Favorite Tunes #121: Cute Witches and Adorable Frogs

I've decided to forgo a particular theme with this installment. This time there's music from PC Engine platform, my favorite console ever, the SNES and I even threw in some arcade beats for good measure.

Ripples Theme (Raku Raku Mode Ending )- Magical Chase (TG16)

Famed Final Fantasy Tactics composers Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masahru Iwata are more known for their more serious, atmospheric game soundtracks. So its nice to see that they wrote some more light hearted music and for the Turbo Grafx 16, no less! Magical Chase is one of those lesser known PC Engine titles while it did receive  western release, its one of the rarer games so don't expect to find it for chump change.

The Prince's Adventure - For the Frog the Bell Tolls (GB)

You may be looking at the cover of this game and might be thinking that the character on the front looks awfully familiar. If you've played Smash 4, no doubt you've cracked open an Assist trophy and seen this little guy turn into a frog or snake and then proceed to beat the crap out of your opponent in comical, cartoon style. Or you've had your opponent do it to you. This happens to be Prince Sable, the main character of Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru, which translates to For the Frog the Bell Tolls, a 1992 Japan only Game Boy game. This upbeat theme was composed by Kazmui Totaka and it gets a short arrangement in 1993's The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Uncontrollable - Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

The game may not be available to western audiences just yet, but the soundtrack was released some time ago so we've been able to give it a listen. The tone of the music is noticeably different from the first Xenoblade Chronicles. Yoko Shimomura, ACE+, Yasunori Mitsuda and Manami Kiyota are nowhere to be found writing music for this game. Instead Hiroyuki Sawano has taken on the task of writing the music of Xenoblade Chronicles X. More known for his work in the anime field, fans are a bit divided on the music in Chronicles X. Me, I actually the music for the most part. This is one of my favorites among the vocal numbers.

Hyper Space - Phalanx (SNES)

Phalanx is not the greatest SNES shooter. The power-up system is decent at best and the levels can drag on for quite a while. Having said that, you can certainly do a lot worse and I've always liked the game's soundtrack. If only the above cover was used for the American release.

Wolverine Stage - X-Men: Children of the Atom (ARC)

Because Snkit Bub needs more attention.  In all seriousness, Capcom had so many arcade classics in the 1990s. Their fighters and beat 'em ups were some of the best and the soundtracks to those games were legendary.  Between the numerous Capcom games he's stared in, it's almost hard to pick my favorite Wolverine theme but this is a serious contender for the top spot.

Perplexing Pool - Pikmin 2 (GCN, Wii)

Until a few years ago, Nintendo didn't release new IPs very often. Among those rare new franchises in the early 2000s was Pikmin an interesting take on the RTS genre. The sequel, Pikmin 2 became one of the more costly GCN titles until it was re-released in 2009 on the Wii. Pikmin 2's soundtrack is much larger than the first game with lots of variations on most musical themes.

Favorite Tunes Database

Latest Purchases #82

People continue to make the bogus claim that the Wii U has no games, yet I play it more than any other console. Between Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros, I've got Hyrule Warriors on the back burner and I just resumed playing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze again along with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Its getting to be a bit overwhelming to have so many Wii U games to play and here I am with more to add to the pile.

I wanted to pick up Bayonetta 2 on the day it released, but it just wasn't in the cards. Fortunately, waiting has once again paid off for yours truly since I was able to snag it brand new at GameStop for $44.99. But before I dig into Bayonetta 2, I'll be tackling the first Bayonetta since I never did play it when it was released years ago. To this day, I think the inclusion of the first Bayonetta along with Bayonetta 2 was a ridiculously smart move.

Splatoon is another game I wanted to buy on launch day but I just didn't have the $60 to fork over at the time. I've been sour on the FPS and TPS for some time and this is largely due to the market being overrun with games in this genre. Since splatoon takes a remarkably different approach to what is arguably a worn out genre, ditching the dark and moody aspects usually associated with it, I'm naturally intrigued. I'm a little nervous about going online with this one since tons of experienced players area already out there but I'm sure I'll learn the ropes and what it means to be both a kid and a squid.

When I was picking up Splatoon, I had no idea I'd find a complete, used copy of Pikmin 3. If you were not aware, Pikmin 3 has unfortunately become one of those rarer Wii U titles. New physical copies are going for more than the $60 asking price online and unless you're willing to pay $80 or more, the digital method is currently the cheapest way to experience the third Pikmin entry. So I consider myself rather fortunate that I was in GameStop at the time that I was.

The last amiibo I purchased was everyone's favorite cheery-chasing dot munch. That's Pac-Man for the three of you that have never seen Wreck It Ralph. Sonic makes the guess star Super Smash Bros. amiibo line complete. Or, at least it would have until Sakurai added Ryu to the line up. GameStop had two Sonics left and I wasn't about to chance someone grabbing them and have to pay a bit extra from buying him online.

Latest Purchases #81

Did you ever do something stupid like throw away the boxes that your NES, SNES and N64 games came in? Since this was long before companies thought to put games in lasting cases, I'm sure more than a few of you did just that. Thanks to Retro Game Cases, I'm now able to pimp out my retro games in style and keep those cartridges from getting dust in them. These cases are of excellent quality and for some games, you can choose to go with the Japanese box art, as I did for Super Mario 64. When I looked over the back case for Super Mario Bros. 3, I realized how much I missed reading the text on the back of those old NES boxes. Most cases are under $10 and I can't wait to order some more.

I think plushies may be my favorite video game collectible memorabilia. In the four years I've been living in Virginia Beach, I've amassed a ton of these things and now I've got three more to add to the pile. To my knowledge, this is the only Mega Man X plush available and its done in the same style as the Mega Man and Proto Man plushies that I've got. No surprise since X is also from Great Eastern Entertainment. All X needs now is his partner Zero, which I'll get around to ordering in due time.

Wind Waker Zelda has one of my favorite designs of the Zelda character, right next to Skyward Sword Zelda. The art style of Wind Waker lends itself quite well to plushies and now Toon Link won't be so lonely. I love the attention to detail on this thing. I think she's a little bit bigger than both of my Toon Link plushies, though.

I found this Blue Pikmin behind a set of Nintendo and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic plushies. He was really tucked away back there. I saw something blue in the back and thought "Could it be?!" And it was! The original three color Pikmin are present and accounted for. The Purple and White Pikmin gotta be comin' down the pipe line next.

Anyone remember The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past manga? I'd seen this in the issues of Nintendo Power way back in 1992. Looking at it a again having now read numerous manga, the art style looked very familiar to me. It turns out the story and art was done by none other than Shotaro Ishinomori, the guy that did, among other works, Cyborg 009. Ishinomori's art style is very similar to the famed Osamu Tezuka, who has a very unique, round style to his drawings, giving it a very classic look. I never did get to read this entire Link to the Past manga. I didn't start buying Nintendo Power regulalry until 1993 and by that time, the manga had already run it's course. Naturally, I'm pretty excited to have this baby among my Zelda stuff. Viz published this thing so hopefully they'll do more reprints of Nintendo stuff like the Super Mario Adventures manga that also ran in Nintendo Power or Ishinomori's other projects like Cyorg 009, which really needs to get reprinted. I believe he also had a Rockman manga and I'd really love to see that.

I've seen this Bowser plushie online for a few years now and having finally him in my posession, I can see that he's much, much bigger than I thought he'd be. He might be the biggest plush that I own and he's detailed and stuffed quite well. He's so massive and bulky that's it really is kinda hard to capture him in a photo. That and it's tough to get him to stand up on his own.

Some amiibos are much harder to find than others. That's not exactly breaking news, but its still quite infuriating that scalpers continue to get their way since Nintendo does not understand the concept of supply and demand for their amiibo line. I was really surprised to walk into my local GameStop, which I hadn't visited in months and see a lone Pac-Man amiibo sitting with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD plushies. I'm guessing someone decided not to pick him up, because that's the only reason I can fathom that he wouldn't be in the amiibo section. I never expected it to be that easy to snag a Pac-Man, but in this case, it really was.

Latest Purchases #75

A Latest Purchases post, featuring stuff I picked up in September. Well as they say, better late than never.

I was pre-ordering the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. when I saw this lone 20 inch World of Nintendo Mario. I'd never seen a Mario that frickin' huge before. It was jaw dropping. I must say, the World of Nintendo toy line is quite superb with mini figures, plushies and the like, but this? Duuuuuuude. I just had to snatch this bad boy up before someone else did. My dad actually asked me what I was gonna do with him. The same thing I do with all my other gaming merch: display it. Agh, parents.

Adding two more mini figures to the World of Nintendo set I already own, I picked up Donkey Kong and Wario. These things are quite easy to find, making collecting all six one of the easiest things to do. Now DK has his side kick and I finally have something Wario that isn't a game. 

I was hoping I'd find the Yellow Pikmin after I picked up the Red Pikmin a while ago and sure enough, Target had one left. Now Red has someone to keep him company but they Pikmin plushies feel so incomplete without the other colors. Perhaps Nintendo will add the rest to the lineup. I already know other Pikmin color plushies exist, at least in Japan. Perhaps I'll just order those someday.

This New Super Mario Bros. Wii Mario plush is a few years old but it's only the second Mario plush I've ever bought, where as I own three different Luigi plushies. I wasn't too fond of this thing at first but since you can actually sit this one down, I find that to be a big plus. 

I love my Classic Sonic plush but I figured I could use a Modern Sonic plush as well. At 5 inches, he's smaller than I thought he'd be, but he looks quite nice and like the aforementuioned Classic Sonic, I can hang him on my wall. He's currently resting above my TV right next to the Pac-Man plush you see there, which is the smallest plushie I own. Pac-Man was also the cheapest plush I've ever picked up. Not including shipping, the little guy was only $2.87.

I picked up these plushies so I could take photos like this...

It's almost time.

Game Art #65: Open Gallery

No particular theme here. This Game Art Gallery is an open gallery, meaning all types of game related art is featured. Enjoy.

By missyuna

By Blopa1987

By RobDuenas

By MissNeens

By Karakalia

By Karakalia

By ultimatesol

Pixiv ID

By adri-chan1

By Doukamioiramu

Game Art #51: Nintendo Gallery

Well, here we are, the first post of the year and it's a Game Art post and one centered on Nintendo, no less. I shudder to think what gaming would be like without Mario, Kirby, Captain Olimar and the rest of the Nintendo family. Enjoy the art and happy new year.

By Spring dyed

Unknown Artist

Pixiv ID

By Takagi

Pixiv ID

Pixiv ID

By Kayako

By Kayako

By Kayako

Pixiv ID

By Kayako

By i s h

By Sausu

By WesTalbott

By H0lyhandgrenade

By ybkt

By GENZOMAN

By vincentbatignole

Favorite Tunes #26: Music From Nintendo Games

One of the biggest companies on the planet, Nintendo doesn't always make the right decisions (the way they handle online is so screwy) but they remain of of the most innovative players in gaming. They also make some of the best games with some of the greatest music.

Main Theme - Wii Sports Resort (Wii)

Need a vacation from saving Hyrule from Ganon or rescuing Princess Peach for the umpteenth time? Take a trip to Wuhu Island. Shoot some hoops, play table tennis, try your hand at archery, or hit the waves on a wake board. That's only a few of the activities you can do in Wii Sports Resort. A follow up game to the massively successful Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort went on to become another one of the Wii's best selling games. Wuhu Island has become something of a staple in Nintendo games. It was the setting for Pilotwings Resort and two tracks from Mario Kart 7 were set around Wuhu Island, the later game which used an awesome arrangement of Wii Sports Resort's Main Theme.

Impact Site - Pikmin (GCN, Wii)

I don't play a great deal of real time strategy games, but Pikmin really reached out and grabbed me. Set on an unknown planet, Captain Olimar has crashed his ship and lost 30 of its parts. He has only 30 days to gather the pieces because once that much time elapses, the toxic air will take it's toll on his body. Fortunately for Olimar, he as the aid of dozes of creatures called Pikmin. These little guys that he plucks from the ground are more than willing to follow Olimar and obey his every command. The Impact Site is more or less the tutorial area for Pikmin, easing you into the gameplay mechanics and teaching you how to control the Pikmin, which is really quite simple. The musical theme that plays during this area, to me, at least feels like it sums up your first encounter with the Pikmin and their world.

Molgera - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)

I picked up this game a year after it had released under Nintendo's Player's Choice label but it would be years later before I sat down and played it. During the first few months of playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl, one of the many songs I unlocked was "Molgera". I went into the menus to hear what the song sounded like and after a few seconds of listening to CHIKA over and over, I cranked this song all way up so the chances of hearing it on Toon Link's stage were extremely high. The Wind Waker ended up staring my favorite version of Link, became one of my favorite Zelda games and has one of my favorite boss themes of all-time. Including this tune in Brawl was a wonderful idea.

Power-Up - Wrecking Crew (NES)

Wrecking Crew is one of the better early NES games that still holds up well. Playing as Mario, this puzzle game has you trying to destroy a certain amount of  blocks with your hammer while avoiding enemies. It received a Japan only sequel in Wrecking Crew '98 on the Super Famicom. The Power-Up or Bonus Theme music is another piece of retro music that was used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl whenever you grab a Golden Hammer. It's quite catchy.

Metal City - Drill Dozer (GBA)

Ah, Game Freak, the company that is heavily associated with Pokemon. I don't despise Pokemon but whenever they make a game that doesn't star everyone's favorite electric rodent, it makes me wish they'd make more of them. Pulseman is such an example and so is the GBA's Drill Dozer, one of the handheld's best games that was not a port, but a completely original title. In this unique take on the platform genre, you played as Jill, a young girl who controls a multi-functional drill. Drill Dozer boasts some of the best visuals the GBA has ever seen and a very upbeat soundtrack. As good a game as Drill Dozer was, it was still failure at retail and Jill hasn't had a leading role since this game. She did, however, appear as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Drill Dozer is well worth tracking down and shouldn't cost you a lot of bones.

Eternal Star - Mario Party (N64)

Mario Party 9 recently released earlier this year. Kinda hard to believe Mario has been partying hard since 1999. If you want to play the game that started the this shindig, you'll have to track down a physical copy. The original Mario Party was notorious for giving gamers all kinds of blisters with it's crazy mini games, some that required gamers to spin the analog stick incredibly fast. Yasunori Mitsuda is primarily known for his work on RPGs but with Mario Party, he flexed his creative muscles more, giving us some very memorable Mario music. I still argue to this day that the original Mario Party has the best soundtrack of them all.

Love Lab - Custom Robo (GCN)

This wasn't the first game in the Custom Robo series, but it was the first game to get a release outside of Japan. In actuality, this is the fourth Custom Robo game and in Japan, it carries the subtitle, Battle Revolution. Being a huge fan of robots, I was very intrigued by Custom Robo and managed to pick up a copy on the cheap years back. In this game you battle other robots, get parts and customize your robo to your hearts content. The series gained even more exposure outside of Japan with the release of Custom Robo Arena on the DS.

Toxic Landfill - Wario Land 4 (GBA)

Wario's fourth portable adventure is one of the most eye-catching games on the GBA. And it was actually one of the system's earliest games, released four months after the GBA's North American launch. Wario Land 4 is an impressive game on all fronts, especially in the audio department. The game's title theme, Work It, even has a few clearly discernible lyrics. I'm a sucker for a good bass line and Toxic Landfill has one of the sickest bass line intros I've ever heard. I tend to get annoyed at a track that takes to long to get to the main course, but in this case, I really don't mind it. That 40 second build up is mind-blowing. The actual course is quite good, too. I love those GBA guitar riffs.

Rockface Rumble - Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie's Double Trouble (SNES)

Dixie was a very popular character, making a huge splash in Donkey Kong Country 2. As good a character as she was, many fans aren't sure it was the wisest idea to have Diddy get kidnapped and have him replaced with Kiddie Kong as her partner for the final game in the SNES trilogy. While not a terrible game by any means, this is probably one of the reasons DKC3 is regarded as the weakest of the three games. Nonetheless, we did get some more good music from Rare. This particular track was composed by Eveline Novakovic. It's all about the guitar solo at 50 seconds in.

Andy's Theme - Advance Wars (GBA)

War in on the go? Sounds like a money maker to me. Advance Wars is the first game in Nintendo's Wars series to be released outside of Japan. The likes of Famicom Wars and Game Boy Wars may never see releases outside of the Land of the Rising Sun, but the Advance Wars games always seem to get wider recognition. I own the first two GBA games and I haven't finished either one. But I have played long enough to hear Andy's Theme and I can assure you, it's quite good.