What tunes really did it for you in the Sonic games?

Sonic 1: Labyrinth and Starlight
Sonic 2: Just about all of it
Sonic 3: Ice Cap, Hydrocity, and everything from Sonic & Knuckles except Sandopolis
Sonic (anything after that): Most of the vocal tracks in the 3D sonics.

 

Actually all the music in the games I find to be amazing.
As for tunes that really did it for me. I'd have to go with sonic adventure 2. I'm glad I picked this as my first sonic, because the music was just wow. Just legendary. This was the first time I heard music of this caliber in a video game.

There's only a select few tunes I dislike.
Oil Ocean for example I hate with a passion. It only further worsens the experience I have to have to get through the zone.
Casino Park, Mystic Mansion and Final Fortress from Sonic Heroes are the other tunes that I can't stand. They're just so irritating to listen to.

 

I never liked Oil Ocean very much, neither the zone nor the music, so I agree with you.
They made an awesome remix of that song, though. Check it out.

 

I seem to have some very unpopular musical likings here when it comes to the Sonic games.

Well, here's my $0.02.

First we have Launch Base. The tune used to haunt me when I was a child because it was the "song of death", since I could never pass that zone. Now, I consider it very catchy and rhythmic; reminding me of tropical Cuban music mixed together with some sort of "neo-funk" music, much like that of Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson (not suprisingly). Anyways, it somehow maintains to have an industrialized feel about it; and I'm not exactly sure what makes it sound that way, but it does, and I think it fits perfectly with the actual level.

Next choice for favorite is the Final Fight from Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis). Although many have said that the music didn't really fit the level, I disagree. The music is fast-paced, but still is very mechanical, electronic and (in it's own way) eerie and diabolical. I also have to say how well it actually fits with the final boss: The stage is electronic, the final bosses are mechanical, and Robotnik is eerie and diabolical, right? Ok, maybe not the "eerie and diabolical" for Robotnik, but you catch my drift.

Honorable mentions go to Mushroom Hill, Sky Rail (of SA2), Super Sonic Racing, any song from either OST of Sonic CD, and any song from Sonic Unleashed's OST because they are all completely awesome.

As for least favorites, I'll have to stick with Labyrinth, Emerald Hill and Spring Yard. Labyrinth doesn't even sound like a song for an underwater cavern, Emerald Hill is pretty annoying (not the 2P one though, I'm fine with that one), and Spring Yard is just the dullest, most boring thing I've ever heard. (Not-so)honorable mentions go to Mystic Cave, Marble Zone (S1), and Ice Cap (that's right, kill me).

Those aside, I guess I'm on good terms with all the other Sonic songs.

 

Ah, yes, I love OC ReMix!
After listening to that ReMix, I'm actually impressed. It's not halfassed or anything. I could tell they spent a lot of time tweaking it. They even added vocals!
It's nice to hear these remixes without that inferior genesis sound quality.

 

All of the chiptune music was great, hell even the music in Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine was catchy, they used to do such a great job with all of that stuff. Thanks to technological limitations, the only way to gain the upper hand was through memorable, catchy music.

Aside from one major exception, I've despised the recorded music. It's so cliche and lazy, that it's almost as if they were making it impossible for anyone over 12 to like. I find it really disappointing that it's been many years since there was really a memorable (positive, aka not Sonic Heroes) theme song. And I'm not saying this is a Sonic-only phenomenon, there's plenty of games these days have a problem with forgettable shitty music, thanks to recording.

The one game that had excellent recorded music was Sonic CD, because instead of drawing influence from Disney rock music, synth orchestras, and other B video games, it was likeable and contemporary, drawing influence primarily from the music of the period, as well as other Genesis tunes.

 

You know, it's not particularly your tastes in general that bug me as much as the way you express them. Would it kill you to express distaste about something without throwing around such ignorant terms like "inferior"? "I don't like it as much as full quality music" is an entirely fair statement to make, but "inferior"? You're only going to cause trouble.

My personal belief is that music generated using 4-operator FM synthesis like on the YM2612 is in a league of its own. It has a unique, enthralling soundscape that brings the player in with surrealistic tones, not realistic tones. The whole appeal is that it doesn't sound realistic, you know? It's not "inferior" by any means—just "different." I can respect people not liking it, but you don't seem to respect people who do like it. It's not cool.

Personally, Oil Ocean isn't my favorite track, but I do appreciate the kind of environment it portrays—the chord progression, choice in lead, and melody give off the feeling of an Arabian, middle-east sort of environment where, indeed, an ocean of oil might feasibly be present. At the same time, the percussion is uplifting and upbeat to keep up the pace of the level, so the player still feels they're not in a "slow" level; no, they can breeze through just as easily as with every other level. That's a big part of the reason I usually breeze through Oil Ocean at a decent pace—I feel like I'm "encouraged" by the pace of the music.

 

Lots of choices for me...

* Metropolis Zone - This holds a special personal place for me, because when I was little me and my cousin wrote words to this. ("Wrote words" = stole Michael Jackson lyrics. He was still cool at that time, and not, you know, molesting kids.)

* Sandopolis Zone 2 - When I first heard this in Sonic 3 (I.e., before knowing the godawful level it belonged to), I was instantly intrigued. I literally dreamed about the kind of awesome level this music could go to. Unfortunately, my idea was a lot better than "switches 'n' ghosts 'n' sandslides"...

* Sonic 3 End Credits - Just an awesome song! And yes, I do think that MJ wrote this.

* Ice Cap Zone - One of the reasons I disliked the PC version of Sonic 3 was that we were deprived of this great tune. The fact is, no song could EVER fit that level better than the original. It even sounds *cold*!

* Hidden Palace Zone (S2) - I don't think I really took notice of this until I started getting into beta stuff, but when I was properly introduced (alongside the zone-full of awesomeness it was meant to accompany), this instantly became one of my all-time favorite Sonic songs.

* Sonic Boom - Hell, I'll admit it, the music in Sonic CD alone made me want a Sega CD! (I never did get one, but I digress...) Damn, when I first heard this in my cousin's game, I was hooked. I even had him read off the lyrics from the instruction booklet over the phone so I could write 'em down and sing them myself. (At the time, I actually misheard the title as "Sonic Doomed".) I even remember writing a bunch of extra verses for this in grade school.

 

Some odd choices being made and I can't believe some people don't like flying battery, launch base or sandopolis.

I love almost all the most in the games, with launch base, flying battery and sandopolis being some of my all time favourites. Ice cap would have been my favourite back in the day but it has been over mixed so often that the lustre has gone, labyrinth used to drive me crazy but I adore it now.

I really love the sonic 3 2 player zone music, I even love the competition menu music (I used to leave the game on this screen for ages just to listen to it).

Music I dislike is generally attributed to with the levels I have difficulty with, just hearing the first few chords of any special stage for instance drives me insane because I struggle with them. Marble Zone is another and I especially can't stand Spring Yard and Metropolis zone.

 

The final boss music from sonic the hedgehog 3. That's all I'll say.

 

Sonic 1 8 Bit - Bridge and Scrap Brain. Bridge to date, is probably my absolute favorite song for reasons I'm unsure of, and Scrap Brain is just awesome.

Sonic 1 16 Bit - Marble and Scrap Brain, I just love the intro part of Marble, and Scrap Brain gave the impression of Holy Crap this place is scary.

Sonic 2 8 Bit - Underground Zone - I just love it

Sonic 2 16 Bit - Emerald Hill 2P, Metropolis, and Sweet Sweet Sweet. All Memorable tracks with great Melodies.

Sonic CD JP/EU - Loud Sound, Palmtree Panic, D.A. Garden, Sonic ~You can do Anything and Cosmic Eternity.

Sonic CD US - Loud Sound, Stardust Speedway Bad Future.

Sonic 3 - Angel Island, and Ice Cap.

Sonic & Knuckles - Mushroom Hill, Flying Battery, Lava Reef, Hidden Palace, Sky Sanctuary.

Sonic 3D Blast Genesis - Opening/Story/Panic Puppet.

Sonic 3D Blast Saturn/PC - Rusty Ruins.

Sonic Jam - Sonic World.

Sonic R - Super Sonic Racing, Living in the City, Can You Feel the Sunshine, You're my Number One. All Lyrical.

Sonic Championship/The Fighters - Never Let it Go (Death Egg's Eye) and Hurry Up (Death Egg's Hangar). I remember making it as far as Metal Sonic on an original Machine, those were great memories.

Sonic Adventure - All of it. Especially Tornado Scramble ...for Sky Chase, Crazy Robo ...Boss: E-101R, and Theme of "E-102g" and Open Your Heart.

Sonic Adventure 2 - Event: Let's Make It!, Won't Stop, Just Go!, Unstable World, A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup, and Live and Learn.

Sonic Heroes - This Machine, HANG CASTLE, and WHAT I'm MADE OF.

Shadow the Hedgehog - I Am... All of Me, Waking Up, and E.G.G.M.A.N. Remix.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) - His World, Dreams of an Absolution, Wave Ocean ~The Inlet~, Kingdom Valley ~Wind ~ The Castle ~ Lakeside ~ Water~, and White Acropolis ~The Base~.

Sonic Unleashed - Apotos Day, Holoska Day, Spagonia Day, and Endless Possibility.

Sonic Advance - Neo Green Hill, Angel Island, Title Screen, Emerald Hill, Star Light, and Scrap Brain.

Sonic Advance 2 - Leef Forest E3 Proto, Title Screen.

Sonic Advance 3 - Sunset Hill.

Sonic Rush - Right There, Ride On, and A New Day.

Sonic Rush Adventure - A New Venture, and Plant Kingdom.

Sonic Riders - Sonic Speed Riders, and Theme of SEGA Carnival.

Sonic Riders Zero Gravity - Un-gravitify, and Aquatic Time.

Sonic Mega Collection - Intro, and Menu.

Sonic X JP - Sonic's Fight, S-Team #1, Eggman, Eggman Machine, Sonic Drive, Kotoba ni Dekinai (Ep 26 Ending)

SatAM - Robotropolis, Blue Streak Speeds By.

AoStH - Main Theme.

True Blue - Angel Island Brawl Version, and Seven Rings in Hand (Crush 40).

Sonic the Hedgehog Remix - Dr. "Gigglymen", Brand-new World, #8th SPACE, and Miracle Blue ~Little Planet~.

Sonic the Hedgehog (Album) - They Call Me Sonic, Sonic Electronic, Sonic Metropolis Trance Zone, and Sonic & Tails.

 

Hmm....I didn't really think what I said would offend anyone. But it looks like it did. I was just surprised at how much I liked the remix due to how much I couldn't stand the original. Or maybe it's more so the zone in general. But if it makes anyone feel better, I guess I'll try to be more careful.
Besides, it's not like I quoted someone who liked Oil Ocean, saying "how can you like that song??!"

 

Well FM is technically inferior. I mean, sample-based synthesis at the time of the Genesis and SNES wasn't that great due to hardware capabilities and memory limitations, though, so some things do sound better on the Genesis.

I mean, I vastly prefer the Genesis sound setup to that of the SNES, as most SNES samples are rather low-quality. I'm not meaning to slight it as such.


I honestly am surprised that Oil Ocean and Marble get hate here, though; I'll chalk it up at least partly to the fact that not a lot of people like the stages behind the music (I am not one of those people, incidentally).

I mean, I like Scrap Brain Zone's music in Sonic 1 GG but you hear it so much that eventually you begin to get sick of it. Most games' maze levels have songs that grate on me after a while.
The same can be said for the music for Sparkster's Stage 5 music (the Genesis Sparkster, to clarify): it's not an incredible song but as it's not incredibly long, unlike the level, it's quite easy to get sick of it.

 

I've always liked the music for the Gumball Machine Bonus Stage in Sonic 3.

 

And most of the instruments were crap and in most games it freezed for a few frames in order to play a new sound. The Mega Drive should have "inferior" quality as it's FM which is limited rather than PCM which theoretically allows for any kind of waveform, but musicians seem to did it way better using FM than PCM.

 

Scrap Brain was the tune that made me a Sonic fan.

 

Metropolis seems to randomly pop into my head for some reason.. Not sure what that's all about!!

Casino Night and Mystic Cave, both versions.. Cracking tracks.


I should also point out that I absolutely hated Sonic Rush's soundtrack until the day I actually played the game.. At which point, I completely changed my mind!

 

I love the Flying Battery Zone music. It is probably the best music ever.

 

Lets see, there's the Bonus stage music in Sonic 3/K (out of them, I like the slot machine one the best), Flying Battery Zone is was always a favorite of mine, and more recently, Sky Sanctuary.

Out of Sonic 2, I really like Metropolis Zone's track, and Sonic 1 had Star Light Zone.

 

I've always loved the Angel Island theme from S3, along with the Flying Battery music.