A video game's soundtrack might not be the most important aspect of the experience, but it certainly isn't the least important. Some of the greatest games and the moments within are defined by the music that accompanies them. Final Fantasy and Nobuo Uematsu are pretty much the supreme overlords of video game music, so I wanted to share my absolute favorite tracks from across the franchise, and hopefully help some of the newer gamers aware of some of the masterpieces that preceded them.
10: Quina's Theme FF9
When you wander into the marsh and meet Quina for the first time, this music takes over the scene completely. Every time I did a QTE about Quina or saw a clip from Quina's past, I would get so excited to hear this badass music. Tribal drums plus monkish chanting with a sprinkle of keyboard silliness. It fits Quina perfectly.
9: Mysidia FF4
Final Fantasy 4 was for a long time my answer to the "favorite video game of all time" question, and this is the best tune from that epic game. It's a town of wizards, of random townsfolk who have been changed into pigs and toads. It's silly, catchy, and a necessary distraction from the slaughter Cecil brought Mysidia in the game's beginning.
8: Cosmo Canyon FF7
Final Fantasy 7 is all about fast paced plot development, grueling boss fight gauntlets and the beautiful moments of peaceful serenity in towns between all the action-y parts. When you arrive at Cosmo Canyon, you have just survived the Gold Saucer prison and watched Barrett's best friend die. Junon was a debacle and you had to fight Sepheroth's 1000 mom reincarnated as a lump of sentient flesh in the bowels of a rusty cargo ship. Also, your car broke down in the middle of the desert. Cosmo Canyon offers relaxation, great stores with powerful weapons, and greets you with this awesome ass song. I love Cosmo Canyon, putting my feet up and watching the gang get together around the fire to discuss their next move. This song represents the last great feeling of hope, because after Cosmo Canyon is Nibelheim.
7: The Republic of Bastok FF11
In FF11 you get to pick your starting city, and I picked Bastok, the city of industry. This song plays the second you login, and as the cityscape unfolds in front of you, this song kicks in and you are filled with ambition. The 3 starting cities are in competition with each other, and it always seemed that us players from Bastok were consistently the most successful. I credit the Bastok theme song for that.
6: The Landing FF8
Final Fantasy 8 has the greatest soundtrack in the history of video games. It is a work of art, and every track perfectly describes the images that run along side the music. The Landing is a heart pounding orchestral power that makes Squall's first military deployment that much more tense. I love this song.
5: Crossing Those Hills FF9
It's the overworld music, the song you hear as you traverse the landscape, going from town to dungeon, or chocobo forest to treasure location. I love the way this track makes you feel as if the FF9 universe is infinitely massive.
4: Blitz Off FF10
Somehow, someway, Uematsu developed a song for Blitzball that actually sounds like it's underwater. Amazing.
3: Shuffle or Boogie FF8
This is the theme for the best FF side-distraction ever, the Triple Triad card game. This music plays in my head when I pull up next to someone at a red light. I think of this song when I feel challenged by someone, or whenever I play any card game whatsoever. Another monumental song from such a monumental OST.
2: The Sky City Of Bhujerba FF12
I love peaceful town music, Bhujerba's theme from Final Fantasy 12 is so serene. Bhujerba is a very unique place, a city floating amidst the clouds, and exploring it for the first time while hearing this music wash over you is a gaming moment I will never forget.
1: Besaid FF10
This is my absolute favorite piece of music that Nobuo Uematsu has ever produced. FFX has a lot of island-y music, and Besaid's is the perfect theme for an island town. It's slow-paced and elegant. Besaid is the first town in the whole game, and it immediately makes you feel the pain that Spira as a whole has been suffering with along with that stark optimism that these islanders feel despite all of the heartache. When you think about what a video game's song is supposed to do, like make a boss fight feel more epic, or to help the player mourn the death of someone, Besaid's theme music is supposed to accurately represent what the town is all about. Mission accomplished.
(I know that I only added a single retro song to the list, but let's be truly honest with ourselves, midi chip bullshit cannot stand toe to toe with full orchestras. Get over it.)
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