100 recommended video game songs. (1-50)
Last year, Hardcore Gaming 101, one of my favorite sites on the internet, held a huge Best Video Game Music poll. Unfortunately, I didn't hear about it until shortly after it ended, but I decided to try and make my own list according to their guidelines just in case they decided to do it again. I started working on this over the summer, back in July or so, and I have turned it from a "top 100 favorite song" list into a "100 recommended song" list. I can't pick a hundred favorites. x_x So I tried to pick some songs that I really like and thought others may not know as well.
My guidelines:
-I could only choose three songs maximum from one game, to create a list of 100 songs maximum.
-I decided to not list vocal songs that were either opening or ending themes, or are only heard once or twice throughout the game. I do have some vocal songs listed, but you can hear them regularly throughout the game and are part of the soundtrack. I tend to really love vocal openings/endings, so I thought it wouldn't be fair to just list those. Ahaha.
I also try to explain how each song makes me feel, how they sound, etc. Except I know little about instruments and music, so I probably sound like a repetitive, pretentious fool. |D My apologies.
2015 update!
This list has been updated with embedded videos for easier listening, but having fifty videos trying to load all at once can bog down the page -- please have patience! Also, because of this, I've had to split the original list into two posts due to convenience and size.
Check out songs 51-100 here!
.hack//Infection (PS2, 2003) composed by: Chikayo Fukuda, Seizo Nakata
➸The .hack series is supposed to be like playing an MMO on your PS2. I have only played the first game in the series, .hack//Infection, but I found the music to be atmospheric and pretty, and I liked how the field music would seamlessly add instrumentation and become generally more frantic whenever monsters were near.
1. .hack//Infection - "Prairie Rain Field Normal ~ Battle"
➸My favorite of the field themes. I appreciate how the official soundtrack blended the normal theme with the battle theme to show how they come together when a monster appears in the area. It's subtle and obvious at the same time, but never chaotic. The normal theme is calm, with pretty flute and chimes, while the battle theme adds frantic percussion and completely changes the tone of the song.
2. .hack//Infection - "Root Town Delta - Water Capital Mac Anu"
➸As the first town theme, I heard this song pretty often while playing .hack. Again, it's calm and peaceful, with a nice guitar-like lead and flute-like undertones. It's fitting for a water town.
Breath of Fire III (PSX, 1997) composed by: Akari Kaida, Yoshino Aoki
➸One of my favorite RPGs. I used to rent it from the local video store while I was in middle school, then I found a copy in the game store and bought it. I've played it through a couple times since. It's charming, has an interesting story, and I like its music. I've seen its soundtrack described as slightly jazzy and generally upbeat.
3. Breath of Fire III - "Overworld Theme #2"
➸Ah, such an iconic song to me. It sounds of a long, wistful journey. I think the actual title of the song is "Far Away," representing the main character's journey across the sea to learn the truth. The song sounds positive to me, but longing at the same time. I think it's because of the flute lead.
4. Breath of Fire III - "Turning Point"
➸Such a heroic-sounding and catchy song! I don't even know how to describe it. I just like it. An active song that always has me nodding along to the percussion's beat. And there's flute and cascading keyboard. It plays in the Black Ship dungeon, which really is a turning point for the characters because it gives them a chance to cross the ocean.
Breath of Fire IV (PSX, 2000) composed by: Yoshino Aoki
➸This game turned away from the semi-jazzy sound of BoFIII and became more simple, and it's nice. Lots of soft instruments are used, and many of the songs have an Asian feel to them. The game itself was rather similar and definitely carries an Asian theme. I haven't beaten it, though. I made it to the final level and stopped. Don't really know why, either. Sigh.
5. Breath of Fire IV - "Landscape"
➸This song is very atmospheric, and I feel as if I can hear the sadness in every note. It is an example of one of the Asian-themed pieces, representing the character during these scenes, but it works so well. It gives me chills.
6. Breath of Fire IV - "The World Beneath Your Feet"
➸This is the overworld theme. It's simple and pretty. Soft and light, but also carrying that kind of sad, kind of positive tone of a journey into the unknown.
Chrono Trigger (SNES, 1995) composed by: Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu, Noriko Matsueda
➸Yes, of course. This classic game is well-known for its beautiful music. It's a great game, too. What else is there to say?
7. Chrono Trigger - "Memories of Green"
➸I will admit it: I cried the first time I heard this song. It's lovely piano and a solitary flute for the first minute or so, and it sounds so sad and beautiful at the same time. It's a version of the game's main theme, and the first overworld theme, but definitely the prettiest of them all.
8. Chrono Trigger - "Secret of the Forest"
➸The forest theme. This song may start off slowly, but it becomes grand and sweeping as it continues. It has a mystic feel to it. BoFIII's forest theme is actually an homage to this song. Wonder how they got away with that.
9. Chrono Trigger - "Tyran Castle"
➸This song was actually composed by Nobuo Uematsu, first off. Second, it was one of my favorite songs that I remembered from the first time I played the game. Much different than others I've been doting on: ominous opening, more of a rock theme, but I thought -- and still think -- that it sounds pretty neat. Not quite sure if it totally fits with the dinosaur castle level, but I had actually read that this wasn't the intended song for this level. Even so, I still like it.
Crystalis (NES, 1990) composed by: Yoko O
➸I remember trying to play this game as a kid but never being able to get past the first boss. I picked it up later when I could figure things out and got pretty far, but I haven't actually beaten it. Oops. It's kind of typical poppy NES stuff, but it's still pretty good, considering all that came out on the NES.
10. Crystalis - "Ocean Waves"
➸This song plays as you ride a dolphin around in the ocean. I think it's catchy, though. Kind of urgent- or important-sounding. You're on a mission. On a dolphin. Yup.
Deadly Premonition (XBox360, ?) composed by: ?
➸I don't own an XBox, let alone a 360. I just watched a highly amusing, highly informative Let's Play of this game over the summer and fell in love with it. I don't really remember the music all that well, except for this one song:
11. Deadly Premonition - "Life Is Beautiful"
➸...yeah. This song. Will stay. In your head. For days. It's so happy and catchy and it's played at all the best times during the game as a kind of comic relief. It's just a guitar and whistling and a kazoo(!), but if this song doesn't put a smile on your face, you're worse than I am. And I'm pretty bad. Lowl.
Digimon World (PSX, 2000) composed by: Koji Yamada, Yuko Ishii
➸I also used to rent this game until I found a copy of it. I like it because you're able to raise your Digimon like they were a digital Tamagotchi-esque pet, and I always wanted one of those. The music in this game ranges from kind of mechanical-sounding to pure nature ambience, and each place has a separate song for daytime and nighttime.
12. Digimon World - "In Savanna"
➸This song has always stuck out to me all these years. It just screams "wide open world" and "adventure," which kind of encompasses the overall feeling of the game. It's the daytime theme for the Gear Savanna, composed by Yuko Ishii.
Digimon World Dawn/Dusk (DS, 2007) composed by: Koji Yamada?
➸And I still like to play Digimon games. I own Dusk, and it surprisingly has some pretty catchy music. It continues with the adventurous themes, but some are also quite pretty too.
13. Digimon World Dawn/Dusk - "Terminal"
➸It starts out innocently enough, but it builds up into a solid beat around the :45 mark. I think it's a fun and catchy little song that most players probably do not hear completely, since the warp terminal is a small place that takes a few seconds to walk through.
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (NES, 1987) composed by: Tsukasa Masuko
➸Oh dear. I don't really know much about this game at all. I've only played about fifteen minutes of it. It's hard to dungeon crawl when you can't understand what's going on, darn language barriers. I have completed this game! in Japanese, no less. =D With a walkthrough, though. It actually has some really good music other than the theme listed below, but for now:
14. Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei - "Theme of Micon"
➸The first town in the game, and its song has such a happy and fun feel to it. It doesn't sound as if the heroes are descending into hell at all, does it? It's delightfully catchy and I always sing along with it. I will note that the Megami Tensei II version of this song has changed instrumentation just a bit -- the lead melody sounds stronger -- but the tune is the same.
Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC, 1998) composed by: Koichi Sugiyama
➸Yes, I realize that these two songs are from original Dragon Quest games. However, I first heard them on this game, one of my favorite games of all time, and I really love their Game Boy versions. Dragon Quest music in general is pretty epic and fit for a symphony to play. These songs are played in the last level of certain dungeons.
15. Dragon Quest Monsters - "Toward the Horizon"
➸This song is originally from Dragon Quest V. It's catchy and driving at the same time. I like how there seem to be two layers of music going on at once during part of the song.
16. Dragon Quest Monsters - "Unknown World"
➸This song began as the iconic overworld theme of Dragon Quest, but DQM's version adds more to the song, making it even more beautiful. I think this is the version of the overworld theme used in remakes of DQ1 (or maybe in DQ2/3?), but I'm only familiar with the original so I don't really know. It takes the original lonely-sounding song and makes it more grand with a sweeping bridge part and a simple rendition of the main theme before the song loops back to the original theme. It's really pretty. I especially love that ending.
Dragon Quest Monsters II (GBC, 2001) composed by: Koichi Sugiyama
➸Another fun monster-raising game (that I still haven't beaten because my save keeps getting wiped) with a great soundtrack. This game departs from the other one in that you have to visit complete worlds to advance instead of just enter a bunch of dungeons, and the worlds have very good overworld themes.
17. Dragon Quest Monsters II - "Into the Unknown World"
➸This hauntingly pretty song plays when the character visits a randomly-generated world via a random key, and it reflects how I feel when I visit one of those worlds: alone and unsure. The monsters in those worlds would usually tend to be really strong, so it was kind of a gamble to go. This pretty song sure did set the mood, though.
Earthbound (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hirokazu Tanaka, Keiichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanazu
➸Also known as Mother 2, Earthbound is another SNES classic. The music, on the other hand, can be anywhere from annoying to weird to catchy to awesome and eight-bit, but somehow it all fits.
18. Earthbound - "Theme of Onett - Let's Start an Adventure"
➸The first town theme, composed by Keiichi Suzuki. It's cute and sets the tone of the game. Onett is a bustling little place, and the hero's hometown, so it's familiar and inviting. I can't help but tap my foot to the beat. The opening throwback to Mother's overworld theme, "Pollyanna," in the beginning is really sweet, and the horns at the end before the loop are a nice touch.
Final Fantasy I (NES, 1987) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸I have a soft spot for this game. It's simple, but more pleasantly so than Dragon Quest. Its music is iconic, as well. It has many good eight-bit tunes.
19. Final Fantasy I - "Gurgu Volcano"
➸Goodness, do I love this song. It is sooo catchy. I don't think it makes for the best dungeon song ever, but I could listen to it for ages. Perhaps Square also thought that it didn't make for a good dungeon song, since they remade it for several re-releases as a quieter, slower, more cave-like song, but I am not the greatest fan of that version. This one is too fun.
Final Fantasy II (NES/PSX, 1988/2003) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸Usually considered kind of a black sheep game due to its weird leveling system, but I thought II was fine. I first played it on the PSX as part of Final Fantasy Origins. Its songs are more composed and seemingly less random and frantic and energetic as I's.
20. Final Fantasy II - "Main Theme"
➸I am talking about the PSX version here because it adds a bit to the overworld theme over the plainly looping NES version. The song itself is -- yes -- sad and lonely. It's as if you are alone in the world; a daunting task. The section added on fills out the song nicely with extra acoustic guitar and an overall feeling of warmth in between lonely riffs. The original, therefore, is sad-sounding but short and repetitive.
Final Fantasy III (NES, 1990) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸Probably my favorite Final Fantasy game. It has an interesting story, and its soundtrack is amaaaazing for an eight-bit NES game. The percussion in some of the songs is awesome. Alas, I could only pick a few songs from it.
21. Final Fantasy III - "The Endless Ocean"
➸The second overworld theme and a very gorgeous song. It is only played during a select part of the game, but the song definitely leaves a lasting memory of the scene. The song itself is kind of sad, kind of longing, and quite pretty. It made me cry the first time I heard it.
22. Final Fantasy III - "Eternal Wind"
➸The main overworld theme. It always reminds me of the four orphaned children wandering about on the world map. It's inviting for exploration. Embarrassingly enough, I wrote lyrics to this tune many years ago, and I can't help but sing them every time I hear this song. Ahaha.
Final Fantasy V (SNES, 1992) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸This game has a pretty good but relatively underestimated soundtrack. I adore a good bunch of the songs in this game, and I think they deserve more recognition.
23. Final Fantasy V - "Fate in Haze"
➸The dungeon theme, although it doesn't really sound ominous like a dungeon theme typically would. It's actually quite peaceful and relaxing. Kind of reminds me of FFIV's dungeon theme, which I also like. I also really love the title of this song.
24. Final Fantasy V - "My Home, Sweet Home"
➸This song is played in one town, but I remember it as the one song that stuck with me after I had finished the game. It is sweet and nostalgic, kind of like a music box's tune.
Final Fantasy VIII (PSX, 1999) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸I played this game over a course of several years, so I don't remember it as well as I remember its music. Another soundtrack that I am generally pleased with.
25. Final Fantasy VIII - "Blue Fields"
➸The overworld theme. It feels kind of lonely and with some trepidation, which is fitting seeing that the character on the map is small compared to the world around him. This is probably the song I think of first when reminded of this game.
26. Final Fantasy VIII - "Breezy"
➸A town theme. It is so calm and pretty, fitting for a seaside town. I wouldn't mind having this song playing as I walk down the street, haha. I will say that the first part of the final battle song, "The Extreme," makes me think of this song. Huh.
27. Final Fantasy VIII - "Martial Law"
➸There is just something I adore about this song. The way it sounds, perhaps? Those harp sounds in the beginning? That bass? The keyboard breakdown during the bridge? How it makes me think of a lit-up city at night? I blame the in-game scenario in which this is played for that one.
Final Fantasy Adventure (GB, 1991) composed by: Kenji Ito
➸Also known as the first Seiken Densetsu/Mana game, or Sword of Mana on the GBA. I've played Sword of Mana, but I prefer the simple eight-bit songs to their GBA renditions.
28. Final Fantasy Adventure - "Endless Battlefield"
➸The first field theme, and is it poppy and catchy enough to sing along to. It's definitely full of energy and the spirit of adventure.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES, 1993) composed by: Ryuji Sasai, Yasuhiro Kawakami
➸Also known as Final Fantasy USA, which is still kind of funny considering how easy and straight-forward this game is. Even so, I've played through it a couple of times. Its soundtrack is pretty well-known as a good one, and I have to agree -- I love so many songs from it. Although I want to highlight some songs other than the final dungeon and final boss battle themes...
29. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest - "Falls Basin"
➸I usually call this song "the Mine song," since it plays in the Mine dungeon of the game and I'm in there longer than the Falls Basin. It's a song I could fall asleep to, probably. I've always liked this song, but I can't quite put my finger on why. Because it's nice and calm? Those lingering notes? Composed by Yasuhiro Kawakami.
30. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest - "Mountain Range of Whirlwinds"
➸This song, the theme to the Wind dungeons, has also always been one of my favorites from this game. It has a sense of urgency and adventure to it, especially since it's near the end of the game. Pretty epic. Composed by Ryuji Sasai.
Gensou Suikoden I (PSX, 1996) composed by: Konami Kukeiha Club
➸One of my first RPGs, and one that I still love dearly to this day. It has an amazing soundtrack that I would recommend to anyone. Heck, I'd recommend the whole game. It's short but never drags, has a great storyline, and the music is fantastic.
31. Gensou Suikoden I - "Distant Mountain"
Groan, embarrassingly ugly American box art incoming... I'm not even sure who the two people on the right are supposed to be.
➸I love this song. It's played while traveling in the mountains, and it fits. The woodwinds are awesome and give the song a mystical feel. And the percussion is great too.
32. Gensou Suikoden I - "Forgotten Days"
➸A theme for a certain town visited mostly through cut-scene, and it's amazing. I remember loving it as a kid, and it's still beautiful. It sounds so peaceful and mysterious, especially with those woodwinds. Amazing. ♥
Gensou Suikoden II (PSX, 1999) composed by: Miki Higashino, Keiko Fukami
➸Another great game with a great soundtrack, reminiscent of GSI's. It's a real tear-jerker, that's for sure. I can't recommend the Gensou Suikoden series enough.
33. Gensou Suikoden II - "Two Rivers"
➸A town theme, again. This song struck me immediately as a beautiful piece the first time I heard it in-game. I love how the guitar and flute work together to produce a pretty and slightly sad piece. There's a version of this song with vocals named "Due Fiumi."
Gensou Suikoden III (PS2, 2002) composed by: Michiru Yamane, Takashi Yoshida, Masahiko Kimura, Keiko Fukami
➸The music in III takes a turn, as it is upgraded to PS2 standards and goes through a change in musicians. Still, the music in this game is decent, even though I sadly remember so little of it from in-game.
34. Gensou Suikoden III - "Beautiful Grasslands"
➸One of the grassland themes, and it's pretty and calming. It has hints of a native-sounding flute and interesting percussion that stands out. Definitely a favorite area theme.
35. Gensou Suikoden III - "Searching for a Hero"
➸This song is the one I remember hearing in-game and thinking, "hey, this is pretty good." It has pretty strings that build up through the song. It gives me a feeling of wonder and anticipation. It plays in a cave that leads to a great revelation, so this fits well.
Gensou Suikoden IV (PS2, 2004) composed by: Masahiko Kimura, Norikazu Miura, Michiru Yamane
➸This game. I thought its music was a step down from the previous games', and I don't really remember any of the songs but one. The whole game was a step down, honestly. I never even bothered to beat the final boss...
36. Gensou Suikoden IV - "Landing"
➸The first town's theme, composed by Masahiko Kimura. It's catchy and fun, and it definitely sounds like a port town, but of course it's also playing before the plot begins and everything turns for the worse...
Gensou Suikoden V (PS2, 2006) composed by: Yoshihiro Tsukahara, Takashi Watanabe, Kuniyuki Takahashi, Chiharu Mukaiyama
➸Ah, a return to good stuff, musically and otherwise. Different composers, but still impressive. Most of the soundtrack adopts a distinct Asian sound.
37. Gensou Suikoden V - "The Light Moaning in the Darkness"
➸Pretty and sad piano. That's about it, really. Sad end-game stuff.
38. Gensou Suikoden V - "Purification Spring"
➸A mystical piece that I think highlights the pretty Asian sound of the music in this game. It only plays in a very short section of the game, from what I remember, but it really stuck with me.
The Legend of Dragoon (PSX, 1999) composed by: Martin Dennis, Takeo Miratsu
➸This game was an early RPG for me, and it's one that has found itself ingrained in my memory. Though I am a liiiittle disappointed in the "dragon" design, haha. The Dragoon design is top-notch, though. And the music is pretty good, too.
39. The Legend of Dragoon - "Main Menu"
➸This song has such an awesome beat. I have always really enjoyed listening to this song. I remember entering the menu just to listen to it while I took a break. Definitely reminds me of my younger days.
40. The Legend of Dragoon - "Prairie"
➸This has always been one of my favorite songs in LoD. It's happy, catchy, and makes me nod along with it. Shame it's only used in two places, but one of the two places is at the very beginning of the final area of the game, and I remember running all the way back there from the final save point just to listen to this song. Composed by Dennis Martin.
Legend of Mana (PSX, 1999) composed by: Yoko Shimomura
➸I enjoyed this game, even though all I've ever seen about it are mixed reviews. Maybe my opinion differs because I hadn't played any other Seiken Densetsu/Mana games before playing this one. But no matter what you think of this game, its soundtrack is awesome.
41. Legend of Mana - "Complicated Destiny"
➸One of the dragoon side-story songs that sounds similar to a few other songs, but I prefer this version because it sounds like it was ripped straight from a movie. It sounds epic. It has a strong buildup, then a slower calm portion that brings it all together.
42. Legend of Mana - "Sparkling City of Ruin"
➸One of the Jumi side-story songs, played near the end of the storyline. It's sad and pretty and has piano in it, just like I like them. It really fits with the location it plays in.
43. Legend of Mana - "To the Sea"
➸This song, from what I remember, is only in one stage of the game, a stage with penguins, but I love it anyway. So catchy and fun! I guess it is kind of fitting for a beachy level.
Lufia: The Legend Returns (GBC, 2001) composed by: Yasunori Shiono
➸I love this game. I saw it in an issue of Nintendo Power, a random issue I got with my Crystal Version, and I wanted it. So I got it, without knowing a thing about the previous Lufia games, and I've played it several times since. Yeah, it has lots of spelling and grammatical errors, but it's still charming and entertaining. And it has a REALLY GOOD GBC soundtrack. Some of the best Game Boy music I've ever heard.
44. Lufia: The Legend Returns - "Battle #1"
➸I love how this song starts with a single line, and as time goes on, different elements are added to it and it evolves into a decent battle theme. It's also kind of catchy.
45. Lufia: The Legend Returns - "Labyrinth in the Forest"
➸The forest dungeon theme. I remember really loving this song when I was younger. The intro is pretty impressive, and I can't help but hum along to it whenever I hear it. Nostalgia~
46. Lufia: The Legend Returns - "Tower of Twilight"
➸The theme to the final tower in the game, and it's evident -- such a determined song! It's catchy and it sounds like some butt is about to be kicked. And you get to hear a lot of it, 'cause from what I remember, the final tower is like fifty floors high or something.
Maniac Mansion (NES, 1990) composed by: "David Warhol"
➸Ah, this game used to freak me out so much when I tried to play it as a kid. I still can't really bring myself to play it, so I read an LP for it and now I can die happy. The music in this game is blah-to-okay, save for one really darn catchy theme song:
47. Maniac Mansion - "Dave's Theme"
➸Ahh, so catchy. This is the theme song for the main character, so you will probably hear this at least once while playing since he's automatically in your party. I can't even explain why I like this song so much. It's just rockin', especially when it goes crazy at the end.
Mega Man II (NES, 1988) composed by: Ogeretsu, Manami, Yuukichan's Papa
➸I got this game for my fifth birthday. I still haven't been able to beat it. Sigh, darn dragon in Wily's Castle. It always makes me panic and fall off of the blocks. Anyway, yeah, the Mega Man/Rockman series is pretty well-known for its amazing music, so here you go.
48. Mega Man II - "Wood Man Stage"
➸Surprise, not "Wily Stage I." no, this song gets stuck in my head a lot more often than the other. It's catchy, and it actually kind of reminds me of a crazy jungle, especially with that intro.
Mega Man III (NES, 1990) composed by: Yasuaki Fujita
➸I had the entire set of Mega Man NES games by the time I was eleven. I still enjoy playing them. And I have finished this game, thank goodness. I think it has some of the best songs in the whole series.
49. Mega Man III - "Title Screen"
➸I remember turning my NES on as a kid and sitting there in front of my tv just listening to this song. I love it. One of the best songs I've ever heard. It's catchy, has a sense of determination to it, and nostalgic all in one. Amazing. ♥
Mega Man IV (NES, 1991) composed by: Ojalin, Yasuaki Fujita
➸This was the last game I needed to complete my collection, so I haven't played it as much. It's not as good music-wise as the previous two games, either, but it's still worth a listen.
50. Mega Man IV - "Skull Man Stage"
➸This song gets stuck in my head so easily. It's driving and sounds kind of primal. Listen to that percussionnn. Catchyyy. The part before the loop is the best, too.
Ready for songs 51-100? Click here!
Check out the expanded list and the new 2015 list for more recommended songs!
My guidelines:
-I could only choose three songs maximum from one game, to create a list of 100 songs maximum.
-I decided to not list vocal songs that were either opening or ending themes, or are only heard once or twice throughout the game. I do have some vocal songs listed, but you can hear them regularly throughout the game and are part of the soundtrack. I tend to really love vocal openings/endings, so I thought it wouldn't be fair to just list those. Ahaha.
I also try to explain how each song makes me feel, how they sound, etc. Except I know little about instruments and music, so I probably sound like a repetitive, pretentious fool. |D My apologies.
2015 update!
This list has been updated with embedded videos for easier listening, but having fifty videos trying to load all at once can bog down the page -- please have patience! Also, because of this, I've had to split the original list into two posts due to convenience and size.
Check out songs 51-100 here!
.hack//Infection (PS2, 2003) composed by: Chikayo Fukuda, Seizo Nakata
➸The .hack series is supposed to be like playing an MMO on your PS2. I have only played the first game in the series, .hack//Infection, but I found the music to be atmospheric and pretty, and I liked how the field music would seamlessly add instrumentation and become generally more frantic whenever monsters were near.
1. .hack//Infection - "Prairie Rain Field Normal ~ Battle"
Click to view➸My favorite of the field themes. I appreciate how the official soundtrack blended the normal theme with the battle theme to show how they come together when a monster appears in the area. It's subtle and obvious at the same time, but never chaotic. The normal theme is calm, with pretty flute and chimes, while the battle theme adds frantic percussion and completely changes the tone of the song.
2. .hack//Infection - "Root Town Delta - Water Capital Mac Anu"
➸As the first town theme, I heard this song pretty often while playing .hack. Again, it's calm and peaceful, with a nice guitar-like lead and flute-like undertones. It's fitting for a water town.
Breath of Fire III (PSX, 1997) composed by: Akari Kaida, Yoshino Aoki
➸One of my favorite RPGs. I used to rent it from the local video store while I was in middle school, then I found a copy in the game store and bought it. I've played it through a couple times since. It's charming, has an interesting story, and I like its music. I've seen its soundtrack described as slightly jazzy and generally upbeat.
3. Breath of Fire III - "Overworld Theme #2"
➸Ah, such an iconic song to me. It sounds of a long, wistful journey. I think the actual title of the song is "Far Away," representing the main character's journey across the sea to learn the truth. The song sounds positive to me, but longing at the same time. I think it's because of the flute lead.
4. Breath of Fire III - "Turning Point"
➸Such a heroic-sounding and catchy song! I don't even know how to describe it. I just like it. An active song that always has me nodding along to the percussion's beat. And there's flute and cascading keyboard. It plays in the Black Ship dungeon, which really is a turning point for the characters because it gives them a chance to cross the ocean.
Breath of Fire IV (PSX, 2000) composed by: Yoshino Aoki
➸This game turned away from the semi-jazzy sound of BoFIII and became more simple, and it's nice. Lots of soft instruments are used, and many of the songs have an Asian feel to them. The game itself was rather similar and definitely carries an Asian theme. I haven't beaten it, though. I made it to the final level and stopped. Don't really know why, either. Sigh.
5. Breath of Fire IV - "Landscape"
➸This song is very atmospheric, and I feel as if I can hear the sadness in every note. It is an example of one of the Asian-themed pieces, representing the character during these scenes, but it works so well. It gives me chills.
6. Breath of Fire IV - "The World Beneath Your Feet"
➸This is the overworld theme. It's simple and pretty. Soft and light, but also carrying that kind of sad, kind of positive tone of a journey into the unknown.
Chrono Trigger (SNES, 1995) composed by: Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu, Noriko Matsueda
➸Yes, of course. This classic game is well-known for its beautiful music. It's a great game, too. What else is there to say?
7. Chrono Trigger - "Memories of Green"
➸I will admit it: I cried the first time I heard this song. It's lovely piano and a solitary flute for the first minute or so, and it sounds so sad and beautiful at the same time. It's a version of the game's main theme, and the first overworld theme, but definitely the prettiest of them all.
8. Chrono Trigger - "Secret of the Forest"
➸The forest theme. This song may start off slowly, but it becomes grand and sweeping as it continues. It has a mystic feel to it. BoFIII's forest theme is actually an homage to this song. Wonder how they got away with that.
9. Chrono Trigger - "Tyran Castle"
➸This song was actually composed by Nobuo Uematsu, first off. Second, it was one of my favorite songs that I remembered from the first time I played the game. Much different than others I've been doting on: ominous opening, more of a rock theme, but I thought -- and still think -- that it sounds pretty neat. Not quite sure if it totally fits with the dinosaur castle level, but I had actually read that this wasn't the intended song for this level. Even so, I still like it.
Crystalis (NES, 1990) composed by: Yoko O
➸I remember trying to play this game as a kid but never being able to get past the first boss. I picked it up later when I could figure things out and got pretty far, but I haven't actually beaten it. Oops. It's kind of typical poppy NES stuff, but it's still pretty good, considering all that came out on the NES.
10. Crystalis - "Ocean Waves"
➸This song plays as you ride a dolphin around in the ocean. I think it's catchy, though. Kind of urgent- or important-sounding. You're on a mission. On a dolphin. Yup.
Deadly Premonition (XBox360, ?) composed by: ?
➸I don't own an XBox, let alone a 360. I just watched a highly amusing, highly informative Let's Play of this game over the summer and fell in love with it. I don't really remember the music all that well, except for this one song:
11. Deadly Premonition - "Life Is Beautiful"
➸...yeah. This song. Will stay. In your head. For days. It's so happy and catchy and it's played at all the best times during the game as a kind of comic relief. It's just a guitar and whistling and a kazoo(!), but if this song doesn't put a smile on your face, you're worse than I am. And I'm pretty bad. Lowl.
Digimon World (PSX, 2000) composed by: Koji Yamada, Yuko Ishii
➸I also used to rent this game until I found a copy of it. I like it because you're able to raise your Digimon like they were a digital Tamagotchi-esque pet, and I always wanted one of those. The music in this game ranges from kind of mechanical-sounding to pure nature ambience, and each place has a separate song for daytime and nighttime.
12. Digimon World - "In Savanna"
➸This song has always stuck out to me all these years. It just screams "wide open world" and "adventure," which kind of encompasses the overall feeling of the game. It's the daytime theme for the Gear Savanna, composed by Yuko Ishii.
Digimon World Dawn/Dusk (DS, 2007) composed by: Koji Yamada?
➸And I still like to play Digimon games. I own Dusk, and it surprisingly has some pretty catchy music. It continues with the adventurous themes, but some are also quite pretty too.
13. Digimon World Dawn/Dusk - "Terminal"
➸It starts out innocently enough, but it builds up into a solid beat around the :45 mark. I think it's a fun and catchy little song that most players probably do not hear completely, since the warp terminal is a small place that takes a few seconds to walk through.
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (NES, 1987) composed by: Tsukasa Masuko
➸Oh dear. I don't really know much about this game at all. I've only played about fifteen minutes of it. It's hard to dungeon crawl when you can't understand what's going on, darn language barriers. I have completed this game! in Japanese, no less. =D With a walkthrough, though. It actually has some really good music other than the theme listed below, but for now:
14. Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei - "Theme of Micon"
➸The first town in the game, and its song has such a happy and fun feel to it. It doesn't sound as if the heroes are descending into hell at all, does it? It's delightfully catchy and I always sing along with it. I will note that the Megami Tensei II version of this song has changed instrumentation just a bit -- the lead melody sounds stronger -- but the tune is the same.
Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC, 1998) composed by: Koichi Sugiyama
➸Yes, I realize that these two songs are from original Dragon Quest games. However, I first heard them on this game, one of my favorite games of all time, and I really love their Game Boy versions. Dragon Quest music in general is pretty epic and fit for a symphony to play. These songs are played in the last level of certain dungeons.
15. Dragon Quest Monsters - "Toward the Horizon"
➸This song is originally from Dragon Quest V. It's catchy and driving at the same time. I like how there seem to be two layers of music going on at once during part of the song.
16. Dragon Quest Monsters - "Unknown World"
➸This song began as the iconic overworld theme of Dragon Quest, but DQM's version adds more to the song, making it even more beautiful. I think this is the version of the overworld theme used in remakes of DQ1 (or maybe in DQ2/3?), but I'm only familiar with the original so I don't really know. It takes the original lonely-sounding song and makes it more grand with a sweeping bridge part and a simple rendition of the main theme before the song loops back to the original theme. It's really pretty. I especially love that ending.
Dragon Quest Monsters II (GBC, 2001) composed by: Koichi Sugiyama
➸Another fun monster-raising game (that I still haven't beaten because my save keeps getting wiped) with a great soundtrack. This game departs from the other one in that you have to visit complete worlds to advance instead of just enter a bunch of dungeons, and the worlds have very good overworld themes.
17. Dragon Quest Monsters II - "Into the Unknown World"
➸This hauntingly pretty song plays when the character visits a randomly-generated world via a random key, and it reflects how I feel when I visit one of those worlds: alone and unsure. The monsters in those worlds would usually tend to be really strong, so it was kind of a gamble to go. This pretty song sure did set the mood, though.
Earthbound (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hirokazu Tanaka, Keiichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanazu
➸Also known as Mother 2, Earthbound is another SNES classic. The music, on the other hand, can be anywhere from annoying to weird to catchy to awesome and eight-bit, but somehow it all fits.
18. Earthbound - "Theme of Onett - Let's Start an Adventure"
➸The first town theme, composed by Keiichi Suzuki. It's cute and sets the tone of the game. Onett is a bustling little place, and the hero's hometown, so it's familiar and inviting. I can't help but tap my foot to the beat. The opening throwback to Mother's overworld theme, "Pollyanna," in the beginning is really sweet, and the horns at the end before the loop are a nice touch.
Final Fantasy I (NES, 1987) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸I have a soft spot for this game. It's simple, but more pleasantly so than Dragon Quest. Its music is iconic, as well. It has many good eight-bit tunes.
19. Final Fantasy I - "Gurgu Volcano"
➸Goodness, do I love this song. It is sooo catchy. I don't think it makes for the best dungeon song ever, but I could listen to it for ages. Perhaps Square also thought that it didn't make for a good dungeon song, since they remade it for several re-releases as a quieter, slower, more cave-like song, but I am not the greatest fan of that version. This one is too fun.
Final Fantasy II (NES/PSX, 1988/2003) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸Usually considered kind of a black sheep game due to its weird leveling system, but I thought II was fine. I first played it on the PSX as part of Final Fantasy Origins. Its songs are more composed and seemingly less random and frantic and energetic as I's.
20. Final Fantasy II - "Main Theme"
➸I am talking about the PSX version here because it adds a bit to the overworld theme over the plainly looping NES version. The song itself is -- yes -- sad and lonely. It's as if you are alone in the world; a daunting task. The section added on fills out the song nicely with extra acoustic guitar and an overall feeling of warmth in between lonely riffs. The original, therefore, is sad-sounding but short and repetitive.
Final Fantasy III (NES, 1990) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸Probably my favorite Final Fantasy game. It has an interesting story, and its soundtrack is amaaaazing for an eight-bit NES game. The percussion in some of the songs is awesome. Alas, I could only pick a few songs from it.
21. Final Fantasy III - "The Endless Ocean"
➸The second overworld theme and a very gorgeous song. It is only played during a select part of the game, but the song definitely leaves a lasting memory of the scene. The song itself is kind of sad, kind of longing, and quite pretty. It made me cry the first time I heard it.
22. Final Fantasy III - "Eternal Wind"
➸The main overworld theme. It always reminds me of the four orphaned children wandering about on the world map. It's inviting for exploration. Embarrassingly enough, I wrote lyrics to this tune many years ago, and I can't help but sing them every time I hear this song. Ahaha.
Final Fantasy V (SNES, 1992) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸This game has a pretty good but relatively underestimated soundtrack. I adore a good bunch of the songs in this game, and I think they deserve more recognition.
23. Final Fantasy V - "Fate in Haze"
➸The dungeon theme, although it doesn't really sound ominous like a dungeon theme typically would. It's actually quite peaceful and relaxing. Kind of reminds me of FFIV's dungeon theme, which I also like. I also really love the title of this song.
24. Final Fantasy V - "My Home, Sweet Home"
➸This song is played in one town, but I remember it as the one song that stuck with me after I had finished the game. It is sweet and nostalgic, kind of like a music box's tune.
Final Fantasy VIII (PSX, 1999) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸I played this game over a course of several years, so I don't remember it as well as I remember its music. Another soundtrack that I am generally pleased with.
25. Final Fantasy VIII - "Blue Fields"
➸The overworld theme. It feels kind of lonely and with some trepidation, which is fitting seeing that the character on the map is small compared to the world around him. This is probably the song I think of first when reminded of this game.
26. Final Fantasy VIII - "Breezy"
➸A town theme. It is so calm and pretty, fitting for a seaside town. I wouldn't mind having this song playing as I walk down the street, haha. I will say that the first part of the final battle song, "The Extreme," makes me think of this song. Huh.
27. Final Fantasy VIII - "Martial Law"
➸There is just something I adore about this song. The way it sounds, perhaps? Those harp sounds in the beginning? That bass? The keyboard breakdown during the bridge? How it makes me think of a lit-up city at night? I blame the in-game scenario in which this is played for that one.
Final Fantasy Adventure (GB, 1991) composed by: Kenji Ito
➸Also known as the first Seiken Densetsu/Mana game, or Sword of Mana on the GBA. I've played Sword of Mana, but I prefer the simple eight-bit songs to their GBA renditions.
28. Final Fantasy Adventure - "Endless Battlefield"
➸The first field theme, and is it poppy and catchy enough to sing along to. It's definitely full of energy and the spirit of adventure.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES, 1993) composed by: Ryuji Sasai, Yasuhiro Kawakami
➸Also known as Final Fantasy USA, which is still kind of funny considering how easy and straight-forward this game is. Even so, I've played through it a couple of times. Its soundtrack is pretty well-known as a good one, and I have to agree -- I love so many songs from it. Although I want to highlight some songs other than the final dungeon and final boss battle themes...
29. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest - "Falls Basin"
➸I usually call this song "the Mine song," since it plays in the Mine dungeon of the game and I'm in there longer than the Falls Basin. It's a song I could fall asleep to, probably. I've always liked this song, but I can't quite put my finger on why. Because it's nice and calm? Those lingering notes? Composed by Yasuhiro Kawakami.
30. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest - "Mountain Range of Whirlwinds"
➸This song, the theme to the Wind dungeons, has also always been one of my favorites from this game. It has a sense of urgency and adventure to it, especially since it's near the end of the game. Pretty epic. Composed by Ryuji Sasai.
Gensou Suikoden I (PSX, 1996) composed by: Konami Kukeiha Club
➸One of my first RPGs, and one that I still love dearly to this day. It has an amazing soundtrack that I would recommend to anyone. Heck, I'd recommend the whole game. It's short but never drags, has a great storyline, and the music is fantastic.
31. Gensou Suikoden I - "Distant Mountain"
Groan, embarrassingly ugly American box art incoming... I'm not even sure who the two people on the right are supposed to be.
➸I love this song. It's played while traveling in the mountains, and it fits. The woodwinds are awesome and give the song a mystical feel. And the percussion is great too.
32. Gensou Suikoden I - "Forgotten Days"
➸A theme for a certain town visited mostly through cut-scene, and it's amazing. I remember loving it as a kid, and it's still beautiful. It sounds so peaceful and mysterious, especially with those woodwinds. Amazing. ♥
Gensou Suikoden II (PSX, 1999) composed by: Miki Higashino, Keiko Fukami
➸Another great game with a great soundtrack, reminiscent of GSI's. It's a real tear-jerker, that's for sure. I can't recommend the Gensou Suikoden series enough.
33. Gensou Suikoden II - "Two Rivers"
➸A town theme, again. This song struck me immediately as a beautiful piece the first time I heard it in-game. I love how the guitar and flute work together to produce a pretty and slightly sad piece. There's a version of this song with vocals named "Due Fiumi."
Gensou Suikoden III (PS2, 2002) composed by: Michiru Yamane, Takashi Yoshida, Masahiko Kimura, Keiko Fukami
➸The music in III takes a turn, as it is upgraded to PS2 standards and goes through a change in musicians. Still, the music in this game is decent, even though I sadly remember so little of it from in-game.
34. Gensou Suikoden III - "Beautiful Grasslands"
➸One of the grassland themes, and it's pretty and calming. It has hints of a native-sounding flute and interesting percussion that stands out. Definitely a favorite area theme.
35. Gensou Suikoden III - "Searching for a Hero"
➸This song is the one I remember hearing in-game and thinking, "hey, this is pretty good." It has pretty strings that build up through the song. It gives me a feeling of wonder and anticipation. It plays in a cave that leads to a great revelation, so this fits well.
Gensou Suikoden IV (PS2, 2004) composed by: Masahiko Kimura, Norikazu Miura, Michiru Yamane
➸This game. I thought its music was a step down from the previous games', and I don't really remember any of the songs but one. The whole game was a step down, honestly. I never even bothered to beat the final boss...
36. Gensou Suikoden IV - "Landing"
➸The first town's theme, composed by Masahiko Kimura. It's catchy and fun, and it definitely sounds like a port town, but of course it's also playing before the plot begins and everything turns for the worse...
Gensou Suikoden V (PS2, 2006) composed by: Yoshihiro Tsukahara, Takashi Watanabe, Kuniyuki Takahashi, Chiharu Mukaiyama
➸Ah, a return to good stuff, musically and otherwise. Different composers, but still impressive. Most of the soundtrack adopts a distinct Asian sound.
37. Gensou Suikoden V - "The Light Moaning in the Darkness"
➸Pretty and sad piano. That's about it, really. Sad end-game stuff.
38. Gensou Suikoden V - "Purification Spring"
➸A mystical piece that I think highlights the pretty Asian sound of the music in this game. It only plays in a very short section of the game, from what I remember, but it really stuck with me.
The Legend of Dragoon (PSX, 1999) composed by: Martin Dennis, Takeo Miratsu
➸This game was an early RPG for me, and it's one that has found itself ingrained in my memory. Though I am a liiiittle disappointed in the "dragon" design, haha. The Dragoon design is top-notch, though. And the music is pretty good, too.
39. The Legend of Dragoon - "Main Menu"
➸This song has such an awesome beat. I have always really enjoyed listening to this song. I remember entering the menu just to listen to it while I took a break. Definitely reminds me of my younger days.
40. The Legend of Dragoon - "Prairie"
➸This has always been one of my favorite songs in LoD. It's happy, catchy, and makes me nod along with it. Shame it's only used in two places, but one of the two places is at the very beginning of the final area of the game, and I remember running all the way back there from the final save point just to listen to this song. Composed by Dennis Martin.
Legend of Mana (PSX, 1999) composed by: Yoko Shimomura
➸I enjoyed this game, even though all I've ever seen about it are mixed reviews. Maybe my opinion differs because I hadn't played any other Seiken Densetsu/Mana games before playing this one. But no matter what you think of this game, its soundtrack is awesome.
41. Legend of Mana - "Complicated Destiny"
➸One of the dragoon side-story songs that sounds similar to a few other songs, but I prefer this version because it sounds like it was ripped straight from a movie. It sounds epic. It has a strong buildup, then a slower calm portion that brings it all together.
42. Legend of Mana - "Sparkling City of Ruin"
➸One of the Jumi side-story songs, played near the end of the storyline. It's sad and pretty and has piano in it, just like I like them. It really fits with the location it plays in.
43. Legend of Mana - "To the Sea"
➸This song, from what I remember, is only in one stage of the game, a stage with penguins, but I love it anyway. So catchy and fun! I guess it is kind of fitting for a beachy level.
Lufia: The Legend Returns (GBC, 2001) composed by: Yasunori Shiono
➸I love this game. I saw it in an issue of Nintendo Power, a random issue I got with my Crystal Version, and I wanted it. So I got it, without knowing a thing about the previous Lufia games, and I've played it several times since. Yeah, it has lots of spelling and grammatical errors, but it's still charming and entertaining. And it has a REALLY GOOD GBC soundtrack. Some of the best Game Boy music I've ever heard.
44. Lufia: The Legend Returns - "Battle #1"
➸I love how this song starts with a single line, and as time goes on, different elements are added to it and it evolves into a decent battle theme. It's also kind of catchy.
45. Lufia: The Legend Returns - "Labyrinth in the Forest"
➸The forest dungeon theme. I remember really loving this song when I was younger. The intro is pretty impressive, and I can't help but hum along to it whenever I hear it. Nostalgia~
46. Lufia: The Legend Returns - "Tower of Twilight"
➸The theme to the final tower in the game, and it's evident -- such a determined song! It's catchy and it sounds like some butt is about to be kicked. And you get to hear a lot of it, 'cause from what I remember, the final tower is like fifty floors high or something.
Maniac Mansion (NES, 1990) composed by: "David Warhol"
➸Ah, this game used to freak me out so much when I tried to play it as a kid. I still can't really bring myself to play it, so I read an LP for it and now I can die happy. The music in this game is blah-to-okay, save for one really darn catchy theme song:
47. Maniac Mansion - "Dave's Theme"
➸Ahh, so catchy. This is the theme song for the main character, so you will probably hear this at least once while playing since he's automatically in your party. I can't even explain why I like this song so much. It's just rockin', especially when it goes crazy at the end.
Mega Man II (NES, 1988) composed by: Ogeretsu, Manami, Yuukichan's Papa
➸I got this game for my fifth birthday. I still haven't been able to beat it. Sigh, darn dragon in Wily's Castle. It always makes me panic and fall off of the blocks. Anyway, yeah, the Mega Man/Rockman series is pretty well-known for its amazing music, so here you go.
48. Mega Man II - "Wood Man Stage"
➸Surprise, not "Wily Stage I." no, this song gets stuck in my head a lot more often than the other. It's catchy, and it actually kind of reminds me of a crazy jungle, especially with that intro.
Mega Man III (NES, 1990) composed by: Yasuaki Fujita
➸I had the entire set of Mega Man NES games by the time I was eleven. I still enjoy playing them. And I have finished this game, thank goodness. I think it has some of the best songs in the whole series.
49. Mega Man III - "Title Screen"
➸I remember turning my NES on as a kid and sitting there in front of my tv just listening to this song. I love it. One of the best songs I've ever heard. It's catchy, has a sense of determination to it, and nostalgic all in one. Amazing. ♥
Mega Man IV (NES, 1991) composed by: Ojalin, Yasuaki Fujita
➸This was the last game I needed to complete my collection, so I haven't played it as much. It's not as good music-wise as the previous two games, either, but it's still worth a listen.
50. Mega Man IV - "Skull Man Stage"
➸This song gets stuck in my head so easily. It's driving and sounds kind of primal. Listen to that percussionnn. Catchyyy. The part before the loop is the best, too.
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Check out the expanded list and the new 2015 list for more recommended songs!