I can remember a time not too long ago, that I would actually hook my NES up to my old tape deck and actually record songs from the games I played. I would then go to school or wherever I could go on a military base on a bike and listen over and over and over again on my Sony Walkman until the tapes started to mess up. If you were anything like me, and fondly remember playing games in the NES era than have I got a treat for you all tonight.
Coming straight outta the internets, tonight's Top 10 is one that I really had fun with. Tonight I'm listing the Top 10 non-Nintendo NES Game Soundtracks. Realizing that the list could have probably been compiled with mainly Shigeru Miyamoto games. I thought it would be good to give the third parties some love. So then, let's get started with...
Shatterhand
Alot of you out there probably don't even remember this game, it came way under the radar back in the day. That means that this game had NO play generally. This had a decent soundtrack to go along with what was blasting your eyeballs, fairly energetic but quite memorable. I remember using this song when I was going uphill.
Metal Gear
Metal Gear...its been a long and tumultuous relationship between us hasn't it. I remember the music that would repeat over and over again when sneaking up to the base and can even hear it now. You were a great game, but you had too many repeating BGM tracks, you made it to the list thanks to the transitions that would happen between said tracks.
Crystalis
A SNK RPG...yes that's right it was a SNK RPG on the NES. The gameplay was simply amazing, and the music was quite beautiful and refined for a RPG on the NES. Not saying that other RPGs didn't deserve to be on this list, but come on Dragon Warrior's music got old FAST!
Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando had your usual marches and military themed overtures, but they were really memorable. Don't believe me? Well its been almost 12 years since I last played this one, and I can still recall many of the songs in the game but then again, I'm weird.
Little Nemo The Dream Master
Ahh, I still have visions of running around feeding candies to animals to make them fall asleep. Then climbing on top of them or in their mouth...wait that's kinda disturbing. Almost sounds like a "Surprise Buttseks" concept game eh? Anyways, do yourself a favor and find some mp3's of the songs from this game, I really loved the music to this classic game.
Duck Tales
I bet many of you NES afficionados can hear the music from the moon stage right now, or how about the amazon level? That's right, the game with Scrooge McDuck makes the number 5 spot on the list, Capcom had many games that excelled on the NES at this time, as you'll come to see...
Blaster Master
I loved the track that starts right after you hit the start button, right after it shows Jason get ready and hops into SOPHIA to start some shit. Remember when it shows the tank idling then blasing off? Hell yeah I do. Great fucking game.
Batman
I loved Batman, still do, but the game was fucking amazing as a 10 year old kid. The music for the game? Even better than the gameplay. I still think that this was Sunsoft's best effort at a game especially where the music is concerned.
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
One of the few games that I've actually paid full retail price for when I was little, and also one of the few that I can still remember how to get in the sound test mode (which made for great tapes of game music!). Also one of the few that I still have muscle twitch memory up to stage 4. Do yourselves a favor and give this one a listen.
Megaman II
Not only is this my favorite platformer, and my favorite Megaman game, but it also has the best music I have ever heard in a NES game. Shit, I listen to the Minibosses rendition of this at least twice a day. Wow, is about the best word that goes with this soundtrack, each stage's music seems to fit that stage. C'mon Bubble Man's stage with the waterfalls, Air Man's stage in the clouds, god damn what a great game.
Well, that about wraps it up for another edition of A Weird Kid's Top 10. I hope some of you out there looked at this list and said "me too!" though I'm sure there are more of you that said, "fuck man, you forgot __________" or "aw man, what about _________". You know what? I might have had a few title slip from my memory, but then again, this is a list inspired from ACTUAL games in my possession. If you guys feel like I let something utterly crucial miss the list, I'd love to hear what it was, so I could go buy it. Thanks for reading, and as always, I welcome your ideas and your suggestions.
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Nice damn list. I totally skipped Shatterhand back in the day but it's pretty decent.
Batman is great, the music is awesome, and I wish Sunsoft was still around. Gremlins 2 was another great licensed game from them with fantastic music.
Once again, great list.
What, no Super Dodge Ball?
I'd have to throw in the little known title called:
The Conquest of Crystal Mountain. That game had some serious tunes. If you have an emulator or a NES still, I recommend hunting that game down. Also, Dragon Warrior is rockin'.
Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu is the number one in my book though for sure. There's some crazy shit going on in that game music-wise for that day and age.
Overall though it's a good list, there were a lot of good tunes in those days!
Ah see, thats a prime example Upgrayedd...however, that game was my #1 on my favorite NES games list. I didn't want to pimp it too much. Thanks though!
awesome but i prefered megaman 3. But then again most of the megaman soundtracks on the NES were made of win.
Mario was robbed, but your list still rocks. Especially Little Nemo.
Wow, Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu, I haven't seen that one in a LOOOOOONG time Mr Squirrel. As for the other game, I think you mean Conquest of the Crystal Palace though I personally never played that one man.
@ Tristero
Mario was a 1st party game...this list is specifically 3rd party.
"Tonight I'm listing the Top 10 non-Nintendo NES Game Soundtracks. Realizing that the list could have probably been compiled with mainly Shigeru Miyamoto games.
@ Tristero
I loved Little Nemo, alot!
OOOOOHHH yeah.... Crystal PALACE.
Good memory old bean. The song on the first level is pretty fantastic. The game itself is questionable.
@ Excremento
Check your hotmail. The Crystal Palace tune should be there soon.
Nice one man, I'll have to check that when I get home.
You remind me of a toad that runs very fast and makes excellent lists.
@ Danro
LOL, why thank you very much...I have a faster Battletoad Avatar I can use...
That is quite the faster Battletoad.
That would also be a sweet band name. Faster Battletoad.
Baster Fattletoad! you knew it was coming squirrel
@ Danro
I want some of whatever you're imbibing.
Ahhhh, Baster Fattletoad...... sounds like some weird LotR character.
Baster Fattletoad:
You had me at Crystalis. I fucking love that game.
@ Excremento:
I understand the purpose of your list. I suppose if Mario's already had 8 parties, it's okay to throw a little love to the other companies. I'm just blindingly tunnel visioned when it comes to the 8-bit Marios. If you made a list called "Greatest FPS Games on the 360", I would still complain that Mario didn't make it.
Did I mention that your lists turn my frowns upside down?
@ Tristero
Nope, don't mind at all man. I like Mario as much as the next man. And thanks for the "frowns upside down" remark, that made writing this all the more worth it.
You sir, have too much time. Luckily for us, you are utilizing said time to bring awesome to the clogs. Sweet list mang!
WhenI suggested to you to make a top 10 list of NES soundtracks, you know what I was thinking for number 1? Mega Man 2. Well done, my friend
Ninja Gaiden 2 and Mega Man 2 where the top 2 games i thought when i read your blog title.
Mega Man 2 soundtrack can give you more hype than 10 cans of red bull toghether, itīs emotion made sound.
Blaster Master had great music.
Fun Fact: There's nothing quite as awesome as turning on your car, and having your MP3 player start with a remix of that opening Blaster Master theme. It makes leaving for work in the morning Epic.