Ever felt like a cyborg commander battling robots and giving the middle finger with your robotic arm? If not, put in your earbuds and get into the game. The right soundtrack immerses you in a video game’s universe, and for Long Island’s resident pop punk 8-bit warriors Patent Pending, there was only one logical thing to do: meld their shared love of video games and game soundtracks. They’ve infused the band’s trademark sound with gaming’s musical elements and references for an infectious EP entitled Mario & The Brick Breakers: Greatest Hits (complete with one of the best trailers we’ve ever seen). To celebrate the EP’s release, Patent Pending are here to lace this week’s Tuesday Ten with the best video game soundtracks of all time.
Grab the EP on iTunes here!
10. Mega Man 2
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT9DST_M_g8
From the intro music to the final stages of the game, these songs sound like 8-bit Iron Maiden songs. For obvious reasons, this is a good thing. From the mellowed ambience of Bubble Man’s stage, to the “I’M GONNA BEAT THIS SUPER F*%#ING HARD GAME” Dr. Wiley stage music, this soundtrack is a classic.
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtles In Time
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX_wuXDz-xo
Possibly the greatest boss music of all time. You may even find yourself wondering how any human could put together these types of songs because of how complex and just flat out awesome they are.
8. Final Fantasy 7-10
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R84LyeIfN68
The composers of these songs did such a great job with matching the music to the environments. You can ask any fan to hum a battle/boss theme from any of the four games and it would come back to them as if they played the game three minutes ago.
7. Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir54LOSdhTU
A spoof of almost every 80s action movie, the soundtrack sounds like a blend of the Predator/Terminator/Escape from New York soundtracks. It really makes you feel like a cyborg commander battling robots and giving the middle finger with your robotic arm.
6. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ShzyggtsCs
Having the power to control the weather, time, and even your horse companion with an ocarina makes this soundtrack something you will never forget. You can also never forget Navi the annoying fairy constantly yelling “Hey!” or “Listen!” whenever she finds something.
5. Resident Evil 2
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQRPQsFvGJ8
The police station music gave me nightmares for weeks. Pair that with the eerie sound effects such as echoing footsteps and even bullet shells hitting the floor, and this game will creep anybody out.
4. RBI Baseball
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmaBcK7FEkY
An upbeat two-synth masterpiece on repeat for the entire game. It embodies everything that old-school Nintendo games brought to the table in the audio department. It’s also guitarist Marc Kanton’s favorite baseball player’s walk-up music, the one and only Chris Getz of Kansas City Royals fame.
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAQ84RcssEQ
A magical 80’s soundtrack blaring through the speaker as you destroy an entire metropolitan area. Who doesn’t want to steal cars on a fictional plain while listening to REO Speed Wagon or throw grenades to the soothing tones of Flock of Seagulls? Perfect!
2. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqZ2HMGCqRk
Whoever composed these songs literally found the absolute essence of motivation and inspiration in 8-bit sounds. Every fight has the same music to it, and it never gets old–it just gets you in the zone. It’s the 8-bit answer to cheesy 80’s/90’s sports movie montage scenes.
1. Super Mario Bros. (the original)
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhscMsBhNhw
This is obviously the most classic and inspirational of all video game soundtracks. The glorious 8-bit tones with alternate songs for normal levels, underground scenes, and even a separate soundtrack for star-power, it perfectly helps tell the incredible story of a plumber in search of a captured princess.
