The vast repertoire of video game music offers countless delights for the ears, but sometimes we feel the need to do more than just listen. Sometimes we want to sing along. Fortunately, there are lots of recent games that offer enjoyment for those of use who want to flex our vocal muscles, but I’d like to point out a few rather unique ditties from classic games. One is as timeless as an (oddly disturbing) children’s song, but the rest are explosions of retro nostalgia. Whether you like your music cheesy, funky, or just plain creepy, you’ll find something to enjoy in these four blasts-from-the-past:
“Little Bonus Room” – Skullmonkeys
This track is pure genius. In the game Skullmonkeys from 1998, this song plays when you stumble upon a hidden room, where you are safe to explore and find prizes hidden there. The song introduces you to a tenderly sympathetic invisible fellow who may (or may not) be your friend. He’s companionably creepy.
“We are Burning Rangers” – Burning Rangers
As I write this, popular music is enjoying a disco renaissance, best exemplified by the album Random Access Memories by Daft Punk. With this in mind, perhaps the time has come to revisit “We are Burning Rangers.” From the 1998 third-person-shooter game developed for the Sega Saturn, this song is a disco-rap hybrid that will make you happy if you ever wanted to go to “Funky Town,” if you ever partook of “Rapper’s Delight,” if you ever spent some time “Gettin’ Jiggy With It,” or if you’ve ever gotten your groove on to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.”
“Girl In The Tower” – King’s Quest VI
If you love a classic rock power ballad, you’ll enjoy this song from the 1992 adventure game King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow. If you’ve ever found yourself singing along to “Oh Sherrie” or “I Want to Know What Love Is,” you may get a kick out of this.
“Got to Move!!” – Um Jammer Lammy
From the 1999 game for the original PlayStation comes this exceedingly cheerful guitar-driven track that’s good for those people who have a secret love for bubblegum pop and want to put on their high-top sneakers and dance.