#85 - Mega Man 5
Proto Man's Fortress
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Mega Man 5 |
| Track title: |
Proto Man's Fortress |
| Game release year: |
1992 |
| Composer: | Mari Yamaguchi |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 9)
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Review by raubhimself:
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Imagine standing at the foot of a fortress, ready to face off against your robotic prototype rogue brother. What is the soundtrack for this occasion? An upbeat fusion of jazz and pop, of course! One of the greatest aspects of Mega Man 5 is the general positivity projected by both the visuals and audio, and given the context, perhaps no other song in the game has such a great dichotomy as this. A steady beat, a flowing bass line, and a catchy melody make for a great romp through the later levels of this game. |
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#84 - Shadow of the Ninja
Stage 2
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Shadow of the Ninja |
| Track title: |
Stage 2 |
| Game release year: |
1990 |
| Composers: | Iku Mizutani, Koichi Yamanishi |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 4)
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Review by Jace:
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I read a Fucking Champs interview some time ago in which they described their music as being a sort of "riff Christmas." It feels like Christmas, and you're just opening riff after riff. This song is like that for me. And when you're like, "nice, that book I wanted," and then, "oh kickass, a bow and arrow set!" take a breath because it was sort of hidden and you didn't see it until the end, "NINTENDO 64!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" |
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#83 - Zelda II - The Adventure of Link
Overworld
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Zelda II - The Adventure of Link |
| Track title: |
Overworld |
| Game release year: |
1988 |
| Composer: | Akito Nakatsuka |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 2)
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Review by raubhimself:
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In games that require heavy travel across an overworld map, the background music can make or break a player's experience. The song must be catchy, and it can't be too repetative. Luckily in Zelda 2, the overworld theme contains a variety of catchy melodies that can be listened to endlessly. The song doesn't loop until about 50 seconds and has four distinct parts that provide all of the emotions contained in an adventure game. The sense of joyful frolic, mystery of the unknown, and proud heroism makes for a theme that not only captures the game perfectly but simply doesn't get old. |
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#82 - Blaster Master
Area 3
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Blaster Master |
| Track title: |
Area 3 |
| Game release year: |
1988 |
| Composer: | Naoki Kodaka |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 4)
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Review by Jace:
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Translated from music into the English language, this song is saying "here we goooooo!" with the "gooooo!" being yelled by people on the first crest of a roller coaster as the coaster flies off the track and turns into Falcor, soaring them safely through the clouds. Simple and effective! This song really gets me amped up to master some blasts. |
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#81 - The Legend of Zelda
Overworld
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
The Legend of Zelda |
| Track title: |
Overworld |
| Game release year: |
1987 |
| Composer: | Koji Kondo |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 3)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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1986... The thing I love the most about this soundtrack\song is that this song is so old, it was before people even knew how to emulate instruments on the NES. It was definitely before anyone had any idea what they were doing as far as producing NES music, or how to make it sound fuller, or more echo ridden. For as simple as this song is in production, it just so happens that it is extremely well written, with lots of hinted at chords, and key changes. This song features no vibrato, no echoes and barely even a hint of drums, yet it is about as pure and fundamental as I think an idea in music can get. This theme has stood the test of time for the simple reason that it is GOOD. |
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#80 - Contra
Base Boss
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Contra |
| Track title: |
Base Boss |
| Game release year: |
1988 |
| Composers: | Hidenori Maezawa, Kyouhei Sada |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 8)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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This song doesn't rely heavily on fantastic programming or fancy effects. What it does rely on is a single build up of tension and pressure, with a sudden explosion of melody. There are basically two sections to this song. The first section is entirely about the struggle. The build up of tension and anxiety. Followed by an absolutely brilliant transition into what is probably the most heroic theme I can think of. This song embodies just about everything that it means to be a hero. |
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#79 - Castlevania II - Simon's Quest
A Requiem (Ending)
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Castlevania II - Simon's Quest |
| Track title: |
A Requiem (Ending) |
| Game release year: |
1987 |
| Composers: | Kenishi Matsubara, Satoe Terashima |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 9)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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Sadly, I don't know enough about music theory to technically break down what makes this song amazing. All I can say is that this song features actual chords, actual key changes, and tons of emotion. I think, without trying to be all virtuoso about it, that this is one of the most competently written and expressive NES track of all time. I only ever received the "sad" ending in Simon's Quest, and this song has always resonated with me on an emotional level. Universally, these chord progressions will tell anyone the same story: R.I.P Dracula & Simon Belmont. |
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#78 - Castlevania
Voyager (Ending)
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Castlevania |
| Track title: |
Voyager (Ending) |
| Game release year: |
1987 |
| Composers: | Kinuyo Yamashita, Satoe Terashima | | Arranger: | Hidenori Maezawa |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 11)
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Review by Jace:
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For me, this track is all about the movement of the bassline. It works very well as the ending music for the first game in a series that boasts a long and convoluted mythology; it really sounds like more of a beginning track. There's a tension at the end that primes you for a long future history with the world of Castlevania. |
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#77 - Mega Man 2
Metal Man
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Mega Man 2 |
| Track title: |
Metal Man |
| Game release year: |
1989 |
| Composers: | Manami Matsumae, Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, Ogeretsu Kun |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 8)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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It's hard when you have to describe such a familiar track. Why do I like this song? What are its best features? From a literal stand point, there are some unique sound effects in this song that immediately give it a wealth of character. From the weird scratchy square notes used as transition devices to the awesome use of the triangle for tom fills, this song has more than enough unique character. But I don't think that is what makes it as awesome as it is. All I can really say is that this is another masterfully written Mega Man track. You can break down the sounds themselves, but we may never break down how they could write something so catchy with so little at their disposal. |
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#76 - Zelda II - The Adventure of Link
Great Temple
Listen to this track:
Requires Flash10
Track information:
| Game title: |
Zelda II - The Adventure of Link |
| Track title: |
Great Temple |
| Game release year: |
1988 |
| Composer: | Akito Nakatsuka |
| Download: |
NSFE
(complete), NSF (track 18)
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Review by Norrin_Radd:
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Please excuse my temporary editorial. Why does Nintendo never reference this game's music in any of it's bazillion Zelda projects and cameos? Anyway, this is not one of my particular favourites from the Zelda 2 score. Aside from that pretty stellar intro (perfect for a final battle!), I find this track a little too repetitive. But there is one amazing quality that it shares with every other song on the Zelda 2 soundtrack: that sparkling sheen on the square waves due to the fact that they are always vibrating. Always. Right from the start of the note to the end. This is not usually done in NES games. Most often, there will be a small space before the note starts vibrato. I am trying to figure out what instrument in real life this emulates, and I can't really come up with anything. As a result, it sounds noticeably unique. Noticeably Zelda 2. You can tell, the instant you are hearing a Zelda 2 song, and for me, that always results in a tiny little orgasm of nostalgia. |
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