Update 3: "Nostalgic Game Music"
Note: You will need WinRAR or a similar program to unzip these files.
Game music is an oft-overlooked yet pervasive part of our culture: ask someone who doesn't even play video games if they could recognize the Super Mario Bros. theme. Chances are--unless they're congenitally brain damaged, over the age of 60, from the Congo, and/or Republican--they will recognize it. Though it's just one particular track, it's proven that game music can go from a series of four-channel beeps and screeches to a pop culture mainstay.
Not all game music can be the Super Mario Bros. theme, granted, but any person who actually does play video games will have their own tracklist of songs that fill the same function--instantly recognizable and cherished, where every note practically oozes nostalgia. Some people have one or two.
I happen to have twenty.
Ten songs are up for you today, starting from the earliest songs I can remember and moving on up through time.
Song: Phantom Forest
Game: Final Fantasy VI
Comments: This was the first game song I ever actually appreciated. When music manages to make a nine year old girl put down the controller and listen intently, you know it's something special. It was a personal choice to use the original SNES version instead of a remixed-piano-orchestra-whatever version; there's something that's lost in translation somehow, like maybe it's the samples that help make the song what it is.
Song: The Talamari
Game: Lands of Lore III
Comments: There were few things quite so awesome to my ten year old brain as walking through the doors of the The Talamari and suddenly find myself standing in the middle of space, accompanied by this particular piece. It's always been that sort of Zen music for me, being the one I will immediately pull up and listen to when I need to clear my head. Angry? I listen to this. Depressed? I listen to this. It--along with most of the songs on this list, actually--has a quality to it that makes me drop all my extraneous thoughts and focus down on one thing.
Song: Light of the Town
Game: Legend of Legaia
Comments: By now, you've probably noticed a pattern in the songs I pick--if it favors minor keys, has a simple construction, and keeps itself going with an easy, pretty melody and few instruments, I probably like it. This song (first heard in the town of Jeremi specifically; it differs from town to town) couldn't even be spoiled by my cousin naming the main character Blinger and thinking he was the coolest person ever. That takes some fortitude.
Song: Time Circuits
Game: Chrono Trigger
Comments: I will admit that the only reason I ever played Chrono Trigger was because there within lay a character sharing my name. Thankfully, below all the fanboy bullshit, there also within lay a pretty damn good game. Time Circuits--otherwise known as the theme of Zeal--was sort of love at first sitar. I've always been pretty big on Middle Eastern stuff, but rarely would music composers actually use Middle Eastern influences in their music; it's not much of a surprise that such a piece would become my favorite, but it's kind of validating to see it become one of the most popular pieces out of the game.
Song: Pyroxene
Game: Star Ocean 2
Comments: This is one of those songs where I can't remember why I like it, but I do. It isn't the prettiest track in the world (in fact, I can count a handful in Star Ocean 2 that are prettier) but it fit so very well with all those painted backdrops in SO2 and the flutes are just so melancholic.
Song: Water World
Game: Donkey Kong Country 3
Comments: Despite the fact that I despised (and despise TO THIS DAY) all water levels from all Donkey Kong Country games, this piece stands out in my mind as some of the best music in the series. DKC3 was actually fairly forgettable compared to the previous two games, especially in the music department--it's not because the music's bad; it's just harder to remember--but I distinctly remember doing the cheat code just to go to the game's sound test and listen to this song over and over.
Song: Silver Mine Sonnet
Game: Donkey Kong Country 2
Comments: Unofficial name activate! This is one of those songs that was never distinctly named, but I will be damned if I call it "Mining Melancholy." This song brings back the memories of being in second grade and spending most of my after-school time and weekends playing this game and sucking at it so bad. I was lucky that I absolutely adored this song, because the mining levels made me die over and over again. (This song is actually probably the reason why my SNES controllers still function to this day.)
Song: Melancholy Heart
Game: Lunar 2: Eternal Blue
Comments: Would you guess in a thousand years that this is a dungeon theme? It's gorgeous, understated, and probably one of the more overlooked pieces out of an equally overlooked game.
Song: Be in the Mirror
Game: Tekken 2
Comments: When you're a kid, it's hard not to be in awe of this song, especially in conjunction with where it plays--an empty space, nothingness, with only your own reflections stretching on forever. The music echoes this sort of empty yet epic quality, utilizing few instruments but filling up its allotted space beautifully.
Song: Sorceress
Game: Heroes of Might and Magic II
Comments: Is that opera? Yes it is. HoMMII is a game near and dear to my heart, one that I've played since around fourth grade. It's true--I did nothing but play Sorceress, mostly because of this song. (Also: I thought unicorns and phoenixes were awesome.) When it comes down to it, it's an excellently-composed Celtic piece with beautiful vocals; the opera takes a backseat to all the other instruments, just adding another layer.
Game music is an oft-overlooked yet pervasive part of our culture: ask someone who doesn't even play video games if they could recognize the Super Mario Bros. theme. Chances are--unless they're congenitally brain damaged, over the age of 60, from the Congo, and/or Republican--they will recognize it. Though it's just one particular track, it's proven that game music can go from a series of four-channel beeps and screeches to a pop culture mainstay.
Not all game music can be the Super Mario Bros. theme, granted, but any person who actually does play video games will have their own tracklist of songs that fill the same function--instantly recognizable and cherished, where every note practically oozes nostalgia. Some people have one or two.
I happen to have twenty.
Ten songs are up for you today, starting from the earliest songs I can remember and moving on up through time.
Song: Phantom Forest
Game: Final Fantasy VI
Comments: This was the first game song I ever actually appreciated. When music manages to make a nine year old girl put down the controller and listen intently, you know it's something special. It was a personal choice to use the original SNES version instead of a remixed-piano-orchestra-whatever version; there's something that's lost in translation somehow, like maybe it's the samples that help make the song what it is.
Song: The Talamari
Game: Lands of Lore III
Comments: There were few things quite so awesome to my ten year old brain as walking through the doors of the The Talamari and suddenly find myself standing in the middle of space, accompanied by this particular piece. It's always been that sort of Zen music for me, being the one I will immediately pull up and listen to when I need to clear my head. Angry? I listen to this. Depressed? I listen to this. It--along with most of the songs on this list, actually--has a quality to it that makes me drop all my extraneous thoughts and focus down on one thing.
Song: Light of the Town
Game: Legend of Legaia
Comments: By now, you've probably noticed a pattern in the songs I pick--if it favors minor keys, has a simple construction, and keeps itself going with an easy, pretty melody and few instruments, I probably like it. This song (first heard in the town of Jeremi specifically; it differs from town to town) couldn't even be spoiled by my cousin naming the main character Blinger and thinking he was the coolest person ever. That takes some fortitude.
Song: Time Circuits
Game: Chrono Trigger
Comments: I will admit that the only reason I ever played Chrono Trigger was because there within lay a character sharing my name. Thankfully, below all the fanboy bullshit, there also within lay a pretty damn good game. Time Circuits--otherwise known as the theme of Zeal--was sort of love at first sitar. I've always been pretty big on Middle Eastern stuff, but rarely would music composers actually use Middle Eastern influences in their music; it's not much of a surprise that such a piece would become my favorite, but it's kind of validating to see it become one of the most popular pieces out of the game.
Song: Pyroxene
Game: Star Ocean 2
Comments: This is one of those songs where I can't remember why I like it, but I do. It isn't the prettiest track in the world (in fact, I can count a handful in Star Ocean 2 that are prettier) but it fit so very well with all those painted backdrops in SO2 and the flutes are just so melancholic.
Song: Water World
Game: Donkey Kong Country 3
Comments: Despite the fact that I despised (and despise TO THIS DAY) all water levels from all Donkey Kong Country games, this piece stands out in my mind as some of the best music in the series. DKC3 was actually fairly forgettable compared to the previous two games, especially in the music department--it's not because the music's bad; it's just harder to remember--but I distinctly remember doing the cheat code just to go to the game's sound test and listen to this song over and over.
Song: Silver Mine Sonnet
Game: Donkey Kong Country 2
Comments: Unofficial name activate! This is one of those songs that was never distinctly named, but I will be damned if I call it "Mining Melancholy." This song brings back the memories of being in second grade and spending most of my after-school time and weekends playing this game and sucking at it so bad. I was lucky that I absolutely adored this song, because the mining levels made me die over and over again. (This song is actually probably the reason why my SNES controllers still function to this day.)
Song: Melancholy Heart
Game: Lunar 2: Eternal Blue
Comments: Would you guess in a thousand years that this is a dungeon theme? It's gorgeous, understated, and probably one of the more overlooked pieces out of an equally overlooked game.
Song: Be in the Mirror
Game: Tekken 2
Comments: When you're a kid, it's hard not to be in awe of this song, especially in conjunction with where it plays--an empty space, nothingness, with only your own reflections stretching on forever. The music echoes this sort of empty yet epic quality, utilizing few instruments but filling up its allotted space beautifully.
Song: Sorceress
Game: Heroes of Might and Magic II
Comments: Is that opera? Yes it is. HoMMII is a game near and dear to my heart, one that I've played since around fourth grade. It's true--I did nothing but play Sorceress, mostly because of this song. (Also: I thought unicorns and phoenixes were awesome.) When it comes down to it, it's an excellently-composed Celtic piece with beautiful vocals; the opera takes a backseat to all the other instruments, just adding another layer.