Review Round-Up - January 2026

Whether it was a big gorilla with Donkey Kong Bananza or big hops with... well, Big Hops,
there was a lot of fun 3D platforming to be found this past month! 

Did you know and can you believe it's been nearly five years since we've last done a Review Round-Up on SuperPhillip Central?! It's true! I'm not one to make up for lost time, but there's been just enough in the way of reviews on the blog this January that we can take a fond look back at the month that was.

The year started off strong on SuperPhillip Central with one heck of a block party in quite the literal sense with LEGO Party!, celebrating its way to a B+. From there, the first of two Sonic the Hedgehog reviews, perfect to do our own kind of celebrating of his 35th anniversary, was Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, racing around at the speed of sound with an A-. 

It went all downhill from there--but that was a good thing--with a perfect winter-themed snowboarding sensation, SSX 3, as a retro review. It slid down the slopes superbly with a B+ grade. 

From there, a pair of 3D platformers, one indie and one decidedly NOT-so-indie, took center stage on SPC with Big Hops and Donkey Kong Bananza respectively. The indie effort earned a super respectable B- with some bugs and glitches needing to be ironed out, while Nintendo's big banana of a first-party, single-player game this year scored an A, making it our Game of the Month.

Finally, not all of our games reviewed this month made the grade. Sonic Heroes disappointed me upon a modern look at the game, over 20 years since I last played it. It stumbled a bit in its red and white sneakers with a D+.

It's starting to all come back to me with these Review Round-Ups! Last but not least, I would be amiss if I didn't remind you about the SPC Review Archive where every review posted in this blog's nearly 18 year history resides... for better or worse (some of those early reviews are ROUGH). 

LEGO Party (Multi) - B+

I'm surprised by how much I absolutely enjoyed LEGO Party. The developers really did a fantastic job with this party game, offering mostly well-crafted boards with relatively fast paced rounds (not looking at you, Space Zone), a colorful and creative collection of mini-games (some stinkers notwithstanding), and plentiful amounts of charm thrown in as well, with that latter part being expected from a LEGO game. The developers are also listening to feedback within the community, such as adding bonus Golden Bricks at the end of games, something that LEGO Party lacked by the time I finished up the Platinum trophy on the game a month ago. All this, plus a budget price, deliver a party worth having for any kind of player, young/old, casual/hardcore, and so forth.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Multi) - A-

Overall, the addition of CrossWorlds definitely keeps races feeling fresh and somewhat unpredictable, and I'd love to see more added down the road. SEGA and Sonic Team both seem committed to keeping up with updates and bringing more goodies to the game, which is fantastic to see after Team Sonic Racing. They have an incredibly good thing going here with the base Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds package--plenty to love, some minor frustrations, but mostly all positives. It feels great to control, it gives Sonic fans copious amounts of way past cool callbacks, and it's got a ton of love and energy under its hood. 

SSX 3 (PS2, GCN, XBX) - B+

...this third entry is one hell of a snowboarding package, both overwhelming in positive and negative ways, but well worth playing for any extreme sports enthusiast or just gaming fan who wants a proper challenge and enjoyable snowboarding title to play. 

Big Hops (Multi) - B- 

When it comes down to it, Big Hops nails the most important aspect of a 3D platformer--its movement is fast, fluid, fun, and feels right. Everything else is gravy, really, and while some of it fares better than other parts, overall, Hop's first adventure shows a stellar amount of understanding of what makes a modern 3D platformer enjoyable: with its remarkably tight controls, genuinely delightful level design, and mostly impressive presentation.

Donkey Kong Bananza (NS2) - A

While minor frame-rate issues and most of the boss battles being rather breezy might make for some modest moaning from myself, those complaints are quickly diminished by the absolute amount of fun that Bananza delivered in banana bunches to me. This 20 hour epic is one that constantly escalates the action, and keeps it going through the finale and beyond. Donkey Kong Bananza delights and delivers a 3D action-platformer that offers enough open-ended design to kick some serious potassium. 

Sonic Heroes (PS2, GCN, XBX) - D+ 

...the positives about Sonic Heroes--the level design, the colorful visuals, and superb soundtrack--greatly are betrayed by the game's poor controls, obnoxious mission design with Team Chaotix, abhorrent boss battles, awful camera, and glitches aplenty. Even despite all of these negatives, I did enjoy rolling around at the speed of sound, flying high, and throwing my weight around with this cast of 12 playable characters. Does that make Sonic Heroes an enjoyable game overall? Absolutely not. 

SPC reminded itself to take the good with the bad, particularly with the Blue Blur this month 
as we looked at both Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and Sonic Heroes.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Multi) Review

I'm slowly but ever surely getting through my backlog of reviews! That's essentially what the start of 2026 is about on SuperPhillip Central, at least! Let's now take to the track, to the waters, and yes, the skies, too, with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

Race rings around the competition with Sonic and friends. 

Sonic the Hedgehog is synonymous with speed, so there's no wonder why he's taken to the track for several racing games multiple times in the past. Whether it's within a car against SEGA's all-stars, on a board against the Babylon Rogues, or yes, also on foot a la Sonic R. The last time Sonic's friends and foes gathered for a race was the somewhat ill-fated Team Sonic Racing. While the game itself was highly competent, it had the misfortune of releasing shortly after Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, which if that game hadn't already taken the wind out of Sonic's sails (or is it "the speed out of Sonic's shoes"?), the lack of cross-play meant the game was dead on arrival for long-term entertainment.

Now, Sonic and friends are back on the track with one past issue solved--cross-play is indeed a feature in the latest racing effort--Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. Though this time this Sonic racing game has a Super Mario-sized shadow casting over it with Mario Kart World's prior release. Just kidding--both games can co-exist merrily, and any supposed rivalry is best left for playground squabbles. Let's get to brass tacks, hm? Or... gold rings, rather.

Sonic and company speed into multiple new worlds.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds forgoes any kind of story mode this time around, instead focusing on cutthroat racing on super speedy circuits and little else. That isn't to say the game lacks content--it's more that you're getting to the main attraction without much in the way of detours. The main mode is that of the Grand Prix, of which there are eight cups total, featuring 24 tracks total. Grand Prix cups are comprised of four races each. In a clever twist on the formula, the fourth race is a combination of the three previous races, each a lap apiece.  

Make your selection, but be quick about it!

In an even cleverer twist and true to the namesake of its subtitle, CrossWorlds are a primary feature of races in general. The first and third laps of a given race see competitors speed through the main circuit, while on the second lap, a CrossWorld is introduced--this is an entirely separate track destination from the standard circuit being raced on. Leading up to the second lap, a choice of two CrossWorlds presents itself to the racer in the lead--selected by driving in the left or right half of track representing either option. Upon the selection being chosen, a portal appears, seamlessly transporting racers into a wholly new environment. These lap-long CrossWorlds, of which there are 15 unique ones, range from Sonic Unleashed's icy and arctic Holoska and Sonic Colors' Sweet Mountain, to deep cuts like Sonic and the Secret Rings' Dinosaur Jungle. There are also completely original sights like Steampunk City.

Dinosaur Jungle, it is, then! My, what big teeth you have!

Whether races or CrossWorld circuits, the 39 in the initial package present plenty of technical turns, lovely locales, and ample opportunities for shortcuts. While races aren't as transformative or as dynamic as Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, they'll still very much keep you on your toes... or wheels... or whatever! I've mentioned the second lap's CrossWorlds, which truly keep races feeling fresher than they do already, but even the standard races mix things up, too. 

On the first lap of a race, everything is unassuming enough (or as unassuming as a race in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds can possibly be), allowing players to get a little accustomed to the track before adding some last lap hi-jinks into the fray. Such hi-jinks include stronger boost pads, turning some into hyper-energizing blue ones. More interestingly, some races--such as the very first track of the game, E-Stadium, bring about shortcuts that are only accessible on the final lap. In this case, it's a narrow ramp that leads to a portal, transporting players ahead a little distance where a Red Ring rests.

Yes, like almost all 3D Sonic games Colors and on, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features five Red Rings on each track in the Grand Prix mode to collect. These award an in-game currency called Donpa Tickets for collecting them, among other in-game tasks and achievements. Donpa Tickets are not only spent on second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chances on Grand Prix races--for if the current race didn't go the way you wanted, you can restart it for a price without having to redo the entire cup--but they're the key to unlocking new vehicle parts, too.

Shadow's no-nonsense attitude takes to the track.

Customization is a huge part of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, offering the ability to mix and match various different vehicle parts together to form your own awesome machination creations. Depending on the vehicle type--speed, acceleration, boost, power, and so forth--the parts equipped affect your vehicle's top speed, acceleration, boosting ability, turning capabilities, and more in various ways. You can also fully customize your ride with decals, paint jobs, and much more to very much make your vehicle your own.

Adding to the customization aspect of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is that of gadgets. Gadgets are equip-able gear that you essentially use to conform to your play style and ability level. Some gadgets allow you to have three item slots instead of the standard two, while others make drift boost occur in a faster fashion, or make it so turning whilst in the air is sharper and quicker. If you want to start with a certain item at the beginning of the race, there's a gadget for that. If you want to make your maximum rings you can hold even higher (thus increasing your max speed), yep, you guessed it--there's a gadget for that, too. There are eventually up to six gadget slots available, but the more subjectively stronger gadgets take up more slots (up to three slots at a time). And with five loadouts available, you can experiment, switch, and change things up to your heart's content. 

One of the worries I had with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds stemmed from learning that Sumo Digital--the previous dev behind CrossWorlds' predecessors--had nothing to do with this game. I hold Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and less so but still so, Team Sonic Racing in high regard due to how tight and magical the feeling of driving, drifting, and controlling each vehicle was. The games were fantastic to boot, especially Transformed. Fortunately, my worries were unfounded, as while the controls are not 1:1 to Sumo Digital's works, they still feel tight, responsive, and just plain awesome in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

Drifting is a different beast in CrossWorlds compared to Sumo Digital's efforts, and forgive me for constantly comparing the games--but after three impressive outings by the developer, it's difficult NOT to use Sonic's previous racers as a comparison point. Drifting requires the standard holding of a trigger or button (depending on the control option chosen), but to get the tightest type of turn, you'll want to ease off the accelerator now and then. It takes some getting used to, and with many kart racers or mascot racing games, it goes against instinct and muscle memory, for sure. That said, it quickly becomes second nature, and by the third race in a Grand Prix, I was feeling incredibly comfortable taking sharp turns via drifts.

Like Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, vehicles change on the fly when they reach certain designated parts of track--from cars to boats, or boats to planes, for instance. Each have different feels to their controls, different hefts, different ways they drift, etc. With boats, you can hold the drift button on a straightaway to charge up, and then release to perform a jump boost. This is not only a great way to get some extra speed, but it also can assist in reaching otherwise inaccessible item boxes or even shortcuts!

Take flight (or just the wheel) as one of over 25 different racers!

Speaking of items, those expecting a highly skill-based racer like Transformed was, won't exactly feel right at home with CrossWorlds. This is meant to be a more accessible racing game, sort of borrowing some concepts from Mario Kart. That isn't to say that skill isn't important--far from it. It's more that between the copious amounts of items used during races and the resulting chaos that comes from all of that, you're going to be on a more level playing field to everyone.

The items featured in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds each have their own counter, and many of them have a Mario Kart equivalent as well, whether that's green boxing gloves that bounce around the track like green shells, red boxing gloves that hone in on opponents ahead of you like red shells, or even the blue shell equivalent, King Boom Boo. Though to be fair, each item in CrossWorlds tweaks their familiar inspirations just enough to keep things fresh, and even in the case of King Boom Boo, keeps things fair, offering counters and affecting players directly behind the blast radius.

Outside of Grand Prix, there is a lot yet to sink their fangs (or Nacks, if you prefer his older nomenclature--though he's not in this game, unfortunately) into mode-wise and option-wise. The Race Park is a mode I spent a lot of time in, and is essentially the game's PvE mode. It has you taking on a series of rival teams, attempting to win three races against them, thus earning a reward and the right to take on the next team. There's a multitude of race types to choose from, such as team or individual-themed races. The team-based ones are especially interesting, as they have different objectives outside of just crossing the finish line ahead of the competition, such as collecting the most rings, performing the most boosts, etc. 

Several familiar locales open themselves up to race on, such as Sonic Adventure 2's Metal Harbor.

Time trials, an old standby for games of this nature, also are available, but in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds I actually felt compelled to complete them and compete for optimal times. This was not just for the reason of carrot-on-a-stick achievements, but also because completing them netted me new songs from throughout Sonic's 3D history (and some from his 2D history) within the jukebox feature of the game. This allows players to change out the standard music of the game for an assortment of tracks--a best of, if you will--within Sonic's greatest hits and games. 

The time trials themselves were just enjoyable to do, too, as the game offers an ideal racing line to try to follow, multiple opportunities to collect item boxes that serve as boosts to use to shave precious seconds, and rings to collect too. The optimal path usually means getting as many rings as possible to max your count, thus maximizing your highest possible speed, while also occasionally aiming for those aforementioned boosts. However, not all boost boxes are created equal. Some actually are a detriment to your track times, demanding you take the outside of some turns, costing precious seconds, so there's clever bits of strategy to consider with these, too.

As if the amount of racing goodness wasn't already enough, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has loads to offer for online players. Again, the game supports playing with online friends no matter their platform, so if you're on Switch 2 and your friend is on PlayStation 5, you can race against or with each other. Friend lobbies, random lobbies, and even occasional festivals where players compete in team-based races while trying to complete what is essentially a free "battle pass" for rewards are available in the game. There are also both paid and free DLC in the way of characters and tracks, though the latter are only available to own as part of the paid DLC. It's also a bit disconcerting and disappointing to have the game released and already a heftily priced DLC package is available. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth, personally.

Take your customized vehicles out for a ride for the whole world to see in online races.

What quickly sweetened that bad taste in my mouth was remembering just how much fun I've had with the game, and also how amazed and delighted I was with the presentation package of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds in general. From the silky smooth frame-rate while racing, to the various quips and interactions characters make with one another (especially when facing your rival in Grand Prix mode and some out-there callbacks are made to little-known or all-but-forgotten Sonic series trivia), to the absolutely awesome soundtrack, I was in awe all-around. The latter part, the music, might be a point of contention for some, as the third lap of each race features synth vocals that won't be everyone's cup of tea. I personally enjoyed it, much like the remixes of familiar Sonic tracks and wholly original music, too. 

It's no dream, I assure you--NiGHTS is one of the free DLC additions to the roster.

Whereas I feel the previously and briefly mentioned Mario Kart World has an excellent foundation that just needs some further expanding upon, I believe that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has a foundation that is already well-trodden and doesn't really have much else to expand on. Overall, the addition of CrossWorlds definitely keeps races feeling fresh and somewhat unpredictable, and I'd love to see more added down the road. SEGA and Sonic Team both seem committed to keeping up with updates and bringing more goodies to the game, which is fantastic to see after Team Sonic Racing. They have an incredibly good thing going here with the base Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds package--plenty to love, some minor frustrations, but mostly all positives. It feels great to control, it gives Sonic fans copious amounts of way past cool callbacks, and it's got a ton of love and energy under its hood. 

[SPC Says: A-] 

The Tuesday 10s: My Most Anticipated Games for the Rest of 2025

There are but three more full months in 2025 to be had, and despite this relatively short time span, there is a massive amount of great games launching from now until 2026. That makes sense, as it's the most wonderful time of the year--the busiest release season in gaming, after all! 

Today, the Tuesday 10s return with a glimpse at the ten titles that I am most anticipated and hyped about for the rest of 2025. From a plethora of platformers to new remakes of old loves, as well as some speedy racers, this list contains a wide variety of gaming goodness to see off the year that was 2025. The following list is in alphabetical order of game names.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles (Multi)

 

One of the seminal games of my youth, Final Fantasy Tactics remains one of my most treasured tactical game experiences. Between its myriad memorable battles, sensational soundtrack (one of my favorites within gaming), and narrative that I've only grown to appreciate more as an adult than I did in my younger years, Final Fantasy Tactics is an epic in every sense of the word.

This remaster, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, heads to basically every current platform with an updated graphical style as well as the old style for purists or simply folks who prefer the original look. Voice acting throughout is included, too, and it sounds glorious, in all honesty. The Ivalice Chronicles from the looks of it appears to be what you get when you improve upon near-perfection. Fans knowledgeable of a certain Wiegraf series of battles probably know what I mean by "near-perfection"!

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (NS2) 

To be perfectly honest, I could not care less about the Imprisoning War or learning more lore behind The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That just doesn't interest me in the slightest, nor does following along with the whims of Nintendo with the lore of The Legend of Zelda series. Where in the timeline does THIS take place? I do not care in the slightest.

I DO, however, care about the Hyrule Warriors series, and while I'm a bit remiss that we're not getting more in the way of the original Hyrule Warriors, instead adhering again to the Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom cast and story rather than the entire franchise, I'm eager to participate in epic, grand-scale battles across Hyrule. There's something to Musou-style games that tickle the pleasure part of my gaymer brain, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment looks to do that yet again with one of my favorite franchises in gaming. Can't complain about that!

Kirby Air Riders (NS2)

The madman Masahiro Sakurai and his team at Sora are back it again. Right from the word "go" and from the information revealed in the first Nintendo Direct dedicated to the game, we know Kirby Air Riders is a racer that is absolutely going to be stuffed with content. Heck, if I didn't gather that from the first Nintendo Direct, the announcement of a second Direct dedicated to the game would have hit that point home big time. Essentially taking the GameCube cult classic and packing it with more, more, more in the way of modes, characters, and features (including a second button to be used during gameplay--you're getting crazy, Mr. Sakurai!!), Kirby Air Riders is destined to provide plenty to love for fans of the original, as well as newcomers experiencing this Kirby racing spin-off series for the first time through this sequel.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (NS2, NSW)

Metroid Prime and Metroid fans in general have really been put the ringer with waiting for the fourth installment of Metroid Prime. Fortunately, the long worldwide nightmare is almost over. ...Maybe. Unless after all this time the game doesn't live up to the impossible expectations thrust upon it. Now, wouldn't that suck!

But, I'm forever an optimist, and I do have faith in Nintendo and Retro Studios to deliver. For almost two decades we've been teased by the return of Sylux, and now his main villain arc is presumably here with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Throw in eye-watering visuals, especially on the Switch 2 version (with graphics and performance options available), optional JoyCon 2 mouse controls, and Samus on a bike (!!), and you have an entry that I truly hope turns out wonderfully. And not just for me, of course, but the entire Metroid fandom. Another win for all of us is deserved!

Mina the Hollower (Multi) 

From the team behind Shovel Knight comes a new game after all this time--Mina the Hollower. Featuring gorgeous pixel art modeled after the Game Boy Color (though using tricks beyond its full capabilities), a massive world to traverse and explore, combat with creatures of all shapes and sizes with Mina's magical whip, multiple Trinkets that can change up a given player's play style in a snap (or maybe a crack of the whip), and you have a game that promises to delight. I can think of no better treat to trick out on when it releases this Halloween than Mina the Hollower.

Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac (Multi)

I very much enjoyed Pac-Man World Re-Pac, a remake of the PlayStation 1's Pac-Man World. The hope with that remake was that Bandai Namco would eventually get around to remaking the more cult-favorite of the bunch: Pac-Man World 2. The Nintendo Partner Direct from this past July revealed this hope would prosper into a dream come true for fans with Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac. Featuring a more 3D world rather than the side-scrolling 3D style of the original Pac-Man World, this remade sequel boasts new improvements to bosses, to accessibility with the new Fairy Mode, and even a light co-op mode with one player taking on the role of Pac-Man while the other controls a drone. I never did finish Pac-Man World 2, but with these upgrades and improvements, I'm looking forward to trying when the remake releases this Friday.

Pokemon Legends Z-A (NS2, NSW)

As a big fan of the previous Pokemon Legends game, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, I'm certainly looking forward to exploring Lumiose City, a veritable Pokemon playground to explore and do battle in. Plus, it won't hurt that with the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game that Game Freak's latest will hopefully run at minimum competently on the hardware, unlike certain recent efforts from the dev. Sorry, not sorry. Regardless, I'm more than ready to once again hop into real-time action battles, where positioning and timing are key factors in the difference between victory and defeat. Throw in the multiplayer Battle Club mode, where battles against wild Pokemon or other players occur, and you have one pretty promising Pokemon package with Legends Z-A.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Multi) 

 
Firstly, let me just mention that I do not care about any forced, cringe, manufactured rivalry between this next game and Mario Kart World. I'd rather be happy for multiple great kart racers in a single year than engage in some juvenile made-up war to pit two awesome games against each other, so please miss me with that console war-like nonsense.

Now with that out of the way, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds sports a colorful cast of characters to customize their rides and speed into one of over 21 unique tracks plus the dozen or so eponymous "CrossWorlds" which take the action on the second lap to a completely new and different locale, albeit briefly. This makes races all the more dynamic and interesting. With crossplay across every platform, this Sonic racing iteration certainly shouldn't see its online population dying in weeks like Team Sonic Racing's did. In fact, I'm positive that with SEGA's determined support of this game, that we'll see a long-lasting racer here, which I'm all for.

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (NSW)

Let's start off by mentioning how much Nintendo sometimes has me by the throat. It's sad, really. All the company had to do for me to bite down was put together two of my favorite 3D platformer into one slightly updated package on the Nintendo Switch for Mario's 40th anniversary. Seventy dollars USD, you say? I shamefully submit and will pay that for this, Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2. Yes, I am part of the problem, I admit, and for that I profusely apologize. But, BOTH Super Mario Galaxy games--two of the finest, most masterful platformers ever conceived? I have no regrets!

Yooka-Replaylee (Multi) 

2017's Yooka-Laylee was Playtonic's answer to Banjo-Kazooie. Heck, it was a spiritual successor, after all, with various staff who had worked on Rare's platforming classic having had also worked on Yooka-Laylee. That said, the final product wasn't everything that it could have been. I guess even Playtonic knew this, hence a remake of the game less than a decade after. 

Enter Yooka-Replaylee. It's not just the same base game with prettier, more modern graphics and visual effects. No, instead, the team at Playtonic added much more in the way of content--new Pagies (the Jiggies of the Yooka-Laylee series), new challenges, and new mechanics, too! That's on top of remedying and fixing many of the issues and problems that the original Yooka-Laylee suffered from. Even as someone who enjoyed the 2017 original, I'm super excited to be able to return to the world of Yooka-Laylee in this fully remade and newly realized title.