bluemechaoxide

Music is almost always present in a game. Be it a character’s theme or the sound that’s playing for the level, it’s there in one form or another. When it’s not, it’s usually done for cinematic purposes, like heightening the player’s fear/suspicion of the current situation or some other gameplay mechanic, and only within a limited extent of time. Still, for all it’s omnipresence it’s arguably an underappreciated side to games when compared to the pages and pages of what people have to say about graphics or gameplay. To the casual gamer, in-game music is something that’s just an addition to the experience and is usually relegated to the background, where it’s playing.

The fact remains however, that many of these soundbytes eventually end up ingrained in the player’s subconscious. Many know by ear the little chiptune blips that go off when Mario or Luigi touch a Goomba and die. Surely more know, for better or worse, the trumpet fanfare that’s going to blast out of the speakers after completing a random battle in Final Fantasy 7. This is one of the key factors in making people remember a game, or an event within. These short pieces of music, however repetitive or trivial they may become, make their mark nevertheless. They shape and define the emotions that reach the player. Sure seeing Aeris die (for lack of a better example) is quite shocking and a bit sad for a player who’s grown to know the character, but the soft and melancholic piano that’s playing in the background ups the emotion to another level.

As for characters and their themes, it’s essentially the same: the music becomes part of the character and defines them. If the character is fast, their theme is fast. If they’re deadly, their theme is quite an intoxicating concoction. If they’re pretty, then their so is their music. And if they’re a Spanish bullfighter, well, you get one hell of a theme. See who I’m getting at?

Hear the evolution of the narcissistic punk-ass matador’s background music here and learn to fear them (you’ll need an SPC player to try though).

Vega’s theme - Street Fighter 2
Vega’s theme - Super Street Fighter 2
As for new school, here’s OCRemixer Rayza’s rendition of the piece: Club Del Toro

Each new version gains more channels, more instruments and more definition. It’s always been a frenzy of speed and violent action though.

Doesn’t just listening to it make your mind conjure up the image of a cage fight? Girls dancing the flamenco in the neon-lit background? People clapping and drinking along to the bloodshed? WALL CLIMBS AND WALL DIVES?

Just think about fighting Vega without his background music: he’s a lesser man already! His music is who he is.

Whoosh!