And so the month that was the Planet of Sound series, comes to an end. And I can tell you: Choosing the thirty one songs that made up the serial was not an easy task - let alone writing a paragraph each to go with them! There were so many other great video game tunes I wanted to include but to cut the selection down to thirty one was a tough call - as such many other tunes I liked had to be discarded.
But having said, there's no reason why the one's that didn't make the cut shouldn't get their moment in the sun. So, to wrap this serial up, I present some of the tunes that didn't make the list. Some of them were victims of my self-imposed restrictions and others had to be cut out for slack of room.
So, for the final part of the serial, may I present the rank outsiders:
Xenon 2: Megablast
For the unfamiliar, Xenon 2: Megablast was a game that, for it's day, was a big hit on the Amiga. It was put together by the legendary Bitmap Brothers who, at the time, pushing the idea of software developers into the public eye and incorporating well-known musicians into their works. Of course, this sounds old hat now but it was unique at the time (late eighties). And thus the theme for Xenon 2 was an accurate recreation of the song Megablast done by Bomb the Bass - which is in itself a remix of the theme to Assault on Precinct 13.
Of course, it seems quite unfair to have commercially available tracks in my list so thus it didn't make the cut. But damn, what a rockin' theme this - somehow perfect for gunning down enemies by the hundreds.
Shadow of the Beast - Title theme
Another lost treasure from the Commodore Amiga. I must admit I never played this game (thus automatically preventing it from making the cut) and it's only in recent years, through the magic of youtube, that I came across this theme. But what a stunning theme it is: It's a freaky theme that sounds genuinely scary with it's odd percussion and shrilling flutes. It's truly the sound of an evil forest wherein beasts lie and evil acts are being committed.
And it would seem that if you go to down the woods today you're in for a BIG surprise.....
Truxton - Far Away
Another theme I remember fondly from my childhood. It's a rocking theme and somehow fitting for flying through space and gunning down anything dumb enough to stand in your way.
I know I've been critical of the musical capabilities of the Megadrive before but you know what? I think this is actually much better then it's original arcade counterpart. Somehow, the original comes across as being a bit stiff whilst this seems much more energetic.
So why didn't this make the cut then? That's a very good question. Either space was limited or I didn't think of it at the time. Oh well, it get's it's own place here then!
ActRaiser - Filmore
This should've made the cut but alas, space was limited. Nevertheless, here it is in all it's sword-swinging, demon-smiting glory.
It's a rockin' theme driven entirely by the bass line. Indeed the latter deserves particular theme as it really grabs the attention of the listener and really delivers a sound that one wouldn't think possible on the SNES. The bass makes the tune rumble and drives it forward in a manner that would've made Cliff Burton proud.
Other than that, this is a grandiose theme perfectly fitting for a god. And for smiting demons with a huge sword.
Oh No More Lemmings - Ingame 4
This too should've made the cut: Oh No More Lemmings is loaded to the gills with maddeningly catchy tunes (again all sounding much better on the Amiga than anywhere else) so it was difficult to choose one. That and it was hard to find on youtube. But no matter: It's for the reason of making these tunes heard that this addendum was created.
As mentioned above, the music in Oh No More Lemmings have to be amazingly catchy. It sounds goofy but even now I see such a simple catchy melody - not unlike a children's nursery rhyme - and a load of colours laid on top of it. It may sound simple but really there is a lot of complexity being put to work. Indeed, I think that years later I can still recall these tunes and catch myself unwittingly humming them.
Thus it is hard for me to choose one because they're all so damn memorable. But I think this is the I like the best. Not sure why but I fear that if I try to explain it, it may lose significance. So lets move on shall we?
Daytona USA
Sure nowadays we may laugh at the bad Engrish and the unrelenting refrain of "Daytooooooonnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" but I think that's the key to the theme's success. The refrain commands attention - which is exactly what an arcade game must do in order to reap the change from any passerby's. As a selling point it works a treat as people can remember the theme years later. It also doesn't that the theme is a fantastically energetic and rockin' theme - perfect for a racing game.
Again, I'm not sure why this made the cut. Maybe the fact that the refrain is the only part people remembering held it back. Maybe, again, I didn't think of it at the time - cut no matter. With this post, I now provide an excuse to shout out "Daytooooooonnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"
Panzer Dragoon - Flight
Another tune from a game I never played. True I've played Zwei (however briefly) but the first Panzer Dragoon game eluded me. Thus, it didn't make the cut. Sure there were some tunes from games I've never played that did make the cut (ie Chrono Cross and Shining Force 3) but for me they work just as well outside the game - which is rarer than one would think.
Still, this addendum was written to give those that didn't make the cut some attention so, lets talk Flight:
As time marches on, the series that is Panzer Dragoon will keep descending into a legendary status. It had some great ideas and wonderful art direction but sadly, it wasn't played by enough people. Sure there have been attempts to remake it but Team Andromeda has since folded and scattered - thus ensuring that there will never be another quite like it. Sure Panzer Dragoon Saga may endure as gaming's Holy Grail with the passing of time, it;s looking increasingly clear that the Panzer Dragoon series will never reappear to satisfy the longing of those who want to play it (like me!).
Yet scraps of information on the series remain on youtube: not least this wonderful theme. I love the orchestral arrangement in this theme and it fits perfectly the mood of flying across deserts on the back of a majestic dragon. Not much else I can say bar I love this theme - even if I never have (and probably never will) played the game it's from.
And with that, this serial comes to a conclusion. I hope you enjoyed reading this and you've come away from it having discovered something new. Until next time, may the music last forever. Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment