What are you favourite video game soundtracks?

I'm still not entirely sure of UK Resistance, full stop! At least there was a time when this site used to post some rather intriguing information, but now it's more concerned with blue sky campaigns, (rightly?) knocking the latest Sonic games and fantasising over OutRun, Richard Jacques or "hidden" uses of the Dreamcast logo. I used to see UK:R as being an extension of the writing style that SSM was once known for, though now I don't check there very often because of its increasing unprofessionalism...

 

I can think of a few games with awesome soundtracks, most already mentioned:icon_bigg, but one that still to this day pops in my head is Ninja Gaiden on NES( I even learned how to play the stage music for stage 4-2 on guitar, i posted a tab for it at ultimate-guitar.com if anyones interested). Theres a couple of stages with filler, but for the most part the whole game has some really good tunes. It amazes me the music they were able to make back in those days with the nes.

 

SOTC
Arc the Lad
Wild Arms
Songs from various Elder Scrolls games
Metal Slug
Timesplitters
Zelda
Lunar series

Out of the other game OSTs I have, I only like maybe 3 or 4 songs on each, I guess.

 

Sorry, My keyboard was still in Japanese mode (you have to press a key under the Esc key to put it back in to English) when I started typing. I was too lazy to erase it and start again.

Yakumo

 

Nice, tabs! Link? Some VG music is fun on guitar.

 

I like UK:R. I went though all the archives one night and I was pissing myself laughing. I still check it along with Idiot Toys for a chuckle =)

As for Mr Jacques, I've always found his music very good to say the least. Spring Stadium anyone? Did he compose the music for Sonic 3D on the MD?

 

I don't think "professionalism" is ever a term I'd have associated with UK:R, but it's certainly gone downhill of late. The admin (Gary Cutlack) is obviously sick of the site but is unwilling to kill it off, or perhaps contractually obligated not to - Shiny Media bought it back in 2007, which was about the time it started really going to shit. The sister site, Idiot Toys, continues to be amusing, but I don't check it anything like as often as the focus is on tech gadgets.

 

Silent Hill, Biohazard and Zelda: Ocaraina Of Time as well as Twilight Princess.

 

Here you go, in both Guitar Pro and standard text format


GP5 Format
http://files.filefront.com/Ninja+Gaiden+Act+4+Stage+2gp5/;12933778;/fileinfo.html

Text format
http://files.filefront.com/ninja+gaiden+act+4+stage+2txt/;12933777;/fileinfo.html

The result of a stoned night where i was bored and felt like spending a couple hours transcribing video game music by ear:lol:

 

I don't really listen to videogame soundtracks but I do think the Tempest 2000 soundtrack it pretty cool.

 

The most recent soundtrack I've fallen in love with is that of Castle Crashers. It's got everything from epic orchestrations to bouncy techno. And every tune just fits the particular level perfectly. One of my favorite tunes:
http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/168734

Super Mario Bros and Super Mario World have always been close to my heart. I'll just find myself humming the Mario theme when I'm just going about my normal daily routine.

Nintendo 64 games had some great soundtracks. OoT, Super Mario 64, Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart stand out to me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVGAl0EqEAQ

I love Street Fighter's remixed songs for HD Remix. Katamari Damacy is totally awesome. The Halo theme is epic. I think it was FIFA '06 that had a ridiculously catch soundtrack. Brothers in Arms has an awesome theme. Same with Shadowrun. Super Mario Galaxy is fantastic. Anything 8-bit and Mega Man is awesome in my book, too. And of course there's Pokémon!

 

I love 2D-shooter soundtracks, mainly those composed by Uemura, Hosoe and Namiki.

some favourites:
- Pink Sweets
- DDP Daioujou
- Ketsui
- Tatsujin II
- OutZone
- Hellfire S (PC-Engine)
- Super Raiden (PC-Engine)
- Dracula X Chi no Rondo (PC-Engine)
- Contra Hard Corps (Mega Drive)
- Shin Contra (PS2)
- Battle Garegga
- Batsugun
- Soul Calibur
- Triggerheart Exelica
- Gradius II & Gaiden
- Salamander 2
- Osu Tatakae Ouendan
- Espgaluda Arrange
- Virtua Tennis 1
- The Ninja Warriors
- Darius Gaiden
- Ibara
- Street Fighter EX+Alpha (!!)
- F-Zero GX
- Youkaidouchuuki (PC-Engine)
- Tatsujin (Mega Drive)
- OutZone
- Elemental Master
- Raiden Fighters Jet
- Gate of Thunder
- Winds of Thunder
- Chris Hülsbeck stuff

What I can't really consider as favourites are those orchestral and massive soundtracks like MGS, Halo, Gears of War ect.
They are nice in the background while playing the game and deepen the experience, but I could never listen to them seperately while surfing on the net. The ones on my list are the opposite of that, just good sounds that can I enjoy to hear individually.

 

When we're talking VG soundtracks, my personal favorite composer is Jesper Kyd (The Hitman-series, Assassin's Creed, K&L etc.), but also a few elder shooters like Thunder Force IV-V have great tunes

 

I love the huge variation in tastes, really interesting to see! For example, ave has a list consisting almost enitrely of things I have never heard of!

graciano1337, I agree the N64 had some great, memorable soundtracks! Diddy Kong Racing, Mario Kart and Zelda are sure to stick in my head. Me and my sister can basically recite DKR music from our head. Happy days.

Some more thoughts - I love it when game play 'meshes' with music - i.e music picks up or becomes more intense in accordance to actions. I can't think of many examples right now, but I'm pretty sure Twilight Princess did it (eg Hyrule Field when battling) and Mario Galaxy (music changing tone underwater, Bowser Boss Battle music hitting climax when hes running with his arse on fire, etc)

Right now I've stumbled upon my stash of Sonic music - pumping it through my stereo is lush. It's so well composed, so catchy and ever-so memorable. I loved the 'advancement' of music from Act 1 to 2 in S3/S3&K.

 

I can't believe i forgot OutRun / OutRun2

 

:thumbsup:

Highlights for me are:

GTA3 - Some tracks like "Craig Gray - Fade Away" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPgH1aJ4_yU) are just fantastic. Much better than the licensed stuff they included in later GTAs. Give me original tunes any day of the week.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Truly fantastic throughout. Can't think of a song I don't like, and some of the OC remixes are to die for! Check out "Breathtaking Vision" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V10lnxggGQ&feature=PlayList&p=BF4E56FC7B26C00C&index=5

Grandia - Just listen to this and tell me you don't want to play the game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGiNEaNxOxo&feature=related :nod:

Auto Assault - The tribal sounds combined with a deep techno soundscape come together and form something like I've never heard before. Choice track "Wander" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjFCZCUT7UI.

Rayman - So playful and joyful nothing will cheer you up more :icon_bigg "Dream Forest" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twOqyz4Ba1o

Shadowman - Mysterious tribal percussion with a daunting synth throughout, it'll always hold a place in my heart. "Main Theme" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuoK4s7NUsM

Silent Hill - I don't need to explain this one :110:

Puggsy - I just love the diversity of the sound between the stages and the Mega CD version just makes things even better.

Braid - While not an original soundtrack I think it still deserves a mention. Everyone needs to listen to "Downstream" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTy6E17-yMU

There are so many great soundtracks out there and tons I can't think of at the minute. Maybe I'll do another list when I think of some more.

 

I can't believe that I forgot to highlight Jesper Kyd's Saturn-era work, and on the subject of UK:R again for a moment I was under the impression Gary Cutlack (formerly of SSM fame) left after the 2007 takeover? If that's not the case, I must agree that it's clear he's definitely become disillusioned with the whole site and I'd rather see it disappear altogether than become a distant shadow of its past brilliant self! Also, reading through its archives is the only reason I still go there. Anyway, back to the topic of videogame soundtracks... Sonic 3 & Knuckles and OutRun 2 are more than deserving of honourable mentions here as well.

 

Nah, he's still posting as Cmdr Zorg, as ever. I'd settle for less frequent updates with quality content, but Shiny would no doubt be much less interested in this (less frequent visitors = lower ad revenue) so I'm guessing he's having to find any old shit to post. Sad, really. In terms of bleak, self-depreciating gaming humour, there were few places that rivalled UK:R. To see it become a repository for photos of spirals and NeoGAF sales stats is depressing.

 

Ah, interesting topic!
Soundtracks I own:

- Radiant Silvergun (kept it sealed)
- Sega Rally (love this! Nice cheerful guitar music)
- Fallout 3
- some crazy SNK remix CD with AoF & KoF tunes
- B-Univ's strange VF live remake CD (??? got it from a bargain bin)

Others I really like:
- NiGHTS into Dreams - one of my favourites. I'll be looking into that Perfect CD somebody mentioned
- Rayman - Unorthodox' post made me remember how much I loved it!
- Rez (Buggy Running Beeps is just awesome :thumbsup
- every single WipeOut game, especially 2097 and Pulse
- Street Fighter Zero 3
- Baku Baku (in a strange kind of way)
- Knuckles Chaotix - the lobby music just cheers me up every time!
- DJ Segata's "Dog or God" CD single (not really a soundtrack, but hey)

 

The only track I really like on Rez is Area 5, Adam Freeland - Fear. The raw track data (i.e. the rip from the game itself) is great.