• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Your favorite 16 (or 8) bit downtempo / chillout game tunes?

Thanks for the suggestions so far! Plok was "wtf" at the beginning but then turned to "oh yeah"! I didn't remember this song.

Any christmas-y sounding pieces? I remember Secret of Mana had Santa but did it have fitting music?
 
Crystalis - Pyramid Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCjHLzzQPQU

Snowman from the mother series is pretty legendary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65l1H1FGn8A

Summer's theme from Mother 2/ Earthbound might be too chill!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ff5Xrj5Bo

Guardian Legend has some good ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHY0nRuV5u4&index=8&list=PLEOQ0YA_1DWlqKUJkOJaJL0YB2brVTCFd

Shadowgate's intro is pretty chill... if eerie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySadPyWH2jI&list=PLF299E54137C8FA38&index=1

Here is a simple but effective loop, also from Shadowgate!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHvegQABCS8&list=PLF299E54137C8FA38&index=8

And let's not forget Xexyz!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll68-1bPvlA&list=PLE7JYIHWG8aaLmIUfGy7qkTOi9lMos0Z1&index=5

And also there is Fez's entire soundtrack. I'll start with this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylJ_IIvCQD4&list=PL89C6D0CCE49B641D&index=11
 
This track is the absolutely epitmoe of dope ass chill out video game music

Chrono Corridor/Corridors of Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNzYIEY-CcM

Them Zeal feels all day

chrono-trigger-kingdom-of-zeal-map.png
 
Chill tracks:

Sword of Hope II - Winder Castle
Shantae - Water Town (and it's definitely beyond 8/16-bit, but the Shantae and the Pirate's Curse version bears special mention)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons - Tarm Ruins
Mega Man 7 - WIly Castle Stage 2
Rockman 7 FC - Wily Castle Stage 2 (NES rearrange of the above tune)
Secret of Mana - Pure Lands
Secret of Mana - Ice Country
Final Fantasy 6 - The Mines of Narshe
VVVVVV - Potential for Anything (probably my favorite out of this entire list)
Lufia and the Fortress of Doom - Cave
Kirby Super Star - Save Room (this probably best fits your criteria out of all the entries in this list)

I need to make a separate section for Rockman & Forte, as that game has a ton of cool, jazzy tracks, ranging from upbeat to mellow. Check out this playlist. Some of my personal recommendations:
Database (very close to what you're probably looking for)
Museum
Astro Man
Cold Man
Tengu Man
Pirate Man
Crystal Room

I'll add more as I think or am reminded of them.
 
First one that sprung to mind is Last Wave from Outrun.

I'm not sure if you wanted the festive tunes to also be from the 8/16 bit era, but Chocobo's Happy Christmas from the PS1 era was the first thing that hit me on that front. I'll have a further think to try to come up with 8/16 bit ones.

Edit: I'll add in a couple from Actraiser (mellow, not really festive)
Birth of the People
Peaceful World
North Wall (Maybe? Not sure)
Sacrifices

Stones (Ultima series, this version from Ultima 7. It's roughly contemporary with the SNES, at least; I couldn't find the SNES version, but I wonder what it sounds like)
 
Ryu Umemoto has made lots of amazing downtempo/chill compositions in games like EVE Burst Error, YU-NO and Grounseed. If I had more time I'd post some examples.
 
There are tons that have already posted and more than I can list but I'm lazy. The one that came to mind for some reason was:

Castlevania III - Evergreen

Not sure if it counts as chillout but its an immense relief when you finally beat this game and this track definitely has that feeling.

Mecarobot Golf - Cruising

Just a quick one off the top of my head.

Wow, never heard of this game. There's always these SNES games I seem to find with some great music in it that it seems not many knew existed.
 
Top Bottom