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 VGM - Back to School Edition

For many children, teens and young adults, most are back in school. It seems like the gaming industry is taunting them due to releasing the biggest titles of the year while they're busy with school and not when they all this free time during the summer. We digress, however. This week's edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM has a wonderful array of games represented, including Resident Evil 4, LEGO City Undercover, and Final Fantasy X. Once you're done perusing this week's VGM, take a look at all past VGM in our VGM Database.

v446. Resident Evil 4 (Multi) - Infiltration

While the rest of the themes on this week's edition are melodious, Resident Evil 4's Infiltration is meant to bring a sense of atmosphere. That's the track's main goal, and it does it splendidly.

v447. Ys Seven (PSP) - In the Bustling Square

Phil has been playing through Ys Seven recently and has been really enjoying it. He suggested we add In the Bustling Square, the theme of the Althago City, to the ever-expanding list of VGM. It's a theme perfect for the kingdom where sun shines on the docks, the main plaza, and of course the castle.

v448. Sonic Advance (GBA) - Casino Paradise Act 2

Do you like to swing? Do you have any class? Then you'll most likely love the Act 2 version of the melody of Casino Paradise. The casino level trope is no stranger to Sonic the Hedgehog games, and it made its return in Sonic's first Game Boy Advance adventure. It's a terrific track from an above average game.

v449. LEGO City Undercover (Wii U) - Rex Fury's Secret Base

LEGO City Undercover is one of our favorite Wii U games. Its open world is just a blast to explore, venturing through every nook, cranny and rooftop available. Its soundtrack isn't too shabby, sounding part 70's cop show and part spy movie. The latter is what Rex Fury's Secret Base sounds like.

v450. Final Fantasy X (PS2) - Besaid Island

Coming from Final Fantasy X's impressive soundtrack is the theme from Besaid Island. Starting off softly, the rhythm track comes in, as does the glorious catchy piano melody. Masashi Hamauzu composed this theme, and would go onto write the music for Final Fantasy XIII, one of the only excellent parts of that game, other than the visuals.

The Top Ten Original Game Boy Advance Games

Yesterday, in celebration of ten years of the Game Boy Advance, we took a brief glimpse at five of the best GBA ports in the portable's mighty collection. Today we're taking a look at original titles might they be brand-new journeys or remakes. Let's get it started then!

10) Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire Versions


A new generation of Pokemon brought with it a cavalcade of new collectible Pokemon, a new region to explore, all-new trainers and Elite Four to battle, and new towns to rest up and conquer gyms at. Don't forget bonus material like legendary Pokemon and the aquatic islands which could be visited both above and below sea level.

9) Mega Man Zero


A brand-new Mega Man franchise was born on the Game Boy Advance, and it brought with it a high difficulty. If one managed to perform admirably on missions, they could inherit the boss abilities of the various bad guys Zero took on. A simple mission structure where Zero could choose which objectives to tackle went along with this game making it feel like a whole 'nother Mega Man game of which it technically was.

8) Sonic Advance


Sonic had meandering scores when it came to his 3D outings on the Dreamcast and Gamecube. Sonic Team opted to create the first 2D Sonic title in years exclusively for the Game Boy Advance (although this game would be ported to multiple devices afterward including the Nokia N-Gage). Fast-paced action, run and jump platforming, and a myriad of colorful and well-designed zones marked this above-average return-to-form for Sonic the Hedgehog.

7) Metroid Fusion


The first Metroid in a few years off from a decade's time was Metroid Fusion bringing new gameplay elements including a horror portion of the game. When the ultra-powerful SA-X Samus arrived, you better devise an escape plan ASAP. The virus was stronger than regular Samus Aran, and could vaporize her in seconds. The fact that it could show up anywhere only added to the tense atmosphere of the game. Though the game was more linear than past efforts, there was still plenty of adventure for Samus in Metroid Fusion.

6) Golden Sun


One of the few original RPGs for the Game Boy Advance, I chose Golden Sun over its sequel, The Lost Age, as I found the original to be a more harrowing experience. It was easier to follow with less babble and unnecessary text, a hallmark for Camelot RPGs. The battle scenes were breathtaking for the time, the in-dungeon puzzles were brilliant and clever, and the music is once again a compelling masterpiece thanks to Motoi Sakuraba's efforts. If there's but one traditional RPG to play on the GBA, make it Golden Sun.

5) Advance Wars


War. Uh. Good god, y'all. What is it good for? In the world of Advance Wars, apparently everything. You have children as commanding officers for heaven's sake, put in charge of leading men out to die if not taken seriously. This strategy RPG takes the colorful Nintendo charm and adds the brutality of war to make one addicting and complex experience. With multiple troop types, COs and CO powers, maps, and modes, Advance Wars is a game with a napalm's worth of replay value.

4) Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga


The very first Mario & Luigi was an interesting experiment. In the overworld one button controlled Mario while the other was in charge of Luigi. The same concept occurred in battle where timed jumps or strikes would negate more or bestow more damage. Even the dialogue poked fun at several cliches and tropes of the Mario franchise. Then there's Fawful which is one of the wackiest characters ever seen in a game period. This isn't your ordinary RPG. Far from it, and it's a much better game for that.

3) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow


Soma Cruz is the lead hero in this Castlevania/Metroidvania title. By defeating enemies sometimes they would drop new abilities for Soma to possess. Who doesn't like clobbering baddies with a beyond-from-this-world scythe or deck of cards? If you've played a Metroid game, you should be familiar with this type of game. As you learn new abilities, you can access newer portions of the main castle. Not only the best Castlevania on the Game Boy Advance, just one of the great games of all time on the system in general.

2) Metroid Zero Mission


The original Metroid was a frustrating experience. There was no map, areas all looked the same, and the game was punishingly difficult. Nintendo opted to changed all of that with a remake entitled Metroid Zero Mission. Adding in new content such as beastly bosses, power-ups, and intriguing post-game content where a suitless Samus must escape from the Space Pirates, this Metroid is one of the best in the series' illustrious history.

1) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap


Developed by the non-defunct Flagship of Capcom fame, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap was an adventure full of things to do, places to see, items to collect, and baddies to beat down. While the game was but five or six dungeons long, the overworld itself was as complicated as any dungeon offering tons of exploration. The addition of Kinstones to link up with the NPCs of the game added even more replay value and time added to your playtime. The shrinking mechanic of the game was ingenious and opened up the game considerably. One of the more looked down upon Zelda games, this one happens to be one of my favorites.

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Tomorrow we're continuing our celebration of all things GBA with a retro review! Put your helmets on, snap your seat belts as we're going to have a bumpy go of it. Stay tuned, followers!