A collection of my favorite videogame music. Note that most of them are from games I played so I might miss some great ones from games I never played.
SNES
Secret of the Stars (1993)
Aqutallion Overworld
Tukushi Sasaki
This game is really not that bad.
Sounds like something that would be in Chrono Trigger.
I actually love this game. I know it's not one of the best but I grew up with it and the soundtrack is freaking amazing. Worth a playthrough for the music alone~
To hell with the people who say this game was bad. Why? Because it had a poor translation like every other JRPG released at the time? Because it had battle mechanics that were better balanced and more challenging than most JRPGs released at the time (and honestly if you had to level grind then you must really suck at JRPGs, just about every Dragon Quest game, including the more recent ones needed more level grinding than this game did). Because its graphics were not that great for 1993 standards despite the first Lufia and Earthbound looking arguably worse? Because it had less of an emphasis on story despite JRPGS not being about having loads of cutscenes until after Final Fantasy VII. What arguments are there against this game that can't easily be applied to just about every other jrpg released at the time?
No way does Earthbound look worse than this. Earthbound may have had simple graphics, but they were quirky and colorful, and fit with the aesthetic of the game. This game's graphics were just hideous, especially coming out on the SNES in 1995. To hell with people who say the game is bad? Isn't that their opinion? Everything I've heard about it certainly makes it sound like a lesser RPG on a system known for superb ones.
@salmonblox Secret of the Stars came out in 1993 in Japan, it only came out in 1995 in the US due to it being in localization hell. As for the whole thing about graphics, I agree that Earthbound's graphics did look good in an artistic sense. However, they were very low quality in a technical sense and this game had more detail in certain areas such as the battle screens. Earthbound had still images and static backgrounds while Secret of the stars had actual attack animation. Also I don't even see how this game "looks hideous" in an artistic sense and saying that it is okay for one thing to be lesser quality in a technical sense and that it is not okay for another is downright inconsistent when there is no reason given for why it looks bad in an artistic sense. As for whether it is their opinion, yeah it is their opinion, but I think it is a poorly justified and poorly argued one. The point of this comment is strictly about why I do not believe the game deserves its hate and to try and get people to provide an actual argument against it other than the ones I have already dismissed. As for how it compares to other RPGs on the system,honestly it is above average. Games like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy IV, VI, Earthbound, Lufia 2,etc may be the first games that people think of when it comes to SNES rpgs, but they are far from the only ones. There are games such as Paladin's Quest, The 7th Saga, and Arcana that are greatly inferior to Secret of the Stars yet seem particularly well received yet Secret of the Stars is somehow one of the worst RPGs of all time? Also I could easily argue that it is better than some particularly well received RPGs (the original Breath of Fire for example)
@Iyamtebist I didn't say Earthbound's graphics were of lesser quality, I said they were simple. They were as simple as the game needed them to be, but they had large sprites and were clear and bright. The art is original and I like that they avoided the stereotypical JRPG look. There weren't battle animations, no, but there also weren't static backgrounds- the battle screens had funky psychadelic colors pulsing and moving, which looked cool and gave the game its own flavor. I've seen screenshots and videos of Secret of the Stars and they just don't look good. They look ugly. I'm not being inconsistent; one game is pleasant to look at and the other one isn't. I'm not particularly impressed with much of the music, either, including the track we're currently commenting on. I haven't played the game so I'm not going to argue with you, but the reviews I've read lay it out pretty plainly, and the video footage I've seen backs it up; this is not one that I'm sorry I missed playing. I have a whole slew of other RPGs I'd like to play on the system, and no, not just those mega-popular ones. I'm interested in/have played some of Robotrek, Star Ocean, Terranigma, Live a Live, Illusion of Gaia, Shadowrun, and others. I don't have much interest in Breath of Fire so tear that one up all you want. I'm glad you enjoyed Secret of the Stars, though, it's always nice to have an underrated gem in your wheelhouse, especially when it comes to RPGs.
@salmonblox Well my argument was more so directed at the people who argue that it is one of the worst RPGs of all time. At worst it is a standard RPG. There isn't much to argue about with simply not having any interest in it. As for the whole graphcs thing, I really do not see what looks bad about this game in the first place from an artistic standpoint, and seeing as how that is a very subjective aspect, the only direction to take that is when referring to a technical sense which it really is not as bad as people say.
It looked like it would sound awesome, and it does ^_^
Reminds me of the music from Quest 64.
@Zack Bond The game that shall not be named!
1) You just lost "The Game" 2) The most recent Paper Mario is the real game that shall not be named.
@Zack Bond haha Sticker Star was an awful game!!
When i played this game it made me think it was a nes game the graphics and design were so poor.beat it still because rpgs were rare back then in english
Like from a lot of subpar games, the music still holds up as a strong suit. Great track regardless of its origins.
The infamous RPG for the SNES, regularly making lists of the worst in the genre. And eventhough I can't help but agree that this game is quite below average (though far from some of the worst I've played), I have a lot of nostalgia for it. Back in Christmas 1995, me and my brother decided to rent this game before heading to our grandparents' house for a week. They lived outside the city, pretty much in the middle of a forest with tons of snow. We'd play outside all day long, then we'd go back in the house and play this game while warming up near the fireplace, all with a good hot chocolate. It was great. I remember having to grind a lot in this game and how the battles were way too frequent, but it didn't prevent me from enjoying it. The real life setting can play a big part in the nostalgia you have for a game and this is a perfect example.
At least the graphics look good for a NES game. ...it's a NES game, right?
@GameMasterGuy Look in the description :P "SNES" "Secret of the Stars (1993)"
@TheLegendJet Pretty sure that he was being sarcastic.
@bobsagetluvr1 Now that you say it... yeah, could be true xD
If you want to talk about RPGs that have a reputation for being bad, but have great music, try Quest 64. I have a soft spot for it even with its understandable reputation.
The worst RPG I played in my entire life was Eragon for the GBA. I... Don't think I can really sum up how awful it is in a quick sentence. It's something to check out if you enjoy getting stung by bees.
@Mdude360 Eragon? Well, fitting, considering the source material. :P
Couldn't help but agree. Rented this game two or three times as a kid and while I never finished it I did enjoy the idea of two separate parties both with their separate paths. The grinding was tedious as always but somehow I cared less as a kid. Maybe I'll have to find it and give it another go. Test that theory about nostalgia :)
@James Johnson Separate parties with separate paths? That sounds pretty awesome. I was the opposite as a kid: in M&L SS, I ran away from as many battles as possible, probably because they distracted from my curiosity for the overworld. Ironically, that made it so battles were longer...
@Daytime Sky I still have a thing for Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. That game has a phenomenal soundtrack.
Being a genesis kid I love hearing about the snes RPGs I missed and wish I played.. Except this one tho lol. You should check out Valiant Hearts: the Great War if you have already. Track 3 has a beautiful calm to it