Ed Bellis Ranks the 201 Brawl Songs

Ed Bellis ranked the Brawl Songs with brief writeups on March of 2008.

Preface
What's not included: Melee music, any non-stage music (so no Subspace stuff), any of the 132 variants of the main theme, and most of the series' original music (with one notable exception that I'm sure you all can guess). If enough people REALLY want me to rank the remix of the SSB Credits or the two Battlefield songs, I'll throw them in somewhere.

I'm using the soundtrack rip that came out before the game itself, so it's including all the Totakete songs, the alternate version of Yoshi's Island, and a few other extra things.

Rankings are based on my own personal preferences and do not account for nostalgia or how well the songs work in game or any of that crap. Warning: If you like Crush 40, odds are you won't like this topic. >_>

The Ranking!
201. Area 6 Ver. 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFkeDW6hG60

This is an... er... interesting rendition of the Area 6 theme. It's very... avant-garde, I'd guess you'd put it? Seriously though, I can't listen to this without getting a headache. It's the Area 6 theme as done by Yoko Ono and a few cats. I can't help but feel this was intended to be a joke song. Bizarrely, the same arranger also did the far superior regular version of Area 6. Weird.

200. Live and Learn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTSr_2AyQ2Q

Y'know, Sonic used to be legitimately cool. But then they gave him a soundtrack that sounds like classic rock diluted by a few hundred degrees of crap. Of all the Crush 40 songs in Brawl it's my least favorite, with tinny vocals and guitar riffs that sound like they're played through a sock. How this song has fans, I'll never know.

199. Tane no Uta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXGaRpH2l78

If Teletubbies had a soundtrack, it would consist of nothing but this song played on infinite loop. I feel like a mentally disabled five-year-old when this song comes on - it makes the entire Yoshi section seem like death metal in comparison. Seriously.

198. Sonic Heroes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v6h-dglpWA

This song is ranked above Live and Learn for the sheer fact that it's at least a little catchy, at least in the chorus. It suffers from the same problems Live and Learn has, though, notably a total lack of any other redeeming qualities. Where's my friggin' Casino Night Zone, Sakurai?

197. Ai no Uta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqEnl-ogE1Q Ai no Uta has a pretty melody at least, which is more than can be said for Tane no Uta. Apart from the Patriots-esque "la-le-lu" bit, nothing really sticks out in this song apart from the somewhat grating Japanese vocals and the xylophone-esque notes ripped straight out of Boobah. Again, I feel like a toddler on Ritalin when this song comes on.

196. Super Sonic Racing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wf-7BCI7pE

At least the Crush 40 songs try to have lyrics that make sense in the context of... something or other. The same cannot be said for Super Sonic Racing, which rhymes "running to the point of no return" with "come on, let the fires burn." What? That's one of the more intelligent couplets in the song, which pairs these excellent lyrics with generic techno beats in an altogether unmemorable experience.

195. Ai no Uta (French Version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-GqPDaHwnM

The French version of Ai no Uta does one thing better than the Japanese version, and that's having a singer that's remotely tolerable to listen to... until you realize that the full song is only 40 seconds long. Whoops. If "gets old fast" was in the dictionary, there'd be a little Putfile link to this.

194. 25m BGM Can't find a Youtube link. Not like I need one. >_>

The BGM to the original Donkey Kong wasn't even that great for its time, and it serves the job in Brawl of being ever so nostalgic. It's not really meant to be listened to as a standalone piece... but I'd rather listen to it for ten minutes than listen to one of the aforementioned songs!

193. Car Select http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX9HNQfUCAg

There's so much good F-Zero music out there, so why they picked this totally forgettable menu song from F-Zero X is beyond even my all-seeing capabilities. It's just a guitar riff with some weird guy growling into the microphone. They didn't even bother remastering it so it doesn't sound like the speakers are behind a wall! Lame.

192. Against the Dark Knight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlXEWo-Bu8M

Forget Live and Learn - here's an opinion that I'm sure will piss people off (hi Brett)! I must admit that most of the Fire Emblem section grew on me over time, but I see little appeal in this song, which is just a bunch of REALLY LOUD STRINGS played dissonantly for a few minutes. It probably works well in-game, but by itself it just grates on my ears.

'''191. Charge! (Wii Play)''' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I-_S_cCPjQ

Apparently this corresponds to a "Cow Racing" game in Wii Play, which just makes this small, barely-under-a-minute ditty all the more bizarre for its inclusion. Never mind that the logic of including songs most Wii owners probably already know is a bit... fallacious at best, this song is cute in its own way but doesn't bring much to the table. It's not bad, just underdeveloped. Like lolicon! c wut i did thar

190. Mona Pizza's Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nreqy8bT-uc

Forgot to say that I also excluded the Japanese versions of the WarioWare songs. Given my apparent distaste of Brawl's vocal songs, consider this a good thing. >_> I just... don't get the appeal of this. It's Mona... singing about her pizza... and how it's good and stuff. I guess. The robot voice is kinda cute, though!

189. Excite Truck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdtHR1NKuJM

Remember how the Car Select theme from F-Zero X needed to be expanded? It probably would sound like this if it were. This has some nifty guitar riffs and some not-so-nifty bits like strange chanting. It's not bad, per se (we're leaving the "bad section" at this point), just unremarkable and a more than a little grating after a few replays.

188. DK Jungle 1 Theme (Barrel Blast) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwl38m4lrT4

A nice and peppy jungle theme that has a decent melody but just gets on my nerves after a little while. It's almost too peppy, like a squadron full of cheerleaders. I would expect something like this to be playing at a gay pride parade.

187. Mike's Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PnSbs2n0kg

Another weird little Wario song, this one about a... robotic karaoke machine, apparently. Much like Sandbag, Mike seems to enjoy being abused, but in Mike's case people wail off-kilter tunes into his face instead of hurling baseball bats at him. I think I'd prefer the latter. >_>

186. Ashley's Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho5Q4q9k7Ew

Hot damn, is this vocalist irritating, especially in the high parts (PANTALONES GIGANTICUS, that entire section near the end). I just don't get the appeal of these silly, silly Wario songs, I guess. Ashley herself is a pretty fun character, but her theme song isn't really selling her all too well here!

185. Battle Scene / Final Boss (Golden Sun) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMdlIT4Lu-g

I wanted to like this one. I really did. But there's so much conspiring against it, namely that trademark Motoi Sakuraba (the composer) WALL OF INTENSE NOISE thing he has going. The second part, where the final boss riff kicks in, is admittedly much better, but it still suffers from altogether poor quality. Fits the Norfair stage well, though.

184. Open Your Heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da6aPOyevRw

The best Crush 40 song in the game (isn't that sad?) actually has some decent parts to it, but it's still got that crappy Crush 40 atmosphere to it, complete with crappy singing and trite lyrics. Maybe I'm just less burned out on it than the others since nobody ever seems to talk about this one; either way, congratulations to Open Your Heart for getting the Ed Bellis Award for Crush 40 Goodness!

...on second thought, I don't really want my name associated with them. >_>

183. Environmental Noises http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGqQGJxQba8

lhg is a prognosticator supreme. Who can resist the allure of the soothing and gentle Environmental Noises? The chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves... it's all very evocative. You could probably do Yoga to it.

This is here primarily to drive home the point that I'd rather listen to random outside crap than anything posted so far. >_>

182. Electroplankton Ambience http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jHkru5seKI

And to drive home the point further, here's this collection of bubble noises and other sound effects! To be frank, I actually kind of legitimately like this - it's got neat beat to it and feels like something you'd hear while doing lines of coke. How can you go wrong?

181. Crimean Army Sortie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPsXPAc_k5k

Like Against the Dark Knight, this song suffers from just being too busy and too jarring with its strings. It's a huge step up in quality from the aforementioned song, but it's just not my cup of tea, I suppose.

180. Victory Road http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnzOJzypP7Y

A song that's nifty in parts and slow in others, which is the Sakuraba way, I suppose. This has grown on me from hearing it in Spear Pillar frequently, but it's still got some noticeable flaws like being overcrowded with instruments and having a somewhat obnoxious synth part in the middle.

179. Main Theme (Super Mario 64) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT108mpd4aE

Unpopular opinion ahoy! Also known as Bob-Omb Battlefield, this song is kinda... unremarkable. There's nothing bad about it and in fact it's pretty catchy, but were it not played ad infinitum in Mario 64 ! probably wouldn't remember much of it.

178. Opening Theme (Wii Sports) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZb9OcoHNRI

Another altogether unremarkable piece, one that sounds like some kind of jazzy elevator music. Like Bob-Omb Battlefield, it's catchy but nothing special, but I do really like the breakdown towards the middle.

177. Main Theme (Metroid) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVg9di21FpU

SAMUS IS UNDER blah blah blah we all know this. I think this song fits the bill for "fits its franchise LEAST." The cheesy opening, the bad rock vibe... none of it really comes together at all for me. In seven minutes it does manage to get at least a little interesting, but it's certainly not all that spectacular.

176. Golden Forest (1080 Snowboarding) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqK8nuhFc_U

There's a pretty solid guitar riff that lasts throughout the whole song here, and that's basically this song's main selling point. It sounds like an F-Zero song before the series went all techno, which is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. It's somewhat forgettable, but for what it is, it ain't that bad.

175. Cavern http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWpWHISFIjQ

From Metal Gear Solid, this is a pretty creepy, kinda ambient piece that sets a good mood but isn't that great to listen to on its own. Somewhat minimalist, with some cool chanting thrown in periodically.

174. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YSeQxoKmS0

A cute and quirky little piece that has a lot of random sound effects (are those Brain Age clips, maybe?) thrown in. It starts getting better just shy of the one-minute mark, where the melody actually starts kicking in.

173. Mii Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj12_JPkg1w

Again, Wii owners can already hear this song as much as they want - why put it in Brawl? Regardless, I've always been a little partial to this soothing little song. I've seen the Mii Channel many times over and it's yet to get old, which is always a good sign. It's got a neat melody and is fairly unique to boot.

172. Sector 1 (Metroid Fusion) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPoH9SERIOY

A kinda generic techno/rock thing that manages to be pretty creepy. It's not even vaguely catchy, but it's got decent "sneaking" atmosphere (fits well with Cavern, actually) and gets the job done for what it is.

171. Yell (Dead Cell) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH7ad-E_xJ4

This song would probably be higher if they didn't make all these little tweaks to it - making the screeching a higher pitch, for one, which kinda throws off the song all throughout. It's still a decent piece, but I prefer the original, as small a difference as it may be.

170. Gourmet Race http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CClvMrK_2YM

Another controversial opinion here, probably made even worse by the fact that I almost had this near the bottom of the list. This song's grown on me considerably since I first heard it, but I still don't think it works all that well - the piece just doesn't lend itself well to the style. Plus it's got that whole Sakuraba WALL OF NOISE thing I keep coming back to. It's nothing personal, Motoi.

169. Village of the Blue Maiden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMiaDlsfEUI

A Kakariko Village remix from Four Swords Adventures, apparently. It's tinny and the music is N64-era quality but that actually seems to work pretty well for the song. It takes the original slow-paced melody and makes it much more peppy and fun. I like this one.

168. Right There, Ride On http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_et8Cp2Q2R8

This song starts out really, really good... then it all goes downhill fast once you realize that it's basically the same thing over and over again, which is a shame, because if they actually varied it up a bit (RIGHT THERE RIDE ON RIGHT THERE RIDE ON RIGHT THERE RIDE ON) it could be a lot better.

167. Title (Big Brain Academy) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FL4wulKSlo

I don't know what it is about this, but... it's cute. I kinda like it. It's saccharine and sounds like Yoshi on steroids, but all the same it's infectious and really, really fun. good god what is wrong with me join the big brain academy today

166. Main Theme (Star Fox) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHZ2kIOFaMk

A pretty straightforward orchestral arrangement of the Star Fox theme, with some good variations and interesting stuff peppered throughout. We're coming to the point where I kinda like the songs, so negative comments will be harder to come by from this point on. Hurrah!

165. Mario Bros. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_5f5aQRwGw

A decent rendition of a classic song. Pretty standard fare here - a synth-y medley that occasionally segues into that little classical riff. Nothing too bad.

164. Luigi Circuit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk-9vZBuOlg

The original song from Mario Kart 64 was kind of unspectacular, and this remix follows suit, although it does jazz it up a bit by throwing in a nifty guitar solo. Otherwise ir might as well be the original song.

163. Clu Clu Land http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VoUmQqsGFc

I keep using the word "jazzy" and I don't why (it's not all that common of a word), but this song is just... jazzy! And peppy. Peppy keeps coming up too. Regardless of my vernacular, this ditty that plays on the Summit is full of more synthesizers and starts out pretty laid-back before segueing into a more up-tempo section. It's a pretty interesting song, with a lot of variety.

162. Wild Pokemon Battle (Diamond/Pearl) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF8YfmNPVes

A brassy battle theme that's not too bad (once again, now we're into the decent stuff) and manages to be suitably interesting for a minute and a half; I especially like the breakdown around 1:05. Breakdowns are normally nice.

161. Famicom Medley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-HUjhhI174

It's a bunch of NES songs thrown together with little regard to order or clarity for an overall piece. It gets by primarily on the strength of the compositions (in short, I love chiptunes) but loses a lot of points for basically being a random mishmash of stuff.

160. Mario Circuit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8BeBrn90D0

Another pretty standard arrangement, this one of the SNES Mario Kart main theme, with the traffic light sound thrown in at various points for nice effect. I will say that if I weren't familiar with the original song and game this one really wouldn't stand out all that much.

159. The Map Page / Bonus Level http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4abMOyS0ig

Ripped straight outta Donkey Kong Country... for no discernible reason that I can see. Seriously, the game's got a fantastic soundtrack; why these two songs of all of them. They aren't even arranged! Weird. Oh well - they're still fun little ditties with a nice tropical vibe to them.

158. Forest / Nature Area http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G_cXX2pNxw

From Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, apparently. Like the previous song, it's a fun piece that sets the mood of going off on an enjoyable little adventure. It's not too memorable, but it doesn't really need to be; it does what it's supposed to do.

157. Pokemon Main Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5upNwNt7Bo0

This is a very conservative arrangement of the same Pokemon song that's been in the previous two Smash games. Apart from the slight breakdown towards the middle (which is awesome - what is it with me and breakdowns) it's very standard fare, not as overtly orchestral as the Melee version but still just as good and catchy.

156. Kid Icarus Original Medley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yV8Iuo9KX8

A medley of chiptunes that actually manages to flow together nicely, which is cool. The beginning is more than a little grating on the ears (and I can normally handle even the shrillest of NES tunes), but the rest is pure 8-bit goodness.

155. Wild Pokemon Battle (Ruby / Sapphire) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf0izGZHSm4

As for this piece, it's an orchestral, brassy song with a lot of uptempo life in it. It's not really my style, but I can appreciate it and enjoy it. WHO'S IMMATURE NOW MOM

154. Wii Shop Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUtARpWmxNc

Yeah, I know. >_> What can I say? I'm a sucker for this infectious tune. It just makes me want to buy useless crap like Classic Controllers and the TurboGrafx version of Bonk's Adventure. join the big brain academy today argh

153. Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vr_Kl0eyZQ

It's catchy, it's got that "BAHHHBUHBUH" thing from the original game, but it's not all that memorable of a song outside of those two points. As with most of the recent songs, it's good enough to get the job done and little else.

152. WarioWare, Inc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YucXdBtvbbw

A pretty straightforward song here - it's a bubbly rendition of the WarioWare theme. I feel like I'm repeating myself here - it's catchy, yeah, but I feel like it's missing something, that extra hook that keeps me coming back. Not a bad song, though.

151. Pokemon Center http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCgwrGuJeTE

A very sweeping piece here - now we're coming up on another tier of songs, this one featuring songs that I actually enjoy listening to - and that I can remember! Huzzah! This song feels somewhat inspirational, like you just wanna get out there and be a Pokemon trainer and join the big brain acad-no i'm not gonna say it

150. Great Temple / Temple http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAYKMc5MAxQ

Basically a remix of a remix here, Brawl's take on the Hyrule Temple theme is a lot calmer than Melee's. Unfortunately that also makes it did a tad less impressive, and the parts where it goes into different sections that are barely related to the main theme are its weak links. This song is strongest when it sticks to the source material.

149. Ike's Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov8qtvdrXno

I'm gonna come out and say it - if you can't tell so far, I'm not all that impressed with Brawl's Fire Emblem music. It's grown on me a lot, but I still don't think most of it is particularly memorable. Take Ike's Theme - I just listened to it for three minutes and can't remember more than a few notes. The beginning is admittedly cool, but apart from that there's little else here that catches my ear.

'''148. Shaberu! DS Cooking Navi''' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM2an7BLj3c

What a weird, fun little piece. There's some Japanese lady yelling what are presumably cooking instructions at me, there's whistling, there's a quirky melody playing in the background. There's pretty much something for everybody here!

147. Obstacle Course (Alternate Version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDVpuHQCmPA

You won't find this song in the sound test - this is the alternate version of the Athletic theme that plays when the seasons change in Yoshi's Island. It's a simple piece and like most of the Yoshi tunes uses bright and cheery melodies and instruments.

146. Title (Animal Crossing) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWu9jSIILZg

At the risk of sounding completely cheesy, this is a song that seems to evoke the start of a new day, or a sunrise, or something like that. It's very quaint and fits the Animal Crossing world to a tee. One of the first songs on the list that I actually listen to on a semi-regular basis.

145. The Dark World http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XJsbELXV00

Here's a song that gets by pretty much solely on the strength of the original composition. I really don't like what they did with this Link to the Past classic - they took out all the menace and made it sound almost calm and beach-like, and, like Gourmet Race's metal sounds, it just doesn't work. Thankfully enough of the original song still remains.

144. Power-Hungry Fool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM1MxrWLfng

Who wants some harpsichord? I want some harpsichord! (god damn but that word is tough to spell) A very pretty and foreboding song that has some lovely strings and such. It's not really my style, but again, I can at least appreciate it.

143. Jungle Level http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ousgs9BQLI

A kinda weird rendition of the Jungle Japes theme. It starts off okay and then transitions into a kind of rock theme, which takes some getting used to (I still think I'm getting used to it, actually). A little jarring at first, but nothing too bad.

142. Attack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yTEoDv7tY4

Another Fire Emblem song here, this one far more fast-paced and - gasp - actually musically coherent, which is always a good thing. The battle motif sounds straight out of Super Nintendo, which is, again, normally a good thing. All in all, a pretty solid, if unmemorable, piece.

141. Molgera Battle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blW-tCufpWI

CHUGGACHUGGACHUGGACHUGGA

I don't know what it is about this Wind Waker battle song. It's definitely a unique experience, with the train-esque CHUGGAs in the background and the tinny flute-like instrument all throughout. I do like it, though - it's got a unique flavor to it that I've yet to hear in any other video game song.

140. Devil's Call in Your Heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkWi6gKryBE

A bunch of really fast guitars and some random growling make up this F-Zero X tune, which fits the game perfectly but isn't exactly my top choice for a standalone piece. I really wish they would have remastered the F-Zero X songs - they sound so much quieter than everything else. Still - and I'm repeating myself yet again here - for what it is, it's good.

139. Squeek Squad Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDGj12UGYJY

Another unique song, this one with very high-pitched melodies and lots of crazy percussion. Like Molgera, I like this one and think it's pretty memorable (in a good way). The guitars in the background really bring out the flavor of the piece (and now I sound like a chef).

138. Main Theme (Star Fox 64) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_1iBzsG4cU

An incredibly fast-paced rave-ish rendition of the Star Fox 64 main theme. As usual, my favorite part is the breakdown around the one-minute mark, though the rest of it isn't all that bad. Again, were I unfamiliar with the source material, I probably wouldn't retain much of this piece.

'''137. Climb Up! And Get the Last Chance!''' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eus0oZgEblg

Another F-Zero X tune, replete with guitars, albeit more calm than Devil's Call. This one's very similar to the aforementioned tune, except a bit more mellow, though it's got a nifty driving force behind it in its slowness.

136. K.K. Cruisin' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk74ApOw1ZQ

I made the first draft of this list before I realized that the K.K. songs weren't actually in the game as selectable pieces, and I was too lazy to take them out - 201 is such a nice, eye-catching number, y'know? This is probably the weakest of Totakete's songs featured in Brawl, though it's got a quirky charm all its own, with the trademark whistling that really drives the song home.

135. Brain Cleaner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53xw0AcXrcs

I think we're done with the F-Zero X songs, so now it's onto GX, which has a much better musical selection overall, focusing more on trance and techno than heavy rock. This one's a fairly straightforward techno piece that gets the job done.

134. K.K. Western http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgTe2Ck1ono

It's K.K. Slider, doing a Western-themed song. It's got him singing, whistling, and playing guitar, and that's all you really need to know. You kinda get exactly what you expect in K.K. songs - they're quirky and kinda cute with a key change near the end that makes the song feel more complete. Why fix what ain't broken?

133. Angel Island Zone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1fqEW3taD4

Been a while since somebody's gotten pissed off at one of my rankings, so this one should do the trick! Jun Senoue, the current composer for main Sonic games, updated this Sega classic with his own trademark style of heavy guitars, and it works pretty well, I think. Just because it ain't fifty places higher doesn't mean I don't kinda like it!

132. Yoshi's Island http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVjh8XZ1k70

Also known as "Above Ground" or "Overworld" or "Twenty-Three Skidoo" or whatever other asinine name they could come up with. Seriously, just calling it "Yoshi's Island" makes no sense, given that it's already the name of two stages in the Brawl game. Whatever. This is a Yoshi song, which means you can automatically assume it's happy and buoyant enough to make John Wayne flirt with me.

131. Multiplayer (Metroid Prime 2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_9dJ7-l2Y

Man, I couldn't even tell this was a sort-of kind-of remix of the Brinstar theme from Super Metroid until about ten replays of the song. Why this generic techno song deserved ten replays - and why it's above Brain Cleaner, which is pretty much the same song, albeit a little less memorable, since Brain Cleaner has no discernible melody to speak of - I'll leave to your imagination.

130. Ground Theme Ver. 2 (Super Mario Bros.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSnpSi218Sk

This weird little medley of Super Mario Bros. combines the overworld, underworld, game over, and stage clear music in a Mario Sunshine-esque pattern of happiness. Of course this theme has been done to death a million times over, but I give Masaki Iwasaki (whoever that is) credit for trying something new on a tried and true theme.

129. Obstacle Course http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57-TXZQmOyI

Another Yoshi's Island ditty, this one's the main theme that plays during the warm seasons on the Yoshi's Island (the one with the Baby Bowser riff towards the end). Like seemingly all damn Yoshi music in this game it's got marimbas, a happy tropical vibe, and enough pep to make even the hardest of hard men smile.

128. Battle in the Base http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqnxGzqrIic

An atmospheric piece from Metal Gear Solid 3, Battle in the Base is foreboding and sinister, a fitting song for a dangerous enemy approaching. If you like spy-themed songs that sound like they could be in a Jason Bourne pic, give this one a whirl.

127. Mario Tennis / Mario Golf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6DrSjVP6Bw

See, I don't hate all Sakuraba music! When he's not doing battle themes and layering fifty thousand guitars on top of each other, he's not that bad. Take this song, which I guess is a medley from the Mario sports games. It's got a little bit of everything, even some xylophone or whatever the hell that tropical instrument is.

126. Break through the Ice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeYM9zgjRmE

A orchestral arrangement of a Star Fox 64 tune that was originally featured in Assault. It's slow-paced but very sinister, turning the original tune into something much more foreboding and ominous. I like this one.

125. PictoChat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiQVXYYsvUU

I said I wasn't doing original compositions, but I forgot about this song (neither this nor Flat Zone 2 are the exceptions). This is a jazzy (there's that damn word again) uptempo original piece that uses various Wii and DS sound effects to complement its cute melody. Catchy as hell.

124. DJ K.K. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTZKgctPaYo

With a title like this, I expected Totakete to be beatboxing over some generic F-Zero beat. Instead it's more standard K.K. Slider fare, replete with the trademark whistling and all of the features I've mentioned before. You either like these songs or hate them, it seems, and I think they're fun.

123. Shadow Dragon Medley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IYnPP9kEhs

Now we're getting into the stuff I'd actually consider "good," the stuff I'd listen to on a regular basis. This is a medley from an old-school Fire Emblem game, ith an orchestral part at the beginning and then some weird techno-y stuff in the middle and then back to the orchestral stuff at the end. All the segments are actually pretty good, but sadly they don't flow together all that well.

122. Rockin' K.K. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ajt-qqh_c0

K.K. Slider does 50's rock! Animal Crossing meets Happy Days! Mr. Resetti meets Grease! Other assorted hyperbole! On a serious note, this song is in fact better than the entire Grease soundtrack. Then again, Live and Learn is better than the entire Grease soundtrack, but still!

121. White Land http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wmLPZuKMRc

This is very, very cool. The only reason why this F-Zero remix isn't higher is because, for whatever reason, it gives me a headache. Maybe it's the throbbing bass and the clanging noises they threw in in the background. I dunno, but this song could easily be fifty places higher if they made a few minor tweaks. Like handing me Aspirin whenever it comes on.

120. Victory Is Near http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSMpWU9X8wI

One of my favorite Fire Emblem songs, it's very sweeping and uplifting. Really fits the title well. The only reason it's so low is because there's 119 songs I like better, of course. duhhhhhhhhhhh bigbrainacademytoday

119. Gritzy Desert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FrcpyyLS_w

From Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, this is a relatively straightforward piece that seems more about atmosphere and mood than anything else. It captures the feel of exploring a desert or ruined place very well. It's a little repetitive, but I don't mind that.

118. Luigi's Mansion Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm2YfKjU9yI

I was really surprised, back when ssknuxmagician did those "best song in Brawl by category" topics, that this piece won for the Mario section. I mean, it's good and kinda creepy and all that, but I certainly don't think it's anywhere near the best the Mario section has to offer. For what it is, it gets the job done, and executes it pretty well.

117. Marionation Gear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auzcHFxTN0U

Pay attention to this composer: Masafumi Takada. He did a lot on this soundtrack, and you'll be seeing his works come up throughout this list. This has some cool piano parts mixed in with some synths and a guitar riff, which makes for a really unique blend. It plays on the Norfair stage.

116. K.K. Gumbo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2umoptJk4I

This is the funkiest of the KK songs, and features... well, basically the same thing as the other KK songs. I am running out of witty things to say about them, so I'll just fill up this space with platitudes about Pasta Roni (seriously, that stuff rules) and hope nobody notices. I think it's working!

115. The Roost http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehdvSjuYCvk

Another Animal Crossing song, but this one without the sexy and lascivious (...I totally forget what that means) Totakete on vocals and guitar. No, this one's instrumental, with strings and piano and such. It's very pretty, albeit intensely inappropriate for a fighting game.

114. WarioWare, Inc. Medley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KmFMRwGkHI

This medley is filled with a couple fantastic parts and a couple... not-so-hot ones, so as a whole it gets brought down a few points. I really like the beginning, the funky part around 1:25, and the piano/synth (my favorite part) around 2:15.

113. Tal Tal Heights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av2GglFEvOk

This song is all over the place and seems to move at a mile a minute, which isn't normally my style, but as with the Dark World mix, the strength of the original composition gets it by. For being called Tal Tal Heights though, I wanted more of... y'know, Tal Tal Heights instead of yet another rendition of the Zelda overworld theme. But hey, live and learn. Hanging on the edge of oh god

112. Team Galactic Battle! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgnxXtWMgsI

A pretty cool battle piece that's kinda rock-ish and techno-y (don't you love these words). It moves at a fast pace but never gets overwhelming or caught up in itself. Definitely an underrated (at least in my book) little gem.

111. Main Theme (Pikmin) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55p8q3DDeIw

A quirky little song that manages to be soothing and intriguing, as if pulling a canopy back over a mysterious world... which I guess is appropriate for Pikmin. It's basically Environmental Noises with a catchy melody. How can it go wrong?

110. Opening (Donkey Kong) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZxFcC4t2_c

A medley of the various musical pieces from the original Donkey Kong, this song has plenty of variety and stuff to sustain my interest throughout. It's also, bizarrely enough, the only song excluded from my "complete" rip of the game. I demand reparations!

109. With Mila's Divine Protection (Celica Map 1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdES2_00KG4

Another Fire Emblem tune, this one with an almost Latin feel to it, which is always a plus in my book. Unlike the other FE songs thus far the melody is actually memorable, with claps and those weird little clam-like things in the background to accentuate the rhythm. One of the best FE tunes in the game.

108. Termina Field http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0woDhBRPe4

The Majora's Mask overworld is presented here unedited, in all its yet-another-damn-rendition-of-the-Zelda-overworld-theme glory. I've always liked this song, but I do wish they would have remixed it; an orchestral rendition of this song would have been the bees' knees indeed.

107. Stage Clear / Title (Pikmin) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZnymFuTSsY

This sounds like a damn Kid Icarus song and swore up and down that it was when I first heard it... well, at least the beginning does. The it segues into some kind of weird Pikmin chant thing that, remarkably, works really well. It's quirky and surprising, and I do like that.

106. Balloon Trip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzSAs6yzqd8

Now we're getting into the songs I'm starting to legitimately enjoy; this one brought a smile to my face as soon as it started. It's a peppy rendition of the classic NES theme to Balloon Fight, full of enough vim and vigor (what) to maintain interest throughout and get my head bobbing all the way. A keeper.

105. Airship Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cPmkj_PGjc

Dark, ominous, foreboding... from a Mario game? Weird. I really, really like most of this song, but it gets knocked down a few pegs by the middle section, which has that damn wall of noise effect again (SAKURABAAAAA).

104. Gyromite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhqfKh_VDBg

Like Balloon Trip, this is a high-spirited little jaunt of a song, with a pretty good melody to boot. I think of this as ROB's theme song. I'm kind of tired, so I am running out of witty things to say. Who likes Pasta Roni? I sure do like Pasta Roni!

103. Title (3D Hot Rally) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQxMBmEo4vs

A pretty nifty song, once again from the "old Nintendo 'classix' nobody remembers" department. It's got a guitar part that's actually coherent, which is always a plus, as well as a very memorable melody and such. I like this one.

102. Corneria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eZff_gWWQs

A techno remix of the Corneria theme from the original Star Fox, this is energetic and fast-paced. Fairly standard for a techno song, but there's a certain quality about it that maintains my interest and keeps my head bopping (or bobbing, not sure which) all throughout.

101. Snake Eater (Instrumental) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5OUhMoIO5M

Controversial? Maybe, but I'm a much bigger fan of the instrumental version of Snake Eater than the cheesy, campy vocal version (and let's not even mention the Japanese version). It's very evocative and sounds like something ripped straight from a Bond flick. Very cool.

100. Ricco Harbor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcfHM7JiyRE

Ripped straight outta Mario Sunshine, Ricco Harbor is, like the rest of Sunshine's music, tropical-themed and infectiously catchy. Like Delfino Plaza, halfway through the song adds in the little percussion beats that signify the presence of Yoshi, which is a nice touch.

99. Skyworld http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0jvH-eYvKg

A Latin-themed Kid Icarus song, this has some neat little parts to it; I particularly like the clapping in the background at the beginning and the instrumental segue towards the middle. It's a very complete and interesting song.

98. Mute City http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1brLxtr2_I

What starts off as an almost calm piano-type riff eventually turns into a blazing guitar part that eventually turns into a very, very cool solo. It's still not as good as the version from F-Zero GX, but it's damn good regardless.

97. Flat Zone 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMJGsShgvRI

A original composition made primarily with Game and Watch sound effects (a.k.a. beeping), Flat Zone 2 is even more melodic and cool than its predecessor, which is saying a lot, since I was a big fan of the original Flat Zone tune. Like PictoChat, Flat Zone 2 uses the sparse source material to creatively make something all its own.

96. Jungle Level Ver. 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbOESsu8mcE

This is a relatively faithful adaptation of the first level of Donkey Kong Country. It actually doesn't try to update the song in almost any way except for composing it with higher-quality instruments, which is a nice touch; it really brings out the strength of the original composition. You'd never be able to tell that this is SCREECHING GUITARS Motoi Sakuraba.

95. Meta Knight's Revenge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPPwdlgv2cs

A jazzy rendition of the Halberd stages from Kirby Super Star, this is probably one of the more well-known pieces of music from Brawl, being featured on the Dojo before the game's release and all. It departs from the more intense original by going for a more funky feel; I don't think the style meshes perfectly, but I do applaud the effort.

94. Battle for Storm Hill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO5a3pI7Ka8

An original track from Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, this is a fairly epic-sounding piece that reminds me a lot of the Dark Mountain theme from Link to the Past. I definitely wouldn't expect this from a game called "Donkey Kong Jungle Beat," that's for sure. An underrated gem.

93. Winning Road - Roy's Hope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9NuZEzpZlQ

A very inspirational theme that's one of the better and more memorable FE pieces in the game. The intro is kinda iffy, but from there on out it becomes a surging song full of hope and spirit. Very memorable.

92. Frozen Hillside http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiUYdM2anXY

Taken directly from Kirby Air Ride, this is a nifty little piece that really conveys the title name and has a very catchy melody. Franchises aside, I'm surprised this doesn't play on the Summit; it'd be right at home there.

91. Donkey Kong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKGSRtw8TdU

A.k.a. "that freaking weird remix of the 25m BGM that sounds like something Mythril Nazgul would do at Overclocked Remix." Yes, I like this one; it's very creative and flows surprisingly well for what it is. It's got a neat kind of hip-hop feel to it; this feels like something an ambitious rap producer would crank out. I like it.

90. Gerudo Valley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_bwHlDD9Nc

What? So low? Yeah, afraid so. As much as I'm into the Latin vibe of this Ocarina of Time gem, it doesn't ring as resonantly with me as it used to. Had they actually taken the time to arrange it, though... oh man.

89. K.K. Condor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jEFC2iEvug

I have no idea what this title means; I'd probably rename it to "K.K. Batcrap Insane." This, the last of the regular KK songs, is fast-paced, exciting, and entertaining all throughout, using the KK samples and whistling to great effect. Very, very cool.

88. Shotgun Kiss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Z91nOcGa0

This is the Casino Palace theme from F-Zero GX, a saxophone-filled techno piece that perfectly conveys the feeling of being in a high-stakes atmosphere. Towards the end it segues into the "last lap" motif as well, which is a nice touch.

87. Road to Viridian City http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjcwj6XWjCk

This Pokemon song is structured very similarly to Melee's Onett theme - it starts off high-spirited and then simmers down a bit and becomes something very pretty. Definitely makes for good adventuring music.

86. Hidden Mountain & Forest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oic6wAnSX6o

A very epic rendition of Link to the Past's dark mountain theme, this sweeping piece actually manages to be better than the original - and given how memorable the original was, that's no small feat.

85. Planet Colors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBkbiYC0ZzM

This is the Green Plant (I think that's what it was called) theme from F-Zero GX, another guitar/techno hybrid that's outstanding at getting me pumped up. It's got great guitar parts and a very cool synth-y effect in the background that really adds to the overall feel. A great song to race - and brawl - to.

84. Dream Chaser http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMPUdeBM-gQ

A fairly straightforward rockin' guitar song from F-Zero X, full of high-octane riffs and other such things. For whatever reason I stared at my computer monitor for several minutes and couldn't think of anything else to say about this song; this seems appropriate, given that its course name is "Silence."

83. Norfair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--sRhAa45YI

A very funky little remix of a classic Metroid tune. This actually used to be my favorite Metroid piece in the entire game, but the astute among you will note that there are a few Metroid songs that haven't been listed yet.

82. Vs. Marx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9kP92PIoVE

Arranged by legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda, this is a unique rendition of the Marx battle theme (and the ditty that plays after Marx is defeated) from Kirby Super Star. It's not as intense as the original; rather, it has an almost circus-like feel to it, which is very fitting for the Marx character.

81. Douchuumen (Nazo no Murasamejo) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K40Aa38CE7s

Hey, I actually spelled that without looking. Go me! This is a nifty little Eastern-themed chiptune, which is two pluses in my book, and though the arranged version I have of it is better, this is still an underrated classic.

80. Underground Theme (Super Mario Land) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WFUVyqWaro

Now we're getting into the REALLY good stuff. Brawl has a stellar soundtrack if I'd consider 80 songs of it in the really good category, eh? This is a remix of the Easton Kingdom theme from Super Mario Land, and it's a pretty intense little number (as if the "HEY"s don't give that away). Lots of heavy percussion and the like. Very cool.

79. King K. Rool / Ship Deck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkcWOIqASxs

Reminder: I like the remainder of all of these songs. That said, this is a spirited umber that really captures the essence of this DKC classic; it's rollicking and fun while being somewhat sinister at the same time.

78. Emerald Hill Zone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9lq8i1UL-Y

An unaltered classic (and given what Angel Island sounds like, I'm kinda glad they didn't alter it!) from Sonic 2 sports Genesis-era sounds with an outstanding melody. I think everyone and their mother has heard this song by this point, and if you haven't, what's stopping you?

77. Vs. Parasite Queen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD2h7tu8Bmk

Ripped straight outta Metroid Prime, this is a very intense song that plays during the first boss battle. There's discordant notes aplenty and what sounds like a lunatic steam engine in the background; the latter creates an almost hypnotic, metronome-like effect. What's not to love?

76. Preparing to Advance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q098mtAZi2c

A Fire Emblem song that's very sweeping and epic without actually being overbearing, which is very welcome. There's all kinds of crazy instrumentation going on here but it's all kept in check; everything has its place and it all feels very deliberate. Definitely a keeper.

75. Vs. Meta Ridley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDP9oCBbuoI

Take the Parasite Queen battle music and ramp up the intensity, craziness, and general heart-pounding... ness. That's Meta Ridley. The Ridley boss battle theme gets a mechanical overhaul, much like its subject; the song just keeps getting more intense as it goes.

74. Green Hill Zone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyao6zsyw5s

Fun Ed Bellis fact: Green Hill Zone was the first video game experience of my life. I know I said I wasn't going by nostalgia - and I'm not, I swear - but man, does this song have it in spades for me. The song itself is an excellent, catchy melody that everyone loves. At least they better.

73. Castle / Boss Fortress (Super Mario World / Super Mario Bros. 3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFnuHleqZUA

A medley of... the castle and boss fortress from SMW and SMB3. I'm so helpful! The two songs flow together very well and create an atmosphere of doom and destruction. Very cool stuff here.

72. Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wElun9qnqew

A slow-moving, deliberate song that really sets an excellent tone: I'd expect nothing less from Samus's theme. It's a fairly straightforward arrangement of the original tune that really evokes the vastness of space and the kickass... ness of its subject.

71. Pokemon Gym / Evolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaHs1GSHMI4

A medley of the gym and evolution themes from Pokemon (...obviously), this is a spirited song that's very accessible and easy to get into, even if one's never played a Pokemon game (like me). Reminds me a lot of Theme of Samus, actually, albeit with a much different focus.

70. Power-Up Music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0suqSWupWjE

The powerup music from Wrecking Crew is a lovely little chiptune that's fun, fast-paced, and easy to get pumped up to. This song also plays when one gets a Golden Hammer, FYI.

69. Underwater Theme (Super Mario Bros.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbbj5B4a4X0

This starts off with the original 8-bit underwater theme before transitioning into an instrumental version... and then a twangy country-and-western version. Oh, Shogo Sakai, how you amuse me! It then loops back around to the original. Very creative, very unique.

68. Seven Rings in Hand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD1ueKdDEqE

Call me a hypocrite if you must, but to me Seven Rings in Hand does everything those awful Crush 40 songs try to do - make something really professional and cool. This song is sleek and very well-done, and it's not any higher only because everything else is that much better. Suck on that !!

67. Chill (Dr. Mario) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGrpowuCDcQ

An awesome rendition of a puzzle game classic, this song is all over the place, from Eastern themes to weird chanting to great guitar parts. It's an entertaining romp that manages to bring out new life to the old song, which is damn impressive.

66. Rainbow Road http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWxzPXGY8C4

Ripped straight outta Mario Kart: Double Dash, this itself is a sort-of medley of various Rainbow Road themes (at least I think it is - I can place the MK64 one and that's all). Like all Rainbow Road music, it's very melodic and really gives the impression of soaring through space.

65. Encounter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XvKcWfNiPg

Taken from the first Metal Gear Solid, this, like the rest of the MGS music, fits in perfectly with the 'spy' motif and has the added benefit of being particularly intense and atmospheric. I'm no fan of the Metal Gear Solid theme, granted, but this comes pretty darn close in capturing the essence of the first game to me.

64. Wilderness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXFi9W_9bz4

A banjo and a... harmonica? I don't know what that main instrument is, but it fits right at home with the jug-band feel of this Yoshi track. About halfway through the song goes all SpongeBob SquarePants, then turns for a little bit into a rather lovely instrumental piece. Very cool.

63. Tetris: Type B http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M90qh5gocg

I did a little mini-orgasm when I found out Tetris music was in the game. Masafumi Takada (remember the name?) does a number on this piece, turning it into a sort of Russian folk dance with people muttering in the background and a very unique flavor all its own.

62. Porky's Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5CjB16gM94

Speaking of Russians, I always got a Russian opera vibe from this Mother 3 piece, which is the first of the game's six Mother pieces I've mentioned. Crazy! I can take or leave the intro part, but the slowdown towards the middle, when the melody gets repeated but slower, is gold.

61. Hyrule Field Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW7lnrc12gM

An arranged version of the Ocarina of Time overworld, Hyrule Field takes everything that was good about the original and amplifies it, which is awesome. My favorite part is still, as usual, the breakdown, which brings out a sweet-sounding melody with soft instruments. A classic.

60. Theme of Tara http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0F4zkbxdE0

The intro to this might be the best in the entire game; were the rest of the song that amazing, this would probably be top ten material. Theme of Tara (from Metal Gear) is nevertheless is a damn good song, very atmospheric and compelling.

59. Town Hall and Tom Nook's Store http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRP4feg3Py0

God damn but this song is infectiously catchy. From the whistling to the cute little instrumentation, everything just flows together really well here. This is basically one of the first songs on the list I've got next to nothing bad to say about.

58. You Call This a Utopia?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdLwp9-oJgE

I really, really wanted to put this higher, but competition has been getting really fierce as of this point; the top songs are still moving around a bit. This is the theme to New Pork City and is basically a jazzier version of Porky's Theme with some extra bits thrown in, and trust me when I say it rules. Like I said, I wish I could put it higher.

57. Fire Emblem Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdEnrw7KBYY

I originally didn't see anything special in this epic choral song. But boy, did it grow on me - it's not just the choir, it's the sweeping instruments, the epic feel... it's got basically everything you could want from such a song. Easily the best FE song in the entire game.

56. The Hidden Village http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V-zLNSAkwI

Taken straight from Twilight Princess, this is a Western-themed song that sounds like it's taken straight from a Wild Arms game. The guitar and whistling at the beginning lead the way into one of the coolest-sounding songs in the game.

55. Title (Kid Icarus) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byGvHq4IzgY

Kenji Ito arranged this sweeping version of the Kid Icarus title screen, with a nifty high-pitched effect that plays throughout that's very evocative of the original song. It's understated at parts and very stirring in others, which is a great effect to pull off.

54. Title / Ending (Super Mario World) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naZCnv1b-ns

A wonderful version of one of my favorite video game songs, Super Mario World's Credits theme. And the title screen, I guess. It's bouncy and bubbly and fun (like Tiggers!) and really brings out the catchiness of both songs... and possibly even makes them better!

53. Tunnel Scene (X) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16ufVy9DRe8

A crazy song arranged from an obscure game that probably five people outside of Japan had heard of before Brawl, Tunnel Scene is fast-paced and never lets up from start to finish to start again and continuously however long you have it on repeat. A keeper.

52. Ending (Metroid) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdHhBHmj3w8

A damn incredible arrangement of the Metroid Ending theme that covers a wide array of emotions and manages to excel at all of them. Easily the best song that plays on Norfair.

51. Delfino Plaza http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIjW17IPRdg

The best thing about Super Mario Sunshine - and in my opinion quite possibly the only good thing - was its music. Delfino Plaza, the main overworld theme, is a deserving classic that made its way unchanged into Brawl. It's a tropical, bubbly theme that never overstays its welcome. Like Ricco Harbor, it adds in a percussion track halfway through that signifies in the actual game the presence of Yoshi.

50. Space Battleground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEEUNhqxPNo

Taken straight from Star Fox Assault (which I've never played), this is a crazy symphonic track that puts you right in the heart of a space battle and never lets up. The song perfectly conveys that sense of desperation of facing seemingly unwinnable odds, and that sense of hope of triumphing regardless.

49. Main Theme (The Legend of Zelda) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyBI4edE32o

Before I heard Brawl's eighty-five renditions of the Zelda main theme, I always thought the best version of the classic song was Link to the Past's. This, arranged by legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage, Actraiser, the "Norfair" track from Brawl), manages to actually be better than that version, bringing out the timelessness in the main theme. Halfway through it turns into a unique symphonic tune that then segues back into the main theme and plays around with the overall melody. A classic.

48. Underworld (Kid Icarus) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dClKAO6QU6Q

The best of the game's four (count 'em, four!) Kid Icarus songs, this takes the game's Underworld theme and turns it into a symphonic overture with some other instruments mixed in, like what sounds like a saxophone. It's sweeping and very cool, plus it has my favorite part in a song - TEH BREAKDOWNZ - that really serves to bring the song home. Definitely conveys the sense of soaring through the sky.

47. Lip's Theme (Panel de Pon) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_IQZD5sSU0

Another Masafumi Takada gem, this song is pure synth-pop goodness. The basic melody keeps getting repeated all throughout with subtle variations, which is very cool. There's guitar strumming at various points. Just listen to it - lots of head-bopping will ensue, of that I guarantee.

46. Area 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eucORXzzgLs

A symphonic arrangement of the most hardcore stage in Star Fox 64, Area 6, like Space Battleground before it, perfectly conveys the essence of a dogfight through space. Though the original is ever so slightly better, this is still one of the most kickass, heart-pumping songs in the entire game - and that's saying a lot.

45. Humoresque of a Little Dog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2onSzVpYhx0

A banjo (GUH HUH)-laden arrangement of the shop music from Earthbound, given a perplexing title (though I guess it's better than "Buy Somethin' Will Ya!"). Good-natured, rollicking and incredibly fun to listen to; I've had it on repeat a number of times and it's yet to get old.

44. Ice Climber http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy3MrobCs8g

Ice Climbers fanboyism aside, this is an absolutely kickass remix of the Icicle Mountain theme from Melee, which itself is a medley of the various pieces of music from Ice Climber. It starts off relatively calm, then turns into a fantastic guitar part, then turns into a dreamy bit with harps and such. It stays interesting and compelling all throughout, and - like the previous song - has yet to get old.

43. Midna's Lament http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIuOpb_KNCA

Also called "Midna's Desperation" or "Midna's Desperate Hour" or whatever you want to call it. Basically, it's a gorgeous piano song with strings that occasionally float in and out ethereally that give it this otherworldly quality. It perfectly conveys the sense of - to borrow a term from the alternate title - desperation and faint, fleeting hope.

42. Flower Field http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h13jxkC_bB0

This is basically happiness distilled into a 1-minute little bubble of Yoshi-ness. It's poppy, it's catchy, it's got a cute little melody, and it makes me happy. What more could you want in a song?

41. The Legendary Air Ride Machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Ycazi3Qy4

A symphonic version of a Kirby Air Ride song, with some nice percussion in the background. Sounds very professional, and as usual the breakdown is excellent; hell, there's even a breakdown of the breakdown (which should probably be considered something else >_>) that only serves to add to the coolness of the song.

40. Underground Theme (Super Mario Bros.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sif0cspc8Ks

This takes the original simple melody and expands upon it to a crazy degree. The backbone of the piece is the percussive main theme, but there's all kinds of effects added in, from wind noises to what sounds like a piano. It all comes together to make a cohesive piece that fits the theme perfectly.

39. Theme of Solid Snake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwHz-6RoUBc

An original song from Metal Gear 2, Theme of Solid Snake is, like the rest of the game's Metal Gear music, very atmospheric and spy-like, and really gives the sense of preparing to embark on a dangerous mission. I could easily see this, with lyrics attached, as the vocal theme to a later Metal Gear game.

38. Star Wolf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8j8Vuf0dwk

An orchestral adaptation of Star Fox 64's Star Wolf theme, this is a very similar song to Area 6, both of which strike all the right notes (har har) in conveying the sense of an epic battle approaching. The main melody is sweeping and damn easy to get into, from the heart-pumping opening notes to the slow and deliberate chorus.

37. MGS4 ~Theme of Love~ Smash Bros. Brawl Version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UonmG809vys

Speaking of intense, this song fits the bill perfectly. It's a textbook example of how to build a song well and proof positive that you don't need a throbbing beat to construct intensity - this song is deliberate and smooth, and each change feels completely justified, from the noticeable percussion to the violin (at least I think it's a violin) solo that plays toward the middle.

36. Scrap Brain Zone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdFXcnHi2yY

An intense Genesis-era tune from Sonic 1, Scrap Brain is a song that most people are probably familiar with (or at least they damn well better be). It's very sinister and intense, conveying the feeling of approaching the final boss's quarters perfectly. Percussion is used really well here (a retro Sonic trademark), especially the deep beats in the chorus.

35. Butter Building http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Qo5hKP2yU

Arranged from Kirby's Adventure, Butter Building is a whole smorgasbord of various bits and pieces from other Kirby songs. Instruments range from faded guitars to trumpets to what sounds like a door knock to just about everything else they could throw in. The amazing thing is that it all works really well - the song doesn't feel cluttered at all. The trumpet solo towards the middle is probably my favorite part.

34. Sonic Boom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axmQoI8Oi1Y

if you're strong, you can fly you can reach the other side of the rainbow it's alright, take a chance cause there is no circumstance... that you can't handle

This is how vocal Sonic songs should be done. Forget Crush 40, forget all the weird Hideki Naganuma jazz from Sonic Rush, forget even the mixed opinions on Seven Rings in Hand - this is the definitive Sonic vocal song. Ten years later, nothing even comes close in capturing the essence of the character.

33. Song of Storms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axmQoI8Oi1Y

This is a mysterious little Ocarina of Time medley consisting of, of all things, the Song of Storms, Ganondorf's theme, and the Serenade of Water. Whoever decided those three would go well together.... needs to be thanked, as they miraculously do. The bulk of the song is the excellent Song of Storms (also known as the windmill theme), but the transitions to the other bits work damn well also.

32. Tetris: Type A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tapzwyMgziE

An arranged version of the classic Tetris theme, this takes everything that's good about Type B, including the Russian theme, and amplifies it in its simplicity; it's basically the original song with an ethnic orchestral flavor, yet that works out so well. It's stirring and memorable.

31. Boss Theme Medley (Kirby Super Star) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p1BJLlnaXc

I dunno why they label this as being from KSS, since I only recognize one song within as being from that game, but whatever - this is an absolute kickass medley of Kirby boss themes that uses mostly techno beats, synths, and guitars to create an atmosphere of intensity and overall badassness that sounds like something ripped straight out of an F-Zero game.

30. Star Wolf (Star Fox Assault) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZlZuavbf4

A much more slow-paced rendition of the classic Star Wolf theme, this song is actually somehow even more menacing and sinister than both the original and the straightforward arranged track. I adore the slow, drawn-out notes of the main theme; it sounds almost like a James Bond intro. This one's very, very underrated.

29. Ending (Yoshi's Story) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZJ7wR1RFhw

Sakurai might have been blowing smoke out of his ass for a lot of those Brawl updates, but he got at least one thing right: this song's enough to make a guy cry. An absolutely beautiful arrangement of the Yoshi's Story ending (a song I don't even remember), this even does the seemingly impossible task of making that damn Yoshi chanting not obnoxious. It all flows together in one beautiful package. Another gem from Masafumi Takada.

28. Vs. Ridley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpU7oSBJWCo

The absolute best version of this song to ever exist. A hard-rock arrangement of the Ridley boss battle, this is easily one of the most intense songs in the whole game. The guitar parts blaze across the track and perfectly convey the sense of impending doom represented by its subject. Like Ridley himself, this song is almost TOO BIG for the game.

27. Forest of Hope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogkdYlCn4s4

An original track from Pikmin, Forest of Hope is an utterly gorgeous and soothing song that perfectly conveys the sense of being in a totally new world. Composed by Hajime Wakai, it's a simple song with stirring strings that manages to be, in its simplicity, quietly moving. Another underrated classic.

26. Mother 3 Love Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF9hfnauy5s

Shogo Sakai arranged this gorgeous rendition of the Love Theme from Mother 3 that starts off spirited and poppy and then becomes something else entirely - like Forest of Hope, it becomes a song that feels both familiar and strange at the same time, as if exploring a new world. The same main melody is repeated, but softer and more tentative... then it transitions back into the main theme again. It's a song that evokes many complex emotions.

25. HIS WORLD (Instrumental) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSVgw2rdkc4

We've finally reached the 25 best songs in the entire game, and this one may come as a bit of a surprise to some - why put a seemingly generic rock song from Sonic so high? My response is that His World (caps be damned) is far from generic - composer Tomoya Ohtani uses the rock vibe to perfectly convey the sense of 'edge' that exemplifies what Sonic should be like. It's a spectacular song with blistering guitars that never lets up, and it's easily the best the Sonic series has to offer in Brawl.

24. Space Armada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Cp3mQoYEg

With the exception of the hideous Area 6 Ver. 2 (my bottom song), all of the Star Fox music in Brawl is very good. Kenji Ito arranged this piece from the original Star Fox, yet another sweeping, soaring song you could easily picture a gigantic space battle to. It's tough to say exactly what I prefer in Space Armada over the other very similar Star Fox songs, but I think this one just has the greatest sense of wonder in it, plus the feelings of urgency and adventure found in the others.

23. Calling to the Night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z088ZSl-OOA

Of all of Brawl's 200+ songs, this one surprised me the most. I'm no sucker for vocal songs normally and I at first passed this off as just another generic video game ballad. But Natasha Farrow's Calling to the Night is so much more than that - it's heartfelt, it's intense, it's emotive, it actually makes sense, unlike so many other 'Engrish' songs (seriously, I am the Wind? The hell?). It's a song about the fleeting nature of humanity in the face of insurmountable odds (at least it is to me), and Farrow's singing is absolutely beautiful.

22. Main Theme (Twilight Princess) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY3RwWDSQlM

From the sweeping opening notes to the chant-filled chords around the one-minute mark to the quieter segments that follow, TP's Hyrule Field is a gem of adventuring and exploring. I've always loved this tune and think it's one of the best things about a game that failed to live up to the hype in pretty much every other way. The song, composed by Koji Kondo, Toru Minegishi and Asuka Ota, is among the best both Brawl and Twilight Princess have to offer for perfectly conveying the sense of adventure, uncertainty, and mystery.

21. Waluigi Pinball http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI7UvP0VdYk

A techno remix from Mario Kart 64, Waluigi Pinball is arranged by Kentaro Ishitaka and is quite possibly the catchiest song in the entire damn game. The entire song is more bubbly than a bottle of champagne. It's got random cartoony sound effects thrown in for good measure (like 'boings' and such), it's got fast-paced synths that sound like retro Game and Watch noises. All it needs is Waluigi rubbing his mustache and cackling and it'd be complete.

20. 2:00 a.m. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_i02ElT434

Tomoko Sasaki brings us this medley of songs I've never heard before from Animal Crossing! Hurray. It's basically what would happen if a K.K. song had more than just K.K. Slider 'singing,' whistling, and playing his guitar, and the results are damn impressive - Totakete has a whole band now, it seems, and it's got all the trademarks of a KK song plus a ton of extra goodies - dogs barking, KK howling, drums and synths and whistling and pretty much the whole shebang. A keeper.

19. Opening / Menu (Metroid Prime) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0beo7CkNnw8

An atmospheric piece from Metroid Prime composed by Kenji Yamamato (and pointlessly 'narrated' by Jay Ward), this is the best damn Metroid song in the game. Apart from working perfectly in Metroid Prime itself, the Menu theme is incredibly intense and evocative, conveying a sense of the bleakness of space while still managing to evoke the badassery of Samus. Forget the "Theme of Samus" piece - to me, this will always be Samus's theme song.

18. World Map (Pikmin 2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzWvkVqKH4w

Legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda brings his trademark Celtic influence to this piece, the best Pikmin track in the game. Like the rest of the Pikmin songs, there's the feeling of exploring a world all throughout the song, but there's the added benefit of a gorgeous and soothing melody as well. This would be right at home in one of Mitsuda's RPGs he's composed (like Chrono Cross).

17. Fire Field http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5YNQZuv4bI

Yusuke Takahama (arranger of 'Vs. Ridley') does some of the best guitar work in the whole game here, in Brawl's best F-Zero song. An absolutely kickass piece that tackles the original and runs in a totally new direction for it; this easily transcends the rest of Brawl's F-Zero songs by miles. Of particular note is the guitar solo towards the end, which moves so fast and so raw that I can't imagine how one could do it without getting blisters. A potential Guitar Hero track, anyone?

16. Checker Knights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jof5evHx8gQ

Taken straight from Kirby Air Ride, Akira Miyagawa's song is a rollicking orchestral romp, full of variety and different movements. I've never even seen this song get mentioned when people talk about the best of the Kirby songs, which baffles my mind - it's so much fun to listen to and f to has a style that fits the song, which is more than one can say for some others (*coughGourmet Racecough*). One of the most entertaining pieces on the whole soundtrack.

15. Dialga / Palkia Battle at Spear Pillar! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642AIUwadk8

The backbone of this epic Pokemon battle song arranged by Takahiro Nishi is a crazy piano part that pervades for pretty much the whole tune. It starts off slow and menacing and keeps the same tempo throughout, though the song definitely picks up steam as it goes, with bells coming in around 1:20 in a mini-breakdown. Then it jumps right back in and never lets up. My favorite part is easily the high-pitched piano around 2:15. This song's got pretty much everything you could want out of an epic battle theme; it's slow, yeah, but it's deliberate and intense, and that's all the more impressive.

14. King Dedede's Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3QRoUTAUco

Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Super Mario RPG, etc.) arranged this insta-classic rendition of King Dedede's Theme. It takes the rocking original song and brings out the best in it, adding in a breakdown-esque part where the main melody repeats with fewer effects. I never used to get the appeal of Dedede (until I played him in Brawl, now I think he's hilarious), but I always loved his theme, and of all the Kirby games this is easily the best rendition of it.

13. Dragon Roost Island http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kiNz3abGc8

One of the best Zelda songs ever composed, this classic from Wind Waker (composed by Koji Kondo, Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai and Toru Minegishi - at least one of them, anyway) uses tinny whistling, clapping, and Latin instrumentation to great effect, creating a soundscape that's infectiously catchy and almost inspirational; the song almost feels encouraging, like it's telling you to press on in the face of adversity. At least that's the impression I get. Dragon Roost Island is in the top tier of the best the Zelda series has to offer.

12. 02 Battle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGrbx7XAPbc

Of all the Kirby songs in the game, I picked this as the best. Koji Hayama arranges this with the intent to redefine the word 'epic'; the song sounds like the entire universe is crumbling down around us. I know the constant chanting of 'HEY' (or whatever that is) has gotten mixed reviews, but I think it only serves to make the song even creepier and more intense; it not only accentuates the beats, it keeps them throbbing and pointing in your head. I would never have expected something so intense to come from a Kirby game, but I'm so very glad it did.

11. Go K.K. Rider! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnU1dG-y6SI

If an intense song like Zero Two coming from Kirby is a surprise, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a rollicking (or rickrolling, if you prefer) epic piece like Keigo Ozaki's Go K.K. Rider comes from the quaint little Animal Crossing series. There's strings, there's drums, there's Totakete singing towards the middle - it's basically got everything you could want in an adventurous song. Easily the best Animal Crossing has to offer in terms of music for Brawl.

10. The Great Sea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y1gw80wXZE

The astute among you will remember that this song (same composers as Dragon Roost Island) was featured very highly on my top 100 video game songs of all time. I guess this means that the remaining nine songs would place higher. Crazy! At any rate, this is the best Zelda overworld theme out there for a reason - nothing else encapsulates so well the feeling of exploration, the allure of sailing the open sea, the thrill of life itself. It's a deserving classic and is easily one of the best songs in the entire Zelda lexicon.

9. Route 209 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RlpfDOe-eU

When I first did my original "post songs from Brawl and i'll rank them" topic, I described Shogo Sakai's arrangement of Route 209 as like "going home." It still feels that way to me - a quiet, oddly reflective piece that really strikes a poignant chord with me. The song is simple, with piano and poppy instruments playing in tune with each other, yet in its simplicity is a peace that I find unusual for songs, especially in the fast-paced "genre" of video games. Listening to this just makes me calm and satisfied, and for that alone it's the best Pokemon song in the whole game.

8. Unfounded Revenge / Smashing Song of Praise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqTsXETOJBI

Kentaro lol-my-last-name-is-banned arranged this... medley (I think) from Mother 3, which is very spirited and goes pretty much all over the place in its restlessness. This is one of the most fun songs in the entire game to listen to just because it seems to cover in an incredibly broad array of stuff in about two minutes without ever seeming cluttered, which is very impressive (other composers, take note). It's got slow deliberateness, it's got fast-paced segments, it's a blast and a half to listen to all the way around.

7. Bramble Blast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fXC2S-1tGU

Shogo Sakai (who apparently did like half of this damn soundtrack) made me orgasm. Stickerbrush Symphony is easily my favorite video game song of all time, and when I found out it was going to be in Brawl I almost cried; it's that good. The arrangement itself isn't quite as good as the original, but I wouldn't expect it to be; it's still nevertheless a top-tier song, full of inspiration and calm and just an overall feel of tranquility and excitement at the same time. It doesn't get much better than this.

6. Ocarina of Time Medley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJIM_JwHGFk

As soon I heard a snippet of this song on the Dojo, I fell in love with it. A masterful medley of may of Ocarina of Time's short ocarina songs, Michiko Naruke (Wild Arms)'s arrangement is nothing short of an aural miracle. Effortlessly combining Zelda's Lullaby, Saria's Song, Epona's Song, and other ocarina songs whose names elude me at the moment, Naruke has created something stirring and completely beautiful and unique. It goes from quiet and pensive in the opening notes to dramatic and heart-pumping in the end. Damn impressive.

5. Title (The Legend of Zelda) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW9xG6FYgjw

Shogo Sakai does it again. I've heard an inordinate amount of renditions of the Zelda main theme, from in-game rearrangements to Overclocked Remixes to that damn "LINK, HE COME TO TOWN" thing. Nothing compares to this. This is what the main theme should always evoke (and rarely ever does, in my opinion) - a sense of epicness, of wonder and mystery, of intrigue and, ultimately, approaching darkness (the Underworld theme). The opening chants always manage to give me chills. This is how Zelda should always sound, and it's the absolute best the series has to offer.

4. Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vmK6q_gopo

Like the Zelda theme, I've countless renditions of the Mario Bros. tune, arguably the most famous of video game songs. I've heard done in styles ranging from scat to metal to jazz and everything in-between. But I never actually believed that it could be rearranged to be poignant. Koji Kondo demonstrates once again why he's a master in his field, turning his original work into something else completely different. The Ground Theme is wistful and sad, as if reflecting on days gone by; it's a perfect fit for the ruinous Mushroomy Kingdom stage. Easily the best rendition of the theme to date, and the best Mario has to offer in Brawl.

3. Final Destination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW3joFm5F78

This is the only original piece in the game that I've bothered to include on this list, and it should be obvious why to anyone who's heard it - apart from the main theme, it's the only original piece of music of mention. (Sadly, I don't have a composer name for it. Yet!) Final Destination manages to take the Brawl theme and turn into something totally different - a snarling, venomous beast of a song that attacks the listener and never lets up. It starts off with the main choral theme and then turns almost industrial, with blazing guitars and crazy percussion and damn near everything epic under the sun. If you took 02 Battle and gave it steroids, you'd have Final Destination. Easily the best the game has to offer in terms of epic, final battle music.

2. Snowman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ZvmuUxoaI

Shogo Sakai. Again. The man's a machine, I'm telling you. This is an utterly gorgeous song, the most beautiful in the whole game, arranged from the Winters theme from Earthbound. Like Route 209, Snowman is a peaceful and gorgeous song, one that seems to radiate calm. It builds up a bit in the second half, but always remains steady and assuring. Snowman is one of those songs that makes me glad to listen to video game music, and reminds me of the extent to which the medium can create great art. A masterpiece.

1. Shin Onigashima http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45JS6hA0Mcc

Masafumi Takada arranged this song, from an obscure Japanese-only Famicom game. What he did was absolutely incredible, turning a humble little folk song into the most kickass, intense, badass theme in the entire game. Shin Onigashima is six and a half minutes of rip-roaring guitars, incredible drums, and an amazing melody that never lets up. It surpasses even Final Destination at times in terms of epicness; it surpasses even Snowman at times in terms of melodic progression. Shin Onigashima is in so many ways the ultimate Super Smash Bros. Brawl song. It's the absolute best the game - and Nintendo - has to offer.