Let these video game soundtracks convince you that you can take anything on!
Music is powerful. Depending on the lilt of the voices, the abrasiveness of the guitars, or the swell of the violins, music can make you feel a gamut of emotions from joy to rage, from solitude to despair.
Video game soundtracks exist to reinforce such emotions. And it just so happens that some of them are extremely good at making you feel like you can take on anything the cosmos throws at you. In other words, they are the 15 Best Video Game Soundtracks That Will Make You Feel Awesome.
15. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls has always had an awesome theme, but it didn’t rise to the realms of epicness until Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Pounding drums like the footsteps of giants? Check. Blasting horns that you can imagine fortresses crumbling to? Check. And how about the manliest choir in existence to convince you that your blood is made entirely of testosterone? Not to mention there’s that enchanting voice solo that lends an aura of magic and mystery to the entire, splendid thing.
But Skyrim’s soundtrack is chockfull of other such goodness, including the Sovngarde theme – which is probably what dying and going to Viking heaven sounds like.
Man or woman, nothing succeeds at making you feel like a total badass quite like the Skyrim soundtrack. No mammoths, liches, or dragons are safe once it’s entered your system!
14. StarCraft II
Video gaming’s greatest space opera, StarCraft, comes with a medley of tunes so epic, you’ll probably want them playing in the background while you’re off conquering worlds.
StarCraft II has everything you need, but of course it depends on what kind of sci-fi hero you are. Are you into things like valor and sacrifice? The Wings of Liberty theme has all the makings of a patriotic anthem. Are you noble, wise, and highly intelligent? Reach enlightenment with the Legacy of the Void theme. Of course, if you simply enjoy watching things burn, the Heart of the Swarm theme’s bone-crunching guitars is the perfect choice.
One of our favorite video game soundtracks, and we’re pretty sure you love it just as much.
13. Legend of Zelda
It’s impossible to think of The Legend of Zelda without its glorious main theme playing in your brain.
This is the soundtrack you hear when you’re marching off to another glorious adventure. Caves full of monsters? Dark castles littered with deadly traps? Lands enslaved by power-hungry wizards? With sword in one hand and your shield in the other, nothing will stand in your way to victory.
Seriously; few themes can sum up bravery and epic adventure in one neat little package so well. Of course the entire franchise is abound with memorable melodies. Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and A Link to the Past are just a few of the titles that have given us some of the best video game soundtracks in more than two decades.
12. Halo
Halo is a science fiction franchise that needs no introduction. And if you’re a fan of the series, its soundtrack is likely something that has become an indelible part of your existence.
The main theme is especially grand, combining spirituality, adventure, and what sounds like a Celtic jig. The Halo 2 version brought in face-melting guitars and haunting vocals. Halo 3 was all about the piano and those sweeping violins.
If you love futuristic combat set in space, few video game soundtracks capture the thrill of adventure and the unrivalled magnificence of the cosmos quite like the soundtrack of the Halo franchise.
11. World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is our generation’s greatest MMORPG. If you’re looking for the soundtrack to the savagery of war, and the courage and nobility of sacrificing yourself for the greater good, it also has some of the best musical themes in gaming,
You can’t listen to these symphonies without massive armies of orcs, humans, night elves, and tauren popping into your head. Battlefields scorched by powerful arcana? Vast stretches of land littered with the dead? The smoldering ruins of castles? They’re are all part and parcel of the World of Warcraft musical experience.
10. Street Fighter
You know what theme song goes with everything?
Guile’s theme song from the Street Fighter franchise.
Guile’s theme is so epic it has entered the legendary realm of memes. We’re not sure what it would say were we to give it lyrics, (although some enterprising fellows have certainly tried) but it’ll probably be about the search for justice, being a family man (or woman), and the hardships of being a hard, hard individual with no eyebrows.
But hey, Guile isn’t the only world warrior with an awesome theme. Ken’s heavy metal ruckus will burn your face off. Juri’s reminds us why this South Korean femme fatale is the main villain of Super Street Fighter IV. E. Honda’s is all about ancient Japanese culture and the joys of sitting on someone’s face. Dhalsim’s, as bliss in musical form, makes you want to ride elephants and puts you in touch with your spiritual side. And Zangief’s… well, Zangief’s theme is probably about nothing in particular, except getting drunk on vodka while playing bass.
Definitely a franchise with one of the best video game soundtracks!
9. Kingdom Hearts
The Kingdom Hearts series is known for fusing two of the greatest entertainment leviathans: Disney and Square Enix.
It also has one of the best video game soundtracks in the world.
The main theme of the first game is so emotionally powerful you can feel your heart swelling with every crescendo. It’s a song that says many things about love, friendship, sacrifice, and bonds that never break. Which is exactly what the game’s about.
And who can forget Utada Hikaru’s soulful voice in her beautiful rendition of the song?
The series boasts plenty of other similarly gorgeous tracks, including Kingdom Heart II’s Dearly Beloved and Sanctuary, as sung once again by Utada Hikaru. We can’t wait for Kingdom Hearts III – for the gaming goodness, and the music!
8. Duck Tales
In the 90s, Capcom released a gem of a game based on Disney’s Duck Tales.
The Duck Tales game had some wonderful stages, and each one boasted an earworm that was hard to kill. Not that you’d want to kill it, because those themes are simply incredible.
Okay, so we already know the show’s theme song, which is included in the game, is a whole lot of fun. But it’s the music specially made for the game that we love most of all. From the unforgettable moon theme to the Amazon theme, these tunes are all about the joys of the exploration and discovery.
If you wake up one morning with a beak and a bunch of feathers covering your skin, this is the soundtrack to go on globetrotting adventures on.
7. Castlevania
They really knew how to write video game music back in the 80s.
Konami’s masterpiece of gothic horror, Castlevania, is replete with dark melodies. And they’re sure to make you feel like you can face the lord of darkness, Dracula, and come away not only with all your limbs intact, but his undead head in bag. Alternatively, it summons images of you being the master vampire himself, and sending hordes of evil creatures to lay waste to the lands. Hey, whatever floats your boat!
If you love your video game soundtracks with a sinister vibe, you’ve got to check out the music for Castlevania.
6. Metal Gear Solid
Heroic. That sums up what the Metal Gear themes evoke: the feeling that you can be the hero. That you can be courageous and do the right thing even with the odds stacked against you. It’s the perfect mirror of series protagonist’s Solid Snake’s journey, which usually has him, a single operative, fighting against hundreds of armed soldiers and giant, nuke-wielding robots - not to mention preventing the world from plummeting into chaos and saving the entirety of humanity.
The franchise has been rocking us with its amazing music since the first Metal Gear Solid, and it has yet to stop (although with Kojima out of the picture, the future of the series is clouded by uncertainty). It isn’t afraid to do something different, too. Who can forget the 60s Cold War spy anthem, Snake Eater, from Metal Gear Solid 3? Or the J-pop Peace Walker song, Koi no Yokushiroku? The upcoming Metal Gear Solid V doesn’t sound like it will disappoint either, with the haunting Sins of the Father and Nuclear heading what’s beginning to look like another inspired soundtrack.
5. Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII is considered by many fans to be Square Enix’s magnum opus, and for good reason. It’s a great game, with simple yet effective mechanics, wonderful characters, and a complex yet satisfying story.
It’s also blessed us with one of the best video game soundtracks of all time.
From the majesty, childlike wonder, and triumph of the main theme, to the total badassery of One-Winged Angel; from the heartbreaking hope of Aerith’s theme, to the loneliness of Tifa’s song, Final Fantasy VII’s soundtrack has more emotion than all six seasons of Lost. There’s joy, there’s pain, there’s love and loss… Heck, it can serve as the soundtrack to your life. That’s how good it is.
4. Command & Conquer: Red Alert
If you want badass, grinding guitars, pounding percussions, and tunes you can nuke your enemies to, look no further than the Command & Conquer: Red Alert series.
It all started with the first Red Alert’s Hell March. Complete with marching sounds, and some military dude saying something we don’t understand but still sounds as cool as heck, no music is more appropriate for an aspiring dictator such as yourself.
Red Alert 2 is just as skull-crushingly awesome. There’s Blow it Up, Destroy, Grinder, and even Hell March 2. The expansion, Yuri’s Revenge, mixes a weird 60s science fiction vibe with techno beats, but the guitars are just as heavy, and the riffs just as mind-blowing.
And then you’ve got Red Alert 3. Hell March 3 is just as we imagined it would be: the anthem of your own, personal war machine. Ah, good times!
3. Mega Man
Who knew a franchise about cute robots blowing each other up into piles of steaming junk would be home to some of the best tunes in gaming?
From the very beginning, Mega Man has always had spectacular music. While that peaked around Mega Man 2, with unforgettable pieces such as Dr. Wily’s Castle theme, Metal Man’s theme, Quick Man’s theme, and so many others, the other games aren’t lacking in fantastic music.
Cut Man? Snake Man? Spark Man? Pharaoh Man? Toad Man? Flame Man? Solar Man? Galaxy Man? All excellent themes that you’ll be playing over and over again in your mind. If these are the anthems of the evil robots of the future, we can’t wait for the robot apocalypse!
2. Super Mario Bros.
Of course Super Mario Bros. was going to be on this list. Nintendo’s flagship series has been giving us wonderful video game music since the 80s!
There’s not a gamer alive who hasn’t heard and enjoyed the original overworld theme. That song is so popular it’s been remixed a thousand times by artists from all over the world. And we can’t blame them. This upbeat, catchy piece was the soundtrack of many a childhood.
And simply put, these songs just make you happy. They make you want to go outside in the sun, and start stomping on goombas and ingesting mushrooms.
But these games are also known for some sinister music. Super Mario World’s castle theme has got to be one of the darkest tunes in the series. It’s got pain, suffering, and a kind of self-loathing you wouldn’t expect from something as cartoony as a Mario game. Heck, Maybe Bowser just needs a Prozac... or a hug!
1. Civilization IV
Civilization IV at number one?
There’s one good reason for that: the main theme, Baba Yetu, by composer Christopher Tin.
There really isn’t much to say. Just give it one listen, and tell us you don’t feel like your life has been changed in some way. Then you’ll know why it’s the only song composed for a video game that has won a Grammy Award. It’s even been performed by numerous choirs and orchestras all over the world!
This song feels like the anthem to humanity’s triumph over millennia of challenges. It’s an inspiring, uplifting, life-affirming melody – the soundtrack to life itself, and one of the most beautiful masterpieces of art that’ll ever touch your soul.
So there you have it – some of the best video game soundtracks in the world, all in one list. Feel like we left something out? Tell us in the comments section below!
By the way, if you love video game music, then prepare yourself for Video Games Live – a series of concerts that give the most memorable video game themes the epic orchestra treatment. The good news is they tour globally, so you’ll likely find them visiting your country one day. If you want to know more about Video Games Live, check out the following articles:
Video Games Live Set to Rock Malaysia and the World
Video Games Live: The World’s Greatest Video Game Music Concert
Video Games Live: 5 Reasons Why You Should Attend the World’s Great Video Game Music Concert
