Nintendo Music has been a most welcome service offered by the legendary Japanese video game publisher. First arriving on October 31, 2024, Nintendo Music is an app that can be downloaded on your Android and iOS devices, giving you instant, ad-free access to dozens of classic soundtracks from beloved Nintendo games. While users will need to be a current subscriber to Nintendo Switch Online to enjoy it, many see the service as one of many perks to Nintendo’s online subscription.
While Nintendo has plenty of must-listen music on the app–such as the Donkey Kong Country trilogy, the atmospheric Metroid Prime, and the heavenly, orchestral sounds of Super Mario Galaxy–there are still numerous notable soundtracks that have yet to make an appearance. The good news is that, thus far, Nintendo has been adding albums at a steady pace, with Super Mario Kart arriving just this week. Still, just because it’s good doesn’t mean that Nintendo Music can’t be even better.
I’ve compiled some noteworthy soundtracks from across Nintendo’s history that deserve to be enjoyed by users worldwide in the Nintendo Music app. The only real caveat is that, since Nintendo has only released music from first party titles, these will only be soundtracks from Nintendo published games. Yes, I know we’d all love to jam out to Mega Man or Final Fantasy, but we’ll just be sticking to the Big N brand for now.
NES/Famicom Soundtracks
Nintendo’s first majorly successful home console has no shortage of incredible music. Unfortunately, there are only three soundtracks currently available from the console on Nintendo Music–and two of them are Metroid. Super Mario Bros. 3 has some timeless tunes in its soundtrack, from the funky beats of World 2, to the timeless melody of the “Athletic,” and the ominous “Airship” track.
The Legend of Zelda is also shockingly not available yet on Nintendo Music, which just seems criminal. Although not possessing a lot of tracks–a product of the console’s memory limitations–each one is absolutely stellar, providing the perfect soundscape for the epic, fantasy adventure. The main theme also is arguably the single best song in the entire NES sound library.
Lastly, while Kirby’s Adventure may be the second game in the now iconic franchise, it established many of the tracks and features that have come to define the series, such as the pink puffball’s copy ability. Although it contains the cherished song “Green Greens” that debuted in the original title, new tracks such as “Tower to the Sky” and “Fountain of Dreams” makes Kirby’s Adventure one of the greatest soundtracks on the NES.
Game Boy Soundtracks
The Game Boy was fortunate enough to have one of the longest lifespans of any console ever, and thus it’s no surprise that such longevity has produced some awe-inspiring music. As of this writing, only two soundtracks are available on Nintendo Music, which is discounting so, so many. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is undoubtedly one of the console’s most important titles, as it proved that the adventures one could have at home on the big screen could also be experienced on the go. The story is also centered around music, ensuring that the soundtrack is one of the franchise’s most memorable.
Perhaps the most notable Game Boy title ever came relatively late in the handheld’s life, but that doesn’t stop the soundtracks from Pokémon Red & Blue from being anything short of legendary. Like any good RPG, the music here is an important element to the whole story, with tunes that continue to stay stuck in the minds of gamers.
Super Nintendo/Super Famicom Soundtracks
With the upgrade to 16-bit hardware, Nintendo not only was able to improve their games’ graphics, but also the quality of music. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars arrived at the tail end of the SNES’s run, but this collaboration between Nintendo and Squaresoft (now Square Enix) produced some timeless melodies. Composed by the now legendary Yoko Shimomura, you can put this album on shuffle and be guaranteed hit-after-hit.
The atmospheric soundtrack to the original Metroid was innovative, but Super Metroid’s sounds are a landmark in the gaming industry, proving that not all video game music had to be hum-worthy, but could be used to engross audiences in a cinematic way.
Another Nintendo RPG, Earthbound has a soundtrack that is every bit as weird and otherworldly as it’s plot. Of course, sounding strange doesn’t mean that many of these songs won’t have you bobbing your head, dancing in your seat, and humming them for years to come.
Nintendo 64 Soundtracks
The Nintendo 64 had some amazing soundtracks thanks to yet another major boost in power, with many of these great songs coming from the minds at Rareware. Although many of Rare’s properties now belong to Microsoft–such as Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, and Perfect Dark–, and as such I won’t hold my breath on them arriving on Nintendo Music anytime soon, I will give a major nod to Diddy Kong Racing, which is surprisingly one of composer David Wise’s most overlooked works of art.
The Legend of Zelda never fails to impress with its music, and Majora’s Mask is no different. In fact, it may be the franchise’s best overall soundtrack, which is no easy feat considering the likes of Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, and Breath of the Wild.
Nintendo GameCube Soundtracks
The Nintendo GameCube was the first Nintendo console to drop game cartridges completely, meaning that it was finally able to support CD quality music for many of its games. F-Zero GX took the techno dance music from previous entries and elevated it to all new levels, crafting a soundtrack that would fit right in with any 2000’s DJ’s repertoire.
The music for the Wario series of games cannot go overlooked, and sadly both the game and soundtrack of Wario World have mostly gone unnoticed since it’s release in 2003. It would be phenomenal if the soundtrack found new life in the Nintendo Music app, and could drum up attention for a modern day port of the fun title.
Speaking of overlooked GameCube games, although Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem garnered a lot of attention when it first released, Nintendo has been all but silent on their first M rated game ever since. It’s a shame, too, because not only is the gameplay and plot a refreshing change of pace for the notoriously family friendly company, but the soundtrack too is exceptional.
I could write on-and-on about even more wonderful Nintendo soundtracks, both new and old, but I’ll leave you with just these classic song collections for now. What are some other Nintendo soundtracks that you feel need to be included in the Nintendo Music app? Do you think Nintendo will add third party music to their service in the future? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to follow our Boss Rush Facebook Group or join our Boss Rush Discord to stay up-to-date on all things video game related!
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