The 25 Best Video Game Soundtracks on Bandcamp

Much in the way they've created and sold their games, indie game developers have been seeking the means to release the soundtracks to their games without the need for publishers. Bandcamp is a music distribution service that rivals iTunes with its open concept, pay-what-you-want pricing structure, and ability to be accessed from your web browser without the need for any additional software. It's also the home of some of the best video game soundtracks to be released in the last couple of years.

Independent creators rely on people being enthused about their work and having the means to access it. This list is a curration of the best 25 albums produced by video game developers on the service, each of them worth at least listening to. Take a swing at a couple that tickle your fancy, and drop a few bucks on one you like, it'll be worth the investment.

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Link: http://shauninman.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-rocket-original-sound-version

This album doesn’t have the depth of some of the more notable chiptune albums on this list, but there’s something about its simplicity that makes it comfortably familiar. In particular, the track Assault brings you back to those incredibly tense moments when you were a kid with an NES controller in your hand.

Link: http://hyperduck.bandcamp.com/album/the-blocks-cometh

It’s rare for such a simple iOS game to have such an enthralling soundtrack, but this one captures the essence of classic NES games and transforms it into something far more emotive. It can feel a little despondent at times, but once it gets going, it’s nothing but high-energy.

Link: http://shootmanyrobots.bandcamp.com/album/shoot-many-robots

Lacking all the pretention most indie game albums have, Disasterpeace has made one of the dirtiest albums on this list by mixing classic blues with grunge effects for a twangy and subversive set. It’s great driving music, especially if you’re making your way through a desert with armies of robots to mow down on your way to your destination.

Link: http://phlogiston.bandcamp.com/album/super-crate-box-special

Remastered from its original in-game version, Super Crate Box Special is the version that producer Eirik Suhrke wanted released all along. The lead track may be a little jazzy and a little pop-ish, but the rest of the game’s music is absolutely riveting. They’re high intensity from start to finish, perfect for when you’ve got to motivate yourself.

Link: http://homestuck.bandcamp.com/album/colours-and-mayhem-universe-b

There are countless albums dedicated to the Homestuck universe, each either capitalizing on the irreverent humour, or its quirky aesthetic. Colors and Mayhem: Universe B is without a doubt the one that best captures the occasional sense of epicness that surrounds the series at times. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Homestuck album without a little silliness; you’ll find it here, just not in spades.

Link: http://music.megashaun.com/album/mutant-blobs-attack

A little bit goofy, a little bit surreal, the soundtrack to Mutant Blobs Attack! Is a collection of remixes to its quirky title track by upcoming game soundtrack mastermind, Shaun Hatton. Taking cues from Electric Six for his song writing, the album is a bit silly, but in no way does that make it rock any less.

Link: http://re-logic.bandcamp.com/album/terraria-soundtrack

What lies below the surface of Terraria’s world? If the soundtrack is any indication, there’s plenty of danger and mystery. The interesting thing about this one is that, even though tracks like Eerie are intended to give a sense of wonder, they never let you pull back from the edge of your seat. Warning: This one is likely to induce paranoia.

Link: http://joelnielsen.bandcamp.com/album/black-mesa-soundtrack

Expanding on the core themes of the original Half-Life, this fan remake has been worked from the ground up aurally as well. With a much more robust and full sounding album than Valve’s original, this soundtrack will take you back to where it all began but like you’ve never been before.

Link: http://dbsoundworks.bandcamp.com/album/the-binding-of-isaac-2

A far more narrative album than the rest, Danny Baranowsky’s The Binding of Isaac is haunting and bewitching. You can pick it up for a mere $0.99 if you like, and the expansion pack soundtrack includes seven extra tracks at a pay what you want price.

Link: http://phlogiston.bandcamp.com/album/spelunky

Much more than his other works, Erik Suhrke has created an adventure masterpiece with the Spelunky album. Hitting all the same notes of a good Indiana Jones-like adventure flick, it’s mixes calm and dangerous tracks for a symphonic roller coaster ride.

Link: http://bencrossbones.bandcamp.com/album/organ-trail-directors-cut-original-soundtrack

A great mix of desperation fight-for-survival, and hollow emptiness, this album captures the excitement and loneliness of a zombie outbreak rather well. Listening to it from start to end is an unearthing experience, giving you a rush of adrenaline in places before taking it all away and leaving you with nothing but your thoughts.

Link: http://hyperduck.bandcamp.com/album/dust-an-elysian-tail-original-soundtrack

Mystical and fantastical, the soundtrack to Dust: An Elysian Tale pulls you into its world so well you’ll swear you’re there. With influences from classic medieval pieces, the use of older woodwind and string instruments make it feel as magical as the game itself.

Link: http://djfinishhim.bandcamp.com/album/they-bleed-pixels-on-the-dance-floor

54-tracks for $5 is a steal, especially when they’re produced by up and comer DJ Finish Him (Shaun Hatton). Despite the reference in the cover art, this is his biggest departure from his usual Electric Six influences, as he’s crafted a deeply rooted marching anthem of the underworld.

Link: http://dbsoundworks.bandcamp.com/album/super-meat-boy-soundtrack

This is the album that put Danny Baranowsky on the map, and rightfully so. Its retro-nouveau evolution takes classic chiptunes and layers them to a level we’ve never seen before. It’s got plenty of energy and style, but it’s designed to never let one spot stick out like a sore thumb while playing the game, making it perfect energetic background music.

Link: http://freebirdgames.bandcamp.com/album/to-the-moon-ost

Majestic, classical, and in some ways spiritual, the To the Moon soundtrack captures feelings of hope and a promise of happiness that lies just beyond the stars. Throw this one on when you’ve given up on the world and let it drift you away to the skies.

Link: http://music.ska-studios.com/album/the-dishwasher-vampire-smile

It’s impressive to know that in addition to handling all the programming, art, and design for the first Dishwasher game, James Silva also managed to record a kickin’ soundtrack for the game as well. The sequel, Vampire Smile is just as incredible with a non-stop blast of ripping guitar licks and creepy/cool ambience. All of the albums in his collection are grade-A, but this one in particular rings the most righteous.

Link: http://limbogame.bandcamp.com/

Like the game, the soundtrack to Limbo is creepy as hell in some spots. It’s not the sort of scary that’ll leave you jumping out of your chair, but rather the sort of uncomfortable that’ll stick with you until the end of the day when you’re lying in bed and trying to get to sleep. Was that just a shadow on the wall, or something more?

Link: http://jimguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/indie-game-the-movie-soundtrack

With lots of ambient effects, this is the perfect album to put on while you’re working on that massive project that nobody believes you’ll be able to finish. It’s hopeful to its core and that’s fitting considering it was the soundtrack to the story of some of gaming’s most improbable heroes.

Link: http://benprunty.bandcamp.com/album/ftl

Space, mysterious and exhilarating in all its magnificence is a distant and cold mistress. Faster Than Light is a game about surviving in the frigid depths of the universe and fighting your way through its impossibly challenging trials and this soundtrack captures that beautifully. It will have you feeling like you’ve stared into the void of space, and had it look back at you with a challenge.

Link: http://dbsoundworks.bandcamp.com/album/canabalt-soundtrack-ringtones-pack-w-bonus-fathom-megamix

The Canabalt soundtrack may not be very long, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in raw energy. Nothing will get you driven and moving quite like it, from start to finish, it’s an absolute non-stop adrenaline rush. Slap this one on next time you’re racing to catch the bus, you’ll make it in seconds flat, even if you have to jump over a dozen filing cabinets on the way.

Link: http://gaijingames.bandcamp.com/album/bit-trip-runner-original-soundtrack

While Gaijin Games has released six BIT.TRIP soundtracks on Bandcamp, Runner is definitely the most energetic and fun of the set. Featuring 2 tracks from chiptune legends, Anamanaguchi, this 13-track album will get you moving like you’re Commander Video on a perpetual quest to the left.

Link: http://disasterpeace.com/album/fez

What if you could travel to another dimension? What would it sound like? New sights and experiences must be accompanied by new sounds, and this album feels like an exploration with every track. It’s not aggressive, nor is it particularly exciting, but it’s wondrous to its core. Listen to this from start to finish and then look at your world, ask yourself if there’s more than what you see.

Link: http://jimguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/sword-sworcery-lp-the-ballad-of-the-space-babies

Jim Guthrie is a master at creating very emotive, ambient albums. This one will leave you feeling like you’re in the middle of the Neverending Story. With lots of synth and a solid build up from title track to close, it hits the highs you’d expect for a game that relies on its music.

Link: http://retrocityrampage.bandcamp.com/

What do you get when you take the soundtrack to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game, Mega Man II, and Rocket Knight Adventures, throw them in a blender and guzzle down the music medley? You get Retro City Rampage’s pixel-perfect throwback to the days of yore. If this doesn’t revitalize your misspent youth, nothing will.

Link: http://supergiantgames.bandcamp.com/

This is the crème de la crème of indie video game soundtracks. From start to finish its mix of world music is so complex and robust that it titillates in almost every way music can. To top it all off, it’s more narrative than any of the other albums, with voiceover from the game’s narrator. Without a doubt, the best track on the album is Zia’s Theme, Build That Wall which will leave you humming it for weeks after you’ve put it down.