Favorite Tunes #233: An SNK Kinda Day

Looking for music from King of Fighters for last week's got me to listen to a whole lotta SNK jams. Seriously, I'd forgotten how awesome the music in SNK games are. This week's Favorite Tunes is filled with SNK songs from top to bottom.

Stage 1- Metal Slug (ARC, NG)

Despite the cartoonish look of the series, Metal Slug is known for it's harsh difficulty. Unlike Contra, special weapons run on limited ammo and getting a high prisoner bonus is tough because unless you're some kinda Metal Slug god, death is never too far behind. Nonetheless, these things have not stopped Metal Slug from being a favorite SNK franchise. Thanks to the re-releases via the Arcade Archives line, gamers of all ages can enjoy the first few Metal Slug entries.

Stage 3 - P.O.W. Prisoners of War (ARC)

With a name like Prisoners of War, you might be thinking the game is some kind of overhead shooter. Instead, this is a beat 'em up. Released in 1988, this title predates the Metal Slug and King of Fighters games that SNK is more famous for. Perhaps this will be included  as part of the SNK 40th Collection for the Switch set to release later this year.

Jungle Rhythm - Shock Troopers (ARC, NG)

Unlike P.O.W., this game actually is an overhead shooter and a pretty unique one at that. You get a ton of characters to choose from each with their own set of bombs, a beefy life meter and the option to go solo or a select from a team of three. Rolling makes you completely invunerable to enemy attacks and the eighty way shooting really helps set this apart from so may other games in this genre. If you're curious, you can grab Shock Troopers via Arcade Archives for chump change.

Entirely Breaker (Theme of Geon) - King of the Monsters (ARC, NG)

Who doesn't love rubber suited monsters raking up millions in property damage? Well, some don't but those people are weirdos. While some of you may be more familiar with this game on the SNES (that $650 price tag made sure that only five people owned a Neo Geo), the game originated in the arcades. If you're in the mood to play a game with monsters kicking the crap out of each other in sprite form, you're in the right place with King of the Monsters.

The Melting Point (Stage 4) - Last Resort (ARC, NG)

At first glance Last Resort may seem like an R-Type clone with the ship design and that pod that can be fired off. However, the similarities end there. Take Last Resort for a spin and you'll wish the pod in R-Type was as diverse as the one in SNK's shooter. If you've seen the anime Akira you may recognize a few pieces of scenery here in Last Resort as SNK blatantly ripped them off. I guess they were fans. Not only does Last Resort look stunning after more than 20 years later, the soundtrack is on point.

ESAKA (Japan Stage) - The King of Fighters '94 (ARC, NG)

While it may be vastly outclassed by the games that followed it, The King of Fighters '94 isn't automatically a bad game because of it. It is responsible for birthing the 3 member team system that has helped make the series so famous. It also pumped out a killer soundtrack that is still mighty impressive to this day. Among the stage themes from KOF '94, this is my favorite, hands down.

Favorite Tunes Database

My Favorite Video Game Box Art Part 1

This is something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. After seeing the videos that Happy Console Gamer and Alpha Omega Sin did, it gave me the push to finally go ahead and do mine. As I was working on this, I came to realize that I have a lot of video game box art that I really like. So this is Part 1 of a feature that I have absolutely no idea how many parts will be total.

Monster World IV

Released in 1994 on the Mega Drive in Japan and tragically denied American and European gamers until it was given a digital release on the Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Monster World IV is arguably the best game in the series. This beautiful clay sculpture cover is one of the best Genesis box covers I've ever seen. Considering all the great Japanese box art that the Genesis has, that's speaking in volumes. The chibi versions of Asha are a cute touch.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (American Version)

More fantastic Genesis box art. The American version's cover art for Sonic 2 may very well be my all-time favorite video game box art. I just love the way Sonic and Tails are standing there looking like coolest duo on the planet with Robotnik crushing the top of the "2" behind them.

Super Mario 64 (American Version)

Super Mario 64's American cover is actually pretty similar to it's Japanese counter part. But since the American and European Nintendo 64 boxes are horizontal instead of vertical, about half of the small planet Mario is flying around is missing. Still, I've always appreciated what Nintendo of America gave us. Like Super Mario World's box art, we see Mario with (what was at the time) a new power-up, in this case, the Wing Cap.

Final Fantasy VII (American Version)

You know how Japan used to get all the swell box art back in the day? Well that wasn't always the case. Final Fantasy VII's American box art is infinitely better than the original Japanese January 1997's release. The American version takes an image of one of FFVII's promotional posters and switches it up a bit with a white background. We've got main protagonist Cloud, Buster Sword in hand, staring at the Shin-Ra corporation. I'm betting he's all outta bubble gum so that only leaves him with one thing to do. Sure we can't see Cloud's feet, but that's still a pretty powerful image. By comparison, the Japanese version is pretty vanilla. How vanilla? Take a look for yourself.

Gunstar Heroes (Japanese Version)

Treasure's very first game is a good contender for the best action title for the Genesis. The Japanese version was given some gorgeous hand drawn artwork showing the main characters and five of the reoccurring bosses, including fan favorite Seven Force pilot, Green.

Street Fighter Alpha 2

The most famous of Street Fighter Alpha 2's covers. Akuma made his debut as a hidden character in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, but chronologically, this is the game where he showed up in the series' story. From the way he and Ryu are looking at each other, it looks like the ensuing fight is going to be vicious.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Japanese Version)

I do like the gold covers with the game logos that Nintendo of American gave us for the longest time, but I'd be lying if I said the Japanese versions weren't anything special. The image of Link getting ready to ride off on Epona with a towering flame in the background is miles better than a giant logo on the box.

X-Men vs. Street Fighter (Japanese Version)

I believe I've already mentioned how much I love hand drawn artwork. For the most part, Capcom has gone this route with most of their crossover fighters. Was I guess Wolverine Publicity was in full effect even in the late 1990s because there he is, front and center on the cover.

Mega Man 7 (Japanese Version)

Most Japanese Mega Man covers usually have the Blue Bomber with the faces of the Robot Masters of the game behind him looking all menacing. Rockman 7 continues this tradition, but this is by far my favorite Classic Mega Man box art. Keiji Inafune's art style had been improving greatly as the years went by and it's very apparent with this cover.

Final Fantasy VI (Japanese Version)

This won't be the first time you hear me gush over the astoundingly good artwork of Yoshitaka Amano. The man has a style unlike that of any other, one that is instantly recognizable. Amano has been involved with Final Fantasy from the series' humble beginnings designing characters, monsters, logos and even box art. The Japanese cover for Final Fantasy VI has Terra (Tina if you live in Japan) in Magitek Armor overlooking what I'm assuming is the Gesthalian Empire in Vector. Makes for quite the impressive image, don't you think? This is the PlayStation re-release cover, which is the same as the Japanese SNES version. The only difference is that the logo is on the bottom of the box. Enjoy a bigger, clean, wallpaper sized version of this cover, sans logo, here.

M.U.S.H.A. (American Version)

Part of the the now defunct Compile Aleste series, MUSHA is a fantastic shooter that places you in command of what I can only say is one of the sweetest looking mechs this side of Gundam. The Japanese box art is very anime-like, and I like it, but not nearly as much as I do the visual of the MUSHA with flames behind it. I guess you really can't go wrong with that type of picture.

Metal Slug 2

I never owned a Neo Geo (really, who did when the thing cost $650?) but I've since been able to play many of SNK Playmore's games via compilation releases. The Metal Slug tank may be slow but it sure beats being one-shot killed in a game where death is all around you. The heroes almost seem like they're busting from the cover, colored in blue shading against the red backdrop. Metal Slug X, the updated version of Metal Slug 2 is the better game, but I'd argue that Metal Slug 2 has the better box art.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (American Version)

There's a lot to love about the Mario & Luigi RPG games. Hilarious writing, fun characters, clever battle systems and of course, the oh-so-lovely hand drawn artwork. It's some of my favorite art from any Mario series. The game's big bad Cackeletta is present in the center but to the right and left are two of the game's most memorable characters, Prince Peasly and the guy with enough fury to last a lifetime, Fawful. All of this and Luigi's stripped socks, too!

Final Fantasy V (Japanese Version)

The first time I laid eyes on the box art for Final Fantasy V was in the final pages of a 1998 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. My adoration for the FF series had increased exponentially after finishing FFVII  and FFIV so I was dying to get my hands on FFV. Problem was, it wasn't available in English at the time. That didn't bother me too much, tough. Seeing Bartz staring off in the distance with Boco at his side made just made me want to play the game even more. Looking back at the image today and now having played through FFV two times, I know that Bartz is a wanderer so it looks like he just stopped to enjoy the scenery.

Part 2

Favorite Tunes #21: Misc Themes

I thought I'd do things a bit differently with this installment of Favorite Tunes. Instead of focusing on a particular music label, I'm picking a little bit of everything. There's music from fighting games, platformers, run 'n gun shooters, RPGs and racing games just to name a few.

Staff Roll - Marvel vs. Capcom (ARC, DC, PSone)

Your reward for finishing a game is hopefully a satisfying ending. Failing that, you should at least be treated to some spiffy end credits beats. I love the break in this song, where the horns come in. For my money, the original Marvel vs. Capcom has one of the best Staff Roll themes I've ever heard. We're talking top 10 easily.

Digital Terror - Tempest 2000 (Jaguar, PC, SAT, PSone)

Back in the days of GamingFM, one of the best songs I would frequently hear on the modern game station was a lively techo beat from Tempest 2000. The game is an excellent remake of what was already an excellent Atari game. You could play Digital Terror at a rave and I'm willing to bet that only a few people would know of the song's origin.

Battle 1 - Romancing SaGa (SNES)

I've never played the original Romancing SaGa as it was never released outside of Japan. Well, the Super Famicom version wasn't anyway. In 2005 an updated version was released in America for the PlayStation 2. Alas, I didn't play that version either. But I've always been a big fan of Kenji Ito's work and his scores on the Romancing SaGa trilogy are phenomenal. The first battle theme of the original Romancing SaGa is a highly engaging music piece. I honestly think it's one of the best battle themes to come out of a Square Enix game.

Splash Hill Zone Act 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I (WW, PSN, XBLA)

For all of it's fault, I honestly didn't think Sonic 4 Ep I was a bad game. In order to further make the game feel like a return to form, the audio sounds like it was made with Genesis instruments. Sure, the music wasn't Jun Senoue's best effort, but I wouldn't call it terrible. I feel in love with Act 1 of Splash Hill Zone's theme when I heard it.

Are You Descent? - Descent II (PC)

The original Descent has the dubious honor of being the first game to give me motion sickness. That's one of the things I'll always remember it for. The other thing is the 3D maze gameplay and the other is of course, the music. As good as the original Descent's music was, Descent 2 cranked it up a couple of notches.

No Turning Back - Mega Man 10 (WW, PSN, XBLA)

I'll go ahead and say it; I liked Mega Man 10 more than Mega Man 9. It felt like it was trying to be more of it's own game than another Mega Man 2. Proto Man actually being included in the story, Bass being playable and the Mega Man Killers made for some incredible bonus content. No Turning Back plays on the third Dr. Wily Stage. Against the Pressure (which plays in Dr. Wily Stage 2) is alright, but  I personally feel No Turning Back is a much better song.

Who Are You - Turbo OutRun (ARC ver.)

The original OutRun is one of my favorite old-school arcade racing games. Turbo OutRun is yet another game I've never played. But thanks to OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast's extensive music selection, I was able to hear it's glorious music. Even today, the complexity of Who Are You still amazes me. Being a track composed by the legendary Hiroshi Kawaguchi (often going by the name Hiro), it's quite lengthy.

Violent Breathing - Streets of Rage (GEN)

Many would argument that the first Streets of Rage isn't as good as the sequel that followed it. And it's an argument I really can't find fault with. This isn't to say the first Streets of Rage is a bad game because it certainly isn't. What no one will dispute is that the original Streets of Rage has some of the best music on the Genesis, nay, the 16-bit era, no scratch that, some of the best music in gaming. Yuzo Koshiro has shown us that with Violent Breathing, elevator music doesn't have to be dull in the slightest.

Livin' on the Deck -X- - Metal Slug X (ARC, NG, PSone)

Despite it's cartoonish looks, the Metal Slug games are notoriously difficult. Even for the seasoned gamer, making it through a stage without losing a life is no easy task. Metal Slug X is a modified version of Metal Slug 2. Among the differences from Metal Slug 2 are less slowdown, an increased difficulty and slightly altered music.

Haluci - The New Tetris (N64)

While four player Tetris may be common place these days in 1999, it was brand spanking new. The New Tetris on the N64 allowed you and three pals to play a unique version of what is arguably the world's most addictive puzzle game. Unlockable wonders of the world such as the Sphinx and Mayan temple gave you something to shoot for other than a high score. The score by Neil D. Voss is even better than his work on Tetrisphere and that soundtrack was nothing to scoff at.