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

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

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

Super Mario World

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

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

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

Super Metroid

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

EarthBound

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

Super Mario Kart

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

F-Zero

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

Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 & 3

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

Kirby Super Star

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

Mega Man X

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

Super Castlevania IV

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

Super Street Fighter II Turbo

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

Contra III: The Alien Wars

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

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

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

Other Mentions:

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

Great Suggestions by Others:

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

Super Mario Run (iOS) Introduction Trailer

EDIT: Since my reviews are usually for games released for iOS AND Android, I accidentally wrote that Super Mario Run was for iOS and Android in the headline when it's only available on iOS. Sorry about that brain fart!

Nintendo once again enters the mobile realm, but this time it's its starring character, the most recognizable face in gaming, Mario, that leads the way. Super Mario Run is an auto-runner with a twist. It's not procedurally generated, instead, the levels are built via the whims of the level designers. Super Mario Run releases December 15th for $9.99.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "Second Xenoverse, Not the Same as the First" Edition

A new week brings a new series of video game music to your ears! It's SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, and five more VGM volumes are here! We're in the middle of November, and the temperatures are slowly but steadily falling.

This week, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 kicks things off. Then, we shrink things down Minish-size with The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour launches a shot from the tee, while Mighty No. 9 brings a boss battle theme into the fray. Finally, the original Suikoden wraps things up this week.

Click on the name of the VGM volume to hear the song featured. Lastly, the VGM Database is still around for you to see and hear past VGM volumes featured on this weekly SuperPhillip Central segment.

v1266. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - Hyperbolic Time Chamber Stage

Let's begin this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a song from a recent release, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. Improvements were made to the battle system, and hopefully that also goes to the RNG of unlocking moves and costumes! What didn't need improvement, however, was the fantastic soundtrack of the original game. The music is just as good from what I've heard so far from Xenoverse 2. Check out this theme for the Hyperbolic Time Chamber stage of the game.

v1267. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA) - Hyrule Town

One of the most underrated Zelda games in my opinion is The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. It was the last Zelda that Capcom developed. It was just as special as its Oracle duo of titles from the Game Boy Color. Hyrule Town is planted right in the middle of the kingdom of Hyrule, and there, houses and neighbors go forth, living their lives. And it's all to this upbeat and catchy theme!

v1268. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GCN) - Ring Attack

It might no longer be golf season in most areas of the United States, but that isn't stopping the Favorite VGMs from incorporating a song from Mario Golf's GameCube outing. Ring Attack is a mode where the goal is to not only drive and chip the ball through one ring or several, but you must also make it in the hole with at least par. Motoi Sakuraba is the constant composer behind Camelot Software Planning's various games, and without him, a great deal of what makes the sound of the developer's games would be lost.

v1269. Mighty No. 9 (Multi) - Allies Obstruct

I cannot really remember a lot of themes from the disappointing Mighty No. 9. This is mostly in part due to how much talking from the characters goes on in stages. However, I do very much enjoy the boss battle theme, which pits Beck, Mighty No. 9, against the corrupted Mighty Numbers that plague the city. This rock-centric boss battle theme keeps fights engaging and frenetic.

v1270. Suikoden (PS1) - Beautiful Golden City ~ Gregminster Theme

Let's cap off this week's edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a uptempo city theme with a Middle Eastern flair. It's theme for Gregminster of the original Suikoden, yet another franchise locked tight in the chest that is Konami's. Here's hoping Konami one day starts using its immense catalog of franchises once more. Ah, a boy can dream...

River City: Tokyo Rumble (3DS) Review

The Review Round-Up this time around will combine both October and November together for one nice and tidy round-up. The first review of November takes us to Tokyo, where Kunio and crew are cleaning up the streets of gangs and their goons. It's River City: Tokyo Rumble, and here is the SuperPhillip Central review.

Rumble in the Tokyo Jungle

River City Ransom originally released on the NES almost two decades ago. It revitalized a genre and throughout its life as a series, has seen small commercial success, but success nonetheless. This success has culminated in an all-new entry for the Nintendo 3DS, celebrating both the past and present of the River City name and cast of characters such as the starring character, Kunio, who by the way is celebrating his 30th anniversary in Japan this year. Thus, a celebration of both Kunio as a series and River City Ransom, a sequel is here: River City: Tokyo Rumble.

Kunio himself is a high school student and renowned tough guy who earns massive respect from both kids and gangs throughout Tokyo. When he's tricked into fighting against a friendly rival, he gets word  that a new, mysterious (and very dangerous) gang has taken over the nearby suburbs and neighborhoods of Tokyo, desiring to expand their ranks even further throughout the city. Not one to back down from a fight, Kunio and friends prepare for a series of beat-downs on a wide variety of goons that stand in their way, making sure that Tokyo stays under friendly skies. The story is one that is very much lighthearted and features plenty of humorous moments. My personal favorite scenes are when Kunio's in class, and his teacher constantly scolds him. Rather than fret, Kunio simply gives her a one-liner and calls her "babe", which seriously makes her unhinged, to the indifference of Kunio.

As Kunio would say, "Relax, babe. I've got some streets to clean up first."

River City: Tokyo Rumble is a beat-em-up similar to Double Dragon in combat, but its structure is much more open-ended, featuring a sandbox-style world. As you progress through Tokyo Rumble, new parts of Tokyo open up to visit via train. Each district of Tokyo features different sights as well as different groups of thugs and delinquents that don't take too kindly to Kunio and company entering their turf.

Each area of Tokyo comes complete with a shopping district, where you can spend money earned from downed foes to purchase a health-restoring meal now or purchase health-restoring items for later, new moves via scrolls, equipment to boost stats, and in the opening area of Tokyo Rumble, a place to take on jobs for money, unique items, and special scrolls. These jobs, which you can only accept up to three at a time, run the gamut of finding a specific character, defeating a certain amount of enemies, taking out a special character, among many other types. This adds to the longevity of Tokyo Rumble, and is great for those that want more out of the game.

Matsuo's day had no hope of being lucky as soon as he decided to take on Kunio.

If you've played a brawler or beat-em-up like the aforementioned Double Dragon or Streets of Rage, then you should very much be comfortable with what River City: Tokyo Rumble's gameplay is all about. Like clockwork, as Kunio enters a new screen, a band of misfits wishing to take him down with come running at him. Combat is as simple as punching and kicking at first, but you can use the previously mentioned scrolls add some dynamic moves with not just visual flair but power to defeat enemies more efficiently. What was once a limited move set quickly becomes more interesting with a series of suplexes, throws, repeated punches and kicks, and more. As you move on to new areas of Tokyo, the variety of scrolls and the moves they teach become more extravagant and fun to use, such as a whirlwind toss that flings an enemy from one side of the screen and has them falling down from the opposite side.

Cleaning up the streets through any means necessary-- including chucking some gangster garbage aside.

In addition to punches and kicks, weakened foes can be carried, tossed, and be given punishment by Kunio and friends. Dazed enemies aren't the only things that can be picked up either. Sprinkled throughout each screen are weapons that can be used against enemies-- things like trash cans, baseball bats, and even bicycles. Of course, enemies can also use these weapons against you as well.

While there is some variety with the means Kunio and company can use to dispatch foes, you sort of get into a repetitive gameplay loop where you're using the same attacks to defeat enemies. Kunio is strong enough to take a swath of goons out by himself without much of a hassle, but when you factor in his ability to level up, increasing his strength, the action pretty much plateaus at a certain point. This makes the game quite easy, especially when Kunio gains the ability to have a partner. Taking out generic groups of enemies is effortless, though boss characters do present a little bit more of a challenge, requiring some elegance in combat.

Speaking of Kunio's partner, by the end of the game, you have the choice of three partners to work with. Unfortunately, if you wish to switch one out with another, you have to return to the start of the game, Kunio's high school. This became a pain having to return to an out-of-the-way point if I wanted to change partners, so I just kept the same one the entire game. There's no disadvantage in doing so, especially as each partner starts at a low level, making it essentially worthless to switch to a weak partner late in the game when you already have a competently leveled partner as is.

Sometimes chivalry is hard to do when a group of gals wants nothing more than to bash your face in.

As I stated, each screen basically presents Kunio and pals with a new batch of foes to beat down. Sure, the wide range of moves available to Kunio and the ease of using said moves make for some fun, but it doesn't take too long for repetition to set in. Thankfully, River City; Tokyo Rumble isn't a game where you're beating up enemies for 10-15 hours. Instead, the game is fortunately a short affair, lasting about five hours to reach the end. A New Game+ option opens up after initially beating the game, allowing you to play as a main character besides Kunio, if you so desire.

Alongside the story mode, which is obviously the main asset of Tokyo Rumble, the game also features two side modes: Dodgeball and Rumble. The former has two dodgeballs and four characters, with the dodgeballs being the only way of dealing damage to enemies. The last player with health remaining wins. Meanwhile, Rumble is a more traditional free-for-all battle mode where it's like a four-way street fight of sorts. Download Play is available for both of these modes, though an absence of online play is a bit disappointing and will very much limit your enjoyment. Regardless, going back to the main menu is encouraged, as playing through the story unlocks an abundance of characters, stages, and pieces of music to check out and use in these side modes.

Tokyo Rumble was designed to look akin to the NES original River City Ransom while also offering some visuals tricks for the modern era. While sprites are 2D and NES-like, the backgrounds and buildings feature 3D geometry. It's nothing too engaging for the eye, but it works. What doesn't work so well is the 3D effect. It's not horrible by any means, but character sprites can look weird depth-wise as some that stand behind a character can look more pronounced than those in front, creating a strange effect. Sound-wise, Tokyo Rumble presents the player/listener with an assortment of rock tracks, some more memorable than others. They very much fit the action, but you might not find yourself humming the majority of them after you're done with a session of play.

River City: Tokyo Rumble will gel well more to people who enjoy brawlers and beat-em-ups, and the type that will stick with the game despite its repetition. It's hard to recommend to casual fans of the genre, as one can get a full experience with much cheaper options on the Nintendo 3DS system, such as the original River City Ransom on Virtual Console and 3D Streets of Rage 2.

[SPC Says: C]

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Decision 2016 Edition

It's Tuesday, November 8th, and the United States of America has an important decision ahead of it today. However, here at SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, the decision is just as important-- which five VGMs will represent this week?!

I've settled on the following for this week! We begin with some Sunglow Ridge from Paper Mario: Color Splash. Next, the Wii U gets represented again with a song from Pikmin 3. Then, we double up on Mega Man with an arranged version of a song from Mega Man Battle Network 2 and go cyber once more with Mega Man X4. Finally, the Burning Rangers lead us to victory with a cheesy yet awesome vocal theme.

Just click on the VGM volume name to hear that song, and check out the VGM Database for all past VGM volumes. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1261. Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U) - Sunglow Ridge

Whatever your opinion of Paper Mario: Color Splash may be (SuperPhillip Central will have its verdict on the game later this month), I think we can all agree that the soundtrack of the game is without question quite good. It says something about a game soundtrack that it makes you smile even without having played the game to know its proper context. All I know is that songs like Sunglow Ridge make me very eager to play Color Splash for myself.

v1262. Pikmin 3 (Wii U) - Midboss Battle

Let's go from one Wii U exclusive to another, though one that released closer to the system's launch, Pikmin 3. A well designed game with some of the best-looking fruit this side of your local grocery store, Pikmin 3 also sports a rather nice soundtrack as well. This theme obviously plays during battles with slightly stronger than normal foes that aren't large enough to be considered actual bosses. Hence, the term midboss.

v1263. Mega Man Battle Network 2 (GBA) - YOU CAN'T GO BACK (Rockman.EXE 15th Anniversary Version)

The Rockman.EXE 15th Arrange Best Track album consists of a dozen or so arranged versions from songs throughout the Mega Man Battle Network sub-series of Mega Man games. YOU CAN'T GO BACK is the final area theme of Mega Man Battle Network 2, and it's especially awesome with this rockin' rendition. Definitely check out the rest of the songs on this sensational arranged album.

v1264. Mega Man X4 (PS1, SAT) - Cyber Peacock

We had a double dose of the Wii U earlier, and now we have a double dose of Mega Man! Mega Man X4 is one of my favorite Mega Man games, though the original Mega Man X is my personal fave of the entire bunch. Still, Mega Man X4 brought the X sub-series to the 32-bit era with gorgeous visuals, well animated cutscenes, and meme-tastic dialogue. Don't forget about the soundtrack, as well, which is sort of important here at SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs!

v1265. Burning Rangers (SAT) - We Are Burning Rangers

The Sega Saturn gets some more representation here on SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with the main theme of the cult classic from Sonic Team, Burning Rangers. It's "We Are Burning Rangers", featuring a very '90s mix of jazz and rap. It's cheesy, yes, but oh-so awesome at the same time.