Retro video game music
 

I'm quite a fan of old videogame music, and have been looking for interesting records that can be found on YouTube.

These fall into either of the two primary categories: music that is recorded on original nineties hardware (Roland Sound canvas, Sound Blaster 16 or AWE32 etc.), and quality remixes.

Here's some stuff from both types:

A nice YouTube channel with some really good remastered tracks from of retro video game music
Various original tracks recorded on Roland SC-88
Various original tracks recorded on real Sound Blaster hardware
Even more retro music recorded on actual hardware
The Elder Scrolls: Arena OST (SC-88)
The Elder Scrolls Chapter II: Daggerfall OST (SC-88)
The Edler Scrolls: Arena (Remastered)
The Elder Scrolls Chapter II: Daggerfall (Remastered)
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans OST (Sound Blaster 16)

Ah, I'm a big fan too, but rather on the 8 bit parts - not that I don't like 16 bit stuff, it's just I found the minimalistic sound of Commodores, Spectrums, and NESes more charming.
I also ripped some 200+ music files for Abandonia's music player. :D
Not sure I can find YouTube examples now, but so far my favourite DOS game OSTs are...

Doom 1-2
Discworld 1
The Legend of Kyrandia 1-2
Loom
Death Gate

If I had to name my favourite console tunes those would be:

Double Dragon II (NES)
Final Fantasy IV (SNES)
Final Fantasy VII (PSX)

I also dig cracktro music, or old intros / demos, but that's another story. :shifty:

Youtube has not everything :)
Legend of Kyrandia 1 and 2 had great music, I agree. Here one can listen to (and download) MIDI music saved in OGG format from the first game and some other games, too - in clear Roland MT-32 + Sound Canvas quality, which is high above the simple Soundblaster OPL quality ingame.

Some other favourites of mine are:
Mechwarrior II (and Ghost Bear's Legacy Addon)
Alien Trilogy
System Shock (sounds even better with Sound Canvas)
Ultima VIII
Yendorian Tales Book I Chapter 2 (quite good music there though pretty short each)
Betrayal at Krondor (only the CD audio music, MIDI isn't as good)
Hexen II & Portal of Praevus mission pack (both my Nr. 1 favourites of all)
Fallout (anyone remember the awesome music from The Glow?)
Fallout 2, mostly re-uses music from the first game anyway, except the strong (available ingame only with F2 Restoration Project) track from Sulik's Village
Heroes of Might & Magic II
The Elder Scrolls 2 - Daggerfall (better examples linked by MrFlibble though)
Stonekeep (of course in Roland Sound Canvas quality, absolutely awesome there)

I could go on... and I like all and each one of them :D

Noone mentions Gravis Ultrasound?
When I run old games in DOSBOX I aim to get GUS emulation for the best results.

There are also remixes / renditions on... experimental hardware: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55cPr6LC8MM

I tried to get it to run once in DosBox. Downloaded the Dos drivers for it and experimented with all settings and stuff. Unfortunately, it didn't work at all, with or without drivers, even if DosBox supposedly supports it. Dunno, maybe I did something wrong.

I love the MIDI type music in Mega Man II, when you are in Dr. Wily's base. This was one of the hardest but greatest games I'd played on the NES. There are now, what? Hundreds of MM games now. Too many to list. :OK:

Here's some more nice stuff:

"Shards" tribute (Rise of the Triad)
Goin' down the fast way (remixed)

Goin' Down the Fast Way - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)
Run Like Smeg - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)
Oww! - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)
I Choose the Stairs - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)
Havana Smooth - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)
Task Force - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)
CCCool - Rise Of The Triad OST (lossless audio source)

Tyrian: Tyrian the level (Real SB16 with NEC XR385 Clone)
Tyrian music - asteroid dance 2 AWE32/64
Tyrian music - Gyges
Tyrian music - Savara, the return

Haha, this is super awesome ^_^

Yeah, I love that soundtrack too :)

Both Chapter 2 and Tyrants have some good music.

Kevin Schilder did an awesome job as usual :)

I love that soundtrack too, but the first game also has excellent music as well.

Some other nice non-MIDI tracks:

Merchant Prince II First Track.wmv
Merchant Prince II Music Second Track

Disciples: Sacred Lands OST - Battle Track (by Sébastien Thifault)

Stronghold Soundtrack - Castlejam
Stronghold Soundtrack - Two Mandolins

Seems I forgot to mention two more games which, I think, actually very much deserve it to be mentioned. Especially the second one.
Lands of Lore Playlist 1 and Playlist 2 (it does sound a bit better with Roland Sound Canvas though)
Lands of Lore II - Guardians of Destiny, music from official soundtrack CD and more music from ingame (one of the greatest game soundtracks imo, still got the original game soundtrack on a separate CD)

Well, anything by Frank K is awesome :)

MobyGames suggests some music in lands of Lore was also written by David Arkenstone though, who later did the Harkonnen soundtrack in Emperor: The Battle for Dune.