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Which games have better music: Mario, or Sonic?

The 2D ones don't really have anything that great, some memorable and iconic themes though.

whenever I think of 2D Mario, the original Game Boy games come to my mind...

Mario Land 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfDjwG_-ThA&list=PLKkxnBwFOJGI3nA8NZCXxwc6B35wWq2jH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svpkc-BK8hk&index=2&list=PLKkxnBwFOJGI3nA8NZCXxwc6B35wWq2jH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj7-st1KOW4&index=3&list=PLKkxnBwFOJGI3nA8NZCXxwc6B35wWq2jH (love this one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb-HbwwoDfE&index=5&list=PLKkxnBwFOJGI3nA8NZCXxwc6B35wWq2jH (total folk lore Chinese stuff)
Staff Roll


Super Mario Land 2
The Moon
Seashore
Treetop
Haunted House
Wario Battle

I think Mario Land 1 has the better soundtrack. But I like both of these because they are so off the beaten path from the mainstream games at the time.
 
I'm not ready for this. Sonic owns mario in music as much as mario consistently owns sonic in gameplay these days.

Mario music is amazing too, it's just that sonic is on another level outside of boom and the remixed tracks in Chronicles.
 
During the 16-bit era I really enjoy the music in Sonic 1-3 more than in Mario. They were just tunes I wouldnt mind listening to outside the game once in a while. I liked that they had that electronica feel to them.

Some of my favorites (aside from first level music, those are always good):

Sonic Marble Zone: https://youtu.be/z1aXXX_oqP8

Sonic 2 Aquatic Ruin Zone: https://youtu.be/HNH45mlx7WY

Sonic 3 Hydraulic Zone Act 2: https://youtu.be/RPYzgCI6Q1I

Sonic 3 Ice Cap Zone Act 1: https://youtu.be/hYxlqTpZ-24
 
It's pretty hard, but the one with the worst on the other hand is easily Sonic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZXGzki_qww https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF726gXNNmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx4DfHW0WtM Hunting forever for the emeralds in those GIGANTIC stages while listening to this crap is my worst ever gaming experience. So Mario may as well win by default for never having music close to as bad as this.
You've got it all wrong, the cheesy lyrics are some of the most enjoyabe parts of Sonic Adventure 2. Besides, if you're talking about Knuckles' music specifically you've left out my favourite - Meteor Herd
 
It's pretty hard, but the one with the worst on the other hand is easily Sonic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZXGzki_qww https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF726gXNNmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx4DfHW0WtM Hunting forever for the emeralds in those GIGANTIC stages while listening to this crap is my worst ever gaming experience. So Mario may as well win by default for never having music close to as bad as this.

You don't like Pumpkin Hill :(?

I'm the fighting freak Knuckles and I'm at Pumpkin Hill. You ready?.

Oh well, Knuckle's amazing raps are an acquired taste ;).
 
I'm on my phone at work so I can't right now. But could someone post the Sega made remixes of mario songs from the Mario and Sonic Olympic games?

Sega even does Mario justice.
 
Hands down, the Sonic Series.

I mean, that is one of the most consistent things about the franchise outside of one exception (please don't post anything from Chronicles guys :'() and its fantastic.

Here are some tracks I noticed from my Retrospectives on the series :).

Lost World:
Wonder World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnRB...fVZIMV&index=1
Windy Hill Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUfe...rdA_X08XfVZIMV
Desert Ruins Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxMH...rdA_X08XfVZIMV
Dessert Ruins (Ha XD): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3k6...rdA_X08XfVZIMV
Tropical Coast Act 2 (Sea Bottom Surge):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmVOEV29bIk
Casino Zone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwdR...POl0z7GhWgNhTh
Silent Forest Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=easb...POl0z7GhWgNhTh
Silent Forest Act 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCZu...gNhTh&index=22
Sky Road Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et9F...gNhTh&index=24
Sky Road Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV23...rdA_X08XfVZIMV
Silent Forest Act 3 (3DS Version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDrC...gNhTh&index=19
Lava Mountain Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB7D...POl0z7GhWgNhTh
Deadly Six Boss Theme (Guitar) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUoe...VZIMV&index=22
Deadly Six Boss Theme (Orchestral Version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIDYABbjV5I
Final Boss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1A-...gNhTh&index=31
Special Stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feF9...rdA_X08XfVZIMV

Generations:
Green Hill Classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxaT...538347CCEAFE66
Green Hill Modern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAFi...538347CCEAFE66
Chemical Plant Classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UZe...538347CCEAFE66
Chemical Plant Modern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDun...538347CCEAFE66
Casino Night Modern/Pinball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6hk...538347CCEAFE66
Door into Summer (Knuckles Chaotix): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDq9...AFE66&index=53
Time Stop (Cyber Track X Chaos Control): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sITI...538347CCEAFE66
Sky Sanctuary Classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=audI...538347CCEAFE66
City Escape Classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHm2b2jd1Ts
City Escape Modern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBih...&nohtml5=False
Crisis City Classic:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g518...&nohtml5=False
Crisis City Modern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyWe...&nohtml5=False
Rooftop Run Modern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnTy...&nohtml5=False
Rooftop Run Classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G1l...AFE66&index=28
Perfect Chaos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gb_...&nohtml5=False
Shadow Fight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lEv...AFE66&index=19
Stardust Speedway (JP): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9A6...EAFE66&index=6
Super Sonic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQZD...AFE66&index=48
Egg Dragoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8awN...538347CCEAFE66
Sonic 3 File Select Remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqLF...538347CCEAFE66
Emerald Beach Remix (Sonic Battle): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5dJ...538347CCEAFE66
Big Arms (3DS Version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwlC...&nohtml5=False
Supporting Me - Biolizard (3DS Version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHIv...&nohtml5=False
Your whole post is broken. But apparently noone listens to stuff so noone noticed.
 
whenever I think of 2D Mario, the original Game Boy games come to my mind...

I think Mario Land 1 has the better soundtrack. But I like both of these because they are so off the beaten path from the mainstream games at the time.

Totaka's still kicking around, but Hip Tanaka was a true treasure. It kills me that about all we've gotten out of him in the last twenty years is Pokemon anime OPs.

I'm on my phone at work so I can't right now. But could someone post the Sega made remixes of mario songs from the Mario and Sonic Olympic games?

Sega even does Mario justice.

They've come up a few times in this thread already. Here's the old GAF thread about it, although it's missing the latest game's stuff.

edit: Oh hey, I'm complaining about Hip Tanaka in that thread too.
 
When you mention Sonic Adventure people only think of the jpop and cheesy rock and vocal tracks but the ost for the game was excellent otherwise.

Can't remember anything about SA2 though and that's the last Sonic game I played

It's pretty hard, but the one with the worst on the other hand is easily Sonic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZXGzki_qww https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF726gXNNmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx4DfHW0WtM Hunting forever for the emeralds in those GIGANTIC stages while listening to this crap is my worst ever gaming experience. So Mario may as well win by default for never having music close to as bad as this.

Aaaarrghhhhh, now I remember.
And I remember why I chose to forget.

Anyway I would say Sonic hands down still, but I'm only familiar with the first few main entries in both series.
 
Some people are counting Yoshi's Island so might as well even this out.

3KLcdAv.gif
 
Surprised at how many are saying Sonic outright. The music in Super Mario Galaxy shits on everything on from both franchises. Like are you kidding me? Lol...

Super Mario Galaxy's soundtrack is one of the greatest of all time. I put it up there with some of the greatest Final Fantasy sound tracks.
 
I think a lot of people here quoting the 2d/3d argument haven't heard most 3d Sonic music, and are just thinking of a few select (probably vocal) tracks on Sonic's side. It's not nearly as cut and dry as that makes it out to be.

And like, where would the Mario R0Gs fall on the 2d/3d soundtrack debate?
 
Sonic, and it... actually is pretty close, the Mario games have had some rather stellar soundtracks since Galaxy. Still, outside of relatively few exceptions like Chronicles, Sonic soundtracks have been very consistently around that level of awesome.

I always liked the Genesis soundtrack myself...

[links]

The Genesis game has a highly underrated soundtrack.
It does, but on the other hand, the Saturn version of Sonic 3D has an extremely underrated soundtrack, by virtue of the Genesis version of the game being the only one Sega ever trots out, time and again. Saturn soundtrack has less exposure, as such.
 
To be honest, this is difficult, but the Mario Galaxy games are 2 of my top 10 favourite video game soundtracks ever. Sonic also has had bad soundtracks (Chronicles), which is something I cannot say about Mario.
 
What's up with all the Mario vs. Sonic/Nintendo vs. Sega threads lately?
Have 90s kids discovered the internet?

EDIT: Also, the best of Mario is better than the best of Sonic, as well as the worst of Sonic being worse than the worst of Mario.
So Mario wins by default.
 
Mario without a doubt.. I find it laughable this is even a question. Mario has the greatest range of chiptunes to orchestra. Way more memorable stuff to.
 
What's up with all the Mario vs. Sonic/Nintendo vs. Sega threads lately?
Have 90s kids discovered the internet?

EDIT: Also, the best of Mario is better than the best of Sonic, as well as the worst of Sonic being worse than the worst of Mario.
So Mario wins by default.

Can I make the "Mario was never good" thread?
 
Sonic without a doubt in my mind. Though, I haven't been the biggest fan of all the rock songs in the 3D games, but there's still several other gems there. 2D Sonic games still have one of the best soundtracks, and Sonic Mania looks like it could be another classic soundtrack.
 
I think it's really unfortunate that people throw Sonic Adventure's soundtrack under the bus, even though I think it's just as incredible as the Genesis games' tunes. My guess is, they hear Open Your Heart and immediately think the whole soundtrack is total buttrock, but really, it's bursting to the seams with variety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKs5dBfcB9g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcRsqVM3l5k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYn-ipADKJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJb5x6gWozc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfqloFaznDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1pm6MCagi4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G1z2Yji3HE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLxlkEWUdO8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc81dfPGdh4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snqQlTaXsTc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-XbOLmrIhc

There's some rock in there but there's also a lot synth, techo, jazz, etc there too. Many of the above tracks could easily fit in a genesis Sonic game (I mean some of them actually are remixes of tracks from Sonic 3D Blast).

So yeah, I really don't understand the "Sonic's music turned to crap right after the Genesis games!" comments.
Open Your Heart is an amazing theme too.
 
Easily Sonic, they're not even close.

Although to be fair I don't really care about Mario at all and there are definitely some excellent standout tracks. My faves from Mario off the top of my head are:

Bowser's Castle: DDR Remix (this doesn't sound anything like Mario tho)
Final Battle with Bowser (Mario Galaxy 1)
Gusty Garden (Mario Galaxy 1)
All of Mario Kart 8

But from Sonic there's just so much more. Even 06 was full of bangers. Hell, the Before/After the Sequel fan games have amazing music. Mario music got great later on for sure, but Sonic's been absolutely incredible since day one. Starlight Zone? Mystic Cave Zone? Stardust Speedway Zone? HYDROCITY ZONE? hoo baby.
 
Man, if it weren't for the Galaxy games I would say Sonic easily, but Galaxy 1 and 2 were SO GOOD.

Overall, I think the answer is Sonic though. Mario's games are better, but the music has been consistently great in the Sonic games.
 
Some people are counting Yoshi's Island so might as well even this out.

Never knew Nintendo hired the residents.

Also, the original yoshi's island is part of the Mario Franchise but the rest of the Yoshi games are part of the Yoshi franchise, if not we would have to count the Donkey Kong series and nothing is touching that.
 
Growing up on Sonic the Hedgehog but I have to say honestly its Mario.

I don't know if its because the songs are regurgitated in the games, but I remember the Mario tracks more.
 
I think it's really unfortunate that people throw Sonic Adventure's soundtrack under the bus, even though I think it's just as incredible as the Genesis games' tunes. My guess is, they hear Open Your Heart and immediately think the whole soundtrack is total buttrock, but really, it's bursting to the seams with variety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKs5dBfcB9g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcRsqVM3l5k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYn-ipADKJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJb5x6gWozc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfqloFaznDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1pm6MCagi4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G1z2Yji3HE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLxlkEWUdO8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc81dfPGdh4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snqQlTaXsTc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-XbOLmrIhc

There's some rock in there but there's also a lot synth, jazz, etc there too. Many of the above tracks could easily fit in a genesis Sonic game (I mean some of them actually are remixes of tracks from Sonic 3D Blast).

So yeah, I really don't understand the "Sonic's music turned to crap right after the Genesis games!" comments.
Open Your Heart is an amazing theme too.

Yeah you're right it is easy to dismiss Sonic Adventure thanks to its j-pop and buttrock stuff. But when you get right down to the OST, it is packed with some really amazing pieces. The soundtrack is also incredibly diverse.

It does, but on the other hand, the Saturn version of Sonic 3D has an extremely underrated soundtrack, by virtue of the Genesis version of the game being the only one Sega ever trots out, time and again. Saturn soundtrack has less exposure, as such.

Richard Jacques soundtracks were never really my favorites from the series. He actually does have some decent instrumentals... but man the vocals just... not for me.
 
Mario without a doubt.. I find it laughable this is even a question. Mario has the greatest range of chiptunes to orchestra. Way more memorable stuff to.

Dude, if we're talking range of musical styles, Sonic's soundtracks can beat just about anything any other day of the week.

Anyway there is nowhere near enough Rooftop Run in this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTtUe7MhuCo (Modern)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nw7usYYTaU (Classic)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSmFc-hHrw (Original)
 
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