Favorite Tunes #191: Soy Sauce for Geese

Favorite Tunes on Sunday again? Yeah, buddy. This should be the last time you see this feature up on Sundays as I'm moving it back to Saturday this week. Anyway, we've got music from two Fire Emblem games, Bomberman 64 as well as two Street Fighter titles.

Comrades - Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA)

Sacred Stones was the second game in the long running Fire Emblem series to be released outside of Japan and is the eighth game in the mainline series. This excellent character recruitment theme was arranged in Super Smash Bros. Wii U and I've got it cranked up to play very often.

Staff Roll - Bomberman 64 (N64)

People often make the mistake of assuming a game is easy because it has a cute, childlike visual style. Bomberman certainly looks adorable in his first 64 bit outing, but this is a seriously challenging adventure. Even if you aren't going for 100% by getting all the gold cards, this game will beat you up over and over. If you are going for the best, true ending, then you've got some grueling final fights ahead of you. Sometimes a jovial staff roll theme at the end is one of the best rewards a game can give you.

Where the Wind Rustles - Fire Emblem Echoes -Shadows of Valentia- (3DS)

2017 is shaping up to be an excellent year for remakes. There's Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, the Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy as well as Fire Emblem Echoes, which is a remake of the Famicom/NES game, Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second game in the whole series, which was originally never released outside of Japan. Years ago I was exposed to this game's original chiptune soundtrack and I think it ranks among some of the best audio the NES has to offer. Having finally started my copy of Echoes, I like quite a bit of the remake's tunes. Where the Wind Rustles was always a top favorite of mine and it keeps the joyful march of the original while making it seem more grand with an orchestral performance. 

Cammy's Theme - Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers (NS)

If the upcoming Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite wasn't enough to give Capcom a higher place on fan's and critic's hate list, Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is another. What is essentially an updated version of 2008's Super Street Fighter II: Turbo HD Remix, Final Challengers has a $40 price tag attached to it, which is way too rich for a lot of people's blood. While a number of things in Final Challengers is questionable, I can't fault Capcom for the new arrangements. 

Rashid's Theme - Street Fighter V (PC, PS4)

Moving on from one controversial Street Fighter game to the next, Street Fighter V was released at full price with missing features like a story mode and arcade mode, the later being a fighting game staple and left many bewildered as to why it was not included from the get go. While hating on Capcom has become increasingly popular over the years, I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due. So I applaud Capcom for the new characters and sick beats SFV has to offer. I admit that I'm a bit late to to party with Rashid's jam, but I love.

Soy Sauce for Geese (Fateful Battle BGM 1) - King of Fighters XIV (PC, PS4)

Unless you've been living under a rock, you're well aware that Geese Howard, one of the poster boys for SNK bosses, is going to be joining the roster of Tekken 7 as DLC. With all the crazy outfit combos you can make in this game, I can't wait to see all the crazy get-ups players are going to dress him in.

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Favorite Tunes #174: Going Commando

Now that is a subtitle that is sure to raise some eyebrows. No,it isn't what you think but with one of the game's titles in this week's Favorite Tunes, I just couldn't resist.

Darius - Darius Twin (SNES)

My first entry to the Darius series, Darius Twin is certainly not the best Darius experience. Much of the enemies fly on screen and zip right out with not even much of an attempt to attack you. Still, there are worse shooters on the SNES and the music is't too shabby.

The Second Act - Tales of Phantasia (SNES)

The first American release of the Tales series was in the form of Tales of Destiny on the PS in 1998. Tales of Phantasia, the very first Tales game, wouldn't be released outside of Japan until 2006 on the GBA and unfortunately the music took a hit on the GBA hardware. It isn't awful, but the SNES version's music is just infinitely superior. The Second Act is the second overworld theme.

Sky, Ocean, and Earth - Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)

Originally released on the PS2 in 2005. Dragon Quest VIII was recently re-released on the 3DS with new features, one of the best being the elimination of random battles. If you missed out on the PS2 version, make sure you grab Dragon Quest VIII on the 3DS and enjoy the lengthy quest, memorable characters and wonderful soundtrack Koichi Sugiyama is to Dragon Quest as to Nobuo Uematsu is to Final Fantasy. The music may not sound as grandiose on the 3DS, but it still sounds pretty dang good.

Main Theme - Commando (ARC)

My first time playing Commando was on the Capcom Arcade Classics Collection on the PS2 and I could not get enough of the game's Main Theme, which is very militaristic but fitting given the nature of the game. Run, shoot, duck, toss grenades, and keep moving. It actually isn't as easy at it sounds.

Saxophone Under the Moon (YAGAMI TEAM BGM) - King of Fighters XIV (PS4)

I love me some jazz. I have yet to play King of Fighters XIV but if the game if the music is anything to go by, I think I'll really enjoy it. Besides, it has been years since I threw down with Iori and company and I'm looking forward to getting back in touch with the old gang.

Sirius Theme #1 (Friend or Foe) - Bomberman 64 (N64)

I am SO excited for Bomberman's return with Super Romberman R on the Nintendo Switch. As much as I can't wait to go online with fellow Bomberman players and blow stuff up, I am a bit intrigued as to what the single player mode will be like. Bomberman 64 had one of the most enjoyable (if at times, too overly challenging) single player modes in Bomberman's history while the multiplayer mode was lacking. I'm hoping Super Bomberman R can achieve a good balance.

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Favorite Tunes #157: The King Has Returned

Work was... um, something else last week, so I didn't get around to putting in the work on the blog that I'd have liked. Favorite Tunes and Remix of the Week as well as editorials were MIA. Since I won't be as swamped as I was the week before, I hope to get back on track. For this edition of Favorite Tunes, we've got music from the latest installment of The King of Fighters series, Chrono Trigger and the 1990s classic beat 'em up, Knights of the Round, to name half the list.

Survivors Under the Sky (Ikari Team) - The King of Fighters XIV (PS4)

So King of Fighters XIV recently dropped on the PS4. And the soundtrack? Soooooo goood! I really shouldn't be so surprised that the music is this incredible, but I'd honestly forgotten how good KoF music is. It's been years since I've played a game in this franchise but I've had this particularly theme playing in my head for days now,

Round 5 - Knights of the Round (ARC)

Like a lot of Capcom's arcade titles from the 80s and 90s, Knights of the Round received a home console port. The version of the game, I'm more familiar with is the arcade version since it was included on Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2. This three player beat 'em up allowed you to level up your warrior as you progress and its middle ages setting really helped it stand out from a lot of other games in the genre. The soundtrack is among the best done on the CPS-I hardware.

Grand Canyon - Rad Racer (NES)

Before Final Fantasy became much of what Square would be known for, the company had their hand in games other than RPGs, such as this quite good arcade style NES racing title, Rad Racer. The game even supported 3D and came with a pair of glasses. The catchy soundtrack was composed by Nobuo Uematsu. In Japan, Rad Racer was known as Highway Star and had a much more badawesome cover than the American and European box art.

Sealed Door - Chrono Trigger (SNES)

Time travel can be tricky business in any medium, be it comic book, movies, TV shows or literature. Thankfully Chrono Trigger's time hopping adventures are quite easy to follow. In the ruined era of 2300 A.D. Chrono and the gang come across a sealed area containing the Epoch, a time machine that allows the gang to travel to 1999 to prevent the current horrific future from ever coming to pass.

Book 2 - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)

Well, after that beautiful, but super depressing music we just heard, how about we cheer up with some Nintendo music? The Captain Toad levels from Super Mario 3D World were a nice change of pace from the platforming action. About a year later, the jumping impaired fungus and his lady friend, Toadette would get their own, charming, cute and delightfully fun game.

Marble Zone - Sonic the Hedgehog (GEN)

I often hear people complaining about Marble Zone because it slows down the pace of the game after the blistering speed that Green Hill Zone provided. To the people that think Sonic games are supposed to be all speed, Sonic titles are still platform games and that holds true for both the modern and classic titles. Marble Zone is light on it's puzzle elements but I'm perfectly fine with that. Move some blocks, break some blocks, avoid getting crushed and move along.

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Favorite Tunes #18: Fighting Themes

Two opponents enter the ring (or the street corner, or back alley. Why be picky?), only one leaves. The fighting genre is probably one of the most competitive scenes in gaming, if not the most competitive. I've been to a tournament or two, had some online matches but nothing as grand scale as something like EVO. Maybe someday. What's better than pounding the crap outta your opponent? Doing it to some sick beats. While I love me some Street Fighter, I've kept the number of tracks to that series to a minimum. Gotta show how diverse the genre is, ya know.

              Tetsuo Kato (Arrange) - Fighting Layer (ARC)

Developed by Akira (the chaps behind the Street Fighter EX series) and released in 1998 only in Japan, Fighting Layer is a 3D fighting game I've never played for obvious reasons. Regrettably, I can't tell you much about it. I can, however, tell you that the music to this game is sensational. The score was co-written by Takayuki Aihara and Ayako Saso, known for their renowned work on the Street Fighter EX soundtracks. The original Tetsuo Kato is a great theme on its own, but this will be one of those times where I'm gonna have to say that the arrange version trumps it.

              Sail Over the Storm - Soul Calibur (ARC, DC)

One of the first games I bought for my Dreamcast in the summer of 2001, Soul Calibur blew me away with its stunning visuals and deep fighting mechanics. If Donatello showed me that staffs could be good weapons, Kilik demonstrated just how deadly they could be. All of Soul Calibur's music is fantastic, but Sail Over the Storm is without question my favorite track from the game.

           Cafeteria - TMNT: Tournament Fighters (SNES)

When Street Fighter II dominated arcades and home fighters in the early 1990s, everyone and their mother wanted a piece of the action, including Konami. Their response to Capcom's fighting cash cow? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters. For crying out loud, there's even a jab at Street Fighter on the box art. As much as I love the Turtles, it didn't do much to make me forget about Ryu, Guile and the gang, but it was cool to see the green machines hashing it out in a fighter against Shredder and some others that sadly escape me. Since the game came from Konami, of course the music was awesome and to this day, I haven't met anyone that cannot say Cafeteria is awesome. Play this song during a cafeteria brawl and I guarantee it with be the best fight in the history of dinner brawls.

                   Guile Stage CPS II - Street Fighter II (ARC)

The fighting genre probably wouldn't have made so many leaps if not for Street Fighter II. Yeah, Capcom pretty much whores the series out these days, but there isn't a gamer that lived in the 1990s that doesn't look back on this game with nostalgia. Guile's theme is an audio masterpiece. I like a lot of versions of this theme, but the arcade CPS II incarnation is the best in my book. This song goes with anything. Anything. Just go to YouTube and type in "Guile's theme goes with everything" if you don't believe me.

              Mr. Karate - Nettou King of Fighters '96 (GB)

What's this? King of Fighters? On the Game Boy? Surly you jest. No jesting here. Yes, there were a few King of Fighters games released on the Nintendo's brick. None of them made it outside of Japan so that's probably why few people know of these games' existence. Despite the limitations of the Game Boy hardware, there was some good music in these pocket sized King of Fighters games. Nettou King of Fighters '96 gave Mr. Karate, an quick paced, drum pounding boss theme. With a name and theme like those, I would certainly not wanna screw with that guy. If you played rom hack Rockman No Constancy and wondered what the source of that killer boss theme was, wonder no longer.

             Kombat Tomb - Mortal Kombat II (SNES ver.)

Even with Mortal Kombat 9 being a smashing success (or Mortal Kombat as it's official called), many still contend that Mortal Kombat II is the best Kombat game. Like original 1992 Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II was ported to just about everything you can imagine. I played both the SNES and Genesis versions and found myself like the SNES music more, even over the arcade original. Despite the inferior hardware, the audio sounds a bit more fleshed out to me on the SNES.

       Blue Water Blue Sky - Guilty Gear X (ARC, DC, PS2)

Don't think a little girl carrying an anchor as a weapon is threatening? Think again. Think said girl will have some sweet and innocent theme as her background tune? Wrong again. Known for its rock soundtrack, May has one of the most well-loved themes in the Guilty Gear series. There have been a number of versions of Blue Water Blue Sky but I always find myself coming back to listen to the original.

     Multi-Man Melee 1 - Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)

Is Melee a fighter or not? Don't really care. All I know is that its a fine game, one of the best on the GameCube and a fine example of how to do a sequel. Melee expanded upon the formula of the original Super Smash Bros. added a ton of unlockable (I never did get every single trophy) and just made everything bigger and better in every conceivable way. This track is a rock arrangement of Melee's Main Theme. Thankfully, this song is also in the excellent sequel, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

                        Urban Sight - Tobal No. 1 (PSone)

Tobal No. 1 came from a time when Square Enix did more than RPGs. Actually this baby came years before the two companies merged. Developed by DreamFactory, this was more ambitious than other fighters at the time. In addition to the standard fighting, there was a fully 3D Quest mode. It fared well in Japan but not so much in America. Contributors to the game's soundtrack, which covers a wide range of genres include Kenji Ito, Yoko Shimomura, and Noriko Matsueda to name a few. Character designs were done by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. Tobal 2 never saw a release outside of Japan, much to fan's annoyance.

Without Hesitation - Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (ARC, PS2)

Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution is my favorite game in the Virtua Fighter series. With its incredibly deep three button fighting engine and a lengthy Quest mode the featured AI modeled after real Virtua Fighter players, the game offers something for everyone. The addition of Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary was also a lovely bonus. This game taught me the joy of bashing heads as Pai and customizing your fighter's look, which in this game as I saw countless other fighters, was serious business.