[All-Time] A Collection of Masterpieces in Video Game Music [Up to the Latest Tracks]
If you’re really into a game, chances are you love it together with its music, right?
In this article, I’d like to introduce some classic gems of video game music.
When you spend a long time playing, the BGM naturally sticks in your ears.
Even if you only played it once as a kid, you might still find yourself humming it as an adult.
Follow the tracks collected here and you might rekindle memories you’d forgotten.
It also makes a great playlist for getting work done!
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- [Dragon Quest BGM] Iconic and popular tracks from the Dragon Quest series
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- [Kirby BGM] Iconic and Popular Tracks from the Kirby Series
- Recommended video game music: compelling masterpieces and popular tracks you’ll want to listen to.
- Masterpieces from the Persona series. Recommended video game music.
- A collection of video game music I want to perform in a wind ensemble
- BGM from the Pokémon series through the ages: A compilation of legendary tracks
- [Game Music] Splatoon BGM and Popular Songs Compilation
- Cheer songs from Power Pro and popular BGM: a collection of divine tracks
- [Animal Crossing BGM] Iconic and Popular Tracks from Animal Crossing
[Historical] Compilation of Great Video Game Music Tracks [Up to the Latest Songs] (31–40)
Green Hill ZoneNakamura Masato
This track, which plays in the first stage of the side-scrolling action game Sonic the Hedgehog for the Mega Drive, was released to the world alongside the game in July 1991 in Japan.
The composer is Masato Nakamura, leader of DREAMS COME TRUE, who is active as a bassist and producer.
Created under the constraints of a 16-bit FM sound chip, the piece aimed for a melody that would stand on its own as pop music, and it’s notable for its bright, bouncy rhythm and sophisticated chord progressions.
It brilliantly conveys, through music, the exhilaration of sprinting across grassy fields.
A piano arrangement was used in the 2020 live-action film Sonic the Hedgehog, and when the sequel was released in Japan, a vocal version by DREAMS COME TRUE was featured as the theme song.
It’s a track we recommend not only for those who want to revel in retro game nostalgia, but also for anyone interested in the fusion of chiptune and J-pop.
MAGICAL SOUND SHOWERKawaguchi Hiroshi
This is one of the three tracks you can select from the radio-style menu before starting Sega’s immersive driving game OutRun, which began operating in arcades in September 1986.
The composer is Hiroshi Kawaguchi.
Its tropical sound, infused with elements of Latin jazz and salsa, brilliantly evokes the exhilaration of speeding through seaside resorts.
It’s impressive how the steel-pan-like bell tones, synth brass, and conga-like percussion—rendered via FM synthesis—layer together to achieve a full-band richness despite the limited polyphony.
In 2007, numerous arrangement versions were included in the OutRun 20th Anniversary Box, and the track has also been featured in rhythm games such as Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade, maimai, and Taiko no Tatsujin.
It’s a perfect pick when you want to feel the vibe of a summer drive or experience a slice of 1980s arcade culture.
Bloody TearsMatsubara Kenichi
This is a piece that carved its name into video game music history as the BGM that plays on the daytime field in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, released for the Famicom Disk System in August 1987.
Composed by Kenichi Matsubara, the track is stunning in its structure: from a majestic, pipe-organ-like intro, it plunges into a driving, exhilarating rhythm.
Its melancholic melody in a minor key and a powerful, forward-thrusting beat brilliantly portray the protagonist’s fate and resolve as he fights on to lift the curse.
It’s impossible not to admire how such a dramatic narrative was woven within the constraints of 8-bit sound hardware.
As one of the defining themes of the series, it also received a new arrangement in Super Smash Bros.
Ultimate.
A must-listen for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in a world of gothic horror or has an interest in retro game music.
Eyes on me(Piano collections ver.)Uematsu Nobuo
The piano-arranged love song from Final Fantasy VIII beautifully portrays the poignant feelings between the protagonist, Squall, and the heroine, Rinoa.
Woven solely by piano, its clear, transparent tones express sincere emotions with a tender sense of frustration, while the gentle melody soothes the listener’s heart.
Though it depicts unrequited love, it conveys an unwavering devotion to a beloved person with a quietly passionate timbre.
Since its 1999 release, it has continued to captivate the hearts of many music fans.
With a beauty that moves you through piano alone, it’s a perfect piece for fans of classical or new age music, and for anyone seeking a song with a deeply moving sense of storytelling.
The strong onessugiyama kouichi
This is the battle theme that plays when you face boss-level enemies in Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden.
From the opening, the dissonance and the pounding timpani rolls foreshadow the fierce fight to come and instantly heighten the tension.
It’s not just intense, though—the piece develops into a slightly comical phrase in the latter half, showcasing Koichi Sugiyama’s signature playful touch.
It’s included on the album Symphonic Suite “Dragon Quest VII” Warriors of Eden + Original Soundtrack, released in September 2000.