Kirby, Killer 7, a pair of Primes, and more.
Harvest Moon
This edition of Natsume’s iterative series is positively ripe with warm, homespun acoustic numbers and enough relaxing pieces to wile your working days away with.
Killer 7
Like its main character, Killer 7’s soundtrack is a schizophrenic combination of manic techno and electronic cool. It slides seamlessly between these characteristics, bolstering both moody lighthearted tones.
Ikaruga
While it’s not as if this infamous shoot ‘em up really needed a catalyst for its dichotomous chaos, this soundtrack only benefits the experience. Its space opera-esque flavor reminiscent of something like the SNES’s Axelay, albeit with a more orchestral bend.
Kirby Air Ride
Regardless of the pink guy’s present activity, the music of Kirby games is always a pleasant experience. This outing is no different, with high-quality renditions of series classics as well as some thoroughly enjoyable addition.
Luigi’s Mansion
Surprisingly enough, this launch title’s soundtrack is one of the more diverse and memorable. With plenty of creative variations on its excellent main theme, and more than a few superb ghost-related numbers, it delivers a fun blend of silly and scary.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Kart games just wouldn’t be the beloved packages they are without a deep list of breezy and accessible tunes, and DD is no exception. Though it hits many of the same tonal beats as its predecessors, this soundtrack is still eminently enjoyable and memorable.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
The moody, pounding rhythms of this remake might not be the most listenable of songs, but they’re fine translations of the of the original’s sound. While the game itself can be a little excessive in spots, the soundtrack is consistently smooth and understated.
Metroid Prime
As we’ve previously described, Prime represented a distinct shift in the Metroid music landscape, bringing the fullest realization of the disparate elements from the past games into the next generation, with squirming biological background noise, pounding rhythms, and a hauntingly melodic strain...
Metroid Prime 2
...while Prime 2 was more low-key, a bit tribal, and darkly ambient -- an experimental sort of divergence similar to Metroid II.
Mr. Driller
Drill Land’s soundtrack is nothing short of astounding. Each track is an equally enjoyable piece of vibrant composition, and the collection weaves each distinct melody through a variety of styles and instruments.
Paper Mario
Like the other Mario RPG games, Thousand Year Door is able to take some beneficial creative liberties with the series’ distinct musical voice. The result is a comfortable melding of Mario charm and standard RPG music structure, with enough depth to warrant a full listen.
Pikmin
The Pikmin soundtrack, like the concept and execution of the game, comes off as exceedingly natural and innocent. While some tracks evoke the mysterious unknown of the environment, most exude a complementary sense of wonder and tenderness.