VGM Saturdays Vol. 2. No. 006

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. 

VGM Saturdays Vol. 2 Database

VGM Saturdays #290: We Made it to 2021

Give yourself a round of applause. You survived 2020! Holy moly, what a brutal year that was. I would like to say the worst is over but, well, the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much a real threat. I realize you may be sick of hearing about it, but you need to stay safe. Wash your hands, social distance, wear a mask, all that stuff. I tried to go with some celebration music this week. And since Staff Roll themes represent accomplishment, get ready to listen to a lot of those. 

Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY VII [New Remix] - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

When Sepiroth was revealed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I thought we were only going to get 2 new songs and not a single remix. I couldn't have been more wrong an I'm happy that I was. Sephy came with nine songs, four of which are brand new remixes. The Main Theme of FFVII has long been a huge favorite of mine. This remix is so celebratory and even contains the key change of the original theme. So, so, soooo good.

Staff Roll - Streets of Rage 4 (PS4, XBO, NSW, PC)

Play as old and new characters as well as the original sprite versions of the caste from the Genesis Streets of Rage trilogy. This super late fourth entry did not disappoint an was certainly a high point in 2020 for me. After multiple playthroughs, I'm still jamming out to then soundtrack. 

Staff Roll - Mega Man 2 (NES)

At first it sounds like Mega Man 2's Staff Roll is merely the Title theme being reused. But at the 43 second mark, you hear something new. And just before closing out, it returns to the Title theme.

Staff Roll - Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition (SGEN)

The Genesis soundtrack of SFII sounds the closest to the CPS-I hardware, though I'm still quite fond of the SNES music. Yes, it is possible to like two things, despite what fanboys of the 16-bit console wars might tell you.

Guided Tour (Credits) - Sonic Mania (PS4, XBO, NSW, PC)

"Best Sonic game ever!" Not a claim I agree with but Sonic Mania is really, really good. The music, which featrures remixes and new tracks by the very talented Tee Lopes is on par with the soundtracks of previous Sonic games. Of course everyone remembers the Stardust Speedway remixes and Press Garden tracks but this credits tune needs more love.

Ending Theme - FINAL FANTASY V (SFC)

FF VII, VIII an IX are great on Switch but can we get some SNES FF games, please? I see you with those Collection of Mana an SaGa games, Square Enix. So how about some Collection of FINAL FANTASY? FFV has been re-released several times but it sounds the best on the SNES or SFC hardware.

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VG Soundtrack of the Day 002: Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack

1991 was a big year for video games. Sonic the Hedgehog made his debut, the SNES launched in America along with Super Mario World and the declining arcade scene saw some revitalization thanks to Capcom's Street Fighter II The World Warrior. It was a fighting revolution, backed by superb sprites, animation and a stellar soundtrack. With fighters hailing from all parts of the world, this gives each fighter's theme a distinct feel. Street Fighter II is like the Super Mario Bros. of fighting games: just about everyone has heard of this game but the aforementioned games with the plumbers is without a about more famous. Street Fighter II saw several updates after the initial release, such as four bosses being playable in Champion Edition and four new fighters in The New Challengers. The soundtrack for Street Fighter II came in two flavors, CPS-1 and CPS-2. The compositions for both of these remains the same but the difference in sound is like night and day. Bewteen the CPS-1 and CPS-2 verions, you can't go wrong with either, though I'm sure there will be some tracks you prefer in CPS-1 style over CPS-2 and vice versa. Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack is the best way to listen to this iconic soundtrack with high quality sound leading off with the CPS-1 versions and then going into CPS-2. Choose your listening method below.

Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack (Spotify)

Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack (YouTube)

VG Soundtrack of the Day Database

Favorite Tunes #274: Simply Having...

Christmas is but a mere four days away so this week's Favorite Tunes is peppered with some new material along with some old favorites. Happy holidays, everyone.

Planet Freon ~ Ice Scream - Ristar (GEN)

When Ristar was originally released in 1995, the game was overlooked. This was a time when the platformer was the dominate genre and it was pretty tough to compete with games like Yoshi's Island and Donkey Kong Country 2. Nonetheless, Ristar has its fans and SEGA has given the game plenty of love when it comes time to Genesis compilation releases. The game is a very competent platformer that shows off some marvelous visuals and some of the best music the Genesis has to offer.

Dhalsim's Theme [CPS-I] - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (ARC)

There are some versions of SFII's music that I prefer over the arcade score. I think Sagat's stage music sounds better in home versions than it does on the stand-up audio. Dhalsim's theme is another one where the arcade version never really clicked with me. Until recently, that is. Sometimes it may take a while, in my case, years, before a music track grows on you.

Jack Turner Theme - Art of Fighting (NG)

The few Art of Fighting tracks for Terry's massive song list in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate got me to check out the soundtrack from the Art of Fighting series and yup, great jams across all three games. I am a sucker for a good piece of jazzy music and hearing this one really makes me wish it made the cut for Terry's song selection in Ultimate.

Frozen Factory Act 1 - Sonic Lost World (Wii U)

I played through Sonic Lost World a year or so ago and I gotta say, I didn't find the game to be the dumpster fire so many make it out to be. I thought the parkour system could have been executed better along with some level specific gimmicks, but overall, I had good time with the game. Of course the music was awesome, it was a Sonic game, after all. This one ranks as one of my top winter Sonic themes, right behind Ice Cap Zone Act 1.

Snow Mountain - Super Mario 64 (N64)

Super Mario 64 DS wasn't a bad port but I just couldn't get down with the controls. For that reason, the N64 version has always been my favorite, wonky Bowser model and all. I'd love an HD remaster of the game on the Switch and I'd have no complaints if the music were kept as is because this is still some of the best stuff Koji Kondo has ever composed.

Diamond Dust Act 1 - Sonic 3D Blast (SAT)

I'm one of those uncool dudes that prefers the Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast's music. I still like the Genesis version well enough and there are some themes I think I better on the Genesis. Diamond Dust Act 1 on the Saturn however, wins by a mile. I love me some winter game music and doubly so if it sounds Christmasy. It has become something of a tradition to feature this track every December in Favorite Tunes before Christmas.

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Favorite Tunes #265: Time Bonus!

If you've played a certain polygonal racer from SEGA, congrats on getting the reference.

Zangief Stage CPSII - Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (ARC)

After Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting, Capcom would cease using the CPSI arcade board for the remainder of SFII updates. The New Challengers, which introduced Cammy, Fei Long, T. Hawk and Dee Jay, ran on the CPSII hardware and there was a hugely noticeable difference with the audio. When it comes to the arcade soundtrack of SFII, I prefer some tracks in CPSI and others in CPSII. I can go either way for Zangief's theme.

Competition & Time Attack Menu - Sonic Mania (PS4, NS, XBO, PC)

"SONIC!" "TAILS!" "KNUCKLES!" "MIGHTY!" "RAY!" All said in the glorious voice of Takenobu Mitsuyoshi. This man's accent is just the best. In Time Attack I'll select the characters multiple times because he sounds that awesome. Oh, and the music gets you hyped to break some records.

Car Select - F-ZERO X (N64)

When F-ZERO made the jump to 3D with F-ZERO X, it brought with it some incredibly sick rock/metal tunes to go along with the intense racing. When the music that plays to select your car is this good, you know the rest of the soundtrack is gonna be fire.

Cloud Country - Stardew Valley (PC, PS4, XBO, NS)

My backlog is not decreasing anytime soon, so I have no idea when I'll get around to playing Stardew Valley. By the time I do start playing this game, I'll probably already be well familiar with the soundtrack, which is some of my favorite relaxing music to write to.

Save the World, Heroes - Find Me II (3DS)

The Find Mii stage was one of my favorites for Super Smash Bros. 3DS and I was happy to see it return in Ultimate. The stage is fare more chaotic playing on a game that runs at a higher frame rate. I never did start Find Mii II so the arrangements of Dark Lord and Save the World, Heroes! was my first time ever hearing these songs. Turns out the originals are just as good as the remixes.

Replay - SEGA AGES Virtua Racing (NS)

When I found out one of the games slated for the SEGA AGES line on the Switch was Virtua Racing, I had hoped the Replay theme from the 32X's Virtua Racing Deluxe would be included. Alas, it is not. However, a remix of the theme using the instruments from the Model 1 arcade hardware is the next best thing. It is almost every bit as much of a banger as the 32X version. Man, I cannot wait for this game to hit the eShop in America.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #255: Ring a Ding

Perhaps it is because I've been working on blog posts late in the morning hours and I'm tired, but I've been noticing that a few of my posts have gone up without being finished, including this one. So if you happen to come across any unfinished posts, my apologies.

Ahem, this week, there's music from an old soda mascot and some music you can here in that one crossover fighter I've been playing like crazy, but no new arrangements from said game. That makes two weeks in a row I've gone without including a new remix from it. Can we go for three? Eh, I have no idea.

Shell Shock - Cool Spot (SNES)

In 1993, by some chance, I happened to rent Cool Spot. Without reading any reviews. Miraculously the game did not suck, which was major bragging rights back then (still is to some degree). The game had very fluid animation and a top notch soundtrack by Tommy Tallarico. Fun fact, the man cannot read music but that has never stopped him from composing it.

E. Honda Stage (CPSI) - Street Fighter II (ARC)

You wanna hear one of the greatest, classic gaming soundtracks of all-time, Street Fighter II is a good pick. With the CPSI and CPSII, it comes int two versions if we're strictly speaking about coin-op version. Between the two, I have my preferred versions but you really can't go wrong with either. Near as I can tell, every stage theme from both versions of the coin-op soundtrack is in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

You Call This a Utopia?! (Mother 3) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

Remember when New Pork City was the biggest stage in Smash? Now we have Great Cave Offensive and Paultina's Temple to put it to shame. I've actually been playing a few matches on New Pork City in Ultimate in the battlefield form and those Mother 3 arrangements are really growing on me. Tough call on whether I think this or Porky's Theme is the best, but both are really, really good I catch myself picking them on other EarthBound stages.

Sunset Heights - Sonic Forces (PC, PS4, NS, XBO)

A game that has been put on blast by both fans and critics, I still say that Sonic Forces is not atrocious game it is often made out to be. There is not only Forces representation via Spirits in Ultimate but music as well. Of course, Fist Bump is part of Sonic's music selection but also Sunset Heights. I would have loved to see Space Port and other tracks but Sunset Heights is still a good choice.

Moon Over the Castle - Gran Turismo 2 (PS)

For all of the licensed music in Gran Turismo 2, my favorite tracks are the original music, which has a fair amount of relaxing, jazz pieces. Oh and then you've got this Moon Over the Castle theme that fakes you out with that gentle piano intro before kicking things into high gear.

Ring a Ding - Style Savvy: Styling Star (3DS)

I know I've been talking about Smash a lot the past few Favorite Tunes, but with the series crossover nature, it is also a gateway to other franchises. Case in point, Smash 4 put the Style Savvy games on my radar through the inclusion of a remix and an original song. Both of those songs were I played highly in Smash 4 and the same is being done with Ring a Ding in Ultimate, a super lively track from the latest entry in the Style Savvy series.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #226: Mango

What does Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, Fantasy Zone and F-ZERO have to do with this week's Favorite Tunes? Yeah, that's a stupid question because I wasn't sure what to write for this week's intro. 

Omen - Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

Years ago, I relucantly rented Final Fantasy VI from Blockbuster Video (to give you an idea of how long ago that was) because they didn't have Mega Man 7 in. When I booted the game up and was greeted with this overwhelmingly powerful piece, I knew I was in for something special. This track  combines several themes into including FFVI poster girl, Terra.  

Guile Stage - Street Fighter II' Special Champion Edition (GEN)

I think this is the third or fourth rendition of Guile's theme I've posted in Favorite Tunes. The Genesis sound chip does a good job of making the music sound a bit more like the CPS-I audio that the SFII was based off of, though Guile's theme does sound a key or two higher here. Still, this is a fine version of flat top's jam. 

Opening Theme - F-ZERO (album)

Back in the early 1990s, the original F-ZERO was given a killer arranged album simply titled F-ZERO and like all the cool stuff, it was only released in Japan. While rock is heavily associated with F-ZERO music, this was a full blown jazz album.

Main Menu - DRAGON Ball FighterZ (PS4, XBO, PC)

How's the latest patch for this game treating you all? Maybe that's a question I shouldn't ask. Well, we've finally got a theme from DBFZ that isn't a character theme or a level track. Main Menu themes really don't get enough love. 

Mango! - Super Fantasy Zone (GEN)

This Mega Drive version of Fantasy Zone was unavailable to gamers in the west until it was released on the Wii's Virtual Console. The soundtrack was not done by Hiroshi Kawaguchi, but rather Naoki Kodaka who turned in some really good Fantasy Zone tracks.  

Staff Roll - Street Fighter EX2 Plus (PS)

Since we've reached the end of another Favorite Tunes, let's close it out with a staff roll song. Like the Tekken series, when the EX titles came home, they recieved a few extras not found in the arcade versions such as more modes and of course, remixed music. When it came to the original EX, the PS arranged tunes were vastly superior to the arcade tracks. However, the arcade tunes of EX2 are so good that they rival that of the arranged tracks. 

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #204: The Most Adorable Little Robot

If you came to hear music featuring a sumo wrestler, a diminutive robot, a blue hedgehog and a fox, then you've come to the right place. For this week's Favorite Tunes, we've got kinda a modern and retro vibe going on with songs from the 16-bit era, the sixth console generation and stuff from today.

Chibi-Robo! - Chibi-Robo! (GCN)

Pikmin, Splatoon and now ARMS are often thought to be the only new Nintendo IPs released in the last 16 years. There have actually been more than that, though not all of them have been received anywhere near as well as the aforementioned. One such franchise is the Chibi-Robo series. The first entry hit the GameCube in 2006. Had Zip Lash not been released after started bringing out amiibos, fans probably wouldn't have any sort of merch for tiny robo.

Ghost Town - Sonic Forces (PC, PS4, XBO, NS)

Naofumi Hatauya (Sonic CD, Sonic 2 8-bit) is a veteran Sonic music composer so bringing him in as an additional song writer for Sonic Forces was a smart move. Some of Classic Sonic's music tracks are definitely bad (that Green Hill song is atrocious) but then you've got major winners like Ghost Town. With those distinct Genesis claps, drum rolls and that bassline, Ghost Town is a track I listen to regularly on repeat.

Macbeth - Star Fox 2 (SNES)

For the longest time, Star Fox 2 was an unreleased SNES. Oh sure, you could play the dumped ROM or get a reproduction cart but it wasn't unitl Nintendo release the SNES Classic Edition that Star Fox 2 was finally given an official release. I just bought one of those little SNES marvels so I'll be checking out the game myself sometime. From what little of the music I've heard, I enjoy.

Phantasy - Phantasy Star II (GEN)

We gripe about games costing $60 today but in 1989, Phantasy Star II set consumers back a whopping $90! Collector's Editions weren't a thing back then so that was just for the standard game. Many would argue that it was worth every peny as Phantasy Star II is often viewed as one of the best games on the Genesis, thanks in no small part to the outstanding soundtrack. Fun fact: the music is slightly different between the Japanese and American versions.

E. Honda Stage - Street Fighter II (SNES)

Yoko Shimomura did an amazing job composing much of the music from one of the most revered fighting games ever made. Each fighter has a unique stage theme that reflects them and the part of the world they hail from. As much as I enjoy the CPSI and CPSII versions of Street Fighter II's soundtracks, when it comes to certain character themes, I prefer the console versions over the co-op. For me, E. Honda's theme has never sounded better than it does on the SNES.

Boss - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)

With the reveal that the four famous turtles are joining the roster of Injustice 2, this is as good a time as any for more Turtles music. This port of the arcade game is widely considered to be superior to it's stand up counter part even when you take into account the max number of players is two instead of four. Man, this game needs to be re-released.

Favorite Tunes Database