Eventually one begins to tire of the auto-tuned pop songs that stagnate the top of the charts like scum atop a pond. The same beats, tunes and lyrics. A homogeneous din about ‘loving you baby’ or ‘partying at the club’. It’s rare I hear a song on the radio once without it phasing through me little more than background noise. Rarer still that I can hear a tune once and be left humming the chorus for the rest of the day. It’s all so over-produced. Sometimes you want to tune out the throbbing bass and the booming drums and the wailing of the former-disney-starlet-turned-harlot of the month. A little simplicity would go a long way.
So here’s to simplicity! Here’s to those tracks you simply could not remove from your mind. Even though you’d long left the dungeon you’d still be whistling those beats. Whether you’re battling turtles or slugging it out with Tyson, the soundtracks of the games of yesteryear were impeccable. Born out of technical limitations, but they will never die!
Punch-Out!!
Who needs weight divisions anyway? Box your way through a cast of colourful characters like Piston Honda and King Hippo on your way to the terrifying Mike Tyson. But how could such a small guy find the gumption to take on men twice his size? Well first he needs a good workout track! And this one does perfectly.
Super Mario Bros.
Including this track is a formality, but I’d be remised not to. So what can you say about perfection? If video gaming had a national anthem it would be this. You could play this to a hermit who’s spent his entire life living in the mountains and he’d still know it’s the Mario theme. A real classic!
DuckTales
I’ve never even played this game but you’re damn right I know this track. Judging by the name of the track being “The Moon Theme” I assume the level takes place in space? I’m happier not knowing. What I am happy knowing is that this is an elevating beat that encompasses an entire adventure in a minute and a half. It’s kind of beautiful honestly.
Mega Man 2
An aggressively catchy beat that concludes an aggressively good game. After disposing of Wily’s legion of evil robots Mega Man lays siege to the villains fortress. And just so happens Wily has great taste in music as the song that echoes through his castle is amazing.
The Legend of Zelda
If Mario is the National Anthem then Zelda is the hymn sung before church. The classic video game fantasy. And though Link has seen many incarnations through the years, one thing has remained consistent. An iconic soundtrack. And that banging green tunic. That things looks good.
