{"id":327,"date":"2013-10-29T15:07:43","date_gmt":"2013-10-29T19:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/?p=327"},"modified":"2013-10-29T17:16:58","modified_gmt":"2013-10-29T21:16:58","slug":"13-video-game-tracks-for-your-halloween-playlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/13-video-game-tracks-for-your-halloween-playlist\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Video Game Tracks For Your Halloween Playlist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s that time of year again, when every public place is decorated top to bottom in fake spider web, rubber skeletons and quickly rotting jack-o-lanterns, all with \u201cThe Monster Mash,\u201d \u201cGhostbusters\u201d and the entire soundtrack from <i>The Rocky Horror Picture Show<\/i> blasting out of a boom box on repeat. As dedicated gamers, isn\u2019t it about time we broke the mundane Halloween traditions and introduce our music to the world? Video games have some incredibly creepy music that\u2019s perfect for Halloween, which is why I compiled an \u201cunlucky 13\u201d video game tracks you need to have blasting from your doorstep this All Hallows\u2019 Eve.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/HalloweenCover.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-329 aligncenter\" alt=\"HalloweenCover\" src=\"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/HalloweenCover.jpg\" width=\"675\" height=\"493\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/HalloweenCover.jpg 675w, http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/HalloweenCover-300x219.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>NOTE: Don\u2019t expect 5 Mario and Zelda tracks on this list. I\u2019m only choosing one song per franchise, and if a series has multiple good tracks, I\u2019ll make sure to list them as \u201chonorable mentions.\u201d So with that, here we go, in no particular order:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>1. \u201cBloody Tears\u201d \u2013 <i>Castlevania II: Simon\u2019s Quest<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/EjazC45Qkww\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>It starts with an ominous tone, and quickly escalates to kick-ass status as it pumps you up for your vampire-killing journey. While the <i>Castlevania<\/i> series is chock-full of spectacular Halloween songs (with the original game\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0AZ5XZHIDh0\">\u201cVampire Killer\u201d<\/a> also of note), \u201cBloody Tears\u201d is easily my top pick from the franchise, if anything for its ability to be both eerie and heart-pumpingly fast-paced. And speaking of fast\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>2. \u201cA Ghost\u2019s Pumpkin Soup\u201d \u2013 <i>Sonic Adventure 2<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/LKK3J2h1nGA\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Yes I know, it\u2019s cheesy with its wanna-be rapper trying to make Knuckles the Echidna look all ghetto as he searches for Master Emerald shards. But that\u2019s what makes the theme song of <i>Sonic Adventure 2<\/i>\u2019s Pumpkin Hill level so <i>good<\/i>. This corny rap about getting scared by ghosts gets stuck in your head so easily it\u2019s essentially the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=K2rwxs1gH9w\">\u201cSpooky Scary Skeletons\u201d<\/a> of your video game Halloween playlist. If you want some more spooky Sonic music, check out the themes for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=H3cjgfNYW08\">Hang Castle<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=12lQMQEfINg\">Mystic Mansion<\/a> levels of <i>Sonic Heroes<\/i>. But let\u2019s be real, those tracks pale in comparison to this gem. Heh. GEM. As in the MASTER EMERALD. Get it?\u00a0 No? Oh\u2026 Moving on.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>3. \u201cCohen\u2019s Masterpiece\u201d &#8211;<b> <i>BioShock<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/nlu2z2gkhhI\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While <i>BioShock<\/i> has an overall incredible soundtrack by Garry Schyman, this piece from the game is easily my favorite. \u201cWritten\u201d by deranged artist Sander Cohen, this track is both haunting and beautiful, serving as a musical illustration of the intricate and delicate mind of an aristocrat gone mad.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>4. \u201cBetus Blues\u201d \u2013 <i>Super Meat Boy<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/6Kf7ycHajX4\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Much like \u201cBloody Tears\u201d in <i>Castlevania II<\/i>, the theme of the Hospital chapter in <i>Super Meat Boy<\/i> (itself a <i>Castlevania<\/i>-inspired level) hints of impending doom, using a fast beat to keep you moving and on your toes. If you\u2019re blasting this on Halloween, make sure you keep an eye out for any sentient blood clots and used hypodermic needles on your trick-or-treat route.<\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3>5. \u201cROBOTS!\u201d \u2013 <i>Team Fortress 2<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/vw-WJkJK210\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Halloween isn\u2019t just about classic scares from monsters. It\u2019s also just as much about the horrors of science fiction. And in sci-fi, what is scarier than an army of evil robots running after you with phasers set to KILL? This theme from <i>Team Fortress 2<\/i>\u2019s \u201cMann Vs. Machine\u201d mode hearkens back to those days of classic sci-fi, with plenty of scary industrial sounds and a wailing disembodied voice.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>6. \u201cLavender Town\u201d \u2013 <i>Pok\u00e9mon Red\/Blue\/Yellow<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/JNJJ-QkZ8cM\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Ahh, the song that haunts the nightmares of every Gen-1 <i>Pok\u00e9mon <\/i>fan. As a new generation of young gamers now enjoys <i>X &amp; Y<\/i>, why don\u2019t we play this song as we tell them about the time we older Pok\u00e9mon Trainers encountered the ghost of a dead Marowak?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>7. \u201cHaunted Graveyard\u201d \u2013 <i>Super Ghouls \u2018n Ghosts<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/xDRUhhBVrng\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re playing <i>Ghouls \u2018n Ghosts<\/i> or <i>Ghosts \u2018n Goblins<\/i>, whether it\u2019s the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=b694Bp2Zq0M\">arcade version<\/a>, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8i9l5_1MmB4\">NES version<\/a>, or heck, even if you\u2019re playing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gXv57X7N510\"><i>Marvel Vs. Capcom 3<\/i><\/a>, this is one kick-ass classic game theme for the \u2018Ween. That\u2019s short for Halloween, by the way. Not \u201cwiener.\u201d I\u2019m far too mature to make a crude joke about Arthur in his underwear. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MbSJbMBxaIc\">Or am I<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>8. \u201cLuigi\u2019s Mansion Theme\u201d \u2013 <i>Super Smash Bros. Brawl<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/wjdgxK44ctQ\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Just listen to that eerie toy piano plunking out the notes at the beginning of this song and try telling me why this doesn\u2019t belong in your Halloween video game playlist. This <i>Smash Bros<\/i>. rendition of the theme from <i>Luigi\u2019s Mansion<\/i> takes the just-as-perfect-for-Halloween theme from the original game and cranks up the creepy. Now while this may be a theme originally from a <i>Super Mario<\/i> game, this version is from the <i>Super Smash Bros. <\/i>franchise. So now that we\u2019re clear that I\u2019m not breaking my one game per franchise rule\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>9. \u201cBig Boo\u2019s Haunt\u201d \u2013 <i>Super Mario 64<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/bo5-qcLfx4I\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Now, the <i>Mario <\/i>franchise keep cranking out spectacular haunted house themes, from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8fCx1m0tQT0\">Ghost Houses<\/a> in <i>Super Mario World<\/i> to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=E2sPmtLg60k\">Ghostly Galaxy<\/a> in <i>Super Mario Galaxy<\/i>. But the theme from Big Boo\u2019s Haunt strikes a different chord with me. Unlike the other \u201cghost themes\u201d in Mario games, this one is <b><i>dark<\/i><\/b>. And it\u2019s appropriate enough when you consider it\u2019s in this level that you experience the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yS881o8R9LI\">most frightening event<\/a> in the entire <i>Mario<\/i> franchise\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>10. \u201cShadow Temple\u201d \u2013 <i>The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/V8H5DFyv4s4\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While we\u2019re on the subject of the Nintendo 64, let\u2019s talk about Zelda. If there\u2019s any track from the <i>Zelda<\/i> franchise that needs to play on loop in a haunted house, it\u2019s the Shadow Temple theme from <i>Ocarina of Time<\/i>. The dungeon itself is a haunted house, with hidden passageways, giant disembodied hands that fall from the ceiling and grab you, and a giant bongo-playing ghost as the boss. This music fills your ears with the mystery and uncertainty of what lies around each corner of the Shadow Temple.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>11. \u201cGhost of Rattman\u201d \u2013 <i>Portal 2<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/yz0LWeRnXo0\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>You walk behind a broken panel deep in the bowels of Aperture Science to find a hidden encampment made by former employee Doug Rattman. It\u2019s been abandoned for decades, yet you still feel his presence. Starting faint then rising up to almost overpower the music, you hear remnants of Rattman\u2019s schizophrenic ramblings back from when he, like you, was alone in an evil science facility with nothing but his own thoughts keeping him company. Scary as hell, indeed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>12. \u201cSacrificial\u201d \u2013 <i>The Binding of Isaac<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/_zD0EoDWyxA\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re in the basement of your house, running away from your mother, who is trying to sacrifice you to God (read: murder you with a huge kitchen knife). You\u2019re naked and alone, with creepy and dangerous monsters at every turn. This theme for the first level sets the mood for a game that is perfect to play on Halloween. The music even changes tone as you progress through <i>The Binding of Isaac<\/i>, getting increasingly ominous (and later more desperate sounding) as you fight through Mom\u2019s labyrinth to save your skin.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>13. \u201cMad Monster Mansion\u201d \u2013 <i>Banjo-Kazooie<\/i><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/kHxWxw30ul8\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I know we\u2019ve made it to the end, but honestly, you can get rid of all the other songs I listed here because <i>Banjo-Kazooie<\/i> has your entire Halloween soundtrack taken care of in one level. Need a general spooky-kooky Halloween theme? See the video above. Are you lurking through a rickety old house at midnight? Play <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PcnX2GVP5iU\">this<\/a>. Do you find yourself in an ancient, unkempt cemetery? There\u2019s a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wBSNVbBHdZw\">version<\/a> of the Mad Monster Mansion theme for that too. And while we\u2019re at it, let\u2019s throw in another track from <i>Banjo-Kazooie<\/i>, just in case you find yourself in a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cvRtrcoQL1Y\">witch\u2019s lair<\/a>. And look, there\u2019s a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gpBNJzfebho\">spooky rendition<\/a> of that too! Two themes that can change tones completely with some slight shifts in tempo and use of instruments means you really only need these few pieces from the <i>Banjo-Kazooie <\/i>soundtrack and your Halloween playlist is covered.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<address>The Minus World is written by Steven Brasley. You can keep up with his thoughts on gaming via\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/StevenBrasley\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/address>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s that time of year again, when every public place is decorated top to bottom in fake spider web, rubber skeletons and quickly rotting jack-o-lanterns, all with \u201cThe Monster Mash,\u201d \u201cGhostbusters\u201d and the entire soundtrack from The Rocky Horror Picture Show blasting out of a boom box on repeat. As dedicated gamers, isn\u2019t it about <a href='http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/13-video-game-tracks-for-your-halloween-playlist\/' class='excerpt-more'>[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=327"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":338,"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327\/revisions\/338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}