Review Round-Up - November 2019

If SuperPhillip Central reaching its 900th review didn't shock you,
perhaps the quality of Capcom's Resident Evil 2 remake will!

November was the month featuring Thanksgiving for most Americans, and for SuperPhillip Central, the month was like a turkey review-wise--stuffed! Check out the four reviews posted this past month with a brand new, revamped Review Round-Up!

We first took on the Last Resort hotel in Luigi's Mansion 3, a remarkable third entry in the series and one of my favorite games of the year. It used its Poltergust G-00 to suck up an A grade. Next, SuperPhillip Central went questing with an unlikely duo--a cat and a dog--in Cat Quest II, getting a C+.

Moving forward, we then went to different, though familiar territory (or should I say terror-tory?) with Resident Evil 2, SuperPhillip Central's 900th overall review! The game got an excellent A grade. Finally, we took to the mean streets of River City with River City Girls, kicking butt and earning a C+ for its troubles.

Check out every review ever posted on SuperPhillip Central with the SPC Review Archive!

Luigi's Mansion 3 (NSW) - A

Thankfully, as noted endlessly within this review, Luigi's Mansion 3 is also just amazing to play. Each floor I played, each boss I encountered, and each secret I discovered brought me so much joy. Luigi's Mansion 3 is just a pleasure to play, and the hotel setting is a wonderful compromise between the connected mansion of the 2001 original and the more disjointed mission-based structure of its Nintendo 3DS sequel, Dark Moon. I foresee plenty of my future gaming time being devoted to tackling those last achievements in the game, despite my needing to cover other, more pressing titles coming out. Alas, I think you're most definitely worth it, Luigi's Mansion 3. Like a friendly ghost, I won't mind you "haunting" me for a little while longer since you're one of the best games of the year.

Cat Quest II (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - C+

Cat Quest II is a game that certainly doesn't outstay its welcome, as I feel any further padding would just add to the occasional tedium and repetition I felt while playing the game at times. For this reason, for me, the game was best to play in bursts rather than an extended period of time (other than my first gaming session with it). Filled with charming personality, clever humor, a colorful world, satisfyingly simple and accessible combat, and enough cat and dog puns to last you till you wait for the inevitable third installment, Cat Quest II is far from purr-fect but by no means a cat-astrophe either.

Resident Evil 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - A

Resident Evil VII had brought the Resident Evil franchise back to its former glory days, and now with Resident Evil 2, the series has ushered in a brand-new golden age. Resident Evil 2 is a sensational remake in every sense of the word. Capcom didn't rest on its laurels by just upgrading its graphics and gameplay--it totally reworked the game to modern game standards, and the end product is without question one of the best games released this year. Resident Evil 2 isn't just good--it's scary good.

River City Girls (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC) - C+

I would say that between the gorgeous sprites and detailed backgrounds, the mostly amusing combat, the fun enough script, and plentiful bonus content that River City Girls is indeed worth its $30 price tag. While I won't find myself continuing to return to this type of beat-em-up as much as say, a more linear, focused type like Double Dragon or even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, I did like my time with River City Girls regardless. The humor's hit and miss, the game can grow a bit repetitive, but as a whole, the River City Girls kick butt.

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November isn't known for being a particularly scary month (having to spend time with your family aside),
but for SuperPhillip Central, our highlighted games this past month were of the creepy variety!

Review Round-Up - June 2019

With SPC's Game of the Month, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled,
Activision is three-for-three when it comes to remakes thus far!

A new month on SuperPhillip Central generally means a new banner and a new Review Round-Up for the previous month. That looks exactly like what we have in store here at SuperPhillip Central, and June 2019 contained six full reviews to sink our collective teeth into!

The month began with De Blob 2, a Switch port of the older PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, and it colored the joint up with a satisfying B- grade. Then, Dragon Ball FighterZ took us to the opposite side of the B spectrum with an excellent B+ grade. The lowest reviewed game of the month came next, Table Top Racing: World Tour - Nitro Edition, with a disappointing D+. After that, the Saints Row franchise finally hit a Nintendo platform long after the announced Nintendo 3DS game bit the dust and was cancelled! Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package got a B-. Wrapping up the month were two games that released within less than a week of one another: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (B+) and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (A-), SPC's Game of the Month!

Check out every review ever posted on SuperPhillip Central with the SPC Review Archive!

De Blob 2 (NSW) - B-
Dragon Ball FighterZ (NSW) - B+
Table Top Racing: World Tour - Nitro Edition (NSW) - D+
Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package (NSW) - B-
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (PS4, XB1, PC) - B+
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (PS4, XB1, NSW) - A-

While Crash Team Racing's remake was a remarkable return to the kart racing classic
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was a spirited return to the so-called "Igavania" style of games.

Review Round-Up - March 2019

It was a month of good feels with--fittingly enough--Good Feel's Yoshi's Crafted World,
SuperPhillip Central's featured game of the month.

SuperPhillip Central was feeling good for the month of March with eight reviews posted on the site in that time span. Not just feeling good because of the warmer temperatures and arrival of spring, but also because developer Good Feel saw two of its titles featured this past month. Let's explore those games and the other titles reviewed last month with the Review Round-Up for March 2019!

We started out with an edge, though, with Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes (C+) and Hell Warders (C). But then, we turned to more colorful romps with Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, a game that astonished and amazed with its quality (and a game I would have given an SPC Best of 2018 nod if I had played it earlier than this past month). The game received an A-. We continued to get colorful with Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, Good Feel's first of two featured games this month. It knitted its way to a B.

Two other games received the same B grade, and those were Assault Android Cactus+ and Trials Rising. We then returned to some platforming action of the more typical type (rather than riding on and trying to stay on bikes) with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (B+) and SPC's featured game of the month, Yoshi's Crafted World. The latter was the other game of Good Feel spotlighted last month.

Check out every review ever posted on SuperPhillip Central with the SPC Review Archive!

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes (NSW) - C+
Hell Warders (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - C
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - A-
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn (3DS) - B
Assault Android Cactus+ (NSW) - B
Trials Rising (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - B
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC, Wii U, Vita) - B+
Yoshi's Crafted World (NSW) - A-

Kirby also gave SPC some warm, happy feelings as well with an updated and upgraded
version of his first Wii romp in the form of Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn.

Review Round-Up - June 2018

Sometimes, SuperPhillip Central's Featured Game of the Month is featured for negative reasons.
Unfortunately, that is the case with Mario Tennis Aces on the Nintendo Switch.

For the month of June, SuperPhillip Central logged in eight reviews, an above average amount. We started off with a duo of sports: one traditional with the boys (and girls) of summer with Super Mega Baseball 2 (B+) and one that was a futuristic cross between tennis and air hockey, Disc Jam (D+). Moving on from there, the colorful, paint-splatting platformer INK gave our month of reviews a little more colorful with its C+ score.

In anticipation for a certain game also reviewed this month, Mario Tennis Open got the Review Redux treatment, scoring a B. SPC's Game of the Month, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon wasn't too shy about how it was blatant homage to the classic Castlevania games, but that didn't stop it from slaying its way to an A- grade. Hey! Pikmin followed up that review and ventured out on a journey for a satisfying B.

Mega Man Legacy Collection on the Nintendo Switch was the definitive version of the game with its rewind function on top of all of the features included from past editions gave the collection of six NES games a B+ score.

Last up, a game that I wanted to specifically feature this month ended up being featured for all the wrong reasons. That game, upon which I held high hype for, was Mario Tennis Aces, and it greatly disappointed with its D+ grade.

Super Mega Baseball 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - B+
Disc Jam (NSW) - D+
INK (NSW) - C+
Mario Tennis Open (3DS) Review Redux - B
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC, 3DS, Vita) - A-
Hey! Pikmin (3DS) - B
Mega Man Legacy Collection (NSW) - B+
Mario Tennis Aces (NSW) - D+

Enter a Gothic world of slaying demons and monsters alikewith Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon,
SuperPhillip Central's highest rated game of the month.

Review Round-Up - May 2018

The Kongs returned for a familiar Kong-frontation with the Snowmads on the Nintendo Switch with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, SuperPhillip Central's featured Game of the Month.

The last full month of spring here in North America saw six reviews posted on SuperPhillip Central. It was a month of familiarity and definitive editions for reviews, starting with Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch, which went out on a limb (or lack thereof) and scored a great A- grade. From the bright and colorful world of Rayman, we went a touch darker (okay, a LOT darker) with tinyBuild's Garage, which didn't exactly delight with its D+ score. Then, we took a trip back in time with a retro franchise seeing a brand-new installment as Lode Runner Legacy wowed with a B.

Following closely along was Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, another Wii U game turned Nintendo Switch port, getting the banana slamma' and earning an A for its adventure and SPC's Game of the Month title. The Titans then attacked its way to a C+ with the multiplatform hack and slash fun of Attack on Titan 2. Last but not least, another Koei Tecmo venture in Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition got its definitive score, an A-.

As a parting gesture, don't forget to check out the SPC Review Archive for every review ever posted on SuperPhillip Central in its nearly ten years online!

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition (NSW) - A-
Garage (NSW) - D+
Lode Runner Legacy (NSW, PC) - B
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (NSW) - A
Attack on Titan 2 (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - C+
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (NSW) - A-

Two definitely definitive Definitive Editions were bookends to the
month of May here at SuperPhillip Central: Hyrule Warriors and Rayman Legends.

Review Round-Up - April 2018

Characters from Dragon Ball Z and Super teamed up to take on one another in 3 vs. 3 battles
 in SPC's featured game of the month, Dragon Ball FighterZ.

It was a month of duos and pairs in April. We had clusters, dragons, and a single franchise being represented twice on SuperPhillip Central this past month!

It all started with two games reviewed on the Nintendo Switch, Clustertruck (B-) and ClusterPuck 99 (C), games that both were a play on a different kind of word that features "cluster" in it. Then, we once again teamed up with Goku and friends, but this time it's one of the better licensed fighters around in Dragon Ball FighterZ, earning a B+, the highest grade of the month. That fighter was teamed up with another "Dragon" game based on art by Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest Builders. It crafted and built a B score. Finally, the Hot Shots/Everybody's franchise doubled down at the end of April with Everybody's Golf and Hot Shots Tennis. While one game shot under par and the other game won match point, both ended up earning a fantastic B.

Clustertruck (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - B-
ClusterPuck 99 (NSW, XB1, PC) - C
Dragon Ball FighterZ (PS4, XB1, PC) - B+
Dragon Quest Builders (NSW, PS4, Vita) - B
Everybody's Golf (PS4) - B
Hot Shots Tennis (PS4, PS2) - B

If you build it, SuperPhillip Central will come and play it.
SPC did and ended up enjoying Dragon Quest Builders quite a bit this past month.

Review Round-Up - March 2018

The stars aligned to make Kirby: Star Allies SuperPhillip Central's featured game of March 2018!

March 2018 was a month of cuteness at SuperPhillip Central! From adorable Pokemon and tiny cars to puzzle-solving mascots of the avian variety and insatiable pink puffballs with serious appetites, SuperPhillip Central had cuteness overload!

We started the month off with several Pokemon duke-ing it out in Pokken Tournament DX, an enhanced Nintendo Switch port of the Wii U and arcade game. It fought its way to a great B+ grade. Following that was a game with a less-than-satisfactory grade, Super Toy Cars, spinning out with a D-. We then got back to a positive state of mind with the engrossing and captivating Toki Tori 2+, tweeting and chirping its way to an A-. Next, the roller coaster of review grades continued. This time, Mario Party: The Top 100 brought us down to a D+ with its lackluster party. The last game of the month, and our featured game of the month, Kirby: Star Allies, ended the month on a strong note with a satisfying B grade!

Pokken Tournament DX (NSW) - B+
Super Toy Cars (NSW) - D-
Toki Tori 2+ (NSW) - A-
Mario Party: The Top 100 (3DS) - D+
Kirby: Star Allies (NSW) - B

Don't sleep on Toki Tori 2 or its 2+ version! I know I had for years,
and since finally being able to play the game, I regret not getting to it sooner!

Review Round-Up - January / February 2018

The elegant cast of Fire Emblem Warriors leads the charge for
the initial two months of 2018 on SuperPhillip Central.

I had some downtime to start 2018, so we're combining the months of January and February for this first Review Round-Up of the year. While I was slow in reviewing games, I really got into a rhythm near the end!

Starting out in January, I took a look at Sonic Forces, where I made my own avatar and joined the forces of good to take down Dr. Eggman. The game wasn't perfect obviously, but it didn't leave a bad taste in mouth like it did so many critics and fans either. I gave the game a C+. Following that was my return trip to Hell with the Nintendo Switch port of DOOM. The game's only gotten better with a recent patch, but at the time I reviewed DOOM, I awarded the game a stellar B grade.

Coming out from the depths of Hell, I entered into a swath of games all receiving average or near-average grades: the Super Mario 64-inspired Poi: Explorer Edition (C+), the charming adventure game World to the West (C+), the clever isometric puzzle-adventure world of Vesta (C), and the multiplayer hijinks of Kirby Battle Royale (C+).

Last but not least, Fire Emblem Warriors took the crown for featured game of these past two months, earning itself an impressive B grade. I didn't like it more than Hyrule Warriors, but there really aren't any Warriors games I enjoy more than that Zelda take on the formula anyhow!

Before we adjourn here, check out The SPC Review Archive to stay up to date on all the reviews posted on this site -- past, present, and future!

C = average

Sonic Forces (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC) - C+
DOOM (NSW) - B
Poi: Explorer Edition (NSW) - C+
World to the West (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - C+
Vesta (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - C
Kirby Battle Royale (3DS) - C+
Fire Emblem Warriors (NSW) - B

While not as elegant, Sonic Forces has a cast that is certainly
memorable for many. The game is surely worthy of a mention for these past two months.

Review Round-Up - December 2017

Ittle Dew 2+ takes the Zelda formula and creatively builds off of it,
making developer Ludosity's work SPC's Game of the Month.

Happy New Year to all SuperPhillip Central readers, whether you're a habitual reader, an occasional reader, or completely brand-new! Before we completely say goodbye to 2017, there are two things I'd like to mention. For one, the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards begin late this year, kicking off Monday, January 22, 2018. It will last the whole work week with Friday night showcasing my absolute favorite games of 2017.

The other thing to mention is the Review Round-Up! While 2017 saw AAA publishers bringing the goods, here at SuperPhillip Central we turn to indies to round out the year. Five indie games, to be exact. The first two were a duo of racing games, one on water and the other an overhead racer. Both Riptide GP: Renegade and Mantis Burn Racing sped across the finish line to earn a B grade each. Following that was RIVE: Ultimate Edition, reaching the Nintendo Switch eShop with a B- to show for it. Finally, two games following the Legend of Zelda blueprint rounded out this month, the A Link to the Past-like Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (B-) and the featured game of the month for December 2017, Ittle Dew 2+ (B+).

A lot of reviews are coming for this month, including holdovers from 2017! I hope you'll find a lot of content you're excited about this month as I try to bring my best foot forward for 2018!

Riptide GP: Renegade (NSW) - B
Mantis Burn Racing (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - B
RIVE: Ultimate Edition (NSW) - B-
Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (NSW, PC) - B-
Ittle Dew 2+ (NSW) - B+

From the makers of Hydro Thunder: Hurricane, Vector Unit's Riptide GP: Renegade
made some serious waves this past month here on SuperPhillip Central.

Review Round-Up - November 2017

Journey to fossil-filled plateaus, mysterious temples, moonlit deserts, frozen caves,
flowery fields, and much more in Mario's latest adventure.

November 2017 was a quiet month here at SuperPhillip Central with limited posts in lieu of a much-needed break. Hence, I have just two games featured in the Review Round-Up for November 2017. I generally combine two months of reviews if I have less than five reviews to report, but when you have a Game of the Year contender for the past month, you make exceptions.

While not the GotY contender I was alluding to, Rogue Trooper Redux from Rebellion was a compelling Wii era third-person shooter reborn on the Nintendo Switch. It got an average C grade. Finally, the game that will be fighting lots of games at SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2017 Awards beginning late this month, Super Mario Odyssey, greatly impressed with a masterful performance and an A grade.

No worries about a drought of reviews for December, as I have plenty of games lined up to cover review-wise. It takes time to play through these things when SPC is but a hobby! I hope you'll look forward to see what I cook up and dish out for this last month of 2017!

Rogue Trooper Redux (NSW) - C
Super Mario Odyssey (NSW) - A

Hey! Mario's walkin' here! His game, Super Mario Odyssey, is a
Game of the Year contender on SuperPhillip Central!

Review Round-Up - September 2017

If Mario + Rabbids can turn out awesomely, what other odd combinations
could work? Final Fantasy + Mortal Kombat? ...Nah.

September not only brought autumn for a fair portion of the world, but it brought five new reviews to SuperPhillip Central. It's not the optimal number I like to hit each month (that would be six), but these were satisfying enough to play and write nonetheless.

Things kicked off with Splatoon 2, which splatted its way to a B thanks to some clever and addicting gameplay but clumsy online options. Then, a Review Redux put The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds back under focus a few years after its original release, earning an A. Meanwhile, try as the developers did, Beach Buggy Racing was not a satisfying arcade kart racer, falling off the track quite a bit with a D grade. From there, Samus Aran made her majestic comeback with Metroid: Samus Returns, plundering planet SR388 for a B+. Finally, an unpredictable combination and one that seemed unlikely to be as great as it was, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle serves as SuperPhillip Central's featured game of the month, scoring an A-!

Splatoon 2 (NS) - B
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS) - A
Beach Buggy Racing (NS) - D
Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS) - B+
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (NS) - A-

School wasn't the only thing back in session this September, so was splat season with Splatoon 2.

Review Round-Up - August 2017

Taking what's old and loved about the classic Sonic games and adding in something new and fresh
into the equation, Sonic Mania easily cast a shadow over any attempt Sonic Team had made before. 

I might have missed my self-imposed deadline for one last review for the month (that one will be posted later tonight), but August 2017 saw nine reviews all the same. It was both a retro and indie themed month of reviews. Beginning the indie part of the month was Infinite Minigolf and Death Squared, which were both impressive enough to earn a B grade. Another indie game, but this time on mobile devices, had lots of inspiration from old school Mario games. This mobile game was Pauli's Adventure Island, only given an average grade (C) due to it not offering enough replay value and being a bit rote (but it being a free download with fun gameplay made that okay in the end).

From there, SuperPhillip Central went down the retro road art style-wise with Slime-san (B+) and the ode to late 80's and early 90's pop and gaming culture with Retro City Rampage DX, roaring onto the Nintendo Switch with a terrific A- score. The Pic-A-Pix-like Piczle Lines DX was a delightful puzzle game, getting a B-, while Nintendo's only game to be featured in this month of reviews, Flip Wars, didn't have enough content or serviceable online to give anything but a slightly above average C+ grade to.

Finally, SuperPhillip Central rounded out August with the Game of the Month, Sonic Mania, a return to greatness and form, and I awarded the game a more-than-worthy A grade to the game. The last review of the month wasn't a wholly new game in its series like Sonic Mania was, but it still brought back classic Mega Man gameplay to the market in compilation form in Mega Man Legacy Collection 2, earning a B.

Infinite Minigolf (NS, PS4, XB1, PC) - B
Death Squared (NS, PS4, XB1, PC) - B
Pauli's Adventure Island (iOS, Android) - C
Slime-san (NS, PC) - B+
Retro City Rampage DX (NS) - A-
Piczle Lines DX (NS) - B-
Flip Wars (NS) - C+
Sonic Mania (NS, PS4, XB1, PC) - A
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - B

Mega Man's more modern entries took him from graphical evolution to back to the basics in no time flat!
Experience all to offer in Mega Man Legacy Collection 2, featuring Mega Man 7 - 10!

Review Round-Up - July 2017

Three classic games in one?! That's... That's... no, "crazy" isn't the word I'm looking for.
What's the word...? Hmm... I'll have to get back to you guys on this one.

Can you believe that it's August already? The first day of a new month routinely brings a new Review Round-Up onto SuperPhillip Central, and that's the case on today, August 1st, as well! Five reviews were posted for the month of July, so let's reminisce!

The month started with Ever Oasis from Grezzo, the team behind the remakes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora's Mask 3D. This original Nintendo 3DS game from them was truly remarkable, earning it a B+ grade. Then, we moved on to celebrate Kirby's 25th anniversary year with a duo of Nintendo 3DS eShop games, Kirby's Blowout Blast (B-) and Team Kirby Clash Deluxe (C+). Moving from the Nintendo 3DS to the Nintendo Switch, Taiwanese developer Rayark's Implosion: Never Lose Hope seriously impressed this reviewer with its satisfying hack and slash action and notable production values, so I gave it a B+. Rounding out the month of this relatively smaller-than-average amount of reviews, Bean gave us a rare review, this time checking out the recently released Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy. He awarded the game an A- score. That's approximately 9 "Woahs" out of 10, if you're interested in that sort of thing. Here's to August, where SuperPhillip Central will keep the summer reviews coming!

Ever Oasis (3DS) - B+
Kirby's Blowout Blast (3DS) - B-
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe (C+)
Implosion: Never Lose Hope (NS) - B+
Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4) - A-

Unlike grains of sand, don't let Ever Oasis slip through your fingers. It's a terrific game.

Review Round-Up - June 2017

While not being a knockout punch in content, ARMS has a great base for a solid fighting game series.

It was a month of unique games and others that emulated more popular series with the reviewed game lineup of June 2017.

It began with a review of Zelda II-esque Elliot Quest, which got a great grade of B despite how easy and frustrating it sometimes is to get lost. Following that was the PlayStation 2 style 3D platformer Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island, which was short on hours and polish, but good overall with a C+. Meanwhile, I went back to my Wii U to take a look at The Girl and the Robot, a game which had some clunky controls and other issues, earning it a C-. From games that are inspired by Zelda II and PS2 platformers to LEGO's attempt at jumping in Minecraft's success, LEGO Worlds failed to impress with me giving it a D+ score.

The best reviewed game of the month was Puyo Puyo Tetris (B+), an excellent combination of SEGA's Puyo Puyo series and The Tetris Company's Tetris series. I then spent time with a Mega Man clone and then a Zelda clone with Mighty Gunvolt Burst and Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, both getting a B score. Finally, I took the call to arms with... well, ARMS of all games. It punched and pummeled its way as hard it could, but a lack of compelling content to return to made me give it a B-.

Elliot Quest (PS4, XB1, 3DS) - B
Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island (PS4, XB1, PC) - C+
The Girl and the Robot (Wii U) - C-
LEGO Worlds (PS4, XB1, PC) - D+
Puyo Puyo Tetris (NS, PS4) - B+
Mighty Gunvolt Blast (NS, 3DS) - B
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas (NS) - B
ARMS (NS) - B-

Whether Puyo Puyo, Tetris, or both, a terrific time was had with Puyo Puyo Tetris.

Review Round-Up - May 2017

New features like an updated and upgraded Battle Mode made this version
of Mario Kart one of the series' absolute best.

The Review Round-Up here at SuperPhillip Central began back in 2009 as a way to showcase and highlight all past reviews for a given month. Sometimes it spans multiple months, but that surely isn't the case for this Review Round-Up!

We began big for the month of May with Guerrilla Games' Horizon: Zero Dawn, which scored a fantastic A-. With the NHL Stanley Cup Finals underway, Old Time Hockey on PlayStation 4 and Steam might be a nice alternate take on the game on the ice. It was given a C-. The wacky but insanely fun multiplayer delight, Snipperclips - Cut it out, Together!, got itself a wonderful B grade. Following that was Inti Creates' Blaster Master Zero, which definitely impressed with its old school, Metroid-style goodness, getting a B+ overall.

All of those game reviews (and all the ones in previous Review Round-Ups) led the way to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, SuperPhillip Central's 750th published review. The game was even better than its Wii U original, racing across the finish line to an A grade. Finally, for SPC's Local Game Dev Day, Happy Badger Studio's SmuggleCraft (C) and Well Bred Rhino's Last Stitch Goodnight (B) both got the SPC review treatment by yours truly.

SuperPhillip Central heats up in a big way even before summer officially begins with a special treat on Monday: the site's nine-year anniversary! Including that, there are some interesting reviews that will be posted that I hope you enjoy. Let's make the march towards 800 reviews, together!

Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4) - A-
Old Time Hockey (PS4, Steam) - C-
Snipperclips - Cut it out, together! (NS) - B
Blaster Master Zero (NS, 3DS) - B+
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS) - A
SmuggleCraft (PS4, Steam) - C
Last Stitch Goodnight (PS4, Steam) - B

Let's not forget about the first review of May, though. Horizon: Zero Dawn brought a touching story, pristine presentation, and strong gameplay to back it all up.

Review Round-Up - April 2017

Yooka-Laylee was not just a Kickstarter success story but an overall fun
yet flawed throwback to N64-era collect-a-thon platformers.

April showers brought eight reviews to SuperPhillip Central (and the aforementioned aggression to the Central City Census). We began with Mr. Shifty, which had great melee-based gameplay, but suffered in length and performance. It received a B-, as did our first mobile game review of the month, FZ9: Timeshift. Following that was one of the PlayStation brand's mobile offerings, Run Sackboy! Run!, speeding its way to an average C grade.

The featured games of the month, LEGO City Undercover and Yooka-Laylee both earned an enjoyable B- grade. Then two more mobile titles were reviewed, Kami 2 (B-) and Dan the Man (B). Finally, the heroes in a half shell were showcased in the month's sole retro review with 2003's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, getting a disappointing D to close out the month.

May is going to be an exciting month for SuperPhillip Central review-wise, as Horizon: Zero Dawn and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be but two of the reviews featured. Stay tuned!

Mr. Shifty (NS, Steam) - B-
FZ9: Timeshift (iOS, Android) - B-
Run Sackboy! Run! (iOS, Android, Vita) - C
LEGO City Undercover (NS, PS4, XB1, PC) - B-
Yooka-Laylee (PS4, XB1, PC) - B-
Kami 2 (iOS, Android) - B-
Dan the Man (iOS, Android) - B
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PS2, GCN, XBX) - D

LEGO City Undercover returns and Chase McCain is back on the beat with a series of sloppy ports.

Review Round-Up - March 2017

Like Link in this stunning artwork, The Legend of Zelda series climbed to new heights with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, SuperPhillip Central's Featured Game of the Month.

Because SuperPhillip Central's April Fools shenanigans from the weekend, we're just now getting to the Review Round-Up, your monthly look at the reviews written and published to the site over the past month. March saw six individual reviews for lots of games and systems, including the all-new Nintendo Switch!

The beginning of the month saw the origin of the land of Ys-- Ys Origin, to be exact. Its enjoyable action-RPG combat and platforming got a well deserved B grade. Following that was a fun, colorful, but deviously difficult 360 degree shoot-em-up, Blue Rider, which earned a C+. FAST RMX was SuperPhillip Central's first Nintendo Switch review, blazing onto the system for a B+! Then, Bomberman came back from hibernation for an imperfect but still enjoyable game with Super Bomberman R, getting a satisfactory C grade. Mario Sports Superstars split its focus to five sports, and while it was a jack of all sports, it was master of none, earning the overall package a still enjoyable C+. Finally, SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Month and the Nintendo Switch's killer app, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild dazzled this reviewer much like it dazzled most of the gaming world. I gave the game a superb A grade. Stay tuned for April's batch of reviews, including one big game that I'm covering almost a year after its release, long after the hype. I hope it holds up!

Ys Origin (PS4) - B
Blue Rider (PS4, XB1, PC) - C+
FAST RMX (NS) - B+
Super Bomberman R (NS) - C
Mario Sports Superstars (3DS) - C+
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NS, Wii U) - A

Meanwhile, Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom gang took to the field,
 diamond, court, course, and racetrack in Mario Sports Superstars.

Review Round-Up - February 2017

Learning lessons from Sticker Star, Paper Mario: Color Splash was a fantastic
adventure and is SuperPhillip Central featured game of February 2017.

Despite being a short month compared to the rest of the year, SuperPhillip Central managed to score eight unique reviews for February. The general theme of the month was color, and that was exhibited well with a slew of bright and bouncy games for the most part.

The month began with a retro review to get folks excited for Bomberman's return after a long hiatus. The game played was the cel shaded GameCube delight, Bomberman Generation, earning a B grade. The Wii U game turned Nintendo 3DS port, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, followed, crafting its way to a B+. The odd game out theme-wise, but no less a fantastic game, Titanfall 2, got a B+ grade as well.

We then returned to our month-long color theme with the delightful Red's Kingdom (C+), and then had some tank warfare of the cartoon variety with Tank Troopers (B-). Following that was a duo of games each providing a different take on a background color-switching mechanic, Hue (C+) and the fantastic Runbow: Deluxe Edition (A-). Finally, Paper Mario: Color Splash painted the town red... and blue... and yellow... to surprisingly great effect, getting a B+.

Bomberman Generation (GCN) - B
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS) - B+
Titanfall 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - B+
Red's Kingdom (iOS, Android) - C+
Tank Troopers (3DS) - B-
Hue (PS4, XB1, PC, Vita) - C+
Runbow: Deluxe Edition (Wii U) - A-
Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U) - B+

Yoshi's Woolly World returned, but in handheld form, and giving Poochy
a costarring role as part of SuperPhillip Central's color-themed month.

Review Round-Up - January 2017

Dragon Ball Fusions proved that the series didn't just need to stick to the fighter genre to have a great game.

 The first month of 2017 didn't see a lot of brand-new games being reviewed, but it did see a good share of reviews in general-- seven in total. What better way to begin a new year than with a game that received the best grade possible on SuperPhillip Central with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D! Following that were two games that got the same grade of C+, MediEvil: Resurrection and Pac-Man World Rally.

A historical moment, though not a positive one, came next with Mini Golf Resort for the Nintendo 3DS receiving SuperPhillip Central's first "F" grade. We moved on from that blemish to brighter pastures with the excellent and overlooked Need for Speed: Nitro on Wii (B), the fun arcade kart racer Skylanders SuperChargers Racing (B-), and finally explored the Dragon Ball universe with Dragon Ball Fusions, which earned its B grade. Overall, a fun month of reviews here at SuperPhillip Central!

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) Review Redux - A+
MediEvil: Resurrection (PSP) - C+
Pac-Man World Rally (PS2, GCN, PSP, PC) - C+
Mini Golf Resort (3DS) - F
Need for Speed: Nitro (Wii) - B
Skylanders SuperChargers Racing (3DS) - B-
Dragon Ball Fusions (3DS) - B

Meanwhile, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D got the
review treatment yet again with the site's best grade possible.

Review Round-Up - December 2016

While Super Mario Run allowed Mario to jump into a pool of gold coins...

The final month of 2016 brought six reviews to SuperPhillip Central. It was mostly a month of platforming with some very big stars and some very big disappointments (well, one). Starting off the month of December was Review Redux of New Super Mario Bros. 2 which earned a B grade. A disappointment came soon after when I finished Mekazoo, a game which had a rocky second half, giving it a D+ grade overall. Then, we traveled to the LittleBigPlanet with LittleBigPlanet 3, hopping happily about with a B-.

Moving forward, the lone non-platformer this month, Aqua Moto Racing Utopia, amazed with its tight controls and its rivaling of Wave Race, earning itself a B+. Next up, two former rivals had two different games, each on the opposite sides of the sales success spectrum. First, Super Mario Run successfully converted 2D Mario to mobile in a smart way, getting a B+ for its effort. Secondly and lastly, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice improved on the foundation laid by the first Nintendo 3DS Sonic Boom entry, Shattered Crystal, and it slid into a C+ for being a competent but not-too-special platformer.

Here's to a new year with new reviews for some awesome games!

New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS) Review Redux - B
Mekazoo (PS4, XB1, PC) - D+
LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4, PS3) - B-
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC) - B+
Super Mario Run (iOS) - B+
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (3DS) - C+

...His former rival Sonic didn't fare as well, though he did get a nice title under his belt (er, scarf) regardless.