My Favorite Nintendo Soundtracks

Nintendo music is known to be whimsical, nostalgic, and emotionally driven. I personally love how much Nintendo soundtracks add to the storytelling and personality of their games without taking away from the experience. Here, I will be talking about my favorite Nintendo soundtracks and how the music contributes to the world-building of the games.

1) Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

I think the soundtrack of Twilight Princess is amazing for its juxtaposition of heroic and melancholy themes. The story follows Link, who is saving Hyrule from slowly being consumed by the realm of Twilight alone, and the music does a great job accompanying the story’s shift in mood. Bright songs like Hyrule Field reflect the main character’s bravery when you are in the overworld, meanwhile, the music hits you with emotionally deep and mysterious music when you are in the Twilight Realm. My favorite song from the game, Midna’s Lament, is an extremely powerful piece because even though it is just a simple piano melody, the music enhances the storytelling and character development in the game by adding to the vulnerability, isolation, and tenseness the audience feels from that scene.  

Photo from Nintendo

2) Super Mario Galaxy

The soundtrack for Super Mario Galaxy is special because it not only captures feelings of wonder and excitement of being in space, but it also explores more emotionally resonant and nostalgic ideas surrounding Rosalina’s bittersweet backstory from the game. This emotional depth is uncommon among all Mario games, so it made a lasting impression on me.

Photo from Nintendo

Photo from Mario Wiki

The game's main theme has a full orchestral and grand sound, adding to the curiosity and wonder of exploring the game. However, when you unlock more information about the character Rosalina’s backstory, you learn that Rosalina lost her mother and found a new permanent home living in outer space with the lumas, and the grand orchestral music shifts to a slow and reflective texture, like heard in the song Rosalina in the Observatory, enhancing the audience’s connection to the story. Even though the main music is very joyous, the added sorrowful themes of loneliness and growing up make the game experience more enjoyable.

3) Pokémon Black/White

Pokémon soundtracks are special because they use so many different sounds, catchy melodies, and layered instrumentation. Pokémon Black/White stands out in particular because it also has a very compelling narrative that is supported by the soundtrack. Songs like the Elite Four theme song and Driftveil City theme song both have so much personality to them that reflect the setting you’re in, whether it be a fun city or a dangerous battle, and the rhythmic and melodic complexity to them adds to the attraction of the story. The soundtrack also evolves with the story in a cinematic way. For example, one of the villains, N, transforms from being misguided to free, and the music captures all of those feelings along the journey. The final theme from N called N’s farewell reflects his change and acceptance, and it is a beautifully bittersweet feeling.

Photo from Serebii

The composition behind these Nintendo games has deepened my connection to the story and characters. They’re nostalgic and emotional, and I would love to see more games follow this formula. Thank you for reading my blog!

Industry Insider / Caleb G