These video game soundtracks are the gold standard. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest video game soundtracks ever made!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest video game
00:12soundtracks ever made.
00:14We'll be looking at original scores and only including one entry per franchise.
00:2620.
00:27Halo 3
00:36Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatore had already delivered two stellar soundtracks
00:41before Halo 3, but with the franchise's first use of a live orchestra, the duo created
00:46magic.
00:47The end of the original trilogy was accompanied by an appropriately climactic soundtrack.
00:52O'Donnell and Salvatore repurposed their previous tracks, while adding plenty of new
00:56ones.
00:57With haunting string and piano arrangements, intimidating percussion, and a choir with
01:02perfect harmonies, it captured galactic warfare flawlessly.
01:06It didn't matter which section of the game you were in, the music carried us through
01:10each tense moment, culminating in a climax that was both satisfying and impressive.
01:2019.
01:26Donkey Kong Country 2 – Diddy Kong's Quest
01:35Certain games we play as kids have soundtracks that become emotional powerhouses over time,
01:39able to reach into our memories and bring it all flooding back.
01:43Donkey Kong Country 2 is such a game.
01:45Don't get us wrong, it has much more than nostalgia going for it.
01:48Composer David Wise perfected what he had done with the original game, one-upping himself
01:53in terms of atmosphere and memorability.
01:55The soundtrack is packed with wonderful beats that evoke the jungle setting, but there are
01:59also fun, shanty-like tunes that fit the pirate aesthetic, as well as more reflective pieces,
02:05like the fan favourite, Stickerbrush Symphony.
02:07Simply put, Wise nailed the tone of each and every level.
02:1518.
02:18Shadow of the Colossus
02:32In this dark tale, players must seek out and defeat imposing colossi in order to save someone
02:37they love.
02:38While the sheer stature and superb art direction do plenty to establish each creature's glory,
02:43the music does so just as well.
02:45Each confrontation comes with unique music, lending all of them another layer of originality.
02:50Koatani's score can often be melodic in the most beautiful of ways, but it also instils
02:54in you a palpable sense of wonder.
02:57The composer knew when to be subtle and pull back, just as he was adept at hitting us with
03:01a wave of emotion.
03:02The result is an atmospheric marvel.
03:0917. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
03:21Sonic's first sequel had some big shoes to fill, in pretty much all categories.
03:25Thankfully, Sega expanded in the best ways possible, including the music.
03:30Masato Nakamura returned to score Sonic the Hedgehog 2, giving players one of the greatest
03:34retro game soundtracks in existence.
03:37It's so easy to get these tunes stuck in your head, thanks to ridiculously catchy hooks
03:46and some impressive bass that gives them all significant oomph.
03:49From the endlessly enjoyable Chemical Plant Zone, to the absolutely rocking Metropolis
03:54Zone, it's a treat for the ears.
03:5716. God of War
04:15Sony tried a lot of new things with 2018's God of War.
04:18To match the more cinematic approach, it brought on composer Bear McCreary, primarily known
04:23for his work in TV and film.
04:25Needless to say, it was a match made in heaven, or should we say Valhalla.
04:30McCreary's work is a blend of fantastic influences.
04:33It took inspiration from previous games, including their overall booming nature, but complemented
04:38them with softer pieces, to pair with Kratos' seasoned characterization.
04:42He also made sure to use as many authentic Nordic instruments as possible, crafting something
04:46that felt both familiar and entirely original.
04:49It's no surprise it won McCreary a handful of awards.
04:5515. Silent Hill 2
05:17One might think that a survival horror game would have a very specific type of soundtrack.
05:22The fact that Silent Hill 2's music surprises us, and is incredible in its own right, earns
05:27it endless recognition.
05:28Sure, there are plenty of songs here that sound like what you'd expect.
05:32Creepy tones and tense drums bring the town to life almost as much as its monsters, but
05:36with a skilled musician like Akira Yamaoka at the helm, the soundtrack goes above and
05:41beyond.
05:42Yamaoka's use of piano is almost peaceful, clashing with the setting.
05:46Tracks like Promise are downright beautiful, while incorporations of rock elements in songs
05:50such as Theme of Laura are surprisingly catchy.
05:5314. Journey
06:10The indie darling Journey attempts to convey its story and themes without any dialogue
06:14or exposition.
06:15Naturally, music plays a key role in delivering its message.
06:19Austin Wintory crafted a stunning companion for the player's adventure.
06:23By heavily relying on the cello to represent the main character, Wintory gave them a greater
06:27sense of self, which would be joined dynamically by other instruments as the players experience
06:32different elements.
06:33It's gorgeous to listen to on its own, but playing alongside it is truly remarkable,
06:38as it adds another level to what makes Journey a special game.
06:41It was the first game's soundtrack to be nominated for a Grammy, and it's easy to
06:45see why.
06:4613. Cuphead
07:06Sometimes the power of a video game soundtrack simply lies in its ability to make you want
07:10to get up and move.
07:12Cuphead impressed almost everyone when it debuted, thanks to its high difficulty and
07:16extremely charming visuals inspired by old cartoons.
07:19To fit its retro flair, composer Christopher Madigan relied on jazz and big band musicians.
07:25With every squealing horn and woodwind, every quick drum beat and every prancing piano note,
07:30it feels as if you've been transported to the 30s.
07:33Madigan's work on Cuphead is not only a phenomenal video game soundtrack, but it's
07:37also one of the best and most successful jazz albums in years.
07:4512. Mega Man 2
07:55A lot of old school games have wonderful chiptune soundtracks, yet all these years later, we
08:01find our hearts still full of love for Mega Man 2.
08:05Composer Takashi Tateishi drew his background from performing in a band to create the memorable
08:09melodies.
08:10Maybe that's why every single track is such a lively bop that they can almost distract
08:14you from the task at hand.
08:16No matter which robot master you choose to go after first, the music of their level will
08:20have you grinning from ear to ear.
08:22A lot of retro fans believe Mega Man 2 to have the best soundtrack on the NES, and we
08:27have to say we agree.
08:3311. Celeste
08:44There are multiple elements that make Celeste a game worth celebrating, from its tender
08:48handling of mental illness to its tough but extremely rewarding platforming.
08:53Lena Raine's enchanting score does just as much for Madeline's journey as everything
08:57else.
08:58There are obvious retro inspirations, but Raine goes much further than calling back
09:02to the 16-bit era.
09:04Each of the main characters have their own instrument, which is manipulated to fit the
09:07tone of each scene and level.
09:09More importantly, every piece of music is attuned to Madeline's current mental state,
09:14where some songs are hopeful and spirited, others are downcast, gloomy, and in some key
09:19moments, alarming.
09:20Raine captured a wide spectrum of emotions while remaining catchy as hell.
09:2710. The Witcher 3 – Wild Hunt
09:33Honestly, we'll never pass up an opportunity to applaud The Witcher 3.
09:44The score from composer Marcin Szybowiewicz is such an achievement, it completely blew
09:49away his work on the predecessor.
09:51Every tune evokes some element of a grand fantasy adventure.
09:55Feelings of anger and suspense that come from facing a great beast, jaunty tunes after a
09:59hard-won victory, and quieter, somber pieces from the despair found in every corner of
10:05the continent.
10:06In every instance, the musicians knock it out of the park.
10:09That's not to mention the heavy use of traditionally Slavic instruments, which lend The Witcher
10:133 a distinct sound to set it apart from the many others in the genre.
10:219. NieR Automata
10:34As we've seen, some of the best video game soundtracks are those that not only fit with
10:38their worlds, but enhance them.
10:40Keiichi Okabe's score for NieR Automata is a study in brilliance when it comes to
10:44this mentality.
10:45Many of the tracks are fittingly melancholic, yet somewhat peaceful, complementing the overgrown
10:50post-apocalyptic settings superbly.
10:53As strong as the score is, which is very, it also ties in with the narrative and themes.
10:59Certain pieces will repeat as the overall plot is revealed through several playthroughs,
11:03yet will be slightly different.
11:05Not only is it extremely cool to hear how it changes in-game, but it's one of the several
11:09features that keeps the game from becoming repetitive.
11:198. Chrono Trigger
11:27Yasunori Mitsuda is a legendary composer in certain circles, but there's no game in
11:32his extensive repertoire that has better attributed to that status than Chrono Trigger.
11:37The 1995 Super Nintendo classic is still regarded as one of the greatest RPGs ever
11:43made, with Mitsuda's score being a high point amongst many others.
11:46The music is so dynamic, evolving to fit different time periods and moods, that it felt epic
11:51and cinematic long before games started moving in that direction.
11:55With some help from Final Fantasy's Nobuo Uematsu, Mitsuda created a soundtrack that
12:00not only fits his game, but defines it for the better.
12:03Chrono Trigger is incredible, but it would be a little less so without Mitsuda's work.
12:137. Red Dead Redemption 2
12:24One of the biggest things Red Dead Redemption 2 is praised for, other than weaving a compelling
12:28narrative, is how it immerses you into the life of the Old West.
12:32The music does this marvellously. Composed by the talented Woody Jackson, the soundtrack
12:36generally feels like it comes from an old Hollywood western. In fact, Jackson implemented
12:41instruments that were used in movies just like those.
12:44Beyond fitting perfectly with the game's tone and world, part of it could also change depending
12:48on the player's decisions throughout the game, making it a bit more tailored to your experience.
12:53Jackson and his collaborators truly put in the work, earning several awards in the process.
13:006. Hades
13:17Darren Corbis composed soundtracks for every game from developer Supergiant Games to date,
13:22and while they're all certainly worthy of praise, Hades sits right at the top.
13:26For a story about the prince of the Greek underworld trying to escape, Corb played it
13:30both subtly and explosively depending on the scene. The use of traditional Greek instruments
13:35helped to build up the setting while being catchy to boot. However, as soon as you hit
13:39a round of combat, Corb's rock influences smash down the door, completely reinventing
13:44each melody. That, plus the few vocal tracks, paint the picture of a composer at the top
13:49of his game, and we can't wait to see what he does next.
13:565. Final Fantasy VII
14:08When it comes to Final Fantasy soundtracks, there are several entries beloved by fans
14:12that could be argued as the best. Today, we're going with the bonafide classic that changed
14:18the face of video games. Nobuo Uematsu is clearly a god among men, having worked on
14:23multiple instalments. He reworked some of his previous tracks to fit in with this new
14:27era, while crafting others that would become instant favourites. The soundtrack effortlessly
14:32bounces between styles. At times, it can be funky and sleek for the sci-fi setting, while
14:38at others it can be heroic with triumphant horns, and even further filled with despair
14:42in tracks like Sephiroth's One-Winged Angel.
14:504. Super Mario Galaxy
14:56Mario's games have always featured great music, but with Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo
15:08outdid itself. Mahito Yokota worked alongside Koji Kondo, composer on several older games,
15:14to bring the mascot into a new era. It was Nintendo's first time using a live orchestra,
15:20which more than paid off. Otherwise, there's no way the soundtrack could have captured
15:24the awe and wonder of space as strongly as it did. Echoing harps and piano, powerful
15:29sweeping string ensembles, and plenty of engaging hooks made venturing to each planet an unparalleled
15:35delight. Thankfully, it never lost the sense of joy found in previous Mario games, instead
15:40elevating it to new heights. From the enchanting observatory theme to the victorious Gusty
15:45Garden Galaxy, it's pure video game ecstasy.
15:523. Undertale
16:04There are multiple reasons Undertale blew up on the internet when it debuted. The fact
16:08that it was made by a single person, including its music, is impressive regardless. But that
16:13it turned out to be this good, it's almost unheard of. Toby Fox, like many modern indie
16:19developers, took inspiration from the 16-bit era. However, through modern advancements,
16:24Undertale's music features an unmatched level of energy and charisma. Each boss fight is
16:29accompanied by a tune more catchy and impressive than the last. Fox also knew the importance
16:34of leitmotifs, weaving them in and out of the subsequent songs to match the story. The
16:38whole soundtrack is remarkably dynamic, on top of being celebrated by the community.
16:472. Persona 5
16:56Persona 5 may just be the most stylish entry in one of gaming's coolest franchises. We
17:01hesitate to think what it would be like without Shoji Meguro's incredible soundtrack, so
17:05important it was to creating the game's tone. Meguro was inspired by acid jazz, with its
17:10expressive nature finely attuned to modern day Tokyo. The game's most popular tracks
17:15feature singer Lin Inaizumi, whose vocals are almost as smooth as the game's crime-solving
17:20hero. However, even the game's instrumental tracks effortlessly drip with cool, making
17:25even the most mundane of activities exciting. Persona 5's music is something we'll never
17:30grow tired of, meaning the eventual Persona 6 will have a high bar to pass.
17:41Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.
17:45Castlevania Symphony of the Night. Michiru Yamane's eerie score enhances the scottish
17:51horror masterpiece. Grim Fandango. Peter McConnell's big band and jazz influences
18:01make this crime caper soar. Metal Gear Solid 3. Snake Eater. A stunning
18:12foray into spy themes from Harry Gregson-Williams and Norihiko Hibino. The Last of Us. Gustavo
18:24Santolaio's music is beautifully sorrowful. Doom. Mick Gordon's distorted metal is almost
18:39impossible to hear without banging your head.
19:06The Legend of Zelda. Ocarina of Time. Like Final Fantasy, there are many entries
19:17in The Legend of Zelda that could be argued for having the best music. Wind Waker very
19:21nearly made this list, but in the end, there is no game soundtrack, within this series
19:26or otherwise, that is as iconic or influential as Ocarina of Time. Koji Kondo's music here
19:32has been celebrated for more than two decades as a work of true genius. Each track is intrinsically
19:38linked to their settings and characters and, in some cases, is even more recognisable.
19:43From the spanish inspired Gerudo Valley, to the beautifully sombre title theme, to the
19:48evocative dungeon themes like the forest and spirit temples, there is nothing here that
19:52could ever disappoint.