Top 5 'Kingdom Hearts' Music Tracks
Image Source: IGN
Kingdom Hearts gained fame from its bold decision to blend Disney with Final Fantasy. Its gameplay proved addictive and its charming, if convoluted, story captured the hearts of players. But a large part of its success is the incredible music composed by Yoko Shimomura. The talented composer captured the Disney charm of the worlds based on their animated properties and achieved memorable tracks that players still hum today. While narrowing her expansive work in the franchise to a top five is a nearly Herculean labor that requires me to throw out a lot of my favorites, here are the top 5 tracks from Kingdom Hearts.
5. One-Winged Angel
Image Source: GamerDork620
This track stands out as the only one with lyrics aside from the title tracks. The lyrics are in Latin, and the aggressive chanting adds a tense element to the battle against one of Kingdom Hearts’ hardest secret bosses, Sephiroth. The battle was one where the usual press X to win strategy didn’t apply. Sephiroth was crafty and players had to anticipate his moves to emerge victorious.
RELATED:
4. Lazy Afternoons
Image Source: Dailymotion
“Lazy Afternoons” is the area music for Twilight Town in Kingdom Hearts II. The track is calming like lo-fi music you might hear in a cafe. Furthermore the music recalls feelings of home, but underneath it’s calm demeanor is a touch of the ethereal. The track gives players a sense of safety and security while highlighting the bigger mystery that the player has yet to experience. The only downside is players will be exposed to this music on loop for most of the 7-hour prologue.
3. Night Of Fate
Image Source: WillJV2
This track is when players realize the game just got serious. The previously idyllic beach of Destiny Islands is swarmed with dark, shadowy creatures that the protagonist has no way to fight. The calypso-style music turns sinister with the arrival of the Heartless and the fight for the fate of the worlds has begun, all before Sora even learns that other worlds exist.
2. Rage Awakened
Image Source: Boss Fate Database
“Rage Awakened” is the boss theme that plays when Terra of Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep comes to the tragic and climactic end of his story. Xehanort has stolen his heart and his body but his rage creates an independent will that inhabits his Keyblade Armor and fights against Xehanort in a last stand. The music starts with an odd clam that quickly builds up to match the manifested rage that is all that’s left of Terra. Shimomura does an excellent job processing the character’s emotions through musical cues.
1. Dearly Beloved
Image Source: ThePedroJackson
Wherever there is a Kingdom Hearts player, there is someone learning how to play the song on a piano. The track has appeared in every single Kingdom Hearts game but is remixed each time. Shimomoura even went so far as to include a swing version of the rhythm game Melody of Memory. The track is so popular that some fans will leave the menu screen running just to listen to the music. For nostalgia’s sake, we’ll name the original track as the top, although all of its remixes make the menu selection screen much more enjoyable. It blends elements of calm with an otherworldliness that promises a grand adventure. Furthermore, each remix ties into the themes present in the game.
While many fans play Kingdom Hearts for the story or the charming characters, some among us relish the musical journey. The music was so popular that Square Enix created a rhythm game that nicely summarizes the story, although some key elements are left out. That game Melody Of Memory features nearly every song from the franchise and is a great way for new players to get up to speed or just to spend an afternoon enjoying Shimomura’s genius.
READ NEXT:
Source(s): OST Centre, KH Wiki
Latest News
Featured
