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Which games have better music: Mario, or Sonic?

Everyone saying Sonic music was only good in the 2D days hasn't listened to anything that wasn't made by Crush 40.

Like for real, if you're saying that then please give these a listen for little ol' me and you can tell me they're poopy garbage if you think so but I really don't think you'll think so. Just three tracks from Adventure, Unleashed, and Lost World each:

Unleashed (2008): Rooftop Run (Night), Skyscraper Scamper (Day), and Arid Sands (Day)

Adventure (1999): Mt. Red, a Symbol of Thrill, Run Through The Speed Highway, and Crazy Robo.

Lost World (2013): Dr. Eggman Showdown, Sea Bottom Segue, and Dragon Dance.

I know people don't click links in these threads most of the time lol, but like honest to god if you're gonna say Sonic music has sucked since the jump to 3D just try listening to some of these 'cause I think it'll change your mind.
 
Michael Jackson wrote like half of Sonic 3, so it's really an automatic win. How can you argue against "Who Is It" and "Stranger in Moscow"
 
The Genesis Sonic games are on a whole another level. I mean Michael Jackson had a hand in some of Sonic 3's tracks. All you kids posting 3D Sonic stuff are up in the night.

Metropolis Zone from Sonic 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuJfhEeCe8

Ice Cap Zone from Sonic 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYxlqTpZ-24

Sky Chase Zone Sonic 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FCHk_gSwKo

Mystic Cave Zone Sonic 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVEyGntyOZQ

Hydrocity Zone Act 2 Sonic 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR3Eh_516JQ
 
This thread is basically just a back and forth between "Sonic and it's not even close" and "Mario and it's not even close".

I could see the argument that Sonic on average is better, but as far as I'm concerned none of it can touch the peak of the Galaxy games.
 
Phew

There's a lot of catchy Mario music, but I'd say most is just 'good'.
Sonic pretty much always delivers in the music department, while the Crush 40 themesongs can be pretty corny it's the kind of corny that I can dig.

I dunno, but I guess I'll vote Sonic even tho it kind of feels like a pity vote.
 
Sonic.

Besides having a larger variety of tunes, Sonic's music always seemed to me to stand out a bit more. From the 90s to 00s and even surprisingly enough the 10s Sonic's had dope music. This for example.

Planet Wisp Act 1

Mario music. I mean Mario cranks out this dope music. With that said I don't feel as though their music doesn't have the range of Sonic tracks and besides that I'd say most of the themes are more remixes or they're within a similar area compared to Sonic tracks. An example is this. I'd say Sonic's music can hit multiple levels like say Kanye's discography or hell we don't even gotta use him, say Jay-Z's discography, Hov's changed his sound repeatedly through the years. Even Kendrick Lamar's discography. Mario's music is similar to a TI or a Gucci Mane. They know their lane so they stay in it. You know what the music will like. They know their series well and there's no reason to change it. Sonic games just explore a bit more, they take more risks.

But yeah I gotta give it to Sonic definitely. Mario beats it in gameplay though don't get it twisted.
 
It's Mario for me, but Sonic's got some damn good tracks as well. I personally prefer the style of Mario music more than the more dance-oriented stuff in later Sonics.
 
Dusk Golem said:
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?
Click to expand...

I think the real problem is that there really aren't that many 3D Mario games compared to 3D Sonic games.

I actually really love the soundtracks to most of the 3D Sonic games, and while I'll admit that 3D Sonic games have more 'very good' tracks than 3D Mario games, I believe that 3D Mario games have more 'masterpiece' tracks, most of them coming from the Galaxy games, like Gusty Garden or the Bowser Galaxy Reactor/Generator tracks, but there are also some classics from other 3D Mario games like Dire Dire Docks from Mario 64 or Underwater Exploration from Super Mario Sunshine. The 3D Sonic games just don't have any equivalents to these tracks, imo.



Lord Azrael said:
This thread is basically just a back and forth between "Sonic and it's not even close" and "Mario and it's not even close".

I could see the argument that Sonic on average is better, but as far as I'm concerned none of it can touch the peak of the Galaxy games.
Click to expand...

This is basically what I'm trying to say.
 
They both have incredible music, but for very different reasons. I'm going with a tie. Sonic music i would be more up for listening to outside the game, but Mario music matches with its gameplay and level themes more, for the most part.
 
It's Mario without a doubt, such fantastic melodies I often find myself humming them.

Apart from the title theme I don't think I could hum any Sonic tune off the top of my head.

I'm genuinely surprised at all the Sonic answers...
 
Lets see one of Sega's composers for Sonic (2D and 3D) and his credits (composition/sfx):

Tatsuyuki Maeda:

Dragon Force, Skies of Arcadia, GunValkyrie, Sakura Taisen 2, Shinobi (2002), Valkyria Chronicles, Phantasy Star, Yakuza, Nights: Journey of Dreams

Sorry Mario, I respect those games too much....
 
For single games no Sonic game can beat SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2, Sonic Colors being the best.

For overall franchise tracks, Sonic has more cool songs with vocals like "Scape from the City" and "Open your heart."

For classic games the only melody I can remember from Sonic games is "Green Hills";

And in the end, Mario has most iconic video game melody and sound design in history.
 
Oh god, Sonic by a LANDSLIDE.

I know Mario has one of the most iconic themes in the entire industry, but the only Mario soundtracks I would call actually legitimately great are the Galaxy games.

Meanwhile, pretty much every Sonic game has a kick-ass soundtrack (not counting the Bioware game).
 
I think Mario Galaxy may well be the strongest individual OST between the two... however there's a huge gulf between the Galaxy soundtracks and the rest of Mario's music imo, whereas Sonic's soundtrack are consistently at the very high end of the spectrum.

So overall, I'm also going with "Sonic, and it isn't even close".
 
Mario and I love Sonic's music (yes, even the cheesy wuss rock in modern games). Super Mario Galaxy's OST alone trumps any Sonic game. And if we start getting into spinoffs, let's not forget the amazing tracks in Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.
 
I can't speak for Sonic as his game are too shite to play, but when it comes to Mario music, I feel 3D World is underrated. It's not as sweeping as the Galaxy games, but damn good and creative in its own right.
 
I mean it's hard to say given how good Mario's music is, but Sonic wins hands down simply on terms of original music and variety.

Mario's music, albeit really good, relies too much on its' classic themes from the first three NES games and since then we've heard the same melodies over and over with only a felt few original themes of each games staying in memory. Like in the last couple years all Mario themes I remember are Sunshine's Delphino Plaza, Mario Galaxy's Gusty Garden and the HUB themes of both games and for Super Mario 3D World, the music of the first level and Double Cherry Pass.

That is a considerable amount, and it's all great stuff, but in the meanwhile short of Sonic 4 there's at least 3-4 melodies per game I remember and they all feel far more varied than Mario's offering in terms of music, and looking in the future, Studiopolis Zone is already shaping up to be more memorable to me than any of Mario's recent tracks since Gusty Garden.
 
Dunkley said:
I mean it's hard to say given how good Mario's music is, but Sonic wins hands down simply on terms of original music and variety.

Mario's music, albeit really good, relies too much on its' classic themes from the first three NES games and since then we've heard the same melodies over and over with only a felt few original themes of each games staying in memory. Like in the last couple years all Mario themes I remember are Sunshine's Delphino Plaza, Mario Galaxy's Gusty Garden and the HUB themes of both games and for Super Mario 3D World, the music of the first level and Double Cherry Pass.

That is a considerable amount, and it's all great stuff, but in the meanwhile short of Sonic 4 there's at least 3-4 melodies per game I remember and they all feel far more varied than Mario's offering in terms of music, and looking in the future, Studiopolis Zone is already shaping up to be more memorable to me than any of Mario's recent tracks since Gusty Garden.
Click to expand...

Yep.

It's Street Fighter music vs Tekken music all over again. One is all about remixing previous themes with some other tracks thrown in here and there. The other is the other way around with more original music with few remixed tracks.
 
There is nothing more iconic than a Mario track, and I mean that as literally as I can.

I understand the purely subjective opinion that others may feel that Sonic soundtrack is better in some ways, but hands down Mario Mario Mario. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

It's not my opinion, it's FACT...

But yea my opinion: it's Mario.
 
Gonna have to say Mario, but it's really close. Sonic music is consistently awesome, but Mario Galaxy specifically is my favorite gaming soundtrack ever.
 
People are really overexaggerating how much Mario games rearrange old music.

Like, you'd think that Mario soundtracks are 90% rearrangements from this thread.
 
TheRedSnifit said:
People are really overexaggerating how much Mario games rearrange old music.

Like, you'd think that Mario soundtracks are 90% rearrangements from this thread.
Click to expand...

When people talk about them being more "memorable", or "iconic" though.. those tracks are pretty much what they're referring to. I'd argue Sonic's had far more uniquely memorable tracks over the years.
 
Synth said:
When people talk about them being more "memorable", or "iconic" though.. those tracks are pretty much what they're referring to. I'd argue Sonic's had far more uniquely memorable tracks over the years.
Click to expand...

The fact that people have to be constantly reminded that the modern Sonic music they listened to wasn't 100% cheesy, so-bad-it's-funny buttrock would seem to contradict this.
 
TheRedSnifit said:
The fact that people have to be constantly reminded that the modern Sonic music they listened to wasn't 100% cheesy, so-bad-it's-funny buttrock would seem to contradict this.
Click to expand...

Nah. That just means those particular tracks were unfortunately extra unforgettable lol. If anything I'd imagine many of those opinions come from those that haven't even played much of the game's in question and get exposed to the main themes via alternate means. There are so many posts in this thread of Sonic tracks that have stuck with people over the years... on the other hand we seeing a lot of Dire Dire Docks, Gusty Garden for Mario and then?... There doesn't seem to be a lot that people even have in mind to pull up on the spot tbh.
 
The Genesis Sonic games beat the NES/SNES Mario games in terms of music.

However, 3D Mario beats most of 3D Sonic in terms of music. In some cases, by a far margin. Others it's much closer.
 
TheRedSnifit said:
The fact that people have to be constantly reminded that the modern Sonic music they listened to wasn't 100% cheesy, so-bad-it's-funny buttrock would seem to contradict this.
Click to expand...

I very much doubt that most of the Mario side in here has listened to the full gamut of 3D Sonic music in any sort of depth in the first place.
 
Jacknapes said:
The Genesis Sonic games beat the NES/SNES Mario games in terms of music.

However, 3D Mario beats most of 3D Sonic in terms of music. In some cases, by a far margin. Others it's much closer.
Click to expand...

I agree, I think sega really pulled it in with the Unleashed, Colours and lost worlds soundtracks though.

Some From Unleashed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1n3OZwcz1o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSmFc-hHrw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OynNsybKvqk

Colours:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxw61TG40aM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9z3bK1nQ_Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfc5twxGjZQ

Lost Worlds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68EzgPTsjVU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKpAEDb1y3E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdHliM2iXoE

Generation is great too but thats all remixes so I've opted it out of my little list here.

Im not saying either or here. Mario also has top notch soundtracks. i love the galaxy and 3d world soundtracks.

TheRedSnifit said:
This probably holds true for both sides, honestly.
Click to expand...

eh here and there. my personal opinion is that sonic is the better 2d game mario the better 3d game. I much prefer the 3d mario games to the 2d ones basically. I find the 2d games too simplistic and I would rather play Rayman origins / legends.
 
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