Best. In-Game Music. Ever.

No, this isn’t another internet “top 5″ list. That would imply music is quantitative, and it’s not. But still, how do you choose the best in-game music, when really it can’t all be compared? It’s an apples-to-oranges situation. You may think, “Well, it’s music, and it’s in a game. So, yes, stupid, it can be compared.” But if you do that, you miss the entire point of music not being quantifiable. To be the best in-game music it has to be moving, memorable, and meaningful…and not all good game music has those qualities.

For instance, Geometry Wars has some pretty bad-ass music. It’s just a 360 arcade game, but essentially the music gets you amped to go out and blast thousands of malevolent polygons. It’s sonic hashish for a shape assassin, very moving. But the music in Geometry Wars doesn’t make the game. The music doesn’t give the game purpose. It’s a tool merely to enrich the gamer’s experience. This doesn’t make for the best in-game music, but it’s still great.

To get the title of best in-game music, music has to give the game meaning: not merely create the atmosphere of the game. Fable, one of my favorite games, has a great soundtrack. But none of the music really goes beyond setting a scene for the game. It sits in the background, attempting to make you feel what the art design team is trying to show you.

Best. Movie-music. Ever.

The theme has to be memorable, too. Who can forget the original Star Wars theme? Or the famous Jurassic Park theme?! I remember trying to hammer that tune out on a piano. But memorable isn’t enough. One of the most memorable themes in gaming is the Super Mario Bros theme song. (You just started Level 1-1 when I said Mario, didn’t you?) But again, this is memorable because it was a fun game and classic experience. Unlike Fable, the music did nothing for Super Mario Bros.

So, after all that “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” rambling for the final answer-answer, which game has the best soundtrack of all time? It was a close decision for me. The runner up is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It draws on all the themes of the original Zeldas’ theme songs, and puts them to a cinematic use. Try to think back to Zora’s domain, Hyrule field, or beating the game and just listening to the end credits. The music is moving, meaningful, and memorable. It has all the right traits… in glorious midi cartridge quality. And that’s the one thing that holds it back.

The final and true best in-game music goes to…the Halo series. I know. Everyone loves to hate on Halo now, but the music in this game is so good and so present that it’s like another player in the game. Halo:CE music instilled a feeling of awe and wonder… perfect for discovering a new world/ring. It then evolved into Halo 3’s orchestral masterpiece, which is nothing short of inspiring. It’s like Phillip Glass meets John Williams meets Gregorian monks. You may hate Halo, but you know you got chills when you heard the trailer for Halo 3. And don’t act like you didn’t hum along with the monks. Even if it was mocking, you still know that theme. The music in Halo is an epic work of art, and absolutely deserves the title of best in-game music.