Q&A: Favorite Game Soundtrack

words by DrJohnGalt

This week’s question: What’s your favorite video game soundtrack?

There are a few different answers here. Are we talking the simple 8-big analog sound of the original NES? Or CD-quality of disc consoles? Are we talking one song on one level? Or the totality of a game or even an entire franchise?

Chrono Cross PS1 (2000)

So let’s start at the beginning.

I’m a sucker for original Nintendo gigs. One of my absolute favorites is the from the 1988 NES game Bionic Commando original soundtrack. Each level had its own theme and the music often complimented it. My pick here is the zone 05 backing. You know, the one with the red sky and vertical level? I don’t know why, but it’s been the one to stand out for me in a collection of amazing tunes (seriously, every cut is great here!). It’s always reminded me of a spaghetti western for some reason. Am I the only one?

And of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t have a franchise pick. I think Final Fantasy is the big one that comes to mind and will probably be included somewhere on nearly every geek’s list of great OST collections. Creator Nobuo Uematsu did most of the work for the first nine titles (considered by many to be the “main games”) of the series. And yes, these are indeed iconic soundtracks. Beautifully composed and fitting the games perfectly, they add to the emotion and experience of our adventures throughout the series.

But that answer is too easy.

If we’re talking full OST albums, without a doubt the one I spin most is the 3-disc collection from Chrono Cross (expanding on many of the musical themes of the Japan-only release Radical Dreamers). Sure, 1995’s Chrono Trigger is up near Final Fantasy on most peoples’ list of best music, but for me the sequel is just as good, if not better. The main composer for the games is Yasunori Mitsuda. He’s had his hand in many different titles and franchises over the years and his work has left an even greater impression on me than any other composer. The entire OST is fabulous but my favorite cut is Dreams of the Shore Near Another World from the overworld map; it’s just so therapeutic and such a great reprieve from the life-and-death action of the campaign.

Maybe sometime we’ll take a look at 8-bit game openers. Because let’s face it, many of us who grew up playing NES games can still hear the theme songs for most of our favorites.