Video Game Music

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

Back in the day video games had real music. What has happened? A true musical score should enhance emotion while you play. Whether it pumps you up, gets you panicked, or whatever the situation dictates.

Some great examples of epicness that used to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L59y977ZpaQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Crmrb0wBIs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj47pXTCKmU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz8bl_BikuA

Pretty good spectrum of what i am talking about. Now keep in mind this isn't directed at the grim dawn guys. the sound track already sounds like its gonna be killer.

Back on topic though look at diablo 3's music (of whats been shown so far.) its all bland and it all sounds the same. Or the ones that are just being lazy and using popular (or not) artists music is kinda lame too. Point is ask yourself how much music you actually remember from the newer games and compare that to the older ones. Maybe i'm just old school but it seems like companies just don't try anymore.

Again hats off to soundz if only more guys in the business would try like you do.

[Josho]

No mention of Chrono Trigger music.... *sighs*

Of course, there is good music out there in games. However the era you have focused on (16 bit early 90's consoles) had its own particular style relevant to the technology and era.

Of course, there are plenty of good examples of game music still coming out. Apparently Bastion has a magnificent sound track though I've yet to hear it myself. Frozen Synapse, done by another indie dev has a good soundtrack also.

One of my personal favourites is a single song called Baba Yetu, the menu music for Civ IV Vanilla.

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

Agreed chrono trigger also had an epic musical score. But then again so did final fantasy 7 (was definately not 16bit). Also if you haven't tried bastion you need to the music is really good in that one as well as just fun to play and the narrator kinda just adds a nice touch to the whole game.

[Roros]

I find it difficult to be objective about videogame music due to the nostalgia factor. One thing I think is important though is that since the sound tech for the first consoles was so much simpler, there was no room for lyrics or high production values, so all that was left to do was catchy tunes. You had really defined melodies which played over and over again for hours while we were having an obnoxious amount of fun, so it's no wonder we remember exactly how they went.

It's also interesting listening to 80's pop music and hearing just how much video game music must have been inspired from the mainstream stuff at the time. Let me throw some out there that, to me as a gamer, sound more like snes or genesis music than pop if you subtract the vocals.

Must have missed this platformer when it came out. This jungle stage sounds pretty cool. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T99hbumhePA)
And here's the next stage with a city nights theme. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El1kgCqD7Xk&ob=av2e#t=0m18)
This shmup sounds awesome, where do I buy? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH3WvI_S6-k#t=0m4)
Now if only those ladies would shut up!

Edit: Guess I'll throw in one of my fave tunes from one of my fave games for my first "console".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0#t=0m38

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

I'm starting to think you have a thing for bananarama. lol.

[Roros]

Hey now, those were just 'a link and a related'!

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

Its ok man they used to be pretty hot. Plus venus is catchy in its own respects (despite being terrible). Seeing as though your from Norway i would have hoped you were a metal head like myself.

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

Edit: Guess I'll throw in one of my fave tunes from one of my fave games for my first "console".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0#t=0m38

Wow very nice! I haven't even heard of this game before. what was the A500?

[Malpheas]

Amiga 500. Just a keyboard with a 3.5" drive in it. One of my first computers... then we had an A2000 and finally a DX4 66mhz PC.

[Roros]

Yeah very similar to a PC, even had a windows-like system called 'workbench'.
Awesome games and way more powerful than the consoles at the time (one of the paint apps had a realtime blur brush that blew my mind), but it just didn't catch on for some reason. I guess it kinda fell between the roles of the PC and consoles, trying to do both but not really appealing to any of the demographics.

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

After looking into it more Roros i feel so deprived i didn't have one. Oh well time to find emulators. woot!:p

EDIT: this thread is totally derailed but who cares were having fun. This thread is totally now about reminiscing about the good ol days of gaming.