Posts : 15896 Points : 15061 Join date : 2013-01-21 Age : 31 Location : The Shibuya River
Subject: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 18:00
Inspired by Persona 5 and its soundtrack making me say "oh, that's the best shop theme I've ever heard" or "that's the best final boss music I've ever heard!"
The idea of this thread is sharing what you think the "best X theme" is in video games. I've got a few categories in mind for several editions of this and I'll cycle them up every week or so, but eventually I will throw it to the floor for category suggestions. I'm expecting to hear the obvious picks, but I'm hoping for a few niche choices to add to my VGM playlist on YouTube! The game itself could be absolute gash, but we're focusing on the tunes here.
For the sake of the thread potentially taking forever to load, please don't embed the video straight from YouTube - link to them! I'll edit any posts that don't do that, just so you're aware!
But without any further ado, GNamer...
What's the best ice or winter theme in a video game?
I'm going to kick us off with an obvious pick in Phendrana Drifts from Metroid Prime. The plinky piano perfectly presents the icy nature of the level, but the track doesn't lose the sci-fi Metroid stylings either. I don't know what it is with piano and winter areas because off the top of my head, I am Setsuna and Undertale both combine piano and snowy areas. Odd.
Over to you!
List of themes to date:
Best Ice/Winter Themes Best Final Area Themes Best Lava Themes Best Shop Themes Best Boss Themes Best Desert Themes Best Title/Main Themes Best Vocal Themes Best First Level/Area Themes Best Invincibility/Ultimate Power-Up Themes Best Water Levels Themes Best Castle Level Themes
Last edited by JayMoyles on Sun 5 Aug 2018 - 17:07; edited 11 times in total
Balladeer DIVINE LONELINESS
Posts : 26479 Points : 25311 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 35 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 19:56
Best ice themes?
You're intruding on my shtick, and you're asking me for best ice themes?
DEEP BREATH...:
...nah, I'll leave it for now, otherwise I'll swamp the thread and nobody wants that, not even me. I'll come back to this once others have had a go. I reckon everyone else on the forum could have a shot and I'd still be able to pick a top ten. There are loads of great ice themes out there.
I'll just say two things for now: that's a banger to start off with, and this won't be the post on which I break my Nontendo duck. UT's soundtrack is great, but Snowdin's meh, and Snowy's only any good when it's making you / .
Grand thread idea by the way.
Jimbob Bargain Hunter
Posts : 4640 Points : 4666 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 42 Location : Milton Keynes
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 20:18
I know y'all ain't fans of the bleepy-bloops, but Iceman's theme from the original Megaman sticks in my head. I know it's only about 4 seconds long mind.
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 21:43
I've been meaning to do this exact thread for ages . . . looking forward to final boss week!
I'll have a little think and come back with some ice levels in a minute.
The_Jaster Din
Posts : 11975 Points : 12067 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 40 Location : Underground Corpse Pile.
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 22:03
Don't worry Jimbobby I'm with ye on the bleepy-bloops & I'm picking the stranded ship stage from Shovel Knight.
Picture of the stage for those who haven't played it.:
The Cappuccino Kid Mani Mani Statue
Posts : 6744 Points : 6907 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 105 Location : East of Mombasa
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 22:07
It was snowing up here yesterday. SHITE.
Freezeezy Peak and Click Clock Wood from Banjo-Kazooie immediately spring to mind. Great tunes, brilliant ice levels, it's still a classic game.
Yooka-Laylee's ice world soundtrack is a worthwhile follow-up to those as well.
I can't remember if it's from an ice level or just a snow level, but bollocks to it, I've always really liked Alpina Blue from Yoshi's Story too.
Balladeer DIVINE LONELINESS
Posts : 26479 Points : 25311 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 35 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 22:17
Jimbob wrote:
I know y'all ain't fans of the bleepy-bloops, but Iceman's theme from the original Megaman sticks in my head. I know it's only about 4 seconds long mind.
Eh, I can tolerate the bloops so long as they're good bloops. Those are decent bloops.
The_Jaster wrote:
Don't worry Jimbobby I'm with ye on the bleepy-bloops & I'm picking the stranded ship stage from Shovel Knight.
Of course you are Jas. SK's soundtrack is very hit and miss for me, and I'm afraid that's a miss. Come 'first levels' week, mind...
The Cappuccino Kid wrote:
...
Freezeezy Peak is an utter classic, and I predict that every B-K level tune will get a deserving place in its own week. Glitterglaze is much the same, but more subtle: no bad thing. (Check out the Kartos tune from that world too.) And more Yoshi's Story is never a bad thing.
The_Jaster Din
Posts : 11975 Points : 12067 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 40 Location : Underground Corpse Pile.
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 22:31
Balla wrote:
Of course you are Jas. SK's soundtrack is very hit and miss for me, and I'm afraid that's a miss. Come 'first levels' week, mind...
Hey! I know what I love & I'm going to champion it all damn day plus while there's others I could pick as well that is the first one that came to my mind. As for SK's soundtrack as a whole there's not one song on it that I don't like.
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Wed 26 Apr 2017 - 22:39
RIGHT.
Obvious it may be, but it would be a travesty not to include this all-time classic from Super Mario 64.
I expect, much like Banjo Kazooie, the 3D Mario games will be putting in regular appearances.
At a very different end of the spectrum, Snowpeak Ruins from Twilight Princess just feels . . . cold. There's an element of spooky haunted house music here, but it gives me the chills in the best way and makes me long for that special soup.
And to join in with the more plinky plonky numbers, let's have some Snowpoint City from Pokémon Diamond/ Pearl.
masofdas The Next Miyamoto
Posts : 24029 Points : 24430 Join date : 2013-01-18 Age : 34 Location : VITA Island
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Thu 27 Apr 2017 - 19:24
My typical Kojima post
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Thu 27 Apr 2017 - 19:32
I nearly posted that one myself, but I associate it more with the events of MGS than the place. It doesn't sound especially snowy or icey, though it does sound like a cold wind.
Balladeer DIVINE LONELINESS
Posts : 26479 Points : 25311 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 35 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Thu 27 Apr 2017 - 20:12
Drunkalilly wrote:
Obvious it may be, but it would be a travesty not to include this all-time classic from Super Mario 64.
YASSSSSSSSS
Drunkalilly wrote:
At a very different end of the spectrum, Snowpeak Ruins from Twilight Princess just feels . . . cold. There's an element of spooky haunted house music here, but it gives me the chills in the best way and makes me long for that special soup.
Nah, you're dead on, this feels... not snowy, but genuinely icy. Like a haunted house that's frozen over. (Which incidentally would be the worst 2D Mario level ever.)
Drunkalilly wrote:
And to join in with the more plinky plonky numbers, let's have some Snowpoint City from Pokémon Diamond/ Pearl.
I have to say, I'm not a fan of any of the DPPt snowy pieces. This is probably the least bad, but Route 216 and Mt. Coronet both start well and then balls it up. This just sounds somewhat atonal and jarring.
Want a great Pokésnowsong? Get yer ears around Snowbelle City.
Mas' Nontendo thing is pretty good too I suppose.
masofdas The Next Miyamoto
Posts : 24029 Points : 24430 Join date : 2013-01-18 Age : 34 Location : VITA Island
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Thu 27 Apr 2017 - 20:22
Someone forgot Twin Snakes
gjones Disciple of Scullion
Posts : 1671 Points : 1704 Join date : 2015-01-12 Age : 37 Location : Swindon
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Thu 27 Apr 2017 - 22:09
Some great shouts in this thread and I concur with Metroid Prime, Super Mario 64 and Twilight Princess but thought I'd mention some favourites that are a bit more left-field:
There's a very cold, very Russian feel to the snow-based Severnaya levels in Goldeneye 007:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzoOZgjaiYg
A massively underrated soundtrack is the Tony Hawks-esque modern punk from 1080 Avalanche:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljiwp1ucjlQ
But for me, and I know I bang on about it a lot, the best winter game (and given it has a perfect soundtrack too) is Shenmue and there a lot of great pieces that match the cold concrete-heavy, melancholic vibes of a December in Japan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xq-q30Y-IE
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Thu 27 Apr 2017 - 22:40
gjones wrote:
There's a very cold, very Russian feel to the snow-based Severnaya levels in Goldeneye 007
Opened that and immediately pissed myself at James' stretched face. I won't unsee that as long as I live.
Quote :
But for me, and I know I bang on about it a lot, the best winter game (and given it has a perfect soundtrack too) is Shenmue and there a lot of great pieces that match the cold concrete-heavy, melancholic vibes of a December in Japan
Weeabo that I am, I've still never played a Shenmue but everything I see or hear or read makes me wish I had. Nobody tell Mas that . . .
Balladeer DIVINE LONELINESS
Posts : 26479 Points : 25311 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 35 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Fri 28 Apr 2017 - 20:54
Right. RIGHT. This was my thread, damn it, Jay. My thread. Or it should be anyway. I'm going to show you what ice music really means. See, ice music in videogames, proper ice music, is so grand it can't possibly be covered in single posts. Not with some spoiler-tag jiggery pokery. And I'm talking one spoiler tag per franchise, you understand. Per franchise.
Let's get started.
Spoiler:
Drunka ain't wrong. Cool Cool Mountain is a bloody classic. But I'd argue that in this day and age, it's outdone by two further classics in my opinion, from Galaxies 1 and 2. Freezeflame is the 'stuck in the Antarctic' kind of music, the kind that has polar explorers bricking themselves. Frosty Flake, meanwhile, is a romp in your childhood garden, chucking snowballs about. Both are great in different ways.
And if you say Ice Mario isn't a guilty pleasure of yours, you're lying.
Spoiler:
From Frappe Snowland on, Mario Kart has had the jolliest happiest snow pieces. In fact, some of them don't sound much like snow music at all. DK's Snowboard Cross doesn't raise thoughts of an alpine holiday to me. And what's an ape doing with not one, but two, great snow pieces anyway?
Ah well, never mind. Here's the DD!! equivalent to polish off. If pushed to choose a favourite, I'd go for Snowboard Cross, but they're all really cheery and Christmassy!
Spoiler:
Drunka picked a... fine snow piece from Twilight Princess, but it's beaten hands down for me by the snowboarding minigame music. Doesn't sound particularly snowy, but who cares? It's great fun. Or for a more icy piece of music, how about fighting a massive possessed lump of ice, complete with dramatic organ?
The Ice Ruins music from ALBW is a mighty fine remix of the dungeon theme too.
Spoiler:
Kirby's another one with the good snowy musics. Especially Mt. Slide, a chirpy Christmassy tune of the highest order; as is Snowy Fields. Frosty Wheel is gentler, as cold and icy as Kirby ever gets. And Cozy Cabin is real night-before-Christmas stuff.
The best Kirby ice music, though, is from a comparatively bad game: Air Ride's Frozen Hillside. Fortunately it made it into Smash Bros., so we can enjoy it without suffering Kirbs' greatest misstep since.
Spoiler:
Snowman. SNOWMAN. SNOWMAAAAAAAAAAAAAN
Snowman.
ADVERT BREAK - GO BUY METEOS its snow music isn't great though and the quality of the only YouTube I can find is bobbins anyway
Spoiler:
The fantastic Xenoblade Chronicles gave us a double helping of great, with Valak Mountain day and night versions. Like few other pieces in this list, these conjure up the feeling of being very alone on a cold mountainside, where a stray breath from an unwary god could kill you in an instant.
XCX, similarly, has Sylvalum (day/night alternating), which conjures up a very similar vibe... only it's spores not snow, so this is cheating really.
Spoiler:
It's cold. It hurts. But you can't give up! Press on, young warriors! Bravely Default's Eternia.
Spoiler:
The village of snow from Okami. A thing of beauty indeed - but, like Valak Mountain, savage dangerous beauty. And let's not forget that area's decidedly weird boss, or its eventual hero... YOOOOOOOOOOO!
Don't worry, we're almost done.
And now for something completely different...:
The above is from a really quite good, but discontinued, comic called Brawl in the Family. And my family have a tradition (well, my sister and I do, and we've inflicted it on our parents) that from the 22nd to the 25th of December, we sing a BitF Christmas Carol every day.
Starting with It's Beginning to Look Just Like an Ice World'; then Jolly Happy Jerk; Carol of the Waa; and ending on a high note (pun intended) with I Don't Want a Lot for Christmas, feat. G. Dragmire.
If you're not familiar with BitF, spend an afternoon perusing the archives. A Nintendo fan won't regret it.
And now, the grand finale...
Spoiler:
It was never not going to finish on a slightly hairy note. A game all about snow, with David Wise doing the soundtrack. Get your earholes around these:
Seashore War, in which DK bounds between frozen ships while being haunted, yes haunted, by this crystalline and beautiful tune;
Freezie Breezie, played as you dodge giant snowflakes high above a frozen wood;
And finally, what I'd say is the snow theme to end them all: the Snowmads' Theme. The most epic piece of music ever dedicated to a tribe of penguins, walruses, and owls ever put into the air. David Wise you bloody genius.
Phew!
Jimbob Bargain Hunter
Posts : 4640 Points : 4666 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 42 Location : Milton Keynes
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Sun 30 Apr 2017 - 9:39
Oh shit oh shit - as I listened through all of those - certainly for the games I've played - the ice music reminded me of why that particular game was the best game ever.
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Sun 30 Apr 2017 - 10:35
Balladeer wrote:
Freezeflame is the 'stuck in the Antarctic' kind of music, the kind that has polar explorers bricking themselves. Frosty Flake, meanwhile, is a romp in your childhood garden, chucking snowballs about. Both are great in different ways.
I actually went and looked up Freezeflame Galaxy when I was doing my list as I remember the level being very cool. The music is just utterly forgettable, I'm afraid. I listened to it in writing this reply and I've already forgotten it. Freezy Flake is pretty nice though.
Quote :
And if you say Ice Mario isn't a guilty pleasure of yours, you're lying.
Nothing guilty about it. TUNE!
Quote :
From Frappe Snowland on, Mario Kart has had the jolliest happiest snow pieces. In fact, some of them don't sound much like snow music at all. DK's Snowboard Cross doesn't raise thoughts of an alpine holiday to me. And what's an ape doing with not one, but two, great snow pieces anyway?
They're nice enough, but I generally don't like snow and ice tracks in Mario Kart. Snowboard Cross was alright, but only because it was essentially a skiing version of the mighty DK Mountain.
Quote :
The snowboarding minigame music doesn't sound particularly snowy, but who cares?
It's the premise of the thread, mate. The rules are there to facilitate the fun.
Quote :
Or for a more icy piece of music, how about fighting a massive possessed lump of ice, complete with dramatic organ?
That's a bit better.
Quote :
Kirby's another one with the good snowy musics.
Now we're talking!
Quote :
Mt. Slide
Tune.
Quote :
Snowy Fields.
Track.
Quote :
Frosty Wheel
Bit Pikmin this one, I like it.
Quote :
Cozy Cabin
Banger.
Quote :
The best Kirby ice music, though, is from a comparatively bad game: Air Ride's Frozen Hillside. Fortunately it made it into Smash Bros., so we can enjoy it without suffering Kirbs' greatest misstep since.
I've actually heard mixed things, so I want to play Air Ride before I pass judgement. I'm sure it's a 10/10 really. That music is absolutlely cash, though.
Quote :
Snowman. SNOWMAN. SNOWMAAAAAAAAAAAAAN Snowman.
Nice enough? I guess I need the context of actually getting around to playing the Mother games.
Quote :
The fantastic Xenoblade Chronicles gave us a double helping of great, with Valak Mountain day and night versions.
Yes! Now we're talking. Big fan of XC's music, though not too fussed either way by XCX. Top of the pops!
Quote :
If you're not familiar with BitF, spend an afternoon perusing the archives. A Nintendo fan won't regret it.
I was never that into it. I mean, it's alright, but . . . Those tunes were well sung but the lyrics weren't especially funny and I can't really rate the musical worthof Christmas Carols
Quote :
And finally, what I'd say is the snow theme to end them all: the Snowmads' Theme. The most epic piece of music ever dedicated to a tribe of penguins, walruses, and owls ever put into the air. David Wise you bloody genius.
Can't add much to that. Tropical Freeze's soundtrack was definitely a highlight of the Wii U.
Balladeer DIVINE LONELINESS
Posts : 26479 Points : 25311 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 35 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Sun 30 Apr 2017 - 18:47
Gents: cheers to you both for listening to all/almost all of the pieces I posted. I thought I might have brought the thread crashing to a halt with the sheer amount of #content I posted, so I'm glad I haven't. I just really like games music!
I think the thread description's intentionally a little bit ambiguous, so you/one can post ice-level music even if it isn't immediately wintery-sounding. At least, I hope that's the case... otherwise, what defines what sounds lava-ish? My view is, if there's snow/lava in the background, it's fair game.
Regarding GJones' picks, the GoldenEye baseline brings back memories of being crap at GoldenEye, and I'm none too into punk... but that Shenmooee track is legitimately beautiful. Good stuff.
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Sun 30 Apr 2017 - 21:38
Quick reminder: never take anything I say seriously
JayMoyles Galactic Nova
Posts : 15896 Points : 15061 Join date : 2013-01-21 Age : 31 Location : The Shibuya River
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Tue 2 May 2017 - 0:02
Fuck me, I didn't expect this to take off as much as it had. Cracking stuff lads. I've had a listen to a lot of the tracks I've recognised in the thread and a few I haven't... some thoughts!
The_Jaster wrote:
Don't worry Jimbobby I'm with ye on the bleepy-bloops & I'm picking the stranded ship stage from Shovel Knight.
I don't know if it's because it sounds a wee bit similar to the Spectre Knight level theme, but this comes across more spooky than anything else to me!
Drunkalilly wrote:
RIGHT.
At a very different end of the spectrum, Snowpeak Ruins from Twilight Princess just feels . . . cold. There's an element of spooky haunted house music here, but it gives me the chills in the best way and makes me long for that special soup.
Top choice. Easily one of the best dungeons in Twilight Princess and seconding the fact that it sounds like a cold track.
Prefacing this bit by bit breakdown by saying JESUS BALLA... top work.
Balladeer wrote:
And if you say Ice Mario isn't a guilty pleasure of yours, you're lying.
Ice Mario sounds too much like a gameshow jingle for me take it seriously.
Balladeer wrote:
Ah well, never mind. Here's the DD!! equivalent to polish off.
I chuffing hate that course, but it's got some fine wintry music.
Balladeer wrote:
The Ice Ruins music from ALBW is a mighty fine remix of the dungeon theme too.
That's another one that just feels cold.
Balladeer wrote:
Snowman. SNOWMAN. SNOWMAAAAAAAAAAAAAN
Snowman.
Now we're talking!
Here's an absolutely gorgeous cover.
Balladeer wrote:
The fantastic Xenoblade Chronicles gave us a double helping of great, with Valak Mountain day and night versions. Like few other pieces in this list, these conjure up the feeling of being very alone on a cold mountainside, where a stray breath from an unwary god could kill you in an instant.
Valak Mountain was one, or two I suppose, that I hoped to see in this thread. Great picks.
Balladeer wrote:
At least, I hope that's the case... otherwise, what defines what sounds lava-ish? My view is, if there's snow/lava in the background, it's fair game.
Oh, I've got a lava track to get the ball rolling for that week's edition that just sounds like you're in a volcano.
I think there's still life in this theme yet, so now that the snowball has well and truly picked up steam, here's some less obvious picks from me.
People of the Far North is the theme that plays on Mount Gagazet in Final Fantasy X. I've chosen the HD Remaster version as I reckon it's a better track all round. Those strings are cracking considering it's the home of a warrior tribe too. Great stuff.
Staying with JRPGs, I've got to go for one from I Am Setsuna. I've went for what I think is the overworld theme. It's still crazy to think the whole soundtrack is done with the piano.
Fuck it, let's stay with RPGs. The music from the Ice Palace in Paper Mario again is another track that makes you shiver.
And lastly... not an RPG! It's Snowy Mountain from Jak and Daxter. I'm fairly certain WWE pinched bits of this for Erick Rowan's solo theme. It's still a cracking ice theme even if I can now no longer disassociate it with a hulking ginger-bearded giant.
Buskalilly Galactic Nova
Posts : 15085 Points : 15263 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 34 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Tue 2 May 2017 - 0:14
The Main One wrote:
I'm fairly certain WWE pinched bits of this for Erick Rowan's solo theme. It's still a cracking ice theme even if I can now no longer disassociate it with a hulking ginger-bearded giant.
Yeah, that's uncanny (although Rowan's version has been put through a creepy country banjo filter).
The_Jaster Din
Posts : 11975 Points : 12067 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 40 Location : Underground Corpse Pile.
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Tue 2 May 2017 - 0:28
Jay wrote:
I don't know if it's because it sounds a wee bit similar to the Spectre Knight level theme, but this comes across more spooky than anything else to me!
Yeah, I can see that as the stage is called stranded ship after all so there is going to be a spooky element to it but it still fits the backdrop of the stage in my book.
Balladeer DIVINE LONELINESS
Posts : 26479 Points : 25311 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 35 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Tue 2 May 2017 - 5:57
That's some absolutely top piano in that Setsuna theme Jayseph! While I'm afraid the Paper Mario ice theme is to me as Freezeflame is to Drunka. The FFX track ain't bad either. Good stuff.
JayMoyles Galactic Nova
Posts : 15896 Points : 15061 Join date : 2013-01-21 Age : 31 Location : The Shibuya River
Subject: Re: Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!) Tue 2 May 2017 - 21:34
FFX was Uematsu's last mainline Final Fantasy game, so it still carries his brilliance with it. On I am Setsuna, I'd definitely recommend checking it when you get a chance Balla, purely for its soundtrack. You'd love most of it, I'd bet.
Right, I think it'll be time for a new round tomorrow... I've got some ideas.