VGM Saturdays Vol. 2 No. 004

I love me some lofi, so I've included two tracks this week along music from 2021's Cyber Shadow and SEGA's Fantasy Zone II among others.

Ridley - Tune in with Chewie 

This song was first heard in the 1994 mega classic, Super Metroid under the title Big Boss (no relation to the dude from the Metal Gear series). The theme would be so heavily associated with Ridley over the years that it would go on to become his theme with an arrangement of it playing during his reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This lofi remix turns the tense, fist pumping track into a more chill piece and it works really, really well. 

Apparitor, Pt 1 - Cyber Shadow (Multi)

Cyber Shadow is like the NES Ninja Gaiden games. Except there's way, way less cheap bull to keep you from rage quitting. The game can be tough but fair. I'm hoping for a physical release of this game but a year later and still no luck. 

Secret of the Forest - Pontus Hultgren - Beyond the Flow of Time: Music from Chrono Trigger

I've come across the music of Pontus Hultgren through his FINAL FANTASY VI arrangements. Eventually, the YouTube recommended section placed his Chrono Trigger album before me. Check out the rest of his music on Beyond the Flow of Time. It's nearly an hour's worth of Chrono Trigger arranged goodness.

FLY HIGH [RD.6] - Fantasy Zone II (AC)

Unlike some game companies (Nintendo), SEGA is quite good at making their music available on streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify. I would argue that they need to get more of their catalog out there, but some of the biggest names are already up, such as Out Run, Super Hang-On and a plethora of Fantasy Zone music. If you have a playlist for happy game music, be sure to add this track.

Power and Beats - Final Vendetta (Multi)

Despite the difficulty that I've heard it brings, Final Vendetta has been on my radar for some time now. The soundtrack is a banger and a half with this track oozing '90s sickness. 

Prologue - Curly - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

The usual hourly music you get in Animal Crossing games is, at first, absent during your first few days on your island in New Horizons. What music you do get is serviceable, but I could see how quickly it would grate on the nerves for other players. Curly managed to make a head bopping arrangement out of that music most player probably tired of hearing. It is the track that kicks off GameChops Nook & Chill and as much as I loathe Tom Nook, I can let the name of the album slide when the music is packing this much dope chill.

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Let's Discuss: Animal Crossing: New Horizons: More Hair Syles & Sitting

Image by MayorMori

Normally I catch the videos that Nintendo uploads on YouTube detailing the latest updates for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I didn't catch this one before the update went live so I did not know the full scope of what the new update would bring. Holy moly, this one is a doozy.

The latest addition to New Horizons is a slew of new reactions. We don't have to get them from villagers. Just go to the ADB machine at resident services and use your Nook Miles to get your new reactions. These new expressions are sure to be very big fan favorites. One allows us to do something players have been craving for months: the ability to sit. No, I don't mean on a sofa or a stool. The sit reaction lets you plop your cheeks down on the ground, much like your villagers do. So if you have ever wanted to sit with your villagers while they relax by the river or under a tree, we can now do so.

There are other reactions like waving goodbye so you don't have to use the greeting reaction for leaving now, though I'm sure some still will. Another one I am ever so grateful for being added is the selfie reaction. My favorite thing about CJ (other than him paying extra for my fish) was when he takes out his Nookphone and goes nuts. Now we can do that. Even better, our character's end it by holding a goofy smile. 

There are a plethora of extra slots for new reactions. Personally, I'm jazzed for the reaction that let's us sing. New Horizons went from 9 to 9.5 with this new update but when we can finally sing along to K.K. Metal with our villagers? 11/10, man.

As much as I am digging the slew of new reactions, the six new hairstyles are so, so, soooooo good. I'm a guy that shaves his head IRL so I don't think I need to fully get into how awesome it is to at last be bald in Animal Crossing. But, that afro? 

I never knew how much I wanted an afro in this game. I never knew how much I needed one. I mean, we've had afro's in Splatoon 2 for a long while. And yes, it does get affected by the hats you wear. Sometimes I lock to rock a hibiscus or some other accessory just to give the fro more glow. I've actually been rocking the afro hair for more than a week now. Would I do an afro IRL? Nope. I don't have the patience to keep it looking good. Which makes me appreciate how effortless it is to change hair styles in this game even more. If more hairstyles are to come in future updates, I'm all for it. That and an air guitar reaction. Then the game will be 13/10.

VGM Saturdays #285: 5 PM in Animal Crossing

No fancy intro this week. Enjoy the jams.

Earth (Minecraft Earth) (New Remix) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

Originally, I had planned to post Halland / Dalarnna as the first Minecraft arrangement from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was the song used in Steve's reveal trailer and it is a dang good song. But... well, just listen to Earth. The song sounds so freaking beautiful and is the kinda thing that restores your hope in humanity.

Adon Stage - Street Fighter Alpha (ARC)

Adon appeared in the original Street Fighter in 1987 but would become a playable character until the first Street Fighter Alpha in 1995. Sweet mercy, those guitars are working some serious overtime in this track!

Hey Cid! - FINAL FANTASY IV (SNES)

In FINAL FANTASY IV, numerous party members will come and go. Some awesome like Yang, and some super lame, like Edward. But no of them are Cid. Not only is he the engineer of Banon's Redwing airships, he's a tough old bird as well. This dude survived an explosion. He isn't quite Galuf tier, but as far as cool old guys go, Cid is more than OK.

Re-Boot! - Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection (PS4, XBO, NSW, PC)

Like the Classic and X series, the Zero/ZX series is available in easily accessible anthology releases a la a Legacy Collection. I would recommend getting Legacy Collection over hunting down the original carts since these come with extras and new features that make them more welcoming to new players. Plus, those old versions won't great you with this song every time you start them up.

Customization - Rivals of Aether (PC, NSW)

After delighting PC gamers for years, Rivals of Aether has finally come to the Switch and I can see what the fuss is all about. Rivals may be a Smash inspired game, but it is still it's own unique beast and it is taking me time to get used to the controls. What isn't taking time to adjust to is the music. This game's music immediately had me with this track. So dang, jazzy!

5 PM - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

This is the best song in New Horizons. This funky, laid back beat is the perfect jam for 5 in the evening. Unlike every other mainline game in the Animal Crossing series, you do not get the hourly music right away. Until the resident services building is completed, you are treated to the same song day in and day out. So the hourly songs are something of a reward. 5 PM is one of my favorite times to play New Horizons because running around my island to this song is love and life.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons JPN Box Art/Ad and Screens

Happy new year! We made it to 2020. I thought we'd kick off the new year with a post about a game I am very much looking forward to, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Sure, I don't have a wealth of stuff to talk about in this post and to any big Animal Crossing fans, they've more than likely seen this stuff already, but I am jazzed for this game and it has been six years since the last (proper) Animal Crossing title. If you're anything like me, this tidbit of material will have you licking your lips with anticipation and might make make the wait for the game a little more bearable. Or it could make the wait that much more difficult. As Mario would say, here we go.

First off, we've got a Japanese ad for New Horizons where Tom Shnook, Crook, Nook takes the stage to present the island where the game will take place to the residents. Among the animal crowd is everyone's favorite dog and mayor assistant, Isabelle. I would say that I miss her since I haven't touched New Leaf in forever, but I see her all the time in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Marshall was also in the audience. I had hoped to get him as a resident back in New Leaf but it was never meant to be. Here's hoping he shows up as an island resident for me in New Horizons.

The Japanese box art for New Horizons has also surfaced. North American box art for Animal Crossing games has matched the Japanese versions for nearly 20 years and outside of a logo change,  I have no reason to doubt the box art will be any different for this release. Every version I've come across on the interwebs has been blurry except for this one that was posted on reddit. It doesn't have the Nintendo Switch red and white logo in the top left corner but it is the cleanest image I've seen thus far, so I went with it.

Finally, we've got some new screen shots thanks to the folks at Nintendo Life. The simple, yet charming visual style that series is known for is still on display but the Switch makes the character models look a bit more crisp and sharp. That first image where the dude is staring at his phone when he's on an island surrounded by nature? Man, if that doesn't sum up how people are today, I don't know what does.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons launches March 20, 2020 on the Nintendo Switch and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.