Best and Worst Pokemon Music Remixes

[Carmen Lopez]

I was debating whether I should make this topic because I'm half afraid we're going get people whining about how the older versions had the better music when that is really not the case 99.5% of the time (Seriously, you think the 8-bit Ecruteak music is better than HGSS Ecruteak music? Sigh...). But really, what are your favorite and least favorite Pokemon music remakes.

HGSS has some excellent remixes of Johto music. The aforementioned Ecruteak music being some of most beautiful music I've ever heard in a Pokemon game thus far. Hearing the remixes in Olivine and Cianwood nearly brought tears in my eyes with nostalgia (oddly enough I didn't get that in Violet City). National Park music was another awesome remix. And to switch it up, Super Smash Brothers Brawl's version of Dialga/Palkia Battle and Team Galactic Battle are superb. Those themes were great in DPPt, and they managed to make them even better in Brawl. Diglett Cave music in FrLg was similarly cool, but that leads me to my second paragraph.

Occasionally Game Freak drops the ball a bit. While I still in Johto in SS, I was hoping against hope that they took Kanto's music from FrLg instead of GSC. Wishful thinking I know, but I was disappointed when I got to Kanto and left Vermillion. Don't get me wrong, HGSS Kanto music lives up to GSC's music...but that doesn't mean much when GSC's Kanto music wasn't that great in the first place. Lavender Town and its music in particular were both mutilated in GSC. FrLg had a beautiful remix of this music that was so haunting and it was a shame that we couldn't hear that version remixed in HGSS. And good grief, I hate battling trainers in Kanto in HGSS because I don't like the Kanto's battle theme at all. It seems so noisy. And once again, that's not HGSS's fault, the original mess came from GSC.

But yeah, don't let the second paragraph fool you, I have far more remixes that I like than I dislike XD

 

[Blarg]

Speaking of Brawl, I liked the R/S Battle Remix as well as the Galactic battle remix. But in an actual Pokemon game, I really liked the HG/SS Lake Of Rage music as well as the Kanto remixes in G/S/C.

 

[Rex]

I actually rather enjoyed Kanto's Wild Pokemon Battle Theme, also the remix of the melody for Route 101 that is played for Hoenn Sound on the Radio. Ho-oh's Battle theme was very cool as well. Outside of the Games, I like PokeRemixStudio's versions of the Primal Dialga Battle theme and RBY Mansion theme.

 

[Satoren]

I can assume we're including fanmade remixes into this. In which case, the metal remix of Red/Lance's theme and the techno remix for Primal Dialga are my fave fanmade remixes. They both just make the theme sound even more epic than it already does.

As for classics redone, the Team Rocket theme for HGSS was a lovely bit of work. Just one of several tracks in the games that really set the bar for music for future titles.

 

[Linkachu]

And to switch it up, Super Smash Brothers Brawl's version of Dialga/Palkia Battle and Team Galactic Battle are superb.

Definitely agreed re: Spear Pillar's music in Brawl. It's utterly gorgeous and one of the best remixes for Pokemon music I've ever heard. I can't think of any other specific remixes that I adored, but Pokemon Stadium 1/2 and Colosseum/XD usually did all of their remixes a lot of justice. It was really fun listening to 'em. OH, and can't forget the Anime remixes of the in-game music either. Pretty well all of 'em sound awesome, and I love collecting Anime series background music for that very reason.

Y'know, on the HGSS Kanto battle music... I wasn't overly fond of it either, but I'm can't blame the original GSC for that. I think their instrument choices for those songs in HGSS were just not very good ones. Again I refer back to Pokemon Stadium 1 & 2 which had excellent variations of the Kanto music. Same with the Anime. HGSS Kanto battles just irritate me, which is sad. I usually really like those songs.

 

[BlackAmber]

Idk it also may be just me it is not exactly music but sounds

for example from the old version of Pikachu's cry to the newer ones
To me sounds like Screeching but that might only be me.

Also I dont like the remake music for Blackthorn City I dont know why tho.

 

[Psycho Monkey]

I like most of the game remixes (will get into the one I don't like below), but the remixes done by PokeRemixStudio on youtube are amazing! Also, the one and only instumental remix of the Rival's Theme from Pokemon Stadium just has to be mentioned.

The only remix I didn't really like was the Lighthouse theme from HGSS. That one just seemed to forced to me for some reason.

 

[TrainerBreezy]

In the small defense of Kanto Music, the wild Pokemon battle music was something I personally enjoyed very much, though it was disappointing to see the low leveled Pokemon that would come with it xD

Am I the only one overly fond of the idea of separate remixes for each legendary beast? I thought it was a beautiful twist for the music, but after hearing all of them separately, I'm really beginning to want to hear all of them mixed in together.

I've heard that Lavender town is often a complaint, but I enjoyed the way they put a peaceful happy twist on the music in GSC. It's not a haunted town anymore, it's just a small town that pays respect to dead pokemon. Ah well, better luck next time.


On the other hand... There was so much better than the Dark Cave. They absolutely slaughtered the song, it was originally a cave I would spend time in to hear the music, but now it's just another cave to get through. (Not even that, it's optional...)

 

[Carmen Lopez]

I love that they gave separate remixes for the legendary beasts, and apparently I'm the only one who dislikes the HGSS Kanto music, but I'm just odd XD It just sounds really busy and has too much going on imo. Granted I do miss the bass line in the Dark Cave/Ice Path music, the remix grew on me after I sat in the cave for about five minutes just listening to it. I only wish that the two caves had been given separate remixes because while it suits the Ice Path with chimes and xylophones, it doesn't really go with Dark Cave.

 

[Toastie]

Dark Cave music in HGSS is win.

 

[UchihaHibiki]

Welllllll...I will start with the first remakes:

FRLG: I have to say, I hated most of the remixes in that game. The Gym Leader remix was butchered and the original was much better, ESPECIALLY in GSC. Now, the Champion music...IS. THE. BEAST. LIEST! I have to say, I think the Champion Music in this game pwns ALL other Champion Music (Yes, Cynthia, that includes you T_T) Now, I know some fanboi's of other Champ music will SO disagree, but I think it was da bomb! The trainer music here was not as good as the well orchestrated magic that happened in HGSS, but I will get there.

The next remake...HGSS: Well...I LOVE ALL OF THE REMIXES! OMG, I can't say that any of them were put to shame, except for the Goldenrod City music...that was killed. But anyway, the Ecruteak is the main one I agree with. It's beautiful, melodic and NOT tacky. I think my favorite, though, is probably the amazing, perfectly orchestrated, upbeat tone of: The Kanto Gym Leader music. I could listen to this all mothersleeping day. It so perfect in every way. Some people would disagree and say it's "too hard and too fast" but that is what I love! It is a mixture of the GSC Kanto Gym Leader, with the quick paced-ness of the DP Battle Frontier music. So, yeah.

That reminds me, the Battle Frontier remix from Platinum to HGSS, is awesome! It makes it so sound so much better with just a couple of tweaks. It just makes you feel at home in a normal trainer battle, and not in a battle that could mean the end of your life. It is just so joyful!

 

[Cody]

This might sound kind of odd to everyone....but, the Kanto HG/SS Music. More specifically, the Vermilion, Cerulean, and Saffron City music. I really, really don't have a reason. But, Vermilion makes me think of the ocean, which it should, being a port city and all.