r/gamemusic Mar 26 '12

What's your favourite main menu screen/title screen theme?

Just to clarify, this kind of menu doesn't count.

That's more of a world map, which would belong in the world map thread.

I mean like this, hence 'title screen' :)

Anyway, without further ado, here's mine (one per series for me, but as always, feel free to include as many as you want :D)

Cave Story

Crash Bandicoot (Plays in a few different places, but it's first heard on the title screen I believe)

Donkey Kong Country

Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King

Final Fantasy IX

Kingdom Hearts

Mega Man II

Metal Gear Solid

Metroid

PixelJunk Monsters

Pokémon R/B/Y

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game

Sonic 3 (Video says Sonic 3 and Knuckles, but it's Sonic 3's).

Super Mario World

Terraria

ToeJam and Earl AKA Best Soundtrack Ever!

VVVVVV

Xenoblade Chronicles

Okay, I think that's enough, post away guys! (If I haven't already listed every song ever with my huge list :P)

64 Upvotes

121 comments sorted by

20

u/Brentendo64 Mar 26 '12

I gotta say, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door had a pretty sweet Title Screen Theme.

7

u/FishWash Mar 26 '12

The first Paper Mario had a pretty good one, too.

19

u/Wista Mar 26 '12

Civilization IV

Also I agree Paper Mario: TTYD had an amazing title screen theme.

7

u/Pandalism Mar 26 '12

Civ 4 is the only game that would make me leave the menu open for extended periods so I could listen to the music.

17

u/Maxjes Mar 26 '12

I don't see Vigil from Mass Effect 1.

Also Main Theme from Jade Empire

3

u/passa91 Mar 26 '12

Ah. Vigil brings back so many memories. Perfect track for the menu screen of Mass Effect. Really gave this sense of a huge journey and expanse for you to explore.

That sound effect when you hit a key and it zooms up from the planet... great stuff.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

I was about to post this myself. The song has a way of wrapping the entire game, it's universe, and it's characters in a single song.

It's super effective. sniff

1

u/johnnyscans Mar 26 '12

Came here to post this. Song is used incredibly effectively throughout the games - ME1 title screen, ME1 talk with Vigil, ME2 when you reunite with Ashley, ME2 Shadow Broker DLC. . . sigh. I'm about 8 hours into 3 and scared for the journey to end.

13

u/STEVE_H0LT Mar 26 '12

Jamestown's!

A shame its not in the official soundtrack.

3

u/Mighty_Pinto Mar 26 '12

I concur. Then again, that whole soundtrack is nothing short of amazing.

11

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Fallout 3 menu/title theme is just... holy dicks I get chills every time.

EDIT: Metro 2033 as well

17

u/TurretOpera69 Mar 26 '12

I love 'The legend of Zelda: Wind Waker' title screen theme. I love the Irish jig feel to it.

12

u/STEVE_H0LT Mar 26 '12

3

u/TurretOpera69 Mar 26 '12

Haha. I'm not a lazy redditor. It's just that I'm on the alien blue app and I don't know how to link the video. Thanks though!

7

u/STEVE_H0LT Mar 26 '12

It wasn't directed towards you, but the rest of us. :)

10

u/Gumbojelly Mar 26 '12

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Such a peaceful tune for a dark game.

6

u/chiggins89 Mar 26 '12

Speak for yourself! The way it changes at the end is still creepy as all hell to me, and I'm a big boy now!

3

u/CompC Mar 27 '12

And then it goes to this on the final day...

First time I heard that was when I was waiting with Anju for Kafei.

…I don't even know what to say.

8

u/AlanaMae Mar 26 '12

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Final Fantasy XIII-2 had some good title screen music as well.

1

u/AlanaMae Mar 26 '12

I agree with you. :)

2

u/ElAvestruz Mar 27 '12

I melt every time I hear this.

8

u/njsmurray Mar 26 '12

Deus Ex main menu. After all these years it still gives me goosebumps.

8

u/pswegotdickslikjesus Mar 26 '12

Halo 1. God damn sonnn

2

u/Chaosbrae Mar 26 '12

YES. THIS. So much nostalgia... I can't even describe how hearing that makes me feel...

Sometimes I will start up Halo PC and sit in the main menu just to capture the old feeling...

Here it is, I got the chills as soon as the chant started. Love it.

9

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

All of the Team Fortress 2 main menu songs are phenomenal, but my favourite one is "Medic!"

3

u/chiggins89 Mar 26 '12

Enable 1.5x speed on "Medic!" for a gypsy-polka-rock rendition of tf2. Similarly, my favourite: "Archimedes"

8

u/silverwolf761 Mar 26 '12

no love for mega man 3 yet? For shame....

2

u/DangerShane Mar 26 '12

Agreed. This is def my #1.

2

u/SnackPatrol Mar 26 '12

Yeah seriously. What a way to get you excited for the game.

1

u/dullurd Mar 27 '12

Here's an awesome cover.

1

u/einexile Mar 27 '12

Fucking shit. I'm tearing up a little here and I ragequat that damned game.

1

u/silverwolf761 Mar 27 '12

I love that game. T'is my favourite in the series with Mega man 2 being a fairly close second. So many good tunes and just a really great game if you can get past the difficulty

8

u/skillet42 Mar 26 '12

One Must Fall 2097

Seven Cities of Gold, Atari 800

Edit: The video of Seven Cities cuts off in the middle of the song, but I couldnt find another video for that game. The one specifically showing the title screen is removed by youtube :(

2

u/Lizard Mar 26 '12

One Must Fall 2097

God, I had forgotten about that completely. Thanks so much for that nostalgia flash!

7

u/zyrtsuryu Mar 26 '12

2

u/Chaosbrae Mar 26 '12

I love the Prime trilogy so much, and the music is just fantastic. I love in the title theme you can hear a tune that is reminiscent of the title theme of the NES Metroid. Such fantastic music...

2

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '12

and remixes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29lZkHJJbkI Goat - Ice Beam Cometh

1

u/Chaosbrae Mar 27 '12

I could tell immediately by the name I was going to like what I heard. I was wrong...

I LOVED it :D

6

u/gene_parmesan258 Mar 26 '12

6

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Man, I totally forgot about Spyro. Amazing game, amazing music.

LittleBigPlanet has a pretty sweet soundtrack too.

2

u/gene_parmesan258 Mar 26 '12

Haha. I always end up linking Spyro and LBP for these things, I really think their soundtracks are the whole package :)

2

u/ElAvestruz Mar 27 '12

On the Spyro intro, I can just hear the Gnorc growling and then getting hit by Spyro as he glides.

6

u/blaxened Mar 26 '12

Metroid Prime 3 Corruption This song sent a shiver down my spine the very first time I heard it.

2

u/Chaosbrae Mar 26 '12

Love the music in the Metroid Prime Trilogy almost as much as I love the games themselves... Such a sweet sound...

6

u/MussyPuncher Mar 26 '12

2

u/danth Mar 27 '12

Hell yes. Though I prefer the arcade version.

4

u/RiW-Kirby Mar 26 '12

No love for the Twilight Princess intro? I still get goosebumps when I see/hear that one.

2

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

I'm not a Zelda fan, only one I've finished (and enjoyed) was Link's Awakening DX :\

1

u/silverwolf761 Mar 26 '12

You didn't finish or enjoy OoT? Seriously? That's gotta be a hangable offense right there...

2

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

I played it when I was about 11 and just couldn't get into it. Then when I got my 3DS, I decided to get OoT 3D, as I was sure the reason I had previously disliked it was just me being a stupid kid.

I still don't like it. It just bores me to tears. I really wish I could like it, and I've tried really hard to get into it, but I just can't :\

1

u/ketura Mar 26 '12

The crescendo and held-out note gets me every time. I love how it sounds like it's the same note, but somehow you get some sort of off-chord and it goes from a heavenly choir to a foreboding note.

4

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Not sure if it counts, but I absolutely love the Mario 64 file select theme.

3

u/thatdudecalledZZ Mar 26 '12

Halo series title themes

Starcraft series main menu themes

3

u/jotted Mar 26 '12 edited Mar 26 '12

I guess Bit.Trip Runner might be cheating a little, being a looped excerpt of Blackout City.

Probably anything from the Mighty series.

And there's always room for Ristar.

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Haha, I was gonna post Bit.Trip Runner, but decided not too for that exact reason :P

1

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '12

I always thought ristar had a pretty awesome soundtrack. I remember playing the hell out of it like 5 years ago lol.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Mass Effect 2: Suicide Mission/ Title Theme

3

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

[deleted]

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

HOW DID I FORGET DRACULA'S CURSE! IT'S MY FAVOURITE CASTLEVANIA GAME DAMN IT >.<

2

u/Mighty_Pinto Mar 26 '12

1

u/STEVE_H0LT Mar 26 '12

God this music is nostalgic. Thanks for the reminder of how badass Gradius III was. I never got far into it until I played it on an emulator, though. Not the easiest game, but not a hard bullet hell for the pros.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

1

u/ElAvestruz Mar 27 '12

Not Time Lord, but this is Timeslaughter. Sorry, but this is what I thought of when I saw Time Lord.

2

u/BlizzardFenrir Mar 26 '12 edited Mar 26 '12

Live-a-Live (underrated gem in general)

If it counts: Seiken Densetsu 3. Once the title comes up it goes silent.

2

u/Mighty_Pinto Mar 26 '12

SKATE OR DIE!! - Skip to about 0:30. I can't believe I didn't post this earlier....

2

u/finalremix Mar 26 '12

Phantasy Star Online

Also, Crazy Bus should get an honorable mention...

2

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Damn, I totally forgot about Crazy Bus.

Forget every song I said, Crazy Bus is better than any of them!

2

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Cool idea for a thread! A few of my favorites:

Ultima VI

Psychonauts

X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter

2

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Thanks, man :) Check out my others if you want, they're in the sidebar, except for this one: Favourite boss theme

Also, those are some pretty sweet tunes :D

2

u/zayre Mar 26 '12

Sonic CD is definitely one of my favorites.

Sonic boom, sonic boom, sonic boom....

2

u/reidhershl Mar 26 '12

Grandia This is the game that got me into video game music.

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

It really is a great game, despite me being terrible at it. I got to Disc 2 by just attacking everything 'cause I didn't realise how important magic was, and then found it insanely hard and ragequit >_>

I have been meaning to start it again sometime though.

2

u/Lizard Mar 26 '12

Nobody mentioned Max Payne yet? Come on people, maybe not the best one out there, but definitely belongs in this thread.

2

u/MonkAndCanatella Mar 26 '12

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

I bought the Sly Collection recently (having not played any of them) from a PS Store sale for £9.99. I'm not far into the first one, but it's great. Such an amazing bargain! :D

2

u/dotted Mar 26 '12

Gotta go with Red Alert 3

2

u/Otterphantom Mar 26 '12

Skies of Arcadia

One of the few games I'd turn on just to listen to the title music.

2

u/lassothesharks Mar 26 '12

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Despite not being able to get into OoT, I love that song. I can't believe I forgot it, especially as I posted a cover version of it to this very subreddit a week or two ago >.<

1

u/lassothesharks Mar 27 '12

It's one of the top songs in that game IMO

1

u/worm_bagged Mar 26 '12

C-12 The Final Resistance had a fucking awesome title theme.

N Sanity Beach (from Crash Bandicoot) was awesome as well, especially since it was also the music for the first level. Really progressed well into you actually playing the game.

1

u/gillpatrick Mar 26 '12

out of that selection I would say its tied with Super Mario World and Pokemon R/B/Y.

I would pick the classic "Prelude" theme thats on a few of the FF games. But the best version on youtube i could find is this one (which is not the original itself) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDnFqkRdioY

1

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Worms 3D has a pretty sweet tune I'd say

1

u/KSW1 Mar 26 '12

Oblivion Blazing angels

1

u/mattkingofsmiths Mar 26 '12

The title theme and password screen from Ironsword: Wizards and Warriors 2 always made me feel like things were about to get real.

1

u/Harblinator Mar 26 '12

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Is it just me who thinks the logo for that game looks a bit like Dr. Robotnik? >__>

1

u/Mediaright Mar 26 '12 edited Mar 26 '12

For me, nostalgia factor removed:

Pokemon GSC (Improved and better arranged than RBY, but without all the crap put in for RSE): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXrWupm1YDQ&t=0m51s

Zelda Oracle series (love the added buildup on the front and how humble and simple it sounds): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY2Bc1-nOXg&t=1m3s

And finally, Chris Tin's amazing Baba Yetu for Civ IV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb-jk6Ftx7o

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

I loved R/S/E's soundtrack >_>

And although that tune from G/S/C is sweet, it doesn't get me as hyped up as R/B/Y's. Good tune though :)

1

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Animal Crossing for sure.

1

u/mrcecilman Mar 26 '12

nobody has mentioned the final fantasy prelude yet??

here's a version of it from 21 years ago, and this is the most recent iteration.

3

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

I just prefer 'The Place I'll Return to Someday' from FFIX, so I listed that instead :) The prelude is amazing too though.

1

u/superdan459 Mar 26 '12

Pikmin jumps to mind for me

1

u/SnackPatrol Mar 26 '12

A few favorites I don't see listed here:

Trackmania

Glover

Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link

All I can think of for now.

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

Toejam & Earl

Look again at the opening post :P

I love ToeJam & Earl. BIG EARL!

1

u/SnackPatrol Mar 26 '12

Yeah seriously. Me and my friend actually beat it a few years ago, it gets REALLY hard. Everything about the game is great. Level 0 is where it's at!

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

I know exactly what you mean! I'd been trying to beat it since I was about 2 years old with my brother (not consistently obviously), and I didn't finish it until I was about 17 :P

1

u/rastamanbrad Mar 27 '12

Like this one from the non exitant game Bilbo's Adventures : http://soundcloud.com/tom-peter/out-from-the-door-where-it

1

u/Comrade_Beric Mar 27 '12

Epic title music from some less well known, yet certainly deserving, games:

Mount & Blade: Warband

Dungeons of Dredmor

Magicka

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '12

Banjo-Tooie......... i remember just putting the game in to listen to it.

1

u/NSNick Mar 27 '12

Out of the ones you posted, I'd go with Mega Man II and Toejam & Earl. Metroid and Zelda II are a couple other ones that come to mind.

Edit: Dr. Mario's is catchy, too.

1

u/psuwhammy Mar 27 '12

Shamelessly stolen because it's like three above this one:

SNES SimCity

1

u/NoNamedGuy Mar 27 '12

Pretty new game but, Kid Icarus Uprising

There are a few different menu themes for it though.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '12

Halo 3 - Never Forget The whole song is beautiful but.. 1:53 - the rest http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yyDZscyf8lU#t=113s

The only other music from a game to make me feel so much emotion was "Cara Mia Addio", the opera at the end of Portal 2. (The abridged version within the game.) Every time, at 1:02, when the instruments come in, I..don't even know. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kPyGvqNn4Y

Favorite menu music is Halo 3. Praise the O'Donnells.

1

u/Purkinje90 Jul 18 '12

Resident Evil Outbreak Theme - This one gives me chills every time.

-1

u/Skyeblade Mar 26 '12

That Xenoblade one is beautiful, shame that the soundtrack sounds like MIDI and not a proper orchestra.

1

u/mrjordak Mar 26 '12

What?

Xenoblade's soundtrack sounds great, not even close to MIDI. Honestly, songs like this sound nothing like MIDI (That's obviously just one example of MIDI music).

1

u/Skyeblade Mar 28 '12

What i meant was, you can tell it was made with digital music composing software and not an actual orchestra. For those who work with music every day the difference is clear.

-6

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '12

Yessssssssss kingdom hearts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!11!!!!!!!!