The Best Retro Game Music - 8bit and above

[bizzgeburt]

One of the best moments in all SEGA's Phantasy Star franchise is discovering this awesome tune when wandering into the 1st dungeon in Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF-skncqEok

[endemonadia]

I never played ZX Spectrum but I love that metallica instrumental orion! What was that game about? I'm shure there's a way to find it ... 

Besides, couldn't it be that instead of the games music creator being inspired by metallica, metallica may have been inspired by this game?  Consider the release year of this album ...

I have no clue whether the game or Metallica did the riff first.  I just remember connecting the two back in the 1980s, that theyre the exact same riff.  From the depths of my memory i think i remember it being on a title screen, probably some kind of D&D or RPG game.

[bizzgeburt]

From the depths of my memory i think i remember it being on a title screen, probably some kind of D&D or RPG game.

Well that actually reminds me of the opening screen theme of Dungeons and Dragons: Warriors of the eternal Sun for SEGA Genesis/Megadrive  that game had rocky tunes in general, but as far as I know, it's music composed completely by one specific guy (who wasn't part of Metallica for sure!  )

Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RidSSq8cxsY&list=PLjipjJrLYWJgwMMMEZU64DUZYf0uahRpq&index=3

[sworddude]

I can hardly imagine it being from a zx spectrum game, the music was kinda barebones. Maybe on an amiga but the zx spectrum was very limited.

[bizzgeburt]

speaking about rocky themes  here's another one of my all time favourite pieces out of an  RPG: Mystic Quest (SNES) - Boss Theme

A piece so good and rocking so hard, even real rock/metal- musicians love to cover it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGDp39srk0

[bizzgeburt]

Playing Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe on GG, I stumbled upon this piece, that kept flying around my head even after laying down the handheld  It's a theme playing in some of the dungeons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PugpIsFPsDE&list=PLTEEa2-9mZ7b9bUhVayzG6cdCXuqqJ1OT&index=6

Sometimes even small spinoff games provide decent music to listen to while playing.

[bizzgeburt]

Another all time favourite:  Goldeneye 64 - Aztec

https://youtu.be/bCgLK2KxI9I?si=PJ49CrdFrhXPDSi7


I'm not completely sure but I always figured Just Blaze was inspired by this when producing Busta Rhymes - Everybody rise again 

https://youtu.be/nf7jI7EB16s?si=ZH1gowGhoJ6vHkqn


Or are my ears f'ed up already? 

[spyrofanx]

Here's A Few of My FAVs (One Per Game, Tho Do Have Other FAVs In Each Game Mentioned):
Dark Hollow - Spyro The Dragon https://youtu.be/8LkB4j5hYiw?si=E-cmJsGsY9BiefRN
Summer Forest - Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage https://youtu.be/JSDOCaUhDHA?si=WaZJqu-2KPgQHo_h
Dino Mines - Spyro: Year of The Dragon https://youtu.be/9ethddS3yOU?si=1FDsTuqezsgMjRpr
Sticky Swamp Shootout - Spyro: Enter The Dragonfly https://youtu.be/0kPpejp6Pqs?si=6Y551-c_ttyoxoG9
Valley of Avalar - The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of The Dragon https://youtu.be/w1SZRR4KwAo?si=42Civ7T2yegKEExK
Canyon Run - Steel Reign https://youtu.be/u-02fpmkjtk?si=msZZeiqbQiMo0ejb
The Struggle To Survive - Tales of Symphonia https://youtu.be/WJVCuBnTZJU?si=wNGtJS_5lWhlZurr
Red Heat Coronia - Klonoa: Door To Phantomile https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhBSEwf-USI&list=PLErsx10Ke4uxRb3tSFLGUTSSES86lchUe&index=35
Multi Man Melee 2 - Super Smash Bros. Melee https://youtu.be/9mnpYvqx2lc?si=o1nVuFZ8YgueMQaK
Scarecrow Fields - MediEvil https://youtu.be/Ci5MAAvlUfI?si=rXUDKlamjEVkgP6Q
Move Me - R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 https://youtu.be/re1IjZsUGtU?si=Rx63E9PcTZrDgXro
Passing Through The Forest - Threads of Fate https://youtu.be/xX4WQouaL7k?si=ktH1IfoEckHDXv-l
Cold Man Stage - Mega Man & Bass https://youtu.be/xPcToocaw_A?si=pRFBIYB-0y9pwSiL
Tomahawk Man Stage - Rock Man 6 Complete Works https://youtu.be/xNWhN4P6nRI?si=aHRsl4FoxpFZXDEB
Shade Man Stage - Mega Man 7 https://youtu.be/lLhrSSw_4vU?si=ISzFLYc5HIK4P5ZY
The Skiver (Spiral Pegasus) Stage - Mega Man X5 https://youtu.be/6fn_iuNHvK4?si=r93umHBRCUge-_Ae
Slash Beast Stage - Mega Man X4 https://youtu.be/tKq68xrJGzw?si=OGDvn3-RGKzFGAJa
Volt Catfish Stage - Mega Man X3 https://youtu.be/6_3i4rYvtvk?si=Ezb6EDciDpU5591o
Fire Man Stage - Mega Man: Powered Up https://youtu.be/oTNwQaC3dbs?si=dU9-p3p6ClsSbTd3
Storm Eagle Stage - Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X https://youtu.be/WS4pqNpkq_c?si=fMIXBu8sS_vmtsNH
Angel Island Zone Act 2 - Sonic 3 https://youtu.be/9JHSUSwcUsw?si=ErbRd46DhpNkfikW
Flying Battery Zone Act 1 - Sonic & Knuckles https://youtu.be/_T7hdIh-gtw?si=T_8IIrglW64FQkAY
Run Through The Speed Highway (Speed Highway) - Sonic Adventure https://youtu.be/EDE5Us3KEqo?si=nd3LZTFG52DH0BEy
That's The Way I Like It (Metal Harbor) - Sonic Adventure 2 https://youtu.be/ds4gZ6pwg6U?si=aI3jglTfoNv8t-kq
Hang Castle - Sonic Heroes https://youtu.be/3eDoi9F7Rp4?si=lXzZTEM3od1ZW6kH
Aquatic Base (Level 1) - Sonic '06 https://youtu.be/-XdN6GzeN7Y?si=p67kmz2zwSByZN4T
Windmill Isle (Night) - Sonic Unleashed https://youtu.be/uixF6EJH7WM?si=fGQlX2_zUuZZVaW5
Ghostly Garden - Pac-Man World https://youtu.be/Sprf8xEchlE?si=zHxuQKAGC5w52cD6
Haunted Boardwalk - Pac-Man World 2 https://youtu.be/7YdJMNSQY-I?si=16nZ-rXAowK77it0
Ghost Mansion - Pac-Man World Rally https://youtu.be/wLUOlJV0uHA?si=xoiOnnyR1CkuV0hc
Golvis' Hideout - Pac 'N' Roll Remix https://youtu.be/9_9qCx-USFs?si=HPXDL8lmb6TenhyJ
Crystal King Battle - Paper Mario 64 https://youtu.be/HHBb0z9584w?si=xn8c0-RGtgdcSKZw
Rawk Hawk Battle - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door https://youtu.be/kznbVzMOms8?si=RGGalKXahnOVWh4G
Bumpsy Plains - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story https://youtu.be/4TO6V1jlSfY?si=1E_Xs7n_vuwYSy8A
Resaca Harbor - Tail Concerto https://youtu.be/SIgvuBDHvLs?si=OWVHi2eEPxa3DGxe
Blast Furnace - Metal Gear Solid https://youtu.be/xpcCbS11RJM?si=hvX4FvY5zeXSlH6d
Weapons Mode - Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions https://youtu.be/DB4cgfYqTXg?si=k_GwPphchj0HHrgv
Road To Ruin, Ruination - Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back https://youtu.be/Cs8wiYfvP1g?si=3MMeJL087Ep0u9tK
Toad Village/Gee Wiz/Double Header - Crash Bandicoot: Warped https://youtu.be/pfk0v5dPtYk?si=WPzkdf_yiPzlVVmA
N. Gin Labs - CTR: Crash Team Racing https://youtu.be/pgCqftQ1FW4?si=ZuNMc_FihA8aFYHZ
Pogo Painter - Crash Bash https://youtu.be/tn7kTQDY-LE?si=fb0TlNZ4wLritk6b
Warp Room - Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced https://youtu.be/IRVDsY1dT20?si=sTQKYzDCaGMJZhib

[bizzgeburt]

I found a quite nice piece of 8bit music in a Sega Game Gear game, that I currently play: Crystal Warriors

The music is credited to MACKY in the game, I'll try finding out more about this as soon as I finished the game and review it in the 52 Games Challenge.

Title: Battlefield 4 (playing in rounds 15 and 16):
https://youtu.be/5YFjXNNoq5k?si=bhonwIaAzmIkGVjr

Overall the games music is decent for a Game Gear title, but most tunes sound happy and lively besides this one 

[dhaabi]

While this specific song wouldn't be considered retro, it is a modern rendition of a song from Super Mario 64 that's a part of the Mario Kart World soundtrack. It's one of the best gaming tracks I've come across in a modern game in a good while. Here's "Piranha Plant's Lullaby".

[bizzgeburt]

I'm at my first serious playthrough of The Adventures of Alundra for PSX.
I anticipated this game having some awesome rpg-music but now I'm almost at the end of the game I'm kinda humbled. The game's ost is good and all, but of all the many pieces in this soundtrack I actually only found 3, that really appealed to me personally. Mostly the dark and/or sad ones:

This really sad piece plays when characters died and people are mourning them - title: Requiem
https://youtu.be/1GL_4OXvi-4?si=XcMX0-n54gkYtdCX

Another one that really kinda hooked me was playing in one of the first real dungeons of the game - title: Ra's Underground Hideout
https://youtu.be/DidZOMKPkoQ?si=tr6CoMkCsFRm9e_d

And last but not least the music playing in the huge final dungeon I'm fighting at right now - title: The Shrine of the Lake
https://youtu.be/D-0UPojXlB4?si=ZsXzhqCtgbGLncC-

The rest of the soundtrack contains a lot more decent pieces but these are the 3 most memorable imo...
Someone also played this title? What was your favourite piece of music in it?

 

[bizzgeburt]

After finishing SpongeBob Squarepants: Revenge of the flying Dutchman for Game Boy Advance without really turning the sound on  I just listened through it's soundtrack on YouTube.
The game's music isn't that astounding overall but there was one specific title I especially liked - it's the soundtrack of the stage named "Under the Boardwalk":

https://youtu.be/dunBtSRKvT8?si=0r6FM_gjR80Kg6UH

 

[bizzgeburt]

after watching a few videos on YouTube about old japanese RPG series, I stumbled upon this masterpiece of 8bit music!
Out of the NEC PC88 game "Ys II" - To make end of battle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5hTLO4YptQ&list=RDG5hTLO4YptQ&start_radio=1

simply amazing 

[bizzgeburt]

Revisiting soundtracks of games I already finished I stumbled over this piece out of Astérix for Game Boy - it plays in the egypt area of the game and shines out in the musical score of this game (rest of it is also quite good for a Game Boy game):

https://youtu.be/1rgoem5kllM?is=3ppzf-vjFjLrvdOC

[spyrofanx]

Here's a few more for ya!

Mushroom Forest (Little Nemo: The Dream Master) https://youtu.be/hX75X2fOwpw?si=uQk_jCUUaAPqP0--
Title Screen/Glimmer (Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage) https://youtu.be/AtKutcNtdNo?si=M3Lmzoy2FYK2vl2H
Fatalize (Tales of Symphonia) https://youtu.be/sm6Wy04Yaj0?si=PIqN2_eYE34GromA
Fighting of The Spirit (Tales of Phantasia PS1 Ver.) https://youtu.be/Bo6OqO_qeZU?si=AKjHOQnVFBNEMnZ-
Ultimate Battle (Plants Vs. Zombies) https://youtu.be/98dkqPQm6aE?si=Npd6q521qTxPcPZS
Intro Stage X (Mega Man X5) https://youtu.be/ZiLEWb-anSs?si=Wvp2wRgWE3x74k8x
Intro Stage Zero (Mega Man X5) https://youtu.be/3YtsB8DoyJE?si=X_2YGzLUzyV1T1Q1
Infinity Mijinion Stage (Mega Man X6) https://youtu.be/pq7kYtF9kSA?si=FolRonnIox6fL9Tb
Blaze Heatnix Stage (Mega Man X6) https://youtu.be/jlfdu8thNa0?si=Y7YSabY7CGKxEMbV
Blizzard Wolfang Stage (Mega Man X6) https://youtu.be/tRJyOXo8fLk?si=1K5OTrRc6lk_rppS
Fortified City (Steel Reign) https://youtu.be/IxCw-nJ-Lbo?si=SfA3OhVh-9L0_hKV
Boss 2 (Sonic 3D Blast Genesis Ver.) https://youtu.be/wPFrg3X1mrE?si=pXGPsI8F7tCyXdMr
Rusty Ruins Zone Act 1 (Sonic 3D Blast Saturn Ver.) https://youtu.be/uVVb8hOyQnQ?si=ljD50XEAAVt1-HEw
Rusty Ruins Zone Act 2 (Sonic 3D Blast Saturn Ver.) https://youtu.be/CR8kUuNqP6k?si=qJZRmDaOmFDOzxZp
Fish Hooks Park (SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge) https://youtu.be/_ZspHZsAGFc?si=v2Kezuvt3RNngrW0
Cavernous Canyons/Acrid Air Pockets (SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge) https://youtu.be/Z6qkI3U9eoA?si=Dj17gphIpcqr7-kS
Thermal Tunnels (SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge) https://youtu.be/EfA4SBk1rI4?si=3y2zOAWE5MaLczV6
Lava Fields (SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge) https://youtu.be/3Ud7r2vx6bY?si=XrzNEojfVIVahpi_
Canning Factory (SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge) https://youtu.be/1IGnJir2Qqw?si=Jj38a-Xvd6YgxM57