Themes you still hum decades later: music is an integral part of video games. This Top 100 gathers the retro games with the most memorable soundtracks, from 8-bit sound chips to CD orchestrations, based on RomWize's reassessed scores. For each title: its current score, its versions, their rarity and their collector value.
"Blending orchestra, electro and rock, the music electrifies every fight with a nervy energy, from the galvanising "Indestructible" to colourful stage themes. Each arena has its own identity, fuelling the intensity of the clashes. This sonic generosity, polished and rousing, accompanies the series' grand return with brio."
"The series' first great orchestral score, the work of Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo unfurls symphonic flights of a celestial beauty, from the sublime "Gusty Garden Galaxy" to starlit waltzes. The music embraces weightlessness and cosmic wonder with an unprecedented grace. This sonic breadth redefined what a Mario could sound like."
"A few notes of the ocarina are enough to summon a whole world: Zelda's Lullaby or the Song of Time are etched into collective memory. Koji Kondo's compositions, woven into the gameplay, turn music into a genuine tool of adventure. This melodic magic, intact on 3DS, remains an absolute benchmark."
"Falcom's soundtrack, cult among fans, blends warm town themes and rousing battle tracks rearranged for the remake. Every region of Liberl has its melody, weaving a sonic identity that accompanies the adventure with remarkable consistency."
"Re-orchestrating the immortal themes of A Link to the Past, Koji Kondo's music regains all its heroic splendour on GBA. From the Hyrule field to the Dark World, each melody embraces the adventure with an intact nobility, extended by the jousts of the Four Swords mode. This legendary score remains a peak of the saga."
"Signed by Ludvig Forssell and Harry Gregson-Williams, the music blends cinematic orchestra, electronic tension and licensed 1980s hits of a striking aptness. The reactive soundtrack embraces open-world infiltration with a blockbuster breadth. This sonic richness, polished and immersive, elevates the melancholy of the story."
"Darker and more solemn, the music embraces Hyrule's twilight with low strings and melancholy motifs. Midna's spellbinding theme, between fragility and mystery, haunts you long after the controller is set down. This orchestral gravity, in perfect harmony with the mood, marks one of the saga's emotional peaks."
"Signed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, the score unfurls a majestic orchestra with Mediterranean and martial accents, carried by an almost cinematic breadth. From the fanfares of Ivalice to the grandiose battle themes, every track magnifies the political epic. This symphonic richness, sumptuous and refined, marks a peak of the saga."
"Signed by Garry Schyman, the music blends dissonant, anxiety-inducing strings with the nostalgic hits of the 1940s and 50s echoing through Rapture. This chilling contrast between retro sweetness and muffled terror elevates the decadent atmosphere of the underwater city. This unique sonic identity remains a peak of sound design."
"Signed by Amon Tobin, the music weaves a dark, organic jazz-breakbeat electro perfectly attuned to infiltration. The pads tighten with the tension, reacting to every move of Sam Fisher. This unique sonic identity, light-years from the genre's standards, makes the whole class of the game."
"A summit of Nobuo Uematsu, the score reaches unequalled heights, from "Terra's Theme" to the sung opera and the monumental "Dancing Mad". Each character has their leitmotif, weaving an emotional fresco of rare breadth on 16-bit. This work, often cited as the finest in video games, remains an absolute peak."
"Gareth Coker wraps the forest of Niwen in a lyrical orchestra and ethereal choirs that brush against fairy tale. The music swells in the breathless escapes, suspends before a vista, mourns the story's losses. That cinematic breath matches every leap and every fall, carrying the emotion of Ori's journey with a delicacy that lingers."
"Across the hours a musical clock unfolds: a different theme for each time of day, from a lazy morning jazz to the hushed moods of night. Weather and seasons further tint the listening. That gentle, almost domestic rhythm turns the island into a cocoon you return to without urgency, and makes the daily routine strangely comforting."
"Signed by Martin O'Donnell, the music blends Gregorian chant, epic orchestra and rock guitars in an anthem that became instantly iconic. The famous Halo theme, at once sacred and martial, galvanises every mission with a rare grandeur. This sonic breadth, emblematic of the saga, remains one of the most recognisable in video games."
"Blending an adventurous orchestra and ethnic accents, the music raises Nathan Drake's journeys to the scale of a great action film. The unforgettable "Nate's Theme" and epic flights accompany every stunt with flair. This cinematic breadth, generous and exhilarating, is the whole sweep of the saga."
"Andrew Prahlow's banjo and acoustic guitar lend space exploration an unexpected campfire warmth. With each astronaut playing their own instrument somewhere across the solar system, the music becomes a narrative thread as much as a feeling. Its cosmic melancholy, gentle and resigned, carries a final revelation that few scores could hold so truly."
"Frantic and supercharged, Norio Hanzawa's music embraces the jubilant chaos of this Treasure run-and-gun with an overflowing energy. The nervy, rousing themes charge the action without ever letting up. This chiptune vitality, cut for all-out shooting, remains one of the most invigorating on the console."
"Signed by Inon Zur, the music combines a desolate orchestra and nostalgic hits of the 1940s and 50s broadcast by the radio, from the Ink Spots to the crooners. This contrast between retro sweetness and devastated lands elevates the post-apocalyptic atmosphere. This singular sonic identity, ironic and touching, leaves a lasting mark."
"Signed by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori, the music combines Gregorian chant, epic orchestra and electric guitars in an immediately legendary grandeur. The main theme, etched into collective memory, embodies the Master Chief's odyssey. This symphonic breadth, iconic and powerful, redefined action-game music."
"Rousing and mischievous, the repertoire of Super Mario Bros. 3 signed by Koji Kondo varies its themes with the worlds, from the desert to the sea by way of the skies. Each melody, lively and catchy, perfectly matches the rhythm of the jump and the challenge. This timeless chiptune classic keeps all its joyful power."
