Until Twilight Princess was released in 2006, music in Zelda generally wasn't orchestrated, naturally downplaying all it could be. Many themes are just begging for a rendition in an orchestra, yet haven't seen that side of the game world. I'm not just talking about the popular ones (like the first three songs I mentioned). I'm referring to pieces that, regardless of the time period they were first heard in, would benefit more than most other songs from an orchestra.
There are a couple of criteria that must be met for songs to make this list, though. First, the orchestrated form of the song must be implemented into an actual Zelda game sometime in the future. Some of the themes I'll list will have already been heard in the Symphony of the Goddess tour, but those songs as presented in the tour are not heard in the games themselves. The songs must be in the actual upcoming game. Secondly, it must not be a cameo-type appearance, such as showing up only during the credits or having only a small part of it play during an original theme. To qualify, the songs on this list must be full, on their own, and used during the main of the game.
So, in no particular order, here are ten Zelda songs that should be orchestrated in a future game.
#1: Classic Zelda theme. Yep, the first theme people heard when they gained control of Link in the original game. The music has become legendary and is generally the first song used when Link makes an appearance in another game (such as Super Smash Bros. or Soulcalibur). That being said, the song, to the best of my knowledge, has not appeared in full during a Zelda game since Majora's Mask, released in 2000. Snippets of it have shown up in succeeding games, such as in the credits of The Wind Waker and the intro of a special song in Skyward Sword. The whole thing, however, has not been heard since Majora's Mask, where it was used as the theme for Termina Field.
And to clarify, yes, we heard the main Zelda theme in the Zelda 25th Anniversary CD, but again, I'm referring to songs that I want to hear in the games themselves. As such, we haven't heard the full main Zelda theme for about thirteen years.
Imagine riding through Hyrule Field on a horse, heading for the lair of a beastie that needs slaying, listening to the triumphant beat of the main theme to spur you on. It would be epic, and I'd like to hear it in full at least once before letting it go to rest again.
#2: Ballad of the Wind Fish (from Link's Awakening). Admittedly, 8-bit music is nothing really special. It's grainy, it's limited, it's 8-bitty, and it's basically used to set a general mood for an area without any personal attachments. It's often catchy, but it never resonates with players.
Then why was the Ballad of the Wind Fish so moving?! The standards and hardware limits of the day and age made it darn near impossible to create anything resonating, but the Ballad of the Wind Fish does it. All throughout Link's Awakening, you must locate eight dungeons, beat their bosses, and collect the Instrument of the Siren at the end of them. The Instrument plays its own part in the overarching Ballad of the Wind Fish, building up anticipation until you finally hear the full thing at the Wind Fish's egg. It was something personal to look forward to, especially at the end of dungeons. After sweating, bleeding, and possibly crying your way through dangerous labyrinths and destroying the Nightmare plaguing the residence, you find the Instrument of the Siren and let its sweet music soothe your nerves.
Perhaps the most touching moments featuring the Ballad of the Wind Fish are the ones in which Marin is singing it. The only sound you hear is a bunch of loud bleeping, but the notes used and transitions taken, partnered with the absolute silence of everything else, draw you into the song and make you long for an evening on an island beach yourself.
It's an excellently-done and very moving song, but it hasn't been heard in any Zelda game except Link's Awakening. That's not surprising, really; the Ballad of the Wind Fish is attached completely to the events of Koholint Island, leaving little incentive to revisit the theme in later games. Besides, if players heard the Ballad in a future game, they'd automatically think the game has something to do with Link's Awakening, even if it doesn't. And thereby we have unnecessary confusion. Still, it could be useful as a beach or island theme, and if a Zelda game makes frequent use of classic songs, it would probably eliminate confusion.
As a side-note, there are some very good Ballad of the Wind Fish remixes across YouTube and probably the internet at large, so if you ever wanted to hear what an official orchestrated version might sound like, you can start your search there.
#3: Palace theme (from Zelda II). Yes, we're going back even to the notorious "black sheep of Zelda," the second iteration in the franchise. I have not played the game myself, although I intend to despite the number of aneurysms and broken controllers it has caused players.
Zelda II was arguably the most radically different game in the series (not counting side games like the Tingle series, which most would probably like to pretend doesn't exist), adopting a more traditional RPG formula and making players wander an overworld from a top-down perspective before entering a dungeon and converting to a platformer. Each dungeon was known for its harsh difficulty and punishing enemies, and your reward for reaching the end of the level was a warm, refreshing cup of an even harder boss.
The dungeon music was a rather intricate piece that seemed to set an appropriate mood for a harrowing palace of monsters. It starts with a simple introductory series of notes to give the impression of entering a frightening new place, then picks up in speed to accentuate both fierce combat and the intimidation you'd feel from exploring a place like this in real life. The music changes a bit before the final loop, continuing to pick up in tempo. It's a very interesting theme that, because of its wider instrumental use than expected, would benefit greatly from a full orchestra. Everything from background effects to the main tune would make this one of the greatest dungeon themes in the game if realized in a symphony.
#4: Boss theme (from Majora's Mask). Now we come to one of my favorite Zelda songs in the entire universe. You only heard it four times in Majora's Mask, but it was no less epic than the first time and was always appropriate, no matter the boss. It starts with a loud, sudden burst of cymbals and strings, highlighting the boss's always-epic revealing. (There's probably a musical term for this, but I am not musically inclined.) The music then changes to an upbeat tempo as the boss starts to give you grief, and if you've played Majora's Mask long enough, you cannot tell me your adrenaline does not pick up at least a little.
The orchestrated version should probably be just as frantic as the original. That approach played a big part in the upped adrenaline players felt while pummeling/getting pummeled by the boss. I can envision a chorus in the very beginning and all the cymbal parts that emulate it, because choruses make everything more epic. Feel free to envision what you'd like after listening to it, but this is one song I'd love to hear again with an orchestra.
Also, interesting bit of trivia: the snowboarding mini-game in Twilight Princess has music strangely reminiscent of the boss music from Majora's Mask. I wouldn't know if there's any connection, but listen to the two themes and tell me what you think.
#5: Dark World theme (from A Link to the Past). This is another piece from a game I have not yet played (I know, give it time). In a similar vein to the classic Zelda theme, this is a song that was orchestrated for the Zelda 25th Anniversary, but to my knowledge has not appeared in any game outside of A Link to the Past.
The Dark World was a corrupted version of the Sacred Realm, which Ganon had been sealed into when the Link from Ocarina of Time failed in his attempt to defeat him and the Sages were forced to improvise (A Link to the Past, of course, taking place in the Downfall Timeline). As a sinister, more dangerous incarnation of what Link already knows, the music is triumphant (like the classic theme) but with hints of mystery and uncertainty thrown into the mix. He's ready to get down and dirty and do what needs to be done, but what the heck, why is the color scheme so dark and why is everybody a monster? It's a respected theme in the Zelda series, and the main tune can be substituted for any number of things equally well, such as violins, flutes, trumpets, or even bells.
It's also a theme that can adapt to any situation with variations to its composition. It can be slow and brooding if you want it to be, or a marching song (as its base format is), or a boss theme. The song is very adaptable, and it might be a good idea to create various renditions of it for different parts of the game.
#6: Final Boss theme (from The Wind Waker). No, not all of these songs are going to be from the year 2000 going backward. The Wind Waker can actually be considered recent, being released at the end of 2002 in Japan and the first half of 2003 internationally. In case you can't tell already, there are going to be some mild spoilers in this one. Skip ahead if you're not familiar with the final boss battle of The Wind Waker.
This theme, once again, has been orchestrated in the 25th Anniversary celebration, but never in an actual game. It's an epic piece that really set the stage for a showdown with the king of evil. You'd just crumpled up his plans, stomped on them, and shoved them down a paper shredder, right when it was all about to come together for him. I suppose his going slightly insane can be forgiven, but you still have to put up with his swords being jabbed at your throat repeatedly, and if you intend on living to see Aryll again, you'll have to put him down like Ol' Yeller.
In truth, I could write an entire article on what the final battle of The Wind Waker does right (especially in comparison to the other lackluster bosses in the game), but this article's focus is the music. It features pretty much everything you could want from a final boss theme: chorus, drums, strings, piano in the background. It goes back a bit to remix the music in the final dungeon, turning the quiet, eerie tune into an adrenaline-pumping one. My only real gripe with the music is how minimalist it can feel at times, when only a couple of instruments are playing and the overall impression is kind of quiet. This is another reason an orchestra would bring the song to life.
And for those of us who have beaten the game, I must get one joke out of my system. I apologize.
Master Sword! Apply directly to the forehead!
Master Sword! Apply directly to the forehead!
Master Sword! Apply directly to the forehead!
Master Sword is now available at your local shrine underneath a great deluge of water from the goddesses.
#7: Forest Temple theme (from Ocarina of Time). Let's face it. When you're a nine-year-old kid who watches his home's guardian die, gets tasked by a princess with killing giant behemoths and engaging in diplomacy with obstinate nations, comes back to town just in time to watch everything fall apart, and unexpectedly advances seven years into the future to discover the world is in ruins and it's your fault...you're going to feel a little stressed.
To piece together some answers, you must head to your old home in the forest to locate a childhood friend who can't hear the call to become a Sage because of the evil plaguing the woods. When you learn this friend has entered the fabled Forest Temple to deduce the truth herself, your only option is to follow suit and see if you can find her before a blade or a ball of devastating magic does. And when you step inside this temple - the very first dungeon of your adult hero career - you see gray stone walls covered in moss, obscured from view by trees growing right out of the grassy floor.
And then the music starts to play.
The Forest Temple theme is usually the first dungeon music players will hear in their time as adult Link in Ocarina of Time; the only way new players will enter any other dungeon first is by completely ignoring the advice of both Sheik and Navi and going out of their way to one of the other dungeons. Right off the bat, the music creates an atmosphere of mystery, suspense, and even panic, especially as what sounds like Link's cut-off screams get added into the song. How many other video game themes do you know of that incorporate screaming in them? (The Woodfall Temple theme from Majora's Mask is actually one. The music alone scared the crap out of me when I was little.)
The Forest Temple music is, at first, a simple theme with a tribal beat like someone tapping sticks on a hollow block of wood, accompanied by some gentle wind instruments. A stringed instrument playing rather harshly occasionally reveals itself, clashing ever-so-satisfactorily with the slow, smooth tune already laid down. After a certain point, the original theme is dropped altogether, and only the strings and an eerie shout repeat themselves until the loop. It's awesome.
In all honesty, the Forest Temple theme is not necessarily one of the best or most memorable songs in the series. It is, however, one of the most noteworthy, as it sets a perfect mood for a haunted castle set in the forest, a castle that defies the laws of physics and makes you feel so desperate for truth. This is especially powerful since you just went seven years into the ruined future and still barely know what to expect, this being the first new dungeon theme to greet you. I really hope upcoming games take a leaf out of the Forest Temple's book and set the mood in such a way that not only stands out, but helps define the experience and is overall pleasant to hear.
#8: Dungeon theme (from original Zelda). Quite similar to the Forest Temple experience mentioned above, the dungeon music from the first Zelda game is especially noteworthy because it is both the first dungeon theme you hear in the game and it sets the perfect mood. You were given little to no direction in the first game, so it was a genuine surprise when you entered a dungeon and were greeted with a somewhat different take than the overworld you'd just traversed. Enemies were more dangerous and packed in more tightly, and you couldn't just waltz your way to the end; you had to use your brain to solve puzzles along the way. As you dodge blades and check the room out for secrets, a creepy theme with four repeating notes fills your ears, never quite making you feel safe, but anyone looking for adventure is loving it. A low bass in the background accentuates the haunting feeling like someone's always watching you. And considering how powerful Ganon is, it wouldn't surprise me if someone was.
Like the Dark World theme from A Link to the Past, the dungeon theme from the first game is so versatile. You can play with it any number of ways. I've often imagined a slow, lonely piano playing the four repeating notes while a bass comes in after a moment and accompanies it. Be sure to let me know how you'd like to hear this classic song come to life.
#9: Ikana Castle theme (from Majora's Mask). That's right, a second theme from Majora's Mask. When people are asked which game they think has the best Zelda music, Skyward Sword and The Wind Waker are undoubtedly the two that come up most often. I don't think many stop to consider the soundtrack of Majora's Mask, though, which ranks either number one or two on my Best Zelda Soundtrack List (which does not officially exist yet, but whatever). Some of the most memorable themes in the entire series - Deku Palace, Clock Town, Stone Tower, Termina Field - all come from this game. If you're not familiar with the soundtrack, I would suggest promptly finding a playlist somewhere on the internet and giving the whole thing a listen.
But I digress. Ikana Castle is one of the game's dungeons-that's-not-a-dungeon. It doesn't quite fit the description of "mini-dungeon," as it's basically as long and hard as any of the four main temples in the game. It also houses one of the hardest bosses I have ever faced in a video game. Gyorg takes a backseat for me compared to Igos du Ikana, who I rarely hear mentioned in discussions on the most difficult Zelda bosses. It's been ages since I played Majora's Mask, so maybe I just sucked then (which I did) and nobody else had any real problems with it.
I digress again. The Ancient Castle of Ikana has the fitting music of an imperial hall forgotten through time, left to rot and fester. A mild drumbeat permeates the song, and a synthesized chorus regularly shows itself to send chills down your spine. As I said in my talk about the final battle theme of The Wind Waker, choruses make everything more epic, so just imagine what the voices of living people would do to this song. The theme of Ikana Castle is not one which always comes to mind when one thinks of good Zelda music, but it could really use an orchestra to flesh it out and bring it to life, two terms which are incredibly ironic when used to describe a castle full of dancing zombies and a skeletal king.
#10: Clock Town theme (from Majora's Mask). Yes, the last song on this list is indeed a third one from Majora's Mask. I hold the position that the game has some severely underrated music. The Wind Waker and Skyward Sword (both of which help form my top three Zelda games with the best music) may have numerous songs which stand out and are excellently done, but Majora's Mask just has an all-around superior and memorable soundtrack throughout the entire game.
I think I just answered my own question on which Zelda game I think has the best music.
Those that have played Majora's Mask may wonder if I'm referring to the Clock Town theme that plays on day one, two, or three, as the song is somewhat different each time to reflect what's currently happening. The answer is...yes. All are well-done, and all create the perfect atmosphere.
For those of you not familiar with Majora's Mask, allow me to explain. While looking for an "old friend," you wind up in a parallel dimension to Hyrule called Termina. In addition to a few recent deaths and MIAs, the whole place is about to get squished by a moon with a freaking angry face in three days. Clock Town is the central hub to this surreal world where everyone tries to live a relatively ordinary life in spite of the moon breathing down their necks. The music of Clock Town changes to resemble the events of each day. Day one is considered the "normal" theme and is more what I was thinking about when I put the song on this list. It rains on day two, so while remaining upbeat and lighthearted, it injects a more subdued note to the music. Day three is the last day everything has left to live, so the original theme is sped up and embellished with ominous instruments in the background.
It's also rather creepy how the moon actually gets closer and closer with each passing hour. It's not some 2D image copied and pasted into the sky so people don't ask questions. It moves. Listen to the frantic music of the third day in anywhere meant to be happy (like Disney World), then look up and picture a livid moon drowning out the sky. That's day three of Clock Town in Majora's Mask.
There are many instruments that go into Clock Town's theme, predominantly the strings and a wind instrument. Some guitar work and various other instruments could be added to enhance things, especially if all three versions of the song are going into the game (as all three songs have different instruments). This is an excellent song to orchestrate, and on something of a side note, it might be in Nintendo's interest to orchestrate Majora's Mask 3D should they ever make it. Ocarina of Time 3D wasn't orchestrated, but who says MM 3D has to take directly off of it?
That is the end of the list. Some of you may be thinking, "What the heck?! Why wouldn't you put [insert name of Zelda song here] on the list?" It should be noted that this list is titled 10 Zelda Songs That Should Be Orchestrated, not Top 10. There may be more of this in the future, especially as I play more games in the series and receive more feedback. Let me know what you think of the ten songs I've selected in addition to any songs you recommend. They might just show up on another list.
Thanks for reading. See you next time!
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