I love these games and I think the soundtracks are underrated as an essential part of their appeal. I’ll Start with one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk72RMv9d0s
Tube of Medusa from Ecco2: Tides of Time.
Personally, I think the Sega CD version soundtrack is… fine, but it has a different composer. If I remember correctly, it;s the composer from the first Ecco. In my opinion, it’s inoffensive, but completely forgettable.
EDIT: I have edited the topic to include older stuff.
NES: megaman 2 - wily castle or megaman 6 - knight man stage SNES - megaman X - spark mandrill (really that whole soundtrack)
I have that shit on vinyl
Can’t mention best NES tracks without Tim Follin. Silver Surfer level 1 is insane. Also the soundtrack for the unreleased game Time Trax.
surprised i haven’t seen much reference to Tim Follin’s work! IMO the title screen music from Plok! is unquestionably the most impressive bit of sound i’ve ever heard from a SNES. just when you’ve picked your jaw off the floor from the amazingly convincing harmonica sound, the lead “guitar” kicks in and your jaw drops again.
for a bit of a more conventional chiptune sound, the NES Pictionary soundtrack (also Tim Follin) hits pretty damn hard considering that it is, well, Pictionary
Plok
Top Gear - Mad Racer (first track in the game)
Super Mario Land or Mario Bros. 3. Amazing.
Outrun. Magical Sound Shower. Splash Wave. Passing Breeze. Perfection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGcEZmb_LCg&t=322s
Been obsessed with this track from Hany in the Sky for PC Engine. Also you may be interested in the Legacy Music Hour podcast. They play tracks from third and fourth generation consoles and talk about them. It’s no well known, but it is the longest rubbing VGM podcast. It is two comedians (well I guess one former comedian turned barber), but it is not a comedy podcast.
Corneria from Star Fox is a fucking banger.
NES is Contra Jungle
SNES is Simon’s Theme from Super Castlevania IV
N64 is probably most of F-Zero X
The 'Cube is rough since I grew up with it so I love a lot of it. Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess. Too hard to pick.
TG16 is the original Bonk. That level 1 music lives in my head.
Danzen Dungeon - Dynamite Headdy https://youtu.be/wkSSg4ozvQQ?is=08GE7sXjBJN6nug1
Hydrocity Zone Act 2 - Sonic 3 https://youtu.be/PNYL4w-qxcE?is=99ozwJkZyBA3fmhM
F-Zero - Big Blue Theme. Still stuck in my head decades later.
The Stunt Race FX theme also goes hard.
The credits theme of Dragon Warrior II, released as Grow in CarboHydroM’s remix album
Most of my favorites have been covered here, but I haven’t seen F-Zero for the SNES mentioned. It had a ton of great tracks (no pun intended).
