PixlBit

Because the Game Boy doesn't get enough love

I was listening to a podcast last week and a couple guys stated that the Game Boy is not known for its music. Whoa, hold on! The Game Boy is home to some of gaming's most memorable tunes! I felt offended because I remember growing up with a Game Boy and hearing some very awesome songs from that little (I mean big) portable device. The Game Boy's sound capabilities were very limited, so composers had to be very creative in what they did. I'm going to honor the Game Boy today and its music by sharing six fantastic themes from six great games. Believe me, there are many more, but these are six of my favorite themes from the Game Boy. 

1. Rocket Ship Ride from Super Mario Land/Composed by Hip Tanaka

Birabuto Kingdom is often cited from this game as a great theme, and it is, but I decided to share this one because you might not be as familiar with it. It begins with Princess Daisy's theme (yes, Daisy was introduced in Super Mario Land), then transitions to the ending theme, which is so awesome! The catchy theme is irrisistible! 

2. Introduction from Pokemon Red and Blue/Composed by Junichi Masuda

What can I say about this one? One of the most iconic video game themes was introduced in this humble GB game. The sound limitations did not stop this song from becoming one of the most beloved themes for Nintendo. Pokemon Red and Blue started a phenomenon, and I can't help but think that this song helped it out a little. It's still fun to listen to. 

3. Ending from Metroid II/Composed by Ryoji Yoshitomi

The soundtrack for Metroid II is very atmospheric, and that means a bunch of bleeps and bloops. However, the ending theme is a full composition, and what a composition it is! It's adventurous, exciting, dramatic, and fun! It stands in stark contrast to the subdued sounds from the rest of the game. It truly is a great ending to a great game. 

4. Ending from Final Fantasy Legend/Composed by Nobuo Uematsu

Somehow Uematsu found time to compose the soundtrack to this game while working on the console FF games. Legend has a great soundtrack overall, but the ending stands out. It's not just a simple looping song, but a fully fleshed out piece that ends beautifully. The main theme comes in, which is very adventurous, then the song calms down and ends on a very light note. Despite its limitations, the Game Boy is capable of amazing feats! 

5. Battle of the Holy from The Castlevania Adventure/Composed by Shigeru Fukutake, Norio Hanzawa, and Hidehiro Funauchi

The soundtrack to this game is amazing! The songs are well composed and fleshed out with powerful melodies. Battle of the Holy is perhaps the best of the bunch, keeping in tune with the feel of Castlevania music: catchy, mysterious, and awesome! The creative genius of the composers go far beyond the limitations of the hardware. 

6. Last Fight from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers/Composed by Tsuyoshi Sekito and Yuko Kurahashi

I grew up playing this game, and was always astounded by the music. Almost every song in the game is intense, catchy, and pure TMNT awesome! This theme is the final level's music, which incorporates the familiar TMNT theme song. It's hardcore and in-your-face, fitting perfectly with a turtles game. Granted, this game is kinda slow, escpecially compared with the console turtles games, but the music makes the game shine and gives you purpose to keep playing.