#105 - Bionic Commando
Albatross Tower
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Bionic Commando |
| Track title: |
Albatross Tower |
| Game release year: |
1988 |
| Composer: | Junko Tamiya |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 6)
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Review by Jace:
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Nerve-wracking! Frantic and tense with an insane climax of spraying vibrato and a distractingly out-of-place bluesy lick right at the very end. Something sort of dark and primal seems to be behind this song...it actually kind of scares me. |
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#104 - Hero Quest
Main Theme
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Hero Quest |
| Track title: |
Main Theme |
| Game release year: |
1991 |
| Composer: | Neil Baldwin |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 1)
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Review by Jace:
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We could (and someone probably should) write an entire essay on the innovations and accomplishments of Neil Baldwin. The Hero Quest soundtrack is one of his better-known works, defined by appropriately "medieval" sounding scales and chord progressions juxtaposed with driving, modern rhythms and masterful volume manipulation to achieve gorgeous delay and echo effects. Mr. Baldwin is also a master of vibrato; largely through this tool, his tracks have a warmth and humanity about them that is rare on the NES. |
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#103 - Overlord
Title Theme
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Overlord |
| Track title: |
Title Theme |
| Game release year: |
1993 |
| Composer: | Jeroen Tel |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 1)
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Review by Jace:
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Notes so low that they make my eyes water at appropriate volume. The melody is nothing too memorable, but the bubbling arpgeggiated chords flowing underneath are perfectly programmed into gorgeous washes, creating a distinct and non-disruptive atmosphere. This typically European approach to square wave manipulation is not generally favored at The Shizz, but it can be quite impactful when tastefully used as a background layer as in this creative Overlord track. |
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#102 - Dragon Warrior 3
Staff Roll
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Dragon Warrior 3 |
| Track title: |
Staff Roll |
| Game release year: |
1992 |
| Composer: | Koichi Sugiyama |
| Download: |
NSFE
, NSF (track 26)
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Review by Jace:
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Extremely clever use of the triangle wave in this track. While the NES's smoothest channel is typically used exclusively for basslines, this wonderfully pompous fanfare harmonically weaves the triangle's high register into the melody while seamlessly alternating root-note bass pulses on the lows. A majestic swirl of grandiosity ensues! |
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#101 - Double Dragon III - The Sacred Stones
U.S.A - Street
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Double Dragon III - The Sacred Stones |
| Track title: |
U.S.A - Street |
| Game release year: |
1991 |
| Composers: | Inoue, Nozaki, Hirarin, Kame |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 2)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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A seemingly straightforward track, especially when compared to some of the technical marvels Konami was creating. What this song lacks in huge sounding drums or fancy production, it makes up for (and then some) with such a catchy melody. This was one of the first NES songs I can remember standing out to me in my young adult/adult life. I don't know about the rest of you, but it is really easy for me to imagine this song as a guitar track. It's got what sounds like hammer on pull of tapping on one square, and a ripping lead on the other. Eventually they combine and pull of a fantastic NWOBHM style harmony worthy of Iron Maiden. Seemingly simple, yet sickeningly solid. |
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#100 - Mega Man 3
Shadow Man
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Mega Man 3 |
| Track title: |
Shadow Man |
| Game release year: |
1990 |
| Composer: | Yasuaki Fujita (BUNBUN) |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 9)
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Review by Jace:
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This is the Attention Deficit Disorder of Mega Man songs. A sort of irritating rhythm and a manic, slightly-too-fast-to-be bouncy melody at the end that kind of makes me laugh the same way I might laugh if I saw a kid flip a crate full of scissors onto the ground for no reason. Most notable, I think, for showing how nostalgia and familiarity with actual gameplay has indeed influenced some of the choices in our top 125. |
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#99 - Mega Man 3
Hard Man
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Mega Man 3 |
| Track title: |
Hard Man |
| Game release year: |
1990 |
| Composer: | Yasuaki Fujita (BUNBUN) |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 5)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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I can hardly think of a catchier tune on the NES. Catchy does not always mean "best," it just means that this song has the ability to pop in to your head and refuse to leave. I spend many long work days involuntarily humming or whistling this particular song. So just what the heck makes this song so damn catchy?! First, The chorus effect on the two square waves is absolutely brilliant in, and provides a crystal clear glassy sound that really makes the main sections stand out. Second, there are ad-libs and accents galore in this track that provide sickeningly fresh attitude. Almost every four bars is ended with a unique little solo by one of the squares. Lastly, I have to attribute some of this songs catchiness to the very sparingly used triangle wave. It's heavily used as a rhythmic device, but provides careful chord progressions. If you listen to the triangle on its own you will hear a bevy of hidden high pitch accented notes that blend in with the leads. A seemingly simple track with butt loads of razor sharp skill applied. |
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#98 - Shatterhand
Area C
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Shatterhand |
| Track title: |
Area C |
| Game release year: |
1991 |
| Composers: | Iku Mizutani, Koichi Yamanishi |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 5)
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Review by raubhimself:
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Shatterhand is a tough game with amazing music. I don't know about you, the reader, but I get discouraged by tough games pretty easily. Shatterhand, however, keeps me trying. How could I not with the pumping metal tunes that accompany each level? Area C is the first really tough level and this track fits it perfectly. The music starts off pulling you down, setting the tone for a tough level, but it breaks into ascending melodies that provide just the encouragement needed. That a track this good is so low on the Top 100 says a lot about what's coming up higher on the list. |
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#97 - The Smurfs
The Flight on a Stork (Act 5)
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
The Smurfs |
| Track title: |
The Flight on a Stork (Act 5) |
| Game release year: |
1994 |
| Composer: | Alberto Gonzalez |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 1)
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Review by Jace:
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Aside from this song being awesome enough to make me flip my laptop off my lap and punch myself repeatedly in the face on the quarter notes the first time I heard it, the best thing about it is probably the reaction you get when you're listening to chiptunes and vgm around the one or two friends you have who can tolerate them and you tell them that this epic dance floor crasher is from a Smurfs game. The Amiga and C64 catalogs are full of these kinds of unbalanced corny game/slammin' tunes dichotomies, but it's a bit more rare on the NES and extreme in this case. |
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#96 - Ninja Gaiden
Vow of Revenge (Opening II)
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Ninja Gaiden |
| Track title: |
Vow of Revenge (Opening II) |
| Game release year: |
1989 |
| Composers: | More Yamasan, B. Hasake, Miyazaki |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 2)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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Not only were the cinematic sequences of Ninja Gaiden ahead of their time, but the use of dynamic music cues that matched each new scene are actually quite striking. No better example than with this piece right here. The image of Ryu beside his dying father is forever linked to this song, which may have given it an unfair advantage in the voting. But I believe that this song, taken out of context, is still one of the best examples of a song on the NES that actually tells a story. From a song writing perspective, this song is, subtly, quite complex. With both leads playing two different melodies at all times, to a bass line that is also different. It takes a skillful hand to craft 3 melodies at once and not have it sound like a wall of wackiness. |
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