SuperPhillip Central Celebrates 18 Years Online: My Super Sweet 18 Favorite Video Game Franchises

No, your eyes do not deceive you. Well, actually, they do if you read "18" as "16" because SuperPhillip Central has been online for 18 years as of today and not just 16 years. That notwithstanding and lame joke aside, it blows my mind that I started this blog back in 2008, and while my cadence of posts is nowhere near as high as when we started this journey together, I'm amazed SPC is still going and going strong. I believe nowadays SPC is less quantity and more quality of posts. ...Or at least that's what I tell myself!

At any rate, I wanted to do something relatively special for the site's 18th anniversary, and that desire turned into something I don't think I've actually done on this site: list some of my favorite video games franchises of all time in a comprehensive form. By no means can I sufficiently say that I ordered the following 18 franchises in a way that is perfect and best shows my love of each franchises listed, but it's my hope that it does a decent enough job all the same. 

Favorite game(s) in the series: Breath of Fire (SNES), Breath of Fire III (PS1, PSP)

We start off with an RPG series that is pretty much dead. Yes, the fire here has long since been extinguished. To be fair, I could have included myriad different RPG series to replace this one due to its prolonged inactivity--Ys, Golden Sun, Star Ocean, the Mana series, etc.--but Breath of Fire is important to me as an RPG series for one specific reason, albeit there are others, too.

The most important is that the series was the one that introduced me to RPGs to begin with, and that was due to the very first entry on the Super Nintendo. Not going to lie--it was also one of the first RPGs that moved me to tears with NPC Alan and villain Cerl's outcomes in the game. If you know, you know! Either way, the Breath of Fire series is one that lit the flame for my love of RPGs, and despite other RPG franchises outliving or having a better chance of being revived than Breath of Fire, it's still a favorite franchise of mine.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Resident Evil 4 (Multi)

We move on from one Capcom franchise to another, though this one has major endurance. It's Resident Evil, aka Biohazard. I cannot lie here either with this pick, as the OG Resident Evil 4 does a lot of the actual lifting here. The GameCube original was my first RE title, and it remains one of my favorite video games of all time. The recent series of modern remakes--2, 3, and yes, of course, 4--have only further influenced my admiration for the Resident Evil series, and this is also as someone whose passion isn't necessarily that of horror. Far be it, actually!

While not every game in the series has struck the same chord for me as Resident Evil 4, there are plenty of entries that I absolutely adore, such as the original Resident Evil and its GameCube remake, the modern RE2 and less so, RE3, and even spin-offs and side stories like the light-gun shooter Darkside Chronicles and Resident Evil Revelations. Somehow a gaming series led me on a path to enjoy survival horror, and I thank Leon and his seemingly infinite sexiness for being the lure to lead me to trying out the series in the first place.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Star Fox 64 (N64), Star Fox Assault (GCN)

It says a lot about my next favorite franchise where I really only love two games in the series--a series that has been around since the Super Nintendo and has seen multiple entries. Between the incredible Star Fox 64 (so incredible even Nintendo thinks it's worth remaking a second time, and I can't wait for the Switch 2 remake) and the much less so but still entertaining Star Fox Assault, I absolutely adore the Star Fox crew in all its team configurations. Whether it's on-rails, all-range mode, in the sky, on land, or even in the sea, the Star Fox series delivers constant thrills.

Not every entry hits the same highs as the two I listed, but I also have a smaller level of fondness for Star Fox Zero (trying something new and somewhat succeeding with its two screen approach) and Star Fox Command. The latter is one that I dislike its format and fan-fiction levels of story, but I appreciated that it actually attempted to move the series beyond the original Star Fox story, much like Star Fox Assault, which I enjoyed much more. I truly hope this Switch 2 game leads to something entirely brand-new for the Star Fox team, because as much as I'm hyped for this remake and a chance to replay one of my favorite games in a glorious coat of new paint, I yearn for something new for this series.

Favorite game(s) in the series: F-Zero X (N64), F-Zero GX (GCN)

We've got BOOST POWER now with this next favorite franchise of mine. F-Zero started me off with a need for hyperspeed, futuristic racing in Mode 7-based awesomeness with the Super Nintendo original. Since then, the series has had two of my favorite fully 3D racing games of all time with the fantastic F-Zero X on the Nintendo 64 and then the awesome but incredibly difficult F-Zero GX on the GameCube. I wear the accomplishment of my near-complete save file of GX on the GameCube like a letter on a varsity jacket.  

Even the so-called lesser entries like F-Zero Maximum Velocity, F-Zero: GP Legend, and the once Japan-only F-Zero Climax--all on the Game Boy Advance--delighted with their OG F-Zero-like graphics, but they also introduced a lot new to the series as well. An entirely fresh cast in Maximum Velocity, a multiple path story mode in GP Legend, and the first and only track creator in a 2D-based F-Zero game with Climax. Heck, I'm appreciative of F-Zero 99, the Battle Royale-style Switch live-service game, and I hope it has succeeded to show Nintendo there's definitely a market for another racer from Nintendo that isn't Mario Kart.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Pokemon Blue Version (GB)

Pokemon is a special series to me, and that's one that once transcended the games for me, as well. While my Pokemania has long since died down, when the series hit North American shores, I lived and practically breathed Pokemon. I played my copy of Pokemon Blue like a religion--catching all 150 Pokemon eventually upon finally trading via link cable with a friend--I watched the anime, I got sets of the playing cards, I got toys in a desire to catch 'em all (or rather have my mom buy 'em all, in this case!), and I even drew my own comic starring my own inserted character. Yes, Ash Ketchum may catch 'em, but Phil Gotem always got 'em. 

By the Diamond/Pearl era on the Nintendo DS, my love for the series saw itself initiate a burnout period. Like most prolonged hyperfixations from my autism, I moved on from Pokemon, and I wouldn't return save for playing some spin-offs here and there. I'd still collect the mainline entries, but I didn't have the motivation to fully go gung-ho with them like past installments. I'm back into the franchise as of Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu!, which really hit my gen 1 loving nostalgia, but it's understandably not anywhere near the level I had as a kid. Still, I will always appreciate Pokemon for expanding my creativity, sparking such immense joy in me when it debuted, and it doesn't hurt that the series shares my birthday, as well!

Favorite game(s) in the series: Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)

Next up is a series that, like a bear, is currently in hibernation. Hopefully that won't be for too much longer, whether that's wishful thinking on my part or not, as there is a strong contingent of fans wanting to see the bear and bird pair of Banjo and Kazooie return to starring in a new game. 

The original Banjo-Kazooie spoke to me like no other 3D platformer has, offering tight level design, a manageable and enjoyable amount of collectibles, a perfect mix of exploration and platforming, and it remains one of my favorite 3D platformers to this day. Rare would make a sequel with Banjo-Tooie, but that one, while still delightfully fun, didn't hit the same highs for me. It was a bit too bloated an experience, which added frustrating friction to the game. Future installments like Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge on the GBA took the collect-a-thon fun to an isometric view, while Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts wasn't what most wanted, I found it a worthy entry all the same. That's especially if you take the game for what it is and not what fans like myself wanted it to be instead--as hard as that can be to do.

The pair's most recent appearance in a much beloved, well-known Nintendo crossover series was such a hype-worthy moment for so many fans and just the gaming community in general, so here's hoping Xbox sees a future for Banjo and Kazooie. 

Favorite game(s) in the series: Hot Shots Golf Fore! (PS2), Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 (PSP)

Whether you knew it as Hot Shots Golf or know it now like our European friends have since its inception as Everybody's Golf, this cartoony, arcadey golf series is a big favorite of mine. I love to dabble in video game golf a great deal, despite not really caring for the real life sport, and that's especially so when it comes to less sim-like, more fantastical golf games. Everybody's Golf is a series that meets me halfway between the wackiness of a Mario Golf and a more sim-like approach like a PGA game. It's the type of series that does include lots of sim elements, but also has that charm and personality that enticed me so much back when I first tried out the series with Hot Shots Golf Fore! on the PlayStation 2.

As an aside, is it lame to admit I fanboy'd hard when the announcement of Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots happened during a Nintendo Direct last year? I honestly thought the series had hit the sand trap in the sky for good and had been put out to pasture due to Clap Hanz (the original developer of the series) and Sony parting ways. While that game didn't sink all its putts and shanked some of its shots (I should go back and review that entry, now that I think about it!), it was great to have the Hot Shots crew back in a brand-new game. Here's to more hopefully in the future!

Favorite game(s) in the series: Kirby and the Forgotten Land (NSW), Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (NSW), Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)

Moving from the green to the pink, specifically Nintendo's adorable pink puffball, we have the Kirby series as number 11 on my list. Kirby is comfort gaming for me, offering breezy gameplay and accessibility, but under that layer for those who dare to dive deeper is one of challenging side content and major intricacies in most games' designs. 

Whether we're talking about mainline adventures like Kirby Super Star and the most recent one, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, or spin-offs like Kirby Air Ride and Kirby Air Riders, there's so much charm and delightful whimsy in the world of Kirby. Though, as fans know, there's also a lot of deep lore, as well, and some truly horrifying Eldritch-like creatures, too. Proof that Kirby as a series embodies the concepts of "more than meets the eye" and "never judging a book by its cover". 

Kirby used to be a series I appreciated but took for granted, but especially with the franchise's first fully 3D entry with Kirby and the Forgotten Land, I've learned to absolutely love and adore the little pink protagonist with the insatiable appetite. 

Favorite game(s) in the series: Metroid Prime (GCN, Wii, NSW), Super Metroid (SNES)

The mother [brain] of a genre, Metroid's latest may have fallen short especially compared to the impossible hype it presented potential players and major fans of the franchise, but as a whole, there have been a multitude more victories than stumbles for the series. My first Metroid games were released on the same day: Metroid Prime and the GameCube and Metroid Fusion on the Game Boy Advance. It was a one-two punch of awesomeness in both 3D and 2D forms respectively, and one hell of a way to be introduced to the franchise.

Since then, I've been a major fan of this particular type of platformer--exploring a menacing world, growing stronger through finding new abilities and items to access new corners of said world, and blazing paths through old areas that once seemed full of hostility when I originally encountered them. Metroid Prime remains a positively transformative experience for me, and I sing its praises (sometimes literally through song, even!) to this day. I kick myself for missing out on Super Metroid as a kid, but am so glad I have had the opportunity to right that wrong and become a massive Metroid fan since.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2), Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2), Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction (PS3)

A PlayStation series from the heyday of the PS2 era, where I believe Sony's first party studios were at their most creative and risk-taking, Ratchet & Clank remains a steady series in PlayStation's catalog. Sadly, so many PlayStation franchises have either been discontinued or otherwise ended, which is disappointing to someone who loves PlayStation's legacy titles. 

Enough about that grievance, though--let's talk what made this series so special to me. My first Ratchet & Clank game was Going Commando, and I've been a super fan of Insomniac Games and its lombax and robot buddy pair ever since. Between the absurd amount of inventive weaponry that gets stronger as you continually use them, the creative level of gadgets on display with each entry, superb level design with myriad secrets and challenges within them, and characters and stories that are enjoyable from beginning to end, I love Ratchet & Clank and am so glad it has stood the test of time.

While the edge of the franchise--if you want to call it that--has dulled down quite a bit from its inception in 2002, and many of the games can feel somewhat similar between each other, there's no question that Ratchet & Clank keeps going because it's much beloved and has a corps of fans enjoying it to this day--myself included.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Donkey Kong Bananza (NSW), Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES), Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

It's on like... like... oh, damn, what's it on like? I forget! At any rate, Donkey Kong (that's it!! That's what it's on like!) takes the number eight spot as one of my favorite franchises with a storied history. From Nintendo's legal battle with Universal, to nowadays being friendly with Universal and having his own section of a theme park, Donkey Kong has never been better. With a leading exclusive on the Nintendo Switch 2 from Nintendo EAD, the masters of the platformer (in this writer's opinion, at least!), with last summer's Donkey Kong Bananza, five excellent 2D and 2.5D platformers with Rare's Donkey Kong Country trilogy and Retro Studios' own DKC Returns duology, several enjoyable spin-offs like the King of Swing duology, and also the classic Donkey Kong as the "villain" games with his tried and true namesake, there is a lot to love about Nintendo's big ape.

And even though he doesn't have a role or even a mention in Diddy Kong Racing, how can I not include that game starring Donkey Kong's best bud, Diddy?! It's only one of my favorite kart racing games of all time, and Nintendo certainly should consider at the very least putting it on NSO or better yet, crafting a remake or sequel! 

No matter if he's in the role of the top banana, a villain, or not even in a starring role at all, Donkey Kong's 40+ year history makes him one of the most iconic characters in video games, and that has been through multiple variations, art styles, and designs. He's changed with the times, and his importance to gaming history is rivaled in size only by his massive weight!

 
Favorite game(s) in the series: Animal Crossing (GCN), Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW) 

I love any time a game in my next favorite video game franchise casually rolls into my life, because I know said life will be overtaken by the calm, comfy, cozy, lovely vibes of a new Animal Crossing game. Sure, I may never stick with them for a full year straight like I did with the original when it quietly hit North America on the GameCube, but I'll always rack up hundreds upon hundreds of hours playing and enjoying my time in my virtual Central City. 

I greatly enjoy meeting and greeting new villagers, and I also remember greatly being disengaged and disappointed when favorite villagers spontaneously left in the OG Animal Crossing, too. I adore simple things like collecting furniture, growing my collection, amassing wealth to pay off Tom Nook, and of course, the online features with friends that debuted with Wild World on the Nintendo DS. 

Between the series' various entries, I've easily put in over 3,000 hours of playtime across them all, and this was never wasted time. I was always doing something fun, working towards a goal, or building up my town--particularly with the awesome additions of customization as seen in New Leaf and especially New Horizons. Animal Crossing, like Kirby before it, is comfort gaming. It was an immense help for many during 2020 and the pandemic, and it continues to give me the very best vibes with each and every entry.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (GEN), Sonic Adventure 2 (Multi), Sonic Mania (Multi), Sonic X Shadow Generations (Multi), Sonic Racing CrossWorlds (Multi)

A blue streak speeds by, and it's none other than Sonic the Hedgehog. Say what one will about the Blue Blur's adjustment from 2D to 3D (it's been less than stellar, in my opinion), the highs are positively magical for this series. I was--if my picks for favorite franchises didn't give this away already--a Nintendo kid growing up. My family owned the NES and then the Super Nintendo, but that didn't mean I didn't have the option to play SEGA stuff. My dad had a SEGA Genesis at his house, and of course, one of the first games I was able to experience on that system was the original Sonic the Hedgehog. As they say, the rest was history.

While I definitely don't enjoy every Sonic game (looking at you, 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog, for starters), I do my best to at least give them a chance and promptly "suffer" through them quickly. The winners do have some high highs, and the losers of the Sonic series certainly have the lowest lows. It's quite the uneven franchise, but it speaks to how popular the idea and character of Sonic are. With so many "duds" of games, his popularity continued, he literally endured. And now, we're in a Sonic Renaissance with awesome gems like Sonic Mania, Sonic X Shadow Generations, and awesome racers like Sonic Racing CrossWorlds. It's a totally way past cool time to be a Sonic fan.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Final Fantasy IV (SNES), Final Fantasy VI (SNES), Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GCN)

There's something about Final Fantasy that speaks to me. And it's not just because I'm an old fart comparatively to most video game players nowadays. Sure, one can easily argue Final Fantasy as a franchise has failed to hook new, younger generations and pretty much exclusively has the older set--boomers, if you will--as fans. 

Either way, Final Fantasy was an important part of my childhood. After my love for RPGs took off with the aforementioned Breath of Fire, I turned to a little game called Final Fantasy II on the Super Nintendo (aka Final Fantasy IV), and my admiration for RPGs and Final Fantasy grew further from there. While I don't have many of the mainline games beaten, it's really the spin-offs like Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Chocobo's various games, and heck, even the Monster Hunter clone Final Fantasy Explorers, that appeal to me the most. 

Final Fantasy as a franchise continues even with all of its stumbles and failings. It's still an event when a numbered Final Fantasy gets released in gaming, and it's a franchise that is constantly reinventing what being a "Final Fantasy" game means. Looking at the vast difference between Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IX, or even Final Fantasy XV compared to Final Fantasy XVI, there's an entry for essentially everyone. If you don't like what was presented in one game, just wait for the next--it'll be completely different. While it's not always a positive reinvention, it definitely is always an interesting one.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN), Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

We're not done with Final Fantasy's Cloud Strife yet. Or Sonic. Or Kirby. Or Star Fox. Or Donkey Kong. Or... etc., etc. That's because they're all within Super Smash Bros., a fighting game franchise that transcends its gameplay and has become a legitimate event in gaming. Every modern reveal gets a massive amount of gravitas to it. It's a literal event. That's because it's not just Nintendo's history being celebrated anymore with the Super Smash Bros. series--it's pretty much ALL of gaming history being celebrated now with this series.

Masahiro Sakurai and his team show dedication, love, and appreciation for each character, stage, and feature included and referenced within the series, and it absolutely, positively shows. It helps that the games themselves are so mechanically brilliant and utterly addicting. 

What started with a Nintendo 64 game with a roster of eight base characters and four unlockables (and I was surprised that not even Nintendo Power Magazine gave this game a dedicated cover story back in the day) has since evolved into a massive collection of tremendous star power in gaming. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was the culmination of all of this, and it seems quite unlikely it will ever happen again. Still, the future is exciting for the franchise, and I'm eager to see what Super Smash Bros. as a concept looks like and materializes as on the Switch 2.

Favorite game(s) in the series: Mega Man 2 (NES), Mega Man 3 (NES), Mega Man X (SNES), Mega Man X4( PS1, SAT), Mega Man 8 (PS1, SAT)

We've arrived in the top three! Well, I'll try not to dilly-dally then, because there are robots to battle, Mavericks to eliminate, and viruses to exterminate with another long-running franchise: Mega Man. We celebrated MEGA MAY all last month with a steady surge of Mega Man-related retro reviews. Maybe it was apparent that I do really enjoy a Mega Man game from time to time!

It's certainly a series that demands patience and perseverance, especially certain entries and sub-series. Like Final Fantasy before it, Mega Man is a series that also reinvents itself, too. While not differing between each game of the same sub-series, it's the actual sub-series where Mega Man vastly changes things up. Mega Man X was an edgier, more difficult, much more action-packed version of the classic Mega Man games, which saw the Legends sub-series introduce full 3D and Zelda-like gameplay. From there, the Battle Network series brought RPG-like gameplay to the franchise.

It seems like an eternity ago when everywhere you looked you encountered a new Mega Man game. I've said this before, but we didn't know how good we had it. Now, it's like trying to squeeze oil out of a Mettool--it's just not happening that fast. That said, I'm excited for Mega Man: Dual Override next year, and the yelp I let out when that was revealed might have woke my neighbors. So, here's to a bright future for the Blue Bomber! 

Favorite game(s) in the series: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES), The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB, GBC, NSW), The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 3DS), The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA), The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS), The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (NSW)

My penultimate pick for favorite video game franchise is none other than The Legend of Zelda. It's a tried and true series that even with my least favorite entries in the franchise, still manage to instill a sense of exciting and ultimately worthwhile discovery and exploration within. 

The best Legend of Zelda games are the ones that masterfully blend story, gameplay, puzzles, world and dungeon design, and presentation together for one superb, stellar package. The fact that so many Zelda games could be described by most of those traits is an astounding quality and realization all to itself.

From my very first Zelda game I beat, A Link to the Past, I was hooked on the franchise. I remember drawing on the back of my mom's spare blueprints she brought home from work in order to create my own "dungeons" and "world maps". I was utterly immersed in the land of Hyrule and The Legend of Zelda series as a whole. 

It doesn't matter what amalgamation of the series it is: console, handheld, realistic, cel-shaded, light and whimsical, dark and foreboding--whatever it looks like or is--no Zelda game has ever really disappointed me to a point of regret in playing it. Sure, there are some that I don't have a massive urge to return to, but even those I can appreciate. 

When all the elements come together, when a boss is lastly felled in epic fashion, when those "ah-ha!" moments arrive to me as I finally stumble on a difficult puzzle's solution, when a particularly poignant moments pulls at the heartstrings, when a clever secret is discovered after some careful exploration and a little bit of curiosity, and when a theme swells and makes for an ultimately magical moment, it makes for a lineup of games that is truly legendary. 

Favorite game(s) in the series: Super Mario World (SNES), Super Mario Galaxy (Wii), Super Mario 3D World (Wii U), Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW), Mario Golf (N64), Mario Golf: World Tour (3DS), Mario Tennis (N64)

Really, what else could it have been?! I've essentially exhausted every other notable series out there that I cover on SuperPhillip Central, so it fits that the number one favorite video game franchise of mine is none other than Mario. The other franchises here were at a bit of a disadvantage, as I'm counting not only Mario's mainline 2D and 3D adventures, but also all the spin-offs as well. I'm specifically talking about my personal faves of that bunch: Mario Kart and Mario Golf! That's not even mentioning the RPG franchises: Mario RPG, Paper Mario, and Mario & Luigi or all of the other sports Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom crew participate in.

I've been a Nintendo fan since my first game that I can fully remember playing: Super Mario Bros. 2. I always played as Princess Toadstool for her floating ability was perfect for a fledgling young player like myself. Did it make getting past all those Flurries on level 4-2 easier? Absolutely not, as I'd routinely die there and get a game over as a child, but the memories are strong and more importantly, the memories are good.

Since that game, Mario mania took over. Basically, any game with Mario in it--even Mario is Missing--I had to play growing up. That's sort of continued to this day. Mario's the strongest he's been in popularity, and most of us wait with bated breath for both some Mario Kart World DLC and more so, the introduction of Mario's latest 3D adventure on the Switch 2. 

Whether dying to the very first Goomba in Super Mario Bros., encountering a strange purple mushroom for the first time and dying from it in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels as part of Super Mario All-Stars, finding out our princess is, in fact, in another castle, meeting and taking a first ride on Yoshi in Super Mario World, playing my very first fully 3D game with Super Mario 64, enjoying a summer vacation in Isle Delfino, enjoyably discovering what's old is new with the New Super Mario Bros. line of games, venturing into galaxies unknown, hopping into a kart, taking to the tennis court, playing a round (or several) of golf, running the bases, playing some b-ball, or one of the multitude of experiences that I shared with Mario for the first time, these situations and scenarios shaped me as a gamer the most. I'm deeply appreciative of Mario and Nintendo in general for helping to build my love of gaming, creativity, and imagination. It only makes sense that Mario would be my favorite gaming franchise due to these reasons, and for just being damn excellent gaming experiences most of the time, too!

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With that, this special article reaches its conclusion! I hope you enjoyed this extensive look at some of my favorite video game franchises of all time. There are many more I greatly appreciate, and much like those franchises, I greatly appreciate YOU and your support of my writing, my opinions, and my blog, SuperPhillip Central. It's been a wonderful 18 years, and I hope we can all come together next year for the 19th anniversary as well.

In the meantime, today is also the Summer Game Fest showcase, so I'm certain I'll be sharing some new trailers tonight on the site. 

Thank you again for your continued support, and have yourselves a SUPER day. 

Under the Island (Multi) Review

Our first review of March takes us all over the island, atop the island, and yes, under the island in... Under the Island, a Zelda-inspired title from Slime King Games that launched last month on most current platforms. Let's take our hockey stick in tow, raise it over our head, and proceed to take to the island with this SuperPhillip Central review.

A strong Zelda-like that won't grind your mystical gears.

Indies are exceptional for their creating unique gameplay ideas and mechanic concepts, and so many times we see such off-the-wall experiences that would be deemed too risky for larger devs. Sometimes, however, it's also awesome to see indies take previously built, tried and true concepts and expand upon them in their own, unique way. This is what developer Slime King Games has done with its game, Under the Island. Taking the formula and foundation that Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise created, Slime King Games offers a charming and enjoyable adventure that was for me, quite reminiscent of Link's Awakening.

Under the Island follows a teenager named Nia who begrudgingly relocates with her archaeologist parents to Seashell Island for a one-year research expedition. Quite quickly, she meets a girl named Avocado, and the pair unexpectedly stumble into some ancient ruins under the main town of the game. There, they encounter a bipedal bird who informs them that Seashell Island will sink deep into the ocean if four mythical gears are not collected and reassembled. Thus, Nia has her mission, the MacGuffins to go after in the form of the gears, and an entire island to explore, one area at a time.

Time to get our rears in gear, it seems! We've got an adventure to embark on!

The narrative of Under the Island is one that engages in plenty of verbose cutscenes. These weren't annoying to me, offering some further personality to flesh out characters, but I do imagine that a fair number of players will prefer a "less is more" experience. This is especially so because a lot of the conversations between characters are rather long-winded and don't provide too much on offer to say. Furthermore, some typos and dialogue issues are present in the game, and a notable puzzle in the final dungeon of the game confuses "its" and "it's", the contraction, which is somewhat immersion breaking.

Don't mind me. Just passin' through!

Regardless, that niggling nonsense aside, Under the Island is a rather lovely Zelda-like experience. It offers an expansive map to explore, opening up little by little as Nia obtains new items--generally the more robust set of tools offering the most utility are discovered in the game's dungeons. The items range from a flower that spits out flames, which gets plenty of use throughout the adventure--from lighting torches, to burning faraway bushes, for example--to chow that can lure animals on top of buttons to weigh them down, for instance.

This plant, for our purposes, has one welcomed case of heartburn!

Nia herself sports a hockey stick as her main weapon. I say, "main weapon" because while you can unleash that previously mentioned fireball-shooting plant at foes, it's much too slow and weak to actually be useful in the heat of battle. The hockey stick allows for a three-hit combo, though I must admit that this weapon takes a bit of getting used to. It's rather clunky to use at best, and it's also not very powerful at the beginning of the game. Fortunately, there is a tent in the central town of the game, which provides upgrades for a price of money and dropped materials from enemies. 

Thankfully, penalties involving "high-sticking" don't happen off the ice!

Thus, combat is not the best part of Under the Island, though it also doesn't ruin the experience either. Instead, I would say the most entertaining portion of Under the Island comes from its exceptional environmental, world, and dungeon design. The island is both entertaining and enjoyable to explore, offering dozens upon dozens of dense areas--many of which are optional but reward players for careful investigating and going off the beaten path. Areas are interconnected in ways that make logical sense, with it always being a pleasure to figure out the path forward or how to reach a certain, seemingly inaccessible doorway or cavern. 

Fortunately, if you're not feeling like hotfooting it across the island, fast travel is an option, and even this brings some clever ideas and requires some exploration to unlock as well. For each fast travel location, there is a hidden nearby, block-pushing puzzle room, necessitating Nia to solve. Once solved, these open up the means to fast travel to that given destination. 

These block-pushing puzzles can certainly be brain-busters, but the fast travel reward's more than worth the effort.

Of course, Nia won't always be out-of-doors despite being on an island, as there are dungeons to delve into. These aren't always your typical dungeon fare, offering such locales like a greenhouse and even a cereal factory. These dungeons are home to various puzzles to solve, treasure chests to open (many of which containing Zelda-specific dungeon items like maps and compasses), and baddies to beat.

These baddies include bosses, which, too, take a different, unique approach to your traditional Zelda game. Circling back to the greenhouse, the first major dungeon within the game, the boss here is less a major enemy and more a set piece. It features Nia making sure a stage production goes off without a hitch, requiring her to adjust the lighting and culminating with her needing to fend off overzealous fans backstage from ruining said production. 

Weave through this boss's bullet hell-like attack.

Outside of the main dungeons and story progression, an immense number of optional side quests are available to take on, granting wonderful rewards to make the extra effort worthwhile. These can be exclusive items that Nia would otherwise never encounter on her adventure, or of course, a Zelda staple, the means to generate additional health. Though, this is performed by visiting a gym freak who in exchange for four Heart Coins will bestow Nia with an extra heart container, for lack of a better term.

Under the Island took me about 13 hours to fully complete. That was with unlocking all achievements, which included clearing the story, maxing out Nia's health, obtaining all cassette tapes, and other optional objectives. Overall, it was a really good time, and I found myself extending my play sessions just because I was enjoying myself so much.

Caves, treasures, and more await skilled explorers.

This extended to the presentation, which I also liked. The chibi sprite art is remarkably cute, the environments and landscapes are outstanding in detail, vibrant, and colorful. I was impressed by the enemy variety as well. Rather than utilize a simple handful of enemies and sprites across the entire game, Under the Island instead opted to change enemies up depending on the locale with matching monsters and sprites that fit each indubitably. The music, too, offers plenty to enjoy, full of tunes that are decidedly nice enough to bop one's head around to and tap one's toes to, as well. 

While its combat is a bit too loose, and its dialogue a bit too much in general, all in all, Under the Island won me over big time. I was able to tolerate those small-to-medium sized quibbles to fully enjoy and complete the game. There's such a wonderfully enjoyable world to explore with Under the Island's... well... island, that tracking down every last Heart Coin, every last item, and making Nia one lean, mean, baddie-defeating machine through upgrades discovered around said world was something I thoroughly loved doing. If you're yearning for a new, highly competent, top-down, traditional Zelda-like experience, Under the Island will fulfill that yearning indeed. It won't rival the highs of exploring The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening's Koholint Island, but then again, what does?

[SPC Says: B] 

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (NSW) Launch Trailer

It's been an exciting month for gaming with two new next gen (now current gen) consoles releasing and several excellent games also launching as well on top of that. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity will be the latest big title to launch this month, and the game finally arrives on the Nintendo Switch on Friday. Check out this cinematic launch trailer for the game, as published by Nintendo on its YouTube channel, and look forward to a full, in-depth review of the game here at SuperPhillip Central in the coming weeks.

Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (NSW) Review

We just can't escape Zelda-like games this month, can we? Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda launched originally on the Nintendo Switch eShop last summer, but now it's available with all DLC included on one game card. Here's the SPC review.

And the beat goes on... and enjoyably on.

What a delight to see Nintendo branching out with one of its most prized and celebrated franchises and seeing it given to an indie developer to create one of the most interesting and enjoyable spinoffs in The Legend of Zelda franchise! That's exactly what happened last year when Nintendo and developer of Crypt of the NecroDancer, Brace Yourself Games, teamed up and announced Cadence of Hyrule, a rhythm-based action game set in the world of The Legend of Zelda. Now, a complete edition of the game with all of its DLC packs is available in one nice and neat retail package, and for someone like me who waited and hoped for such a physical release, I can happily say that this wait was most definitely worth it.

A mysterious musician named Octavo uses a Golden Lute to put several prominent denizens of the kingdom of Hyrule into a permanent slumber, including Hyrule's king, as well as Link and Zelda. Called forth into Hyrule by the power of the Triforce, Cadence--heroine from the Crypt of the NecroDancer--wakes up both of our heroes and enlists their help to not only thwart Octavo's grand plan by defeating his Four Champions, but also to find a way back home for Cadence. This, at least, is the plot of the main story of Cadence of Hyrule, but there are also side stories that were added as part of the three packs that were paid DLC that are included in this physical edition of the game.

One of these sees players taking on the role of Octavo, needing to enter into four dungeons across Hyrule to summon and defeat his Four Champions for them to join his cause for a much larger plan. Then, there's a story that takes place in Hyrule's future, which players as Cadence, Link, Zelda, or Octavo don't even see until late in their stories. This future-centric story showcases Skull Kid, and it's a much, much tougher adventure, but all-so-rewarding to see to the end.

Cadence of Hyrule's action takes place square-by-square. Every beat that syncs with the music is an opportunity for you to move, attack, defend, use items, and so forth. Beware, however, as enemies can perform their own actions on each and every beat as well. Different enemy types have different patterns to them. Every other beat, a Black Tektite leaps to a diagonal square, for instance, so you have to keep these patterns in mind to avoid taking damage while simultaneously setting yourself up to defeat foes. 

I think I make this joke more often than not in a caption like this, but here goes anyway...
This doesn't seem like it's going to be a day at the beach here for Link.

Additionally, if you find yourself off-beat for whatever reason (there's alternately also a visual indicator to help match up with the beat), that's essentially the same as missing your turn, thus putting you a disadvantage in battle. It definitely takes some getting used to in order to consistently move to the beat--at least it did for me--but eventually I got into a groove and started to move in sync with the music, stepping and battling in rhythm to the beat, while simultaneously beating down baddies with ease.

Still, if sticking to the beat is too taxing for you, or you simply want a change of pace, you can opt to play the "fixed beat" mode, which removes the rhythm-based gameplay of Cadence of Hyrule entirely. It moves more towards a Mystery Dungeon-style game, though one where when you perform an action, every enemy does as well. It's just done without having to play without any timing or precision of any sort. My preferred way of playing Cadence of Hyrule ended up being this fixed beat mode, as it allowed me to enjoy a more mellow adventure that I could take my time during without having to make otherwise stressful split-second decisions.

Along each character's journey, they'll stumble across weapons of all varieties of different attack ranges and usefulness.

When all enemies have been defeated on a screen, the need to move with the beat is removed, allowing for free exploration in order to solve simple puzzles. Unlike the Zelda series proper, puzzles in Cadence of Hyrule are by no means complex or convoluted whatsoever. They generally devolve into pushing blocks to serve as platforms to reach higher spaces on the screen.

With each save data you create in Cadence of Hyrule, the map and geography of Hyrule changes. Not only are locations of destinations like Kakariko Village, Gerudo Town, Death Mountain, the Lost Woods, among other notable Zelda areas randomized, but so, too, are the locations of dungeons and key items like the Boomerang, Bow and Arrows, Power Glove, Deku Leaf, and more. It makes for an entirely different Hyrule to explore with each and every play-through. Certain screens remain similar in geography, but they become swapped around the map with new play-throughs or exchanged entirely between save files. Places like dungeons are randomized with each visit, as opposed to each save file, so that adds even more chaos and freshness to each play-through.

Dungeons are understandably the most dangerous locations within Hyrule, so trek carefully!

Getting around Hyrule itself is quite dangerous, but there are things to ease the burden of your adventure. Sheikah Stones are readily available around the kingdom, allowing for quick and painless fast travel options. There is honestly a plethora of locations, making it so you'll seldom have to do too much backtracking through repeated rooms or areas. There also Zelda series mainstays like Pieces of Heart to collect to boost your health supply, in addition to bottles that can be filled with Faeries or better yet, potions to heal you upon knocking on death's door.

Speaking of knocking on death's door (and in this case, having that door be opened), it's seldom a good idea to play recklessly in the land of Hyrule. Death results in the loss of your hard-earned Rupees, used to purchase various helpful items and bonuses in Hyrule's myriad shops or to participate in some enjoyable mini-games. Various items like certain collected weapons and items that break after several hits, also disappear from your inventory upon death as well. Fortunately, Diamonds, another currency in Cadence of Hyrule--as well as all key items--stay with you no matter if you face the game over screen or not. 

Cadence of Hyrule offers a multitude of modes and features inside its complete edition. Such a feature is the ability to play the entire campaign with a second player in true co-op fashion. Meanwhile, there is also permadeath mode, which has you needing to boldly venture through the randomness of Hyrule on one life. Once you fall in battle, that's it. It's all over, and your save file is promptly deleted--so no takesy-backsies! Permadeath mode can be played with any character and with any story. In addition to that, there is also a more traditional dungeon-crawler mode a la Crypt of the NecroDancer that places a character of your choosing in a massive dungeon to explore, as well as an all-puzzle dungeon in the game as well to try out if your prefer to showcase your brain over your brawn. Furthermore, you can mix and match musical arrangements by individual song and arranger in the options menu, and lastly, there are numerous achievements to unlock for doing things like daily challenges, clearing permadeath mode, or beating bosses with only a specific item. 

No need to go it alone in Cadence of Hyrule; local co-op is available.

As for the music, an obviously important piece of this rhythm-based action game, the composers and arrangers of the music for Cadence of Hyrule have absolutely slayed it like Link's Master Sword to a Moblin. The arrangements are top-tier efforts that feature multiple versions depending on the situation. For example, when no enemies are nearby, the tune of Gerudo Desert is mellow with a hint of "The Good, Bad, and the Ugly", while the full combat version features awesome rock guitar and brass. It really gets you in the mood to battle Octavo's forces, and as a fan of the Zelda series and its music, it's positively delightful.

Familiar Zelda bosses get a musical makeover, each with a pun-tastic name like Gohmaracas here.

Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda's retail release offers a lot of bang for one's Rupees. The procedurally generated overworld and dungeons mean you'll get a lot of replayability from the game, and the many modes mean you'll not be short in content to enjoy. As with games of the rogue-lite design, it can be rather deflating to have a good run go bad due to one or two wrong moves--especially in permadeath mode--but other than that small-ish issue, I can't see too much wrong with Nintendo and Brace Yourself Games' effort. 

After all, this is a game that you don't just play through once, you play through it multiple times. Not out of any sense of duty or anything like that, but out of motivation--to beat the game as different characters and experience their stories, to earn new achievements, to beat the game faster, to do it in the least amount of steps as you can. Cadence of Hyrule successfully brings two wonderful things together--The Legend of Zelda and Crypt of the NecroDancer--and creates a package that fans of one or the other (or both!) will truly love. This Zelda fan certainly did.

[SPC Says: A-]

Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm (NSW) Review

Let's begin SuperPhillip Central's month of reviews with the sequel to a Zelda-like that I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. The original Oceanhorn delighted me in ways I did not expect (as you can see with my 2017 Switch review), so you can bet that I was eager to try out its sequel, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm (while being equally disappointed it was a timed Apple Arcade exclusive. That said, Oceanhorn 2 is now on the Nintendo Switch as of last week, and here is the SPC review.

A 3D Zelda without all of the polish

The original Oceanhorn, Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, did not do much to hide its clear influences from Nintendo's Legend of Zelda series. That was okay, though, as the quality of the game was quite good. Now, the developer of the original Oceanhorn is back with a brand-new sequel, initially an Apple Arcade exclusive, now available on the Nintendo Switch. Whereas Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas played as an isometric Zelda-inspired adventure, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm has greatly expanded both in size and scope, offering an impressively ambitious, fully 3D adventure. Not just that, but one that is overall a pleasure to play in many regards.

Oceanhorn 2 deals with many familiar tropes of its genre and influence (that influence once again being the obvious Legend of Zelda series). Our hero is a silent protagonist, who after training to become a knight, embarks on a land, sea, and air adventure through the world of Gaia to stop an evil force from destroying the world. In order to overcome this challenge, our hero and his party (yep, this time around you're joined by a party of heroes who help out in both battle and game progression) must return three medallions back to their beacons. Of course, this task isn't as simple as it seems with plenty of twists and turns occurring. 

Unlike the original Oceanhorn, you're not alone in your adventure to save the world!

Knights of the Lost Realm finds itself straddling the line between 3D Zelda and RPG. The latter sees our hero gaining experience from fallen foes and for completing 80 in-game challenges, ranging from tasks like defeating a number of a specific enemy, to fully exploring areas of the game. Completionists will have plenty to do in a game that's already lengthy as is. As you gain experience, your character rank levels up, granting the ability to hold more ammo, have more stamina for things like dashing and swimming, among other bonuses. 

Most enemies can be given a sneak attack from behind to deal more damage. That's the plan here, at least!

Stamina was slightly annoying in a game like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and in Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm, it's borderline insufferable at times. The walking speed is a bit slow, especially with how expansive and open many of the areas of the game are, making it so running is all but a necessity to make quick progress. The problem here is that your stamina runs out far too quickly, even when fully leveled up. It results in running for maybe four seconds, being forced to walk as your stamina gauge refills, rinse and repeat. Swimming is also slow, and there's no way to speed that process up, unfortunately. It's particularly obnoxious when you don't have the item needed to swim without the fear of drowning due to the stamina gauge fully depleting.

Combat is by far the least impressive part of Oceanhorn 2, but it's still serviceable. The biggest issue is that unlike Oceanhorn 2's biggest inspiration, 3D Zelda games, there is no targeting system to lock onto and focus on a specific enemy in battle when on offense. The only lock-on that occurs is when you hold out your shield, and you're unable to perform any other action when playing defense. If you use the proper timing to draw out your shield just as an enemy attacks, you'll counter by pushing them back, making them temporarily vulnerable to your own offensive assault. 

Three on one? I gotta like these odds.

Other than your shield, you also have an evasive roll to use to dodge attacks for defense. Additionally, you do get a degree of options in combat to utilize and unleash on your foes in battle, such as a caster gun that can fire bullets of various elemental varieties (you just need to scrounge around and collect ammo) and a grappling hook to either bring yourself closer to enemies or bring them closer to you. 

The weakness of combat stretches into the boss battles, which are just uninspired at best. When bosses do have clever ideas to them, the execution is pretty sloppy, offering many encounters that go on for far too long and end up being tedious. One specific boss occurs during a lagoon area of the game is fought three times in a row, with some exploration and puzzle-solving between each encounter, offering little, if any, change between each battle. It was agonizing fighting it once, but three times? Check, please. Fortunately, while bosses are a low point to Oceanhorn 2's adventure, they happen so rarely and are limited that they don't bring down the entire experience too terribly much.

With rather lackluster combat comes even worse boss battles overall.

Otherwise, Oceanhorn 2 is an exceptionally entertaining game. My favorite part of it was exploring the vast world, discovering hidden, out-of-the-way places and genuinely having my curiosity rewarded with treasure like a Heart Container or item that gets instantly sold for gold. There is plenty of side content to be found with Oceanhorn 2 along the beaten path and away from the otherwise linear adventure. You can search for daggers on the world map that unlocks new goodies, you can find and destroy all 50+ Bloodstones scattered about the world, you can enter the Grand Core to search for a shield upgrade that deflects lasers, you can hunt down escaped monsters from White City's prison, and even acquire a Master Sword-like blade by exploring an optional, puzzle-filled dungeon, though I didn't really find much of a difference in attack power with my new weapon...

Puzzles of all types rest inside the dungeons and areas of Oceanhorn 2.

While my hero's new blade didn't astonish me too much, I can't say the same thing about the level of impressive ambition the developer took with Oceanhorn's sequel. As stated, the original game featured crude blocky environments with an isometric perspective. Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm is showcased by an absolutely jaw-dropping visual style in full 3D. I was especially bewildered by just how large some of the areas in the game are, particularly the main capital of Arcadia, the White City. Now, all this ambition, size and scope does come with a price. The game's frame-rate can stutter quite often, and this is certainly the case in larger, more complex areas, especially when the game auto-saves (a common occurrence). Thus, for those sensitive to occasional frame-rates, Oceanhorn 2's might be too much for you, despite the rest of the presentation being top-notch. 

A lot of areas in Oceanhorn 2 are as equally impressive as they are expansive.

Despite its frame-rate issues and problems with combat and bosses, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm delivers an enchanting adventure filled with clever puzzles, enjoyable exploration, and an astounding level of ambition when compared to its predecessor. This 15-20 hour Zelda-like was one that ultimately gave me more moments of joy and wonder than moments of anger and disappointment, making it a game that I would recommend with the caveat of knowing that it's a $30 game that isn't as polished as a $60 3D Zelda.

[SPC Says: B-]

A Nintendo Switch code was provided to SPC by the publisher for the purpose of writing this review.

SuperPhillip Central Turns 12! ~ My 12 Favorite Video Game Franchises

It's a special night here at SuperPhillip Central. No doubt if you've gazed up at the top banner of the site, you've seen a special date posted: June 5th. Well, that day is today and that day also just so happens to be SuperPhillip Central's anniversary! Today, my blog celebrates 12 years online. It's thanks to readers like you who continue to read my articles and reviews, comment on them, and pass my writing along to others through various means and methods. Without you, this site is for nothing, so thank you, everyone, for keeping both my motivation and mojo going.

As my anniversary post for tonight and to help celebrate 12 years, I have something special to share. Tonight, I share my favorite video game franchises, and since it is the 12th year, I might as well make it my 12 favorite video game franchises. So sit back, and if you're old enough, take a sip of the bubbly, and celebrate with me!

Animal Crossing

Favorite Entries:
Animal Crossing (GCN)
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

We begin this list of 12 game franchises that I adore most with the quaint, cozy, and ultimately immensely charming Animal Crossing series. Many times the series is one that I can just lose hours to--whether it's chatting with the animal locals, going on the hunt for elusive bugs or fish, donating rare finds to the museum, building up an arsenal of Bells to spend on a variety of goods, furnishing my house to the best of my ability, and just enjoying the zen-like calmness of the series. From the series's humble Western beginnings with the GameCube game, Animal Crossing has always been a special series for me. It gives me a fine sense of nostalgia, and each entry has brought me hundreds of hours of gameplay. Thus, even by the time I've exhausted myself with a particular entry, I've gotten more than my money's worth.

Especially now with the pandemic going on, we're seeing just how special Animal Crossing is as a series. Players from all over the world can visit one another in ways that in a world of social distancing they otherwise could not. In this sense, and with the most recent game in the series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the game is even more important now than ever before. It's more than a game. It's a tool to unite people together, have fun, and oh-so-temporarily take their worries and troubles away.

Banjo-Kazooie

Favorite Entries:
Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)
Banjo-Tooie (N64, XBLA)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360)

Banjo and Kazooie recently saw what many of us thought was impossible--their return on a Nintendo console--notably as a playable duo in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I'm not one to scream or yell, but I was shaking with excitement when that E3 announcement and subsequent trailer revealed themselves. I'm a huge fan of Banjo-Kazooie, and despite the series only having five total games (and let's face it, most of them aren't too notable), it says something that the bear and bird can resonate with fans like myself to this day. The original Banjo-Kazooie remains one of my favorite 3D platformers ever made. It's abundantly clever, successfully built upon the preexisting foundation created by Super Mario 64, and surpassed it, in my humble opinion. Its sequel, Banjo-Tooie, brought a "bigger is better" approach, but didn't have the same highs as the original--while having some much lower lows as well.

Meanwhile, Nuts & Bolts on the Xbox 360 completely disappointed lots of Banjo fans, as the teaser trailer promised a traditional collect-a-thon platformer, while the end product was a vehicle-based game. While it was a wonderfully creative and terrific title by its own merit, it felt like a sick bait and switch by Microsoft and Rare, pulling the wool over many a fan's eyes. Finally, the duo of Game Boy Advance games, Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge and Banjo Pilot brought the bear and bird to the small screen with one isometric traditional collect-a-thon adventure and one aerial racing game in the Mode 7 style. It's been more than a decade since we've last seen Banjo and Kazooie star in their own game, but I'm hopeful (and darn excited) to see the series return... someday! (...Please, Microsoft!)

Everybody's Golf (Hot Shots Golf)

Favorite Entries:
Hot Shots Golf Fore! (PS2)
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 (PSP)
Everybody's Golf (PS4)

When one thinks of favorite franchises, one might not consider a golf franchise like Everybody's Golf (formerly known in North America as Hot Shots Golf). Nevertheless, Everybody's Golf is a consistently great series of golf games that brings just the right mix of cartoon appeal with realistic physics to make one memorable round of golf, no matter which game I played. From its PS1 roots with deformed characters with giant heads to the PS2 era and its robust lineup of awesome courses and guest characters, to the current formula of an open world golf game, Everybody's Golf successfully sinks its putts and is a series that stays under par for this player.

Final Fantasy

Favorite Entries:
Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GCN)
Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

Of all the video game franchises that are my favorites and are on this list, Final Fantasy is the one where I've played the least amount of mainline games in its series. That fact notwithstanding, what keeps me engaged with the series anyway is the amazing amount of spin-offs that Final Fantasy possesses. Whether it's the terrific tactical goodness of the Final Fantasy Tactics series, the rhythm game-based celebration of the series's marvelous music with Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, the real-time RPG multiplayer mayhem that is mostly the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series, or the Mystery Dungeon-esque Chocobo games, there's a lot to love with Final Fantasy as a series for me. Ever since I played Final Fantasy II on the Super Nintendo, I've been enamored with the games. My love rekindled with the fantastic remake of Final Fantasy VII, and now I look forward to playing some of the mainline games I missed out on like Final Fantasy X and XII.

The Legend of Zelda

Favorite Entries:
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 3DS)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW, Wii U)

If I had to pick my favorite of the video games franchises I love most, The Legend of Zelda and Mario, which is coming up later on this alphabetical list, would both be up there. The series is fantastic at reinventing itself, much like Final Fantasy continually does. Perhaps that's why both series remain so successful and relevant to this day. The most recent entry in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, famously went against the traditional conventions of the franchise, offering an enormous open world, epic scale, and a level of freedom never before seen in the Zelda series. In a sense, the series went full circle, back to its NES original roots, where you were thrown into a world with no real sense of direction and all the freedom you could want.

A release in The Legend of Zelda series is generally a huge gaming event, and for good reason. Some games like the NES original, Ocarina of Time, and even Breath of the Wild, are revolutionary experiences. Others are games sure to offer a unique experience, a stirring, riveting, heartfelt adventure, and one that will stay with players for a long time. Each game blends old with new to a masterful degree. It's one of the most consistently well designed gaming series ever made. The continued sense of wonder I feel with each game, the excitement and sense of accomplishment I get when I solve a dastardly puzzle, and the swells I feel throughout my body during particularly emotional moments during each game stay with me after each and every release.

Mario Kart

Favorite Entries:
Mario Kart DS (DS)
Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW)

Because it'd be a bit unfair to take all of the Mario franchise's games and put them under one heading, I'm separating the Mario Kart series as its own thing. While not all of the games in the series have crossed the finish line as winners (I'm looking at you, Mario Kart Wii, with your obnoxious item spam and unbalanced bikes), the majority of Mario Kart games have taken top spots on my personal podium of favorite racing games. The level of accessibility present means everyone gets a chance to enjoy themselves, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was the crown jewel of this, offering tools for steering assistance and auto-acceleration, for instance. Each Mario Kart generally adds something worthwhile to the winning formula, such as Mario Kart DS's online and retro cups, Mario Kart Wii's tricks, Mario Kart 7's underwater and aerial sections of races, and Mario Kart 8's anti-gravity sections. There's a reason Mario Kart is a multiplayer favorite for many, and that rings true for this blogger's household as well.

Mega Man 

Favorite Entries:
Mega Man 3 (NES)
Mega Man X (SNES)
Mega Man X4 (PS1, SAT)
Mega Man Battle Network 2 (GBA)

After splitting up Mario Kart from the general Super Mario series, it might seem like a double standard to keep this next series all together like I am doing here with Mega Man. My response to that? Just let me do this just once because it's my blog's anniversary, okay?

Mega Man features my favorite character designs of almost any other gaming franchise. While the classic series is iconic with their designs, my favorites have to be Mega Man X's and Zero's. Heck, I love the Battle Network renditions of the classic series's Robot Masters as well!

When it concerns the games themselves, nothing gives me more pleasure than booting up a Mega Man game and seeing a new array of eight Robot Masters or in X's case, Mavericks, to take on, venture through their levels, and discover each boss's weakness.

Mega Man was a lengthy hiatus that just about gutted me, but now it seems like we're in a new golden age for the Blue Bomber. With multiple new collections and the release of a new entry in the classic series with Mega Man 11, things are looking up for the first time in a long time for Capcom's mascot. Here's knocking on Wood Man that the positive upswing of Mega Man content continues!

Metroid

Favorite Entries:
Super Metroid (SNES)
Metroid Prime (GCN)
Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

I was late to the party with the Metroid franchise. My first foray with the series was Metroid Prime, which remains one of my favorite games ever made. I also picked up Metroid Fusion on the Game Boy Advance, as it was one of the best one-two punches in gaming history with both games releasing the same day. I then went back to the Super Nintendo courtesy of the Wii Virtual Console to play Super Metroid to see what I missed out on there. Turns out... it was a lot! Super Metroid is one of the most expertly crafted games of that style in 2D, and I felt somewhat ashamed as a Nintendo fan to have missed it for so long. My love for Metroid has only continued to grow since then, with me even tolerating (and dare I say, liking) the often trashed Metroid: Other M and Federation Force.

As a fan riding the wave of the Metroid series's momentum after the release of the excellent Metroid 2 remake on the Nintendo 3DS, it was a bit of a kick to the stomach to see Metroid Prime 4 get delayed, much more with a notice that development was restarting from scratch. Here's hoping the end result that is the fourth entry in the Prime franchise is worth the wait. For the franchise's future, I hope Metroid Prime 4's development is given all the time it needs to be truly terrific.

Ratchet & Clank

Favorite Entries:
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time (PS3)
Ratchet & Clank (2016) (PS4)

Here's to another pair of heroes that unlike Banjo and Kazooie, have seen more than their fair share of adventures--and even still, I want to see many more! Ratchet & Clank is a 3D platforming franchise that sees our lombax and robot duo traveling around the galaxy from planet to planet on intergalactic adventures with an "everything and the kitchen sink" approach to its weaponry. Weapons come in all shapes and sizes with tremendous creativity, such as launching a tough-talking robot sentry of destruction named Mr. Zurkon or shooting out bouncing balls of ballistic destruction. The series' trademark humor, ability to level up weapons through continued use, and nonstop combination of action and platforming makes it one of my favorite platforming series ever made, and without question my favorite from the PlayStation brand.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Favorite Entries:
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (GEN)
Sonic Generations (PS3, 360)
Sonic Colors (Wii)
Sonic Mania (Multi)

It says something about Sonic the Hedgehog that with all of the duds that the series has accumulated for itself--and that is quite the number of duds--I, and many other fans, still enjoy the Blue Blur. It's a bit of a love and hate relationship, where the highs (Sonic 1-3, Sonic Generations, Sonic Colors, Sonic Mania) are elating and wonderful, but the lows are tremendously disappointing, depressing, and deflating (Sonic '06, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric). Still, even when the series is at its worst, there's usually some reason to hope for the best for the next entry, or finding hope with some positive qualities elsewhere in the franchise, such as successful spin-offs like the Sonic line of racing games or various handheld titles.

Even then, to be a Sonic fan is to suffer, and I've certainly done my share. While suffering is a quality of a Sonic fan, more importantly, so is having hope. And sometimes that hope is rewarded with an excellent game like Sonic Generations or Sonic Mania. So, yes, I will continue to support the speedy blue hedgehog for that reason, and wish the series the best as a new generation is upon us. Even if nothing good comes out of the future game-wise, at least I know we'll have some great soundtracks from Sonic Team to rock out to, right?

Super Mario

Favorite Entries:
Super Mario World (SNES)
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)
Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)

This one is no surprise, and not just because I mentioned Mario in my Legend of Zelda entry of this list either. It's freaking Mario--the plumber synonymous with gaming! It's a freaking platforming series--my favorite genre in gaming. You could bet I was going to put Mario on this list!

While I actually don't particularly care for (but I do appreciate) the original Super Mario Bros. or its Lost Levels equivalent (Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan), the series from there is everything to me as a gamer. From the pitch perfect 2D platforming majesty of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, to the magnificence of Mario in 3D with Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, and Super Mario Odyssey (and that's not even mentioning the great Super Mario 3D Land and 3D World), the Super Mario series seldom fails to entertain or delight. It's platforming nirvana, delivering abundant creativity, amazing challenges, and fantastical worlds to run, jump, and play around in.

Super Smash Bros.

Favorite Entries:
Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

I recall playground arguments with my game-loving friends about who would win in a fight: Mario or Link. Never did I think that such a game would allow us to settle such a schoolyard dispute like Super Smash Bros. does. The game is an open invitation to fans of gaming, as it originally pitted Nintendo's most famous characters against one another. Now, pretty much anyone is fair play as a playable character, whether it be SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Fighter's Ryu, or even Final Fantasy's Cloud! The immense work that director Masahiro Sakurai and his team put into each and every Super Smash Bros. game is utterly incredible and borderline unbelievable to see. Between the copious amount of characters, stages, modes, music, unlockables, and more, the Super Smash Bros. series delights and delivers with each and every entry, and the latest game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the series in its final, immaculate form--one that won't be seen again for a long, long time.