Do you ever find yourself humming a tune from a video game days after you last played it? We do. Some of these melodies are so catchy, they’re memorable years later. And the songs can become icons for the games themselves. “Halo” isn’t “Halo” without its sweeping score. And could you imaging playing “Super Mario Bros.” without that catchy ditty playing in the background?
These are our Top 5 most memorable video game songs. Check them out then tell us which songs made your list.
Tell us: What are your Top 5 most memorable video game songs?
-- Ken Smith";
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'Super Mario Bros.'
Of course, this has to be tops on everyone’s list – there’s just something extra special about the “Super Mario Bros.” theme song. As soon as we hear those first few notes two things happen: We immediately think of Mario. And we smile.
This music is about as iconic as you can get. If you’re a gamer you know it, and chances are pretty good that even non-gamers could hum the tune.
The theme song has spawned some pretty funny tributes, too. Do a quick Web search and you’ll find everything from a blindfolded guy playing it on the piano to a beatboxing flute remix. Name another video game song with a following like that! ";
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'Halo'
Some gamers think contemporary game soundtracks are too generic – a far cry from the old days of “Mario Party” and “Xenogears.” Though the songs may be well written and played by talented artists, they’re just not very original.
Not so with “Halo.” All three of the games in the series featured equally well-done scores that seemed tailor-made for the game’s sweeping levels and non-stop action. From the second the Gregorian chanting starts, you know what’s in store. And when those drums start pounding – so does our adrenaline.";
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'Ms. Pac-Man'
Will another game ever get to be as ingrained in our brains as “Ms. Pac-Man?” It’s been more than 20 years since it first showed up in arcades, but we could still summon up that theme song at the drop of a hat.
We bet that you can hear that opening song right now, too. You’re probably even adding in that “whacka-whacka-whacka” dot-eating sound at the end of it. How about the music that plays during the “Act I-They Meet!” cut-scene, where Mr. and Ms. Pac-Man chase each other around the screen? All these years later, that music’s still a winner.";
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'The Legend of Zelda'
Nintendo’s “Legend of Zelda” franchise has gone through many changes over the years, including much-improved graphics and a switch from 2-D to 3-D. But no matter which game in the series you’re playing, as soon as you see the character Link on screen you know that it’s a “Zelda” game. He’s that distinctive.
The same can be said about the music. Some gamers admit to feeling slightly giddy when they hear those first few notes of the theme song from “Zelda.” You don’t have to be looking at the screen to figure it out, or even be in the same room when it plays. It’s that memorable. ";
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'Final Fantasy 7'
Though “Final Fantasy 7” was released back in 1997, it’s still very popular today. Fans are enthralled with the game’s characters and storyline, which unfolds cinematically with a little help from its beautiful soundtrack.
Composer Nobuo Uematsu wrote his songs to build tension and punctuate the script, but they’re more than just background music. In fact, the music from this game was so popular that it was released as a four-disc album.
Tell us: What are your Top 5 most memorable video game songs?
";
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