31-Day Mage Challenge: Day Eight – “Favorite Video Game Soundtrack”
4 min read
Cello, NPCs!
I don’t mean to march to the beat of my own drum but we’ve been harping on it constantly, like a broken record: music can really transpose a game and place it above it’s own genre into the realm of “art form”. Maybe that doesn’t ring a bell but the proper score can really toot your horn. Music can strike the right note with gamers. It’s the sharp difference between a beautiful game and one that just ends up flat. I personally prefer the orchestra, choir, brass, strings and all that jazz. It’s like music to my ears. And other musical idioms. Any more and I might run into treble.
Today’s question…
“What is your Favorite Video Game Soundtrack?“
The Timely Mage
Chrono Cross. This amazing soundtrack has stuck with me since I first heard it in game. Yasunori Mitsuda brought together such a unique arrangement of instruments culminating in a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. While I had the original disc version, after it got scratched up by my son I scoured the internet for years trying to find an official digital version I could purchase but no luck.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVqh7uiDgK4&w=420&h=315]
The Black Humor Mage
“Crono’s Theme” is the apex of all video game soundtracks. Yasunori Mitsuda put his all into this OST, and nothing summarizes it better than this grand track.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDZ2W0GpP_E&w=560&h=315]
The Rage Mage
The title screen theme from Crazy Bus is all I hear anymore. The voices tell me I like it and I tell them I’ll keep playing it until they get out.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E1zhoH1Zv0&w=420&h=315]
The Green Screen Mage
Halo 2. The MJOLNIR mix of the Halo theme is fantastic and “Peril” is just about my favorite Halo song. It’s such a perfect tune for being dropped on an alien world. And come on! “Blow Me Away” playing as you drop in to take out the Prophets.
Undertale gets an honorable mention. It just invokes such an emotional reaction after playing the game.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUBiRXXwqdI&w=560&h=315]
The White Out Mage
All I can say is this track makes me happy and it’s really adorable. The whole soundtrack of Kirby’s Epic Yarn makes you feel at ease. It’s less stressful than other soundtracks. It was a toss up between this and Kirby’s Adventure, which I love so much. That 8-bit music is so energizing but Epic Yarn is so relaxing, y’know? “Rainbow Falls” sounds like it could be playing in the background of Disney Land!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60UVMBwmDeI&w=560&h=315]
The Well-Red Mage
Right now it’s probably the original soundtrack for Journey by Austin Wintory. In the past the soundtracks from Shadow of the Colossus, Mega Man II and X, Chrono Trigger (now 2nd favorite OST), Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy VII (3rd favorite) and various other RPGs have taken top place. And Katamari Damacy, which defies classification. Nobuo Uematsu is Mozart, Yasunori Mitsuda is Chopin, and Koji Kondo is Beethoven. Music has long been an important aspect of gaming for me. I taught myself how to play the piano because of Final Fantasy X’s “To Zanarkand” track. The Final Fantasy Piano Collections series was my bread and jam. If you’re a Final Fantasy fan and haven’t run into those yet, take my recommendation. But the Journey OST by Austin Wintory cannot be explained. It’s transcendentally beautiful. Especially “I Was Born For This” (the lyrics give chills) and “Apotheosis”. Honestly it feels like all the hope and joy of ascending to heaven in musical form.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypNgvc6c6Cc&w=560&h=315]
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Well-Red! Top quality punnage as always, but as to music: I too like MGS & we already know All FF7 music is MY JAM!!!! but we both know we love Journey & Flower too much for anything else! For me tho gotta add Unraveled (I cried!) & the Underwater Palace from Dark Cloud! What a melancholic piece of joy!!!!!
(Ya can’t beat original Halo theme for sheer presence or Yoshi’s Island theme for Hummability tho can ya? Can Ya!? *Hums Yoshi theme*)
I really enjoy the Metal Gear Solid theme. The music has an epic feel and the fast melody fits the action nature of the game. I found some adverts on the bonus disc that plays the music with animated sequences from the game and dialogue and it looks really good. I also like the soundtrack to the first Sonic game on the Game Gear. The music for the Jungle level is very upbeat. I might also cheat by suggesting the Grand Theft Auto games, some of the songs seem better when driving through the city streets.
I really enjoy the dramatic Metal Gear Solid soundtracks. They’re dissonant sometimes but really potent stuff.
One of the most interesting soundtracks is Psycho Mantis’ mind control music. The classical music used is quite haunting
That Mantis hymn is one of the best songs in the game!
Up until the end of last year I would have said Chrono Trigger, easily, but I think a new champion has been crowned in Undertale. Just an amazing array of tracks that evoke a ton of emotion even outside of the game. It really took an already great game and elevated it to new heights.
Thanks for sharing! Chrono Trigger will always hold a unique place in my heart too. I keep hearing about how great Undertale’s music is. Been meaning to give it a listen.
Although I finished it up 7 months ago I still find myself listening to the OST and various remixes folks have done on YouTube at least once a week. There’s some really great metal covers of it as well.
Metroid Prime would be an honorable mention for me too.
Chrono Trigger actually still takes the top spot for me as my favorite game of all time. I’ll never forget spending an entire summer with it getting all the extra endings and plumbing its secret depths. It’s also one of the best and most unique RPG worlds and storylines, in my opinion. I think that game’s practically perfect.
I’m with you. It’s my absolute favorite RPG of all time, hands down. It’s also one of the few RPGs I’ve gone back to play through on numerous occasions, rather than focus on something new and exciting.
One day I’ll buy the DS port so I have it on the go without the awful PS port load times. Even those haven’t stopped me from finishing the game a few more times.
Ugh yeah the PlayStation version… Right now Wii Virtual Console is my access point. I used to have the cartridge but gave it to someone for their birthday like a big generous idiot…
Amazon has the DS cart for $23, which is a solid price for the best port. Otherwise I’m stuck using the PSone version physically or digitally on Vita/PS3. Those load times can get annoying for sure, and the anime cutscenes are shit quality.
For me it varies by my situation and mood.
I usually reserve gaming soundtracks for studying, so I lean toward the mellower, orchestral ones.
Lots of good choices here, and I second Shadow of the Colossus!
The Legend of Zelda – the whole series has had great music, but for me the standouts might be Ocarina of Time (there’s just so much great music in this), Majora’s Mask, and Skyward Sword – especially the desert sections in the last one.
I don’t even know where to begin with this. I remember FFVI being the first video game to have a soundtrack that moved me. There’d been others I loved before (like the ending credits to Super Mario Bros. 3; there was just something about that), but the introduction of the leitmotif was close to a religious experience. I listen to Celes’s original theme and the piano version consistently on repeat. Then there’s VII…Aeris’s Theme has brought me unashamedly to tears and One Winged Angel is nigh on perfect. It may be my favorite song in a foreign language, though I can’t decide whether I love the original orchestrated version better of Advent’s dueling electric guitars *swoon*. Nobuo Uematsu is my favorite modern day composer. His style is so aeclectic. He can give music the Baroque flavoring you find in VI and IX along with several jazz laden numbers in the latter, not to mention more modern/electronic samplings as you’ll find in the more futuristic VIII, and of course the dark bleeding to horror motifs in VII. I’m sorry I’m all over the place, but music, ah music, the music in the Final Fantasy Series is a large part of what made it so great. It added to the atmosphere created by the narrative.
I have to give mention to Child of Light’s music by Coeur de Pirate. One, that game is amazing, and the music just enhances it. Atmospheric and dark. Of course I agree with everything said about the Chrono Series. Also I’m currently listening to the music from Journey by the Well-Red Mage’s recommendation as I write this. That’s bumping that game higher on my to-play list. At the very least I need to buy the soundtrack. Every word you said about it is true. I can envision myself writing many a story and essay to this aetherial music ♥♥♥
Mine would have to be Crazy Taxi. That’s the first time I ever heard The Offspring.
You guys are just busting out the best posts on here 😀 Kudos for Journey. I’d also add Flower, Ape Escape 1, and Final Fantasy 7,8,9,12,14.
So much love for Final Fantasy! It’s well deserved. And Flower is certainly another good one. Glad you like Journey too. And thanks for the compliment!
I am a huge fan of it XD Even wrote a blog post about why I’m looking forward to 15 so much despite all the hate it’s getting. Can’t wait for September!
Got a link for me?
Sorry I thought I put it in already : P Here it is https://feddybear.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/stand-by-me/
Thanks for sharing! I’m skeptical about XV, so I hope you’ve got some hope for me!
Unfortunately my experience on video gaming ended up suddenly in the first years of the new millennium, so I know for sure there are games with hyper-excellent soundtracks, but having fond memories of the old games I would say always Super Mario Bros. 3, even though Extreme Pinball in some parts has a wonderful background music…
Oh yeah, SMB3 has a really solid soundtrack for the NES era! Thanks for commenting!
Perfect choices, i agree with Green screen mage about Undertale. I would’ve chosen Painful Memories track from Heavy Rain, Bejeweled City from Legend of Mana and anything from Persona 3
Thanks! I forgot about Legend of Mana. Strange gameplay but the music was spot on as I recall.
Hands down Final Fantasy VI. It has sooooo many great and memorable tunes and both companion soundtracks (FFVI Piano Collection and FFVI Grand Finale) reinforce it. This was the very first game soundtrack I ever owned and I purchased it using the order card that came in the box, waaaaay back in the day. I paid 60$ for it, quite a bit for the time, but it was worth every penny. I still have this soundtrack, the original case and the insert, and I would never, ever give it away.
I could go on and on about at least a dozen tracks, but I will spare you the long winded post and just say: “Dancing Mad”. Done.
“Dancing Mad”. Uematsu’s favorite! Can’t argue with FFVI.
I really loved the soundtrack to Final Fantasies, IX in particular. Uematsu is boss. The Kingdom Hearts series also has some awesome music. Thus far, I think the most confident aspect I have in FFXV is Yoko Shimomura’s compositions. Persona 3,4 and TWEWY also had some neat background music.
Thanks for sharing! I forgot about Kingdom Hearts. Definitely excellent music on that OST.
Excellent choices by everyone here! I would have said Chrono Cross but The Timely Mage summed it up perfectly. One of my favorite soundtracks is from Donkey Kong Country 2. David Wise did a phenomenal job creating ambient memorable tunes. Stickerbrush Symphony is one of my favorite tracks from any video game. Other classics are Mining Melancholy, Hot Head Bop, and Forest Interlude. There’s so much to love about the game, and the music is just one part of its greatness.
Oh we can mention Chrono Cross all day, every day! And glad you mentioned DKC2. It isn’t my favorite soundtrack, but it’s incomparable.