Favorite Tunes #166: Vroom Vroom

This week's Favorite Tunes is kinda racing themed, but not 100%. You'll find a few tracks that don't have you getting into cars and listening tot he purring of engines. Anyhoo, enjoy the tunage.

Time Attack - SEGA GT 2002 (XB)

I wonder if SEGA will ever realize that they do have other racing IPs they can use that don't star a speedy blue hedgehog. Hey, I love Sonic as much as the next fun, but I wouldn't mind seeing Virtua Racing come back on SEGA GT. Jazzy racing music? Why yes, I'll have some, thank you.

Title - Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U)

Oh, Color Splash. You were hated so much before release because you resembled Sticker Star, a game the bulk of the Paper Mario fanbase despises with a fiery passion. But it turns it you're a pretty good game with tons of laugh out loud dialog and some truly splendid music. Not only do a I stop to look at the cute title screen intro, but the accompanying music is both catchy and charming.

Shake the Street - Turbo OutRun (ARC)

Other SEGA racers? Well, how about OutRun, probably the most famous one of the bunch. Of course you've also got OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, my favorite of the series as well as Turbo OutRun, which has sadly, not seen a re-release. Well, that is what I would say, but Turbo OutRun will be appearing on SEGA's 3D Fukkoku Archives 3, which is the Japanese eqivilent to SEGA 3D Classisc Collecrtion. Here's hoping for a stateside release.

K. Rool's Acid Punk - Donkey Kong Land (GB)

Think the Donkey Kong Country gameplay can't be captured on the GB? Think again. Not only that, but David Wise managed to pump out some killer beats. Some tracks are chiptune versions of the SNES themes, while others are original compositions.

FFVIII Circuit - Chocobo Racing (PS)

You say you didn't know there was a Chocobo racer? There certainly was. It was even released outside of Japan. You get plenty of cheerful, high energy music with this game and it's pretty good stuff. I think I may actually like this arrangement of Final Fantasy VIII's Don't Be Afraid (the normal battle theme) more than the original.

Rainbow Road - Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

It certainly isn't my favorite Mario Kart title (this is the game that gave the Spiny Shell it's OP status) but I wouldn't object if Nintendo did decide to revisit the two character kart gameplay. It actually took me some time to warm up to this theme. Upon some repeated listening, it grew on me. It combines the main theme of Double Dash with part of the theme of Mario Kart 64's Rainbow Road.

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Favorite Tunes #161: Paint the Town

This Favorite Tunes is a bit late. I was supposed to have this up on the 22nd, but I slacked off, time got away from me and I never got around to getting it up at the appointed time. To make amends, a bonus Favorite Tunes will be added later this week. For now, enjoy some beats from the latest entry in the Paper Mario series, Super Mario RPG, Rayman, Street Fighter III, Ape Escape, and Portal.

Sketchy Corner - Paper Mario Color Splash (Wii U)

Before Color Splash was even released, some fans already made up their minds that they hated the game because it took some aspects from Sticker Star. Having invested hours into Color Splash, I can say that it isn't the awful game so many make it appear to be. The writing is funny, the batlles, while on the easy side are fun, the HD visuals a marvel and the soundtrack is audio heaven. I almost regret getting the water wheel going in Port Prisma because once you do, this jazzy beat no longer plays.

Nimbus Land (Let's Do The Fooka-Fooka!) - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

While fans await for a *ahem* "proper" Paper Mario sequel (whatever that means), fans also wait and wait for a sequel to Super Mario RPG. With 20 years after the game's release, I think it could be safe to assume that a sequel to the SNES classic just ain't gonna happen. As much as I love that game, I'm perfectly fine with Nintendo carrying on RPGs with the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi titles.

Good Fighter (Ryu Stage) - Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact Giant Attack (ARC, DC)

Street Fighter III as a whole was a major shake up for the SF series. The majority of the cast from the SFII series was gone in favor of a lot of new faces. The soundtrack was also quite different with hip hop and jazz being the dominate music genre. I didn't get into the SFIII titles until 3rd Stike but I liked the new fighters and different style of music.

Specter Land ~ Flying Fortress - Ape Escape (PS)

The first PS game that needed to be played with the Dual Shock controller, Ape Escape put both analog sticks to good use as you took control of numerous inventions to capture the rambunctious monkeys. The game's vibrant, cheerful and atmospheric soundtrack is some of Soichi Terada's best work.

Still Alive - Portal (PC)

If you ever had reason to be suspicious of cake, look no further than the innovative PC game, Portal. Any gun that lets you turn the enemy into Swiss cheese in a second is cool and all but a portal gun? Now that's the bee's knee. Also cool is the end credits theme to the game, a song so famous even those that haven't played Portal (like me) have heard it.

Band Land - Rayman (Multi)

The limbless wonder was quite the thing in the mid to late 1990s. When every other platform hero under the sun was going 3D, Rayman was keeping it 2D and pretty, too. Even after all these years, the original Rayman still looks drop dead gorgeous.

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Favorite Tunes #133: Winter is Upon Us

The new year is well underway, and man, is it getting colder and colder outside. This Favorite Tunes is light on the winter themes, but not light on quality.

Ruins - Undertale (PC)

Odds are good that you've heard about Undertale whether you wanted to or not. This indie game has taken the gaming world by storm and it was all the work of one lone man, Toby Fox. He created the game, wrote the story, composed the music, the whole nine yards. Undertale's soundtrack is highly diverse and you can bet the farm this won't be the last time you hear me gush about it.

Instructions - Mega Man Zero 2 (GBA) 

After years of stealing the spotlight from the central character in the X series, Zero was finally given his own line of games in Mega Man Zero. Playing very much like the X games, Zero can dash and cling to walls. Also true to the heart of Mega Man, the Zero titles are ball bustingly difficult. Don't let the fact that the series is on the GBA lead you to believe these games have sub par music. Each entry has music that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Mizzter Blizzard - Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

This is another one of those games I own, but have yet to play, but I'm well aware that Sticker Star is often regarded as the worst Paper Mario game. Combat relies heavily on stickers and if you run out, well, you're screwed. Even the game's detractors will still praise the game's soundtrack. Mario games could use even more jazz during boss fights.

Volcano Valley Act 1 - Sonic 3D Blast (SAT ver.)

Fans of the older Sonic games from the 1990s that think Sonic could do no wrong suffer from selective memory. The classic Sonic era had quiet a few clunkers, with the cream of the crap being Sonic 3D Blast. The isometric gameplay didn't do Sonic any favors but at least we got some awesome music out of this one. The Genesis and Saturn versions have entirely different soundtracks. Both are quiet good but if I had to choose one over the other, the Saturn/PC version wins hands down. The sense of urgency in Volcano Valley Act 1 always gets me pumped.

Password - Mega Man X (SNES)

Much of Mega Man X is on the edgy side of things when compared to its Classic series counterpart. From the story, the characters, even the music has a much more hardcore flair to it. So its a little surprising to hear the game's Password music sound like something out of the Classic games. This is the most upbeat piece of music in the whole game. Not that this is a bad, thing, mind you. Quite the contrary. Passwords were only used for the first three X games and the first one is the best of the bunch.

Frost Dragon - Brave Fencer Musashi (PS)

There was actually a time where Square was known for more than just Final Fantasy. During their PS1 era, Sony's 32-bit machine was home to numerous releases such as Parasite Eve, Xenogears, Vagrant Story and Brave Fencer Musashi, a delightful action RPG that is in serious need of a digital re-release.

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