The Most Improved Video Game Sequels - Part One

A new SuperPhillip Central segment approaches! We've looked at the best levels in gaming, we've looked at the best bosses in gaming, and now SuperPhillip Central looks at the most improved video game sequels. These sequels greatly surpassed their predecessors, added features that are now mainstays for their respective franchises, or even made the originals look like student projects by comparison.

Once you've checked out the inaugural class of six entries to Most Improved Video Game Sequels, what games do you think should be on future installments?

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)

The original Super Smash Bros. was such a creative premise and dream scenario for Nintendo fans--pitting their favorite characters against one another to determine who would win in a fight. The Nintendo 64 game laid a successful foundation for the Super Smash Bros. franchise, but it wasn't until the GameCube's Super Smash Bros. Melee that the series really kicked into high gear. Adding more characters (such as Bowser, Peach, Zelda, Ice Climbers, Marth, Roy, Mewtwo, and more), more stages, more items, and just an abundance of content and improved combat, Super Smash Bros. Melee for some is still uncontested as the best game in the series. The additions of Adventure Mode, All-Star Mode, character and series-specific trophies, and other goodies took an already fantastic foundation from the N64 original and made a truly special game that wouldn't be dethroned for  almost two decades.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)

Regardless of whether or not you consider the tough-as-nails Lost Levels or the Doki Doki Panic retooled Super Mario Bros. 2 to the be sequel to the nowadays rather basic Super Mario Bros., there's no denying that Super Mario Bros. 3 took the Mario to extremely high new heights. Taking Mario and Luigi on a lengthy adventure though eight themed worlds complete with world maps, bestowing them with new suits such as the Tanooki and Hammer Suits, giving them the power of flight with the Super Leaf power-up, having an onslaught of new enemy types, inspired and creative levels, and the first appearance of the Koopalings, Super Mario Bros. 3 did arguably more for the Super Mario series than any other 2D platformer bar the original. 

Super Metroid (SNES)

The third installment of the Metroid series and the last Metroid game to be released until the one-two punch of Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion (on the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance respectively), Super Metroid brought so much to the franchise and games of this platformer style in general. For Metroid as a series, Super Metroid brought a godsend to players who found themselves lost and stumbling through the similar corridors and chambers of the original Metroid and its Game Boy sequel. That godsend was a helpful map. Super Metroid also introduced many items and power-ups that are now common for the series, such as the Charge Beam, Grappling Beam, Gravity Suit, Power Bombs, and Super Missiles, to name a handful. There's a reason that Super Metroid is held as the standard that all current Metroidvania games strive to be and are measured against. It's just that darn good.

Street Fighter II (ARC)

Perhaps the most substantial marked improvement from an original game to its sequel, the original Street Fighter was less than a stellar fighting game--to put it charitably. The stiff and unresponsive controls, the frustrating AI opponents, and the general quality were not up to snuff. Street Fighter II, on the other hand, introduced and established so many new features to the fighting game franchise formula that it's no wonder that so many fell in love with Capcom's fantastic fighter. From the addition of new playable characters, varying and distinguishable characteristics for each, combo-based gameplay, and controller commands that were easily more accessible to players. Street Fighter II managed to not only improve on its predecessor, but it managed to influence (and continues to influence) essentially all future fighting games worth their muster in quarters.

Mega Man 2 (NES)

"If at first you don't succeed" started the story of both Capcom's retro gambles. We've seen it already with Street Fighter, and now Mega Man is the second instance of this. The original Mega Man, for the most part, did not reach sales success. It was a pure risk to give the Blue Bomber a second chance, but the development team of Mega Man 2 did just that. The game was a tale of having both quality and quantity, with its addition of eight new Robot Masters instead of the original Mega Man's six. Though the inclusion of now series standbys like a save system (via password in this case) and health and weapon energy-restoring items like E-Tanks and W-Tanks, Mega Man 2 was still quite the challenging game even with these improvements to the formula. Despite dozens upon dozens of Mega Man games release since, to this day, fans of the Blue Bomber find Mega Man 2 to be the pinnacle of the long-running series.

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)

The original Ratchet & Clank brought an unlikely lombax and robot pair together in one intergalactic adventure. The sequel, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, upped the ante and the arsenal quite a bit, including introducing several mainstays to the series that would appear in most of the games in the franchise. For one, the ability to strafe more easily was extremely helpful, and the addition of being able to level up weapons through dealing damage with them made it so Ratchet's collection of firepower could become one devastating repertoire of destruction. Added gameplay types like racing and gladiator battles rounded out this excellent package, making Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando one of the best entries in the series and one of the PlayStation 2's best games in general.

Classics I Can Return To - Part Eight

Hello, everyone! I hope you're enjoying E3 2017 whether you're actually in Los Angeles or consuming every bit of new possible via video or on sites like these. Welcome to another installment of Classics I, your owner and main operator of SuperPhillip Central, Phil, Can Return To! This series of articles goes into seemingly infinitely replayable games that I either actually do play quite often or will come back to eventually. They're either games that are full blown classics or games that I perceive to be modern classics. This part of Classics contains a mix of the two, featuring franchises like The Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart, and Grand Theft Auto, to name a few. What games that you consider classics do you find yourself coming back to?

For past parts of Classics I Can Return To, here are all seven for your convenience.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NS, Wii U)

Certainly a contender for Game of the Year so far, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild "breathed" new life into The Legend of Zelda franchise as a whole after so many entries following the same standard formula for so long. It took inspiration mostly from the very first game as seen on the NES, featuring a world you can easily get lost in (where that was most of the fun), little direction to guide you from place to place, and a means to go wherever you wanted (but not without it own obvious risks in doing so). Just one play-through can feel infinite in itself with everything you can do. I've played over 80 hours (and that's on the short side of most folks' time with the game), and I'm still witnessing new things in the world, new places to find, and things I can do with enemies, the environments, and objects that I never even knew existed. Breath of the Wild is an insanely well crafted open world game that didn't just breathe new life to Zelda as previously mentioned, but breathed new life into the open world sub-genre of games.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS)

It says something about the quality and entertainment factor of a game where I can enjoy the original and play it for so many dozens of hours and feel compelled to buy an upgraded and updated version on another console. Mario Kart 8 was one of those games that did well on the Wii U but was limited in features for the most part (and stuck on a doomed console). Nintendo cleverly ported the game to the Nintendo Switch, which is doing awesomely so far, but added new content to make the upgrade worth it. Such new content included a totally revamped and improved Battle Mode (featuring five modes and actual battle arenas this time around instead of retro-fitted tracks from the Grand Prix mode), new characters, new kart pieces, new accessibility features, and much more. This was all while including every bit of content including the DLC from the original Wii U Mario Kart 8. With that, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a winner in my book, a worthwhile purchase despite already logging so many hours into the Wii U original, and a game I obviously can replay without issue.

Grand Theft Auto V (Multi)

Speaking of games I purchased again because I loved them so much and the upgrades were wholly worthwhile, we have one of the best selling games of all time with Grand Theft Auto V. Rockstar and Take Two are killing it with the game, constantly showing up on monthly and weekly bestseller charts in both North America and Europe respectively. The story campaign alone is deep enough and filled with so much content that it could take months to fully digest it all, especially if you just like to joyride around the city, causing trouble, and having an entourage of cops cars on your tail. However, the real longevity of Grand Theft Auto V comes from its online counterpart, included with the game. Constantly updated with fresh features, Grand Theft Auto Online continues to get support from Rockstar and is key in why the game is easy to want to come back to for many players, including myself.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4)

With a new trailer shown at E3 2017 of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which is an expansion story to Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, why not mention Nathan Drake's final chapter? It is in fact a modern classic by every meaning of the world. The globetrotting adventure is larger than ever before, the stakes are positively at their highest, the story is engrossing and engaging, and the various action moments in the game are to die for. Well, not literally, unless you let an enemy flank you, or you miss a jump, or you get blown to smithereens by a grenade. That notwithstanding, I hope to have a review of Uncharted 4 by the end of this month as a means to have a look back at the game a year after its release and far beyond the hype. Though as the game is on a list of games I'll come back to, it's probably no surprise how much I still enjoy it.

Super Metroid (SNES)

With not one but two new Metroid titles announced at E3 (which should appease Metroid fans for all but a minute probably), it's the perfect opportunity to bring up one of Samus Aran's most fondly remembered missions. That mission was in the Super Nintendo classic, Super Metroid. Whether I was intricately exploring every inch of Zebes for secret alcoves containing energy or missile upgrades, or trying to complete the game as fast as possible by speed-running it, Super Metroid was a game got in to far after its initial release. In fact, my first time playing it was on the Wii Virtual Console. You could say with all of my play-throughs of the game now that I've more than made up for lost time.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (GEN)

We conclude this edition of Classics I Can Return To with by far my favorite 2D Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It combines both Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and its expansion, Sonic & Knuckles, into one lengthy adventure encapsulating multiple playable characters, Chaos and Master Emeralds to collect, and new story elements not found in either Sonic 3 or Sonic & Knuckles by themselves. This cyborg of Sonic games (even the construction of putting the Sonic 3 cartridge into the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge looked some mechanical monstrosity) features my favorite collection of zones in any Sonic game, and there are seldom any moments I dread playing, which I can't say for any other Sonic adventure. While I enjoyed other 2D Sonics, even modern ones like the Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush series, Sonic 3 & Knuckles remains my top tier 2D Sonic the Hedgehog game.

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

A good title screen puts the player in the mood to enjoy the game. It's memorable, it's iconic, and just looking at it even without the actual game name on it can remind of you that game. With SuperPhillip Central's relatively new series on the best title screens in gaming, these titles bring out great memories of even greater games. To check out the first entries in this series, look no further than this link. After checking out SPC's picks, which title screens from gaming's past and present do you consider the best and most memorable?

Mass Effect 3 (Multi)

We begin our journey through great title screens with one from Mass Effect 3 that really sets the stage for the game. While the ending might have had much ire from fans, the title screen of the game is one that is hard to dislike. With pieces of debris and countless asteroids falling to the planet's surface, this Mass Effect 3 title screen is so easy to get lost in, gazing at each falling piece of debris as it smashes into the planet's surface.

Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

Xenoblade Chronicles X's title screen shares a common theme with Mass Effect 3's in that it's quite easy to get lost in. The world of the game is full of behemoth beasts both docile and threatening, and this title screen shows multiple flying beasts as our cast of heroes stands tall on a mountaintop gazing over them. The giant, hulking Skell standing next to them impresses as well, and the idea that players will be able to eventually hop inside one to take on these imposing beasts makes for one engaging title screen.

Kingdom Hearts (PS2)

Unlike Mass Effect 3 and Xenoblade Chronicles X's title screens, what Kingdom Hearts offers is a more relaxing and subdued title screen. Beautifully done artwork of series protagonist Sora rests on the right side of the screen as the logo takes up the majority of the screen's real estate. All of it is cast against a gentle white background, but the piece de resistance that blends it all together so splendidly is Yoko Shimomura's Dearly Beloved theme that plays over it. Soothing and pleasant to the eyes, this is the Kingdom Hearts title screen.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)

Going from subdued to more energetic, New Super Mario Bros. Wii's title screen shows off our heroes of the game, Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad sauntering through a idyllic landscape full of small mountains and gigantic polka-dotted hills. This is all the while this peppy and upbeat tune plays. The title screen shows the first taste of the New Super Mario Bros. series on a console as well as the main draw to the game other than the terrific level design, the crazy, zany, and ultimately fun local multiplayer for up to four friends to enjoy.

Sonic & Knuckles (GEN)

This title screen begins with Sonic falling downward with Dr. Robotnik's Death Egg smashing into a mountain in the background. As Sonic's feet meet the ground, planting firmly next to Knuckles' location, the Sonic & Knuckles logo pops up from the bottom of the screen. Now, both a 3D-looking model of Sonic as well as Knuckles perform their own modest idle animations as players choose between taking on the game as either the Blue Blur or the echidna that unlike Sonic, doesn't chuckle. It's an energetic and for its time, impressive title screen that really hits home that Sega Genesis owners were in for one exciting platforming adventure.

Streets of Rage (GEN)

Streets of Rage's classic title screen brings players with a nighttime view of a '90s era city, full of criminals and thugs to beat down and brawl. The three protagonists, Axel, Blaze, and Adam, all ex-cops, position themselves on the title screen, taking up top billing as the Streets of Rage logo manifests on the screen as well. Between the gorgeous city background, the impressive and large ixel and sprite models of our three heroes, and the Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack that backs it, this title screen for Streets of Rage is absolutely old school cool.

Super Metroid (SNES)

Going from old school cool to cool in general, Super Metroid's title screen is chilling in every sense of the word. Showing fallen bodies on both sides of the baby Metroid from Metroid II: Return of Samus that is held in captivity, the cold choices of color, the flashing of the computer monitors on both sides of the Metroid, and tense, mysterious music that plays while players look on all add up to one ambient title screen that is as memorable as it is alarming.

Mega Man 2 (NES)

Wrapping up this installment of the best title screens of gaming's long history, we go very retro with this one. After the opening scrolls up the side of a building, we see Mega Man without helmet standing at the top with his hair blowing wildly in the wind. The iconic Mega Man 2 logo presents itself, and players realize that they're in the cusp of greatness. Mega Man 2 is not only one of the greatest games on the classic NES, but it also possesses one of the most memorable title screens that the system has ever seen-- And as we've seen, one of the most memorable title screens in gaming history,

Must-Have Games for the SNES Classic (If/When It Ever Exists)

This past Friday, the NES Classic Edition, a miniature NES with 30 games pre-installed launched in North America. Unsurprisingly, the device is quite hard to find at the moment, but Nintendo promises a steady string of supply throughout the upcoming months. The NES Classic Edition is a brilliant idea to get both nostalgic and new players to the era interested in Nintendo's games.

This made many gamers hope for future releases of past Nintendo systems, bundled with their own supply of games. If such a device existed for the Super Nintendo, and it seems very plausible considering how successful the NES Classic is already, these are just some of the many SNES classics that I think should be in a hypothetical "SNES Classic." After you've taken a peek at my picks, what games would you add to this list?

Super Mario World

One of the quintessential Mario experiences, Super Mario World is often debated among platforming and Mario fans as whether it's the superior experience when compared to Super Mario Bros. 3 or not. Regardless of your or my opinion on the subject. it's no question that Super Mario World is one of the greatest 2D platformers in existence. Taking the Super Mario Bros. series to the 16-bit era, Super Mario World brought with it longer levels, a world map that encouraged exploration with secret exits in many levels, varied obstacles and enemies, and so much more. It's an obvious pick for a game that should be included in a hypothetical SNES Classic, but there's very good reason for that.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

With The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Nintendo took the series to a more focused and disciplined approach. What the game ended up being because of this-- and the supremely well designed dungeons, extremely fun to explore overworld, the clever light world and dark world mechanic, memorable characters, tight controls, myriad of useful items, incredible boss battles-- is one of the best Zelda experiences the franchise has ever seen, much more one of the Super Nintendo's greatest classics and one of the best games of all time. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a tour de force adventure that no gamer should be without playing, making it a shoo-in for the SNES Classic.

Super Metroid

While the current state of the Metroid series depresses many-a fan of the franchise, thankfully there are a good deal of past Metroid games to look at and love the franchise for. Super Metroid is generally considered the cream of the Chozo crop. It brought with it the abundantly helpful map and corridors and rooms that could easily be distinguished between, things that the original Metroid lacked, making the NES classic a difficult game to play. Introducing a world that drips with ambiance, a worthwhile assortment of upgrades and abilities to reach and explore new areas, and one of the most memorable endings to a Metroid game, Super Metroid lives and dies by its responsive controls, superb level design, and replayability.

EarthBound

Nowadays we sort of take for granted that EarthBound is now available in digital form on the Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Consoles. It wasn't too long ago, however, that if one wanted to play the game legally, one would have to shell out an immense (see; ridiculous) amount of money just to get a loose (no manual, no box) used copy! Now, EarthBound is readily available in digital form, and it just seems like an easy pick for an SNES Classic release. An atypical RPG to this very day, EarthBound is a bizarre by touching adventure that takes place in a modern setting with charming, if not also bizarre, characters. It's also a very challenging game, but since the characters and world are so fantastic, it's worth roughing it to see everything EarthBound has to offer.

Super Mario Kart

The game that started and popularized a sub-genre-- the mascot kart racer-- Super Mario Kart is one of the go-to games for multiplayer gaming on the Super Nintendo. It's easy to see why, too, as the game features accessible controls, Grand Prix and Battle modes for two players to spend hours upon hours playing through, and lots of fun times to be had. The four Grand Prix cups of Super Mario Kart, each containing five tracks, the multiple difficulties of said Grand Prix cups, the four arenas of the Battle Mode, and the eight characters one can play as all equals one heck of a kart racing game that is hard to put down once it has been picked up.

F-Zero

Like Super Mario Kart popularized the mascot kart racer, or just the kart racer in general, F-Zero popularized the futuristic type of racer. Also like Super Mario Kart, F-Zero sported Mode 7 visuals, showing off 3D-like visuals as racers sped through the twists, turns, and dangerous pathways of the many tracks F-Zero possesses. The game is lightning quick, making you really feel like you're going all those MPH that F-Zero says you are. The Grand Prix mode offers a wide array of races where your rivals will always be ready to pass you if you so much as make a mistake. Sometimes, mistakes are even very costly, resulting in a destroyed vehicle and a step closer to a game over (either due to your vehicle taking too much damage or careening off the course)! While F-Zero has evolved since the original, made better by future games, it's still worth playing the game that started it all on the Super Nintendo.

Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 & 3

Rareware was a developer that already had quite the history to itself before reintroducing the world to Donkey Kong, but it was Donkey Kong Country that the studio really made a name for itself and became the juggernaut with its partnership with Nintendo. The entire trilogy is worth playing, though my personal favorite (as rote a pick as it is) will always be the second game, Diddy's Kong-Quest. Regardless of the game, what you'll get with one of Rare's Donkey Kong Country titles is a game soaked with ambiance, whether because of the environments or the atmospheric yet melodic music; stunning visuals that still impress to this day; superb level design filled with cleverly placed secrets (save for some of the original Donkey Kong Country, which had some "hope you fall in the right hole to find a secret" occasions), and memorable level gimmicks.

Kirby Super Star

Between all of the games that Kirby starred in on the Super Nintendo, the one that is not only the most memorable but also the best value is Kirby Super Star. Containing a variety of platforming adventures, many bite-sized, Kirby Super Star gives players a taste of platforming goodness, whether it's in the exploration-based Great Cave Offensive or the remake of the original Kirby's Dream Land. There is plenty to admire and sink one's teeth into with Kirby Super Star, making it as both as a fun and value proposition and superb pick for the SNES Classic. After all, who can't give enough of Nintendo's pink puffball? There's a reason that Kirby remains one of the Nintendo's active franchises after all of these years.

Mega Man X

The classic Mega Man games on the original NES put the series on the map with great critical and financial success. Mega Man X launched on the Super Nintendo, marking a bold new step for the franchise. Being quite different from the classic Mega Man games in both attitude (don't worry, we're not talking about being try-hard) and gameplay, Mega Man X is a harder game and much more action-packed experience. Since Mega Man was already pretty action-intense, that's quite the achievement! With permanent armor and health upgrades hidden in levels, more exploration to said levels, Robot Masters in the form of animal-based Mavericks, a more sinister villain in the form of Sigma, detailed 2D visuals in both characters and environments, and a rocking 16-bit soundtrack, Mega Man X remains one of my favorite games of all time and a must-have for the SNES Classic.

Super Castlevania IV

Another action platformer, the fourth installment of the Castlevania franchise was a jump from the 8-bit era to the 16-bit one with its release on the Super Nintendo. A much more reasonable in difficulty game, Super Castlevania IV is still a rather challenging platformer. Thankfully, this time around, your whip could be lashed out at foes and objects in a multitude of directions. This was not only great for taking out incoming enemies, but it was also good for latching onto special hooks where you could swing across chasms. You wouldn't figure this for this type of game, but Mode 7 was in play at specific parts of Super Castlevania IV, such a corridor where the background spins like a tube. Why I felt the need to add that into this entry is anyone's guess, but perhaps I just like that trivia aspect!

Super Street Fighter II Turbo

A complete version of Street Fighter II, a tactic of releasing more complete versions of Street Fighter games that would persist up to modern days, Super Street Fighter II Turbo saw all the improvements of past Street Fighter II experiences, like the addition of being able to play as all four bosses from the vanilla Street Fighter II, but it also included new goodies like Super and air combos, the arrival of Akuma, and being able to play as alternate versions of the roster of fighters, offering slight differences in how characters play. There is no wonder, then, why Super Street Fighter II Turbo remains a popular fighter and an important stepping stone in the history of 2D fighters and of course, the Street Fighter series in general.

Contra III: The Alien Wars

The third mainline installment of the Contra series had to run, gun, and blow up its way to impress Super Nintendo gamers, and it did all of that and more with Contra III; The Alien Wars. Offering two-player goodness, tremendous action set pieces, pulse-pounding action, exhilarating boss battles, and impressive visuals, Contra III delivers in both action and excitement. The game also wasn't afraid of trying something new, bringing with it some over-the-head perspective levels. While these weren't executed perfectly, they did offer a fresh take on the series. Even if you don't care for these themselves, you do get some of the best 2D side-scrolling levels in the Contra series if you persevere through them.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

Popularized in arcades before gaining a home console version, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time brought with it an amazing amount of action, unforgettable levels and boss battles, and multiplayer goodness for two players. Turtles in Time is the type of game that is better enjoyed and appreciated through multiple play-throughs. This is a game where even after playing through it a seemingly endless amount of times, you still find plenty of enjoyment in slashing and striking enemies, chucking foes into the screen, and beating down Krang and the Super Shredder for the umpteenth time. The Super Nintendo is full of fantastic multiplayer games, and it would be a grave mistake if Turtles in Time wasn't included in a Super Nintendo Classic-like device.

Other Mentions:

Final Fantasy IV
Chrono Trigger
Star Fox
Super Punch-Out
Pilotwings

Great Suggestions by Others:

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Secret of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Super Tecmo Bowl