What's your favorite Shmup OST?

[Turrican]

Yeah... Actually, there's also a PS2 Chaos Field - how's that? I'm without DC atm, and while my cube could use some shmups, I'd have to get a freeloader and I'm not sure which games are compatible with it.

Didn't Chaos Field get a U.S. release? I know it did for the GC at least since I bought it when it dropped to $20.

Yes, a GC US release - I might just get that one, if freeloader works with it (i'm in PAL countries).

[Pirate1019]

(i'm in PAL countries).

Ouch.

[Ceph]

Some I like:

Zanac X Zanac,
Gradius Gaiden
Einhander
Gradius V
Nexzr
Sylphia
Radiant Silvergun
Border Down

[JoshF]

Now that I think about it Crying is probably my favorite.

[Turrican]

Crying's music is awesome, true!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Towards the last minute and five or six seconds into Track 20 of the Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate OST, is a hidden PCE shmup BGM tune...do you know what it's taken from & where the exact area that it plays in (during the game session)?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[RotateMe]

Some songs out of the blue:

DDP DOJ Stage 1 remix.
Ibara Last Stage
Castle Shikigami 2 Stage 1 (remix as well as normal, but Ì'm talking about NTSC-J version here)

These are about the only songs I would listen to when I'm not playing these games.

[nZero]

Towards the last minute and five or six seconds into Track 20 of the Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate OST, is a hidden PCE shmup BGM tune...do you know what it's taken from & where the exact area that it plays in (during the game session)?

It's a PCE-styled remix of the loading music from Psyvariar Revision

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Towards the last minute and five or six seconds into Track 20 of the Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate OST, is a hidden PCE shmup BGM tune...do you know what it's taken from & where the exact area that it plays in (during the game session)?

It's a PCE-styled remix of the loading music from Psyvariar Revision

Actually, it's taken from the classic 1992 Hudson Soft produced PC Engine Hu-Card shmup title of "Soldier Blade" and is the ending-theme that plays in the background when one finally beats SB once and for all. ^_~

Listen to it and tell me that both are the same PCE BGM tune as featured on Track 20 of Psyvariar 2 OST compared to the original Hu-Card version of Soldier Blade's "Ending Theme" utilizing the built-in "Sound Test" setting..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[J-Manic]

Mainly stuff from Technosoft/Factory Noise, Zuntata & G. Rev. Them three is my favorites.

Thunder Force III OST
Thunder Force III Arranged ST
Thunder Force IV OST
Thunder Force V OST
(unreleased) Thunder Force VI OST
Blast Wind OST
Hyper Duel Arranged ST

Darius Gaiden OST
G. Darius OST
Layer Section OST
Layer Section II OST
RayCrisis OST
Zuntata "SWORKS" (not sure if this is an actual game OST, but it's FANTASTIC!)

Under Defeat OST <<<Great stuff!
Border Down OST
Senko no Ronde OST

Psyvariar 2 OST
Ikaruga OST
Chaos Field OST
Gunbird 2 OST
DoDonpachi OST
Gradius Gaiden OST
Salamander 2 OST
R-Type Delta OST
Raiden DX Remixed/Arranged ST
Eliminate Down OST
M.U.S.H.A. OST


Yeah. I have many favorites.

[nZero]

Listen to it and tell me that both are the same PCE BGM tune as featured on Track 20 of Psyvariar 2 OST compared to the original Hu-Card version of Soldier Blade's "Ending Theme" utilizing the built-in "Sound Test" setting..... ^_~

I can't do that because it sounds nothing like the Ending (sound test 84) or the Credits (sound test 85) from any version of Soldier Blade I've ever played. The loading music from the PS2 version of Psyvariar Revision, on the other hand...

[tekneekz]

after playing zanac neo again lately,compiles cloud kingdom lvl has an awesome track

[maxi]

Lords of Thunder, Giga Wing 2 and Darius Gaiden. Always in my head!

[DBH87]

hard to choose my fave but the following all have awesome soundtracks


Raiden DX
Raiden 3
Gradius Gaiden
Gradius V (was my fave)
Ikaruga (mint)
Espgaluda (mint)
Dai ou jou ( mint)
Mushihimesama (nice)
Einhander
Battle Garegga (OMG how good)

[tekneekz]

after playing force majeure demo, i think it takes the cake for my favorite boss music,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLzAGtb6k0Y

stage music is kinda cheesy but wait til it reaches the boss, cant wait til the fjull version of this game is released.

if u want to play the demo go here:

http://www.daikenkai.com/monokey/?p=16

[nosorrow]

I'm partial to 32-bit era Tecnosoft OSTs, just by the sheer number of times I've listened to the following: Blast Wind, Hyper Duel Arrange and, probably my favourite, Thunder Force V. Thunder Force III's OST is also quite memorable (not a big fan of TF IV's OST, for some reason).

I'm a huge fan of the Darius Gaiden OST and has been since I first played the game (which I love) back in the summer of '98.

I'm currently discovering Cave soundtracks and they have a shot at reaching the "short list" of best ever shmup music (edit: but there's no topping Tecnosoft's Tsukumo! ). I was playing Espgaluda (PS2, Arrange) last night and dear Lord, the select character screen + first stage music combo is blood pumping/melodic as hell. I've also heard tracks from some Dodonpachi games that were amazingly catchy. Big fan of the "Darkened" track from Ketsui as well - have yet to play the game but it sounds like "boss music"; I generally don't care for boss fights track but that one is something else. It also reminds me of some 2005 track by a rappper (!!!) named The Game (IIRC, the song was produced by Kanye West of all people; I wouldn't even be surprised if he sampled Ketsui, haha).

Honourable mentions off the top of my head (in no particular order):

-Battle Garegga arrange OST (fantastic stuff which I listen to on its own quite frequently - as I do for everything else that appears on this very list)
-The Soldier series (Super Star, Blade, Final) has some of my favourite tracks.
-Compile (Space Megaforce, Musha, Blazing Lazers, Robo Aleste)
-Konami (Gradius, Axelay, Salamander)
-Capcom (UN Squadron, NES Gun.Smoke)
-Radiant Silvergun OST (even if much like Gekirindan's OST - another good one - it seems to consist of the same track with different arrangements or something) (Edit: exception to the rule: I don't listen to this outside of the game, but I still love it, much like the Mars Matrix OST for instance: they fit their respective game exceptionally well)
-Cotton series (especially the PC Engine one and also Boomerang)
-Nexzr (loving this!)
-Rayxanber II & III

I'm assuredly missing a few, but the above comprises some of the most melodic/memorable videogame music committed so sillicon... in my not so humble opinion at least.

[President_Obama]

Salamander.

[chum]

Wasn't there a vote for this recently? What happened to that, I wonder?

Well my favorites are (unordered)

Armed Police Batrider
Mahou Daisakusen
Dragon Spirit
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil
Sexy Parodius
Eschatos
Flame Zapper Kotsujin

[nosorrow]

I see Under Defeat and Eschatos, among others, being mentioned quite often... I ordered UD on the DC, so I'll be able to comment in the foreseeable future (do the PS3/360 versions feature a remixed/arranged (superior?) OST?).

Also curious about Eschatos & Ginga Force's OSTs. I've listened to a few tracks of the former here and there and it sounds quite nice indeed.

Another one: first level music of Triggerheart Exelica. At the character select screen, I love it when the thick accented/laid back smokey-voiced female narrator says "select your Trigger-HHHHeart", with the music picking up.

[Furry Fox Jet Pilot]

Raiden DX
Ashura Blaster
Gun Frontier
Lightning Fighter 2 (iOS game)
Alltynex Second
Reflex
Kamui
Alltynex
DeltaZeal
Raiden (original and arranged)
Raiden II (original and arranged)
Raiden III (only stages 1 and 3 have good music, the rest is horrible and unacceptable for Raiden's high quality music standards)
Raiden IV
Raiden IV: Overkill
Strikers 1945 III
Air Gallet
Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu (especially that ending music, just amazing)
Battle Bakraid
Under Defeat
Viper Phase 1
Ether Vapor Remaster

[cicada88]

Recca

it's insane how well done and forward thinking this soundtrack was--unbelievable Famicom music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8rp2sTZaAA

http://www.youtube.com/embed/52ZtZU2RqjQ

[LordHypnos]

Nice bump!

Not really any particular order, but sort of vaguely ordered:

Zero Rei
Thunder Force AC (I feel like it's basically just a tweaked version of TF III. It's not much better, but a little better)
Elemental Master
Thunder Force IV
Cho Ren Sha 68k
Lotus Land Story

Ones that I haven't really listened to enough to put on a list, but what little I've heard is quite good include
Illumination Laser
Eschatos
Ketsui
Probably some other CAVE stuff
Many Konami games
Post TF IV Technosoft stuff (e.g. Hyper Duel, Blast Wind, and TF V)
Armed Police Batrider
Gunbird

Tons of other good stuff I'm forgetting, I'm sure

[nosorrow]

thanks!

I keep reading about Battle Bakraid and especially Armed Police Batrider on this very board. I would love to try those out should they ever receive a port.

Anyways, if the Batrider soundtrack even remotely resembles that of the underrated Battle Garegga OST, it will be surefire winner. I'll check some soundbites later today...

More 16-bit goodness: Gaiares (first level at least - don't remember the rest), Gleylancer (same thing)

[Kollision]

I think the mushi OST is off the hook!I especially like the last stages song, that's my absolutely favorite game song right now.

We think alike! Well, maybe not at the same time, buuut...

森のずっと奥の方 was the song that prompted me to play Mushi and eventually beat the game.
The blend of music + action is so powerful in that level that just by listening to the song again I think I'll get home tonight and give the game some more unrequited love.

[Jonst]

Thunder force IV
Ketsui
Mushihimesama
Dodonpachi
ddp dfk bl
Under defeat

[Squire Grooktook]

I think Ketsui is my all time favorite.

[Jonst]

^ I especially love stage 4 (defensive line...I think) just an awesome track!

[drboom]

Battle Garegga
Ketsui
Raiden II
Sky Shark
Radiant Silvergun
...even though I love a ton of soundtracks, I own virtually none. I should really change that.

[Kino]

.

[Stevens]

Despite my love for Under Defeat its soundtrack is my least favorite thing about it even though it fits the game well.

Even though it has its faults, Sturmwind's soundtrack is amazing.