SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Two Dragons and A Ninja Walk Into A Bar... Edition

Boy, have we got an interesting mix of games and music here to share with you this week, gang! That's right. It's time for SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, a collection of our most loved gaming themes and songs. This week we have music from Dragon's Dogma and Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon-- two games that have yet to see an appearance on our list until now-- Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, and No More Heroes. Enough talk! Let's do this!

v541. Dragon's Dogma (PS3, 360) - Imminent Triumph

If you know our Favorite VGMs well enough, then you know we cannot pass up a track that has a full choir and chilling orchestra backing it! That's exactly what we get with Dragon's Dogma's Imminent Triumph, a theme that plays as a boss is nearing defeat. It gets the adrenaline pumping. Just don't choke when you're this close to victory!

v542. Blue Dragon (360) - Main Theme

We were going to insert Eternity into our list of Favorite VGMs, but we didn't want to tarnish our list with something that is so polarizing. For most who like the vocal theme, it's really in so-bad-it's-good territory. Regardless, the Main Theme of Blue Dragon starts off with some nice brass, giving off a very friendly attitude to the listener. And then the boss theme comes in and you go "WTF"?

v543. Lost Odyssey (360) - The Gun Barrel of Battle

Another Mistwalker Xbox 360 exclusive and another Nobuo Uematsu score, Lost Odyssey is the more adult-oriented RPG for Microsoft's second gaming system. The Gun Barrel of Battle is, believe or not, the battle theme of Lost Odyssey. If you can track down a cheap copy (good luck), it's definitely our recommendation to try Lost Odyssey out.

v544. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (N64) - Flowery Oedo, the Lost Village

A charming action-adventure game with 3D platforming and even first-person robot battles, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon was a game from back when Konami had more interesting series than Metal Gear and Castlevania to their name. Excuse us. We were going to talk about the game and the music, but we're now depressed at yet another sad Japanese publisher outcome.

v545. No More Heroes (Wii) - The Virgin Child Makes Her Wish Without Feeling Anything

The theme that Dr. Peace sings before his battle on the baseball field with Travis Touchdown, The Virgin Child, et al. is a marvelously sung song that reaches utterly beautiful levels of poignancy at the end. Goichi Suda, the director of the game, wrote the lyrics of this song himself, perhaps providing a back story to the boss assassin. 

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - New Year, New VGMs

Happy 2014 everybody! It's a new year, and we're celebrating it right with a new installment of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM. On this edition we have it all-- Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, The Last Story, and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. We can't wait any longer-- time for some great music!

v536. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3) - Taking to the Skies

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch won runner-up at our SuperPhillip Central Best of 2013 Awards, coming just behind The Last of Us. Ni no Kuni is like an interactive fairy tale that presents the player with a magical world to explore. Joe Hisaishi's soundtrack (the same man who does the music for Studio Ghibli's films) for the game assists in this greatly.

v537. The Last Story (Wii) - Invitation to Madness

The team of producer Hironobu Sakaguchi and composer Nobuo Uematsu deliver an interesting RPG world with the Wii exclusive The Last Story. While the game does not outshine the likes of its same console competition in Xenoblade Chronicles, there's no denying that The Last Story is still a worthwhile game to play and own in the Wii library.

v538. Xenosaga III (PS2) - Assault #2

The third and final Xenosaga game, Xenosaga III had its music composed by Yuki Kajiura, and in brilliant fashion, might we add. Yuki Kajiura's previous credits include Xenosaga II, .hack//SIGN, and Noir. Xenosaga III would not be as engrossing a game without Kajiura's musical presence.

v539. Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA) - Mars Lighthouse

Famed composer Motoi Sakuraba lent his many musical talents to the Camelot-developer Golden Sun: The Lost Age, the sequel to Golden Sun. Both games released on the Game Boy Advance, and it's quite amazing how Sakuraba-san crafted music within the parameters and limitations of the Game Boy Advance sound capabilities. Such a great example of this is the theme we've chosen, Mars Lighthouse.

v540. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP) - White Fatalis Theme

Imagine that you're walking along an icy valley when suddenly you turn around and are greeted by a colossal white beast and this theme begins playing. That is what many Monster Hunter Freedom Unite players experienced when they first encountered White Fatalis. That and a lot of one-hit knockouts!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Home for the Holidays Edition

Christmas is but a couple of days away, and even if you don't personally celebrate it, it's hard to get away from it. Let your friends at SuperPhillip Central bestow you with the gift of VGM. Sure, we do it all year long, but this time we've wrapped a pretty figurative bow around the entire package. This week's edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM includes music from Chrono Cross, Rayman Legends, and Yoshi's Story.

v531. Chrono Cross (PS1) - Dragon God

Last week we ended our edition of the VGM with a song entitled "Merciless Lord." In keeping with that theme, we have "Dragon God" from Chrono Cross. Unlike the Chrono Trigger soundtrack, Chrono Cross' music was entirely composed by the great Yasunori Mitsuda.

v532. Rayman Legends (Multi) - When the Wind Blows

One of the best multiplatform games of the year (which next year will be receiving an Xbox One and PlayStation 4 release), Rayman Legends sadly suffered low sales despite nearly universal critical acclaim. We're just in an industry where quality doesn't always equal success. Rayman Legends is one of those sad sales stories that make you curse consumers.

v533. Super Mario 64 (N64) - Inside the Castle Walls

We move to another platforming series, though this one is much more iconic. Super Mario 64 was an absolutely revolutionary game. It set the standard for 3D gaming with pitch perfect controls and wide open levels to explore. "Inside the Castle Walls" is the theme of Princess Peach's castle, a peppy little ditty perfect for running up and down the halls and stairways of the Mushroom Kingdom leader's home.

v534. Yoshi's Story (N64) - Baby Koopa's Castle

From one castle to another, we move to "Baby Koopa's Castle" from Yoshi's Story. The theme is appropriate for the castle, somewhat sinister, sounding like something appropriate for a toy box of terror, etc. "Baby Koopa's Castle" is without question our favorite theme from Yoshi's Story, a game that has a polarizing fan opinion.

v535. Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo (Wii) - The Siege of Muscle Tower

An overlooked gem in the Wii's library, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo was a 2D beat-em-up with some platforming elements. Its soundtrack, like many Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT games, is positively stellar.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Winter Warm-Up Edition

SuperPhillip Central is preparing for the upcoming official beginning to winter. Sure, we could have taken the easy way out and sat down with some cocoa, but we'd rather warm up with some genuinely fantastic video game music. From Mega Man Battle Network to Gods Eater Burst, the range of music is unspeakably wide.

v526. Mega Man Battle Network (GBA) - Home (ACDC Town)

Oh, good old ACDC Town, the hometown of hero Lan in the Mega Man Battle Network series. We've featured a theme from this game's sequel, but this is actually the first time we've had the original Mega Man Battle Network on our list of favorite VGM. While there have been many versions of Home throughout the Battle Network series, nothing beats the original.

v527. Gran Turismo 4 (PS2) - Soul Surfer

Dakota Star was a band that did a lot of work with Daiki Kasho, a composer who has done work for games like F-Zero GX, Gran Turismo, and other projects outside of gaming. One of our favorite Kasho compositions comes from Gran Turismo 4, Soul Surfer. It's perfect for making the minutes pass much faster in one of those confounded endurance races.

v528. Jeanne D'Arc (PSP) - Take the Fortress

The PlayStation Portable was home to so many excellent games. Between the PSP and the DS, both handhelds had the greatest number of stellar and noteworthy titles. That's right, consoles-- move it on over. Jeanne D'Arc was a strategy RPG with great art, interesting characters, and fun gameplay. Its music was sometimes forlorn, sometimes cheery, but always entertaining.

v529. LocoRoco 2 (PSP) - Uwauwau

One of the best PlayStation Portable franchises that came out and premiered on that system is the LocoRoco series. Its innovative and functional control scheme, stylized visuals, and clever design made it a series to remember. Its eccentric music, meant to come across as being performed by the LocoRoco themselves, might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it fits our tastes just nicely.

v530. Gods Eater Burst (PSP) - Merciless Lord

Go Shinra is a fabulous composer, who has also done work on the Ace Combat series. His signature style is readily apparent in Gods Eater Burst, a game made to ride on the success of the Monster Hunter series. While the player in the game can kill immense beasts and creatures, the Gods Eater series couldn't come close to killing Monster Hunter.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Knight of the Wind Edition

Welcome to Monday here at SuperPhillip Central. It's time once more for SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM, celebrating the best and loveliest of video game music. Our list is 500 songs strong, and we have no signs of stopping. This week we have music from Sonic & the Black Knight, Perfect Dark, and Chrono Trigger.

v521. Sonic & the Black Knight (Wii) - Knight of the Wind

Many Sonic the Hedgehog fans argue till the cows come home on whether Jun Senoue's influence on the music of the series was a good thing or a bad thing. If you're not into cheesy rock, then you probably care for it. We happen to like both the modern music and Senoue's offerings. Sonic & the Black Knight's soundtrack is one of those, and this is the main theme of the game, Knight of the Wind.

v522. Rune Factory: Frontier/Tides of Destiny (Wii/Wii, PS3) - Trampoli Square

Used in both Rune Factory: Frontier and Tides of Destiny, Trampoli Square is a peaceful song complemented by wonderful woodwinds and gently flowing piano. While the actual games were disappointments, the soundtracks remain great to listen to.

v523. Super Princess Peach (DS) - Giddy Sky 1

Super Princess Peach had a novel idea-- take the familiar plots of the Super Mario Bros. series and invert them. Now, Princess Peach is the heroine on a journey to rescue the captured Mario Bros. The music of the game was suitably upbeat and cheery, perfect for a saunter through the colorful worlds of Super Princess Peach.

v524. Perfect Dark (N64, XBLA) - Chicago: Stealth

From a light heroine to a darker one, Joanna Dark's sci-fi escapades as a special agent in Perfect Dark made for hot and heavy action. It is one of SuperPhillip's favorite shooters of all time. The soundtrack, too, is incredible, really pushing the capabilities of the Nintendo 64's sound chip.

v525. Chrono Trigger (SNES) - Boss Battle

Can you believe it has been 524 game themes without a nominee from Chrono Trigger? Well, we have fixed this with VGM 525. The lead composer of Chrono Trigger, Yasunori Mitsuda, felt immense pressure composing all of the music by himself. The situation got so stressful that Mitsuda-san suffered an ulcer. Thankfully his coworker and friend Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame stepped in to help complete the soundtrack.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Working Off the Turkey Edition

Thanksgiving is over in the states, and we've gobbled up the last leftovers of our turkey bounty. Time to start sweatin' to the VGM that we enjoy most. Our continuing list returns for another segment this Monday evening with MadWorld, Final Fantasy II, and Kirby's Epic Yarn. As always, past VGM can be found in our VGM Database.

v516. MadWorld (Wii) - You Don't Know Me

MadWorld was Platinum Games' sole Wii project. It's a shame it didn't do that well in sales, but then again it wasn't the deepest game on the market at the time. Still, it was a poor console choice to put the game on, as the Wii's market was mostly into Nintendo titles and casual games.

v517. Graffiti Kingdom (PS2) - Try One's Skill

We go to a big shift in gaming tone from impaling enemies with road signs to creating colorful creatures in the platforming adventure known as Graffiti Kingdom. This game was a cult classic, and a game that slipped under so many gamers' radars. When you have a library as impressive as the PlayStation 2's it's no wonder that a lot of lesser known games fall through the cracks. (Art by Thunder Bunny)

v518. Final Fantasy II (NES) - Rebel Army Theme (Scene VII)

From the Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite album comes the final scene of the concert, the Rebel Army Theme of Final Fantasy II. It's certainly majestic and poignant. When the choir chimes in and the brass accompanies them, we get honest to goodness goosebumps.

v519. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii) - Smooth Sherbet

For such a shoddy game, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz certainly had a lot of delightful and catchy music. The composer for the Jet Set Radio series and Sonic Rush had a hand in the music for this game. Just how far into the rabbit hole his hand reached is unknown. Regardless, the frustration of falling off a given course due to sloppy controls is lessened if only fractionally by the infectious music.

v520. Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) - Fountain Gardens

Kirby's Epic Yarn had a sublime score attached to it. You had soft jazz, bouncy piano tunes, and whimsical melodies with a hint of childlike wonder imbued to them. While the game was definitely on the easy side (Kirby couldn't perish whatsoever), the presentation, with the music being a huge part of that, made for a game that was just good to just great.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Mega Men, Sky Pirates, and Bounty Hunters Edition

Welcome to a new week of SuperPhillip Central content. As we often do, we kick things off with our list of our favorite video game themes from past to present. We'll be focusing on the past with this installment, with titles like Final Fantasy III, Mega Man 2, and the first appearance of Super Metroid on our list. If you want to catch up on past VGM choices (and you have a significant amount of hours in your life to spare), check out our VGM Database. Now, let's get onto the music!

v511. Final Fantasy III (DS) - Dungeon

Haunting yet beautiful, the dungeon theme remastered for Final Fantasy III's much awaited arrival in the West is short but oh-so-sweet. One can imagine walking through a mysterious cavern, not knowing what monsters their party will run into. It's a sense of discovery that the creators of Final Fantasy games post XII seem to have forgotten about.

v512. Mega Man 2 (NES) - Wily Stage 1/2

A theme that has been long overdue, no favorite VGM list is complete without Mega Man 2's Wily Stage 1/2. Whether you prefer the NES original or the Complete Works version, there is no question that this theme from Mega Man 2 is one of the most revered of the 8-bit era.

v513. Skies of Arcadia (DC) - Last Battle (Opportunity)

As you can probably discern from this theme's title, this song plays during the final boss battle within Skies of Arcadia. No worries. We won't spoil anything. We just loved how Skies of Arcadia's battle themes would change depending on whether you were on the winning or losing end of the various fights. There was nothing like hearing a triumphant theme as you whittled away the last hit points of a boss. It was greatly satisfying.

v514. Star Fox Assault (GCN) - Aparoid Blitz (Boss 1)

Star Fox Assault was disappointing in a fair number of ways, but it's a much better Star Fox than what we received on the Nintendo DS. Regardless, one point of Assault that was nowhere near disappointing was the rousing orchestral soundtrack. This was one of the Nintendo's first forays into fully symphonic music, predated solely by Super Smash Bros. Melee.

v515. Super Metroid (SNES) - Brinstar (The Jungle Floor)

Samus Aran's debut on the original NES was mired with confusing and similar-looking hallways, making exploration practically impossible without charting your own map. As kids, we did such a thing, but nowadays we don't have the patience for that. Super Metroid made everything better-- the map system, the visuals, the structure, the gameplay, the controls, and yes, pertaining to this segment, the music.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - Light-Hearted Edge Edition

Welcome to a nighttime installment of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM, where we pick our most cherished and enjoyed themes from various video games. No system, no series, no game is off-limits! On this week's edition of the ol' Favorite VGM, we have music from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Shadow the Hedgehog, and F-Zero GX. We have fantastical games and even some more "serious" fare.

v506. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA) - Amber Valley (Orchestrated)

Can you imagine hearing this theme and strolling the grand countryside of Ivalice? We sure can. Hitoshi Sakimoto and Nobuo Uematsu teamed up to work on the soundtrack of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, a game that many Nintendo fans welcomed with open arms. After all, then-Squaresoft hadn't worked on a Nintendo platform for almost a decade.

v507. Dewy's Adventure (Wii) - Strawberry Date

Catchy, infectious, and cute, Strawberry Date is the main theme of the overlooked Wii platformer Dewy's Adventure. The game was created by the team behind Elebits, another Wii title. You tilted the Wii Remote to move Dewy around many themed environments. It was quite the charming game that is definitely worth a look.

v508. Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (GCN) - Chant This Charm

We've already featured two other themes from Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg. This one, Chant This Charm, is the ending theme, played during the credits. The day has been saved, the chickens are all safe, and we can enjoy this light vocal song. Sure, we didn't get to the end of the game because it wasn't very good, but at least we can enjoy the music!

v509. Shadow the Hedgehog (PS2, GCN, XBX) - Cosmic Fall

Back in the day we were much more patient gamers. For example, we beat Shadow the Hedgehog 100%. Yes, even the hard mode. Now that we're older (maybe a little wiser), have more responsibilities, and have more games to review, if a game is bad, we probably won't torture ourselves to beat it 100%. Shadow the Hedgehog is one of those games that we wouldn't complete nowadays. Still, the heavy focus of rock featured throughout the soundtrack fit the mood of the game and was just fun to listen to.

v510. F-Zero GX (GCN) - Hurrah for the Champion (Winning Run)

You've survived the twists and turns of Mute City, you've crossed the finish line, and you've won first place. This theme welcomes you to the winner's circle as you make your F-Zero pilot makes his or her (or its) way for one last victory lap. The techno music and rock guitar make for a delightful and awesome combination. Victory is yours... Stand up and enjoy it!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - NiGHTS into VGM Edition

After completing the process of placing a few commercials on SuperPhillip Central, it's now time for us to take our attention and set it on our weekly segment, SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM. Last week we celebrated the 500th VGM, so now we're on our way to our 600th with five new faves. This week's music comes from a variety of games, NiGHTS into Dreams, Mario Kart Wii, and Golden Sun. If you'd like to spend some of your evening looking and listening at past VGMs represented, look no further than this link.

v501. NiGHTS into Dreams (SAT) - NiGHTS

A sweeping and majestic theme for a majestic character, NiGHTS's main theme is full of whimsy. NiGHTS into Dream was one of the top exclusives on the SEGA's Saturn. The character would return in a game on the Wii, but most NiGHTS fans would rather not remember that one...

v502. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - Moo Moo Meadows

Speaking of the Wii, one of the best selling titles of this past generation was Mario Kart Wii. The game itself was a more beginner-friendly title than past efforts, so it wasn't uncommon to see three blue shells in one race. Still, the track design was superb, and so was the soundtrack, as evidenced by this track, Moo Moo Meadows (aka Moo Moo Country).

v503. Wild ARMs: Alter Code F (PS2) - Curan Abbey

Wild ARMs: Alter Code F was a remake of the very first Wild ARMs, a game that decidedly hasn't aged all too well. This remake, however, has, and while the soundtrack of the original is still great, a remastered soundtrack with all-new tunes was created by the original composer.

v504. Golden Sun (GBA) - Bustling City Tolbi

Motoi Sakuraba is one of our favorite VGM composers, and his influence has elevated games that were great into fantastic titles. Golden Sun is our pick for the best original RPG on the Game Boy Advance. Its use of utilizing Psynergy (magic) outside of battle to solve puzzles was brilliant, as was the world, visuals, battle system, and plot.

v505. Ys I & II Chronicles (PSP, PC) - Palace of Destruction

Yuzo Koshiro (ActRaiser) was the original composer of this track, and now it has been given a hard rock kick to it for the PSP and PC remake. The Ys series is probably has the best music from a series that most people don't know about. It being relegated to non-mainstream platforms is probably the reason why.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM - 500 Reasons to Enjoy Edition

This is a momentous edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGM. This edition is where we have reached are 500th VGM! It's been two years or so since we began this version of the list, and it's amazing to think back at all of the great music that has been featured on this weekly segment. This week we have music from The Wonderful 101, Tetris, and Super Smash Bros. Melee!

v496. The Wonderful 101 (Wii U) - The Won-Stoppable Wonderful 100

The Wonderful 101 was overlooked by many Wii U owners, but then again, it seems every title on the Wii U is overlooked. What is selling on that thing anyway? Regardless, hearing this vocal theme during epic moments of The Wonderful 101 energized players to push their gaming skills beyond their own limits.

v497. Tetris (GB) - Type A

Let's go old school for a moment, shall we? You cannot have a favorite VGM list without having this game and this theme on it. It's Tetris's Type A theme, an infectious melody that stayed with players long after they shut off the power to their Game Boys. Tetris was a game that sold Nintendo's portable system to the history books, and the game's addicting gameplay was a reason for that.

v498. Kirby Air Ride (GCN) - Sky Sands

Kirby Air Ride was quite an unorthodox racing game, created in part by the mind behind the Kirby character and series, as well as Super Smash Bros., Masahiro Sakurai. You see, speed was controlled by one button and one button only. As for the race, Sky Sands is a desert course that takes place miles above solid ground. This Arabian theme suits the course perfectly, wouldn't you say?

v499. Puppeteer (PS3) - Across the Plains

We recently reviewed Puppeteer, and we enjoyed the game overall. It had a lot of story sequences that broke up the flow of the game, but all-in-all it's a solid title. The presentation is but a part of that, but we were really astounded by the soundtrack, composed by Patrick Doyle. Across the Plains delivers a very Southwestern America, Mexico desert-type feel to it.

v500. Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN) - Great Medley

Here we are! The big one! VGM number 5-0-0! We've selected a big one, too, for this great occasion. It's the Great Medley, incorporating a myriad of themes from many of Super Smash Bros. Melee's combatants. In North America, the CD that this medley is a part of was available to Nintendo Power subscribers. We actually have an original copy of it, and orchestrated performances of Smash Bros. music makes it a gem in our music library.