|
The Greatest Sonic the Hedgehog Song of All Time By: Josh Adachi, PoisonRamune, the Apathetic Lizardman, Ken Barrens, Sylvester Ink Starlight Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 1) Josh's Account - I know that choosing the Starlight Zone theme as your all-time favorite Sonic song qualifies you as a huge pussy; it's the equivalent of saying that your favorite L.L. Cool J song is "Around the Way Girl," However, when Rob asked me to write about my favorite song from the Sonic series, I couldn't help myself. The Starlight Zone theme is not just a catchy tune from a video game, it is one of the most touching love songs of all time. It's fitting, really, that the Starlight Zone theme should come off as a ballad since the Starlight Zone itself is really a love-letter of a stage. Technically, Starlight Zone doesn't need to exist. It's much easier than Marble Zone before it, and I'm pretty sure that I beat it on my first play through. However, the relative ease with which Starlight Zone can be beat doesn't detract from its charms. Starlight Zone is a level built for speed, and although you probably won't die much, you will find yourself zen-timing Sonic to move from one ramp to the other without stopping so that you can continue to watch the stars scroll past you with that lovely 3D effect. Of course, stars don't move in 3D in real life, and when you find yourself trying to replicate the effect in real life, head turned hard right as you run as fast as you can down the sidewalk, you'll realize you are and idiot, and that Sega has given you a very special gift: the gift of Starlight Zone. But what really seals the deal with this video game valentine is, of course, the music. Grafting nostalgia with optimism, vulnerability with boldness, the Starlight Zone theme will make you feel, in its 48 second loop, more emotions than guy who eventually married your first crush will ever feel in his life. Whether this song represents Sonic's memory of a love he's lost in the Robotnik wars, Sega programmers' love for their fans, or the overture to your life, the Starlight Zone theme is hands-down my pick for greatest Sonic music of all time. Just picture you and the love of your life in a flying convertible- she manning the wheel while you aim your high-powered photon gun at the monstrous metallic insects threatening earth while the Starlight Zone theme plays on... why it's enough to make you fall in love... all over again. P.S. - I hope I don't lose my credibility here, but "Around the Way Girl" really is my favorite L.L. Cool J song.
Straight Up (Paula Abdul's - Forever Your Girl) Rob's Account - Straight Up by Paula Abdul is the greatest Sonic the Hedgehog song ever produced. Its arrangement gives you the feeling of empowerment like your ready to take on Robotnik and his robot army (or a love interest that's dicking you around). The instrument selection in this song is spot on. It’s the perfect mix of ambient sounds and instruments commonly found in 1990’s electronica used in very innovative ways. This is very refreshing, yet very familiar. I just did some research and learned that Straight Up has nothing to do with Sonic the Hedgehog aside from having a similar New Jack Swing sound, my apologies. And now for a valid entry... Chemical Plant Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2) Lace up your running shoes and sniff up that line of coke because we are going to ride the light! Chemical Plant Zone’s theme is the epitome of amazing Sonic music, it’s almost a quantitative measure of how much hipper Sega was than Nintendo in the early 1990s. While Nintendo was selling amazing games, Sega was selling an amazing experience; an experience that gave you a high that drugs could not achieve. Chemical Plant Zone’s driving, jazzy uprock beat ignites your soul and makes you want to move; which is fitting, since the second levels of all Sonic the Hedgehog games on Genesis are notorious for being extremely challenging in the platforming department. I believe this is the Sonic Team’s way of saying “This is not your typical walk in the park mascot game. You’re going to have to work for your victory.” The blaring riffs of the soft synth’s horn ensemble sets the mood for: rushing down huge ramps, rolling through the complex network of pipes, and avoiding the ominous purple water. The song was not only good for a video game soundtrack, but it’s also an amazing hip-hop beat. I’d even be so bold to call Chemical Plant Zone’s theme a precursor to trip hop. Whether you’re a blue hedgehog flying at 100 mph or just some drunk looking to move your ass, Chemical Plant is the anthem of your life.
Lava Reef Zone (Sonic & Knuckles) Ken's Account - Lava Reef isn't just my favorite Sonic song; it's also my favorite level. It falls neatly into place after the hellishly long Sandopolis Zone and before the serene Hidden Palace Zone. The tone of the song itself seems to sympathize with you as you go from running through the blazing heat of a desert to the scorching hot inside of a volcano, promising sweet rewards at the end of your ordeal. Any lesser hedgehog would have dehydrated before they reached the end of Act I. - Ken
Stardust Speedway (Sonic CD) Sylvester Ink's Account - The music for the Sonic the Hedgehog has been consistently catchy, from the jazzy Starlight zone theme of Sonic 1, to the grooves of the Casino Night zone in Sonic 2, to the beautifully epic final boss fight music for Sonic 3. However, there is one soundtrack that's consistently overlooked, that being the soundtrack for Sonic CD. No, I don't mean the Japanese version, which everyone seems to prefer, but rather the American version, composed by Spencer Nilsen. (Who also did the music for the Ecco the Dolphin games.) I consider the US soundtrack to be the undeniably superior one. The music is a lot more epic, and is just catchier in general, whereas the Japanese music is just boring J-Pop riffs. People insisting that it's better because it's by the Japanese guys should take care to remember that one of the main contributors to the better Sonic 3 tunes was Michael Jackson, who is definitely not Japanese. In any case, while there were plenty of great themes in Sonic CD, my personal favorite was the Stardust Speedway theme (the Bad Future variation). This theme was most notable for also being the boss music when you fought Metal Sonic, which was not only a great boss fight, but possibly one of the most iconic boss fights in the Sonic series. The music itself starts out bright and snappy, but then transfers to a darker theme as the electrical guitar riffs set in. The chorus in the background helps give it that epic feel, and the entire song gives off a very "dystopian future" feel. (Which, considering the circumstances for when you hear it, is very appropriate.) Here is the song in its entirety, courtesy of HedgehogDude18 on Youtube: For comparison's sake, here's the Japanese version of the soundtrack, with thanks to OrangeSonic21: - Sylvester Ink |
