Favorite video game music

2.3k · January 16, 2009

To Zanarkand is perhaps not gag-inducing, but I do skip over that track. There are better ones on the soundtrack for sure. In particular, 'Wandering Flames' and the two forest themes. Those I can think of off the top of my head, but there are other good ones too.

Macalania Forest. <3

A shame it's heard so little in the actual game. I also really like "Besaid Island" for its simplicity. "Luca" is an interesting track too; one of Nakano's only interesting contributions to the soundtrack too.

January 16, 2009

Star Wars KOTOR series I must say has currently been where most of my attention has been drawn to lately.

1.5k · January 16, 2009

Chrono Trigger kicks donkey.

Exactly. I think there are several "essential" video game soundtracks that have yet to be mentioned. This list is not bad so far, but there are certainly games that need to be added.

I am going to make a post every once in a while of a different game soundtrack. I am going to post a little bit about it and a few of my favorite tracks from the score (youtube clips).

I shall start with Chrono Trigger just because it was mentioned and I quoted its mentioning. Chrono Trigger is a very well known game. I am sure I don't need to say too much about it cause you all know what it is. I will just say that it is an RPG for the SNES. The composers are Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu. Nobuo is a co-composer of the score, but he is more minimal. Mainly the score is accredited to Yasunori.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Chrono Trigger

One of the most epic, heroic, exciting, and memorable themes ever composed for a video game.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Peaceful Days

My heart cries. This brings back memories. It is beautiful; so peaceful.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Boss Battle 1

Perfect. This really gets you into the battle. Raises your heart rate.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Frog's Theme

Heroic. Properly heroic.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Lavos' Theme

Shocking. Huge. One of the most jerking themes for a bad dude I know of. Something that just makes you fear the appearance of the guy.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Battle with Magus

Ah! Who wants to mess with a dude that has a theme like this? The two part melody in this piece with the horn and then the flute is awesome. The rhythm is awesome.

Ok, now I start getting into the music in the game that makes me freak out about the music. These next tracks (and two or so previous ones) are the reason I think Chrono Trigger has the best music ever in any video game.

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Zeal Palace

This piece is so epic. It makes you feel just how much larger and much more powerful the Queen is and the Palace is. It is extremely omenous. You know something is going to happen and it is not good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q4hMofGZpM&feature=PlayList&p=F4A962609426A93B&index=54

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Sara's Theme

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Time of World Revolution

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - To Far Away Times

3.8k · January 16, 2009

Einh

January 17, 2009

How can you post Chrono Trigger links without these two:

YouTube - Chrono Trigger Music - Memories of Green

Those are the most nostalgic.

January 17, 2009

The "Wild Arms" series also has some good music .

Here are some beautiful pieces:

(my favourite!)

Skies of Arcadia is a great Dreamcast/Gamecube-Rpg with one of the best and most underrated videogame soundtracks ever! The whole ost is fantastic! Listen to these pieces:

(so simple but emotional!)

Sonic games have also some amazing soundtacks!

YouTube - Sonic Adventure Music - Welcome to Station Square

YouTube - Sonic Adventure Music - Azure Blue World (Emerald Coast)

3.5k · January 17, 2009

Okay, I've watched this thread enough, time for me to start putting stuff in here. If only because most of you seem hopelessly mired in the past. I consider myself lucky to be part of the transitional generation that's experienced both those classics that you've mentioned and all the new ones...I basically was around to witness the change live, which is pretty neat. What it means, though, is that I like to think I can appreciate both "periods" of game music.

Anyway, the reason I'm posting now is to acknowledge the wonders of that early music that you've all been posting and also mention some classics that came later which I feel are worthy of notice and therefore of a spot in this thread. I will not go in any particular order besides the order they come to my head in:

In the "old" game music period, the Castlevania and Zelda and Golden Sun series also need a strong mention. Some absolutely fantastic music to be had in all three — Golden Sun in particular did some amazing things with the Gameboy Advance's chipset.

Golden Sun Theme - Extended

Castlevania Series (fairly mediocre compilation of tunes from the series)

Moving along, there are a bunch of more recent games that have fantastic music. Since the OP started with some Soule, let me continue by mentioning the Guild Wars series, Morrowind/Oblivion (Elder Scrolls), and some non-fantasy titles including Total Annihilation, Supreme Commander, and Prey. All nice material.

Guild Wars: Eye of the North - "Tome of Rubicon"

Total Annihilation - "March Unto Death"

There's also the World of Warcraft music to take into account - some truly spectacular things in there:

WoW - "A Call to Arms"

WoW - "Stormwind City Theme"

Those two get a lot of concert performances, along with the main theme, but the whole soundtrack is really worth a listen....very well crafted fantasty music. Of course, no mention of fantasy music would be complete without Baldur's Gate (I & II) and the Diablo series. Baldur's Gate was one of the first game scores to be recorded with a real full orchestra, and Diablo had a certain unique sonic atmosphere that hasn't really been heard before or since:

Baldur's Gate II - Main Theme

Diablo - "Tristram"

Alright, so moving on from there, we need some good military game music from FPS's and such, which includes the Metal Gear series, Call of Duty, Gears of War, Medal of Honor, and one of the most underappreciated soundtracks ever: Killzone.

Call of Duty 3 - "Main Theme"

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Main Theme

Medal of Honor: European Assault - "Dogs of War"

Killzone - "Helghast March"

Call of Duty 3 remind anyone of Stargate Atlantis? It's because it's the same composer - Joel Goldsmith. Moving along, I need to mention two of my favourite game music composers — usally when working together — and that's Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan. They have a talent for doing unbelievably cool things with sound design and make very tasteful but intense use of electronics and manipulations with their orchestral sound. They've done work for Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Hellgate London, God of War, Jericho, and Haze.

Jericho - "Main Theme"

Dark Messiah - I don't remember the track name

Haze - "March of the Rebels"

Okay, so now I should also mention the music from some adventure games. Adventure games are funny things...they almost always have fantastic music, but they're becoming less and less popular, which I think is a huge shame. This is a big list, but the most notable is the iconic Myst series which has some brilliant music (especially III & IV). For those of you who think the Halo choral theme is great, I agree entirely with you....mind you, I also loved it in its original, un-"borrowed", form as the Myst IV theme:

Myst IV - "Main Theme"

Atlantis II - "Rainbow"

Syberia II - "Main Theme"

Anyway, more will come to me but I think that should be a decent starting list to get you guys transitioning into today's games as well. It's great to appreciate the classics, but I don't think ignoring modern game scores is a fair trade-off, so that's why I'm being the voice of today in this thread then. :P I have many many more, some more obscure than others, but I'm hoping they'll start being mentioned by other people too.

Yes, Chrono Trigger was fantastic, people, but let's remember that there's more to game music than JRPGs, mmmkay? ;)

1.5k · January 17, 2009

Marius beat me to a few video games. I particularly love Medal of Honor European Assault. I was going to quote that one eventually. It is seriously moving.

January 18, 2009

Most things by Jeremy Soule or Jack Wall. Inon Zur's pretty good too. Marius' post pretty much sums up my tastes.

Also, woot for Skies of Arcadia.

January 18, 2009

Marius - thank you for these excellent suggestions.

However, I have played only a few of those games - I imagine the reason why most people here haven't listed this game or that game (especially recent games) is simply because they haven't gotten around it playing it yet or aren't into a specific genre - and it's very difficult to be exposed to video game music unless you are actually playing the game!

January 18, 2009

Personally, I stopped really playing games many years ago. Now, when I get time to play, I don't play for very often and I prefer playing games that I remember enjoying a lot. So most of the music I like is from games that I play and most games that I play are older.

January 18, 2009

The Ending Music of Zelda: Twilight Princess is probably together with FinalfantasyVI's one my favourite VG-composition ever. enjoy!

YouTube - Zelda Twilight Princess Music - End Credits 1

YouTube - Zelda Twilight Princess Music - End Credits 2

January 18, 2009

Recently i've fallen head over heals for Kirby music. It sounds pink fluffyness in the n'th potence. *snort* Here's some:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HosvFxQPWrg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhQ1jCZhts8

YouTube - Green Greens (Melee) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

5.6k · January 19, 2009

Seconded wholeheartedly. Kirby ftw.

5.8k · January 19, 2009

Recently i've fallen head over heals for Kirby music. It sounds pink fluffyness in the n'th potence. *snort* Here's some:
YouTube - Kirby Music Evolution: Forest

YouTube - Kirby Music Evolution KA-KNID 1: Vegetable Valley

YouTube - Green Greens (Melee) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Agreed completely! Me loves Kirby music. :D

Speaking of which, Anders, I got two variations on the Gourmet Race theme (with the original theme first):

Here's the piano version.

And here's the 8-bit version (8-bit only in sound, I think I'm using too many channels than there would be in an original chip :P).

January 21, 2009

I like your piano variations a lot! Could i have the finale score? I want to mangle the piece myself.

February 23, 2009

Jun Ishikawa, composer of most of the tracks from the Kirby series (mostly featured on SNES and GameBoy)

Here can you easily find some of his popular works:

http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console...s/xky-k-gr.mid

http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console...Orchestral.mid

http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console...iatorkirby.mid

In case you

March 5, 2009

Hmm, I posted this in a Suggest a Work thread, but I think they bear repeating.

I'm not as familiar with Tommy Tallarico's soundtrack (never owned Earthworm Jim sadly), but the first few tracks on the Advent Rising soundtrack are incredible. Granted, he had the help of an orchestrator, but the ideas are still fantastic, not to mention the recordings themselves.

Muse

Poeta

And of course, don't forget Peter McConnell's soundtrack for Grim Fandango.