Ed Bellis' Top 75 OCRemix Songs

Not sure when he did this.

But I have it and decided to put it here!

The List
75. Icon Artist: Binster Game: Ico http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyjBHcy-8zA&fmt=18

First song on my list is this gem from Ico (which my friend – who adores Ico – claims is not actually in the game, so whatever >_>). Binster does his usual thing here and creates a great soundscape with lots of choppy mixing and takes the minimalist soundtrack in a whole new direction. It ends pretty quietly, with some sound effects from the game that really bring it home.

74. Town Life in Piano Artist: kLuTz Game: Chrono Trigger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo2PhnhD_UI&fmt=18

A relatively simple arrangement in comparison with Icon, kLuTz takes the Trigger song “Peaceful Days” and turns it into a gorgeous piano piece. There's not a lot of excessive showboating here, which I like in a piano piece; kLuTz sticks to what makes the original melody work so well, and it shows.

73. On Rhodopa Mountain Artist: Mazedude Game: Rygar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQlpCSJ-6h4&fmt=18

Even djpretzel couldn't guess at the lead instrument here – it sounds like a cross between bagpipes and an alpaca. If that description didn't turn you off, give it a listen – this one's definitely weird, but like a lot of Mazedude's stuff it captures and creates a whole new world in its small timeframe.

72. Rena Lanford of Arlia Village Artist: Dale North Game: Star Ocean: The Second Story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmh9a1J9L3g&fmt=18

This song starts off quiet and understated, then like most Dale North stuff it gets sweeping and orchestral. All throughout it really brings out the quiet despair and hint of hopefulness present in the original song (which is, yes, a Sakuraba composition) and actually makes it even better.

71. Cry of the Chasmal Critter Chain Artist: Adhesive_Boy Game: Donkey Kong Country http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoYlerx9Ymo&fmt=18

A combination of percussion, strings, and whatever other random crap Adhesive_Boy feels like throwing in, this song is incredibly cohesive and actually takes the minimalist source tune and turns into something both melodic and atmospheric.

70. Wanta Phanta Artist: analoq Game: Phantasy Star http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2YFEqkYb2w&fmt=18

A funky rendition of a Phantasy Star tune I'm not familiar with, Wanta Phanta is short and sweet, almost djpretzel-esque in how the beats work. A simple song, but one you can groove to KNOW WHAT I MEAN DAWG

69. Homage to Amidha Budda Artist: EvilHorde Game: Samurai Warrior http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR82TyskAII&fmt=18

More FRESH BEETZ, this time from EvilHorde. This song fuses Eastern melodies with Western funk to make something pretty unique.

68. Madara Medley Artist: EgM Game: Madara http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rcGsax3uhw&fmt=18

A nice orchestral rendition of what is apparently a bunch of songs from a game I've never even heard of! (Get used to it.) Very inspirational and such.

67. Break the Beat in Half, Dr. Wily Artist: Shael Riley Game: Mega Man: The Wily Wars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR2pBA0QCh4&fmt=18

One of the most fun remixes on the site, this tune takes disc scratching, weird samples, a funky rendition of the source tune, and samples from the Mega Man cartoon show (what) to make something quirky and decidedly awesome. Better than it sounds.

66. Poltergeist Mix Artist: Binster Game: Ghouls 'N Ghosts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Hw9X5e0YM&fmt=18

Binster was the dude who did Icon, and he creates another really intriguing world here, this time with a radically different sound. It's both creepy and melodic at the same time.

65. Save Me (OCR Edit) Artist: SGX Game: Ico http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_jQxXo0ETU&fmt=18

Where the first Ico mix I posted was kinda frantic, this one's totally different – it's soft, almost wistful. It uses trance in an interesting way and doesn't really make a song you want to dance to per se, but rather makes a song you want to sympathize with... if that makes sense.

64. Monstrous Turtles! Artist: zircon Game: Super Mario World http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhTV7jWqTnA&fmt=18

zircon does his usual thing here, taking the source tune and really expanding it, using a weird pseudo-orchestral-pseudo-techno style that works so well for him.

63. Lord PROTEKTOR Artist: djpretzel Game: Actraiser http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwBeTbTaD4E&fmt=18

FRESH BEETZ again, this time courtesy of djp, OCR's founder and one of its most prolific remixers. This track uses high-quality samples, weird, funky instruments, and a crystal-clear melody to create a really fun, fresh sound.

62. Breaking the Ice Artist: DigiE Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64bBCd8MVp8&fmt=18

A trance-ish, intense version of the oft-mixed Ice Cap Zone, this one mostly plays around with the chorus, with some clear piano work that stands out among the techno sounds.

61. Terra in Black Artist: Ailsean Game: Final Fantasy 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UER2C5HSbA&fmt=18

One of the best guitar-based songs on the whole site, Terra in Black starts off with some soap opera stuff and then segues into awesome rockin' Ailsean guitar work. It's Terra's theme, but actually good!

60. Instant Artist: Instant Remedy Game: Outrun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw2NwSIlrQs&fmt=18

Instant Remedy take the already awesome Magical Sound Shower and turn it into a techno song, with a kickin' bassline, driving sound effects, and some nice breakdowns.

59. Wicked Orchestra Artist: Scott Peeples Game: Castlevania http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA7okcRWJn4&fmt=18

It's exactly what it says on the tin – an orchestral rendition of Castlevania's Wicked Child. Well, sort of – it takes the original and really enhances it, with an extended intro and a nice fusion between symphonic and techno.

58. 3 Ways Artist: NoppZ Game: Asterix & Obelix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPcuj_9wa3o&fmt=18

I absolutely love the sound here – it's chill and relaxing, but not slow-paced. NoppZ does a great job of making a six-minute-plus song not drag on at all; each section flows smoothly to the next and creates a cohesive, fun whole.

57. Xenosphere Artist: Oceanfire Game: Xenogears http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb50enYWFDc&fmt=18

I listen to this a lot when I write – it's a phenomenal tension builder, taking the original and just bringing out the 'subtle undercurrents of menace' god i'm pretentious =(

56. Dublin Delight Artist: Makke Game: Artura http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBBc_FnXK2Y&fmt=18

Makke is known for making nontraditional vocal mixes – another of us that just missed the cut was 'In the Air Mix,' which borrows heavily from a Phil Collins song. This one is styled after an Irish pub song, complete with bardic singing and instruments.

55. Broken Mirror Reflection Artist: Alexander Prievert Game: Xenogears http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mG-EC6c754&fmt=18

I always thought this was what Small Two of Pieces actually sounded like, and when I heard the real song I was grossly disappointed. This mix chops up the vocals, speeds them up slightly, distorts them and makes them actually powerful and meaningful.

54. Vampire Spanker Artist: Danneman and Silverknekt Game: Castlevania http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjs2pvUsX2I&fmt=18

An awesome acoustic rendition of Vampire Killer that makes the song actually not suck! It's very pretty and really brings out the melody of the original.

53. Music is a Weapon Artist: Jredd Game: Revolution X http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B8LbZVc5aU&fmt=18

I would probably have put this song higher based on all the times I've listened to it since I made this list – it's damn catchy, using vocal samples from the terrible Revolution X to great effect (D-D-D-D-D-D-DESTROY). It's got BLAZING GUITARS and infectious fun.

52. Just Chill Artist: The Pancake Chef Game: Chrono Cross http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEn7fQDNRPM&fmt=18

A foreboding remix of Chrono Cross's “Predicament,” this mix brings out the menace in the original, yet still manages to make it kind of soothing as well (hence the title).

51. Advance with Caution Artist: Star Salzman Game: Bionic Commando http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx6XJfslp28&fmt=18

Very militaristic, but not the crap kind like Sakimoto does – this one actually takes the original melody and enhances it with some awesome percussion and production. Like everything Star Salzman touches, it's gold.

50. A Foray into the Eastern Horizons Artist: mv Game: Final Fantasy VII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDLUdo3zgIk&fmt=18

Aww yeah time to bust out the ASIAN MIXEZ. This mix is a combination of Wutai from FF7 and Schala's Theme from Chrono Trigger, and it's roughly half-and-half – the first part is Wutai, the second Schala. The transition is handled pretty smoothly, and the rest of the mix is great too, with stellar samples and an overall Eastern vibe that really places you there.

49. Dreams Come True Artist: Star Salzman Game: Mega Man X http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8LtPs4l6_k&fmt=18

More Star goodness, and where Advance with Caution was very serious and intense, this song is silly, fun and even a little warm-hearted. It's a vocal rendition of the Ending theme that uses the motif of playing through the game to describe friendship.

48. Back to Towne Arranged Artist: McVaffe Game: Final Fantasy VI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-jk2aC98TI&fmt=18

McVaffe does an absolutely gorgeous piano piece here. Like kLuTz's Town Life in Piano, it's very understated, which makes it all the more beautiful. I always thought this song would have worked well in End of Evangelion.

47. Dr. Wily's Wedding Artist: Jayson Litrio Game: Mega Man 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr4xpIDJB-4&fmt=18

More piano goodness, this one with some string accompaniment. The story behind this is that it was played at a real-life wedding, and the mixer liked it so much he decided to submit it to the site.

46. Sunken Suite Artist: djpretzel Game: Super Mario 64 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL80bU8VTV8&fmt=18

This is one of the turning points of my list – we now reach the stage where the songs get reeeeally good and are staples in my music library. Djpretzel here does a gorgeous orchestral rendition of Dire, Dire Docks that in some ways actually outshines the original, and that's no small feat.

45. Dreaming on Distant Shores Artist: Rellik Game: Earthbound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fbW5whisSw&fmt=18

Rellik takes a very short, very small song and expands it into a six-minute opus. I remember reading that this one was proposed for deletion during one of their occasional reviews of everything on the site under the grounds that it's the bare minimum for a remix – the source material is only briefly hinted at. Nevertheless, it's an awesome piece.

44. Purple Heart Artist: goat Game: Rush'n Attack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjgGa3W5OE4&fmt=18

An absolutely epic mix that's basically a medley of various Rush'n Attack songs done in a BLAZIN GEETAR style. The second half of the song drags on a bit, so it's a testament to how amazing the intro and first part are that the song is this high on my list.

43. Forbidden Memory (of a Forgotten Dream) Artist: Random Hero Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyiFEOB3FIE&fmt=18

It starts off quiet, then surges into an incredibly moving version of Sonic 2's Hidden Palace Zone (you know, the one that never made it into the game). It really does a wonderful job of conveying the emotions of sadness and loneliness.

42. Tickle My Wily Artist: Star Salzman Game: Mega Man 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQE4ZjzCNEg&fmt=18

Another Star epic, the hilariously named Tickle My Wily (he's not very good at naming things, as can be evidenced by another one of his mixes called “Fei Longer”) takes Dr. Wily Stage 1 and slows it down, making it quiet and menacing instead of frantic and fast-paced.

41. New Mexican Thunderbird Artist: Vurez Game: Super Street Fighter II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCn-Ip7nqR4&fmt=18

I love Vurez's mixes, and a lot of them just missed the cut. They're very ethnically awesome, and this one is no exception, taking T. Hawk's theme and mixing with some chill Mexican sounds and awesome production to make a really stellar take on a subpar theme. I think this can also be found in HD Remix, not sure.

40. More Than a Weapon Artists: MC, SGX Game: Panzer Dragoon Orta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRHp1SzC82k&fmt=18

This mix starts with some piano and light strings, then does the SGX thing and turns into a massive trance epic. All the while everything fuses together perfectly, another hallmark of SGX's stuff.

39. Blue Reflection Artist: Injury Game: Mega Man 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB-0m2R4scw&fmt=18

A sad blues/jazz rendition of Mega Man 3's ending theme (a.k.a. the extended Protoman theme)... with vocals. Much, much better than it sounds (and it sounds pretty awesome fyi). Injury's vocals really enhance the song, so much that I can't hear the original without singing along.

38. Trippin' on Snails Artist: Mazedude Game: Rygar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xp255xcNQc&fmt=18

More Mazedude quirkiness; this one's one of his most appreciated songs, probably because it's more accessible than some of his other works, what with the awesome bassline and fun, toe-tapping melody.

37. Crystalline Caverns Artist: McVaffe Game: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivkLHnPOyH8&fmt=18

Like McVaffe's best mixes (which is... most of them, really), Crystalline Caverns really makes an incredible soundscape, in this case totally surpassing the original song with a slow buildup and a patient pace. This one's been on my playlist for years.

36. Mind of the Mother Brain Artist: AmIEvil Game: Metroid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4CTGZKr_fs&fmt=18

One of the most effective uses of whistling I've heard in a remix (let alone in a song in general), this is kind of a Wild Arms-esque take on Kraid's Lair, with that weird quasi-instrumental-techno vibe thrown in that all the best ocremixers do so well.

35. All the World in One Girl Artist: The Wingless Game: Super Metroid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbUOSL69iXQ&fmt=18

The Wingless uses piano and some light instruments to make this happy, triumphant song (not two words normally associated with Metroid mixes, I know), a companion piece to his darker “One Girl in All the World.” Check out both!

34. Chu Chu's Flight Artist: Jared Hudson Game: Xenogears http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quYSe6wBG2Y&fmt=18

This one starts off slow and then just explodes with sweeping instrumental goodness; Jared Hudson does an amazing job enhancing “Flight” and bringing out the intensity and triumph of the song.

33. Reminiscence (Deep Sleep) Artist: Hazama Game: Suikoden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ShJiZ289T4&fmt=18

One of the most soothing songs I've ever heard, Deep Sleep is just as advertised – a version of Reminiscence that beautifully evokes going to sleep and being at peace.

32. Beamsabre Beat ZEROv2 Artist: DarkeSword Games: Mega Man X1-3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gAFGyC3f_0&fmt=18

DarkeSword's stuff is pretty hit or miss for me, but this one's a home run – an energetic, intense medley of the first three Zero themes. Guaranteed to get me pumped.

31. Pachelbel's Ganon Artist: djpretzel Game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYDkwMoPFTA&fmt=18

A totally chill rendition of Zelda's Lullaby, this one has all the djpretzel trademarks – high-quality samples, an amazing arrangement, and a wonderful blending of orchestral and techno.

30. Suffering Planet Artist: DJ Carbunk1e Game: Final Fantasy VII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeB78S1Hvno&fmt=18

I think this is the first remix I've posted where the samples aren't that hot, but I think this is a deliberate choice on behalf of the remixer. Suffering Planet has an awesome, harsh sound to it, kind of industrial like a Mazedude piece and with a ton of menace. I listen to this a lot when I write too.

29. Blissful Eruption Artist: LeeBro Game: Sonic 3D Blast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Un1ohYxadA&fmt=18

An amazingly relaxing and kinda touching mix of Volcano Valley Act 2, this one gives me chills, especially after listening to it following the completely different Suffering Planet. >_>

28. Rosenthorne Artist: The Wingless Game: The Guardian Legend http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yovhtp8Nwvw&fmt=18

I listened to this a ton when I was writing my horrible novel (which I never discuss on the board and forget about frequently); it's a slow-paced mix, mostly acoustic, that manages to get everything right, striking the perfect balance of sadness and hope.

27. Forgotten Daze Artist: SGX Game: Suikoden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TThDihBY4Q&fmt=18

SGX does his usual magic here, turning the subdued and acoustic Forgotten Days into a six-minute trance opus that never gets old and keeps finding new ways to stay interesting. The last minute or so is pretty epic.

26. Celestial Winds from the East Artist: McVaffe Game: Okami http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1IgcwTmfwQ&fmt=18

It's no secret that “Reset” ~ “Thank You” Version is one of my all-time faves, and McVaffe really brings out the original and tweaks it a tad to make it his own, delivering beautiful Eastern instrumentals, nice beats, and a piano breakdown.

25. Bombin' Shade of Blue Artist: Trenthian Game: Mega Man 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqLI1zm5ZqQ&fmt=18

A combination chiptune and rockfest and weird quasi-techno song that manages to be like fifteen styles at once. It's so much fun and full of energy.

24. Death on the Snowfield Artist: AmIEvil Game: Final Fantasy VI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfjLTYJ8Z2o&fmt=18

Now we're reaching 'top tier territory' (try saying that three times fast!). The best rendition of Terra's Theme I've ever heard, Death on the Snowfield takes the original and just makes it heartbreakingly sad and understated; the shockingly appropriate title really drives the point home as well.

23. Neighburgers Artist: Protricity Game: Zombies Ate My Neighbors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIJ8XK_zGBg&fmt=18

It might be sacrilegious to say this, but Protricity's stuff has always been a mixed bag for me – he does some amazing things, but most of the time his mixes are just so long, much longer than they need to be. Not so with this one, which takes the Forgotten Daze approach and maintains a crazy level of awesome all throughout, never getting old. Very intense and fun at the same time; the best part is the quiet breakdown.

22. Vega's Ballad Artist: McVaffe Game: Street Fighter II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79naQp6SRHU&fmt=18

It's not my favorite rendition of Vega's theme (that honor goes to the professionally done remix from the Street Fighter Tribute Album), but I'll be damned if it still isn't awesome. It's exactly what it says on the tin – a hip-hop-infused ballad of sorts of Vega's theme, and it's quietly emotive and chill. More stellar work from McVaffe.

21. The Ken Song Artist: jdproject Game: Street Fighter II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEpucWDZZL0&fmt=18

I think every version of Ken's theme ever composed uses guitars. It's like a necessity. So this is a rock version of Ken, but WITH LYRICS HOLY BALLS. It is amazing and you should listen to it immediately. “Takes nothing to realize your Ken” aww yeah.

20. At the End of All Things Artist: Abadoss Game: Chrono Trigger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRM1IEKDipU&fmt=18

A slow, stately song with some weird bell samples, this is a unique and foreboding take on the End of Time theme. I fell in love with this from the moment I heard it and it's stuck with me ever since.

19. Dirty Mix Artists: A Scholar and a Physician, Binster, richBRF Game: Super Mario Bros. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1ePNuonYCI&fmt=18

The classic theme, made by mixing it and then passing it along to another person to mix it... several times. This song defies explanation and categorization. Seriously, just listen to it, and be amazed.

18. 31 Seconds Artist: John Revoredo Game: Doom II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=104GjEBZt1k&fmt=18

I had never heard this before my runthrough of all the OCR stuff in preparation for this list, and I instantly fell in love with it. It's an intense and yet sad rendition of a classic song, made with piano, some instrumental backing and some weird 50s-style voice clips (which is where the title comes from).

17. The Incredible Singing Robot Artist: Star Salzman Game: Chrono Trigger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA0Ul-y-gD8&fmt=18

Star hits a home run again – I think, if I had to pick one remixer to call my favorite, it'd be him. A industrial-pop piece, this is a take on Robo's Theme with hilarious and cute vocals. The overall production makes it even superior to the original (which is no small feat). I've grown to consider this Robo's actual theme.

16. Metal Gear May Cry (Remastered) Artist: Jared Hudson Game: Metal Gear Solid 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nC2dUkPbII&fmt=18

It is no secret that despite being a huge VGMusic aficionado, I have no love for the MGS themes. They're boring at best and arduous and overrated at worst, especially the second one (i.e., the one everybody loves). But this... good lord. Good goddamn lord. It starts with some sweeping chanting and typical Jared Hudson instrumental stuff, and it just keeps going from there... and when it gets to the main theme, I actually get tears in my eyes. I never would have that possible from anything MGS-theme-related.

15. Forest Birdcussion Artist: Protricity Game: Donkey Kong Country 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2ef7Txomuw&fmt=18

The best thing Prot ever did, and the best DKC2 mix on the whole site (though that might change with the upcoming project!). An atmospheric, chill rendition of the beautiful Forest Interlude, complete with bird sound effects that actually add to the song and are incorporated seamlessly into it.

14. Metalman Goes Clubbing Artist: Disco Dan Game: Mega Man 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwPDggICmgg&fmt=18

This was the first remix I ever truly fell in love with. It's fairly straightforward: a techno version of Metal Man's Stage, which in Disco Dan style goes on for like five and a half minutes. But it's just so... intense? Captivating? Sparkly? I will admit that there is no really good reason to like this one as much as I do – it gets the job done and that's about it – but there's just something about it that compels me, even after all these years.

13. Beneath the Surface Artist: Vigilante Game: Donkey Kong Country http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZK4ACg3gI8&fmt=18

I actually didn't realize how many DKC mixes were near the top when I made this. >_> Anyway, Beneath the Surface is an amazing mix of the classic Aquatic Ambiance, using Vig's trademark understated guitar work and excellent production to make a whole new soundscape; it's the best song on Kong in Concert, and that's saying something. There are also little shoutouts at the end to some other classic vgtunes.

12. From Within Artist: Darangen Game: Donkey Kong Country 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja6hIEi8iZo&fmt=18

This is one of those mixes where it's really hard to hear the source material (in this case, it's Mining Melancholy), but I've never been bothered by this. Darangen does some awesome guitar work; as opposed to Vig, who's more quiet, Darangen always lets rip in his pieces, and he does it here to great effect, really making the song very hopeful and emotive.

11. Zebesian Midnight Artist: Vigilante Game: Super Metroid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPNAN12pWfo&fmt=18

There's really nothing quite like this anywhere else on OCR. Vigilante gives us an epic, seven-minute long ambient medley of Super Metroid songs with an incredible, multilayered array of sounds that never gets old. The transitions between the various parts are flawless. This was Kaxon's number two pick IIRC, and like him I've also heard the rumors of a longer, 'complete' version of this out there somewhere. Any help?

10. Everything = Nothing Artist: Sefiros Game: Final Fantasy VIII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A3gO4Oy7iA&fmt=18

After 65 songs, we finally come to some list overlap. Like Kleenex said, this takes the extremely underrated Compression of Time and turns it into this heartbreaking and intense piece that just keeps building and building to one of the most satisfying musical climaxes ever.

9. Destined for Greatness Artist: Geoffrey Taucer, the prophet of mephisto Game: Civilization IV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HGxbWpf-5M&fmt=18

If there's one thing OCR lacks, it's remixes of more modern games. Most of the game the mixers tend to focus on the older tunes, and not a lot from recent years gets thrown up there. So I was very pleasantly surprised to find this mix of Baba Yetu, the love-it-or-hate-it piece from Civ 4. According to the tags, Taucer actually contacted Christopher Tin (the original composer) personally, and he really enjoyed and encouraged the production of this. So yeah, it's Baba Yetu with some tribal beats, a muffled guitar solo, and all kinds of awesomeness (SHANANA SHANA NANA). I doubt anyone who doesn't like the original will like this, but hey, you never know!

8. Invertebrate Retreat Artist: Daniel Baranowsky, Vigilante, zyko Game: Earthworm Jim 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRxOGlnMtvU&fmt=18

Sometimes the most unexpected songs are the best – I never would have thought a piece mixed from Earthworm Jim of all things would be a melancholy, brooding, introspective, and altogether captivating account of a broken hero contemplating his fate. There's awesome guitar work from Mr. Vig (who has his tendrils all over my top ten, apparently!) and a rap section from zyko, and my god this thing is much, much better than it sounds. It's also another account of the original composer supporting the end product; Tommy Tallarico even wanted to include this in a game.

7. Permutation Artists: injury, Nicole Adams Game: Donkey Kong Country http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzIte4qpQMI&fmt=18

I didn't even realize I had this many DKC-related mixes near the top, but I think that's because the soundtrack is so versatile – the mixes sound nothing alike. But this is among the best of the best, taking Fear Factory and turning it into a vocal piece about a woman trying to find her place in an industrial, dehumanizing society. The female mixers collaborated on both lyrics and production, and it marks injury's triumphant return to the OCR community. The sole downside is that the end result really sounds almost nothing like the original song, but I honestly don't care – the lyrics are great, the production is incredible, and the message of finding yourself is surprisingly deep for a mix from a game with talking monkeys.

6. Chillout Artist: SEDUCTiON Game: Mega Man 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVc49-wDOUQ&fmt=18

Remember how I said that the best mixes were sometimes the most unexpected ones? Well, this one is definitely “unexpected,” taking the oft-mixed Dr. Wily Stage 1 and turning it into this heartbreaking slow song with an absolutely incredible choral sample. Most of the time Wily 1 mixes focus on the driving main melody, but this one – to its credit – focuses more on the end of the song, where there's more emotion to be squeezed out. Definitely an awesome track.

5. Love Hurts Artist: djpretzel Game: Sonic the Hedgehog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umz4Wl6mg5c&fmt=18

This might have been the first OCRemix I ever heard. It is pretty much a perfect song – the tightness of the melody, the quality of the production, and the emotion it exudes. djpretzel takes Marble Zone and turns it into this funky riff that manages to be catchy and depressing simultaneously. I've heard this so many times and it never gets old to me; I can always find new ways to appreciate it or hear new things in the melody. It's the best djpretzel's ever done.

4. Let There Be Light Artist: AmIEvil Game: Mega Man 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T-zymnmHOg&fmt=18

Legend has it that it took AmIEvil something like four years to make this, an incredibly rich – and incredibly weird – take on Dust Man's stage that completely distorts and subverts the theme and makes a fourth-tier Mega Man song into something much, much greater. If I had a major flaw with Kaxon's list, it was the lack of AmIEvil, who consistently delivers amazing and varied work; this is his magnum opus. It's like Mazedude doing Metroid, but with more focus, and it takes on a world of its own.

3. Little Mac's Confession Artist: Game Over Game: Punch-Out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHmmZf_ax0&fmt=18

Spoilers: two of my top three have lyrics. This is one of them! Game Over is different from rock vgmusic bands in that their arrangement aren't just covers and their lyrics are pretty awesome. This takes the classic Punch-Out theme and turns it into a hard-rockin', introspective piece about Little Mac basically failing to live up to his potential. Some people don't like the PUNCH-OUT yells, but the rest of the song more than makes up for them; it's intense and really powerful.

2. Not Alone in the World Artists: Dale North, Jaxx Game: Wild Arms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZcat8vcf9k&fmt=18

There are only a few songs that have the power to bring tears to my eyes. This is one of them. It's deceptively simple – basically a piano/guitar collaboration with strings, but the execution is so absolutely powerful it surpasses the original by miles. It's amazingly evocative, and I've had this playing in my head when reading powerful scenes in books before. The absolute best part is the ending, in which the two instruments come together and play the same notes, slowly, as if repeating the song's title reassuringly.

1. Pillar of Salt Artist: Star Salzman Game: Xenogears http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXj3Fy3JSEM&fmt=18

There's really nothing to even compare this one to – when djpretzel posted it he called it “a miniature world,” and I think that's a very apt description. Like most Star's mixes, he takes the original and just crafts an entire soundscape out of it, making it varied and multilayered and a bunch of other adjectives and it never gets remotely old. Here, he manages to fuse Indian instruments, industrial beats, world music, and his own Arabic lyrics to create something completely new. I've yet to hear anything like this produced on OCR – or, hell, anywhere else. It's my favorite mix, and it's the only song on this list that would probably crack my top five of all kinds of songs. Hope you like it!