What’s good gamers! Welcome back to another edition of Video Game Vibes, where we talk all things gaming!
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Sonic franchise, and we’re back taking another look at my favorite series, Sonic, and specifically one of my favorite games in the franchise, Sonic Adventure!
This game holds a special place in my heart for many reasons, as it was one of the first games I ever remember beating as a kid, and that sense of accomplishment was amazing! It was also one of the first games in the franchise I played, soon after my first game: Sonic Generations.
If you don’t know, Sonic Adventure was actually the first mainline 3D Sonic game, and it originally released in 1998 in Japan, and 1999 in North America. The game was groundbreaking for its story, development of the main series cast (along with their striking new designs), the gameplay, and of course, the soundtrack.
This game introduced a wide variety of styles and genres to the franchise, which it would continue to play with until this day, including, rock, jazz, synth, rap, and ska! The vibes in this game are immaculate to say the least!
Most of this can be traced back to Jun Senoue, who had his first run as sound director on this game, and expanded the musical possibilities for the series, along with additional help from Fumie Kumatani and Kenichi Tokoi!
I wanted to talk about a few of the level tracks for this post, and save some of the vocal themes for a separate one, because they deserve equal love and attention. With all that in mind, let’s get right into it!
Track Rundown
#1 – Emerald Coast, Azure Blue World – composed by Jun Senoue
This track is from the very first level of the game, Emerald Coast, and probably one most players at the time heard the most often, as it was the level used in demo releases for the game.
This track introduces Sonic into 3D in a fun and vibrant beach level, mixing the fun rock vibes with cool beach vibes for an iconic opening level track!
#2 – Emerald Coast, Windy and Ripply – composed by Jun Senoue
Much like the classic Sonic games, Sonic Adventure splits its levels into acts, but instead of changing design, you simply enter a new area of the same level. This means multiple tracks for the same level, which is awesome!
This track makes up the second half of Emerald Coast, going for a more chill rock vibe, but still keeping the beach vibes intact!
#3 – Casinopolis, The Dreamy Stage – composed by Fumie Kumatani and Kenichi Tokoi
This level continues the series’ staple for casino levels, and delivers a jazz-fueled track that makes you feel like you’ve been transported straight to Vegas!
#4 – Casinopolis, Dilapidated Way – composed by Jun Senoue
If you choose to fail the pinball game in this level, you’ll be taken to the sewers underneath the casino, where this very chill rock/jazz fusion plays. It really highlights the unseemly and weird vibes you’d feel being in a sewer!
#5 – Twinkle Park, Twinkle Cart – composed by Jun Senoue
This track starts the level Twinkle Park, which is an in-game amusement park! In this section, you ride on the bumper cars through a space themed area, and this track’s synths really convey that!
#6 – Twinkle Park, Pleasure Castle – composed by Jun Senoue
Once inside the actual park, you’re met with this track. This high energy combo of synth and rock gives you the feeling of nostalgia and joy from when you were a kid, and theme parks seemed like these endless places filled with things to explore and play with!
#7 – Speed Highway, Run Through the Speed Highway – composed by Jun Senoue and Fumie Kumatani
Probably one of my favorite tracks in the game, for one of my favorite levels of all time. A fast-paced rock hit that really conveys Sonic’s attitude and blazing speed! It also contains the iconic vocal line “Up and down and all around!”
#8 – Speed Highway, At Dawn – composed by Jun Senoue
This track for the second half is almost the inverse of the prior track. It’s very calming and relaxing, like the name implies, giving off vibes of waking up in the city, and experiencing the sunrise. But also, being a super fast hedgehog who can blaze through it 🙂
#9 – Sky Deck, Skydeck a Go! Go! – composed by Jun Senoue
This track is for a level where the crew busts into Dr. Eggman’s new flying fortress, the Egg Carrier, and must battle their way through his sky deck defenses. This track really pushes the sort of infiltration vibe, with the guitars and keyboards going hard in this one!
#10 – General Offensive, composed by Jun Senoue and Kenichi Tokoi
For the second half, you’ve dug even deeper into the fortress, so this track smartly takes the high energy of the original, and slows it down, adding in synth to really push the infiltration vibes even further!
#11 – Red Mountain, Mt. Red: a Symbol of Thrill – composed by Kenichi Tokoi
Another one of my favorite tracks for another one of my favorite levels. Taking place high above the sky in the mountains, this track really gives you the feeling of making an epic climb, combining piano and an amazing saxophone opening that needs to be heard!
#12 – Red Mountain, Red Hot Skull – composed by Jun Senoue
This second track takes place inside an active lavascape inside the mountain, and it’s so good. This track leans heavy into hip-hop, and it’s a total vibe. Another one of my favorites!
#13 – Final Egg, Mechanical Resonance – composed by Kenichi Tokoi
Dr. Eggman’s fortress is the final level in Sonic’s story, and the Doctor sure knows good music! This track combines rock and funk for one great fusion!
#14 – Final Egg, Crank the Heat Up!! – composed by Jun Senoue
This second act track pushes you deeper into Dr. Eggman’s fortress, and once again takes the original track, and slows it down, adding even more funk and an amazing guitar solo!
Conclusion
That’s just a sample of the amazingly varied tracks you can find in this game. If you haven’t already, please take a listen to the tracks I recommended, I promise you’ll be hooked like I was.
I’m definitely going to be making future posts about more level/hub tracks, and the amazing vocal themes too, so stay tuned!
Let me know what you think of these tracks, and this game if you’ve ever played it before. It’s definitely one of my favorites in the series, so I’ll be talking more about it! Comment on this post, or email me at blacknerdblog@gmail.com!
See you guys in the next one, thanks again for your support and time! 🙂
Leave a comment