Tetris 99: Battle Royal Has Changed

That February 13th Nintendo Direct was awesome. It was loaded with what looks to be some amazing games coming out later this year and very soon like Yoshi's Crafted World, Astral Plain and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. One very interesting reveal was that of a very different battle royal game that could arguably be considered a silver bullet to all current games in the battle royal genre: Tetris 99.

Tetris is a game that everybody has played. No matter how averse to playing video games someone might be, Tetris is a game that anyone, regardless of skill level, can get into. That's how accessible a game Tetris is. So giving it the battle royal treatment was a very smart move. It also shakes up Tetris considerably.

Like any game with an online multiplayer aspect, I was apprehensive to play Tetris 99. I have enough trouble warding off players more adept than I am in Splatoon 2. Tetris 99 pits you against 98 and you can be attacked at any time by multiple players so that's far more pressure for anyone to be under. And you better believe the stress is real in this game. You think Mr. X on your heels in Resident Evil 2 is panic-inducing? Puh-lease. When those garbage blocks are piled up and you've got multiple players gunning for you, and the music is kicking it into overdrive, you'll know true panic.

Tetris has also changed quite a bit over the years. Oh sure, the basic premise of dropping blacks to form lines and make them vanish remains the same. However, all the little additions to the Tetris formula make it quite different from the 1989 Game Boy game I spent so much time with. You can see multiple next pieces coming up to plan accordingly if you happen to be a very strategic player. One piece can be held for when you need to get out of a jam. T-spins are a term I first started hearing about two years ago and Tetris wizzards can pull it off with ease.

Tetris 99 is a wonderful addition to the long line of Tetris titles. It's also good for exposing players for the crappy Tetris players they are. You may think you are hot stuff at Tetris but a few rounds with Tetris 99 will show you just how outclassed you are. Tetris is a game that has been around far longer than a lot of other games. People have been dropping blocks since 1984 so that's a lot of time to improve one's skills on a game that is more than three decades old. Just as fighting games and Pokemon are played at a competitive level, so too is Tetris. I've no doubt several former Tetris champs have come out of retirement to show the kiddies how it's done in Tetris 99. Players like Wumbo have godlike skills. Then there are players like Tafo who can talk to his chat during streams and give advice while playing. That is particularly impressive because Tetris 99 is a game that requires the utmost concentration to play even a little well.

My very first game of Tetris 99, I reached 39th place. I was proud of myself because I expected to place far, far worse. This was on the day the game came out so I might have gotten lucky. Largtely, I think I got dropped into lobbies with the Tetris gods because I've been getting KO'd super early. Before doing this write up, I had a my worst game yet where I was taken out at 98. The best I've ever managed was 7th place and I haven't been able to perform that great since.

As stress inducing as Tetris 99 can be, it has forced me to come out of my Tetris comfort zone. If you aren't a player like Tafo and Wumbo, you cannot relax while playing this game. Playing a leisurely game of Tetris is best left for titles like the lovely Tetris Effect. If we get more free games like Tetris 99 for being subscribers to Nintendo Switch Online, this could help to improve the abysmal service. I'd like to take 1st placer in Tetris 99 at least once but I know it won't be easy.

Favorite Tunes #259: We Droppin' Blocks, Boys

And just like that, March is here. I'm looking forward to Yoshi's Crafted World at the end of this month as well as Final Fantasy VII finally landing on a Nintendo system. In the meantime, enjoy the latest music in this week's Favorite Tunes.

Main Theme - Tetris 99 (NS)

For a while, Tetris Battle Royal was a meme. Then, on the Wednseday of one fateful Nintendo Direct, the meme became a reality. It doesn't go by the name Tetris Battle Royal, but Tetris 99 may as well be called that, because that is exactly what it is. Facing off against 98 other players as this banger of a Tetris Type-A arrange music plays.

Lucca's Theme - Chrono Trigger (SNES)

Spoiler alert: I love Chrono Trigger. It has an easy to grasp time travel plot, a super cool battle system and one of the greatest soundtracks in any RPG. Yes, I know I sound like every other Chrono Trigger fan out there, but this is a game that is every bit worthy of the praise it has got. Luca's Theme was used as victory music in the sequel, Chrono Cross.

Trouble Brewing II (Code Name S.T.E.A.M.) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NS)

Remember Code Name S.T.E.A.M. on the 3DS? No? Yeah, I don't blame you. The game was got mixed reviews from critics and was a retail bomb both in Japan and America. Super Smash Bros. games have always been good at reminding people of games they may have forgotten about and bringing games to your attention through music. This remix is so good, I want to hunt down the original.

Mochi Yasan (Shop) - Downwell (iOS, AND, PC, PSV, PS4, NS)

I've got more to say about Downwell in the coming week. For now, all you need to know (those of you that have not played it) is that this $2.99 game is well worth the pocket change. It also has one of the best pieces of shop music I've ever heard.

Mystic Cave Zone (2 Player) - Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (GEN)

I'm sure you all remember Mystic Cave Zone. It is pretty infamous for having a spike pit that is pretty easy to fall into. Why it wasn't just made a bottomless pit is beyond me, but this was fixed for the Christian Whitehead remake. Falling down that pit will now take you to the Hidden Palace Zone, originally an unfinished Zone in the game. What's more, the zone uses the excellent 2 Player version of Mystic Cave Zone.

Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer BGM - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, NS)

You know what tomorrow is, don't you? March 3rd. The day the Switch was released as well as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Kinda hard to believe both the Switch and one of most critically acclaimed Zelda games are turning two years old. The music that was used during the Switch 2017 presentation of the Breath of the Wild segment sure is something, isn't it? Ryo Nagamatsu must have thought so because it got a killer arrangement for the Zelda stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #183: Wonder Wild Tetris

This is what we get for a subtitle when I'm really friggin' sleepy and I can't think of much. No doubt you've deduced that Tetris is a part of this week's Favorite Tunes but if you can guess the other two without going further, give yourself a cookie.

Dragon's Castle - Wonder Boy in Monster Land (ARC)

No doubt this theme will sound very familiar to Wonder Boy fans or new players that have played the recently released Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, which is a remake of Wonder Boy III. The arcade version of this theme sounds very NES-like, which certainly isn't a bad thing. Even the chiptune version of this song is tops.

Play throughly the Puyopuyo - Puyo Puyo Tetris (Multi)

What has been available in Japan for a few years now has finally been given an American release. Puyo Puyo Tetris is a wonderful fusion of the two games, containing loads of characters, combos and chains and super catchy music.

Lunar Colony - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS)

I have no idea what Nintendo was thinking with that weak sauce Battle mode in the original Mario Kart 8. Thankfully, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe includes a not only a battle mode with new, arena style courses, but even more ways to do battle outside of popping balloons like Shine Thief and Coin Runners. We even got some new beats to go with the new battle modes.

Hidden by Night (Lich Yard) - Shovel Knight Specter of Torment (Multi)

If there's one game that is reason enough not to give up on crowd funded titles, it is Shovel Knight. Released in 2014, the game continues to get new content and was even given a physical release in 2015. The latest of the new goods is Specter of Torment, a mode that lets us step into the soul of Specter Knight. You can download Specter of Torment seperately or grab the whole Shovel Knight package in Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, which also includes the Plague of Shadows DLC.

Shrine Battle - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, NS)

Compared to the ones roaming the sprawling overworld, the miniature Guardians aren't all that intimidating. Then come the Major Test of Strength shrines and the little guys get on a level close to that of the stalker variety. The really great thing about shrine fights? This sick theme!

Lab 1 (Double Dragon 2 - Mission 1) Double Dragon Neon (PS3, 360)

Double Dragon was a product of the 1980s so it made perfect since for Double Dragon Neon to reflect the era it was born out of. The music, especially was a major throwback, with a serious 1980s vibe, And I thought Mission 1 from Double Dragon 2 couldn't get any better.

Favorite Tunes Database

Tetris Ultimate or Why You Should Stick With an Older Version of Tetris

I'm not the biggest Tetris fan, but every now and then, I do like to throw down with the world's most famous puzzle game. Like many, my first encounter with Tetris was on the Game Boy and while I've played numerous other incarnations of Tetris, it has always remained a game I can come back to due to the brilliance in it's simplicity. Tetris is one of those games that can stand alongside Pong, Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. in gaming. Its one of those games that everyone has played.

There are some things that should be immune to sucking. Like, despite the best efforts to make the simplest of things suck, it should be impossible for the suckage to be so. But every now and then, the stars align and the unsuckable gets hit with the suck bat ad thus, mass suckery ensues. Some versions of Tetris are undoubtedly better than others but the idea of Tetris sucking is flat out inconceivable. Tetris, game about falling blocks that you use to make lines, is as basic a concept as it gets for a video game, so the mere thought that Tetris could suck is unfathomable. And yet somehow, Ubisoft has take a game and made what by all rights should be unsuckable suckable with Tetris Ultimate.

It may look decent now, but in motion, Tetris
Ultimate is an unplayable mess.

Tetris Ultimate may seem perfectly fine in screen shots by seeing the game in motion reveals that its a train wreck of a game. Picture if you will, frequent drops of frame rate in Tetris. What's that you say? There shouldn't be any frame dips in Tetris? You better your sweet booty, there shouldn't be! Dropping frame rates in Tetris? A game that was made in the mid 1980s on primitive hardware is struggling with frame rate issues on freaking high power HD consoles that is the PS4 and Xbox One? How the crap is that even possible?! Oh, but that's not all! Versus matches can somehow still continue even after the victory has been decided, skipping brought on by input lag that can cause blocks to fall in places you don't want to among other things makes Tetris Ultimate a nightmarish Tetris game.

Considering Tetris Ultimate has come from Ubisoft, I suppose no one should be too surprised. This, after all, is the company that loves to rush buggy games to launch and them patch them up when they should be more concerned about making sure the game is already running at an optimal level from the get go. But if they did that, I guess they wouldn't be Ubisoft, now would they? Even though Ubisoft had one easy task, they still manged to eff that up and in doing so, they did the unthinkable and made Tetris suck when such an act should be impossible. This is Tetris. TETRIS! Fro crying out loud, how do you royally screw that up?!

It may lack color, but at least it has better music
and is playable.

This whole deal would be funny if it weren't so pitiful but with Tetris Ultimate being such a crappy Tetris game, there is no reason whatsoever to invest in it, not just because Ubisoft turned out such an awful product. No, you also shouldn't give a rat's butt-ox because there are tons of superior versions of Tetris on every single machine that can run a video game. On NES, GB, PlayStation, Mac, PC, heck your phone can run a more competent version of Tetris than Tetris Ultimate, which are all much better options that you should pursue. Sure, the 3DS version is better than PS4 and XBO versions, but the presentation is still pretty drab and you could get far more enjoyable Tetris experiences elsewhere.

Favorite Tunes #107: Block Droppin' Beats

The puzzle gaming genre may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of games with good music. You certainly wouldn't want some sucky tunes playing as those blocks rose or fell, now would you?

Technotris - Super Tetris 3 (SFC)

Super Tetris and three of theme at that? It seems like everywhere I turn there's another version of Tetris I haven't heard of. Technotris was a track first used in Bullet-Proof Software's Famicom version of Tetris and has been arranged in numerous BPS Tetris titles since. Just type in the track title and you'll come across the Famicom original as well as a few remixes. It's a pretty memorable tune. The SNES version has some Russian flair and a sick bass line among other awesomeness. Technotris is a combination of the words techno and tetris. But you probably already knew that.

Exercise Mode - Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (GEN)

Back in the 1990s there were two drastically different animated versions of Sonic on American TV. The darker and edgier Sonic the Hedgehog, lovingly refered to as Sat AM Sonic, and the slapstick comedic Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog that aired on weekdays. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine used characters from the weekday morning Sonic cartoon and was a re-skin of the now defunct company Compile's Puyo Puyo franchise. The character's may be different from that of the Puyo Puyo games, but Mean Bean Machine does use the same music, or rather Mean Bean Machine versions of Puyo Puyo music.

Satan's Theme - Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary (DS, PS2, PSP, Wii)

Well, speak of the devil. Telling someone that you love Satan's Theme will probably get you some strange looks, but anyone that knows a lot about this series or has played any of 2 player matches in Mean Bean Machine will instantly know what you're talking about. One of Puyo Puyo's most popular pieces of music, the 15th anniversary game gave Satan quite the intense remix. Compile may be no more but the Puyo Puyo franchise continues to live on. Seldom does a Puyo Puyo game release outside of Japan, but at least the Japanese fanbase and import junkies can still get their fix.

Mayan - The New Tetris (N64)

What was new about The New Tetris? Instead of seeing just the next upcoming block, this game showed three, although if you wanted to be surprised, you could turn this off. You could also save one block in store and switch that block with a more desireable block. Being an N64 title, it also supported four player multiplayer. Add in a slick soundtrack and you've got yourself a pretty spiffy Tetris experience.

Hallucid - Tetrisphere (N64)

The standard Tetris formula is usually the way most Tetris players tend to go, but that doesn't mean you should dismiss a Tetris game that mixes things up. Playing Tetris or a rotating sphere changes the Tetris formula quite considerably but it's still a fun, addictive experience. Tetrisphere also boasts a fantastic techno-inspired soundtrack.

The Path You Travel - Meteos (DS)

One of the earliest games for DS, Meteos is still one of the handheld's best titles. Designed by Kirby and Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai, Meteos has you launching, well, Meteos by matching three or more vertically or horizontally before both screens get too cramped and it's game over. This is actually the menu music of all things and it sounds quite uplifting and inspiring, rather than the simple, catchy looping themes you get from most puzzle game menus.

Favorite Tunes Database

Summer Gaming: 1993

Summer is winding down. I haven't hammered out as many of these as I'd have liked to, but here's the third installment of Summer Gaming. This time, were taking it back to 1993.

Tetris (GB)

Lots of other gamers were exposed to this game in 1989. For me, I wouldn't touch the game for another four years. Tetris has the honor of being the first portable game I ever played. Largely viewed as one of the industry's first casual games, Tetris was quite a pack in game to just give away with the system and it ensured that the GB flew off the shelves. While it really wasn't the game I was dying to try out, it made for a nice diversion. I think the first time I played Tetris, I didn't even break 30 lines. I wouldn't appreciate the true beauty of Tetris until I I got older, though B-Type music immediately clicked with me, more so than A-Type.

Mega Man III (GB)

This is the GB game I coveted most. After reading all about it in Nintendo Power, it was THE reason I wanted to own a GB. Despite playing the NES version of Mega Man 3 countless times, I still had to have Mega Man III on the GB. The lack of color didn't deter me, nor did fighting familiar foes. Actually, playing Mega Man III on the GB was fresh and nostalgic at the same time. I no longer had an NES so Mega Man III served as sort of a remixed version of Mega Man 3 and 4. The levels weren't complete copy and paste works and the GB's sound chip gave some slightly new spins on favorite themes. I especaially was quite fond of the game's rendition of Snake Man's theme. I had to wait for my dad to get off of work so he could drive me up to Meijer to get this one. The wait nearly killed me, but when you're a kid, 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Mega Man III provided me with some of my fondest memories on the GB and was an excellent 12th birthday gift.

Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins (GB)

Mega Man III was all kinds of awesome and Tetris was nice to have around. But it was the 4th of July weekend and I was a new GB owner so I was always on the lookout for new titles to add to my collection. Before nightfall came and the fireworks began, I was in Meijer with my family and my mother gave me some cash to go get something. I cannot remember what it was, but she gave me enough moola to pick up the game that introduced the world to Wario, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins. By the time, I got my hands on it, it was about a year old, but I still remember that creepy commercial where Wario was trying to hypnotize the viewers. It sure left an impression on me, that's for sure. My mom was quite peeved when she found out I blew 30 bones on this game. I felt bad about it for about a minute. Then I heard the game's athletic themed and didn't give it much thought afterwords.

Despite not being a Miyamoto game, Super Mario Land 2 was no less a strange game. The game was packed with all sorts of oddball locals, each classified under zones, much like the Sonic series. Mario Zone was always an interesting place for me because it took place inside a giant Mario. The final level was actually the crotch, which was filled with, I kid you not, balls. This was also the only game to feature Rabbit Mario, which let Mario glide with a pair of, you guessed it, rabbit ears.

It was very easy to get lives in this game. In fact most of Super Mario Land 2 was quite easy. Right up until you reach Wario's castle. Holy crap. The difficulty spike here was completely unexpected especially since most of the game was a cakewalk. I've never actually beaten Super Mario Land 2 because of this stupidly hard final level.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (GG)

I wonder if my having a GB had anything to do with it, but my dad ended up plunking down some cash for a Game Gear during the summer. SEGA's big claim to fame for it's handheld was color and while it certainly looked nice, it sucked down batteries like a kid does Caprisuns. I think the six double A batteries my dad used for it on the first day died within two hours. Fortunately, he shopped smart and bought his with an AC adapter. My dad, bless his heart, let me play his GG whenever he wasn't using it and I treated it like it was my own.

Even I found the color of the GG attractive and more importantly it had some games that caught my eye, mainly the Sonic titles. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was a game he picked up the day he bought his GG and it was vastly different from the Genesis version. For one, Tails wasn't even playable and the usual green first level areas found in  Sonic 1 and 2 on the Genesis were 86'd in favor of what I think was my first experience of a mine cart level in the form of the Underground Zone. The big kick to the crotch was the third act. I made it through the first two acts with little trouble but Underground Zone Act 3 was my first brick wall, not only due to the boss and the screen limitations, but the fact that Act 3 contained no rings. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Lack of rings made what was already a frustrating battle far more difficult. As I progressed through the later zones, I caught on that each third act was ringless, which in turned forced me to get better at the game. 

So, provided you were alive and kicking at the time, what games were you playing during the summer of 1993?

Downloads #21

Tetris (GB)

It seems like most of my downloads these days are coming from being a Club Nintendo member but I'm not complaining. Maybe someday I'll grab some posters but for now, I'm content with digital downloads. Until February 10, Nintendo is offering the Game Boy classic, Tetris to Club Nintendo members for 150 coins. There are tons of different versions of Tetris one can obtain but the 1989 GB Tetris will always hold a special place in my heart. And for the record, B-Type music will always be better than A-Type music.

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.

Favorite Tunes #14: Arranged Themes

This installment of Favorite Tunes covers some of my fav arrangements of video game tracks. These arrangements are unique in that you won't hear any of them in the games from which they are based off of. Each track comes from an album.

Adrenalyne Kick (Hurry!) 

Final Fantasy VII has some of my least favorite music in the series, but on the whole, I still enjoyed the score. You end up hearing Hurry early on in the game and from there on out, it gets played numerous times throughout your quest. Hurry has been the name of a few tracks throughout the Final Fantasy series, but I honestly think FFVII managed to pull off the best version of it. This OverClocked Remix arrangement of it from the FFVII album Voices of the Lifestream is one of the few instances where I found the remix superior to the original.

Outride a Crisis -Mickey Arrange Ver.-

Super Hang-On is one of my favorite SEGA arcade games and I was very excited to see it get released on the Virtual Console. Like OutRun, you can select your music before you begin racing. You can choose from four songs but the one I pick the most is Outride a Crisis. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Hang-On series in 2007, Wave Master released the Super Hang-On 20th Anniversary Collection album. It contained the music from the arcade versions of Hang-On, Super Hang-On and arrangements for all four BGM race themes for Super Hang-On. It would have been nice if they included the Game Boy Advance version music of Super Hang-On from the Sega Arcade Gallery, but it still ended up being a fantastic album.

Remebrance ~Cammy Stage~

It took Capcom a few years, but they finally realized that they needed to add some more females to the roster in Street Fighter II. Cammy made her debut in Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers. She may not be as popular as Chun-Li, but she's always been a fan favorite and I absolutely LOVE her theme! This arrangement from the 1994 release Street Fighter II Alph-Lyra with Yuji Toriyama is but one of the finest remixes she's ever received.

Girls

Policenauts is game from famed game producer, Hideo Kojima. But unlike the Metal Gear series, this is one of those games that fewer gamers have played, which is a real shame. The theme Girls is extremly calming. This particular version comes from 1996 album Policenauts F/N. Policenauts did get an unofficial fan translated patch released in 2009 and the game can also be purchased on the Japanese PlayStation Network.

East Asia (Stage1)

I firmly believe that East Asia is one of the greatest first level themes from a video game. Manabu Namiki's scores awlays managed to impress me and I've heard numberous arrangements of this theme. But none of them come close to toping Yayushisa Watanabe's rendtion of it. Some beleive that when you stray too far from the source material, you ruin the song. In this case, I think going for a different feel paid off. Most remixes of this song play it safe. Watanabe opted for a different approach and I am ever so greatful for that. This song comes from the dodonpachi DAI-OU-JOU [arrange album] that released in 2009

Unleashing the Ogre

Ever wonder why Double Dragon II carried the subtitle "The Revenge"? That question gets anwsered pretty quickly. In the opening scene (in the arcade version), Billy's gilrfriend is gunned down. Harsh. For all the original Double Dragon did for gaming it hasn't aged very well at but Double Dragon II still holds up nicely. Titled after the game of the same name, Double Dragon II The Revenge contains no music from the actual arcade game, instead housing arranged music across the board. Though it was released in 1990, the quality of these arrangements is mighty impressive.

TECHNOTRIS

I have no clue why Diverse was always getting into fights but since the results of those versus matches were some sweet albums, who am I to complain? From Diverse vs 8bit, Technotris is a techno-infused version of one of the classic BGMs from Tetris.