Recommended video game music: compelling masterpieces and popular tracks you’ll want to listen to.

In Search of Lost Timesugiyama kouichi

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

This is the ending theme that is deeply etched in the hearts of players who saw the story of Dragon Quest XI through to the very end.

As a work that could be called the culmination of the series, it is sprinkled throughout with nostalgic melodies from past entries.

It is also included on the album Symphonic Suite “Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age,” released in January 2018, where the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra’s magnificent performance brilliantly adorned the finale of a long-running adventure.

Please take your time and savor the lingering afterglow of this grand tale!

crisisKikuta Hiroki

[SFC] Secret of Mana 2 – Crisis

From Square’s action RPG series, Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2).

This track, which plays during boss battles, has a highly progressive feel to its composition, making it a memorable piece that feels like it transcends the realm of video game music.

Doodle NotebookZUNTATA

Doodle Notebook

Rakugaki Kingdom, which featured illustrations created by Studio Ghibli, became a hot topic.

Its innovative system—where characters you draw step out of the picture and fight—drew a lot of attention.

You can draw each part separately, like the head, torso, and tail, which really sparks your creative drive.

Go away.Suzuki Keiichi, Tanaka Hirokazu

MOTHER 2 - Please Disappear [Audio]

The MOTHER series is famous for having its scenarios written by Shigesato Itoi.

Among them, MOTHER 2 features a particularly standout track whose dramatic shift in the latter half—unimaginable from its Famicom-style intro—helps make the atmosphere of the final boss battle even more intense.

Dreams and hopeToby Fox

Dreams and hope

This is battle music that draws you in with powerful arrangement and dramatic development.

It’s a track from the American indie game UNDERTALE, released in September 2015.

In the game, it’s used during the climactic scene of the “True Pacifist Route,” in the final boss battle.

Its appeal lies in a bold sound that fuses various genres such as chiptune, orchestral, and techno.

It was also included as downloadable content for the action game Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun! on Nintendo Switch, and is loved by a wide range of game fans.

It’s a recommended song for when you want to fire yourself up or need the courage to face a challenge.

The Hero’s Challengesugiyama kouichi

Dragon Quest III Zoma Battle BGM “Hero’s Challenge”

A masterpiece whose powerful orchestral sound seizes the heart.

Composed by Koichi Sugiyama, it was created in 1988 for Dragon Quest III: And into the Legend….

Known as the piece that plays during the final battle where the fate of the world is at stake, its tense development superbly embodies the hero’s fighting spirit.

A landmark track that opened up new possibilities for video game music.

It’s the kind of music that gives you a push when you’re facing a major turning point in life.

Mad Flowers, Water MoonAndo Hirokazu

[Endurance BGM] Kirby of the Stars: Mad Flowers, Water, and Moon [60 Minutes]

This battle theme sweeps players into a frenzy with its heartrending yet beautiful melody and intense development.

Composed by Hirokazu Ando, it crowned the final battle of the 2014 Nintendo 3DS title Kirby: Triple Deluxe.

The progression from a quiet piano to increasingly fierce phrases brilliantly conveys the tension within the game.

Immerse yourself in its world where fragility and madness intertwine!