Re-Releases You Should Play - Part 7

If you've played them before, play them again. If you haven't consider taking these out for a spin.

SEGA AGES OutRun (NS)

It may have been releases more than 30 years ago, but SEGA's arcade OutRun is every bit as good now as it was when it was released in 1986. The game has seen numerous releases over the years but the Switch version going under the SEGA AGES OutRun title is the best, most accessible version to date.

No stranger to porting old games, M2 has proven themselves to be wizards at the craft, having worked on tons of SEGA titles, making them run just like they did on the original hardware they were released on. This also includes past OutRun releases like the Japan exclusive SEGA AGES 2500 OutRun on the PS2 and the 3D OutRun on the 3DS.

For the few of you not in the know, OutRun is a racing/driving game that pits you against the clock. Driving with your girlfriend in a convertible (SEGA no longer has the Ferrari license), there are a total of 15 stages, but you'll only go through five of them on each play through. Before each stage ends, you'll come to a fork in the road, allowing you to choose your own path. This non liner gameplay has been one of OutRun's biggest draws and each path has a different ending. OutRun is one of many SEGA arcade game's to use the company's super scaler technology, creating a very convincing pseudo 3D scrolling affect that is impressive to this day. That combine with the high speed you can achieve in OutRun makes for a trilling racer. On the other hand, simply cruising on the open virtual road is just as enjoyable as.

OutRun is also famous for it's soundtrack. Originally composed by Hiroshi Kawaguchi (often going under the name Hiro), OutRun's soundtrack has a heavy Latin feel with long lasting songs that can be selected before each run. Magical Sound Shower, Passing Breeze, Splash Wave and Last Wave are some of the most memorable arcade jams of all time, nay, in the history of video games. 3D OutRun brought two new songs to the overall OutRun soundtrack, Cruising Line, scored by Manabu Namiki and Camino a Mi Amor, written by Jaelyn Nisperos and they fit right in with the original OutRun music, even mimicking the original sound font. The tracks from 3D OutRun have been included in SEGA AGES OutRun and they are joined by four new arranged tracks: Step On Beat -Arcade Edition, Midnight Highway -Playback, Radiation -Nostalgic Ver., and Driver's MegaMix Vol.1. All new arrangements (with the exception of Driver's MegaMix Vol.1) use the sound format of the original OutRun and are splendid additions to the game's already stellar soundtrack.

Other features include a wealth of screen options including wide screen with optimized, non stretched pixel, multiple arcade screens, smoothing and filtering settings, scan lines or you can just go vintage and play the game with the original arcade screen, complete with screen curving. You can also play the new or old version of OutRun, the different between the two being some slight course alterations between the Japanese an American versions. There's also motion controls for those that want an even more arcade-like experience and online rankings is another reason to push you to perfect your driving skills. You can even unlock the original arcade version of OutRun that only contains the iconic three music tracks and runs at 30 FPS as opposed to the special versions 60. Unless you absolutely must play with a Ferrari, SEGA AGES OutRun on the Switch is the definitive version of SEGA's classic driver.

Also on (but without the extras): ARC, PS2, 3DS

Downwell (NS)

Part shooter, part platformer. All awesome. Downwell is a very interesting take on the two genres. This rogue-like game has you descending down what I can only assume is the world's most ridiculously deep well.

Armed with the sickest pair of kicks ever known as Gunboots, your in game persona can shoot blocks to clear a path or dispose of enemies that cannot be jumped on. Your Gunboots can also be used to position yourself  as you fall so you can reach platforms and stomp on those enemies that just so happen to be stompable. If you can continue stomping on enemies without touching terraferma, you can get a combo chain going. Maintaining that chain however, is anything but easy.

It is actually possible to beat Downwell in the 20 to 14 minute range. For those that are really, really skilled at the game and know the ins and outs of it, that is. For the rest of us mere mortals, well, Downwell is pretty dang difficult. You get one life to make your descent and when you die, you've got to start all the way back from the beginning. With the rogue elements, no two attempts will be the same but with enough practice, you'll be able to breeze through the first area with little to no problems. The second area is where things start to get harry and the difficulty only goes up from there. Did I mention that this game has bosses? If all the enemies flying and creeping your way aren't enough to end your run, a boss most surely will.

Despite the difficulty, Downwell remains a highly entertaining shooter/platformer. I've had the game hand me my butt cheeks on a silver platter time and time again but I keep coming back for more due to the simple premise being executed so well and to see how much farther I can get. There are different play styles you can unlock like one that gives you more health at the cost of far less frequent shops. You can also unlock a multitude of palettes to change the game's colors. In particular I'm fond of the Aqua palette but I'm sure others will find the GB and VB (Virtual Boy) palettes chuckle worthy. At $2.99, Downwell is a steal.

Also on: iOS, AND, PS4, PC

Favorite Tunes #259: We Droppin' Blocks, Boys

And just like that, March is here. I'm looking forward to Yoshi's Crafted World at the end of this month as well as Final Fantasy VII finally landing on a Nintendo system. In the meantime, enjoy the latest music in this week's Favorite Tunes.

Main Theme - Tetris 99 (NS)

For a while, Tetris Battle Royal was a meme. Then, on the Wednseday of one fateful Nintendo Direct, the meme became a reality. It doesn't go by the name Tetris Battle Royal, but Tetris 99 may as well be called that, because that is exactly what it is. Facing off against 98 other players as this banger of a Tetris Type-A arrange music plays.

Lucca's Theme - Chrono Trigger (SNES)

Spoiler alert: I love Chrono Trigger. It has an easy to grasp time travel plot, a super cool battle system and one of the greatest soundtracks in any RPG. Yes, I know I sound like every other Chrono Trigger fan out there, but this is a game that is every bit worthy of the praise it has got. Luca's Theme was used as victory music in the sequel, Chrono Cross.

Trouble Brewing II (Code Name S.T.E.A.M.) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NS)

Remember Code Name S.T.E.A.M. on the 3DS? No? Yeah, I don't blame you. The game was got mixed reviews from critics and was a retail bomb both in Japan and America. Super Smash Bros. games have always been good at reminding people of games they may have forgotten about and bringing games to your attention through music. This remix is so good, I want to hunt down the original.

Mochi Yasan (Shop) - Downwell (iOS, AND, PC, PSV, PS4, NS)

I've got more to say about Downwell in the coming week. For now, all you need to know (those of you that have not played it) is that this $2.99 game is well worth the pocket change. It also has one of the best pieces of shop music I've ever heard.

Mystic Cave Zone (2 Player) - Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (GEN)

I'm sure you all remember Mystic Cave Zone. It is pretty infamous for having a spike pit that is pretty easy to fall into. Why it wasn't just made a bottomless pit is beyond me, but this was fixed for the Christian Whitehead remake. Falling down that pit will now take you to the Hidden Palace Zone, originally an unfinished Zone in the game. What's more, the zone uses the excellent 2 Player version of Mystic Cave Zone.

Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer BGM - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, NS)

You know what tomorrow is, don't you? March 3rd. The day the Switch was released as well as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Kinda hard to believe both the Switch and one of most critically acclaimed Zelda games are turning two years old. The music that was used during the Switch 2017 presentation of the Breath of the Wild segment sure is something, isn't it? Ryo Nagamatsu must have thought so because it got a killer arrangement for the Zelda stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Favorite Tunes Database

With a Little Help From My Friends - Part 2

There are times when the central character has aid from friends or allies. The former may be used in a looser sense when it comes to certain entries, but regardless, With a Little Help From My Friends shines the spotlight on those that help the main star on their journey.

Yoshi - Super Mario Series

In Part 1 of this feature, I mentioned that Yoshi had some major catching up to do if he was going to compete with Cappy, Mario's latest ally. Sure, Yoshi can't do all the OP things that living hat can, but the dino is still a powerful (and ravenous) companion to have at your side.

The green variety is probably what comes to mind when one hears the name Yoshi. This is perfectly understandable since a green Yoshi was the one that was heavily advertised in hes debut game, Super Mario World. Sure green Yoshi's are the most well known, but there are in fact, many different color Yoshi's. Red, blue, purple, white, black; if there's a basic color, there's a Yoshi for it. Depending on the game, a Yoshi's color may grant him an extra ability such as blue Yoshi's being able to fly no matter what color Koopa Troopa shell they scarf in Super Mario World. Regardless of color or type, Yoshis all have one thing in common: a boundless appetite.

Yoshis don't seem to be picky eaters and will gladly gobble up any foe that stands in your way. From Hammer Bros. to Mega Moles, if Yoshi can swallow it, it is as good as food. If he can't swallow it, it can be fired back as a projectile. Yoshis also sport some unique kicks that allow them to walk on Munchers, one of the few unkillable Mario enemies.

Yoshis are easily spooked as the mere touch from an enemy will send them running off, forcing you to chase them down it you want to reclaim them. On the plus side, if you're riding one, this gives you an extra hit. Perhaps one of the greatest uses for Yoshis is that if you're riding one and you're about to fall into a pit, you can dismount and use him as an extra jump to save yourself from harm, killing the Yoshi in the process. I'd call you an awful human being for doing so, but the fact is, I've done it more times than I can count, so I'm in no position to throw stones.

Beat - Mega Man Classic Series

Birds. Everything seems to get so much worse when they are thrown into video games. Just ask anyone that has played Ninja Gaiden on the NES. Captain Toad also has more than his fair share of bird problems in his game. One of the few winged ones I like is of the metal type. Created by Dr. Cossack to give Mega Man aid, Beat made his debut in Mega Man 5. Don't listen to Brentalfrloss. Sure Beat can't do what Rush does, but the help he provides proves that not all video game birds are bad.

Depending on the game, the aid Beat gives is different. In Mega Man 8, he assists during shooting segments along with Eddie, Auto and Rush. In Mega Man 5, 6 and IV (GB) he'll follow Mega Man around when he's summoned and attack enemies. Attack Beat was at his best in Mega Man 5 because he could attack bosses, including the final boss. Having Dr. Wily fall to a small, robotic bird has got to be one of the mad doc's most humiliating defeats.

From Mega Man 7 onward, Beat no longer attacks enemies. Instead he supports Mega Man by lifting him out of pits. This would mean that the bird would have to have a considerable amount of strength to carry the Blue Bomber. He can't carry Mega Man for very long but the fact that he can support Rock for several seconds is still quite impressive. You can even move Beat around during this brief period. With the amount of players that have died by falling into pits in Mega Man 11, the latest game in the series, Beat is working serious overtime.

EVE - EarthBound Beginnings

In a world where your own lamp, your sister's doll and hippies are out to kill you, you'll take any kind of help you can get. Lloyd, Ana and Teddy are helpful, sure, but none of them stack up against the titanic robot that is EVE.

Built by Ninten's grandfather to assist him in the coming invasion, EVE is found on Mt. Itoi, the hardest area in the entire game, which is saying something because a lot of this game's locations host random encounters that are nothing to scoff at. Mt. Itoi is home to some of the hardest hitting baddies you will face in the game but with EVE's help, your foes will fall like dominoes. EVE is a powerhouse, dishing out hard hitting damage, ensuring that you survive each and every encounter due to having the highest attack power and defense of any party member, temporary or permanent. The strength EVE brings to the party makes having her ideal for doing some leveling up on Mt. Itoi, especially when you take into account that EVE won't be sticking around for too long. During your trek on the surface of Mt. Itoi, the party will be attacked by R7038XX and EVE will self destruct to save the party.

Rambi - Donkey Kong Country Series

I do love me some Donkey Kong Country games so you can expect to see more animal companions from the series as we go. In Part 1 of this feature, Engaurde was mentioned. Now it's Rambi's time to shine.

Rambi is actually the first animal/creature companion DK and Diddy encounter in the first DKC game. He can be found as early as the game's first level, Jungle Hijinks. Making use of that horn and that brute strength, Rambi can charge into pretty much any enemy on the screen and take them out in a single hit. He can also knock down any walls hiding bonus rooms. Like Yoshi, Rambi can give you an additional hit and he'll run off if he touches an enemy without ramming into them, meaning you'll have to run him down if you want to get him back before he runs off a cliff. Rambi doesn't like fire, so attack fire based enemies is a no-no

When DK and Diddy returned to 2D platforming after a long break in the form of Donkey Kong Country Returns, Rambi returned as well along with a nifty new ability: he can break spikes, giving the Kongs access to areas they wouldn't be able to tread otherwise. He retains this ability in Tropical Freeze. Speedy, destructive and he gives spikes the middle horn. Name me a better rhino. I'll wait.

Favorite Tunes #258: Link's Reawakening

Hoo boy, that Feb 13th Nintendo Direct was straight fire! So many good games to look forward to. One of the biggest surprises came at the very end when a remake to the 1993 Game Boy classic, Link's Awakening was announced. I am very excited for the remake that will be releasing this year for the Switch. I even started playing Link's Awakening DX on my 3DS because I have not played the game in years. The game holds a special place in my heart for reasons I'll elaborate on in a Memories post. Link's Awakening is taking over this week's Favorite Tunes so I hope you like GB chiptunes.

Title

An arrangement of the classic Legend of Zelda title music but it doesn't sound any less adventurous on the GB hardware.

Mabe Village

If you're looking for audio confirmation that you're in an enemy free zone on the overworld, look no further than Mabe Village. When this tune plays, you'll be safe from all harm, so long as you don't attack any chickens.

Mysterious Forest

It's a little mysterious. (Sorry not sorry.)

Level 2: Bottle Grotto

"Wow, this feels pretty heavy! You won't be able to lift it with your bare hands." Any time Link touches a heavy object, this message will appear. Every. Single. Time. At least until you get the Power Bracelet and equip it., which just so happens to be in the second dungeon. The annoying text that halts you in your tracks is one thing I'll be happy to wave bye-bye to in the remake.

Tal-Tal Heights 

Home to where the Wind Fish sleeps. This thing was a pretty big deal, what with being shown in the Japanese box art and in all version's title screen. It would not feel right if this area wasn't given it's own unique music and it should come as no surprise that it is a fan favorite track. It even got a remix for Super Smash Bros Brawl. Didn't play Brawl? No worries, friend, the track is in Ultimate.

Staff Roll

I don't want to spoil this game's ending. For those of you that haven't played this game and are in the dark about it, stay away from Let's Plays and retrospective videos on Link's Awakening. If the remake is going to be your first time playing this game, please, please don't spoil yourself.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #257: Put a Little Love in Your Heart

Valentine's Day is over. And yet, we've got a love focused Favorite Tunes because you can celebrate a day with that special someone any day of the week/year.

Love Theme (Mother 3) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

Insert line about how Nintendo won't release Mother 3 here. Despite having never been released outside of Japan (official, anyways) Mother 3 is still known rather well outside of it's home country. The game's main star, Lucas has appeared in the past three Super Smash Bros. game along with several arrangements from his game of origin.

Theme of Love - Final Fantasy IV Celtic Moon

The shift from the NES to the SNES brought some big changes to the Final Fantasy series. Nobou Ueamatsu's compositions for Final Fantasy IV sound nothing short of outstanding. You know you're doing something right when one of your songs becomes part of Japan's school curriculum. Since I posted the original Theme of Love years ago, here's an arranged version from the album Final Fantasy IV Celtic Moon.

Eyes on Me - Final Fantasy VIII (PS)

I remember liking FFVIII quite a bit when I played through it nearly 20 years ago. I'd have to play it again to give a current opinion on it. I do think the music sounds just as great as it down two decades ago. There are actually a few arranged versions of Eyes on Me throughout the game included such as My Mind. The vocals were performed by Faye Wong.

Fallin' Love - EarthBound Beginnings (NES)

More than two decades later, the first EarthBound game was released outside of Japan as EarthBound Beginnings. Being a retro RPG, it is very difficult with a high random encounter rate and without a guide, completing this game can be impossible.

Mipha's Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, NS)

All hail, our fish waifu! Paya was my first choice for best Breath of the Wild waifu, but then I meat Mipha. One of the four champions and she was clearly crushing on Link. Alas, each of the champions was met with death, which killed her chances of being with Link. From the grave, she assists Link with Mipha's Grace, an auto restore ability that will activate whenever Link is slain.

To the Future - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES)

The name of the game may be Lufia II, but the events of this one actually sets up the plot for the first game, making this a prequel. I played the first game, then played this one so if you've never played the Lufia series, start with this one, then move on to Fortress of Doom. If the music doesn't make it too apparent, the ending to this game is quite the tear jerker.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #256: Rising Sun

So a certain lovey dovey holiday is coming up. I'm sure I'm going to spend it slaving away at work but I'll try to have a love themed Favorite Tunes for next Saturday. What's that? You say, the holiday will be over by then? Pish posh. You can celebrate love any day of the week! We now return to your regularly scheduled Favorite Tunes already in progress.

Steel Giant - Xenogears (PS)

Ah, Xenogears, a game that released to great controversey regarding the heavy religious themes. Some review mags such as GamePro even took heat from fans for scoring the game negatively. Despite owning the game via the PS3, I haven't played much of it but I've listened to the musical score several times over and it is some incredible stuff. Listening to the Pixel Mixers arrangement album gave me a reminder of how awesome a track Steel Giant is. This would have made a great track to include on the Midgar stage in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but alas, Square Enix is so stingy.

Crocodile Cacophony - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)

When Diddy is ape-napped by King K. Rool, it's up to Diddy and his girlfriend, Dixie to save the day. David Wise composed most of the score from the first Donkey Kong Country, joined by Robin Beanland and Eveline Novakovic but he was a solo act for the sequel. I was super pleased to find a remix of this song in Smash Ultiamte, so pleased that I realized I needed to list the original tune here.

Tears Of... - Silent Hill (PS)

Like Capcom's mega popular zombie infested franchise, I've never gotten into Silent Hill. Having said that, I just might have to check out more songs from this series. This is one I came across on one of the many relaxing VGM playlists on YouTube.

Warm-A-Live - Live-A-Live (SFC)

Released only in Japan at a time when they were simply known as Square, Live-A-Live is a Super Famicom RPG that has you playing as seven different characters. OK, so the game is a bit deeper than that, but I like to keep things brief in Favorite Tunes, but if you take anything away from this game, let it be the magnificent soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura.

Rising Sun - Final Fantasy Adventure (GB)

Man, I sure am giving Square Enix a lot of audio love this week. This theme serves as title screen music. It may have "Final Fantasy" in the title, but this is actually the start of the Mana or Seiken Densetsu series. Secret of Man on the SNES is actually Seiken Densetsu 2. Anyway, you can thank Kenji Ito for that soothing music that is currently assaulting your ears.

Wii Shop Channel - Wii

I said my farewells to the Wii Shop Channel a few days ago, but it still sucks to see it go. You can still listen to the music via the Wii, just don't expect to get much farther than that. Thankfully, the Wii Shop Channel tune is a selectable music track in Smash Ultimate. Sure, it may not be as high energy as other tracks, but I don't think too many people would argue against it's inclusion.

Favorite Tunes Database

Memories #26: Wii Shop Channel

Last week, the Wii Shop Channel, which has been online since 2006, was shut down. With the shop's closure comes the loss of many games. However, I'm not going to discuss that. Game preservation is a topic for another day in fact I've had an editorial circling in my brain about it for months, so you'll be able to check that out when I get around to starting and finishing it. Today, we remember the Wii Shop Channel.

Financially, life was pretty rough for me from 2008 and 2009, so picked up a new game console was off the table. At least until tax season rolled around. Using my tax return cash, I picked up a Wii in early 2010 along with Super Smash Bros. Brawl and a 2000 Wii Points Card. I already knew the games I was going to purchase with those points: Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10, the two titles that had the honor of being the very first (of many) games I bought from the shop.

Pulseman was one of the most visually impressive
games on the Mega Drive. [Screenshot by Emuparadise]

The first time I hopped onto the Wii Shop, I didn't spend a great deal of time on it. I was in such a rush to get Mega Man 9 and 10 that once I bought them, you could see a smoke trail indicating that I was long gone. This would change as I would go to the Wii Shop more and more. When I moved to Virginia and got a higher paying job, things were going a lot better. I made it a point to pick up at least two Wii Points Cards every time I got paid.

Since I did not get a PS3 until the last day of 2013, the Wii Shop Channel was my first exposure to digital game stores and really helped sell me on digital distribution. Games on the Wii Shop were a great alternative for when I didn't feel like hooking up my NES, SNES or Genesis. True, not every single game on those systems came to the Wii Shop, but there was a lot to choose from. Even some of the cult classic games like Orge Battle: March of the Black Queen and Ogre Battle: Person of Lord Caliber, two titles that now go for insane prices on the second hand market, could be bought for chump change on the Wii Shop and thankfully, I bought both.

Originally released only in Japan, Do-Re-Mi Fantasy
was exposed to wider audience thanks to the
Wii Shop Channel. [Screenshot by Emuparadise]

The Wii Shop Channel didn't just sell NES, SNES and Genesis titles. It was also home to some of the best games on the TurboGrafx-16 or the PC-Engine if you prefer. I had considered picking up a TG-16 but due to the price of that system going up, I opted against it and when I saw TG-16 games on the Wii Shop, I found that I was better off just buying what I could from there. I had heard for years that Alien Crush and Devil's Crush were the best video game versions of pinball and thanks to the Wii Shop, I was finally able to see what the fuss was about and yes, said fuss was right. All the praise for Lords of Thunder and Wings Thunder turned out to be true too, because hot dang, were those some amazing shooters with some banger soundtracks.

Digital distribution on the Wii Shop Channel was not just limited to games that were originally released in the states. The channel also enjoyed a slew of games that were never released in America like the TG-16 version of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and Do-Re-Mi Fantasy, the later of which is a charming Super Famicom platformer staring Milon of the NES Milon's Secret Castle and thankfully is nowhere near as frustrating. Since Konami owns Hudson's IPs now, perhaps they'll take their heads out of their butts and re-release it someday, but I'm not holding my breath.

Pulseman, one of Game Freak's babies that isn't Pokemon, was originally only available to players outside of Japan that were subscribers of the Sega Channel. The release on the Wii Shop Channel marked the first time in years the game was given a much wider release. On top of being a audio/visual Mega Drive marvel, the game is pretty freaking good to boot.

The Wii Shop Channel also housed N64 games and while the selection was small compared to the other systems it represented, some of the best of the best was there including Sin & Punishment, which is another title that was originally only released in Japan. Sin & Punishment did so well in sales that we got Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, a fantastic sequel and one of the Wii's very best games.

The Wii Shop was also home to one of the most catchy, upbeat pieces of music in the medium of video games, known simply as the Wii Shop Channel theme. Seriously, this music alone made going to the shop such a joyous visit. This music really set the Wii Shop apart from Sony and Microsoft's online stores and when you consider how backwards Nintendo is known for being, that's kind of a huge deal. It helped give the shop so much more life. That music is one of the reasons I would spend so much time on the Wii Shop Channel. When I was still mulling over which game to buy, sometimes I would just let it play in the background as I did other things while trying to come to a decision. Nintendo would add music to the 3DS and Wii U eShops and depending on the season, the song would be different, but it just didn't come close to the Wii Shop Channel theme. The eShop on the Switch has no music at all, which kinda lets the sails out of going to the Switch eShop a bit. I'd love for Nintendo to implement the Wii Shop Channel music on the Switch eShop or at least come up with an equally lively piece of music to jazz things up, but as it stands, the Switch eShop lacks a bit of omph even with that outstanding library of games. At least we can listen to the Wii Shop Channel music in various Nintendo stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

With the exception of Wii Ware titles, every game I purchase off the Wii Shop was saved to my 2 GB SD card and last I checked, the thing is still working, so many of the games I bought off the Wii Shop, I can still play. Still, there are games I wanted to buy off the Wii Shop Channel but I never got around to, which makes me all the more sadder that the shop is closed. Nothing lasts forever, but the Wii Shop Channel was certainly good while it did.