Favorite Tunes #54: Those Other Games from Square Enix

I've been listening to a lot of music from various Square Enix games. Threads of Fate, Front Mission, Tactics Ogre, Tobal 2, Parasite Eve. Square Enix really does have a sizable catalog of games to fall back on yet they insist on pimping out the Final Fantasy series. Well there won't be a single track from that game in this edition of Favorite Tunes. It's all about those other games we wish Square Enix would recognize more.

Avilla Hanya - Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (SNES)

Before there was Final Fantasy Tactics, there was Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen, a tactical turn based RPG. A few years later, Tactics Ogre was released with an even greater emphasis on strategic combat. Not only do the the Ogre Battle and Final Fantasy Tactics games share the same game director, Yasumi Matsuno, but they share the same composers as well. Both Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata are responsible for crafting the some of the most engaging battle themes in RPGs, tactical or otherwise. And yes, for those not in the know, Avilla Hanya is indeed a battle theme. That slow build up leads into a powerful main course that explodes at about 33 seconds in. The SNES sound chip never ceases to amaze me. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together was released on the PSP a few years back and I recommend tracking down that version. A SNES cart of this game does not come cheap, nor does the PS version. The PSP game was given a beautifully arranged score, but I still prefer the SNES version of this track over the arranged tune.

Rasdan - Threads of Fate (PS)

Another game released during Square's more experimental years, Threads of Fate (called Dewprism in Japan) allows you to play as tow different characters, Rue and Mint, each with their own set of music. Rasdan plays in the final area of Rue's game and is an alarmingly calm music piece, one I couldn't expect for a lead up to a final battle. But it sounds so soothing that I doubt you'll care. 

Frozen Flame - Radical Dreamers (SNES)

By LicaWolf

Released in 1996 on the SNES Satellaview add on that never made it outside of Japan, Radical Dreamers is a text based adventure game and side game to Chrono Trigger. You'll find a ton of references to 2000's Chrono Cross in this game from character names, designs and even music. Select songs from Radical Dreamers were arranged and used in Chrono Cross like Frozen Flame. I actually think this track sounds better than the Chrono Cross arrangement despite being on underpowered hardware. Naturally, all of Radical Dreamers music was scored by Yasunori Mitsuda.

Happy Humming - Dragon Quest VI (SNES)

The Dragon Quest series, is immensely popular in it's homeland of Japan. When each game releases, there a long lines and they games are usually released on Sundays so kids don't skip school. For years, Dragon Quest V and VI never saw releases in America but this all changed when Square Enix released remakes of Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI on the DS.

100 Missing People - Bushido Blade (PS)

Bushido Blade can be a tricky fighting game to get into. If you're expecting Soul Calibur with nothing but ninjas, boy, are you in for a surprise. Bushido Blade has no life meters and if you're skilled enough, you can instantly kill your opponent with a precise sword strike. Thinking about attacking your opponent when their back is turned? Not very honorable. But if you can deal with Bushido Blade's gameplay mechanics, you'll be treated to one of the most unique fighting games on the original PS.

Body Shop - Racing Lagoon (PS)

RPG elements in a racing game? That's Square for you. While the game did little to turn the genre on it's head Racing Lagoon featured some of the best jazz, fusion, and techno music you could hear in a racing game.

Seabed of St. Elles - Soul Blazer (SNES)

I'm baffled as to why we haven't seen more stuff from Enix's catalog on the Virtual Console. We got ActRaiser but no Illusion of Gaia or Soul Blazer. Named Soul Blader in Japan, this is part of Enix's creation series in the same line of the Terranigma (another game that hasn't been released in America) and the aforementioned ActRaiser. You get to enter people's dreams, fight off huge monsters and repopulate the world. No, not in the way you're thinking.

Grope After Truth - Tobal 2 (PS)

Character designs by Arika Troiyama? Check. Quest mode where the player roams a 3D dungeon? Check. The same team of composers like Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobou Uematsum, GUIDO, Masashi Hamauzu and company returning to do the music? Nope. Tobal 2 contains a sole composer, Takayuki Namura. He didn't partake in scoring Tobal No. 1's soundtrack, but he's work on the Virtua Fighter series speaks for itself.

Those Imprisoned by Fate - Chrono Cross (PS)

I believe I've made it clear more than once on this blog that I'm not particularly fond of Chrono Cross. It has way too many characters, many of which are devoid of any sort of personality and the plot is one I'm still trying to fully comprehend. One thing I've always loved about the game is it's soundtrack. This is actually a battle theme and is another reminder that not every battle track needs to be loud and heavy to carry the point of conflict.

Sacrifice Part Three - Seiken Densetsu 3 (SNES)

This game is unofficially known as Secret of Mana 2 since it's the sequel to the first Secret of Mana. It was never released outside of Japan, but there is a fan translation out there for those curious. It has some of the most colorful graphics I've seen on the SNES and Hiroki Kikuta's score on this game is still some of the best work he's ever done. This final battle theme, may be his crowning music of awesome for this entire game's soundtrack.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #18: Fighting Themes

Two opponents enter the ring (or the street corner, or back alley. Why be picky?), only one leaves. The fighting genre is probably one of the most competitive scenes in gaming, if not the most competitive. I've been to a tournament or two, had some online matches but nothing as grand scale as something like EVO. Maybe someday. What's better than pounding the crap outta your opponent? Doing it to some sick beats. While I love me some Street Fighter, I've kept the number of tracks to that series to a minimum. Gotta show how diverse the genre is, ya know.

              Tetsuo Kato (Arrange) - Fighting Layer (ARC)

Developed by Akira (the chaps behind the Street Fighter EX series) and released in 1998 only in Japan, Fighting Layer is a 3D fighting game I've never played for obvious reasons. Regrettably, I can't tell you much about it. I can, however, tell you that the music to this game is sensational. The score was co-written by Takayuki Aihara and Ayako Saso, known for their renowned work on the Street Fighter EX soundtracks. The original Tetsuo Kato is a great theme on its own, but this will be one of those times where I'm gonna have to say that the arrange version trumps it.

              Sail Over the Storm - Soul Calibur (ARC, DC)

One of the first games I bought for my Dreamcast in the summer of 2001, Soul Calibur blew me away with its stunning visuals and deep fighting mechanics. If Donatello showed me that staffs could be good weapons, Kilik demonstrated just how deadly they could be. All of Soul Calibur's music is fantastic, but Sail Over the Storm is without question my favorite track from the game.

           Cafeteria - TMNT: Tournament Fighters (SNES)

When Street Fighter II dominated arcades and home fighters in the early 1990s, everyone and their mother wanted a piece of the action, including Konami. Their response to Capcom's fighting cash cow? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters. For crying out loud, there's even a jab at Street Fighter on the box art. As much as I love the Turtles, it didn't do much to make me forget about Ryu, Guile and the gang, but it was cool to see the green machines hashing it out in a fighter against Shredder and some others that sadly escape me. Since the game came from Konami, of course the music was awesome and to this day, I haven't met anyone that cannot say Cafeteria is awesome. Play this song during a cafeteria brawl and I guarantee it with be the best fight in the history of dinner brawls.

                   Guile Stage CPS II - Street Fighter II (ARC)

The fighting genre probably wouldn't have made so many leaps if not for Street Fighter II. Yeah, Capcom pretty much whores the series out these days, but there isn't a gamer that lived in the 1990s that doesn't look back on this game with nostalgia. Guile's theme is an audio masterpiece. I like a lot of versions of this theme, but the arcade CPS II incarnation is the best in my book. This song goes with anything. Anything. Just go to YouTube and type in "Guile's theme goes with everything" if you don't believe me.

              Mr. Karate - Nettou King of Fighters '96 (GB)

What's this? King of Fighters? On the Game Boy? Surly you jest. No jesting here. Yes, there were a few King of Fighters games released on the Nintendo's brick. None of them made it outside of Japan so that's probably why few people know of these games' existence. Despite the limitations of the Game Boy hardware, there was some good music in these pocket sized King of Fighters games. Nettou King of Fighters '96 gave Mr. Karate, an quick paced, drum pounding boss theme. With a name and theme like those, I would certainly not wanna screw with that guy. If you played rom hack Rockman No Constancy and wondered what the source of that killer boss theme was, wonder no longer.

             Kombat Tomb - Mortal Kombat II (SNES ver.)

Even with Mortal Kombat 9 being a smashing success (or Mortal Kombat as it's official called), many still contend that Mortal Kombat II is the best Kombat game. Like original 1992 Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II was ported to just about everything you can imagine. I played both the SNES and Genesis versions and found myself like the SNES music more, even over the arcade original. Despite the inferior hardware, the audio sounds a bit more fleshed out to me on the SNES.

       Blue Water Blue Sky - Guilty Gear X (ARC, DC, PS2)

Don't think a little girl carrying an anchor as a weapon is threatening? Think again. Think said girl will have some sweet and innocent theme as her background tune? Wrong again. Known for its rock soundtrack, May has one of the most well-loved themes in the Guilty Gear series. There have been a number of versions of Blue Water Blue Sky but I always find myself coming back to listen to the original.

     Multi-Man Melee 1 - Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)

Is Melee a fighter or not? Don't really care. All I know is that its a fine game, one of the best on the GameCube and a fine example of how to do a sequel. Melee expanded upon the formula of the original Super Smash Bros. added a ton of unlockable (I never did get every single trophy) and just made everything bigger and better in every conceivable way. This track is a rock arrangement of Melee's Main Theme. Thankfully, this song is also in the excellent sequel, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

                        Urban Sight - Tobal No. 1 (PSone)

Tobal No. 1 came from a time when Square Enix did more than RPGs. Actually this baby came years before the two companies merged. Developed by DreamFactory, this was more ambitious than other fighters at the time. In addition to the standard fighting, there was a fully 3D Quest mode. It fared well in Japan but not so much in America. Contributors to the game's soundtrack, which covers a wide range of genres include Kenji Ito, Yoko Shimomura, and Noriko Matsueda to name a few. Character designs were done by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. Tobal 2 never saw a release outside of Japan, much to fan's annoyance.

Without Hesitation - Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (ARC, PS2)

Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution is my favorite game in the Virtua Fighter series. With its incredibly deep three button fighting engine and a lengthy Quest mode the featured AI modeled after real Virtua Fighter players, the game offers something for everyone. The addition of Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary was also a lovely bonus. This game taught me the joy of bashing heads as Pai and customizing your fighter's look, which in this game as I saw countless other fighters, was serious business.