Which Sonic Game has the best soundtrack?

[ThisMachine]

Ah, the wonderful soundtracks of Sonic games. One of my favorite topics and a determining factor in my love for the franchise as a whole. Forgive me if I ramble.

 

As much as I love the soundtracks for the classic games they were unfortunately hindered by being 16-bit. However I love how they were written as a film score and it's interesting to hear the melodies in Dreams Come True's music.

 

The expression brought to the table when you could hear the instruments involved was a revelation, so I think I'd say Sonic Adventure, especially since it brought back some tunes from 3D Blast. I loved SA2's soundtrack as well as far as each character having their own style of music which I thought was a cool approach but it also made it divisive leaving me preferring the riffier songs for Sonic, Tails and Eggman, the solos in Tails' levels especially leaving an impression on me. And of course Metal Harbor.

 

Heroes soundtrack was also very good remainining diverse but going back to the Adventure approach of music fitting the level specifically. However I felt it lacked the complexity of earlier music, save for a few songs, no matter how damn catchy it all was. Shadow I felt continued this trend although there were a couple stand out riffs, and Gun Fortress was superb with it blues sound.

 

06 was a deviation from the norm with more orchestration and grows on me more whenever I listen to it. The other deviation going on at the time I was not as happy with, that being runblebee's presence overtaking that of Crush 40. I have since become accustomed to their songs but they're not my favorites, though I do love Unawakening Float.

 

When Crush 40 made it's return with Black Knight I was overjoyed and I think their version of With Me is one of my favorites of theirs up there with Open Your Heart, Live and Learn, and What I'm Made Of. And of course Generations was just good fun with the new Casino Night being my favorite, and I liked what they did with Seaside Hill a lot too.

 

But at the end of the day the soundtrack I enjoy playing most on guitar is Sonic Adventure. It's so varied with guitar, horns, piano and more with songs all over the genre spectrum. And every song fits the level perfectly. Azure Blue World sounds like the beach with chirping harmonics that sound like gulls. Pleasure Castle sounds like an amusement park with it's excellent combination of energy and merriment. Red Hot Skull sounds like the depths of hell with it's screeches and wailing guitar. Need I go on? It completed the the experience better than any Sonic before or after for me.

[JezMM]

For me it's probably Sonic and the Secret Rings.  I just really love vocals in soundtracks, be it sampled, simple, or full lyrics.  I wouldn't want them on EVERY track but I love it when it's on a lot of tracks rather than just one or two levels/bosses.  Vocals and lyrical music just really gets me pumping, dunno why.  Unawakening Float is probably the coolest final stage theme they've ever done in particular.

 

I also adore Sonic 2 8-bit's music but that's mostly nostalgia talking.  Though honestly, simply melodically speaking, trying my hardest to not be blinded by nostalgia, I do generally prefer the 8-bit soundtracks to the 16-bit soundtracks on Sonic 1 and 2.

 

 

Though I can't lie, while Secret Rings has the stylistic edge, the Modern quadrilogy (2006, Unleashed, Colours, Generations) all had consistently ridiculously high quality soundtracks.

 

I also have a soft spot for Sonic Riders Zero Gravity, I love the emphasis on orchestra mixed with techno, it's just really damn good sounding.  Through Traffic was such a cool level opener.

 

 

Sonic Adventure 2 and Black Knight at their best are amazing too (though they have just as many "whatever" tracks as they do awesome ones).

Edited January 24, 2013 by JezMM

[Endy]

Sonic has always had fantastic soundtracks. I love how the Genesis games pushed the limits of the system, and made the music sound nothing like that grainy quality other Genesis games had.

However, my favourite sonic Soundtrack has to be from Adventure. I love the variety. It has Jazz, Pop, Techno, Rock, everything! The songs are catchy, memorable, and very well composed.

 

Crush 40 did an amazing job with the drums, guitar, bass, and the synths. oh man those synths are so orgasmic

 

And not to mention it has some of my favourite songs in the entire franchise:

 

 

Now if only they didn't crap on the memorability of the music in SA2....

Seriously some songs in SA2 are just forgettable or good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6wvK14QWhU.

And the fact that SA2 was frustratingly horrible didn't help much either.

 

As close seconds and thirds, I'd have to go with Sonic CD Japan and Sonic Unleashed. CD Japan's songs are delightfully upbeat, and evoke a strange sense of atmosphere. You had great neutral songs, good future songs that made you feel all warm inside, primitive past tunes, and the evil, desolate, distorted Bad Future songs, which are only there to make you feel like shit for not going for those Robot Generators:

 

 

Sonic Unleashed has to be one of my absolute favourites. There is not one song in the game I don't enjoy.(maybe except for the ending theme). I love how each song pretty much only uses the instrument of what country their basing the song on, and its amazing. The day themes are fast paced and catchy, but what makes this soundtrack for me is the night pieces. I can't really do it justice, so just listen to them.

 

 

[The Pit of Mystic Cave]

I've never been a fan of any of the lyrical tracks except for Live and Learn at the end of SA2. That aside, the tracks that have always stuck with me were Seaside Hill, Mystic Cave, Casino Night zone, Starlight Zone, and Sonic 1 final boss theme, so I guess that's my top 5.

 

p.s. I purchased the casino dlc for Generations JUST for this song. I dont even like pinball.

 

[tenchibr]

Semi off topic question: Are Crush 40's EP songs going to make it into a Sonic game by any chance?

[ThisMachine]

I thought Sonic Youth and/or One of Those Days would have been fitting vocal themes for Generations if they hadn't taken the jingle/medley route like the classic games. Other than that we'll have to see, as I could see Rise Again popping up.

[Kidd Ryze]

Sonic Adventure. Each tune fits it's tone, for example, Emerald Coast is inviting and fun, Lost World is mysterious and very temple-like, and Final Egg is a rocking tune that will pump you up for the boss. And to top it all off, Open Your Heart is an amazing song. Just like Final Egg, the rocking tune will pump you up for the final boss.

[Animatedmusic]

For me it is probably going to be Sonic CD (JAP) or Sonic Adventure.

Sonic cd (JAP) is just too funky

And Sonic Adventure for perfectly fitting the stages.

 

Sonic Generations comes close too, but there are some song that I really don't like.

Edited January 25, 2013 by Animatedmusic

[Crackerss]

I fucking love all the jazz incorporated in SA1's OST. I think that and CD JP are tied for me.

[Tani Coyote]

It may be nostalgic bias talking, but SA2. I can jam out to any of those tracks any time.

 

Really this is like getting a list of all your favorite restaurants and being told you will be banned from all the others for life, but can get free food at whichever one you pick. D:

[ShadMaria]

Mmmm..well I really love the Sonic and the Black Knight OST (especially knight of the wind acoustic version)!

[Chauvel]

I'm going to be a bit biased here and say Sonic 2 had one of the best and iconic soundtracks for the series. I say I'm biased because I kind of have a soft spot for 16-bit music. SA2 also had a very interesting soundtrack but once I really think about it only one or two songs really stuck with me. I haven't played Unleashed or Colors so I can't really say anything about the music for those.

[Lady Soniko]

Where as Sonic 2 has the most iconic Soundtrack to me, I'm torn between Heroes and Black Knight.

 

Heroes was so diverse in it's level selection that no two songs sounded the same and implemented brilliantly into the overall feel and sound of the game, from ancient water logged ruins, to bustling cyber cities, to spooky and wacky mansions, to blasting through a canyon on nothing but sky railing, to traversing the very edge of the atmosphere via a sea of fleeting air battle ships, the music just goes hand in hand with each other and that to me is how Sonic should be

 

But then I come to Black Knight, probably my biased talking, but I love Celtic and medieval sounding music with a passion (it falls under my love for armour and Arthurian legends of battles of steel clashing steel etc.) but it had an artistic flair to it with Jun's rock heavy strumming, personal favourites from the Black Knight soundtrack are Misty Lake, Molten Mines, Fight the Knight and Faraway Avalon.

 

I mean just check out these.

 

 

The violins in Misty Lake are beautifully played with some expert percussion in the background and it honestly makes me feeling like welling up with how fucking amazing it sounds when you listen to it loud and really feel the music move you.

 

Also I feel I must at least mention my favourite "this Generation" Ever in a Sonic game, and that is the Original Rooftop Run (not the ghey Generations remix that removes everything I love from the original angangaaaaaaah... ) 

 

Just after the chorus it sort of does a U-Turn and back pedals itself on the Bass and it sends chills down my spine.

 

Except this low quality drivel is ruining the song, it sounds amazing in high quality if you own the album, the percussion sounds like it's taking over way too much in low quality.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Black☆Rock Shooter

[tenchibr]

On that topic, Black Knight that is, I love acoustic guitars.

 

I want to see Jun perform with an acoustic, and he can still be fast paced:

 

 

Or slow too:

 

 

And I know we had a little bit of Ska in Rush, but it was very Hideki Naganuma-esque; I also want to see a Sonic game with music like this:

 

 

OK, I am done off-topic'ing; I just hope that The-powers-that-be read this thread and bring it forward to Sonic Team...

[NickTH]

Every Sonic game has an awesome soundtrack, but my favorite is the soundtrack from Sonic 2. 

Edited January 30, 2013 by NickTH

[Chaos Incarnate]

It's really hard to choose between Cd( Japanese) and Adventure 1. Cd's zany, loopy, but incredibly catchy songs definitely tells me the game is embracing that it is a video game. You can tell these composers had a lot of fun making the score. Adventure, however, has the most varied music genres out of any Sonic game( with the exception of possibly unleashed). You name it, this soundtrack has got it all: rock, jazz, hip hop, atmospheric pieces, pop, and so on. The tracks themselves are absolutely fantastic, with both games having incredibly standout pieces. Cd has Collision Chaos present, stardust speedway( all of it) and metallic madness bad future. The boss theme, along with toot toot sonic warrior and cosmic eternity, are some of my favorite tracks in the series. However, Adventure has Station Square's rockin guitar, windy valley's incredible remix of green grove zone from sonic 3d blast, uplifting piano piece in red mountain, Ups and down's, and all arounds in speed highway rival cd immensely. Also, let's not forget sonic adventure features one of the most memorable vocal songs in the series: open your heart. So, since Adventure has a bit more variety and sheer number of tracks going for it, I think I've came to the conclusion that Sonic Adventure's soundtrack is my favorite.

[kalion]

I know the big names have been bandied about..but I usually have a select few tracks...for me rush adventure's is my special favourite while I feel Black Knight had the best score for cutscenes. I prefer to not judge using vocal songs that are'nt really stage music (except final levels) cos' they are'nt technically in-game. Rush Adventure had this playful feel to it that I feel Sonic Heroes has had that charm as well..Sonic heroes is more atmospheric and suit the stage but not the fun tunes I can pick up on the go really.

[Dandp]

Is it just me who loves Sonic advanced 3's soundtrack? I love how it had Sonic 3's music design or having a variation of the levels main "Theme" for every stage, and the variation keeps me entertained over the 3 acts. Also, I love sunset hill's Sonic 1 green hill zone remix so much.

 

If I had to choose a 3D Sonic game, I'd most likely choose Sonic heroes, but that may just be cause I'm one of the people who likes that game, and it's my one of my favourite Sonic games.

[Semi-colon e]

I hate the Sunset Hill remix, but a lot of the rest of it is genius, like Chaos Angel, Twinkle Snow, the boss theme, the Super Sonic boss theme...

 

My favourite is probably, er, actually, I dunno. I tend to have a mix of favourites from each game so I can't really say. Generations, Colours, 3&K, CD (US mainly), and Rush Adventure are up there though.

[Chaos Incarnate]

Is it just me who loves Sonic advanced 3's soundtrack? I love how it had Sonic 3's music design or having a variation of the levels main "Theme" for every stage, and the variation keeps me entertained over the 3 acts. Also, I love sunset hill's Sonic 1 green hill zone remix so much.

 

If I had to choose a 3D Sonic game, I'd most likely choose Sonic heroes, but that may just be cause I'm one of the people who likes that game, and it's my one of my favourite Sonic games.

Totally agree with you. Most people will say advance 2 or Rush has the best handheld soundtrack, but I think Advance 3 takes that spot. Just about every track in the game was memorable, with the exception of ocean base and cyber track. My favorite songs in the game are route 99 act 3, all of sunset hill, toy kingdom act 3, and twinkle snow act 2. I think it's pretty sad that most of the handheld music outshine's Sonic 4's soundtrack. 

[Ebby]

It's a tie between both Adventure games. I think SA1 has the best character themes! I've always preferred SA1's "It Doesn't Matter" to the cheesy, pop version in SA2. Same with the other themes. I know Sonic music isn't meant to be too serious, but the later versions seem to be stripped down compared to their predessors. Also, "Open Your Heart" is my all time favorite Crush 40 song.

 

With that said, SA2 had the better level themes. I enjoyed the genre variation from character to character as well. Rouge's bossa nova, Knuckles' raps, Shadow's industrial techno, and Sonic rock themes! And not to mention, "Supporting Me". My goodness, that song... it is one of the best pieces of audio ever created for this series!

[VGamer]

Unleashed and Secret Rings.

Unleashed just had so much variety. There's calm and relaxing night music, exhilarating daytime music, an awesome theme song, amazing Super Sonic battle theme, and the music matched the locations and time of day perfectly. There's not a single song that I don't like listening to that is from Unleashed (except for the Werehog battle theme... ONLY because I've heard it so many times though).

The reason I like Secret Rings more than any other (not including Unleashed) is because every song matches the level amazing, and all the music is just EPIC.

[Milo]

Damn this is hard. I love the soundtracks for many Sonic games. If I had to pick one, I'd say Sonic CD (EU/JP)-I've only heard some of this soundtrack (as opposed to hearing all of the US soundtrack), but from what heard so far, it's very solid all-around.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Gabe

[Sapphire]

Jeeze, there are a lot of people with such low amounts of posts in this topic! I feel old.

Anyway, my short and sweet answer would probably be Sonic Adventure 2. The songs to each stage were incredibly fitting, both with the stage environment and the respective character. Seriously, I love the "Go-get-'em Tailsiness" of Tails's stage songs. You know what I mean. Seriously, you listen to Mission Street and you just KNOW it's a Tails song.

And I can't pinpoint what it is, but Metal Harbor is the perfect song for Sonic escaping from prison. Maybe it's the horns. Gaaah I just love this song. It's my wake-up phone alarm.

My decision might also be swayed by my incredible nostalgia with everything to do with this game, however. SA2's music is just the most "Sonic" to me. I mean, 7-year-old Sapphire would spend hours in the sound test playing these songs and running around the house pretending to be Sonic. Not to get sappy, but these songs are just really close to me.

Just imagine little me running around my living room to this. Because yes, it happened very often.

Sonic CD deserves a mention though. With 2 completely different soundtracks and 3 variations to each stage song, it's a freaking masterpiece. The Japanese Good Future songs are breathtakingly beautiful and happy.

Go ahead and tell me that isn't one of the most happy and beautiful pieces of Sonic music there is. Oh wait. You can't, because that would be a lie.

Also, some songs that I love that aren't from SA2 or CD are Rooftop Run, Night Palace, Sky Sanctuary, Open Your Heart, Starlight Zone, Windy Hill... you know what? Never mind. I could go on and on and on.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Sapphire

[Kaze_Senshi]

My favorite soundtrack is from S3&K, it has some awesome songs here like Sandopolis, Hydrocity, Death Egg, where each one has a different catch and the best sonic's last boss song ever.