VGM Saturdays Vol. 2 No. 004

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.

VGM Saturdays Vol. 2 Database