Classic Gaming

It is often said that the sound of the ocean is a source of great comfort. The movement of gently lapping waves presumably provides a sense of serenity for some. It always just sounds like water to me. Perhaps I have spent too long playing video games because for me serenity and water don't go hand in hand. Water based gaming is usually just infuriating. Ecco the dolphin is one notable example that springs to mind.

It is also said that there has to be an exception to prove the rule. ...

The music in the Zelda series is often considered Koji Kondo's masterpiece and it continues to be a series highlight. From the epic Hyrule theme in the original game to the Twilight Princes trailer theme, the music in Zelda is always something to look forward to. A Zelda track was always going to make this list, but which one? Keeping this list pre 32/64-bit made the decision a bit easier; otherwise tracks like the Song of Healing and Dragon Roost Island would have been real contenders. The most ...

I'm somewhat cheating with this entry. The End Credits theme from Sonic 1 is effectively a montage of all the key musical elements throughout the game. The tracks are great individually and really suit the level they're associated with, but together they form a terrific musical collage that greatly enhances the satisfaction of completing the game. Of course these days you can just look at it on YouTube, but that’s just not the same...


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Super Mario 64 (N64)
There a good games, there are great games and then there’s SM64. Nintendo moved Mario into the third dimension on their first attempt with a deftness that other developers are still struggling with 15 years later (*cough*Sega*cough*). Mario controlled so well in 3D that it felt like the N64 analogue stick was actually designed specifically for him. Oh wait, it was. That’s not to mention the wonderful level design that practically begged further exploration and the astonishing, ...

I've been lazy of late, but I figure it's about time I finished this list. Retro games often used classic music pieces as a way to keep audio production costs down, while still providing catchy tunes. I tried to keep this list to original video game compositions only, but Korobeiniki from Tetris was just impossible to omit. The music just fits the action incredibly well and makes great use of the Game Boy's limited audio capabilities. Just try playing with the sound turned off; it's a totally different ...