Favorite Tunes #199: Back in Action

Oh, wow. This is number 199 on Favorite Tunes. Next up will be another milestone for this (usually) weekly feature. OK, so FT may not be that huge of a deal, but I love video game music and talking a little bit about some of my favorites each week is always something I enjoy. This week's selection comes from Ristar, Metroid, The Ninja Warriors among other darlings.

Surface of SR388 - Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

If you're one that isn't buying Samus Returns because you want to stick it to Nintendo for getting AM2R taken down, please, uncross your arms and buy this game. It looks, feels, plays and sounds like a Metroid game. To turn your nose up at this game after clamoring for more Metroid games would be a huge disservice to one of 2017's best titles. On top of arrangements of themes from Super Metroid, what little music there was in Metroid II has been completely redone and it sounds so dang good.

Ending 1: Star Humming - Ristar (GEN)

Among the many characters that SEGA fans would love to see get another game but never will is Ristar. This 1995 gem that was created by Sonic Team is among the best looking and sounding game's on SEGA's 16-bit baby. Among Ristar's composers were Naofumi Hataya a d Masafumi Ogata, of Sonic CD fame. As one might expect, Ristar's soundtrack is funky, catchy and very bouncy as a result.

Main Menu - Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 (DS)

Next year's upcoming Dragon Ball Fighter Z will hardly be Arc Systems first time with Goku and company. While Fighter Z is more geared towards creating a lightning paced three on three fighter, 2005's Supersonic Warriors 2 aimed to replicate the look and feel of fights from DBZ. It succeeded and then some. Fights were fast, you could zip about the stages in free flight and there were tons upon tons of energy based attacks. The music was also pretty sweet. Starting up the game and getting this theme always assaulted my brain's pleasure centers.

Are You Lady? (Stage 2) - The Ninja Warriors (ARC)

The most famous track from The Ninja Warriors is Daddy Mulk, a jam so famous, even those that haven't played the game have probably been exposed to it. Even beyond that super memorable tune, The Ninja Warriors soundtrack is outstanding. I wouldn't expect anything less from ZUNTATA. The Ninja Warriors was recently re-released under the Arcade Archives line on the PS4's PSN store. After you're done listening to this killer beat, go buy it.

Desolate Highway - Mighty No. 9 (PS4, Wii U, XBO, PC)

The release of Mighty No. 9 was... less than spectacular and that's putting it kindly. This game ended up being one of 2016's biggest disappointments with many major gaming websites and YouTube channels ripping it a new one. But for all of the game's faults, Mighty No. 9 has a surprisingly good soundtrack. Even if you have no intention of playing the game, you should at the very least, hear the music.

Nemesis Ridley - Metroid Other M (Wii)

If ever there was a polarizing game in the Metroid series (along with Federation Force) it is unquestionably Other M. This 2010 release was quite different from the Prime games and was more story driven than any other Metroid title. The backlash this game received is so huge than many fans say there hasn't been a good/true Metroid game since 2007's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. If a die hard Metroid fan like SomeCallMeJohnny didn't write the game off as complete trash, then the game can't be all bad. One of the game's most memorable music pieces is an arrangement of Super Metroid's Big Boss Confrontation theme. Of course it was given to Ridley.

Favorite Tunes Database

How About We Wait Until the Game Releases Before We Call it Bad?

I'd be lying if I said being able to hear from fans and fellows gamers much easier and more often thanks to YouTube was a bad thing. However, with it now being child's play to get your voice heard, well, there are some drawbacks to this. These days everyone is an armchair analyst and they've been going to town picking apart Sonic Forces, the subject of today's editorial. With each new bit of info that gets drop, more and more videos are hitting YouTube, most of them being negative. The latest cause for Sonic Forces being bad is the plethora of rings strewn about the levels we've seen thus far. 

Sonic Forces is doing what a number of modern platform games are doing these days and eliminating lives, so this  is one purpose they won't serve here. Rings do still function as a hit point, so if you get hit while you have rings on you, you won't die. What is different about losing rings in Sonic Forces, however, is that when you lose your rings, they are gone for good. Get hit and you won't be worrying about the rings you lost, you'll be worrying about finding some new ones. Damage boosting bosses will be a thing of the past, and depending on how challenging the boss fights in Forces are, losing rings could make boss encounters a lot more troublesome. 

Casino Forest, the latest level in Sonic Forces to be
revealed... and the reason for more complaints.

With rings being so plentiful or at least from the levels that we've seen so far, it looks like you won't be sweating bullets too often. Having played Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2 on the Game Gear, I can tell you with the utmost assurance that being a one hit point wonder in act 3 of those games really bites. Since lost rings can't be reclaimed anymore, having a huge assortment of them could be Sonic Team's way of negating the new ring loss system. 

Other complaints about Forces center around the level design in that, from what we've seen so far, the levels appear to be very linear. I don't think I will ever understand the obsession the Sonic fanbase has with non linear levels. Levels that are non linear are great and all but just because a level has linear level design, that doesn't automatically make it bad. On the opposite end, a level can have multiple paths and still be designed poorly. Sonic CD is a game that encourages exploration with multiple level paths but a number of that game's zones are so frustrating to go through because the level design is atrocious. Non linear level design is not an automatic win and you can have levels that use linear design and still be good levels.

You may have noticed I've used the words "so far" numerous times throughout this editorial because, well, you know, the game has not come out yet. We have not seen everything Forces has to offer, so it's more than a little eye rolling to see videos hit YouTube saying that Forces will suck, that rings ruin the game, or that it is objectively bad. Not only have we not seen every bit of the game, most people doing the griping haven't even done the most important thing: play the dang game. 

Forces pre-release situation reminds me a lot of Paper Mario: Color Splash, a game that got a ton of hate before it released because it resembled Paper Mario: Sticker Star, a game many consider the ruination of the Paper Mario series. It wasn't just that, though. Color Splash was yet another Paper Mario game that didn't look like The Thousand Year Door, what many consider the best Paper Mario game. Color Splash was not only gut bustingly funny, it was worlds better than Sticker Star. Sadly, some people still haven't played it because they decided to label the game as bad based off of what they saw.

At the end of the day, I can kind of understand why some fans are approaching Sonic Forces with a heavy degree of skepticism. There have been some huge stinkers in Sonic's 3D history and the last 3D Sonic game to be released, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric was compared to Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, one of, if not, the worst Sonic game of all time. As I said above, we haven't played the game yet and as I mentioned in a previous editorial, Sonic Forces is being developed by the same team that brought us Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, two of the best Sonic games (that critics and even some fans seem to have forgotten about all of a sudden). So instead of saying "X reason is why Sonic Forces is bad/ruined/awful" how about we wait until the game comes out, play it and then judge? Hoo boy, November 7th needs to hurry up and get here already. Not just because I'm really excited to play this game but because one way or another, all this pre-release criticism will end.

Samus' Triumphant 2D Return

If the general consensus is to be believed, Nintendo won 2017's E3. The Big N's presentation was the shortest of the bunch, showing games that will be released next year as well as this year. They also dropped the tactical nuke that is two, count 'em two Metroid games. Metroid Prime 4 is in development for the Switch and Metroid II: Return of Samus was at long last getting an overhaul in the form of Metroid: Samus Returns on the 3DS. September 15th has come and gone and I've spent some time with my special edition version of the game (that pixel key chain is so cute and I love the reversarable classic GB Metroid II cover). I hesitate to jump on the "Samus is finally back!" train because I don't think Other M deserves all the vitriol it gets and Federation Force was a harmless spinoff. Now if we're talking 2D or more appropriately, 2.5D, then yes, Samus is definitely back, baby.

One of the best things about a Metroid game is the world around you that you travel. Areas in Samus Returns all sport their own color palette, looking different from one another with detailed background and foreground imagery. Sometimes I can see creatures moving in the background as I'm making rounds and that makes me uneasy as I think they may attack me. Thus far, everything I've seen has been territorial, so I've adopted a "If it moves, kill it" mindset for this game. Thus far, no alien life forms in the background moving about have taken a swipe at me. At least, not yet.

We all know the federation troops that were sent to investigate SR388 are all dead, but the game is none too shy about showing you their corpses as you explore this hostile planet. Seriously, it looks like the locals and Metroids went to town on some of those poor saps. Their dead bodies are some of the first things you see when you arrive on SR388 and it serves as harsh reminder of what can happen to you if aren't on your feet at all times. The regular enemies hit hard, sure, but the Metroids are the true heavy hitters.

If you're unfamiliar with the Metroid series, saw the amiibos and thought Metroids were all cute, jelly, squishy things, well, you're both right and wrong. The jellyfish like appearance is their larva state. The bulk of the Metroids you encounter in Samus Returns are the mutated kind, prime nightmare fuel that look they stepped out of Alien movies. The Metroids are big and take a hit. They can take several of them, actually. Most of the game overs I've gotten have been at the hands of the numerous Metroid types. There are 40 of these freaks and if you wanna beat the game, you gotta kill 'em all. My first few hours, though, they were the ones killing me.

Samus Returns is the most I've died in a Metroid game probably since I first started playing the series in the early 1990s. Yet, despite all my deaths, I never wanted to give up or throw my 3DS in frustration. With every failure, I learned to get better with the free aim, when to counter and just improve overall. Metroid fights are now among some of my favorite parts of Samus Returns. The Metroids change up their attacks with different types and encounters. I found out the hard way that some can electrify entire platforms and some shoot lasers for big damage. When you get the patterns down, though, fighting these guys and ending the battle without damage feels frickin' great.

For all the time I spent playing the original Metroid II, I never did complete that game. I think I got down to 29 or so Metroids before I would always get lost due to so much of the areas looking similar and the lack of a map. Real shame, because as a kid, I loved Metroid II. Samus Returns has areas that all look different with surprisingly lush, detailed backgrounds. Some scenes sport pouring waterfalls, blazing infernos (yes, there are a number of hot spots) and plants that brighten up otherwise drab areas. Sure, Metroid games often have dreary environments but they can still have en interesting look about them and Samus Returns has that in spades. The areas in this game are so teeming with TLC that it was rare for me to realize that I was in a place that was a vastly touched up area from the original Metroid II. Samus Returns truly does feel like a brand new Metroid.

Samus Returns is a wonderful return to 2D form for Metroid (and for those that were soured on the past entries, a return to Metroid in general). Mercury Steam did a bang up job developing this game. I hope we get more 2D Metroid goodness and there should be little doubt towards them for handling future Metroid projects if given the opportunity. If you haven't picked up this game, what are you waiting for? Fulfill your duty and give Samus your support.

Favorite Tunes #198: The End of Summer

The leaves are changing color. Children have gone back to school and the temperature is starting to drop. Summer has ended and we are now officially in the fall season. Summer was a blast for me and while I am gonna miss some of that warmer weather, some of my most anticipated games are releasing in the next few months.

Solitude (Main Menu) - Tekken 7 (PS4, XBO, PC)

Supposedly, Tekken 7 is supposed to end all of the Mishima drama. Kind of a shame, really, but at least we see that Heihachi wasn't quite as bad as we thought. Tekken 7's soundtrack may be pretty loud in a lot of places but there are some good tracks in it. I find myself listening to Solitude, the game's main menu piece for a few minutes before jumping into battles. So peaceful.

The Last Dungeon (Version 2) - Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (PS4, NS, XBO, PC)

You begin your quest in the Dragon's Trap in an area called The Last Dungeon (ironic, no?) with a ton of hearts. By the dungeon's end, your reduced to one heart and you're no longer a member of the dominate species. Once you gain "access" to a few new forms you can return to the now destroyed Last Dungeon. There are some goodies to be found. Also, the music is a bumpin' arrangement of the original tune.

Rock It - Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4)

When I first played Crash Bandicoot 2 ages ago, I blazed through it, beating the game in two days. I wasn't going for 100% completion, I was just trying to see the ending. Playing the game via the excellent N. Sane Trilogy, I'm amazed I beat the game as fast as I did so many moon ago. Even if you aren't trying to get everything, the game still has some fiendish levels. The controls of the jet pack are also just as terrible in the remake as they were in the original. At least the music in the jet pack stages is really dang good.

Conflict of Dragons - Breath of Fire III (PS)

Released in Japan in 1997, Breath of Fire III made it's stateside debut in the summer of 1998. When so many titles were going the polygonal route, Breath of Fire III stuck to 2D sprites with environments that could be viewed in a 360 angel. The bright, upbeat visuals contrast a story line that can get quite dark. This track plays during one of the most gut punching boss fights.

Mech Monster - Rage Racer (PS)

In the summer of 2001, I spent quite a bit of time with Rage Racer. Between upgrading my numerous cars, time trial and going for golds, I probably spent the most time with Rage Racer than any other game in the Ridge Racer series. I'd love for Bandai Namco to make another entry in the style of Rage Racer. Mech Monster isn't my favorite Rage Racer tune (that honor goes to Industria), but it certainly is fun to rock round the track to.

End Of The Summer - Sonic Runners (Mobile)

I know the blue hedgehog has been featured quite a bit in Favorite Tunes lately, but his music is pretty boss so I don't think people will mind too much. The effort that was put into Sonic Runners music is nothing short of astounding. Tomoya Ohtani, served up a console style Sonic soundtrack for a mobile Sonic game and I cannot thank the man enough for putting so much TLC into it. Sonic Runners is no longer available so do yourself a favor and listen to this soundtrack when you can.

Favorite Tunes Database

Sonic Before the Sequel '12 Original Sound Track

Masato Nakamura, Jun Senoue, Richard Jacques, Tomoya Ohtani, Naofumi Hayata, Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Toki. These people are music writing geniuses, responsible for giving Sonic the Hedgehog and company some of the most soothing, rocking, head bopping music. Recently, another name was added to the ranks of Sonic music legends: Tee Lopes. The music he wrote for Sonic Mania has more than earned him a spot along side the Sonic music writing greats. Falk, Andy Tunstall, KgZ and Funk Fiction may not have had official gigs for writing Sonic music, but after hearing their work on Sonic Before the Sequel, I think SEGA would be wise to hire all of them or keep them in mind for future Sonic projects.

Sonic Before the Sequel is a fan game that released in 2011, playing very much like the Genesis 2D Sonic titles. While there are a plethora of Sonic fan games and ROM hacks out there, Before the Sequel easily rates among one of the best. However, I'm not here to talk about the game. No, I'm here to discuss the game's soundtrack, which is easily on par with official Sonic game soundtracks.

Before the Sequel may play like the Genesis Sonic games, but the music takes inspiration from both the classic and modern era of Sonic games. The result is a soundtrack that listens like a wonderful merging of both Sonic's musical worlds. There's a lot of funk on this soundtrack and it is super catchy. You'd think some of these tracks were written by Jun Senoue as some of the more guitar heavy tracks sound like they came from the Dreamcase games and beyond. Some tracks contain arrangements from official Sonic songs like You Can Do Anything and Hidden Palace and Sweet Mountain from Sonic CD, Sonic 2 and Sonic Colors respectively.

Being a fan game, the Sonic Before the Sequel '12 Original Sound Track is, like the game itself, a free download. I've been jamming out to this baby for over a week now and if you're one of the five Sonic fans that hasn't heard this soundtrack, you really should. Or even if you aren't a Sonic fan and just want some good tunes to listen to, this score comes highly recommended. Yes, I am super late to the party giving this soundtrack a write up. But hey, people are giving five and ten year old games reviews, so it should never be too late to gush over a splendid Sonic fan soundtrack. If you're still on the fence about giving this excellent soundtrack a download, I've embedded the entire soundtrack via YouTube below, but I'm certain that after a track or two, you'll want this (unless you're some kinda weirdo). Below that is a link to the soundtrack as well as the game.

Sonic Before the Sequel Game and Soundtrack Download

Favorite Tunes #197: To Be This Good Takes Ages

As I was going through the happening Studiopolis Zone Act 1 in Sonic Mania, I came across one of SEGA's old advertising slogans: To be this good takes Ages. Ages spelled backwards is, of course, SEGA. I've been wanting to do another SEGA focused Favorite Tunes for a while now and perhaps what I saw in Studiopolis was a sign. Get it? I'll jut let myself out.

Stardust Speedway Act 1 - Sonic Mania (PS4, NS, XBO, PC)

I'm not going to mince words: I hate Stardust Speedway. Outside of the killer music in both the JP/EUR and USA soundtrack and the Metal Sonic race, the zone is not fun to play in Sonic CD. Kind of a shame too, because I love the look of the zone. The Zone is a bit more tolerable in Sonic Mania, but I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed bouncing back and forth through those springs and tubes. Thanks to sexy beast Tee Lopes, the music for Stardust Speedway Act 1 is wonderful R&B that will melt your ears.

World 3 (Under the Ocean) - Super Monkey Ball 2 (GCN)

It is so nice of SEGA to give that speedy blue hedgehog and Yakuza attention but I'd love for my favorite monkeys to come back. You just don't know what fun and frustration feels like until you tilted a monkey encased in a ball to get him/her to the goal. If you owned a GameCube, the Super Monkey Ball titles were a must and blue boy isn't the only SEGA animal critter with sick beats.

Take Back - Galaxy Force II (ARC)

Galaxy Force II is on the Genesis but it doesn't hold a candle to the arcade version. The game uses SEGA's famous super scaler technology like Space Harrier, Super Hang-On and Out Run. If you want to check out a masterful port of the arcade version you can grab it off the 3DS eShop. But if you want it in physical for, pick up a copy of SEGA 3D Classics Collection on the 3DS. While you're shooting everything that moves you'll be jamming out to the game's catchy soundtrack.

Gigantic Fleet - Panzer Dragoon Orta (XB)

Do you like shooters? I like shooters. Scratch that, I love shooters. Flying around in a ship, shooting stuff down is cool and all how but how can you make that better? Riding on a dragoon, shooting stuff down. Toss in dragoons and you game is ten times cooler. It worked for Final Fantasy IV. I would love for SEGA to re-release Orta since I never got the chance to play it. If the music I've heard is any indication, I really missed out on something special.

VS. Metal Sonic (US ver.) Remix - Sonic Forces (PS4, XBO, NS, PC)

Sonic Forces is looking pretty legit with the tag team gameplay and the return of the boost formula. The game is looking to have a somewhat darker storyline with Eggman having succeeded in taking over the world. He's also brought back a few of Sonic's worst enemies like fan favorite, Metal Sonic. I enjoy the US soundtrack of Sonic CD and it's nice to see SEGA giving it more love. Hearing this Metal Sonic remix it making it harder to resist searching out more Sonic Forces music.

Last Wave - Out Run (ARC)

As is the case with Galaxy Force II, if you want to play an extremely good version of Out Run, you can find 3D Out Run on the 3DS eShop. Unfortunately, this one isn't bundled with a compilation of other SEGA titles. At least not yet. Out Run may only have a handful of tunes, but the quality over quantity is undeniably strong here.

Favorite Tunes Database

5 Games to Look Forward to Towards the End of 2017

With a little less than four months to go, 2017 is almost on the way out. We've been treated to titles great titles like Yakuza 0, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Blaster Master Zero, and Sonic Mania to name a few. It has been a fantastic year for gaming. But just because 2017 is nearly over doesn't mean we've seen every worthwhile game the year has to offer. There are plenty of titles coming out as 2017 draws to a close but these are five that really stand out to me.

01. Cuphead (XBO, PC)

I'm a sucker for games with a unique visual style. In a sea of games with gorgeous sprites, cel-shading and other jaw droppingly beautiful games, Cuphead still manages to stand out from the crowd. You've probably heard the phrase about how some games look like "a cartoon brought to life." Well, Cuphead is quite possibly the most cartoonish looking game on the planet, looking like old theatrical shorts. It's as if someone removed Mickey Mouse's head, replaced it with a cup, gave him a firearm and tossed him into an even more chaotic environment where everything wants to kill him. This old-school run and gun game is similar to Metal Slug but on a major acid trip. With that in mind, Cuphead is not for the gamer looking for a Sunday stroll. Those that don't mind a game that routinely kicks their teeth in will keep coming back for more. Shown off a few years ago, Cuphead will finally be releasing on September 29th.

02. Sonic Forces (XBO, PS4, NS, PC)

I love Sonic Mania but all this talk that it's "the first good Sonic game since 1994" is pure bull. There have been plenty of good Sonic games following the release of Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Two of the best ones were Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, released in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Sonic Forces has not only been in development for three years, the longest period for any Sonic game, but it is also being made by the same team that handled Colors and Generations. Forces will pit Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic and a custom character up against Eggman, the new baddie Infinite and slew of other bad news from Sonic's past in what is looking to be, story wise, a much darker Sonic game. For those that love the insane high speed thrills of Modern Sonic, the boost gameplay is making a return. 2D fans can get their fix with Classic Sonic's stages and there's also tag team stages, which pairs your avatar character with Modern Sonic. Sonic Forces' stages look fast and fun, the game looks amazing and from the music released so far, the soundtrack is sure to be another winner. Throw in a $40 price tag and you've got another Sonic game to be excited about. You can join the resistance on November 7th.

03. Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

There have been numerous fan remakes of Metroid II: Return of Samus over the years, but at long last, Nintendo is finally giving us an official remake of the game in the form of Metroid: Samus Returns. Not just Metroid II with a new coat of paint, Samus Returns will give Samus new abilities, new areas to explore and as well as a bit more story details that you won't have to look into a manual to explore, though the story of the game is as simple as it gets: Samus commits genocide to the Metroid species. One of the coolest things about the original Metroid II was that you had a set number of Metroids to hunt down. These weren't your garden variety extra terrestrials as each one you hunt down gets more violent and savage than the last and I cannot wait to see how the remake approaches every encounters with these nasty critters. Strap on your power suit and get ready for plenty of exploration and action this Friday when Metroid: Samus Returns hatches.

04. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (PS4, Vita, PC)

For those not in the know, the Danganronpa games are a series of visual novel murder mystery titles in a high school setting with very heavy anime influences. The game is split into two different types of play, school life and class trial. In school life you move around the school and advance the plot and learn more about your classmates. In class trial, the students openly discuss who the murderer could be. It is on you to look for inconsistencies with character's stories to piece together who the culprit is. It isn't a standard trial, however, as you'll use truth bullets to shoot down false statements and timed button presses to unlock the truth. New to Danganronpa V3 includes mass panic debate, in which finding the correct statement is tougher because characters talk over each other along with some new mini games to find the truth. You can get in on the anime style murder mystery on September 26th.


05. Super Mario Odyssey (NS)

In 2017 alone Nintendo has already launched some pretty heavy hitters for the Switch. Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2,  ARMS among them. And the Big N still isn't finished. Next month will mark the glorious return to sand box style Mario gameplay with Super Mario Odyssey. Mario is off on his biggest adventure yet, to stop the wedding of Bowser and Princess Peach. Joining him is his newest ally Capy, a sentient hat that when thrown, can give Mario the power to posses just about anything. You can take control of the citizens of New Donk City, a taxi and numerous enemies. You can even be a freaking T-rex! This is the kinda games that looks like it is dripping, gushing with fun all over and I am salivating to get my grubby, long fingered hands on it. Mark your calendars for October 27th, the day where we can at long last do the odyssey.

Favorite Tunes #196: Brought to You by the Letter S

Yes, yes, I am fully aware that this Favorite Tunes is up on a Sunday. The reason for this is because I already had a post made out for Saturday and I didn't want to do two posts in one day. So, the weekly selection of music got bumped to Sunday.

Swampy Caverns - Super Metroid (SNES)

Are you ready for Samus to jump back into action next Friday? I can't wait to pick up my copy of Metroid: Samus Returns and see just how much the game improves upon the original. I wouldn't mind seeing a remake of Super Metroid but many would make the argument that the game really doesn't need it. I find this piece of music to be chilling, yet relaxing.

Into the Thick of It - Secret of Mana (SNES)

In case you haven't heard, Secret of Mana is getting a much deserved remake that will release next year. The game was a SNES favorite of mine and it's nice to see it get included on the SNES Classic Edition. Pity that many probably won't be able to get their hands on one, but forget that noise and listen to this exquisite track. There are dozens of other greats in this wonderful game.

Ocean Palace - Sonic Heroes (GCN, PS2, XB, PC)

As I sit down to write out this week's Favorite Tunes, I realize that we've got quite a few games that begin with the letter S. I promise it was not intentional. Depending on whom you ask, Sonic Heroes is either a good entry in Sonic's 3D history or where things started to go off the rails. I really should put the game through it's paces some time. I heard the music a few years ago and wasn't really sold on it but gave it another listen and it has really grown on me.

The Poets I - Streets of Rage 3 (GEN)

The popular opinion is that Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2's soundtracks are better than Streets of Rage 3's. While I have to admit that I find the music of the first two games standing out in my mind more (though this is also due to the third game being needlessly tougher outside of Japan), Streets of Rage 3 still has fine music regardless. When I get around to making my Streets of Rage playlist, you'd best believe this track is getting a spot on the list.

Ground Scaravich Stage - Mega Man X6 (PS)

Mega Man X6 is a text book definition of a rushed game. It was released in 2001, the exact same year that Mega Man X5 was released. The translation is horrid, the story sucks and the level design is some of the worst in the entire Mega Man franchise, if not the worst. The one saving grace is the exceptional soundtrack. In spite of the repetitive nature of Ground Scaravich's level theme, I find myself liking this high energy tune a lot.

Mid Boss Mayhem - Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (NS)

When word got out that Mario would be doing a crossover game with the Rabbids, many were skeptical. These worries, however, were unwarranted because Mario + Rabbids turned out to be a very fun, inviting strategy game. Even if games in this genre aren't your bag, you should still check this game out. You're think hard, laugh out loud and really love Grant Kirkhope's music.

Favorite Tunes Database

Sonic Mania Deserves a Physical Release

Despite some of the criticisms I have towards the game (more reused zones than new ones, glitches, some cheap deaths), I greatly enjoy Sonic Mania. I've played through it multiple times and I've bought it twice, once on the PS4 and again for my recently purchased Switch. The game has been well received both by fans and critics. So the question on my and everyone else's mind is, why hasn't Sonic Mania gotten a physical release?

I've noticed a trend with 2D console Sonic games in recent years: they only get a digital release. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I and Episode II was released only digitally. While Sonic Mania fared much, much better than Sonic 4, it was still regulated to digital only status. However, SEGA did give Sonic Mania a pretty slick special edition release that costed three times that of the digital game. That Sonic statue and Genesis replica did cost SEGA money to make so it isn't as if expense of some kind was spared. Sonic Forces, which releases is November, is looking like its going to be a pretty solid game (in spite of Classic Sonic and Green Hill Zone returning for the millionth time) and it is getting a physical release.

It isn't like SEGA had no faith in Sonic Mania. They gave the game a lot of hype and attention before it released and the game has done tremendously well. I honestly can't fathom why SEGA wouldn't give such a highly praised and top selling game a physical release. Heck, they even went through the trouble of having insrtruction manuals for the game printed and given away at this year's SDCC event. These things now sell for insane prices online because people suck.

Shovel Knight, one of the best examples of why crowd funding isn't all bad, released digitally in 2014 and was a huge success for Yacht Club games. So much so that in 2015, they released a physical version of it, complete with a pretty beefy instruction manual. Buying games over again is hardly anything new and of course the fans went out and supported the physical release of Shovel Knight because they desperately wanted it for a long time. The demand for a physical copy of Sonic Mania is definitely there and I love for SEGA to package it with that manual. Come on and make it happen, SEGA.

Mama Luigi Reanimated Collab is Wonderful

Back in the late 1980s to early 1990s, DiC produced animated cartoons of the biggest gaming icon on the planet, Super Mario. These cartoons spanned Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. One of the most memorable episodes of Super Mario World, if not the most memorable was the episode titled Mama Luigi. In this episode, Luigi recalls to a bed time Yoshi how the two met. The entire episode has been reanimated  and uploaded on YouTube and it is something you must see. Over 200 people participated in helping recreate this episode. The result is a compilation of tons of different art styles playing with the original episode audio. The crew behind this collab did a bang up job. Do check it out.

Favorite Tunes #195: Flashback

Let's do the time warp. Flashback has returned to Favorite Tunes. If you aren't familiar with Flashback, this is where I post six tracks that were already mentioned in a past Favorite Tunes. Think of it as the obligatory recap episode of an anime series only in Favorite Tunes form.

Can't Come Back - Under Defeat (DC, PS3, 360)

This helicopter shoot 'em up with an awkward control scheme was first released on the Dreamcast in 2006. Under Defeat would later receive a HD re-release in 2012 on the PS3 in physical form and on the 360 in 2014 as a digital only title. The game's soundtrack, composed by Shinji Hosoe, is godlike. If you're interested in a physical copy, they tend to be pricey.

Spagonia Rooftop Run Night - Sonic Unleashed (PS2, PS3, Wii, 360)

With Sonic Mania being so well received, bashing any Sonic game that isn't classic 2D has once again become all too common place. It has it's faults, but Sonic Unleashed is a 3D Sonic that I don't find myself hating. The Werehog sections, the most highly criticized aspect of the game does have highly repetitive combat to be sure, but not enough for me to write it off as bad. The music of Sonic Unleashed is among some of the finest in the entire series. If only that dang Werehog fight music didn't interrupt the level themes so often.

Lethal Strike -Final Fantasy Legend II (GB)

If you've played a Final Fantasy Legend title and thought to yourself "This feels mighty different from the other Final Fantasy titles," you're not wrong. Originally games in the SaGa line in Japan, all three GB SaGa games were released under the Final Fantasy Legend label outside of the Land of the Rising Sun. Kenji Ito and Nobuo Uematsu really gave the GB soundchip a workout when writing the music for this game. If you're looking for some standout GB chiptunes, you're in the right place with this one.

Take It! - Auto Modellista (PS2, GCN, XB)

It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when Capcom was once much better company than they are today. They were known for more than fighters and Resident Evil titles and Monster Rancher. The company was willing to experiment to a much greater degree than they do now with titles like Viewtiful Joe and Auto Modellista. Auto Modellista didn't set the world on fire but the game had stunning cel shaded visuals and some kickin' tunes.

Cold Pipe - Street Fighter EX+ Alpha (PS)

The EX series is the oddball of the Street Fighter titles, often viewed as an inferior set of side games when compared to the classic II line and III games. They aren't perfect but 3D Street Fighter could certainly be a lot worse. EX games were co-developed by Arika and they own the non Capcom characters. I'd about given up on seeing Skullomania and the gang but Arika surprised us all this year with the reveal of Fighting EX Layer. The EX games have some outstanding music the the PS version of EX's soundtrack easily surpassing it's arcade counterpart.

Betilla the Fairy - Rayman (Multi)

At a time where so many games were going from sprites to polygons, Rayman was released with some of the best sprite based visuals on any platform, resulting in a game that, over 20 years later, still looks dang good. Rayman is also really freaking hard, like so much harder than Origins, Legends and a lot of other platformers out today hard.

Favorite Tunes Database

It is Perfectly Fine to Be Excited for Sonic Forces

You know what game I'm looking forward to? I mean, yes, of course I'm very hyped for Super Mario Odyssey and I have been ever since Nintendo showed off that amazing second trailer of the game. But besides that, and other titles, I'm excited to get my hands on Sonic Forces. I can already see more than a few people raising their eyebrows in disbelief.

The game hasn't even been released yet and already there are videos on YouTube about how Sonic Forces needs to be fixed as well as a very controversial one from Nintendo Life that has since been removed.

Sonic Forces had the misfortune of being revealed at the same time Sonic Mania was. Where as Sonic Mania's reveal was met with universal thunderous applause, Sonic Forces wasn't so lucky. Sure, you've got people excited about it, but not as much as Sonic Mania. Sonic Mania is a 2D Sonic game that looks like it was made during the Genesis era, often seen as the peak of Sonic's gaming career. Sonic Forces is a 3D Sonic game and as we all know, there are some pretty big stinkers in the 3D Sonic era. Sadly, those bad eggs  are often overshadow the decent to truly great 3D Sonic titles.

Original Sonic characters get criticized heavily, often taking a lot of the blame for being one of the worst parts of the Sonic fanbase. Having said that, I am really excited about the custom character option in Sonic Forces. One of favorite things about Tekken 7 is all the cool clothing and accessories you can outfit the cast with. I'll probably spend a good ten to fifteen minutes deciding just how I want my Sonic Forces OC to look. I'm looking forward to seeing what other players come up with. Besides, OCs get a grappling hook!

It isn't hard to see why people got so hyped up for Sonic Mania. Not only does it play like the 2D Sonics from '90s, the development team behind the game, Christian White Head, Head Canon and Pagoda West Games, have experience with exceptionally good Sonic Rom hacks. Christian Whitehead was also responsible for those excellent Sonic 1-2 and CD mobile remakes. Sonic Mania being a stellar game was pretty much a safe beat from the start. Sonic Forces is being developed by the team that made Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, two of the best Sonic games that so many critics often forget about. I admit that I was skeptical about Sonic Forces at first but after the OC character reveal, the tag team feature reveal and seeing more footage, Sonic Forces is looking like it could be a very good Sonic title. Sonic Mania may not be the only Sonic title that gets a spot on my list of best games of 2017.