Board 8 > deo listens to Classic Sonic level themes for the first time and ranks them

(+) Yeah! (+)

Lava Reef 2 is great but man do I prefer the Mania version waaaaaay more.

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72nd: Sonic & Knuckles - Sandopolis Zone Act 2
Composer: Tatsuyuki Maeda, Sachio Ogawa, Masanori Hikichi
Score: 64/100 (6.9), Sonic & Knuckles (6/12)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi16YiIpSkY" data-time="

158th - Sandopolis Zone Act 2

Much like Mushroom Hill Zone Act 1, this song feels super empty when it doesn't really need to. Drum section is boring, and while the Arabic-styled melodies are pretty cool at some points, when they're the only thing to be focused on at all it gets really tiring. I hate beating the "I wish there was more to this song to make it sound fuller" message into almost all of these songs at the bottom of this list but this one needs it pretty bad. I wonder if they fix it...

HOLY MOOOLEY they sure as fuck fixed it! That absolutely AGGRESSIVE bass that just keeps going and going throughout the intro is fantastic it's actually insane that that's all it really needed lol. I miss it when it kinda goes away after the intro though like no come back make me FEEL that I am SINKING in quicksand and have to thrash about to get out. (please dont do that if you are ever in quicksand unless you are listening to Sandopolis Zone Act 2 i guess) Actually ridiculous how much this one improved upon the song.

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71st: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Mystic Cave Zone
Composer: Masato Nakamura
Score: 64/100 (6.9), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (7/14)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdgRJDu4hcU" data-time="

inspector... gadget....... what is up with this series and taking stereotypical carnival themes/melodies and making them EVIL this song sounds more like Mischief Cave Zone and I respect that a lot. Very fun song as a result, it makes me wanna sneak around and pull some pranks that are a mild incovenience to others. So close to be something absolutely superb.

banshiryuu posted...

inspector... gadget.

man I thought I was the only one who thought that with the opening riff
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And with 71st place passing by, we have entered the zone of things I rated a 7.x or higher... which pretty much means everything that is left to appear is something I would say I loved!! We only just broke into the top half of the list and already we're at things that I'm kinda crazy for... just goes to show how much I enjoyed doing this! Since there's been a lot of songs in a short amount of time, I thought I'd give a little overview of what has yet to appear in the list. I actually made a spreadsheet overview for this project but... forgot to post the link here, so here's that now for anyone that wants a recap of past placings as well.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vA1lwHrhyz65SCF0S4i028sSnBISjg-epkX6-GR1JoM

Sonic the Hedgehog - 3 songs:
- Green Hill Zone, Marble Zone, Star Light Zone
Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS) - 2 songs:
- Scrap Brain Zone, Sky Base Zone
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - 6 songs:
- Emerald Hill Zone, Chemical Plant Zone, Aquatic Ruin Zone, Metropolis Zone, Mystic Cave Zone (2P), Emerald Hill Zone (2P)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS) - 2 songs:
- Under Ground Zone, Scrambled Egg Zone
Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) - 11 songs:
- Palmtree Panic, Palmtree Panic "G" mix, Palmtree Panic "B" mix, Tidal Tempest "B" mix, Quartz Quadrant "P" mix, Quartz Quadrant "B" mix, Wacky Workbench "B" mix, Stardust Speedway, Stardust Speedway "B" mix, Metallic Madness, Metallic Madness "P" mix
Sonic CD (USA) - 4 songs:
- Quartz Quadrant "G" mix, Quartz Quadrant "B" mix, Stardust Speedway "B" mix, Metallic Madness "G" mix
Sonic Chaos - 1 song: Intro / Electric Egg Zone Act 3
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble - 1 song: Sunset Park Zone Act 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - 9 songs:
- Angel Island Zone Act 1, Angel Island Zone Act 2, Hydrocity Zone Act 1, Hydrocity Zone Act 2, Carnival Night Zone Act 1, IceCap Zone Act 1, IceCap Zone Act 2, Azure Lake Zone, Chrome Gadget Zone
Sonic & Knuckles - 5 songs:
- Flying Battery Zone Act 1, Flying Battery Zone Act 2, Lava Reef Zone Act 1, Sky Sanctuary Zone, Death Egg Zone Act 2
Knuckles' Chaotix - 4 songs:
- Door Into Summer [Isolated Island Zone], Electoria [Techno Tower Zone], Speed of Sound [Speed Slider Zone], New Moon [Amazing Arena Zone (Lights On)]
Sonic Blast - 1 song: Silver Castle Zone
Sonic Mania - ..... 21 songs:
- Green Hill Zone Act 1 & 2, Chemical Plant Zone Act 1 & 2, Flying Battery Zone Act 1 & 2, Stardust Speedway Zone Act 2, Hydrocity Zone Act 1 & 2, Oil Ocean Zone Act 1 & 2, Lava Reef Zone Act 1 & 2, Metallic Madness Zone Act 2, Angel Island Zone
- Lights, Camera, Action! - Studiopolis Zone Act 1, Prime Time - Studiopolis Zone Act 2, Tabloid Jargon - Press Garden Zone Act 1, Blossom Haze - Press Garden Zone Act 2, Skyway Octane - Mirage Saloon Zone Act 1 ST Mix, Steel Cortex - Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2

So, anyone still have their favorites alive and well, or already lost every single song they've ever loved? Anything you're shocked is still even in this thing somehow? We've got a wild ride to the end, so I'll slow it down a bit but hopefully people are still enjoying it!

wow I didn't realize Metropolis was still alive

I don't like that song at all

The only song I really love that's already been eliminated is Doomsday (Spring Yard is good too). Most of my favorites are still there.
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Lost titanic monarch act 1 and my mushroom hill zones as well. Both of which are in my top 5 so *shrug*
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also you should do a bonus boss themes list because it didn't occur to me that boss themes weren't included
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Alive that I love:
Aquatic Ruin Zone
Flying Battery
Angel Island Act 2 specifically
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LeonhartFour posted...

also you should do a bonus boss themes list because it didn't occur to me that boss themes weren't included

Oh yeah I totally forgot to mention Im doing exactly this oops LOL

Well, its not a complete ranking but before the top of the top I am planning on doing some little bonus writeups of other songs that I loved and thought I could shoutout while listening to everything or something like that. If theres anything in specific youd want my thoughts on Ill definitely try and remember to get to them as well!

There have been a lot of songs I really like that have been eliminated. But there are a lot of songs still in that I also love! What an amazing franchise for music.

siiva people think they hear inspector gadget everywhere smh...

:P
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I cannot confirm nor deny this claim...

I'm loving your writeups. Thank you also for giving me a reason to listen to more Sonic music
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70th: Sonic & Knuckles - Death Egg Zone Act 2
Composer: Tatsuyuki Maeda, Sachio Ogawa, Masanori Hikichi
Score: 65/100 (7.0), Sonic & Knuckles (5/12)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y-AqYma4Qk" data-time="

Okay you may never, ever hear me say this again and this is kind of ironic that this is the one case where I think this way but I actually really like this song more without the overly-harsh FM that's in some areas in the Act 1. Like, the section at 0:26 it's definitely more subdued but still has that same kinda craziness to it that makes me really excited!!

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69th: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Emerald Hill Zone (2P)
Composer: Masato Nakamura
Score: 65/100 (7.0), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (6/14)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbCamUHhVU" data-time="

If you ever told me there'd be reggae in here where I started this I'd wonder how in the world that would work at all but uh... here we are and it's really good!! Very relaxed yet still has good energy in the melodies, especially when the backing stuff takes over for the melody at brief sections during the part at 0:20. One of the many short but oh-so-sweet songs that'll be showing up now! Also... nice placement.

Dead:
most of the SMS and Sonic CD USA songs

Alive:
All the SMS songs except Sky Base and Silver Castle
Stardust Speedway B (USA)
Chrome Gadget
S&K Lava Reef 1
Sky Sanctuary
Mania Hydrocity Act 2
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68th: Sonic Chaos - Intro / Electric Egg Zone Act 3
Composer: Kojiro Mikusa, Masayuki Nagao
Score: 65/100 (7.0), Sonic Chaos (1/8)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Dx-htJcLM" data-time="

Oh hey so this game has both Zero's theme AND Counter Hunter Stage 2?! How's that fair at all?! Joking aside, this song has a really good moving melody and does some very cool stuff like the chromatic movement at 0:15, and the very "mega man" chords at 0:23. Very fun for a short song as well!!

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67th: Sonic Mania - Blossom Haze - Press Garden Zone Act 2
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 65/100 (7.0), Sonic Mania (21/28)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Jmd0yX6AI" data-time="

Yo this is frickin SMOOTH like seriously this is just chill concentrate, absolutely lovely sounds abound. The main melody starting at 0:27 is strangely nostalgic in ways I can't really describe and I love it. It's so short as well though!! Not actually that big a negative, but yeah it's really good lol

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And thus, just barely into the "top of the list", another soundtrack takes its leave. Sonic Chaos has a number of interesting songs; while only one stuck out to me as excellent and a few ranked fairly low, I still had quite a bit I liked about most of the game's offerings! For a quick recap:

165th (43, 5.9): Electric Egg Zone
149th (55, 6.5): Gigalopolis Zone
127th (59, 6.7): Aqua Planet Zone
125th (59, 6.7): Turquoise Hill Zone
111th (60, 6.7): Sleeping Egg Zone
81st (63, 6.9): Gigapolis Zone (Game Gear)
79th (63, 6.9): Mecha Green Hill Zone
68th (65, 7.0): Intro / Electric Egg Zone Act 3

66th: Sonic Mania - Lava Reef Zone Act 2
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 65/100 (7.0), Sonic Mania (20/28)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW-td9uPBe0" data-time="

I'm actually kind of surprised that I prefer this version over the FM one as well, but that lead instrument (honestly blanking on what it actually is called phht) that comes in at 0:15 is SUBLIME like WOW! The slap bass just adds a cherry on top, very good addition there as well. Just as beautiful as the original, if not more.

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65th: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Carnival Night Zone Act 1
Composer: Michael Jackson, Brad Buxer
Score: 65/100 (7.0), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (9/17)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt1e6mBFp4A" data-time="

Okay phew now that we have the full song I can actually talk about it. Really fun song!! Sonic Carnival Night on the Dance Floor!! (actual carnival music finally again instead of EVIL CLOWN music) michael jackson JAM glass breaks There's just something about the happy nature of the melody against the minimal percussion with amazing samples like that super processed metallic rimshot/clap/whatever and the true star of the song the GLASS. and jam voice seriously how did someone figure out that was actually what that sample was... you know besides having the hint that 1:03 is LITERALLY jam but yeah what the hell. It's good!!

LeonhartFour posted...

man I thought I was the only one who thought that with the opening riff

Holy shit I'm so glad it wasn't just me

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This is such a fun topic

I always really loved Death Egg in S+K, I'd put it up among my favourites

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64th: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Metropolis Zone
Composer: Masato Nakamura
Score: 66/100 (7.0), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (5/14)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PHQ7IzAh2s" data-time="

Holy what that SCRATCH sample is so good, it's so not a sound I was expecting coming from the rest of Nakamura's work for Sonic 1 and 2 up until this point but the whole rhythm section in particular is on point. Pitch bends from dissonant notes and crunchy FM goodness in the latter half, all leading to everything boiling over and almost literally musically falling down at 0:47 to reset to the loop point like wow this song is just COOL. Like a theme song for a happy version of Terminator or something like "yeah I'm badass and gonna cap yo ass" that's what this song says to me and I am okay with it.

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63rd: Knuckles' Chaotix - Door Into Summer (Isolated Island Zone)
Composer: Junko Shiratsu
Score: 66/100 (7.0), Knuckles' Chaotix (4/8)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvV05M2kmzI" data-time="

Walk through the door into summer and get smacked in the face by this song's amazing rays of sunshine that stick straight into your brain got DAMN. That constant ride cymbal and that bass lay the literal perfect foundation that this song just thrives off of and yeah this song just sounds really good, plain and simple. (or not simple cause I just said Some Bullshit) It's soooo niiiiceeee aaaaaaa summer please come back it just snowed for the first time today and I am looking outside listening to this right now and the snow is all melting from the Summer! (i wish) thank you good summer

62nd: Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS) - Sky Base Zone
Composer: Yuzo Koshiro
Score: 66/100 (7.0), Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS) (2/6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dcPQCrw_Ao" data-time="

Yeah it's literally an 18 second loop and yeah it's pretty damn simple, but oh man is it effective! Such a catchy song, the kind where I could loop it and keep into it for hours. That last bit from 0:13 to loop at 0:18 is so Koshiro it's ridiculous lol, that "turning the dial up on the intensity AND pitch" that he does at the end of phrases. Super cool song.

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61st: Sonic CD (USA) - Metallic Madness "G" mix
Composer: Mark Crew
Score: 66/100 (7.0), Sonic CD (USA) (4/21)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7IW01XPX5c" data-time="

134th - Metallic Madness

This song starts off with a SUPER cool intro, gets me super excited to hear what the song has to offer but then ohhhhhhhh here comes Mr. Filtered Guitar again awww. For how much I like how the intro sounds, I really wish it didn't go somewhere where I super do not care for the sound at all. And that it was faster...

YES YES oh my GOD THIS IS Exactly what I wanted after listening to the present and THEN even more on top. It keeps going with that super cool intro but then WHAT THE HECK THE BONGOS KEEP GOING TOO and they switch between being hardpanned in different channels in just an absolutely cool way and holy moley what a beat. Very impressed with how much this one improves upon the present version, very cool synth strings and of course those bongos can I just mention them again LISTEN TO THEM GO okay

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60th: Sonic Mania - Stardust Speedway Zone Act 2
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 66/100 (7.0), Sonic Mania (19/28)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1orb9P194ao" data-time="

It's kinda surreal to hear this start purely rave-style like the OG Metallic Madness almost, but then that suave Stardust Speedway jazz style comes back in quickly after the intro and that's what I like to hear. It's just missing all the crazy vocal samples that would make it a downright slapper! Very cool rendition, and I definitely appreciate the creativity done to the song here.

Metropolis has the weirdest juxtaposition of happy-sounding music and being a really fucking frustrating level to actually play

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59th: Sonic Mania - Hydrocity Zone Act 1
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 66/100 (7.0), Sonic Mania (18/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e48OijK2LiI

Okay so since we're starting to see the Mania remixes of Genesis stuff pop up now, time to lay some general thoughts down that'll influence a LOT of placements over/under the originals. While I really like how Lopes keeps the integrity of the FM sound in a LOT of instruments, I don't necessarily love the mixing on a lot of these pieces; they seem a little too washed out with reverb and it makes it not as nice to listen to as just straight up the originals. This depends on the song though, cause some songs don't seem to have this problem nearly as much as others. In general there are a lot of cases where I actually wish there'd be some variance in instrumentation other than modern percussion/an actual bass (which is NOT as good as an FM bass) so they end up lower.

And this is one of those cases! Pretty much both of those things apply to this song in general, but it's not a particularly egregious case of either in this song. So it's just slightly below the original, and I'll wait to talk about that instead for now.

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58th: Sonic Mania - Green Hill Zone Act 2
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 67/100 (7.1), Sonic Mania (17/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN7_Wnitn1E

And here instead we have a properly remixed song since Sonic 1/2 songs don't already have split Act 1 and 2s! I really do like this remix a lot, I think the amount of creativity put in while still feeling close enough to actually be an "Act 2" of Green Hill is astounding. But does it match up to the original? ...Nah, not really. Seems kinda of over-ambitious; stuff like the accordion solo at 0:41 is really cool but the change in pace from the rather lethargic melody of Green Hill Zone is just too weird. Still a very cool, fun song, almost like if Palmtree Panic was meant to be a Green Hill remix originally.

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57th: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Hydrocity Zone Act 1
Composer: Tatsuyuki Maeda, Sachio Ogawa, Masanori Hikichi
Score: 67/100 (7.1), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (8/17)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrWepCaCJ7c

And now for the original! Super fun jazzy piece, love the swing in it, especially in the latter half of the song. Has a lot of room to breathe in there without actually feeling like there's empty space like I had complained a lot of songs in the lower part of the list did. Just an incredibly solid, fun piece, not much more I can say about it!

56th: Sonic the Hedgehog - Marble Zone
Composer: Masato Nakamura
Score: 67/100 (7.1), Sonic the Hedgehog (3/7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXukwNQG0uA

This one's another simple one but GOD is it catchy as hell. It's like Sonic is on a gondola ride in Venice rather than bouncing on baddies in a weird lava area. Definitely a very "video game music" song haha. By the way, I think this is the longest gap between a game's placing on the entire list; Sonic 1 was last seen with Scrap Brain at 123rd! Quite a divide in the quality of the soundtrack.

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55th: Sonic CD (USA) - Quartz Quadrant "G" mix
Composer: Spencer Nilsen, David Young
Score: 67/100 (7.1), Sonic CD (USA) (3/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAyjYGBs-I0

WOW it's actually kinda crazy just how different this one is from the present version... in a very, very good way. I mean, we're more than ONE HUNDRED placements removed from the present now (it was 161st) so like... what the heck? While the present version was this rock song that I really did not care for at all, this one is a super, super cool piece with an air of mystery to it that pulls me in and makes me get my groove on. It's really damn good.

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54th: Sonic CD (USA) - Quartz Quadrant "B" mix
Composer: Spencer Nilsen, David Young
Score: 67/100 (7.1), Sonic CD (USA) (2/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ1cZnMVfuE

Manages to edge out the "G" mix just a bit because I like the vocals in this one a LOT LOT more than the "G". The soft, almost melancholy droning has such a much better effect on that "air of mystery" I mentioned before over the shooby-dooby-doowa-yadda-da. Otherwise it's pretty much the same song, so I won't repeat myself much on it here.

Marble Zone so good

my favorite Sonic 1 track
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banshiryuu posted...

57th: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Hydrocity Zone Act 1

snubbed
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LeonhartFour posted...

Marble Zone so good

my favorite Sonic 1 track

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53rd: Knuckles' Chaotix - Electoria (Techno Tower Zone)
Composer: Junko Shiratsu
Score: 68/100 (7.1), Knuckles' Chaotix (3/8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhUL7Ixb5gQ

And here we have a Pokemon Game Corner theme that somehow found its way into the ranking! ...Well, I guess it'd be more accurate to say a Pulseman song found its way into the ranking. Love the foundation laid down for the whole song, and then the melody is incredibly catchy on top and makes this overall just a really, really fun song! Not much else I have to say, it's just solid as hell.

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52nd: Knuckles' Chaotix - New Moon (Amazing Arena Zone (Lights On))
Composer: Junko Shiratsu
Score: 68/100 (7.1), Knuckles' Chaotix (2/8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0zDRi-N-GQ

Absolutely INCREDIBLE percussion section on this one, especially in the beginning where it just goes HAM like damn. I can't remember honestly if I've touched on just how much I love the extra 32X PCM sample use in this game but it really, really shines on this song in particular. And then its got great melodies to add the cherry on top as well and seal it as a great, great song. Very fun.

Sorry for the delay!! Had a busy few days, but now I should be back to posting again. Time to get into the Top 50!

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51st: Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) - Stardust Speedway
Composer: Naofumi Hataya
Score: 68/100 (7.1), Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) (12/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJY73z2fQQs

GET FUNKY GET FUNKY GET FUNKY EL POLLO LOCO (??) I'm actually really not into this song in general as it seems others are but like, it's still a goddamn BOP like its a very very good overall sound and hilarious sample usage HUEHUEHUEHUE. Just don't care for the two main melodies much; the first one starting at 0:24 at all, and the second one at 0:55 is good but I really don't like how much straight back-and-forth between notes there is without swinging it or adding in some syncopation or anything, its just whack. As the intro samples say, however, this one makes me GET FUNKY so there's no way it won't be at least somewhat high.

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50th: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Aquatic Ruin Zone
Composer: Masato Nakamura
Score: 68/100 (7.1), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (4/14)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK33c2rV2Do

VERY cool Western-style composition that almost makes me second guess if it even actually sounds Western or just WHAT THE HECK it sounds like I don't know but it's very cool!! I like how much the melody relies on moving not-on-the-beat so it almost seems like it's kind of delayed or something as the song goes on. Extremely catchy, very cool sound, I like it a lot. Good stuff.

Aquatic Ruin good stuff
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no plz bring back aquatic ruin i love it :(
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49th: Sonic Mania - Oil Ocean Zone Act 1
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 68/100 (7.1), Sonic Mania (16/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH0VN3Nixwg

Alright now we're talking! I finally get to talk about a Mania song that I feel completely and utterly improved the original! The complete ditching of FM-sounding instruments was a risky but incredibly rewarding sound design choice and it helps this song fulfill its potential. The melody can still be quiet at times, but it doesn't feel like it's straight up taking a backseat anymore, and blends with the other stuff really well. It completely shed the hokey feel and now truly sounds like a mischievous Arabian adventure and god it's just so cool!! Thank you Tee Lopes for giving us this great rendition!! And yet we still have Act 2 as well......

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48th: Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) - Palmtree Panic "G" mix
Composer: Naofumi Hataya
Score: 68/100 (7.1), Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) (11/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEmvrmEecH4

Yaaaaay!!! This song is like being part of a samba float in a parade on Cinco de Mayo or something, it's just like injecting pure happy into your bloodstream and it's really fun!! I LOVE THE fake brass and its melody at 1:01 its so hilarious and just adds so much to the fun WOO! Very much a song to dance to, really fun!

Mania Oil Ocean is so good

Always thought it was a bit of an underrated track anyway and then they totally nailed the Mania remix.

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47th: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS) - Under Ground Zone
Composer: Masafumi Ogata, Naofumi Hataya
Score: 69/100 (7.2), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS) (2/7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SWuUPJEF8s

Definitely feels like a song for some Sonic CD SMS version, which is not surprising given the composers! Really good energy, incredibly catchy melody throughout the whole thing, I've definitely had this song stuck in my head randomly a few times over the course of the past few weeks... and I didn't even really think that much of it when I first heard it. Somehow it managed to worm its way into my memory, but that just proves it's a good ass song!

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46th: Sonic Mania - Steel Cortex - Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2
Composer: Tee Lopes
Score: 69/100 (7.2), Sonic Mania (15/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnq21ayQGQ8

Holy crap I can't believe this is a Sonic level song honestly. Incredibly cool mechanical sound that would not be out of place in a really cool electronic/mechanical final dungeon area in a high-end JRPG. The number of different whirrings and blips and noises going on throughout is just so cool; that beep ostinato that persists in the background through most of it as well is incredibly cool. The piano part that starts at 1:01 and leads into full-force melody at 1:10 is actually insane, and then the piano run to cap off the loop right at 1:25 WHEW MAMA this one knows how to get me. Really cool song, definitely a unique one among the series.

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45th: Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) - Palmtree Panic
Composer: Naofumi Hataya
Score: 69/100 (7.2), Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) (10/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbGLPqs9SeQ

Yaaaayy!! We just had the "G" mix a few places ago which is rather similar to this song in many ways, but I prefer this one by quite a bit. It's not so over-the-top happy sugar rush parade and it's a lot easier to just... vibe with as a result. 1:06 is a good example of this; the piano just chills the song out for a little bit without actually killing any of the energy of the song so that it can just kinda glide back to full force at 1:22 yaaaay and not seem weird at all. Very well worked, very fun, great song!! Woo!!

banshiryuu posted...

The piano part that starts at 1:01 and leads into full-force melody at 1:10 is actually insane, and then the piano run to cap off the loop right at 1:25 WHEW MAMA this one knows how to get me.

THIS is really awesome tho

I still definitely prefer Act 1, but man that part of 2 is fantastic.
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44th: Sonic Blast - Silver Castle Zone
Composer: Kojiro Mikusa
Score: 70/100 (7.2), Sonic Blast (1/5)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIWEAKEJZoE

YES that's the kind of strong noise channel percussion that I like to hear in more minimal sound chips like the SMS/GG's. Very subdued but overlaying the kind of wildly moving countermelodies that I go crazy for in the first part of the loop, just a very very cool song. Not much to say cause it's a short one, and I know I say this a lot but it's the kind of short and sweet I could listen to for hours. Great stuff!

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43rd: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS) - Scrambled Egg Zone
Composer: Masafumi Ogata, Naofumi Hataya
Score: 70/100 (7.2), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS) (1/7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktI0WUV8soc

Somehow this song makes things work without a true melody for a good majority of its run time! Intro is crazy good buildup; 0:12~0:25 is easily my favorite part, I love the effect of the slow fade in and quick fade out! 0:58 until loop end is a good contender though as well; I love the sort of "echo" effect that moving the bass note to its own channel and having it play extended over the melody instead of sharing the channel with it. (At least... I'm pretty sure that's what is going on here lol) Very cool!

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42nd: Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS) - Scrap Brain Zone
Composer: Yuzo Koshiro
Score: 70/100 (7.2), Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS) (1/6)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrIE04Koiqo

Okay I know I've said previous Sonic 1 SMS songs sounded like they were taken straight from Ys 1, but THIS ONE REEEEEALLY sounds like it. SUPER "retro" feel, very catchy melody, love love love that soft scale background stuff that adds a ton of depth to the song. The more sorrowful melody B that starts at 0:34 adds EVEN MORE depth to it and augh this is just fun as fuck. Just great stuff here.

I actually didn't even realize this was going to happen but there goes the the last song for three of our Master System/Game Gear entries: Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS), and Sonic Blast. All three were sort of mixed bags for me, but all also have their gems!

Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS)
150th (55, 6.5): Jungle Zone
136th (58, 6.7): Green Hill Zone
91st (62, 6.8): Bridge Zone
89th (62, 6.8): Labyrinth Zone
62nd (66, 7.0): Sky Base Zone
42nd (70, 7.2): Scrap Brain Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SMS)
155th (51, 6.3): Crystal Egg Zone
152nd (53, 6.4): Aqua Lake Zone
117th (59, 6.7): Gimmick Mt. Zone
100th (61, 6.8): Sky High Zone
95th (61, 6.8): Green Hills Zone
47th (69, 7.2): Under Ground Zone
43rd (70, 7.2): Scrambled Egg Zone

Sonic Blast
170th (31, 5.3): Yellow Desert Zone
159th (47, 6.1): Green Hill Zone
148th (55, 6.5): Red Volcano Zone
112th (60, 6.7): Blue Marine Zone
44th (70, 7.2): Silver Castle Zone

Scrambled Egg Zone gets a double appearance as the song that plays during the opening cutscene of that game and as the music of the final world (if you didn't collect all the chaos emeralds)
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banshiryuu posted...

VERY cool Western-style composition that almost makes me second guess if it even actually sounds Western or just WHAT THE HECK it sounds like I don't know but it's very cool!!

Aquatic Ruin definitely has a Latin American flavor, though I couldn't tell you if it's a samba, mambo or bossa nova

The intro kinda riffs Ennio Morricone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly theme, so maybe that's where you're getting "western" from

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oooooh okay no that's definitely where I was trying to go, but couldn't actually think of what "region" I was thinking of so I defaulted to the best thing I could think of haha. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is exactly what I was thinking of but had no idea exactly what I was remembering, so thank you for reminding me of that! That's pretty much exactly it haha

Up

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Aquatic Ruin definitely has a Latin American flavor, though I couldn't tell you if it's a samba, mambo or bossa nova

There are a bunch of Latin American styles. I don't know my styles, but samba is my best guess. Regardless, I'm pretty sure it's the same style as Cut Man's stage theme in MM1!

Edit: turns out a bossa nova is a sub-category within samba.... I know nothing, man!
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Sooooooo... Pokemon happened. And is destroying my time and life. But in some fun news in case you haven't heard, prototype madness continues and a recently revealed proto of Sonic 3 dated for just around when Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles were split up contains Genesis versions of the Sonic & Knuckles Collection tracks!! The whole lot of them are just a bit down the page here: https://tcrf.net/Proto:Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3

Launch Base Zone Act 2 would definitely jump a ton of place if this were revealed (and also eligible lol) before I started this.... actually, the original should probably be a lot higher anyway. It's really good!! All of these are really cool!!!

In real news, rankings should actually be returning tomorrow or Monday! But more than likely tomorrow!

No worries man

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41st: Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble - Sunset Park Zone Act 3
Composer: Yayoi Wachi
Score: 70/100 (7.2), Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (1/7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcWrovC-pXg

Very foreboding and almost downright sinister progression in the intro sets the tone for a very, very cool song, but when the melody section hits at 0:25 WHOOOA i love this melody like a LOT lol. Especially the little part at 0:30 idk what it does there if its just some funky chord change or what but its COOL. The constant beat sticking throughout the whole piece is also really cool and makes it really easy to listen to this just a ton of times lol. Definitely deserving of its position as my favorite SMS/GG game song!!

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40th: Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) - Quartz Quadrant "P" mix
Composer: Naofumi Hataya
Score: 71/100 (7.3), Sonic CD (JPN/PAL) (9/28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyJp0Z9spRM

Okay well first off can we talk about how AMAZING that bass is?? I love how it sounds like its just rolling from note to note, chugging along and keeping the song in this really nice tempo and auhghguh I'm so glad it stays for pretty much the whole song I LOVEEE it!! Honestly pretty much every sample used here besides the bass is also pretty perfect lol, very very crisp sounding song very good ayaay

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As I mentioned at the end of its writeup there, the last of the Master System/Game Gear games takes its leave! Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble may have actually been overall (including stuff not eligible for the ranking) my least favorite OST that I listened to, but that didn't stop its highest high from shining above the other songs on the system!

169th (35, 5.5): Tidal Plant Zone
157th (49, 6.2): Meta Junglira Zone
126th (59, 6.7): Sunset Park Zone
119th (59, 6.7): Atomic Destroyer Zone
115th (60, 6.7): Robotnik Winter Zone
104th (61, 6.8): Great Turquoise Zone
41st (70, 7.2): Sunset Park Zone Act 3

Yeah, Sunset Park is one of my favorite Sonic songs

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As an owner of a game gear I was sad I had missed sonic triple trouble until they had put all the game gear games in sonic adventure DX
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What are the 39 songs left?

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I have played through two sonic games in the past two weeks due to this topic. God DAMN do the Sonic games have terrific music.
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