My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes - Part 12: Meanwhile, In This Millennium:

90.

Leave the Past Behind

from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Composers: Anamanaguchi

Ubisoft Montreal; 2010

This is yet another tune from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  Anamanaguchi keeps to the game’s tone and sound with this song and it features all of the characteristic elements of the game and the band’s obvious 8-bit-era-influence.  If you listen closely, you can hear some Mega Man and Double Dragon in there.  The song is incredibly catchy, using a fun and energetic melody that is both exciting and joyous.  I do love this game’s soundtrack in its entirety and this is not the last time it will show up on my list.

89.

Burst Man

from Mega Man 7

Composers: Toshifumi Ōnishi, Kazunori Tazaki, Tatsuya Yoshikawa

Capcom; 1995

This song starts off with the quintessential “Mega Man sound” and then changes into something else entirely.  Mega Man 7 was released pretty late into the SNES cycle yet this song does not reflect the quality or the evolution of its late 16-bit counterparts.  Instead, it has an early-90’s feel to it, which I like.  It keeps things simple, focusing on a good melody rather than showing off the capabilities of the console.  It is a great song, and features a bright and cheerful tone that just makes me smile whenever I hear it, no matter how I am feeling at the time.

88.

Nighttime Excursion

from Flower

Composer: Vincent Diamante

ThatGameCompany; 2009

Flower is back with another breathtakingly-beautiful theme.  I stand by my assertion that this title, along with Halo 3, Bastion and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, comprise the shortlist of standout soundtracks of the last gaming “era”.  Things are really starting to change as the medium matures.  We have titles with thought-provoking, intelligent themes like Gone Home and the Stanley Parable making industry and consumer-wide waves and as the mood and ideas of gaming evolves, so is the music.  Flower is a breathtaking artistic achievement and it hosts a beautifully-woven and smart form of storytelling.  Feeling like a wonderful picture book in motion the scenery flows past as the flower petals ride the wind carefully held sway by the player.  You have power over one of the mightiest forces of nature in its most gentle form.  The soundtrack is a relaxing peaceful series of evolving but connected melodies, adding to the atmosphere and the player’s own emotions play into the controls, as the softness of the game’s mood steadies the hands holding the controller.  It is just a perfect experiment in gaming psychology and a stunning example of video games as art.  If anyone ever states that games are just about killing aliens, this title will certainly, and deservedly, put them in their place.

NOTE: The video formatting is off because I could not locate the song in Blogger's native YouTube embedding tool.

87.

Corneria

from Starfox

Composer: Hajime Hirasawa

Nintendo; 1993

This classic tune is a favorite among 16-bit era fanboys and is certainly a beloved classic.  It shocked everyone, too, as Nintendo fans were used to bright, whimsical melodies in their first-party titles, but this…  This was shockingly different!  At the time, there were tons of soundtracks that were dark, or simply in a minor key, but Starfox was a milestone in composition quality.  It featured a long loop, and matched the pace and mood of the game.  Also, this game was released following a turning point in musical ideas as well.  Where the fluff and beeps of mainstream 80’s music had since faded and a darker, minor key tone was setting in.  The Corneria theme reflects both the ideas of music in its time, and also the evolution of game music as a whole.

86.

Hallow Bastion

from Kingdom Hearts

Composesr: Yoko Shimomura, Kaoru Wada

Squaresoft; 2002

It is undeniable that this game could have been crap.  Seriously.  It would not have taken much to screw this up.  Disney and Final Fantasy joining forces?  It worked out well as a game, though.  Despite a few clunky moments and some behind-the-times level design (for the most part, anyway), Kingdom Hearts was a great game.  The soundtrack was also quite good, mixing Square’s distinct, orchestral stylings with classic Disney cheer.  Hollow Bastion is probably the most highly-regarded original entry on the soundtrack, with a haunting gothic vibe and a stirring woodwind bridge, it is a memorable and essential video game theme.

85.

Guile’s Theme

from Super Street Fighter IV

Composer: Hideyuki Fukasawa

Capcom; 2010

Guile’s Theme is one of the more overplayed video game themes out there.  An entry in countless spoof videos on YouTube, representing a fight or showdown of any degree.  It works, too, having the sound of an 80’s training montague, it is a fun and badass tune.  It is the “Eye of the Tiger” of video game music, if you will.  Obviously drawing inspiration from early 80’s rock, this theme has captures the hearts of gamers across the world, and for a good reason: it’s awesome!

84.

Mt. Gagazet

from Final Fantasy X-2

Composers: Noriko Matsueda, Takahito Eguchi

SquareEnix; 2003

Back in entry 175, Zanarkand, I stated that Final Fantasy X-2 featured an underrated soundtrack.  I meant it because there is good music to be found on this soundtrack.  The looming mountain of Gagazet was one of the final destinations in Final Fantasy X and featured a great tune.  In X-2, the mood is a lot less mournful, therefore the song is more energetic and gritty.  Featuring a mix of worldly flutes and chanting with a touch of electric drums, this tune exemplifies a modern idea of game music for me.  It is not the best of its time, but it is an example of how game music can bridge the gap between this niche music community and more mainstream music fanatics.

83.

I Want You Gone

from Portal 2

Composer: Jonathan Coulton

Valve; 2011

In 2007, Valve introduced the now fan-favorite Portal series in their Orange Box collection.  The antagonist of the game, a sardonic and megalomaniacal cybernetic intelligence named GLaDOS, became a video game icon due to the game’s clever writing and funny one-liners.

Portal ended with a song that gamers universally loved, so, naturally, its sequel would have one too.  I Want You Gone is along the same lines, theme-wise.  It does do some things differently, however.  It has a more electronic sound and stronger vocals, and thanks to the legacy of the first song, manages to be recognized as a classic in its own right.  It is a well-written and catchy song and is worth watching over the credits for the lyrics and a pretty funny sight gag.

82.

The Faith of Jevel

from Bastion

Composer; Darren Korb

Supergiant Games; 2011

Yet another Bastion song makes my list.  The Faith of Jevel features haunting guitar and piano melodies and a smooth, electronic beat.  The song never overdoes it, staying simple and focusing on mood rather than power or energy.  It is a great song for atmosphere, featuring the game’s distinct Western sound with a well-structured and layered accompaniment.

81.

Cerobi Steppe

from Final Fantasy XII

Composers: Nobuo Uematsu, Hitoshi Sakimoto

SquareEnix; 2006

Uematsu and Sakimoto’s work on Final Fantasy XII is beautiful and bright.  It plays over a distinctly-dangerous part of the game, too, which makes the mood somewhat off-kilter, in a good way.  The song is incredibly soft, never breaking into mighty drums or heavy accompaniment, instead it to its breezy melodies are the showcase.  It is a soothing entry in a strong soundtrack entry in the storied franchise.

My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes - Part 10: Clearing the Hump

110.

Jade’s Theme - Shauni

from Beyond Good and Evil

Composer: Christophe Héral

Ubisoft; 2003

Like Flower, Beyond Good and Evil is an amazing sleeper that is greatly underappreciated in my opinion.  This action/adventure title is full of mood, deep characters, outstanding writing, flawless gameplay and one of the best game soundtracks of the new millenium.  Yet another very Celtic theme to show up on my list, Jade’s Theme (“Shauni” as it is also known; So titled after Jade’s “true” name) is played in variation throughout the game, and has about three or four iterations that play depending on the mood and tone of the scene.  I went with including the main version of the theme due to it’s spirit and lovely melody.

109.

Clockwork

from Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

Composers: Hidenori Maezawa, Jun Funahashi, Yukie Morimoto, Yoshinori Sasaki

Konami; 1991

I will say it again: Castlevania III is one of the best-looking and most well-designed games on the NES and Stage 2: The Clock Tower is one of the greatest levels in 2D platforming history.  The theme does not hurt either.  This harpsichord melody is very simple with only the minimal accompaniment to back it up.  Yet, this song is one of the themes I would put the game in and play just to hear.  This was from a time before YouTube and vgmusic.com and even before games had options menus where you can go back and listen to the songs in test mode, so I had to write down a password so I can go to stage 2 and sit on the starting blocks and listen to this tune from time to time.  Oh, the good ol’ days of gaming, where you had to work your butt off just to get the simplest level of satisfaction.

108.

To Zanarkand

from Final Fantasy X

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 2001

This now famous piano piece has become, over the last decade, one of the most beloved themes in the Final Fantasy anthology.  It is an incredibly simple, but timeless, composition that sets the mood and feel of the entire game.  I featured Someday the Dream Will End a few parts back on my list, but the theme from which it is derived is far superior in my book, if only for how well it works in the game.  These songs play one after the other in the game, as the player makes way across the penultimate chapter of the story, leading up to the final few confrontations.  Before the final struggle with Sin could commence however, our pilgrims must face a sorrowful trek through a fallen city, bleak and lifeless, as mournful music emphasizes the dread each character is feeling.  The piano score is so perfect for the mood of these few scenes and that is why, at least I believe, it has resonated so well with gamers.  It conjures memories of the emotional struggle within each of the protagonists at this point in the story.

107.

Demystify Feast

from Touhou: Immaterial and Missing Power

Composer: ZUN

Team Shanghai Alice; 2004

Yet another piano-heavy Touhou theme (is there any other kind) makes my list.  This time it is the theme Demystify Feast from Immaterial and Missing Power.  This is a tremendously complex song.  The notes are all fast and multiple instruments are hitting from different angles.  It is pretty perfect, really, considering the player is dodging hundreds of bullets on screen at any given time.  Therefore, it only makes sense that any accompanying song would be heavy and intensely energetic.  

106.

Grenade Man

from Mega Man 8 (PSX)

from Shusaku Uchiyama

Capcom; 1997

MM8 has already shown up a couple of times on my list already.  I cannot express enough how much I love this soundtrack.  It is so much more sophisticated than that of its predecessors (With the obvious exception of Mega Man X).  You can tell that they were trying to make themes that were catchy and memorable and that did not fall into the trap of sounding like “video game music”.  Grenade Man is a theme that definitely has a video game sound to it, but manages to blend the complexity of much of the game’s remaining themes with a more traditional Capcom sound.  The heavy synth lead is a powerful addition to the song, especially at the bridge, where the song just trumpets powerfully, expanding the sound and making everything sound just so full.  The jazz bass (a trademark of this soundtrack) also gives the song a pace and a groove that feels very different from other game themes to me.

105.

Slinger’s Song

from Bastion

Composer: Darren Korb

Supergiant Games/Warner Bros.; 2011

Bastion is back with another dusty, gritty theme that mixes Western, blues and modern electronic ideas well and creates a song that could be used for everything from a lame rap battle, to the introduction of a James Woods character, to a blue jeans ad.  Yet, it works here because it holds to the atmosphere of the game and fits in with the styles portrayed therein.  It is a short loop, but it is endlessly memorable and catchy.

104.

Rabanastre

from Final Fantasy XII

Composers: Nobuo Uematsu, Hitoshi Sakimoto

SquareEnix; 2006

The Royal City of Rabanastre is the main hub of Final Fantasy XII, which means players who intend to complete this game in its entirety will be returning here a lot.  It only makes sense, then, to have a theme that feels right, sounds good and is not on a 45 second loop.  Otherwise players may find themselves going slowly insane over the course of the game.  Rabanastre’s theme is an anthemic and bright piece and ranks among my favorite “town themes” of all time.

103.

Bright Man

from Mega Man IV

Composer: Minae Fujii

Capcom; 1991

Upbeat and fun is generally how I like my Mega Man music and it does not get much more upbeat than this.  Starting in a standard Rockman minor key, this song then expands into a bright and lively composition.  The last half of the song uses some fairly sophisticated chiptune effects like tremolo, fading and phasing to its benefit, making this a standout tune on the Mega Man IV soundtrack.

102.

Transylvania

from Duck Tales

Composer: Hiroshige Tonomura

Capcom; 1989

I love this tune.  I can just imagine someone telling Tonomura-san, “Hey!  We want something that sounds like it belongs in a Dracula movie!  Not one of your GOOD video game song… Thingies!”  So what do we get, a song that does BOTH!  So there you have it.  One incredibly good game composer took an overused minor-key vampire theme and made it fit in with the rest of this awesome soundtrack.  Good job, sir!

101.

Spark Man

from Mega Man III

Composer: Yasuaki Fujita, Harumi Fujita

Capcom; 1990

We round out the first half of my list with one of my favorite themes from Mega Man III.  Mega Man III was an important milestone for me as a gamer.  It was the point when I started playing games as a hobby, not just an occasional distraction.  I was about seven when this game came out and I had already been playing games for a few years with regularity.  As a young kid who was well beyond my years when it came to taste in music (I was listening to Heart, Talking Heads, Tears for Fears and Def Leppard at five), I was captivated by the music in this game.  At that point, I had not really paid too much attention to game music.  I mean, I heard some that I had liked, but I was never really a fan of game themes, only a fan of the games they came from.  Yet, something changed in my with Mega Man III.  I suppose this was the title that really, firmly cemented me as a hardcore Blue Bomber fanboy and that had a lot to do with it, but I like a lot of things about this soundtrack, and this tune in particular.  Spark Man’s theme starts with this warm, bright string intro and leads into a bouncy rock piece.  It flows well and it is one of those Mega Man themes that just seems to fit the stage well, with electrodes and circuits pulsing to the beat of the music.

Well, that is one hundred down!  From here on out, there is not going to be anything but huge titles and classic themes.  Things are going to get big here folks, so let’s keep this train moving!  We have one hundred more themes to go, all leading up to my ten favorites.  Stay with me and follow my blog for updates, you do NOT want to miss this...

My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes- Part 8: A Series of Fours

Preface:

Here is the point where most video game fans are going to begin, at least more regularly, saying “Hell yeah!” to the entries that showed up on the list.  Many of the past entries, despite myself loving those songs, are based either on nostalgia or on a subjective reaction to the theme.  I know there have been a lot of entries on my list so far that my seem rather eclectic to most, and that is okay.  However, from here on out (really starting with number 131 on my last list), things are going to begin seeming more recognizable to game music geeks like myself.  Also, remember that this list is not me making a declaration of “the best” but rather it is me essentially exploring my gaming past and sharing both my taste in music and my love for video games.  Stay with me and I’m sure you will be satisfied with the entries to come.  Thank you.

130.

Dust Man

from Mega Man IV

Minae Fujii

Capcom; 1991

I really love this theme for the tremolo at the beginning.  It has a strong action theme vibe through the course of the song, but it is the intro that makes this gem stand out for me.  It has a grim feel to it and really works as a dramatic Mega Man theme.  It manages to feel deep while still, given its composition, feeling like a song that belongs in the Mega Man series.

129.

Ice Man

from Mega Man

Manami Mastumae

Capcom; 1987

This is the last Mega Man theme in Part 8, I promise.  Ice Man’s theme from the very first Mega Man game is a classic because of its sophisticated use of time signature and rhythm.  It has a nice sci-fi vibe while setting the stage for what the series will sound like in the future.  This and Bomberman’s theme really are the two songs that, at least for me, show the promise of this franchise’s future musical prowess.

128.

Battle Theme 2- Boss Theme

from Final Fantasy IX

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 2000

Nobuo Uematsu returns as does Final Fantasy IX.  While this is among the series’ more underwhelming titles in terms of music, in my opinion, this is one of my favorite boss themes in the series.  The bass intro is menacing, powerful and hits you hard when you play.  The song, starting before the fight even begins sets a mood of threatening violence as you engage a foe deadlier than any before it (at least most of the time).  It’s both energetic and even a little creepy.  Played at a slower speed this could definitely be part of the score for a Hitchcockian thriller.

127.

The Sole Regret

from Bastion

Composer: Darren Korb

Supergiant Games/Warner Bros.; 2011

Bastion is back.  The Sole Regret is one of the songs on this soundtrack that definitely reflects some inspiration from Martin O’Donnell’s work on the Halo soundtrack.  This mix of Hip Hop and Ravi Shankar is one of the most captivating video game tunes of all time.  It has this dirty, rough edge to it.  Everything sounds slightly off-kilter, but in the right way.  The wet, metal-picked guitar gives the song an eerie mood and the citar adds a layer of worldliness.  Darren Korb is an excellent composer and I look forward to more great work from him in the future.

126.

Prismriver- the Phantom Ensemble

from Touhou: Perfect Cherry Blossom

Composer: ZUN

Team Shanghai Alice; 2003

Prismriver’s theme from the game Perfect Cherry Blossom, is so lovely that it justifies it’s place among Touhou’s most popular themes.  Phantom Ensemble reflects the three sister’s power and mystery, with an energetic, almost-Castlevania-esque organ lead and a delightful harpsichord accompaniment.  Also, there is, of course, a wonderful piano melody, a trademark of the series.

125.

Bob-Omb Battlefield

from Super Mario 64

Composer: Koji Kondo

Nintendo; 1996

Super Mario 64 ranks high among my favorite video games off time, and this theme, from one of the first stages in the game, is a memorable and charming entry in the series’ collection of iconic melodies.  The song builds to a big-band style brass jam with a nice, jazzy breakdown at the end.  It contrasts the quirky, even silly sounding calliope that play’s during the song’s first part.  This mix of well-composed energy and whimsy is one of the things that makes the music from this franchise so enjoyable.

124.

The Library

from Super Castlevania IV

Composers: Masanori Adachi, Taro Kudo

Konami; 1991

So, a question: What do you get when you make it through what has been one of the great soundtracks in gaming history to the seventh level?  A soft harp and horn piece.  Yep.  They went there.  Well, it is soft for a while, anyways.  The drums are barely present for most of the song and when they do kick it, they are a faint rattle adding rhythm to this gem of a song.  It is haunting and moody, and it fits the quiet library well with its simplicity and simultaneous complexity.

123.

Just Like in the Movies

from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Game

Composers: Anamanaguchi

Ubisoft Montreal; 2010

That’s right, Anamanaguchi is back on my list.  The stage 2 theme from Scott Pilgrim is a fun, melodic and cheery anthem of brawling excitement.  Punch!  Gooooo!  Energy excite!  I love these guys (as you can probably tell) and this soundtrack is so perfect in every way that I just love hearing it.  It always brings a smile to my face.

122.

Clockwork Mansion

from Super Castlevania IV

Composers: Masanori Adachi, Taro Kudo

Konami; 19991

The beautiful organ opening, mixed with the powerful and somewhat intimidating drums makes this one of my favorite themes in Castlevania IV.  The stage features rotating rooms and deadly spike traps and is one of my favorite levels in the game.  Every detail of the song is just right.  I love the organ chorus, the beat, and the horn breakdown at the end that ties it into the moody, East Coast Jazz-meets-Gothic tone of a majority of the soundtrack.

121.

Sakura's Theme

from Super Street Fighter IV

Composer: Hideyuki Fukasawa

Capcom; 2010

Are you blown away?  I was when I first played Super Street Fighter IV, a super tight, beautifully artful 2D fighter that honors the legacy of the great fighters of the 90’s while paving the way for a new generation.  Oh, and there’s this song.  Oh my GOD this song!  I love Sakura, and so, naturally, she was one of the first characters I played with.  I  went into training mode in her stage to sort of renew my feel and I played in their for about…. two hours.  It was all for this song.  This is one of Capcom’s best themes ever, in all of their annals, working on classics like Street Fighter II and the Mega Man series, and this is among their best… Ever.  The Japanese-style violin melody, the techno energy, the key shifts…  This song is, quite possibly, the most perfect fighting game theme of all time (and it is not even the highest fighter theme on my list).  It reflects Sakura’s nature while having enough power to keep the pace of the fight and build as the duel progresses.  Now, this song actually dates back to the mid-90's with the Street Fighter Alpha games and has remained Sakura's official theme throughout the long history of the character, as she has appeared in (at least) nine games. However, I prefer the new versions of these songs from Super Street Fighter IV due to their fullness and complex compositions.

P.S. This song is a masterpiece.