That's the video game song that gets in my head the most.
Interestingly, despite how it's not as good of a song, I probably think about Want You Gone about as often as Still Alive. It doesn't really come through as a song, just the phrases. "Now I only want you gone." "You've got your short sad life left. [...] I'll let you get right to it."
Probably Stickerbush Symphony from Donkey Kong Country 2.
Lots of good Final Fantasy tracks from Nobuo Uematsu and Chrono Trigger/Cross ones from Yasunori Mitsuda too. But Stickerbush Symphony was the first video game music that really moved me, like more than your average SNES soundtrack. David Wise went hard on those Donkey Kong Country games.
Probably Stickerbush Symphony from Donkey Kong Country 2.
I didn't play the game back in the days, heck until now I have only played the 1st title, but this song sounds so good and I have 0 nostalgia googles about it (although weirdly it emits some nostalgia to me regardless).
I have only played the game briefly but as I am not a native English speaker I can't really focus on the gameplay, enjoying the track and the narration =(
If I had to choose one song, it would probably have to be Undertale from Undertale. The acoustic guitar brought me to tears. Honorable mentions to Rith Essa Mime from Jet Force Gemini, Stone Tower Temple from Majora's Mask, Smiles and Tears from Earthbound, Fear the Dark from Aquaria, and Ocean Planet Aquanid from Bomberman 64: The Second Attack.
The CD-rom for Mechwarrior 2 could play in a standard CD player. Track one was the data for the game, but the remaining 22-odd tracks were the in-game music. We used to listen to the Mechwarrior 2 soundtrack while playing everything else. I still love that music.
Whiterun theme (unforgivably absent from the OST albums)
Fields of Ard Skellig (a version of the folk song "Fear a Bhata")
From Skyrim... hard to pick out favourites
From Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance (Jeremy Soule again): The Art of War. It opens boldly but there's a moment when it's just twinkling in the strings, percussion and a little piano with almost no melody. If at that moment you happen to be watching the trajectory of your artillery arcing towards the enemy, and then the theme comes back as they land... sublime.
Weird one - the labyrinth music from BotW. I used to listen to extended versions of that for hours at work, just to make things feel tense and intriguing.
The track when you fight Consort Radahn in Elden Ring. I am absolutely OBSESSED with the man who sings that one part... You'd have to listen to it and you'll spot who I mean. He has such a powerful voice, you can hear him over the rest. It's just awe inspiring.
It's a piece of music featured in surviv.io, a browser 2D battle royale that has a tragic story of being acquired by a stupid company who ran it to the ground.
Occasionally a Desert Rain Map rotation would happen, and this track is played on loops in a saloon, which there is only one. The relaxing vibes contrast so much with the battle royale.
Oh man, this comment just brought back a memory from decades ago of watching a Warthog-launching trick compliation video from the original Halo set to Song2. I haven't thought about that video in probably fifteen years.
Edit: Here's the video lol. Wow that was a blast from the past.
It's nothing flashy, but I think my favorite track is "Vermillion wasteland" from Crosscode. It really sets the mood to one of the best experiences I've had in a video game period.
If you mean music, it depends on how you can define 'from a video game. If it has to be in the game, The Last of Us by Gustavo Santolalla. If you can allow a bit of a stretch to gameplay-adjacent spaces, it's Daylight's End from League of Legends. Lots of fun music in the LoL space but, without exaggeration, that one was so beautiful I wept when I heard it.
Now if you mean race track: probably Mist Falls from Ridge Racer 7. So much SPEED and adrenaline next to a calm buddha.
I think the main theme from the second is better. Really reminds me of Feel Good Lost by BSS. I mean, he song, but that whole album is very much a similar vibe and I think you should check it out if you havent
At the moment, it's Maya's theme from Killer Instinct 2013. It's an 8-minute long banger and I never get tired of it. But, my absolute favorite track changes every time I think about it.
There's so many good songs out there. I love the soundtrack for all the Kingdom hearts games, both games in the Chrono series, Minecraft, and Stardew Valley. My favorites would have to be the winter songs in Stardew.
Still Alive
Still Alive from Mirror's Edge is also excellent.
They really had to give the ending credits song the same name huh.
That's the video game song that gets in my head the most.
Interestingly, despite how it's not as good of a song, I probably think about Want You Gone about as often as Still Alive. It doesn't really come through as a song, just the phrases. "Now I only want you gone." "You've got your short sad life left. [...] I'll let you get right to it."
I wish Want You Gone was more popular, because it's genuinely a better song and plays the relationship double entendre so well.
Shoutout to You Wouldn't Know, which rounds out the trilogy of songs.
Goodbye, my only friend
Oh, did you think I meant you?
That would be funny
If it weren't so sad
Chrono Trigger - Corridors of Time
Lots of great music in that game
Probably Stickerbush Symphony from Donkey Kong Country 2.
Lots of good Final Fantasy tracks from Nobuo Uematsu and Chrono Trigger/Cross ones from Yasunori Mitsuda too. But Stickerbush Symphony was the first video game music that really moved me, like more than your average SNES soundtrack. David Wise went hard on those Donkey Kong Country games.
That's one of my favorites! Also Aquatic Ambience from DKC. I used to pause the game on that level and just listen to the track.
The whole DKC2 soundtrack is solid gold. I'm hard pressed to find tracks that aren't amazing.
Very true, of the 3 DKC snes games DKC2 had the best music overall.
I didn't play the game back in the days, heck until now I have only played the 1st title, but this song sounds so good and I have 0 nostalgia googles about it (although weirdly it emits some nostalgia to me regardless).
They definitely cooked with the DKC OST.
Baba Yetu from Civilization 2005 is the first video track to win a Grammy.
Only right answer
Music track or racetrack? ;)
Interesting. If they had said, "What is your absolute favorite track from a racing game?" I would have interpreted the question differently.
Hmmm.
Maybe Dragon Roost Island from The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
I'll give you two albums worth:
*Bastion OST
*Transistor OST
I'll add Hades OST, Supergiant generally do amazing soundtracks.
Ready to see The Rapunzel meme happened in real time?
I didn't like Hades.
I have only played the game briefly but as I am not a native English speaker I can't really focus on the gameplay, enjoying the track and the narration =(
I have a similar issue with Kid Icarus for 3DS :/
Alpha by C418 - The background music to the End Poem in Minecraft
Great pick. This track is transcendent.
If I had to choose one song, it would probably have to be Undertale from Undertale. The acoustic guitar brought me to tears. Honorable mentions to Rith Essa Mime from Jet Force Gemini, Stone Tower Temple from Majora's Mask, Smiles and Tears from Earthbound, Fear the Dark from Aquaria, and Ocean Planet Aquanid from Bomberman 64: The Second Attack.
Vigil - Mass Effect
The End Run from Mass Effect 2 is also high up there.
Recency bias, but Lumiere from Expedition 33 is also incredible.
Presidium and Uncharted Worlds are also really good.
M4 Faunts is genuinely one of my favorite credits songs too. Mass Effect soundtrack is just way too good.
Completely agree. The orchestral shift still produced great songs, but the synth music has a special place in my heart.
It's hard to choose an absolute favorite, but I really like First Steps from Celeste.
You can't do this to me. Don't make me pick just one.
Let me have six at least.
Nordschleife
Red Alert, Hell March
So many great ones, but if i had to pick only one
Zelda, link to the past, overworld
Too many favourites to name, but here are a few examples
...
Theme from Monkey Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbWZjfLO2Z0
The CD-rom for Mechwarrior 2 could play in a standard CD player. Track one was the data for the game, but the remaining 22-odd tracks were the in-game music. We used to listen to the Mechwarrior 2 soundtrack while playing everything else. I still love that music.
I couldn't pick just one.
Aerith's Theme and all of its variants in every FFVII game (and movie)
Not one track, but I love all the biome specific music in Terraria.
Tears by Health, written for the Max Payne 3 OST
i don't even play racing games but i immediately though you were referring to a race track, not a music one, haha.
regardless, one of my favorite tracks is THE WORLD REVOLVING from Deltarune: Chapter 1 OST.
My life basically feels like that.
Everytime something absurd happens, that plays in my head.
My Dark Disquiet by Poets of the Fall from Control.
Weird one - the labyrinth music from BotW. I used to listen to extended versions of that for hours at work, just to make things feel tense and intriguing.
That's how I feel about the Lost Woods theme in BotW.
Actually it's the same song lol
The track that played the first time I landed in Mexico on Red Dead Redemption
So emotional
Far Away by Jose Gonzalez.
Shadow of the Colossus - The Opened Way
Current one is this one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IunbXWab1_Y from Clair Obscur Expedition 33.
(But I'm overall in the fucking bag for this game at the moment.)
Recent favorite:
The track when you fight Consort Radahn in Elden Ring. I am absolutely OBSESSED with the man who sings that one part... You'd have to listen to it and you'll spot who I mean. He has such a powerful voice, you can hear him over the rest. It's just awe inspiring.
(So glad I can finally gush about that song)
Legend of zelda theme for the NES. I'll never get tired of it
The Trent Reznor music from Doom III. Gets my blood pumping, ready to fight!
The Halo theme is a close runner up.
Definitly Black Fairy by Akira Yamaoka from Silent Hill 2. If you played it you know how powerful this track is.
Swing Door Saloon
It's a piece of music featured in surviv.io, a browser 2D battle royale that has a tragic story of being acquired by a stupid company who ran it to the ground.
Occasionally a Desert Rain Map rotation would happen, and this track is played on loops in a saloon, which there is only one. The relaxing vibes contrast so much with the battle royale.
The title song of Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon
Ymir by Danheim and Gealdyr
The shift in tone about halfway through is insane and gives me goosebumps every single time.
Song2 by Blur
Oh man, this comment just brought back a memory from decades ago of watching a Warthog-launching trick compliation video from the original Halo set to Song2. I haven't thought about that video in probably fifteen years.
Edit: Here's the video lol. Wow that was a blast from the past.
Fifa 98?
I remember never being able to tape it anywhere except for my friends football game. Fifa 97, I think?
Going old school here - Central Park Loading Theme from Last Ninja 2.
https://youtu.be/SDoTD-hGjLU
Good choice!
Ordinary from NFS:Hot Pursuit 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goS6jFffgBI
Pilotwings 64 - Rocket Pack
I could not even describe this song when I first heard it as a kid. As an adult, I realize this is the funkiest shit ever.
Instrumental: Watchman's ease from Oblivion – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLYWMEWC7as
Wet hands
Tim Follin's music for the first level of Bionic Commando on C64. It sounds like coming up on acid.
Hidden character from Tekken 3
It's nothing flashy, but I think my favorite track is "Vermillion wasteland" from Crosscode. It really sets the mood to one of the best experiences I've had in a video game period.
I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire.
There are some great answers here already, but nothing else makes me want to kick off a new run-through like this does.
Anno 1404 "our honoured guests"
Unbreakable Determination from Ninja Gaiden.
Need For Speed 2 - Headless Horse
One of the two songs that can play during Proving Grounds oval track or on the results screen. It's random.
https://youtu.be/3wS32T_YsyQ
Hidden character from Tekken 3.
Breathing by Yellowcard in flatout 2
Demon Hunter - Collapsing from Killing Floor 2 was a real gem.
The version of Rooftop Run from Sonic Generations
Really most Sonic music, but that song along with the excitement of that level perfectly captures what I love about those games.
If you mean music, it depends on how you can define 'from a video game. If it has to be in the game, The Last of Us by Gustavo Santolalla. If you can allow a bit of a stretch to gameplay-adjacent spaces, it's Daylight's End from League of Legends. Lots of fun music in the LoL space but, without exaggeration, that one was so beautiful I wept when I heard it.
Now if you mean race track: probably Mist Falls from Ridge Racer 7. So much SPEED and adrenaline next to a calm buddha.
I think the main theme from the second is better. Really reminds me of Feel Good Lost by BSS. I mean, he song, but that whole album is very much a similar vibe and I think you should check it out if you havent
I still prefer the original, but it's still Santolalla so it's good.
Hadn't heard of BSS before. Thanks.
https://youtu.be/GfCHqIVwlZI
Fucking
SLAPS
Gotta be Tubelectric.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon - Through the sea of time
At the moment, it's Maya's theme from Killer Instinct 2013. It's an 8-minute long banger and I never get tired of it. But, my absolute favorite track changes every time I think about it.
Edit: Yup, I just remembered Nobuo Uematsu's Final Destination theme and holy crap! Now that's my absolute favorite.
I almost always mute in-game music as the first step before even playing, sorry.
There's so many good songs out there. I love the soundtrack for all the Kingdom hearts games, both games in the Chrono series, Minecraft, and Stardew Valley. My favorites would have to be the winter songs in Stardew.
Either Nemesis the Warlock or Planescape: Torment's 'Bones of the Night' by Mark Morris.
Everyone is Someone in L.A /Tony Hawks American Wasteland