Videogame music has come a long way, hasn't it? In the last several years, game music went from being noise in the background to being fully-funded, high-profile music good enough to stand on its own, sometimes rivaling even Hollywood movie score.
Even with this new quality and focus, a game's music should still fit within the context and compliment what is on the screen. That's usually the case these days, but every once in awhile a real turd sneaks out and into our games. We've gathered a collection of the top ten songs that are so obnoxious that they just need to be replaced for one reason or another, whether it be that they're annoying, ill-fitted, or just plain bad.
Hit the jump to hear some ridiculous music.
10. Final FantasyX - "Otherworld"
If you're anything like me, you played the other nine Final Fantasy games with little to no surprise in the music department. After that many years of hearing the same composer, Nobuo Uematsu, you kind of knew what to expect. Then, Final Fantasy X
came along, and this song popped up. Really, what happened here? Maybe Uematsu was tired of being quiet and just wanted to rock the fuck out. That's fine, but have you seen this guy?
Um... yeah. That's him.
9. Super Mario Sunshine - "Acapella"
This song, which is essentially an acapella arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. theme, isn't necessarily bad. It's just obnoxious. First off, it's not real singers. This tune is played with shitty keyboard patches instead. And why do these fake singers sound so happy when you're balancing on narrow passageways, holding on for dear life, praying to God that your thumb someone manages to have the precision and steadiness of a robot. Oh, the temperature increased .006 degrees and someone the fucking Gamecube controller sensed it, so now you're falling... again. I never want to hear this song again.
8. Sega Rally -"Game Over"
Short, but definitely not sweet, this song plays at the end of a failed race in one of Sega's classic racers, Sega Rally. What sucks about this song is that the singer has an almost mocking tone when he's telling you that your game is over, and that you lost by 00:00:23. And what's with the "yeeeeeaaaaah!"? Shouldn't it be "game over, noooooo!"? Really, it's the last thing you want to hear when you've lost.
And then there's this guy....
7. Persona 3 - "Iwao to Dai Bun Ryou"
I really hate to put a Persona 3 song on this list, as I'm a big fan of the series and its composer, Shoji Meguro. But, I've got to call him out on this song. Meguro, what the hell is this song? I can't say what would be appropriate music for walking around in a dorm lounge, but your slow tempo mumbly-mouthed rap does not fit. And what are these lyrics:
So dance, wanna put you in a trance let's party moving in your body (what?)...
6. Donkey Kong 64 - "DK Rap"
Donkey Kong as a platformer? Great? Donkey Kong as a recording artist? Not so much. You can't tell me you didn't blush for Nintendo when you heard this song for the first time. Did you ever watch the television show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air? I always think of Carlton performing this when I hear it. They rhythm is so bad and the rhymes are even worse:
He has no style, he has no grace This Kong...has a funny face He can handstand when he wants to And stretch his arms out just for you!
Seriously?
5. Cruis'n USA - "Main Menu"
Speaking of bad Nintendo music, remember this tune from racer Cruis'n USA? I remember first thinking that I hope no one from anywhere else in the world thinks that this song accurately represents music from the USA. What I'd really like to know now is how this song was recorded with a straight face. Yeeeeaaah!
4. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 - "Character Select"
Just like it sounds, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is a fighting title that pits various Capcom characters against those of the Marvel universe. So, in what way is "I'm going to take you for a ride" appropriate or fitting? If you think about it, it could be like a kind of taunt. But it's too... sexy? And kind of weird. And why does it loop infinitely? Capcom, were you just fucking with us with this song?
3. Blue Dragon - "Eternity"
Uematsu makes it two times on our list! He may have ditched Square Enix and Final Fantasy, but he didn't ditch his wierd streak. Those that played Blue Dragon, be honest: you looked around the room to see if anyone was watching you play when this song came on. I know you did. It's that embarassing. Uematsu does tear it up in this song, though. It's just that the tune did not fit this fairly basic, no-frills RPG at all. Uematsu, dude, you are crazy.
2. Daytona USA - "Let's go Away!"
Who could forget the insane attract mode song for Sega's arcade racer Daytona USA? "Let's Go Away," composed by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, has to be the the most unintentionally creepy song ever made for a videogame. No one could resist singing along with the robotic vibrato of the singer, and you have to laugh at loud at the game's "C" section, where the singer sort of freestyles. How are you supposed to concentrate on driving with music like this? And the ending - Jesus, the ending - has to be the most epic and awkward song ending ever.
Daytonaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
1. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - "Main Theme"
DOO do DOO do DOOOOOOOOOOO. DOO do DOO do DOOOOOOOOOOO! That's right: the most obnoxious song ever in a game is from Puzzle Quest: CotW. It's that main theme that somehow manages to be about 20db louder than anything else ever to come out of the game's respective console. You can hear this shit from a mile away. The song serves as some sort of aural beacon, proclaming to the world that yes, you are playing Puzzle Quest again. Oh, someone is in Iowa is playing it now. I can hear it.
The song tries to be musically epic, but fails miserably. You can't help but mock it. DOO do DOO doo DOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I want to go on record now, just in case I ever run for political office. I do not approve of and in fact hate acapella groups in any form but especially college acapella groups. I would like to say that under my administration that all acapella will be jailed and have their vocal chords removed. Though I must make my constituents aware that while taking this hard stand against lameness I will be offering presidential pardons to all barber shop quartets and Rockapella.
I need to point out an error in your article you mistakenly had Blue Dragons song as the 3rd worst when you really meant to have it as the 3rd best game song of all time. You gotta love that bridge and chorus.
I.. love the blue dragon song. Its so hilarious and gets you more pumped for a boss battle than any other game ive played. I think you mean most epic songs.
Oh wow, between Crusin' and Daytona USA, I'm having a nasty flashback to spending an unpleasantly long and quarterless time in a movie theatre's arcade where these two games 'attract' modes were a million times louder than anything else.
These two would definantly be near the top of my 'personal top ten obnoxious game songs' list.
Whoa whoa whoa. Main theme for Puzzle Quest is just as good, if not better and more epic than something like say, the Castle Crashers opening theme (plus it's actually looped properly... seriously what's up with that?).
I agree with Daytona USA though. I was slowly scrolling down and was waiting for it. I remember hating it but forgot how it went. Thanks for reminding me.
You gotta love the Blue Dragon song even if the lyrics are painful you are so psyched to hear somethign above average that its a joy to the ears in that annoying game.
Wow yea that Crusin USA song takes me back. I guess I didn't realize it back then just how bad it is. Maybe that was why I wanted to get off that screen as fast as I could.
I still love singing along to the DK Rap, and nuts to anyone who thinks otherwise. It's just one of those things that is so cheesy it's awesome.
That Super Mario Sunshine song really irritated me though. It's not that bad by itself, but after hearing it repeated over and over again because you keep falling into the abyss and restarting the entire damn level, it becomes downright unbearable.
I always wished Puzzle quest had another song, but I never really hated it or felt it obnoxious. but its just that no matter what you do in that game, its always the same song., from the start menu to the gameplay its always that same damn song looping. if you could pause the game I'm sure that song would refuse to.
A few of the songs I knew and smiled at cause I agree so much, then the rest I was just shocked for like a minute and then just busted out laughing. Thanks for that :D
As soon as I saw this, I KNEW that Daytona had to be there.
Me and my brother STILL remember that song.
DAYTONAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Same with Crusin'.
Also, fuck Puzzle Quest for that opening music.
Forces me to jump up and turn down the volume every time.
Though I love to hum it while the game loads.
It's so bad its good.
10. Bit o' nostalgia here, still kinda good.
9. I personally enjoyed this one. Say what you want I'll defend it.
8. Makes me want to punch my television
7. Failed Hip-Hop?
6. I've heard this song used in many places, sadly I remember it mainly from Donkey Konga.
5. This reminds me of Arcade Ambiance
4. Sounds like a commercial?
3. Currently playing this game, when I first heard it I was in awe. I thought that maybe it was just some sort of "Japanese" thing.
2. I remember this playing this game, makes me hurt... in my brain.
1. I'm a sucker for this one, kinda like it
Reasons this list fails:
'Game Over yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh' - reminds me of JT for some reason, maybe his impending 'career over' that hes getting?
Crusin' USA - If I wanted a good racing game I'd play Initial D or WMMT... Cruisn's just good for screwing with at the movies waiting for it to start, and this song just emphasizes how crazy teh whole game is.
Reasons this list rocks:
'I wanna take ya for a ride' - I wanna take ya for a ride I wanna take ya for a ride I wanna take ya for a ride I wanna take ya for a ride ... any wonder why many torrents of the DC version have alternate music. :P
DK Rap -- I'm normally indifferent about rap but this? Pass.
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5:36 PM on 09.12.2008, 
Um... yeah. That's him.
Daytonaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
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I'd like to give a mention to the Chocobo song, hell i might have grown up with it. but at 29 year of age I'm beginning to get tired it that tune