Game Music Jukebox #7

After a long hiatus, Game Music Jukebox returns with a look (and a listen) at the music of Kirby Super Star!

Kirby Super Star was released in North America in 1996, very late in the SNES life cycle (in fact, it came out just one week before the Nintendo 64 launched in North America). Super Star was a great showcase of one of Nintendo's most lovable B-level mascots. Aside from some great gameplay, this game features some truly outstanding music. Some of it you may not even expect to hear in a Kirby game (but only if you're unfamiliar with how bad-ass Kirby actually is).

Kirby Super Star was somewhat of a game compilation that features several small to mid-sized games that offered some nice variation in theme. This allowed the music to be very diverse and quite expansive. Kirby Super Star features a soundtrack large enough for a 60+ hour SNES RPG, and there a few gems in there.

Boss Battle:



Boss music, regardless of game, is always a treat for the ears. This high-energy, up-tempo track goes well with the frantic, free-for-all nature of the game's boss fights. There are a lot of bosses in Kirby Super Star, so you hear this music, and it'll get you pumped every time!

Trees in the Depths of the Earth:



While playing through Kirby Super Star for the first time, so many years ago, this was the first piece of music that really stood out. This track, Trees in the Depths of the Earth, is the main theme for The Great Cave Offensive, an underground exploration game (very Indiana Jones style) where Kirby must seek out treasures and explore ancient ruins (as if the music didn't already tell you that). This track does an awesome job of conveying the spelunking spirit of The Great Cave Offensive.

Heart of Nova:



During the climactic sequence of Milky Way Wishes, Kirby pilots a Starship (which in this case, is actually a flying craft in the shape of a star) through a shmup level. While it is a strong contrast to the rest of the game, it's a really fun (and incredibly short) slice of gameplay. This theme plays as you fly through the tight passages of a giant space weapon (not unlike the Death Star) as you work your way towards the core.

Meta Knight's Revenge:



When you first dive into Meta Knight's Revenge, you are greeted with a great opening sequence that includes Kirby storming a flying airship, accompanied by this music. This music is heard throughout the game in futuristic and technological environments, and it is quite fitting. It should come as no surprise that these are my favorite levels in the game, and I enjoy replaying them over and over again.

Staff Roll:



For completing all (well, most, actually) of the game's in Kirby Super Star, you are treated to a brief ending scene and credits. I have quite a fondness for ending credits themes, and this one is a nice piece of music that turns into a nice medley that works in some familiar themes. Undeniably Kirby-esque, this music caps off the game quite well.

Some people say: "These tracks are awesome... so awesome that they seem to not be appropriate for a Kirby game!" Which is the sign of someone who is completely unaware of just how awesome Kirby games really are.

Game Music Jukebox #6

Game Music Jukebox has spent a lot of time in the past. Today, we'll listen to some more modern game music. Steel yourself, and prepare to die as we examine the music of Dark Souls.



Dark Souls is my choice for the best game of 2011. Everything about the game is top notch, including the music. While most of the music featured in Game Music Jukebox so far has been classic video game music, with a signature chiptune sound, this is a fully orchestrated soundtrack (featuring a performance by the Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus) that effectively conveys the intensity and dark foreboding of the game.

One of Dark Souls' main highlights is it's boss fights. Earlier this week, I praised Batman: Arkham City for having a particularly cool and interesting boss encounter, and I stand by that. But if one were to select a game that overall features the best boss fights, then Dark Souls wins, hands down. Almost every boss fight in Dark Souls is a seemingly impossible encounter, until you are finally able to devise (and execute) an effective strategy.

This article is about music, so why am I talking about the bosses so much? Well, of the 23 tracks on the game's original soundtrack, 18 of them are boss themes. The soundtrack itself acts as proof of the importance of the game's bosses.

The soundtrack was primarily composed by Motoi Sakuraba. Looking over his past works, you can see a strong background in JRPG's (Star Ocean, the Tales series and Valkyrie Profile). The soundtrack was made available digitally to those who pre-ordered the Collector's Edition version of Dark Souls (which I definitely did!).

Firelink Shrine:

Let's start off light. This is one of the only area themes that you'll hear in the game. As this is the theme for the game's central hub area, Firelink Shrine, you'll hear it often. The safest area in the game, this is where you'll frequently come to rest and seek respite from the hoards of undead demons that seek to kill you at every step.

While not an intense theme, by any means, it is hardly relaxing. You can feel the despair, especially as you look around and see characters huddled around the bonfire, failed adventurers beaten by the dark world around them. This is where the desperate and downtrodden gather.

Also, my wife swears that she hears a little bit of Final Fantasy VII in this track.

Taurus Demon:

The Taurus Demon is the first real boss of the game (technically, there is a boss before during the tutorial level that you can stubbornly choose to fight without aid, if you so choose). This is likely the first true "wall" that players will encounter. If you're careful, and experienced, you may be able to get through the game's first area, Undead Burg, without any real difficulty. But then, you'll face the Taurus Demon.

The Taurus Demon introduces itself by leaping over a castle wall and charging straight at you. The Taurus Demon (like most every other boss in the game) is massive, and will likely make short work of you when you first meet it. Which is a shame, because you won't even get a chance to properly hear this beautiful and intense music.

Four Kings:

At a certain part of the game, you enter the Abyss... a lifeless void shrouded in complete darkness. There you meet the Four Kings. Once proud leaders, they gave in to the darkness and protect the Great Soul that gives them their power. Each of the Four Kings is a massive phantom of a warrior king that strikes at you from within the darkness of pitch black void.

This is one of the most intense battles in the game. If you are not efficient, not quick enough, you will have to face all Four Kings simultaneously. Each of the Four Kings arrives one-by-one at a timed interval, so it's as much a race against time as it is a fight against an opponent. The high energy and intensity of this theme effectively conveys the desperation and struggle.

Ornstein & Smough:

If the boss fights are a key feature of Dark Souls. Then the fight against Dragonslayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough is the MAIN EVENT! This folks, is a battle for the ages!

Taking place in the grand hall of the great castle of Anor Londo, this battles puts you up against two of the deadliest warriors in the entire game. I won't go into the specifics of the fight, too much. But this is a battle against two royal guards, which the music effectively communicates. It's also great that the music doesn't hold back the epicness either. A very fitting theme for the greatest battle that you'll (hopefully eventually) overcome in Dark Souls.

One of the most interesting things about the Dark Souls soundtrack is that, while it is an excellent soundtrack, I did not have any recollection of hearing the music during the game. The boss encounters are so intense and so engrossing, that at the time, I wasn't even properly experiencing the music. To really "hear" the music, I've had to sit back and listen to it outside of the context of the game. I did find, however, that on my second (and third) playthrough, I was much more comfortable and familiar with the dangers, and therefore could take in the music more easily.

Honestly, I'm not even sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

Game Music Jukebox #5

Thanks to another reader request, let's take a look (and a listen) at the music from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest for the SNES.


One of the most beloved series of games on the Super Nintendo, all three Donkey Kong Country games are very solid platformers that feature some of the best gameplay of the time (1994-1996). Each game has a great soundtrack, but DKC2 is most commonly referred to as the best.

The music for the Donkey Kong Country games was composed by David Wise, who composed the music for many games developed by Rare in the late 80's and early 90's. He is responsible for the music from many games, such as Battletoads, R.C. Pro-Am and Marble Madness (and many more).

DKC2 has a great soundtrack that covers a wide range of instruments and melodies that perfectly complement the wide range of areas featured in the game. Volcanoes, pirate ships, beehives, amusement parks and ice caverns all come to life with beautifully appropriate musical scores. Here's my personal selection of the best that DKC2 has to offer.

Flight of the Zinger:

This is the music that plays during the hive levels. You find yourself in the middle of a hive surrounded by giant hornets buzzing in every direction. You really don't belong here and you really don't want to be here. This music does an excellent job of capturing both the tension and the excitement of these levels. The track has a slow build and at about 30 seconds in, things get a little creepier before reaching greatness at the 1 minute mark. Things start to settle down and then it loops and we go on that wild ride again. Amazing!

Kaptain K. Rool:

I love boss music. I think it's always a shining moment in a game's soundtrack. Especially the Final Boss. This is the music that plays when you meet the final boss of DKC2: Kaptain K. Rool. The fight against Kaptain K. Rool is a marathon head-to-head brawl that is as difficult as it is climactic. You fight K. Rool in his flying airship high above his pirate island castle. This theme features a suitable "technological" sound, but you still get you fair share of horns that blast out a pirate theme (check it out at 0:33), just to remind you that K. Rool is, in fact, a dastardly pirate.

Stickerbrush Symphony:

This was the first theme that came to mind when I was asked to do a feature on this game. This is the highlight of this game's soundtrack. The longest piece of music in the game, it takes a while to get going, but the beauty of this track is utterly undeniable. This is one beautiful piece of music. This theme can be heard when venturing through the brambles; mazes of thorny bushes high in the sky.

This piece of music is powerful and introspective in a way that is usually reserved for the endings and credits sequences of games. This is definitely Mr. Wise's finest piece of work!

BONUS!

Stickerbrush Symphony (Remix):

A remix of Stickerbrush Symphony is featured in Super Smash Bros Brawl for the Wii. Working from pretty amazing source material, this is one of the best remixes I've ever heard, listen and enjoy!

Game Music Jukebox #4

It's time for a second round of Super Mario RPG music!


Last time, I focused on the music that accompanied the battle sequences in the game. This time around, I'll feature the music that gave life to the different areas of the game. These are the pieces of music that really give the game character. Each theme below perfectly describes the area in which you hear it.

Mushroom Kingdom:

Ah, the mushroom kingdom, the home Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and the Toads. In Super Mario RPG, the mushroom kingdom is a home to a castle-town inhabited entirely by the toads. This theme has a very regal sound to it, especially when it "kicks in" at about the 0:46 mark.

Booster Tower:

To understand this particular piece of music, you really have to know Booster.

This is Booster:

Booster is a fan-favorite

Booster the Seventh is a wealthy lord who lives in a tower with his minions and his toys. He has the mind of a child, kidnaps Princess Peach because he likes how she smells, and then decides to marry her when he learns that there's cake involved (Also, the cake is a boss fight -- how awesome is that?). Simply put, Booster is awesome.

As Mario works his way through Booster's tower, he encounters toy trains, cannons, fighting marionettes, and he even has a daydream wherein he remembers what it was like when he was a blocky 8-bit character (a hilarious segment that is sadly far too short). Booster's theme is a rockin', weird piece of music that fits this off-the-wall part of the game, perfectly.

Forest Maze:

This is a fantastically haunting and atmospheric song. It really evokes the feeling of a creepy, poison-mushroom-filled forest. I've heard this song re-used, remixed and re-purposed more than any other song from this game's soundtrack. And I know more than a few people who count this as one of their favorite game songs, ever.

BONUS!

Ending Parade:

This is the music that plays during the game's ending credits. It's a great medley of themes from the game (you'll undoubtedly hear a bit of the mushroom kingdom in it). I'm a big fan of "ending" music, and this is one of the best. It's a great 6-minute song that closes the game in fine style!

Next time, another request. The music of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest!

Game Music Jukebox #3

This is my first reader-requested entry of Game Music Jukebox. Last post, I got a request to do an entry on the music of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. So here, goes!

This game is awesome!

The only problem is that Super Mario RPG has a huge soundtrack, that is far too awesome to contain within the confines of a single entry. So, I'm going to present the music of Super Mario RPG as two separate entries: the first one highlighting a few of the different battle themes, and a second one for area and event themes.

So, here are a few choice tracks from the battle scenarios of Super Mario RPG.

But first, a little background info. The music of Super Mario RPG was composed by Yoko Shimomura, who before, had composed some of the music for Street Fighter II (a classic game soundtrack!). The game itself was a co-production between Nintendo and Square (of Final Fantasy fame).

The game came out near the very end of the Super Nintendo's life-cycle (The Nintendo 64 was released about 6 months after this game). What this meant was that composers had had years to master the nuances of the SNES's sound capabilities (some of the SNES's best soundtracks come from games released between 1994 and 1996). The game is a fairly lighthearted RPG-Adventure, and the music suits the game very well.

Battle Theme:

It's a good thing that this is one catchy tune, because you hear it about 500 times throughout the game. I have fond memories of renting this game and playing it with my brother and my cousin, and we would all be humming along to this tune. The series of percussion beats that signal the loop (at 0:29) is my favorite part of this piece.

Boss Theme:

This theme let's you know that things get serious. This music plays when you encounter a strong opponent - a boss character. It carries a more sinister tone than most of the other tracks in the soundtrack, but doesn't stray too far from the lighthearted theme of the game. This is one of my personal favorite pieces of music in the entire game. It has a really nice gradual build that reaches it's peak just before the loop. It's really great!

Smithy Battle:

Smithy is the main villain of the game. He is a being from another dimension who creates armies machines and weapons (living swords and cannons) to take over the mushroom kingdom. This is the music that plays when you encounter Smithy at the very end of the game. I think it's a very industrious and mechanical theme, which suits the character very well. You also get a nice sense of urgency from it, letting you know that everything is on the line with this fight.

BONUS!

Battle against Culex:

Final Fantasy Veterans will immediately recognize this music as the boss theme from Final Fantasy IV (released as Final Fantasy II in North America). This track was composed by master composer, Nobuo Uematsu, who is the composer of the Final Fantasy series of games - some of the most recognizable and most beautiful video game related compositions of all time (more on that subject at a later date).

That's it for the Super Mario RPG battle music. Next time, even more Super Mario RPG music!

Game Music Jukebox #2

With winter descending on Toronto, I've decided to kick-back with the warm, tropical sounds of Super Adventure Island for the SNES.

This was the first game soundtrack that, for me, really bridged the gap between "traditional" music and "game" music. When I started playing this game, I couldn't even play, I was so distracted (actually, more like "entranced") by the music. This, along with the Mega Man games, is one of the defining moments in my appreciation of game music.

Firstly, let's start with Everlasting Summer, the theme to the first level of the game. This track does an excellent job of setting the mood for the game. It's instantly catchy, and you'll be humming along within seconds.

Listen to Everlasting Summer:



Catchy, right? Next is the boss theme. while a bit more repetitive, it is another catchy tune that accompanies a semi-tense boss battle (the bosses in this game aren't terribly difficult).

Listen to the Boss Theme:



Finally, in my opinion, the crown jewel of the Super Adventure Island soundtrack: Jungle Chase. This is the theme to the second area of the game. This is an excellent piece of music that plays like a great pop song. It starts well enough, but builds to a great chorus that is an absolute blast to listen to. Take a listen and here for yourself.

Listen to Jungle Chase:



There are many other great tracks in the Super Adventure Island soundtrack. But I'm sticking with my self-imposed limit of three featured tracks per post.

If you really like this, don't worry, this soundtrack was composed by Yuzo Koshiro, and you'll be hearing more stuff from him soon.

What do you think of these tracks? Do you have any favorite game music that you want to see featured here? Comment and let me know!

Game Music Jukebox #1

I've tried setting up weekly updates before, with mixed (read: no) success. But it's a new year, and I feel very strongly about this subject, so here goes.

Starting this week, I'm publishing a weekly post called "Game Music Jukebox" where I'll highlight a few music tracks from a specific game.

I am a huge fan of video game music. I believe it is an under-appreciated art form, and one of the most overlooked elements of a game's presentation. People always talk about a game graphics, but outside of the extreme core audience, very few people truly take the time to recognize great game music.

I will cover over 25 years worth of gaming music history, from the earliest arcade games, to the 8 and 18-bit eras to the modern day surround sound orchestrated masterpieces. I'm going to start off shying away from the obvious choices (you don't need me to tell you how great the Legend of Zelda theme is) and will try to focus on some game music tracks that you may or may not have heard before. So, let's kick this off, with...

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers for the NES!


Back in the days of the NES, Capcom was responsible for releasing games based on Disney licenses. Among these releases were some true classics: Darkwing Duck, Duck Tales and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. These games all featured some great music courtesy of Capcom's fantastic NES compositions. Just over 20 years ago, on the NES, Capcom were completely unstoppable in the music department.

While the game is a lot of fun to play, especially the 2-player co-op mode, for me it's the music that really stands out. Here's a selection of music from the soundtrack:

First up, is the most commonly heard music in the game. This music is featured in three of the games levels: Zone A, Zone C, and Zone E. It's a nice, lighthearted but high-tempo theme that works very well with the fast-paced, frantic gameplay. You're very likely to catch yourself humming along with this theme while you're playing.

Next up is a theme that is a little more intense: the Boss Theme. This is the music that accompanies every end-of-area boss encounter. For a game as easy-going and carefree as this one, this is a really intense "duel-to-the-death" type theme. This music always makes me want to make the boss fight last just a little longer, and usually results in me hesitating on landing that final blow, just to hear another few seconds of the music.

Finally, the real star of the soundtrack: the Theme of Zone J. This is the music for the game's final level. To me, it almost sounds like this music is "too cool for this game". This music would be at home in a Mega Man game, it's that good. This music is the reason that I have to play the game through to the end every time I sit down to play it.

So, that's it. If you've never played Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Ranger on the NES, I strongly suggest you do so. It;s a really fun game with a great NES soundtrack.

What do you think of these tracks? Do you have your own favorite music from this game? What's your favorite game music? Let me know in the comments!

Until next week, don't forget to play with the volume high and appreciate game music!