A great video game will bring out a wave of emotions from players. One key aspect of that revolves around the soundtrack. Whether the game has iconic music or well-known sound effects, it can enhance the overall experience.
A lot of the great music in modern games has its roots back in the 8-bit era, when a lot of games got started. Check out some of the best 8-bit game soundtracks of the era that people still talk about today.
1. Earthbound
Earthbound takes place in Eagleland, a parody of the United States. The adventure starts with the protagonist, Ness, as he explores the site of a meteorite crash with his neighbor.
Ness discovers that an alien force has arrived and spread hatred across the world, turning everything into hate-filled creatures. The music in Earthbound has more of a jazz feel than previous entries in the series. The soundtrack also has some influences from reggae, dub music, and salsa, making it one of the most innovative 8-bit game soundtracks of its time.
2. Mega Man 2
Mega Man 2 centers around Dr. Wily using some robots in an attempt to take out Mega Man. Dr. Wily has built a new fortress and plans to use robots such as Air Man, Flash Man, Wood Man, and more to try and extract revenge from Mega Man for defeating him in the original game. Each part of the soundtrack has some inspiration from the boss of that stage. For example, in Quick Man’s stage, the song tries to give players the feeling that time is of the essence.
3. DuckTales
In DuckTales, players control Scrooge McDuck as he tries to add to his fortune by exploring the world. Scrooge does this with the help of his cane, swinging it to attack enemies or jumping on their heads, similar to how Mario jumps on enemies.
The music in the game became a big hit, with the “Moon Theme” being the most famous. The song has an adventurous feel to it. It also inspires wonder and hope. One person even called it “the most perfect piece of 8-bit music ever written.” For that matter, the infectious DuckTales theme ranks as one of the most fun tunes among 8-bit game soundtracks.
4. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
The events in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest occur seven years after the original. Simon Belmont finds himself cursed and needs to find and defeat Dracula to lift the curse. One of the many songs in the game, “The Silence of Daylight” takes center stage with a memorable beat.
In fact, several of the songs found in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest have found themselves remixed in later Castlevania games. While the NES hardware had limitations, it made up for it with stronger percussion synthesis and refinements.
5. The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda has become an iconic franchise for many reasons. One of those reasons would be the iconic sounds and music from the game. The audio that kicks in whenever Link opens a chest or discovers a secret has become an iconic sound that gamers everywhere know. Gamers have Koji Kondo to thank for composing the game’s five tracks, including the overworld theme that appears in many Zelda titles.
6. Punch-Out!!
Originally titled Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, this game features a young boxer named Little Mac. Little Mac must fight his way up the ranks to become a champion. In the original version, Little Mac fought Mike Tyson as the final boss. Once the license expired, Nintendo replaced Mike Tyson with the fictional character Mr. Dream. The soundtrack became memorable due to the selection of songs, including Glass Joe using the French national anthem “La Marseillaise,” Piston Honda using the Japanese folk song “Sakura,” and more.
7. Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)
The U.S. version of Super Mario Bros. 2 came to be because Nintendo of America thought that the version of Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan too difficult for American gamers. As such, Nintendo of America would adapt Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic for the U.S. market and convert it to Super Mario Bros. 2.
Koji Kondo composed the soundtrack, including stage themes and other iconic sounds from the title. The game features some of the catchiest tunes ever assembled for 8-bit game soundtracks, especially in some of the subterranean levels.
8. Metroid
Metroid tells the story of Samus Aran, a bounty hunter sent on a mission to destroy Mother Brain. Throughout the story, Samus explores the planet Zebes and grows increasingly powerful as more items are discovered. The soundtrack for Metroid took a different approach than most of the games on this list.
The composer, Hirokazu Tanaka, took a minimalistic approach. His plan involved making it seem like the player would feel like encountering a “living organism.” As such, a lot of the audio in the game revolves around the action taking place on the screen, such as the upgrade sound, which has become an iconic piece from Metroid.
9. Bionic Commando
A platformer with a twist, Bionic Commando has the player assume the role of Ladd. Ladd’s mission revolves around saving Super Joe and trying to wipe out the Albatros project. The composers for this project include Junko Tamiya (console) and Harumi Fujita (arcade).
Due to the game’s subject nature, Tamiya decided to give the soundtrack more of a military vibe. Interestingly, Tamiya used a musical keyboard attached to an MSX computer to create the music.
10. Final Fantasy III
Since its inception, the Final Fantasy series has always had great music. In fact, some think that One Winged Angel from Final Fantasy VII has become one of the most iconic pieces of music in gaming history.
Final Fantasy III has its own share of great music as well. The soundtrack in Final Fantasy III has a wide range, from upbeat rhythms to more somber pieces. Songs such as “Eternal Wind” and “Crystal Cave” became two of the songs in a soundtrack where Nobuo Uematsu’s style really started to solidify.
11. Crystalis
The story in Crystalis takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Technology and science have disappeared, with the remaining members of society deciding to focus on magic. Some of the music tracks here include “Tower in the Sky,” “Mountains,” and “Areas.” This soundtrack does a great job of setting the mood and keeping up with the game’s events. When the genre switches towards the end of the game, the soundtrack keeps pace with it and helps deliver on the moment’s emotions.
12. Double Dragon
Double Dragon features beat ’em-up action in a side-scrolling world. The version gamers received on the Nintendo Entertainment System differed slightly from the arcade version. Kazunaka Yamane, the composer for Double Dragon, did a great job working with the limited NES hardware.
Double Dragon features a great electric guitar sound. The title of some of the music in the game can sound a bit generic, such as “Mission 1 [Billy & Jimmy Lee’s Theme],” but the in-your-face nature of the soundtrack on the NES does a great job of setting the mood for the action in the game.
13. Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers
Chip ‘n Dale must retrieve a missing kitten in this adventure based on the Disney animated series. The other team members, such as Monterey Jack and Gadget, offer support along your journey.
The soundtrack for this title features iconic pieces such as the show’s theme song (edited and sped up for the game) and the music for the different zones, such as “Zone 0.” Anyone who has played this game will immediately experience a wave of nostalgia after hearing those first few notes. Even though the NES had limitations, fans will immediately recognize these tunes.
14. Contra
The action in Contra revolves around run and gun gameplay. Contra features different perspectives, such as a standard side-scrolling view, in addition to a fixed screen format and a pseudo-3D view.
The soundtrack for Contra features upbeat music to try to stay in line with the action going on. In some instances, the fast pace of the music helps to give the player a sense of urgency to try and get through the levels quickly. For those who have played the game, the memorable music, such as “Jungle Hangar,” becomes immediately recognizable after the first few beats.
15. Battletoads
Battletoads features a mixture of genres, including beat ’em up and side-scrolling platforming action. Battletoads also gained its notoriety from being difficult long before anyone heard of the Dark Souls series.
The soundtrack for the game goes hard, with its fast pace and action-packed beats that help to ratchet up the tension in an already tense situation. The composer accomplished a lot with the limited hardware of the Nintendo Entertainment System and created something that sticks with gamers decades later.
16. Rygar
The NES version of Rygar featured open-ended gameplay, similar to Metroid. The game’s composer, Michiharu Hasuya, did such a great job with the soundtrack that his music replaced some of the music found in other versions. In fact, he would reuse one of the music tracks for Rygar in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Due to the hardware limitations at that time, Mr. Hasuya had to develop the game’s audio utilizing hexadecimal notation. Put simply, the music didn’t utilize all of the noise channels.
17. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
In Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, players get to act like ninjas by being able to jump and latch onto walls and ladders. The player can also attack enemies while climbing up and down. Combat includes the use of the Dragon Sword in addition to Power Boosting items.
From an audio standpoint, one of the defining features at the time revolved around using cheat codes to enable sound tests. The soundtrack has a fast-paced, metal beat that helps energize the player while getting through the various stages. It can be memorable for those who have successfully gone through the adventure.
18. Dr. Mario
Dr. Mario features tile-matching gameplay, similar to Tetris. In this game, though, Mario throws two colored medical pills into the bottle, and the player must arrange them correctly. The composer for Dr. Mario, Hirokazu Tanaka, did a great job with the two tracks “Fever” and “Chill.”
Other great songs include “VS Game Over” and “Ending,” which do a great job of celebrating your accomplishment of beating the game in music form.
19. Kirby’s Adventure
Kirby’s Adventure has side-scrolling platforming action as Kirby tries to fix the Fountain of Dreams after Nightmare corrupts it. The soundtrack for Kirby’s Adventure remains upbeat and meshes well with the colorful nature of the game. Whether talking about the “Vegetable Valley” theme, “Butter Building,” or the “Green Fields” theme, the uptempo and colorful nature of the music helps complement a fantastic platforming game.
20. StarTropics
StarTropics tells the tale of 15-year-old Mike Jones, who goes to visit his uncle in the South Seas but finds out that his uncle has disappeared. The music in StarTropics does a great job of matching the setting. Some of the music can be gentle and catchy, similar to what island life might be like.
StarTropics has songs like the “Overworld Theme” with a bit of a breezy feeling, which helps with the overall immersion. For an 8-bit Zelda-esque tropical adventure, StarTropics definitely fits the bill.
21. Marble Madness
Marble Madness gives the player a bit of a different experience. It features platform gameplay with an isometric viewpoint as the player tries manipulating a marble through a mazelike environment.
Marble Madness made history as the first title to use an FM sound chip, which allowed the music to play in real time. This feature became notable because it synced the music with the on-screen action.
22. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Shredder has kidnapped April, and now the Turtles must save her. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the NES belongs to the action genre, and the player begins as Leonardo. Even though the game starts with Leonardo, the player can switch between turtles by pressing the start button.
The music from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reached iconic status due to this incredibly popular group making their debut a couple of years earlier. Like other Konami titles, the electric guitar helps kick everything off with the title music. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also has sections with somewhat dynamic music, such as spots where the music will speed up as a timer counts down.
23. River City Ransom
River City Ransom became popular with its beat ’em-up action and role-playing elements. The plot revolves around Alex and Ryan trying to get across the city to reach the high school to rescue Ryan’s girlfriend. Some of the more iconic pieces in the game include the shop theme, which can do a good job of making the player feel comforted.
The main theme does a great job of hyping the player up with its upbeat melody. Then we have another song, “Roxy’s Theme,” which sounds foreboding and gives the impression that the characters have found themselves in a perilous situation. It all comes together to provide a memorable experience and the beginning of a franchise that remains active today.
24. Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Bros. 3 has often been cited as one of the greatest games of all time. Koji Kondo returned to compose the soundtrack for Super Mario Bros. 3. He created the familiar, upbeat music that the Mario series has made famous. It could be music on a world map or the warp whistle; each one will hit gamers with a profound nostalgia.
Many of the songs have a reggae feeling to them as well. Nintendo even named the Koopalings after famous musicians, such as “Ludwig von Koopa” named after Ludwig van Beethoven.
25. Journey to Silius
Journey to Silius started as a game based on the popular film The Terminator. Sunsoft lost the rights during development, so the game became Journey to Silius. Naoki Kodaka assumed the responsibility for the soundtrack. The game’s music does a great job of getting the point across for the current situation.
For instance, a tragedy occurs in the game, and the accompanying song has a loud guitar sound, amplifying the tension. Once the player gets to the end of the game, the music tends to slow everything down and can be a bit somber. This does an excellent job of controlling the player’s emotions as everyone experiences certain events in the game.
