By Mitch Rice
When it comes to gaming, music is an incredibly important part of the experience. Even the creators of Pong (1972), one of the earliest hit games, incorporated audio design into the game. Though minimal, it was already apparent to video game developers that using different sounds to dictate gameplay would be important.
Fast forward a half-century and some video game releases are hotly anticipated at least partly because of their soundtracks. For example, the later releases of the original DOOM video game (1993) were all at least partly high-profile because of the soundtrack. The first game had created such hype with its heavy metal and hardcore soundtrack that gamers were highly invested in the next composers to take on the job.
From the first iterations of audio design from Atari to franchises leaning on heavy metal soundtracks, there’s great diversity within video game audio design and soundtracks. But which genres take the cake when it comes to having the best soundtracks across multiple releases? Let’s explore.
Slots
Hardcore soundtracks tend to focus on larger-scope games—which we’ll get to next. However, let’s first point out that audio design is important even on a small scale. Games like slots, the world’s most popular offering from virtual casinos, require players to simply push the spin button and then wait to see how the reel lands. To keep the game’s momentum alive and to keep players interested, developers focus on things like visual design and audio design.
Slots that focus on music, from Village People to Motorhead, have soundtracks baked into the game. But others are quite imaginative and well done. The Phantom of the Opera from Microgaming has a symphonic soundtrack that’s beautiful all on its own, while others like The Walking Dead include zombie-centric and bloodcurdling audio clips. Though small, a good audio design can be mighty.
Sports
Sports games were some of the first video games to bring on hits from pop culture. Once again, this isn’t quite the large-scale compositional design that gamers would think of—but these games have left their impact. This trend kicked off with 1999’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, which included a long list of hits from the 80s and 90s. It was followed by 2000’s Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX, which was composed of a series of progressive rock and hip-hop hits.
As time went on, many of these mashup soundtracks were exported to more traditional sports simulations. Some of the most memorable releases to nail their soundtracks were Madden NFL 10 and MLB 07: The Show.
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FPSs
Within the context of sports, many soundtracks were designed as background music with the goal of extending a gamer’s session. But within the context of first-person shooters, soundtracks tend to take on a larger and more atmospheric role. Halo’s soundtrack, for example, is so popular that it has been remixed in a variety of genres, from hard rock to opera.
But the most memorable releases are DOOM, outlined above, and other hits from the 1990s and early 2000s. Quake, for example, perfectly bridged its industrial compositions with the horrific and gothic world in which the game is set. Metroid Prime, by contrast, had a soundtrack designed to reflect the lonely and haunting landscape that players must navigate to succeed.
Open-world RPGs
Finally, let’s cover some of the top soundtracks from the gaming world: open-world RPGs. Soundtracks tend to be grander in terms of composition and scale because these games cover large landscapes, include dozens of missions and side quests, and are designed for total immersion. A lackluster soundtrack threatens to break players out of the atmosphere—but a great soundtrack can have them playing for hours on end.
The Zelda franchise, and especially Ocarina of Time, are well-known in the gaming industry. Nintendo’s other projects from Pokémon also include varied influences, from Western music to tropical orchestras. Both tend to include upbeat and low-fi soundtracks that keep the gameplay light and enjoyable.
Others, however, take a more theatrical approach. Elder Scrolls releases include the infamous Skyrim soundtrack—which most people would recognize without knowing that it’s a video game composition. It’s epic enough to challenge the LOTR soundtrack.
