The Earthbound Soundtrack Has No Business Being This Good
You ever have that moment when you’re walking your dog and suddenly you get attacked by a spiteful crow? Let’s set the stage: it’s 1994. The SNES is riding high – most soundtracks (with a few exceptions) for games of the era are, let’s face it, designed to loop endlessly without driving you insane or symphonic aspirations struggling valiantly against the SNES’s 16-bit sound chip. Then along comes Earthbound – a quirky RPG with a storyline that features psychic kids, alien invasions, and a neighborhood infestation of hostile hippies – and it drops a soundtrack so iconic, we’re still talking about a quarter century into the new millennium.
Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?
The masterminds behind this aural masterpiece are Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka, two legends in their own right. Suzuki, a composer with a penchant for experimental rock, had no prior video game experience before Earthbound. Tanaka, on the other hand, was already an industry vet, responsible for the iconic soundtracks of Metroid and Donkey Kong. This wasn’t just two guys collaborating, though. Suzuki and Tanaka approached the project like mad scientists, sampling everything from jazz, blues, and ambient music to experimental electronic noise. They somehow turned the SNES’s limited audio hardware into a magical sound factory, producing tracks that feel like they shouldn’t even be possible on a 16-bit system.
Experimental Doesn’t Even Begin to Cover It
The music is a kaleidoscope of styles that shifts so often (much like the game’s twists) that one minute, you’re vibing to a chill, jazzy tune in Onett’s Theme; the next, you’re in the middle of a psychedelic fever dream fighting against an alien overlord to a track that sounds like a fever dream. The soundtrack doesn’t just embrace weirdness; it actively dares you to keep up. What sets Earthbound apart from its RPG peers is how the music interacts with the world. In most games, the soundtrack is background noise, there to set the mood. Not here. Take, for instance, the game’s battle themes. Instead of heroic orchestral sweeps or generic rock riffs, you’re treated to a grab bag of jazz fusion, minimalist loops, and straight-up bizarre soundscapes. Each battle track is distinct, reinforcing the idea that no two enemies – or moments – are the same. Fighting a random cranky lady in the streets of Twoson? There’s a track for that. Facing down a cosmic horror from beyond the stars? Oh, there’s definitely a track for that.
Even the ambient tracks are dripping with personality. “Home Sweet Home” evokes an almost childlike nostalgia, while “Giygas’ Theme” might as well come with a warning label: “Do not listen alone in the dark unless you want nightmares.”
Way Ahead of Its Time
The real kicker? This soundtrack didn’t get the love it deserved until years later. Earthbound was a commercial flop in the U.S. when it was released, so most people missed out on its genius back in the day. But as the game gained a cult following, so too did its music. Suddenly, people realized that Suzuki and Tanaka had basically created an audio masterpiece disguised as a video game score. It’s now one of the most celebrated soundtracks in gaming, with tracks like “Smiles and Tears” showing up in everything from remixes to live orchestral performances.
At its core, this soundtrack is as weird, charming, and utterly unpredictable as the game itself. It doesn’t just accompany the game; it’s a character in its own right. Every track is infused with the same offbeat humor and emotional depth that make Earthbound so memorable.
In the end, that’s why the soundtrack works so well: it takes risks. Suzuki and Tanaka weren’t content to churn out the same tired tunes that had been looping in games for years. They swung for the fences, and what they created was nothing short of legendary.
