Board 8 > I rank VGM (2025 edition) [ranking]

(+) Yeah! (+)

Hehehe, this reminds me of the time I was on page 5 Lois

234 / 5481
Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Grass Land 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF-wUZreoxk
Jun Ishikawa
Paratroopa1

Have you ever listened to a song and one word comes to mind above all else? For this song, I think of droopy. Not the cartoon dog, but something that sags and sort of bunches up around the middle. Grass Land 4 is the kind of song you find in a TV dinner thats been left in the microwave too long. I like the future sounds near the loop point; theyre kind of cool.

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233 / 5447
Mystaria: The Realms of Lore / Blazing Heroes / Riglord Saga - Opening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQdQXGLHJRM
Yukiharu Urita
tazzyboyishere

Going with a bunch of translations for the game title, in the unlikely event I need to find it later.

This is uhRPG music for sure. I dont really hear anything that sets this apart from other songs. The beat is kind of nice I guess, and I like some of the world music elements, but this feels like a pretty by-the-numbers effort. It does a good job at evoking a sense of grandness, so maybe its better than Im giving it credit for; a 6 seems fair.

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232 / 5418
Earthbound - Enjoy Your Stay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhzrsJgz8NU
Akio Ohmori, Ritsuo Kamimura, Keiichi Suzuki, Hirokazu Tanaka
@MargaretAnnMid

Is this the shortest song this year? You wouldnt know it from the original link, which was a 15-minute extended version, but when properly looped its only 36 seconds. (Still not as short as last years Oh Dear, You Are Dead! from Runescape.) Anyway this is like asalsa? A rumba? Some sort of tango? Something like that. It lasts for eight measures before looping. Pretty straightforward, but theres some uniqueness too the melody is slightly off-pitch, creating a surreal effect also present in other songs on this soundtrack. Its short but memorable.

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231 / 5410
Ragnarok Online - Aeon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py035V2mG7E
SoundTeMP
@Isquen

lol at the ticking clocks. I appreciate you catering to my interests.

A pretty moody piece, but one that has some lightheartedness to it. That melody is airy, befitting a cartoonier game than the rest of the song might indicate. I like the panning; this is a song worth busting out your headphones for. It doesnt do anything to wow me everything feels above average but unmemorable, which is what a 6/10 rating usually indicates but I do love the metronome-like ticking that keeps the song on beat. You had the right idea!

I LOVE SARUIN. I think one of its greatest strengths is how it deviates from standard final boss with the drums and organ making it sound so happy. I agree the guitar is pretty standard, but it provides a driving force for the drums to bounce off of and reach that level of enthusiasm. And it taking over from the organ at 2:50 is such a great ending. Top tier retiree.

Btw this version is arranged by Tsuyoshi Sekito. The original sounded like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYAAzh48y34

The Earthbound OST sounds many different ways, but the way Enjoy Your Stay sounds feels the most like Earthbound to me: a little weird and off-kilter, yet still simple and comfy, like a world a child would imagine. (The second most is Hi Hi Hi, which is more overtly wacky.)

Gall posted...

Btw this version is arranged by Tsuyoshi Sekito. The original sounded like this:

Will fix, thank you!

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230 / 5401
Marvel Disk Wars: Avengers - Ultimate Heroes - Track 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhpwNQXXVAw
Sound AMS
@failgirlema

These arpeggios make the song sound like a faster-paced Aquatic Ambience at times, haha. This is a very hot-blooded theme; I can hear this in an anime, or some sort of mech combat game. The melody isnt all that memorable but the specific arrangement is nice, offering nice synths and a catchy beat. All in all, the song is above average but it isnt one Im likely to remember.

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229 / 5398
Shadow of the Beast (Amiga) - Main Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJqhjzpq66w
David Whittaker
Cavedweller2000

In a vgm world populated heavily by chiptunes, the Commodore Amiga dared to be different. The best Amiga music has some of the most incredible soundscapes. This Main Theme (one of four nominated by Cavedweller3000) isnt necessarily the best of the platform, but its chock full of ambient goodness. Ive liked other works by David Whittaker he was responsible for Xenon 2: Megablasts legendary title music and this one has a super immersive soundscape, conjuring up images of wandering through deep forests.

228 / 5389
Speed Freaks - Challenge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emoNndpYkdE
Martin Schjler
@-hotdogturtle--

I dont know what year this came out but Im assuming early 00s by the way this sounds. EDM music like this feels very much a product of its time. I dont mean that in a negative way if anything, its charming. This is a fun song, with lots of little goofy touches. Theres a bit of a sproing in the beats that makes things cartoonier, and there occasionally bits of sound effects carefully inserted. It wears itself out by the end maybe it loops too many times? but its still an enjoyable listen overall.

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227 / 5374
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward - Virtue's Last Reward ~Orchestra~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VSCJAWEPRo
Shinji Hosoe
paulg235

My goodness those horns are very overpowering. I get that thats probably the point this is labeled as ~Orchestra~ after all but maybe things could be mixed a little better. Then the song turns into something completely different, a harder-edged electronic section, before segueing back into something thats a mix of the two. Its neat to hear the combination of the two styles.

Challenge 1:49-2:14 is appropriately Halloweeny. As are those creatures on the boxart.

I was busy for the last couple of days so I wasn't able to make write ups for the last few songs.

Octopath Traveler - Decisive Battle II

I like the intro, dramatic but in a fun way. The guitar is nice, this song screams JRPG battle theme for sure but I don't mind. I do wish the melodies were a tad bit stronger. There's a little section that went in a direction I didn't expect, really cool. Good song, I like it.

Paper Mario - Sad Sun

Been a while since I last listened to this. Idk how to feel about the instrument samples here, they sound very GBA but not as compressed. The composition itself seems pretty decent, I don't mind this song but the samples really hold it back for me and I think I'd like this so much more if it was updated with higher quality samples.

Bravely Default - Sunbeams through the Leaves

Oh this is nice, it's very pleasant. The bass is pretty tasty and there's a fantastical feeling with the pizzicato strings. The "chorus" section kind of comes out of nowhere but it's very sweet and enjoyable. I like this song, it's a beautiful listen.

Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song - Final Battle with Saruin

Another song where's it's been a long time since I last gave it a listen. Nice percussion in this song, it's got a lot of punch to it. It does a lot of Metal type of beats which I don't mind, this feels like a Falcom song to me but I like Falcom so... lol. This is a fun battle theme with a lot of intensity, that comes from the drums mostly. I wish the synth melody was stronger. Sick solos for both the synth and guitar, I really liked this song. It's right up my alley.

Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Grass Land 4

I've heard this song before, the melody is aight and so is the bass but I'm not super into the pace the song has. Just bit too odd for my liking (it's probably a simple time signature lol). I don't mind this song although it's not my choice of Kirby music to listen to.

Mystaria: The Realms of Lore / Blazing Heroes / Riglord Saga - Opening

Man I love obscure video game music, it's always interesting to me. This sounds kind of mysterious with the woodwind and the higher pitched background instruments. There's emotional feelings this song goes for and it's effective. This is super cool, I like it.

Earthbound - Enjoy Your Stay

Ah Earthbound, you quirky soundtrack you. The bass is very much Mother/Earthbound and the tango feeling is fun. This song is incredibly short so I don't have much to say. I don't mind it.

Ragnarok Online - Aeon

Ominous, this feels like you are in a big clock or something. I like that there's a feeling of sadness here and the change up was cool. I like the orchestration here and I think this would be a treat to listen to live. I like this song and the overall atmosphere it creates.

Marvel Disk Wars: Avengers - Ultimate Heroes - Track 6

I think I've watch a few episode of the anime this is based on? Idk but this sounds very cool, I love how the bass sound and the guitars are a nice addition. They give me some Sonic Adventure vibes in tone. I like this track, it's solid.

Shadow of the Beast (Amiga) - Main Theme

This feels like something out of a horror game at points, it's effective at making me feel unsettled. I think it's trying to use woodwinds and instruments like marimbas (I think), There's one part that sounds kind of Jazzy and I like it. This is a super cool tune, I like it.

Speed Freaks - Challenge

I'll always have a soft spot for most PS1 music, it's an era I just have a natural affinity to. Gives me the vibes of club music, this sounds like an intro with the sound effects. Those organ (?) stings are fun and the woodwind sample is kind of funny over this beat. I don't think the horn works with the beat, the song feels kind of static but I guess that works for a racing game. I usually like sound effects in music but I'm not into how they are used here, too intrusive and not really feeling like apart of the song. This song isn't completely my cup of tea but I find it pretty unique and a cool listen regardless.

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward - Virtue's Last Reward ~Orchestra~

A friend told me about this game and series, they told me to listen to it but I never got around to it. Pretty standard orchestral song so far but that's not a bad thing. I like the soundscape but I did not anticipate the change up in style. That bass sounds brutal and there's some clicking high end instrument I'm not keen on due to kind of hurting my ears a bit. Wild song, I don't think it's for me.

That was definitely one of my "for me" nominations, and though I'll miss it, it's not a surprise that my remaining 3 songs outlasted it.

(If anyone would support Challenge in VGMC, talk to me in 6 months)

226 / 5366
Unlimited SaGa - Battle Theme 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5BDVTKDuyw
Masashi Hamauzu
R-Man

Hamauzu is classic. Hes got some real hits in his catalog. This one doesnt quite do it for me though. I like the Unlimited SaGa melody better in other songs, like the Overture, so while this is a pretty take on the melody, Im just not as into the stringed instrument utilized. Strings tend to be a tougher sell for me. Thats really all there is to it this is a perfectly fine and lovely piece, but its just not the right fit for me.

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225 / 5350
MementoMori: AFKRPG - III. THE RAIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPSSm1p-n14
(
@dowolf

I kept expecting this song to break into the gnarliest possible beat drop. The fact that it doesnt feels like a bit of a tease, if Im being honest! The closest thing is near the end at 3:05, but I was anticipating some sort of dubstep or something.

Thats not to say there isnt plenty to enjoy. The song is mostly soft, but theres some wall of sound-esque audio mixing interspersed. I hungered for more of those moments; I felt more connected to the song when it felt like everything was happening all at once. The softer sections, which make up the majority of the song, feel more like buildup to something that never quite arrives.

The vocals are really lovely and they might be my favorite part, honestly. As with your other MementoMori nom, I enjoy the ambition on display here; the song wears a number of influences on its sleeves and incorporates things pretty smoothly! So while this wasnt an absolute favorite or anything, I still respect what its doing.

oof, i had higher hopes for Rain. I absolutely love how it corrupt it feels. Like it takes this Jamaican/Carribean soundscape so usually associated with having a good time and makes you feel like you will never see joy in it again. When the wall of sound moments come, I literally feel like the world is collapsing down on me and it's so perfect for the emotion it's trying to convey.

I can imagine a world where the final crescendo does what you want and breaks into a second movement, but I kind of like how it just ends. It's as if something has finally snapped.

(transliteration of the singer's name is "Rusalka (c.v. Oohashi Ayaka)", btw >_>)

I'll catch up with the last few sets of songs later, I think >_>

I really like Mystaria's opening. It's a little short, but I think it says all it wants to say over 90 seconds. I wish it had a proper ending, though.

aeon is cool~ As is Ultimate Heroes t6. Don't have more to say, other than that i liked them >_>

i don't "get" virtue's last reward. As in, I'm not sure how it's trying to make me feel, what it's trying to evoke. Maybe it's not.

I love Hamauzu's fiddle, but I wish there were one more thing in the song. One other instrument that feels equal to it.

224 / 5347
Spin Off - Level 11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fytt8L5E8z8
IncaGold Ltd.
@Tked

Odd little song here. There are vocal samples that evoke a barbershop quartet, or at least some sort of choir. I could see this, in some wacky parallel world where this game wasnt abandonware, arranged for a mens choir, as it seems like thats the only kind of sample used. Its more of a fascinating song to listen to than an enjoyable one for me; I appreciate the uniqueness for sure.

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223 / 5339
Waga Ryuu o Miyo: Pride of the Dragon Peace - Forest of No Return
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGESCjJCsg0
Tetsuo Ishikawa
MoonRunes

I keep thinking I like this more than I actually do? On paper this seems cool: a forest theme with crinkly sounds that feels more like winter than spring. But theres something off about it, and I cant quite put my finger on what it is. Maybe its the specific samples being used; I have a hard time enjoying that gargly part of the melody (you know the part Im talking about). Its not bad at all. Its actually really cool and unique, so thanks for that! Its just not vibing with me too much, thats all. I gave it the highest 6, which is still a pretty good score, all things considered.

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Tomorrow: 6.5s

Unlimited SaGa - Battle Theme 1

I've probably listened to this before at some point. Fun bass line; this is kind of lowkey for a battle theme, cool. I'm not sure if the main string instrument is live but if it is it's played incredibly well and I like the addition of the piano in the middle. Interesting battle theme, I like it.

MementoMori: AFKRPG - III. THE RAIN

Fade ins are cool, the instrumental almost sounds like it's underwater. It's a unique effect, I do like the vocals so far. I do like them more when they aren't as airy, the grittiness of the low end isn't quite my thing. The random orchestral elements popping in for a moment is ear catching for sure. There's parts of this I like and some of it that isn't really my taste. I still respect it for it's uniqueness.

Spin Off - Level 11

Ooh fun, an obscure game. I have no idea how to feel about this, it's a bit ominous in a way. Usually I don't like midi instrument samples but the way they are used here creates a really interesting vibe I don't know how to explain. Not my thing but I don't think I've heard anything like it.

Waga Ryuu o Miyo: Pride of the Dragon Peace - Forest of No Return

The beat and bass give me some Spyro vibes tbh. I'm not into that one oddly gritty but watery instrument that comes in. I kind of wish this song had more of a groove, it doesn't really go anywhere so I would like it if it decided to focus completely on groove. Not bad but it doesn't do anything for me, sorry.

Odd little song here

The entire soundtrack is best described as odd.
It has a lot of songs, that are just really off kilter,
which perfectly reflects the game:A ball labyrinth game, but as some kind of weird fever dream.
I kinda just picked a song from this via gut feeling, but there are probably songs from this soundtrack, that you would probably like more.

~ 6.5/10 ~

222 / 5333
Arknights - Skeletal Wings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnWxeEfm1DU
-MSR, Robert Wolf, Adai Song
@dowolf

Skeletal Wings is only six positions higher from Forest of No Return, but already we can see a difference in how much I like the songs. Truly we have entered the 6.5 zone.

I kept waiting for a big drop in this one too! Instead, it builds and then abruptly drops off instead an interesting choice! Skeletal Wings accumulates in intensity and instrumentation and even tempoand then it ends. Its a bold choice and I think it pulls it off.

The song isnt really my thing. Not really. Its a bit too poppy, I guess youd say? And I dont really love the singer. But, as with many songs Im not into, objectively I like some of the things it does.

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221 / 5331
Super Mario Sunshine - Gelato Beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiQn5OLNUrM
Koji Kondo, Shinobu Tanaka
changmas

Hey its the melody for Ricco Harbor! I dont like this one nearly as much as spoiler for later in the list Ricco Harbors theme. I think the melody works better in that song. Its fine here, sure, and maybe Id feel different if I didnt already know Ricco Harbor (this is the last of the Sunshine noms Ive listened to), but it feels a little toolow-energy? And sure, you could argue its a beach and Mario is on vacation, but I dont know. I do like the marimba a lot here; it does most of the work in the song.

FYI I dont have a composer breakdown for the Sunshine songs; if anyone has any insight, let me know.

Koji Kondo: Delfino Plaza, Gelato Beach, Ricco Harbor
Shinobu Tanaka: Pinna Park, Sky & Sea

For future reference for anyone:
https://vgmdb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22363

depending on your level of analness about how officially official you consider a confirmation to be, that thread either gives you like 14 song credits (including all 5 nommed) or nearly all.

I'm not aware of any time that sort of filename prefix disambiguation has been contradicted in a Nintendo game though so it's really neat info whenever found.

Thanks - I updated the metadata on the spreadsheet

Oh yeah for proper composer credits:
Composer for Spin Off music is probably:
"A very special thank for Jerry from alien-logic for the SpinOff intro including music. http://alien-logic.com"
Link is dead (no archive links)

Tked posted...

Oh yeah for proper composer credits:
Composer for Spin Off music is probably:
"A very special thank for Jerry from alien-logic for the SpinOff intro including music. http://alien-logic.com"
Link is dead (no archive links)

Noted!

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220 / 5330
Pokmon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team - Magma Cavern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaMre9vbkvw
Arata Iiyoshi
Paratroopa1

I know this song from Blue Rescue Team (the DS version). This is the GBA version, which is just the DS version but with crunchier audio. Thats not inherently a bad thing, but maybe its the link but I have a hard time not getting a bit of a headache from all the crunch. The GBA is a weird soundchip in that part of the appeal for some fans is its crunchy audio. There are soundtracks where thats definitely true for me, but I dont think this song in particular is one of them. That said, Magma Cavern is still a great track, like so much of PMD1! The melody is terrific and the overall arrangement is stellar. The DS version would do much better, but I know the nominator wanted to give a shoutout to the GBA, which is perfectly fine, but for me at least the crunch is too overpowering. Sorry!

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219 / 5321
Space Harrier (SMS) - Battle Field
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyZLi4dBKsQ
Hiroshi Kawaguchi
Fluttershy_Pony

I think the Master System/Game Gear soundchip is pretty underrated. Even among chiptuneheads I dont ever see it getting discussed. But here we have this song, an SMS version of an arcade classic, and itmostly works? Some of the notes are reeeeally high-pitched in kind of an unpleasant way, but the core melody is still there. As arrangements go its not bad, but Id probably rather always listen to the original.

GBA crunch can be used well or poorly, and IMO Magma Cavern uses it very well. The crunch in here sounds downright invasive, encroaching on the happy PMD melody like lava lapping at your heels.

My favorite Battle Field version is the X68000. This one has a smooth texture that I like how it makes the beats pop out more.
https://downloads.khinsider.com/game-soundtracks/album/space-harrier-x68000/08%2520Battle%2520Field.mp3

That's a great Battle Field arrangement for sure! It would place a lot higher in this ranking.

Extraterrestrial Style - I like this style of music and I like the melody, especially when the secondary melody kicks in. Unfortunately too short. I was waiting for it to really open up.

Pillars of Pepper - Reminds me of something I would hear on the Lo-Fi channel. Good, but forgettable.

Historia Crux - Good skeleton, but feels like it doesn't work well together. I like certain sections a lot, but they just don't fit in. The vocalist seems a little low energy.

Where the Guns At - Ah yeah, I love that guns sample. The sample plus the melody is very good. I don't mind the synths; it goes well with the guns sample. I also like Middle Eastern-influenced music in general and, while this one is definitely more on the generic side, I'm still open to it. Really wish this one had the chops to go on longer.

z15f20i12e09l14d - I like both halves a lot, but it doesn't really work well mixed together. I would probably enjoy this way more in-context of its game. First half is probably better.

Ride or Die - There's a few nice parts and, while I like synth, I don't have much to say. There was a sound at the end that made me think I was getting a phone call.

Overture: Invention, Travel and Adventure - Oh, I like industrial music, but I like MUSIC. The soundscape is just too discordant and, while I may eventually get used to it, it's too much for me right now.

Dummy - Pretty good song! It wasn't anything special, but it did just the right amount of build-up for it to pop off on the second half.

CATaclysm - Ehhh, this one just sounds like a lot of boops and beeps. The underlying melody is fine, but I'm just not a fan of how it sounds. The song gets better as it goes on, but not significantly so.

I WON'T LET YOU GO HOME - I don't really get Toby Fox vibes from this. It's alright melodically, but I just don't think it goes anywhere. I do very much like the ending, though.

Main Theme - A nice melody, but it feels a bit lacking in energy.

The Mines: Trouble! - I like this a lot. I never really noticed this genre of music and it's good - it's not too flashy, but it's also kinda this neat medley of stock music that works well together. The Ace Attorney sound effect part is nice.

Trailblazers - It's good, but way too short!

Konquest: Arctica - It's not a bad melody and I like the weird circling sound effect in the back, but yeah...not much else.

Death of Commander Burke - Wow, this song came and went. It's fine.

Gunnelvision - I...kinda like this song? The intro has this interesting sound that kinda works for the melody it's going for. Then there's vocals that...also kinda fits even though it shouldn't? And then the last few seconds slaps but has nothing to do with the rest of the song and ends abruptly? What a strange song.

Gina Lestrade - Lost Messenger of the Slums - I like the first few seconds a ton and I like it opening up later on, but....I dunno. Ace Attorney melodies tend to be short but they're REALLY catchy and this one doesn't meet that standard for me. It also doesn't really fit Gina for me! Gina definitely has a personality that speaks for herself, but this ain't it.

Quiet Destruction - Cool idea, but I wish there was a bit more to it.

Ruins in the Blood Lake - What a clever nomination. It's a cool idea that works as a standalone in its own right.

Flower, Snow, and Drum'n'bass. - Pretty maximalist and in a genre I typically like, but it's not landing for me. Maybe if I listen to it some more.

#265 - 246:

Dummy
Where the Guns At
Gunnelvision
The Mines: Trouble!
Ruins in the Blood Lake

Tked posted...

The entire soundtrack is best described as odd.
It has a lot of songs, that are just really off kilter,
which perfectly reflects the game:A ball labyrinth game, but as some kind of weird fever dream.
I kinda just picked a song from this via gut feeling, but there are probably songs from this soundtrack, that you would probably like more.

I'll give the soundtrack a listen sometime, seems interesting.

Arknights - Skeletal Wings

That is a very nice acoustic guitar; I don't mind the vocals so far. I do wish the vocal melodies were stronger since I find the guitar pretty good to listen to. The ahs with the acoustic is probably my favorite part, I do like a lot of the chords in the second half. Not super into the vocalist in this song but I do like this song, it's very pleasant to listen to.

Super Mario Sunshine - Gelato Beach

I know this song, I don't recall feeling strongly about it. The melody is good but that's because it's the Delfino Square melody which is pretty iconic. I do prefer Delfino Square a lot more than this arrangement, it's fine overall it just doesn't have enough going on.

Pokmon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team - Magma Cavern

It's been a good minute since I listened to any of the PMD soundtracks. The low end makes me think of bubbling magma and the rest of the elements feel like you are trying to be careful not to fall in or get hurt. This type of song works incredibly well for the context but I'm not really into it as a song. It's not bad but it's not the type of song I gravitate towards.

Space Harrier (SMS) - Battle Field

I'm kind of familiar with the Genesis version but I have no experience with this version. This feels Jazzy, the parts that sound like a solo is pretty sick and there are some nice melodies going on here. It does get a tad bit too high pitched at times but I gotta try and give it some slack. Fun retro tune I like it, good stuff. I'll have to give the og a listen.

Both Minstrel Song Saruin and Battle Theme I should make me sad as a massive massive SaGa series fan... but honestly, both have another similar song in their game that I feel like does their job but way better and I love even more anyway (Battle with Sherah and Battle Theme EX respectively) so I can't be pressed too much.

....No real reason for this post just wanted to talk about SaGa a lil bit LOL

218 / 5315
Sonic Heroes - Lost Jungle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or4kKvjxgF0
Yutaka Minobe
@Disillusion

Bro this is just Phantasy Star Online music. Am I wrong?

Theres a lot going on and I think it might be too much for me? Its one of those songs where every second there are like six separate notes. I did say I liked overwhelming music, and this is certainly an interesting song, but some modulation, a break from all the sound, would help me a lot. As is it sounds kind of messy, but not in a bad way, more like Ive had too much to eat and Im in a food coma. Thats Lost Jungle in a nutshell: a food coma.

I like that it feels like Im lost and disoriented, which probably fits the stage where the song plays. Theres also a point midway through, around 3:00, where it becomes truly lovely.

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217 / 5283
Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan - Labyrinth II - Misty Ravine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFlRSVK8GO0
Yuzo Koshiro
@Disillusion

Oof, sorry for double drop

The beginning of this really took my breath away. The instrumentation is utterly gorgeous. The actual melody is a little too repetitive for me though. I kept waiting for something to develop beyond pretty Eastern instruments. I dont need every song to develop necessarily, but with this one, a little variety would have been nice. The song is certainly helped by the arrangement for sure, but beyond that theres not too much grabbing me.

As an aside, congratulations to these ten nominators, who still have all their songs in:

-Chaos-Zero-
bea
DireKrow
handsomeboy2012
HidekuniHorita
MacArrowny
MojojojoX
NFUN
TheArkOfTurus
xx521xx

not even in the top 5000 yet tho oof

rwlh posted...

Space Harrier (SMS) - Battle Field

Mostly a token nostalgia pick... I think. This port of Space Harrier was my first favorite game, so I still have a lot of bias towards SH in general these days. Since I used a track from the arcade version at NFUN's 1000 song ranking, I wanted to go with one of the ports here & after listening to all the soundtracks I could find, this is the track that most grabbed my attention. (IIRC, two other songs were in the running, but I don't recall which ones.)

As for why *this* song, I really can't be sure. It could be some ancient nostalgia, though the fact that none of the other songs from the soundtrack hit quite the same way feels odd for that explanation. Perhaps the lower sound quality leads to this song having a bit of a static-like quality that I remain drawn to? Don't know. Either way, it also did much better than I expected; I kinda love it, but I'm aware the sound is unlikely to appeal to most.

FFDragon posted...

not even in the top 5000 yet tho oof

#211 finally broaches the top 5000. Not too much further!

Fluttershy_Pony posted...

Mostly a token nostalgia pick... I think. This port of Space Harrier was my first favorite game, so I still have a lot of bias towards SH in general these days. Since I used a track from the arcade version at NFUN's 1000 song ranking, I wanted to go with one of the ports here & after listening to all the soundtracks I could find, this is the track that most grabbed my attention. (IIRC, two other songs were in the running, but I don't recall which ones.)

As for why *this* song, I really can't be sure. It could be some ancient nostalgia, though the fact that none of the other songs from the soundtrack hit quite the same way feels odd for that explanation. Perhaps the lower sound quality leads to this song having a bit of a static-like quality that I remain drawn to? Don't know. Either way, it also did much better than I expected; I kinda love it, but I'm aware the sound is unlikely to appeal to most.

What do you think of the X68000 version posted above?

Damn, I usually do worse in these rankings, haha. Glad my songs are all doing alright.

ooh boy the drops keep coming >_>

i really like the story of Skeletal Wings. i dunno. all the buildup feels like a push to a point of relaxed confidence, so i'm not looking for a big drop myself, but i also wouldn't mind if we heard her "fly" at the end instead of the song just ending with the gulp before the leap. I actually kind of wonder if there is a third movement somewhere in the Arknights repertoire, or maybe we just gotta be patient given that the first movement in this arc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZqOYWozoMs) was like three years ago.

Damn not the Lost Jungle drop

216 / 5208
Street Fighter EX2 Plus - Green Shower
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G-4zVrkB7g
Ayako Saso
R-Man

I like the tropical feeling Green Shower starts as. With that marimba and catchy melody, it could pass for a Sonic song. Then it gets into its own territory with this funky bass synth that maybe is a little overpowering at times? Theres a lot going on here and I like most of it, so thats good. Theres also a whistle blown near the middle, which is kind of weird but still manages to work, and some saxophone. The song generally feels like a big party!

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215 / 5189
New Roommania - happy end is coming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGrjdFvxIJU
Serani Poji
MaxGalactica

Some nicewhat genre is this, lounge funk? Sure, lets go with that. Its got the repetition of some house genres, with three-second beats strung together in a compelling background. Its smooth like all Roommania music, though its not on the level of some of my favorites from the series, like spiral da hi, My Mashu, and the VGMC classic where is smiley? Its serviceable, which by Roommania standards still means mostly good things.

Serani Poji is shibuya-kei which has roots in lounge and ye-ye, generally with more jazzy/funk influences, though the genre as a whole varies quite widely. It's a fun rabbit hole to go down

rwlh posted...

What do you think of the X68000 version posted above?

I'm sure it's a fine version of the song, but much like I can't place exactly why I'm drawn to the Master System version, I can't quite figure out what's bothering me about it. The best theory I have is that it's in this odd place where it's incredibly faithful to the original version, but just different enough in instrumentation to feel off and make me all twitchy. Which would explain why really different versions like the PS2 rendition of the song don't bother me, but the X version does.

PS2 Battle Field (Not because I really want to show it off, but for the benefit of anyone who hypothetically feels the need to listen to any song even vaguely referenced): https://downloads.khinsider.com/game-soundtracks/album/space-harrier-ps2/08.%2520Battle%2520Field.mp3

...But that doesn't explain why other songs from the X68000 soundtrack don't bother me. Actually, I rather like how some of the lighter songs turned out and think it has the best version of Syura. (Again, linked purely for the sake of linking it): https://downloads.khinsider.com/game-soundtracks/album/space-harrier-x68000/09%2520Syura.mp3

So, not really sure. I'm not a fan of that particular version of Battle Field, but I think it's probably just because I haven't heard it enough times for it to become familiar.

Sonic Heroes - Lost Jungle

I'm very familiar with this song, I listened to it multiple times while playing the game. Probably my least favorite level song in the game. Not bad it just didn't do a whole lot for me from what I recall. I think the bass is my favorite part of this song, the grind synths reminds me of the Sega Genesis with it's twang. Lots of Jazz elements going on here; this is kind of a wall of sound. I think this is good but not really for me.

Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan - Labyrinth II - Misty Ravine

Not feeling the intro melody; I do like the swell of the strings. Once it kind of moves away from the oriental type of sound I end up liking it a lot more. The main string melody is beautiful. It works better for me when it's not just a traditional asian instrumental having the main focus like with the intro. I don't mind this one.

Street Fighter EX2 Plus - Green Shower

I've listened to this before, the EX games have some really dope music. What a great groove accentuated by the bass and piano. This very much sounds like a party with the horns, a few of the horn bits give me some Sonic vibes. Banger song, I like it.

New Roommania - happy end is coming

The voice clips are really not for me, it felt too close and personal. I usually don't like songs that skip like this but there's other elements making it work. This is a fun vibe, a bit repetitive but I can easily let that slide here. I don't mind this song even though it in theory has elements I normally wouldn't like.

214 / 5160
Honkai: Star Rail - Boundless Strides
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcAL64MnldA
Yj.W (HOYO-MiX)
pyresword

Theres a lot going on in Boundless Strides. Over three and a half minutes, the song incorporates guitar, strings, tribal vocals, and intricate drumming. Its a bit all over the place, and I struggle to find a consistent identity in the song. Thats not necessarily a bad thing though, as I like being kept on my toes with music. I enjoyed elements of this, particularly the vocals and drumming, and certainly wouldnt mind listening to it again.

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213 / 5029
A Dance of Fire and Ice - Go off the Vapor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OhSH8awI0
MYUKKE.
Plasman

According to YouTube commenter clubtonberry, Go off the Vapor is a nice mash up of hardcore, synthwave, future funk and a weeny bit of vaporwave. That mostly tracks. Its a song that shifts freely between disparate musical ideas: the back half sounds like switching radio stations, which is a song trope Im not always fond of, but MYUKKE. pulls it off pretty well. The end product isnt something Im exceptionally enthusiastic about, mind I probably would enjoy this more if it stuck to one or two things, since I feel like a lot of the little bits would be neat if developed more, like the vaporwave stuff at 1:35. But this song has a different vision in mind and it sticks to it. I respect its ambition, even I do get a little exhausted by the end.

212 / 5021
Resident Evil 5 - Rust In Summer 2008
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnoLhyO-4S8
Akihiko Narita
@FFDragon

It took a full loop for this song to grow on me. At first I thought it was pretty unexceptional rave music, and I do still kind of think that, but thats a genre I often enjoy. With its pulsing bass, this could belong in any nightclub. I appreciate how repetitive it is, as the best rave music often is. It doesnt really stand out very much compared with other songs of its ilk, but for what it is, it gets the job done.

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211 / 4962
F-Zero Maximum Velocity - Ancient Mesa
https://youtu.be/2km0uAV0vpY
Masaru Tajima, Mitsuteru Furukawa, Naoto Ishida
@Isquen

Top 5000 lets go

GBA arpeggios

The melody in this song isnt really anything to write home about, but the GBA production makes the whole package work. The opening drums remind me of Full Base from Great Sluggers; from there we stick mostly to the same script, culminating in those delightful GBA arps! I dont think Ive ever heard runs like that with this soundchip before. Theyre the big selling point; without them the song isnt much of anything, but with them it approximates something kind of neat.

The fact that it comes from a resident evil game is the best part to me

e: also the most underrated re I will die on this hill

Honkai: Star Rail - Boundless Strides

The drones remind me of film soundtracks. The panning is cool but the strings aren't really doing much for me. This is well orchestrated and the electronic elements are integrated pretty well but this doesn't really do much for me.

A Dance of Fire and Ice - Go off the Vapor

Oh wow this is cool, the horns and bass remind me of Tee Lopes Sonic music. This song has many twists and turns, it makes it a very entertaining listen wondering what's next. There is one part with percussion I don't like but it doesn't last long. This kind of feels like you are changing radio stations which is cool to hear as an experience but there's nothing consistent enough for me to groove to long enough. Still a very unique listen. Not sure it's completely for me.

Resident Evil 5 - Rust In Summer 2008

I don't really like that robotic sounding effect that shows up every once and awhile, it's in a weird frequency my brain and ears just don't like. The rest is a fun enough song to listen to, this reminds me of Rave On from Killer7. I'd probably like it if that one effect didn't show up every once and awhile.

F-Zero Maximum Velocity - Ancient Mesa

Oh hey! I've listened to this ost, it's pretty underrated imo. That bass is awesome for the GBA, the high end does feel like it's lacking a lot of the time but once the arpeggio starts going it gets better. The drums are going crazy too. It's just too bad that type of thing isn't happening the whole time. It's still got a really cool vibe regardless. I don't mind this song.

oh wow maximum velocity. that takes me back -- i have fond memories of playing it a bunch while at my sister's softball games. not the biggest fan of the track, but it's solid.

210 / 4909
UFO 50 - Vainger - Theta Sector
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEQ24rCNU3I
Eirik Suhrke
tazzyboyishere

I love that crunchy bass thats also present in other UFO 50 tracks. This ones got a catchy melody but I ultimately find myself drawn more to other songs in the soundtrack; last VGMC had Porgy - Abyss which was a keeper, and then I also like the weird Mini & Max themes. I havent been through the entire vast soundtrack though. Back to this specific song, I think the selling point for me is that bass, which is clocking overtime hours. Beyond that, its okay, but I keep thinking Im going to like it more than I do.

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209 / 4865
Atelier Marie, Elie & Anis: Message on the Gentle Breeze - FLASH!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joPVtkXw8Qw
Akira Tsuchiya
bea

Hm, I expected chiptune Atelier to grab my attention more than this does. Its maybe a little too weebly warbly for me. That plus I dont really love the melody all that much. Though there is a funny part in the middle that sounds Battle Against a True Hero, lol. In spite of my objections to the soundchip, I still think Id enjoy this more as a GBA song than with modern production. Though I have to respect that this is even a thing that exists I dont think Id heard anything from the soundtrack before.

yeah, the constant trills in Flash are weird. Even just a couple "plain" notes here and there to add some contrast would help a lot. Though part of it might be that I'm not used to notes in that range having that much trill.

208 / 4848
Kaizen: A Factory Story - Tasty Plastic Task Force
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCHti7Z9WRE
Matthew S. Burns
maple_violet

Quirky little indie game song in that way that quirky little indie game songs often are. Charming is another word for it. Its pretty chill, with floaty synths and a methodical drumbeat. It reminds me of Airport CEO meets Lena Raine, even though I think that comparison is mostly nonsense. Matthew S. Burns is one of those composers I think Id enjoy a lot of if I checked them out; I have a song from Eliza (which I think I found from you) at an 8.5. Tasty Plastic Task Force isnt quite at that level, but its still, as I said, charming.

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207 / 4810
Wonderful Everyday - Aboard the Ship Naglfa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol0CsPr0ueU
Pixelbee
@loweffortmemes

I like some of this. I like the shoegaze style thats also present in other SubaHibi songs. I especially like the chorus, when it shifts into a minor key (maybe?) and becomes extra emotive.

but man, I cannot get behind this singer. She sounds like she struggles to hit some of the high notes sometimes? Its kind of painful to listen to. I can be very picky about vocals, sadly. But I actually think Id like this even less as an instrumental its these specific vocals that spoil it for me, not vocals overall.

That said, the rest of it is pretty enjoyable. After two listens I dont even mind the singer all that much, really. Its a decent song with a wistful vibe that I suspect will linger with me for a while.

UFO 50 - Vainger - Theta Sector

This sounds very much classic vgm, other than the samples used I can imagine this playing in an NES game. The way the bass moves and how the composer tries to squeeze as many cool things as possible into the soundchip with a good melody. I like classic 80's and 90's video game tunes so I like this one.

Atelier Marie, Elie & Anis: Message on the Gentle Breeze - FLASH!

This is super intense and I like the energy. The melody is pretty good and the change up was nice, this is really good compositionally imo. If this had an arranged version or something I think it would be an amazing song. I really enjoyed this one, please let me know if there's an updated version of this track or an arranged version.

Kaizen: A Factory Story - Tasty Plastic Task Force

Nice chill song, it kind of makes me think this would play in something like a visual novel. This seems to stray away a bit from the original vibe and keeps adding some new parts. Cool, this is pleasant but doesn't do a whole lot for me.

Wonderful Everyday - Aboard the Ship Naglfa

Great piano at the start but a little quiet, this sounds like a song that would play at the end of a sad anime. The instrumental is a tad bit too noisy for my liking but the vocals make it way more bearable than normal. Yeah I like this, although I feel like the overall context with this game and ending would be very depressing so I'll stick with being blissfully unaware.

206/ 4786
Shadow Hearts - S.S.C.~ Special Shortcuts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcwrqN1R1Z8
Yoshitaka Hirota
Haste_2

Pretty weird song! Lots of glitchy static and horns and chanting samples. Its short due to the lack of loop; I couldve stood to hear it a bit longer. Its certainly a unique piece that evokes dark images: fractured minds, post-apocalyptic wastelands. The somewhat abrasive static is definitely a big selling point, at least for me; it gives the song a lot of personality. Overall, not bad.

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205 / 4777
Pokmon Sword/Shield - Gym Leader Battle (Full In-Game Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quYjN57Tycg
Minako Adachi
Bitto

This is catchy but kind of indistinguishable from a lot of fast-paced, poppy EDM. Its got great bass, particularly in the middle. It sounds like it wouldnt be out of place in a DDR game with slightly faster tempo, or an Ace Attorney game with slightly slower tempo. This seems to be an all phase mix of sorts the last part, around the 4:30, is kind of unintentionally funny because the audience making the crowd noises sounds so bored and low energy, haha. Its fine above average and it definitely improved on a relisten, though the last stretch drags it down a bit.

Tasty Plastic Task Force may not be industrial but it sure is assembly line. It sounds like an 8 hour shift, or more accurately an idealized version of one, where youre actually productive and the job goes smoothly. The floaty sound that starts at 0:22 is great, its the feeling of having nothing to think about during a methodical task so you start zoning out.