1990 Archives - The Greatest Game Music

MUSHA Soundtrack

MUSHA Soundtrack, Toshiaki Sakoda, 1990

It’s safe to say that Compile’s well-regarded Aleste series reached its pinnacle with 1990’s MUSHA for the Sega Genesis. It ranks as one of the 16-bit era’s best shooters, with lightning-fast gameplay, an immensely challenging difficulty level and some of the most breathtaking visuals ever seen on the Genesis – all the more impressive considering that MUSHA was a first-generation title. What really helped to set the game apart was its visual style. Feeling that MUSHA had to differ significantly from its franchise predecessors, the developers came up with an unusual mix of sci-fi tropes and traditional Japanese lore. As a result, your flying mecha shoots super-charged electric shurikens while facing off against enemies like robotic ninjas and Japanese castles on tank treads.

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Nobunaga’s Ambition: Bushou Fuuunroku Soundtrack (PC-88 – Soundware Version)

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Bushou Fuuunroku Soundtrack (PC-88), Yoko Kanno, 1990

Developer Koei didn’t rock the boat much with this fourth instalment of its Nobunaga’s Ambition franchise. The game continued its predecessors’ brand of menu-heavy strategising, set amongst feuding warlords in Japan during the 16^th century. As before, it targeted those gamers who preferred intensely in-depth gameplay over elaborate visuals. Despite the geographically specific subject matter, Koei felt that there was an overseas audience for Bushou Fuuunroko, bringing the SNES and Sega Genesis ports to the American market under the title of Lord of Darkness.

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Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll Soundtrack (NES)

Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll Soundtrack (NES), David Wise, 1990

Amongst the original properties that Rare launched on the NES and Game Boy, the Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll games must rank among the best, up there with the Battletoads franchise. Inspired by Marble Madness’ isometric view (Rare developed the NES port), the developers concocted a joyfully bizarre and off-beat – not to mention funny – platformer. Its stars are a couple of snakes that need to gobble up as many enemies as they can so they’re heavy enough when hopping on the scales at the end of each level, hoping to be admitted to the next stage. Initially released on the NES in 1991, Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll’s playability and creative multiplayer made the game enough of a success to warrant a Sega Genesis port in 1993, netting equally strong reviews. Meanwhile, the Game Boy saw an original, somewhat more middling 2d platformer starring the two slithering protagonists.

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