Support NeoGAF

[Crash Station]

Think about it. Whether you love or hate the theme (or just get tired of it because you're bombarded with it every few minutes), it ends up as one of the many things that defines the game. I don't know about anyone else, but hearing an orchestral/remixed version of that theme while fighting the main baddie pumps me up.

Of course I've only heard it in 3 games: Persona 4's "Genesis", Sonic Unleashed final boss theme, and Tales of the Abyss' "Meaning of Birth"

Spoiler

which is technically not a final boss, but you get my point.

Am I missing anything?

 

[Yoshichan]

Wrath of the Lich King did it well.

Edit - And Burning Crusade.

 

[LaneDS]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdMhTL5bZrs

I think that's sort of along the same lines, and pretty fantastic too.

 

[ivysaur12]

Meaning of Birth is so good.

 

[Shalashaska]

It's not quite the same thing but the way it was handled in MGS 4

Spoiler

with the themes from 1/2/3/4 being played as Ocelot changed

was awesome.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

good instrumental version on the title screen too.

 

[hateradio]

Snaaake Eateeer
♪
♫

Well it was more of an extended version or something...

 

[hxa155]

It's not quite the same thing but the way it was handled in MGS 4

Spoiler

with the themes from 1/2/3/4 being played as Ocelot changed

was awesome.

I came here to say this, but I was too late.

 

[ZealousD]

The World Ends With You - You hear the Japanese lyrics for Twister

 

[peakish]

Most def, it tends to bring the experience full circle which can be suitably epic for some games. MGS3's final Boss battle is etched into my mind for this reason (as well as being fantastic of course), I gotta replay that game sometime.

Remixes of boss themes from older games are great too, like the music in the final level of Super Mario Galaxy, so good. Edit: Well it's not a boss theme as much as the boss level theme, but... omnomnom

 

[bernardobri]

It's not quite the same thing but the way it was handled in MGS 4

Spoiler

with the themes from 1/2/3/4 being played as Ocelot changed

was awesome.

Exactly, along with the Encounter theme during the Boss Battles in MGS1, great mixing.

 

[Geneijin]

Valkyria Chronicles' final boss theme was my most favorite version of the main theme.

Edit: My mistake.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Sonic Unleashed final boss theme

Came to post this, actually.

 

[Natetan]

Does make sense, as its a bit of a waste to save the best song a composer makes for a game for about 15 or so minutes of gameplay.

 

[PBalfredo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaULITIzS3g

 

[McNum]

And then there's the Skies of Arcadia final boss theme which deserves a special mention.

Normally, it's the main theme at a fast and slightly off-key pace, but when you start winning, it changes into the most upbeat version of the Blue Rogues theme in the entire game. Which gives a great closure to that fight. A "Yeah! Time to end this!" moment. I wish more games would do the dynamic music thing that SoA did.

 

[Margalis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjM_ChO-aV0

Edit: Better link

 

[Alphahawk]

Thunder, Rain, Lightning
Danger, Water Rising
Clamours, Sirens Wailing
It's Such a Bad Sign

Spoiler

for my money Sonic Adventure has the best title song/final boss music ever

 

[Sciz]

hmm


The Super Smash Bros. series is fond of this concept for Final Destination.

Terranigma's final boss theme breaks into the main theme around 1:50.

Square-Enix's puzzle game Yosumin has a leitmotif more so than a main theme. This doesn't stop it from completely rocking out for the final boss despite being a silly and colorful game about a bunch of sentient geometric tiles.

 

[NotWii]

They did it for Sin & Punishment 2

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Valkyria Chronicles' final boss theme was my most favorite version of the main theme.

Edit: My mistake.

Speaking of games composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, FFXII does this too at the end.

 

[mclem]

While it's not quite in the spirit of this thread, isn't the final level music for the various Katamari titles the first time in each you get to hear the "Katamari on the <whatever>" for that title in full?

 

[Nimyh]

It's cool sometimes, but I wouldn't want it as a standard. It's like saying more FPS games should end with QTE sequences because MW2 did it right.

 

[Don]

I really liked how they handled this in MGS 3 and 4, as well as Persona 3 and 4.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

The last three bosses in Bayonetta all use 'One of A Kind' as their chorus.

It's nice when it's done well but I don't think they should have to do it.

 

[Crash Station]

Wow, looks like I forgot quite a few. Not sure how I missed Chrono Trigger, Skies of Arcadia, and Valkyria Chronicles. I guess more games use it than I thought even if it isn't a full blown remix like Genesis or Meaning of Birth.

 

[McNum]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl does it with Tabuu, too. Heavily remixed, but it's there.

But saying Brawl is almost cheating, since there's pretty much only one new song in that game, the rest of the original songs in Brawl are remixes of the main theme somehow.

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Persona 3 kinda did this twice in a row.

 

[jett]

MGS3: Snake Eater does this to perfection, although it's less than a remix and more of a instrumental version of the Snake Eater song. But still, the way it's used is perfect.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

MGS3: Snake Eater does this to perfection, although it's less than a remix and more of a instrumental version of the Snake Eater song. But still, the way it's used is perfect.

It does it for 2 bosses after all! The Ladder and The Boss!

 

[Chowfahn]

Blazblue: Calamity Trigger also did this for its final boss. It wasn't remixed in any way, but the theme never appeared in story mode before the final battle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4OLjoL0zXo
Around 1:20