See also:
Best VGM 44
Best VGM 82
Best VGM 242
Best VGM 682
Best VGM 1248
Best VGM 1424
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.
Gamecube
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2003)
Staff Roll
Koji Kondo
One of the best zeldas, soundtrack-wise 🎶
Koji Kondo meets Aaron Copland. Fantastic.
GAH! This song gives me happy tears.
Easily my favorite piece of music from any videogame ever. This will play at my wedding.
Ha, I have the same idea as well! Best videogame musical piece ever (even if the game itself isn't one of my favorite Zelda's).
By far the worst 3D Zelda game (for me) but it had some great tracks.
At 2:05, this starts getting really beautiful.
I want to go sailing on the ocean with this playing in the background. Anyone care to join me?
What a beautiful theme. :')
Best thing about the worst 3D-Zelda of all time: this track! Well and maybe some others as well. Soundtrack and graphics were great. Sadly, they were not given enough time to make a good game out of it.
@BeleuchteteBrueder I strongly disagree with the last part of your comment.
@Guilherme Oliveira And you have every right to your disagreement :) Strange though, how almost every entry in the series has it's followers and haters and I can not make out a pattern.
@BeleuchteteBrueder IMO WW is only behind OoT and MM in terms of 3D Zeldas
What didn't you like about Wind Waker? It's my favourite in the series
@TheDannyMan It just felt pretty rushed in development. The promise of a huge sea with islands to explore was not fulfilled. Alsmost every island was a useless spot of grass with a few rupees, the world felt strangely empty and lifeless. I was looking forward to a game of true exploration that combined the idea of Zelda with sea exploration. The bosses were pretty underwhelming and ridiculously easy and they did not live up to the potential of telling the story of a flooded Hyrule. There were a few great moments, but it was just glimpses of what game could have been. I did like the art stlye and the soundtrack, though. And the final battle was nicley excecuted. But after ALttP, OoT and MM, it was just a huge dissapointment.
@BeleuchteteBrueder Woah. I disagree with almost everything you said about the gameplay. Except that the boss battle were substantially easier, of course. Because that's true. ^_^' I found sailing the open waters to be a joy (the enjoyment lasted longer than Assassin's Creed Black Flag, so that's something) finding islands with all kinds of things to find, meeting all kinds of silly characters in true Zelda-esque fashion. The dungeons were all fun to traverse though (except for the F**KING WATER TEMPLE ASDFGHGF) , etc etc. It definitely didn't feel empty to me. Maybe it's because I like sailing so much. Mhm. Anyway, combine all that with the lovely music and unique artstyle, and this is easily my pick for the best Zelda. (yes, I did play Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, and finished Ocarina of Time) I guess experiences just differ with each person? Looking at your thoughts and opinions about Wind Waker, it's almost as if we both played a different game, lol ^_^'
Yes, of course experiences differ with each person, but I think that with Zelda games that is even more ture. With many other games you can see obvious flaws and strenghts, but Zelda is different. Maybe that says something about the quality of the series in general, maybe it says something about the kind of game Zelda is - a highly immersive, personal experience that resonates differently in each and every one of us. And we have huge expectations when it comes to Zelda games. To me, Majora's Mask was the greatest gaming experience of all time. And you have to give huge respect to the Zelda team for creating such a unique title every time (in terms of how the game is played and designed) instead of just blindly copying the successful formula.
@BeleuchteteBrueder Dude, I LOVE the entire Zelda series. It's definitely Nintendo's staple series, if you ask me. Although, IMO, Majora's Mask was too dark. On a technical standpoint, it was amazing, but I didn't enjoy it. Wind Waker was a little more light-hearted in that regard. I think that is why I enjoyed it the most out of any Zelda, because the feeling of adventuring and exploring was a lot more apparent than in Majora's Mask, where you were sorta on a clock the whole time. Also, the theme of the entire world ending if you weren't quick enough. I just don't think it fits with the theme of Zelda. But that's just me. Majora's Mask was still amazing, and technically one of the greatest games of all time.
@BeleuchteteBrueder Dude what the hell are you talking about, this game is amazing. Zelda WW is one my two favorite 3d Zelda games with Ocarina of Time. The worst 3D Zelda is by far Skyward Sword, but I have to say that TP was too much like OoT for me to appreciate it fully. As for Majora's Mask, it's probably the only Zelda with a good storyline but I still prefer OoT and WW because they are more Zelda-like, with this incredible feeling of adventure, whether it is on the hyrule plains or on the seas. Anyway, I don't see why Zelda would be more difficult to evaluate than most games, seeing the strength and flaws of each. It's probably more difficult with many Jrpg. The only thing is, every of thoses games are personnal expériences, so of course the feeling is different.
@xenotypos I think I made my point two comments above. It's a different experience for everyone. I still think this is more true with the Zelda series than with any other. Every Zelda title has it's die hard fans and people who dislike it. Are some of them are more right than the others...? I don't know. To me, Skyward Sword was by far the best Zelda since Majora's Mask. You can find good arguments for each side, but in the end it all comes down to those who prefer a certain atmosphere, those who need a well crafted overworld (something, The Wind Waker definitely lacks) and those who need clever dungeons and puzzles. I could write a book about why The Wind Waker was a huge dissapointment, why Twilight Princess was ambitious, but massivley flawed, why Majora's Mask is one of the best games of all time and why Skyward Sword is exactly what I hoped for in a successor to the series. So of course there are certain points any of us can make. I am merely stating that obviusly, with this series, there is something special going :)
@BeleuchteteBrueder" I still think this is more true with the Zelda series than with any other. Every Zelda title has it's die hard fans and people who dislike it" That's precisely what I said: It's just that you prefer this series or because you know it more. The most random topic of all time in video games is "what is your favorite Final Fantasy". The reply always differ, FF4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and even 10 ans 12 have their huge lot of fans. How is it possible to say that one is better than the other? How would it be possible too with other series like Tales of, Suikoden (2? 3? 5?), Xenogears/saga/blade, Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross etc etc You just think there is something special with Zelda because you like this series. And by that I mean, that's really the only reason, seriously. Of course, I don't talk about FPS, action games, sport games, fighting games... for those i agree it's different, it's just a matter of genre.
@xenotypos Well, alright, you might have taken my words too literally. Of course the series is not unique in this regard. There are others, espacially Final Fantasy. You can take my words and use them for those games, too. I did not want to say that Zelda is the greatest franchise of all time, I just wanted to point out that is is astonishing how random it seems to be which title is prefered by whom. And Zelda is special about that. Not unique, but special. It's a notworthy thing. With almost every game series you have debates over which title is the best, but there seems to be a lot more consistency about other franchises. Final Fantasy - OK - this really is another good example. But are there really people out there who think that Chrono Cross is superior to Chrono Trigger? :)
@BeleuchteteBrueder Of course, Chrono Cross is way more complex and ambitious than Chrono Trigger (which remain a good but childish game), in every field: gameplay, background and of course story, I've never seen a scenario more deep and complex since Xenogears. The problem in CC, is that it isn't as "well-made" as CT, it's difficult to explain well in English where mon vocabulary lacks: CT is easy to get into, isn't boring at any moment, and the storytelling is just perfect, with the right surprises at the right moment. Somewhat, CC is more hardcore gamers than CT, but I like both as much as the other, just in a completely different way. Those two games are almost opposite from each other, your preference can only depend on your taste. As for Zelda ok maybe I misunderstood.
@xenotypos Oh, I wouldn't have thought so. Even though I know that CC has a decent soundtrack I heard from most people that they were dissapointed for the most part by the game itself. Personally, I haven't played either of them, I only recently bought CT for Virtual Console.
@BeleuchteteBrueder Both CT and CC soundtracks are awesome. As for CC, another thing is that it isn't like CT at all. Both are rpgs of an unusual kind, especially CC. But I never heard any real rpg fan denying that it remains a masterpiece of the PS1 (even if I prefer FF7/Xenogears/Valkyrie Profile/SuikodenII). Do CT by any means, without spoiling yourself, it suits almost everyone and it's very addictive.
Went to the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses Orchestra last week and listened to this song played live. I got teary eyed :')
I never realized how amazing this game's music was.
the nostalgia, it burns
Does ANYBODY have sheet music for an orchestra?
I have been waiting so long for this one to be on the list. Best Zelda Track and possibly the best video game track of all time!
Hearing this is making my eyes well up with tears and I don't even care. Something about this game really spoke to me when I first played it, and I think it will always have a special place in my heart <3
Zelda's lullaby!
This reminds me of my pictograph figurine collection :'(
Tbh, i personally think this was the best Zelda as well. It has a much more magical feel then the others. It's a truely unique gem in a treasure chest already full to the brim with truely unique gems. Nothing will ever compare to the hours spent sailing the Great Sea.
This is the best zelda game imho. Its when they really got good at making plots and the first game with truly open world gameplay. It also has the best soundtrack imho. This game is zeldas Perfect Form.
Oh god, this song just makes me tear up EVERY TIME i hear it! IMO, wind waker was the prettiest (in terms of art, graphics and music) zelda game i've ever played. Hands down.
This game will always hold a special place for me. It's the first game where I really started to appreciate VGM. Songs like this are the reason for that.
nostalgia
Magic
Lols, you don't have to wait till the end of the game to hear this, why, this very song is hiding behind your very own start screen! Color me surprised when I actually listened to this whole thing after the countless times I skipped it. The more you know!
It's not a remake, it's an HD update/makeover.
WW remake coming in the fall
Huzza for WW HD!
Still my favorite in the series and i have been with it since day one!
Sadly, he has duplicated himself.
I want this song for my wedding someday. I'm sure Mr. Right will like it too. Otherwise there wouldn't be a wedding to worry about anyways... :3
Zelda Forever =D
l'epoque de la nintendo gamecube me manque
gamecube>all
Dan Dan Dan Shan ban Han
This song is so good I get goosebumps from listening to it :D
listen to this during a thunderstorm :)
I wanted to like the music. But now I'm wondering...
makar is so cute cx
He most likely did just that after realising just WHAT he had disliked.
This is my favorite Zelda 5evah, I really love it.
You just got Staff Roll'd
You should have put this as 001 just so more people would watch it.
I have heard thousands of fantastic video game soundtracks in my gaming life, and none can capture my heart the way Zelda music does. It nearly brings a tear to my eye listening to this. I have to thank everyone involved with Zelda and it's music. Thank you for all the great gaming memories and I can't wait for more!
Oh man! Koji Kondo really gets to me.
One day I will punch the person who pressed the dislike person.
@DynamicDeclan You can't kill that person, they are already dead inside
@SlayerxLeo354 Watch your FUCKING language! :>
Wind Waker is not my favorite Zelda game, but this is by far one of the best songs that emerges you into its vast oceanic world. I really feel like I'm in this world.. and it's beautiful.
@DynamicDeclan take a light arrow with you
@DynamicDeclan Let me know as soon as you succeed.
@sk8er4ever0101 Someone got really mad at me for saying the Wind Waker was my favorite Zelda game lol.
You see that dislike button? Nope, it's just Chuck Testa, with another pointless object that once served a purpose, but is now a placeholder.
WW had some awesome music and I actually really liked the cell shaded environments I just wasn't a huge fan of the character models.
I never even beat Wind Waker and this song gives me chills. I love it!
@DynamicDeclan You'd have to be dead not to enjoy this game. Dead inside.
You should change the title to Best VGM Ever
This song is one of the most incredible of any game OST ever. It's so happy and yet it has a touch of melancholy. So beautiful.
I can't stop thinking about Ireland when I hear this tune. I guess we all know where they got the inspiration from, and it's not the first time ("Epona" is the horse-god of irish mythology).
@chikimonkey2456 I know, the people who say that this is a bad game are...yeah. This is my 2nd favorite Zelda, only being beaten out by A Link to the Past, and it's my 10th favorite game. I've only played through it once, however, and that was over two years ago. Plus I'm trying to get away from Nintendo now to become a Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid fan. Am I an entire decade late to the action?
definately my favorite song from this game, aside from the Molgera battle that is xD
BEST.VGM.EVAR!
you see Wind Waker Unplugged (FreddeGredde) in the "Suggestions" area? click it, watch it, and have a wonderful day :D
I like the small tribute to Ocarina of Time. I like tributes to songs remixed in other songs period. That new music, completely unheard beforehand with a dash here and there of the older songs playing throughout. Mostly I like the sense of nostalgia that comes with it.
This game was my Christmas gift in 2003. And I beat it before the new year!
Ha ha, check out these people arguing about a video game. They're just toys, you morons!
@TheDRUNKCANADIAN Glad you're done, because you're wrong and a moron. What statistics are you basing this on? You base your "hatred" for a video game because of its graphics.... That is beyond retarded. You do know SS is cell shaded right.
@TheDRUNKCANADIAN Who are you to say whether the game "isn't a dark game" when you have not even completed it. That's like saying you dislike carrots without ever eating them. Actually had one of the best story lines in the entire zelda series... far better than TP and not many share your opinion if they completed the game itself first before jumping the gun because "they didn't like the cel shading look". TP may have looked cool being more "mature" but the story was absolute 0 effort ass
@Standard420247 agree
@TheDRUNKCANADIAN You don't deserve to play it if that is your excuse for not finishing it.
How did the King of Red Lions get so tiny?
@FreeZe6422 Yes, on the Virtual Console service for the system. It'll be the DX version too, thank goodness. I expect it will be one of the first games for the 3DS Virtual Console service, which is supposed to launch in May.
Loved the game(damn i lose) loved the music. Would love to see more games like it.
absolutely beautiful but are you ever going to bring us awesome classical music again?
Every time I think about replaying this game, I remember the Triforce shard hunt :/.
@scarletspeed7 check out MGS and Shenmue credits - those are my favourites, but this is really good too.
@SupraDarky Don't forget Links Awakening on 3DS. Not new, but finally no more horrible GB/GBC screen required. And there's also something incoming for the 25th Anniversary of the series.
@ninds7 Oh no, it's fine. I didn't fully realize how realistic my comment was. I thought it would be obvious that electric guitar and dubstep would not only be terrible, but dubstep became big only recently. This disregards the fact that people are out there that would actually not take this into consideration though, and be dumb like that. So thanks for an actual, genuine sorry. That's rare on the internet. I understand though. It's no big deal anyway, just youtube comment nonsense. :)
@scarletspeed7 Even better than the credit music of ALTTP? That's a bold statement.
When you understand the symbolism in the Wind Waker you love it even more.
@EldestSauce HD on the 3DS. I might imagine he meant this.
@SupraDarky but it already is 3D D:
What a winner this game was.
friggin loved this game
I love the shit out of this. It´s full of fun, warmth and LIFE.
Must find out if my cousin is willing to part with copy.
Undoubtely, the perfect song to end the perfect game. Nothing ever will surpass Wind Waker's grandeur.
@LinkTetraWW Definitely. It's so amazing how well the three main tunes of this game mesh so well together, that they create such an impressive harmony. I thought that OoT and TP also did a solid job of mixing the tunes together, but no game in the series comes as close to just a perfect symphonic consistency like WW.
You should have included the "epilogue" music. That one has an epic ending.
Excellent pick! I played this game through just a couple years ago for the first time and it's nostalgic anyways :D
Great pick. I always found two WW themes very memorable: the mini-boss theme and especially the Molgera theme. They managed to capture the exciting feel of battle, but by using instruments you won't often find in songs that try to create that same feeling. Yet it works so well.
Wonderful :-D
@Fransinn3 I was just making sure. I was worried, myself, for your soul.
Have you tried the AR Games on the 3DS? The Wind Waker Link looks amazing, so Ninendo could probably do a 3DS version of Wind Waker.
@dx619hey What?! Are you high?! <_< That theme is the spawn of satan. I was talking about ''We Are''.
dat nostalgia
:D
I lost my copy of the wind waker, I'm so sad, I've been really wanting to play it lately, too. T.T The boat and the open waters provided me with an even bigger sense of freedom that the other Zeldas did.
I know many people didn't like this game but it is my favorite Zelda game. Yeah the boat bit is kinda annoying but its not any worse than running long distances.
This game was SO FUN!
@Standard420247 Not to mention Link is Dutch for Left too.
I actually didn't pay alot of attention to this song the first time I beat this game because of the floating bubble heads, especially where Princess Peach's (the rich daughter) face actually showed itself 3 times on the same screen at one point. Great song and game overall.
@SupraDarky Only problem is the Wii is ruining the heritage of the LoZ series. I don't give a damn if it "feel's weird" to people to swing with a remote and see opposite on a screen, simple adjustments to the game can fix that. Link is and always should be LEFT HANDED! By portraying him as a righty it ruins what made link unique. Some may think thats petty, obviously newer younger gamers that haven't been there from the get go, even the special magazine NP made about the series points it out
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Favorite Zelda ever.
holy shit, i just downloaded this song yesterday and today it appears on your list. the same thing happened with tornado man, tallon overworld, potential for anything... are you me?
You can never go wrong with Zelda music. HEY! You're almost to 900! Sweet.
@pikminlover72 chikachikachikachikachikachikachikachikachikachikachika
@ninds7 Oh man, I was being completely sarcastic. Oh, that's lame. I totally forgot that that kind of a comment is usually serious and that dumb. I probably should've made it a whole lot more obvious. But yes, Wind Waker is an amazing game, and this is an amazing credits music. It sends chills down my spine, and it's use of common zelda melodies is executed amazingly and appropriately. I just thought that was going to be the common post, so I thought I'd make a sarcastic joke.
beating the game to hear this song was definitely worth it = w = good game with a wonderful soundtrack.. I should go replay wind waker...
This song always gives me goose bumps. Good thing WW is arguably the easiest console Zelda game because getting to these credits is something any VGM enthusiast needs to do at least once.
How ironic :P And I had just listened to the FreddeGredde version of this song...
YES! Wind Waker Staff Roll easily best song in the game, best staff roll in the series, and dammit it all Medli is freaking adorable on the cover!!!! Wish we could've gotten more out of her but I digress, 2nd favorite Zelda of all(though it hardly matters since they're all so good)and I feel that I should replay this when I get the chance.
"Staff Roll" = "Credits", I guess? I learned something today. Also, this is my favorite Zelda game of all time. People always complain about the sailing, but I could spend days at a time exploring each of those little squares of ocean.
Ocarina was good but wind waker had a speacial charm to it that made it feel like more of an adventure than ocarina
One word. EPIC. People were disapointed at first because of the "cartoon graphics". I agree but this game was one of the best.
Lame! They used the opening music in the first minute. Nintendo's so unoriginal. If they were really badass, they would incorporate some electric guitars, or some dubstep. DUBSTEP!
@barkleylola that would be epic
@Fransinn3 The 4Kids one??
Wind waker for the 3DS anyone?
the ending thene to this game is amazing the first time I beated this I was like I want the sound track to this game It was that epic
it would have been better if they have actual cutscenes instead of just credits like the other 3D zelda games
Just... beautiful.
Go to a Farmers Market and listen to this while you're there.
amazing
great music
This reminds me of the time when I was playing the game, I was always singing the One Piece theme while I was sailing. 8D
@SupraDarky i have a good feeling about SS, i bet it will be this gen's Majora's mask, and IMO majoras mask was better than OoT
watch?v=IxAKFlpdcfc&feature=related
I usually replay Wind Waker at the start of every summer. I beat it when it first came out, but now whenever I replay it I always get to the part where you're hunting the Triforce pieces in the sea and it just takes so long and I lose interest and stop playing lol.
My all time favorite credits music in a video game. No kidding. Wind Waker had such a unique OST... just beautiful.
Awesome staff music. Makes me want to play this game again, I haven't since its release. I'm glad we're getting 2 Zelda games this year, OoT 3D and SS.