by the IWG Games Team
Here at Games we love getting all nostalgic. No, seriously. Just take a look at our features. We just can't move on. This time we're focused on those special pieces of music from our favourite games which just, for some reason, resonate deeply with us. Those special pieces of music from across the ages which pluck us out of this era and plonk us right back into the shoes of our younger selves.
Here at Games we love getting all nostalgic. No, seriously. Just take a look at our features. We just can't move on. This time we're focused on those special pieces of music from our favourite games which just, for some reason, resonate deeply with us. Those special pieces of music from across the ages which pluck us out of this era and plonk us right back into the shoes of our younger selves.
'Building Mode 1'
The Sims
(2000)
With Maxis sadly no longer with us since being liquidated into the greater beast that is Electronic Arts, we can at least live in peace knowing that they can never again take a license we love and then shamelessly try to overcharge us for it (as they did with that horrible 2013 Sim City reboot). I mean EA owe gamers for their success, but all that money has obviously blinded them. Anyway, before they got they realised how huge The Sims would eventually become, Maxis had creative freedom to build whatever they wanted with the engine, and did just that. This track from the soundtrack of the original really encapsulates what that game was all about, and that was simply fun (whether it was trapping your Sim in a room without a toilet, moving stuff around so they'd get confused, sabotaging their personal lives, etc...) It was a sweeter time in gaming.
'Balamb Garden'
Final Fantasy VIII
(1999)
Continuing with the dark, gritty musical stylistics of its predecessor Final Fantasy VIII had an epic soundtrack composed by series regular Nobuo Uematsu. This track instead features a more whimsical, emotive structure which falls in line with Uematsu's vision to have his music based around emotional value, highlighting the game world as an immersive emotional experience as well as a fun one. The entire Final Fantasy series glistens with original music content, but VIII in particular pioneered some tropes which ended up surviving even now. The game was the first to feature a theme which was sung by a real singer ('Eyes on Me'), a trend which Square Enix has continued to develop to this very day throughout its fantasy-themed projects (just check out Kingdom Hearts if you get a second).
'Encounter'
Metal Gear Solid
(1998)
With Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain right on our doorstep, and rumours flying heavily that Hideo Kojima might at last be stepping away from this iconic franchise for good, thinking back to the original PlayStation classic Metal Gear Solid: Tactical Espionage Action gives us a nice reminder that this series, no matter what form it will take next (although hopefully not another dreaded Metal Gear Acid!), it is destined for absolute greatness. With Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, this piece of music was discarded and replaced by something much more cinematic and reminiscent of the action movie genre, which is a shame on one hand but not on the other, as it makes the original music so much more of a novelty. For some reason, it was even missed out on during development of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes at Silicon Knights, which came out exclusively to Nintendo GameCube. Hopefully, should they manage a further HD update on the original as they did with the games featured in the HD Collection for the PS3 and Xbox 360, they will keep the soundtrack much more in tune with the original.
'Kakariko Village'
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
(1998)
The Legend of Zelda franchise has become iconic for many aspects, such as its gameplay and storylines. However, right from the first release back in the eighties, the series introduced us to and developed on since some of gaming's more recognizable pieces of music. Although the theme of Kakariko Village was introduced in Midi form in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, it was later incorporated into Ocarina of Time for the series' very first 3D outing. Variations of this theme can still be picked up on in the later games, such as Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker, showing that Nintendo respects its roots and owes its current success to its past ventures, no matter how long ago they might seem.
'Phendrana Drifts'
Metroid Prime
(2002)
Regarded as one of the best exploratory FPS's ever made, Metroid Prime showed the world that Nintendo could take its family-friendly vibrancy and colourful worlds and incorporate them into an intense and often brutal science fiction setting. The game was critically acclaimed and spawned two successful sequels which continued the story directly, a rarity in Nintendo games (such as Zelda and Mario). Whilst the Metroid series hit a bit of a hurdle after the Metroid Prime trilogy, reminiscing over this music brings us hope that Nintendo will once again find a way to reinject the series with the same sense of wonder and intrigue that this classic GameCube title had back in the day.
'Rainbow Road'
Super Mario 64
(1996)
Don't fall for the happy, lighthearted beat of this track. Any gamer who is any gamer has navigated the dreaded Rainbow Road course in one incarnation of Mario Kart or another, and never before in the racing game has there been such a sense of fear and urgency than there is when karting around that shiny. techni-coloured space highway. The course is certainly designed to be a special kind of Hell capable of ruining friendships and ultimately destroying lives. All we know is that, looking back, at least we managed to survive its infernal wrath long enough to hit the finish line.
'Staff Roll'
Super Mario 64
(1996)
Remember the first time we saw Mario in 64 bit? Back in a time when no-one cared about frame rate? Wasn't it such a simpler time? Mario's first venture into the third dimension was a successful one, and no one blamed Nintendo when they continued the tradition with the more graphically appealing but far more lackluster Super Mario Sunshine later for GameCube. Regardless, the lessons learnt from Mario 64's semi-open-world gameplay led to the eventual development of Super Mario Galaxy, which was met with universal praise upon release. Everything about Mario 64, including its soundtrack, helped usher in the new gaming world where 2D games would become a novelty and 3D games were king.
Don't mind us. We're just swatting away the memories...
What did we miss?
Don't be shy.
We'll just wait here until you tell us.
Don't be shy.
We'll just wait here until you tell us.
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