SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards - Top Five Digital Downloads

There are just too many excellent digital games from last year to put on a top five list for my favorites at the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards. That's a good problem to have in general, but when you have to just pick five out of dozens of memorable titles, you're definitely going to leave way too many out that deserve some recognition. But, name five, I must! These are SuperPhillip Central's choices for the Top Five Digital Downloads.

5) Snipperclips: Cut it out, together! (NSW)

A launch title for the Nintendo Switch, Snipperclips: Cut it out, together! is a mostly cooperative effort between up to four players. The goal is to use your character's body to cross over other players' bodies and snip a section of them off to perform an assortment of tasks. Whether it's teaming up to pack yourselves into a shape that doesn't flow over the dotted line, cutting a chunk off your partner to turn them into a hook to grab onto a high up lever, or turn each other into baskets to carefully bring a ball from one side of the screen to the other to clear the level, Snipperclips has a lot of chaotic multiplayer fun on offer. There are also single player challenges as well, but the overall game is best played in a group or party setting. From embarrassment for messing up a level at the last moment to yelling at a bud for doing the same, Snipperclips: Cut it out, together! was a tremendous start to the Nintendo Switch's online marketplace of games.

4) Blaster Master Zero (NSW, 3DS)

Taking the NES cult classic Blaster Master and reshaping and remodeling it for new, modern audiences, developer Inti Creates (Mega Man Zero, Mega Man ZX, Azure Striker Gunvolt) put forward a terrific and unique 2D platformer. Well, that's actually just part of the game. Your character gets in and out of its robotic tank and enters in to compounds where overhead action without the aid of his tank. Angry enemies, ruthless bosses, and climactic encounters punctuate the most high octane moments of Blaster Master Zero, while the pace slows down for exploration -- finding secret weapons and upgrades in a somewhat Metroid-style way. Both the 2D action-platforming and the over-the-head running and gunning make Blaster Master Zero on the whole a terrific indie charmer.

3) Mighty Gunvolt Burst (NSW, 3DS)

Inti Creates didn't just have one of my favorite digital delights from 2017 -- they had two! Despite the Mighty No. 9 franchise being a bit toxic after a turbulent (to say the least) Kickstarter campaign and subsequent handing out rewards (then there's the quality of the actual game), Inti Creates brought a much needed boost to Mighty No. 9's Beck. This time, he was starring with Gunvolt of the Azure Striker Gunvolt series in a followup to Mighty Gunvolt (a game that was available on the Nintendo 3DS and Steam). This sequel was Mighty Gunvolt Burst for the Nintendo Switch and 3DS. Similar to a Mega Man game and having the same cast of bosses as Mighty No. 9, the dev team went further, designing well crafted levels that encouraged multiple playthroughs to uncover secrets and get higher scores. An upgrade system meant you could customize Beck or Gunvolt by equipping found chips to do a number of enhancements. From air dashes, to adding elemental capabilities to weapons, to making bullets fire in different arcs and directions, the amount of customization was incredible. While we wait for Mega Man 11 later this year, why not check out Mighty Gunvolt Burst if you haven't already?

2) SteamWorld Dig 2 (PS4, NSW, Vita, PC)

We saw this game already earlier in the evening, and it's for good reason. SteamWorld Dig 2 is just a wonderful game made by an exceptionally talented team in Image & Form. Further expanding on the now-basic gameplay of the original SteamWorld Dig, the sequel brought forth expertly created level design as opposed to the randomly generated worlds seen in Image & Form's first chapter of the SteamWorld saga. This meant a more cleverly crafted world could be built, offering man-made challenges instead of leaving things up to the whims of the AI's design. It made finding treasure and completing the many challenge rooms within the game particularly rewarding and not something that felt like simple luck. The options in the player character's mobility further exemplified the lessons learned by the dev team, giving players more ways to get from point A to point B, and have lots of fun doing them. SteamWorld Dig 2 is an addicting, quality, treasure of a game that thankfully you don't have to discover miles under ground to play and enjoy.

1) Sonic Mania (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)

Speaking of seeing games earlier this evening, it's once again time for SuperPhillip Central's pick for the top digital download of 2017, Sonic Mania! The days of me sinking a lot of time into a game, beating it multiple times, and after thinking I was exhausted with it, going back to play it some more seemed long gone. After all, usually when I beat a game nowadays I have to move on to my next for review purposes to keep a steady stream of relevant game coverage going. With Sonic Mania, I must have gone through the game with all seven Chaos Emeralds at least three times. The zones are colorful and full of interesting gimmicks and obstacles, the controls are as solid and smooth as the Genesis classics, and the overall presentation nails the '90s aesthetic from over two decades ago. As cynical and sarcastic as I often can get, games like Sonic Mania bring back the kid in me, and they remind me why I love gaming so much.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards - Top Five Platformers

What is this -- the 1990's?! This award category for the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards sees us running and jumping with some familiar platforming all-stars of yesteryear. There's Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, and even a successor to the Banjo-Kazooie name! These five best platformers of 2017 run the gamut of familiar friends and newcomers alike. The former is especially amazing considering how long some of these franchises have been around, and they still hold a high quality with their latest releases. These are your Top Five Platformers of 2017!

5) Yooka-Laylee (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)

Growing up in the Nintendo 64 era, the collect-a-thon style of 3D platformers that began with Super Mario 64 and continued with Rare's pre-Microsoft days was always a favorite of mine. One of my favorite 3D platformers not only from the Nintendo 64 but of all time is Banjo-Kazooie, Rare's first effort with a 3D platformer. To say they nailed the landing and made a unique platformer that didn't just carbon copy Mario 64 would be an understatement. Members of the Banjo team have since moved on from Rare since that developer's buyout by Microsoft, and their freshman effort was none other than Yooka-Laylee. Camera and certain challenge issues made for a somewhat frustrating experience occasionally, but I managed to enjoy the game regardless. And those problems have been patched and fixed, so Yooka-Laylee is even better. Unlike Banjo-Kazooie, however, which wasn't a direct clone of Super Mario 64, Yooka-Laylee very much steers a bit too close to its Banjo series inspiration. Maybe that's why I appreciated it so much this past year.

4) Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4)

We already had three decent-to-extraordinary 3D platformers with Crash Bandicoot's debut back on the original PlayStation, but we've been waiting for the character to return to the spotlight. After many teases and rumors, Crash was back on a PlayStation platformer with the PlayStation 4 hit, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy. Taking the gameplay and graphics of the original trilogy (Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped) and modernizing it to appeal to as wide and diverse a group of gamers possible, Activision and Vicarious Visions cut zero corners in bringing the classic games back to the spotlight in a extremely flattering way. Sure, those bridge levels in the original Crash Bandicoot can get rammed by a goat, but the overall package remade and remastered is one of the more content-rich platforming experiences on this list.

3) SteamWorld Dig 2 (NSW, PS4, Vita, PC)

The original SteamWorld Dig was a well-off success for developer Image & Form, but it wasn't an amazing platformer. Players did similar tasks: digging up the ground, mining for gems, finding treasure, defeating enemies, and so forth. However, there's one key difference between the original game and its superior sequel. The levels are no longer procedurally generated, meaning that the need for smart level design was required. The designers managed to make the levels filled with secrets and hidden challenge rooms insanely clever. The methods of mobility improved, too, allowing for precise platforming via jumps, wall climbs, grapple hooks, and even a jet pack. It made a good game in the original SteamWorld a vastly better one with SteamWorld Dig 2, and it makes me absolutely happy that Image & Form saw great success from the game, being the developer's highest selling effort yet.

2) Sonic Mania (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)

After many years of 3D Sonic games of varying quality (mostly mediocre, to be honest), lovers of the Genesis Sonic games of yore got their wish after all of this time. They received an all-new 2D Sonic game, and it was a game that wasn't a poorly designed mess by a developer that had no idea what made 2D Sonic work like Sonic the Hedgehog 4's duo of episodes ended up being. No, instead, it was crafted by a group behind several Sonic fan games (which even led Sega and Sonic Team to contact the developers to do HD versions of Sonic 1, 2, and CD) who would make what I consider one of the best Sonic games around, Sonic Mania. With a huge assortment of new levels, past zones taking on new twists with their obstacles, while new zones showing off the team's originality and ability to create levels reminiscent of the old games, Sonic Mania delighted the entire way. The addition of the Drop Dash, meant a jump could quickly transition into a roll, making speed runs even more engaging and engrossing to pull off and watch. In a word, Sonic Mania was radical. Retro gameplay in a perfect modern context.

1) Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)

It's a very special year in gaming when former platforming rivals can take the top two spots on SuperPhillip Central's Top Five Platformers list for the Best of 2017 Awards. First, we saw Sonic the Hedgehog remind us that his games can still be relevant, but now we turn to Mario, who once again sits upon his throne with Super Mario Odyssey. Devised up of immensely proportioned worlds where Power Moons are strewn about kingdoms for the taking through a wide variety of tasks, Super Mario Odyssey was also no stickler in how many ways Mario and his helper Cappy could assist each other in getting around. This became especially true within Koopa races, where the first go-around might see you taking a typical route to the checkered flag, while the second time around requires you to be quick on your feet as well as your mind. You swiftly think up new shortcuts to fend off that Golden Koopa Troopa and snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat with a display of platforming prowess that only he could dream of. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of Mario during this year's awards ceremony. Until then, Mario is once again king of platforming for another year.

Review Round-Up - October 2017

The month of Halloween dug up some treats with indie darling and SPC Game of the Month SteamWorld Dig 2.

The month of the year that features Halloween has passed, which means it's time for another Review Round-Up as we head into the last two months of 2017. The months just fly by, don't they?

Things kicked off with one of my favorite indie games in a long while, SteamWorld Dig 2, digging up a terrific A grade. Continuing the indie theme, three more digital downloads were reviewed: Yono and the Celestial Elephants (C), Squareboy vs. Bullies: Arena Edition (D), and Earth Atlantis (C+).

Moving on from digital-only releases, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions earned itself a wonderful A-. Finally, two fighting game reviews posted on Halloween night, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, both scored a B- for varying reasons.

SteamWorld Dig 2 (NS, PS4, PC, Vita) - A
Yono and the Celestial Elephants (NS, PC) - C
Squareboy vs. Bullies: Arena Edition (NS, Vita) - D
Earth Atlantis (NS) - C+
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (3DS) - A-
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (NS) - B-
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (PS4, XB1, PC) - B-

The Capcom crossover returned this month to SuperPhillip Central with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite.

SteamWorld Dig 2 (NS, PS4, PC, Vita) Review

SteamWorld Dig 2 launched a couple of weeks ago on the Nintendo Switch, and then on multiple other platforms. SuperPhillip Central's review for the game covers the Switch version, but all iterations seem to play just as well. Here's my review.

A Diggin' Delight

Despite struggling to find a foothold or get a bearing on the market with its early efforts with WiiWare, Nintendo has built a relationship with the indie market that has grown immensely, resulting in numerous success stories ever since. One of the earliest of these stories came from a small developer known as Image & Form in 2013 when they released a little title known as SteamWorld Dig on the Nintendo 3DS. Countless games sold with multiple ports soon thereafter, and Image & Form became a known entity among gamers both on and off Nintendo platforms.

Now, it's four years later and a new chapter in the SteamWorld Dig franchise is here with SteamWorld Dig 2. Having launched first on the Switch, on a Nintendo platform just like where the first Dig successfully got its start, SteamWorld Dig 2 is ready for players to dig in to and discover the treasures inside.

If you played the original SteamWorld Dig (which by no means is a requirement to fully enjoy the sequel), you'll be quite accustomed to the exploration found in SteamWorld Dig 2. This consists of digging through blocks of dirt and rock with your trusty pickaxe, creating pathways to safely navigate your way through the darkened cavernous catacombs. This time around, however, the caverns are not randomized regarding block and treasure placement. And yep, you read that right. There be treasure in them there caves. With the randomization of the world design removed, this has allowed the designers to craft a much more well paced adventure, as well as show off their impressive level design skills in the process.

The deeper you go in this main tunnel, the better the treasures, but the more vicious the dangers!

While digging deep, the treasures you acquire need to be brought up to the main hub of the game, a machinery town at the surface. As you're limited in how much treasure you can carry throughout the game, constant trips to the top are necessary, but it's never anything where you collect a small amount and immediately find yourself needing to head up to the surface once again. With the treasure you collect, it gets turned into currency which can be used to purchase upgrades for your arsenal of ever-increasing tools, each discovered in a typical Metroid kind of way. These arsenal upgrades include everything from an extended light source from your torch, the ability to carry enough slot of treasure, and more power for your pickaxe, to name a few.

New tools and abilities for Dot are found in pods like these that are hidden underground.

Thus, there's a gameplay loop that is immensely satisfying on display here in SteamWorld Dig 2 where you're entering below the surface to mine, find treasure, return to the surface to sell said treasure, and use the money from your sold goods to purchase new upgrades. There is a "let's go for one more dig underground before I quit" type of feeling that ensures a compelling nature to the loop, showing off how well it was conceived by the designers.

Of course, there is more to SteamWorld Dig 2 than merely digging for, scoping for, discovering, and selling treasure. There is an entire adventure to be found, and in Dig 2 it involves Dot, a character who was in the background in the original game. This time around, she's in the starring role alongside a helpful companion named Fen. The story's too intriguing to spoil the good stuff, but the main premise has Dot searching for the hero of the first Dig, Rusty, who has mysterious gone AWOL. Dot's search leads her something that becomes even more of a concern. The combination of humor and seriousness is performed well by the writing theme, whether it's in the goofy NPCs or throughout the story itself. The point being is that it's all enjoyable to read.

A helpful discovery along the way, the grappling hook allows
unparalleled mobility, whether upwards, downwards, or to the sides.

Outside of finding treasure to sell and following along with the story through the game's several unique areas (that aren't all pure digging), there is a variety of things to discover in the world of Dig 2. As traditional for any Metroid-style game, there is the goal of shooting for a perfect 100% completion rating. This revolves around collecting over 40 artifacts and all of the cogs hidden throughout the world. Handing over a specific amount of artifacts in the hub village of Dig 2 results in gaining blueprints that add new capabilities to Dot's gear that the aforementioned cogs can be used on.

A town all the way down here? At least they have working lights!

These artifacts and cogs can be found all over the place, but areas in particular where they are discovered are in caves that serve as Dig 2's challenge rooms, requiring the player to solve them using one particular skill or tool from Dot's arsenal. These rooms are essentially ways for Dot (and by extension, the player) to show their mastery of a given gameplay element in Dig 2. While one cave forces Dot to dig and move quickly at once (or find themselves crushed underneath large rocks), another requires a clever mind, such as positioning a trio of mine carts in way that serves as platforms to reach a cracked part of wall. After all, Dot can't use her pickaxe in midair to break cracked blocks. These challenge rooms feature the grandest difficult tasks in Dig 2, outside of the trials that unlock after all of the main artifacts in the game have been collected. These trials are for true masters of SteamWorld Dig 2 only.

One such challenge room requires reaching the end without touching any buttons.

SteamWorld Dig 2 is an adventure that will last most gamers over 10 hours in their first run. If one finds the game too easy, there are certain blueprints that can be found and turned on to activate harder experiences with the game, such as explosive enemies, more damage taken, and so forth. Exploring the lands of Dig 2 for leftover treasure such as artifacts and cogs in faraway areas isn't so much an issue due to the helpful fast travel tube system in the game.

Those looking for one of the best indie games released not just on the Nintendo eShop this year but from any indie developer on any platform this year, look no further than Image & Form's SteamWorld Dig 2. It's much improved from the original game, offering a larger world, a more precise design focus to ensure a grander sense of pacing, and possesses a greater "I need to keep playing" mindset within its players. If you like Metroid-style games with a healthy dose of treasure-hunting and platforming fun, then yeah, you can probably dig SteamWorld Dig 2 like I very much did.

[SPC Says: A]

Review code provided by Image & Form.