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About Me
-About Me-

As an undergraduate student of Biology, I don't have a lot of time or money to support a gaming addiction, but I still enjoy talking about games and analyzing the sub-culture as a whole. I'm a relative gaming newcomer, having only started seriously following the industry with the advent of the Console Wars between the Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube, but I've been playing Nintendo games nearly all my life. As a result, I'm quite a fangirl for the company, so beware of some bias when I post.

A Critical Ear: Analyzing Music in Video Games

If there's one thing that I like more than talking about video games, it's talking about music in video games. As a classically trained pianist that has been playing for more than twelve years, I take a look at some of my favorite soundtracks and how they contribute to the gaming experience as a whole.

#0: Introduction
#1: Villain Themes and Leitmotifs (April, 2010)
#2: Anti-Music (June, 2010)
#3: They Wasted a Perfectly Good Song (July, 2010)
#4: Fight On! (August, 2010)
#5: More Than Just Noise: Nostalgia and Homecoming (September, 2010 Monthly Musing)
#6: While I Play Unfitting Music (November, 2010)
#7: Thinking Outside the Soundchip (December/January 2010)

-Other Promoted Articles-

Using Post-Modernism to Reinvent the Horror Genre
Final Fantasy VI's Dancing Mad - A Critical Analysis
The Wrong Thing: The Root Of All Evil
Other Worlds Than These: Pokèmon
Music and Rhythm Games: A Classically Trained Pianist's Perspective
Feel the Hatred: Zant (Twilight Princess)
Instant Replay: Guitar Hero III
The Start of the Affair: Super Smash Bros. 64
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My Sheet Muziks: Let Me Show You Them (Updated: 3/27/10)
SWE3tMadness | 1:56 PM on 09.06.2008 22 comments


So, I've been a pianist for almost twelve years now, ever since second grade. While I love lots of classical music, as my interest in video games grew, so did my attraction to the music in those games as well. Then one day while surfing the series of tubes known as the Internet a few years ago, I stumbled across some very good (and difficult!) transcriptions of Super Mario Bros. music. Curious, I began to search around to see what other video game soundtracks were available, and never really stopped since then.

Some people show off their massive shelves full of video games cartridges, or their room crammed full of anime figures and posters. Me? I have a ridiculously large collection of video game sheet music instead. I don't have any way of uploading a picture of my overflowing binder though, but I will list all the songs that I have hoarded over the years, arranged for your viewing.


~SWE3tMadness's VG Piano Repetoire~

* - denotes songs that I have memorized
** - denotes arrangements that are unplayable for me :(

Animal Crossing: Wild World
The Roost
2 A.M.

Banjo-Kazooie
Gruntilda's Lair
Treasure Trove Cove
Bubblegloop Swamp
Freezeezy Peak
Rusty Bucket Bay
Mad Monster Mansion
Click Clock Woods (Spring)

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts 'N Bolts
Showdown Town

Banjo-Tooie
Jinjo Village

Chrono Cross
Scars of Time (arranged)
Arni Village - Home (arranged)

Chrono Trigger
Wind Scene (600 AD)
Frog's Theme
End of Time
Corridors of Time
Schala's Theme

Donkey Kong Country
Map Theme
Jungle Swing
Gangplank Galleon

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Quest
Wasp Hive
Jib Jig
Forest Interlude
Rattle Battle

Donkey Kong Country 64
Angry Aztec
Fungi Forest (Daytime)

Dr. Mario
Fever Theme

Final Fantasy
Prelude (arr. for piano)

Final Fantasy IV
Boss Battle
The Dreadful Fight (Battle with the Four Fiends)
Victory Fanfare
Prologue
Clad In Dark (Golbez's Theme)

Final Fantasy VI
Terra's Theme (arr. for piano)
Kids Run Through the City Corner (arr. for piano)
Slam Shuffle
Kefka's Theme
The Decisive Battle
Aria De Mezzo Carattere
Relm's Theme
The Fierce Battle
Dancing Mad
Balance Is Restored (Ending Theme)

Final Fantasy VII
Aeris' Theme (arr. for piano)
World Theme

Final Fantasy X
To Zanarkand*

Halo 3
Trailer Fanfare*

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
O2 Boss Battle

Kirby Air Ride
Checker Knights (duet)

Kirby's Adventure
Green Greens (arr. for piano)*
Butter Building

The Legend of Zelda
Main Theme (arr. for piano)
Secret Jingle
Treasure Fanfare

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Dark World Theme

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Title Theme*
Saria's Song*
Kakariko Village
Windmill Theme*
Zelda's Lullaby
Ocarina Medley
Gerudo Valley
Kokiri Forest
Great Fairy Fountain

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Trailer Theme
Ordon Village
Ilia's Theme
Faron Woods
Hyrule Field
Lake Hylia
Kakariko Village
Sacred Grove
Midna's Lament*
After Boss Battle

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Title Theme

Luigi's Mansion
Main Theme

Mario Kart 64
Frappe Snowland
Rainbow Road

Mario Kart: Double Dash!
Rainbow Road

Megaman 2
Dr. Wily's Stage 1**

Metroid
Kraid's Lair
Ending

Mother
Snowman

Paper Mario 2: The Thousand-Year Door
Cheep Cheep Blimp Ride
The Glitz Pit

Pikmin
The Impact Site
Forest of Hope

Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow Ver.
Title Theme
Bicycle Theme
Mt. Moon
Celadon City
SS. Anne
Elite 4 (Gym Theme)*

Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal Ver.
Poke Center
Cave
Bicycle Theme
National Park
Champion Battle

Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Ver.
Evolution Theme
Elite Four Battle

Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Ver.
Route 202
Elite Four Battle
Champion Battle

Portal
Still Alive (arr. for piano)*

Sonic the Hedgehog
Green Hill Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Aquatic Ruin Zone**

Super Mario 64
File Select Screen
Inside Peach's Castle
Bomb-omb Battlefield
Cool, Cool Mountain**
Dire, Dire Docks*
Final Bowser Theme*
Ending

Super Mario Bros.
Overworld Theme
Underground Theme
Underwater Theme
Castle Theme**
Star Theme*
Level Clear Fanfare
World Clear Fanfare

Super Mario Bros. 2
Overworld Theme**
Underground Theme
Ending

Super Mario Bros. 3
Overworld Theme 1
Overworld Theme 2 (Athletic Theme)
Airship Theme
Ending

Super Mario Galaxy
Overture
Star Festival
Choosing a Galaxy
Rosalina's Observatory
The Story Begins
Good Egg Galaxy
Space Junk Galaxy*
Battlerock Galaxy
Buoy Base Galaxy
Ghostly Galaxy
Melty Molten Galaxy
Birth
Family

Super Mario Land 2
Overworld Theme

Super Mario RPG
Forest Maze

Super Mario World
Title Screen
Overworld
Overworld (Duet for Piano and Violin)
World Map Medley
Athletic Theme (arr. for piano)**
Underwater Theme
Underwater Theme (arr. for piano)
Castle Theme
Ending Theme

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Title Theme
Map Theme
Athletic Theme (Hop Hop Donut Lifts)*
Crystal Caves (Underground Theme)
Castle Theme
Ending Credits

Super Metroid
Red Soil Brinstar Area (arr. for piano)
Maridia (arr. for piano)

Super Paper Mario
Champion of Destruction
Memory
Sammer's Kingdom

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Main Theme
Kid Icarus Medley
Spear Pillar (Palkia/Dialgia Battle Theme)

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Menu Theme
All-Star Rest Area

Tetris
A Theme (arr. for piano)
B Theme
C Theme


Over 130 different songs from over 40 games, 12 of which I can do from memory. If you all have any suggestions or know of a good place to get more sheet music to add to my collection, let me know! There are still many songs out there that I have not found good transcriptions for yet, and would love to be able to play. :D



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20 comments | showing # 1 to 20
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ZekeThePlumber's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2008 20:33
ZekeThePlumber
You win for having rattle battle from DKC2.
Gameboi's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2008 21:06
Gameboi
Most impressive list.
TurboKill's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2008 21:37
TurboKill
Wow, I always wanted to have some arrangements for some games but I would practically have to arrange them myself. (Seeing as I'm just a bassist.) Anyways, I heard a really nice version of One Winged Angel for the piano I believe on some video game music radio channel. It was really good so I recommend that. Or maybe even Cid's Theme for Final Fantasy VII. I would love to find out where you discover these.
's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2008 22:39
Clint
Aww thought I was going to see an epic piano montage :( Pretty amazing list though!
RJG's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/07/2008 04:32
RJG
It would be great if you could make this sheet music available.

Any chance of that happening?
SWE3tMadness's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/07/2008 10:42
SWE3tMadness
I found most of these by just typing in "video game sheet music" into Google and searching around. If you want, I can send you a PM with the sites where I get most of these arrangements from.

Turbokill, I generally only get sheet music from songs that I've played, but I can make an exception for Final Fantasy. The music from those games is just too good to pass up.
SWE3tMadness's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/07/2008 12:55
SWE3tMadness
Sorry, that should be "I generally only get sheet music from games I've played."
Qalamari's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/08/2008 01:25
Qalamari
That's quite the list! I'd love to be able to hear you play some of these. Do you have any way of recording yourself?
SWE3tMadness's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/08/2008 08:25
SWE3tMadness
Qalamari, not right now, but I might get something up later.
pedrovay2003's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/08/2008 13:25
pedrovay2003
Whoa, that's an awesome collection. I love finding sheet music and then attempting to play the songs on the guitar, but I usually fail miserably. :P
Timeknight's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/10/2008 23:38
Timeknight
Hey, can you send me the animal crossing wild world "the roost"?
Awesome! someone else that collects VG sheet music! XD I'm more into the piano stuff, but i know lots of the websites to go to. If you check out a website called Ichigo's music, you can find tons of video game sheet music. Also, check out squaresound. They have some that are formatted on sibelius, finale and so forth. Some are .pdf as well.
MinLeanneVerrill's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/20/2008 10:41
MinLeanneVerrill
If you want to post sheet music for video games or anime try Ichigos.com
fah37's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/26/2009 15:20
fah37
wow great list of songs. i was wondering if you would be able to send me a sheet music that i've been looking for for days? or at least give me a link to the sheet?
fabbemannen's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/07/2009 13:27
fabbemannen
You gotta upload a clip on youtube playing rattle battle
seandabomb's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/26/2009 22:48
seandabomb
I would absolutely LOVE to have the sheet music for:

Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow Ver.
Title Theme
Trainer Battle

If you could, PLEASE send it to me at seanmurray250@gmail.com

You would definitely make my week
seandabomb's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/26/2009 22:48
seandabomb
I would absolutely LOVE to have the sheet music for:

Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow Ver.

Trainer Battle

If you could, PLEASE send it to me at seanmurray250@gmail.com

You would definitely make my week
anubis's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/29/2009 20:29
anubis
could u send me the faron woods sheet music plz. pref in bass clef i play trombone:)
anubis's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/29/2009 20:34
anubis
my email is eli_2012@ymail.com
Luke Simmons's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/25/2010 16:21
Luke Simmons
Where did u find the sheet music for 'Ghostly Galaxy' from Super Mario Galaxy? I've been looking for that EVERYWHERE!!! :/
Tierney Bent's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/02/2010 17:29
Tierney Bent
I was wondering where you found all of the Super Mario Galaxy sheet music. I've been trying to find it for a very long time, and so far I've only found Spacejunk Galaxy and Birth.
I'm particularly trying to get the sheet music for Super Mario Galaxy's Overture. If you could give me the links to where you found it all, that would be great. Thanks!

For everyone else, if you're looking for Legend of Zelda sheet music, try going to herbalcell.com/free-sheet-music. Herbalcell has a large collection of Zelda sheet music available for free, as well as sheet music from a few other games.
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