Impressive VGM By Year: 1988
Metal Hawk (ARC, YM2151 w/ C140)
Power Drift (ARC, YM2151 w/ SegaPCM) & X68K* (upload fan stuff)
Power Drift from 1988 is the best example of Sega's late 80s output to me, with musical samples and FM synth blending really well, long and varied tracks with nice solos (there's even a noise solo of sorts in B Course which I think is using LFO effects), pretty much all channels being used, stereo, chorus, DT2 for more unique timbres, echo, etc. All squeezed into a collection of fun and memorable 80s rock/pop/funk tracks that work great with the rollercoaster-like experience that is the game itself. Great stuff.
Not sure if Nagata and Koshiro really loved Bosconian or were given free reigns to do what they wanted here, but I'll take it. Excellent sound design overall (the sampled drumkit was apparently used a lot in the X68K demoscene and ended up in a few other games as well) with smooth and expressive leads (some of which use three channels at once), tight slap bass, strings with chorus and echo effects, shimmering e-piano chords and good stereo mixing. Stylistically it's a fairly eclectic mix of synth rock/prog, jazz and funk which is reminiscent of Gradius at times (Little Wave). On the downside a few tracks are more simplistic and repetitive, and most of the drum samples are a bit thin and distorted compared to some later games. I also didn't spot any use of LFO effects or great attempts at choirs.
Mirai Ninja/Cyber Ninja (ARC, YM2151)(sample heavy),In-game
Winning Run (ARC, YM2151 w/ C140)
Galaxy Force II (ARC, YM2151 w/ SegaPCM)
Cybernoid 2/Cybernoid II (C64),Atari ST ver. (1989),Amiga ver. (1989)
Thunder Force II (X68K, YM2151)
Twin Eagle (ARC, Seta X1-010, mono)
Notable for being one of the first fully sample-based game OSTs (besides Amiga games), and for having solid live guitar and vocal recordings featured in the otherwise sequenced (?) music. On the downside it's all in mono (while Cal.50 from the next year is not). Some parts in this upload don't transition properly making it sound like a skipping record, which I think is an emulation error.
Police Quest 2 (PC, MT-32, 1989?)
One of the firstandbest uses of the MT-32 module, which excelled at that mid-late 80s pop/rock/funk sound. It was a big step up going from Adlib and even the Amiga in some ways, but at a hefty price. Sadly the game itself is mostly silent save for a few jingles, a handful of locations and the intro tune repeating for some cutscenes. Same with King's Quest IV and Leisure Suit Larry 2 from the same year it seems.
Adventures of Bayou Billy/Mad City (NES)
We're reaching peak Konami here with snare and kick samples as well as quick duty cycle modulation and/or octave switching effects used for the attack on the rhythmic instruments to give them more of a funk guitar sound (probably their first game to use this effect being released a few months before Castlevania II, though it might've been used subtly in Contra before this). Stylistically it's about the funkiest they've ever been besides maybe Aquaris from CV3, and the upbeat tone combined with that american box art and the fact that it's supposed to be a beat 'em up rarther than a rhythm game always makes puts a smile on my face. On the other hand this OST is a bit one-sided and mostly lacking in echo and chorus effects besides the second jeep level, something there's more of in Ninja Gaiden and Contra (also from 1988) for example.
Skate or Die! (A2GS)- find stereo/hq, Skate or Die! (Tandy 1000, SN76489 w/ PC Speaker PWM)
You might be more familiar with other versions here but I think this one tops them. When used right it seems the Apple IIGS could sound roughly on par with the Amiga except that channels weren't automatically panned left or right.
The Scheme (PC-88, OPNA, some new tracks)
Fire and Forget (PC Speaker PWM)
Savage (C64)(sample heavy, added stereo),Level 2
While unfitting, the music is pretty insane here featuring both two samples at once in the title tune (first done in Bad Cat from 1987 I believe), and great noise percussion in-game. Turbo Outrun from a year later added some in-game sfx to this mix resulting in one of the best sounding C64 games period.
Sid Floyd? A very dynamic and fleshed out track that's neither sappy nor the typical upbeat and catchy 40 sec loop stuff, with some unusual effects used. This one takes like literally forever to get going so tilt your head and shoulders back, avert your eyes from the screen for once and just take it all in.
While the overall sound design isn't much better here than in Shinra Bansho's best tracks (the PSG drums while well done are a bit of a letdown if you've heard the other versions), it's still pretty impressive. There's a lot of music here, good variety and the composers knew what they were doing in terms of creating the right mood for each scene using mostly a blend of 80s action/detective story- and cyberpunk film-inspired music.
Can be considered the first techno OST in video games, and having been made in 1988 it's pretty much in sync with the genre's evolution outside of games.
Captain Blood (AMI),Captain Blood (ST, sample-based track)
Leisure Suit Larry 2 (PC, MT-32)
Phelios (ARC, YM2151)(sample heavy) - 1989?
This OST is completely different from the arcade one, but it's arguably for the better and still fits. There's some great synth prog and -pop in the intro and menu here with phaser and arpeggio effects on some leads, which is then followed by pretty solid sampled guitar work in-game (reminiscent of Rock 'n Roll Racing). Nice work, Follin bros. This game, IK+, Obliterator, Giana Sisters, Zany Golf and Shadow of the Beast (1989) showcase console/arcade-like experiences on the system, with better sound than most other games of the time.
R-Type (C64, different overall)
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES)
While the FDS version from the previous year was a solid effort, I think the addition of sampled drums and use of effects like DCM, slides, chorus and shifts between legato and staccato on the instrument envelopes make this one much more lively and dynamic sounding overall. Stylistically we get more of that fun blend between neoclassical hard rock/metal and funk rock here, and while there's not as many "pop hits" as in the first one, there's a bit of an improved variety in moods conveyed which is fitting for a platform adventure/metroidvania game.
Jigsaw! (A2GS)(jingle/short loop)
Sorcerian (PC-88, OPNA) & Additional Scenario Vol. 1 (PC-88VA, OPNA)
Bad Cat (PC Speaker PWM),Alternate (50 Hz?)(different)
Purple Saturn Day (PC Speaker PWM)
Chequered Flag (ARC, YM2151 w/ K007232)(added reverb),In-game
Super Mario Bros. 3/SMB3 (NES)
Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished Final Chapter (PC-88, OPN)
Besides some great sound design, theloader tunehere is notable for its interactive element. Players can switch between 8 patterns for each channel as well as the timbre of the lead, in real-time. Cool shit.
The Ninja Warriors (ARC, YM2610B)
Stylistically this is pretty much the epitome of 80s cheese and "asiansploitation" in VGM - a cheering crowd sample starts off the centerpiece Level 1 theme (Daddy Mulk), a synth rock track featuring filtered voice samples (I like to imagine them saying "go ninja") being used gratuitously as backing melody, synth guitar licks soaring in the sky while transforming bowlcuts into mullets as the chorus hits, then a shamisen (JP string instrument) solo around the middle followed by another crowd cheer. The rest of the OST shares similar qualities. While it is the best sounding game on this chip up to that point, looking at later games I know that it could've had both stereo mixing, better sample quality and more advanced FM synth work.
Assault/Assault Plus (ARC, YM2151)
Bionic Commando (C64)(remixes),Techno-like part
King's Quest II (A2GS)- find hq?
Neuromancer (C64, some samples only tracks?)
Neuromancer's sample-based title track is worth a special mention, even though it sounds kinda bad in retrospect. This is actually an edited song by Devo, a pioneering band in the new wave and synth pop scenes of the late '70s-early '80s.
Haunted Castle (ARC, YM3812/OPL2)(added reverb?)
Sorcerian (X1, YM2151 w/ YM2149) & Scenarios
Angelus: Akuma no Fukuin (PC-88, OPNA)
Jackal/Akai Yousai: Final Commando (NES/FDS)
Victory Life/Yu Yu Jinsei (PCE)
I feel it took a while for Konami to really get the hang of FM synthesis; their earlier OSTs tend to have more of a rough (shrill and metallic, often with thin and twangy leads) sound commonly associated with bad Genesis music. Although there aren't any drum samples here and the whole thing is in mono, it's one of the first examples of their smooth signature lead synth which is sort of a blend between brass and saw wave, as well as crisp bells used in crazy scale run fills and broken chords, pretty strong FM percussion besides an average snare, solid bass and decent distorted rhythm guitar. Add chorus and echo, some cool phaser/noise effects and you have a solid sounding OST, which is also pretty long and varied.
Draconus (Atari 8-bit),C64 ver.
Exciting Soccer: Konami Cup (FDS)
Tomahawk (A2GS)? - re-find
Probably the best use of the limited OPLL chip on its own, on which I believe you could only customize one of the instruments per song (it could be one at a time during any part of a song though) and the default percussion in particular is kinda bad. You'd be forgiven for mistaking some of the leads used here for 4-op synthesis and tracks are fairly long and varied as well. No music in-game though, sadly. Ys: The Vanished Omen (1987) and Solomon's Key for the SMS are also worth a mention here being among the best for that system.
Erika to Satoru no Yumebouken (N163)
Carrier Command (AMI)- streaming audio?
California Games (A2GS)(in-game)
Sengoku Sorcerian (PC-88VA, OPNA) & Pyramid Sorcerian (PC-88VA, OPNA)- 1989?
Notable for featuring one of the first vocal tracks in an Amiga game, a short jazzy tune where the singer hums the melody and sings the title of the game itself. Yep. Sadly the rest of the game seems to be silent besides a few jingles and some rudimentary speech synthesis.
Tetris (C64)(some samples)
This lesser known version of Tetris is notable for featuring a track of epic proportions (near 26 minutes) as well as relatively decent sampled guitar for the system.
The Scheme (PC-88, OPN) & The Scheme (80s Songs Music Mode)
Ys: The Vanished Omen (SMS FM)(in-game intro & ending)
Target Renegade (C64) & Operation Wolf (C64)
As the Link Turns (A2GS)(in-game, short loop) - find hq
Garfield: Big, Fat, Hairy Deal (AMI)
Super Mario Bros. 2/SMB2 (NES, 1988)
Golvellius: Valley of Doom (SMS PSG)
Yokai Dochuki/Shadowland (PCE)
Beraboh Man/Bravoman (ARC, YM2151)
Chopper I/Koukuu Kihei Monogatari: The Legend of Air Cavalry (ARC, OPL2 w/ Y8950)
Golvellius: Valley of Doom (SMS FM), MSX2 FM ver.
Angelus: Akuma no Fukuin (PC-88, OPN)
Zybex (Atari 8-bit),C64 ver.(Dual SID),
Marauder (C64)(Sisters of Mercy, John Carpenter)
Famicom Tantei Club: Kieta Koukeisha (FDS)
Solomon's Key (SMS FM)(added stereo)
Top Landing (ARC, YM2610B)(some sample heavy tracks)
Grand Prix Circuit (C64, samples)
Rolling Thunder (FC/NES, N163)
Jordan vs. Bird: One-on-One (Tandy 1000, SN76489 w/ partial PWM?)
Kings of the Beach (Tandy 1000, SN76489 w/ partial PWM?)
Triango (A2GS)- jingle, find hq?
Dark Fusion (Spectrum, Beeper)
Panasonic FM-PAC Firmware (Ashguine 2 songs, MSX FM)
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War (ARC, OPL2)
Zany Golf (A2GS)- find hq,AMI ver.
Jocky Wilson's Darts Challenge (Atari 8-bit)
Bad Cat (AMI)- short loop, streaming audio?
Shin Ku Gyoku Den (PC-88, OPNA)
Starship Rendezvous (MSX FM w/ FM-Pac or AY-3-8910?)
Super Dodgeball/Super Dodge Ball (NES)
Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (FDS)
Meitantei Holmes: Kiri no London Satsujin Jiken (NES)
Scramble Spirits (ARC, YM2151)
P-47: The Freedom Fighter (ARC, YM2151)
The Pro Baseball Clash Pennant Race (MSX, SCC w/ AY-3-8910)
F-1 Spirit 3D Special (MSX FM)
