Whenever I got a new Sega Genesis game, I used to plug in the earphones to the console’s headphone jack to play it. I felt an invisible bubble form around me as the game started and I listened to the music in stereo sound. It was like I’d jacked into my own private universe.
There’s a weird JRPG on the Genesis called Super Hydlide that I loved mainly for its outstanding soundtrack. Shining in the Darkness felt even more labyrinthine and onerous with the music flowing through my ears. I really enjoyed the music from Sonic the Hedgehog as I sped at sonic speed from stage to stage. The Phantasy Star games stood out for their breadth of tracks and the way the OST ran the gamut from exhilarating battle songs to plaintive reflections on an ominous fate. I’d often write stories or do my homework with the game music on, letting the songs loop until I wanted something else to listen to, in which case I’d move to another area. I appreciated games that included sound tests and would let you readily access any of the tracks.
That enjoyment of gaming music continued throughout my life. I still remember the first time someone gifted me a game soundtrack; it was while I was working at my first game company and a colleague got me the tracks for Mega Man 2 and 3. I was blown away and listened to them while I was working on entirely new games. I’d sometimes drive down to Japantown in the city where they had a music store (remember those?) with video game music CDs. I bought a bunch of them back then, even if they were really expensive. I discovered Final Fantasy Pray, a vocal collection I still cherish.
Another of my most treasured discs is a Castlevania soundtrack that drew from the entire series and came as a preorder bonus to anyone who ordered Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I listened to the music so many times, I had bloody tears of my own.
Neuroscience has explained how music becomes associated with memories and how listening to familiar tunes evokes past emotions and events. Playing game music makes me remember all sorts of things from my years of gaming. This past year, I’ve listened to a whole lot of the music from the Persona game, Nier:Automata, and Ghost Trick (if you haven’t already, please check out the interview I did with GT’s composer earlier today). Sometimes, the music just helps me to chill. Sometimes, it helps me get in the groove for some deadline I have to hit. Other times, it provides solace from something that’s been troubling me. When I put on my earphones and listen to a good music track, I become that kid again, lost in a parallel video game universe.
So Kotaku, what’s your favourite video game soundtrack?
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