Video Games aren't just about gameplay,they are also about the music. In reacent times,Video Game music has gained a huge following in the U.S. In Japan,though,VG tunes were already mega popular.
In fact,In Japan,Anime and Video Game Soundtracks are sold in stores and are a Very common sight. They even sell them online now,so if you wanted to and had the means to,you could buy what was previously unavailable to many outside of Japan.
Awesome huh?
Anyway,Retro Talk proudly presents, The Greatest Soundtracks in Retro Gaming.
Warning: This List Is Very Long!
Honorable Mentions -
Super Adventure Island (Super NES) - A fun soundtrack that's so Early 90's. I recommend it.
Super Mario All-Stars (Super NES) - The 16-bit renditions of the Music are a vast improvement over their 8-bit originals. Plus,they added some more music to Mario 1 and The Lost Levels.
Super Mario World (Super NES) - The 1st 16-bit Mario title had some memorable tunes.
Dr.Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Sega Genesis) - A Sega/Compile collaberation that has a nice little soundtrack.
Super Mario RPG (Super NES) - The first and Only Nintendo/Square collaberation has a fun soundtrack as well.
The 90's Ys Games(Various Platforms): The Ys games are all unplayed by me,but I have watched playthroughs and the music just blew me away. I never played these games,so that's why they're in Honorable Mentions.
The Darkstalkers Trilogy (Various Platforms) - This is yet another game series I've never played. But the music Rocks,anyway.
The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers SNES Trilogy (Super NES) - For licensed games,the music is really good. Seriously,give'em a listen sometime.
The Golden Axe Trilogy (Sega Genesis) - 3 really good soundtracks,that deserve to be mentioned. Plus,the music work well with the medieval theme of the series.
The Sega CD Bios (Sega CD) - Technically not part of a game soundtrack,but still great tunes nonetheless. There were 2 different songs used,one for each version of the Sega CD.
Super Mario Land (Gameboy) - Mario's 1st Gameboy outing. The soundtrack is nice to listen to - Especially the Muda Kingdom theme.
Mega Man Soccer (Super NES) - One of the lesser Mega Man soundtracks. It's still a good listen,though. It's was also Classic Mega Man's 1st 16-bit title.
Yoshi's Island (Super NES) - A fun soundtrack.
Killer Instinct (Arcade/Super NES) - A Killer Soundtrack - especially the Title Theme.
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Main List -
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out/Punch-Out (NES) - The soundtrack is one of the best on the NES. However,the soundtrack is pretty short,so enjoyment can be limited. I recommend listening to the 'In-Ring Fight' and 'Little Mac Training' themes. In fact,both have been remixed in Super Smash Bros. WiiU/3DS.
Super Metroid (Super NES) - Have only played this game on emulation,but I gotta tell ya,the soundtrack is great. The music really fits in with the dark atmosphere of Zebes. You truely do get a Mertoid vibe listening to the soundtrack. Just another reason to own this game.
Streets of Rage (Sega Genesis) - This game has some of the best music on the Genesis. It's so 90's,it's Awesome. Yuzo Koshiro is a musical genius.
Streets of Rage 2 (Sega Genesis) - Yuzo Koshiro has done it again. 'Nuff Said.
Streets of Rage 3 (Sega Genesis) - Let's face it,The Streets of Rage trilogy had some of the best music on the Genesis.
Sonic The Hedgehog (Sega Genesis) - The very first Sega Genesis soundtrack that I was exposed too. The retro Sonic The Hedgehog titles never disappoint when it comes to music. The top 8 songs on this soundtrack are: Green Hill Zone,Marble Zone,Robotnik's theme,The Special Zone,The Final Zone,Starlight Zone,Spring Yard Zone,and Scrap Brain Zone.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis): The greatness of the Genesis Sonic soundtracks continue with Sonic 2. So,which songs classify as the greatest hits? These: Emerald Hill Zone,Casino Night Zone,Robotnik's Theme,The Special Stage,Mystic Caves Zone,Death Egg Zone,Oil Ocean Zone,The Final Boss,Super Sonic,and The Hidden Palace Zone (which went unused).
Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles: I'm putting both of these titles together,as they're basically a single game split into 2. Sonic 3 and Knuckles (the name of the complete sonic 3) has one of the biggest soundtracks on the Sega Genesis,with over 30 songs. The Best on the Soundtrack are: Knuckles Theme,Ice Cap Zone 1,Lava Reef Zone 1,The Final Battle Theme,The Mid-Boss Theme,The Robotnik Theme,Flying Battery Zone 1,Sandopolos Zone 1,and The Sonic 3 Credits Theme. Michael Jackson was once planned to do the music for the game. But due to Jackson finding it tough to work with The Genesis' audio hardware,the plan was scrapped. Though vestiges of this can still be heard in the Sonic 3 Mid-Boss Theme. Cool huh?
Sonic CD (US,Sega CD): With CD tech,came greater music. Sonic CD was the 1st Sonic Game with CD quality music. The American Soundtrack for this game was great,but it wasn't that Sonic-esque. The reason why the music was replaced,is because Sega America thought it sounded too similar to popular techno music. That's what I've read anyway. The replacement tracks are still good. 'Sonic Boom' remains a favorite to this day. The Special Stage Theme was also great.
Sonic CD (JP,Sega CD): The Japanese version of this game had music that was much more Sonic-esque,and was much more fun to listen to. The music for this game was sweet. Favorites include: Robotnik's Theme,The Special Stage,The Final Boss,Little Planet,Toot-Toot Sonic Warriors,Cosmic Eternity,Stardust Speedway Present,and Metallic Madness Present.
Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Genesis): Another top notch Sonic soundtrack. The Credits Theme is a personal fave.
Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Saturn): For the Saturn version,Sega replaced the already good Genesis soundtrack with an even better one. Sega was batting a thousand with these Sonic Soundtracks. Seriously,every Sonic Soundtrack from Sonic 1 to Sonic Heroes rocked.
Knuckles' Chaotix (Sega 32X): This game was one of the few gems of the 32X. The soundtrack is a must listen. Marina Madness is a personal fave.
Afterburner II (Sega Genesis): The perfect music for a great 16-Bit Genesis dog-fighting game.
Afterburner III (Sega CD): The Afterburner 2 Soundtrack + CD Quality Music + Rock = Epicness!
Castlevania (NES): CV's soundtrack was a great one. So Listen To It Now! I recommend the track 'Wicked Child'.
Castlevania II - Simon's Quest (NES): The 2nd game's soundtrack is almost as great as it's predesessor's. The greatest theme on this track is the Mansion theme.
Castlevania III - Dracula's Curse (NES): Konami took everything that made the first and second soundtracks great,and made them even better for this game. Every track is recomendable. CV3's soundtrack fails to disappoint.
Super Castlevania IV (Super NES): A well orchestrated soundtrack that has such a Castlevania feel. Each peice of music goes really well with it's respective atmosphere.
Castlevania - Dracula X (Super NES): Another well ochestrated soundtrack by Konami's Sound Team.
Castlevania - Bloodlines (Sega Genesis) - Castlevania music done using that good 'ol Genesis sound system.
Castlevania 2 - Belmont's Revenge (Gameboy): The best Gameboy CV soundtrack.
Legend of Zelda (NES): The original LoZ game may have been few on tunes,but in this case,it's quality that trumps quantity. Ditto for the sequel.
Zelda II - The Adventures of Link (NES): This sountrack may feel like a step down compared to it's predecessor,but it's still great nonetheless. The Palace and Great Palace themes are the best.
Legend of Zelda - A Link To The Past (Super NES): Likely the greatest Zelda Soundtrack,Period. The power of SNES soundchip allowed Nintendo to create a much more realistic-sounding soundtrack. Almost everything about this soundtrack is both memorable and beautiful.
Legend of Zelda - Link's Awakening DX (Gameboy Color): Another nicely made soundtrack by Nintendo.
Ninja Guiden (NES): A really good soundtrack.
Ninja Guiden II (NES): An even better soundtrack.
Ninja Guiden III (NES): Another good one. Face it the original NG trilogy had some really cool music.
Double Dragon (NES): The 1st true beat 'em up for the NES has a really good soundtrack.
Double Dragon II - The Revenge (NES): Not as good as it's predecessor,still this soundtrack has some very good tunes. Give them a listen as well.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II - The Arcade Game (NES): A very good soundtrack lifted straight from the Arcade version. It may be in 8-Bit,but it still sounds great.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV - Turtles In Time (SNES): Best.Ninja Turtle Game Soundtrack. Evah!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Hyperstone Heist (Sega Genesis): It's the Turtles in Time soundtrack done using the Genesis soundcard. However,this game contains an exclusive track....Shredder's Compound. Shredder's Compound is my absolute favorite tune on this soundtrack.
Mega Man 2 (NES) - The soundtrack that started it all for Mega Man Music. Flash Man's theme,Wood Man's Theme,The theme of Wily Fortress 1. So Damn Legendary.
Mega Man 3 (NES) - Mega Man 3 had a fresh soundtrack as well. The 2nd Wily Level theme,Protoman's Whistle,The Ending Theme,The Stage Select Theme,Snake Man's Them,Spark Man's Theme. Every song on this soundtrack is the Ultimate Anti-Suck.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars (Sega Genesis) - Genesis-ized versions of the Mega Man 1,2,and 3 soundtracks. The Wily Tower tunes are the ones You wanna listen to the most.
Mega Man V (Game Boy) - A unique soundtrack,for a unique Mega Man title.
Mega Man 7 (Super NES) - A 16-bit jem that's overlooked by the X Series. The soundtrack is very good,despite it not being as memorable as other Mega Man sountracks. Shade Man's Theme,Wily Fortress Theme 1,The End Credits Theme,The Intro Level,and Bass' Theme are considered the best.
Mega Man X (Super NES) - The most Memorable Mega Man soundtrack on the SNES. Rock music and the Mega Man X series go great together. I love this entire soundtrack. I recommend listening to Boomer Kuwanger,Sigma Stage 1,Sigma Stage 2,The Intro Stage,and Storm Eagle.
Mega Man X2 (Super NES) - Not as great as the 1st one,but still a solid soundtrack. Music Recommendations: Wire Sponge,The Intro Stage,Crystal Snail,and Magne Centepede.
Mega Man 8 (Sony Playstation and Sega Saturn) - Mega Man + the 32-Bit systems = Awesome Music. No joke. The music is beautifully done and is a real joy to listen to. Note,that even though both Soundtracks are the same,the Saturn version has a different theme for Tengu Man. My Recommendations: Tengu Man (saturn),Frost Man,Grenade Man,Bass' Theme,Sword Man,Search Man,The Intro Level,and the American Credits Theme.
Mega Man X4 (Sony Playstation) - The trend of good Mega Man music continued with Mega Man X4. Recommended themes: Both Intro Stage Themes,Slash Beast,Magma Dragoon,Double's Theme,Iris' Theme,and The Intro Theme.
Mega Man X5 (Sony Playstation) - If you thought X4's soundtrack was good,this one's even better. I can't recommend a song here,because the whole damn Soundtrack is just so awesome.
Mega Man: Battle and Chase (Sony Playstation) - A game that we Americans never got as a stand alone game. The music in this game is really awesome and fits the Original Series extremely well. This whole soundtrack is great.
Mega Man Legends (Sony Playstation) - A nice little soundtrack for a fun action-adventure game. Face it,when it comes to soundtracks,the Mega Man franchise rules!
Final Fight (Super NES and The Arcade) - Another gem from Capcom. While the SNES soundtrack is more accessible,the Arcade soundtrack is the definitive version.
Donkey Kong Country (Super NES) - This soundtrack is so awesome. In fact,as part of Nintendo of America's 'Play It Loud Campaign',it was made into a Game Music CD....the very first one realesed in the U.S. Kudos to Rare. Favorite tunes include: The Underwater Theme,The Factory Theme,The Intro Theme,abd The Final Battle.
Donkey Kong Country 2 - Diddy's Kong Quest (Super NES) - Just as great as it's predecessor. Shame an official Music CD wasn't created. Faves include: The Bramble Levels,The Mine Levels,The Swamp Levels,The Hive Levels,and The Lava Levels.
Chrono Trigger (Super NES) - Nothing I can say can do this Soundtrack justice. I can't recommend this Soundtrack enough.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (Super NES) - The Fake Final Fantasy has a Real Soundtrack. Faves include: The Boss Theme,The Final Dungeon,and The Final Battle.
Final Fantasy VI aka Final Fantasy III US (Super NES) - A Soundtrack that is both beautifully made and memorable. Favorites include: Terra's Theme,The Overworld (balance),The Various Battle Themes,Celes' Theme,The Overworld (ruin),and The Final Dungeon.
Final Fantasy VII (Sony Playstation) - My very very first exposure to the Final Fantasy series,was this game. I immediately loved the soundtrack. Very Epic. Favorites include: Midgar Mission,The Boss Theme,The Midgar Slums,Sephiroth's Theme,The Turks Theme,Both Overworld Themes,The Highway Chase,The Ancient City/Forgotten Capitol,The Underwater Theme,The Jenova Battles,Bizarro Sephiroth,and Safer Sephiroth.
Final Fantasy VIII (Sony Playstation) - Not as epic as VII's,but still a great soundtrack. Beautifully done. I really loved Ultimacia's Castle and The Final Battle,among others.
Super Street Fighter II Turbo (Arcade/Sony Playstation) - Part of the Street Fighter Collection (along side Alpha 2 Gold). This is the greatest Street Fighter II soundtrack. Every stage theme rocks. Plus theres that epic opening theme.
Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold (Arcade/Sony Playstation) - The definitive version of Street Fighter Alpha 2. Cammy is a hidden character in Alpha 2 Gold,and her theme song rocks. Other faves include: Adon's Stage,Rose's Stage,Charlie's Stage,Sakura's Stage,Rolento's Stage,Akuma's Stage,and All 3 Credits themes.
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (Arcade/Sony Playstation) - The definitive version of Alpha 3. 'Nuff said. The Credits Theme,Ken's Stage,Cammy's Stage,Rose's Stage,and Vega's Stage are among the best.
Street Fighter: The Movie (Sony Playstation) - A mediocre game with an evil CPU. The music is great,though.
Street Fighter 3: Third Strike (Arcade) - The definitive SF3 soundtrack. The music is truely 90's and I love it. Favorites include: Elena's Stage,Oro's Stage,Q's Stage,Makoto's Level,Ibuki's Level,and The Bonus Stage Themes.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (Sony Playstation) - The best music of the first 4 games (mk1,mk2,mk3,and umk3) all in one soundtrack. Best tunes include: The Bridge,The Bank,The Temple,and The Graveyard.
X-Men v Street Fighter (Arcade/Sony Playstation) - One of the first titles in the Capcom Vs. Series. A very sold soundtrack for a mediocre game. Cammy's Theme is a personal favorite.
Marvel Super Heroes (Arcade/Sony Playstation) - A very awesome soundtrack,for a great game. Greatest include: Psylocke's Stage,Dr.Doom's Stage,Wolverine's Stage,and Iron Man's Stage.
Marvel Super Heroes v Street Fighter (Aracade/Sony Playstation) - Soundtrack-wise,This game was a vast improvement over X-Men v Street Fighter. Faves include: M.Bison's Theme,Dan's Theme,Sakura's Theme,Spider-Man's Theme,and Apocolypse' Theme.
Marvel v Capcom (Arcade/Sony Playstation) - A really cool soundtrack featuring the themes of Marvel and Capcom's Finest. Faves include: Morrigan's Theme,Mega Man's Theme,Ryu's Theme,Roll's Theme,and Spider-Man's Theme.
WCW v The World (Sony Playstation) - A really good soundtrack from a decent Wrestling title.
WCW Nitro (Sony Playstation) - Despite being one of the absolute Worst wrestling games ever,WCW Nitro had good music.
WWF Rage In The Cage (Sega CD) - The Only WWF game for the Sega CD. The music was great.
WWF RAW (Sega 32X) - This game had great music as well. And Lex Luger gets a proper theme.
WWF Warzone (Sony Playstation) - A very cool soundtrack.
Super Smash Bros (Nintendo 64) - Lots of fun music and remixes in this soundtrack.
Quite a long list,eh? As you can tell I have a great love for Video Game Music. This list would mame Tommy Tallarico proud. Anyhoo When I do this type thing again,It'll be Mega Man related.
Stay Gold,Space Cowboys.
