SuperPhillip Central has a lot of articles about overlooked games. I feel it's my civic duty as a gamer to put the spotlight on those titles that have fallen through the cracks in the marketplace. This second edition of Most Overlooked Wii U Games is one that isn't just about those retail and physical under-sellers, as it also features plenty of Wii U eShop games as well. Join me on my second journey through the land of the most overlooked Wii U games. If you missed Part One of my adventure, look no further than this link.
With the announcement of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided yesterday, it seems like a smart time to talk about our first overlooked Wii U game. Just because the Wii U won't be seeing Mankind Divided doesn't mean that its predecessor which IS available on Wii U isn't worth playing. Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut very much is worth playing, and that's not just because it's one of the few Wii U games that masterfully utilizes the GamePad in clever ways. There are a multitude of methods to use while playing Human Revolution. Whether you're a fan of stealthily maneuvering your way through the game's world to avoid detection or alternately popping caps in enemy rear ends, Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut is set up to work with any play style.
It's safe to say that Nintendo somewhat botched the release of Wii Sports Club. It was originally released in multiple pieces digitally, with each sport being a separate download. There was the ability to try each sport for a 24 hour period, and then you could purchase a given sport for $10. However, I believe that this retail release should have been launched instead of the very complicated digital setup Nintendo went with. Hindsight is 20/20, though. Wii Sports Club has all five sports on a disc, featuring Wii MotionPlus for each sport and multiple modes. Unfortunately, at least in North America, even used copies of Wii Sports Club go well over the MSRP, so if you can find a relatively affordable copy, definitely jump on it and enjoy what the game has to offer.
A Metroid style puzzle game starring an immensely adorable baby chick, Toki Tori 2+ didn't set the Wii U eShop charts ablaze. Instead, it received a severely modest amount of downloads, especially when you consider the high quality and cleverness of the game. You have but a couple moves in your repertoire, tweeting and stomping, and the fun in this puzzle adventure game is using them to interact with the environments to figure out how to proceed further along. For example, tweeting as our lovable chick makes it so some platforms move towards you, allowing you the ability to cross what was once a chasm. These interactions with the world with just two abilities might sound like it's very limiting, but nothing could be further from the truth. Toki Tori 2+ is an ingenious puzzle game that very few Wii U owners took the time to play, much less download. It's a shame because the game is an incredibly clever adventure.
This next Wii U eShop game is one that came out of nowhere to surprise me. Spy Chameleon has you playing as the titular character in an overhead perspective. You must avoid detection by walking around the sights of cameras and security drones. However, your movement capabilities aren't the only method of avoiding detection. As chameleons are known to do, you can walk onto one of four colored floors and press a button to camouflage, successfully allowing cameras and security bots to pass over you without raising the alarm. It's a combination of quick movement and swift changing of colors to camouflage that makes getting through the myriad of levels in Spy Chameleon a true blast. Considering the game is very inexpensive, more people need to download Spy Chameleon and get their inner chameleon who just also happens to be a spy on.
Definitely one an atypical action platformer, Scram Kitty and His Buddy on Rails has you rolling and zipping along rails to traverse the game's levels. Levels consist of moving along these rails that serve as a means to leap off of to access new rails, heights, and hidden sections of levels that would otherwise be inaccessible to the player. Rails stretch, curve, and take players all through levels as they search for and collect missing kitties in this fast-paced platformer. Scram Kitty is definitely unlike any game out there, and my description does the game zero justice. Instead, take a look at this trailer to experience the pure chaos that is the gameplay. While the game didn't sell marvelously, Scram Kitty received a second chance with a PlayStation Vita version of the game. Now more people can experience the manic madness that is Scram Kitty and His Buddy on Rails.
Easter Sunday was yesterday, so it only makes sense to follow that up with a Monday edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs that features classic RPG and action-adventure games. Why does it make sense? Okay, you got me. It really doesn't. I was just looking for any excuse to bring out some nostalgia to SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. This week's list of games starts big with Chrono Trigger, continues with Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, moves on to Breath of Fire II, moves to the Sony side of the spectrum with Wild ARMs, and concludes with a heartfelt theme from Alundra. Let's get to the music!
One of the more popular party members to join Chrono's cause in the Super Nintendo RPG classic Chrono Trigger is Frog. His theme has a majestic sound to it, as well as a Far Eastern flavor. It's the perfect song to get ready for an epic battle against enemies both small and large!
Like you'll hear with the next VGM volume, Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest's Town of Forest gives a great sense of homeliness. It's a warm theme thanks to the warm synth that is played that invites you to stay in the safe boundaries of its town, chat with the locals, and upgrade your equipment.
This theme is played in the majority of towns in Breath of Fire II. It says something to the longevity of My Home Sweet Home that you can hear it so much (and you will hear it so much in the game) and still never grow tired of it. It's a theme that brings a sense of home and comfort every time it is heard in the rough and dangerous world of Breath of Fire II.
Wild ARMs is one of my favorite RPG soundtracks of all time. It is in the same league as Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy Tactics, Star Ocean: The Second Story, and Xenogears to me. Part of that is the myriad of memorable themes and leitmotifs that come from the soundtrack, including this familiar theme from Adlehyde Castle. Michiko Naruke did a fantastic job with this soundtrack.
A heavily piano-centric piece from Alundra, essentially Sony's response to The Legend of Zelda series, The Shrine of the Lake is a beautiful, magical piece of music that evokes an emotional feeling with its motif and accompaniment. Almost makes you want to relive Alundra if you've already played it, doesn't it? Heck, I'm going to relive it now!