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Discussion What are the best "classic" Nintendo themes?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 2
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Would love your ideas on the most ear-grabbing, interesting and memorable Nintendo "theme songs".

For example, the classic "Zelda" theme. The Super Mario Bros. Level 1-2 theme.

What else?
 
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I mean I'm not sure the game itself is often thought of as a classic but relative to its series this qualifies:
 
1-1, the SMW melody that's remixed in all the stages, and while not a stage theme, the Metroid item pickup jungle
 
Sticking just to the NES for a second - the best music on the console early on was arguably never from Nintendo. Koji Kondo is a huge talent, obviously, but Nintendo was really pushing game size while other companies were bringing over arcade influenced experiences that pushed eye catching graphics and music.

So, I'm gonna go out and say Metroid was the most interesting. What Hip Tanaka did with that game was experimental art. I know Dread gets a lot of flack for not having a hummable score, but that's exactly what Tanaka was trying to do.



The middle two sections on the title theme start to give way to a melody, but the opening and closing sections are just oppressive atmosphere. There isn't anything above the ostinato! The sheer balls...
 
There are a lot of classic bangers out there, but i'd like to nominate the Viridian City theme from Pokemon Red/Blue and it's remakes. It's so catchy, i can't help but hum along whenever i hear it.

Posting the remake version
 
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I think Lower Brinstar counts, it got remixed like twice. Legit the most memorable song in both Prime 2 and Dread. Basically the Metroid equivalent of Gusty Garden, which randomly popped in the movie credits, that’s a big deal

If it’s strictly main themes only then it’s Mute City. Most other ones are kinda boring to me at this point but F-Zero music always hits
 
It's gotta be Super Mario Bros. 1-1. Forget most memorable classic Nintendo themes - it's arguably the most memorable video game song of all time, firmly a part of pop culture like the franchise itself.

For a non-Mario answer, though, and one that hasn't been mentioned in this thread? The Pokemon title screen theme is pretty up there, even if most people hearing "Pokemon theme song" would instead think of the season one anime theme. You can also pair it with the intro theme for the full effect.

 
How could we forget the old Black Box Sports theme?









Totally stole this bit from Retronauts because it’s funny
 
oldpuck said:
Sticking just to the NES for a second - the best music on the console early on was arguably never from Nintendo. Koji Kondo is a huge talent, obviously, but Nintendo was really pushing game size while other companies were bringing over arcade influenced experiences that pushed eye catching graphics and music.

So, I'm gonna go out and say Metroid was the most interesting. What Hip Tanaka did with that game was experimental art. I know Dread gets a lot of flack for not having a hummable score, but that's exactly what Tanaka was trying to do.



The middle two sections on the title theme start to give way to a melody, but the opening and closing sections are just oppressive atmosphere. There isn't anything above the ostinato! The sheer balls...
Click to expand...

Tanaka was by far Nintendo's best composer during the 80's. Koji Kondo's early work is iconic, sure, but my hot take is that it wasn't until the 90's that he became a really great composer. Metroid is still listenable today, which is crazy.

I would also say the Metroid score was very melodic, it just wasn't "pop" in its sensibilities. Norfair is catchy, it's just very weird. Brinstar Depths is moody and sort of baroque. I don't think he was really going for something tuneless, just darker. That whole "living organism" thing, which is mostly encapsulated in the Metroid music "breathing" sound that was imitated by almost every Metroid composer after him. I think the lack of this is actually what hurt Dread the most. It has an irregularity to it that can be kind of annoying, the music in some areas actually detracted from the atmosphere because it was distracting. Fusion is what you get when you have a Metroid soundtrack just doing its job as a score without really producing anything super memorable. Dread is several levels below that.

But as an aside, I also think Metroid's musical reputation is becoming a bit divorced from reality. The last Metroid soundtrack anyone cares about is from 2007. It's getting hard to say the series is known for its great music...
 
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batfax said:
This theme is a banger every time.



Click to expand...


These ones are great! I have to also add:



The theme that plays during outdoor levels in Murasame Castle



The original Fire Emblem recruitment theme



Clu Clu Land's stage theme
 
VolcanicDynamo said:
For a non-Mario answer, though, and one that hasn't been mentioned in this thread? The Pokemon title screen theme is pretty up there, even if most people hearing "Pokemon theme song" would instead think of the season one anime theme. You can also pair it with the intro theme for the full effect.

Click to expand...


This title theme is it.

The way this theme continues to be incorporated in some (if not all) of the rest to the games is just so wonderful.
 
Route 1 of course. It really gets the "we're going on an adventure" vibes going like nothing else.
 
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I’m partial to “Pollyanna” from the Mother series. I really like the version with lyrics sung by Catherine Warwick:



The Super Smash Bros. remix of “Destroyed Skyworld” slaps. I never got it to play in Super Smash Bros. For Wii U so I didn’t experience this masterpiece until Ultimate. Why did Nintendo go so hard on a secondary music track?



Not sure if this counts has Nintendo or SquareEnix. Super Mario RPG’s soundtrack is some excellent, it’s hard to pick one song. I’ll go with the World Map theme “Where Am I Going?”:

 
oldpuck said:
So, I'm gonna go out and say Metroid was the most interesting. What Hip Tanaka did with that game was experimental art. I know Dread gets a lot of flack for not having a hummable score, but that's exactly what Tanaka was trying to do.



The middle two sections on the title theme start to give way to a melody, but the opening and closing sections are just oppressive atmosphere. There isn't anything above the ostinato! The sheer balls...
Click to expand...

I find it super unfortunate how Tanaka nailed it in one go, successfully establishing the sound direction and musical identity for what would later become such a highly regarded series, yet... he never touched Metroid again! He just dropped greatness, then proceeded to work on other stuff for a few decades.

It's interesting how, despite his philosophy behind Metroid's OST (which I can definitely appreciate and respect), he nonetheless came up with the themes for Brinstar and Kraid's Lair, which are melodic, yet without compromising the darker, more atmospheric tone he sought to evoke. Best of both worlds.
 
Can't get any better than the Mario end themes.

I wasn't even born when Mario World was first released and yet this ending theme almost gives me memories of being a kid in the early 90's listening to this after just finishing it for the first time.



Similar with Mario 64, a great wrap up to the adventure you just had.

 
Most of the greats are already mentioned, so: It’s a bit less classic since it’s a gameboy color game, but the Tarm Ruins music from Oracle of Seasons is one of my favorite 8-bit tunes of all time. It’s mysterious, adventurous, and just damn catchy all in one:

 
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Hmmm when I think of old Nintendo songs ones that comes to mind are the star fox main theme , the warioware theme and the first animal crossing theme as kinda classic Nintendo songs.
 
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