Castlevania only lost because it was made in Japan.
After weeks of voting, Hardcore Gaming 101 — a website that should double as the go-to history text for everyone working in the gaming industry — has compiled its list of the top 250 songs from videogames made in the West.
And by “West,” I obviously mean the United States and Europe. Latent imperialism strikes again!
As for the list itself, the results are quite interesting. Here, let me show you the top 10:
Game – Song Title – Composer
1. Diablo – Tristram – Matt Uelmen
2. Monty on the Run – Main Theme – Rob Hubbard
3. Solstice – Title Screen – Tim Follin
4. Doom – At Doom’s Gate (E1M1) – Bobby Prince
5. Donkey Kong Country – Aquatic Ambiance – David Wise
6. Donkey Kong Country 2 – Stickerbush Symphony – David Wise
7. The Secret of Monkey Island – Main Theme – Michael Land
8. Civilization IV – Baba Yetu – Christopher Tin
9. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – Another Winter – Anamanaguchi
10. VVVVVV – Potential for Anything – Souleye
As you can see, topping the countdown is the Tristram town theme from Diablo. A solid choice, as that song is a perennial favorite and anyone who has played the game can immediately recall that haunting, mournful tune. Then the list immediately jumps to the controversial by awarding the number two spot to the main theme from Monty On The Run.
What? You’ve never heard of Monty On The Run? The beloved 1985 Commodore 64 title from Gremlin Graphics? For shame, dear reader! You’ve obviously got a lot of history to bone up on. Fortunately, that’s exactly why HG 101 exists.
But before you go rushing off to scour their archives for lengthy dissertations on classic games you were only vaguely aware of, pay a visit to the comments section below and offer your take on what is the greatest Western-made videogame song of all time. Or make your own top 250 list. As long as we get those sweet pageviews, maybe my corporate taskmasters will forgive me for blatantly promoting the work of another website.
Maybe.
Source: Hardcore Gaming 101
