SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "Game On, Game Boy" Edition

After last week's themed Mario Kart edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, I wanted to do one more special edition before returning to this weekly, recurring SPC segment of articles' standard format.

This week, it's all about the Game Boy and its successor, the Game Boy Color, which threw a new dimension of visual prowess into games with its addition of color.

Since this is a themed week, every game featured must be on the Game Boy or Game Boy Color. That's exactly what I accomplished with the tailoring of this edition, starting off with The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Donkey Kong Land, and Pokemon Red / Blue. Then, we dive into less well known, less produced games in the form of Dragon Warrior Monsters and Trip World. (Don't feel bad if you're a North American who has never heard of the latter. There's a good reason for that.)

Click on the VGM name to hear a given song in YouTube form, and as always, the VGM Database houses every last, past VGM volume showcased on this weekly fixture of SuperPhillip Central's posts. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1476. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB) - Face Shrine (Level 6)

One of my favorite games in The Legend of Zelda series is Link's Awakening, the first Zelda game to appear on a Nintendo handheld. It blew my mind, along with many other players at the time, that the size of a world compared to the original Zelda and A Link to the Past could fit inside a smaller cartridge and be played on the tiny Game Boy of all things. Every notable feature from past Zelda games was tucked away within Link's Awakening, like the dense overworld, intricate dungeons, and repertoire of items. Link's Awakening is truly a fantastic entry from the past and will continue to be one for future players, too.

v1477. Donkey Kong Land (GB) - Ancient Beaver Bop

Rareware was never a slouch on any hardware the company worked with and designed games around. This is no truer than with the amazing work the studio put into Donkey Kong Land, a take on Donkey Kong Country in visuals but a completely different game otherwise. The visuals are crazy in how Rare managed to create prerendered models on the Game Boy hardware (how ever hard to see compared to the background and oncoming enemies notwithstanding) and the music from Dave Wise is just as sensational now as it was back then.

v1478. Pokemon Red / Blue (GB) - Cerulean City

My middle school self was so enamored with Pokemon back when the games first debuted in North America. From playing the games, watching the anime, collecting the trading card game cards, buying up as many figures I could find, and even drawing my own comic, Pokemon fully enveloped a young SuperPhillip in its charm. Nowadays, Pokemon Red and Blue are way too slow in gameplay and archaic in design compared to future entries, but the games will always be nostalgic for me. It helps when you have simple but catchy tunes like this one, for the second Gym Badge city in Kanto that you encounter, Cerulean City.

v1479. Dragon Warrior Monsters (GBC) - Beautiful Starlit Night

Fresh off the success of Pokemon, which just so happened to be the game featured before this one, a whole ton of monster-raising games followed, whether having already been in development or not before Pokemon. One of these was Dragon Warrior Monsters, a charming and engaging monster-finding, capturing, and battling game for the Game Boy Color. Several sequels would arrive on both the Game Boy Color and later on the Nintendo DS.

v1480. Trip World (GB) - World 1

1992's Trip World from Natsume is our final game featured in this all Game Boy edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. Trip World is an interesting case as the game never officially released in North America. Instead, the game only released in Japan and Europe, even on the Nintendo 3DS' Virtual Console it remained exclusive to those territories. Regardless, if you're looking for peppy music, Trip World has you covered as evident by this happy-go-lucky first world theme.

Title Screens That Say A Thousand Words: Gaming's Best - Part One

The title screen-- it's been with us for countless decades now. Whenever there is a game, there is a screen that shows what the name of it is. For the first time on SuperPhillip Central, we'll be taking a look at some of the best title screens in gaming history. Since there are so many good ones to choose from, this is but part one of what I plan to be a long-running series. Whether they're animated, offer some interaction, or are just plain cool looking, these title screens are what SuperPhillip Central considers to be the absolute best of a big bunch.

Super Mario 64 (N64)

We start off with a title screen that is an attraction screen as well. Super Mario 64 revolutionized the industry with its masterful use of 3D gameplay that was never as well executed until the game came out. It also has plenty of Easter eggs in it to keep players coming back for more. I remember spending ages tooling around outside of Princess Peach's castle, but I also recall messing about a bunch on the title screen, amazed I could pull Mario's nose, ears, hat, mustache, and more in crazy ways and amalgamations. 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Listening to the soft and tranquil piano title theme play as coming and going hoof beats pass the player by, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a wonderful ride through a peaceful Hyrule Field. Adult Link rides his friend Epona through the countryside, stopping at streams, riding across hills and scenes of green, and greeting the dawn with virtuoso horse riding skills.

The Last of Us (PS4, PS3)

A direct contrast to the ugliness that the game presents players, The Last of Us's title screen is a serene one with gorgeous sunbeams shining through a garden-side window. You'd think that this title screen was for a completely different game, and not one where bashing bricks through enemy skulls, being bitten and consumed by infected human beings, and seeing the true horrors that humankind can bring unto the world.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)

A colorful title screen with Metal Gear Solid's main artist, Yoji Shinkawa, delivers the supreme style that Hideo Kojima's series is known for. The title screen is sleek, stylish, and yes, even a bit sexy, if a title screen could be such a thing. It gets you primed for the excellent tale and spy thriller that awaits you. The title screen offers two versions: one with Solid Snake, as pictured, and one in blue with Raiden.

Metroid Prime (GCN)

An awesome looking title screen from the gang at Retro Studios and Nintendo, Metroid Prime's title screen gives a look inside cells with a microbiological setting. All style AND substance, pressing start presents players with a deeper look at even more cells and science, really wowing viewers in the process.

Xenoblade Chronicles [3D] (Wii, New 3DS)

Whether you're playing the original Wii or the New Nintendo 3DS version, Xenoblade Chronicles's title screen is similar to The Last of Us's in that presents a very tranquil environment. However, Xenoblade's world isn't as hopeless or as macabre at Naughty Dog's entry. Regardless, this scene shows Shulk's foreseeing Monado blade resting inside a grassy field with the wind blowing ever so gently. It's a calming title screen made even more so by the excellent theme that plays during it.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)

Yoshi's Island's title screen shows off a flyover of the eponymous island, revealing all of the lovely locations that the Yoshis and Baby Mario will traverse. From plains to towers, castles to caves, Yoshi's Island offers many locales to travel through while giving the player a fantastic Koji Kondo composed soundtrack in the process.

Pokemon Red and Blue (GB)

The final title screens of this first edition of the best title screens in gaming goes nostalgic with the very first duo of Pokemon games, Pokemon Red and Blue. You get the Pokemon Championship theme to roll around in your ears, as well as a look at trainer Red and a parade of Pokemon appearing one by one across the screen. It's the perfect way to get into the mood to go about catching 'em all!