Deep Cuts - Vee, the VGM Lover
As we all know, certain game soundtracks tend to hog the spotlight, so this series is dedicated to finding those hidden gems that often go unnoticed and unappreciated. For this article, I asked VGM fan Vee, the VGM Lover to bring some visibility to a few of their favorite soundtracks—Frogger: Ancient Shadow, Daffy Duck in Hollywood, Border Down, Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, and Art Of Balance. Here is why these soundtracks matter in their own words.
Frogger: Ancient Shadow
Composers: Hironobu Yahata, Shinya Ohtouge, Tatsuo Yokoyama
Frogger is remembered by many as a classic arcade franchise about a simple frog avoiding obstacles to get to the other side. During the 2000s, however, publisher Konami tried to take a different approach to the franchise with mixed results.
Frogger: Ancient Shadow was one of those titles that have long since been forgotten, but it took Frogger to a world of varying locales, with music as bopping and catchy as it was fitting and entertaining. The theme for Hidden Caves Level 3, for example, takes the cave aspect of simply avoiding obstacles to get to the goal and stretches it to a point of mystery and intrigue that’s about as hard to forget as the level itself is to survive. In fact, I’ve still never made past that level!
Daffy Duck in Hollywood
Composer: Matt Furniss
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a Daffy Duck game.
WHY IS THIS SO GOOD!?!? AND WHY IS IT IN A DAFFY DUCK GAME!?
There’s almost nothing bouncy or cartoonish about this soundtrack. Instead, there’s slamming/sweeping synths, bopping drums, and there’s even a track that veers into the horror genre. This soundtrack has no business being as catchy, well constructed, or even tonally diverse as it is, especially for a Looney Tunes game on the Sega Genesis, and YET, here we are!
Eat your heart out, Timmy!
Border Down
Composer: Yasuhisa Watanabe
I have no idea how I found this soundtrack, but it became the biggest reason I got a Dreamcast. The music not only does its job in getting the player pumped for a side-scrolling shoot ‘em up (as a game soundtrack should), but it’s also an absolute ride in every sense of the word. A lot of the music is an absolute tour of your favourite destinations in your sweet, sweet classic vehicle, whether it’s a 60s convertible, or a war-stomping space fighter. Strap in, hear that engine roar, and get ready for the time of your life. This overlooked soundtrack is gonna SEND YOU.
Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure
Composer: Unknown (Audio credit: Mark Pennock)
Did you ever think a licensed game based on a one-off National Geographic documentary would have such a great soundtrack as this?
…Well, the documentary’s soundtrack wasn’t so bad, so it might not be that big of a surprise. Nonetheless, what we’ve got here is some of the most strikingly beautiful orchestral noises I’ve ever heard, that just so happens to be in an otherwise easily forgettable game about surviving the sea as a prehistoric sea monster.
Art Of Balance
Composer: Martin Schioeler
I want more soundtracks like this. Seriously. There are not enough soundtracks out there that evoke the feeling of no-worries, high-class modern living in a video game.
When you’re able to just sit, relax, and work on whatever you need/please, a nice, soothing echo-y noise on top of a smooth, bass-y beat is right to put just about anyone at ease. It’s a shame there are only 11 tracks here (one of which is missing from this playlist). A lovely, relaxing soundtrack like this combined with beautiful home environments liven up an otherwise simple game that’s all about balancing a number of unique shapes, and it can only do with more of this kind of music. What’s here however has gone completely under-appreciated, and I’d be remiss not to give this soundtrack the proper shout out it deserves.
Good on ya, Shin’en Multimedia. Good on ya.
Buy the soundtrack here: http://soundtrack.shinen.com/?artofbalance
Vee, the VGM Lover
EVERYONE DESERVES TO ENJOY VIDEO GAME MUSIC