I'd hardly call it an analysis, since you only listed SNES Star Fox music, but didn't compare it to 64's.
Do it again =P
Heh, I thought I did. LoL, but if you insist. I do have a day off today!
Posted on: June 30, 2010, 19:09:49
First of all, I shall start by quoting the original posts that Jericho & I made, simply for the fact that it has a lot of the songs posted in them, plus a few of my major points...
[spoiler=Original Posts]
SNES Star Fox - Corneria
How do I put this....it's simply one of the best Video Game songs EVER. This is one of those treasured moments of my childhood: the one when I play this game for the first time and kick some ass to this awesome piece of music. You can imagine my utmost disappointment when Star Fox 64's Corneria level did NOT have this song in it. Granted, I'll never be one to say that SF SNES is a better game than SF 64, cause it's not. SF 64 is a better game all around, but SF SNES has the music better soundtrack, in my honest opinion. I'm not even saying the SF 64's soundtrack is bad either. I enjoy it a lot. But still, and this isn't nostalgia talking, I think SF SNES's soundtrack is vastly superior. I was so very happy when Brawl remixed some of my favorite SNES SF songs.
SNES Star Fox - Space Armada
Which was Remixed into this:
SSBB - Star Fox SNES Space Armada
They also remixed the Corneria song I posted into this as well:
SSBB - Star Fox SNES Corneria
Which made me all kinda happy! Ironically enough, they also chose the EXACT SF 64 songs that I wanted Remixed as well too.
Star Fox 64 - Star Wolf & Star Fox 64 - Area 6 both got remixed into these tracks:
SSBB - Star Fox 64 Star Wolf & SSBB - Star Fox 64 Area 6
One last thing to mention. If you don't say "CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT, STAR FOX!" every time you hear the Star Wolf theme, then I don't know what's wrong with you!
More to come...
Now then, RPM might not know this, but PB & I have been going back and forth over which of the two (true) Star Fox games had the better soundtrack. PB is of the mindset that Star Fox on the SNES had the greater soundtrack. With its unique, upbeat and catchy chiptune style there's no doubt in my mind that it's of another class entirely when talking about VG music. The sounds and music of Star Fox 64 to which I am more accustomed to however, decided to go for a more dramatic and often times militarist approach. So which one works best? SNES or 64? Hajime Hirasawa's compositions or Koji Kondo's? Well, I'll leave it to you all to decide.
Some choice recommendations from the soundtrack from me include:
Star Fox 64 - Aquas (Amazing, amazing work.)
Star Fox 64 - Area 6 (Absolute Classic.)
Star Fox 64 - Boss Battle B (If this doesn't scream big [tornado fang]ing boss ahead, you're listening to it wrong.)
Star Fox 64 - Credits (If you don't feel a sense of accomplishment listening to this, you missed out!)
Star Fox 64 - Destinations (Nice way to set the mood for traveling through space.)
Star Fox 64 - Katina (To this day, I still consider this an amazing song. The opening from :00 to :07 is brilliant.)
Star Fox 64 - Sector X (Ominous and foreboding. Very atmospheric.)
Star Fox 64 - Star Wolf's Theme (How the [tornado fang] could I make a SF64 choice list without this one? CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT STARFOX!)
Star Fox 64 - Title Theme (Something about it after the initial fanfare reminds me of a Toonami ad spot, "Space is The Place".)
Star Fox 64 - Warp Zone (Perfect "I can see forever!" music imo. Considering the warps were trippy, this works well. )
Also, be sure to check the comments on the side of these videos, they give a nice little history lesson on the makings of the Star Fox series.
Also, I gotta say the Brawl mix of the SF64 Star Wolf theme is one of the best musical moments in video games for me this year.
EDIT - Oh dammit all, I forgot my second favorite song from SF64, Zoness.
Now, here's a perfect reason of why I also say that the SNES Star Fox is superior: The Boss Music. I do agree with Jelly here that Boss B from SF 64 is awesome, and so are Boss A & C as well...but that's it. Whereas SNES Star Fox pretty much offered a Boss Theme for almost every level, with a few repeats. Allow me to share them with you!
Star Fox SNES - Corneria Boss Theme
Here we have the first boss of the game, with it's downright ominous opening and kick ass guitar riffs and drum beats. Easily one of the best Boss Theme's ever.
Star Fox SNES - Asteroid, Space Battle
Not much, mind you, but fits the boss fight perfectly. Also, with it's already awesome drums and violins and horns, it makes for an excellent boss theme!
Star Fox SNES - Space Armada Core Battle
Again, not much to this one, but you're simply destroying the core of a huge battleship to which you've flown straight into like the badass Arwing Pilot you are. While flying in, you also are treated to this:
Star Fox SNES - Title Demonstration
I don't even need to go into what a great lead in this is, because they use this track to lead into the Main Title of the game, showing Andross' forces heading for Corneria! Again, bad-assery at it's finest!
Star Fox SNES - Macbeth Boss
Here's where we get into a few Boss Tracks which so perfectly fit the boss that you're fighting. Our awesome spinning top enemy on Macbeth deserved a kick ass theme to go with it, which fit it so well.
Star Fox SNES - Fortuna Boss
One of my favorite Boss Fights, because you're fighting a giant Two-Headed Dragon named Monarch Dodora, a CLEAR homage to King Ghidorah from Godzilla fame. This song did him mucho justice-o!
Star Fox SNES - Titania Boss
BYE-BYE! LoL, I can't say how well this theme fit the boss, but that doesn't matter as it's easily one of the best Boss Themes EVER in VG History. The kick ass guitar work on the intro is too awesome, and it only gets better from there!
Star Fox SNES - Venom Boss 1
It re-uses the main drums of the Asteroid Battle, but with the epic-y opening leading into said drums, not to mention the chip tunish kick-assity added to the drums make this track awesome.
Star Fox SNES - Venom Boss 2
LoL, only change here is the opening. Move along!
Star Fox SNES - Andross Boss
I love the eerie sound as Andross forms his all too famous, eye shootin', wall spittin' face, and then it goes into the main battle track. Now this track, I can go back and forth between which I like better: The SNES or 64 version, cause both fit Andross extremely well.
I could also go into just how awesome each individual Planet Theme is as well. Perhaps I will later!
Oh, I know what I'm talking about! Let's continue, shall we.
Star Fox SNES - Main Theme
Now, one thing I love about this entire soundtrack, much like a REALLY well done Bond soundtrack, is how just about every track is unique yet still connects with the overall main theme of the game. This is the Main Theme, played at the end of the game!
Star Fox SNES - Asteroid Field, Venom Orbital
Here we have the Asteroid, Venom Orbital. If you've ever seen vids of someone playing Star Fox SNES, or played it yourself as you ALL should have, this track is absolutely perfect for both the Asteroid Field & the Venom Orbital approach. It keeps the main Star Fox theme, and adds an opening and intensely suspenseful track all on it's own.
Star Fox SNES - Macbeth
Here we have another great example of the track fitting it's level perfectly. Again, it keeps the Main Theme in the game slightly, but completely adds to the atmosphere of flying through the core of a planet, where Andross might set up a base. That FIEND!
Star Fox SNES - Fortuna
Now here, we have a lush green world with randomly growing vegetation, as well as an oceanic part to go with it. Fortuna takes you across a few different types of atmosphere, which this track completely compliments, along with adding in the Main Theme in an eerie and downright sexy way!
Star Fox SNES - Titania
Another track to fit it's level perfectly, as it gives up an Arctic type feel to it with it's chip-tuneness, it's awesome background guitar at types, and it's frosty use of the Main Theme.
Star Fox SNES - Meteor
Time to skim along the surface of a Meteor to this track. Once again, fantastic use of the Main Theme, as well as a great track to signify still being in Space. One of my personal favorites.
Star Fox SNES - Sector X & Sector Z
An Epic Track for Sector's X & Z, still using the Main Theme uniquely and quite frankly, kick-assily as well!
Star Fox SNES - Venom 1 & 3
All you Melee fans should definitely recognize the opening of this track, as it was used on Corneria in that game. Short, Simple, but still awesome use of the Main Theme at the end.
Star Fox SNES - Venom 2
Another Venom track here, which doesn't quite have all of the Main Theme in it, but makes itself different and yet similar to the sound of Venom. Again, another fantastic track here.
So as I mentioned, like a really good Bond soundtrack, the SNES Star Fox soundtrack manages to so awesomely incorporate it's Main Theme into just about every one of their songs. This is yet another reason I think, as a soundtrack, it's overall better. Now, I leave you with the TWO Course Clear Themes, to signal my Victory!
Star Fox SNES - Course Clear (Band Version)
Star Fox SNES - Course Clear (Orchestra Version)
[/spoiler]
To put extra emphasis on this one fact, I'm going to repeat it!
"Like a really good Bond soundtrack, the SNES Star Fox soundtrack manages to so awesomely incorporate it's Main Theme into just about every one of their songs." This is the main reason why I think the SNES Star Fox soundtrack is superior, but to be fair, I will compare certain tracks as best as I can, cause Star Fox 64 had more planets.
Corneria: SNES vs. SF64....Seriously, does this even need a comparison? I mean really? There's NO comparison as to how much better the SNES version is. The SF64 song itself pretty much whines at you around 0:14 seconds in that it's NOT the SNES Star Fox theme. The first track of a soundtrack can be very important, as it can get you into what you're watching or playing. SF64 thankfully makes this up with its better game play and the awesome feel of the Rumble Pak, cause the song really doesn't.
Asteroid Field, Venom Oribital/Meteo, Area 6: SNES vs SF64Here we have a more fair comparison than the previous joke of one. The Meteo track for SF64 was actually pretty decent, but suffers from having not that much in it. It only clocks in at about :51 seconds before it repeats itself. The SNES track, while heroic & awesome, can be seen as repetitive. However, with both games, the pacing of both tracks is spot on, SNES being more fast paced than SF64. These two tracks though can boil down to more of a personal preference thing. Again though, I give the nod to SNES because like the other tracks, it incorporates the SNES Star Fox theme into it. This does not make it a better song, but I think it makes it a better soundtrack.
Since the SNES Asteroid Field theme is the Venom Orbital, I'll compare it with Area 6 of SF64. Now, Area 6 is probably the best track in SF64, and there's a good reason why too. It's one of the only tracks to actually have a somewhat SNES fast paced feel to it. Even with SF64's more militaristic approach, it works and works very well. It can really get you into the level you're playing. I actually wish more tracks in SF64 had the same Area 6 feel to it. Katina is probably the closest second. I'm not saying that the SNES Venom Orbital cannot, cause it really fits well with the level.
Macbeth & Titania: SNES vs SF64I'm gonna save myself some time & effort on this one, because SF64 uses the same theme for Macbeth & Titania. You can essentially call this theme the LANDOMASTAH theme, for obvious reasons. It's very militaristic, pretty much like an army's march and it's very fitting for the tank. Overall I have no general complaints with this theme, except that it would've been the perfect time to fit in the SF64 theme, which they almost did in the beginning of the song. Meanwhile, Macbeth & Titania for the SNES both fit it's respective levels perfectly, as I mentioned up above, and creatively mixed in the main theme with it. Same with up above, it doesn't necessarily make it a better song/songs, just a better soundtrack.
Sectors X-Z: SNES vs SF64Again saving myself some time here. Sectors X & Z in SNES are awesome, and kick ass. Sector Y just reminds me how painful those damn jellyfish could be, but otherwise fit the level perfectly. Sector X in the SF64 kinda has a Sector Y SNES feel to it. Kinda adds a mysteriousness to the Sector, which was the intent I'm sure. Not one of my favorite tracks, but it still works. Sector Y for the SF64 is pretty good, but that's more because I think it works better as Solar's theme more than Sector Y per se. Sector Z for the SF64 is really just the theme then the boss music. Nothing much going on here at all. Overall though, I think the SNES Sectors are better for the reasons I mentioned up above. Sector X SNES is more uplifting and riveting than Sector X SF64 (even though SF64 wasn't going for riveting), Sector Y SNES fits better with the feel of the level more than Sector Y SF64, due to it working better with Solar, and Sector Z...well even though the SNES one is just Sector X again, Sector Z in SF64 has no real theme.
Venom: SNES vs. SF64Now to be fair, SNES Venom's opening, both Levels 1 & 3 and Level 2, are both just plain epic. Melee proved this fact CLEARLY with their compilation. When it comes to the SF64 version, this is a case where the song suffers because the previous song before it, Area 6, was just so good, so fast paced, that it made the SF64 song seem lackluster in comparison, whereas the SNES Venom tracks just build off of the previous track.
This is actually where I'm going to end my comparison, since I already explained the Boss Theme comparison up above, and the many other themes have nothing to compare it to. The SNES soundtrack flows better as a soundtrack, as each track builds off one another stage after stage. The SF64 soundtrack, while having very good songs that work with the stage being played, does not flow as well when put together. This sort of soundtrack works better for an Ocarina of Time type Zelda game, in which each Dungeon song had a different feel to it, just like the planets/levels did in SF64's Lylat System. Again, this is not to take anything away from the songs themselves (well maybe SF64 Corneria) as they were great songs. But as a soundtrack, the SNES version is better.