Current Events > Sonic games have always had better music than Mario games

(+) Yeah! (+)

That is not to say Mario music is bad by any means, Sonic music has just been better throughout the eras. And its nice having a different theme for every level

Sonic music is honestly unappreciated

Mario did not michael Jackson.

Sega had awesome music.

Tied for 2D games. Mario blows Sonic music out of the water when it comes to the 3d games.

Incorrect.

I dunno, the music in Super Mario World is up there.

Look at these fucking bangers

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-LYB7iLZNWE&pp=ygUTY2hlbWljYWwgcGxhbnQgem9uZQ%3D%3D

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTtkA8Z1L8&pp=ygUPU29uaWMgMiBzcGVjaWFs

koji kondo > michael jackson

radical_rhino posted...

Tied for 2D games. Mario blows Sonic music out of the water when it comes to the 3d games.

Blows? Sonic Adventure is an entire banger, Heros has some jams, sonic kart racers have been awesome, sonic riders was really fun...am I missing something?

agreed

Murphiroth posted...

Incorrect.

Concurred

Maybe if you only looked at the 90s games, but holy shit Sonic has been riddled with stupid fucking buttrock for a quarter century whereas Mario has had consistent bangers.

Topic title is debatable, but probably right generally. Like the best of Mario is obviously way better than the worst of Sonic. But Sonic has a lot of really cool music where Mario sometimes feels almost deliberately generic. Maybe Sonic music is more memorable cuz it sticks out as being better than some of the games it's in though.

pedro45 posted...

Blows? Sonic Adventure is an entire banger, Heros has some jams, sonic kart racers have been awesome, sonic riders was really fun...am I missing something?

Idk if you meant both Sonic Adventures, but if you deliberately left out 2, then we're gonna have problems.

I'm speaking positive of sega if that helps

Different kinds. I definitely find myself listening to Sonic music (from Adventure onward) more than I listen to Mario stuff.

PowerOats mandated Hot takes:

- There's only 2 Mario soundtracks that are close to Sonic Tier, and it's Galaxy and Mario Kart 8.
- 2D Mario music is only upheld by Mario World and Yoshi Island. NSMB series brings it all the way down and did so for almost 15 years straight.
- I don't care how iconic World 1-1 or Bomb-omb Battlefield is, that's not something I'ma listen to on the regular, even if im in the mood for Mario Music
- Sonic's worst game and one of the worst games of all time, Sonic 06, has one of the best soundtracks in gaming for some reason
- TBH the only franchise that matches Sonic in Music is Final Fantasy, a hill I'm willing to die on

Jump Up, Super Star would like a word with you.

Mega Drive Sonic has amazing music, but the 3D Sonic music is either forgettable or memorably bad (apart from Fist Bump, that's an absolute banger).

I like both honestly.
mario definitely had better handheld games IMO.

couldnt stand game gear versions of Sonic, although I will say that Im grateful that Sega put in a lot of effort into those games

SauI_Goodman posted...

Mario did not michael Jackson.

Sonic 3 has an amazing soundtrack but Sonic & Knuckles soundtrack is arguably better. They are both unique but they feel connected

Correct! Sonic's music has always been better.

Damn_Underscore posted...

Sonic 3 has an amazing soundtrack but Sonic & Knuckles soundtrack is arguably better. They are both unique but they feel connected

I was going to argue but you might be right! Below are what I consider the better levels in the game which also are the best soundtracks in the game(s).

Sonic 3
Angel Island
Hydrocity
IceCap (Best)

Sonic and Knuckles
Flying Battery
Lava Reef (Second best)
Sky Sanctuary
Death Egg

K181 posted...

Maybe if you only looked at the 90s games, but holy shit Sonic has been riddled with stupid fucking buttrock for a quarter century whereas Mario has had consistent bangers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWWfjK0v8eM
His world is the shit.

Pretty much all of Sonic Frontiers songs go hard for aboslutely no reason.
And I am there for it.

Sonic was a better franchise than Mario in the 16 bit era

The music is usually the only good thing about Sonic games lol. Even Sonic 06 had a banger soundtrack

This song is a classic

https://youtu.be/j4OBe-rONR4?si=b9M-KLIKOWHd5nx-

And this as well especially

https://youtu.be/E7ldFrIdHZU?si=kFUGy5-4kMBxEUSg

TomClark posted...

Mega Drive Sonic has amazing music, but the 3D Sonic music is either forgettable or memorably bad (apart from Fist Bump, that's an absolute banger).

I agree. Also, Jpn Sonic CD is fantastic beginning to end. I've never heard another game soundtrack that I could literally listen to every song on the soundtrack without skipping. Why tf they changed the soundtrack for the US baffles me to this day.

Shotgunnova posted...

Living in the city
You know you have to survive
You've got to keep the dream alive

I hated this soundtrack. I don't know why it's so revered.

Said you'd keep me safe now you're tearing me down
Am I laid to waste now that you're not around?
Come and leave your mark
Vandalize my heart!

Fuck the pain away my bed is in ruins
Need you in my veins don't know how you do it!
Come and leave your mark
Vandalize my heart!

This was in a Sonic game

Yeahhh, no. Sonic games have good music, but overall, Mario games win this contest by a mile.

This is getting us nowhere let's put it into categories using only the most recent games for mario it's Wonder, for Sonic it's Superstars which game has the better OST wins the argument for now

Mario 64 OST is better than any music from Sonic. Sorry TC.

Honestly yeah. I'm not a music theorist or anything, but I feel like Sonic music structurally stand outs compared to Mario in general. Now there are some bangers from Mario that is above Sonic music, but Sonic reigns supreme in that department.

Wow, this is debatable. Like, the Paper Mario remake has a fantastic soundtrack already, yet Sonic has a ton of butt rock that is either terrible or fun depending on who you ask.

Like, maybe Sonic wins but its competitive.

This is one of those arguments that's never gonna have a true defined winner, like Bounce vs Grind, Football vs Basketball, Hard work vs Talent, Link vs Cloud and 200 dollar Jeans vs Fridges upstairs. It is...frustrating at times, almost violently so.

2D Sonic>2D Mario
3D Mario > 3D Sonic

OST wise IMO

tremain07 posted...

Said you'd keep me safe now you're tearing me down
Am I laid to waste now that you're not around?
Come and leave your mark
Vandalize my heart!

Fuck the pain away my bed is in ruins
Need you in my veins don't know how you do it!
Come and leave your mark
Vandalize my heart!

This was in a Sonic game

Technically it was censored for the game but yeah this is true

Also as much as I like the song I personally don't think it fits for Sonic though

Yes, although Mario Kart 8 is 100% up there too. Even objectively terrible games like 06 have some absolute bangers that still hold up today.

That said, I don't think a lot of Mario music tries to stand out as much. It's composed with a different goal in mind from Sonic music, especially in the modern era where you can get full orchestras in. It's also gonna depend on your preferences in music. 2D sonic was heavily influenced by New Jack Swing and 3D Sonic is very guitar driven. If that's not your jam, you're gonna hate it

sephiroth068 posted...

Technically it was censored for the game but yeah this is true

Also as much as I like the song I personally don't think it fits for Sonic though

It doesn't the song wasn't made for the game One Ok Rock had already made the song, Sega just approached them about using it for their game, which is weird because the song is about a bad break up since that's usually what One Ok Rock songs are about as they are a boy band.

reincarnator07 posted...

That said, I don't think a lot of Mario music tries to stand out as much. It's composed with a different goal in mind from Sonic music, especially in the modern era where you can get full orchestras in.

I disagree with this. https://youtu.be/-Vojy-2Wt0Q?si=Nu58nxQ9zXDvtxV5 such a Banger.

luigi33 posted...

I disagree with this. https://youtu.be/-Vojy-2Wt0Q?si=Nu58nxQ9zXDvtxV5 such a Banger.

I mean I think it's solid, but it's very much background music. I wouldn't ever choose to listen to that outside the game. It doesn't really compare to the likes of Open Your Heart or even something like A Ghost Pumpkin's Soup. But I don't think it's supposed to.

Ive found Mario music pretty boring for a long time now.