LogFAQs > #956488922

14. Cold Man (Mega Man & Bass)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wazcbLFicdA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sorajZcFvc

The main problem with this jazzy little jam is that there's really no definitive version that I can point to as the good one, so I sort of love this theme in spite of itself in a way. I prefer the GBA version a lot, but I can't really point to the GBA version as definitive because it's marred by a lot of sound balance issues - that isn't a bad rip, it really sounds like that. The drums are super in-your-face while the melody is being played down the hallway somewhere. It's like I'm back at the music building in college, really. But, as usual for this game, the Super Famicom version is lacking PUNCH. The kicks and hats are too quiet and the snare sounds like a tin can. The GBA version on the other hand is HERE TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU. I don't mind that! It highlights the varied kick and snare patterns of this weirdly drum-n-bassy track. Besides that, I like the other instrumentation choices better. I think that somber piano lead is classy and I'm really not liking that electric-guitar-like instrument in the second half of the SFC version so the GBA's an improvement there too, even if it's way too quiet. The bass is a wash - the slap bass in the SFC is nice but lacking attack so I kinda prefer the GBA again. Anyway, as for the actual theme itself, it's cool as hell. It's weird that a boring, generic robot master that looks like a fridge would get the game's obvious single material but that kind of adds to the appeal - I wasn't expecting entering this stage for the music to slap me in the fucking face. That bass breakdown section at the end is rad - those four jazzy chords at the end are pure class. Look, I know they're just jazz chords, but you don't get a lot of that in MM. This is a standout favorite of mine from this game and it turns it into a stage I'm excited to go to.

Oh right, you want to hear the Wonderswan version one last time right? Of course you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJYG4IyLAik

Here's Aircon Man's theme, for your enjoyment. He's an air conditioning robot master. All things considered, this one could be way worse. It basically sounds like the theme it's supposed to sound like and it's not completely butchered, only partially. Boo! I don't just want a regular bad remix, I want complete abominations! I'm disappointed.

Final Mega Man & Bass Rankings:

1. Cold Man (14)
2. Pirate Man (55)
3. Astro Man (60)
4. Dynamo Man (68)
5. King (85)
6. Ground Man (90)
7. Tengu Man (91)
8. Burner Man (103)
9. Intro Stage (112)
10. Dr. Wily (157)
11. Magic Man (165)
12. Capsule Room (191)

Thoughts: I can't really decide whether or not I've been overrating or underrating this game. When I listen to the tracks, I kind of like them, but aside from Cold Man they don't leave a really strong, lasting impression on me and I feel like it's less than the sum of its parts somehow. I really don't like the Super Famicom version all that much to be honest - the instrument choices just don't really pop and the intentional quantization randomness just sounds awkward to me, although that's a personal taste thing. The GBA version is a lot more to my tastes but has a lot of mixing issues. If these two could be combined into some kind of master version it'd be great! As it is, it's a lower tier soundtrack for me but it has some tunes that are worthwhile.

Regrets?: I underrated Astro Man and overrated King and Burner Man a little bit in retrospect, don't like those latter two quite as much and I didn't give Astro Man's theme quite the proper due because I really like it.