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.

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Favorite Tunes #110: Days of SEGA Gone By

Oh, SEGA. You were once one of the greatest console manufactures in the business with some of the best first party software on the planet. Then you got out of the console game and became a third party, but you still cranked out some hits. Alas, you are now a shadow of your former self with the most we see from you being Sonic games with varying degrees of quality. I'd love to see the company return to form but until then, I can always look back on the glory days.

Main Theme - Space Harrier (ARC)

"Welcome to the fantasy zone. Get ready!" These were the words that welcomed players to the world of Space Harrier, SEGA's 1985 arcade shooter. Unlike most games of the genre at the time, there's no overhead perspective and you don't pilot a ship. You control a blonde gent armed with a huge cannon blasting away the bizarre creatures of Dragon Land. The game's main theme was composed by Hiroshi Kawaguchi, who is known for composing songs of a more lengthier, yet memorable variety.

North Crimson Wing (Track 5) - Hang On GP (SAT)

This game plays nothing like the arcade Super Hang-On and as such, feels like just another generic racing game. OK, so not every game listed in Favorite Tunes is gonna be a winner in the gameplay department but Favorite Tunes has always been about the audio and that's where Hang On GP shines. While Hang On GP was a console release, the music wouldn't at all feel out of place in one of SEGA's stand up arcade games. This isn't Hiro's work but Shirou Ioroi still does a commendable job. In Japan, this game is known as Hang On GP '95 and Hang On GP '96 in Europe.

Ancient Weapon 1 - Panzer Dragoon Orta (XB)

SEGA supported Micorsoft's first console with some great exclusives like Panzer Dragoon Orta. The Panzer Dragoon games were among the best on the Saturn and Orta was another fine entry in the rail shooter series, Among Orta's bonus content was an unlockable port of the original Panzer Dragoon game. You'd think this would be one of those titles SEGA would mine from their extensive back catalog and give it a digital release. You would think, anyway.

Sprinter - Super Hang-On (ARC)

What can I say, despite the the very short amount of games in the series, Hang-On music is undeniably awesome. But then, the music in Super Hang was done by Hiro so, one can expect nothing short of excellence. It's another long, complex musical piece with lots of twists and turns throughout. Sprinter is the probably the most famous Super Hang-On jam, second only to Outride a Crisis.

Long Distance - Monster World IV (GEN)

In 2012, Monster World IV, the pinnacle of the Wonder Boy series was at long last officially translated and given a digital release. It's filled with lots of dungeon crawling, some simplistic puzzles and lots and lots of solid platforming. The game's main them gets reused a lot but the way its done with each piece makes it so it doesn't grow wearisome.

Storm - Super Monkey Ball (GCN, PS2)

Welcome to the final ten floors of Super Monkey Ball's Expert difficulty. These floors will take the sanest gamer and reduce them to a gibberish-spouting lunatic. This rock theme is used on all ten floors to emphasis that monkey business is officially over.

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