The 20th Anniversary of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System

As many of you are likely aware, this past August marked the 20^th anniversary of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Like the uninspired, impressionable blogger I am, following in the footsteps of every other website, I feel this one needs at least one post about this monumental console of gaming history. However, where most articles list off their most favourite or influential games, I'm instead going to talk about the aspect of the system which left the biggest impression on me: the symphonic melodies produced by its seemingly meager 16-bit MIDI.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Not only did Super Mario RPG mix two seemingly incompatible genres together, it also managed to create some new and interesting music that still fits into the whimsical world of Mario. With a history as long and varied as Mario, that isn't an easy thing to accomplish. Here are a few of my favoute tunes from this game.

Mario's Theme

This is probably one of the earliest remixes of Mario's famous theme to exist, and it's a good one. It's always nice hearing a familiar theme composed with different instruments, and the flute suits this one. It even mixes in the World 1 theme from Super Mario Brothers 3 as the accompaniment.

Mushroom Way

This could be considered the “normal stage” music of the bunch. This symphony of flutes, xylophones, and bass is as energetic and bouncy as Mario himself, so it fits well as a sort of theme song for the game.

Battle Theme

Maybe it's just because this is the theme played the most throughout the game, but I actually liked this one. At first, the lack of drama in the piece may seem like an odd choice, but this is a Mario game. The more upbeat tone fits Mario's lighthearted personality, a person who can still goof off and enjoy himself even in the face of danger.

Smithy's Henchmen Theme

Kind of funny how a Mario game has some of the best battle music, but it is so. It captures the mischievous antics of the Smithy gang quite well. This one has some impressive bass to it, especially for an SNES game; cranking it up is enough to shake my whole place.

Tune in next time for another game!