Your favorite Stage 1 themes?

[FatCobra]

Usually, the first stage's music is the one that sticks in my head the most, since obviously everyone will see stage 1 a couple of times. Here are some of the games whose first level music I like:

Raiden

This song is forever stuck in my head, sometimes I hum it when I am in a really good mood or just really bored. It's very catchy and just one of those songs that will always be a classic in my eyes, much like the Super Mario Bros theme song.

R-Type 3

A rockin' remix of R-Type's first stage music! Just simply awesome to listen to.

Ikaruga

As if ALL the music wasn't epic enough.

Battle Garegga

Great tune, not really memoriable, but a great solid Level 1 song.

Gekeridian

It may be a so-so shmup, but damn the music rocks!! This is another song I find myself humming from time to time.

Axelay

It really gives that "you're the planet's last hope" kind of vibe going.

Madou Daiskuhan

Somehow it manages to fit the steampunk/medival fantasy theme. Very fun song to listen to.

[BulletMagnet]

Axelay

I'll agree with that one. Really makes you eager to get into the thick of things...

[Ex_Mosquito]

Gotta be Mushi stage 1, sexy

[The Bullet Dodger]

As far as 1st stages go, I enjoy these ones not only for their level designs and backrounds, but mainly for the opening music:


Thunder Force V
Border Down
DoDonpachi
R-Type Delta
G. Darius
Darius Gaiden
Ikaruga
Axelay
Einhander

[Nei First]

Too many to think about, off the top of my head.

Battlemania 2 - Love that first stage music.

Thunderforce IV - The desert stage is always my first choice, that theme rules.

Radiant Silvergun - Atmospheric

Gradius V - This statoin and planet gradius are under attack by the bacterians" Can't get that speech out of my head man.

Gradius III - Departure from space

Bangai-O - Nice

Ikaruga - Nice

I'd probably say ThunderForce V and Salamnder 2 but I can't remember the stage levels.

There's more, I might post later.

[MSZ]

Got to be Salamander 2 and Gradius Gaiden.

[SheSaidDutch]

R-Type
Axeley
Gradius 1,2,3 (I still haven't heard the music to Gaiden atm)
Raiden

Make the memorarable stage music stop

[Stefan_L]

Blazeon... i bought the game(arcade PCB) because of the level 1 music... amazing YM2151 synthmusic

[Moogs]

R-Type
Blazing Lazers
Axelay (although, I prefer the music in stage 2)
Dragon Spirit
Gradius III
Radiant Silvergun (not in a good way, though. The only reason why is cos it's so repetitive.)
Psyvariar 2

[Bosuonparedo]

I'm not hearing any love for Gradius 2 (C'mon! It's so good it made it in DDR!). Or Cho Ren Sha 68K. Or TF3 if you select either Haides or Ellis for the first level. (Kind of pushing it, I know.)

Or Tumiki Fighters. Especially Tumiki Fighters. Fantastic opening theme.

Also, it's not a shmup, but the original Kirby's Dream Land has a great first level theme.

[captain ahar]

the ridiculous guitar rock of Dodonpachi will always be in my head.

[Dartagnan1083]

Gleylancer
Rocks like A shmup soundtrack should

ThunderForce II
just about as annoying as the level is.
I just like it because it fits like that.

Bangai-O
Just feels so spacey, lone heroey, and Treasure-ific

Sol-Feace

[Eltrotraw]

In no particular order..

Ikaruga
-For obvious reasons mentioned above. It rocks so much it's remixed in the first minute of "The Stone-Like".

Axelay
-I'm more biased toward the second level music here, but I still like the first level theme here as well.

Gradius I
-Instant classic.

Gradius II
-Instant classic, not as much as Gradius I's first level.

R-Type III
-It just has some kinda vibe that pumps me up for the whole first level. Maybe because it's really upbeat.

Radiant Silvergun
-See above.

[SheSaidDutch]

I'm not hearing any love for Gradius 2 (C'mon! It's so good it made it in DDR!).

I've included it, I just need to edit it as I meant Gradius 1 to 3, which means the 3 Gradius's

[rib]

psyvariar medium, first boss
if you dont count the first intro level, i really like the first boss sound track, the sandworm, has so much of what an videogame melody was in the beginning.

[Shatterhand]

Apidya

I won't say it again



Except Apidya, I'd say R-Type 2 on Amiga.

And while not a shmup, the most memorable level 1 theme ever is from Turrican 2.

[llaoyllakcuf]

Pulstar (OST track title "Back Alive")

I just love that uptempo, jazzy beat.

the tone gets a bit more serious as you progress through the levels

[dai jou bu]

Gradius V- Makes you sound like you're the only way to beat back the Bacterion, and by golly, you're determined to even though the numbers are stacked against you.

Ikaruga- Same reason, except replace the Bacterion with some radical political group whose name escapes me at the moment.

R-Type III- Your ship is better (in a rockin' way), and, judging from the opening animation that precedes it, so is the music.

Psyvariar II- Has that transcendent feeling to it.

G. Darius (whatever of it that's there)- If you don't beat back these guys, all of our people are going to die, so you better hope this forbidden technology works since our stuff isn't cutting it at all.

Thunderforce V- It feels like you're enjoying the last minutes of flying your ship before you go out and actually start fighting.

Rayforce- Makes it sound like the launch was a success and you're having fun blowing things up along the way to your rendevous point with your fleet that's in the next stage.

[Diabollokus]

Eliminate down!

rockin bad ass atempt

[Vexorg]

Let's see... A few that I like:

Gradius II
Thunder Force IV (Strite)
Dragon Saber

[Regulus]

R-Type and R-Type III's are awesome, especially III (great remix... speaking of which, I like the other remixes in III as well). R-Type II's was good too, if not a little repetetive. Super R-Type's stage 1 was better, in my opinion, even if the new intro stage and a lot of the music sucked.

I'm not really sure which stage would be considered first stage in Thunder Force III, but pretty much all of the music is good, so it doesn't really matter. TFIV to a lesser extent.

And Zanac! Zanac has awesome music.

Ikaruga's was pretty good, but it feels like they played parts of it all over the game... I started getting tired of it after a while.

Challenger 1985 is okay, though it sounds a little simplistic (obviously). I like how you can hear little pieces of it in the Gradius V intro FMV (and stage 2). Gradius 2 and 3 had better music, in my opinion. First stages included.

I kind of like Zero Wing's intro stage music. The bass is a little wierd, but I still kind of like it.

[Tony Gradius]

I like Battle Garegga, Super Aleste, Raiden II (arranged version on PSX Raiden Project disc).

[tehkao]

All time Catchy first stage tunes:

Salamander
Raiden/Raiden DX
Super Star Soldier
TF3 - the forest stage
Zanac
Sol-Feace
MUSHA
Kingdom Granprix

[Dartagnan1083]

Oh crap, I forgot about Gaiares
I just can't forgive myself.

here's a link to a fan-remix.
takes about a minute-thirty to get the main chorus cranking.
http://download.segaxtreme.net/Soundtra ... _ReMix.mp3

[Marc]

Apidya

I won't say it again



Except Apidya, I'd say R-Type 2 on Amiga.

And while not a shmup, the most memorable level 1 theme ever is from Turrican 2.

I second that. And X-Out on C64, very military, serious sounding stuff.
And while you mentioned Turrican 2, how's about the intro piece on the Amiga verion? Surely one of the greatest pieces of video game music ever.

[Super Laydock]

.
And while you mentioned Turrican 2, how's about the intro piece on the Amiga verion? Surely one of the greatest pieces of video game music ever.

Oh yes! That intro tune was fantastic!

Even on par with the most excellent Great Giana Sisters intro tune on the Amiga... and that says something in my book.

[SFKhoa]

There are lots of favourite stage1 themes that I like:

Raiden
Raiden II
Super Star Soldier
Soldier Blade
Thunder Force V [depending on which I choose, all are really good]
Thunder Force III/AC
Gradius II [Burning Heat, anyone? ]
Ikaruga
Trizeal [o_O...]

[The Bullet Dodger]

Thunderforce V- It feels like you're enjoying the last minutes of flying your ship before you go out and actually start fighting.

Yes! This is the same feeling I had when I first played TF V. One of the best intros ever, IMHO.

[airzonk]

Usually, the first stage's music is the one that sticks in my head the most, since obviously everyone will see stage 1 a couple of times. Here are some of the games whose first level music I like:

Let's not forget Lords of Thunder - Dezant (officially you can pick any stage but it's the default), and of course the first level of Gate of Thunder! The music really helped me get into shooters... even when i wasn't any good at them

-Gabe

[Shatterhand]

Apidya

I won't say it again



Except Apidya, I'd say R-Type 2 on Amiga.

And while not a shmup, the most memorable level 1 theme ever is from Turrican 2.

I second that. And X-Out on C64, very military, serious sounding stuff.
And while you mentioned Turrican 2, how's about the intro piece on the Amiga verion? Surely one of the greatest pieces of video game music ever.

Turrican 2 has the greatest soundtrack in any videogame period.