The 10 BEST Nintendo 64 Soundtracks
Conkers Bad Fur Day (2001)
It may have been released near the tail end of the Nintendo 64s life cycle, but developer Rare still went all out with this profane 3D platformer - including musically. Composer Robin Beanland draws from a variety of styles to create a soundtrack thats as diverse as the gameplay and environments. The upbeat and cheerful hub world theme is endlessly catchy and typical of 3D platformers. However, theres also thumping club music tracks, pulse pounding military tunes, and bullfighting themes with a Spanish flair. Plus, how many games feature a musical number sung by talking feces?
GoldenEye 007 (1997)
Another Rare title, GoldenEye 007 was composed by Graeme Norgate and Grant Kirkhope, with help from the aforementioned Robin Beanland. Every single track feels perfectly at home in the James Bond oeuvre. Several tracks make use of the franchises theme, either as undercurrents or utilizing a slowed down version of the anthem. Although practically every tune oozes the suave coolness of Bond, each level has its own flair. Theres the smooth, tinkling militarism of the Bunker. The opening bombast of the Dam stage. The catchy beat of Facility. Even the pause music absolutely SLAPS! It didnt need to go that hard!
Mario Kart 64 (1996)
The Mario Kart series is known for its fantastic music, and the N64 game is no exception. Composed by first-time composer Kenta Nagata, Mario Kart 64 has a diverse array of music. The Snow and Sherbet Lands have festive tunes that perfectly fit their winter environments. The various Circuits and Wario Stadium all bring a catchy keyboard riff that eggs you on in every race. And the Rainbow Roads scintillating, hopeful song is incredibly enchanting. Sure, a few courses reuse the same music. But since nearly all of them are great, thats a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.
F-Zero X (1998)
From one racing game to another, F-Zero X took this series into 3-dimensions and, along with adding more complex tracks, the game also included more depth to its music. While many of the tracks are remixed from the previous entry in the franchise, the greater instrumentation variety adds a whole new flavor to familiar tunes. Taro Bando and Hajime Wakais compositions incorporate a rock sound to old favorites like Mute City and Big Blue, with electric guitar, drums, and synth taking already iconic songs to exciting new heights. Whether we rock our competitors in a race or not, these tracks always have us rocking out.
Star Fox 64 (1997)
Everything about the audio of Star Fox 64, from its cheesy one-liners to its sound effects to its music is fantastic! Composed by Koji Kondo and Hajime Wakai, Star Fox 64 sounds exactly like an epic, space opera shooter should. Every run starts off with the fantastic atmospheric Corneria theme. The fantastic, blaring trumpets of the Star Wolf theme makes for perfect dogfights. Sector X exudes a twinkling, understated mysterious vibe. And of course, the Star Fox theme that so many missions begin with has become an iconic fixture for the franchise.
Paper Mario (2000)
RPGs always have tremendous and frequently massive soundtracks, and arguably the best on the N64 is the original Paper Mario. Composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko, though with remixes of some of Koji Kondos work from other Mario games, this soundtrack is loaded with memorable, and frequently whimsical, songs. Tracks like the main battle theme or Toad Town are ones that have lived in gamers heads rent-free for years. Songs like the one for Shy Guys Toy Box are strangely fitting - it sounds like an unhinged childs playroom. The Koopa Bros. battle theme even pays tribute to the Hammer Bros. theme from Super Mario 3! Mario may be paper-thin in this game, but its soundtrack is anything but!
Diddy Kong Racing (1997)
David Wise was Rares go-to composer for basically every game with the word Kong in it, and he accrued quite the reputation for creating spectacular, atmospheric, and catchy music in his games. He certainly continues that tradition with Diddy Kong Racing. This soundtrack has banger after banger! Ancient Lake, Crescent Island, and Pirate Lagoon are so infectious that basically every video game YouTuber uses them in their videos. There are so many different tones and styles too, with Hot Top Volcano drawing from Indian music of all places. The Wizpig race theme has haunted our dreams and quickened our pulses for decades. Even the character select song is a bop! And it changes depending on the character selected - how cool is that?!
Banjo-Kazooie (1998)
Grant Kirkhope is another Rare composer whose work on Banjo-Kazooie (and its sequel, which was close) has made both him and the games hes worked on fan-favorites. The sheer variety crammed into one game is incredibly impressive. Theres the bouncy, inviting tune of Spiral Mountain. Treasure Trove Cove features a bright, tropical theme. Mad Monster Mansion channels the dark, yet appealing sound of composer Danny Elfman. Freezeezy Peak is practically Christmas music without being Christmas music. And not only that, every single track has variations in instrumentation depending on where you are in the level, something that Banjo-Kazooie basically invented! You expect this kind of musical excellence in a game with lead characters named after instruments, but it still manages to blow us all away.
Super Mario 64 (1996)
As the N64s launch title, Super Mario 64 got so many things perfect right out of the gate, including its soundtrack. Composed by the ever-impeccable Koji Kondo, nearly every track in the game is iconic. The Slide song goes hard on the fiddle. The main theme first heard in Bob-omb Battlefield is adventurous, yet laid-back. The Wing Cap theme gives a glorious, soaring sense of freedom. The water levels all exude soothing and relaxing bliss. And Peachs Castle has never left our minds since we first heard it. While some tracks are reused on multiple stages, when theyre all this phenomenal, who cares?
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
Koji Kondo strikes again! While this games sequel Majoras Mask was a tempting alternative, a lot of its greatness is built on what Kondo did here first. Ocarina of Time is often heralded as a contender for the greatest game of all time, and its soundtrack is certainly part of its well-deserved reputation. The Hyrule Field theme is adventure distilled to its very essence. Every single tune you play on the Ocarina is iconic. And tracks like the Lost Woods and Gerudo Valley are so catchy that they havent stopped playing on loop in our heads since 1998. Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece from start to finish, and the best soundtrack on the Nintendo 64.
Is there an N64 soundtrack you love that we forgot? If you know the words, you can join in too in the comments!
