5 Video Game Soundtracks I love
- Kieran
- Sep 20, 2019
- 5 min read
Video Game Music is underrated. 99% of music on my first iPod was from my favourite video games that I had downloaded from YouTube. Sure the quality was poor, but the memories were strong, and this is probably a huge reason I love game soundtracks to this day. Whether there is a strong emotional connection or its just a straight banger, some particular tracks stick with you and upon hearing the first few seconds can elicit a reaction. Perhaps they are early memories of your first games, or linked to a certain scene or level that you connected with. In any case, they deserve attention and I just want to share with you some of my favourite 5 soundtracks and some specific tracks that are closest to me.
1) Chrono Trigger
Right off the bat I am introducing my all time beloved game AND soundtrack. In my opinion, the greatest JRPG ever made, with beautiful visuals, excellent gameplay, engaging characters and, above all, a killer soundtrack.
The music is by Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu & Noriko Matsueda, some you might recognise from other games such as Final Fantasy. They have created such a whimsical, varied mix that remains consistent despite the game's time-travelling theme.
Top hits include:
Guardia Millennial Fair:
(Such strong nostalgia, perhaps as it is a very early song but also you spend a lot of good times in this area.)
(My favourite track, and it's an overworld theme! I could spend hours just wondering the map to this tune)
Frog's Theme:
(Heroic and beautiful, quickly influenced my love over the character)
Spekkio's Theme:
(Counter-balanced the annoyance of running around a darn room 30,000 times)
Decisive Battle with Magus:
(Now THIS is boss battle music)
(This was so hard just picking five, just listen to the whole soundtrack please. And play the game, Do both,)
2) Heroes of Might and Magic IV
Apparently people don't like this game. Well I absolutely love it and will defend it to the last Hafling, damn it! It was one of the few games I had on PC, I never played Heroes III and I just loved mythology and monsters.One thing that always stuck out at me was the increadible soundtrack, each specifically tailored to the different factions and world map.
Top Hits include:
The Academy of Honour:
(I remember I would more often pick the "Order" faction just so I could hear this theme. The chaos one scared me as a child.)
Hope:
(Any of the overworld themes could be picked, but this is probably my favourite. So peaceful and beautiful.)
Floating Across Water:
(Weirdly enough, this track appeared in multiple games due to its free usage. I was happy to hear it every time.)
Mountain Song:
(I lied. THIS is the best overworld song.)
Main Theme:
(This would always hype me up before playing or selecting which map to play. I mostly went for the 8-player, high level missions so I could immediately cast powerful magic.)
3) Xenoblade Chronicles X
I both love and hate this soundtrack. Perhaps inferior to the original Xenoblade Chronicles, or even Xenoblade Chronicles 2 which I both find increadible, I think the fact that the music grew on me throughout the game is what makes me put it on this list.
Composed by legendary Hiroyuki Sawano, of Attack on Titan and Kill la Kill (anime that I love the music of as well) and king of drops, they managed to incorporate the huge scale of the world into the music and make each battle and area unique.
Top Tracks include: Primordia:
(I remember when I first stepped out into the Primordia overworld and heard this track for the first time as I just stopped what I was doing and listened. The best part about Xenoblade X is the fact it takes forever to get anywhere without the Robot, so I could listen to this for a looong time.)
Noctillum:
(Just when I thought they couldn't beat Primordia in the next area, this absolute TUNE comes on and blows it away.)
THEMEX:
(Listen to it up to 3:55. Then listen some more.)
Don't Worry:
(As you launch your Skell into the air for the first time, this absolutely nails the powerful feeling of freedom.)
Uncontrollable:
(Strong Kill La Kill feelings from this one. A great track for boss battles.)
4) Undertale / Deltarune
If you've played Undertale or Deltrarune, you'll know that the soundtrack is what almost entirely drives the emotions of this game. If you haven't played them, I strongly suggest you do, they are amazing, high-quality titles that are very reasonably priced. I couldn't pick just one and it is by the same composer, Toby Fox, so I'll do both.
Tip top tracks are: Ruins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyPR77rg1to&list=PLNZrizhuZfNvy7EBPcv5WtURYz0Fzn7Z1&index=69 (This is the opening level. What a start. Sets the tone perfectly.)
Bonetrousle:
(Undertale manages to remix old tracks and revamp them for new situations. Papyrus' theme is already good, but make it a battle theme? Now you are talking,)
Another Medium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLsuam9o9BA&list=PLNZrizhuZfNvy7EBPcv5WtURYz0Fzn7Z1&index=84 (When I was looking through the tracks I couldn't remember it from the title. Then I played it. I remember.)
Spider Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ3XjVVNagU&list=PLNZrizhuZfNvy7EBPcv5WtURYz0Fzn7Z1&index=85
(A bouncy boss battle that you can't help but clap along with)
Field of Hopes and Dreams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnLQnX7BPeU
(I had to put at least one Deltarune song here, but they are all good. Great even. Amazing. This is the best though.)
(I won't put Megolavania as you all know its a fantastic track, despite its meme status.)
Trying to pick a fifth game is almost impossible, so here are some honorable mentions that I'll maybe cover in another post: Mass Effect Trilogy, Hollow Knight, Legend of Zelda (all of them), Final Fantasy 6, 7, 9, 10 and even a bit of 13, Persona 5, Monster Hunter X, Bravely Default, Octopath Traveler, Outrun, Toejam and Earl, Sonic 1, 2 and 3 (and Adventure 2), Hearthstone, Phoenix Wright Series, Pokemon Series, Shovel Knight, Super Mario Odyssey, Doom, Tokyo Mirage Sessions, I could keep going on. For the last (of this blog post at least) I will go for one that is quite tonally different to the others.
5) Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
While nowhere near the levels of some of the honourable mentions, I basically didn't want to fill this entire list with RPGs (otherwise Final Fantasy would dominate this). Shantae is a fun mix of old-school 16-bit with a new twist. It's fun, colourful and exciting, just like the game itself.
Some of the best songs: Title Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrhKZlmBXuY&list=PLNZrizhuZfNvy7EBPcv5WtURYz0Fzn7Z1&index=107
(A powerful opening that most people probably won't hear all the way through before starting the game)
Trip through Sequin Land:
(Sets the scene for an exciting adventure.)
Rottytops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y12tWy4VdFo&list=PLNZrizhuZfNvy7EBPcv5WtURYz0Fzn7Z1&index=113 (It could be just because she is the best waifu, but I love this song)
Run Run Rottytops!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2lZKFq-c4g (Not just from the Old Spice meme too)
Boss Battle
(A remix of the main theme in an explosive way. A great personalised boss theme) That's the end for this one, if people care about this one at all or just want some more fantastic soundtracks I might continue this!
Comments