SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "Gaming's Mount Rushmore" Edition

With today being President's Day here in the States, it seemed like the perfect occasion for a special themed edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. Just like how Mount Rushmore showcases four important presidents of United States history, this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs focuses on five video game characters that are more than worthy of being on the gaming equivalent of Mount Rushmore.

We begin with none other than Mario (but of course!) with Super Mario Sunshine. Then, we travel to the jungle with Donkey Kong's DK: King of Swing. Following the great gorilla is the Blue Bomber's ninth entry, Mega Man 9. Sonic the Hedgehog blazes onto the scene soon after with Sonic Riders, and Pac-Man invites us to wrap things up with a theme from the original Pac-Man World.

Click on the VGM volume name to hear the song represented, and as always, check out the VGM Database for every VGM ever showcased on this weekly SuperPhillip Central mainstay.

v1336. Super Mario Sunshine (GCN) - Vs. Boss

With word of the 3D Super Mario series returning to the Super Mario 64 sandbox style structure with Super Mario Odyssey on the Switch, why not take a look (and listen) back with a game of that style with Super Mario Sunshine? This theme played during many of the boss encounters in the game, such as Gelato Beach's battle with an increasingly angrier Wiggler.

v1337. DK: King of Swing (GBA) - Banana Bungalow

While not a game that many would think of when asked to name a great game starring Donkey Kong, the Game Boy Advance's DK: King of Swing may not be a typical platformer in the vein of Donkey Kong Country, but it's really good regardless. It has players using the GBA's shoulder buttons to serve as DK's hands, grabbing onto various pegs to navigate through the game's levels. The soundtrack is no masterful David Wise effort, but it's pretty catchy, as evident through this level theme.

v1338. Mega Man 9 (Multi) - Splash Woman

How could we not have a Mount Rushmore of gaming without Mega Man! Better yet, how could the Mega Man series go eight previous entries without a female robot master! Mega Man 9 finally introduced a robot master of the opposite sex with Splash Woman, and her stage music is one of my favorites from Mega Man 9, a game that I feel sort of overdid it with the spike traps. That's why it's not one of my most loved entries in the classic Mega Man series.

v1339. Sonic Riders (PS2, GCN, XBX) - Babylon Garden

Sonic the Hedgehog is known for his blazing speed, and sometimes he didn't even use his red and white sneakers to go fast. In the unique racer Sonic Riders, he used a board just like every other character-- perhaps to even the odds by imposing a handicap on himself? The soundtrack of the Sonic Riders games (all three of them-- though it's best to forget the Xbox 360 Kinect exclusive installment) are more electronic synth than anything else, quite atypical for the more rock-influenced soundtracks of the main 3D games.

v1340. Pac-Man World (PS1) - Buccaneer Beach

Pac-Man World for the original PlayStation was the 20th anniversary game for Namco's leading mascot, one of the most famous faces in video games, Pac-Man. The game saw Pac take a 3D platforming star role with a soundtrack composed entirely by Tommy Tallarico, a composer who has been in the business for quite some time, also starring on Reviews on the Run.