Top Five Nintendo Video Game Soundtracks

From that undyingly whimsical jingle in “Super Mario Bros.” to the charmingly aggravating “Mii Channel” theme, music from Nintendo’s works have permeated beyond the gaming sphere into popular culture. And for good reason. The Japanese game developer has consistently composed music that not only allows its games to sparkle, but is quite incredible in its own right. Here are its top five amazing soundtracks:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

“Ocarina of Time”’s soundtrack, written by Nintendo’s flagship composer, Koji Kondo, is not just notable for its timelessly ethereal ballads — think “Kakariko Village” or “Zelda’s Lullaby,” as well as driving tunes like “Hyrule Field” and “Gerudo Valley.” The 1998 video game incorporates music directly into gameplay: By providing musical cues to match environmental changes (an anti-leitmotif of sorts) and requiring players to learn “songs” on an ocarina they acquire, the video game elevates its sonic power to the fore.

Donkey Kong Country

Though developed by Rare, “Donkey Kong Country” features the well-known Mario antagonist in his first role as active protagonist. David Wise’s soundtrack brings a vivid sense of energy and adventure that permeates the game. Drawing from classic Nintendo games, rock, and electronic dance while experimenting with the percussive capabilities of video game audio generators, Wise depicts the diversity of the environments Donkey Kong explores — from the nostalgic “Title Theme,” to the groovy “Island Swing,” to the ethereal “Aquatic Ambience” — with satisfying excitement.

Kirby Super Star

“Kirby Super Star,” released in 1996, presents a fresh take on the familiar tunes and themes that dominate the Kirby series. The happy-go-lucky, slightly frenetic nature of “Green Greens” is transformed into the spiky, stilting “Gourmet Race,” controlled and distilled into the driving “King Dedede’s Theme,” and takes a somber demeanor in “Meta Knight’s Theme.” “Kirby Super Star,” under the pen of Jun Ishikawa, propelled the musical flavor of the franchise to a new echelon.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

“Breath of the Wild,” a fundamentally open-concept video game, brings its organicity and fluidity to all elements of its game design — including its sonic repertoire. As such, the vast world before Link, the protagonist, is dotted with sparse but undeniably expressive phrases that are motivically interlinked with the surroundings (both physical and social) explored. And yet, making use of a pianistically-rooted strength supported by the backing of a full orchestra, “Breath of the Wild” still exemplifies all the intimacy, nuance, and complexity that the Zelda franchise’s music has progressively generated and developed.

Super Mario Galaxy

One of the first Nintendo games to employ a full orchestra, “Super Mario Galaxy”’s soundtrack brought a new dimension to the relation between music and gaming. Indeed, beyond a vast array of pieces spanning from the most triumphant fanfares (such as the ever-famous “Gusty Garden Galaxy” — to the prettiest of textures — as generated through the in-game development of “The Comet Observatory”) Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo’s score pays meticulous attention to Mario’s interaction with his milieu. Sound effects are individually tuned to suit the background, in a manner that is not too obvious, but nonetheless allows the sound and the game to shimmer.

—Staff writer Ian Chan can be reached at ian.chan@thecrimson.com