Valley

One of our favorite Disney games from the past is The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse. We enjoyed changing costumes in each of the different lands of the game, such as Magician Mickey and Firefighter Mickey. The music is pure classic Capcom, and it fills us with such immense nostalgia. That's not the only reason for us liking this track-- it's just really chill, no?

v460. Kingdom Hearts II (PS2) - Fantasia alla marcia for piano

Kingdom Hearts II culminates with this closing credits theme, fabulously crafted by the terrific Yoko Shimomura. Fantasia alla marcia for piano features piano, a full orchestra, and a tremendous choir. It is the perfect way to cap off Sora and friends' adventure to save the world.

19 More Terrific Gaming Commercials

Time for some more nostalgia and memories! Exactly a week ago I posted a story concerning what I perceived to be the better gaming commercials out there -- my personal favorites. Since I couldn't possibly fit all of my favorites into just 21 selections, I'm at it again with 19 more gaming commercials that left an impact on me and that I enjoy. It's no secret that a good ad is important in getting some mind share about your game and getting people who haven't been following it to show some interest. These commercials do just that by either having a lot of gameplay in them, being funny and/or clever, or simply being awesome. Just like last time, I have two notes to add:

Note: These commercials are all from the States. Feel free to share commercials from outside the U.S. 

Note 2: To save everyone from lots of loading, the actual videos are linked to as opposed to embedded on this site. Click the name of the ad to get to the video. I apologize ahead of time for YouTube comment sections.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

This commercial is absolutely out of this world. It shows human beings on a large planetoid, just like one found in the Super Mario Galaxy series, with their heads pointed upwards towards a fabulous-looking starry sky. In the meantime, Mario, riding Yoshi, soars among the stars. The mix of gameplay with the footage makes for an appealing advertisement that made the week wait for Super Mario Galaxy 2 all the harder. It turned out that Galaxy 2 would become one of my favorite games I have ever played, and that list of played games is exceptionally lengthy.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)

A truly chilling commercial showing various people from various countries from various continents all watching an ominous moon in the sky. If you aren't familiar with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask's story, the land of Termina is suffering from an apocalyptic problem. An evil moon is set to crash into the land within 72 hours, and only a boy named Link can save it with the help of four giants. Seeing the hopelessness that is on the faces of the people portrayed in the commercial displays one of Nintendo's darker commercials, but I can't help but enjoy it.

PlayStation 9 Advertisement

A positively sublime commercial delving into what the future of the PlayStation line could possibly be, putting the player into the game with full virtual reality and using retinal scanning, a mind control system, holographic technology, and more. Though perhaps future Nintendo thought of those ideas first as well and Sony is merely borrowing and improving upon them? Don't get your pants in a bunch; it's just a joke! Calm down! Step away from the keyboard and take deep breaths!

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)

The only caveat I have towards this commercial is that it is completely computer-generated. There is no gameplay to speak of at all. I sometimes wish games would let their gameplay do the talking and not some fancy graphics. Despite this, this is a really humorous and cool commercial. There is a rocking cover of "What a Wonderful World" (originally recorded by Louis Armstrong, of course) as Ratchet runs through a bright and cheery metropolis planet (the first in Tools of Destruction) as he demolishes multiple robotic and mutant pursuers. I love the comedic nature of the commercial, and the catchy song just improves my opinion of it.

Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)

Now, this commercial is the antithesis of the last commercial. It is full stuff from the Kingdom Hearts II game. New characters, new worlds, new gameplay -- it's all here to ogle as the English version of Passion (Sanctuary) by Utada plays. If you can get beyond the dreaded lore and convoluted story Square Enix shoehorned into the series, you'll get nostalgic by the numerous Disney references and cast. I wouldn't mind if more commercials took the more gameplay and less filler approach.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)

"Prepare to meet the light!" Throwing in CG Pit battling Medusa and her pet Twinbellows, this commercial for Kid Icarus: Uprising (one hell of a 3DS game, might I add) excites and amazes. But all that is only half the equation. The second portion of the ad shows some fast and frenetic flying and ground action, a mere sampler until players get their hands on the game to enjoy it themselves. Some found the controls to be a little difficult to handle, but that didn't stop me from thinking the game deserved its 9.25 score.

Golden Sun (GBA)

What starts off as an innocent orchestral performance ends with the female conductor facing off against a dragon in the form of a chandelier. The music grows more and more dramatic as the action becomes just as ardent. Skeletons in the audience on the balcony, a cymbal being thrown like discus, and violin bows being used to shoot fire at enemies are just some of the intense-in-action imagery being shown.

Metroid: Other M (Wii)

This beautifully done live action Metroid: Other M ad shows a Zero Suit Samus walking through flashbacks of her past. Her encounters with Space Pirates, Metroids, and arch-nemesis Ridley are shown as she marches by them. The story of Other M might have been a mess, but the actual gameplay was fast, smooth, and relied heavily on reflexes. An easy target to hate on, especially if you take gaming stories too seriously, but I enjoyed Metroid: Other M just as I enjoy this commercial.

Jet Moto 2 (PS1)

From epic to humorous, this classic Jet Moto 2 ad has the beginning of a race not going well for one of its drivers. Idling before the starting line as the other drivers speed through the course, the driver of the still vehicle finally snaps and breaks the fourth wall, facing and yelling at the player. The player turns out to be an elderly woman without much gaming experience. And for goodness sake, turn off that blinker!

Sega Dreamcast

One of my biggest gaming regrets is that I never have owned a Sega Dreamcast. It's not so bad now that a good portion of Sega's classic Dreamcast games have been making the rounds on PSN and XBLA for a much lesser price. This commercial shows the cast of launch game characters for Sega's 9/9/99 release date standing around, ready for gamers to enjoy them. Sadly, bad business decisions led to Sega's unfortunate fate to go third-party, and the quality of their games has never been the same.

Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2)

This commercial like Kingdom Hearts II before it is wonderful because it is all footage from the game Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. This was my favorite game in the trilogy because it didn't try to be cool or gritty like the sequels did in a pitiful fashion. Collecting precursor orbs, doing some serious platforming without the open world sandbox approach, and the bright and cheerful worlds made for a game that I enjoyed, and one that I am sad Naughty Dog never attempted to create again.

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

It's obvious that fun matters. You don't have to make a commercial about that. But what makes this LittleBigPlanet spot so enjoyable is that it shows exactly what kind of fun players can experience. Outside of the floaty platforming fun, there's the sensational ability to create your own levels or simply experiment with the toys given to you. It's your world, and it's your imagination. It's your LittleBigPlanet.

Kirby: Canvas Curse (DS)

This commercial is too cute and so sweet that it must give the watcher cavities. The ad follows the daily exploits of Kirby and his protector, a finger. From laying down over a manhole for Kirby to cross over him to pushing Kirby on a swing, the finger assists Kirby's day-to-day life. The final shot of the two walking towards the sunset puts a smile on my face, but who can resist the charm of Kirby? Not to mention that Canvas Curse is just a splendid game that showcased why the touch screen of the Nintendo DS was such a great idea in a non-tech demo form.

Viva Pinata (360)

What do you do for a pinata that longs to be free and promises you that he will fulfill your wishes if you free him? Why, of course you let him go. But then the bastard turns around and says he was just acting. Oh, Horstachio, you clever little minx. I will lure you to my garden, force you into a false sense of security, and then beat the chocolate and candy out of you. Viva Pinata and its sequel reminded me of the charm that the old Rare under Nintendo had. It was a nice change of pace and a lovely game.

Sonic Heroes (PS2, GCN, XBX)

You know what makes me feel old? When people say they were born in just before the new millennium and this was their first Sonic game. Then they wax nostalgic about how the PS2 generation was the best for reasons people my age think fondly of the SNES generation. Regardless, when the world is in trouble and there is no one to turn to, you can't have a bunch of old geezers out of their prime to help. No, you must have 12 Sonic all-stars who split up within four teams to save the day. The part of the commercial where the knight's helmet is too heavy for his head to hold up and he falls into the table is my favorite portion of this goofy spot. 

Sonic Generations (PS3, 360)

What's cooler than one Sonic? How about two? That is exactly the point this TV spot for Sonic Generations hits home. While Classic Sonic focused on 2D gameplay, Modern Sonic focused on 3D and 2.5D gameplay. Along with Sonic Colors, Sonic Team has shown some proficiency with their once floundering character. After the disaster that was 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog, it's nice to see the Blue Blur get his groove back.

Pikmin 2 (GCN)

A flurry of little people dressed as multicolored Pikmin might not be politically correct or whatever claim people with sticks in their butts have to say, but this TV spot is golden. The posse of Pikmin have an order, and that is to get a hotdog. Accomplishing their goal (and weird-ing out the vendor in the process) the Pikmin return to their master. The only problem is that he wanted mustard. Thus, the Pikmin rush with a new goal in mind, mustard for their master's hotdog (and no, there is no euphemism intended, you sick goose).

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

We're at an airport terminal where a pristine ride with two carts turns nasty with the lead cart rider tossing whatever she can scrummage from her purse and suitcases. The driver and lady throwing the items switch places, properly showing what Mario Kart: Double Dash's primary new gameplay mechanic is all about. But you ever throw stuff back at me, lady, and I'll send a blue shell up your ass.

Animal Crossing (GCN)

Obviously spoofing The Real World, this series of Animal Crossing advertisements show the life of four roommates trying to make ends meet within their village. Using fully costumed characters, the commercials deal with all sorts of amusing situations. There were a handful of different TV spots, and the majority of them, especially looking back, portray the feel of the Animal Crossing series remarkably well. And no, I would never trade my UFO for some wallpaper either.

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That concludes this second instance of showing off my favorite video game commercials from the U.S. Discuss which ones you found as your faves in the comment section.

Rank Up! - New Play Control!

Smell that in the air? No, it's not delicious body odor, it's the scent of a new Rank Up! in the air! Exactly one week ago I posted my review of the New Play Control! version of Pikmin 2. This version had all-new Wii-based controls and received a 9.0 out of 10. Since all of the NPC releases have been... uh... released (save for Chibi Robo, which is a JPN exclusive), now is the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot and rank this series of GameCube ports from least impressive to most impressive. But before we can engage in this activity, we must see what games will be ranked:

New Play Control! Pikmin (Wii)
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (Wii)
New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii)
Metroid Prime (Wii)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Wii)
Pikmin 2 (Wii)

The New Play Control! line of games was originally designed as a twofold proposition: 1) To hark back some classics from the GameCube library and retrofit them with enhanced Wii controls as well as other bonuses, and 2) To fill the gap in-between software releases. Whether the NPC line succeeded in either of these goals is entirely debatable. Nonetheless, for twenty dollars apiece, it was nice to revisit these titles once more.

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

I really enjoyed the GameCube iteration of the Mario Tennis series, Mario Power Tennis. Its introduction of all-new gimmick courts, featuring obstacles and hazards like treadmills, Klaptraps, ghosts, and puddles of goop to give the sport of tennis some more Mushroom Kingdom flavor. The addition of power shots is something that arguably worked in the game's favor. It did slow down the pace of matches quite a bit, but they could be turned off if one wished. The cast of colorful characters consisted of the likes of standbys like Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, and Bowser, and included atypical character choices such as Koopa Troopa, Paratroopa, Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Fly Guy. The Wii version brings all of these aforementioned aspects to the fold, so it must be even better with Wii controls, right? Well, not exactly. The game hardly manages to read your ball-striking gestures, making you enter a den of relative frustration. By the time you're through trying to play a match, you'll have cursed as much as a classic John McEnroe match. You cannot be serious. Well, I am.

5) New Play Control! Pikmin (Wii)

Unlike New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis, the Wii version of the original Pikmin is not a bad game by any means. In fact, the brand-new controls work wonderfully with the game. The pointer is used to select targets and areas for your favorite fictional astronaut Captain Olimar to chuck his precious Pikmin army upon. His ship, the Dolphin, has crashed on a foreign planet (though it is remarkably similar to a certain planet you and I live on), and meeting the helpful Pikmin, the capable Captain Olimar search across five unique levels to find his missing ship parts. The reason Pikmin is listed as number five is the annoying (at least to me) time constraints. You have a limited number of days to succeed in Olimar's mission, and the constant pressure can get to a more timid player! Regardless of this, Pikmin is a modern classic that demands your attention, Wii or GameCube.

4) New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii)

I adored the GameCube exclusive Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. This game came out around the era of Nintendo experimenting with their main monkey after they parted ways with Rare, the developer behind the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the SNES/GBA, the Donkey Kong Land games on Game Boy, and the 3D platformer Donkey Kong 64 on the Nintendo 64. Nintendo made the criminally overlooked DK King of Swing for the GBA, but they also developed this ace of a title. The game had players bashing a bongo drum controller. Tapping the right drum would move DK right while tapping the left drum would-- you guessed it-- move him left. The faster you tapped, the faster the banana-craving monkey moved. After extended periods of play, one's hands would hurt considerably. Meet New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Instead of tapping, you have a control stick on the Wii's nunchuk to move DK around. Jumping is assigned to the A button while smacking foes and nabbing 'nanas is the job of shaking both the Wii remote and nunchuk. At first glimpse, the game seems relatively short, deceptively so. Gunning for high banana totals earns you crests which unlock secret, more difficult kingdoms filled with new levels. It's a fantastic game, and one that the team would move on from to make a little-known classic called Super Mario Galaxy.

3) Pikmin 2 (Wii)

While the sequel still had time to worry about, you didn't have to be anxious regarding beating the game within so many number of game-time days. Olimar's employer, an intergalactic shipping company, has gone in mad debt, and Olimar's boss sends him and newcomer Louie to the planet that the Dolphin previously crashed on in order to salvage as much valuable treasure as possible. Getting out of debt is never easy, after all. The Pikmin quickly get reacquainted with Olimar, and vow to assist him on his adventure. There's even two new types to be found, Purple and White Pikmin. Purple Pikmin are heavy creatures who may be slow, but they can really whoop a baddie brutally. Meanwhile, White Pikmin are poisonous (great for wading through toxic areas) and can uncover buried treasure. Despite their being only four levels in this sequel, the levels present are large and well designed. They also feature various caves which are essentially levels of their own. Deeper and deeper you delve in search of loot and survival. The greatest horrors lie in these dark and dank sublevel of the caves. Pikmin 2 is very much an improvement on the original's formula, and the Wii iteration brings with it the same superb pointer controls of New Play Control! Pikmin.

2) Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Wii)

There were a lot of changes going on as well as a ton of hype for the sequel to the highly successful-- both critical and commercial-- Metroid Prime. Retro Studios had a lot of work to do if they wanted to appease their fans, and they quite possibly crafted yet another masterpiece. The light and dark world mechanic, similar to what was found in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, allowed players to transport themselves between both worlds, solving environmental puzzles, earning new suit upgrades such as for the first time in 3D history, the Screw Attack, and overcoming obstacles. Yes, the near end fetch quest might have soured some opinions of the game, but when you have such tight controls (especially the Wii's version highly responsive point to aim controls) the fun outweighs the bad most definitely. Added to this game and perhaps a precursor to the Nintendo DS's Metroid Prime Hunters was a multiplayer mode for up to four combatants, all playing as different colored Samus Aran characters. The lack of bots made this mode nothing more than a novelty for me and others. That said, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is another essential play for any self-described gamer. Note: The Wii version can only be found outside of Japan in the Metroid Prime Trilogy collection.

1) Metroid Prime (Wii)

After multiple gos at transitioning Metroid from a 2D side-scroller to a fully 3D game, Shigeru Miyamoto stepped in and suggested that the wet behind the ears team at Retro Studios turn the game from a third-person action game into a first-person adventure. A crazy idea, but it would turn into be an extremely successful and novel one. From the moment you step foot on the planet of Tallon IV and have the steamy surroundings fog up your visor, you know you are in the midst of something sensational. The map design was impeccable, the abilities' tremendous representation in 3D, and the creature and boss design were all fantastic. The story was subtle, usually requiring the player to scan data from objects, wildlife, plant life, and computers strewn about the planet to gather information. The secrets like extra energy tanks, power bomb upgrades, and missile tanks were hidden especially well. Every inch, every segment, and every room of the world of Tallon IV had reason for existing. Metroid Prime is one of my favorite titles of time, and the Wii edition makes this the superior iteration. The controls are smooth, flawless, and make precision a priority and almost effortless to do. The fun of flanking foes and blasting them from behind is always a treat, and taking down the expertly created bosses is always a thrilling prospect. If you can somehow manage to score a used copy of Metroid Prime Trilogy, then you will no doubt play one of the best games in Nintendo's grand history. Note: The Wii version can only be found outside of Japan in the Metroid Prime Trilogy collection.

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Rank Up! is all ranked out. We have flourishingly conquered yet another edition of this popular and most requested segment. Next week we will be hitting court and ranking the Mario Tennis games while our tennis rackets are still hot. Until later, have a magnificent weekend!

Pikmin 2 (Wii) Review

Simply called Pikmin 2 in North America, this New Play Control title has been a long time coming. Europe and Japan have had it for three years now, so to say that Nintendo of America is a tad late is a bit of an understatement. Nonetheless, it's here now, so here is my full review of this GameCube classic turned Wii port.

The Perfect "Pik" for Wii Owners

It has been over ten years since the mind behind Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, used his passion and new hobby of gardening as the inspiration for the GameCube near-launch, real-time strategy title Pikmin. The game would receive a much desired sequel later on in the system's life, but this go around the time constraints of the original were removed. On the Wii, Nintendo has gone back to its GameCube catalog to port several classics onto their motion-controlled system with all-new Wii methods of input in a series called New Play Control. The original Pikmin was one of the these, but while Europe received the second game, North Americans have had to wait three long years for the game. Well, Nintendo of America has finally released Pikmin 2 for Wii to get gamers' appetites whetted for the upcoming Wii U's Pikmin 3. And considering how expensive even used copies of the GameCube version of Pikmin 2 are, this pointer-controlled iteration is a steal.

While Captain Olimar was on his "vacation" in Pikmin 1 (a crash landing on an unknown planet full of hostile creatures is hardly what I would call vacation time), his shipping company was free-falling into debt. When Olimar arrives back on his home planet, his boss informs him of the grim fate threatening the company. It turns out Olimar's ship, the Dolphin, can value certain acquisitions. The various treasures that are found by Olimar and new partner Louie and then appraised by the Dolphin can slowly but surely knock down the amount of debt their employer possesses. Back to the planet upon which Olimar had previously crash landed on to score some treasure! Of course, Olimar and Louie need not accomplish this task by themselves. As they explore the planet they get reacquainted with the Pikmin creatures Olimar had met before. Even after the 10,000 Poko debt has been repaid, the adventure still isn't over.

The Wii pointer works wonderfully with this game.

The goal of Pikmin 2 is to accumulate enough money to pay off the Hocotate debt. How this is done is by finding various treasures (funnily enough, real life objects like Duracel batteries, Nintendo's Game and Watch handheld system, Chapstick, and other worldly items) lying about among the four lands of the game while dispatching Olimar and Louie's Pikmin to defeat enemies and stow the goodies back to Olimar's ship. While the day limit of the original Pikmin is gone, there is still the matter of the day cycle. It is essentially a 15 minute period of time beginning with the start of the day and ending with the sun setting. The planet is highly hazardous to one's livelihood at night, so Olimar, Louie, and their plethora of Pikmin must escape before night falls. If any Pikmin are left behind, they will suffer the grisly fate of being gulped up by the nighttime lifeforms.

What are everyday items to you and me
is treasure to Olimar and Louie.

At the beginning of the game, both astronauts have a paltry amount of Pikmin to use. By killing belligerent baddies and using the Pikmin horde to carry their carcasses back to the Pikmin's own various Onion vessels as well as taking colored pellets plucked from flowers around the various lands to these previously mentioned Pikmin ships, more Pikmin will be generated for Olimar and Louie to pick from the ground. There can only be 100 Pikmin on the ground at once, so choosing the right balance of Pikmin types is key to get the most amount of work done in the least amount of time.

No worries-- these Red Pikmin
can take the heat!

This time there are five varieties of Pikmin for Captain Olimar and Louie to befriend and utilize to assist them on their treasure hunting exploits. The three primary Pikmin types from the first game return: red, yellow, and blue. Red Pikmin are great attackers as well as being fire-resistant. This means they can handle certain enemies who breathe scorching flames without problem, and they can destroy geysers that spew flames that would otherwise set the remaining Pikmin types ablaze. Yellow Pikmin are more lightweight, meaning they can be thrown to higher areas. They also are immune to electricity, making them perfect to dispose of shocking foes and bringing down high voltage gates that no other Pikmin type could manage without perishing. Blue Pikmin are the only brand to be able to walk in water without drowning.

Some Pikmin types would find this gate shocking;
Not these Yellow Pikmin, though!

Now that the old kind of Pikmin have been explained, time for the new. There are two new types that are only found underground through tossing preexisting Pikmin into either purple or white flowers. Purple Pikmin are the strongest variety around. One Purple Pikmin also weighs ten times as much as one normal Pikmin. White Pikmin are thin as can be, but their appearance shouldn't be taken lightly. They are unaffected by harmful toxins as they are themselves poisonous. In fact, if they are gobbled up by a foe (oh, the horror!), the enemy that consumed them will slowly lose health from having eaten their poisoned prey. White Pikmin are also expert diggers. They excel at finding treasure hidden and buried beneath the soil.

The New Play Control controls of Pikmin 2 work rather well. While you aren't using any gestures for control inputs, you will be utilizing the Wii remote's pointer to aim at where you wish to chuck your numerous Pikmin. What's great and convenient about this-- and something that would be impossible with the GameCube controller-- is that you can point at Pikmin (say ones that are at the edge of the screen) that would have otherwise been out of your range and call them back to you. In the GameCube version, you would have to run all the way back to where the idle Pikmin were standing just to round them back up. This is the convenience of the Wii remote's pointer in action.

Pikmin 2 on Wii puts in practice the Wii remote and nunchuk. All of the buttons that were dedicated to specific orders on the GameCube controller are emulated via the Wii remote and nunchuk combination. From tossing Pikmin to dismissing them into separate groups, to switching between Louie and Olimar, to calling Pikmin to your side, every input is here at your disposal.

Speaking of Louie and Olimar, most of the time the two need not work together to do well, but proficient players will divide tasks up between the two for the best amount of efficiency. While one gets his group of Pikmin to tear down a gate, the other orders his Pikmin ranks to build a bridge to cross otherwise inhospitable waters. Sometimes you will be forced to switch between the two in order to approach in different circumstances impossible to reach areas. This occurs in the second area of the game, Awakening Wood, where either Olimar or Louie must stand on one block while the other tosses Pikmin onto the other block which is protruding upwards. The weight of the Pikmin on the one block causes the block the other astronaut is on to rise, allowing him to chuck Pikmin up towards a treasure that would have been otherwise futile to reach.

Split up the work evenly if you wish!

Apart from the four main areas of the game taking place across winter wonderlands and rugged mountainous valleys are subterranean holes. These are the most dangerous and challenging places in the game. In these you only have the Pikmin you bring in with you to survive with no hope of spawning new ones while you are deep inside. Time doesn't pass in these areas, and some span 10+ floors. Most conclude with a perilous boss confrontation. I'm talking about giant spiders, obese insects that roll over to squash your adorable combat partners, and snake-like birds that have no quarrels with chomping down on your Pikmin pals. Each floor contains various treasures, usually more than one per floor. The Treasure Gauge, an item that is recovered through normal play, will tell you if you have salvaged all of the items on a given floor. The catch to treasure hunting in the numerous subterranean caves of Pikmin 2 is that if you surrender and retreat from a cave without escaping from a geyser, all the treasure you collected will be put back. For the caves with a seemingly infinite amount of sublevels, the strategy when you reach an exit geyser is critical. Do you continue down the rabbit hole, knowing that the dangers below will be even more difficult as you move on, or do you take what treasures you have now and retreat to the surface, better to be safe than sorry?

The third area of Pikmin 2: The Perplexing Pool.

Aside from the decent-length single player story mode, there is multiplayer as well as other modes. Two players can battle via split-screen in a contest to collect their opponent's marble or to gather four yellow marbles before their opponent can. There is also a Challenge Mode, unlocked through playing the solo game, which has you and your limited number of Pikmin retrieving keys (as well as treasures) to access the next subfloor. You only have an assigned amount of time to reach the goal, but at the same time you want to collect as much treasure as possible to get a high score.

Work with or against the other player in multiplayer mode.

Pikmin 2 was ported directly from the GameCube, so all assets and the like are the exact same on the Wii. By far the star of the presentation is the framerate which generally stays locked and solid even if 100 Pikmin and a menagerie of menacing adversaries are hanging around. Enemy characters look pleasant as does the crystal clear water, especially as you and your Pikmin cohorts waft through it. What isn't so pleasant are the ground textures. If you zoom the camera up close (the camera can be zoomed in and out via the d-pad's left direction), you can easily see the unappealing muddy textures. Moving on from visuals, the sound design is lovely. The quaint music and fanfares are alluring and the cheers and cries of Pikmin are both adorable and disturbing, more so when they are being devoured in front of your eyes.

North Americans like me might have had to wait three more years than the rest of the world (I won't say the wait was worth it), but it's terrific to finally be able to play Pikmin 2 with pointer controls. Whether they are better than the GameCube controls is an argument that will have no clear winner. I find the Wii controls more convenient (tremendous for calling faraway Pikmin without having to walk across the screen to reach them) and comfortable to use (allowing my hands to not be bound together on a dual analog controller is freeing). At twenty dollars and with used copies of the GameCube game going online for so much more, this Wii edition is a fantastic buy. It is certainly the type of game that will "pik" your interests.

[SuperPhillip Says: 9.0/10]

New Play Control! Pikmin 2 (Wii) New Trailer

To get North Americans enthused for the Wii U's Pikmin 3, Nintendo of America is finally releasing the New Play Control! version of Pikmin 2, a version that the rest of the world has had for several years now. This trailer shows off the various Pikmin and multiplayer available in the game. I thought the addition of Wii remote controls in the original Pikmin made for a better experience, so the sequel should be even more intriguing.