Welcome to the LVLs. feature archive! In order to make it simpler to find a particular article, we’ve categorized all of our major features in chronological order from oldest to newest, and have now broken them up into handy headings. I hope this helps you find the particular piece you’re looking for! Enjoy!
LVLs.’ Virtual Console Recommendations
Virtual Console No-Shows: Bionic Commando (NES); Goldeneye 007 (N64); Third Party N64 Games Special; Crystalis (NES); Earthbound (SNES); Donkey Kong 64 (N64); The NES Games of Rare Special; TurboDuo Special; Dragon Warrior (NES); Contra (NES); Chrono Trigger (SNES); Jumpman (C64); Donkey Kong (Arcade); Super Mario All-Stars (SNES); The SNES and N64 Games of Rare Special; Harvest Moon 64 (N64); Duck Hunt (NES); Castlevania: Bloodlines (Genesis); Zillion (Master System); Yoshi’s Island (SNES); Mario Party (N64); Ducktales (NES); The Disney Games of Capcom Special; Mega Man X (SNES); Herzog Zwei (Genesis); Temple of Apshai (C64); Puzzle Bobble/Bust-A-Move! (NeoGeo); Mega Man 64 (N64); Star Fox (SNES); Tetris (NES); Golf (NES); Road Rash (Genesis); Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest (N64); Penguin Land (Master System); Final Fantasy III (SNES); Metal Gear (NES), Mario Bros. (Arcade), Resident Evil 2 (N64); Breath of Fire (SNES), Out Run (Arcade); Alisia Dragoon (Genesis), M.U.L.E. (C64); Time Cruise (TG16), Somer Assault (TG16); Power Blade (NES), Popeye (NES/Arcade), Pro Wrestling (NES); Batman (NES); Demon’s Crest (SNES), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (NES), Bomberman 64 (N64); Commodore 64 Spotlight; Stunt Race FX (SNES), Strider (Genesis), Smash Table Tennis (NES); Donkey Kong Jr. (Arcade), Punch-Out!! (Arcade); Soul Blazer (SNES), Mischief Makers (N64); Maniac Mansion (NES), Secret of Evermore (SNES); U.N. Squadron (SNES), Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (N64); Wario Blast and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan (both Game Boy); The Guardian Legend (NES), Nintendo World Cup (NES), James Bond 007 (Game Boy); Arcana (Super NES), Shantae (Game Boy Color); Gumshoe, To the Earth, Barker Bill’s Trick Shooting (all NES); Destiny of an Emperor (NES), Sonic CD (Sega CD); Lufia and the Fortress of Doom (SNES), Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES), Lufia: The Legend Returns (Game Boy Color); Mega Man 6 (NES), Twinkle Star Sprites (Neo Geo); Dragon Warrior II – IV (all NES); Karnov (NES), Hagane: The Final Conflict (SNES); Mighty Final Fight (NES), Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis), Blaster Master Boy (Game Boy); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES); Uniracers (SNES), Weaponlord (SNES); Strider (NES), Metal Walker (Game Boy Color); Contra Hard Corps (Genesis), Decap Attack (Genesis), The Final Fantasy Legend (Game Boy); Hyperzone (SNES), Kabuki: Quantum Fighter (NES), Revenge of the ‘Gator (Game Boy); Contra (Arcade); Devil World (NES); Little Nemo the Dream Master (NES), Golden Axe Warrior (Master System); The Goonies II (NES); Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Genesis); Pokemon Stadium (N64); Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf (NES); Shadowrun (SNES); Garou: Mark of the Wolves (NeoGeo); Trip World (Game Boy); Gargoyle’s Quest II (NES); Excitebike 64 (N64); Games Removed from the VC Special
Retro Comps: Pt 1 – Company-wide; Pt 2 – Franchise-specific
Dreamcast Anniversaries: 7 Ways The DC Was Ahead of Its Time; Reflections Pt. 1; Shenmue; Capcom Fighters Pt. 1: Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Marvel Vs. Capcom; Capcom Fighters Pt. 2 – Marvel Vs. Capcom 2; Official Dreamcast Magazine; Skies of Arcadia; Reflections Pt. 2; Capcom Fighters Pt. 3 – Power Stone, Tech Romancer, Street Fighter 3, Project Justice; Soul Calibur; Jet Grind Radio (TEi); Jet Grind Radio (Wildcat); Wildcat’s Favorite Intros; Song Highlights: Dreamcast 13th Anniversary Edition
Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary: Mario Before he was Super; Super Mario Bros.; Super Mario Bros. 2; Super Mario Spin-offs – NES Edition; Oddities – All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros.; Super Mario Bros. 3; Super Mario Land series; Super Mario Spin-offs – Game Boy Edition; Super Mario World; Super Mario Spin-offs – Super NES Edition; Oddities – Mario is Missing!; Mario on the Virtual Boy; Super Mario 64/SM64 DS; Oddities – Tetris Attack/Panel de Pon; Super Mario Imports; Super Mario Spin-offs – N64 Edition; Super Mario Spin-offs – Game Boy Advance Edition; Oddities – Hotel Mario; Super Mario Sunshine; New Super Mario Bros.; New Super Mario Bros. Wii; Super Mario Galaxy; Super Mario Spin-offs – Gamecube, DS and Wii Edition; Super Mario Galaxy 2; Wildcat’s Favorite Franchise – Super Mario
Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary: Nester’s Memories of Legend of Zelda; Wildcat’s Favorite Franchises – Legend of Zelda; The Music of Legend of Zelda
Sonic the Hedgehog 20th Anniversary: Nester’s Favorite Games – Sonic the Hedgehog 2; Nester’s Favorite Sonic Levels
Metroid 25th Anniversary: Metroid; Metroid II: Return of Samus; The Music of Metroid; Nester’s Favorite Games – Super Metroid; The Arsenal of Samus Aran: The Power Suit; The Music of Metroid; Super Metroid; Fan Art/Music Shoutouts #1, #2, #3, #4, #5; The Arsenal of Samus Aran: The Arm Cannon (Part 1); Metroid Fusion; The Arsenal of Samus Aran: The Arm Cannon (Part 2); Metroid Prime; Metroid Oddities/Wildcat’s Favorite Cameos Extravaganza; Metroid Prime 2 Echoes; Metroid Zero Mission
Genre Features: The Shoot-em-Up Legacy; The Beat-em-Up History; Level-based Fighting Games
Cultural Anxiety – The Early Separation of Japanese Anime and Culture from Video Games Abroad: Dragonball/Dragon Power (NES); Athena (NES, Arcade); Ikari Warriors (Arcade, NES), Crystalis (NES), Psycho Soldier (Arcade, C64); Blaster Master/Meta Fight (NES); Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior (NES); Super Mario Bros. 2/Dokidoki Panic/Super Mario USA (NES); Kid Niki: Radical Ninja/Kaiketsu Yanchamaru (NES, Arcade); Power Blade/Power Blazer (NES); Faria (NES); The Magic of Scheherazade/Arabian Night Scheherazade (NES); Casino Kid/100 Man Dollar Kid: Maboroshi no Teiou Hen (NES/Famicom); Tetris Attack/Panel de Pon (Super NES/Super Famicom); Final Fantasy/Fainaru Fantajī (NES/Famicom); Ghost Lion/White Lion Densetsu: Pyramid no Kanata ni (NES/Famicom); The Guardian Legend/Guardic Gaiden (NES/Famicom); Mickey Mousecapade/Mickey Mouse: Fushigi no Kuni do Daibouken (NES/Famicom); Demon Sword/Fudou Myouou Den (NES/Famicom); Bionic Commando/Top Secret: Hitler no Fukkatsu (NES/Famicom); Mega Man/Rockman 1 – 3 (NES/Famicom); Mega Man/Rockman 4 – 6 (NES/Famicom); Clash at Demonhead/Dengeki Big Bang! (NES/Famicom); Ultima: Exodus/Ultima: Kyoufu no Exodus (NES/Famicom); Amagon/Totsuzen! Macho Man (NES/Famicom); Trojan/Tatakai no Banka (NES/Famicom); Conquest of the Crystal Palace/Matendouji (NES/Famicom); Rygar/Argus no Senshi (NES/Famicom, Arcade); River City Ransom/Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari (NES/Famicom); Kirby’s Adventure/Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari
Famicom Females: Arkista’s Ring
Gaming TV from Yesteryear Archive
Song Highlights (prior to 11/2012): Mega Man 3, Silent Hill 3, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin; Beyond Good & Evil, Super Mario 64, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess; Castlevania, Super Metroid, Tales of Symphonia; Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Chrono Trigger, Skies of Arcadia, Secret of Mana; Age of Mythology, Persona 4, Kirby’s Adventure, Ducktales; Super Mario RPG, Fire Emblem, Super Ghouls N Ghosts, Power Blade; Portal, Contra, Phoenix Wright: Trials & Tribulations, Skies of Arcadia; Dragon Quest VIII, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Perfect Dark, Resident Evil 4; Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Legend of Zelda, Ogre Battle 64, A Boy & His Blob; Zoda’s Revenge: Startropics II, Super Mario Galaxy, Secret of Mana, Okami; Mario Kart 64, Mega Man 2, Body Harvest, Muramasa: The Demon Blade; Deus Ex, Contra, Blaster Master, Grandia II; Mario Special Edition; Skies of Arcadia Soundtrack; Metroid Prime, Prof. Layton and the Curious Village, Dragon Quest IX, Mega Man 3; Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Mega Man 5, Donkey Kong 64, Shadow Hearts: From the New World; Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Batman, Sonic CD, Project Justice; Red Dead Redemption, Jet Grind Radio, Silent Hill 3, Animal Crossing; Mega Man 3 Soundtrack; Bionic Commando, Banjo-Kazooie, Breath of Fire, Portal 2; Beyond Good & Evil Soundtrack; Diablo, Persona 4, Mega Man 6, Sly 2: Band of Thieves; The Music of Metroid; Super Mario Galaxy 2, Street Fighter II, Henry Hatsworth, M.U.L.E.; The Music of Legend of Zelda; Halloween – Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil 4, Secret of Mana, Banjo-Kazooie; Red Dead Redemption, Final Fantasy VI, Resident Evil 2, Monster Tale; Rayman Origins, King of Fighters ’99, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II; Marble Madness, Donkey Kong Country, F-Zero GX, Hotel Dusk: Room 215; Heroes of Might and Magic IV, Final Fantasy, Blast Corps, Street Fighter II; The Music from Hotel Dusk: Room 215; Xenoblade Chronicles, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Party, Rayman Origins; Dreamcast 13th Anniversary Edition: Grandia II, Jet Grind Radio, The Last Blade II, Resident Evil: Code Veronica
Song Highlights (post 11/2012): Uncharted 2; Xenoblade Chronicles; Banjo-Kazooie; The Last Story
Looking Back (* = with awards): 1983*; 1984*; 1985*; 1986*; 1987*; 1988*; 1989*; 1990*; 1991*; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004*; 2011*
Overrated vs. Underappreciated: Kingdom Hearts vs. Beyond Good & Evil; GTA: San Andreas vs. Second Sight; Zelda Edition; Odin Sphere vs. Elevator Action Returns; Shadow of the Colossus vs. Zack & Wiki; Dead or Alive 2 vs. N+; Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow vs. A Boy and his Blob; Persona 3 vs. Persona 4
Favorite Franchises: Metroid; Capcom Vs. Fighters; Legend of Zelda; Street Fighter; Super Mario; The Elder Scrolls; Dragon Quest; Castlevania
Awesome Enemy Encounters: Verdugo and Metroids; Ganon and Medusa Heads; Bowser and the G-Men; Final Boss of Portal and Metal King Slimes; Spider Queen and Reapers; Sniper Wolf and Freezies; Hitler/Master-D and Big Boss Bass; Edgar Ross and Phanto; Mother Brain and Cougars
Atrocious Enemy Encounters: Magaki and Cliff Racers; Mogenar and Loopers; Moe the Clown and Satyrs; Skedar King and Blue Drop; Chill Bully and Spiders; Monster Steve and Flea Men; Inferno and Imps; Metroid Zero Mission Final Boss and Guardians
Enemy Encounters Special: Halloween; Halloween 2011
Character Spotlight: Jade; Protoman; Vyse
Make or Break – Boiling Gaming’s Mechanics to its Essence: Voice Repetition; Tutorials
Tactics: Mega Man 3
Fantastic Fictional Females: Lina Inverse; Sam Puckett; The Women of Tales of Symphonia; Princess Zelda (Super Mario Super Show); Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender); Toph Bei Feng (Avatar: The Last Airbender); Princess Peach (Mario RPG’s)
Artistic Discussion: The Good and Bad of Gaming Box Art Archive
Misc. Features: MULE Retrospective; Epic-est of Webcomics
Reading Suggestions: Summer ’09; Fall ’09; Summer ’10
The Forgotten Beach Boys: Sunflower; Surf’s Up; Carl and the Passions – So Tough; Holland; The Beach Boys in Concert; Lullabies and Fairy Tales; Sentimental Stylings
Anime Sundays Archive – On hiatus
Saga of the Pride Lands: The Lion King; The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride; The Lion King 1 1/2
