TOP GAMING

Friday, May 31, 2013

TOP Track #1 - "Battle with Magus"

This is it! We made it! Coming in at #1 across two separate tournaments and hours upon hours of listening and judging music - "Battle with Magus" is the supreme champion of Music May 2013! This result did surprise me, but I'm by no means disappointed. It is a fantastic song, and a fantastic moment in video games as I detailed in my countdown last year - "The First Battle with Magus"

That article goes into great detail into what an amazing game Chrono Trigger is and what a great character Magus is within the game. As I've said, we really tried to step back away from nostalgia and assess each song on its own merits, but that's no easy feat. Particularly challenging when you're talking about something as amazing as the battle with Magus. If you've read that article I linked, you know it's one of the most impressive moments in gaming that I've ever personally experienced, so to wipe it from my mind when listening to this song is close to impossible.

The beginning of the song is dark and brooding, but quickly launches you into a frenzied fight for your life. The pacing is phenomenal. You're really pulled into the majesty of the situation. You know just from listening to this song that there's a lot on the line. Magus is not a push over. He means business, and you just got in his way. I think the way the music syncs up with the fight is one of the driving reasons that it made such a lasting impression on me, and goes to show what Mitsuda is truly capable of as a composer.

-TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

Ah - the initial fight against Magus. Where do I begin? It might be my favorite battle in the history of gaming. Chrono Trigger is a fan favorite due to the way it weaves a brilliant engaging story throughout different time periods. It's never more prevalent than the quest to restore the Masamune, which culminates fantastically in the battle with Magus. As TOP mentioned before, this seemed at the time like it might have been the game's finale. Thankfully, Mitsuda Yasunori crafted this masterpiece to fit the occasion.

This track begins slowly and eerily to remind you that you are in the presence of an all-powerful wizard who might be responsible for the end of the world. A chill runs down my spine every time I hear the black wind howl. Suddenly (timed perfectly in-game as Magus accepts the player's challenge), the beat picks up and we are treated to a battle score that I can only describe as epic. In the background, a Mystic laughs (or perhaps, moans?) as you try to keep up with Magus's changing guards and endless attacks. This was one of those exhilarating fights that got your adrenaline pumping hard, and to me, it proved that Mitsuda could stand toe-to-toe with Uematsu Nobuo when it comes to battle tracks.

Lastly, I'd be remiss not to mention the final confrontation atop the Black Omen. If Magus is in your party, you are treated to a goosebump-inducing dialogue between him and his deranged mother. Instead of "Boss Battle 2" that normally plays during this altercation, you get to hear Magus's theme once again ... causing another adrenaline-fueled engagement. It truly makes the moment seem much more personal to the player. I love it!

- Deez

@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

Thursday, May 30, 2013

TOP Track #2 - "Hikari" & "Hikari (Instrumental)"

I need to be clear that "Hikari (Instrumental)" is really the song that made it into the #2 spot. Originally, we were judging these as two completely different songs, but they both did extremely well. When we got down to the final 31 Tracks, both made the cut. I decided it would be awkward and wasteful to write up two different versions of "Hikari" on two different days. Judges unanimously decided that "(Instrumental)" was the better version of the song and so I cut "Hikari" from the running and decided they'd both be posted together where ever "Hikari (Instrumental)" landed in the running. Surprise! It landed at #2! Quite frankly, it tied with #1 but in a last minute tie-breaker it slipped into second place.

One of my earliest articles was about how the music of Kingdom Hearts affects me. (Read it!) It's great music and its important to me, so obviously I'm slightly biased on rating up "Hikari" but I do think it's an amazing song. What I like about the instrumental version in particular is how much it blends this Japanese pop song into a real "Disney" wrapper. It sounds like some grand Disney fantasy story and yet still conveys all the power and passion Utada put into "Hikari" itself. I'd tell you all the things that pass through me when I listen to either of these songs, but it would take a lot more space and time. I implore you to read that ancient article if you want to know what the music and the series means to me.

Read: A Music Chain of Memories

- TOP

@TOPGamingBlog

The Kingdom Hearts series was (briefly) my favorite franchise during the Playstation 2 era. The first game was so enchanting. Although I was skeptical of the involvement of Disney, the game was pulled off flawlessly and I was instantly in love. This was my first action RPG and it took a while for me to get used to the learning curve, but for my money, it was one of the best games I played during my teenage years. The ending was so tragic, I couldn't help but tear up as our hero (who had just saved the day) was ripped away from his two best friends. But during the credits, the instrumental version of "Hikari" played, and I knew that Sora's journey wouldn't end here.

"Hikari" is one of those great songs that, like many on this list, perfectly portrays the characters that it represents. Sora, for no apparent reason, is never afraid and approaches each situation thrown at him with unbridled enthusiasm. Throughout the song, I imagine him teaming up with various allies against strange and unknwon monsters. He uses his negative emotions for a positive gain, and he'll do it with the help of his friends. My favorite part of the track comes from around the 2:40 mark, and it gives me goosebumps every time. This is one of those songs that just makes you feel good, despite its sadder, quieter moments. I don't know what life has in store for me, but this will always be a good pick-me-up. It's also the leading candidate for the song I want played at my funeral.

-Deez

@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

TOP Track #3 - "Storm Eagle's Stage"

Track: "Storm Eagle's Stage"
Composer: Yamamoto Setsuo
Composer: Tomozawa Makoto
Composer: Iwai Yuki
Composer Takehara Yuko
Composer: Horiyama Toshihiko
Game: Mega Man X
System: Super Nintendo
Release: January, 1994

Here we go! Last three days of Music May!

The Bronze Medal TOP Track goes to "Storm Eagle's Stage!"

This song is an instant hit. Storm Eagle's Stage was the first I attempted when I fired up Mega Man X - which I was super excited to play, by the way. I remember the stage loading up and this music - o! this music. Seriously, what a great way to start a game. It's too bad the rest of the X series couldn't follow the momentum set by this game, by this song! I actually wouldn't have predicted back in the early days that "Storm Eagle" would make it into the TOP Three but once it was finalized, I wasn't particularly surprised. I felt a real sense of "I should have known."

Because of what this game means to me and my brother, and because of what this song means to this game, the PowerGlove version of this song (listed below) is my current ringtone for Deez. He doesn't call often, but when he does I don't answer the first time cause I don't want to interrupt the song. True story.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

Sometimes, you have to listen to a song multiple times before you like it. An album will grow on you over time, and maybe even one of your all-time favorites was only "meh" when it first hit your ears. For me, this was not one of those songs. I fell in love with Storm Eagle's theme the instant I heard it. I was (enviously) watching TOP play what would eventually become my second favorite game of all time, and X's tear through the airport was one of the coolest things I'd seen in a video game at the time. I still listen to this song. When I replay through MMX, I always let out a loud "F--- YEAH!" at the beginning of Storm Eagle's stage. When it comes up on my GrooveShark playlist at work, I have to do everything in my power not to drop what I'm doing and start busting heads.

Mega Man X was a rarity in terms of music for the X series. There are a couple other tracks I enjoy, like Boomer Kuwanger's stage and Spark Mandrill's stage. Other than that, it's pretty drab for the rest of the series. There's one song in Mega Man X 3 that's ok ("Blast Hornet's Stage") but it's few and far between. I'm sure there are a lot of fans out there that may disagree with me, but I really don't recall anything memorable in the later X titles. Shout out to readers to let me know if there are any memorable tracks that I'm unaware of! "Storm Eagle's Stage" stands out in the first game, and subsequently the entire series. It's a timeless classic.

- Deez

@Deezer509

PS: Someone tell me what a Kuwanger is, please. I've been dying to know since 1994.

Derivative Tracks

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

TOP Track #4 - "Time of the Dreamwatch"

This song is unbelievable. I really thought this song was going to make it all the way to #1. I suppose, originally I thought "To Far Away Times" would make it up into the TOP 5 because it means a lot to me, but when I started trying to look at songs as objectively as possible, "Time of the Dreamwatch" stood out immediately as going above and beyond everything Mitsuda did in "To Far Away Times." There is, of course, an undeniable nostalgia factor, but even our (somewhat) neutral third party (never played Chrono Trigger or Chrono Cross so no nostalgia) voted this up every single time. It's a fantastic song.

It's a bit of a shame that both "Time of the Dreamwatch" and "Time's Scar" are utilized before you even get a chance to play the game. Both are used in opening scenes and are not tied to any moment in the game itself, and they are both the most outstanding pieces of music on an already amazing soundtrack. I wish Mitsuda could have worked this into the game itself, or pushed a bit more to include more nods to Chrono Trigger music within this completely new, folk-y theme. If there's anything Chrono Cross needed across the board it was stronger ties to its predecessor, Chrono Trigger. When they happen, they are the best parts of the game, and they are far and few between - in fact, you could probably take them all out, call this game Serge Cross and call it a day. I'd love to see a remake/reboot of Chrono Cross that really tries to tie it all together quite a bit more - and utilizes this type of music blending, because it is by far some of Mitsuda's finest work.

-TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

"Time of the Dreamwatch" would have garnered a 4 out of 5 rating from me if it were completely original. It received a perfect score, however, due to the Chrono Trigger throwback in the refrain. The first time I heard this song, I was cooking. Both my jaw and a pot full of ramen fell to the floor. Now, it's in my regular rotation of tracks I pop on at work when I'm feeling particularly homocidal. Something about it just brings me back down to Earth, and the Trigger refrain is like a lullaby for my soul.

During the course of ranking these songs, we ran into some issues. We had to provide tie-breaking votes when tracks (of which there were many) got perfect scores from our panel of judges. It's difficult to come up with the metrics for declaring a true winner, due to the inability to cut nostalgia out of our calculations. Judging "Time of the Dreamwatch" was a conundrum. On the one hand, I feel it's a great song. On the other hand, my subconscious can't ignore the refrain, or the way it makes me feel as soon as I hear it. Mitsuda, you beautiful devil, you have me eating out of your hand yet again...

- Deez

@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

K-Waves Lab - http://youtu.be/d7mDenJRTJI

Piano Arrangement - http://youtu.be/0xVtMEhPbdE