Top Ten: Zelda Tunes

Time to ignite the flame wars as Katharine counts down her top ten Zelda ditties.

By Katharine Byrne. Posted 09/04/2012 10:00 5 Comments     ShareThis

3. Palace Theme

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

I know I have a rather unhealthy obsession with Zelda II, but no one (and I mean no one) can deny that its Palace Theme is one of the best Zelda tunes in its twenty-five year history. Otherwise known as the musical backdrop to Super Smash Bros. Melee‘s Hyrule Temple, this piece of music is just one big can of whoop ass.

It accompanies Link’s journey through each of Northern Hyrule’s six palaces, driving him deeper and deeper into the maze-like bowels of each dungeon with its killer bassline. Those first eight notes in particular kick off proceedings with a serious statement of intent, and once the main melody’s in full swing, there’s simply no turning back. It immediately draws you in, setting you up for adventure, and while several dead-ends and punishing monsters may make you feel slightly overwhelmed at times, this piece of music is what always keeps me going in times of desperation.

One thing I particularly like about this theme, though, is the way it builds and builds to an almost furious wall of sound, mashing your ears with a frantic counter-melody around the one-minute mark, before falling away to almost nothing– a mere three beats and nothing else. Considering most 8-bit soundtracks could only produce three or four notes simultaneously due a console’s inherent hardware limitations, that’s pretty impressive.

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5 Responses to “Top Ten: Zelda Tunes”

  • 1558 points
    penduin says...

    Great list! I don’t think I could pick 10, there’s just been so much great music in the Zelda series. Zelda 2’s warbly “instrumentation” (if you can call it that) bugged me when I was young, but I’ve come to appreciate it and it made me smile to see its main palace music on the list.

    I’d love to hear a modern take on the original Zelda’s Level 9 music. Many previous dungeon themes have resurfaced in one way or another but unless I’m forgetting something, I can’t say I’ve heard that particular melody of dread and danger come up again.

    • 7 points
      Katharine Byrne says...

      Thanks! Ah, yes, Level 9. Man, that music’s creepy. It did, in fact, reappear in Four Swords Adventures in the Tower of Flames, but I know what you mean – it would be great to hear it used more often! :)

  • 1244 points
    lukas85 says...

    My 10 favorites in no particular order.

    1. Main Hyrule field theme
    2. Gerudo valley
    3. Temple of time
    4. Fairy fountain
    5. 4 gods from majoras mask
    6. Bolero of fire
    7. Ballad of the goddesses.
    8. Song of healing
    9. Ganondorf thheme from Twilight Princess
    10. Serenade of water.

    • 7 points
      Katharine Byrne says...

      All great tunes, Lukas! I was actually this close to including Queen Rutela’s Theme from Twilight Princess in the honourable mentions (a re-working of the Serenade of Water), but if I decided that if I included any more then I’d have a never-ending list!

      I’m also a very big fan of Ganondorf’s Theme, especially the Twilight Princess version (that final battle music is just epic!), but it’s a close tie between that one and The Last Battle from Ocarina of Time when it comes to my top Ganon music!

  • 1558 points
    penduin says...

    Woah, I completely forgot about the Four Swords Adventures rendition! I think I played through that level exactly once… Thanks for the tip! :^)

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