Overlooked Video Game Soundtracks and Songs

[Lisbon]

While I'd call Chrono Trigger's soundtrack far from overlooked, there's one song in particular that I feel doesn't get enough credit.

 

 

This is a song I just play over and over again while I browse around the internet on my computer. I love it It doesn't sound too happy and gleeful, and it isn't somber and depressing at the same time. It evokes a sense of thought out of me, and that's just when I listen to it without connection to the game. I also feel that it fits perfectly when exploring the 600 AD time period, as it isn't a dominating track but it manages to capture the emotions of the events that transpire in that time period perfectly. It's a strong piece, but not overpowering.

 

I love it

[Sylvia Sylvain]

PHILIPS CD-I Link & Zelda games have amazing ost.

Really good and not worth of overlooking.

[Lisbon]

I get the feeling that this game as a whole is overlooked, probably because there wasn't a North American release, but the fact of the matter is that it has an absolutely amazing soundtrack.

 

[LATER BUDDY]

Tony Hawk soundtracks.

 

It's weird because whenever these games are actually brought up, usually the first thing to praise are the soundtracks, yet I hardly ever see them talked about or gushed over. They're probably one of the most relistened soundtracks I own, with THPS4 and Underground being my favorite of the bunch. It's where I fell in love with punk and ska genres of music and think they deserve more of a shout out more often <3

 

 

[Lisbon]

Tony Hawk soundtracks.

 

It's weird because whenever these games are actually brought up, usually the first thing to praise are the soundtracks, yet I hardly ever see them talked about or gushed over. They're probably one of the most relistened soundtracks I own, with THPS4 and Underground being my favorite of the bunch. It's where I fell in love with punk and ska genres of music and think they deserve more of a shout out more often <3

[Nepenthe]

Time to promote Killer Instinct s'more? Time to promote Killer Instinct s'more.

 

Remember, KI is a Rare property, and if nothing else Rare properties are known for their awesome soundtracks what with Grant Kirkhope, Robin Beanland and all of them folks. Now we have Mick Gordon, a pretty badass sound engineer and instrumentalist who decided to update the classic songs and themes with metal, industrial, dubstep, and pop with respectably accurate ethnic and cultural underpinnings for the appropriate characters that range from liberal use of foreign language choruses to the use of traditional and ceremonial instruments (what is the process for even obtaining a horn made out of a human leg bone anyway?) Furthermore, the themes are dynamic, switching melodies and pacing depending on how hard or soft you play the game, or if you do an Ultra finisher. The result is sheer audio glory. There just isn't a bad song on the soundtrack thus far, but my consistent favorites are these:

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further learning and fun musical shtuff,

before the release of the game explaining how he got the job and his process for understanding the game's musical history and modernizing it. You can basically see how he updates the main theme in real time, and in my opinion he improved upon it tremendously and simply. Just make a playlist of the entire soundtrack and listen to it all day guys. At the very least, you'll be more productive. 8D

[Lisbon]

Cave Story might narrowly beat out Chrono Trigger for my favorite original videogame soundtrack, honestly. This is a soundtrack that just feels consistently good all the way throughout. A real gem of a game, too, and the songs it plays match perfectly.

Usually when I think of great videogame soundtracks, this one is one of the ones that immediately comes to mind. I can't accurately gauge how much recognition this game gets, honestly, but this soundtrack is just pure bliss and I can safely say it deserves all the attention in the world and then some.

[Lisbon]

While all of Freedom Planet's OST falls nothing short of being a magnum opus, this is one in particular that I feel deserves a lot more attention than it gets.

 

 

I find this song to be incredibly mesmerizing in way it gets my creative juices flowing. When I hear this song, I feel inspired - inspired to draw a picture of a serene nighttime landscape filled with fireflies to serve as the only illumination on an otherwise starless night, or to write a story about an young emperor who ran away from his duties in order live a more peaceful and simple life amongst the common folk and how he'd experience beauty amongst the living the simple life, as well as the challenge posed by adjusting to an entirely new lifestyle.

 

As cliche as those things sound, they're just the tip of the iceberg. This song really makes me want to pour out everything it makes me feel onto a piece of paper somewhere so I could see a more visual representation of what this song means to me. It really embodies the beauty of the medium to me, and that's how music is just as much of a muse as it is a form of art. No painting or poem could ever make me feel as much emotion or inspire as much creativity as a song can, and it allows one to create their own visual imagery to go along with the sounds they hear so they can truly create something wonderful with the inspiration that the song would provide.

 

Even when looking at it from an in-game perspective, it's a very nice change of pace from the otherwise fast and high octane soundtrack. This is easily my new favorite videogame soundtrack of all time, and this is my favorite song from it.

[Teoskaven]

All you guys seriously need to be blessed by Keiichi Okabe's studios's work on NieR (you should also play the game, but it's a bit rare, so i'm not blaming you if you can't):

 

 

 

 

This soundtrack is so amazing, it got its own page on Wikipedia. Chek it out to know the details and its story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Nier

Yes, Okabe and his guys used a fake language for lyrical themes (there where actual lyrics as a guideline, but they went lost), saying that, since the game is set in the future, language has evolved beyond what we understand so far. Wich is actually pretty interesting, considering it's more true than it sounds (too bad characters in-game still speak english/japanese).

Musically speaking, the fake language serves no other purpose than having vocals in the soundtrack, i.e. using the voice as a musical instrument of your own instead of a motor mouth shouting the same lyrics heard over and over about love/feelings/ect. And i personally love that, because that's usually what i'm focusing on when i usually listen to normal songs.

 

Okabe recently did also the soundtrack of Drakengard 3, a game connected to NieR to some extent, so check that out too if you can.

 

PS: Some of these tracks are avaible as DLC in Theathrythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call. If you have that game, buy them now, they're totally worth it.

[YoshiUnity]

Now here's a soundtrack that I never knew about until recently, but when i first heard it, I knew that it was a god send! Be sure to listen to the WHOLE PLAYLIST!

 

The Terminator (Sega CD - Composed by Tommy Tallerico.)

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1DC1B93D7DC7FEB5

 

The Terminator Sega CD soundtrack. Honestly one of the best,unlikely, and underrated soundtracks I've ever heard. The music is so 80's\early 90's that it's beautiful. Besides the main theme, it actually doesn't sound much like Terminator soundtrack, and more of something from cheezier 80's/early 90's flicks... Just listening to it makes me want to record it o a mixtape. And then listen to it chug a bottle of Shasta, TAB or Crystal Pepsi after eating some pizza while messing with my Pump sneakers. People can say what they want about the composer, but damn, he threw down with this soundtrack!

 

And speaking of Tallerico...

 

Advent Rising (Xbox)

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9u7rbRjJmqC3mWKSoDU79J2Unb-w_iln

 

Again, it's the whole soundtrack so listen to the WHOLE PLAYLIST whenever you get the chance! Anyway, for those that remember, Advent Rising was a game that sadly didn't meet hype it set simply because it was too ambitious of an project, and overall provided controls that sadly proved to be clunky to enjoy. But the story was nice and the music was amazing in spades providing beautiful orchestrated scores that just burst with emotion in every tune.

[Mad Convoy]

One of my favorite soundtracks for a video game is the soundtrack for the Win32 version of Arkanoid. For those who aren't aware, Arkanoid is a Breakout clone that was popular on early computers and videogame consoles, and the main plot was always roughly the same-- you are piloting the spaceship Arkanoid, get trapped in a strange dimension, and have to get out through clearing many screens of multicolored blocks by bouncing a ball around with the Arkanoid itself as a paddle. Apparently, the Win32 was sort of buggy and isn't considered the definitive Arkanoid experience so not a lot of players picked it up or have fond memories of it like I do. Which I think is kind of a shame, because the soundtrack is amazing.

Seriously, listen to the menu music:

The menu music is easily one of my favorite songs in a video game ever. Its got a catchy melody that's bound to get stuck in your head for weeks-- its hard not to dance along with it. No one riff lasts for too long or too short either, and each one is well-composed. Its the perfect song to get you pumped for piloting the Arkanoid to victory while you make your selections.

And here's the first track that the game uses during actual gameplay:

Another catchy dance song. The menu theme is definitely a tough act to follow, but this level theme does not disappoint, containing the same masterful composition the menu theme set a precedent for. Its perfect for keeping your energy and keeping you engaged when the game is being buggy or otherwise uncooperative.

Unfortunately, Arkanoid for the Win32 is so obscure and unpopular that I can't find any other songs from the game-- only those two. Which is terribly disappointing, especially considering that my current computer can't play it. If anybody else can find soundtracks for it, I'd be really happy.

[Tailikku]

A Rather overlooked OST for a game that is not overlooked:  The FM-Towns version of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  This is because the game uses Redbook audio, coded as FLA files, not to be comfused with flash files

Among the tracks are Indy's Very First Adventure, Ah, Rats!!!, Two parts of Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra, Keeping Up With the Joneses, Belly of the Steel Beast, The Penitent Man Will Pass, and the Keeper of the Grail.  And yes there is a version of the Raider's March fanfare

[LunarEdge]

I'm still riding on that "Bomberman 64, Second Attack! Had a overlooked ballin' ass OST" wagon.

 

 

[TheQuackSavior]

 

From the same person who did the music for Kirby series, Jun Ishikawa.

[MightyRay]

Time for me to show you the coolness of Kula World's soundtrack! Made by Twice a Man, the music does such a great job of being easy to listen to while adding atmosphere and in my favourite track Alpine's case a bit of energy. 

 

If you love puzzle games give Kula World a shot. It's also known as Kula Quest in Japan and Roll Away in the U.S.A. I'm a bit jelly of the Japanese version since it's the one with the least glitches and it has a couple of extras the others versions for some bizzare reason don't have.