Top Ten Nintendo Switch Games of the System's Fourth Year

On March 3rd, 2021, the Nintendo Switch officially celebrated another anniversary. Since its debut four years ago, the little hybrid that could has managed to surpass expectations as well as collect quite the arsenal of engaging games. As is customary on SPC each Switch anniversary: 1) I'm late to the party, and 2) SPC is counting down the best games that released during the system's fourth year on the market. It was an understandably slower year for the Switch, for sure, but overall, there was still some quality software released during this period from March 3rd, 2020 to the Switch's latest anniversary. After you've checked out the picks here, share your thoughts on what Switch games reign supreme during the system's fourth year.

10) Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

We start this countdown of the best games released during the Nintendo Switch's fourth year on the market with a type of game that will be seen multiple times throughout this list. No, I don't mean the roguelite. I'm talking about the remake. 2020 was no doubt a slower year for the Nintendo Switch than normal, but even still, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX brought back the dungeon-crawling delightfulness of the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance adventures and added plenty of new features (and new Pokémon) to make for an enjoyable and engaging remake. Between delving into the countless multi-floor dungeons of the game, battling Pokémon, recruiting Pokémon to join your cause, and following along with the entertaining if not somewhat simple story of the game, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX gave dungeon-crawling and Pokémon fans alike lots to love throughout its expansive adventure.

9) Trials of Mana

This next game is also a remake, though of one of a game that originally was not released outside of Japan. It wouldn't be until the Nintendo Switch's Collection of Mana that the third entry in the Mana franchise, Trials of Mana, would be properly localized. Soon after that Super Famicom game finally saw the light of day in the West, a brand-new, full-fledged remake of Trials of Mana launched on the Nintendo Switch. A fantastic game with a fully realized 3D world, satisfying combat, and glorious new visuals, Trials of Mana offered a delightful adventure boasting replay value and longevity by allowing players to select between one of six playable party members with three able to be chosen in one playthrough. Aside from some questionable voice acting in the English release, Trials of Mana served as not only one of the better JRPGs released on the Nintendo Switch in its fourth year, but just one of the better JRPGs released on any platform in 2020.

8) Pikmin 3 Deluxe

A franchise from the mind of famed game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Pikmin saw its third outing originally releasing on the Wii U. Like so many games from that failed system, Pikmin 3 made the jump to the Nintendo Switch. Not just that, but it crammed as much content as possible to more than make its Deluxe branding worthwhile. Between the original adventure (featuring full co-operative play this time around), new quality of life improvements, additional missions in Mission Mode, multiplayer offerings, all DLC from the Wii U game included, and all-new Captain Olimar-centric content, Pikmin 3 became an even more enticing, even more excellent game with its Deluxe incarnation. Whether you have a green thumb or adore the mix of real-time strategy and adventuring elements the series boasts and is known for, Pikmin 3 Deluxe offers an abundance of rewarding content making it more than worth checking out--even if you've already enjoyed the vanilla version of the title on the Wii U.

7) Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

An interesting take on both the Musou formula and the events leading up to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (well, sort of for the latter), Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity brought with it epic battles, large scale maps, and tons of variety and replay value in its lengthy and enjoyable missions. Each playable warrior in Age of Calamity boasts a unique and distinct move set, with some requiring some practice to master, but once accomplished, players will tear through enemy forces with ease. There is so much to love and admire about Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, whether that be its implementation of many of Breath of the Wild's mechanics (such as using the Sheikah Slate in battle, completing missions around the game's map, gathering materials, etc.) or its stellar combat and aforementioned varied roster of characters. While Age of Calamity skimps on the more strategic aspects of the Dynasty Warriors formula, opting more on combat, it still serves as an excellent and rewarding Musou game, not to be missed by fans of the genre or Zelda fanatics alike.

6) Paper Mario: The Origami King

It was with great trepidation that I picked up Paper Mario: The Origami King. The previous two games in the series, while I ultimately ended up enjoying bits and pieces of, were not necessarily the best experiences overall. With The Origami King, I found myself absolutely loving almost everything about the game. Between the rewarding exploration of the game's colorful and vibrant environments--searching for treasures and collectables alike--enjoying the sensational dialogue and humor the game delivered, and even liking the battle system, though this was occasionally a bit tedious at times to engage with, Paper Mario: The Origami King crafted an exceptional adventure that filled me with joy, brought me loads of laughs, and even gave me a touching moment or two as well. It's a clever, immensely charming, (mostly) well executed game.

5) Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Those in the Xbox ecosystem enjoyed Ori's latest adventure earlier last year, almost exactly one year ago. It wouldn't be until summer that Ori and the Will of the Wisps would surprisingly find its way to the Nintendo Switch. While the game didn't reach the same visual highs as its Xbox sibling, Ori and the Will of the Wisps still managed to not just run well on the Switch hardware but look absolutely stunning, too! Adding new unlockable moves to Ori's repertoire of actions, including side quests to enjoyably pump up the play time, as well as throwing in some fun speed challenges as well, Ori's second outing was an improvement over its already stupendous first. It's a Metroidvania that shouldn't be missed by any fan of a highly competent, well developed and masterfully designed platformer. 

4) Bravely Default II

Just coming in at the tail end of the Nintendo Switch's fourth year, Square Enix brought its exceptional Bravely Default series from the Nintendo 3DS to Nintendo's hybrid wonder and did so with great gusto and style. Offering complex and challenging combat in battles, a robust job system courtesy of the game's Asterisks, and an overall well polished experience, Bravely Default II delights in almost every way imaginable. The game also saw the return of beloved prog rock performer and composer Revo to the game's soundtrack, further heightening the audio and presentation experience. For me, and no doubt others, Bravely Default is classic Final Fantasy-style gameplay in modern clothing. It's the type of satisfying RPG that works well in both docked and portable play, allowing players like myself to absolutely lose themselves in, either engrossed in the world and characters or engaged with the many gameplay systems (or in my case, that darn addicting B 'n D card game) Bravely Default II possesses.

3) Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

The latest Wii U game from Nintendo to see a Nintendo Switch port, Super Mario 3D World makes for yet another wonderful 3D Mario platformer, though this one modeled similarly to the 2D games in how players move from the start of the level to the goal in a linear obstacle course. The 3D world portion of the game features faster movement and additional moves such as a midair roll, opening the game to new strategies and capabilities. The inclusion of well functioning online play further enhances an already appealing package. However, more so is the addition of a brand-new adventure set in an open-world playground using 3D World's movement, items, and abilities: Bowser's Fury. This exceptionally designed and crafted game serves not only as a great bonus to the Super Mario 3D World package, but also might give us a glimpse at Nintendo's future plans for the series. Either way, with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Nintendo Switch owners received a combination of both the familiar and fresh in one excellent, excellent package. 

2) Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

If you were an RPG fan and had a Nintendo Switch, you were eating well with the system's fourth year. My pick for the absolute best of the role-playing game bunch is without question Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, a well playing, engrossing relic of the Wii era made even more engrossing and magnificent on the Nintendo Switch. Players received more than the original Wii game in glorious high definition and updated textures, environments and character models with a remixed soundtrack, they also received myriad quality of life and gameplay improvements to make an already enjoyable game more enjoyable. Not one to leave it at that, developer Monolith Soft included a brand-new epilogue in a previously cut area of the game, featuring a lovely, expansive new area to explore, new characters to play as and meet, new enemies and bosses to face, new quests to complete, new--well, you get my point. Xenoblade Chronicles was already a stellar RPG, which in my opinion released on a platform that didn't do the game much justice. Now on the Nintendo Switch, the game has been given the proper TLC and right hardware to make an awesome adventure and terrific game even better.

1) Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Though completely unintended by Nintendo, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a great game that launched at the right time. It's no secret or original observation that New Horizons was just what most players needed to escape the nastiness that was the year 2020 and the pandemic that we currently find ourselves still facing as people. However, even removing that from the equation, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is just a fantastic game in general. It's awesome to build up your own island--your virtual home-- decorating it to your own liking, throwing everything into it, and imbuing it with your own personality and style, as you start out with a squalid isle and eventually turn it into your own virtual paradise. Even with features from past games not yet being included in New Horizons and small, niggling grievances that I have with the game, the latest Animal Crossing is one I've spent the most time with, enjoyed the most, and have the fondest experiences with. Perhaps some of that is tied to how it helped me cope with a disastrous, hellish year, but even still, Animal Crossing: New Horizons makes a strong case for not just the greatest game released in the Nintendo Switch's fourth year, but also one of the best games on the system in general.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2020 Awards - Top Five Remakes & Remasters

Remakes and remasters are common in this industry more often than in others.  It makes sense as games end up being lost to history and stuck on old platforms. Technology also allows older games to rise from their ashes like a Phoenix and present players with new visuals and perhaps even new takes on beloved classics. This countdown and awards category as part of SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2020 Awards lists the greatest of these types of games that launched in 2020. Note: Some particular gaming outlets didn't get their hands on a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series console, so certain games might not be on their lists... Not naming any names, though! 

Let's get to the countdown with the Top Five Remakes & Remasters!

5) Resident Evil 3 (PS4, XB1, PC)

Despite removing some content from the original, I argue that Resident Evil 3 is still a remarkable remake. It's similarly an intense, pulse-pounding, adrenaline-pumping thrill ride filled with scares and fun alike. In that sense it's just like Resident Evil 2, a game I listed as one of SPC's Games of 2019. The only difference is that while RE2 got a little long in the tooth on repeated playthroughs, Resident Evil 3's remake was a shorter experience, encouraging multiple playthroughs that were more enjoyable--at least for me. There is a fair number of downsides to Resident Evil 3's remake, but for me, the positives far outweighed the negatives, making for a truly terrifying survival horror shooter that made my heart pound and hands sweat from beginning to end, especially on the higher difficulties!

4) Trials of Mana (PS4, NSW, PC)

Whereas many remakes on this list changed things up considerably compared to their originals, Square Enix's Trials of Mana played it a bit more cautiously, remaking a game that feels like a relic of the golden age of gaming. This time, though, the major difference being that the beautiful 2D sprites and worlds of the original Trials of Mana were fully realized in glorious, colorful, vivid 3D. The action on display offered simple but effective--and most importantly fun--combat that required paying attention to enemy tells and red area of effect targets to avoid damage. Exploring the world was an immense joy and pleasure, searching for hidden treasures and secrets alike. Being able to choose from the cast of six protagonists to join your three-person party meant that multiple playthroughs were encouraged to fully enjoy this already exciting and engaging remake. And, that's exactly what I did with Trials of Mana, a remake that didn't reinvent the wheel, but what there was already was so good that it didn't need to do so.

3) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

It's time to trick out with Tony Hawk with the remake of both Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and Pro Skater 2 with the appropriately titled Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. Like past remakes from Activision's team of developers (Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled), so much love and care was poured into this game. Right away my muscle memory from decades ago came back almost immediately, as the controls are just as tight, precise, responsive, and feel as good as they ever have. The levels were also lovingly restored with new visual touches, making old, familiar playgrounds (or in this case, skate parks) feel brand spankin' new. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 finally gave the Birdman prominence in gaming once more and is a true testament to the developers for making a game that lives up to the legacy of the originals.

2) Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (NSW)

Getting SuperPhillip Central's coveted (your mileage may vary on that) Game of 2012 back when this awards ceremony was structured differently, Xenoblade Chronicles returns to SuperPhillip Central's Best of Awards with a definitive edition releasing this year on the Nintendo Switch. With updated character models and environments, looking absolutely fabulous and more beautiful than ever before, as well as remixed and rearranged music, Xenoblade Chronicles has never looked or sounded better. The quality of life improvements added to the game's menus and systems made a great game even better as well! The addition of Future Connected, an epilogue story with a previously cut area from the original game, featured the same "wow" factor and sense of discovery as the main Xenoblade adventure. All in all, it was a true treasure and wonderful pleasure to be able to have an excuse to play through Xenoblade Chronicles all over again, this time with the definitely definitive version of the game.

1) Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

So many of the remakes of 2020 stayed true to the formulas that the original games constructed--and I no doubt adore them for that--but one game--one remake--that totally took a tremendous risk that ultimately paid off for most players like myself was Final Fantasy VII's glorious remake. I was hesitant to learn (but understood the reason) that the legendary RPG was being split up into parts and that the first part would only take place in Midgar. While some of my hesitation was well founded due to some padding in some chapters of the game, Final Fantasy VII Remake ultimately works because of the additional character interactions and story content the developers included with the game. No spoilers here, but like the decision with the game's story, it was also so very bold of the developers to create an action-RPG focus first with Final Fantasy VII Remake's combat. It overall worked out in the end, as Final Fantasy VII Remake wasn't just a magnificent achievement, but it unquestionably earns the right to be listed among the top remakes of the year--or in this case, at the very top as the best remake of 2020.

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Tomorrow evening, the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2020 Awards continues on with more categories and more winners (and some losers, too)! I hope you'll join in on the fun!

Remakes & Remasterpieces 3: An Ongoing Look at the Best in the Biz

These remakes and remasters are certainly NOT turkeys by any stretch of the word. As many of us in the United States [hopefully safely] enjoy our Thanksgiving weekend, SPC returns with its ongoing look at the best video game remakes and remasters. These games greatly improved on their originals, or breathed new life into old classics with a fresh approach that ultimately worked out wonderfully in the end. These latest five remakes and remasters truly shine brightly and most definitely do their originals justice.

To read which games were featured in SPC's previous installments of Remakes & Remasterpieces, look no further than Volume One and Volume Two.

Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

The original Final Fantasy VII was a three-disc game that spanned a myriad of locations and had such an involved plot that it would have been impossible for Square Enix to dedicate one of their patented humongous, bloated budgets to remaking the entire game--at least in any timely fashion. Instead, the developers decided to retell the story of Final Fantasy VII in multiple parts, starting with Midgar. While this did bring a fair amount of bloat and padding into the game, everything else is so remarkably remade that it's hard not to appreciate this game for everything that it did and everything new it brought to an old classic. It was truly a brave and bold choice to move towards a more action-oriented approach to combat, going for a Kingdom Hearts-like feel instead of the traditional active-time battle system of the original FF7, but it overall worked for this remake. Battles are equally challenging in difficulty and dazzling in spectacle.

And, really, that's what Final Fantasy VII Remake represents--a risk that ultimately played out well. The developers could have easily remade the Midgar portion of Final Fantasy VII and stuck closely to what made the original work so well. Instead, they opted to reimagine many parts of the original, from combat all the way to the story. Whether the latter works is a matter of opinion, but the thrill of reliving key moments of Final Fantasy VII's Midgar chapter alongside the extended scenarios which fleshed out the cast of characters even better than the original did up to that point in the original was fantastic to experience. Doing it all with jaw-dropping graphics, a soundtrack that excels in every way, and combat that is so expertly and enjoyably crafted makes Final Fantasy VII Remake a terrific remake and reimaging of a classic game.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (NSW)

Monolith Soft's Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii was a massive, almost overwhelming RPG that frankly the Wii hardware didn't do justice. Don't get me wrong--the game was excellent and the Wii didn't make the game and less fun. It just didn't look the greatest. With the Nintendo Switch, Monolith Soft sought to bring their classic RPG to a new generation of fans as well as bring a fresh coat of paint to its masterpiece for old fans as well. That's exactly what it did with Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, which has a subtitle that is totally not just for show. This version of Xenoblade is definitely definitive.

The ghoulish-looking character models from the Wii have all been "glowed up" as it were, offering more emotion and detail than ever before. The worlds and environments, which were already equally gorgeous as they were expansive, have never looked better on the Nintendo Switch. The Switch version offers more color, more vibrancy, and more personality. The addition of the epilogue to the base game, Future Connected, brings an entirely new story with a brand-new area to explore as well. It's a bite-sized adventure that brings even more Xenoblade goodness to players. There are few 100+ hour games that I'd merrily play through again, but Xenoblade Chronicles is one of those. The Definitive Edition only made that case for me even clearer, making an excellent game on the Wii even more so on the Switch.

Trials of Mana (NSW, PS4, PC)

While Final Fantasy VII Remake took a major risk in changing a lot of things that fans loved about the original game and was ultimately successful for it, another Square Enix remake (also releasing that month), played it much more safely. However, it was successful in its own way as well. Trials of Mana didn't really change up much of the foundation of the original Super Famicom game, other than brilliantly revitalizing a 2D world into a fully 3D one. Everything else was essentially similar to the Super Famicom original, and really, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Trials of Mana's remake made for a superb adventure that harkened back to classic RPGs of yesteryear, despite it having the skin of a modern game. The new visuals look absolutely fantastic, even on the Switch version, which is the version the accompanying screenshots were taken from. The world was great fun to explore, the different ways the story played out depending on which three of the six main characters you chose made for some pleasant replay value, and the combat system, although basic compared to its contemporaries, offered both challenge and fun. It all adds up to a remake that tickled all the nostalgia strings of this particular player while remaining a fresh RPG experience.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

This year saw a lot of remarkable remakes, and Activision isn't any stranger from remaking its catalog as of late. We saw Activision having success with both Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. Next up was the revitalization of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and unlike its previous attempt at remaking the Birdman's game, this remake from Activision releasing early this past September was a tremendous success.

Not just remaking the first game's levels, but also the wildly popular second game's as well. Both game's levels were a part of the same career mode, allowing players to choose from a pro skater or their own custom creation that could be outfitted with various unlockable clothing items and gear. New challenges meant that even longtime THPS fanatics were tested to their utmost abilities. Most importantly, however, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 absolutely NAILED the feel of the old games, offering tight, precise, and awesome feeling controls that seemed like 1999 never left us and that games like Tony Hawk's Ride, Shred, and Pro Skater 5 were just fever dreams. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 was made with the proper amount of TLC--so much so that it is a stellar tribute to the classic THPS games and totally deserves to skate with the best that the series has to offer.

Bully: Scholarship Edition (360, Wii, PC)

Last but not least, we have a game that originally launched on the PlayStation 2 and later found itself a generation later appearing on both the Xbox 360/PC and the Nintendo Wii. It's Bully: Scholarship Edition, a Rockstar Games title that saw players take on the role of Jimmy at Bullworth Academy, causing various shenanigans as he butted heads with both school administration and other students. While the HD version was more of a remastered version that played just as well as the PS2 original but looked a bit sharper and cleaner, the Wii version, too, was worthwhile--though for different reasons. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk's motion controls, especially when used in the various class mini-games, were absolutely cleverly done and fine examples of motion controls done right. Definitely not the "waggle" nonsense that made so many despise certain Wii efforts at the time. What it amounts to is two different versions of Bully: Scholarship Edition that are worthwhile and worthy of sticking after class for.

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Do you have a remake or remaster that has yet to be on an edition of Remakes & Remasterpieces that you would like to see on a future volume? Let the SPC community know in the comments section.

Classics I Can Return To - Part Ten

It's time once again to take a look at those video games that--despite my immense backlog, despite the seemingly never-ending amount of new games being released, and despite a seemingly ever-decreasing amount of free time--are the games that I keep coming back to for replay after replay. Maybe it's just to return to familiar gaming territory, have a deep dish of comfort gaming, or play something that tickles my nostalgia bone, but I can't help but return to these games as if they were old friends of mine.

Speaking of returning to things, it's been over two years since I posted Part Nine of Classics I Can Return To on SuperPhillip Central, so it's about time to make up for it, wouldn't you say! Before we do that, however, check out all nine past parts of this ongoing series of articles with these conveniently placed links:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine

Marvel's Spider-Man (PS4)

With Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales web-slinging onto the PlayStation 5 this holiday season, there's no better time to bring up the original game from developer Insomniac Games and ensnare the game once more into SPC's collective web. This open world action game gave me the feeling of controlling Spider-Man unlike any game previous, which is no small feat. Traveling around the island of Manhattan posed a slight learning curve, but once one rose to the occasion, they could jet around New York City with style and grace. In essence, one wasn't just controlling Spider-Man; Insomniac Games made it feel like you WERE Spider-Man, as hokey as that may sound. Even with earning the Platinum trophy for the game (humble brag there, possibly), I keep coming back to Spider-Man's amazing, spectacular PlayStation 4 outing. With the PS5 follow-up planned for release this year, I think I'll don the mask of the webhead once again--pending there's enough space on that blasted hard drive of mine.

Super Mario Maker 2 (NSW)

It says something about a game that I pretty much played it nonstop for the three month post-launch period, whether it was playing through Nintendo's collection of Story Mode levels, playing other creators' levels, or making my own levels. My currently Switch playtime for Super Mario Maker 2 is well over 200 hours, and that World Maker update that Nintendo bestowed onto creators as the last major update for the game, only caused my total playtime to soar even further. I'm the type of maker and player who prefers traditionally designed Mario levels, so that's what I like to create and also what I like to play. While Kaizo-style levels with cheap deaths aplenty may entertain (and pardon me as I put on my "snob monocle" for this), they do little for me as a Super Mario Maker 2 designer or player. However, that's the beauty of Super Mario Maker 2: You can make whatever you want, and there's probably an audience for it--pending it has some semblance of quality. It's what keeps me coming back for more now a year after the game's original release.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

Speaking of games that I have played almost nonstop since launch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is more of a routine for me now than a game. Don't let me be misunderstood: there's still plenty of fun to be found in my daily or bi-daily routine with the game. I enjoy visiting with the locals, showering them with daily gifts in hopes of receiving a prized pic of them (okay, I may have made that sound unintentionally disturbing), and doing daily Nook Miles goals. Nintendo continues to give players such as myself reasons to return to New Horizons as well, such as special seasonal events that are patched into the game via routine updates. It's been four months since Animal Crossing: New Horizons released on the Nintendo Switch, and while my play schedule has slowed down considerably, I do discover new things to appreciate with the game to this day, as my 210 hours of playtime would happily suggest.

Yoshi's Crafted World (NSW)

Let's continue with the theme of cute and adorable games with Yoshi's Crafted World. Though the game has some quirks that make it a lesser experience than its Wii U (and then ported to the 3DS) predecessor Woolly World, I do find a plethora of reasons to return to Yoshi's Crafted World. It's a mostly chill and relaxing game, save for the more difficult post-game contents like damage-free boss runs. Otherwise, the act of merrily and breezily marching through levels, discovering secrets, and aiming for 100% completion in each level and world are things that keep me fascinated with this innovative and consistently creative 2D platformer. The worlds made out of everyday household objects, like paper plates as rolling green hills, is abundantly clever, and the level design houses superbly hidden secrets as well. Yoshi's Crafted World may be a different kind of platformer by design when compared to the Yoshi's Island games, but it remains one that I can't help but adore.

Trials of Mana (NSW, PS4, PC)

Time to rev up the action with these final two games on this list of latest titles to reach "Classics I Can Return To" status! Let's continue with Trials of Mana, the remake of the once un-localized Super Famicom game Seiken Densetsu 3. (The SFC game would recently as of a couple years ago be released in localized form as part of the Nintendo Switch's Collection of Mana.) This game begs to be played multiple times, as depending on the trio of protagonists you select, you visit different sections of the world, fight different villains, and have the story play out with sharp contrasts. The battle system is simple, dare I say a bit basic, but it is engaging enough that I enjoyed carefully attacking foes while being on the lookout for their windup of their own attacks and special spells and moves. Trials of Mana is truly a wonderfully done remake, and to me, my enjoyment of it rivals another RPG remake that Square Enix released earlier this year. ...Well, at least part of a remake that Square Enix released earlier this year. (No more hints!)

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (PS4, NSW, XB1)

Now, let's literally rev up the action with another remake with Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled! What can I say about this stellar, content-rich kart racer that I haven't already said? Wait. That was rhetorical, but still, if I repeat myself, just let me know in the comments. Between the copious amount of characters, tracks, modes, and online options via the Grand Prix and daily challenges to engage in, Crash Team Racing was reborn with the utmost of tender loving care put into it. Whether you're a fan of the Diddy Kong Racing-inspired Adventure mode, tackling N. Tropy and then N. Oxide's deviously difficult time trials, earning Wumpa Coins through completing daily challenges, or hopping online to put the pedal to the metal and test your racing mettle against the world, Nitro-Fueled has it all. Believe me when I say I greatly enjoyed what the fine folks behind the game delivered with this remake... and I continue to do so to this day!

Review Round-Up - May 2020

Some might say the remake of Trials of Mana leaned too closely to the original for their liking,
but I loved nearly every minute I played of this wonderful remake!

SuperPhillip Central finished off the last full month of spring in style with four reviews this past month. It's once again time for the Review Round-Up! Beginning with the incredible remake of Trials of Mana (earning a B+), which also is SPC's Game of the Month for May 2020, it was a month of games from various genres, all mostly enjoyable.

From Trials, we went full indie with games such as Team Reptile's superb "Smash Bros-style gameplay meets Custom Robo-style customization" with Megabyte Punch, which scored a B-. We then went from destroying robots to destroying our bikes (though unintentionally) with the fantastic, zen-like Lonely Mountains: Downhill, getting a B+ for its tremendous effort. Finally, despite my love of mini-golf (which perhaps is why it was all the more disappointing for me), Golf With Your Friends failed to deliver a competent putt-putt experience, coming out well over par in the end with a D+ grade.

As usual at the end of these Review Round-Ups since the end of last year, I have excerpts from all four reviews posted last month as well as a reminder to check out the SPC Review Archive for every review ever published on SuperPhillip Central.

Trials of Mana (NSW, PS4, PC) - B+

...Trials of Mana doesn't delve too far away from what made the original game memorable and beloved. While Final Fantasy VII Remake offered a bold new change to its original work and brought with it much more complexity, Trials of Mana offers a soothing and refreshing bit of familiarity. There's a fine sense of simplicity here, whether it's in the combat, the brisk pacing of the game, or the story--which might make it a bit too faithful to the original for some players. While Trials of Mana is not a remake that reinvents the wheel, for me, it successfully does what it sets out to do in recreating what was once a lost game from the Super Famicom era into a more modern and enjoyable game, warts and all. Just play on the Hard difficulty if you want something resembling a steadier challenge.

Megabyte Punch (NSW) - B-

Megabyte Punch isn't a particularly lengthy game, but that all depends on one's skill level and--with certain boss battles--luck. However, a plethora of parts and color combinations to collect, as well local multiplayer with bots or other players means that there is enough bot-bashing goodness to enjoy for at least a fair amount of hours. The lack of online hurts the chances of the game having a lasting impact in my Switch's library, but at the same token, I'm quite pleased to have finally played Megabyte Punch.

Lonely Mountains: Downill (NSW) - B+

Lonely Mountains: Downhill comes complete with dozens of in-game achievements, countless unlockables, and plenty of hidden areas on mountains to explore. You'll discover a lot to do in the game and on the mountains themselves. Sure, you'll have to deal with the occasional, unruly, inconvenient--dare I say--"rocky" hitching of the frame-rate, which turned some prospective runs into violent ends for my rider, but overall, Lonely Mountains: Downhill is a smooth enough ride. So, take the plunge, hop on your bike, blaze a trail, and get riding with Lonely Mountains: Downhill.

Golf With Your Friends (NSW, PS4, XB1) - D+

And, really, that's what word Golf With Your Friends can be summed up with: "frustrating". Whether it's the overly lengthy and overly designed holes that test your patience with the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach they have, to the often unpredictable physics and bugs rampant within the game. The concept of Golf With Your Friends is an immensely creative one, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. With more players putting at once, I can see the uncontrolled chaos of the game being more tolerable--after all it is Golf With Your Friends (plural) and not Golf With Your Friend (singular), but no amount of customization, cheery skins, hats, and trails for one's golf balls, or whimsical course designs will suddenly make a game fun if the base foundation is one that is shoddy. Unfortunately, Golf With Your Friends' round of golf is one that is disappointingly over par.

A trio of indie games also joined Trials of Mana to round out the rest of the reviews
posted in May on SuperPhillip Central.

Trials of Mana (NSW, PS4, PC) Review

We've arrived at a special moment in SuperPhillip Central history with this review. It's not a special numbered review by any stretch of the imagination, but it IS a special post. This is officially the 4,000th ever post on SuperPhillip Central! Darn it--where are my noisemaker at party hat at when I need them?!

Seriously though, thank you for continuing to read and hopefully enjoy my takes on various video games and gaming as whole!

We now move on to the second JRPG remake from last month. The first was Final Fantasy VII Remake. The second is this--Trials of Mana! Here's my review.

The mother lode of quality when it comes to Mana games

This past year has seen a resurgence of the Mana series in gaming. Last year, for the first time ever, the third game in the Mana series, one that was stranded in Japan, was finally released in the West as part of the Nintendo Switch game Collection of Mana. Now, less than a year later, Mana fans get a another dose of Mana goodness with the third game in the series getting a full 3D remake. Trials of Mana is a game deeply rooted in the 16-bit era, and while this makes it definitely feel dated despite its new presentation-related bells and whistles, it's an example of a faithful remake that seriously delights.

Starting off, the game gives you an important choice: selecting between three characters from a group of six at the beginning of the game--one for the main party leader and two companions. Which characters you select affects how the story plays out. For instance, playing as the knight Duran will have him yearning to change classes so he can be strong enough to take on and defeat the Crimson Wizard, whereas with Hawkeye as the choice of the protagonist, his tale begins with the murder of his dear friend and what follows is a journey to bring the true culprit to justice. Which characters you don't have join your party as companions will show up in a given protagonist's adventure at varying points, with the ones you didn't select making cameos here and there. When companions do opt to join your party, you'll get the option to delve into their pasts, playing through their back stories which serve as a brief introduction to their own stories and struggles. Thankfully, this isn't necessary to do, as you can easily just get a quick synopsis instead for skipping this.

I chose Duran as the main protagonist of my first play-through.

While the prologue, epilogue, a various small story beats within the 20-25 hour initial adventure are laid out differently depending on your character choices, what remains the same is the overarching tale of the Mana Tree slowly but surely losing its power and the need to reclaim the Sword of Mana is ever present to combat some awfully shady villains who wish to use its power for no good. Thus, in order to do this, your party of chosen heroes must trek about the world to find eight Mana Stones.

You can probably guess that with six characters to choose from that there's a lot of replay value to be found in Trials of Mana, and you'd be absolutely right by that guess. While it's not mandatory to play through the game six times, once as each protagonist, it's a good idea to play through at least twice, once with a different trio both times. Not just to see how things change between main characters, but also because the New Game Plus option makes this incredibly enjoyable to do. The option grants triple the experience points, so beginning characters can quickly and efficiently gain experience, and other holdovers from your first save file come along on a second time through the game.

The world of Trials of Mana has been recreated in glorious detail.

What makes Trials of Mana so enjoyable is that the pacing is really nice. You're seldom sitting through extended cutscenes, waiting for the characters to finish rambling. There's obviously scenes to be viewed, but these play out in real time, offering the ability to skip dialogue at will if the voice acting gets to move too slowly for your liking. (As an aside, the voice acting borders on mediocre more than it impresses, to put it nicely.) Generally, however, Trials of Mana gets you going with gameplay moment after gameplay moment, whether that's exploring fields, dungeons, or towns, or battling enemies in real-time combat.

A helpful right-side-of-the-screen prompt keeps you up to speed on what is your next objective.

Combat in Trials of Mana is done action-RPG style, delivering quick battles where free movement is available within a circular battlefield (and where running against the border of the battlefield begins a gauge enabling the option to retreat). Here on the battlefield, properly positioning your playable character is paramount. For instance, attacking from the rear increases the likelihood of achieving critical hits. Also, enemies attack with all sorts of dangerous and deadly abilities, and special moves give warnings in the form of dangerous red zones that show where the attack, ability, or spell is about to be unleashed. It's a good idea to roll out of harm's way, and then when the moment arrives, dig in with some attacks of your own.

Red zones such as this one indicate an enemy's area of attack for their abilities and spells.

For the most part, the companion AI does a fair job, and you can customize their behavior in battle--whether they focus on defense, or attacking the same foe or a different one that your character is currently targeting. You can also switch between characters on the fly mid-battle as well. However, when battles become more difficult early on in the game, particularly boss battles, this is where the AI finds itself being a bit of a burden. They'll constantly take damage, fail to avoid attacks, and essentially just be a drain on your item resources, one where you're constantly pressing Up on the D-Pad to select a curative item from the Item Ring menu. More often than not, though, I found myself just leaving my companions to lay there fallen like hunks of meat and just take on bosses myself. After all, everyone gets the same amount of experience points whether or not they participated 100% in battle.

What are you looking at, Crabmeat?!

Fortunately, as your companions level up with you, they learn healing spells and other helpful abilities, they can better hold their own without as much babysitting. This is great as later battles definitely require multiple characters to quickly weaken bosses down when they're in the process of summoning an otherwise devastating move unless you're able to essentially stagger them by breaking a special gauge.

I've talked about enemy attacks, but obviously you get some offense and defense of your own. These come in the form of basic attacks, charged attacks that can deal more damage and smash through enemy defenses more easily, magic, and Class Strikes. The latter are extravagant attacks that take energy from the gauge at the bottom of the screen to use. Stronger Class Strikes take more energy to use, but result in some super flashy, area-clearing attacks. As you deal damage to and take damage from enemies, the gauge slowly increases, especially if you collect CS particles that fall from attacked foes.

Class Strikes such as this can unleash devastating attacks on single targets or groups of enemies.

Combat can be a bit tricky to come to terms with initially in Trials of Mana. For one, the camera doesn't follow your character completely. Instead, you need to keep it under your control, unless you click the stick in to lock your attention onto a foe (something that the game's many tutorials fail to teach you in-game, confusingly enough).

Duran's blade is about to clip this Harpy's wings!

As characters gain experience and level up, they earn Training Points, which can be spent on one of six attributes to increase their abilities and their stats. When enough points are spent in a given attribute category, new abilities, skills, bonuses, and more can be equipped to your character. These bonuses include the power to raise their attack when their HP falls below a certain percentage, increasing how much money is earned from enemies in battle, among many other rewards.

Trials of Mana also has a Class Change system, which allows characters at specific stages in the game to alter their class, growing exponentially stronger with regards to stats and able to learn new spells and abilities. Characters can change classes up to four times, and with each change, their appearance and abilities become altered. You get a choice between going with a light class or a dark class, each offering unique capabilities that is a choice best made to suit your own play style.

Trials of Mana will take anywhere between 20-25 hours to reach the conclusion of one's first play-through. The pacing is so enjoyable due to how brisk it is that I cleared the game within less than a week's time, often playing some days more than 5 hours at a time. The game itself is rather linear at the start, but as you progress to the second half, it opens up exponentially, allowing you to choose your destination at your leisure. Side quests are next to nil in Trials of Mana, but at the same time, the game isn't lesser for that. In fact, alternate quests would just slow down the excellent pacing. There are treasure chests to find in the world and a fun worldwide game of hide-and-seek to play with a cactus for some truly cool rewards, but other than that, you're just playing through the story.

In the process of remaking Trials of Mana, Square Enix has delivered a gorgeous looking game. Familiar sights are fully re-imagined in glorious 3D, offering new senses of place and atmosphere. The day and night system, albeit basic in execution, offers some impressive sights and some in-game use as well. There are some problems with pop-in, frame-rate hiccups, and noticeable issues where textures load into scenes a bit too slowly. Fortunately, these don't affect gameplay too heavily. As earlier stated, the voice acting doesn't do much to impress, but on the other side of the sound spectrum, the rearranged musical tracks certainly do. If for some reason you don't take a liking to these revised versions, you can change to the Super Famicom original music (and back) at any time.

Day through night, the time for adventure in Trials of Mana is just right.

Unlike a certain JRPG remake that also released last month, Trials of Mana doesn't delve too far away from what made the original game memorable and beloved. While Final Fantasy VII Remake offered a bold new change to its original work and brought with it much more complexity, Trials of Mana offers a soothing and refreshing bit of familiarity. There's a fine sense of simplicity here, whether it's in the combat, the brisk pacing of the game, or the story--which might make it a bit too faithful to the original for some players. While Trials of Mana is not a remake that reinvents the wheel, for me, it successfully does what it sets out to do in recreating what was once a lost game from the Super Famicom era into a more modern and enjoyable game, warts and all. Just play on the Hard difficulty if you want something resembling a steadier challenge.

[SPC Says: B+]