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VGM-A-Day (Day 13: Aquaria)

It always disappoints me when I see threads asking about video game music that people love, and the answer is always something from Mario or Zelda. What I think people fail to realize is that while yes, the main Nintendo games have great music, there are so many other games out there that have incredible soundtracks as well.

What I want to try with this thread is to share a track I think people would enjoy from a lesser known game, and then write a bit about the game or track itself. I was thinking I would do this for about a month, which would lead to ~30 games in total (one each day). If people have played the game I post about, they could also join in and discuss the game + music from it, or post other tracks from that game that they enjoyed. I imagine it would encourage people who HAVEN'T played the game to check it out if they enjoy the tracks that are posted as well (and they are more than welcome to share their thoughts/opinions about the music posted).

PAST:
Day 1: Live-A-Live (SNES) - "Difficult Fight"
Day 2: Bomberman 64: The Second Attack - Sky Planet Horizon I
Day 3: 3D Dot Game Heroes - Go to the Wilderness
Day 4: Grandia II - A Good Unknown Anxiety/Nightmare Village Mirumu
Day 5: Klonoa: Door to Phantomile - Blue Cave Echo
Day 6: Jazz Jackrabbit 2 - Labratory Level
Day 7: Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (GBC) - Scroll Stage
Day 8: Mischief Makers - Steppin'
Day 9: Tetrisphere - Extol
Day 10: EverQuest - Nobles' Causeway
Day 11: Ridge Racer 64 - Cruise Control
Day 12: Jak 3 - Sewers/Haven Forest




Day 13: Aquaria - Heart of the Forest



I always find it strange how Indie developers can make such amazing music, but often get totally overlooked. Sure, tons of people know about Cave Story, Super Meat Boy, VVVVVV, La-Mulana, etc., but I have to wonder how many people are familiar with Aquaria. It's an exceptionally unique game (and a long one at that) with a beautiful atmosphere. It's Metroid-styled, but entirely underwater, which is much more fun than it sounds.

This is my favorite track from the game, and the image I put up shows the area where it plays (The Kelp Forest). Most of the songs are in this style as well - calming yet fairly upbeat. I would always highly recommend looking up "Remains", "Bright Waters", and "Sun Temple" - all of them are like Heart of the Forest, but with variations on the instruments and melodies.

If you have a few bucks to kill, grab it on Steam. It's definitely one of the better underrated Indie games out there.
Hmmm. This is a pretty interesting thread, and a needed one too! I'll be sure to check this thread regularly.
Live-a-Live did have some pretty great songs. My favorites are probably the two final boss themes (Illusion and Pure Odio) and The Bird Flies in the Sky, The Fish Swims in the River.

Anyway, we could possibly turn this into a continuous thing, like maybe have somebody different each month running this thread (or a new one). The idea for this thread is great, so it would give others a chance to voice their opinions without disturbing the original concept of the thread.

e: and if you do want to do that, i'd be willing to go next.
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Megalomania is the only music from this game I really know, and I think it's great. It sounds so epic and gets me pumped.
I'm thinking about using the SMW port version as the music for the final stage in my Kaizo hack.

Legacy custom music
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SMW hacking channel

Originally posted by Sokobansolver
Megalomania


Definitely an amazing theme which I forgot about. It always symbolized the end boss of a particular chapter, so when it played, you knew you were close. On its own it is pretty spectacular, but when you're actually playing and hear it, it fits so, so perfectly.

Originally posted by X-cniS
Anyway, we could possibly turn this into a continuous thing, like maybe have somebody different each month running this thread (or a new one). The idea for this thread is great, so it would give others a chance to voice their opinions without disturbing the original concept of the thread.


Yeah, if people would actually want to keep it updated daily, I think it would be a good idea. In that case, I'll just go until November 1st and then the next person and do a full month's worth of soundtracks, and then we can just rotate on the first of every month after that. Good idea.
I like this idea a lot, and I've got enough obscure indie games to look for vgm from. Plus some more well known titles like Streets of Rage and TMNT.

As for this song, I'm personally not that big a fan of Square's music work outside of Kingdom Hearts. It's not that it's bad, just not my thing.
To be very honest, I actually don't like Mario or Even Zelda music all that much. There'd usually only be a few songs from Zelda that I like or a Mario game that stand out but for the most part those those series aren't really anywhere to be found in my music library not that I think the music is bad. (Just kind of overrated IMO.)

Anyways think this idea sounds pretty neat actually. Seems like it can give people a bit more of an open mind.
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There are some games that are known because of their tracks, like Romancing Saga 2 & 3's Final Boss themes. As for the songs from Mario and Zelda, they're a bit overplayed. Do I REALLY need to hear SMB's Overworld Theme again? Not like the song was bad, in fact it is a pretty good theme, I'm sick of hearing it all the time.

My favorite Video Game songs are "You will know our names" from Xenoblade Chronicles, The Multiplayer Menu theme from Modern Warfare 2, and a few others.
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^ I can agree with the point about overrated music - DKC2 music in hacks is a prime example of this.

As for my favourites, the
Lightning Chariot Base
from Kid Icarus Uprising is so EPICLY HEROIC. I'm also looking forward to seeing what other people nominate.

..But how exactly will you choose who nominates songs every month? I wonder.
Usually inactive/procrastinating on a hack idea.
Originally posted by GloriousWater
..But how exactly will you choose who nominates songs every month? I wonder.

I've already stated my interest in participating in this, so really we can just rotate each month, and if somebody new wants to give it a shot, we can add them to the rotation cycle. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

(By the way guys aka last two posters, I think you're missing the point of the thread--this isn't a thread to post all your favorite songs; that's here. Try to stick to the game at hand; and maybe read the first post if you haven't already?)
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Looks like Aeon Genesis has already made a translation patch for it, too, so I'll add this to my backlog of games to try. The episodic format sounds neat, and I really like the bass intro in that song.

Looking forward to what else you'll present here. I'm not sure I have enough games for a full month, but I might be interested in contributing later on...assuming you don't already cover all the ones I have in mind :b
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Day 2: Bomberman 64: The Second Attack - Sky Planet Horizon I



This game has a special place in my heart, and anyone who has talked to me about my favorite video games at all will have likely heard me mention TSA. I'm sure most people know about the traditional Bomberman games - you go around and bomb your friends in an overhead arena-type setting. This game is totally different though, and it is the last of the trifecta on the N64. It's also the most elaborate. The game is a 3D platformer/puzzler in which you go through eight different planets (levels) and build your arsenal of bomb types. You start off with the generic fire, but you'll eventually gain ice, earth, wind, shadow, lightning, and light. All of these are used in very clever ways to solve puzzles, and said puzzles get much more elaborate as the game progresses. It really gives Zelda a run for its money in spots.

This is my favorite track in the game next to the final level's. The fact that it is in 5/4 time and has a really memorable bassline pulls me in. Most of the themes from this game are a lot more "epic" than your traditional chirpy Bomberman themes, so this is really one of many which are awesome.

Give the game a try if you can find it, but it's one of the more expensive N64 games out there now (60-70 for the cart alone). I believe it emulates somewhat decently though, so hey, there's that!
How have I not heard of this game? All of the songs are absoutely wonderful, some of the best I've heard on the N64. I especially like Title Screen, Thantos I, Warship Noah, and Staff Roll. Nice choice.
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Since I have the cartridge, I tried playing it for the first time today, and there are actually quite a few things that annoy me, sadly:

--3D isometric environment, but standard bomb explodes in classic 2D cross pattern, making it harder to defeat enemies
--Have to defeat all enemies to open most doors, and they respawn once you re-enter the room
--Have to collect kick/throw powerups as if it were a multiplayer match
--Powerups reset between levels and if you die too many times
--Boss battles and generator battles disable your remote control powerup, making things more tedious
--Boring cutscenes with one of those generic anime-styled sidekick/mascot creatures

I'm definitely a fan of the different bomb types, though, and like the other two N64 entries, the music is great. Many of the upbeat songs seem to have more prominent basslines than what you would find in the old multiplayer-grid-styled bomberman games. I also like how all three N64 entries are really different from each other- not just in terms of mechanics and design, but also musical style.
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My issues with Mario music tend to be less that already existing Mario music is used and more that a lot of custom music made by users tend to just be similar to the standard Mario theme. I would definitely prefer more drumnbass-y creations to end up in there - which I probably need to work on myself - along with stronger basslines and more unique rhythms.

Also, it would be cool if you kept the blurbs in a text file or something instead of deleting them. They definitely provide some good insight into the songs themselves.
Originally posted by AxemJinx
--Boss battles and generator battles disable your remote control powerup, making things more tedious


Not going to lie, this frustrated me too, but I think it's simply due to the sheer amount of hits each boss takes. The final boss in particular is brutal due to this (but super creative in terms of how it plays out).

Originally posted by AxemJinx
--Boring cutscenes with one of those generic anime-styled sidekick/mascot creatures


I actually love the designs of the characters (especially Rukifellth), but I don't disagree that I found the plot silly. The art alone is kind of what drew me in.

(I will also admit that the controls take some getting used to, but as you play through, it becomes very easy minus one room near the very end of the game which made me pull my head out.)

Originally posted by AxemJinx
I also like how all three N64 entries are really different from each other- not just in terms of mechanics and design, but also musical style.


I believe that Bomberman's glory days were the N64 era. I loved Hero almost as much as TSA, but I felt getting 5 on all of the levels came down to luck (especially the later Nitros levels and pretty much all of Garaden Star).

@Egadd: Yeah, I'll be leaving the text blurbs from here in their respective positions in the thread from here on out.




Day 3: 3D Dot Game Heroes - Go to the Wilderness



Like Zelda? Like retro-style games and pixels? Own a PS3? If so, don't delay and grab this great game. It pays homage to the "glory days" of gaming in many ways, including references to old titles and an art/music style that feels retro with a modern twist. The main story is linear, but there are so many other areas to explore and bonus goodies to find that getting 100% completion is a huge feat (I didn't even get the good ending when I played through).

If you have played this game, then you should have known instantly that this is the track I would pick to represent it. I find it a bit difficult to explain what makes this track so good, but I think it comes down to a) a catchy 8-bit set of notes at the start which continue throughout, and b) the harmonies. Between the pitch bends and emphasis on the melody, it really nails the upbeat wilderness theme while still maintaining a solemn vibe. An honorary mention also goes to "Advancing through the Coastline" for being a fantastically catchy "main overworld" theme.

Definitely give this one a try. You can find it for like ten bucks these days.
I don't have a PS3, but I did play this game at a friend's house once and I had a lot of fun with it.

Once again, I love all of the music, but I think my favorites are Tower of Darkness and this unused boss theme. Dash Race is pretty damn good as well.

(By the way, the official name for the song you posted is Crossing the Waste. Not anything important, but I thought I'd point it out.)
soundcloud / bandcamp / twitter / buy/stream my EP / buy my touhou music / buy my NEW album!!!
Originally posted by S.N.N.
Like Zelda?

Yes!

Originally posted by S.N.N.
Like retro-style games and pixels?

Yes!

Originally posted by S.N.N.
Own a PS3?

...No >_<


I wanted to play this so badly when it first came out, and even after all this time I still haven't gotten around to it. Based on the tracks you two have posted so far, the soundtrack seems awesome and is exactly what I'd expect from a game like this. I love the mixture of chiptune sounds and real-world instruments.


Originally posted by S.N.N.
I actually love the designs of the characters (especially Rukifellth), but I don't disagree that I found the plot silly. The art alone is kind of what drew me in.

Originally posted by S.N.N.
I believe that Bomberman's glory days were the N64 era. I loved Hero almost as much as TSA, but I felt getting 5 on all of the levels came down to luck (especially the later Nitros levels and pretty much all of Garaden Star).

Definitely agreed; for Bomberman Hero in particular, I love the enemy and area designs. Getting a 5 on every level is pretty tedious, but nowadays I would just use Gameshark or emulator cheats to circumvent that, because I think the game is a lot more fun when you're not forced to collect everything (and speedrun the bosses) for unlocks.
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Originally posted by AxemJinx

I wanted to play this so badly when it first came out, and even after all this time I still haven't gotten around to it. Based on the tracks you two have posted so far, the soundtrack seems awesome and is exactly what I'd expect from a game like this. I love the mixture of chiptune sounds and real-world instruments.

I actually bought a PS3 for this game and LBP2; I don't regret it at all. This game is quite good and has a lot of replayability. Heck, you even get to make your own characters! :D
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Very nice song, it's the sort of blend between real instruments and chiptune that I love a lot. The game itself also sounds pretty fun, I'll have to look for a copy next time I stop by GameStop.