Ah, summer—the smell of BBQ wafting in the air, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, the sting of mosquito bites as we sit around a campfire. Is it any wonder that so many of us love summer? To celebrate the season, here are five VGM tracks to start your summer.

“Delfino Plaza” (Super Mario Sunshine)

I don’t know about you, but the first video game that comes to my mind when I think of summer is none other than Super Mario Sunshine. While some people have been critical of the gameplay, the atmosphere and the music are untouchable. From the first moment you arrive at Delfino Plaza, you’re greeted with music that makes you want to dance all day in the sun. PPF’s cover doesn’t stray too far from the original, but it’s clear that he understands where every note belongs, and they all do their part to create a tropical paradise in musical form.

“Breezy” (Final Fantasy VIII)

I’ll admit it: I’m heavily biased when it comes to this song since this is the first track that I heard for Mog’s Mixtape. While I’ve never played Final Fantasy VIII, this track painted such a strong picture in my mind of an oceanside village that I feel as though I’ve practically been there. Stevie Pilgrim took an already amazing track and infused his own eclectic personality, transforming this into cool drink on a hot day.

“Seaside Kingdom” (Super Mario Odyssey)

It’s no exaggeration when I say that Super Mario Odyssey might be favorite Mario game of all time, in no short part because of the music. Every level in that game is brimming with personality, but my favorite place (aside from New Donk City), has to be Seaside Kingdom. I’ve always been a sucker for 3-D water levels (NOT 2-D levels) ever since I explored a sunken pirate ship in Super Mario 64, and Seaside Kingdom has everything a gamer could want: underwater caverns full of treasure, squids that help you surf, a volleyball court, and of course, an incredible soundtrack to boot. Lacey Johnson perfectly captured the spirit of the original, all while rocking a dope Hawaiian t-shirt.

“Summers” (Earthbound)

We all knew that Steven Morris had to end up on the list somewhere; for God’s sake, he wrote an entire VGM album called Summer VGM. Picking just one track from that album wasn’t an easy, but “Summers” from Earthbound seemed the most appropriate pick. Steven’s vintage style perfectly complements the original, creating an anthem for lazy days on the beach.

“K. K. Bossa” (Animal Crossing)

I won’t say that I saved the best for last but…when you combine the soothing vocals of Sab Irene with the jazz arrangements of insaneintherainmusic, you get musical magic. I don’t need to say much else for this track, except that I’ve probably listened to it far too many times.

Favorite Summer VGM Tracks?

What are some of your favorite summer VGM tracks? Feel free to share in the comments below, or on your favorite social media platform with the #SummerVGM2019!