Super Mario 3D All-Stars (NSW) Review

We move from a game that was scary and good to games in a collection that are scary good with Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Not only is the collection reviewed, but I also briefly talk about my experiences with each game that is a part of the collection as well. Here is the hefty SPC review of Super Mario 3D All-Stars.

Jump Up, Superstars. 

Mario is synonymous with video games. Heck, he IS Mr. Video Game, as far as the industry is concerned. Hence, that is why it's a little disappointing that Nintendo hasn't provided a package worthy of his name. While the three 3D Mario games in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection are without question iconic and excellent games all to themselves--and the retouched remasters seen here are executed well enough--it's a shame that so little effort has been placed into this collection, a celebration of Mario's 35th anniversary. 

Still, Super Mario 3D All-Stars does feature three iconic and historic games, and I happily played through all of them to completion. It only makes sense to go through each one-by-one before ultimately reviewing the entire collection as a whole. For starters, let's go back in time to 1996.

~Super Mario 64~

We begin with the 3D Mario that started it at all and created a revolution in gaming. There's no question that in 1996 Super Mario 64 delivered and dominated imaginations and inspired countless of developers and designers for decades--and still does. The Nintendo 64 controller was custom built specifically for the game, so using a different controller in either the Switch Joy-Cons or the Pro Controller makes for an understandably different experience.

If one were to judge Super Mario 64 on historic value alone, it would be one of the greatest games of all time, up there with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Super Mario World. But, as a game in 2020--and on the Nintendo Switch--it's one not without its own problems.

For one, Mario doesn't quite turn on a dime like he does in future Mario outings. He makes wide turns, which makes trying to change directions on narrow or small platforms an absolute nightmare. This is particularly true in courses with huge falls or worse yet, courses with bottomless pits. You can find yourself turning Mario off of a platform and to his doom quite easily.

Further, the camera, though a pioneer at the time of release, is obviously quite antiquated in 2020. It's prone to getting caught on geometry, moving on its own mid-jump or mid-run by Mario, and absolutely hates working well when in indoor areas. It results in multiple occurrences where you're actively fighting the camera, among all of the other enemies like Goombas and Piranha Plants that Mario already has to deal with. 

That said, while the negatives do make Super Mario 64 a less enjoyable experience, and a quite challenging game--and sometimes for all the wrong reasons--the game still holds up remarkably well. It's a cinch to see why many designers and developers took and still take lessons from the design philosophy of Super Mario 64. 

Super Mario 64 sees Mario arriving to Princess Peach Toadstool's castle after receiving an invitation. Prepared for celebration, Mario leaps out of the opening pipe to a hauntingly quiet outside courtyard with nary a welcome in sight. This opening courtyard serves as a nice playground for players to get accustomed to some of the tricks in Mario's wide repertoire of moves. Signposts along the hilly, tree-covered courtyard reveal all manners of moves and how to perform them. Upon arriving at the moat near the castle's entrance, Mario meets Lakitu, who the designers cleverly assign a cameraman role to, contextualizing things brilliantly. Plus, it also assigns some blame when those unwanted and distractingly bad camera angles rear their ugly head in. 

Upon entering the castle, Bowser's voice bellows and taunts Mario, revealing that he has trapped the castle's denizens including Princess Peach within the walls and paintings inside. It's up to Mario to enter into each world within the walls and paintings to collect enough Power Stars to open up new sections of the castle, battle Bowser, and save the day once more.

The 15 worlds of Super Mario 64 feature an abundance of locales and themes to them, all open and expansive, bringing forth the sandbox-style of 3D Mario and 3D platformers in general that continues to this day, specifically with the latest in the series, Super Mario Odyssey. The worlds take place in all sorts of settings, such as a mountain and surrounding valley dominated by Bob-Ombs and their king, an underwater world home to secret caverns and a sunken pirate ship, and even a rainbow ride in the sky, complete with death-defying jumps that Mario must make to survive. 

Each world possesses six base Power Stars to collect, and many of these can be nabbed out of sequence. For instance, it's entirely possible to acquire the Power Star for breaking the Chain Chomp free in Bob-Omb's Battlefield when it's actually the sixth star on the mission list, even when you're doing the first mission of the world, which is to run up the mountain and face King Bob-Omb for his Power Star. The opening mission list doesn't just list what Power Star you should go after: the name of each Power Star mission is also a clue as to how to get it. For example, Hazy Maze Cave's "A-maze-ing Emergency Exit" hints at which section in the expansive, labyrinthine world you can find the Star, notably the hazy cave itself. Though, sometimes specific Power Star clues offer little guidance, such as Whomp's Fortress' "Break Away the Wall", which obviously hints to break a wall, but it doesn't say how to do so, or even which wall to specifically smash through to get your prize.

Alongside the 15 themed worlds, there are myriad hidden Power Stars within the castle to find. Some are in special levels of their own, such as three levels that unlock unique cap power-ups for Mario to utilize. These are the Wing Cap, Metal Cap, and Vanish Cap, all giving Mario special, temporary abilities like the power of flight, the power of invincibility, and the power of invisibility. However, I must add that the Wing Cap is especially unwieldy to control on the Switch, as any modicum of movement can result in Mario moving out of control. 

Super Mario 64 sees a fantastic visual improvement in this collection. While the game does not stretch to full screen, instead leaving black bars to the sides, the game does reportedly upscale to 720p. This is a huge boost compared to the original game. Super Mario 64 has never officially looked better than it does now, with its crisp, colorful, and clean graphics. 

Obviously dated by virtue of being a nearly 25-year-old game, Super Mario 64 still manages to impress with its marvelously designed worlds, creative missions and objectives, overall solid platforming and tools provided to Mario to do said platforming, and clever secrets. The game's camera makes for a bothersome time occasionally, particularly in later levels, but overall, Super Mario 64 stands the test of time. 

[SPC Says: A-]

~Super Mario Sunshine~

We move from one of Mario's most loved and revolutionary outings to one of Mario's most muddied and maligned outings. Super Mario Sunshine might have needed more time outside to get a serviceable tan (my way of trying to be clever and say the game needed more time in the oven, development-wise), but there's no denying on my end that the game is charming and features one of Mario's most sophisticated and enjoyable move sets in his history.

That notion has to do with FLUDD, the water nozzle accessory that Mario gets equipped with in order to clean up Isle Delfino after being wrongfully accused and charged of defacing the island with graffiti. Not quite the vacation that Mario was expecting, that's for sure. That said, what is Mario's punishment is the player's joy with cleaning up Isle Delfino and navigating its wide open spaces being an absolute pleasure to do... on most occasions.

FLUDD isn't just used to spray enemies, graffiti, and goop away. (Though this is performed with the R and ZR buttons respectively for a weak spray and a stronger spray in the Switch version of Sunshine, as opposed to the GameCube version's pressure-sensitive spraying with one shoulder button.) Mario can use FLUDD in conjunction with and to complement his platforming, using it to hover and reach higher places, even skipping sections of levels. This makes it so there's a high level of freedom in how players take on and approach the various missions and episodes within the game's seven main worlds. 

Unlike Super Mario 64, episodes to earn Shine Sprites in Super Mario Sunshine must be played in order, as episodes essentially change the scenarios and levels themselves up considerably from episode to episode. Also unlike Super Mario 64, where you could collect any Power Stars to reach the requisite amount needed to beat the game, in Super Mario Sunshine you have to at least complete the first seven episodes of each world to reach the final area of the game. This makes for a much more difficult experience and one that's a bit more linear structure-wise.

Some of the mandatory episodes and missions that Mario faces aren't exactly the easiest to overcome, either. For instance, rolling watermelons in Gelato Beach up a narrow pier or entering the deadly and dangerous underside of Pianta Village still haunt my dreams. However, for every overly difficult (and usually for the wrong reason) episode in Super Mario Sunshine, there's multiple that offer a great deal of fun. Many of these are episodes dubbed "secrets" where Mario enters a bonus stage where the true culprit of Isle Delfino's graffiti takes FLUDD from him, forcing Mario to engage in a platforming level by his own skills with no safety net in FLUDD to use. 

Super Mario Sunshine does have a sharp decline in worlds compared to Super Mario 64, and while there are but seven worlds to explore in the game, each possesses eight episodes to play through, each earning Mario a Shine Sprite for completing them--the Power Star equivalent in Sunshine. Still, even with eight episodes or missions to complete for each world, that still leaves dozens of the 120 Shine Sprites left unaccounted for. 

Some Shine Sprites are earned in each world from collecting 100 coins, a much more challenging proposition than in Super Mario 64, as some episodes don't even feature enough coins at all to reach 100 for the Shine Sprite, making for a frustrating and time-consuming fool's errand. But, by far the most troublesome aspect of going for 120 Shine Sprites is that of Blue Coins. There are 30 in each main world. Many of these only appear in specific episodes, and there is no way to track which are in which. The only thing the game does track is how many overall you've collected in a world. Additionally, several Blue Coins are in such ridiculously obtuse locations that it makes trying to track them all down without the assistance of a guide rather foolhardy and frustrating to do. 

Super Mario Sunshine suffered from an initial shortened/rushed development cycle. It certainly shows. Some levels such as the Pachinko board, that darned lily pad ride over a poison river, and that Chuckster bonus stage are but some of the poorly designed, poorly executed sections in the game. Thankfully, most of these are optional unless you wish to collect all 120 Shine Sprites. Couple these problematic sections with several bugs and glitches that are uncharacteristic of the Mario series, and a sometimes poor camera, and you have a Mario game that can greatly annoy. 

Yet, even with all of these issues, I still found myself adoring the game. Isle Delfino, more than any other 3D Mario location, feels like a living, breathing place. It's charming, it's enjoyable to run, jump, and play through, and its sense of place--particularly being able to stand in Ricco Harbor and see Pinna Park and Gelato Beach in the far distance as if you were in an interconnected place--is phenomenal. The hub world, Delfino Plaza, also remains one of my favorites to explore and run around in. The overall tropical setting of Super Mario Sunshine is so warm, so welcoming, even if the game itself can often frustrate. All in all, Super Mario Sunshine does have many problems, but somehow I was still able to find a lot of fun within the sun-drenched shores of Isle Delfino.

[SPC Says: B+]

~Super Mario Galaxy~

Going in to Super Mario 3D All-Stars, I knew which game of the three I considered my favorite. It was this one: Super Mario Galaxy. Now, after playing through all three games with 100% completion achieved, I am pleased to stand by that opinion. However, that's not to say that Super Mario Galaxy completely sticks its landing, at least in this collection.

Super Mario Galaxy sees Mario enter into an adventure in outer space to take on Bowser, who has sealed himself, Princess Peach, and her castle into the center of the universe. With the help of Rosalina, her Luma helpers, her Comet Observatory, and the Power Stars, Mario aims to dig deeper into the universe, ultimately to reach Bowser, save Peach, and stop whatever plan the King of the Koopas is brewing this time around. 

Right away, when you start playing Super Mario Galaxy, you'll see that this isn't your traditional 3D Mario. You're not running in typical Mario environments, but instead completely fantastical ones on multiple axes. You're running around myriad individual planets, both big and small, with their own gravities, and instead of the sandbox worlds of Super Mario 64 and Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy employs more linear levels. It's more akin to Super Mario Bros. where you go from the start of the level to the goal, rather than being dropped into an open world playground where the world is your oyster to explore. Though, that isn't to say there isn't some of the latter in Galaxy, such as in the Honeyhive Galaxy, for instance.

Super Mario Galaxy is a masterclass of level design. The amazing abundance of amount of creativity in ideas and concepts presented is truly outstanding. This is the type of game that even more than a decade later, the ideas on display still astound me, and I pretty much kept a goofy smile of wonder and happiness on my face the entire time through. The more streamlined approach in level design brings with it a more finely tuned experience, and one that I think works remarkably well. Whether it's hitching a ride on a dandelion puff through Gusty Garden Galaxy as the incredible orchestral soundtrack backs the action or exploring the hot and cold expanses of Freezeflame Galaxy, there wasn't any time I wasn't having fun with Super Mario Galaxy.

One of my biggest concerns with this particular 3D entry coming in to the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection was how the motion control segments would work. This concern wasn't totally well-founded, but there are some drawbacks. First, onto the good: in order to perform Mario's signature spin move in Super Mario Galaxy, you just need to hit the Y button as opposed to shaking the controller. The spin move is used as not only a means to gain height and control over Mario mid-air, but also allows the player to more easily attack foes without the need for the same level in precision as jumping on them would require. 

When it comes to the actual segments that require motion controls, however, these are contextual in the very sense of the word. For things that utilized the Wii Remote's pointer functionality like collecting Star Bits, interacting with Pull Stars, and pushing Mario in a bubble, these things work well enough--though it was quite normal to have to hit the R button to reset the cursor to its default position, as the game and controller would routinely lose its tracking. But when it concerns more complicated sections like manta ray surfing or marble rolling, these sections definitely irritated. In handheld mode, however, all of the motion control isn't welcomed at all. That's because you're expected to touch the screen to perform all pointer-related actions, which isn't practical when you're often having to move Mario at the same time, and somehow moving the entire Switch in your hands to control a manta ray or marble just doesn't feel that natural... Call me crazy, though.

Still, Super Mario Galaxy mostly remained a pleasure to play from beginning to end. The occasional frustrating bout with the motion control segments did displease me at times, but the overall experience was a net positive. From the stunningly updated and enhanced graphics that make the game look better than ever before, to the stellar soundtrack and smartly crafted levels, Super Mario Galaxy oozes with charm, overflows with quality, and just makes for one of my favorite Mario games ever made. 

[SPC Says: A]

~The Collection~

Bare-bones is what I would call this collection at best. When we're so used to seeing collections of old titles, such as Sega Genesis Classics or even collections from individual series like this year's Mega Man Zero / ZX Collection with their bonus content, border customizations, and in Genesis's case, a rewind feature, it makes the total package of Super Mario 3D All-Stars sting.

But, perhaps instead of complaining about what's not in this collection, let's go over what IS in this collection. Starting up the game, you get greeted by quick intro, followed by the splash screen. You then receive the main menu, which has three games on individual pages that you cycle through the D-Pad or analog stick. Each decidedly classy page features the game name, release date, and short description on the left side, and a video showcase on the right side. 

You can also opt to listen to each game's full soundtrack, even turning off the Nintendo Switch's screen in the process to save battery life while you do so. Though, while it's nice to have all three soundtracks available in the game to listen to on one's Switch, it'd be better to have the soundtracks available in places that aren't as stuck in the past as Nintendo apparently is, such as iTunes or Spotify, for instance.

The most egregious part of Super Mario 3D All-Stars isn't the bare-bones presentation, but the complete lack of control options. As an example, Super Mario Sunshine might be borderline unplayable for some players because there is no way to invert the aiming controls of FLUDD. It's Nintendo's way or the highway, and Nintendo apparently knows better than you do on how you prefer to play their games. 

All of this notwithstanding, it says a lot about how excellent the games included in this otherwise ho-hum package are in that I still recommend Super Mario 3D All-Stars. The games are just as good as, or in some cases, better than they've always been. The lack of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is certainly a bummer and very much missed, but ultimately, Super Mario 3D All-Stars' trio of games is some of the best games in this industry. That alone puts it as an easy recommendation for me, not because of Nintendo's decidedly lazy approach to packaging these games--but despite it.

[SPC Says: A-]

Sensational Summer Video Games to Mellow Out With

If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, then you probably know that summer is officially here! With summertime comes hot and heated temps, humidity, and bright sunshine. Of course, this summer is a bit different with an ongoing pandemic, so if you want to maintain social distancing rules and stay safe, there's always a digital retreat you can take with these great video games with summertime themes and feels. Now, some of these games have the feeling of summer or are ripe with activities pertaining to the season, and some stretch the definition of "summertime" more than others, but they're sure to bring a smile to your face! After you've checked out my picks, which games scream "SUMMER!" the most to you?

Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)

You can't mention Mario and summertime in the same sentence without mentioning the 3D platformer that epitomizes the season: Super Mario Sunshine. The whole game takes place on the glorious open expanses of beautiful, tropical Isle Delfino, which despite the summer window dressing, has plenty of variety in its world's trials and challenges. From Bianco Hills' treacherous climb up the windmill to face Petey Piranha, to Sirena Beach's hotel where the goal is to rout out some unruly and uninvited haunted guests, Super Mario Sunshine is a varied and pleasant platformer. Yes, it might not be the mellowest of experiences with some of the more enraging, ill-conceived challenges in the game (looking at you, lily pad and pachinko Shine Sprites), but overall, Super Mario Sunshine is some summer bliss distilled in video game form.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

I feel like I've broached on and on about this next game in myriad recent articles on SuperPhillip Central, but just in case it hasn't gotten boring reading about Animal Crossing: New Horizons yet, here I am again with more about this wonderful time sink of a game! Summer in New Horizons sees a whole host of new events and happenings around your personal island home, from bug-catching competitions to June wedding events, to a multitude of new fish and insects to nab with your rod and net respectively. On June evenings, the subtle but mesmerizing green glows of fireflies offers bountiful beauty in the nighttime air. Just avoid the bites of errant pesky mosquitoes! All year round Animal Crossing: New Horizons delivers abundant things to do, and summertime is but part of the fun.

Wii Sports Resort (Wii)

Wii Sports Resort was the game that originally came bundled with the Wii MotionPlus attachment for the Wii Remote to offer much more accuracy when it came to the Wii hardware's motion controls, as well as the excellent followup to the game that revolutionized the gaming industry and brought new players into our hobby (the more, the merrier--even if many didn't stick around). Wii Sports Resort brought lots of joy and merriment to players as they ventured around the many areas of Wuhu Island, a tropical getaway worthy of its name, as many players found themselves "woo-hoo-ing" as they played each of Wii Sports Resort's 12 unique activities. Between Wave Race-like jet ski-riding, basketball, golf, bowling, among many others, Wii Sports Resort kept players up and moving and is still a great game to play for those summertime gaming sessions. Book a return pleasure trip to Wuhu Island today with Wii Sports Resort!

Go Vacation (NSW, Wii)

If you've had your fill of fun on Wuhu Island, then perhaps an alternate island getaway destination with a considerably larger set of activities in its repertoire is more to your liking! Meet Kawawii Island from Namco Bandai's Go Vacation. The game was the publisher's answer to Nintendo's Wii Sports, and it went with a "bigger is better" and "more is more" approach (as opposed to a "less is more" one) with Go Vacation. Kawawii Island is a fully realized location, able to be freely explored, though split up between four resort areas: Marine, Mountain, Snow, and City. Each resort houses its own array of activities, such as Ridge Racer-style vehicle racing, extreme sports like skateboarding, ATV races, surfing, beach volleyball, tennis, horseback riding, and so, SO many more. Go Vacation's list of activities may not all be winners (most are, thankfully), but there's a lot of fun and entertainment to be found in this gem of a game, originally released on the Wii and now available on the Nintendo Switch.

Fishing Resort (Wii)

Fishing is synonymous with summertime. Lazy days floating on the river, in the ocean, or on a lake, so of course I had to choose a fishing game for this summer-centric list. However, there are so many fishing games to choose from, so which to pick? My favorite fishing-focused video game that I've played (and I must admit, I don't play many of them) is Prope's Fishing Resort for the Wii. Beyond the insane level of customization you have in the game, the amount of fishing locations in the game, and the amazing and oftentimes arduous fishing gameplay that really rewards you for patience, perseverance, and overall pluck, makes for a terrific fishing title. Fishing Resort pits players against a profusion of different fish to try to catch and then display them in their own aquariums. Each fish you encounter is its own tough battle, but the motion controls work so well that tedium rarely sets in. I hope that like Go Vacation, Fishing Resort somehow makes a "splash" onto the Nintendo Switch. As is, it's a great game to unwind and reel in some fun with during the summer.

Stardew Valley (Multi)

Let's now move onto a game that is a bumper crop of awesome, zen-like entertainment. It's of course Stardew Valley, which pretty much needs no special adoration from me. It's a known, quality game, after all, but permit me to partake in some love for the game, regardless. Stardew Valley is a game that, like Animal Crossing and the series it is inspired by, Harvest Moon, can make players fall into the trap of losing hours of real life time like it were nothing. Between clearing fields, farming crops, chatting with the locals, exploring caves and mines, and such--all otherwise menial real life tasks that this game somehow makes fun--Stardew Valley can easily sap hours upon hours of your life. However, seeing your farm grow from a squalid series of fields into a thriving bounty of beauty and crops is worth it, I would say!

Everybody's Golf (PS4)

We conclude this list of enjoyable summer-themed video games with two sports video games that are synonymous with the season. We begin with some time on the greens, fairways, and on my bad days on the course, bunkers, of Everybody's Golf, a tremendous golf series in its own right, formerly known as Hot Shots Golf on the North American side of the globe. Courses can be fully explored to uncover secrets, whether on foot or via golf cart, and there's plenty more than golf to participate in, such as fishing for rare aquatic species. Customize your golfer to your satisfaction, and then take them out for a round of birdies, eagles, and if you're fortunate, the ever-elusive albatross, hole-in-one, or even rarer--a condor! I don't really have a love for watching or playing the real thing, but in gaming form, relaxing in my comfy chair, golf is great fun and just what I need for some summertime satisfaction!

Super Mega Baseball 3 (Multi)

BATTER UP! Last but certainly not least, we move on from putting and driving to hitting and pitching with the boys of summer in Super Mega Baseball 3, the latest in the versatile and exciting baseball game series from developer Metalhead Software. With Major League Baseball's season status up in the air like a high ball popped up in the air to center field, Super Mega Baseball 3 is a suitable substitute, not just for summer but all year long. You can customize your own team, design their jerseys, their logo, player names, appearances and stats, and take them out against the world in seasons, elimination tournaments, as well as the in-depth and highly impressive, all-new Franchise mode. For stat geeks and players who want to work with a team that grows and changes between each game and each season, this is the mode for you. Beautifully blending arcade gameplay with simulation qualities, Super Mega Baseball 3 hits a game-winning home run.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "Merry Christmas 2017" Edition

Merry Christmas from the SuperPhillip Central family to each and every one of you! I hope it was a wonderful holiday spent with friends, family, or even just a relaxing day work-free day by yourself. For everyone else who doesn't celebrate, I hope it was simply a happy Monday.

This week on the final 2017 edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, we begin with a recent release in the form of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Then, we get nice and Christmas-y with some winter-themed tunes from I am Setsuna and Yooka-Laylee. Get ready to dress up to your best ability with our next game, Style Savvy: Trendsetters, and then if the cold weather is already getting to you, let's fly away to Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine!

Click on the VGM Database to get a look (and listen) at every song ever featured on the weekly recurring article series. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1531. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (NSW) - Gormott Province (Day)

We begin this Christmas edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with the most recent release included today. It's Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for the Nintendo Switch, and it's a glorious return to the classical music style of the original instead of the electronica heavy sound of X. (Though that soundtrack had a lot of winners too.) Gormott Province is essentially the Gaur Plains of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the piece for the first major exploratory area in the game. It takes a bit to get to my favorite part of this theme, but once it gets there, the wait is most certainly worth it.



v1532. I am Setsuna (PS4, NSW, Vita) - A Fantastic Encounter

Square Enix's Tokyo RPG Factory, the developer behind I am Setsuna, is preparing to release its next title in the new year with Lost Sphear. While I am Setsuna nailed the ambiance, environments, and especially the music, what it failed to do was to create a game that truly enamors players with its gameplay mechanics. It's a shame since these themes, such as this battle one, are composed so wonderfully. It's like newly fallen snowfall in the woods, idyllic and beautiful.



v1533. Yooka-Laylee (Multi) - Glitterglaze Glacier

When I read that several ex-Rare employees (and ex-staff on one of my favorite 3D platformers ever, Banjo-Kazooie) were getting together to form their own company to create a spiritual successor to same game, I was excited beyond measure. The end result, Yooka-Laylee, strays a bit too closely to Banjo-Kazooie in some really obvious and almost downright blatant ways, but overall, I did enjoy the game. One reason for that was Grant Kirkhope's (Banjo-Kazooie's original composer) spectacular score, such as this piece for the second major world in Yooka-Laylee, Glitterglaze Glacier. Yes, this and the battle theme of I am Setsuna really evoke some warm holiday feelings!



v1534. Style Savvy: Trendsetters (3DS) - Opening

Today sees the North American digital-only release of Style Savvy: Styling Star on the Nintendo 3DS. Seems like a perfect opportunity than any other to wrap ourselves in our favorite stylistic sweaters and listen to some pop sound from the second game in the series, Style Savvy: Trendsetters. This entry introduced the series to the Nintendo 3DS in a big way, such as adding men clients to take on styling challenges for. As for this opening theme, it's positively perky and keeps me bouncing and bumping around this Christmas evening.



v1535. Super Mario Sunshine (GCN) - Sky & Sea

And what Christmas celebration would be complete without Mario? Rather than doing a cliche snow level pick, I chose the complete opposite: Super Mario Sunshine, a game located completely on a tropical isle! With how cold it is outside here at SuperPhillip Central HQ, I'd prefer to lounging on the warm beach sands of Isle Delfino right about now -- even if Bowser and his son decide to make a return trip! Sky & Sea plays during special bonus stages like the dreaded pachinko machine and poison river! But don't think ill of this song; it just goes to show how a catchy number can soften the blows of frustration one can get tackling these sometimes seemingly impossible challenges.

Best Levels in Gaming History - Volume Nineteen

Best Levels in Gaming History skipped an entire season (spring, if you're interested), but now this long-running series is back with Volume Nineteen, showcasing some of the most enjoyable, well thought out, intricately designed, and just plain fun levels in gaming's past and present. Due to a certain plumber having a seriously good-looking game coming out in a few months, we begin this volume with a double dose of Super Mario before checking out some other platforming mascots like Sonic the Hedgehog and Donkey Kong, all mainstays here at Best Levels in Gaming History. So sit tight, read up, and enjoy.

Before that, however, take a look at all past volumes of this article series with the following links!

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Volume Eleven
Volume Twelve
Volume Thirteen
Volume Fourteen
Volume Fifteen
Volume Sixteen
Volume Seventeen
Volume Eighteen

Delfino Plaza - Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)

Since this is the first new volume of Best Levels in Gaming History since the summer season started, let's take a closeup look at one of my favorite gaming hubs in a 3D platformer, the sunny shores of Delfino Plaza. Of course, things don't start out so bright and cheery, as there is an ominous shadow stretched over the tropical town, but as Mario cleans up the city streets alongside the help of FLUDD and collect Shine Sprites, Deflino Plaza's murkiness clears up.

Part of what many players cherish about Super Mario Sunshine is its wonderful feeling of summer, no matter what season you play it in. This theme might limit the amount of level types and tropes available to Mario's GameCube adventure, but it creates a nice and pleasant cohesiveness to the entire game.

Delfino Plaza encapsulates the feeling of summer so well, and it's neither much too big nor much too small. It houses plenty of secrets, too, most enjoyable to seek out with just a tiny fraction being obnoxious (e.g. getting Yoshi, jumping from boat to boat to reach an island that contains the worst bonus level in Sunshine in a game that already sports plenty bad bonus levels).

Also, the amount of flexibility there is to Mario's moveset with FLUDD allows for a lot of different platforming options and means to get around town. Whether it's wall jumps, a backwards somersault into a rising burst from FLUDD, or simply a launch via FLUDD's hover nozzle, you're hardly limited in what you can do and how you can go about reaching your desired location. For all these reasons, I find Delfino Plaza to be exquisite as a hub level in a less than strong Mario outing.

Bob-Omb Battlefield - Super Mario 64 (N64)

With Super Mario Odyssey returning Mario to a sandbox style platformer with his 3D installments, there's no better time than to bring up the game that started this platformer structure to begin with -- Super Mario 64!

It seems almost like gaming sacrilege to have a Best Levels in Gaming History series of articles and not bring up the first world of Super Mario 64 until volume freaking nineteen! Maybe it was so obvious that I assumed I had already done it ages ago, but looking back, it appears I hadn't!

To correct this egregious error on my part, let's talk about Bob-Omb Battlefield! This mountain and surrounding areas that are home to the Bob-Omb clan is a perfect playground for getting used to the controls of Super Mario 64 in more complex and complicated situations than merely leaping around the grounds of Peach's Castle. There's danger in Bob-Omb Battlefield, but a minor amount that makes it relatively safe to learn how to go about playing the game, honing how to control Mario, interacting with enemies in a 3D space, and doing more sophisticated platforming. There's a safety net here with no bottomless pits, and few ways to immediately reach high ground and falling from such a height that Mario takes severe damage.

Bob-Omb Battlefield's central mountain is where King Bob-Omb looks over his subjects. Reaching the mountain is a platforming obstacle course in itself with a path requiring Mario to run along a clearly marked path (but of course, most players will want to explore off the beaten path) with some hazards like a Chain Chomp that the majority of new players won't want to mess with immediately, falling bubbles from the sky as well as charging Bob-Omb enemies directly in the path to King Bob-Omb, and a spiraling climb up to King Bob-Omb's roost.

Of course, like any early game boss he's a bit of a pushover. If he wants to throw his weight around, Mario can help him with that -- literally, by picking the boss up from behind and chucking him on his backside to inflict damage. Three goes at this and King Bob-Omb is defeated with explosive consequences to him.

Following that, Bob-Omb Battlefield opens up, offering a race with a friendly Koopa Troopa, cannon rides across the level, and when the Wing Cap is unlocked, a safe haven for some fast and fun flying through the sky. It all makes for a great introductory level in Bob-Omb Battlefield to what is a revolutionary game in Super Mario 64.

Sky Sanctuary Zone - Sonic & Knuckles (GEN) / Sonic Generations (PS3, 360, PC)

We move from Mario to his once-rival Sonic the Hedgehog. The original Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive are without question classics, and I fail to understand the mindset that these games were "never good." That's hedge-hogwash in my opinion. No question my favorite of the Genesis Sonic games, like many, is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. Together, they're fantastic, but it's sort of cheating to combine them both like that. While I prefer Sonic 3 to Sonic & Knuckles, the latter game contains some really sweet zones that I have cherished memories of.

An important locale and zone within Angel Island in Sonic & Knuckles is Sky Sanctuary, a smattering of ancient ruins hovering among the clouds. It's central to the game's plot and climax while also being a beaut to look at and fun to play. There are multitudes of ramps, steady and breakable, as well as many of Robotnik's Egg Robos for Sonic to concern his bad, blue self with. The background is bright and blue while the architecture of the ruins is astonishing with its details and colors.

Sky Sanctuary is such a popular zone in importance to the series and fans that it was completely remade in Sonic Generations, a game celebrating Sonic's past and present. The two levels, one for Modern Sonic and one for Classic Sonic, looked absolutely stunning in full 3D, though not as colorful as what was offered in the pallet with the Genesis original. Nonetheless, the multiple pathways and secret areas to uncover in both Modern and Classic iterations made for a plentiful amount of replays for me, something I hadn't want to face in a Sonic game for a long while.

Sonic Generations wouldn't be the last time Sky Sanctuary would be represented in a Sonic-related game either. A part-land and part-sky race track in the multiplatform arcade racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed represented this glorious Sonic & Knuckles zone. All hail the echidnas!

Frantic Fields - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U) 

Really, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has so many excellently and expertly crafted levels that it's hard to choose what are the top levels within the game to feature on such a list like this. Regardless, you can be sure I won't be done perusing Tropical Freeze's lineup of luscious levels for future installments of Best Levels in Gaming History anyway.

For now, we take a look at Frantic Fields, a grassland level under stormy skies and hazardous conditions, much like a severe weather storm here in Central City. What starts out as a calm level though with a foreboding grey sky, as the Kongs progress, things get dicier with platforms tipping from left to right in the breeze, miniature twisters requiring the Kongs to pick up enough speed to push through them, deathly lightning strikes, and burning debris being blown from the background to the foreground -- requiring careful timing and dodges.

Then, it all culminates with the amazing ending section. I takes the idea of strong wind and storms and puts you directly in the heart of it all, a tremendously terrorizing and powerful tornado that has you hopping along the loose, undulating and uneasy platforms flying around inside it as obstacles, enemies, and even some goodies are swept across the screen by the howling winds. It's an astonishing section of level that really shows how well the level designers at Retro were able to escalate the stakes in the level, something they consistently did throughout Tropical Freeze's designs. Those who played the game and enjoyed it don't mince words when they call it one of the best 2D platformers of all time.

Stage 3 - Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES)

Let's conclude this volume of Best Levels in Gaming History with a trip to a futuristic steel mill, featuring challenging platform, rigorous climbing, plenty of verticality, and some cool boss battles all thrown into the mix for one stellar stage. It's Stage 3 of Contra III: The Alien Wars on the Super Nintendo.

Bugs and soldiers serve as the main enemies in the opening area of the stage, where the goal is to make careful jumps while avoiding some truly tricky enemy placements. There are hanging girders to climb along, requiring precision shooting and competent evasion to avoid the flying bugs ready to end your perfect run in a jiffy. Outside of the girders are rotating arms that can held on to.

The middle of the level presents a vertical section where you must make a steady, straight-up climb while avoiding the attacks of various enemies, including a mid-boss. Then, you enter a moonlit sky far above the pollution previously seen in the level and take on one more mid-boss, but this time in a horizontal section of the level. Finally, you head indoors for some vertical platforming challenges, including evading enemy fire was leaping from platform to platform and hanging from ledge to ledge.

This all concludes with the destruction of a barrier door leading to two Terminator-inspired robots to take on, and then one awesome battle against a gigantic, fire-spewing one that rips through the background shutter to take you on. All in all, a well-conceived action packed stage that takes plenty of practice to survive, much more master.

Title Screens That Say A Thousand Words: Gaming's Best - Part Three

Title screens are like the covers of books. They can give you an idea of what to expect about a game before you play it. The best ones really get you excited to dive into your new game, or even a game you've played and beaten dozens of times. That's what this series of articles highlights-- the best of the best in title screens in gaming history. This time around, there are even links to YouTube videos showcasing the title screens in action. (Just click on the game names.) Part one and two of this series can be found here and here. With that, let's get to the eight newest games with title screens that are abundantly awesome.

Persona 5 (PS4, PS3)

Red silhouettes of the main characters wearing white masks, clothes and jackets waving in the breeze of subway trains speeding in and out from view? That makes for one stylish title screen, and if the Persona series of games is anything, it's that they're stylish. Few games can make characters standing on a subway platform seem so awesome, but Persona 5 does this wonderfully. Different segments of the title screen, like the new game or load game prompts, bring with it different angles and central focuses, making for a deliciously cool title screen to start us off.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii U, Wii, GCN)

Taking cues from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's title screen, Twilight Princess in its original Wii and GameCube versions as well as the Wii U HD iteration updated the idea of Link riding on his trusty steed Epona through Hyrule Field. This creates some amazing visual imagery while a haunting vocal theme plays. This enchantment concludes with the camera taking focus off of Link for a brief moment before once again refocusing, now the green clad hero is in his wolf form, making a chilling and powerful howl. It's magical like many moments within The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess story proper.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, 360, PC)

Bad ass. That's all one can say about this title screen for Batman: Arkham Asylum, developer Rocksteady's first foray with the Dark Knight that made the studio abundantly famous for making a truly terrific superhero game. The title screen sees Batman standing tall with muscles rippling and cape flowing as he looks over a nighttime sky, complete with ominous clouds and a bright, massive moon glaring right back at him. This title screen like many for games are like the cover of a book, in that it lets you know that you're going to be in for one hell of a ride. And those who thought that had their opinions reaffirmed quite quickly.

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Let's continue from something dark and brooding to something bright and cheery-- the world of the Sprixie Kingdom in Super Mario 3D World! The game's title screen runs through a series of skits of sorts that see Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Blue Toad running around and getting into mischief in a similar environment set in different times of day. One has all four characters scampering about after transforming into their cat selves while another sees poor Luigi being chases by a swarm of miniature Goombas. It's a delightful set of skits that are enjoyable to view more than just once.

Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)

We're not through with you yet, Mario! With summer quickly approaching, what better way to celebrate than with a game that drips with the thematic feel of summer locales and vacation that Super Mario Sunshine possesses in great amounts! The title screen is small but sweet, like a kiwi or mango. It slowly reveals each word of the title before having Charles Martinet's long running Mario voice shouting with glee, "Super Mario Sunshine! Woo-hoo!" The cheerful voice, bright blue sky and white clouds in the background, and glistening sun all make this title screen memorable despite its short length.

Halo: Combat Evolved (XBX)

Many of the greatest title screens are simple, and in many ways, Halo: Combat Evolved is a game that has such a title screen. It involves the camera circling and roaming around the titular, colossal Halo structure while Martin O'Donnell's theme plays, featuring some jaw-dropping vocals. Also like many of the greatest title screens, Halo's gives players an idea of the type of game they're going to be playing, one that will send their pulses pounding with its action and being in awe by the awesome presentation.

Mega Man X4 (PS1, SAT)

We conclude part three of the best title screens in gaming with a double dose of Mega Man! First off is one of my favorite entries in the franchise, Mega Man X4, the first Mega Man X game to release on the PlayStation and the only one to release on the Sega Saturn. While many of the title screens and animations that began this article were rather lengthy, Mega Man X4's is simple, but awesome all the same. An energetic theme followed by an amazing guitar chord leads us to a blinding flash, zoomed out X entering the picture, and the reveal of the game's logo and title screen background. Also, who doesn't love a robotic voice going. "Mega Man. X-4"?

Mega Man Battle Network (GBA)

We move from the X series of Mega Man games to the Battle Network ones. The original Mega Man Battle Network released on the Game Boy Advance in 2001. It sported an action-RPG grid-based battle system using chips for main attacks as well as an engaging story. This pick for a great title screen might be a nostalgic one, but I think it really wowed players back in 2001 on the GBA hardware. With a sweet theme, a scrolling background, and cool logo, Mega Man Battle Network is a delight of a title screen to look at and listen to.