Music to my Ears (Castle Levels!)

masofdas wrote:

this from Mario.

Balladeer wrote:

WING CAP

I love the Starman theme - it was the inspiration for this week after all, and is easily the most recognisable invincibility jingle. Here's every Starman theme from Mario Kart with each theme being added in slowly but surely until every Mario Kart Starman theme is playing.

Great idea! Yeah - I know it's an easy thing to write, but I love all of those so far! The Henry Hatsworth one is the only one I think I hadn't heard before, but I approve. I bet Mozart would as well. *muffled spinning sound in background*. But Jay's first Kirby one is my favourite; it's the "go go go!" song I think of now, even eclipsing Mario.

Banjo-Kazooie - Wonderwing
Actually, listening to the music there, I think that music's longer than you can ever hear it in the game.

Yoshi's Story - First Theme in Super Happy Mode
Every level theme in the game had a Like-White-Stripes-But-Pre-dating-Them-Guitar-And-Drums arrangement that took over when you were "super happy".

Hmmm - that's all I got.

Call me a class traitor, but I don't find the classic Starman theme so great - solely, I expect, through overexposure.

Yoshi's rock remixes, though? Class. Silly, stupid, adorable class.

You're a class traitor. Arf arf. The Starman theme is the King of these.

Here's one of my absolute favourites. It's not invincibility, as such, so thread adjudicator Jayseph "Edgey" Moyles may want to weigh in and strike it from the record - get it? Record? Music? - but I used to love it as a young'un. It's the theme that plays when Link picks up a Guardian Acorn or Power Piece in Link's Awakening. OK, it repeats every six and a half seconds... but it has all the hallmarks of what I think makes a good invincibility theme: it charges you up with urgency to wreak havoc on your enemies.

OK, well, "all the hallmark of what I think makes a good invincibility theme", then.

Time to go to the Dark Side



Strawberry on the Shortcake

Blueberry Cheesecake Brownie

Jimbob wrote:

Banjo-Kazooie - Wonderwing

Grant Kirkhope, what a hero. Great little ditty.

ZeroJones wrote:

Here's the theme that plays when Link picks up a Guardian Acorn or Power Piece in Link's Awakening. OK, it repeats every six and a half seconds... but it has all the hallmarks of what I think makes a good invincibility theme: it charges you up with urgency to wreak havoc on your enemies.

OK, well, "all the hallmark of what I think makes a good invincibility theme", then.

Nope, solid pick there! I'd forgotten about that one too.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Blueberry Cheesecake Brownie

Great choice - I love the main theme for NMH so all over hearing that remixed.

Think Blueberry Cheese Brownie might be the best thus far in the thread.

ZeroJones wrote:

You're a class traitor. Arf arf. The Starman theme is the King of these.

Here's one of my absolute favourites. It's not invincibility, as such, so thread adjudicator Jayseph "Edgey" Moyles may want to weigh in and strike it from the record...

I appear to be even more of a class traitor than I thought, having published three non-invincibility themes.

The title is Invincibility/Ultimate Power-Up Themes, though, and the power-up themes you added were pretty ultimate. Any time Mario can fly is usually down to the ultimate power-up in the game. I reckon it'll count if it's time-limited, too.

Right, this thread lying dormant for nearly year is not on - my apologies - so let's give it a kick up the arse.

I genuinely can't believe I've not done this one yet, but let's go for it...

What are the best water level themes in games?

Water levels are miserable experiences with slow movement, potential management of air meters and generally break the flow of a game. But, they make up for that in spades with cracking tunes.



I'll start by getting this one out of the way: Dire Dire Docks (this version has been in no way tampered with)

A classic and I bet it's one of the first tracks that came to your mind when reading the thread title.



I bet if you weren't thinking about Dire Dire Docks, you were probably thinking about this from Donkey Kong Country. Aquatic Ambience is wonderfully atmospheric - perfect for swimming about with your ape pals.



And lastly from me, the crashed frigate music from Metroid Prime I love how you've got your typical water music atmosphere coupled with decidedly sci-fi tones to fit in with Metroid. Great stuff.

Over to you, folks!

Welcome back! Great thread, glad it's up and running again. I can honestly say I didn't think of that version of DD when I saw the thread title. Otherwise you're right, it's an absolute blinder. I'd forgotten about the Prime one, but you're not wrong - it's lovely.

Also, I'm guessing we're not doing beach worlds, right? Specifically water worlds.


Buoy Base Galaxy (underwater), Super Mario Galaxy



Obviously it's not as good as the above-water theme, but I didn't know if that would specifically count as water world music. This definitely does, though. Epic as all heck, lads. As All Heck.


Deep Keep (land), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze



The game with the best music there is, of course it was going to feature. This is an absolute blinder, it's so fecking cheerful!


Lower Brinstar, Metroid: Samus Returns



And now, a niche pick. Also found as Metroid Prime 2's Torvus Bog theme, this is definitely a water level theme, of a completely different kind. Ominous and dark, one of the few great tunes in the game.

Balladeer wrote:

Also, I'm guessing we're not doing beach worlds, right?  Specifically water worlds.

Nah, we can do beach levels some other time.

Balladeer wrote:

Buoy Base Galaxy (underwater), Super Mario Galaxy

I never saw - or rather, heard - the hype for this back at the time of release for Super Mario Galaxy, but big thumbs up to it listening back over a decade afterwards. Good stuff.

Balladeer wrote:

Deep Keep (land), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

It's funny that you talk about avoiding beach level themes because this really does sound like a beach level to me! It's so jaunty! I like it.

Balladeer wrote:

Lower Brinstar, Metroid: Samus Returns

It's also funny that you said this is definitely a water theme considering it's remixed from a lava/cave level in Super Metroid if I remember rightly. Great pick though and not one I'd have thought of at first, hence why I picked the obvious ones.

I enjoyed that you went for the same three franchises as myself too! The challenge is thrown down for the next person to do the same...

I should probably pick at least one tune that's not from one of your franchises huh? Erm...

...this is actually really tough. I think this just about counts:



It's as much industrial docks as it is water level though. Failing that, there's always Clanker's Cavern. One of them must count, surely!

Yay!

Although you picked all the best ones already. I love all of these. Dire Dire Docks is one of the few things I actually learned to play properly on the piano. Aquatic Ambience is possibly the best anything ever. The Crashed Frigate made me feel nostalgic, and I don't really like Metroid Prime.
Bouy Base Galaxy is, like a lot of Galaxy, mega-epic (and makes things like that first bee level disappointing). Deep Keep is amazing considering it has to not be Aquatic Ambience (I realise a bit more each time that DKCRTF was a great game). And my favourite Super Metroid theme! Thus reminding me that I never finished the Return of Samus Returns, or tried MP2 after the motion-sickies. Rusty Bucket Bay is... KIRKHOPE!!!!!!!!!



I should nominate
The Underwater Lab Theme from Knytt Underground - this is actually now my favourite bit of game music ever, despite the contrary words above. I really hope you all played this game on the WiiU. I know you didn't. But this area of the game is one that appears emptier than it should be; and from this you start to piece together that this lab was built by humans, and all the humans ain't around no more.

In fact, I can't think of another serious one now, so I see Balla's Rusty Bucket Bay and raise Jolly Roger's Lagoon.

I think I remember you posting the Knytt piece way back when for my Wii U vote!  I liked it then, I liked it now.

In fact, that mention of the Wii U vote reminds me of another definitely non-serious water level theme from Rayman Legends.  Its 'proper' water music isn't really watery at all, but it's pretty good too.

KIIIIIIIIRKHOOOOOOOOPE

So, Jay already smashed it out of the park with the obvious best one in DDD. I'm sure I can rustle up a little something.

Dolphin Shoals

This is a musical number so excellent it elevates the track from mediocrity to one of my favourites. It starts out jaunty and jazzy, becomes subdued as Stephen Seagal is down under, under the sea, where waves of deceit threaten to torpedo his command . . . permanently, then when it jumps back out of the water we get that fucking phenomenal Sax solo. I've always said it makes it sound like Mario is the star of a mid-nineties cop show set in Miami where this was the theme tune.

Arriving in Rapture

The whole game is an underwater level (or you could argue there were no underwater levels until the sequel), but that first bathysphere ride down to the city is an unforgettable moment and no mistake. Remarkable stuff.

Surf - Pokemon Sun/ Moon

I'm not always a big fan of Surf and Bike themes in Pokemon games as they overpower all the other musical themes, but I liked this one and also surfing was kept to a minimum in Gen 7 so it never outstayed its welcome. Shout-out also to the dive music from the third gen, in which surfing definitelt did outstay its welcome.


I'll listen to your pics . . . somewhen. I'm not sure when I'll be online for the immediate future as I move to my new place, and if my time on the internets are limited I can't guarantee you lot will be my priority!

Dolphin Shoals is quality. It was this close to appearing in my post, but ultimately I chose Buoy Base from the Mario games instead because... well, because it's Buoy Base. Still, though. Great, and so very happy.

I was trying to think of a decent Surf theme, but couldn't think of one - shame on me, because that's exactly what S&M's is! Another top pick. Dive's also damn good, but not so much that one: too tinny. The ΩRAS remake, though...

Finally, one more from me. Contentious this, because it's not strictly a water theme: however, to me, Monkey Ball 2's Monkey Race Expert theme will always be more associated with Submarine Street, because those balls in Starlight Highway were a pain in the backside so I rarely played the track. So, yeah. Water level. Sort of.

Balladeer wrote:

Failing that, there's always Clanker's Cavern.  One of them must count, surely!

This one counts - I like it.

Jimbob wrote:

I should nominate
The Underwater Lab Theme from Knytt Underground - this is actually now my favourite bit of game music ever, despite the contrary words above. I really hope you all played this game on the WiiU. I know you didn't. But this area of the game is one that appears emptier than it should be; and from this you start to piece together that this lab was built by humans, and all the humans ain't around no more.

This is brilliant stuff! I popped it right into my VGM playlist - thanks for sharing.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Arriving in Rapture

The whole game is an underwater level (or you could argue there were no underwater levels until the sequel), but that first bathysphere ride down to the city is an unforgettable moment and no mistake. Remarkable stuff.

Yes! Great pick and different from the norm. I love the sense of foreboding dread you feel when descending into Rapture - those strings really build that tension as you go down into the inky black depths.

What's that? You wanted a pick from Digimon World did you? Then please enjoy this monstrosity.

On a more serious note, here's the Lost Precursor City from Jak and Daxter. It's more in the vein of Rapture in that it's an underwater interior area, but the sounds of air bubbles and the mechanical thunks and bumps of pipes they intersperse in the track really help create the idea of a sunken city and the sense of the water ready to burst in at a moment's notice.

THAT'S A BEACH TUNE MOYLESY DON'T YOU GO BREAKING YOUR OWN RULES

The J&D piece is much better, natch. If we're on the subject of aquatic (but not beachy) cities, I find Sootopolis damn catchy. Not sure which version's better.

Well, I guess I can just include it again for beach levels then.

That's a great choice. I think I prefer the ORAS version purely for the higher quality instrumentation. They both work well, mind.

JayMoyles wrote:

On a more serious note, here's the Lost Precursor City from Jak and Daxter. It's more in the vein of Rapture in that it's an underwater interior area, but the sounds of air bubbles and the mechanical thunks and bumps of pipes they intersperse in the track really help create the idea of a sunken city and the sense of the water ready to burst in at a moment's notice.

I do like the Lost Precursor City music - although it's giving me "don't miss anything on your way down the slide" flashbacks

Enjoy your ten minute backtracking for that one orb, Jak!

I'm not a fan of the level itself in the least myself, but the music is nice enough!

I'll get a new edition up for this soon - any suggestions, troops? There's a list of every theme so far in the opening post to avoid repeats.

Final bosses
Jungles
Cloudy and/or dreamy levels
Beach levels, natch
Space levels
Castles
Battle themes against regular enemies (e.g. Zelda, RPGs)
Ghostly areas

You good mate?

That's a fair few there! I already a couple of those planned, but I hadn't considered some of them. I think I've decided which one I'll go for, though...

What's summertime without a jaunt to your local castle?

It's time to hear the best castle level themes in video games.



I'm starting with a very different type of castle... it's Bowser's Castle from Odyssey. I love the Japanese influences on both the stage itself and the music that plays during your attack on Bowser's fortress. It's still full of that typical foreboding atmosphere from a normal Bowser's castle stage but in a much different way.



I've already used the BotW Hyrule Castle theme in a previous installment, but this wouldn't be complete without a Hyrule Castle theme. I've chosen the theme from LttP as I reckon it's the most iconic out of any of the other Hyrule Castle themes. That fanfare to kick things off... brilliant stuff!



Whilst the latter two are castle themes to fit an infiltration or a battle, the Castle Cornelia theme from FFI is a suitably regal affair for sauntering around the halls of a lavish palace. And I had to pick at least one track with a harpsichord in it. I also wanted to pick this track to highlight its counterpart, the Ruined Castle theme. I love the sense of something not quite being right portrayed through the music.

Over to you!

Controversy time: I think that LttP castle theme sounds bobbins in this day and age.  It's full MIDI.  Iconic yes, good no.  And it's been done better.



On the other hand, Lorule Castle (another Zelda castle that could have gone in that instalment) is utter class.  The build-up as you negotiate the castle, the sense of things not going quite right that Jay mentioned about the FF1 piece, the fact that it uses the Hyrule Castle theme backwards... grand stuff, immediately bettered in the next Zelda game.



That Ruined Castle piece is another great one, but I haven't played FF1, so you get Cyan's theme/the theme of Doma Castle instead.  Very much more of a SMO Bowser's Castle (another belter, natch) than any other Bowser's Castle.  It also falls foul of LttP's SNES sound quality problems, but the flute overcomes them for the most part, and is the best bit anyway.



I was going to the classic Peach's Castle theme, but I realised that I'd be doing another 'all the same franchises as Jay', so didn't.  It's no secret I don't care much for Shovel Knight, but its music is top-notch.  Pridemoor Keep oozes opulence through its chiptunes.  Great stuff.