Gaming GBA games with best score

[Urza]

Which games do you think had the best overall musical score?

As far as I'm concerned, Golden Sun 1/2 win hands down, its incredible varied orchestrated score ranging from upbeat village themes, to sad depressing themes, to the high-bpm battle themes, fitting every emotion imaginable. Second place would go to the Super Robot Wars games, epic music to reinforce the epic story (Time to Come). Aria of Sorrow comes in at third place, its music always perfectly fitting the somewhat creepy atmosphere of the area (lives up to and surpasses the legacy of the series).

MMBN 1 and 3 had a couple spectacular tracks (read: opening and hero theme), but the overall score was fairly bland and repetitive. Pokemon deserves a mention for its fruity upbeat music, which is surprisingly decent, in addition to some great (and less fruity) battle tracks.

 

[iffy525]

I remember Fire Emblem having some good music.

 

[Torte]

Aria of Sorrow, but no Circle of the Moon? Wut?

Too bad Golden Sun's gameplay isn't up to the high standards of its score. *raises fanboy flame shield*

In retrospect, the GBA didn't have many great soundtracks (the DS has way more already). The Mega Man Zero games weren't too bad, though, and technically speaking, the Phoenix Wright trilogy was born on the GBA... so that makes it the best GBA score ever. Hands down. No questions. Object and I'll knock you out =)

 

[Urza]

In retrospect, the GBA didn't have many great soundtracks (the DS has way more already).
Ahaha.

No.

QUOTEand technically speaking, the Phoenix Wright trilogy was born on the GBA... so that makes it the best GBA score ever. Hands down. No questions. Object and I'll knock you out =)

I found the Phoenix Wright scores to be pretty subpar, aside from the court themes, so I guess I object.

 

[pikirika]

Bit generation's soundtracks are amazing.
I like the music in Densetsu no stafy trilogy alot.
Rhythm Tengoku, obviously.

 

[FAST6191]

Minna no soft tetris: as you played you got more of the band playing. Overall the score was not that good but it certainly grew on me.

RPG wise I guess there was a fair few but the obvious games to draw parallels to would be the 16 bit era games (half of them were though I guess) which is both a fair and unfair method by which to compare owing to the serious sound hardware in the 16 bit consoles.

 

[pasc]

Well, Kingdom Hearts,

the Opening - Battle - Herotrack in mmbn5,

Payback soundtrack was pretty decent aswell.

The sims bustin out and urbz - sims in the city got som chili tracks too

Other soundwise notesworthy games would probably be
- the F-zero Series
- Summon Night games
- Max Payne (because the music creates a very deep atmosphere)

 

[Lumstar]

Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire, for sure. Excellent original score. Their title screen in particular. It's too bad the new songs (read: non-remix) made for FR/LG and Emerald are horrible in comparision.

Final Fantasy I and V have some pretty good tracks. So do the Fire Emblem games, plus a few MMBN ones.

 

[Jack-Of-Trades]

In retrospect, the GBA didn't have many great soundtracks (the DS has way more already).

I Don't quite see how it's fair to compare a older system to a new system...

[GBA]
Sound 16Bit-Mono (stereo with Mod or Gameboy Player)

[DS]
Sound 16Bit-stereo

And IMO FF Games have the best score's (even the slaughtered port's from snes to gba

But if just mentioning scores from any game Baiten Kaitos EWatLO & Origins

 

[beautifulbeast]

My votes go to Metroid: Zero Mission for its epic atmosfear of solitude and Kingdom Hearts for it's variety and the way music is used as an introduction to each of the worlds.

 

[DanTheManMS]

[GBA]
Sound 16Bit-Mono (stereo with Mod or Gameboy Player)

The GBA is certainly capable of standard stereo sound, though of course without headphones it all comes out the one speaker. Have you tried MusicPlayer Advance before?

Golden Sun's score is excellent. I'm also slightly partial to Rayman Advance, though perhaps that's because it's the first GBA game I ever got.

 

[acoustic.digital]

FF VI. Epic score. And the best on the GBA.
if you guys mention Pokemon, you should also mention Drill Dozer (also from Game Freaks); the score of this game is written in the same style than the pokemon games, and was actually better.

 

[arctic_flame]

The Camelot games have the best music. If you played Golden Sun, the music in Mario Golf/Mario Tennis is recognizable as being in the same style as the upbeat tunes from golden sun.

 

[gizmo_gal]

Interesting topic. I cant say who does have the best score, but I know two games that dont belong anywhere near a list of the "best score" Thats pokemon and Harvest Moon.

 

[Jack-Of-Trades]

The GBA is certainly capable of standard stereo sound, though of course without headphones it all comes out the one speaker. Have you tried MusicPlayer Advance before?

Yes i know with either a Hardware Mod or a Gameboy Player (NGC Acc) It can be given stereo but since the retail GBA/Sp/Micro doesn't come with it i consider it Mono since that's what the majority have access to

And amazingly the GBA could of had a few extra tidbit's
stereo (Done with Mod )
AV Out (Done with Mod)

Resource

 

[DanTheManMS]

I'm saying you don't need a hardware mod to add stereo sound. Just plug in headphones. I just turned on Golden Sun and can hear two distinct channels being played.

 

[Mr. Noid]

American Idol

 

[NiGHtS]

KH CoM had a good soundtrack!

 

[osirisFIVE]

Pokemon Ruby's surfing theme was quite good.

Basically, I liked the score in most of the game... excluding the battle themes.

 

[muckers]

*Both the Golden Sun games (though for some reason I preferred the first game's score a little more)

*Zelda: ALttP

*Pokemon FireRed/Leaf Green. It was awesome hearing all the old Red and Blue tunes remixed to GBA quality music.