100 recommended video game songs. (51-100)
Here are fifty more of my recommended video game songs from 2012!
Check out songs 1-51 here!
Mega Man V (NES, 1992) composed by: Mari Yamaguchi
➸This was my first video game, so it's special to me even if it's not considered to be as good as the others. I like its music, but I told myself I could only pick one song from each game, so here goes.
51. Mega Man V - "Charge Man Stage"
➸Trains. That's all you need to know. Well. It's catchy and also makes me hum along with it too. Of course. I also like how there's a separate section of the song at the end when you're kind of not expecting it.
Mega Man VI (NES, 1993) composed by: Yuko Takehara
➸I bought this game all by myself. I saw it in a bargain bin outside of a game store (probably KB Toys in the mall?) when I was six or so and I got it. And it's actually kind of an easy Mega Man game... The music is pretty good, too. As one of the last NES games, it has some of the most advanced chiptune capabilities, so it sounds pretty decent.
52. Mega Man VI - "Mr. X Stage"
➸For a final area, this song is happy and catchy and gives quite the opposite mental image. Seriously, I can't imagine a dark tower when I listen to this song. Darn catchy songs.
Mega Man VII (SNES, 1995) composed by: Yuko Takehara, Toshihiko Horiyama, Makoto Tomozawa
➸I don't own this game. Sigh. But I have played it via the Collector's Edition; I have the GameCube version and I keep getting my jump and fire buttons mixed up. The music in VII has been upgraded, but it sounds kind of weird. But, of course, there are some catchy tunes too.
53. Mega Man VII - "Burst Man Stage"
➸I think this was the first stage I attempted playing in this game, so it's stuck with me. It's pretty catchy and quick. It's a fun stage song.
Mega Man VIII (PSX, 1997) composed by: Syusaku Uchiyama
➸Ah, got this game for my eighth birthday and was one of my first PSX games. I've played it through and beaten it several times. It has some good music that sets the tone for its levels.
54. Mega Man VIII - "Wily Stage 2"
➸This stage comes after a rather annoying and frustrating one, so its music is a nice reward. It makes me think of being in an airport for some reason... I blame the game for that. I like all the different sounds in this song, from the dinky noises to the lead keyboard that opens up the song. I just like it.
Mega Man X (SNES, 1993) composed by: Setsuo Yamamoto, Makoto Tomozawa, Yuki Iwai, Yuko Takehara, Toshihiko Horiyama
➸Mega Man's SNES debut came with some rockin' music to go along with his X makeover. X is one serious game. and I still can't beat Sigma. Go figure.
55. Mega Man X - "Prologue -Highway Stage-"
➸Such an iconic song. It plays during the first stage in the game and it really sets up the tone of the whole game. Listen to that guitar sound! It's pretty cool.
56. Mega Man X - "Spark Mandrill Stage"
➸The actual level songs are awesome too. This one is so catchy and still sounds cool. I really love that opening guitar riff, and then the breakdown later? It's awesome.
Mother 3 (GBA, 2006) composed by: Shogo Sakai
➸This is such an amazing game. Adorable and heartbreaking at the same time. It also has a pretty darn good soundtrack, especially for being a GBA game. I notice that GBA games usually have either very muffled songs or songs that try too hard to sound really good on the limited hardware, but Mother 3's music isn't affected in this way. I love this game's soundtrack so much that I have my own list of favorite songs just from this game, so it was hard to pick only three to show off.
57. Mother 3 - "Beyond the Sunshine Forest"
➸For some reason, I really love this song. I love the sound of whatever that lead instrument is supposed to be. The song sounds determined, which is perfect for the situation in-game that it plays during. They are leaving the comfort of home and moving out into the unknown, and this song portrays that feeling well.
58. Mother 3 - "Hard Rain"
➸Another determined song that screams, "you're on a mission." I love the sound that sounds like an acoustic guitar; it sounds pretty nice here. Can you believe this is coming from a GBA?
59. Mother 3 - "Monkey's Delivery Service"
➸Once again, another mission song. Its sound matches its name; it's obvious that something circus-y and urgent is going on. It still remains cute in a way, though.
Persona 1 (PSX, 1996) composed by: Shoji Meguro, Hidehito Aoki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Misaki Okibe
➸Ah, yes. I love the music from this game. I would be willing to listen to this soundtrack for weeks without stopping. There's just something about it that makes it sound really darn good to me. Maybe you'll understand what I mean.
60. Persona 1 - "Dungeon ~ Hospital (Before the Incident)"
➸Also known as "A Girl At the Window." It's a pretty piano piece that's lovely and calm but also keeps your interest at the same time. Interestingly, in-game, you can hear voices in the background to signify others in the hospital, and there's a nurse that says, "sensei?" The silly things that I remember. Composed by Hidehito Aoki.
61. Persona 1 - "Elly's Theme"
➸Yes yes yes. I could listen to this song for hours. It has a great dance-ish beat, and the instrumentation sounds good too. I would recommend this song to anyone. It needs more love. It's amazing. ♥ Composed by Kenichi Tsuchiya.
62. Persona 1 - "Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy's Theme"
➸...yeah. Uhm. It's a vocal song, but you can hear it in any pharmacy in the game. And dear freaking goodness I sing this song all. The. Time. Help. Make it stop. They're singing about restorative items and I can't help but sing along. Every time. Even if I'm playing a different MegaTen game and see the item names. It's the most addicting thing. I'm sure I look like an idiot for singing this all the time, singing about the town's friendly drug store and that ointments heal hit points, but I still love it. Ahh. This is my favorite version of the song, although the Persona 2:IS PSP remake has a chiptune version of this song (with the P2 lyrics) and ahhh. It's awesome. ...just going to leave this here. Composed by Misaki Okibe. Darn you.
...iiiitsumo, tatakau minna no mikata, bokura no machi no okusuriya saa-nnn~ duh nuh duh duh nuh nuh nuh nuh duh nuh nuh hitto pointo kaifuku suru nara kizugusuri to hougyoku de... uhm.
Persona 1 (PSP, 2009) composed by: Shoji Meguro, Hidehito Aoki, Misaki Okibe, Kenichi Tsuchiya; arranged by Shoji Meguro, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Atsushi Kitajoh, Ryota Kozuka
➸I have not played the remake yet. It is on my wishlist. I need a PSP first. But they kind of threw away most of the great original soundtrack and remade all of it in a more Persona 3 style, and it's kind of obnoxious. I wasn't impressed, especially compared to how much I adore the original soundtrack. But some songs are pretty good.
63. Persona 1 PSP - "Kama Palace"
➸This song uses the original's tune, but slows the tempo and instrumentation. The original version sounded like a song you'd hear at a rave or something; fast and crazy. I like that version; it's pretty fun, but I also enjoy this slowed-down version. It sounds more exotic with Middle Eastern-like instrumentation. The original was by Hidehito Aoki.
64. Persona 1 PSP - "School Days"
➸And this is a completely original vocal track played instead of the original cheery school theme that usually had a loud CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK going on alongside it because the main chara's shoes were really loud for some reason?! I can kind of understand what she is saying. I'm not the biggest fan of Yumi Kawamura's English vocals, but that's not the important part. that keyboard riff is absolutely infectious. Holy snaps. That is all.
[my incorrect interpretation of the lyrics, for those curious and/or want a laugh]
looking through my eyes~
head for hard to fill I woke up with you just smile
did you fall it, baby?
keep it real
let's keep it real, oh
sometime
I will keep to men
I will be into your love sweet time
I want into your apartment
please, being with you~
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSX, 2000) composed by: Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Masaki Kurokawa, Shoji Meguro
➸The Persona 2 dualology is my favorite pair of games of all time. They have an awesome story, and their mostly-shared soundtrack is amazing. I listened to it non-stop pretty much all summer, and it needs to be shared. It's so lovely. I'll be showing off some EP-exclusive songs here, since as mentioned, most of the songs are from Innocent Sin (the first P2 game).
65. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - "Mifune Mountain"
➸A catchy, energetic, and still slightly tense track. I love the mix of piano and heavy beat, as usual. It still seems kind of forest-y that way.
66. Persona 2: Eternal Punshiment - "Nichirinmaru"
➸The boat song! Err, the Nichirinmaru is a ship. And this song is pretty awesome. It has a good beat, but it also has nice piano in it too. Best of both worlds. I've really grown to like this song.
67. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - "Sumaru Castle"
➸I love the cascading piano opening of this song, and I love how it morphs into something a bit more sinister. Perfect for the area. Another song with pretty piano and a nice beat.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSX, 1999) composed by: Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Masaki Kurokawa, Shoji Meguro
➸I love this game. It's amazing and heartbreaking, and it has an equally amazing soundtrack as its other half. Also listened to this soundtrack all summer.
68. Persona 2: Innocent Sin - "Aoba Park"
Just kind of ignore the video's image... It's very incongruent with the song.
➸This song. It's so gorgeous and calming. I love how the piano notes feel sort of delayed sometimes. There are also the sounds of kids playing or birds chirping in the background sometimes, and it just adds more depth to this song. It's so pretty. I usually put this song on repeat and listen to it for hours whenever it comes on. It's also one of the few songs that I can fall asleep to. One of my favorites ever. ♥
69. Persona 2: Innocent Sin - "Kuzunoha Detective Agency"
➸I love the cheesiness factor in this song! It's catchy and I love it. My favorite part is the organ-sounding part because it really does reflect the idea of the characters being in some private eye's office. I must admit that the PSP remake's version of this song ruined the cheesiness by changing the organ sound, and it just doesn't work. I adore this song, though.
70. Persona 2: Innocent Sin - "MAP Sumaru City"
➸Another amazing song. The world map song is really gorgeous. Listen to that acoustic guitar! So lovely. It kind of gives me both a sad and hopeful feeling. It's actually composed by the Jpop singer hitomi -- she sang the ending song that has hints of this song in it, since this song is similar to the game's main theme. I only knew hitomi from her Inuyasha opening(?) theme, "I Am." Oops.
Persona 3 (PS2, 2006) composed by: Shoji Meguro
➸I wasn't the biggest fan of this soundtrack. As mentioned earlier, I'm not the biggest fan of Yumi Kawamura's voice, and she has most of the vocals in this game. Also not a big fan of Lotus Juice, the random rapper guy in some of the songs. Although the game did pick up some nice songs that were exclusive to the final in-game month. About time?
71. Persona 3 - "Living with Determination -Iwatodai Station Arrange-"
➸I like how the piano and the heavy beat are able to come together and not sound terrible. The song brings across a sense of urgency with the heavy beat and a sense of delicacy with the piano. I prefer this dorm theme to the other one.
72. Persona 3 - "Memories of the City"
➸And I prefer this world map song to the other one. It's so sad and tender and desolate. The guitar is also a nice touch that almost feels hopeful.
Persona 4 (PS2, 2008) composed by: Shoji Meguro
➸More vocal songs, but at least these ones are decent. I like Shihoko Hirata's voice a lot more than Kawamura's. I still can't understand most of the lyrics, though. The non-vocal songs, however, are great. I prefer P4's soundtrack to P3's, but I still prefer 1 and 2's. The game is great, the music is pretty good too.
73. Persona 4 - "Heaven"
➸One of the dungeon themes, and I think I like it as much as I do because I can actually understand it and I like the lyrics. They really fit the mood of the game at the time you go through this dungeon. It drove my family batty pretty quickly, though, when I played through this dungeon on the tv some months ago... I really like how it sounds, though.
[I think these lyrics are correct?]
can't get my mind out of those memories
now time to tell them don't take my dream
still, music keeps on turning me from the words that haunt my soul
removing doubts from my mind
those long days passing by from the door
like late summer they slowly fade away
finding ways through the favorite tune playing all day
with my eyes closed
those long days passing by from the door
like late summer they slowly fade away
finding ways through the favorite tune filling me
with your sounds
74. Persona 4 - "Signs of Love"
➸Here's a song I feel that's a bit under-represented. It plays in the main character's house, and it has a strong, catchy melody and words I can't quite comprehend. It sounds like she's singing "shall we give a s--t" but it's really "[life is] short we gave a shot." I'm not too clear on the lyrics, but I like how the song sounds. Also, note the sound effect that sounds like a golf ball going into the hole that plays every now and then? It's one of my favorite details in the song.
[my kinda(?) correct version of the lyrics...? or at least how I sing along to the song.]
signs of love, overshadowed by dreams
baby, don't worry, 'cause you ain't alone
all in time running days sweeter lines
tears pass through
you said I'm the one
well, who's got to leave?
I said, nobody's really got to leave
'cause I don't give enough formation
all I need is a narration
big frosteration, bro
you go, "life is.
shall we give a s--t?"
I didn't want
anecdotes
we had a whole lot
going on and on and on
signs of love, overshadowed by dreams
baby, don't worry, 'cause you ain't alone
all in time running days sweeter lines
tears pass through
every time look at that picture in the frame
gazing past a nation so hard
you still think there is nothing but love
rain still falls
Pokémon Black/White (DS, 2010) composed by: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Shota Kageyama, Hitomi Sato
➸Ah, B/W. It has some pretty good songs, and I love how the seasons can influence the instruments in each of the route songs. Definitely the most ambitious soundtrack so far (as of 2012). Well, I haven't heard B2/W2's yet, but I doubt they'd be much different. Ahaha.
75. Pokémon Black/White - "Gate"
➸I really do adore this song. It's so calm and nice. Kind of reminds me of an elevator song or an information desk or something, which is fitting. Composed by Hitomi Sato.
76. Pokémon Black/White - "Route 10"
➸What a neat route theme. It fits as the theme for the challenging route leading up to Victory Road. I like the guitar and accordion-like sounds. It's definitely unique and sounds great. Composed by Shota Kageyama.
Pokémon Diamond/Pearl (DS, 2006) composed by: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato
➸I barely remember anything about Pearl, but at least I can say that I remember some of the songs. D/P began the dynamic of having routes and towns have different versions of songs dependent on what time of day or night it was, and I think it was pretty nice.
77. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl - "Mt. Coronet"
➸Not the most fun place to be, but it's a nice song. I like the subtle buildup from the mystical-sounding opening to the gradual loudening of the instruments to the final burst nearly a minute in and quieting again. The song has a hint of mystery and intrigue to it. Composed by Go Ichinose.
78. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl - "Route 225 (Daytime)"
➸This route is on the island available after defeating the Elite Four, and this song has always stuck out to me. I like the kind of crazy opening; it reminds me that the route is pretty hardcore. It's a nice tune with a fun opening. Composed by Go Ichinose.
Pokémon Gold/Silver (GBC, 2000) composed by: Go Ichinose, Junichi Masuda
➸Generation II is where it's at. My favorite generation has some of my favorite songs, no doubt.
79. Pokémon Gold/Silver - "National Park"
➸I have always loved this song. It's really nice to begin with, and then all of a sudden out of nowhere there's a different, stronger tune playing that brings it all together. It still hasn't lost its charm. Composed by Go Ichinose.
80. Pokémon Gold/Silver - "Route 26"
➸This song screams, "you're on your way to the Pokémon League!" Ahh. It's so hopeful and determined. I love it. Brings back the memories of the first time I made it that far in my Silver Version all those years ago. Composed by Go Ichinose.
81. Pokémon Gold/Silver - "Route 42"
➸This is the theme for many routes in northern Johto, and something about it really strikes me. It brings to mind forests and streams and lakes and the beauty of nature. Am I crazy? It also reminds me of adventure and exploring new lands. I love the tune, too. I always have to sing along with it. Composed by Junichi Masuda.
Pokémon Red/Blue (GB, 1997) composed by: Go Ichinose, Junichi Masuda
➸The games that started it all. I admit, my first Pokémon game was Yellow. Oops. I really do like the music from this game -- so nostalgic! -- so it was hard to pick just one. Oh well.
82. Pokémon Red/Blue - "Viridian Forest"
➸Kind of random, but I've always liked how there always seems to be several things going on in the song at the same time. It sounds kind of diabolical and definitely creepy, but it's still kind of catchy.
Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire (GBA, 2003) composed by: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki
➸I played the crap out of Sapphire back in the day. I am fond of the third generation, and its music wasn't too bad, either. Pretty impressive GBA songs here.
83. Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire - "Mt. Pyre Outer Walls"
➸Probably my favorite song from the game. It's so exciting and interesting, but it's played in such a strange place for such a neat song, especially since you only go there a handful of times ever. Although, one time I spent several hours there to find a single Chimecho... It has a kind of mysterious sound to it, too. Composed by Go Ichinose.
84. Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire - "Route 113"
➸This is probably one of my favorite routes in all the Pokémon world for several reasons: it's pretty neat, ash falls from the sky, there are wild Skarmory in the grass, and this song. It's rather chill and pretty. I think it's a nice unique song that highlights the uniqueness of the area. Also composed by Go Ichinose.
Pokémon Trading Card Game (GBC, 1998) composed by: Ichiro Shimakura
➸I like the TCG, and I like this game, simple as it is. I played it to death back in the day, and I always wished for a sequel. There is some really good music in this game, too -- catchy, fun stuff.
85. Pokémon Trading Card Game GB - "Water, Rock, and Psychic Clubs"
➸However, this song is solemn and pretty, not catchy and fun. I have always loved this song. I would go into the Water Club in-game and just stand there listening to this song. So sad and gorgeous.
Ragnarok Online (computer, 2002) composed by: SoundTeMP
➸Yeah. I used to play this. It has a varied soundtrack, but it's usually pretty good. I've only been to a handful of places in-game, though, so I only truly know a handful of songs.
86. Ragnarok Online - "Yetit Petit"
➸The Ice Cave song. I really like the piano in it, accompanied by a strong beat. The energy is infectious. Although this song reminds me of leveling in the cave, ahh. At least it's a nice song to listen to while grinding.
Seiken Densetsu 3 (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hiroki Kikuta
➸I haven't even completed this game yet, nor have I played SD2/Secret of Mana. but this game has some interesting songs, ranging from annoying to catchy. It also has a distinct sound, I think -- not as polished as Chrono Trigger so it sounds kind of mechanical in some instances.
87. Seiken Densetsu 3 - "High-Tension Wire"
➸A boss battle theme that has a rolling intro and strong beat. It's catchy and intense, fitting for its boss battle sequence. It also has a neat break in it that uses softer instruments but doesn't lose its intensity.
88. Seiken Densetsu 3 - "Powell"
➸An area song that I've always enjoyed for its catchy calmness. The little woodwind-ish instrument also provides for a nice diversion from the main melody.
Shin Megami Tensei (SNES, 1992) composed by: Tsukasa Masuko
➸Argh. Don't even get me started. I am obsessed with this game. But the music is both excellent and not. Some of the songs can be grating, yes. Don't even get me started on how "Shinjuku" and blue walls have scarred me for life. Some of the songs are pretty neat. But I will say that Masuko has done an excellent job with this soundtrack, because it has elicited emotion from me so many times. It can be very atmospheric and sets the tone for the locations in the game very well. Another notable thing about this soundtrack is, well, its sound. SMT was a relatively early Super Famicom game, and it definitely sounds that way. The soundfonts used are kind of mechanical and not really melodious in the least. But, as said earlier, Masuko did an excellent job with the soundtrack regardless. Besides, the sound very much fits the game's atmosphere. It's not a happy game, so it makes sense that its music isn't full of woodwinds and acoustic guitar and lovely piano. The metal-leaning guitar is more par for the course in the MegaTen universe. So are more mystical-sounding instruments and arrangements. You'll see.
89. Shin Megami Tensei - "Ginza"
➸This song genuinely scared me the first time I heard it. After the second half of the game began, I came into a building that I was expecting to recognize with its old gray walls, but instead I was greeted with this song and blood red walls and I freaked out -- everything I knew was gone. Thankfully, the basement level of the building was the same, but this really gave me a scare, and I wasn't even in Ginza yet. On a technical level, the song itself is impressive. It has a rock and/or metal sound, complete with guitar and drums. It's complex and more interesting than scary when taken out of the context of the game, but it's pretty awesome even in the game. As long as the resident demons aren't giving you trouble.
90. Shin Megami Tensei - "Ruins"
➸The second overworld theme, and I must say that I cried the first time I heard this song. But I blame that on what just happened in-game coupled with feelings of regret and loneliness -- SMT really threw my emotions for a loop. This song has a mystical and wistful feel to it, but it still sounds kind of lonely, thanks to that flute-ish lead. It's actually really pretty, and I think it's the prettiest song in the game.
Shin Megami Tensei II (SNES, 1994) composed by: Tsukasa Masuko
➸This is SMT's less-scary sequel, with what I felt were less memorable songs, including probably the one of the most sparse and uninteresting final boss battle themes ever. Still, there was one song that genuinely creeped me out, but most of them sounded more mystical than creepy. Even so, Masuko did another good job with portraying atmosphere. He also retained the same style of sound from SMTI, so that worked out pretty well with fleshing out the trademark gritty "MegaTen sound."
91. Shin Megami Tensei II - "2D: Makai"
➸One of the overworld themes, and definitely the prettiest. It's actually kind of enchanting. The Makai songs all sounded very mystical to me, but Makai is the realm of the demons mythological creatures, so it makes sense. I think it's a pretty song that sets up the mystical and wide area that it plays in.
92. Shin Megami Tensei II - "Disco"
➸Obviously, if this is the song that plays in the disco, then it has to be catchy and fun, right? After the long opening, the song starts to pick up around the minute mark, and I like its beat. It's definitely one of the neater and more complex songs in the game.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (PS2, 2003) composed by: Shoji Meguro, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Toshiko Tasaki
➸Ah, most of my Persona 2 dream team returns to... wait, this is SMT3, on the PS2. So there's new instrumentation for a new system; and obviously, as a main-line MegaTen game, there are a lot of rock/metal/mystical sounds in the soundtrack. I'm "still playing" this game, so I remember the soundtrack pretty well, but I still haven't allowed myself to listen to all of it yet. I might beat it sometime, but I know I'm going to get the bad ending, so I don't have the motivation to continue.
93. Shin Megami Tensei III - "Large Map ~Real World~"
➸Shame that this overworld theme is only heard for a mere few minutes at the beginning of the game, because I like it. I really like the keyboard, and the guitar sounds really good too. It's a catchy song that barely beat out its regular in-game counterpart for this spot. Composed by Shoji Meguro.
94. Shin Megami Tensei III - "Normal Battle ~Stuck in Amala~"
➸I heard this song for the first time in-game a few weeks ago, and I thought it sounded really neat, like an old-school battle song instead of all the rock-driven ones throughout the game. Turns out that this is an arrangement of a battle song from the PSX version of SMT: if..., a sidestory that originally came out in 1994 for the Super Famicom that I am impatiently waiting for a fan-translation for! But anyway, I just like how retro and interesting this song sounds, especially in comparison to the other battle themes, and it has a nice driving beat. It's more my cup of tea than the other battle themes with screaming demon noises in them. Arranged by Kenichi Tsuchiya.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS, 2009) composed by: Shoji Meguro
➸Yeah, more Meguro and MegaTen. actually, though, Meguro took a much different approach with this soundtrack; he tended to use more classical instruments and added chanting to many of the songs. It's kind of weird, but I guess it works. I actually got the U.S. version of the soundtrack disc when I pre-ordered this game, but it doesn't even have this song on it, so ugh. I don't know why we get kinda gypped when it comes to video game soundtracks, but there you have it. Rant over.
95. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey - "A Land Bringing About Life"
➸The theme of the final area in the game, and I think it's quite nice. I really love how it sounds quiet and gradually builds up, and how it sounds like it's in between being both a sad, striking song and a determined, hopeful one. The strings are great, too. Very nice orchestration.
Solstice (NES, 1989) composed by: Tim Follin
➸I own two copies of this game for some reason. I couldn't ever get very far in this game, but I do remember sitting in front of my tv as a kid and listening to this song while watching the title screen demo play. Follin's work still impresses me to this day. It's a shame that the entire game only has a handful of tracks, though.
96. Solstice - "Title Theme"
➸Listen to that intro! Holy snaps. It's amazing. Some of the best music I have ever heard from an NES. It's catchy, mystical, interesting, complex, and has a lot of substance. Follin sure did know what to do with NES chiptunes. Highly recommended.
Tales of Phantasia (SNES, 1995) composed by: Motoi Sakuraba, Shinji Tamura, Ryota Furuya
➸I played the GBA version of this game some years ago. It's an okay soundtrack; some songs are worth mentioning but most others are just okay. I don't even really remember much of the soundtrack myself, but there were some songs that really stood out to me.
97. Tales of Phantasia - "Forest of the Treant"
➸A pretty song with a buildup that I particularly enjoy. My favorite moment in the song is when the percussion is added about a minute into it -- it adds a new layer of depth that I really appreciate. It's as if the character has taken in the beauty of the forest and is finally ready to journey forth further into its depths.
Valkyrie Profile (PSX, 2000) composed by: Motoi Sakuraba
➸Also known as VP: Lenneth. I started playing this game, stopped, and now I don't remember what was going on so I'm slightly hesitant to get back into it. But it has gorgeous sprites and is interesting. It also has some of the most unique song titles I've ever seen. As for the music, it's typical Sakuraba but slightly more on the "rock" side of the spectrum than the "classical." Pretty good stuff, although I don't really remember much more than a few songs from in-game.
98. Valkyrie Profile - "Distortions in the Void of Despair"
➸I heard this song in the first dungeon, and I heard it for a good half-hour while I tried to figure out how to leave the darn area. Whoops. I like its fast tempo and catchy beat. It's a pretty solid example of Valkyrie Profile's soundtrack.
Xenogears (PSX, 1998) composed by: Yasunori Mitsuda
➸Another well-known soundtrack by a well-known composer. I've only played a few hours of this game, but I've listened to its soundtrack quite a lot. It's quality orchestral stuff.
99. Xenogears - "June Mermaid"
➸What a pretty song with pretty instrumentation. I love how solemn and sad it sounds. Its slow buildup into a bigger, slightly faster portion is also nice.
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars (GBA, 2002) composed by: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Susumu Nakamura
➸Ah, I like this game. It's an early GBA mecha strategy RPG title that I doubt many people know about. The PS2 ZoE games are more well-known, specifically as a series created by Hideo Kojima, but that's enough about that. This game has okay music, with some songs much better than others. One, however, has always stuck with me:
100. Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars - "Intermission"
➸The first time I heard this song during a between-scene intermission, I thought, "well, this is nice." It's calm but still has a nice beat. Also reminds me of some awesome elevator music or something. It can get stuck in my head sometimes.
Check out the expanded list and the new 2015 list for more recommended songs!
Check out songs 1-51 here!
Mega Man V (NES, 1992) composed by: Mari Yamaguchi
➸This was my first video game, so it's special to me even if it's not considered to be as good as the others. I like its music, but I told myself I could only pick one song from each game, so here goes.
51. Mega Man V - "Charge Man Stage"
Click to view➸Trains. That's all you need to know. Well. It's catchy and also makes me hum along with it too. Of course. I also like how there's a separate section of the song at the end when you're kind of not expecting it.
Mega Man VI (NES, 1993) composed by: Yuko Takehara
➸I bought this game all by myself. I saw it in a bargain bin outside of a game store (probably KB Toys in the mall?) when I was six or so and I got it. And it's actually kind of an easy Mega Man game... The music is pretty good, too. As one of the last NES games, it has some of the most advanced chiptune capabilities, so it sounds pretty decent.
52. Mega Man VI - "Mr. X Stage"
➸For a final area, this song is happy and catchy and gives quite the opposite mental image. Seriously, I can't imagine a dark tower when I listen to this song. Darn catchy songs.
Mega Man VII (SNES, 1995) composed by: Yuko Takehara, Toshihiko Horiyama, Makoto Tomozawa
➸I don't own this game. Sigh. But I have played it via the Collector's Edition; I have the GameCube version and I keep getting my jump and fire buttons mixed up. The music in VII has been upgraded, but it sounds kind of weird. But, of course, there are some catchy tunes too.
53. Mega Man VII - "Burst Man Stage"
➸I think this was the first stage I attempted playing in this game, so it's stuck with me. It's pretty catchy and quick. It's a fun stage song.
Mega Man VIII (PSX, 1997) composed by: Syusaku Uchiyama
➸Ah, got this game for my eighth birthday and was one of my first PSX games. I've played it through and beaten it several times. It has some good music that sets the tone for its levels.
54. Mega Man VIII - "Wily Stage 2"
➸This stage comes after a rather annoying and frustrating one, so its music is a nice reward. It makes me think of being in an airport for some reason... I blame the game for that. I like all the different sounds in this song, from the dinky noises to the lead keyboard that opens up the song. I just like it.
Mega Man X (SNES, 1993) composed by: Setsuo Yamamoto, Makoto Tomozawa, Yuki Iwai, Yuko Takehara, Toshihiko Horiyama
➸Mega Man's SNES debut came with some rockin' music to go along with his X makeover. X is one serious game. and I still can't beat Sigma. Go figure.
55. Mega Man X - "Prologue -Highway Stage-"
➸Such an iconic song. It plays during the first stage in the game and it really sets up the tone of the whole game. Listen to that guitar sound! It's pretty cool.
56. Mega Man X - "Spark Mandrill Stage"
➸The actual level songs are awesome too. This one is so catchy and still sounds cool. I really love that opening guitar riff, and then the breakdown later? It's awesome.
Mother 3 (GBA, 2006) composed by: Shogo Sakai
➸This is such an amazing game. Adorable and heartbreaking at the same time. It also has a pretty darn good soundtrack, especially for being a GBA game. I notice that GBA games usually have either very muffled songs or songs that try too hard to sound really good on the limited hardware, but Mother 3's music isn't affected in this way. I love this game's soundtrack so much that I have my own list of favorite songs just from this game, so it was hard to pick only three to show off.
57. Mother 3 - "Beyond the Sunshine Forest"
➸For some reason, I really love this song. I love the sound of whatever that lead instrument is supposed to be. The song sounds determined, which is perfect for the situation in-game that it plays during. They are leaving the comfort of home and moving out into the unknown, and this song portrays that feeling well.
58. Mother 3 - "Hard Rain"
➸Another determined song that screams, "you're on a mission." I love the sound that sounds like an acoustic guitar; it sounds pretty nice here. Can you believe this is coming from a GBA?
59. Mother 3 - "Monkey's Delivery Service"
➸Once again, another mission song. Its sound matches its name; it's obvious that something circus-y and urgent is going on. It still remains cute in a way, though.
Persona 1 (PSX, 1996) composed by: Shoji Meguro, Hidehito Aoki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Misaki Okibe
➸Ah, yes. I love the music from this game. I would be willing to listen to this soundtrack for weeks without stopping. There's just something about it that makes it sound really darn good to me. Maybe you'll understand what I mean.
60. Persona 1 - "Dungeon ~ Hospital (Before the Incident)"
➸Also known as "A Girl At the Window." It's a pretty piano piece that's lovely and calm but also keeps your interest at the same time. Interestingly, in-game, you can hear voices in the background to signify others in the hospital, and there's a nurse that says, "sensei?" The silly things that I remember. Composed by Hidehito Aoki.
61. Persona 1 - "Elly's Theme"
➸Yes yes yes. I could listen to this song for hours. It has a great dance-ish beat, and the instrumentation sounds good too. I would recommend this song to anyone. It needs more love. It's amazing. ♥ Composed by Kenichi Tsuchiya.
62. Persona 1 - "Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy's Theme"
➸...yeah. Uhm. It's a vocal song, but you can hear it in any pharmacy in the game. And dear freaking goodness I sing this song all. The. Time. Help. Make it stop. They're singing about restorative items and I can't help but sing along. Every time. Even if I'm playing a different MegaTen game and see the item names. It's the most addicting thing. I'm sure I look like an idiot for singing this all the time, singing about the town's friendly drug store and that ointments heal hit points, but I still love it. Ahh. This is my favorite version of the song, although the Persona 2:IS PSP remake has a chiptune version of this song (with the P2 lyrics) and ahhh. It's awesome. ...just going to leave this here. Composed by Misaki Okibe. Darn you.
...iiiitsumo, tatakau minna no mikata, bokura no machi no okusuriya saa-nnn~ duh nuh duh duh nuh nuh nuh nuh duh nuh nuh hitto pointo kaifuku suru nara kizugusuri to hougyoku de... uhm.
Persona 1 (PSP, 2009) composed by: Shoji Meguro, Hidehito Aoki, Misaki Okibe, Kenichi Tsuchiya; arranged by Shoji Meguro, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Atsushi Kitajoh, Ryota Kozuka
➸I have not played the remake yet. It is on my wishlist. I need a PSP first. But they kind of threw away most of the great original soundtrack and remade all of it in a more Persona 3 style, and it's kind of obnoxious. I wasn't impressed, especially compared to how much I adore the original soundtrack. But some songs are pretty good.
63. Persona 1 PSP - "Kama Palace"
➸This song uses the original's tune, but slows the tempo and instrumentation. The original version sounded like a song you'd hear at a rave or something; fast and crazy. I like that version; it's pretty fun, but I also enjoy this slowed-down version. It sounds more exotic with Middle Eastern-like instrumentation. The original was by Hidehito Aoki.
64. Persona 1 PSP - "School Days"
➸And this is a completely original vocal track played instead of the original cheery school theme that usually had a loud CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK going on alongside it because the main chara's shoes were really loud for some reason?! I can kind of understand what she is saying. I'm not the biggest fan of Yumi Kawamura's English vocals, but that's not the important part. that keyboard riff is absolutely infectious. Holy snaps. That is all.
[my incorrect interpretation of the lyrics, for those curious and/or want a laugh]
looking through my eyes~
head for hard to fill I woke up with you just smile
did you fall it, baby?
keep it real
let's keep it real, oh
sometime
I will keep to men
I will be into your love sweet time
I want into your apartment
please, being with you~
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSX, 2000) composed by: Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Masaki Kurokawa, Shoji Meguro
➸The Persona 2 dualology is my favorite pair of games of all time. They have an awesome story, and their mostly-shared soundtrack is amazing. I listened to it non-stop pretty much all summer, and it needs to be shared. It's so lovely. I'll be showing off some EP-exclusive songs here, since as mentioned, most of the songs are from Innocent Sin (the first P2 game).
65. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - "Mifune Mountain"
➸A catchy, energetic, and still slightly tense track. I love the mix of piano and heavy beat, as usual. It still seems kind of forest-y that way.
66. Persona 2: Eternal Punshiment - "Nichirinmaru"
➸The boat song! Err, the Nichirinmaru is a ship. And this song is pretty awesome. It has a good beat, but it also has nice piano in it too. Best of both worlds. I've really grown to like this song.
67. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - "Sumaru Castle"
➸I love the cascading piano opening of this song, and I love how it morphs into something a bit more sinister. Perfect for the area. Another song with pretty piano and a nice beat.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSX, 1999) composed by: Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Masaki Kurokawa, Shoji Meguro
➸I love this game. It's amazing and heartbreaking, and it has an equally amazing soundtrack as its other half. Also listened to this soundtrack all summer.
68. Persona 2: Innocent Sin - "Aoba Park"
Just kind of ignore the video's image... It's very incongruent with the song.
➸This song. It's so gorgeous and calming. I love how the piano notes feel sort of delayed sometimes. There are also the sounds of kids playing or birds chirping in the background sometimes, and it just adds more depth to this song. It's so pretty. I usually put this song on repeat and listen to it for hours whenever it comes on. It's also one of the few songs that I can fall asleep to. One of my favorites ever. ♥
69. Persona 2: Innocent Sin - "Kuzunoha Detective Agency"
➸I love the cheesiness factor in this song! It's catchy and I love it. My favorite part is the organ-sounding part because it really does reflect the idea of the characters being in some private eye's office. I must admit that the PSP remake's version of this song ruined the cheesiness by changing the organ sound, and it just doesn't work. I adore this song, though.
70. Persona 2: Innocent Sin - "MAP Sumaru City"
➸Another amazing song. The world map song is really gorgeous. Listen to that acoustic guitar! So lovely. It kind of gives me both a sad and hopeful feeling. It's actually composed by the Jpop singer hitomi -- she sang the ending song that has hints of this song in it, since this song is similar to the game's main theme. I only knew hitomi from her Inuyasha opening(?) theme, "I Am." Oops.
Persona 3 (PS2, 2006) composed by: Shoji Meguro
➸I wasn't the biggest fan of this soundtrack. As mentioned earlier, I'm not the biggest fan of Yumi Kawamura's voice, and she has most of the vocals in this game. Also not a big fan of Lotus Juice, the random rapper guy in some of the songs. Although the game did pick up some nice songs that were exclusive to the final in-game month. About time?
71. Persona 3 - "Living with Determination -Iwatodai Station Arrange-"
➸I like how the piano and the heavy beat are able to come together and not sound terrible. The song brings across a sense of urgency with the heavy beat and a sense of delicacy with the piano. I prefer this dorm theme to the other one.
72. Persona 3 - "Memories of the City"
➸And I prefer this world map song to the other one. It's so sad and tender and desolate. The guitar is also a nice touch that almost feels hopeful.
Persona 4 (PS2, 2008) composed by: Shoji Meguro
➸More vocal songs, but at least these ones are decent. I like Shihoko Hirata's voice a lot more than Kawamura's. I still can't understand most of the lyrics, though. The non-vocal songs, however, are great. I prefer P4's soundtrack to P3's, but I still prefer 1 and 2's. The game is great, the music is pretty good too.
73. Persona 4 - "Heaven"
➸One of the dungeon themes, and I think I like it as much as I do because I can actually understand it and I like the lyrics. They really fit the mood of the game at the time you go through this dungeon. It drove my family batty pretty quickly, though, when I played through this dungeon on the tv some months ago... I really like how it sounds, though.
[I think these lyrics are correct?]
can't get my mind out of those memories
now time to tell them don't take my dream
still, music keeps on turning me from the words that haunt my soul
removing doubts from my mind
those long days passing by from the door
like late summer they slowly fade away
finding ways through the favorite tune playing all day
with my eyes closed
those long days passing by from the door
like late summer they slowly fade away
finding ways through the favorite tune filling me
with your sounds
74. Persona 4 - "Signs of Love"
➸Here's a song I feel that's a bit under-represented. It plays in the main character's house, and it has a strong, catchy melody and words I can't quite comprehend. It sounds like she's singing "shall we give a s--t" but it's really "[life is] short we gave a shot." I'm not too clear on the lyrics, but I like how the song sounds. Also, note the sound effect that sounds like a golf ball going into the hole that plays every now and then? It's one of my favorite details in the song.
[my kinda(?) correct version of the lyrics...? or at least how I sing along to the song.]
signs of love, overshadowed by dreams
baby, don't worry, 'cause you ain't alone
all in time running days sweeter lines
tears pass through
you said I'm the one
well, who's got to leave?
I said, nobody's really got to leave
'cause I don't give enough formation
all I need is a narration
big frosteration, bro
you go, "life is.
shall we give a s--t?"
I didn't want
anecdotes
we had a whole lot
going on and on and on
signs of love, overshadowed by dreams
baby, don't worry, 'cause you ain't alone
all in time running days sweeter lines
tears pass through
every time look at that picture in the frame
gazing past a nation so hard
you still think there is nothing but love
rain still falls
Pokémon Black/White (DS, 2010) composed by: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Shota Kageyama, Hitomi Sato
➸Ah, B/W. It has some pretty good songs, and I love how the seasons can influence the instruments in each of the route songs. Definitely the most ambitious soundtrack so far (as of 2012). Well, I haven't heard B2/W2's yet, but I doubt they'd be much different. Ahaha.
75. Pokémon Black/White - "Gate"
➸I really do adore this song. It's so calm and nice. Kind of reminds me of an elevator song or an information desk or something, which is fitting. Composed by Hitomi Sato.
76. Pokémon Black/White - "Route 10"
➸What a neat route theme. It fits as the theme for the challenging route leading up to Victory Road. I like the guitar and accordion-like sounds. It's definitely unique and sounds great. Composed by Shota Kageyama.
Pokémon Diamond/Pearl (DS, 2006) composed by: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato
➸I barely remember anything about Pearl, but at least I can say that I remember some of the songs. D/P began the dynamic of having routes and towns have different versions of songs dependent on what time of day or night it was, and I think it was pretty nice.
77. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl - "Mt. Coronet"
➸Not the most fun place to be, but it's a nice song. I like the subtle buildup from the mystical-sounding opening to the gradual loudening of the instruments to the final burst nearly a minute in and quieting again. The song has a hint of mystery and intrigue to it. Composed by Go Ichinose.
78. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl - "Route 225 (Daytime)"
➸This route is on the island available after defeating the Elite Four, and this song has always stuck out to me. I like the kind of crazy opening; it reminds me that the route is pretty hardcore. It's a nice tune with a fun opening. Composed by Go Ichinose.
Pokémon Gold/Silver (GBC, 2000) composed by: Go Ichinose, Junichi Masuda
➸Generation II is where it's at. My favorite generation has some of my favorite songs, no doubt.
79. Pokémon Gold/Silver - "National Park"
➸I have always loved this song. It's really nice to begin with, and then all of a sudden out of nowhere there's a different, stronger tune playing that brings it all together. It still hasn't lost its charm. Composed by Go Ichinose.
80. Pokémon Gold/Silver - "Route 26"
➸This song screams, "you're on your way to the Pokémon League!" Ahh. It's so hopeful and determined. I love it. Brings back the memories of the first time I made it that far in my Silver Version all those years ago. Composed by Go Ichinose.
81. Pokémon Gold/Silver - "Route 42"
➸This is the theme for many routes in northern Johto, and something about it really strikes me. It brings to mind forests and streams and lakes and the beauty of nature. Am I crazy? It also reminds me of adventure and exploring new lands. I love the tune, too. I always have to sing along with it. Composed by Junichi Masuda.
Pokémon Red/Blue (GB, 1997) composed by: Go Ichinose, Junichi Masuda
➸The games that started it all. I admit, my first Pokémon game was Yellow. Oops. I really do like the music from this game -- so nostalgic! -- so it was hard to pick just one. Oh well.
82. Pokémon Red/Blue - "Viridian Forest"
➸Kind of random, but I've always liked how there always seems to be several things going on in the song at the same time. It sounds kind of diabolical and definitely creepy, but it's still kind of catchy.
Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire (GBA, 2003) composed by: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki
➸I played the crap out of Sapphire back in the day. I am fond of the third generation, and its music wasn't too bad, either. Pretty impressive GBA songs here.
83. Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire - "Mt. Pyre Outer Walls"
➸Probably my favorite song from the game. It's so exciting and interesting, but it's played in such a strange place for such a neat song, especially since you only go there a handful of times ever. Although, one time I spent several hours there to find a single Chimecho... It has a kind of mysterious sound to it, too. Composed by Go Ichinose.
84. Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire - "Route 113"
➸This is probably one of my favorite routes in all the Pokémon world for several reasons: it's pretty neat, ash falls from the sky, there are wild Skarmory in the grass, and this song. It's rather chill and pretty. I think it's a nice unique song that highlights the uniqueness of the area. Also composed by Go Ichinose.
Pokémon Trading Card Game (GBC, 1998) composed by: Ichiro Shimakura
➸I like the TCG, and I like this game, simple as it is. I played it to death back in the day, and I always wished for a sequel. There is some really good music in this game, too -- catchy, fun stuff.
85. Pokémon Trading Card Game GB - "Water, Rock, and Psychic Clubs"
➸However, this song is solemn and pretty, not catchy and fun. I have always loved this song. I would go into the Water Club in-game and just stand there listening to this song. So sad and gorgeous.
Ragnarok Online (computer, 2002) composed by: SoundTeMP
➸Yeah. I used to play this. It has a varied soundtrack, but it's usually pretty good. I've only been to a handful of places in-game, though, so I only truly know a handful of songs.
86. Ragnarok Online - "Yetit Petit"
➸The Ice Cave song. I really like the piano in it, accompanied by a strong beat. The energy is infectious. Although this song reminds me of leveling in the cave, ahh. At least it's a nice song to listen to while grinding.
Seiken Densetsu 3 (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hiroki Kikuta
➸I haven't even completed this game yet, nor have I played SD2/Secret of Mana. but this game has some interesting songs, ranging from annoying to catchy. It also has a distinct sound, I think -- not as polished as Chrono Trigger so it sounds kind of mechanical in some instances.
87. Seiken Densetsu 3 - "High-Tension Wire"
➸A boss battle theme that has a rolling intro and strong beat. It's catchy and intense, fitting for its boss battle sequence. It also has a neat break in it that uses softer instruments but doesn't lose its intensity.
88. Seiken Densetsu 3 - "Powell"
➸An area song that I've always enjoyed for its catchy calmness. The little woodwind-ish instrument also provides for a nice diversion from the main melody.
Shin Megami Tensei (SNES, 1992) composed by: Tsukasa Masuko
➸Argh. Don't even get me started. I am obsessed with this game. But the music is both excellent and not. Some of the songs can be grating, yes. Don't even get me started on how "Shinjuku" and blue walls have scarred me for life. Some of the songs are pretty neat. But I will say that Masuko has done an excellent job with this soundtrack, because it has elicited emotion from me so many times. It can be very atmospheric and sets the tone for the locations in the game very well. Another notable thing about this soundtrack is, well, its sound. SMT was a relatively early Super Famicom game, and it definitely sounds that way. The soundfonts used are kind of mechanical and not really melodious in the least. But, as said earlier, Masuko did an excellent job with the soundtrack regardless. Besides, the sound very much fits the game's atmosphere. It's not a happy game, so it makes sense that its music isn't full of woodwinds and acoustic guitar and lovely piano. The metal-leaning guitar is more par for the course in the MegaTen universe. So are more mystical-sounding instruments and arrangements. You'll see.
89. Shin Megami Tensei - "Ginza"
➸This song genuinely scared me the first time I heard it. After the second half of the game began, I came into a building that I was expecting to recognize with its old gray walls, but instead I was greeted with this song and blood red walls and I freaked out -- everything I knew was gone. Thankfully, the basement level of the building was the same, but this really gave me a scare, and I wasn't even in Ginza yet. On a technical level, the song itself is impressive. It has a rock and/or metal sound, complete with guitar and drums. It's complex and more interesting than scary when taken out of the context of the game, but it's pretty awesome even in the game. As long as the resident demons aren't giving you trouble.
90. Shin Megami Tensei - "Ruins"
➸The second overworld theme, and I must say that I cried the first time I heard this song. But I blame that on what just happened in-game coupled with feelings of regret and loneliness -- SMT really threw my emotions for a loop. This song has a mystical and wistful feel to it, but it still sounds kind of lonely, thanks to that flute-ish lead. It's actually really pretty, and I think it's the prettiest song in the game.
Shin Megami Tensei II (SNES, 1994) composed by: Tsukasa Masuko
➸This is SMT's less-scary sequel, with what I felt were less memorable songs, including probably the one of the most sparse and uninteresting final boss battle themes ever. Still, there was one song that genuinely creeped me out, but most of them sounded more mystical than creepy. Even so, Masuko did another good job with portraying atmosphere. He also retained the same style of sound from SMTI, so that worked out pretty well with fleshing out the trademark gritty "MegaTen sound."
91. Shin Megami Tensei II - "2D: Makai"
➸One of the overworld themes, and definitely the prettiest. It's actually kind of enchanting. The Makai songs all sounded very mystical to me, but Makai is the realm of the demons mythological creatures, so it makes sense. I think it's a pretty song that sets up the mystical and wide area that it plays in.
92. Shin Megami Tensei II - "Disco"
➸Obviously, if this is the song that plays in the disco, then it has to be catchy and fun, right? After the long opening, the song starts to pick up around the minute mark, and I like its beat. It's definitely one of the neater and more complex songs in the game.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (PS2, 2003) composed by: Shoji Meguro, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Toshiko Tasaki
➸Ah, most of my Persona 2 dream team returns to... wait, this is SMT3, on the PS2. So there's new instrumentation for a new system; and obviously, as a main-line MegaTen game, there are a lot of rock/metal/mystical sounds in the soundtrack. I'm "still playing" this game, so I remember the soundtrack pretty well, but I still haven't allowed myself to listen to all of it yet. I might beat it sometime, but I know I'm going to get the bad ending, so I don't have the motivation to continue.
93. Shin Megami Tensei III - "Large Map ~Real World~"
➸Shame that this overworld theme is only heard for a mere few minutes at the beginning of the game, because I like it. I really like the keyboard, and the guitar sounds really good too. It's a catchy song that barely beat out its regular in-game counterpart for this spot. Composed by Shoji Meguro.
94. Shin Megami Tensei III - "Normal Battle ~Stuck in Amala~"
➸I heard this song for the first time in-game a few weeks ago, and I thought it sounded really neat, like an old-school battle song instead of all the rock-driven ones throughout the game. Turns out that this is an arrangement of a battle song from the PSX version of SMT: if..., a sidestory that originally came out in 1994 for the Super Famicom that I am impatiently waiting for a fan-translation for! But anyway, I just like how retro and interesting this song sounds, especially in comparison to the other battle themes, and it has a nice driving beat. It's more my cup of tea than the other battle themes with screaming demon noises in them. Arranged by Kenichi Tsuchiya.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS, 2009) composed by: Shoji Meguro
➸Yeah, more Meguro and MegaTen. actually, though, Meguro took a much different approach with this soundtrack; he tended to use more classical instruments and added chanting to many of the songs. It's kind of weird, but I guess it works. I actually got the U.S. version of the soundtrack disc when I pre-ordered this game, but it doesn't even have this song on it, so ugh. I don't know why we get kinda gypped when it comes to video game soundtracks, but there you have it. Rant over.
95. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey - "A Land Bringing About Life"
➸The theme of the final area in the game, and I think it's quite nice. I really love how it sounds quiet and gradually builds up, and how it sounds like it's in between being both a sad, striking song and a determined, hopeful one. The strings are great, too. Very nice orchestration.
Solstice (NES, 1989) composed by: Tim Follin
➸I own two copies of this game for some reason. I couldn't ever get very far in this game, but I do remember sitting in front of my tv as a kid and listening to this song while watching the title screen demo play. Follin's work still impresses me to this day. It's a shame that the entire game only has a handful of tracks, though.
96. Solstice - "Title Theme"
➸Listen to that intro! Holy snaps. It's amazing. Some of the best music I have ever heard from an NES. It's catchy, mystical, interesting, complex, and has a lot of substance. Follin sure did know what to do with NES chiptunes. Highly recommended.
Tales of Phantasia (SNES, 1995) composed by: Motoi Sakuraba, Shinji Tamura, Ryota Furuya
➸I played the GBA version of this game some years ago. It's an okay soundtrack; some songs are worth mentioning but most others are just okay. I don't even really remember much of the soundtrack myself, but there were some songs that really stood out to me.
97. Tales of Phantasia - "Forest of the Treant"
➸A pretty song with a buildup that I particularly enjoy. My favorite moment in the song is when the percussion is added about a minute into it -- it adds a new layer of depth that I really appreciate. It's as if the character has taken in the beauty of the forest and is finally ready to journey forth further into its depths.
Valkyrie Profile (PSX, 2000) composed by: Motoi Sakuraba
➸Also known as VP: Lenneth. I started playing this game, stopped, and now I don't remember what was going on so I'm slightly hesitant to get back into it. But it has gorgeous sprites and is interesting. It also has some of the most unique song titles I've ever seen. As for the music, it's typical Sakuraba but slightly more on the "rock" side of the spectrum than the "classical." Pretty good stuff, although I don't really remember much more than a few songs from in-game.
98. Valkyrie Profile - "Distortions in the Void of Despair"
➸I heard this song in the first dungeon, and I heard it for a good half-hour while I tried to figure out how to leave the darn area. Whoops. I like its fast tempo and catchy beat. It's a pretty solid example of Valkyrie Profile's soundtrack.
Xenogears (PSX, 1998) composed by: Yasunori Mitsuda
➸Another well-known soundtrack by a well-known composer. I've only played a few hours of this game, but I've listened to its soundtrack quite a lot. It's quality orchestral stuff.
99. Xenogears - "June Mermaid"
➸What a pretty song with pretty instrumentation. I love how solemn and sad it sounds. Its slow buildup into a bigger, slightly faster portion is also nice.
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars (GBA, 2002) composed by: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Susumu Nakamura
➸Ah, I like this game. It's an early GBA mecha strategy RPG title that I doubt many people know about. The PS2 ZoE games are more well-known, specifically as a series created by Hideo Kojima, but that's enough about that. This game has okay music, with some songs much better than others. One, however, has always stuck with me:
100. Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars - "Intermission"
➸The first time I heard this song during a between-scene intermission, I thought, "well, this is nice." It's calm but still has a nice beat. Also reminds me of some awesome elevator music or something. It can get stuck in my head sometimes.
Check out the expanded list and the new 2015 list for more recommended songs!