My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes - Part 6: Technoclassical

150.

Kefka’s Theme

from Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1994

I love this tune because it perfectly reflects the nature of Kefka Palazzo for me as we are first introduced to him.  To me, early in the game, Kefka always came off as an entitled, power-hungry, megalomaniacal jackass.  You know, kind of like a U.S. senator!  What is awesome about this is we all know now that by the end of the game he becomes what amounts to a god and is quite successful in his venture to destroy the world.  He becomes arguably the best villain in the history of video games because we watch him grow in power and ultimately stake his claim as the man above all men, that is, until a group of fighters tag-team the hell out of him and knock him off his heavenly pedestal.  The song has this mischievous feel in the beginning, and knowing what Kefka really is makes this song chilling for me.  It is essentially a perfect character theme.  

149.

On a Pale Horse

from Halo: Combat Evolved (X-Box)

Composers: Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori

Bungie; 2001

This alternate version of the Halo theme features a beautiful staccato strings style that gives the song a very intense feel which builds further as the strings fill this warmer sound near the end.  The sound really picks up and the result is a theme that is both striking and captivating.  The song is so well constructed that you could play it over someone doing laundry and it would seem like some epic washing was going on.

148.

Into the Thick of It

from Secret of Mana (SNES)

Composer: Hiroki Kikuta

Squaresoft; 1993

One of the most famous and beloved RPG themes of all time sits at 148 on my list.  It is a masterfully-composed work that does bring back a lot of memories for me.  The song fits the area well, too, playing early in the game amid a monster-infested forest.  The guitar filling the background, the strings and flute all build as the song progresses making a beautiful melody that simply strikes me to the core every time I hear it.

147.

Astro Man

from Mega Man 8 (PSX)

Composer: Shusaku Uchiyama

Capcom; 1997

Mega Man 8 has shown up before on my list and this will not be the last time either.  As I said before I adore this soundtrack and I cannot convey enough how much I love listening to it.  Astro Man’s theme is a strange tune that perfectly fits the space theme of the boss and his stage, as the twinkling sci-fi synth fills the foreground.  The song then breaks into this dark jazzy piano number leading to a breakdown and a synth solo.  It’s an awesome song and the first few seconds are enough for me to put it this high on my list.

146.

Dreamer

from Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis)

Composers: Yuzo Koshiro, Motohiro Kawashima

Sega; 1992

Next is the Stage 3-1 theme from Streets of Rage 2.  Dreamer plays over a brawl in an amusement park at night.  It is a stage in a brawler title so it is linear as hell and full of the same baddies over and over. Yet, this hellish amusement park is still better than Beverly Hills Cop 3. Like all of the excellent music from this series, Dreamer has an 80’s post-funk and hip-hop influence.  The synth opening leading to the smooth jazzy lead that plays during the song proper all flow so nicely, and there is a dirty, gritty sound to it despite its soulful feel.  It is perfect for what it is trying to convey and fits the mood of the game very well.

145.

Intro/Title

from Mega Man V (NES)

Composer: Mari Yamaguchi

Capcom; 1992

This is one of the many two-in-one title themes in the Mega Man series.  Starting with Mega Man 2’s outstanding intro scene, the series made a point to start with a striking opening theme and Megaman V’s opening and title songs are among the series’ best, in my opinion.  This song definitely sounds like a Mega Man song, too.  It has all of the elements.  The minor key, the beeping melody, the rock-guitar sound of the main part of the song, all of it.  It comes together well to open a game that has one of the best singular game soundtracks of all time.

144.

Time for Rest

from Final Fantasy XII (PS2)

Composers: Nobuo Uematsu, Hitoshi Sakimoto

SquareEnix; 2006

Here is another tune I would often just listen to in the game, even if only for a few moments.  This song plays in a tiny section of Final Fantasy XII in the elevator room between the Sochen Cave Palace and Archades, just a little over halfway through the game’s story.  It is funny to me how a song that is so hidden among other amazing themes from this astounding soundtrack can leave such an impact on me.  I do not know what it is, really.  It is a great song, for sure, but there is just something about this theme that stands out for me.

143.

Heretic, Hero

from Halo 2 (X-Box)

Composers: Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori

Bungie; 2006

Marty O’Donnell’s compositions are very distinct.  He seems to really like mixing modern elements like electronic drums and guitar with classical music.  Heretic, Hero, from Halo 2, is the theme of the Arbiter, a damned Covenant soldier who is forced against his will to do the bidding of those who cursed him.  Well, he is not having any of that.  Ultimately, this theme, to me, conveys a tone of a rising hero, a perfect feel given the song’s subject.

142.

Rock Club

from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game (PS3)

Composers: Anamanaguchi

Ubisoft Montreal; 2010

Like all of Anamanaguchi’s themes from Scott Pilgrim, this one is a great example of their distinct sound, blending classic gaming music and rock ideas to create one awesome song.  This is a theme that just puts a smile on my face.  Tonally it is a great work, it has the sound of danger mixed with excitement and energy.  It feels right for the game, too.  It just sounds like a fight song to me.  

141.

Seymour Battle

from Final Fantasy X (PS2)

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 2001

The original Final Fantasy X debuts on my list with the theme heard during the first few battles with Seymour.  This is an odd song in the game as, despite several other songs in the game having electronic elements, it is definitely inspired by dance music and similar themes.  The East Asian chimes that open lead into a gothic moody intro, and as the drums kick in along with the bouncy synth, that pretty much nails this theme.  It is off-kilter and very out of place, similar to how Seymour stands in the annals of Final Fantasy villains.  While he was nowhere near as pointless and uninteresting as Vayne Solidor from Final Fantasy XII, he certainly always came off as an odd choice for a villain.  This song, however, is excellent and fits the tension and pace of the battles with Seymour quite well.

My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes - Part 5: Road Trip!

160.

The Scott Pilgrim Anthem

from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game (PS3)

Composers: Anamanaguchi

Ubisoft Montreal; 2010

Anamanaguchi makes their first of several appearances on my list for their outstanding work on the music for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game.  The band performs their music using digital filters on actual instruments, making the compositions for the game that much more interesting.  They have a distinct sound, and it works for the game which blends present day sensibilities with classic video game tropes.  The Scott Pilgrim Anthem is a short-but-superb entry in my list, featured because of its catchy melody and full sound.

159.

Shadow’s Theme

from Final Fantasy VI

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1994

Uematsu crafted a nice tune here.  It has the sound that paints a vivid image in my mind of a lone traveler.  It is a timeless tune, and one of the more famous themes from the larger-than-life Final Fantasy VI, which is considered by many Final Fantasy fans as the best entry in the series, ranking up there with FFVII.  It has the right pace as well, and the distinct whistling melody has a loneliness to it, giving the song a distinct emotional depth that is absent from a lot of game themes.

158.

Forest Interlude

from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

Composer: David Wise

Rare/Nintendo; 1995

David Wise’s work on the Donkey Kong Country series makes its first of several appearances on my list with a theme from Donkey Kong Country 2.  Donkey Kong Country was a series I have always had mixed feelings about.  I like them, but as I play through them, they never grab me the way platformers like many of the Mario or Rayman games have.  They are brilliantly designed, graphically impressive for their time and the music is just outstanding!  I don’t know, I really like them, but I also, with the exception of the first one, really never seek them out to play them over and over, either.  That said, David Wise is a brilliant composer and the music in this series is some of the best stuff I have ever heard musically.  Period.  This is not just great work for a video game, this is great work period.  Every little thing is right.  It is all delightfully-composed, from the faster, more intense music, to the lighter, poppy tunes, all the way to the moody, atmospheric tunes like this one.  The percussion, mixing a jungle beat with electronic chimes and chirps creates a worldly sound and the flute lead is quite memorable.  While the first sequel’s soundtrack really, in my opinion, pales in comparison to the first, this song is a standout classic, appealing perfectly to my tastes.

157.

Guile’s Stage

from Street Fighter II

Composers: Yoko Shimomura, Isao Abe

Capcom; 1991

Here’s a classic.  Guile is so freaking American he has a tattoo of Old Glory on his arm and fights in front of a fighter jet!  His theme is also a classic, ranking among the most memorable and recognizable melodies in the medium’s history.  The trumpet sounds, the attitude, everything is perfect.  To me, this has always sounded like montage music.  I have always imagined an 80’s underdog getting into shape to put the cocky bullies in their place whenever this song plays.  It is so great.

156.

Dead Beat

from Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

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

Konami; 1989

Another entry from Castlevania III, Dead Beat features almost all of the series’ musical trademarks:  An eerie tone, a fast accompaniment, a melodic bridge and a quick pace.  Dead Beat is one of my favorite songs from the series because it, more than almost any of the Castlevania themes, really nails the feel of the games.  It is just creepy enough to be a song from the legendary Castlevania soundtrack but it never goes off the rails either.  I would say Dead Beat is just right.

155.

Overdrive Ostrich

from Megaman X2

Composer: Yuki Iwai

Capcom; 1994

I love this song.  The rhythm in the opening is broken up, and whenever I hear it, I wait for the inevitable point where the drums pick up the pace of the song.  As the song breaks down for the loop, it seamlessly goes back into the alternate beat and back.  Compositionally, this is one of the slickest game themes I’ve heard, because instead of keeping things too simple, they took a risk and went with a structure that is a little unusual and, as a result, captivating. It also fits the fast-paced highway theme it is representing and you have a nice road tune with some kickass speed.

154.

The Road Warriors

from Contra III: The Alien Wars

Composers: Miki Higashino, Masanori Adachi, Tappi Iwase

Konami; 1992

Here’s Contra III again, and this time, it’s the theme from Stage 4, which has the player chasing down a heavily-armed air cruiser on motorcycle.  The song, like every theme in the game, has a fairly long loop and has enough parts that just nail it musically, from the bass heavy section to the song proper to the synth and drums hook.  For me, this is easily among my favorite themes from an utterly outstanding soundtrack and it's yet another road level theme!

153.

Mid-Boss Battle

from Grandia 2

Composer: Noriyuki Iwadare

Game Arts;2000

Here’s a great boss tune.  It is energetic and conveys the right level of menace and threat that a song of this type should.  It is a perfect example of a boss theme that fits the tone of the game, which is an anime-inspired adventure, and instead of going too far into gothic anthem territory, Idaware chose a more action-movie-style theme for this boss anthem that plays at several points during the game.  It is an excellent piece of work, and what makes things better is, as you can see your characters and the enemy’s coming turns on a sliding meter, the movement and pace of the battle fits perfectly with the tempo of the song.

152.

Needle Man

from Mega Man III

Composer: Yasuaki Fujita, Harumi Fujita

Capcom; 1990

Mega Man III is full of excellent and memorable themes and Needle Man’s is the second theme from this game to be featured on my list.  It is a song with a solid groove, opening with a nice bass lick followed by a layered jazz-inspired tune with great accompaniment.  I love the music from this game and you will see it show up many more times on my list in the future.

151.

Stage 1 Theme

from Double Dragon

Composer: Kazunaka Yamane

Taito/Tradewest; 1988

Double Dragon is an Arcade and NES classic and, despite being relatively simplistic compared to beat-em-ups that have since been released, it is a classic in the way some older movies are classics, it set the stage for the future.  The soundtrack is also pretty good and, despite the console version being rather short, it did have a memorable soundtrack.  The first stage theme tricks you into thinking it’s a pretty short loop halfway through by seemingly starting over but then, instead of breaking into a third loop of the same melody, we get a pretty epic guitar solo.  The fact that this song is so well-composed is a testament to the work the developers did to make the music from this game not only stand out among its peers, but also make it properly reflect the times it is meant to represent.