Just take this time to see if there's something new out there to hear. I'm trying to pick things that are less popular (IE no Zelda, Metroid, Halo, Call of Duty, or God of War) although- admittedly- a couple of these are extremely popular and well known for their music. Also, each soundtrack has to have at least THREE good songs.
Whatever the case, just click the links!
5. Double Dragon
Here's a good example. This was a pretty popular game, but I don't think it's held in people's memories for its music nearly as much as it should. Definitely as good as Zelda, just that this stuff is more about fist-fighting and mayhem instead of a hero's journey.
Try to not bounce up and down when you hear Mission 4.
It's also a good soundtrack to demonstrate the limitations of video game hardware and software of the time. Mission 1 showcases some of the most memorable ideas, but what the hell is up with the beat? The "drummer" is just beating the crap out of ONE cymbal. You can hear how thin the sound is from an NES since there's only four channels (five if the developer uses the Sample channel, which most didn't) and each one can only play a single note at a time. Chords and echo required using up those other channels. Listening to this, I'm guessing the composer is just some coder guy with little to no musical training. Which is actually another limitation some games had since games back then had no budget.
But man. Whoever this guy is, he's got some great ideas. Just listen to Mission 2. It sounds like a tense fight is about to break out, but then everyone must be break dancing or something. Then things get tense again before some fanfare lights up out of nowhere.
This is also an example of a game where I remember most of the music, but not a lot of the game. Video games were stupidly difficult to the point of being almost unplayable back then.
4. Dynasty Warriors 4
How can I not talk about this game? If you know me, you know I love metal. But it takes effort for me to notice a metal soundtrack. You can't just have distorted guitars mashing power chords alongside double kicks. No, you've got to have MEANING and SUBSTANCE. Like Struggle for Existence. It conveys exactly what the title says... only with guitars! And that weird Chinese violin thing.
There's even a sense of nostalgia when I listen to Look Back on Your Way; thinking on all the thousands of people I killed... uh, I mean KO'ed... just to achieve victory. But for whaaaaat? I suppose that question would be deeper if I wasn't sincerely confused on what was accomplished in all these battles.
And who could forget good ol' Lu Bu's Theme? This is the best version of it that I've heard.
3. Contra
Here's another one that's really big. Arguably another metal entry, too. But I don't think this game gets nearly enough credit. I often measure how popular a game is by how well I feel people remember it versus Legend of Zelda's theme. And Contra is not remembered nearly well enough! It's got like 6 Zelda theme quality songs in it! Start of with Waterfall. The tense intro, the funky bass call and return, and those awesome dual "guitars."
And I can't think of a song that has more gung ho, charging-into-battle feel to it than Energy Zone. That song is as masculine and heroic as the two protagonists on the cover.
Now, I wanted to avoid talking about Enemy Base. But I don't think I can, man. It's burned into my brain with how often it plays in the game and how repetitive it is by itself. I hope it's the first time you've heard it, because I remember back when this was the perfect theme to come on when blasting my way through a pseudo-3D enemy base.
2. Castlevania 3
This is supposed to be a big franchise. But for the life of me I never seem to meet people who have played the Castlevania games. I never did as a kid. So this gets bonus points for finding me without the aid of nostalgia. I've started thinking of this franchise as being like the cool kid game... or something. It was dark and had evil monsters, so maybe most parents didn't want us kids playing it. At any rate, tell me this isn't the most gangster vampire slaying music you've ever heard: Stage 3. Blade would be proud.
The way these songs swerve and dance around the beat so fancifully, I really can't help but think of these as being some kind of super technical rap songs. Like, if rap had melody and structure. You know? If it was a form of music that was performed by professional adults rather than buffoonish children. Uh, that was harsh. Here's another of the break-dancing gangster style: Stage 1.
There was that time when rap and rock were merging together. I guess that still happens. Why not classical music and rap? Am I completely crazy to think these things? Yeah, more than likely. Don't forget Stage 7, yo.
1. Silver Surfer
Holy crap! To me, this is the granddaddy of the lost NES soundtrack classics. I think it has some cult following, but not enough to where your average Mario fan recognizes it. So it belongs at the damn top! I can never get over this thrash-metal-fusion-cosmic-what's-it stuff! Listen to Level 2 and compare it to the other NES tracks here. While Mr. Follin has the advantage of using the Sample track, you can hear just how much fuller and more alive his songs are. He's a technical wizard, he is, and even uses audio illusions to achieve some of his stuff.
I'm not too informed on the electronica scene, but the Title Screen sounds like the genre's posible conception. Is 1990 far back enough to take credit for that? Doesn't really matter either way since this is just like Castlevania in that it goes way outside the contraints of the genre I'm talking about. Man, you can just hear the story unfolding just from the music!
And, of course, what would Silver Surfer be without funk? The High Score lets the player know just how funky you gotta be to hang with this space-truckin' groovemaster.
WAIT?
No Mega Man?!
Yeah, I think... I HOPE Mega Man gets enough credit. I think he does. Two and Three are like the modern day Beethoven's 5th... of video game music. Here, let's end this post with the best ending/credits theme of all time: Ending Part 3!
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