Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!)

JayMoyles wrote:

I'll start with the obligatory Persona tracks, and it's Rivers in the Desert from Persona 5. No context needed - this is just a genuinely cracking track and incredibly catchy. I love the staccato lyrics in this track. CREATING NEW LIIIIIFE, CREATING RIVERS IN THE DESEEEERT.

I love the music - I really wish there weren't lyrics - my cringe gland goes off. Update: and yet I can still hear it in my head 20 minutes later! You win this one Moyles

JayMoyles wrote:

Transistor is a game I really haven't spoken about enough on the forum. It's a wonderfully stylish action RPG with a banging soundtrack replete with beautiful vocal tracks - relevant, being that you play as a singer. In Circles is my favourite of the bunch and again, no context needed!

Although this is a bit classier, so I'll forgive this one

JayMoyles wrote:

If I had to compose a boss battle theme for a fight against a spider, then I could only hope to nail it like Undertale did.

This is the sort of thing I was thinking about when mentioning boss themes up above - but siphoned through the SNES-era Undertale soundtrack, that's a good'n that is.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

Here's half of the Dynamite Headdy soundtrack.  
(Half of the Dynamite Headdy Soundtrack)

Actually I sort of hate the Megadrive FM chip - it was a clever piece of kit but half of the sounds people chucked out of it were NIAAOW NIAAOW. But I actually love the Dynamite Headdy soundtrack, despite trying to play the game twice, and chucking it out of the window twice.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Star Wolf
An all-time classic to me. Just a snazzy theme that captures the cool of Wolf O'Donnell. Personnally, I think I like the N64 version best for its directness, but here's a video chronicling every version.

This is nostalga-tastic, this one - I agree with the N64 thoughts, with that tinny French Horn sound.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Black Knight
One of the cooler characters, a recurring rival in Shovel Knight. Starts out cool enough but evolves over the battles.

+1 all of Jake Kaufmann's Shovel Knight themes.

Drunkalilly wrote:

My favourite, though, is this short excerpt from Twilight Princess. This isn't a boss theme,
but the short sting that plays when you have a boss on the ropes. As you've figured out the trick and you're going to town on the weak spot, this tune is so damn empowering.

Agreed - this was half a boss theme and half a utility; it was genuinely uplifting.

masofdas wrote:

Iconic MGS boss battle

At last - there have been Metal Gear posts all the way trhough this topic, and I felt like I "don't get it" - this does the trick; I know what Psycho Manits is all about, and this one suits.

Athrun888 wrote:

And now I DO return to Falcom with this banging number from Ys Seven, Vacant Interference is everything I love about Ys music.  Banging good rock, that electric guitar makes the soul soar, and the violin mixing in is just perfection.  This theme was in fact the theme that, after hearing, got me interested in checking out Ys Seven all those years ago.  Another blood pumping number for some truly nuts boss battles.

Ah no - speed metal and violins! Your boss was designed by someone from Japan!

Athrun888 wrote:

And I round out my selections with this grand epic number of musical perfection from Tales of Zestiria.  Because regardless of whether the game may suck or have been rushed one thing is for certain: Go Shiina is a godly composer that we gamers need more of!  The fight it played in was epic too.

I love the space cow at the very beginning. Well this is quite catc... uh-oh lyrics again

Balladeer wrote:

TTYD has RAAAAAAAAWK HAWK!, etc. etc.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I think you were right to point out on the other topic; maybe PMTTYD's soundtrack isn't so clever after the first bits.

Balladeer wrote:

Controversial statement: by its lofty standards, I actually feel that SMG drops the ball slightly on boss themes (SMG2 can't even find the ball). [...] it's good ol' 64 that holds up its end of the bargain, with a truly intimidating Bowser theme, even now.  BWA HA HA

Agreed - the boss music in the Galaxies is a bit "wacky boss time!" However, you can't go wrong with Super Mario 64!

Balladeer wrote:

Here's the obligatory DKCTF bit.  But once again, the game really knocks it out of the park: 4/6 boss themes are great!  BRAWL with the most epic seal-fighting music ever!  STRUGGLE against the best mountaintop boss theme there is!  Erm... PARTY with three baboons on the beach?
But none of those match up to DKCTF's very finest wrestling theme: Bashmaster the Unbreakable!  (He's actually really easy, but shhhhhhhhh.)

Correct (uh-oh, I'm running out of steam here)

Balladeer wrote:

But my favourite Zelda boss music, that I'm going talk about her anyway, is the beast in the piccy above: Wind Waker's Molgera.  CHIKKA-DUKKA-CHIKKA-DUKKA-CHIKKA-DUKKA-CHIKKA-DUKKA.

Yeah - I still hear this in my head sometimes, for no good reason...

Balladeer wrote:

Every story monster, and many of the others, deserves a theme in here.  Toriel.  Papyrus.  Metatton.  Asgore.  Heck, Toby created one for Sans that was never used.
But it's Undyne who is hands/fins down my favourite.  It's so catchy!  Especially the mariachi-esque bits.  And god forbid you've been naughty...

See previous Undertale comment

Balladeer wrote:

Say 'non-final boss theme from Okami', and most people will wonder why the heck you're coming up to them in the street and spouting meaningless words.  Either that, or if they'll a bit more knowledgeable, they'll give you the Ninetails battle theme.
Meh.  It starts with a good ol' YOOOOOOOOOOOOH, but otherwise I can take or leave it.

Now I really like this one! It's technically the same old boss "all over the place" music, but the traditional instruments make a big difference I reckon.

Balladeer wrote:

If you listen to one piece from this whole post, make it this one.  One of the two massively obscure DS game I rave about incessantly, Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure brought us Banson's Aria, in which Charles Banson, opera singer and fop, attacks Hatsworth with musical notes and his fangirls.  All to beautiful nonsense Italian words.
The game's other boss themes are fine stuff as well.  Cake or Death is a strangely rocky piece when you're duelling with an apparently dead woman on a cake, while Not My Shoes! features some hot banjo action while you dodge a massive chair-flinging nurse.

I don't think I'd heard any of the Henry Hatsworth music before! That's great.

JayMoyles wrote:

I'll start with the obligatory Persona tracks, and it's Rivers in the Desert from Persona 5.

Again, I agree with Jimbob (which suggests to me that he should listen to a few more JRPG soundtracks, if our tastes are so aligned he should like those ).  No lyrics!  Having said that, this reminds me of Jacko, of all things.  Smooth Criminal specifically.

JayMoyles wrote:

Transistor...In Circles is my favourite of the bunch and again, no context needed!

This is the sort of stuff I avoid in modern music.  No thankee.

JayMoyles wrote:

Shadow of the Colossus deserves multiple picks. I love the triumph of Revived Power as you finally manage to leap onto many of the game's colossi. I love the tension and melancholy of Silence as you observe some of the game's more tranquil beasts from afar. In Awe of the Power? I'm in awe of this game and its soundtrack.

Well I can't complain, can I?  Revived Power starts really well, but gets a bit bobbins from 0:35 onwards.  The other two are just nice stuff.

JayMoyles wrote:

Fuck it - obligatory Digimon World track.

JayMoyles wrote:

RULES OF NATURE. COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS. This game's soundtrack is AMAZING.

Rules of Nature is alright because I can barely hear the lyrics. A lot of noise, but decent noise.  Collective Consciousness is, again, not my thing.

JayMoyles wrote:

So zetta slow. And thus my desire to replay The World Ends With You grows ever stronger.

Rap.  (is about to move on)  Okay, it gets better.  But you're deluging me with a lot of lyric-featuring pieces here Jay...

JayMoyles wrote:

If I had to compose a boss battle theme for a fight against a spider, then I could only hope to nail it like Undertale did.

...now that's more like it.  Not the best boss music from the game, but probably would still be the best boss music in any other game on the list.  And that's from a self-proclaimed non-fan of chiptunes.  (That said, I do prefer it from 0:31.)

JayMoyles wrote:

Say what you will about Dark Souls III, but there's no denying it has brilliant boss music. The part at 1:47 where Vordt steps up his game is suitably terrifying.

For me, this falls into what I'll call 'the Jimbob trap'.  Nice and epic, and I did listen until 1:47, but I've already forgotten it.

JayMoyles wrote:

I'd argue that FFXV nails epic boss battle music more than DSIII though. The first time I heard this track was when I wandered a bit too far off the beaten track and ran into a stupidly powerful boss monster. Those opening few seconds are embedded in mind as a reminder to leg it.

Ah, a tyrant theme!  But I still think it's a bit 'Jimbob trap'-ish.  

JayMoyles wrote:

I'm cheating a little bit here, but each monster in Monster Hunter Generations is essentially a boss battle anyway, right? The Mizutsune theme is my personal favourite. I'm a stickler for Japanese-inspired music. All it's missing is a guy yelling "YOOOOOO" and we'd be set.

Yes.  Yes to all of that.  You've redeemed yourself at the last hurdle, Moyles. The thing about including the Japanese instruments is that, as a result, it's different from all the above - and thus memorable.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

Here's half of the Dynamite Headdy soundtrack.  

This is why we have the 'no videos only links' rule!  My browser can take one or two videos, but post six in a row and it slows to a crawl.  And my Internet's not exactly slow.

The Nutcracker had me properly grinning. That was my favourite of them, although I Sing wasn't bad either.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Star Wolf
...here's a video chronicling every version.

This saved me trying to cram it in myself, so cheers!  In this day and age, I think I'd have to plump for the SF0 version.  But it's a great tune whatever soundset it's played on... apart from the SNES version which is completely different and not that good.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Black Knight
Starts out cool enough but evolves over the battles.

Several of the level themes from SK really stuck with me, but I can't say the boss themes did.  Although the second one gets really pretty grand from 0:16 onwards, so there's that!

Drunkalilly wrote:

Rannoch Reaper

As soon as this started, I thought 'XCX'.  Which is no bad thing, not at all!  This is your standard-issue orchestral stuff, yet I think it's slightly better than standard, and thus a bit more memorable.  Can definitely hear that hopelessness too.

Drunkalilly wrote:

My favourite, though, is this short excerpt from Twilight Princess.

A very interesting call, and not a bad one at all!  Again, check back in with me when we do 'Week' 150...

Incidentally the SS equivalent sounds like a march by Tchaikovsky or someone.

masofdas wrote:

Iconic MGS boss battle

Completely different from most other things here.  It's not usually my genre, but I actually really like this one!

masofdas wrote:

Resident Evil 3, shit was going to go down when this hit

This is a bit more 'generic tough guy' with some TARDIS sound effects thrown in.  Meh.

masofdas wrote:

From Atlus but not Persona

Yes!  Lovely and bouncy, with grand piano.  This is my jam.  (No surprise given the name of the soundtrack.)  That soundtrack image, though... I know it's thematically appropriate, but for goodness' sake.

masofdas wrote:

Tiny Tiger in Crash 3

'Salright.  Not bad, not good, more memorable than some... 'salright.

Athrun888 wrote:

Gah, and I thought final areas was a tough enough thing to choose from, then you go and make the topic about literally the single best archetype in video games!

Bold claim!  And, for the Jimbob trap reason, not one I agree with.  But I can't think of a better one off the top of my head, so... you win this round?

Athrun888 wrote:

I'm opening up with some ridiculous bombast, and it ain't even a Falcom theme!  Yeah, it's kinda generic...

Correct.  Don't make this too easy for me Athers!  (I do like the trumpet though, that is some good trumpet.)

Athrun888 wrote:

And now I DO return to Falcom with this banging number from Ys Seven...

You'd never imagine this were Japanese, would you? I'm liking the violin.  Seems to be a pattern with me, if it's got a strong one-instrument focus I'll be more keen on it than if they all merge into one another... or if it's an electric guitar, like this theme later.

Athrun888 wrote:

Don't let the slower tempo or the fact it's a character theme throw you off, because this next number does indeed play as a boss theme!

Caius' Theme from the much falsly maligned Final Fantasy XIII-2...

Yes, but as a result it's not one I like.  But I'm a soulless husk, so...  That said, it has bells prominently, Drunka will know that counts for a lot with me.

Oh wait... it got nice just as I switched over...

Athrun888 wrote:

And I round out my selections with this grand epic number of musical perfection from Tales of Zestiria.

Not my favourite - the lyrics are bobbins, and the rest is pretty generic stuff.

Jimbob wrote:

Balladeer wrote:

TTYD has RAAAAAAAAWK HAWK!, etc. etc.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I think you were right to point out on the other topic; maybe PMTTYD's soundtrack isn't so clever after the first bits.

Best of an eh bunch.

Jimbob wrote:

...but the traditional instruments make a big difference I reckon.

Yes!  I will always go a bundle on anything with traditional instruments in, Japanese or otherwise.  (That said, all of Okami's pieces use traditional instruments, and I think some all better than that one, so...

Jimbob wrote:

I don't think I'd heard any of the Henry Hatsworth music before! That's great.

Probably not, it's so so underrated.  I've got no idea which week this'll go in, since I don't think we'll do 'Stupidly British week', so: cheeky mention for The Butler Did It!  (Sh, don't tell Jay.)

Jimbob wrote:

Earthbound's Boss Theme - NES bloopery evolved into 90s hip-hop. Nothing's like Earthbound for being both emotional and hipstery at the same time. (wait where is everyone going?)

Class this one under 'weird' for me.

Jimbob wrote:

Guys you forgot this one - I'm sorry - it had to be listed somewhere

I didn't, but I've not played the game, so I thought I'd leave it to someone who had.  Glad it's appeared now, though!

Jimbob wrote:

Fortress Boss Time in Yoshi's Island - this boss clearly isn't the worst.

Well this is just plain fun and vaguely silly.  Made me smile.

Jimbob wrote:

Not included are the bosses from Little King's Story as they're all pretty much re-creations of classical music.

Didn't stop Cappa!  I'd be up for some of the best ones.

Back to where it all began for me!  Super Mario Land mostly took place in sandy areas, but I prefer the mystique of the pyramid's interior to Birabuto's normal, rather dull, tune.  And of course it too got a grand Smashmix.

Otherwise, Jas posted this in fiery week, but it'll always be a sand piece for me - less punctuated as it was in Shifting Sand Land with 'AH HA HA HA HAAAAAAAA'.  The Galaxies have a second mediocre week.

Want some good desert music in a platformer?  Disappointed at most of Mario's efforts?  Mister Kirkhope has you covered.

If the Mario platformers drop the ball somewhat on sand levels, the RPGs pick it up again.  Pictured above is my personal favourite, PiT's Gritzy Desert (and Smashmix).  Notable too is the creepier Teehee Valley from Superstar Saga (featuring the worst Sudowoodo ever) and another repeat from last week, PMSS' Tower Power Pokey trumpet jam.

After the forgettable Dry Dry Desert, Mario Kart 8 delivers on the sand front with the catchy Bone Dry Dunes.  Dat guitar/sitar.

Alternatively, here's a stone-cold classic.  Or my personal favourite, a song of joyous exploration hindered by its soundfont.

And here's one I found by browsing that I barely remembered, but which is pretty great!  A real pleasant surprise.

And speaking of hindered by its soundfont, Route 111 from RSE!  Just don't ask me about the ΩRAS version.  Please.

XCX knocks it out of the park again.  Oblivia by day.

I finish on a slightly cheaty note, but Shadow's Theme from FFVI is a tune I've always loved, and it definitely feels like something out of an ol' Western.  Yee-hah.

JayMoyles wrote:

Obligatory Persona 5 pick to start me off.

Yep, enjoyed this one.  Nice and chill.

JayMoyles wrote:

Gerudo Town (Night) is a rare breed of desert track. It's a nighttime desert theme!

Not as chill as this one though!  Will admit to preferring the day theme, but they're both fine efforts.

JayMoyles wrote:

Al Kharid from Runescape is still the first town that comes to mind if you ask me about desert towns in video games.

A perfectly average desert theme, this.  I call a victory for nostalgia!

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

It's another victory for Sonic & Knuckles on the Mega Drive.

Er, I called wrong apparently!  Not my thing, this, whether that's the soundfont or the music I can't be quite sure.

Jimbob wrote:

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TIme - Gerudo Valley - ClapclapclapClapClapclapclapclapClapclapclapClapClapclapClapclap

Is this the best desert music ever?  Let's go ahead and say that it is.

Jimbob wrote:

Earthbound - Dusty Dunes Desert - Obligatory "what were they on when they made Earthbound?" post. Another time they decided to mess around with the music from the predecessor.

Oh Earthbound, you so crazy!  I actually prefer the chiptune original, less messy.

Jimbob wrote:

Lemmings 2 - SNES - Eqyptian Lemmings - Because when you say "desert" you mean "Eqyptian". For some reason, some tunes in Lemmings 2 were completely different across different formats. The Amiga version was probably copyright-inducing. And the MegaDrive version could only do some notes it seems. Anyway my ears are bleeding now.

Or Mexican!  Anyway that's surprisingly good, maybe it's the ethnic-esque MIDI flute.  

The other two versions are taking the piss.

masofdas wrote:

The version with that speech

Through which I could barely hear the music...

Athrun888 wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-xGBHMVaig

I gave this a chance instead of just shooting it down as 'standard JRPG stuff'.  I quite liked it!  Can't remember it now though.

Athrun888 wrote:

Also this because lets be real here, it's basically a desert and Molgera is basically a damn Sandworm.  Chikachikachika baby!

A rare desert piece that gives Gerudo Valley competition.  Zelda sand themes are the best!

JayMoyles wrote:

Obligatory Persona 5 pick to start me off.

A lovely little piece of muzak, but it doesn't scream desert at me. More like a cool French spaceship or something?

JayMoyles wrote:

Gerudo Town (Night) is a rare breed of desert track. It's a nighttime desert theme!

Good stuff. Stark and cold, like a nighttime desert, while maintaining that Eastern feel.

JayMoyles wrote:

Al Kharid from Runescape is still the first town that comes to mind if you ask me about desert towns in video games.

Lol, you nerd.

Jimbob wrote:

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TIme - Gerudo Valley - ClapclapclapClapClapclapclapclapClapclapclapClapClapclapClapclap

S'alright, I suppose.

Jimbob wrote:

Earthbound - Dusty Dunes Desert - Obligatory "what were they on when they made Earthbound?" post. Another time they decided to mess around with the music from the predecessor.

Umm.

Jimbob wrote:

Lemmings 2 - SNES - Eqyptian Lemmings - Because when you say "desert" you mean "Eqyptian". For some reason, some tunes in Lemmings 2 were completely different across different formats. The Amiga version was probably copyright-inducing. And the MegaDrive version could only do some notes it seems. Anyway my ears are bleeding now.

Sometimes, I'm glad the past was a long time ago.

Athrun888 wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-xGBHMVaig

Another classic Ys pick from Athrun here. Good stuff, but it probably needs the game with it to really lodge in the head.

Athrun888 wrote:

Also this because lets be real here, it's basically a desert and Molgera is basically a damn Sandworm.  Chikachikachika baby!

TUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNE.

Balladeer wrote:

the old Western action of the Hidden Village.

One of my favourite bits, and indeed tunes, of the game!

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the mystique of the pyramid's interior to Birabuto's normal, rather dull, tune.

Super Mario Land was an early one for me as well, and would definitely have made my list if you'd not beaten me to the punch.

Banjo Kazooie music all sounds the same to me, I'm afraid.

Quote :

If the Mario platformers drop the ball somewhat on sand levels, the RPGs pick it up again.  Pictured above is my personal favourite, PiT's Gritzy Desert

This, however, is spot-on sand music. Great stuff! Reminds me of . . .

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Mario Kart 8 delivers on the sand front with the catchy Bone Dry Dunes.  Dat guitar/sitar.

MARIO KART SAND TRACKS! I hate driving on sand levels, but they always capture the music wonderfully.

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And speaking of hindered by its soundfont, Route 111 from RSE!

I like it.

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XCX knocks it out of the park again.  Oblivia by day.

FUCKING TRACK
Ah, imagine if XCX the game had lived up to its world and soundtrack. All eyes on you, XC2!