The Best Video Game Music of The Gamecube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox Generation

Composer: Akitaka Tohyama
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2000

A launch title for the Playstation 2, Tekken Tag Tournament proved that the new console was worth the hype. With the largest roster to date, spanning all three previous Tekken installments, Tag increased the frenzied gameplay while sacrificing none of its sophistication. This stage theme was perfect fighting music – upbeat and urbane, with just the slightest hint of Asian vibe. It was cute without being corny – sort of like Ling Xiaoyu – and that's a hard combo for any game to pull off.

Composer: Tetsuya Shibata
System: Dreamcast, Playstation 2, XBox
Date: 2000

I wanna take you for a ride... Marvel vs. Capcom 2 might be the most broken fighting game to ever get a mainstream release. With its multiple infinites and Hyper Viper Beams galore, this game had no pretensions of art or depth – it was a fun beat 'em up with tons of over-the-top moves. The Carnival Stage had a quick, up-tempo groove, and a saxophone melody that seemed to mock whoever was getting his ass handed to him. Jazzy music might seem out of place in a fighting game, but the weird dissonance made it memorable.

Composer: Kazuhiro Nakamura
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2001

A classic light gun arcade game that was successfully ported to the Playstation 2, Time Crisis II, along with its predecessor, had a unique cover system that allowed for strategy in addition to its rapid-fire mayhem. The "Main Theme" sounded Metal Gear-esque, with an exciting beat and yelping, high instrumentals. It was the sound of an emergency that could only be solved by bullets. Lots and lots of bullets. Or a rocket launcher, if one made itself available.

Composer: Akira Yamaoka
System: Playstation 2, XBox
Date: 2001

Survival horror has died a slow, agonizing death – its death rattle was the release of Resident Evil 6 earlier this year. Back in 2001, however, Silent Hill 2 understood that monsters were scarier if you didn't have that many weapons to fight them. A glorified murder mystery with a plot twist that was hard to see coming, Silent Hill 2 had a soundtrack that was creepy and atmospheric. Its swirling instrumentation and lax drumbeats complemented the action – or lack thereof – perfectly.

Composer: Harry Gregson Williams
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2001

Back in 2001, there was a huge backlash to Metal Gear Solid 2. You were playing as Snake, all was well, and then... huh? Who was this 'Raiden' guy? It was like buying a Batman game only to end up playing as Robin. It would take us two more games to learn what a badass Raiden actually was, and in hindsight, Metal Gear Solid 2 was a logical evolution in the series, and the last Metal Gear game before the cut scenes got way out of control. The "Main Theme," remixed from the original, is unimpeachable. Its tempo changes create wonderful, restless tension – a sense of covert spy drama that's impossible to duplicate.

Composer: Shogo Sakai
System: Gamecube
Date: 2001

Take all primary Nintendo protagonists, toss them in a blender, and what do you get? Super Smash Melee doesn't work on paper, but in practice, it was genius. A glorified game of Joust, Melee was the strongest entry in the Smash series, and the odd-shaped Game Cube controller seemed custom built for it. Most of the music was remixed off classic themes, but Melee's "Opening," with its trilling flutes and staccato percussion, was epic in its own right.

Composer: Martin O'Donnell
System: XBox
Date: 2002

The game that almost single-handedly put the Xbox on the map, Halo made the space marine archetype cool again. Master Chief – what a guy. For a super soldier with a non-visible face, he was unusually sympathetic – having the wry Cortana by his side certainly helped to give him a personality. The main musical theme had violins backed by rhythmic chants – it was moody and silent in all the right places. For years afterwards, gaming companies would try recapture Halo's 'lightning in a bottle,' to varying degrees of success.

Composer: Kenji Yamamoto
System: Gamecube
Date: 2002

Metroid devotees below a certain age have no clue of the shit storm that ensued when Nintendo announced that Metroid Prime would be a first person shooter. Nintendo fans feared the worst, but instead, they were treated to an instant classic – a game that brought Samus Aran to a whole new audience while maintaining her exploratory, feminist spirit. "Ice Valley" was a rich song among many – it had a head-bobbing, sexy beat in the foreground, with subtle background melodies for the careful listener to savor.

Composer: Kenta Nagata
System: Gamecube
Date: 2003

The Legend of Zelda is Nintendo's dramatic opus, so it caused some alarm when the first screen shots for Wind Waker were released. The cel-shaded style was worrisome for those who wanted the franchise to go in a more realistic direction. Thankfully, the fans were rewarded for their open-mindedness, and Wind Waker was a critical success, hailed as one of the most inventive entries in the series. The "Dragon Roost Island Theme," with its castanets and Peruvian pan flutes, is a perfect example of the game's whimsical, nautical feel.

Composer: Hidenori Shoji
System: Gamecube
Date: 2003

Sure, Mario Kart had the mainstream appeal, but F-Zero had it beat in flash and class. The franchise hasn't had a proper sequel in over nine years, and hopefully, the Wii U will take steps to rectify this. "Aeropolis" is one of many – a futuristic, joyful techno beat that would be at home in any dance club. It should remind all nostalgic gamers of the possibilities on a next-gen console. Make it happen, Morimoto!

Composer: Stuart Chatwood
System: Gamecube, Playstation 2, XBox
Date: 2003

How many times, when playing a difficult game, have you wished for a rewind button? Sands of Time granted this wish via the Dagger of Time, and today, the game is still considered to be one of the greatest platformers of all time. Composed by Tea Party band member Stuart Chatwood, the soundtrack proudly wears its Indian influences on its sleeve – its bluesy, modern melodies sound exciting and 'ethnic' without sounding stereotypical. "The Tower of Dawn" is an example of this perfect balance.

Composer: Yu Miyake
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2004

Rolling junk into a giant ball should not have been this much fun, but the Katamari series made it work for years. Humor and simplicity go a long way, and this game inspired seven sequels since, all based on this simplest of game mechanics. The self-named theme song is a 'love it or hate it' proposition. A lover will proclaim it to be a cute idiosyncrasy – a hater will just dismiss it as lazy and corny. Either way, it's impossible to forget, or get out of your head, once you've heard it.

Composer: Chiang
System: Gamecube, Playstation 2, XBox
Date: 2004

Oh, hell yeah. Let's hear it for the most underrated fighting game of all time. Bloody, beyond brutal, and plain old fun, Fight for NY was the best use of celebrity license in a game – ever. A Snoop Dogg vs. Fat Joe vs. Ludacris vs. Method Man cage match? Check. Sick, Blazin' finishing moves that decimated your opponent? Check. Most of the soundtrack was licensed from rappers' albums, but "Koto," which blasted when fighting Ghostface Killah in the Dragon House, was an in-game exclusive.

Composer: Norihiko Hibino
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2004

A prequel of sorts (we even got to see how Ocelot came to love his trusty revolver), Metal Gear Solid 3 was one of the best entries in the franchise, introducing a new camouflage system to its duck and hide mechanics. The theme song was breathy vocals and noir: a 'James Bond meets Snake' martini – shaken, not stirred. Fans and critics of the Metal Gear franchise have long pointed out its cinematic aspirations, and this song made one hell of an opening credits sequence.

Composer: Kow Otani
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2005

Shadow of the Colossus was heralded as a primary example of 'video games as art,' and rightfully so. The game's sparse, simple style emphasized the sheer magnitude of the colossi. It also demonstrated the bravery of the game's developers, who had nothing to hide behind, and obviously knew they were on to something incredible. "The Opened Way" was a battle theme – one of several – that played during the first encounter with the first colossus. It began with a deliberately dissonant chord, and it concluded with strings and drums that built to a cliffhanger.

Composer: Yoko Shimomura
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2005

Kingdom Hearts II was a revelation – it combined the emotional resonance of the Final Fantasy series with the visual richness of the Disney Universe to create something extremely special. Most of its songs were re-imaginings of classic Disney tunes, but the main theme for the game, "Passion," was an original that stood toe-to-toe with the other legends. Dreamy, wondrous, and melodramatic, "Passion" encompassed all that Disney holds dear. We can't wait for Kingdom Hearts III, which is in development right now.

Composer: Hitoshi Sakimoto
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2006

The Final Fantasy franchise has occupied a spot on every Complex Game Music countdown. Square Enix deserves props for sheer consistency over the years, and for giving mainstream legitimacy to video games – their soundtracks have been played in full length, orchestra concerts. One of the franchise's latest gems is "Kiss Me Good-Bye," a tearjerking love song with a beautiful vocal by Angela Aki. It actually charted on the pop charts in Japan – it would be nice if mainstream America showed the same type of appreciation.

Composer: Masami Ueda
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2006

There's not much to write about Okami that has not already been written. It's unspeakably beautiful, with a handpainted look that is simply sumptuous to see. Even the lines have a curved, calligraphy-stylized beauty to them. This would be enough to make the game noteworthy, but then the sensitive play controls and figurative narrative push Okami into classic territory. "Cherry Blossom Storm" is one of many Okami tracks deserving of inclusion on this list. Its Japanese instrumentation is stubbornly traditional, paying tribute, as do the visuals, to an Old World with high ideals and spiritual meaning.

Composer: Shoji Meguro
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2006

Anime melodrama at its finest, Persona 3 was a role player for the high school set – it was the only RPG that allowed a player to level up by singing karaoke. Blessed with a team combat system that was both intuitive and deep, Persona 3 was a huge hit in Japan, and a cult favorite in the States. "Mass Destruction" is another weird, 'love it or hate it' type song. Half rapped, half-sung in 70's blaxploitation style, it's definitely an acquired taste, although its addictive properties are undeniable. Go ahead – give it a spin. "Bay-bee, Bay-bee!"

Composer: Gerard Marino
System: Playstation 2
Date: 2007

God of War II ended on the greatest game cliffhanger of all time. Kratos, mad as hell (although really, when was the guy not mad?), was climbing Olympus on the back of Gaia, ready to kill any God who dared to look at him funny. It was white-knuckled, gripping stuff, and it was made even more dramatic by the soundtrack. "The End Begins" was filled with awkward starts and stops, nervous counter-melodies, and a dramatic choir that chanted Kratos' name. It was concrete proof of music's power to enhance narrative, raising the emotional stakes and involving the player in a character's motivations.