The Best Retro Game Music - 8bit and above

[bizzgeburt]

Hello everybody,

a post in a different thread made be start this thread.
Everybody involved in retro gaming has some favourite tunes out of his/her favourite games.

Show us what your favourite retro game soundtrack is!

Post single songs or whole games in which the soundtrack captured you especially.
I hope this thread gets many replies for I think every retro gamer (especially those with music affinity) knows some musical pearls and jewels. And I think it's worthwhile to list those up ! 

Let me start with a whole game, whose soundtrack really captivated me intensely:

GoldenEye 64
Almost every tune in this game is a banger - I like to listen through the remade Soundtrack that's availlable on youtube in many forms. But even the original soundtrack has a certain spiy feel to it and had us play this shooter for years in a row. Besides many RPG-Soundtracks, I consider the Soundtrack of GoldenEye 64 one of my al time favourites.

Now let's go - let us see how many great compositions we're able to round up ! 

Your's stonedly

Bizz

[dhaabi]

Apart from rhythm games, the best example for me of a game (and entire series, really) that's so characterized by its music is Katamari Damacy. Its eclectic soundtrack comprised of the shibuya-kei genre's expansive sounds elevates an experience that's already bizarre into something much more memorable. For a lot of players outside of Japan, the series was their introduction to this style of music, so it's left a strong impression on many.

Right now where I am, it's a rainy, gray, and altogether dreary day, so I think that's why I started to select tracks to share to reflect that. Choosing "the best" or even a favorite group of song tracks is near impossible for someone like me, but the ones below all stand out to me favorably.

Animal Crossing: City Folk - Stale Cupcakes
Ape Escape - Time Station
Chulip - A Single Guy's Serenade
Digimon World - File City (Night)
Final Fantasy IX - Frontier Dali Village
Gitaroo Man - The Legendary Theme (Acoustic)
Kingdom Hearts II - Lazy Afternoons
OutRun - Last Wave
Tetrisphere - Sappy
We Love Katamari - Angel Rain

[stealthrush]

album:
Silhouette Mirage
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys
Kirby Super Star
Sorcerian
Nights Into Dreams...

song:
I Just Smile
Esaka? (Arranged)
I Just Want You to Know
Emerald Coast (Azure Blue World)
Main Medley

[emporerdragon]

Final Fantasy Legend II for me. Besides being the game I cut my teeth on when it came to RPGs, it had an amazing soundtrack that pushed the limits of what a Game Boy could do. I also still consider the boss music to be in my top boss battle music of all time.

Struggle to The Death - Final Fantasy Legend II

Thinking of other retro boss battle songs I love

World Revolution - Chrono Trigger (Also made into an excellent musical song alongside the rest of the OST)
End of a Thought - Tales of Symphonia
Eternity - Blue Dragon
King Dedede's Theme - Kirby Superstar

[bikingjahuty]

Oh man! There are so many!


I am a HUGE fan of video game music. In fact, I have a designated playlist on my phone of about 1500 video game songs that I regularly listen to while driving, working, studying, or whatever. These are the ones that have the best music overall in my book.


Sin and Punishment (N64)
Sonic 3 and Knuckles (Genesis)
FInal Fantasy X (PS2)
Zone of the Enders (PS2)
Shenmue 2 (Dreamcast)
Sonic R (Saturn)
Nights into Dreams (Saturn)
Super Mario 64 (N64)
The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (N64)
Super Street Fighter 2 (Arcade)
Virtua Fighter (Arcade)
Virtua Fighter 2 (Arcade)
Daytona USA (Arcade)
Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES)
Battle Garegga (Arcade)

[turf]

I’ve said it for years. Folks are sleeping on the Rygar soundtrack. It’s old. It’s 8-bit. But it’s full of bangers. I think the second part is called Gran Mountain

[sworddude]

Favourite soundstracks are a hard one. so instead here are some of my favourites while them being super nostalgic to me. if I need a blast from the past these are the tracks I'll go back to.


second samurai prehistoric stage
medabots rpg medashow
mario kart double dash dash staff credits
mario kart wii menu
pokemon emerald battle frontier boss
Pokemon heartgold/soulsilver kanto trainer battle
pokemon black & white 2 ghetsis boss battle
luigi poker
fire emblem shadow dragon arena
cammy stage super street fighter II
tragedy flame raiden II
KK rider smash bros brawl
cosmic cove galaxy super mario galaxy 2
pokemon mystery dungeon explorers of the sky surrounded sea stage


honorable mentions of games I didn't play back in the day but are some of my favourite soundtracks

F zero X devil call
thunder force IV air raid
shinobi III solitary
ikaruga faith
skies of arcadia blue's pirates
Marvel vs capcom 2 clock tower stage
super castlevania IV dance of the holy man
gunstar heroes stairs to high
demons crest cursed towers
shadow dancer stage theme 6
shadow of the collosus silence
xenoblade you will know our names
F zero GX casino palace

[Cartagia]

Pretty much every Castlevania soundtrack is filled with straight fire.  Especially the later Metroidvania titles.

[bizzgeburt]

Pretty much every Castlevania soundtrack is filled with straight fire.  Especially the later Metroidvania titles.

Agreed. Castlevania Adventure on GB brings some of the greatest tunes on this handheld f.e.

Thanks for all the great music so far! Keep it up! 

Another RPG I kept in mind for having a great soundtrack was the SEGA megadrive/genesis title Sword of Vermilion.
Here you got my favourite tune out of it, though there are many:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7GQ0L3hiNQ&list=PLE350DBB7638FC5D3&index=3

[courtlyhades296]

Final Fantasy VI has some of the best songs ever written. The opera scene is a highlight, and Dancing Mad is the greatest boss theme ever.

[koemo1]

A lot of X68000 OST's slap

[endemonadia]

Ok i have a mission for everyone on here with Retro game music knowledge...

When i was a kid I distinctly remember playing a game on the ZX Spectrum in the mid 1980s that had a tune i really liked on it.  I remember later finding out that the tune was the bass riff from Metallica - Orion.  I now cannot find that game!

I always thought it was a game called Dark Star, but i cannot find any music on that game now. Im guessing it was another early Spectrum release   

If anyone can find the game it would be awesome!

Metallica Bass Riff starts at 3:59

[jipsy]

Can't believe no one else has brought up Doom.

[bizzgeburt]

Final Fantasy VI has some of the best songs ever written. The opera scene is a highlight, and Dancing Mad is the greatest boss theme ever.

Agreed - I for myself value the regular boss theme the most. That organ! 

[bizzgeburt]

Ok i have a mission for everyone on here with Retro game music knowledge...

When i was a kid I distinctly remember playing a game on the ZX Spectrum in the mid 1980s that had a tune i really liked on it.  I remember later finding out that the tune was the bass riff from Metallica - Orion.  I now cannot find that game!

I always thought it was a game called Dark Star, but i cannot find any music on that game now. Im guessing it was another early Spectrum release   

If anyone can find the game it would be awesome!

Metallica Bass Riff starts at 3:59

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 ...