Review Round-Up - January 2021

The Ghost left his mark on SuperPhillip Central with Ghost of Tsushima being January's featured game of the month.

The first full month of 2021 is in the books, and with that comes the monthly tradition of the Review Round-Up! Let's take a trip back at the month that was with this look at the reviews published on SPC during January 2021, complete with links and excerpts of each review! It says something strong about this latest cluster of reviews when the lowest rated game gets a B grade.

The month started in a big way with a look back at the single player campaign of Guerilla Games' Ghost of Tsushima, which told a heartfelt tale and took players through an emotional journey. It earned the highest grade of the month with an A-. Following our strong start, we took a musical turn with the rhythm game goodness of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, giving a great performance and making this reviewer for an encore someday. The game received a B+ grade.

Another game soaring to the heights of a B+ grade was Ristar, our lone retro review of the month. It was wonderful returning to this Genesis platformer. From the stars to the links, SPC then took on the excellent golf simulation of PGA Tour 2K21, particularly the Nintendo Switch version. The game scored under par, earning a B for its efforts. Finally, we took the latest Spider-Man game for a swing with Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales--this time the PS4 version--which got a B+ grade to end the month on a good note.

To round out this Review Round-Up, here is the list of reviews, links to each, and excerpts for your reading and viewing pleasure. As always you can check out all past reviews ever published on SuperPhillip Central with the SPC Review Archive. 

The games planned for review this February will have a bit of a 3D platforming focus. You'll see what I mean later this month!

Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) - A-

Ghost of Tsushima is one part sensationally crafted story that paints a bleak picture of life in war-torn Japan, one part incredible combat that is both visceral and mechanically sound, and one part well presented to make for one wonderful open-world adventure. There is some sense of being formulaic with its structure and how discoveries are stumbled upon. Overall, though, Ghost of Tsushima ends up being one of the PlayStation's strongest open-world action games, and one that stands tall among PlayStation's impressive lineup of first-party titles. Another jewel in Sony's first-party crown, for sure.

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory (NSW, PS4, XB1) - B+

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory takes 18+ years of series history, most notably the sensational soundtracks, and puts them in one concise musical collection that can be enjoyed by any rhythm game fan or music lover. Those only interested in buying this game for the story should probably just catch the ending on YouTube or something, as the new story content isn't worth the $60 price of admission. Memory Dives and the occasional clutter that inhibits seeing and reacting to note prompts on time also detract from the game, but overall my experience with Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory was a positive one. I definitely ended my time with the game on a good note.

Ristar (GEN) - B+

What doesn't deliver a star-ache, or a headache for us humans, is Ristar as an overall game. Sonic Team may have left poor Ristar in the blue blur's dust, but there's no denying that the game successfully differentiates itself from the developer's other, more popular Genesis works. The fact that Ristar still plays as well today as it did over 25 years ago is a testament to Sonic Team for making one of the better, more innovative and creative platformers of the 16-bit era. It may be a short game, but it's also certainly a sweet one. With a wonderfully clever grab mechanic that pours over into all facets of the game from offense to traversal, Ristar remains a very worthy play that any platformer fan out there.

PGA Tour 2K21 (NSW) - B

[PGA Tour 2K21 is] honestly a superb golf simulation, offering controls that can be tailored to suit both beginners and veterans of the genre (and of course everyone in between). Swinging the club feels fantastic, and the system incorporated into the game featured is fun and especially refreshing coming off decades of three clicks gauges and swing meters. For a terrific round of golf, don't pull out a Callaway club: pull out PGA Tour 2K21 on Nintendo Switch from your bag instead.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS4) - B+

[Marvel's Spider-Man; Miles Morales] offers a greater amount of combat options, improved mobility, and a story that I was eager to press on and find out what was going to happen next. Technical bugs and glitches do bring the overall experience down, at least on the PlayStation 4, but overall, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales swings with the best of them and is a worthy follow-up to the original Spider-Man.

Two of Sony's first-party delights bookended the month of January here at SPC,
with Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales ending the month just right.

Ristar (GEN) Retro Review

Fresh off the heels of this afternoon's published trailer for Wonder Boy: Ashe in Monster World, why don't we continue the SEGA Genesis themed fun with a look at another platformer from that bygone era? We're looking this evening to the sky, where somewhere Ristar awaits his chance to shine once more. Well, that day has arrived, Ristar--at least on SPC! Here's my retro review of this then-overlooked, but now-rather appreciated SEGA Genesis platformer.

 In search of an unsung, old school platforming hero? Look for the star.

During the 16-bit era, SEGA was a juggernaut in the console space, and a part of what made the console manufacturer and publisher so strong was its grand collection of characters and franchises that helped put the Genesis toe-to-toe with the Super Nintendo. However, for every Sonic the Hedgehog and Streets of Rage that turned into a lucrative series, there were multiple games that never quite enjoyed success, much more a sequel. Ristar is one of these. While SEGA's blue hedgehog still sees games to this day, the galactic hero Ristar was left in the 16-bit era, save for appearances in various Genesis greatest hits game collections and as the starter of each race in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, of course.

Ristar arrived on the SEGA Genesis late in the console's life. In actuality, most gamers of the era were eager to move beyond the 16-bit landscape and towards the fresh tech that Nintendo and SEGA, as well as then-newcomer Sony were set to release. Thus, it's no wonder that Ristar never really got a fair shot at success as a series.

The story of Ristar has Kaiser Greedy, an intergalactic tyrant, using mind control to force each elder of the galaxy's planets to abide by his command. In the process--and if that wasn't enough--the star hero of legend, has been captured by Greedy. Young starling Ristar has an adventure ahead of him, but not just to rescue the elders, but his father--the legendary hero--as well! 

Ristar can climb...

Being a late-gen title on the SEGA Genesis, Ristar is one of the system's most impressive looking games. The pallet is rich and vibrant, overflowing with delightful colors. This is rather astonishing, considering how limited the Genesis hardware was at displaying lots of colors at once, so you can bet I appreciate the hardware voodoo that Sonic Team voo-did. Furthermore, the amount of little, noticeable details and effects in the myriad multilayered environments are truly amazing to look upon, whether they be scrolling clouds in the background or the way the water splashes and bubbles as Ristar enters and exits its surface. Ristar is just a gorgeous game, and fortunately, it plays just as well as it looks.

Whereas Sonic bounces on--in typical platforming fashion--and rolls into enemies to defeat them, Ristar utilizes his arms, able to stretch out in eight different directions a short distance, grab enemies, and then slam into them with the whole of his body to defeat them. Of course, to keep the challenge up, not all enemies easily just stand there waiting to be body-slammed into. Most scurry and scamper about, and many are only vulnerable in specific locations. Additionally, some will simply greet Ristar with a painful star-full of spikes when an errant and careless attempt at a grab occurs. Ristar can also catch and throw certain objects and projectiles as well.

Ristar can grab on to and then catapult into enemies...

Ristar's arms aren't just for offense. No, they're also used to get around the levels--rather ingeniously, if I might add. Stretching his upper extremities to pull himself past poles--from one side to the other, to hang onto monkey bars, latch onto ledges, and to swing upon special "Star Handles" to blast off and reach new heights are just some of the tricks in Ristar's repertoire. Early levels and worlds grant you leniency in missing grabs to pull yourself to safety over perilous spike-filled gaps and chasms, but later levels demand an almost perfect amount of precision as you chain grabs together to make progress. One midgame level has you in a maze of bouncing drums that propel our protagonist high into the air. Some of these drums bounce Ristar directly into a ceiling full of spikes--that is, unless you as the player successfully grab your way to safety via grabbing a pole, before meeting a painful fate.

Ristar can run...

Speaking of painful, Ristar is no certainly cakewalk. While the game can be short, it stars--excuse me--stars out breezy enough, but not too long into the game the difficulty picks up considerably. The aforementioned need to be on top of chaining grabs together is there, but so are the different enemies and bosses to learn patterns from, evading the tricks, traps and hazards that litter each level, and making your way to the goal "Star Handle" are but some of the trials needing to be overcome. Speaking of those specific handles, in each of the platforming-based levels, there is a secret "Star Handle" that leads to a bonus area. Complete the bonus area to acquire a special item. Back at release, and obviously before the Internet (but us olden gamers still had Tips & Tricks Magazine!), these special items would reveal three passwords at the end of the game, revealing everything from a level select, to a boss rush, to an even higher difficulty.

Ristar can... sit on his butt and enjoy the scenery?
(Okay, I don't blame you. The environments ARE really nice!)

Also, unlike Sonic Team's namesake, Ristar is a much slower paced adventure than what the blue blur's original offers delivered. It's a more methodical game, focusing less on skillful twitch running, jumping and speed, and more on careful precision platforming, particularly with Ristar's stretchable arms. 

There are six planets that our protagonist explores on his way to Castle Greedy, where our mind-bending boss awaits. Each planet is set with a different theme and is composed of two platforming levels and boss fight. The opening world, Planet Flora is full of lush vegetation, fauna and flora, perfect for a pleasant welcome into the mechanics of the game. Meanwhile, worlds like Planet Scorch offer less than welcoming fires, deadly walls of flames, and traps awaiting Ristar to unknowingly get caught and subsequently burned inside. Then, the music-themed Planet Sonata features birds that block Ristar's progress, but delivering metronomes to these feathered friends through carrying the time-keeping devices to them will allow them to fly away unfettered. By Planet Freon, the frozen planet, Ristar will be slipping and sliding around, needing to time his grabs or else slide into hazards that will no doubt deliver a star-ache. 

The boss fights are yet another great part to the whole that is Ristar.

What doesn't deliver a star-ache, or a headache for us humans, is Ristar as an overall game. Sonic Team may have left poor Ristar in the blue blur's dust, but there's no denying that the game successfully differentiates itself from the developer's other, more popular Genesis works. The fact that Ristar still plays as well today as it did over 25 years ago is a testament to Sonic Team for making one of the better, more innovative and creative platformers of the 16-bit era. It may be a short game, but it's also certainly a sweet one. With a wonderfully clever grab mechanic that pours over into all facets of the game from offense to traversal, Ristar remains a very worthy play that any platformer fan out there.

[SPC Says: B+]

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Saturday Night Platformin' Party Edition

A Saturday night edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs? Will this segment ever return on an actual Monday like it's supposed to? Well, that's the plan for next week, but this week, E3 sort of threw a wrench into the whole scheme.

Last week we took a listen to some songs from various RPGs. This week we move on to the platforming genre with music featuring famous platforming all-stars like Mario, Sonic, Mega Man X, and more. Just click on the volume name to be taken to the YouTube video featuring the song mentioned.

We start with the intergalactic goodness of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Then, we head to the circus with Wario World. Sonic Advance delivers a catchy special stage theme while Mega Man X8 takes us to Booster Forest. Finally, the unsung Sega platforming star Ristar concludes this platformer-centric edition!

As per usual, check out the VGM Database for all previous VGM volumes featured on SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. Now, on to this week's music picks!

v1161. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) - Starship Mario 3

There are three versions of Starship Mario's theme. Starship Mario is the hub of Super Mario Galaxy 2, one of my favorite games of all time. This is one of the few themes from the game that famous Nintendo composer Koji Kondo wrote. It's a song that gets you into the mood to travel to one of the game's countless galaxies and enjoy some fun platforming!

v1162. Wario World (GCN) - Wonky Circus

An oft overlooked entry in the Wario series, Wario World is a Treasure-developed 3D platforming starring everyone's favorite garlic-chomping plumber. The game contains a handful of worlds, each split up into two levels with a boss fight at the end of each. Wario World's soundtrack is particularly catchy, as songs like Wonky Circus definitely prove.

v1163. Sonic Advance (GBA) - Special Stage

The first Sonic the Hedgehog game to hit a Nintendo platform, Sonic Advance was a historic game for its time. I had to do a double take, thinking to myself, "Am I really playing a Sonic game on Nintendo hardware?!" The special stage in Sonic Advance involves collecting rings while moving through a 3D tube. The lack of depth perception made later stages a tad difficult, but who cares when you have this catchy theme to listen to as you do it!

v1164. Mega Man X8 (PS2) - Booster Forest

After the admittedly bad Mega Man X6 and Mega Man X7, it was a breath of fresh air to get an actually good Mega Man X game again. That's exactly what we got with Mega Man X8. Booster Forest, a rockin' theme with a nice guitar riff, comes from Bamboo Pandamonium's stage. The latter part of the stage incorporates an awesome ride armor section, leading to the fight with the robotic panda Maverick afterwards.

v1165. Ristar (GEN) - Round 5-2 - Ice Scream

(Don't mind Tails in this screenshot. This was the only good image I could find of the Ice Scream world.) With temps as hot as they are outside nowadays, thinking about winter is a nice idea. Of course, come actual winter I'll be whining about cold temperatures, snow, and ice, thinking summer is a nice idea instead. I can never be happy apparently! Anyway, Ristar is unlike any other platformer out there, using the character's arms to attack enemies and move through levels. It's a great platformer, too, so definitely check it out if you have the ability to.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - The Final Edition of 2015 Edition

Let's take a quick break from the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2015 Awards! It's my pleasure to welcome you to the final SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs segment of 2015! To cap off this year of great VGM goodness, I have a special edition to share. This week we'll be listening to music all from games on the Sega Genesis. You European and Oceania folks might know it as the Mega Drive. Regardless of what you refer to the system as, this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs has got the old school Sega 16-bit tunes to it.

We'll start off our Genesis journey together with some action-packed Gunstar Heroes. Then we'll have some platforming fun with Ristar, Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure, and Aladdin. Finally, we wrap things up nice and neat with some Vectorman to get you seamlessly exiting from the groove and back to your day.

If you'd like to wrap up your year with some excellent tunes, check out past VGM volumes at the VGM Database! Now, let's not make these five new VGMs wait much longer!

v1041. Gunstar Heroes (GEN) - Stage 1

We start off the Genesis themed edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with Gunstar Heroes, a perfect action game where you run, gun, and blow away seemingly endless swaths of enemies both soldier and machine. When this song kicks in, you know you're in for a treat, and that's exactly what Gunstar Heroes was.

v1042. Ristar (GEN) - Dancing Leaves

A previous edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs in what seems like ages ago showed the first "act", if you will, of the first planet of Ristar, Planet Flora's music. Now, we delve into the theme of the second "act", Dancing Leaves. Planet Flora is your traditional tropical themed world, perfect for enticing players into its atypical gameplay where Ristar grabs everything from poles to enemies to get around levels.

v1043. Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure (GEN) - Sunset & Snow

Played in both the first world of Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure as well as the outdoor snow levels, this peppy and jaunty theme fits the platforming action of Buster Bunny. The game itself from Konami sports plenty of secrets, hidden levels, and lots of platforming fun for all ages. Definitely don't sleep on this title if you haven't played it, as I greatly prefer it to the Super Nintendo's Buster Busts Loose, also from Konami.

v1044. Aladdin (GEN) - Inside the Lamp

"You ain't never had a friend like me!" This is the chiptune version of the song that Genie delivers to Aladdin upon the "street rat" discovering Genie's lamp and setting him free. What would you wish for if you had three wishes? SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs would wish for more VGM goodness, but then again, this segment was always one of the more greedy ones on this site!

v1045. Vectorman (GEN) - Stage 1/Stage 6

Vectorman saw two games on the Sega Genesis. Both are action side-scrollers with plenty of platforming, robot destruction, and shooting. Inspired graphically by Donkey Kong Country (essentially being Sega's answer to that game in a visual essence), Vectorman isn't as fondly remembered as Rare's platforming trilogy, but it's still a blast to play from time to time.

Remembering the Fallen: Forgotten Platforming Stars

With the news of Microsoft dumping the trademark of an oft-forgotten platforming mascot, I took it upon myself to ponder other platforming mascots who may have once been popular and are now all but forgotten. Whether this be by fans, publishers, developers, or the industry as a whole, these platforming stars were active at one time, but now, for one reason or another, are on an extended, perhaps permanent hiatus.

Banjo and Kazooie

The original Banjo-Kazooie is one of my favorite games of all time. It took the formula that Super Mario 64 laid out, an incredibly influential title without question, and made a better game out of it. Of course, Nintendo did do the hard work by making a 3D platformer actually play well! Regardless, since Microsoft acquired Rare, the developer behind the Banjo games, we've seen HD versions of Banjo's original Nintendo 64 adventures, and we've also seen a title that was drastically different from what fans were expecting, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. While the game was mechanically sound and enjoyable to play, it wasn't the platformer that Banjo fans were clamoring for, and now we're left with bated breath wondering if the bear and bird will ever return to the spotlight.

Klonoa

Namco's Klonoa debuted on the original PlayStation with Door to Phantomile. Several sequels in the form of one PS2 entry and two Game Boy Advance titles later and Klonoa would wind up back at square one with a remake of his original adventure. This time the game was on the Wii, what seemed to be a haven for platformers of all kinds. Unfortunately, abysmal sales of the game on all corners of the world have put the floppy-eared feline in retirement. It's a shame, too, because Klonoa's trademark mechanic of grabbing enemies and using them for a double jump is one that is wholly original and beyond compare, just like the lovable character himself.

Billy Hatcher 

While I didn't overly love Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg on the Nintendo GameCube, I did find it to be massively charming and an innovative title from Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka. The game wasn't as well polished as I would have liked, but it did offer some clever new ideas. Since his debut, the boy in the chicken suit has yet to appear in a sequel or a re-release of his game on digital storefronts outside of Europe. Billy has, however, appeared in various Sega games like Sega Superstars, Sonic Riders and its sequel Zero Gravity, and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. Although in the latter's sequel he didn't appear at all, further adding to Mr. Hatcher's status as a forgotten former platformer star.

(Voodoo) Vince

Voodoo Vince was one of those games that was published by Microsoft back when they were known for more than just making Halo and Forza games. No, indeed Microsoft's game studios went after multiple markets at one time through their own in-house developed games, and Voodoo Vince was their go at a platformer for the original Xbox. The titular character Vince using an endearing form of masochism to inflict damage to himself, and in the process, defeat enemies in various wacky ways. Voodoo Vince is a series that many would love to see Microsoft go back to in order to add some much needed diversity to the Xbox brand, which nowadays doesn't tend to stray far from shooters and racers.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger

The fact that this character actually received a game recently-- albeit in the cramped iOS space-- and he's still absolutely forgotten says a lot about this former platforming star. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger was a colorful character whose original game appeared on the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Xbox back in 2002. Two other sequels would be made, but after that, Ty hung up his boomerang and went back to the outback for hiatus. An iOS game to celebrate his tenth anniversary came out for iOS devices, but no hype around the announcement took place. In fact, most don't even know such a game exists! Despite adhering close to the formula Mario games laid, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger was a unique series due to its setting, a fictional Australian island. Throw in some clever level design and you can see why some hold nostalgia to this early 2000's mascot from EA.

Starfy

For the longest time the Starfy series was for some reason or another absent from Western release. It was only until the fifth game in the series that Starfy crossed over the pond to the West with The Legendary Starfy for the Nintendo DS. The game was very reminiscent of Kirby in its easy difficulty, but there was enough to distinguish the two series apart. Unfortunately, Starfy has since hidden himself away into the dankest corners of the sea, awaiting Nintendo to give him the OK to be in a new-- hopefully also localized-- installment.

Ristar

From one star(fish?) to another, Ristar is a sad tale of a platforming star's game releasing too close to the end of its current platform's life and the beginning of a new one. In this case it was the Sega Genesis fading away in order for the company and fans to focus on the Saturn. Ristar starred the titular character as he used his elongated arms to stretch out, grab onto poles and enemies, and venture through levels. Although Ristar has been re-released in many formats (digital releases, Sega game collections, etc.), the hero of the stars has not had a new game. Seeing as Sega is so complacent with making inferior Sonic the Hedgehog games nowadays, it seems like Ristar will stay in the history books as a mere footnote in Sega's past.

Plok

A character with a game that was so interesting that Nintendo's own fabled game designer Shigeru Miyamoto had expressed interest in working on it. This is Plok, a 2D platformer released on the Super Nintendo. Plok used a clever mechanic in that he could launch any one of his limbs at foes, as well as use them to solve environment puzzles. The latter of these occasionally required Plok to be without a certain limb for a certain period of time. From the game's colorful worlds to well designed levels, Plok is a cult classic on the Super Nintendo and stars a character that wouldn't ever see another game in a starring role. It's a huge shame, as Plok showed so much promise as a character and as a series.

Five Characters I Want to See in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

If you have visited SuperPhillip Central in the past, then you know my admiration for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. I gave it the edge over Mario Kart Wii as best kart racer of the seventh generation of home consoles. Now that the game's sequel, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, is out on Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and eventually PC, Nintendo 3DS, and PlayStation Vita, there have been some exclusions from the roster.

Recently someone on the inside on Sega's official forums posed a challenge to the community. He requested that the community vote for three characters that would be good additions to the current roster. I have done two better and have five characters I'd like to see step into a vehicle, rev their engines, and storm onto the racetrack.

Ristar

Even though Ristar has only appeared in two games, both of which released in the same year, the starman character left a lasting impression on many gamers, myself included. Currently, Ristar is actually in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, but is relegated to waving the starting flag. That's unfortunate. Sure, we can't have Ristar as a playable character, but thank God we have Danica Patrick-- a member of the roster everyone wanted and clamored for-- in the game as a racer instead. Speaking of which, the team had a hard time coming up with a victory pose for Ms. Patrick in the game-- y'know, because she never wins in real life. Hi-oh!

Vectorman

Like a robot but is an orbot (a robot consisting of solely orbs), Vectorman was originally Sega's solution to Donkey Kong Country. Both games used graphical techniques to create a more rendered look. And like Ristar, Vectorman only appeared in two games, though said games would show up in several collections. The orbot is able to transform into various shapes throughout both Sega Genesis games, so it only makes sense for him to make an appearance in a game with Transformed in the title! Sega really needs to give this character another chance. The-announced-then-quickly-cancelled 2003 Vectorman reboot almost brought the orbot back, but Sonic & All-Star Racing Transformed is the perfect opportunity for this orb-being to come out of hiatus.

Billy Hatcher

I absolutely abhor it when a character from a previous installment is taken out of the sequel. It even hurts more so when said character has a track based on his franchise in the game. Do I need to remind people of Waluigi and Mario Kart 7? Well, Billy Hatcher was the latest victim of this behavior. Mr. Hatcher only had one game, but it was a doozy. Not only was it charming and colorful, but it had one of the most infectious themes I've ever heard. Billy was one of my favorite characters in Sumo Digital's first effort, so his removal absolutely astonished me-- and not in a positive way. Perhaps if Alex Kidd can come as a character later on, so can Billy Hatcher. At least that is what I keep telling myself in a futile attempt to no longer have a tear-stained pillow at night.

Ryo Hazuki

Another victim of the Waluigi effect, Mr. Ryo "Do you know any sailors" Hazuki was a much heralded addition to the Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing lineup. Players could either choose to have the Shenmue series's hero ride on a wild hog of a motorcycle or speed around in a forklift. I cannot tell you how many times I have wanted to do the latter in real life. I can't drive 55 in a forklift. I need to go at least 70. Regardless, you can imagine my disappointment when yet another original Sonic & SEGA racing character was omitted from the roster of Sumo Digital's sophomore cartoon racer.

ToeJam & Earl

Time for these two characters to get the funk into Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed as the last time we've seen these two in a new game was back in 2002 with ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth on the original Xbox. We've seen two characters team up in one vehicle before (e.g. Zobio and Zobiko of House of the Dead EX fame), so having ToeJam and Earl driving around should be no problem. How about having the pair drive around in a modded Funkatron that transforms from car to boat to plane? Sounds like a novel (and awesome) idea to me!

===

I have selected my five inclusions to the already populated Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed roster. What about you? Personally, I'd love to see Bayonetta somehow become a Nintendo platform exclusive for the sole reason of seeing system warriors make even bigger bastards of themselves.

Nonetheless, which five Sega all-stars that are not yet part of the roster would you love to see added? Let everybody know in the comments section.

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - Extinguishing the Torch Edition

The Summer Olympics XXX (to my disappointment had no nudity to speak of) are officially over, but the festivities on SuperPhillip Central are nowhere near complete. We party 24/7/365. On this edition of the VGMs we have music from Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Dead Rising, and Super Mario World. Let's get to the superb sounds!

v171. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3) - Nate's Theme 3.0

Truly heroic, Nate's Theme 3.0 is the third version of the Uncharted series' main theme. When you hear this song and the drums beat and the brass blares, you know that you are about to enter an epic adventure full of treasure, tombs, clever dialogue, memorable characters, plot twists, double-crosses, firefights, and inhuman platforming capabilities. Nathan Drake is a likeable and charismatic guy. He's also a serial killer, but that's a story for another day. In the distant future, will the Uncharted theme be considered on the same level as the Super Mario Bros, theme or the Final Fantasy theme? 

v172. Metroid II: Return of Samus (GB) - SR388

One of the only songs from what some would call a black sheep of the Metroid franchise, Metroid II: Return of Samus, that I can actually stand and more so enjoy, SR388 is a peppy jaunt through the upper levels of the Metroid-infested planet Samus Aran's mission takes her on. The rest of the soundtrack features beeps and boops that do nothing for me. They can actually grow quite grating through extended play. The picture of Samus Aran having a showdown with the final boss of the game, the Queen Metroid, comes from the artist billysan291 of Deviantart. I hesitate to link to Deviantart profiles as some of the artists really get off on sexual art for video game and anime characters. Yeah...

v173. Dead Rising (360) - Mall Music 3

One of the best third-party games on the Xbox 360, I didn't originally like Dead Rising. I didn't know what I was doing and being timed so strictly didn't help matters. Rescuing civilians, defeating psychopaths, and staying alive to tell the story were all tough objectives. When I finally mastered the game and realized the perfect strategy for survival and the dos and don'ts of the game, I enjoyed the experience a lot more. The gentle music that plays during Williamette Mall's various sections are a contrast to the violent zombie destruction and blood that covers the entirety of Dead Rising's world.

v174. Ristar (GEN) - Shooting Ristar (1-1)

Ristar, like Toe Jam & Earl and Vectorman after him, is a forgotten character of Sega. Ristar plays dissimilar to other platformers. The star-shaped Ristar has arms that can extend out, grabbing onto poles and other objects, swinging from them and crossing over chasms and other dangerous hazards. The game was indeed an innovative one, and it is a shame that Sega hasn't gone back to the character in ages. Shooting Ristar plays throughout the first level of the game, and it is an uptempo affair perfect for introducing players into the whimsical world of Ristar. deebznutz of Deviantart is the maker of the art seen above.

v175. Super Mario World (SNES) - Mario! Stay Alert!

This piece comes from a special arranged Super Mario World album whose compositions were arranged by veterans Koji Kondo and Sadao Watanabe. This piece starts out with the cavern theme of Mario World, quickly given a jazzy and rockin' kick to it. What follows is a sensational version of the Ghost House theme, filled with uncertainty and electric guitar wonder. Are we in a Ghost House or a rock concert here? Regardless of where we are, hearing the 16-bit songs of Super Mario World turned into authentic real world sounds makes SuperPhillip very happy.

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Have you visited my favorite VGMs database yet? There's a veritable cornucopia of VGM goodness dating back to volume one of my most cherished video game themes. If not, you have something to do until next week's installment of my VGMs.