I love these games and I think the soundtracks are underrated as an essential part of their appeal. I’ll Start with one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk72RMv9d0s

Tube of Medusa from Ecco2: Tides of Time.

Personally, I think the Sega CD version soundtrack is… fine, but it has a different composer. If I remember correctly, it;s the composer from the first Ecco. In my opinion, it’s inoffensive, but completely forgettable.

EDIT: I have edited the topic to include older stuff.

  • directive0@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    Talking NES: I mean you gotta give it up for Solstice, I find the game a snooze but that opening track is just balls to walls you can feel the heat rising off that poor NES sound chip as it cranks out the jams. Personally I really like Kickmaster, its my NES fave and the soundtrack is pretty good and evocative of the era. Kirby’s Adventure is maybe the best wall to wall absolute jock jams in a game. I was playing it with my kids last night and the tunes are just iconic.

    SNES: Super Mario World is very memorable. Lots of amazing iconic tracks there.

    Genesis: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (or 1 I guess) is also just amazing. But ECCO 1 and 2 are peak. So atmospheric.

  • cdzero@lemmy.mlEnglish
    3·
    3 days ago

    Outrun. Magical Sound Shower. Splash Wave. Passing Breeze. Perfection.

  • Joe Bidet@lemmy.mlEnglish
    5·
    3 days ago

    all the MegaMan on the NES

    The Thunderforce III and IV, the 3 (yes, three, including the experimental soundtrack of the third!) Streets of Rage on the MegaDrive Anything Nobuo Uematsu on the SNES (Final Fantasy IV, V, VI, Chrono Trigger, Actraiser, etc.) and U.N Squadron

    Soldier Blade and Final Soldier (and Air Zonk!) on the PCEngine (that a small part of the world calls TG16 for some reason?!)

  • RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    Rye Umemoto is a legendary composer who worked on a large library of Japan-only PC games in the 90s, in particular, NEC PC-98 computers.

    The PC-98 used a slightly more advanced but older FM synthesizer soundchip that was a relative of the one SEGA used in the Genesis. The Genesis had the YM2612 and the PC-98 had the YM2608.

    His work on Xenon, Desire, YU-NO, EVE Burst Error, Grounseed, etc were just fire. I think his works were the best during that era. I havent found a single one of his songs to be subpar. He definitely knew a good song fit the mood of the game, and didn’t only have fancy arpeggios.

    Grounseed - Morning

    Desire - Ishtal

    YU-NO - Intro

    Grounseed - Real. Life

    EVE Burst Error - Room (Marina)

  • DaPorkchop_ [they/she/it]@lemmy.mlEnglish
    5·
    4 days ago

    surprised i haven’t seen much reference to Tim Follin’s work! IMO the title screen music from Plok! is unquestionably the most impressive bit of sound i’ve ever heard from a SNES. just when you’ve picked your jaw off the floor from the amazingly convincing harmonica sound, the lead “guitar” kicks in and your jaw drops again.

    for a bit of a more conventional chiptune sound, the NES Pictionary soundtrack (also Tim Follin) hits pretty damn hard considering that it is, well, Pictionary

  • happysplinter@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGcEZmb_LCg&t=322s

    Been obsessed with this track from Hany in the Sky for PC Engine. Also you may be interested in the Legacy Music Hour podcast. They play tracks from third and fourth generation consoles and talk about them. It’s no well known, but it is the longest rubbing VGM podcast. It is two comedians (well I guess one former comedian turned barber), but it is not a comedy podcast.

  • THE_GR8_MIKE@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    3 days ago

    NES is Contra Jungle

    SNES is Simon’s Theme from Super Castlevania IV

    N64 is probably most of F-Zero X

    The 'Cube is rough since I grew up with it so I love a lot of it. Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess. Too hard to pick.

    TG16 is the original Bonk. That level 1 music lives in my head.

  • Christian@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    4 days ago

    I don’t have exotic choices to give, but Final Fantasy VI is still my favorite soundtrack. Kefka’s theme is iconic.

    Also, the music for the first level of Castlevania 3 (“Beginning”) is timeless.