Keeping it even this week, we have three songs from games and three arrangements of game tracks that are not in games.
The Conflict - Romancing SaGa (SFC)
Another week of VGM Saturdays, another track by Kenji Ito. This time we have the standard battle theme from Romancing SaGa. The Romancing SaGa games alone have all kinds of stellar battle themes but even when compared to greats like Beat Them Up!, The Conflict is still a big favorite of mine.
PLAYER SELECT - Art of Fighting 3: Path of the Warrior (ARC)
I haven't touched any of the games in SNK's Art of Fighting series but the soundtracks are not something that is lost on me. Personally, I think Art of Fighting 3 has the best music of the lot. More laid back character select themes, please.
We Ain't Came to Loose - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Multi)
The soundtrack to Shredder's Revenge is GODLIKE. Of course they just had to have one of the most baller vocal tracks play when you fight Shredder. Even if rap isn't your thing, you cannot deny that this song is so hot.
Stickerbrush Symphony - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES) - Neon X
Donkey Kong Country 2's soundtrack needs no introduction. It is brimming with a plethora of amazing tracks from start to finish. A huge fan favorite is undoubtedly Stickerbrush Symphony, the track that plays during some of the more tense brambled filled levels of the game. I think David Wise would be proud of Neon X's synth fused cover of his classic track.
Sunshine Airport - Mario Kart 8 (Wii U) - Neon X
And here we have another remix from the very talented, synth lover, Neon X. I love Sunshine Airport, both the race track and the song that accompanies it. When I saw this pop up in my recommendations, I had to give it a listen. The addition of a boarding call is a nice touch.
Column Drive - Columns III: Revenge of the Columns (GEN) - amphobius
The first time I heard this song was in Sonic Megamix, a ROM hack of the original Sonic the Hedgehog. I never expected to come across a remix of this one, but once again, I have to thank YouTube's recommended side bar.
K.K. Slider is one of the best dogs in gaming. Not just for his super chill attitude, but for his wide selection of music. A big favorite of mine ever since the first game has always been K.K. Cruisin'. That is a jam that can be heard in one or sometimes two rooms in my house on New Horizons. Back in 2020, Funk Fiction and Tee Lopes worked together to give us this sweet remix and it just might be my favorite K.K. Cruisin' arrangement.
Since I plan a great deal of these VGM Saturday posts out in advance, I sometimes surprise myself when I look back on the music I choose. Legend of the Gunstar Heroes definitely deserves more listens. Since it has been a while since I heard this one, I'd forgotten how hard the guitar goes on this track.
Cyber Space 1-6: Go Back 2 Your Roots - Sonic Frontiers (Multi)
Well, would you look at that. More Sonic Frontiers music. That's two weeks in a row now. I changed things up a bit by using a Guardian track last week, but once again, we're back in Cyber Space. Yes, I use a lot of Cyber Space tracks for VGM Saturdays (they are so FREAKING GOOD) but I adore the entirety of Sonic Frontiers' music. I thought the layout of this particular level looked familiar. It turns out it is Green Hill Act 1 from Sonic Generations.
Lethal Strike - Final Fantasy Legend II (GB)
Back when I first got into the FINAL FANTASY series, I would pick up any game I came across if I could afford it. One such title was Final Fantasy Legend II, which is actually a SaGa game. Kenji Ito wrote this battle theme and I fell in love with this track the first time I heard it. This is high energy chip tune goodness and I am so happy it is available on streaming platforms legally.
SUPER M.T.B. - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (PSP)
The Danganronpa games intrigue me and I would like to get around to playing them sometime. Trigger Happy Havoc originally released on the PSP in 2010 and it has since been ported to the Vita, PS4 and mobile devices. I did listen to the soundtrack for the game shortly after it was released and this track as well as SUPER FINAL M.T.B. were huge stand out songs for me.
Cyan's Theme - FINAL FANTASY VI (SNES)
SQUARE ENIX may treat FINAL FANTASY VII with vastly more favoritism than the other games (OK, a LOT more favoritism) but VI is a grand game all it's own. It tackles a lot of themes such as acceptance with one's self and how the loss of loved ones can deeply impact someone. Terra is largely seen as the central character in FFVI and she has a great story arc but seeing my man Cyan pick himself up after losing his wife and child hits me in the feels something fierce.
I hope you like jazz, synth and battle music, because that's what we got on the menu for this Saturday. Pop in those ear buds or headphones and let the good tunes play.
Guile's Theme - Street Fighter II (AC) - Mitch Murder
The theme that goes with everything. What could make it even better? A killer synth arranged version by our boy, Mitch Murder. The CPS-II version of Guile's Theme is the one that gets the most recognition and this rendition is played in the same key of said version. If this version of the theme isn't on one of your playlists, something is very wrong with you.
Mute City - F-ZERO (SNES) - Mitch Murder
Another Mitch Murder synth cover? What can I say, I'm a sucker for his work. And anyone that gives Nintendo's forgotten F-ZERO series some love in any way, shape or form is alright by me. There's a key change at the two minute mark and Mitch even put another tune in this one.
Steam Gardens - Super Mario Odyssey (NSW) - The Consouls
Jazz is one of my favorite music genres, so naturally, The Consouls are pretty ace. Steam Gardens is a banger of a track. I definitely need to make a playlist of their music and include this cover. It matches the same energy of the original to a T.
Guardian: SHARK - Sonic Frontiers (Multi)
It is soooo hard not to post Sonic Frontiers music every week. Yet, I remain strong to keep these weekly posts from becoming too over saturated with this game's glorious soundtrack. This cool dance number comes with it's own mini boss fight.
Battle - FINAL FANTASY VI (SNES)
The first FF game that I ever played wound up becoming my favorite. Looking forward to (finally) playing the Pixel Remaster on Switch. The music for the Pixel Remasters is freaking incredible but I will always love FFVI's original SNES music. This is definitely in the top 5 for my favorite normal FF Battle themes.
Canyon Run - Hotshot Racing (Multi)
The year 2020 was a rough one. Hotshot Racing uses '90s style polygons as well as music that sounds like it came out of that era to take you back to the past, which was very welcoming considering how craptastic 2020 turned out.
The Big N announced that they would be dropping a Nintendo Direct on Feb 8 that would consist of roughly 40 minutes of gaming goods for the first half of 2023. "First half of 2023" is a bit misleading since some games won't come out until July or late August but this Direct was so freaking good, so I'll let that slide. Stuff that has me hyped for the Switch in 2023? Read on.
Pikmin 4
Image: Nintendo
We finally saw gameplay footage of this game. It looks just as cute, charming and as fun as the other games. Ice Pikmin were shown off and that makes me wonder if there are other new types in the game as well. There is an adorable two legged dog that doesn't have a nose and I need the plushie for him NOW! I suppose I should finally pick up Pikmin 3 Deluxe and finish it. I loved the demo.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Image: Nintendo
The demo was dropped after the Direct. I decided to pass on it because I already know I'm going to love this remake. The Magalor Epilogue makes for some nice additional content. After he tried to conquer the world, I'm tempted to leave him stranded but he turns over a new leaf and builds theme parks now, so I guess I gotta help him.
Metroid Prime Remastered
Image: Nintendo
I place zero stock in rumors. Until things are officially confirmed, I don't care. Welp, Nintendo confirmed it, so now I'm on the care train. Despite owning the original on GCN and the Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Wii, I never played much of the first Metroid Prime. This remastered version looks amazing and has multiple control styles. Nintendo also shadow dropped this sucker. Only $40 for the digital and physical versions. I'm already buying a lot of games this month and Nintendo is making me spend more money.
Fashion Dreamer
Image: Nintendo
I legit thought Style Savvy was coming to the Switch, but my hopes were dashed. But it turns out the developer of Fashion Dreamer is Syn Sophia, the same devs of the Style Savvy games, which explains why it looks so similar to Nintendo's fashion series. The myriad of different clothing is gonna make for some killer combinations. This game looks like an excellent fit for the Switch and I am itching for a release date.
Disney Illusion Island
Image: Nintendo
Combine the words "Mickey Mouse" with "Illusion" and you have people's interest. Throw in a few of Mickey's pals, evoke the look and feel of Rayman Origins/Legends and you've got me ready to throw money on the table.
Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy & Game Boy Advance Games
Image: Nintendo
I initially wasn't really excited about the reveal of these games finally hitting the Switch. But once the Direct was over, I found myself checking the eShop to see when I could download the applications for both game sets. The GB was a huge part of my childhood, so I can't help but be gleeful about being able to play these games again. NSO GB games one-up the 3DS versions by having rewinds and classic GB, GB Pocket and GB Color filters. You can also go with the original GB motion blur. Which I absolutely hated as a kid so I won't be using it.
Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster
Image: Nintendo
I was curious about these games back in the GCN era but I think I was turned off by the card battle system. These days, I play all kinds of games I think I can adjust to battling with cards. I hear the story and characters are some of the best in the RPG genre. The music is by Motoi Sakuraba? *faints*
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Image: Nintendo
This game was originally on the DS and I have only heard good things about it. I never got around to picking it up back in the day, so I won't make the same mistake for this HD version. Murder mysteries aren't my favorite genre but with all the praise I've heard for this one, I'm gonna give it a look. All you fans that played the original, I know you've gotta be on cloud nine right now.
Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection
Image: Nintendo
I never picked up any of these games, but a good buddy of mine always goes on about how good they are. These HD versions look dang good and while the price is steep for all three ($80), I'm still gonna give these a try. RPG fans are eating GOOD on Switch this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Image: Nintendo
Yes, I am beyond hyped for this game, GIVE ME IT ALREADYYYYYYYY!!!! *Ahem* Link can drive tractors now? How did his hand get all messed up? What happened to Zelda? Are there more runes in this game? Will rain strike when we try to climb stuff? I have so many questions. Yeah, it sucks that the game is $70 and I can in no way shape or form defend that, but dang it, I want this game sooooo bad, so I'm getting it. Gaaaaahhhh, I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on this game and roam around, putting off the main quest.
Dranius, Tales of Symphonyia Remastered, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Octopath Travler II, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. This month is packed with releases, so much that I don't know if I'll be able to afford them all. Heck, I didn't even list them all. Momentary distractions are one of life's treasures, so here's some music to take your mind off of this month's wallet apocalypse.
Ordinary People - Trials of Mana (SNES)
In 2019, the sequel to Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan) was at long last released officially outside of Japan in the Collection of Mana anthology under the name Trials of Mana. In 2020, the game got a full remake and from what I hear, it was received much better than 2018's Secret if Mana remake. I'm nowhere near as familiar with the soundtrack to Trials of Mana as I am Secret of Mana's score, but Hiroki Kikuta wrote the music for both games. If you haven't heard the music to Trials of Mana and need an invitation, there ya go. One of my favorite tracks from the game, Ordinary People is a jolly, jovial town track.
SS Anubis - Jet Force Gemini (N64)
The N64 was the subject of much criticism. Since Nintendo stuck with cartridges and Sony went with CDs, the 32-bit machine one uped the 64-bit machine in the sound department. This didn't stop talented composers from bringing out some incredible sound. Rare had some of the most skilled composers in the field and while Goldeneye and Banjo-Kazooie often steal the show for Rare N64 titles, Jet Force Gemini remains one of the company's best works. Just hearing this one makes me feel like a teenager again, N64 controller in hand, stealthily walking around the Anubis. Snag a copy of Rare Replay on the Xbox One to get a plethora of Rare goodness, which includes Jet Force Gemini.
Step Careful (Lexis Theme) - 2064: Read Only Memories (Multi)
Cyberpunk is a genre I really get a kick out of, so when I heard that an enhanced edition of 2064: Read Only memories was headed to the Switch in 2018, I downloaded that sucker. Like any good adventure/mystery game, this one is loaded with interesting, memorable characters (that are superbly voiced), stylish retro visuals and tons of choices which can lead to numerous endings. Futuristic cop music is a head boper.
In what comes as a surprise to no one, the music in Splatoon 3 is freaking amazing. I'm not just talking about the jams in multiplayer. Well, I am today, but the music in Hero mode is also dance worthy stuff. Lame Genie came to my attention thanks to his metal covers of songs from Kirby and the Forgotten Land. For this metal version of Clickbait, he collaborated with LongestSoloEver. Here's hoping they do more projects together and more Splatoon 3 covers.
Get a Weapon - Neon X - Mega Man 3 (NES)
Mega Man 3 has THE GREATEST Get a Weapon theme from ANY Mega Man game. That is an indisputable fact. Even if Mega Man 3 isn't your fav Rock game, you cannot deny that this theme is 11 different kinds of awesome. Neon X knows this theme is a super banger so he gave this synth cover everything he had.
The Shinobi - The Revenge of Shinobi (Remastered)
What more needs to be said about the music of The Revenge of Shinobi? It is often praised as one of the greatest gaming soundtracks of all-time and that praise is very much deserved. In 2021, a digital version of the remastered soundtrack was released. If you're used to the audio from the Genesis version, it might be a bit strange to hear it on the NEC-PC 88 files, where it sounds more clear and uncompressed.
My past five years with first party gaming controls have been, how shall we say, enlightening. Usually, whenever I purchase a new game console, I stick with the first party controller. The concept of having multiple third party controllers never really occurred to me. And then I bought a PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Drifting. A term associated with racing games to get around turns without sacrificing speed. I love drifting. It feels so good to do in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and it makes me realize how much I miss the Ridge Racer series. These days drifting is more commonly used to refer to the analog stick imputing movement on its own without any movement from the player. This results in unwanted movement and can really mess with your game. Drift is such a widespread issue on the Switch that Nintendo was hit with a lawsuit. If the Joy-Cons are used enough, drift is inevitable. I've had it happen on my first Switch. My nephew is on his second pair of Joy-Cons. My sister, who mostly plays Animal Crossing: New Horizons on her Switch, is drifting. The Joy-Cons that came with my OLED Switch are fine so far. I don't use them unless a game demands it like Nintendo Switch Sports. But, it is probably only a matter of time before my OLED model Joy-Cons start drifting. Can we go back to the time when drifting was strictly a racing term?
The Switch is a phenomenal system. It is under powered but it has a huge supply of games, which has made it the go to system for a lot of gamers. The fact that it can be played at home and on the go is also a very big deal. But the drift with the Joy-Cons cannot be overlooked and unfortunately, the problems do not end there. If I'm being perfectly honest, the Joy-Cons aren't enjoyable to use. Buttons are prone to sticking and analog movement feels stiff. Prolonged periods of play with the Joy-Cons is just not comfortable. This is the default controller that comes with the Switch it comes with so much baggage.
As bad as drift is with the Joy-Cons and the stiff feel of the buttons, Nintendo isn't the only one at fault their system with a controller with a number of issues.
When I purchased my PS4, I bought Yakuza 0 and The King of Fighters XIV for it. Yakuza 0 felt perfectly fine to play on Sony's DualShock 4. KOFXIV was a different story. Movement and button inputs did not feel right. A few years later I would buy Tekken 7 and even with that game, I got the feeling that the DualShock 4 was not a controller I could play fighting games on and have it feel comfortable. Sony must have went cheap on the rubber because my analog sticks were showing serious peel wear. It is not good to have your thumb slipping off the sticks when you're playing the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and a boulder or angry polar bear are gunning for you. One of my DualShock 4 controllers, for unknown reasons got bricked. The only inputs it would take were left and down on the D-pad, leaving me with only one first party controller, lest I shell out a AAA game money for a new one. Nah, I'm good.
The problems I've encountered with the Joy-Cons and DualShock 4 forced me to look into third party controllers. As much grief as the aforementioned controllers gave me, going third party for controllers has benefited me a lot in the long run.
HORI's Split Pad Pro is a must have for anyone who plays the Switch in handheld mode. It lacks rumble but the buttons feel amazing, the analog sticks aren't stiff and the D-pad is insanely precise, something you very much need when playing Tetris 99 or Tetris Effect: Connected. Unless you absolutely need rumble in handheld mode, the Split Pad Pro is a great alternative to Joy-Cons. Sadly, these things don't work with all games. I was bummed when I couldn't use them for Sonic Frontiers.
8BitDo makes some excellent controllers, for the most part. I love the responsiveness I get from the D-pad and the analog sticks are some of my favorites from any controller, regardless of the type they've made. Issues I've had with their controllers. A few years back, I was using the SN30 Pro USB Wired controller. For a while, the thing worked great until it didn't work at all. I would plug it into my Switch and would get nada. To this day, I have no idea what caused that malfunction. There's also some noticeable lag in certain games. Mega Man Legacy Collection has it bad with my 8BitDo Pro 2 and so does Splatoon 3. Thankfully, the HORI Split Pad Pro eliminates the lag for Legacy Collection and Binbok's Wireless Switch Pro Controller (with Crack) is an all around great controller not just for Splatoon 3, but a lot of Switch games.
By owning various controllers, I've arrived at this conclusion: controllers are something you can never have too many of. Having an extra in case one goes awry is always nice. That and depending on the game you're playing, you might want a controller that is more suitable. When I'm playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I use one of my three GameCube controllers. The thing was just built so dang durable and I worry far less about mashing on it and doing crazy analog moves than I would other controllers.
I was never an arcade kid, having gone to them very little growing up but the appeal of an arcade stick is still very much there for me. I have the HORI Fighting Stick Mini for my Switch. I have a ton of arcade titles and I wan
Even as I was writing this, I was digital window shopping for potential new controllers to add to my small but growing collection. I would like to have another arcade fighters and old school SHMUPs, maybe something bigger than the HORI Fighting Stick Mini. Being raised on pads, I'm not good at movements in SHMUPs when it comes to arcade sticks, but I'm willing to learn. I could use a Genesis controller for all those Genesis games on Nintendo Switch Online and the SEGA Genesis Classics collection.
I'm not saying a plan on owning a smorgasbord of controllers, but having more than a few of them around certainly doesn't hurt.
I love me some lofi, so I've included two tracks this week along music from 2021's Cyber Shadow and SEGA's Fantasy Zone II among others.
Ridley - Tune in with Chewie
This song was first heard in the 1994 mega classic, Super Metroid under the title Big Boss (no relation to the dude from the Metal Gear series). The theme would be so heavily associated with Ridley over the years that it would go on to become his theme with an arrangement of it playing during his reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This lofi remix turns the tense, fist pumping track into a more chill piece and it works really, really well.
Apparitor, Pt 1 - Cyber Shadow (Multi)
Cyber Shadow is like the NES Ninja Gaiden games. Except there's way, way less cheap bull to keep you from rage quitting. The game can be tough but fair. I'm hoping for a physical release of this game but a year later and still no luck.
Secret of the Forest - Pontus Hultgren - Beyond the Flow of Time: Music from Chrono Trigger
I've come across the music of Pontus Hultgren through his FINAL FANTASY VI arrangements. Eventually, the YouTube recommended section placed his Chrono Trigger album before me. Check out the rest of his music on Beyond the Flow of Time. It's nearly an hour's worth of Chrono Trigger arranged goodness.
FLY HIGH [RD.6] - Fantasy Zone II (AC)
Unlike some game companies (Nintendo), SEGA is quite good at making their music available on streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify. I would argue that they need to get more of their catalog out there, but some of the biggest names are already up, such as Out Run, Super Hang-On and a plethora of Fantasy Zone music. If you have a playlist for happy game music, be sure to add this track.
Power and Beats - Final Vendetta (Multi)
Despite the difficulty that I've heard it brings, Final Vendetta has been on my radar for some time now. The soundtrack is a banger and a half with this track oozing '90s sickness.
Prologue - Curly - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)
The usual hourly music you get in Animal Crossing games is, at first, absent during your first few days on your island in New Horizons. What music you do get is serviceable, but I could see how quickly it would grate on the nerves for other players. Curly managed to make a head bopping arrangement out of that music most player probably tired of hearing. It is the track that kicks off GameChops Nook & Chill and as much as I loathe Tom Nook, I can let the name of the album slide when the music is packing this much dope chill.
Here's a little behind the scenes info. These VGM Saturday posts? I have the songs picked out in advance. In the past I wouldn't have the songs picked until the very day I post. Now? I have songs picked out weeks and weeks ahead. It makes things a lot easier on me since I'm working on multiple different blog posts at a time.
Ahem.
Anyhoo, enjoy this week's tunes!
Johnny's - Eastward (Multi)
I almost bought Eastward on the Switch digitally last year, but that physical version kept me from double dipping. And it is yet another game I have not gotten around to playing. Johnny's quickly earned a spot on my Relaxing playlist on both Spotify and YouTube Music. Lofi artists, where is the cover of this banger already?
Spark Man - Mega Man 3 - Neon X
Synth wave is something I've really fallen in love with over the past few years. YouTube ended up recommending videos by Neon X. I've been subscribed to him for about two months now. This is the first of many tracks I'll be posting from the arranger. He's on Spotify as well. If you love his take on Spark Man's theme, you should definitely check out the rest of his Mega Man 3 covers.
The wait for this game seemed so long. I've done multiple plays of this beat 'em up (Mikey and April are my faves) and the soundtrack never fails to impress. Tee Lopes got wide recognition for his work on Sonic Mania back in 2017 and since then, he's popped up or now projects, even doing arrangements with Sonic music composer Jun Senoue. The music from Shredder's Revenge carries a lot of that super high energy from Sonic Mania. If not for the jingle from the Channel 6 News theme and the bit of the 1987 opening theme tune included, this could easily be mistaken for an unused Sonic Mania piece.
Cyber Space 2-6: Transparent Highway - Sonic Frontiers (Multi)
Just so you know, I could easily go each week with of VGM Saturdays tossing in a track or two from Sonic Frontiers. I choose not to because it is an easy route to take and I don't want to have tracks from that game every single week, as it would take away from other That said... Maaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyynnnnnn, THIS SOUNDTRACK IS SO GOOD!!! I've been jamming out to tracks from this game daily. Transparent Highway plays on, from what I've read, Sky Rail, a level from Sonic Adventure 2. This is one of the longer Cyber Space levels with lots of rail grinding. I've never played much of Sonic Adventure 2 beyond City Escape (where are our Sonic Advneure 1 and 2 remakes, SEGA?) so a lot of those levels are unknown to me. As someone who has never played the level 2-6 is based on, I really got a kick out of this one, both design and music wise.
Chill-pede - Atari Recharged (Original Video Game Soundtrack)
The Recharged line of Atari games offer fresh takes on classic arcade titles like Asteroids, Break Out, and my personal favorite, Black Widow. Each game has smooth vector graphics, is easy to play but difficult to master and comes with music from Megan McDuffee. If you've played the River City Girls games, you're familiar with some of her excellent work.
LAST WAVE - Out Run (AC)
Most arcade games of the day didn't let you pick your levels or your music. Not only did Out Run let you choose your next destination via a fork in the road before each new stage begins, you also had a selection of three music tracks to choose from before you began each run. The music is of exceptional quality, composed by SEGA music legend Hiroshi Kawaguchi, or as he is often referred to, HIRO.
Normally, I would go with all winter themed music for this time of year and I had very much considered going that route, but as I as compiling tracks for this week's music, it had completely slipped my mind to include all cold type music. So enjoy the very mild selection of winter tracks this week.
Walking the Beat - Cosmic Star Heroine (Multi)
I was recommended this game by a good friend of mine, so I scooped it up on PS4 and never got around to playing it. When it came out for the Switch, I bought it for that system. Neeeeeveeeeer got around to playing it. What I did get around to is listening to the soundtrack or some of it, at least and it is very impressive stuff. I probably should get around to playing the game at some point.
The indie scene is overrun with Metroidvania games. Hollow Knight manages to stand out from the pack with a huge map, tough bosses and highly memorable areas to explore. Oh and the music is all kinds of awesome, with some of the very best in relaxing musical pieces coming from this game. One of my favorite tribute albums is Collosia's Hollow Knight Lofi. The album is up on Spotify as well as YouTube.
Snowy Mammoth - Ape Escape Origineape Soundtracks
I often think of how Nintendo and SEGA are so neglectful of their IPs but Sony isn't much better. How long has the Ape Escape IP been rotting away in an attic? Those of you that have played the original Ape Escape might be familiar with this track. The first Ape Escape hit the PS in 1999 and would get a PSP port in 2011. The music here is from the PSP port and its been enhanced. While I do prefer the original PS music, the PSP port does a commendable job on one of my favorite tracks.
I was fighting the urge to include a track from Sonic Frontiers this week. You have no idea how much I freaking love that soundtrack. So I made a compromise by including a Sonic track from a different Sonic game with a different sound font. This is the first of many JX arrangements. Who is JX? A super cool composer that does bang up work on retro video game covers. Bet you never knew how much you needed Sonic Colors' Terminal Velocity Act 1 with the Sonic Advance 3 instruments in your life until you heard it.
DANCIN' SWORD - Star Ocean (SFC)
In late October a bunch of the Star Ocean soundtracks officially made their way to Spotify and YouTube. Hooray! More SQUARE ENIX music to listen to without worrying about it being removed. When I found out Star Ocean music was on Spotify, I immediately added this to my SQUARE ENIX battle music play list. The enhanced version from First Depature is really nice and all but I looooove the Super Famicom original.
Next Chapter - Tetris Effect (Multi)
Tetris Effect was one of those coveted games I wished would make it to the Switch. It just seemed like one of those games that was a perfect fit for the system. Once again, the waiting game paid off. In 2021, the game came to the Switch under the name Tetris Effect: Connected. A physical version was released in 2022. Like the cool visuals, the music plays a large part of the game's appeal. Changes in the songs are based on the player's progress. You'll have to clear a certain amount of lines before the claps kick in on this track.
The 2022 Game Awards have come and gone and for a yearly event I have never really cared about, I did find them interesting for a number of reasons, but mainly for the Player's Voice award.
The Player's Voice award is exactly what it sounds like: fans get to vote for the game they wish to get recognition. It got quite heated between Sonic fans and Genshin Impact fans for the award but in the end, the gotcha game that was released in 2020 emerged victorious. To say that some Sonic fans weren't pleased would be an understatement. I would have liked it if Sonic Frontiers did get the Player's Voice award, but at the end of the day, I'm not really bothered by Genshin winning.
One of my favorite games of 2022 (spoilers for a future blog post, BTW) is Kirby and the Forgotten Land and it won Best Family Game from the Game Awards. As great as that is, that isn't what I or for that matter, most people will remember Kirby's 30th anniversary game for. Kirby's first big 3D adventure will be remembered for it's large levels, sweet Copy Ability upgrades, the new lore it added to an already lore rich series and that unforgettable finale that hits like a freaking truck.
Sonic Frontiers may not have won the Player's Voice award but look at all the acclaim the game has received from fans and critics. Yes, you'll find some critics that didn't give Sonic Frontiers high marks but on the whole, the reception has been mostly positive. When you think of Sonic Frontiers, what comes to mind? The insanely epic fight with Giganto and the other titans? Or how about the time you were minding your own business on Kronos island and Squid gets all up in your face because the whole concept of personal space is lost on it? The struggle of trying to S rank Cyber Space 1-2, the character interactions with Sage, Tails, Amy Knuckles, fishing with Big and that absolute banger of a soundtrack; Sonic Frontiers is such a blast of a game and it has given me memories that will last a lifetime.
Call me crazy for not being upset that Sonic Frontiers lost to Genshin Impact, even under questionable circumstances. But all the enjoyment I've gotten from the game and the super warm reception from fans put me in too good of a mood to be mad about an award snub. Between Sonic Frontiers, the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie and Netflix Sonic Prime, 2022 was a banner year for the world's most famous hedgehog. With Sonic Frontiers set to get a ton of free DLC in 2023, Sonic fans will stay eating well.
I'm doing something I've thought about doing for a long time now: starting VGM (Video Game Music) Saturdays fresh. The original had a good run and as much as I love milestone numbers, the landscape of game music has changed a lot over the past decade on YouTube and I'd like for Volume 2 to reflect that. This means that whenever possible, official track uploads will be embedded from YouTube here. Of course, there's a lot of game music that isn't on YouTube officially and Nintendo still refuses to get with the freaking times and post their music like other game companies do, whuch has made me question whether I should even post unofficial video embedding of their music. In the end, I decided to post what I can from the Big N while it is available.
Since we're starting over, you'll see music from the original run of VGM Saturdays along with a slew of new music. The world of game music is vast and I hope more and more of it will be officially posted on streaming sites and apps. Get ready for arrangements from musicians all over the globe. We're opening up the floodgates, baby.
Vol. 2 of VGM Saturdays begins now.
Cyber Space 1-2: Flowing - Sonic Frontiers (Multi)
Sonic games pretty much always have soundtracks that are bursting with top quality jams. But dang, son, the music in Sonic Frontiers, even by the series exceptional standards, is truly something special. The open zone areas have calming piano music, led by piano pieces while the Cyber Space levels are high energy tracks designed to push you onward. I think pretty much everyone can agree that Cyber Space 1-2 is a certified banger of a song. I've seen streamers that have never played a Sonic game say this one track is fire. You want a track that's gonna get you moving, Flowing is it. Good lucking getting that S rank!
It isn't perfect but I really like Mega Man 8. One of my favorite songs is the Opening Stage. Metatllool has been on YouTube for years but I didn't become aware of him until a few months back. He's done some really good video game arrangements and I'm especially impressed with his work on this piece. The guitar solo and piano solos are just everything in this song for me. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to him on YouTube and follow him on Spotify. Guy deserves way more love than he's getting.
Ground Theme (From "Super Mario Bros. 2") - Lofi Lia
Some of the game music I listen to most frequently is on the more soothing, relaxing side of things. I love a pulse pounding beach as much as the next person, but sometimes you just want some music to chill to. Over the past few years, lofi has become one of my favorite genres, so expect to see more lofi music recommendations from me either with soundtracks or right here on VGM Saturdays. This interepiritation of Super Mario Bros. 2's famous Ground Theme is by the amazingly talented Lofi Lia. Follow her on Spotify and subscribe to her on YouTube if you haven't already.
Penny's Song (English Version) - WarioWare: Get It Together! (NSW)
A year ago, Nintendo did something crazy: they uploaded one of their very own music tracks to YouTube. This is one of, if not the only time I'll post a track that Nintendo, the company that is super stingy with their game music, has chosen to actually share with the world. Man, it sure would be nice if Nintendo did this with, I dunno, all of their music. Anyhoo, Penny's Song is a bop. I've posted the English version but Nintendo has it up in Spanish as well.
Originally released as Nintendo Switch exclusive, Octopath Traveler wound up being a surprise success, to SQUARE ENIX, anyway. It turns out fans are quite hungry for retro inspired RPGs with modern game design. Who knew? The game would later be ported to PC and Xbox One. Why Sony platforms got left out in the cold, I have no idea, especially when the sequel is set to release next month and land the Switch and PS4 and PS5 respectively. Even if you haven't played the game yet, do yourself a huge favor and let your ears get to hear the game's soundtrack.
Roar of Dedede - Kirby and the Forgotten Land - FamilyJules
King Dedede's theme has been a series staple since the very first Kirby game. The composers at HAL have managed to refine and reinvent the track on numerous occasions. For Kirby's big 30th anniversary game, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, they decided to go hard. No, like, really, really freaking HARD. I don't know what I was expecting before I fought D3, but a rock/metal version of his theme was not it. FamilyJules added even more metal to this track. There have been numerous covers of this theme since the game dropped but this one really stands out to me.
WARNING: The following post contains spoilers for Sonic Frontiers. If you have any interest in playing the game and do not wish to be spoiled, do not proceed any further.
3D Super Sonic boss fights. Since Sonic Adventure, Super Sonic boss fights have served as a final battle for dedicated players. These showdowns are often accompanied by stellar music tracks like Open Your Heart, Live and Learn, What I'm Made Of or outstanding orchestrated versions of the game's main theme such as the Sonic Unleashed theme song, Endless Possibilties. I've heard these music tracks and seen clips of these clashes on YouTube but I've always been on the outside looking in.
And then I played Sonic Frontiers.
The first time I ever participated in a 3D Super Sonic boss fight and it just so happens to be in Sonic's latest outing that has received much acclaim from both fans and critics. It was better than anything I could have imagined. And I didn't have to wait until the end of the game to throw down as the golden hedgehog. This fight was waiting for me at the end of Kronos Island.
But first, some background.
That's a big boy. Image: SEGA
The boss of the first island is Giganto, a towering goliath. This thing doesn't even flinch at Sonic's Homing Attacks and repays the hero's pitiful attempts to defeat it by grabbing Sonic and chucking him through two ruined towers like a fast pitch. Neither Sonic nor I was prepared for that work.
After getting curb stomped, I resumed exploring Kronos Island. At one point, I looked off and spotted Giganto, remembered the beating he gave me and said one word, "Nope!" I went back to collecting Kokos, Purple Coins and doing Cyber Space levels. I didn't even wanna look at Giganto. Like, that thing put the fear of God into me.
Eventually, I collected six Chaos Emeralds and would have to face Giganto again, which, in case you couldn't tell, was something I was very much dreading. I don't think I've felt this uneasy about a boss since after getting my metal cheeks handed to me by Vile in Mega Man X when I was a kid. As a climbed Gigant to the building music, my mind wasn't any more at ease.
"Boy, do you really want to catch this smoke a second time?" Image: SEGA
I had a feeling Giganto had the final Chaos Emerald and yup, it turned out he did. That sucker was resting on the back of his dome. "OK, I've got the last Chaos Emerald, but now what?" I thought to myself. I still have no idea how I'm going to beat this thing.
*Sonic transforms into Super Sonic*
I'm hanging on to the other side
I won't give up til the end of me
You know that feeling that swells throughout your mind, when you know without a shadow of as doubt, "YOU GOT THIS!!!"?? That is how I felt once Sonic activated his super mode. He floats in front of Gigant as Undefeatable, one of the greatest vocal bangers in Sonic history begins playing and Sonic just smirks at him as if to say "It ain't gonna be like last time."
At this point, I really need no instructions on how to take down Giganto. Yeah, there's some text on the screen that tells me rings will deplete as the battle goes on and I need to deal heavy damage but my take away from all of that is HIT. HIM. Andrelaline, the likes of which I have rarely felt before, courses through my entire body as I fly towards the titan and start whaling on him. Whereas Giganto felt nothing from normal Sonic's Homing Attack, every blow from Super Sonic deals clear, undeniable damage to him as he is knocked back. He's showing those chompers, but he sure ain't smiling. Every punch Sonic throws shows a transparent, golden fist connecting to Giganto's oversized jaw, accompanied by the most beautiful punching sound effects that an ultra powerful supped up hedgehog can deliver.
Oh sure, Giganto fought back. He tossed out some long ranged swipes but, you know the scene in Dragon Ball Z where Frieza hits Super Saiyan Goku with his Death Beam and he literally just takes it on the chin like it is nothing? That's how Super Sonic reacts to anything Giganto throws at him. You get knocked back, sure, but Super Sonic just shrugs it off. Every time Giganto knocks me back, I fly back up to him and punch the ever living crap out of his giant, metal can.
Image: IGN
Giganto tried lasers, but he clearly has no idea who he's screwing with. To keep from getting laser blasted in the face, you just have to button mash. I messed up my hands on mini games in the original Mario Party, so this was nothing to me. When successful, Super Sonic caught them and tossed them away. Giganto also tried to eat me and once again, mashing is required to keep from becoming a Super Sonic meal.
When you deplete Giganto's life bar, the fight isn't simply over. You get this bad awesome cutscene where Super Sonic flies right through Giganto, finishing him off in a scene that was more than likely meant to pay homage to how Demon King Piccolo died in Dragon Ball and it is so freaking cool!
My first ever 3D Super Sonic boss fight and it was one of the hypest things I've ever experienced in a video game. I was so jazzed after that fight, I immediately went to YouTube to get other people's reactions and it was more excitement for me to feed on. By watching reactions, I also learned that you can parry some of Giganto's attacks and counter with this sick after image strike. Actually, all of Sonic's moves you've learned up to this point in the game can be used when fighting Giganto. Yes, I cannot wait to fight him again with this knowledge.
In an age where so many things are spoiled become some little snot has to have their 15 seconds of internet fame, I am so, so, soooooooooo happy I was able to go into Sonic Frontiers without having this moment spoiled for me. This is one of those gaming experiences that will always stick out for me, much like my first battle with a Lynel in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
After hearing about 3D Super Sonic boss fights, it feels great to be able to participate in one. I legit wish I could do the Giganto fight for the first time all over again.
