The Unpopular Opinion 2: Games We Liked That Many Did Not

The staff at SuperPhillip Central loves games. We live them, we breathe them, we bathe with them, etc. However, we sometimes go outside the norm with our reviews, bashing titles that many others enjoyed, and heralding other games that have received poor scores or negative feedback within the gaming community. This article focuses on the latter type of games. As the title suggests, this is our second go at representing the games that a sizable chunk of gamers and critics lambasted yet we still enjoy. To check out the first article, click this link. After you're done reading our choices, why not list some of your own?

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)

Technically, both Nintendo DS Legend of Zelda games could be placed here, but we're choosing Phantom Hourglass. There were many issues players had with the game. The two biggest problems were the touch screen-based controls and the Temple of the Ocean King. The first we found rather enjoyable. It was a great change of pace and intuitive as well. Meanwhile, the Temple of the Ocean King had players returning to it multiple times, heading deeper and deeper into its depths upon each visit. No doubt maddening to many, but for us perhaps we can tolerate annoying gameplay better than some. For heaven's sake, one of us got all of the achievements on the Xbox 360 version of 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog!

Sonic: Lost World (Wii U)

That seems like a perfect segue into our next game. At first, we were playing through Sonic: Lost World, not knowing really what we were doing. Getting used to the new controls (i.e. using the triggers to run and spin dash) was a challenge. However, once we got through that, the only worry that we had to deal with was some questionable design choices. Exhibit A: A level that forces you to play a round of pinball. The table's physics are awful, and if you fall through the flippers, you lose a life. When we finally figured out some of Lost World's more obtuse design decisions, the game became much more fun in subsequent play-throughs. We definitely don't agree that Sonic: Lost World is anywhere near the lack of quality of Sonic and the Secret Rings. In fact, we'd put it as a higher-tier 3D Sonic game.

The Wonderful 101 (Wii U)

We understand that the mainstream media does not have a lot of time to play every game on the planet fully, but with The Wonderful 101 it seemed like many journalists did not properly take the time to learn the controls (and they do take a little time to learn) before shooting down Platinum Games' latest. The concepts of having 100 wonderful heroes to move about and each mission being crazier than the last made for a game that we had trouble putting down. The Wonderful 101 is a nowhere near a perfect game, but it's also nowhere near unplayable or broken either.

007: Quantum of Solace (PS3, 360, Wii)

Movie-based games are generally garbage, but we liked what Activision did with 007: Quantum of Solace. The game combined missions of the 21st and 22nd James Bond movies into one nice and neat package. It might just be the source material that makes us enjoy this game, or it might just be our lack of playing every shooter under the sun. Regardless, we spent a lot of time playing through the fun campaign, and then hopping online to mow down some randoms from around the world. 007: Quantum of Solace had a license to thrill.

The Amazing Spider-Man (Wii U, PS3, 360)

Another movie tie-in game, The Amazing Spider-Man released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 two summers ago. This past March it released on Nintendo's Wii U for whatever rationale Activision had. Nonetheless, we found ourselves enjoying the game, regardless of how fashionably late it was. The open world setting of New York returned, and while the mission variety was limited in its locale choices, Spider-Man controlled splendidly. Sure, the web-swinging didn't have the same amount of technicality in it as Spider-Man 2, but The Amazing Spider-Man entertained us despite that.

Mario Tennis Open (3DS)

There are plenty of people disappointed with the latest in the Mario Tennis series. Mario Tennis Open gave players more of a match of Simon Says than actual tennis. You see, different shots put colorful circles on the opposing player's court. When the player moved to that position, the colored circle denoted what kind of shot the player should hit for maximum efficiency. This didn't sit too well with a lot of players, but we at SuperPhillip Central managed to get over 25 hours of playtime with Mario Tennis Open regardless. We enjoyed the courts, the four mini-games (though we wished there were more), and dressing up our Miis in unlockable gear.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS)

To be fair, we don't do many roguelikes, so we're not the best to pass judgment on them. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is seen as a beginner's entry into the genre, and it shows. The challenge is rather light, after all. That said, there are plenty of positives to take from Gates to Infinity. For instance, the story is interesting, having Pokemon join your team shifts completionists into overdrive, and the gameplay is accessible to almost anybody. Issues like the game's difficulty, lack of much variety in dungeon design, and talkative Pokemon didn't really phase us, but they are important to note (which we did in our review).

White Knight Chronicles: International Edition (PS3)

A modern story of "Sorry, but your princess is in another castle", White Knight Chronicles: International Edition is an RPG that plays well enough. Some say the combat isn't deep enough to keep players interested for long, and yes, there is a lot of grinding for experience and levels to accomplish. However, playing both the offline campaign and going online with your custom character for some online quests is something that we enjoyed. Maybe our enjoyment came from the fact that at the time we were dying for something new to play on our PlayStation 3's that was a JRPG. Regardless of the reason, we enjoyed White Knight Chronicles when we took it a face value.

ZombiU (Wii U)

Some critics jumped into ZombiU thinking it was just some first-person shooter. They received severe disappointment due to their assumptions and then tore the game to pieces like a pack of zombies. No, ZombiU is pure survival-horror with a heavy emphasis on the survival part. It is such a rush having a feeling of true sense of fear as you run from the undead, never knowing if where you're going will lead you to your death. The usage of the Wii U GamePad is still some of the best that the console has seen. Few games have ever made us legitimately afraid, but ZombiU is one of those rare titles that absolutely did. ...Wait. Did you hear that? It sounded like it came from behind you...

Better Late Than Never Reviews: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS) Review

What a long-winded headline! Anyhow, while many Pokemaniacs are deeply engaged with Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, we have a review for another Pokemon game. However, this one released earlier in the year and is not of the same genre. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity brought the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon spin-off series into three-dimensions. Here is our review.

To the Gates to Infinity and Beyond!

The Pokemon brand is one that isn't just limited to the mainline games, releasing a new generation once every few years or so. No, Pokemon is a brand that has spun off into many sub-series and games, such as Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Ranger, Pokemon Rumble, PokePark, et al. One such spin-off series is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, a series that dates back to the Game Boy Advance. The latest addition to this sub-series is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity for the Nintendo 3DS. It foregoes the 2D sprites of past games with fully polygonal 3D models for characters and backgrounds. Should you bother to explore Gates to Infinity's world?

Pick two Pokemon-- one you play as,
and one that serves as your partner.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity's story begins with you, the player, receiving a cry for help within a dream. When you wake up, you find yourself within the Pokemon world, yourself turned into one of a handful of Pokemon choices, such as Pikachu, Axew, and Tepig, for instance. You also select your Pokemon partner, which will join you throughout your adventure. What the actual adventure comes down to is that the Pokemon world is in danger of destruction, and only you have the power to save it. The story is rather enjoyable, with various intriguing plot points. The problem, however, is just how chatty the Pokemon are. This wouldn't be an issue if you could skip dialogue or speed through it somehow. This isn't possible, however, making for occasional long sessions of dialogue that the player needs to sit through. Still, the interactions between Pokemon are really endearing, so I can't really say I didn't enjoy some conversations.

These Pokemon can be Chatty Cathys.

Think of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon as a beginner's take on the Mystery Dungeon genre (i.e. roguelike). You explore dungeons that are randomly generated-- each time you visit a dungeon, the layout is completely different in its design of hallways and chambers. Your goal is to defeat enemy Pokemon as you traverse through each dungeon, finding the stairs that will take you to the next floor until you reach the end. At the end is usually a boss fight or a Pokemon that must be saved or defeated.

Found it! The way to the next floor!

Movement within a dungeon is on a grid. You can move in eight directions, and each time you move one space or perform an action such as using an item, attacking, or using one of your Pokemon's four abilities, every other Pokemon in the dungeon also gets to move once or perform an action.

The spoils of war.

Like the main Pokemon games, each Pokemon and ability has its own type or types, like Fire, Water, Electric, Grass, Rock, and so forth. The rock-paper-scissors approach to Pokemon battles is still present in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. For example, an Electric move on a Water Pokemon will be super effective, causing major damage, while a Grass move on a Fire Pokemon will hardly make that Pokemon flinch.

Like the mainline games, Pokemon learn new
moves at various different levels.

This is pretty much where the complexity of the game ends. It's very basic combat. It's easy enough to gain levels that you can pretty much plow through any battle or boss fight with little danger. The addition of items that can make enemy attacks miss the player's party more or revives a fallen Pokemon makes the game even easier. I was able to get through most combat situations without even using defensive items. All I needed were healing Oran Berries, as if your or your partner's HP hits 0, you fail the current dungeon.

If you're looking for a challenge,
this game might make you fall asleep, too.

Dungeons themselves aren't too interesting either. They are pretty much the same in structure only with a different aesthetic. By the third or fourth floor of a ten floor dungeon, I started to grow bored of the environment and running through the same room types and long hallways leading to dead end after dead end. Yes, there are some things to liven up dungeons, such as some floors taking away the ability to regenerate HP through movement, but these don't liven things up enough. Extra dungeons unlock after the game is beaten, a 20-hour task, and special dungeons can be created on the fly through using the Nintendo 3DS system's camera to find circular objects within its viewpoint.

No time to take in what little sights there are--
we have a Pokemon world to save!

Pokemon-wise, what is available is only an extremely small sampling of pre-fifth generation Pokemon. Every other Pocket Monster is from the Black and White games. As someone who skipped out on playing heavily through both titles, I didn't recognize a good majority of the Pokemon represented. Still, there are some very nice designs present. Occasionally, you will defeat a Pokemon and they will ask to join your party. You can accept and have them added to your ranks, or you can reject their offer and gain experience from them, just like any ordinary felled foe Pokemon. Thankfully, a Pokemon need not be in your party to gain experience. They will simply need to be in your party to gain all of the levels they acquired while in your reserve of Pokemon pals.

The bottom screen can serve
as a helpful map for you.

Outside of dungeons, there rests Post Town, where many story events take place, as well as Pokemon shops and destinations to break up any dungeon monotony. Outside Post Town is Paradise, a place founded by your partner Pokemon and yourself. In the game, you eventually can have sections of wasteland turned into expansions for Paradise. You can ask a certain fiend turned friend Pokemon to build specific locales in each expansion area, like fields to grow berries, training dojos to learn new moves, and a lot more. This adds to the lengthy replay value of Gates to Infinity.

The graphical upgrade of this 3DS debut of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series makes for an appealing title to look at. The Pokemon have a fair amount of detail to them and animate well. Areas are suitably colorful, though there is occasional frame-rate hiccups to be wary of. The 3D effect of the Nintendo 3DS is nothing to gloat about, but it is sometimes nice to have on. The audio in the game is really nice. I remember a fair number of tracks, and have even listened to them outside of the game. That's how much I liked them. Overall, the presentation of Gates to Infinity is an excellent one.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity won't excite or engage more experienced players of roguelike titles. It is really an easy game to play through, but Pokemaniacs and those new to the genre will find a lot to love. The story segments overstay their welcome at times, and the dungeons aren't the most interesting to explore, but the positives shine brighter than the negatives. Those searching for a relatively safe addition to the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series will find that the Gates to Infinity will be open for you.

[SPC Says: 7.0/10]

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Fall Into Autumn Edition

We're not dead, but SuperPhillip Central has been less busy as of late. Real life takes precedence over the internet any day. However, there is plenty of new content that will be forthcoming, such as new reviews, interviews, and editorials. We thank you for your understanding. Now, as it is mandatory for Mondays, we have five more video game music tracks to share with you. From pinatas to plump plumbers, this edition of the VGM has got you covered.

v466. Viva Pinata (360) - Day 6

Viva Pinata is one of Rare's best post-Nintendo titles. It oozes with the studio's charm, and it is simply a great game. Getting pinatas to visit your garden through various methods of coaxing, defending your prized pinatas from unimaginable horrors, and making sure all of your friends get along with one another were all parts of this magnificently creative game. Here's hoping Microsoft allows Rare some wiggle room to create an Xbox One sequel to diversify the shooter-heavy lineup.

v467. Mega Man: Powered Up (PSP) - Cut Man

If there was any justice in the world, then the next two games being represented on SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM would have sold better. Instead, these remakes failed to sell well, and ended up killing any chance of seeing other alike remakes. We so wanted Mega Man: Powered Up 2 to happen! Still, we're happy we at least got to replay the original Mega Man and Mega Man X with polygonal graphics, updated levels and content, and impressive music.

v468. Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X (PSP) - Sigma Palace Stage 1

Mega Man: Powered Up added a ton of content, but Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X wasn't too shabby in that regard either. Comparing the two it's no contest. Regardless, Maverick Hunter X changed where the location of the dash capsule upgrade was, remixed the later stages of the game, and added a Vile mode. Like Powered Up, the music was also redone to great effect. While it's not as good as the SNES original, Maverick Hunter X's music isn't half bad.

v469. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS) - Hazy Pass

Roguelikes are for the hardest of the hardcore, but the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games give the genre a beginner friendly touch. Gates to Infinity released this past March in North America, and it's a rather meaty game. The soundtrack is particularly lovely, but it's hard for us to remember a Pokemon game-- spin-off or not-- that had bad music for the majority of its music. Hazy Pass' pan flute gives this track a rustic, earthly feeling-- perfect for exploring the rocky innards of the area it plays in.

v470. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB) - Overworld

We like 8-bit soundtracks, as they really show how good a composer is at working with bare minimum. Perhaps it's more difficult to create compelling music for an 8-bit system's sound card than for a system nowadays because of all of the technical limitations. It's very easy to create a mess of a composition that sounds absolutely horrid. Wario Land has some nice music, and we've chosen one of the main themes heard in most levels of the game to represent this 8-bit classic.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS) North American Commercial

"Dude", here comes the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity North American commercial. Beyond this campy commercial, lies an interesting discovery-- a Pokemon Pikachu 3DS XL. Could that be coming to North America? It would be so cruel if it was in the ad and wasn't on its way to our shores. That said, the demo of this game really turned me onto getting and reviewing the latest in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. The game comes out the same day as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, but it will be available for five dollars less. Both release March 24.