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Best Music on the GBA

I love all of the MMBN battle themes.

In particular I liked the net music from 3 The most. So colorful and it really made a nice lush soundscape using the GBA hardware.

Mother 3 has a ton of standouts too. I also enjoyed all of the GBA Gyakuten Saiban releases as well.
 
Castlevania AoS and CotM
Megaman Zero and Battle Network
Metroid Zero Mission
Minish Cap
Golden Sun
All glorious sounndtracks.

Next best music on the DS.
 
 
2462-noscale.jpg
 
 
Haha I love all the Hoenn + trumpets pictures in here.

But I'll cheat and say that Kanto's Route 4 will forever be my favorite route theme even if the FRLG version isn't that great compared to some of the other versions.

Also loved this particular map theme from FE7. And of course Together We Ride and the Fire Emblem theme.

Ganondorfo said:
This sounds like Tales of battle music, wow, this is from a GBA? No way, this sounds so out of this world for a GBA.
Click to expand...

Well it IS composed by the same guy who does the music for most of the Tales of games (Motoi Sakuraba). I definitely feel like his work on Golden Sun beats out a good portion of his Tales of stuff though.
 
The Megaman Battle Network gems and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance were both impressive. Also Mario vs Donkey Kong's OST impressed me a lot in its simplicity.
 
Repping Battle Network. Such catchy tunes, and one of the very few RPGs where the battle music never gets old. Ever.
 
Yup, GAF is on it.
Pokemon RSE (and FRLG's Champion remix)
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Mario & Luigi
tumblr_nfbtt5KH0U1trwxuqo1_100.gif


And I'm glad to see all of the Sonic Advance games/Battle/Pinball Party represented, you even left the best zone for me to post:
Cyber Track Map
Cyber Track Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
I always loved the progression of intensity in these tracks, from chill and kinda funky, to a faster pace and a little more serious, to hectic and a little dramatic. You can hear it in the beat. I love it.

Also gotta pour some love all over Sonic Battle real quick:
Emerald Town
Chao Ruins
Club Rouge
Battle Highway
Holy Summit (Crater)
Central City
Dr. Eggman
Death Egg
Final Battle
Credits

I don't want to post too much at once but like almost every boss theme in Advance 1-3 is also great (shoutout to my boy Knuckles and Nonaggression)
 
 
While subjective tastes are subjective, I believe the technical crown goes to Spyro Attack of the Rhynocs.

Not only does it seem to objectively use the musical tools of the GBA to the limit the tracks are quite long instead of the usual 20-30 second loops. I'd invite everyone to listen to the below tracks.

Professors Lab: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgC&v=iAmq_bGkG58&mode=NORMAL

Dragon Shore: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgE&v=lzRmnRzUog0&mode=NORMAL

Money Bags Mansion/Vault:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgG&v=oy7NyciDi68&mode=NORMAL


SGT Byrd's base: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgJ&v=SneS4z_rshU&mode=NORMAL

Dark Cave: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgL&v=kPn-L5ECmj0&mode=NORMAL

Agent 9 stealth: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgP&v=y7gt4ch_8ys&mode=NORMAL

Cheetah Spa: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgQ&v=T6z1oWLMlcM&mode=NORMAL

Kangaroo: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgR&v=h9NyUYY2PWU&mode=NORMAL

Chateu Ripto: m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgT&v=qsb5Ip8BioE&mode=NORMAL

Boss Music (possibly the best: m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL98CFE4A69DAC202E&params=OAFIAVgU&v=lFlP8YVYAlQ&mode=NORMAL
 
 
Mega Man Zero 1, 2, 3 , and 4. Listen to all of it, its all amazing. They even made remastered soundtracks for all of them with higher quality sound.
 
Infernal Monkey said:
Shin'en did some absolutely amazing stuff with the GBA.

Iridion.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYUjfrR7fX8 - Escape from the Disposal Tunnel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R83_3mSJK6I - Battle Above The Clouds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpbKIc7D8hc - Dogfight Above the Pacific Ocean



Lp6Zv7w.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHvIWwbbugE - Aniki

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWt_4-0AxmQ - See The Sun Burn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPAwMM0b9VE - Megalunania
Click to expand...

I lost my copy of Iridion 3D somehow and it annoys me to this day. It was really good.
 
Infernal Monkey said:
Shin'en did some absolutely amazing stuff with the GBA.

Iridion.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYUjfrR7fX8 - Escape from the Disposal Tunnel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R83_3mSJK6I - Battle Above The Clouds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpbKIc7D8hc - Dogfight Above the Pacific Ocean



Lp6Zv7w.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHvIWwbbugE - Aniki

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWt_4-0AxmQ - See The Sun Burn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPAwMM0b9VE - Megalunania
Click to expand...
This this this.

and Motoi Sakuraba OSTs for Golden Sun 1 & 2
 
The Mother 3 soundtrack is indeed fan-fucking-tastic (even though it's a bit more conventional-sounding than Earthbound's but I honestly don't mind, it contributes a lot to the game's own identity).

I also like to imagine that it's DCMC (the game's Runaway Five equivalent) performing all songs in the game, by the way.

Also, have some Natural Killer Cyborg, because I don't think it has been posted yet.

No idea how many sound channels the GBA has, but I think I read that the best-sounding games use software mixing to get more channels in some way, which in turn, usually is a hefty strain on the CPU, so you had to be a skilled programmer to pull this off.
 
Golden Sun not only sounds great, but has some of the best compositions from Sakuraba ever. Nearly every track has a memorable theme, and the use of the pan flute really defines the feel of the series. A few of my favourites which haven't been listed yet:

At sea battle theme
World Map music (Golden Sun 1)
Shaman Village
File Select
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydyAdo-tV_Y&index=67&list=PLCD5E70634946E090
Capital of Alhafra

Mario Golf: Advance Tour also has some great music.

Link's Club Course
Main Menu
Par putt
Marion Club

JODOROWSKY51 said:
Ryoji Yoshitomi.

Wario Land 4.

Crescent Moon Village.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUozK4yYwOY
Click to expand...

Absolutely love the soundtrack to this game, it's so distinctive and gave each location its own distinct feel. Speaks volumes that they reused a lot of the themes in the first WarioWare, Inc. Don't think the series' music has been as good after Ryoji Yoshitomi stopped composing for it. Love the credits medley. The Japanese version had a different intro.
 
Jme said:
Zero Mission
Click to expand...

Fuckin love that track

lazygecko said:
Whoever did the music for this shovelware Shrek game was clearly ogrequalified for the job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tzgQX1emcI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni7jsIQgiFU
Click to expand...

magnificent pun, magnificent tunes

I'm younger than most of GAF, I grew up on the GBA (I'm 16). So I'm very biased. :P

Although I haven't played them much this theme sticks with me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpHVQXU0bQY&index=2&list=PLZphL4gPXFCBULzc9z0ttWjTDPg5De6gb
 
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