Official(?) Nintendo Consoles Music Thread v2.0

This is almost certainly cheating, but the theme from Mario's Cement Factory in one of the Game and Watch GBA collections is a certified banger. Catchy as hell.

Balladeer wrote:

Of historical interest only. Bring on tomorrow? :shrink:

Absolutely fair. Why did I think this was a better idea than starting with NES and finishing on "Switch so far"?

ZeroJones wrote:

The Donkey Kong on various formats video was fascinating

Wasn't it? Such a weird time to remember, when Nintendo was this unheard-of quirky Japanese one-hit wonder company.

JayMoyles wrote:

This is almost certainly cheating, but the theme from Mario's Cement Factory in one of the Game and Watch GBA collections is a certified banger. Catchy as hell.

Cheating? Ehh, kinda. Banger? I'm not feeling it as much as you, and some of the youtube commenters, but there's something lovably weird about this one.

Drunka's Music Festival 2017: Marioapaluigilooza
Day two: Nintendo Entertainment System Conquers Earth



Impossibly iconic. Universally beloved. Between overworld, underworld, water, castle and the various jingles, you could do a whole day from the Super Mario Bros soundtrack. With covers by artists, orchestras, floppy disk drives, beer bottles and everything in between, you could fill a whole thread with just the main theme. The fact there are two equally fantastic and iconic sequels with more and more varied tracks as well means picking five is quite the undertaking.

Fever - Doctor Mario, NES Hirokazu Tanaka

A great little tune, this one. Dr Mario wouldn't make the list of my fave block-matching puzzlers if it didn't have such a catchy theme song, to be honest.
Covered on guitar, this track has a real kick to it. Banger.

Underwater - Super Mario Bros, NES Koji Kondo

Kind of the overlooked one of the various themes introduced in the seminal side-scroller, this sleepy number has always been a favourite of mine. It's just so wonderfully relaxing and chill, feeling more like a lazy summertime float at the seaside than Sonic's terrifying drowning alert.
And speaking of the seaside, this song is perfect on accordion.

Airship - Super Mario Bros 3, NES Koji Kondo

It would be all too easy for me to fill this week with janty, bubbly, sunny tracks from colourful Mario goodness. That stuff is all grand, but Mario can do more. The games are adventures, and part of that comes from a sense of danger and drama. This shit is legit: storming a flying ship, with cannons and fireballs and carnage, is epic and the music fits the bill.
Here's a very cool Metal version.

Overworld Super Mario Bros, NES Koji Kondo

I'm gonna be honest, here: I don't think I'm qualified to write about this piece of music. It's been referenced, remixed, reused and regurgitated by Nintendo, their rivals, their fans, everyone and anyone for 30 years. Easily the most recognisable piece of music in all of gaming and with good reason. A bona fide tune.
Here it is played on calculators. Here it is played on a modified version of the shēng, a Chinese instrument that dates back thousands of years. Here, a man plays it partially with a gun. Tesla coils. BIRD. A Norwegian Choir. Floppy disk drives. Hand farts.

Overworld, Super Marios Bros 2, NES Koji Kondo

Perhaps just because the predecessor is so well-known, referenced and replayed, I find this one much more enjoyable when I hear it. It's just so jaunty and fun! After the original game, the two NES sequels proved that Mario wasn't a one-hit wonder, but that every game for three decades and counting would recapture that same joy and bring new and wonderful songs to the table.
Here's good ol' Smooth McGroove, and by way of apology to Jay a nice enough, if fairly bog-standard instrumental version which I'm sure he'll enjoy for the ridiculous channel intro.

Greatest non-game song of the era: Do the Mario!.

Drunka's Bantz Pick of the Day: This little rap with many fewer really cheap gags than Brentalfloss's stuff.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Balladeer wrote:

Of historical interest only. Bring on tomorrow? :shrink:

Absolutely fair. Why did I think this was a better idea than starting with NES and finishing on "Switch so far"?

Hey, even though I prefer your other idea, they are still of historical interest! That's what this week is all about.

I feel that the SMB Overworld theme is almost beyond reproach these days... even though it's been remixed so many times, not least by Nintendo themselves, that I don't really feel like the original bleepy-bloopy version stands up on its own. Again, apart from as a history piece. It's almost like yer man Drunka doesn't either, mentioning another piece from the same game (I still think the Underwater theme does hold up, for what it's worth) and preferring hearing the SMB2 version (I do too).

So let's cheat - although not as badly as Jay. This is my favourite version of the SMB tunes of all time!

Fever and Airship are both bangers, nothing much to say there. I always quite liked the cave music from SMB2. And I don't know much about the other NES-era games. Bring on tomorrow, again!

I usually stick up for the underrated Chill whenever Fever is discussed. Still a top tune, in my humble, unsubtle and often wrong opinion, although you do spend your time waiting for the bit that starts at 1:15. The soundtrack to my NES puzzle gaming childhood. It was also the only one of the pair to come out of Dr. Luigi with its reputation intact. Slightly chilling (I GET IT!), in fact - good music for Halloween.

The Underwater theme is great: it puts me in mind of a relaxing, gentle fairground ride. In fact, the accordion cover could easily be playing in the film Amélie, during the scene where she gives Nino his photo album back.

I went into the Metal cover of Airship sure that I wasn't going to like it - and it was excellent. Great pick!

As for Overworld, well... finally a use for calculators, for starters! Secondly, I think the sheng one is a musical playthrough of the first level of SMB, which is an outstanding achievement. The Tesla coil one is the same: hypnotic, it was. The choir and the floppy disc drive people were both really inventive with it, which I liked. The best bit about the hand trump one was the end. Poor man.

I've definitely not played SMB2 as much as the other games referenced here but the overworld theme is a fun one.

Drunka's Music Festival 2017: Marioapaluigilooza
Day three: Super Games for Super Players



I have a lot of time for the tightness and simplicity of Mario's NES platformers, but I don't think anyone can deny how well Nintendo took all their 8-bit franchises and blew them wide open on the SNES. The colours are more colourful, the gameplay is deeper and the music has so much more to play with!

Athletic - Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins, Game Boy Hirokazu Tanaka

My classic Game Boy was the first games console I ever personally owned and the Mario Lands are where my earliest Mario memories were formed. For me, there's a lot of nostalgia for the tunes and I never learned to appreciate them for how weird and off-kilter their treatment of the Mario tropes was until much later.
Super Mario Land 2's main theme would chart higher if it weren't for the fact this same song is essentially remixed and repeated for every song in the game.
Kazoo'd

Donut Plains - Super Mario Kart, SNES Koji Kondo

Quick and fun but slightly mellow, this is perfect Mario Kart music for me. Its the sort of music that one can hum along to, sure, but can also zone out when a whole afternoon then evening then night disappears to one massive Mario Kart session. Ah, the life. . .
And naturally, it sounds even better in Mario Kart 8.

Music Box - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, SNES Koji Kondo

This game is as cute as it gets in 16-bit, a deliberate rebellion against the moodiness and CG that was becomign cool with a hand-drawn, crayon style and a cutesy story about babies and storks. The gentle lullaby opening is just absolutely perfect. Wonderful, charming stuff.
Even better, here it is recreated on a real music box!

Overworld Super Mario Land, Game Boy Hirokazu Tanaka

As I said before, the Game Boy Marios are among the most nostalgic for me and this song in particular is an all-timer of a tune, as far as I'm concerned.
And who else but the Ambassadors of funk to take us away.


Overworld, Super Marios World, SNES Koji Kondo

I wanted to be clever and interesting and put something else at number one, but I just can't can I? Quintessential fun Mario level music, this one is jammed in my head once and again and its gonna be a while til I can dislodge it.
Apparently, this is it being Gypsy Jazzed? I don't know, its just a fun guitar cover.

Greatest non-game song of the era: Bros theme.

Drunka's Bantz Pick of the Day: NOT ROY.

It may literally have been decades since I heard the Athletic theme from Super Mario Land 2. I remember not being that impressed with the game at the time, although I did complete it out of duty. (that's at the sentiment, which is definitely what my home console snob teenage self would have thought) The tune is pretty decent. The Kazoo vid should come with a warning that it could trigger fits. Not smart, YouTubeGuy.

Donut Plains is where it's at. Instantly Mario with great instrumentation for the SNES. I would argue that it does not sound better in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but that's mainly because I am a massive nostalgia nerd. At the mention of Super Mario Kart's music I am compelled to throw in the obvious-but-great Rainbow Road. Love that little blighter: it gives me the same energy as the Starman theme.

The Music Box from Yoshi's Island has got me right in the feels. I loved it as a youth, particularly hearing the mechanism in the background, and even more particularly the inimitable bit where it fully winds down and some background figure winds it up to full speed again. A game built on lovely touches with a refreshing solidity to everything it does. How I wish it had come out on some console's VC. And the real music box version brought tears to my eyes.

Super Mario Land's Overworld Theme is only slightly less iconic than the Super Mario Bros. one, capturing that Mario fun spirit brilliantly.

However, the Super Mario World Overworld Theme is a colossus of the genre.

The Not Roy song is weird and wonderful and weird.

Here's where I diverge majorly from Drunka's taste.  I feel that the majority of those 'Athletic'/overworld themes merge into one another largely, the only differences being their instrumentation.  None stick in my mind much.  The Yoshi music box piece crosses over from cute into twee.  Donut Plains is pretty good though (better in MK8, natch - sorry Zero, those whistles do my head in a bit).  On which note, here's an alternative top five:

5. Graveyard, Super Mario Land 2



Just because the sound effects are really funny.  While I can appreciate the things SML2 does with a single tune, like Drunka, I get a bit fed up with hearing it over and over.  A trick that Sunshine would later play to greater effect.

4. End Credits, Super Mario Land



The statute of spoilers has definitely expired on this one.  I had a hard time with this choice: I think the Muda music does something cute and different, and the vehicle theme dumps on the main theme where chirpy is concerned.  The Chai theme, meanwhile, panders shamelessly to my love of oriental-y musics.  

But it's this one that still tugs my heartstrings.  Marked down for its shrillness, but that all goes away if you listen to this bastard that Hip Tanaka composed in memory of Mr. Yamauchi.  ALL FEELS ALL THE TIME

3. Title, Yoshi's Island



Give it a chance to get going.  That's all I'll say.

2. Beware the Forest's Mushrooms, Super Mario RPG



This is an absolute classic, remixed over and over again in the future, that sadly just missed its Smash debut.  Chirpy and mysterious, this track has it all.

1. Rainbow Road, Super Mario Kart



Zero's not wrong: for me, this is the best piece of the generation, and one that would set a standard for Rainbow Road musics to be amazing for years to come.  Only thing is, again, it was done better several times in later games (in my opinion): maybe not Super Circuit so much, but definitely MK7 and MK8.  It sounds utterly magical in the latter, unsurprisingly.

Dammit, I meant to check in every day! I was gonna comment on the early years. Interesting, in that first video there are 2 completely separate C64 games. And that doesn't even include the suspiciously similar Zany Kong and Killer Gorilla (in which the 75m theme is... er... more beautiful?) And of course, you all know that the Atari Mario Bros. advert is a parody of the Car 54 Where Are You? Theme. *is shot by everyone as everyone knows that. IT IS WELL KNOW*

I'm a big fan of Fever - it's an early example of deliberately putting "crazycrap" in game music. Still don't like Dr. Mario itself though.

As you said - the SMB music is iconic - Paul McCartney once talked to Koji Kondo about it, and he's not usually on the same planet. I could listen to the accordion underwater music all day! I'd pay the musician to busk on a cross-channel ferry. It wouldn't get annoying at all. I have to assume the shēng version is complicated - it's like a portable pipe organ. However, I assume the gun guy is a c**t. Probably an unfair assumption. And I'll give the hand fart guy a B+.
@Balla's post - I forgot about the Sunshine version. Wowsers. And even the Drum n Bass version for 64 was "edgy" at the time. I thought anyway.

Am I right in thinking the kettle drum in SMB3's themes is actually a sample? That was like the future to me, man... but I'll avoid the metal version (when I saw it featured someone on vocals...)
@Balla's post - there were percussion samples in SMB2 as well? Why don't I remember that?

And I won't hear a bad wors for Smooth McGroove, I say. Like Hot Dad's 80s TV themes, it'd be cheesy if he wasn't really really good at what he does.

SWING YOUR ARMS FROM SIDE TO SIDE COME ON IT'S TI-. Genuine query: the bit at the end - SJUUUUST LIKE THAT - sounds like it's been badly spliced. I wonder if there was more to Do the Mario at one stage. If only you could ROM Hack cartoons...

*scrolls down* oh shit I missed two days - sorry Drunka, I feel I'm not appreciating the work you put in.

I have no love for SML2, but my goodness me that Kazoo man's giving it a good go.
I love Donut Plains, but I don't think anything bettered the Mario Circuit theme
and as the Zero said - Rainbow Road. Racing games don't usually have boss music. BUT.
I found the S McG version of that - boy that cat puts up with a lot.

The Yoshi's Island music makes me sad, and therefore, as a man-baby unable to cope with emotion, I don't like it. I'm on board with the title theme.

The Amabssadors of Funk can Funk Off. I remember, even as a 10-year-old gamer, being embarrased for them. And of course, if you rely on Chessington World of Adventures for your video... well.. oh dear.

But oh my yes, the Mario World Theme is iconic. And that jazz thing was a good'n (at least, unlike those SMB2 clowns, the guy can actually play it properly) - this'd be perfect if a new coffee bar opened up in Dinosaur Land. I think you can't beat the dramatic symphony of the castle theme. Even if it's not Roy's.

*gasp* I forgot about the end credits theme to Land!


(side notes - I recently found a thing with my music software that can read all the SNES and N64 sound fonts - I'm going to have to use the Yoshi's Island bass guitar in something in the near future)

I presume Smooth dips his hands in catnip before every video.

Drunka's Music Festival 2017: Marioapaluigilooza
Day Sixty Four



Here we go. Super Mario 64. Yes. Now we are talking tunes. Not everything about the N64 has agaed spectacularly, but I'll not hear a bad word about the muzak.

Horror Land - Mario Party 2, N64 Hironao Yamamoto; Shohei Bando; Kazuhiko Sawaguchi

I've always got time for a cheesy, spooky track - Balla's Super Mario Land 2 pick was a banger - and this is one I've heard for some ridiculous 50-turn games. It's prety good, man! It has a nice built to it.
It sounds pretty good in this piano rendition, but if you really want horror you need the otamatome cover.

Frappe Mountain - Mario Kart 64, N64 Kenta Nagata

Something about the N64's soundset makes it really good at ice level tracks. See that Banjo Kazooie everyone bangs on about for further proof. Here, it just has a nice jam to it and, like Donut Plains, works really well on every level you'd want from a kart tune.
It's slightly tinny, but this saxamaphone version is prettyfunky fresh.

Opening Super Mario 64, N64 Koji Kondo

Here's something a little more rare in a Mario game: a big, dramatic, cutscene tune. With this playing, and the camera sweeping through the grounds of the Princess' castle, you knew Nintendo were about to change the world all over again. I never had an N64, so I can only imagine how much it must have blown people's minds to go from Super Mario World to this.
Big Band of Rogues, with bonus Bob-Omb Battlefield!

Cool Cool Mountain - Super Mario 64, N64 Koji Kondo

Again with the snow levels! This one is quintessential for me, with the ice slide and the penguin and this all-important track. I still like to bust it open and bounce Mario around for a couple of stars every Christmas. It just feels so good and, ironically, warm and comforting.
If you like your Christmas songs a little more Darkness than Wham, maybe you'll dig this guitar version.

Dire Dire Docks, Super Marios 64, N64 Koji Kondo

I'm not normally a fan of underwater sections - or ice ones, for that matter - but Mario has a habit of getting them right. And here he's helped bysome of the loveliest, most relaxing music in gaming. An absolutely gorgeous, slightly melancholy, nostalgic little number. Wonderful stuff.
It sounds great played on a real harp.

Greatest non-game song of the era: Mario's song..

Drunka's Bantz Pick of the Day: It is a road that you go.

Now we're back on the same page! Regarding number 1, anyway: Dire Dire Docks would be the very definition of a 'banger', only it's too quiet to bang. A blinder, perhaps.

I'm also very fond of Frappé Snowland, although the rousing Moo Moo Farm is my second favourite from MK64. (Presume we're taking it without saying from hereon out that all Rainbow Roads are brilliant?)

Both of those also have tear-jerking ending tunes - to me anyway, mired in nostalgia. (Also is it just me, or did Peach sound... sexier back then? )

Other memorable songs from the era: I loved Mario Tennis' Wario & Waluigi court at the time, although its mix hasn't aged well (percussion too loud, treble too tinny - at least that farty bass is authentically Wario). And the Koopa Bros. have, for me, the standout theme from Paper Mario. (Their Guzma-alike overworld theme is pretty good too.)

Yoshi's Story definitely isn't a Mario game to me. If we're including that, with its utter non-appearance of Mario, we ought to be including every Donkey Kong Country game by the same token. Otherwise I'd be posting large swathes of the soundtrack: another game that does the 'one theme remixed' thing really well.

Drunka's Music Festival 2017: Marioapaluigilooza
Day Five: Sunshine and Rainbow Roads



The Gamecube was my first Nintendo home console, and the first home console that was my own rather than a family member's. Subsequently, Mario Sunshine was the first Mario game which I followed, anticipated, eagerly awaited and finally received. I love that game, even though it was many years until I got gud enough to beat it, and the music has stuck with me a long time.

Ribbon Road - Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Game Boy Advance

This is a weird one. I don't remember the GBA version of the track all that well at all. I do, however, love the Mario Kart 8 version. The music there is so wonderful, and going back and listening to this version its difficult to believe they weren't made the other way round.
In Mario Kart 8 the song is gloriously transformed into the classic rock they were obviously going for all along, and the GBA sound feels like one of those youtube accounts that demakes songs into 8/ 16-bit.

Mecha Bowser - Super Mario Sunshine, Nintendo Gamecube

This was a memorable boss fight for me, and I've always found the music to be pretty cool and intense. It sounds a lot like a battle with a significant character in a Pokémon game to me.


Baby Park - Mario Kart Double Dash, Nintendo Gamecube

What a banger! This one is jsut so fun and frenetic and bonkers and jsut perfectly captures the track which, inb4 balla, has never quite been the same since the Double Dash days and the ludicrous weapons of that game.
This is a pretty standard piano cover but it absolutely must be watched for the lovable smile on the pianist and the insane speed his hands move at.

Delfino Plaza - Super Mario Sunshine, Nintendo Gamecube  

Just lovely. For my money, Delfino is by far the best area for just exploring in a Mario game. I like Peach's Castle and Rosalina's Observatory as hubs, but they never felt like levels or places in their own right the way this does. I spent hours exploring every nook and cranny, and thankfully the music never began to grate.
Here's a perfect little four-piece cover version to be going on with.

Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion, Nintendo Gamecube

Myself and the Balls Man have both espoused a few spooky little numbers already this week, and this one is the all-timer. I love this theme in all its iterations, but the addition of Luigi's spooked humming is glorious.
Such a glorious bit of spookiness deserves to be played on a full church organ.

Greatest non-game song of the era: Clean is better than dirty. Apart from, of course, regarding the subject of your mum.

Drunka's Bantz Pick of the Day: Classic Mega 64

Oh boy. You don't comment for a day or two and suddenly you feel like you need spoiler tags to get in everything you want to say.

Balla's Alternate SNES Day Top Five:

In response to Jimbob:

Day Sixty Four (see what you did there):

Day Five: Of Sunshine And Routes D'Arc-En-Ciel:

My apologies to Gus cat, Zero.  Hope he recovers.  And I meant half a minute or so, not five hours. (I think the word is 'transitions'.)

Again, Drunka and I diverge here - for a couple of reasons.  I think there are better tracks in both MKSC and SMS than Ribbon Road and Mecha Bowser (I can't remember the latter, too concerned I always was with the irritating boss).  Baby Park, while nice and uplifting, is the Mario Kart equivalent of Athletic themes, so I don't feel much for it.  Delfino Plaza is great, both as a tune and as a hub, but still to my mind not among the top themes in SMS.  And Luigi's Mansion, for me, isn't a Mario game!  It's a Luigi game.  This despite Mazza's cameo at the end.  So while that tune is among the greats, it wouldn't make my list.

Before starting which, I'd like to talk briefly about the GBA (as Drunka did about the GC).  For me, this is where portables stopped making do with chiptunes and started stretching their musical wings a bit.  The result is a lot of great tunes, coming out of a terrible chipset.  I have wonderful memories of GBA tunes that get shot down whenever I listen to them.  This is especially bad when it comes to the Pokémon games of that era, but Mario is by no means exempt.

So here's my top five, featuring (to make it easier on myself) no Yoshi games, no DK games, no Wario games, no Luigi games, no GBA-ified SNES titles, and no EA cameos:


5. Popple Battle, Mario & Luigi



See what I mean?  Actually the soundset on this one works quite well, but still.  Great idea, somewhat poor execution.  Still immensely catchy.  More on this in a later week...

4. Forest, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!



I really like this cute jungle tune.  Nice and bouncy.  (Obviously Rainbow Road's the actual best, but I'm trying to inject some variety here.)

3. Petal Meadows, Paper Mario: the Thousand-Year Door



The quality of the music in the Paper Mario series improved as the quality of the games declined.  For such a great game, PMTTYD has a surprisingly lacklustre soundtrack.  Not this beauty, though.  I can't convey how happy this song makes me, not just in how happy and bouncy it is, but also in what it portends: the start of one of the greatest games ever.  Rogueport's tune comes close for similar reasons.

2. Sky Garden, Mario Kart: Super Circuit



I genuinely love the Super Circuit soundtrack, but it falls prey, again, to having ideas above its soundset.  Drunka's Ribbon Road is a victim of this, for one.  The ever-beautiful Rainbow Road does the best it can with horrible horrible noises to work with.  I swear Cheese Land actually used to be good back in the day, before it got a new lease of life.  And I maintain that Jay might actually share my love for Sunset Wilds if it didn't sound like it was being farted into a rubbish bin.

Sky Garden was great at the time.  I don't know if it's still great to anyone who's not me, but I remember being absolutely enchanted by it.  And it's certainly the best version out there, after MKDS butchered it.

1. Sea and Sky, Super Mario Sunshine



Sunshine's a tricky bugger to choose a top song from.  Drunka posted a belter, natch.  Ricco Harbour does the same thing, only faster.  That damn manta ray has his own great tune.  And who can forget DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO, DOOOOOO...

But to me, this is it at its best.  A peaceful holiday vibe, coupled with swear-inducing gameplay, and a couple of levels as out there as anything you'll see in the imagination-drenched Mario Galaxy.  Top piece.


Luigi's Mansion's still the best though.

I have nothing to add to the N64 discussion; only that I agree (almost) entirely. Dire Dire Docks is the stuff of legend. If I happen to click on the Electric Piano sound, I have to drop everything and play Dire Dire Docks. Then I realise I can't possible play the strings bit at the same time.

And I'm mostly with you with the Gamecube stuff; I think Ribbon Road tidied up nicer on MK8, and I think Ricco Harbour is also awesome. Although for the Thousand Year Door, I'd go underground.

Apologies for not replying to your responses, I am reading and loving the involvement I'm just a busy boy who's working in a family restaurant over half term.

Drunka's Music Festival 2017: Marioapaluigilooza
Day Six: Wiidnesday



As much nostalgia as I have for the Gamecube and GBA, my love for DS and Wii is even stronger. I had my paper round when the DS came out, and was working a Saturday job at Tesco when the Wii came out, so I actually saved up and bought them on launch day. I'd transitioned from a kid who had a Nintendo to A Nintendo Fanboy. Like, physical fistfights with Playstation fans.
Obviously, this was all justified when we got the almighty Mario Galaxy games. Myself and Balla have both compiled extensive lists from those games alone, and I could easily have filled my top five with either or both. Instead, I've changed my system: instead of actually looking through the soundtracks of this period's games, I've just included the first to come to mind from five games.

Lava Overworld - New Super Mario Bros, DS

I really strongly remember the level where the volcano is shooting fireballs and they're plummetting like meteorites, so this music still feels pretty epic to me, even if it isn't actually all that. Yes, I know the picture isn't relevant but I just love croupier Luigi. I have very fond memories of coming out of seeing Casino Royale in the cinema and playing loads of Mario 64 DS poker.

Waluigi Pinball - Mario Kart DS, DS

A banger, 'natch, and a course which I badly wish would make a comeback in 8.
It is hilariously ill-suited to the accordion.

Final Bowser Fight - Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wii

Now this is epic. Seriously, this is dramatic and phenomenal. Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Zelda, eat your hearts out. Mario has the biggest and bestest dramatic showdown music of all time. Like, damn, what an absolute belter! It gives me goosebumps, and is the epitome of this kind of track. The original had a good'n, but this blows it out of the water.
This guitar cover is pretty cool, reminds me of Power Rangers or Pacific Rim.

Waltz of the Boos - Super Mario Galaxy, Wii

From the first Galaxy, I've gone for the complete opposite. Such a tranquil, melancholic piece that goes for a really different tone from the usual spoopy haunted house Boo stuff. Really emotional stuff.
Here's the high quality acoustic version the song demands.
And here's a club remix that leaves the song absolutely ruined and made terrifying all at once.

Moo Moo Meadows - Mario Kart Wii, Wii

OBVIOUSLY.
Violin.
DA BEAT
Live violin play-along!


Greatest non-game song of the era: I've never heard the ambient noise of a basketball game sound so funky before!

Drunka's Bantz Pick of the Day: Mario Kart Love Song.

Balla's Alternate Top Five From GC/GBA Day:

Jimbob is entirely right about Rogueport Sewers, that handsome devil. Brilliant work from all involved. Just enough mystery to indicate that you're doing something surreptitious with a slice of energy to keep you going.

Wiidnesday:

In this era, there's only one tune for me: the Super Mario Galaxy Observatory theme. I know I've banged on about it before, many times, but it's instant: I searched it on YT to get the URL and the moment the first few notes hit I'd got goosebumps and tears in my eyes. Here's a piano cover that almost does it justice, and a harp rendition that brings the theme's delicateness to the fore (as all harp covers do). A handbell version, because somebody could.

Mario in Just Dance

ZeroJones wrote:

"Farted into a rubbish bin" is the kind of line that would have graced NGamer at its finest. Exquisite.

Ooft! Too kind, sir, too kind.  I think Rogueport Sewers isn't quite hummable enough to make my top two, but it's still grand nostalgia fuel.


Galaxy, eh?  My second favourite soundtrack ever, but not for the reasons you two post.  For me the quiet stuff is somewhat forgettable, with the fine exception of Space Junk Galaxy (aaaaaaah): it's all about the orchestral bombast!  (In the vein of the blinding Bowser music there.)  Feast your ears on these:

• Battlerock Galaxy, the march to end all marches;
  
• Gusty Garden Galaxy, natch;
  
• Melty Molten Galaxy and its sequel, Melty Monster, the latter of which is in my opinion the finest piece in 2;
  
• The Galaxy Reactor, possibly the finest final level music until BotW came along;
  
• BUOY BASE FUCKING GALAXY.

I'll be honest, everything else of the generation is kind of swept into irrelevance by comparison.  Here are some random other tracks:

• Airship Fortress from MKDS, nowhere near as good as Waluigi Pinball (banger) but still irritatingly catchy;
  
• Mushroom Gorge from MKWii, which I personally think dumps on Moo Moo from a height (until the brilliant MK8 version);
  
• NSMB's 'Athletic', the best Athletic theme 2D Mario has ever had, solely from the point of view of the enemies dancing along with 'Pah! Pah!';
  
• The most epic music on the DS, from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.  Abandon all hope...
  
• ...and then regain it again, with the equivalent from Bowser's Inside Story.

Okay, when I said 'everything else is swept into irrelevance' I'd forgotten those two exceptional final boss tracks.  Croupier Luigi's ace too.  Looking forward to the final gasp tomorrow!

ZeroJones wrote:

No apology necessary, sir - you're just going to have to put together the mother of all replies on day eight.

That's the plan! That might be the only bit of forumming I allow myself after the big launch! Can everyone agree not to post any Odyssey content in this thread until I've written my responses?

Quote :

In this era, there's only one tune for me: the Super Mario Galaxy Observatory theme.

That one's up there, my friend. It would have been my second pick, so much so that I almost put it on the list.
Which is odd, as I do love the Galaxy bombast which Balla talks about. Maybe there was just so much of that stuff the two quieter moments stick in my mind better?

Balladeer wrote:

the enemies dancing along with 'Pah! Pah!'

This alone raises NSMB to greatness.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Can everyone agree not to post any Odyssey content in this thread until I've written my responses?

I think that would be the only decent thing to do! Personally, from the stuff my Twitter feed has been saying, I think that anyone who posts Odyssey content outside of spoiler tags on the forum for at least a month post-launch is a dirty spoilerer and should be shunned.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Can everyone agree not to post any Odyssey content in this thread until I've written my responses?

I agree to your terms.

Drunka's Music Festival 2017: Marioapaluigilooza
Day Seven: There was a console between the Wii and the Switch?



The poor old Wii U. Its only new Zelda game is going to be remembered better as a Switch launch title, its big 3D Mario was sort of a half-measure between Galaxy and Odyssey. But there were good games on the much-maligned box and screen combo.

Dolphin Shoals - Mario Kart 8, Wii U

This is a nice enough tune, then you burst out of the water and that phenomenal sax solo hits you. Such a great bit of music, it makes me imagine an 80s cop show starring Mario and Luigi as wisecracking detectives. This would play as the opening credits theme, over a montage of Mario and Luigi laughing at eachother's gags, jumping into cars and smooching ladies, and stock footage of the sunny locale.
InsaneInTheRain, king of gaming jazz, naturally nails it.


Beat Blocks - Super Mario 3D Land, Nintendo 3DS

I often have to say "this music is difficult to appreciate when its extricated from the gameplay", but nowhere is that more true than here. The music and the game are one and the same in this one, where the platforms are appearing and disappearing. The fact that it's a funky ass beat only adds to it, making the levels super hypnotic.
In 8-bit it sounds fucking painful.


Super Bell Hill - Super Mario 3D World, Wii U

I haven't included a big, bombastic athletic theme for a few days but this one is just so wonderful and fun, classic Mario stuff. Chirpy, hummable and lovable, this one is properly lodged in my head. Shout outs to Great Tower Showdown Part 1 and Part 2, but they just can't compete with the Galaxy 2 banger.
Mario 3D World even gets a decent Brentalfloss song.
And our friend the videogame pianist returns! And InsaneInTheRain!


Main Theme - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Wii U

Right, no, listen. I'll accept that Donkey Kong is a separate thing now. I'll even give you Yoshi. Luigi though? Toad? Those are still Mario games! Anyway, this theme is an elaboration on the good captain's music from Super Mario Galaxy and then Super Mario 3D World so it definitely counts. And it is such a cute tune!
And here's a cute kid busting it out on piano.


Moo Moo Meadows - Mario Kart 8, Wii U

You thought the Wii music was a track? THIS IS A FUCKING TRACK.
Get it on in da club.
Hype hype hype.
Fight me irl if you pick something else when MMM comes up.

Greatest non-game song of the era: Riding Dirty As seen in these banterrific Luigi Death Stare meme.

Drunka's Bantz Pick of the Day: Captain Toad the Musical

I'm going to cover this in three parts.  The first part is maybe a bit cheeky, but it's covering a fine game that Drunka didn't even put on his list!  Despite Luigi's chuffing Mansion making it...  (Captain Toad I'll give you, as it's a spin-off of something from a proper Mario game.  Also it's adorbs.  'Mah-mo!')

Music Time Period 154:

And in the second part, another alternative top five, as my tastes diverge from Drunka's once again!  (I can't remember anything from SM3DL, let alone the music; and without that memory, as you say, Beat Block's not all that.  Beep Block is, though.  Fine tune.  Even has that sound effect from Cheese Land.)

Balla's Top Five of Last Gen.:

Finally, a couple of early favourites from the Switch!

One step ahead:

Thanks for running this Drunka!