A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 10: Frosty Village

Diddy Kong Racing. Not gonna lie, I've only played this game a few times in my life; I never caught on to the party game scene back then, I was more of a single-player adventure kinda guy. As such, my experience with this game is restricted to the times my friends came over and brought it with them. Still, it's a great game in hindsight, with rich visuals and even better music. Exhibit A is Frosty Village, which draws heavy inspiration from the popular song Winter Wonderland.

Frosty Village is very bouncy and cheerful, fitting in both that it's that magical time of year and songs like this are generally very upbeat, and that the game itself is conducive to gathering a bunch of friends and having fun. It works on both fronts, the hours of the day just flying by in the warm embrace of your living room. Before you know it, it's time for bed, and Christmas is another day closer.

A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 9: Snow Mountain

Nearing the home stretch in our winter VGM collection, we have the iconic Snow Mountain, from Super Mario 64. I don't think I need to sing Koji Kondo's praises when it comes to music as it speaks for itself really, but this is a Christmas list and it belongs here in any event. Sure enough, in a game with as many hits as it does, Snow Mountain manages to stand out among the pack, which speaks volumes in its own right, but when combined with a game of this caliber it makes for an unforgettable experience.

The song itself is a holiday take on the game's main theme. Lots of atmospheric touches like jingle bells keep it in character, and the melody is a catchy and memorable one. Great stuff, but it's not like it had to try very hard to do its job; the game itself had that covered. Unlike many entries on the list, this one is celebratory, cheerful, and doesn't need to tell a story. It's just about having a good time, and isn't that what Mario games are all about?

A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 8: Ice Caverns

Next up we have Final Fantasy IX's Ice Caverns, more of a silly song than anything but nonetheless fitting of the season. Nobuo Uematsu is renowned the world over for many of his works and compositions, but Final Fantasy IX is not exactly chief among them. Still, when Zidane and company escape the Petrified Woods and--out of the frying pan and into the freezer--venture into the Ice Caverns, it's a suitable piece of music.

Mostly relying on its minimalistic approach, the song is slow-paced and full of character. Through its use of bells, triangles and even dead silence, it's almost as if you can feel the chill of the caverns Zidane and the gang are exploring. There are several complete pauses throughout the song as well, taking the time to fully convey each idea before moving on to the next.

Not my favorite Final Fantasy, not my favorite soundtrack, but hey! It's got Vivi in it!

A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 7: Another Winter

Moving into our latter half of the list, we have Anamanaguchi's Another Winter, from Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World: The Game. The snowy streets of Toronto, Canada come alive with the band's signature mix of rock and chiptunes, and for a source like Scott Pilgrim I don't think there could have been a better group for the job.

Characteristic of most side-scrolling beat 'em ups, Another Winter cuts to the chase with its consistent bassline and retro melody. The guitar, drums and chiptunes really capture that blend of old and new that the game itself is embodying, and it matches the Scott Pilgrim vibe just as well. It's something you can easily pound the shit out of your enemies to, which is really all you're going for in a stage 1 theme to a beat 'em up.

A Psychotic Little Christmas - Alec's Seasonal Shopping Guide - #9: Pokémon Black and White

So, did anyone guess my hint? I didn’t think so. Because it was a pretty dumb hint at that. Skinny was supposed to be referring to skin colors, and skin colors are usually black or white. Now do you know where I’m going with this? I knew it. It’s pretty obvious when you think about it. I obviously meant Pokemon Black and White. It was obvious all along, wasn’t it?

So now it’s 10 days until Christmas. We’re reaching the final stretch! It’s so close...there’s so much you can do in 10 days. ...I can’t think of any examples off the top of my head, but just keep in mind there’s a ton you can do in 10 days.

 

 
So now we have Pokemon. Pokemon is fun. Pokemon is glorious. I love Pokemon. Pokemon is what makes the world go round. Without Pokemon, we have nothing. Anybody who doesn’t like Pokemon is bad and should feel bad (looking at you, Crybos).

After five generations of Pokemon, what makes Black and White so spectacular? It’s the fact that the same gameplay from the very first games is still around. Why mess with something that’s brilliant? So, Gamefreak decided to redo the first generation’s gameplay, just adding a bit more and more each time (and then they literally decided to redo the first generation, 3 times, but that’s a different story). And you know what? It’s still amazing.

This game takes place in the Unova region. There’s a hundred and some new Pokemon, and it’s going to be great! This game does something different that the others don’t, though. It forces you to only use the new Pokemon, until the end of the game. I think this is a good addition because you just can’t recycle your old teams again, but instead have to put thought into using only Unova Pokemon, and for a person who’s used to all the older Pokemon (like me), it’s kind of a difficult switch, making for a fun game experience.

 

The Unova Region

 
So, for Pokemon n00bs, you might be wondering why there are two different versions of the same game. There’s a kind of good reason for that (not really, the real reason is that Gamefreak just wants to steal all of your money), and that is that there’s different Pokemon in the different versions. There’s also some different towns, for example White has White Forest and Black has Black City.

So why should you get this game? Because Pokemon is fun! Well, if you like a relaxed RPG with a bit of strategy, I think this is your type of game. I know I love this game. I love Pokemon. So buy this. Or don’t. See if I care.

A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 6: Chrysanthemum in Winter

A DAY LATE BUT LETS PRETEND IT ISNT

Reaching the halfway point in the holiday VGM list, we have Chrysanthemum in Winter from Star Ocean: Till the End of Time; a game not as popular as your Marios and Zeldas, but deserving on this list nonetheless.

Fayt Leingod, just a normal guy on vacation with his friend and parents on the resort planet Hyda, faces a scary situation as the planet comes under attack. The citizens are evacuated onto a military ship in relatively quick fashion and everything seemed well, but the tragedy wasn't over, as even the ship comes under attack! His parents now missing, Fayt and his friend file into seperate escape pods and eject into the unknown.

Landing on the first planet he can, Fayt is perceived by the locals as a kind of higher being, possessing technology of a time far more advanced than theirs. After getting caught up in a string of circumstances with the residents of the town, he is located by a mysterious man named Cliff Fittir, who apparently had business with Fayt and had been following him since the Hyda incident. The two hop into Cliff's ship and leave the underdeveloped planet.

All is not well in space, as Cliff's ship comes under attack by the same people who attacked Hyda and the military ship! They crash-land on the planet Elicoor, and give themselves up to the local authorities, who presume they are enemy spies. After being busted out of prison by a mysterious woman from the opposing country, they leave the city through the sewers.

That is when this song starts playing; on some backwater planet a million miles from home, unsure of whether he'll ever see his parents again, and in the freezing cold of enemy territory, the song is both grim and atmospheric. It's a sad piece, but at the same time it manages to capture the essence of its setting and paint an audible picture, something I can commend in music.

A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 5: Ice Cap Zone (Act 1)

Aaaaand coming up next in the holiday VGM list, there's Ice Cap Zone from good ol' Sonic 3, Sega Genesis. One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite stages in one of my favorite games. While many can question the quality of the blue blur's escapades in and out of 3D, you simply cannot hold a candle to Sonic music, then and now; a feat that is doubly impressive considering the Genesis' sound library was kind of muddy and unattractive.

In any event, Ice Cap Zone. As Sonic iconically snowboards down the frosty mountain, it's as if the entire song starts at once; no beating around the bush here, Sonic games ain't about that shit. It's a fast-paced piece of music clearly meant to compliment the speed onscreen. And it clearly worked, too, because Sega's used the same musical formula for years without fail. Can't say the same about the actual GAMES, however.

With the mostly positive reception of Sonic Colors and more recently Sonic Generations, it's good to see that the little guy's back on track, though, and the music is better than ever. Does it capture the majesty of the classics like Ice Cap Zone music-wise, or the actual gameplay of the older games? No. But they're a hell of a lot better than '06.