Continuing on with my soundtrack retrospective, this next entry is going to be on the Legend Of Zelda series. This video game franchise is well-known for its incredibly epic soundtracks, and has kept up an insane level of quality throughout:
Legend Of Zelda: Legend Of Zelda's first soundtrack is similar to that of Super Mario Bros as it's fairly simple and short, but it still manages to capture the grand, epic, adventurous feel of most of the other games in the series. I love how bombastic the overworld theme is, how mysterious the dungeon theme is, and especially how epic the title theme is. The only problem is that Zelda's soundtrack is just too short! There really aren't too many tracks here, even if pretty much every single one is a classic.
Highlight: The overworld theme. Do I really need to explain more?
3/5 Stars
Zelda II: Adventures Of Link: I may not like Zelda II the game, but its soundtrack is easily one of the best on the NES. The music is much more complex and elaborate compared to the first game, with some tracks even taking on an oddly sorrowful tone. Adventures Of Link's music feels so much more grand and emotional than the first game. It's as if even with how different this game is, this soundtrack still makes it feel like it's trying to be a larger scale adventure than the original, and I admire that a lot. This is an underrated batch of tracks and I highly recommend you give it a listen.
Highlight: The Temple/Palace theme is one of my favorite Zelda tracks of all time. It's dark, mysterious, and incredibly exciting. The original version is great on its own, but the Super Smash Bros Melee remix is what truly made me fall in love with the song.
4/5 Stars
Link To The Past: Composition wise, Link To The Past's soundtrack is great. It introduced a ton of iconic tunes such as Kakariko Village, Death Mountain, Hyrule Castle, and Dark World. It continues the trend of trying to up the epic factor and what results is a soundtrack that feels even more grand than the NES games. Soundfont-wise, however, I'm sorry but it sounds soooo bad. The instrumentation is muted, the trumpets lack energy, and none of the songs sound as good as they should and could be. The presence of Link Between Worlds' soundtrack, which blows this game's music out of the water in every concievable way, further solidifies this as one of the weakest Zelda soundtracks for me. Sorry to disappoint you all.
Highlight: I'm a big fan of the Dark World theme. It serves its purpose pretty much perfectly, it feels like a darker more sinister version of the overworld theme while still maintaining its sense of adventure and momentum.
2/5 Stars
Link's Awakening: Unlike the first three Zelda soundtracks, Link's Awakening goes for an entirely different vibe to amazing results. There are some epic tracks on here (Tal Tal Heights especially), but it generally forgoes the sense of adventure for a more dreamlike (ha, get it?) feel, one that's more lighthearted, emotional, and even melancholic at times. This is a Game Boy game and yet its soundtrack is still one of the most nuanced I've ever heard, and the amazing Switch remake manages to elevate it even more. In particular, the remake's dungeon themes are breathtakingly beautiful.
Highlight: Easily Tal Tal Heights. It's the track that always comes to mind whenever I think of this game. It's such a grand, gorgeous, and chill-inducing remix of the overworld theme that manages to create a new identity all its own. And once again, the Switch theme manages to make it even better! Hands down one of my favorite video game tracks of all time.
5/5 Stars
Ocarina Of Time: Ocarina Of Time's music is simply iconic. So many of this game's tracks became a staple of the Zelda series, from the Lost Woods, to Hyrule Castle Town, to Song Of Storms. It's really the quintessential soundtrack and I'm sure it's the one most people think of when they think of Legend Of Zelda. Personally, I enjoy some of the later soundtracks (plus Link's Awakening) a bit more than Ocarina's, but it definitely captures the adventurous spirit that I love about the games.
Highlight: Gerudo Valley is probably my favorite desert theme ever? It's an insanely catchy Mexican-inspired tune with a simple but incredibly compelling hook that I will never get tired of listening to.
4/5 Stars
Majora's Mask: Majora's Mask is a game that lives and dies by its tone and atmosphere. It wouldn't work as well as it does if it didn't go for such a bleak and melancholic vibe, and Koji Kondo's phenomenal score plays a big part in creating that tone. Seriously, he knocked it out of the park here, so many of the songs here are so brilliantly somber and grim, even the ones that seem happy. Clock Town slowly gives way to Final Hours, Termina Field gives the series' main theme a more sinister turn, and Astral Observatory is just on an another level in terms of mixed vibes. Kondo goes all in on the weird instrumentation too, there's a surprising amount of techno tunes here, and he even brings back the Mario 64 soundfont for some songs to make things all the more dissonant. Oh, and the dungeon and boss themes slap hard, easily some of the best in the series. Majora's Wrath might just be the best Zelda final boss theme. The only complaint I could probably have about the soundtrack is how it reuses Ocarina Of Time tunes, but their unfittingness only adds to the dissonance so I think it still works for the game. Given how the game treats referencing its predecessor, I'm pretty sure it's intentional anyway. Either way, I really think Majora's Mask is one of the best Zelda soundtracks, if not one of the best video game soundtracks ever. It hits so many emotional chords and still feels like nothing I've ever heard before. This is Koji Kondo's magnum opus, by a longshot.
Highlight: Final Hours, hands down. It's easily the best song Koji Kondo's ever composed. It's perfectly captures that bleak feel, when the Moon is just hanging over Termina and everyone's already accepted their fate. It's hopeless, emotional, gutting, and just plain depressing. Astral Observatory and Stone Tower Temple deserve mention though, fantastic tunes in their own ways.
5/5 Stars
Oracle Of Ages/Seasons: I'm gonna be honest, this Zelda soundtrack is entirely forgettable to me. But let me start with the high points. There are some great remixes of Link's Awakening tracks here, and the dungeon themes are easily some of the best in the game. However, there are a large amount of tracks that I just can't find myself remembering for the life of me. This isn't a bad soundtrack (soundtracks?), but it just doesn't manage to hold a candle to the heights that most of the rest of the series manages to reach.
Highlight: Tarm Ruins is an oddly beautiful theme that literally no one talks about. It's so calm and relaxing, while feeling mystical and solemn at the same time. I wouldn't mind getting an official remix of this one, none of the game's other tracks jump out at me as much as Tarm Ruins did.
2/5 Stars
Wind Waker: Wind Waker has easily one of Zelda's most unique soundtracks, and it wears its Celtic-influences on its sleeves. Like we literally get bagpipes and violins in the title theme alone. I just adore Wind Waker's music, from the calm island themes, to the adventurous Great Sea theme, to the jawdroppingly epic boss themes. The usage of leitmotifs is also really good, even for a Zelda game. For me, this game is the moment where Zelda soundtracks went from great to absolutely amazing, and we've barely had any drops in quality ever since. It shows how you can take on a completely different musical style while still evoking the same grand and epic feel of Zelda.
Highlight: Molgera, easy. This is my favorite boss in the series and it's probably 90% because of the music. From the immaculate instrument selection (bells, marimba, vocals), to the catchy hook, to the epic chorus, Molgera's theme is an absolute masterpiece and is up there with the best songs in the franchise. I also want to single out the aforementioned title theme for the fact that it squeezes Medli and Makar's prayer themes together foreshadowing the rest of the game. Just genius stuff.
5/5 Stars
Minish Cap: As much nostalgia as I have for it, the Game Boy Advance doesn't have the best sound quality, which means that even its best soundtracks don't sound all that clear. Despite this, Minish Cap's music boasts some amazing melodies that more than make up for the audio issues. The town themes are beautiful and peaceful, the overworld themes are exciting and epic, and the dungeon themes are easily some of the best and most eclectic in the series. There's not a single weak track on here and I'd easily give a remake with higher quality instrumentation a 5/5 if it existed.
Highlight: Temple Of Droplets is easily one of the best songs on the Game Boy Advance. It uses the game's bass-y soundfont to create an incredibly dark and atmospheric track that fits in with the icy environment pretty much perfectly.
4/5 Stars
Twilight Princess: Mahito Yokota worked on this soundtrack, and just wow, where do I even start with this one?! It's just so massive and diverse, ranging from western-inspired tunes in the villages, to intense synth-y beats in the Twilight Realm, to atmospheric hooks for the dungeons, to epic and exciting boss themes, yet it all manages to feel cohesive in just how uncanny a lot of it feels. Similarly to Majora's Mask, there's a sense of melancholy to a lot of these songs, even the more light-hearted ones. You can really tell just how much Zant managed to screw up Hyrule just from the songs alone, it really does perfectly capture the game's atmosphere and visuals.
Highlight: Okay, here it is, Hyrule Field, my favorite song in the series and one of my favorites of all time. This is the quintessential Zelda song for me, from the epic beginning to the sinister battle variation to the adventurous pre-chorus to the melancholy bridge. I even love the somber Midna's Lament iteration of the theme. Hyrule Field is an absolute masterpiece of a video game track on every level and the gold standard of Zelda music for me.
5/5 Stars
Phantom Hourglass: While I really like how much the soundtrack invokes the feeling of sailing the high seas, Phantom Hourglass's music generally has the same problems of Oracle Of Ages/Seasons, in that it just doesn't stand out to me at all. Most of its best songs are the ones that iterate from its predecessor (Wind Waker in this case), and even my favorite song in the game doesn't come close to the heights of most other games in the series. Once again, it's not a bad soundtrack, but it just doesn't live up to the series' lofty standards.
Highlight: Linebeck's character theme is excellent. It perfectly captures his character, from his love of adventure to his ego and greed. And I love how it gets a dark reprise when you have to fight him in the final boss.
2/5 Stars
Spirit Tracks: Okay. so here me out. What would you get if you fused Zelda with Pokemon Mystery Dungeon? Gold. Pure gold. Spirit Tracks's soundtrack goes for a more medieval tone and it works so damn well, from the abundance of lovely-sounding pan flutes, to the comfy village themes, to the surprising amount of haunting choirs. Toru Minegishi even brought some of that Twilight Princess eerieness to some of the darker themes, and they're as great as ever. The instrumentation and soundfont in Spirit Tracks is just on an another level, and it leads to some truly ethereal tracks. The whole soundtrack feels cohesive and consistent, creating a vibe all its own, and the way the endgame brings every single leitmotif together makes for quite possible the best end to a Zelda soundtrack in the whole franchise. Easy Top 3 for me, it nails what it's trying to do so well.
Highlight: Full Steam Ahead is the easy answer here, right behind Hyrule Field as the best overworld theme of the series without question. It's catchy, beautiful, and uses the pan flute to astonishing results, really getting you hyped to go on a big train adventure. And similarly to Hyrule Field, it dynamically shifts as you explore the overworld, and it works so well with a train whistle that it feels like an instrument of its own.
5/5 Stars
Skyward Sword: I go back and forth between this and Majora's Mask, but Skyward Sword has always been a contender for favorite soundtrack in the series. I've raved about Super Mario Galaxy's music countless times, so how can I not absolutely love this soundtrack. Mahito Yokota goes full orchestral once again for a score that feels just as grand, epic, and soaring as the Galaxy games, and I absolutely love it. From the epic theme in The Sky, to the bombastic boss themes, to the beautiful overworld themes, to the many excellent leitmotifs, Skyward Sword's soundtrack is just so insanely good. But the real clincher for me is just how emotional this game's music is. At its best, Skyward Sword hits me harder than any other soundtrack in the series, and some of its best songs nearly elicit tears (which is super rare if you know me). And while I love soundtracks that are complex or catchy, there's nothing quite like a soundtrack that leaves a massive impact on you.
Highlight: How the hell am I supposed to choose?! The Sky is an easy choice, evoking the same bombast and energy that Gusty Garden Galaxy does. Or maybe the solemn and understated Lanayru Sand Sea is the best? Or maybe Fi's Goodbye, which is so emotional it makes me tear up just listening to it? Or maybe Koloktos's theme which is easily one of the most epic boss themes ever made? Or maybe it's just a four-way tie because there's no way in hell I can pick just one.
5/5 Stars
A Link Between Worlds: Hey, so remember how I said that Link To The Past's soundtrack was great but it just needed some better instrumentation to become truly perfect. Well, A Link Between Worlds proves me exactly right. Most of this game takes music from LttP, but manages to make it feel so much more dynamic with its more complex backing tracks and bombastic trumpets playing in the forefront. Pretty much every single remixed track is superior to the original, it feels so much more clear and exciting. And even more, this game's entirely original tracks are top-notch too, from Yuga's epic leitmotif, to the atmosphere dungeon tunes, to the absolute ear worm that is the Minigame theme. I adore ALBW's soundtrack, it takes an already great lineup of tunes and polishes it to near perfection.
Highlight: I already voiced my praise of Dark World, and its remix here is nothing short of godly. I also love the remix of Hyrule Field, but that was also in Link To The Past, so I think I'll pick Lorule Castle as my highlight. It manages to feel both sinister and heroic at the same time, and the way it slowly builds throughout the course of the final dungeon turns it into a complete masterpiece. It's easily my favorite final dungeon theme in the series.
5/5 Stars
Breath Of The Wild: Given how much I love Skyward Sword, it might be surprising that this is yet another one of my favorite soundtracks in the series given how understated it is by comparison, but that's why I love it so much! The music here is so different from your normal Zelda game, it feels isolating and empty at times, but if you take the time to listen to the music, you'll find just how beautifully composed all of it is. All of the game's tracks are nuanced and varied, from the synth-heavy Sheikh-related tunes to the calming and quaint town themes to the orchestral boss themes, and the fact that you hear them so sparingly makes it all the more impactful. It's genuinely stunning just how many tracks this game has, and it's even more impressive just how amazing they all are. I love Breath Of The Wild's music, it fits the game perfectly, and if you give it the attention it deserves, you'll find some of the most beautifully composed music in the series.
Highlight: While I really want to list the 2017 Trailer Theme or the Monk Maz Koshia theme, I decided to go for something from the game proper. So my highlight for Breath Of The Wild is Attack On Vah Ruta. It's epic, it's grand, it's bombastic, and the fact that it was the first traditional Zelda tune I heard just gave it so much more impact.
5/5 Stars
Cadence Of Hyrule: Yeah, I know this is a spinoff, but I can't not list this soundtrack. Danny Baranowsky's too good of a composer not to. This soundtrack manages to perfectly blend iconic tunes with Danny B's own iconic blend of intense chiptune and incredibly catchy rock, while giving said iconic tunes entirely new life. I didn't think I'd enjoy A Link To The Past's Lost Woods theme, but I guess I was proved wrong! And the original boss and dungeon themes are great too, all of which are fast-paced and get you pumped up for the fight. But even more, it's so cool to see these tracks shown through a new light like this, and I hope we can have more unique collabs like Cadence Of Hyrule in the future.
Highlight: The Lost Woods theme is easily one of the most impressive remixes I've ever heard in a game, taking an otherwise forgettable and repetitive tune in Link To The Past and turning it into an absolute banger. Danny B managed to completely transform the original theme into something new while also managing to maintain its identity, and that reprise of the Zelda theme in the second half is just godly. It's already my favorite song in Cadence Of Hyrule, but the fact that it's such an impressive remix makes it all the better.
5/5 Stars
Let's sum this retrospective up with my Top 10 soundtracks in the Zelda series:
- Majora's Mask
- Skyward Sword
- Spirit Tracks
- Twilight Princess
- Link's Awakening
- Breath Of The Wild
- Cadence Of Hyrule
- Link Between Worlds
- Wind Waker
- Ocarina Of Time
Next up, it's time to check out the excellent soundtracks to the Kirby series, my favorite video game series of all time...
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