[2026] Many classic tracks! A compilation of nostalgic Japanese video game music

The hero sets forthsugiyama kouichi

[15-Minute Endurance] The Hero Sets Forth - Dragon Quest XI (BGM)

This is the field BGM from Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age.

After a gentle introduction, a hopeful brass fanfare brightly proclaims the beginning of the adventure.

The soaring string melody that follows evokes both anticipation for the grand journey ahead and a sense of resolve toward the mission at hand.

You can almost picture the hero pressing forward, step by step across the land.

Included on the album Symphonic Suite “Dragon Quest XI” Echoes of an Elusive Age, released in January 2018.

Memory of the Seasugiyama kouichi

Dragon Quest VIII: Sea Memories — 5-Hour Endurance

A bittersweet yet magnificent orchestral sound, evocative of the boundless ocean and the timeless tales that slumber within it, resonates in the heart.

This piece is one of the background tracks from the game Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, released in November 2004.

The delicate timbre of the harp captures the sparkle on the water’s surface, while the rich strings portray the ocean’s depths, instantly drawing listeners into the world of the story.

If you’ve played the game, vivid scenes will surely rise in your mind, moving you all over again.

Epilogue ~To Dear Companions~Mitsuda Yasunori

On The Other Side / Epilogue ~ To Dear Friends

This is the famous piece that plays during the farewell scene in Chrono Trigger’s ending, when each character returns to their own era.

The melody in the first half is the heroine Marle’s theme, “Chrono and Marle ~ Far-Off Promise.” Its sound—like a fusion of music box and orchestra—creates a goosebump-inducing sense of grandeur in the middle section.

It’s a beautiful, slightly melancholic piece, perfectly suited for scenes of parting and departure.

CastlevaniaYamashita Kinuyo

Castlevania BGM Collection

Castlevania was also a Konami game that became a big hit on the Famicom.

While ROM cartridges were the main medium for consumer game software at the time, this game was released on the Disk System, a rewritable medium.

A ROM version was later released as well.

GradiusHigashino Miki

Konami’s Strongest Female College Student Part-Timer, Miki Higashino: 7 Musical Works

Until then, vertically scrolling arcade shooters were mainstream, but with the arrival of Gradius, the number of side-scrolling games increased.

The system where your ship powers up, and the fact that the BGM changes with each stage, were also revolutionary.

Ghosts ‘n GoblinsMoriyasu Yako

Makaimura [Unicorn Theme] [Arcade] Ghosts ’n Goblins BGM

The smash-hit action game Ghosts ’n Goblins, in which you infiltrate the Demon World to rescue a princess kidnapped by demons, solidified Capcom’s popularity.

Its ominous BGM left a lasting impression on many people, didn’t it?

Metal Gear Solid 2Harī Guregguson=Wiriamuzu

Harry Gregson-Williams Scoring MGS 2: Sons Of Liberty

When it came to action games, the standard was to beat one opponent after another and push forward.

But in Konami’s Metal Gear series, there was a spy-movie-like tension as you infiltrated without being detected and carried out your mission.