Remember our blog post on classic Nintendo tunes? The list of game soundtracks is so big that we decided to do a sequel. ‘Cause when it comes to classic arcade games, sequels are almost always better than the original, just like the tunes that accompany them.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In this classic arcade chords and tunes blog post you’ll find
Street Fighter II
If you were a nerd in the 90s, you probably got hooked on Street Fighter II. This official 1991 sequel of the original Capcom game in which you could be the fighters Ryu or Ken, took the concept of one-on-one fight games to the next level. For the first time you could play an arcade game in which you could choose a champion with a unique fighting style and character.
The game became so popular that its tune would trigger cold sweat and a rush of adrenaline when heard by devoted gamers. To be honest, we don’t actually know that for sure, but it is very catchy and not too difficult to master, even for a beginning piano player. Most of the chords are triades, and there are some seventh chords as well. If you don’t know seventh chords this is a great opportunity to learn them.
Mortal Kombat II
As an answer to Capcom’s pretty polished Street Fighter II, the company Midway released Mortal Kombat in 1992. The game took the one-on-one fights a bit further by adding more gore and darkness in the form of bloody special attacks. It also came up with the fatality — a killing finishing move that you can perform after defeating your opponent. Mortal Kombat is cool, but it was only the beginning of a still ongoing series.
The original 8-bit game sounds and visual layout weren’t that great. The sequel however made it all worth your while with its amazing graphics, and a soundtrack that emphasizes the cynical and dark vibe of the Mortal Kombat universe. It’s a bit harder to jam along with than the Street Fighter II soundtrack because it uses more chords. Still, it’s great practice, especially if you’re a fan.
Streets of Rage II
A Sega classic is Streets of Rage II. Just like Street Fighter was more or less a blueprint for one-on-one fighting games, the original Streets of Rage is more like a tryout of the side-scrolling beat ‘em up concept. You can choose to play with one of the protagonist ex-cops who want to free their city of corruption and crime.
The success of the first game and its soundtrack were great, so a sequel was imminent. Streets of Rage II takes the graphics to the next level, and backs the storyline with a great soundtrack written by Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima. The producer duo was praised for their compositions which were heavily influenced by the clubbing culture of the early 90s.
Terminator II Judgment Day the Arcade Game
Terminator II Judgment Day was one of the first movie sequels that became a bigger blockbuster than the original. The film’s soundtrack is awesome, but the arcade game tune is just as cool. The chord progression couldn’t be any simpler! It contains some variations of the G chord, so knock yourself out.
Fun fact:The creators of the game worked simultaneously during the filming of the movie itself. So a lot of the graphics contain digitized scenes from the original motion picture, and the voices you hear are from the actors themselves. This video game became so popular that it dominated the top five most earning arcade games in 1991. It even out ranked the number one — Street Fighter II, big surprise — for a few weeks.
Jam more classic game soundtracks
Did this article inspire you to play some arcade tunes? Good! If you’re hungry for more check it out our article on Nintendo tunes. Hasta la vista baby and happy jamming!
