Video Game Music- How Does It Work For You?

[Blue Blood]

Getting away form all the graphics, gameplay and other things, I wanna focus on the music here. Games have their different music styles ranging from the old beepy memorable tunes like GHZ form Sonic the Hedgehog to more themed and 'realistic' music found in army like games of Medal of Honour and tropically themed like in Super Mario Sunshine. There are constant vocals and really professional sounding music is some games, and some that attempt to bring classic music styles in the current gaming music age, take Fire Red/Leaf Green for this.

So my question is this, how much does the music affect the gameplay for you? Do you like a game for the music and would hate to play it without, or would rather the music would shut and let all the feel be left to the SFX? Do you only go for certain styles of music, or is it that you enjoy most video game music? Does it seem to add to the gameplay at all for you?

Personally, I wouldn't be able to play video games with out a decent soundtrack and varying music styles. Okay, so my video gaming goes little further than Sonic, Mario and Pokémon, but in those games (Sonic especially) the music has a really huge impact. The music in Sonic games now stretches really very far out. There's heavy metal, rap and jazz all in a single game and they add to the atmosphere dramatically. I like that the music involves light and free spirited tunes to co-inside with more heavy and serious. In Mario the style is still very true to the classics, only being revamped and made to fit into the gen. The same goes for Pokémon in general, but the Colosseum and XD music liked to move greatly in the direction of western and relaxed. And what's more is that it fits beautifully with the games.

When it comes to more serious styles like army tunes and famous songs being put into games, I have a problem then. If for example it 50 Cents game, and I can understand that then (don't get that wrong, I’m not saying I like his music...) but annoys me in general. Again with GTA you are forced to listen to music off the radio form how ever many years ago if you want to listen to any music at all. It takes even more away form the enjoyment of a game's theme and it seems lazy.

Obviously music plays a huge part in games for me. I wasn't interested in Sonic Rush at all before some the music was put on the main site. If game involves practically ALL strong and depressing music, e.g. Shadow the Hedgehog, then I'll mute it at one point or another.

 

[Moonlight.]

Generally I like fast-paced background music, but it really depends on the game. I find the music in Pokemon to be pretty calm, yet fun, and it helps to keep me playing the game. In Sonic games the music NEEDS to be fast, or I just can't play the game. RPGs need a lot of percussion in the battles, and some games are better with no music and just sound effects. Also, I prefer it when video games have an original soundtrack and not just a bunch of popular songs, which are now mainly rap (which gets really distracting while playing a game).

Basically, music effects the gameplay and effect of the game for me just as much as graphics, though sometimes it gets annoying as I often find myself going to the same places over and over again in a game just to hear the music (fighting in Fountain of Dreams in SSBM, fighting Sheena over and over again in Tales of Symphonia).

 

[DJ-Will]

Music is hit-or-miss for me. Whether I pay attention to it or not really depends on the pace of the game. I find music to be more memorable in RPGs where it's all menus than sit back and enjoy than a platformer where all my concentration is on the gameplay. Taking the music away wouldn't work, because then it's be dead silence except for the sound of footsteps and jumps, and maybe some enemy sounds.

 

[General Blaze]

Music for me impacts heavily on my gaming. I'll list a few games and tell why I find the music so enjoyable.

Advance Wars: This game's music really depends on which CO you choose. While I enjoy Andy's, Sami's, and Kanbei's theme music, Olaf's and Max's just get a big 'bleah!' from me. So I try to go with Andy and Sami most of the time (I haven't unlocked Kanbei yet though, I hope I did the requirements to unlock him). So other than the two metioned CO's, I enjoy the music in Advance Wars, since it has an arcade feel to it.

Homeworld: I haven't heard such beutiful music since Halo. The music interacts with the game perfectly. I think Relic hired an orcestra to do the music.

Metal Arms Glitch in the System (MAGITS): I'll be darned if the music was way different than it is now. While their is not much music in the game, when their is it's action packed, and really gets the adrenaline flowing (it's kind of a mix between Techno and Rock I think).

So there it is. If the music is 'bleah!', then I'll ignore the game a lot, since I don't like the music. But if the music is great, then I'll play it 'till I drop.

 

[Charizard_Fire_God]

Lol, tch, I'm a game music fanatic! XD I've downloaded I-lost-count-how-many soundtracks from how many games, from gameboy to computer, remixes, etc.. If a game has good music I'm bound ta fall for it! <3

Yeah, I have a few styles that I like, tch, and often music will distract me from gameplay if it's good, or spur me on, depends. X3

 

[Brinstar]

music plays heavily for how I play in a game. I can't help but get psyched when I'm blasting through Hydrocity Zone Act 2 in Sonic 3 and if it gets to the 3rd round in Dudley's stage in Street Fighter III: Third Strike the song mixes up and I get pumped.

I love music, and I really appreciate it when the develepors of a game go the extra mile to make some kickass soundtracks. Some notable game osts to me are:

The main Sonic series (1,2,3,and Knuckles, 3D Blast, CD (both versions))
The Guilty Gear series (heavy metal ftw)
Metal Slug series
Tetris Attack
Ikaruga
Donkey Kong Country 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
NiGHTS: Into Dreams
Super Metroid/Metroid Zero Mission/Metroid Prime
Pokemon R/S/E has some kickin' beats as well..
etc etc

 

[Comis Patronus]

Pokemon Emerald has the catchy songs-it changes the scenery mood and often enough, it foreshadows something matching that with a close tune.

 

[Rufinito18]

Music is really important, specially in the games I play, the FF's. You play with a certain music at specific times, it helps keep the continuity. And I just love Final Fantasy music

heres all in midi

www.ffsymphony.net

FFI's music is awsome. Like really.

 

[Silver Ryu]

Music doesn't make a game for me, but I still really like it if a game has good music. It sort of sets the mood for the place. So I'll only turn off the sound in a game where having it on is REALLY annoying.

I particularly like the music in the Sonic games for some reason. (Most of it, that is...)

(Don't get me wrong, I like other game music too, it's just that the music in those games sticks out in my mind.)

 

[Chaotic Houndoom]

Yeah, I'm into game music, I think its one of my favorites, I like battle theme's mostly. Because most of them just have a good beat to them. There can be other song/themes that are also good. Even if you play DDR, they have good one's on there too.

 

[Saffire Persian]

If the video game has bad music, then it has bad music. I don't mind, usually, as even the bad music tends to be tolerable. If there's a really annoying track (there was this FF VII marching song that did get on my nerves) then the mute button is quite handy. XD

Seriously though, I listen to VG music on a regular basis - I love it. Especially final fantasy/Xenosaga ones. ^^

 

[Brocksketchum]

I love listening to video game music also; for some reason, I think people in general underestimate this type of music. I don't know why, it's only a feeling. Right now, I'm listening to a tune from Star Fox Adventures.

One of the reasons why I love the Pokemon anime was because of the way it incoporated video game music into the show. I was disappointed in the Kirby and F-Zero dubs because they didn't do the same.

 

[Omega Pirate]

FF music is always awesome, which means SSB:B music will be awesome (the bit we've heard definatly is) thought I'm not into 'Opra'. Some video game music is really good, I think game developers are realising that music can sometimes make the game so they're going to extra lengths to make it better. The music from the demos of Super Mario Galaxy is surprisingly good for Mario game.

 

[Ben Kenobi]

I usually don't pay much attention to the music playing in the background though some of it I do as it adds that extra bit of atmosphere. Sometimes I play better if the music playing is good. I usually play F-Zero GX just to hear the Sounds of Big Blue.

 

[Usagi]

I enjoy video game music.If a game were to have a bad music and/or sound,I wouldn't mind too much...
I could always put it on mute or liste to something else on my stereo...

Game music music can really add emotion to some games,such as a big fight or the lost of something...

I own soundtracks of games and listen to them occasionally.^_^

 

[FlamingRuby]

I like something easy on the ears, easy to sing with, and has a nice beat.

(Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, some Final Fantasy, and DDR music fits this)

 

[Blue Blood]

Okay, I got NewSMB from Canada yesterday. I absolutely love the music used on stages 1-3 ect. It's really feel good. The enemies and thing must like it too because they dance at the 'wah' voices.

 

[Auraninja]

I love video game music, and I usually find it better than regular music. </nerd>

My favorite type is definitely boss music.

The best music was from the Mario & Luigi series. There best songs was Superstar Saga Boss Battle, Popple Battle, and Partners of Time Boss Battle.

I also like the Mewtwo Boss battle on Stadium 1.

 

[~RaikouRider243~]

Let's just say that I'm a VGM freak, with 1100+ tracks on my computer. I have several CD cases full of VG soundtracks.

 

[Hamner]

I personally need the music in the games... if I turn the music off I'll get distracted and do something else (with gameboy games I look up and forget that I'm playing, and that way I waste battery power) Or in some cases if the music is off I won't be able to play properly, and mess something up
My favourite videogame music is from a game I know nothing about... Chrono Cross... but ... I'm rambling... I listen to videogame music on the computer too... it keeps me consitrating... like right now...