ScrewAttack’s Top 10 8-Bit Boss Themes



arthurgolden
04-17-2010, 10:26 AM
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/top-10-screwattack/64349

Here’s the list.

1. TMNT – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0kx5_2qRZI)
2. River City Ransom – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI4hC7G8BmA)
3. Contra – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hn67eILGTA)
4. Fester�s Quest – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l78Y8r5tlK8)
5. Mega Man 2 – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oMm3A6On2Y)
6. Kid Icarus – Reaper Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtBJZVEnGLM)
7. Ninja Gaiden – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUaLw5qqOHE)
8. Wonder Boy 3 – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHeOUvA5CLo)
9. Super Mario Bros. 2 – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh0beZQI2JU)
10. Batman – Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsubTZ9XqGY)

A lot of these songs bore me or have such a short loop that they’re not enjoyable to listen to outside of the game.

Obviously, it’s all subjective. But here is a first draft of my top 10 (definitely not in any particular order).

TMNT 3 � Bad Soldier (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFE89k9z6tc)
Mega Man 2 � Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oMm3A6On2Y)
Journey to Silius � Stage Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr-gaLnQPrM)
Mike Tyson�s Punch Out! – Bout Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAtmOfrCg4k)
DuckTales � Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axu-mjEkFUc)
Adventure Island 2 � Boss Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uOv_vXi46E)
Fester�s Quest � Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l78Y8r5tlK8)
Contra � Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hn67eILGTA)
Little Nemo � Final Boss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWZcjHNJhog)
Final Fantasy III � This Is the Last Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXLrC0SblMc)

I also like TMNT 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfl5Qxq_cWg), Double Dragon 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoSVIwFGFmA), Monster Party (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjRvatuWNGc), G.I. Joe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUS7xcFKSv4), Kirby’s Adventure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgEfy2yNjnY), and Magic of Scheherazade (http://www.flyingomelette.com/mos/music/fo-mos-sabaron.mid) (midi is the best I can find for this one, which sucks because the original has a scary buzz to it). There are probably others I’m not thinking of at the moment.

What do you all think?


Ruffneck
04-17-2010, 11:20 PM
Thanks! http://forums.ffshrine.org/images/icons/icon10.gif

kaydigi
04-17-2010, 11:29 PM
I’m surprised Double Dragon didn’t make any of your list.

jakob
04-18-2010, 04:36 PM
Ok so the last TWO times I tried to make my reply to this, I have disconnected or the forums have gone down, so lets hope I make it this time.

I like most of the ones you posted, Arthurgolden, but there are a couple duds in Screwattack’s list, especially Kid Icarus. I mean, I love Blaster Master, but it does NOT have a good boss theme, and I’m okay with that. I think the same is true with Kid Icarus. The ones that would make my list so far would be Megaman 2, Duck Tales, and Little Nemo) . Here are some of my favorites that haven’t been listed yet (short loops don’t bother me in NES music as I am totally expecting it) –Also, most of my favorite tracks tend to NOT be boss themes, but here you go:

TMNT: Sub Boss Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar_vgVNh4I0) This one is much more enjoyable than the normal boss theme, I think.

Jackal: Boss Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S5ag6HJJEw)There is a distracting noise in this video, but you get the idea.

Gauntlet: Clue Room (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQkBXjk6w4) The song I’m referring to starts at 1:20 in the video and lasts for about a minute. Gauntlet doesn’t really have bosses, but the clue room is timed and trickier than a normal level, and you have to find the clue in each one or you can’t beat the game even if you run the whole thing. That being said, I was positively panicked each time this tune started in the game

Werewolf: Boss Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg-_6mdKlhA) This has a VERY short loop, but I think it made an effective boss theme, and I think it’s kind of fun.

Super Mario Brothers 3: Boom Boom (Boss theme) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZvigVNGthE) Also short, but fun.

Mega Man 3: Robot Battle (Boss Theme) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0bVplinmIE) I am such a sucker for catchy percussion lines.

Double Moon Densetsu: Final Boss Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1AfNdMBX6w) I actually couldn’t find this on youtube and had to upload it myself. The music for this is rather adventurous for an 8-bit game, and this isn’t your typical boss theme, but I enjoy it. I also have the full soundtrack (not tagged properly, sadly) on the thread in my signature if any of you liked this.

I suppose that with the three included before my list of seven I have ten, so there you go.


arthurgolden
04-18-2010, 07:17 PM
I’m surprised Double Dragon didn’t make any of your list.

I don’t think Double Dragon 1 has boss music. Does it? Regardless, I like Double Dragon 2’s music the best, which is why it got a shout out.

Double Moon Densetsu: Final Boss Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1AfNdMBX6w) I actually couldn’t find this on youtube and had to upload it myself. The music for this is rather adventurous for an 8-bit game, and this isn’t your typical boss theme, but I enjoy it. I also have the full soundtrack (not tagged properly, sadly) on the thread in my signature if any of you liked this.

Good picks! I haven’t heard this one before.

I’d probably add Sabaron’s Theme (http://www.flyingomelette.com/mos/music.html) to my list if I could find the original version anywhere. Anyway, I’m re-linking to it (in midi form) because the last link went down. The one under "Conversions by Flying Omelette" is the one that’s closest to the original.


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