As long as video games have existed, soundtracks have been vital to their existence. From the early bleeps and pops of Pac-Man to the modern sweeping orchestral scores of games like Red Dead Redemption, music can transform scenes and invoke mood just as it does in cinema. Thus, it stands to reason that video game soundtracks would take their place amongst some of the most beloved compositions in popular culture. Below, we give five video game soundtracks that will always be remembered.
Super Mario Bros
The soundtrack to Super Mario Brothers had to be number one on the list. Why? It is the most memorable theme tune in gaming, and possibly in popular culture. It can stand up to any competition launched against it, from the Jaws Theme to the discordant ring of Psycho’s infamous shower scene strings. Composed by Japanese genius Koji Kondo, in a mere seven notes, he can bring the character of Mario to life and make you think of the global gaming giant that is Nintendo.
This is all the more amazing when you think about how the music was composed. The limitations of the Nintendo Entertainment System meant that it only had four tracks for music. In addition, they were not polyphonic, meaning notes could only be played one at a time, not together, so chords could not be formed.
One of the tracks also had to be a white noise track. Together, they give the console its familiar sound of crackling percussive beats and scrolling arpeggiated lines. Despite all of this, Kondo managed to utilize and create a tune that is fun, and interesting but above all else, iconic.
Grand Theft Auto Vice City
Grand Theft Auto Vice City was a revolutionary game in many ways. It ushered in the era of the sandbox, where you were free to roam around huge imaginary worlds, taking part in multiple side quests and exploration. Yet it also turned the soundtrack on its head, using real-world songs and music to drop you into the beating heart of the eighties USA.
Before Vice City, games had music composed for them that would enhance the story or narrative, much as you would have in a movie. Yet in Vice City, the soundtrack was real music taken from the billboard charts that had been around in the decade it was set. If this was not enough, you could choose the genre you wanted through a selection of radio stations, each with its spoof presenters and advertisements.
From the country chimes of Juice Newton to the hip-hop funk of Grandmaster Flash and the new wave scowl of Billy Idol, the soundtrack was vast. Ask any gamer who was around at the time what their favorite track was and they will expose the virtues of Tempted by Squeeze or Automatic by the Pointer Sisters. It was a soundtrack, but not as gamers had experienced it before.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
As if composing the Super Mario theme tune was not enough, Koji Kondo was also responsible for the soundtrack to Legend of Zelda. Yet it was Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64 where he got to experiment with his influences, once he was unshackled from the constraints of previous systems.
The first of these was one he had worked on before. This was the ability to create a character in his work. Much like Western classical music and opera had developed the concept of the leitmotif: A musical figure that represented a person in the plot, so did Kondo.
Marred with this were his influences from Japanese popular music. Hooks reminiscent of Yellow Magic Orchestra are in there and the orchestral ambiance of Ryuichi Sakamoto soundtracks haunts the game. Yet this is infused with a healthy dose of city pop, Japan’s answer to funk and disco. The legacy of this can be found in many of today’s modern online casino titles. The repetitive nature of melodic, electronic beats adds a glitz and glamour to games unlike any other. Slot games need this to enhance the offerings they have, queuing people when jackpots are close at hand or in-game events take place. All of this came from his influence.
Not only that but music is woven into the fabric of the game itself. The Ocarina is a magical item, and its notes help unravel the narrative. Few games have used music so powerfully before or since.
Street Fighter II
Yoko Shimomura is one of the most influential game composers of the modern era. While she has worked on numerous titles, her reputation was cemented with the genre-defining Street Fighter II.
The first Street Fighter game had been quite a lackluster affair. Yet its follow-up would introduce a host of odd and unusual characters from around the globe, each with their stage. The soundtrack for each one needed to be unique, summing up the essence of the character and the flavor of their home country. All the while, it needed an intensity that would be befitting of three-minute rounds of combat. From the pentatonic vibe of Chun Li’s marketplace to the eighties action movie pulse of Guile’s airbase, she nailed everyone to perfection.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon could have gone wrong. It references the heyday of eighties power electro-rock, a genre too easy to fall into parody with. While the game was criticized for just that, the soundtrack was praised. It manages to encapsulate the heyday of this genre. From its industrial drum beats to its lavish square waves, it whips up 80s nostalgia aplenty and distills it into a Stranger Things and Drive-type coolness.
The whole game’s development was done in six months, showing that the team had very little time to complete the soundtrack. It was written and created by Melbourne-based brothers Jarome and Joel Harmsworth.
Many games should have been mentioned in this list, too many to catalog. From retro classics like Streets of Rage 2 to most of the Final Fantasy soundtracks. Vital to the success of a title, these soundtracks will keep on improving and getting better as developers compete in the crowded marketplace.