Monday 1 December 2014

Week of Smash Bros. Top 20: Super Smash Brothers Remixes

Super Smash Brothers, there's a reason why its one of Nintendo's biggest system sellers, and throughout the course of this week, I'll be posting why. So sit back, and enjoy the Week of Smash.

Super Smash bros has always had great songs playing in the background of stages. and with 618 songs, not including Super Smash Bros for WiiU yet, there's a lot to listen to. I guarantee there will be at least one song that you'll enjoy in these soundtracks, hell, it might be on this list. There are only three rules for this.

1. The song must be in the games themselves (Smash 64, Melee, Brawl or Smash 3DS). I'm going to do a separate list for songs exclusive to Smash WiiU when I get closer to reviewing it (when I can get a copy of the game (at time of writing, just after the ORAS review was published, the game isn't out in Australia). Project M also will not feature in any of these posts due to the lack of PAL version at time of writing. Smashing Live (an orchestrated version of some of the songs from Melee) also doesn't count.

2. The do have to be remixes made for the games (as far as I can tell). If they are game rips, they do not qualify for this list.

3. Goes without saying, they have to be remixes, original compositions for the individual games are also disqualified.

The way these are name shall be:
Eg. Song (Smash bros game) (Franchise it came from): 
as a heads up.



With that out of the way...

20. Team Galactic (Brawl) (Pokemon)

Most of the songs in Generation IV don't stand out that much (as I said in my Top 10 Pokemon songs), but dam do they have potential to. While Team Galactic aren't the best villainous team (and its so hard to take them seriously), they do still have a great battle theme that sounds amazing in Brawl. The team itself still sucks though... just saying...

19. Dr Mario (Melee) (Dr Mario)
The "good" doctor is in. And while I question how he got his medical license (throwing random coloured pills isn't a good idea, let alone a way to cure illness (or anything for that matter)), Dr Mario still does so to a great theme. This is also in Smash 3DS and while I think they could have at least done a remix for the song itself, I can settle with this as its still a great song. While I won't link it here, if you feel like a laugh (be it for mature comedy), I recomend looking up brentalfloss's "Dr Mario with lyrics", its hilarious.

18. Hyrule Castle (Smash 64) (Legend of Zelda)

The very first stage most people play on when it comes to Smash 64. The game itself has aged and while it doesn't make a lot of appearances here (one other spot), its soundtrack is still great. There are better versions of the Legend of Zelda theme (commonly referred to has Hyrule Field) out there, but for what you're getting in Smash 64, its still great.

17. Jungle Japes (Melee) (Donkey Kong Country)
I will say, I've never played a Donkey Kong Country game so far. I didn't have any interest in Donkey Kong Country Returns and the last DKC game came out when I was still young (I don't even remember seeing a copy of the series for the GBA when I had it). But I will give credit where its due and these games have some great Jazz (its the closest theme I could come up with) music in them. This is but one example.

16. Fire Emblem (Melee) (Fire Emblem)
While I have more experience with Fire Emblem then I do with DKC (as in I've played 1 game so far, Shadow Dragon). This is another where credit's due spot. I often find myself getting motivated when I listen to this song. I can't help it. Its the instruments used that does it for me.

15. Battle! (Trainer Battle) (Smash 3DS) (Pokemon)
That troll was glorious, if still annoying. While I'll explain what I mean latter on, lets just say that this song has some strong connections. To be honest though, there isn't much I can say that I haven't already said about the Battle Gym Leader theme in my Top 10 Pokemon songs, except that new instruments make a huge difference to the song's impact.

14. Onett (Melee) (Mother/ Earthbound)
From what I've herd, most of Earthbound/ Mother's soundtrack is quite peaceful (though this is purely from word of mouth). While I don't have anything to base this on, Onett is still a very peaceful song, but with some darker tones to it (like the Mother series in general). The instruments used give this a sense of power to the song itself. Great song, even if the stage itself doesn't look like it should have it at face value (in true Mother style)

13. Princess Peach's Castle (Melee) (Super Mario Bros)
Of course a version of this song was going to be here. When you think Nintendo, you thing Super Mario Bros World 1-1 (not straight away but close enough as the first thing you think of is Mario himself). It is one of the most well known songs in the gaming industry for a reason, and it is represented here spectacularly. I love powerful orchestras, I thought we've established this already.

12. Waluigi Pinball (Brawl) (Mario Kart)
This song spoiled me, because now I can't listen to any version in the Mario Kart series without thinking "the one in Brawl's better". This is the definitive version of the song, great pacing, the added sound effects give it that "Waluigi charm" to it. It still sounds like it could be coming out of a Pinball Machine (which in all seriousness, if you can still find one, play it). Literally its only problem is that I can't listen to any other version without thinking that this one's better.

11. Gear Getaway (Smash 3DS) (Donkey Kong Country)
This song has no right to be this awesome, and yet every right to be this awesome. I'm not even going to bother trying to pad out this section. Its awesome, that's all I have to say on the matter.

10. Rainbow Road Medley (Smash 3DS) (Mario Kart)
At the end of every Mario Kart game, there is a track, so infamous for its challenge that it brings novice drivers to their knees. Just the name instills fear into the inexperienced: Rainbow Road. There has been a new Rainbow Road track in every single version of Mario Kart for this very reason and while it may not be the best version of Rainbow Road, this song and the track itself are one of my favorites in the series (just behind Rainbow Road N64 but dam it that track's awesome).

9. Tetris: Type A (Brawl) (Tetris)
If you don't think of Super Mario when you think of gaming, then chances are you think of this. Tetris: The game you can get for any electronic device with a screen and some for of buttons. Hell, I've seen people play it on their calculators. While I still wait for the day when we can have an actual Tetris stage in Smash Brothers, this is still great on its own. If you haven't played Tetris, then what the heck is wrong with you. As I said, you can get it on anything with a screen and buttons.

8. Dream Land (Smash 64) (Kirby)
Gourmet race, one of my all time favorite songs from the Kirby series. While this version may not pack the same kind of punch as other versions (such as the brawl version), it still keeps the cartoony feel of the Kirby series at its core, so in terms of Smash bros versions, this is the best I've herd so far.

7. Full Steam Ahead (Smash 3DS) (Legend of Zelda)
I don't care what anyone says, I love Spirit Tracks. Is it the best Zelda ever made? No, but its not the worst either. Its the first Zelda game I've ever played to completion and I was satisfied with the end result. I'd spend hours in the train just traveling around purely to listen to this song. I was ecstatic to hear that it was getting a remix in Smash 4 and it didn't disappoint. The instrumental is much stronger here then it was in Spirit Tracks, due to the better instruments, and it shows just how good of a song it is.

6. Song of Ashley (Brawl) (Warioware):
So... What can I say about this... the song speaks for itself. I literally have nothing for this, move on.

5. Big Blue (Melee) (F-Zero):
Big Blue took a while to grow on me. Not that its a bad song, its just that when I think F-Zero, I don't think Big Blue. The song itself is great though and works for the stage based on the same track. But what is a fitting song for "The manliest of men"?

4. Mute City (Brawl) (F-Zero):
This is what I think of when I hear either F-Zero or Captain Falcon. This song is the theme of the F-Zero series in my opinion and aparently there are 4 versions of it in Smash WiiU. I love the Brawl version though as I'm a fan of this kind of Rock music.

3. Running theme/ Countdown (Smash 3DS) (Punch Out):
I don't know what it is, but like Fire Emblem, this song is a motivator. You can just imagine this playing while a Boxing match is happening, leading up to the underdog getting the Knock out punch that wins the game. This was played during Little Mac's debut trailer for Smash 4 with Doc Louis giving a ever so cheasy, yet awesome pep talk. Little Mac's reveal trailer is one of my favorite trailers for Smash 4, due in part because of this song.

2. Mega Man 2 Medley (Smash 3DS) (Mega Man):
Its 6am here, Nintendo just finished its Nintendo Direct for E3 2013. Steam loads up and a friend of mine sends me a link to a Youtube video containing the Smash Bros reveal trailer and Mega Man in the title. I was just getting into the series at the time and I thought "ok, Mega Man's getting a new game, I'll check out the info for it after school". The Villager trailer had just finished and I was about to close the tab before I hear a alarm. On the screen was flashing "Challenger Approaching sign" and at that point I was going "it can't be". This song starts playing and.. well I think Pit, Viridi and Palutena put it best.

 I was ecstatic to see it to the point where everyone at my school was going "why are you so happy" to which the answer was "Mega Man's confirmed for Smash". Now onto the song itself... Mega Man 2 is the most loved game in the Classic Mega Man series, and to listen to its greatest songs mixed together with a awesome instrumental.

And the honorable mentions are...

1. Saria's theme (Melee) (Legend of Zelda)

2. Poke Floats (Melee) (Pokemon)

3. PAC-MAN (Smash 3DS) (Pac-Man)

4. Airships (Brawl) (Super Mario Bros)

5. Angel Island Zone (Brawl) (Sonic the Hedgehog)

And Number 1 of the Top 20 Super Smash Brothers Remixes is...

1. Sir Meta Knight's Revenge (Brawl) (Kirby):
Complain all you want at how broken he is, but this song is awesome. You only hear it on the Halbird stage (I can't double check that as I had to erase my Brawl save data and I'm waiting for the PAL Project M before I make a new one) and it fits the stage perfectly. But what do you expect, it's Meta Knight's theme on a stage built around Meta Knight's ship. The instrumental, while not bombastic, is still powerful and I love the use of the Saxophones in particular.

Not my most detailed list, but that's because a lot of these songs speak for themselves. As for tomorrow, continuing with the week of Smash bros, it's the review of Super Smash Brothers, Super Smash Brothers Melee and Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

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