Here we are, number one in our countdown. To this point we’ve looked at some really good games with really good music. The argument could be made that any of the top three deserved the number one spot, making this a fairly difficult selection. However at the end of the day one franchise had something the others didn’t. Sure the others had great soundtracks paired with great game-play, but they didn’t have what sets this franchise apart; a simple desire to incorporate music into the very fabric, the essence, of their games. The franchise I’m referring to is non-other than…
1) The Legend Of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda franchise is just one of those golden-boy, childhood favorites that in many ways signaled the dawn of gaming as we know it today. Nostalgia aside, why choose this franchise? As I wrote earlier, I truly believed that any of the top three could be interchangeable, and that’s true, they could. However to do that would mean ignoring a central component found in many Zelda games; the instruments. Between ocarinas, flutes, and conducting rods, The Legend of Zelda franchise has incorporated a multitude of songs that give our protagonist Link, unique powers, such as control over space and time, no big deal. But wait, there’s more! Not only do these songs bestow upon our Hero awesome abilities, they also sound pretty catchy. Don’t believe me? Go ahead, have a drink (if you are of the legal age because I don’t really want to condone underage drinking) and listen to any of the ocarina songs, say Song of Storms, and tell me it’s not gonna be your battle song for the night. Still not convinced that The Legend of Zelda should come in at number one? Fine, if you’re not a fan of the way Nintendo uses music in their games maybe you just don’t like fun, or music, or both, I don’t know… But there’s no denying that the soundtracks themselves are really good, otherwise people wouldn’t do this. Lets face it, we love The Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker, and many others in the series for their music. Yeah the game-play is pretty great, in fact it’s really great, but it’s the music that gives the dungeons their feel, makes the open plains of Hyrule seem so epic, and makes Ganon seem like such a jerk (alright he does that on his own…) and that is why The Legend of Zelda franchise is number one in our countdown.
Up next we’ll geek out about a couple of games that hopefully will make there way to English-speakers. Until then, enjoy a bit of music from the 25th Anniversary Edition Soundtrack.
