My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes- Part 20: Fin.

10.

Magic City

from Sim City 3000

Composer: Jerry Martin

Maxis; 1999

So, I open the final chapter in this series with an entry that is probably not on anyone else’s top 10 favorite VGM.  This personal choice comes from hundreds of hours over many years playing Sim City 3000.  I adore this song.  The pace, the tone, the piano, the way it builds and the melodies that overlap and play off each other are all just astounding to me.  There are a lot of great themes from the Sim City franchise but Magic City is the one that fits my taste and idea of an “amazing song” better than any of this storied series’ other tunes.

09.

Aquatic Ambiance

from Donkey Kong Country

Composer: David Wise, Evellyn Fisher Novacovic, Robin Beanland

Rare; 1994

Aquatic Ambiance really stands out for me as a 16-bit era song that not only uses the system’s audio capabilities better than any other song on the Super Nintendo (though it is not my favorite SNES theme), but also as another composition by David Wise that crushes the standards of game music.  It is an achievement in terms of stunning sound design and for pushing the limitations of 16-bit, midi-format music.  Aquatic Ambiance has a slow build, not getting to the song proper until the time when most game themes would have already begun looping.  All of the little details of this song, from the ambient synth filling the background to the beautiful piano melody that plays throughout come together to form a tune that does not simply live up to its pedigree, but it sets the standard for the sound of the entire series.

08.

Intro/Title

from Mega Man II

Composer:Takashi Tateishi

Capcom; 1988

The Intro theme from Mega Man II is one of the most well-known and revered themes among gamers.  It reflects all of the sounds and musical ideas that are expressed throughout the entirety of the game in one short, memorable tune.  The song has been covered time and time again, and has even had lyrics written for it in numerous fan videos.  It plays over the introduction to Mega Man II, the game I believe bears the best soundtrack of any single game in the history of the medium so far.  It is vibrant, bright, fun and catchy, and like just about every song in the game, it is timeless.

07.

Duff McWhalen

from Mega Man X-5

Composer: Naoto Tanaka

Capcom; 2000

Duff McWhalen’s theme is another song that likely does not show up on a lot of top tens, so let me see if I can express why I have this song featured so high on my list.  The piano melody is complex in the right way, the time signature and respective beat is catchy and lively, and the song’s tonal shifts are just perfect.  Duff McWhalen’s theme from the PSX game Mega Man X-5 is actually a cover of Bubble Crab’s stage from Mega Man X-2, and while melodically that version is just as good, as it is the exactly same, I love this version for its use of a set of synth sounds that just fit perfectly.  It is moody and simply brilliant.  

06.

Chill Penguin

from Mega Man X

Composer: Setsuo Yamamoto

Capcom; 1993

Another fan-favorite, Chill Penguin ranks as my second favorite Mega Man theme of all time.  It’s high-energy sound, insane use of a brain-melting synth/bass combination and classic melody make it stand out as the perfect tune for its stage.  It is has a fast lead riff that keeps the energy of the song high while still having a relatively slow tempo, and while those may sound like conflicting ideas, listening to the theme should help that make sense.  The tune has a slightly slower pace than most other songs on the soundtrack, but that does not detract from its intensity, accentuated by that phenomenal synth riff.  It also has a sound that perfectly reflects its stage, another major contributor to its placement in my top ten.  

05.

Dancing Mad

from Final Fantasy VI

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1994

Considered by most to be the ultimate boss theme, Dancing Mad is the official Kefka battle theme from Final Fantasy VI.  It plays as the player engages one of the most powerful video game bosses of all time and is the iconic example of the “perfect” battle theme, feeling grand and threatening.  Many fans of the Final Fantasy series extol Kefka as the greatest villain in the series, and considering he quite literally becomes God by the end of the game (right down to the Michelangelo imagery and Shekina behind his head), I can understand why.  The theme to battling a deity had better be amazing, and Dancing Mad nails it.

04.

Moon Theme

from Duck Tales

Composer: Hiroshige Tonomura

Capcom; 1989

To more casual game music fans or younger gamers, the inclusion of this 1989 licensed title from Capcom may seem a little odd.  However, while the original Duck Tales game was actually quite good, it is the soundtrack that kept its legacy alive.  It is full of great tracks and the quality of the soundtrack lies squarely on the shoulders of composer Hiroshige Tonomura, who only composed six titles under the Capcom label before leaving the company to work for Taito, whom he then left in the mid-90’s to pursue other projects.  Of his entire career, however, Tonomura has left one song behind that is among a few themes that really set the standard for what game music can and should be.  The Moon Theme is a beloved tune because of its cheery mood, tonal complexity and sheer breadth.  It is energetic, too, but it has a warmth to it that many game themes really lack.  It is a fun and endearing song that is always in the back of my mind when the subject of game music comes up.

03.

Wily - Stage 1

from Mega Man II

Composer: Takashi Tateishi

Capcom; 1988

Of all the themes in the outstanding Mega Man II soundtrack, the theme from Wily’s Castle 1 is by far my favorite.  It is hard to really put a finger on why, but I believe it falls mostly on the energy.  The minor key, the pace and the tone all give the feel of a song written to drive the player forward.  It is a perfect accompaniment to its stage, complimenting the flow well, despite the level’s more lazy vertical segments.  Still, there is an urgency to it, and it just feels right.  Also, it really just seems to stand out on the soundtrack.  It does not clash, mind you, rather it is like an evolution of the sounds heard up to that point.  It is actually a quite brilliant when you think about it.

02.

Bowser in the Dark World

from Super Mario 64

Composer: Koji Kondo

Nintendo; 1996

The Mario series of games has been hit or miss for me in terms of music.  Occasionally, I will hear a song that expresses the franchise’s trademark whimsy and self-aware sensibilities well and it will stick with me, but more often than not, it just comes off as forced.  However, Super Mario 64’s soundtrack is quite an achievement.  It has a mix of a lot of different musical ideas and all of them work astonishingly well.  The one song on the soundtrack that ranks above the others as my favorite is the Dark World theme.  The three courses in in the Castle where Bowser has hidden the keys to the varying floors have a song that is, for a lack of a better word, awesome.  The percussion, the build, and that moody melody during the song’s main section are all just intensely-classic.  I played this game a lot in my teens when it came out and it remains one of my favorite games of all time to this day, and this song is, believe it or not, part of the reason.  When I enter these worlds and that song kicks in, it just hits me with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

01.

Hyrule Field

from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Composer: Koji Kondo

Nintendo; 1998

Alas, the finale.  My number one pick.  Cliched?  Okay.  Obvious?  Maybe?  However, why is this one song held in such high regard by so many gamers?  Well, it is a masterful composition and an amazing achievement in sound design in games, but I do not think this is solely the reason.  I believe it is a combination of things.  Forget the argument that Ocarina of Time is among a handful of contenders for what could objectively be called the “Greatest Video Game of All Time”, and consider this one aspect of the game: When you enter Hyrule Field, this song plays for the first time contrasting a sorrowful and silent goodbye to a childhood home for Link.  The flutes break the day and the camera pans showing us what is really the first vast, open landscape any gamer had ever really gotten a chance to explore.  Sure it is not quite as big as it may seem, thanks to some clever design tricks that allow for the illusion of scale while remaining within the bounds of the console’s limitations, but the promise of exploring this world the first time we see the field and hear this song is a striking memory, at least for me.  The song is a orchestration of the classic Legend of Zelda theme music but unlike a vast majority of game music up to the time this game was released, this tune does not really loop.  It opens with the break of day and then, just as the song would begin its loop, fades out as night falls leaving behind an unsettling silence, broken only occasionally by the howling of a wolf or the chirps and shakes of midnight ambiance.  The song goes through several segments, all flowing to a triumphant climax as dusk approaches.  Koji Kondo’s theme for Hyrule Field is not only a good theme in terms of composition, but is equally stunning in terms of how it is used in the game.  It is a flawless implementation of an already breathtaking song, and that is why it is my number one.  

It took me a while to get through this list, but now that it is over, I have another list to start working on, here.  Keep watch because very, very soon I will be sharing my favorite movies of the 90’s.

Thank you for reading.

My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes- Part 19: Penultima

20.

Crono’s Theme

from Chrono Trigger

Composers: Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu, Noriko Matsueda

Squaresoft; 1994

This map theme is really gives the feel of a big epic world, which of course Chrono Trigger has in spades.  The scope and breadth of this game is simply astounding, especially for a 16-bit era title.  It is nearly twenty years old and yet remains longer than most games released to this day.  There is just so much here, and this song has all of the strength of an aged, historical period piece tossed with a grand adventure.  It is an incredibly strong tune, and one of the best RPG themes of all time, in my opinion.

19.

Big Blue

from F-Zero

Composers: Yumiko Kanki, Naoto Ishida

Nintendo; 1990

This fan-favorite is one of the first video game themes to feel like a fully-realized rock song, complete with a guitar solo.  The use of pitch bending gives the illusion of a string bend on a guitar or a slide up or down the fretboard and the fast licks are reminiscent of a classic lead guitar improvisation.  Obviously mixing ideas from classic and 80’s rock, this tune has become one of the most covered video game themes, with fans taking various approaches to it on guitar from a classic rock style to overdrive heavy metal.

18.

Tera’s Theme

from Final Fantasy VI

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1994

Final Fantasy VI is arguably the best in the series.  The characters, the villain, the world as a whole, everything is carefully pieced together like a luxurious article of jewelry.  Fine details, facets and a polish not seen in any title before it.  Its soundtrack has also become somewhat legendary, as it features a few of the most iconic themes in the already renowned series’ repertoire.  Nobuo Uematsu did some of his best work on this entry and one of my personal favorites is Tera’s Theme.  Like Crono’s Theme from Chrono Trigger, Tera’s theme is used as the overworld theme song, and becomes the unofficial theme song for the entire game.  It is masterfully-composed for an early-90’s piece and has a mood and atmosphere that reflects the growing sophistication of video game sound design of the time.

17.

Storm Eagle

from Mega Man X

Composer: Setsuo Yamamoto

Capcom; 1993

Speaking of sophisticated, let us discuss what I would argue is the best game soundtrack of the 16-bit era: Mega Man X.  Already appearing on my list in previous entries, Mega Man X is a stunning turning point in game music.  For me, it was the definite shift in direction for game themes.  While music in games had already begun maturing by this point, it was Mega Man X that proved that layering and complex composition was not only possible, but a necessity.  The soundtrack is revered for its intensity, its hard rock styling and its memorability.  Favored above all by many is most definitely Storm Eagle’s theme.  As the player navigates the most customer-unfriendly airport in history, this rock tune drives the stage with energy and character that few other game themes have been able to recreate or stand against.

16.

Clash on the Big Bridge

from Final Fantasy V

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1992

I did not get a chance to play through Final Fantasy V until years after its release, and by then the famous Gilgamesh had already become one of the series’ most talked-about characters.  A large part of that is his intense, memorable battle theme.  From the opening to the end, this is an incredibly fast, non-stop adrenaline-rush of a song.  It never lets up, it just stays on its high from the time the guitars kick in.  I recommend the Black Mages version of this theme, it is incredible.

15.

Upper Brinstar

from Super Metroid

Composer: Kenji Yamamoto, Minako Hamano

Nintendo; 1994

Super Metroid, my all-time favorite video game, is a flawlessly-designed masterwork of the medium.  There is not one element of the game that I would consider to be truly-flawed.  The soundtrack is a memorable collection of eerie and unsettling tunes and my favorite track in the game is heard early on as the player first enters the overgrown Brinstar.  Upper Brinstar is has this hollow, abandoned feel to it for me, even more so than many other parts of the game (the Wrecked Ship notwithstanding) and the theme is this chanting, rhythmic composition that is structurally-complex and fitting for its level.  It is a favorite of mine because, as a kid, upon entering this place for the first time, I found the fading in of the drums and the chilling choir to be so striking, that, even after beating the game and hearing all of the other classic themes this game has to offer, this was the one that was still playing in my head.

14.

The Dark World Theme

from Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Composer: Koji Kondo

Nintendo; 1991

I am pretty sure A Link to the Past was the first Super Nintendo game I ever achieved 100% completion on.  Around that same time I cleared Super Mario World, but A Link to the Past (my personal-favorite Zelda title), was the SNES game I pushed myself to finish almost the same weekend I started playing, and with the help of Nintendo Power, me and my friend did everything there was to do in the game shortly thereafter.  One of my favorite elements of A Link to the Past was the changing world after Ganon takes over.  The idea was a reimagining of the Second Quest from The Legend of Zelda and has since been implemented many times in the series.  The Dark World theme is a great adventure theme, highlighting some excellent design and contrasting the strangeness of the changed world around you.

13.

One Winged Angel

from Final Fantasy VII

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1997

Sephiroth is one of the most revered and exalted villains in the long history of fictional bad guys.  I do not believe this reverence is restricted to gaming, either.  I think Sephiroth is one of the most recognized and cheered villains in the annals of popular culture.  His power and unforgivable actions throughout the story of Final Fantasy VII has made him a target of gamers’ anger for years, which is the sign of a truly great antagonist.  His theme, One Winged Angel, is a bombastic and menacing piece and certainly reflects the feeling of facing a being far more powerful than one’s self.

12.

Dire Dire Docks

from Super Mario 64

Composer: Koji Kondo

Nintendo; 1996

Super Mario 64 has a number of excellent tracks and a few of them are high on my list for my all time favorite game themes.  Super Mario 64 is one of my favorite games of all time for a number of reasons.  It was groundbreaking for its time, implementing 3D better than just about any game before it.  It has a number of stages that are just brilliant from a design standpoint and, unlike most early 3D platformers, still holds up to this day when compared to titles like Jak and Daxter and the first Sly Cooper.  Dire Dire Docks is an excellent tune, featuring a soft, soothing sound that never goes into the high-pace, fast-tempo energy of typical game music.  This theme instead has a sound that greatly reflects its level.  This theme is played in Jolly Roger Bay and Dire Dire Docks, two water stages that have a flow that is paced significantly slower than other levels in the game, so the lower tempo suits the levels well.  The gentle melody is relaxing and memorable and has been a personal favorite of mine for years.

11.

Another Winter

from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Compsoers: Anamanaguchi

Ubisoft/Montreal; 2010

At number 11, we bid adieu to Anamanaguchi.  Another Winter is their stunning stage 1 theme from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Game.  I do not really know how much I can say about this soundtrack that I have not already gushed except: Listen to it.  All of it.  Another Winter is some of their best work but what makes it stand out for me to rank so high on my list is how it is presented in the game.  When I first played this excellent beat-em-up I was not entirely sure what to expect, and the first stage of the game tells a story as you move through it that is complemented by this stunning track.  It is cheerful, it is catchy and it fits the pace of the level well.  Many beat-em-ups tend to have their soundtracks feel repetitive because, as they are paced much slower than most other game types, they tend to have levels that are shorter in size, but longer in duration, so a shorter loop could reasonably become annoying.  Anamanaguchi made songs with nice, long loops to compliment the levels’ length, and the result is one of the best game soundtracks of all time.

My 200 Favorite Video Game Themes: Part 14 - Mid 90's Mood

70.

Flight of the Zinger

from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

Composer: David Wise

Rare/Nintendo; 1995

Once again, making itself standout among its peers, is Rare’s Donkey Kong Country series.  Composer David Wise makes yet another appearance on my list with this very well-composed and intense theme.  It is a masterfully-layered song, and it is hard to believe that it is actually 16-bit.  As with other songs from the series, Wise’s outstanding ear for layering and mixing makes this a masterful accomplishment in sound design for pre-32 bit era gaming.

69.

Intro/Title Theme

from Mega Man III

Composers: Yasuaki Fujita, Harumi Fujita

Capcom; 1990

This is a classic.  I have said before that Mega Man III has had a tremendous impact on me as a gamer.  It was the first Mega Man title I ever beat, it was the one I played the most as a kid (that is, until Mega Man X came out), and it remains one of my favorite soundtracks of all time.  There is not really a “bad” song in this game, but as with all soundtracks, some are better than others.  The Intro Theme for this 1990 title marked a point where game music was really coming into its own.  By the time this game came out, Mega Man and Castlevania had already made waves for accomplished sound design and Mega Man III, along with Casltevania III are, at least in my opinion, the culmination of five years of tweaking and discovering in the art of chiptune on the NES and remain, perched proudly upon the pinnacle of 8-bit era sound.

68.

Nate’s Theme

from Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Composers: Greg Edmonson

Naughty Dog; 2009

I love the Uncharted series.  I love the the gameplay, the level design, the story, the writing, the graphics, the voice acting and, obviously, the soundtrack.  Nate’s Theme from Uncharted 2 is a revitalized version of Nathan Drake’s theme song which launched with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune alongside its host console, the PS3.  Among Thieves is a game that shows just how deep-in Drake can get when he is driven and I could make the argument that Uncharted 2 just may be the best game on the PS3.  That would be entirely subjective, of course, but it has everything I love in a modern game executed with flawless mastery.  Nate’s Theme is adventurous, it’s got the mood of a hero’s theme but also has a little bit of grit, just like Nathan himself.  We know he’s the good guy, but his motives are always a little suspect, and his knack for dragging his devoted friends into truly dangerous situations is astounding, which makes it hard to truly root for him in many occasions.  This is what makes him a great character.  He is not perfect.  He is flawed, more than a little selfish, yet his wit and charm (thanks to Naughty Dog’s exceptional writing) keep drawing us in.

67.

Cloud Man

from Mega Man 7

Composers: Yuko Takahara, Hayato Kaji, Toshifumi Ōnishi, Kazunori Tazaki, Tatsuya Yoshikawa

Capcom; 1995

Cloud Man’s theme is a bright and cheery tune from the great Mega Man 7 soundtrack.  It has a nice structure to it, and thanks to a nice long loop, it is allowed to have all the tonal shifts and musical ideas one song needs to stand out.  Mega Man 7, released near the end of the Super Nintendo’s cycle, has an absolutely breathtaking tracklist that is enhanced by the improved technical understanding of its time and Cloud Man is one of my favorite themes from this game.

66.

The Man with the Machine Gun

from Final Fantasy VIII

Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1999

Final Fantasy VIII is weird.  I do not think I’m breaking any hearts by saying this, but this game is freaking strange.  Yet, the music is unbelievable.  Man with the Machine Gun has become a favorite among Final Fantasy music fans and I like it a lot as well, only not as much as most.  That said, the battle theme played while in the company of three hapless Galbadian soldiers, Laguna, Kiros and Ward (who parallel the protagonists in a strange fashion), is one of the best themes of the series.  The techno ideas mix well with the feel and tone of the soundtrack as a whole and it makes the scenes it plays in quite memorable.

65.

Blaze Heatnix

from Mega Man X-6

Composer: Naoto Tanaka

Capcom; 2001

Mega Man X-6’s high-energy soundtrack is perfectly reflected by this loud and aggressive rock anthem.  Unlock of a lot of tunes from the Mega Man series that have elements of rock in them, Blaze Heatnix’s stage theme does not waste any time trying to beat your face in with its metal-inspired awesomeness.  There should be a rule that states anyone who plays this song on guitar must be forced to play it on a black Flying V with flame decals.

64.

The Decisive Battle

from Final Fantasy VI

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Squaresoft; 1994

It would stand to reason that one of the most epic boss themes of all time would appear on the soundtrack to one of the most epic games of all time, and I mean epic in the literal sense of the word.  Final Fantasy VI is so big, so dense and so impactful in terms of storytelling and tone in games that the soundtrack has become one of the most revered pieces of musical composition in modern popular culture.  You hear themes from this game and it conjures images of a fallen world and a madman who just may be the greatest video game villain of all time, if for any reason than he was successful in his goals.  That is just something we do not see in stories; especially video game stories.  The bosses leading up to this perfect title’s phenomenal final chapter break from the norm as well, ranging from a tense fight on a raging rapid early in the game (“Don’t tease the octopus, kids!”) to a eerie battle with the ghost of a long-lost train.  The theme that accompanies these fights is one that, from the very first measure, denotes danger and menace and creates an unease that is palpable.  Very few boss themes have justified the countless covers, remixes and homages that this tune has.  It is a deservedly-iconic classic.

63.

Metal Man

from Mega Man II

Composer: Takashi Tateishi

Capcom; 1988

Mega Man II makes its first of several appearances on my list with Metal Man’s theme.  This layered and energetic chiptune is a prime example of amazing music from a classic series.  It is easy to forget just how much of an influence Mega Man II had on game music in its day.  While other soundtracks were still working out basic musical ideas with their platform’s limited capabilities, Capcom was creating complex and iconic melodies.  Metal Man’s high-energy style and it’s smooth guitar-sounding melody makes it a recognizable classic among fans of the series.

62.

Oil Drum Alley

from Donkey Kong Country

Composers: David Wise, Evellyn Fisher Novacovic, Robin Beanland

Rare/Nintendo; 1994

Here is another tense and well-composed work from David Wise and the crew over at Rare.  This bass-heavy tune has depth and a strong melodic breakdown giving it a sound that stands out among other game tunes.  The song, like much of the DK Country soundtracks, implements complex musical ideas that were far ahead of its time and this will not be the last time you see Rare’s classic title on my list.  That I can promise you.

61.

Under Cover of Night

from Halo: Combat Evolved

Composers: Martin O’Donnell, Michael Salvatori

Bungie: 2001

Halo has become something of a modern example of a series full of classic and exceptional game music.  O’Donnel and Salvatori are a duo who have successfully blended musical ideas that span centuries and continents and make a flowing catalog of moody melodies that conjure vivid memories of Master Chief raining death and destruction upon the Covenant and the Flood.  Under the Cover of Night plays early in the first Halo game.  The level is dark, starting the player off with a piston and a sniper rifle as voice overs provide support, recommending stealth over head-on combat.  In the game, the song begins as the player rounds a mountain trail heading up a dusty hill, with only a few loose boulders and the sparse desert brush to provide cover.  After a brief dialogue and the player moves, there is only silence and then…  Drums fill the air and a chilling chorus belts out the first sustained notes of the song.  In the darkness reverberating percussion pounds as the song begins an eerie choir chanting a haunting and unforgettable melody.  It fits the level and the tone perfectly, as do all of the Halo themes.

NOTE: The actual portion of Under Cover of Night heard as described begins around 1:41 on the full version of the song.