The Tuesday 10s - Launch Titles

With the Xbox Series of consoles releasing today and the PlayStation 5 launching on Thursday, it's a big week for gaming. To commemorate the occasion, SuperPhillip Central takes a look at arguably the best launch titles to ever release with gaming systems. From the NES and Wii, to the Dreamcast and Xbox, this list has some truly fantastic titles. After you've checked out the picks--listed purely in alphabetical order--let the community know which titles from past console launches are your favorites.

Halo: Combat Evolved (XBX)

The game that solidified Microsoft as a contender in the console race, Halo: Combat Evolved is the FPS that had it not been a part of the original Xbox launch lineup, the Xbox brand most likely wouldn't have anywhere near the success as it does. Further, it might not even be around to this day. The original Halo introduced the world to Master Chief and his battle against the Covenant. With a single player campaign that's worth the price of admission all to itself, and a robust multiplayer component that would be built upon for future sequels (including much needed online play), Halo: Combat Evolved delivered in every meaning of the word.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW)

After many delays and much hype, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild finally released alongside the Nintendo Switch (also launching on the Wii U the same day). The game eschewed the traditions of The Legend of Zelda format, bringing with it one of the most creative and well executed open worlds in gaming--one that developers today are greatly inspired by. The amount of freedom presented to players in Breath of the Wild was immense, allowing them to attempt to take on the final boss whenever they desired, but through completing the game's four main dungeons, the task would be much easier to accomplish. The freedom available in Breath of the Wild wasn't just limited to the open world, which would be impressive all to itself, but also in how a player could solve puzzles. Many had more than one solution to them, allowing for some amazing amounts of creativity. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild created a bold new direction for the franchise, and it worked, quite abundantly.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)

We're not quite finished with Nintendo's iconic Legend of Zelda franchise yet. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess released initially as a Nintendo Wii launch title, with the Nintendo GameCube version being delayed to make the Wii version more appealing. The Wii version featured motion controls, having players swing the Wii Remote around to initiate sword strikes among other pronounced gestures. While this could be seen as a negative, it says a lot about Twilight Princess that the game remained enjoyable despite this motion-controlled caveat. Twilight Princess features some of the best dungeons in series history, offers an interesting story, and possesses one of Link's greatest companions in the impish Midna. All of this adds up to one unforgettable adventure that may be superior on other platforms like the GameCube and Wii U (especially the latter due to the quality of life changes made), but is still remarkable on Wii.

SoulCalibur (DC)

Based off of the arcade game Soul Edge, SoulCalibur isn't just the Sega Dreamcast's greatest launch title, but it's one of the greatest launch titles ever. It inspired an entire generation of fighting games with its many innovations and brilliant execution. SoulCalibur separated itself from the rest of the fighting game pack with its eight-direction movement, as well as focus on weaponry like sword and spears. The fighting itself in SoulCalibur was fast and fluid, offering an insanely satisfying game to play. The series has only grown since its origins in arcades and on the Dreamcast, currently on its sixth mainline installment as of this past generation. 

Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (GCN)

Rogue leader, standing by. One of the most technically impressive games on this list by virtue of looking drop-dead gorgeous even to this day, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II was one of the big launch titles for the Nintendo GameCube. Without a Mario game to headline the launch lineup--something that was unheard of at the time for a Nintendo system--it was left to a handful of other interesting games to pick up the slack, including Luigi's Mansion, Wave Race: Blue Storm, Super Monkey Ball, and yes, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II. The game featured an abundance of missions picked directly from the original trilogy, as well as several missions that weren't in the films at all. From the raid on the cloud city of Bespin to the almost overwhelming battle of Endor with all of those TIE Fighters flying in your face that you must weave through, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II brought GameCube owners one of the best Star Wars video game experiences to date.

Super Mario 64 (N64)

Get ready for a triple dose of Mario! It's no surprise that Mario would be a mainstay on a list like this of the greatest launch titles of all time, and one of his most revolutionary games is the incredible Super Mario 64. This 3D platformer showed the gaming world how it was done with enjoyable, expansive sandbox-style environments, open-ended design, and a multitude of tricks in Mario's platforming repertoire. Mario entered a brave new world with Super Mario 64, and he mostly nailed it. It truly says a lot about how well this launch title from 1996 for the Nintendo 64 manages to remain relevant after more than two decades, as evident by my recent play-through in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection on the Switch. Super Mario 64 is one of the most important video games of all time in conveying how to properly bring a gaming superstar into the third dimension and do it well.

Super Mario Bros. (NES)

I mentioned that Super Mario 64 was one of the most revolutionary games of all time, but even with Mario's leap into 3D, it still takes a back seat to Mario's major 2D outing on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Super Mario Bros. is the pinnacle of creativity and a superb game to this day. The controls remain rock solid and tight, the challenge is enjoyable and seldom unfair. Super Mario Bros. is consistently called one of the most important video games ever created, and judging by the game's impact in the industry and what followed, its legacy is rightfully earned. 

Super Mario World (SNES)

While Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 64 brought Mario into the 2D side-scrolling platformer and 3D respectively to fantastic results, Super Mario World was more of an evolution than a revolution for the portly plumber. Mario's first foray into the 16-bit era of gaming saw him exploring Dinosaur Land, partnering up with Yoshi, entering secret-filled, creatively designed levels on a non-linear world map, battling Bowser in one of the most impressive and exciting 2D battles in Mario series history, and donning power-ups like the brand-new Cape to soar through the air with glee. Super Mario Bros. was a revolutionary title, no doubt, but it's Super Mario World that took the foundations laid by the NES classic and made for a much better, much more impressive, greater evolution of a game in the series, making it one of my favorite launch titles of all time.

Tetris (GB)

Like Halo: Combat Evolved, it would probably be a different story for Nintendo's Game Boy portable system had the import from Russia, Alexey Pajitnov's Tetris, not been available at launch--or at all--for the little handheld that could. Now a mainstay in gaming and the top puzzle game of all time, launching on dozens upon dozens of video game systems in numerous forms, Tetris saw players moving falling Tetromino blocks of various shapes to the board below. The goal was simple, to make straight horizontal lines full of blocks to remove them from the board and rack up a high score in the process. Once the board fills up with Tetrominoes, the game ends. While several releases of Tetris have been made available, in particular the Game Boy version is one of the best selling games ever. It's not hard to see why when portables are generally the perfect and most comfortable place to play puzzle games, at least in this writer's opinion.

Wii Sports (Wii)

The game that was a worldwide phenomenon inside and outside of the typical gaming sphere, Wii Sports singlehandedly sent Wii consoles flying off store shelves, having gamers and non-gamers alike up and enjoying the five sports featured in the game. From golf, to the ultra-popular tennis and bowling, to baseball and boxing, Wii Sports defined the Wii's lifespan, for better or worse. The game's popularity meant that third parties went to chase after the same audience despite other more gamer-oriented launch titles also saw great success like the aforementioned Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Despite this, Wii Sports remains one of the greatest launch titles that paved the way for the early domination of the Wii in the console market. 

The Tuesday 10s: Mario Games

Welcome to a very special edition of The Tuesday 10s! This past weekend saw the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., and this Friday, Nintendo kicks off the full celebration of its 35th anniversary festivities with the launch of Super Mario 3D All-Stars on the Nintendo Switch.

What better time to run and jump into action, pop out of a warp pipe, and do some celebrating ourselves, together on SuperPhillip Central, with a special Tuesday 10! This particular list of ten games features my absolute favorite Mario games of all time, spin-offs included! With over one-hundred games with Mario as the prominent player in them, this was definitely quite a challenge--moreso than Super Mario Galaxy 2's Grandmaster Galaxy Daredevil Run or just beating Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels without save states!

After you've read my ten picks, I encourage you to share your favorite Mario memories and games below in the comments!

Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)

Let's begin The Tuesday 10s Mario Edition with the newest 3D Mario game, one that released on the Nintendo Switch during its launch year. It's Super Mario Odyssey, and the main mechanic featured in this Mario installment was Cappy, a talking hat with multiple in-game uses. For one, Cappy could be tossed into enemies to "capture" them, giving Mario not only their appearance but also their arsenal of moves. Speaking of an arsenal of moves, Mario himself had a move set that was both bigger and better than ever before--and a good portion of this comes from Cappy. Mario can launch his cap forward and serve as a launching point when on the ground, or when in the air, use it as a method of gaining more distance via second jump. The many collectible Power Moons in Super Mario Odyssey brought plenty of opportunities to use both capturing and using Mario's enhanced move set. For a completionist like me, more 'Moons meant more fun, and more replay value in the long run. Super Mario Odyssey was an adventure like no other on the Switch and one of Mario's best 3D outings.

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

This next 3D entry will be part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, launching on the Switch this Friday, and you can bet that I'm quite excited to play through it all over again. This time in high definition and higher resolution! Super Mario Galaxy opened up the universe as Mario's platforming playground, bringing planets and planetoids with their own physics and gravity. It was seamless jumping from one planetoid to another. Certainly not a Sonic Adventure 2 Mad Space level implementation! (To be fair, Adventure 2 had Galaxy beat by over five years in the concept.) Super Mario Galaxy impressed with its jaw-dropping visuals, elegant platforming, insanely creative levels, and bombastic orchestral score, all offering one truly sensational, totally unforgettable adventure.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Super Mario Galaxy 2 continued the gameplay premise of its predecessor, and it's the rare instance of Nintendo directly following up with a numbered sequel for a 3D mainline Mario entry. The game somehow brought even more creativity and cleverness to the entire gaming package: in gameplay, in level design, in ideas, in execution, in its music--you name it. Perhaps the only part of the game that didn't get improved or iterated on was the story. Still, what Super Mario Galaxy 2 consists of is ideas that were left on the cutting room floor of the original game, as well as ideas held over for this sequel. Some could consider Super Mario Galaxy 2 to be an expansion kit of levels to the original Galaxy, but I think that does this excellent sequel a disservice. Either way, what you get with Super Mario Galaxy 2 is Nintendo and the Mario series at their most creative, most amazing, and most impressive.

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Coming to the Nintendo Switch (finally) in early 2021, Super Mario 3D World originally released on the Wii U. Like the Galaxy games and Super Mario 3D Land before it, it eschewed the sandbox-style structure of 3D Mario games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine and opted for a more traditional "run to the goal" experience of games like the Super Mario Bros. series. 3D World introduced multiplayer into the fold, bringing with it utter chaos and hilarity, but also great teamwork and co-operative play, depending on who you played with. Up to four players could enjoy the immaculately designed levels of the game. 3D World also added the Cat Bell, turning Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and the fifth playable character (don't want to spoil it for those who might be experiencing the game for the first time on the Switch next year) into cat versions of themselves, able to scamper, claw, and climb up walls. Super Mario 3D World looks to only improve upon itself with this upcoming Switch version, featuring faster running, a dive maneuver, and an extra mode called Bowser's Fury. I'm excited to once again revisit this gem of a 3D Mario game.

Super Mario 64 (N64)

The first 3D Mario game, Super Mario 64 was obviously a revolutionary title. I don't think I'm telling any tales out of school here with that shocking revelation! It popularized an immense number of things in gaming that a lot of us take for granted now. The fact of the matter is that Super Mario 64 still holds up to this day. Whether you're soaring through the skies of Bob-Omb Battlefield with the Wing Cap, or slipping and sliding down the icy and snowy banks and hills of Cool, Cool Mountain, there's definitely a good time to be had. With its impending re-release as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection this Friday, I look forward to again saying "bye-bye" to Bowser as Mario grabs him by tail and chucks him into a mine, and racing against Koopa the Quick in both of his footraces. It's going to be a good time, indeed!

Super Mario World (SNES)

Let's shift from 3D Mario to the more simple and accessible 2D Mario games with my favorite of the 2D bunch: Super Mario World. I loved the new additions to this Super Nintendo launch title over its NES predecessors. From the world map with myriad secrets exits and levels you could revisit and return to playing, to the new Cape power-up and of course, my main bud Yoshi, Super Mario World greatly expanded on what was found in previous Mario games up until then. It's a game you can speed through in about fifteen minutes if you take the quickest path through the world map, or you can opt to experience every level and secret in the game--my personal favorite way to play. Either way, players like myself found themselves happily losing dozens of hours wandering through the worlds of Dinosaur Land, and many also like myself still do to this day. The definition of a classic, for sure.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (NSW)

This might be sacrilege for most Super Mario Bros. fans, but yes, I'm putting New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on this list and NOT Super Mario Bros. 3. Rather than delve into defending my choice, let me just say why I love NSMBU and its Deluxe version. The level design is some of the greatest in 2D Mario series history with clever secrets abound, smart level gimmicks, and fun to find collectibles with the three Star Coins and occasional secret exits. I love the overworld map, reminiscent of the aforementioned Super Mario World, as it houses plenty of paths and ways to make progress. I also enjoy playing multiplayer with friends and family. The former is more chaotic than with the latter! The included New Super Luigi U offers challenging bite-size levels that offer fiendish takes on the formula. While the art style is no doubt bland after three previous New Super Mario Bros. games with the similar visual design, I feel that in this case gameplay conquers all. So, while Super Mario Bros. 3 is a terrific title, one very much deserving of a spot on a list like this (and it would be #11 if this was The Tuesday 11s), I prefer New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe over it as my second 2D Mario platformer pick.

Super Mario Maker 2 (NSW)

Ending our look at 2D Mario games is an entire toolkit for making Mario levels. Super Mario Maker 2 has had me basically chained to it for a better part of a year now, whether that's making my own levels or playing the community's. Either way, over 220 hours of my life has been dedicated to the game. Far more than Super Mario Maker 2's Wii U predecessor--that's for certain. With all five game styles, including the added Super Mario 3D World, and the immense number of tools available to makers, there is an impressive amount of freedom in creating and designing your own levels. The final major addition to the game, World Maker, allows players to craft their own Mario games, which is literally dream come true for a Mario fan like me. Super Mario Maker 2 is one of my favorite Mario games of all time for many reasons, but the main one is that is allowed me to channel my creativity into making levels--and helping me do so with its easy to use tools.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW)

Of all of the Mario Kart games Nintendo has made and released, the latest installment of the series is without question my favorite. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features the most tracks, the most characters, and the most fun (though the last one is subjective) in series history. With incredibly engaging multiplayer, the return of the tried and true Battle Mode (and not the poorly repurposed tracks of the Wii U original version), new mechanics such as double items and pink boosts, and helpful accessibility options like auto acceleration and steer assist, this Mario Kart is close to the most fully featured yet. While Mission Mode originally from Mario Kart DS is still absent, I'll take 48 tracks over a mode I'd play through once and then move on from. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe dazzles with its easy to play and pick up gameplay, gorgeous graphics and catchy musical jams, and content that will keep players coming back time and again. I know it certainly has for me!

Mario Golf: World Tour (3DS)

Rather than delve into the world of Mario RPGs, which I can normally take or leave, I'm a much bigger fan of many of Mario's sports outings, namely golf. The Nintendo 64's Mario Golf is an entry that like Super Mario 64, still holds up to this day, and still gives me an insane amount of warm nostalgia. I remember playing that game during the summer of my middle school days, doing my best to unlock Metal Mario. I never imagined that Nintendo 64 golf game wrapped up with so much nostalgia would ever get its crown taken away. Especially not by a future game in the Mario Golf series, but it finally happened and unexpectedly on the Nintendo 3DS of all places.

Mario Golf: World Tour features a robust lineup of characters, courses, and content, both online and off, and it gave me hundreds of hours of fun. Whether I was customizing my Mii with unlockable gear, playing a round on one of the realistic courses or the more fantastical Mario-themed courses, or participating in an online tournament for prizes, my experience with World Tour was an amazing one. The mechanics and course design are masterful, the course concepts are clever, and the amount of characters to play as and unlock are terrific as well. I normally shy away from paid DLC, but I immediately leaped on the Season Pass for World Tour, which brought me full circle with my love of the Mario Golf series. The pass gave me all six courses from the Nintendo 64 game, fully redone, as well as four new playable characters. As you can probably tell, Mario Golf: World Tour satisfied me to a "tee".

Top Ten Home Console Launch Games of All Time

The Nintendo Switch launches today (or rather at some stores, launched at midnight), and a new generation of Nintendo goodness is now available. There's no doubt that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the big game to look into when picking up a Switch. This made me wonder about other home console launches (read: not handhelds), and what launch titles were the best, most memorable, and/or most important at the time.

10) Sonic Adventure (DC)

We begin with the Blue Blur, and despite this game laying the foundation for many of the poor 3D outings that Sonic starred in, Sonic Adventure was Sega and Sonic Team's attempt at bringing the azure hedgehog into three dimensions. While the gameplay doesn't necessarily hold up today, Sonic Adventure was no doubt a game that was important for the Dreamcast launch, and it established a working formula for the 3D games that would continue on to present day. Sure, most 3D Sonic games outside of Colors and Generations aren't exactly masterful, but it's foolish to think that Sonic Adventure didn't do a lot for the Dreamcast's success or isn't an important game for one of gaming's most beloved characters.

9) Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (GCN)

The Nintendo GameCube launch was rather awesome. You had the charming and innovative Luigi's Mansion which served as a good showpiece of the hardware from Nintendo, but another showpiece was from the now-defunct Factor 5. The studio crafted not just an absolutely stunning technical marvel that still holds up visually today, but Factor 5 created one of the Star Wars series of games's best entries ever with Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II. At the time, circling around the legs of an AT-AT in the Battle of Hoth never looked or felt so good, nor did soaring along the Cloud City of Bespin to shoot down enemies. Star Wars battles both from the original trilogy and some additional battles outside the films all added up to one phenomenal launch game for the GameCube.

8) Call of Duty 2 (360)

While not the most important first-person shooter to launch with a console, Call of Duty 2 was no doubt an important game for two reasons: 1) It gave Xbox 360 owners a magnificent shooter to enjoy in case they didn't find Rare's Perfect Dark Zero that appetizing (and many didn't), and 2) It started a snowball effect that led to the massive success of the Call of Duty franchise for Activision that the publisher is still basking in to this day, over a decade later. This World War II shooter showcased the Xbox 360 hardware well, and its cinematic gameplay led many to be absolutely wowed by the campaign. Call of Duty 2 was indeed a stellar launch title.

7) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)

Despite also launching on the Nintendo GameCube as well, Wii launch adopters got to play the newest in The Legend of Zelda series, Twilight Princess, a full month earlier than those awaiting the GameCube release. Perhaps not as important a launch title as many of the other games on this list, what makes The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess a prime candidate for the top ten home console launch games of all time is the fact that it's such a stellar Zelda game. The dungeons are some of the series's best, the darker tone was refreshing after The Wind Waker, and besides the opening story sequences lasting a bit too long, the game was a fantastic adventure for those who had just bought a Wii.

6) Halo: Combat Evolved (XBX)

Alluded to in Call of Duty 2's entry, Halo: Combat Evolved is what I pick as the most important FPS game to launch with a console. Really, one could argue that without Halo at the Xbox's launch that the Xbox brand might not have survived to make it to the 360, or at least the Xbox name would be far from the relative powerhouse and competitor to Sony's PlayStation that it was with the Xbox 360 and it is today to a lesser extent with the Xbox One. It's not just because that it was an Xbox exclusive that Halo helped the system so greatly. It's also because Halo is just a tremendous FPS full of incredible firefights to be had both online and off.

5) Soul Calibur (DC)

Along with Sonic Adventure, the other Dreamcast launch title that really packed a punch was Namco's splendid 3D arena, weapons-based fighter Soul Calibur. This was one of the games that made many drop their jaws in admiration of the awesome visuals and fluid combat and animation. The fighting system and engine themselves were incredibly deep, offering an abundance of strategies, moves, and combos to make every fight as exciting as the last. Soul Calibur's Dreamcast appearance would be so popular that it would spawn into a multiplatform franchise, hitting the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and then later on the PlayStation 3 as well as the Xbox 360. Soul Calibur was important for the Dreamcast launch as much as it was a positively exceptional fighting game that remarkably still holds up today.

4) Super Mario World (SNES)

Mario's first foray into 16-bits was not as revolutionary as his prior home console launch game or even the home console launch that came after the Super Nintendo, but Super Mario World isn't on this list due to its importance. Instead, it's due to it being one of the best games of all time. Compared to past Super Mario Bros. games, Super Mario World was a much more open-ended title, offering more secrets than ever before, including hidden exits in levels leading to new locales and levels on the world map, and even a totally hidden special world. Super Mario World was a marked improvement over past Mario games and a successful evolution in the tried and true formula.

3) Wii Sports (Wii)

Perhaps you're not a fan of this Wii launch title or even the system itself, but there's no questioning the immense impact that Wii Sports had on the gaming world. It was the pack-in game that single-handedly sold the Wii to both gamers and first time players, and made the system next to impossible to find on store shelves. The beauty and essence of Wii Sports is in its simplicity. It's easy to convey the fun of the game by just watching people play. With tennis and baseball, it's as simple as swinging the Wii Remote with proper timing to hit the ball. With bowling, it's as easy as performing the motion to roll the ball down the alley, hopefully to nail all ten pins for a strike. Wii Sports was not just a game as much as it was a phenomenon, a fun one at that.

2) Super Mario 64 (N64)

Mario continues to amaze and impress on this list. The Nintendo 64 only launched with two games in North America, but Super Mario 64 was such a phenomenal and revolutionary game that it more than made up for the Nintendo 64's lack of launch games regardless. There had been 3D games before Super Mario 64, but none had ever seem as masterfully crafted as Mario's first 3D outing. Players had a host of interactive playgrounds to run, jump, and master all of Mario's moves in-- from outside Peach's Castle to the first major world in the game, Bob-Omb's Battlefield. I remember how much hype surrounded the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64, and I more fondly remember how much both the system and the game successfully met that level of hype.

1) Super Mario Bros. (NES)

Number one on our list is here for two major reasons: 1) Its importance, and 2) How great it is of a game. The Nintendo Entertainment System launched in the States after the famed video game crash from several years earlier. Super Mario Bros. was the game that launched with the system that brought in a new generation of players into the hobby as well as showed off a new type of gaming experience that was never seen before. The simplicity of the game meant anyone could play it, but the challenge was there to encourage players to keep going even after seeing the "Game Over" screen a seemingly infinite number of times. Super Mario Bros. is one of the most important games of all time, so it only makes sense that it would be number one on this list of best home console launch games.