Or just ten really good ones.
The music in fighting games is one of the reasons that many people I know love the genre for. Whether it’s a simple melody to hum while wailing on your friends or an intense theme that enhances every moment of every match, it’s the music of this genre that transforms it into a breathing, soulful entity. It helps turn a hobby into a passion. Here are ten fighting game theme songs that have left a huge impression on me over the years. For the sake of variety, there is only one song per game — but expect more installments that may use some of the same games.
10.) Killer Instinct – Jago’s Theme
Killer Instinct was the first fighting game I ever played and this was always the track that got stuck in my head after long playing sessions — I don’t think it will ever leave.
9.) Rival Schools – On the Rooftop of Sunshine High School
I’ll be damned if I could play this game at all, but a friend of mine always used to bring it over and this was the only song I ever wanted to hear. So good it was later used as Batsu’s theme in TvC!
8.) BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger – Gale (Bang Shishigami’s Theme)
The most recent song on the list — You can always expect Arc System Works songs to be good. The re-occurring bit after the intro and the guitar solo make this one of the best themes in a long time.
7.) Mortal Kombat 2 – The Dead Pool
This stage theme is probably the most chilling songs to appear in a fighting game. It’s dark, it’s creepy and nothing else has ever fit the Mortal Kombat series so well.
6.) X-Men vs Street Fighter – Cyclop’s Theme
It’s really the intro that does it for me. The most heroic intro for a theme song. Period. I’ll never forget the hours I spent doing Mega Optic Blast over and over again in training mode.
5.) Street Fighter III: Third Strike (Arcade/DC) – Spunky (Makoto’s Theme)
The beat (and everything else about this song) make it not only perfect to jam to, but to spar to as well. It’s energetic yet chill and it’s the best music to come out of the SF3 series.
4.) Soul Calibur II – Raise Thy Sword (Nightmare’s Theme)
Nightmare was the reason I bought Soul Calibur II. Not only is he one of the most bad ass characters, but he’s got one of the most epic themes in fighting game history.
3.) Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter – Wolverine’s Theme
Logan’s best theme ever, hands down. It perfectly captures the loner in him and it’s great to whistle along with when you’re destroying people with him in MSHvSF.
2.) Street Fighter EX3 – Strange Sunset (Guile’s Theme)
I know everyone was expecting Guile’s theme, just not this one. This song has it all and it’s one of the few good things that the SF:EX series spawned.
1.) Guilty Gear X2 – Blue Water Blue Sky (May’s Theme)
An upbeat rhythm and an astounding guitar melody that matches some of Joe Satriani’s finest work cements this as one of the best fighting game songs ever made. This is why people love GG.
These aren’t necessarily my ten favorite fighting game songs, but they’re up there and definitely all worth a listen. Remember to keep an eye out for more installments of this, as I hope to make it a series of sorts! A big thanks goes out to all of the composers, the publishers, the uploaders and you, the reader!
SAV Mega Crash 