Top 10: The sounds of Pokemon

To make up for not having a post on Wednesday (to be explained later, trust me there's a reason). I figured there should be something to make up for it, so here are my Top 10 Pokemon songs from just the games, but remixes from the anime are allowed. Yes there are a lot of Battle themes here as I prefer those over the other tracks, not that they are bad. Do note that these songs loop so you don't have to see the full video (assuming you actually play these videos...).

10. Battle Gym Leader (Kalos) from Pokemon X and Y

To start things off, a newcomer to the series. Most of X and Y's soundtrack is quite peaceful in my opinion... but it comes with a price. While the soundtrack may be peaceful, most of it doesn't stick in my mind, because aside from the quality, nothing about the soundtrack I can recognize as X and Y's soundtrack for the most part. Battle Gym Leader (Kalos) is the exception though, I love this track and if I can control the music for vs. this is what I'd set it to (Music: 4 if you're curious). While it may not pack the same punch as other Gym Leader tracks before it, its punch is in a different way. The instrumental and melody are perfect for the theme of the game and its a perfect track for taking on the 8 new Gym Leaders.

9. Route 1 from Super Smash Bros Brawl

I said that they had to be from the games, I never said anything about the main series. This is a Medley of Route 1 and Viridian City from Pokemon Generation 1 and for a theme meant for a fighting game, it works well. I love hearing what a good sound card and a orchestra can do for older songs and this is no exception. I'm not blinded by nostalgia with this one, but I know a good track when I hear it.

8. Game Corner (Sinnoh) From Pokemon Diamond, Pearl and Platnium

So what's the best thing to do after a long day of training? Go to the Veilstone City Game corner and participate in "COMPULSIVE GAMBLING"... Yeah Nintendo has a thing for gambling in games... I don't know why... the Minigames may not be great (and eat all your money) but this is still a great theme for a building you have very few reasons to go into... Just make sure you're not in there all night (especially if Diamond and Pearl remakes get Amiibo support... "MY LEG BENDERS!!!")

7. Route 38 from Pokemon Gold, Silver, Crystal, Heart Gold and Soul Silver

Original:

Remix:

Is this the most over hyped track in Generation 2? Yes. Is it over hyped for a good reason? Of course. While I don't think this is the best track from Heart Gold, I will agree that it's one of the best Route themes the series has produced (for me, it changes depending on my mood). I can't say anything that hasn't already been said though so... yeah...

6. Blizzard Island Medley from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness, Time and the Sky

Ok, I don't care about what others say, I love the Mystery Dungeon series. It's not the most complex dungeon explorer game, but I don't care, I think its fun. While I haven't yet (at the time of writing) played Gates to Infinity, I've played the Rescue Team and Explorers games to death (now if only we could have a game that combined the best aspect of both and brought in the Kalos Pokemon...) Blizzard Island Medley is my favorite track from the Explorers series, maybe because it combines new tracks with remastered tracks from Red and Blue Rescue Team. Its a peaceful track for a in comparison) peaceful post game dungeon (just bring a Fire type with you)

5. Final Battle: Vs Blue, Pokemon Origins

In my opinion, the definitive version of the Gen 1 Battle Champion theme. You can feel the weight of this battle just from this alone, and that's before you see the fight itself. This is awesome in pure instrumental form and its reasons like this that make me wish Origins went on for longer then 4 episodes. This is what fans thought the battle was like back in 1996, and it was awesome to see (even if its short)

4. Battle Champion Lance and pkmn Trainer Red from Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver

The Kanto champion theme may be good, but when I'm asked "what's a good champion theme?" This is my answer for Champion themes in the actual games. Once again, you can feel the weight of what's about to happen by just listening to the song alone, as you should with a Final Boss theme. The powerful (for the DS) instrumental and powerful melody combined with it being used to battle, who fans describe as, "the biggest badass of the Pokemon Series", being Pkmn Trainer Red (aka the player character from Gen 1) and the "Cheating bastard" Lance.

3. Battle Elite 4 (Hoenn) from Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald (Also Battle Gym Leader in Pokemon Advanced, Advanced Challenge and Advanced Battle)

Original:

Remix:

Up until Gen 3, the Elite 4 used the same battle theme as the Gym Leaders did, which was fine, but didn't do a lot to separate the Elite 4 from the Gym Leaders. But then we're introduced to this... and its tracks like this that make fans associate the Gen 3 soundtrack with trumpets and a brass orchestra. The remix in the Anime was used for the Gym leader battles and, while its great... well, you'll see why later. I can't wait to see what the 3DS can do with songs like this.

2. Battle Sinnoh Champion Cynthia from Pokemon Black Version 2 and White Version 2

"Hold on, if you said that the Jhoto champion theme is your go to Champion theme, why is this higher?" I hear you asking, and it's quite simple. I like listening to remixes and while Cynthia's battle theme is great, what happens when you use a PC's sound card instead of a DS's?

You get something like this. Cynthia is regarded as the hardest trainer the series has made, while some would still argue Whitney and her Miltank, personally it's Cynthia. Spiritomb (who had no weaknesses at the time), Roserade, Lucario, Gastrodon, Milotic and Garchomp: A tournament build team ready to crush the hopes and dreams of any challenger wanting to take her title. Combine that with how she was woven into the plot of Diamond, Pearl and Platnium and you have one of the most respected trainers ever made. I put the Black 2 and White 2 remix here as I think its slightly better then what was used in Gen 4, but both fall in comparison to this remix in my opinion.

And the 5 honorable mentions are

1. Pewter City from Pokemon Red, Green, Blue and Yellow

2. Cycling theme from Gold, Silver and Crystal

3. Route 10 from Pokemon Black and White

4. Battle Champion Diantha from Pokemon X and Y

5.Battle Colress from Pokemon Black version 2 and White version 2

And the number 1 is

1. Battle Gym Leader (Hoenn) from Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald

I admit this could be nostalgia talking, do I care? No, I still love this track. I love this track because of how powerful it is, like with the Elite 4 theme, this carries a lot of weight in it melody. You know you're in for a battle when you hear this, and with Gen 3's AI being the hardest the series had made to the general fan base, you know you're in for a tough battle. This is another song where I've looked for fan remixes, but most I don't think match the weight this had, hell even the remix in Black 2 and White 2 didn't do it justice in my opinion. The best I've found is another from Glitch City, the one who made the Cynthia remix from before, but even then, the original is still the definitive version for me personally.

It may not have the bombastic instrumental the original did, but it still carries the weight of the original, and that's what I personally look for in remixes, a new twist that keeps the feel of the original. Roxane, Brawly, Wattson, Flannery, Norman, Winona, Tate, Liza and Wallace, see you soon, let's just hope you bring the challenge like you did before.

As I said last week, no review tomorrow as I'm delaying it by a day, you'll see why soon :)