VG Music: Top 70 NES Songs

Found this awesome top 70 list of NES songs on youtube this week. I don't agree 100% with the choices, but it definitely introduced me to like 10 songs I had never heard before! Great list, great listen.

Maybe this explains my recent delusions of beating Castlevania...

Real Japanese Version of the Ultima Exodus Song

Ultima Exodus is still the best RPG on the NES, and still has some surprises in store.

This blew my mind. A song which I have loved since I was a kid was actually vocalized for reason which remain mysterious to me. I assume it was for an OST release in Japan.

Great song, awesome version, give it a listen! Thanks to SDC for showing me this.

Smooth McGroove

Smooth McGroove's videos already have millions of hits so I guess I've been living under a Duck Tales Moon Rock.



Also, Mega Man 2 Wily's Theme is always classic.



Or, perhaps Guile's Theme to go with anything?

VG Music: Super Meat Boy OST

Super Meat Boy OST is awesome.

VG Music: Ultima Exodus Soundtrack

I've recommended tracks from the NES version, but the Apple II had some amazing tunes of its own. Like the Commodore music for Ultima 4, these are more somber medieval sounding tracks.

VG Music: Ultima 4 Apple II OST

Really nice fantasy music. Serious and classical, to fit the Life-and-Death tone of Ultima 4. No longer could you murder and steal, but as a hero were held accountable for your actions.

I prefer the games in which you can steal with ease. Still, this Apple II music is nice, perhaps as background to some Atari?

You can play Quest of the Avatar, 100% legal and free at GOG.com.

VG Music: Flash FM

I scored Vice City Stories today for my new PSP, so I thought I'd make a Vice City post in celebration. Flash FM isn't the best station, but damn it it's good enough to use as some background music while you play MAME or pretend to work.

Song of the Week: Afterburner II

I'm a huge fan of Afterburner II for the arcade. Not that I ever got to play it in an arcade, but I secretly imagine that one day I'll have the full machine in an arcade basement. Anyway, the music is awesome and it's time to start Song of the Week and VG Music posts back up!

I chose a weird version for the Song of the Week, it's a vocalize Meiko Japanese thing. Why this version? Too much Jack and Coke.

Zoë Blade & Pig - 8-Bit Generation

Musicians Zoë Blade and Pig recently create "8-Bit Generation," a stunning soundtrack exploring some of the themes of the 1980s and 1990s (embedded above).. The songs are clearly inspired by the music of classic video games, from the NES to the Playstation--but there is a definite feeling of newness throughout the album.

At times nostalgia, others whimsical, 8-Bit Generation starts of hard with "Cream Soda," the second track and--quite honestly--an amazing song designed to get inside your head and stay. The next few songs remind me of Anamanaguchi or Nullsleep, and use sounds which were probably produced with an NES soundboard.

Sometimes the album takes a contemplative turn, other times it kicks up the fun with tracks like "Closer" that convey the fun and excitement of exploring a video game world for the first time. Of working towards a quest and knowing that you are reaching the end. But for me, "Closer," is about that time in the middle, in which you accomplish a major task--like the 3rd or 4th dungeon out of 8--and much still remains to be done.

"Mapping out the System," conversely, feel more serious. It is perhaps analogous to that point in which you--as a player--realize that you cannot beat a game without some excellent mapping and organization.

The last two tracks mimic either an ending credits song, or something slow out of Final Fantasy 7. Lyrical, with strong hopeful-sounding motifs plus a significant amount of sadness.

I don't mean to stress the representational nature of the album too much, but with some of the song titles the connection is difficult not to make. In any case, 8-Bit Generation is fresh, killer album that you should definitely check out--but only if you want to go on a musical adventure from 1987-1997.

You can purchase the album on iTunes, or listen to it embedded above. You can also check out 8-Bit Generations the documentary.

If you like the music you might want to listen to more of Zoë Blade's music on her website. I've started listening to another album, Dagda's Arp EP, and it's awesome as well.

VG Music: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Soundtrack

One of my recent project has been to beat TMNT for NES. For years, well, for decades, this game has haunted me. I suspect it haunts some of my readers as well.

TMNT is known as being one of the hardest--yet enjoyable and well-made--games on the NES, and no one's 8-Bit conquest is complete without the Shredder's head sitting on a metaphorical shelf.

Despite the catchy nature of the songs, Konami manages to include a noticeable tone of anxiety which permeates every track. I'm not sure how they did it, but the music in this game has always stressed me out.

Am I the only one?

VG Music: Duane and Brando - Dragon Warrior

The Adventures of Duane and Brando were smash Internet stars for a few years. However, life, like so many other video games, got in the way. The two comedic rappers have sense gone their separate ways, but the LP of Devastation, a collection of songs using NES melodies, remains for all to enjoy.

Dragon Warrior is a perfect example of what these guys could do best: turn a classic NES song into a gangsta rap, cuss like hell, and paint a realistic portrait of what the attitudes of video game characters would be like if they existed contemporaneously.

If you like the song, check out their Zelda songs, Mega Man 2 rap, Final Fantasy rap, and just about anything else. It's all gold.

Song of the Week: Duck Tales - The Moon

We might as well get this one out of the way because we all knew it was coming. Listen and enjoy.

Song of the Week: Lord British's Theme

This weeks song is one of my favorite video game songs of all time, the music from Ultima Exodus that plays when you build a party and in Lord British's castle. It demonstrates the legendary music in this cart.

Ultima: Exodus is an amazing game, and is one of the only truly non-linear adventures on the NES. There is so much depth to the game you might want to use a guide, but then again, you might not!

Listen to the song and post your thoughts below! And if you haven't played Ultima: Exodus... do. You can read my review of Ultima Exidus for NES right here.

This game and I go way back to 7th grade when I bought it off a classmate for a dollar. Over Christmas break I played the game incessantly, which is why it always comes to mind around winter. Enjoy!

Song of the Week: Meteos "End of the Universe"

It's time for a change in the song of the week. I know the internet has killed everyone's attention span, so I hesitate to even post a slow song. But's it's so damn good I don't have a choice, you have to listen to it.

This song plays during the credits to Meteos, and sets the mood well considering how most of the story lines end. Meteos: not your average game.

Post your thoughts on the song in the comments below.

VG Music: Gradius Gaiden Stage 1

This song is an awesome technorock track that uses laser-synth sounds to mimic the icy nature of Stage 1 in Gradius Gaiden.

Gradius Gaiden was only imported to America on the PSP Gradius Collection. I recommend downloading the pSX v1.12 (or higher) emulator and the .bin and .cue files for rom. It's well worth the hassle to emulate this one.

Song of the Week: Nightmare (Mutant Warzone)

This week song was created by mrjordak for the Mutant Warzone OST, and it's awesome.

You can download and play Mutant Warzone for free!

It's a zombie game. In edited ANSII.

VG Music: Life Force Level 2

Life Force is probably the greatest shooter on the NES, and Stage 2 undoubtedly has the best music.

Unlike Gradius, every Life Force level has a weird bio-theme. So grab a friend and take down the fleet of space-dwelling monsters.

This song almost sounds like something from Adventure Island. In any case, enjoy!

Song of the Week: Phantasy Star II "Mystery"

This week's song is another great track from the Phantasy Star series. This music plays in some of the dungeons I'm trying to get through, and the second half is super catchy.

Rock on, Sega Genesis, rock on.

Song of the Week: Phantasy Star Tower Theme

Phantasy Star has some of the best music on the Sega Master System (plus it's my favorite 8-Bit RPG!).

The Tower theme has a tension too it, and drives the player to explore. There is a subtle note of triumph in the song as well; it gives me the impression that hard times are going to follow but victory eventually awaits.

VG Music: Horse the Band

Horse the Band call themselves "Nintendocore" and incorporate NES sounds into harcore punk music. Bunnies is a great song, and this video is animated extremely well!

I've seen these guys live twice, they put on quite a show!