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Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:51 am
by Friday
HELLO BOYS AND GIRL --

Well, I got 38 submissions, which is only 6 over the cap. Rather than run a poll to only eliminate 6 tracks, I'll just dump them all into a pile of 70.

I'll run the rounds as groups of 7, vote 4. That should get us down to 40, then 20, 10, 5 vote 2, Grand Finals.

1. Last Duel (Lufia)
2. Palace of Destruction (Ys)
3. Ganon's Dungeon (Zelda 1)
4. Palace Theme (Zelda 2)
5. Chaos Temple (Final Fantasy)
6. Kefka's Tower (FF6)
7. Slam Shuffle (FF6)
8. Dead Sea (Chrono Cross)
9. Undersea Palace (Chrono Trigger)
10. Dungeon Man Theme (Earthbound)
11. Devil's Lab (FF6)
12. Courage (Wild ARMs)
13. Heaven (Persona 4)
14. Cave of the Past (Earthbound)
15. At the Bottom of Hell is Distortion (Valkyrie Profile)
16. Mission to Deep Space (Valkyrie Profile)
17. Tyrano Lair (Chrono Trigger)
18. A Searing Struggle (Wanderers from Ys)
19. Theme of Adol 1993 (Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys)
20. Moria Gallery (Tales of Phantasia)
21. Hollow Bastion (Kingdom Hearts)
22. Beware the Forest's Mushrooms (Super Mario RPG)
23. Mystic Invasion (Secret of Mana)
24. Leave Time for Love (Secret of Mana)
25. Emerald Woodlands (Etrian Odyssey Untold)
26. Few Paths Forbidden (Seiken Densetsu 3)
27. Awakening the Wind (Illusion of Gaia)
28. Airport (Digital Devil Saga 2)
29. Spider String 2nd Movement (Digital Devil Saga)
30. Conglomerate Alliance TENPA (Ar Tonelico)
31. Omen (Xenogears)
32. Aurora of Darkness (Bravely Default)
33. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer)
34. Running Hell (Cave Story)
35. Another Medium (Undertale)
36. Lava Dome (Final Fantasy Mystic Quest)
37. Sacrificial (Binding of Isaac)
38. Song A (Gauntlet)
39. Main Theme (Tower of Druaga)
40. Ivor Tower - Castle (Secret of Evermore)
41. Meltdown 2 (Cave Story)
42. Star Dragon Tower (Lunar 2: Eternal Blue)
43. Forested Temple (FF7)
44. Ipsen's Castle (FF9)
45. Dungeon (Sorcerian)
46. Wandering (Goblet Grotto)
47. Electric Power Building (Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter)
48. Dungeon (The Legend of Zelda)
49. The Forbidden Land Eureka (Final Fantasy III DS)
50. Phantom Forest (Final Fantasy VI)
51. Phantom Train (Final Fantasy VI)
52. Underground Sewer (Chrono Trigger)
53. Forest Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
54. ICARO Beated Ver. (Shadow Hearts)
55. Ruins of Darkness (Dragon Quest 8)
56. Castle in the Sky (Breath of Fire 3)
57. Mysterious Cave (Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete)
58. Dark Shrine (Dawn of Mana)
59. Hyrule Castle (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past)
60. Valestein Castle (Ys: The Oath in Felghana)
61. Organic Beat (Phantasy Star: End of the Millenium)
62. Crazy prayer (Baroque)
63. The incomplete stone (NieR)
64. Revolution to the origin part 2 (Phantasy Star Online)
65. Disturb the doubtful sleep (Valkyrie Profile 2)
66. A muzzle dancing in hatred (Wild ARMs 5)
67. tower theme of Azure Dreams
68. Rogueport Sewers (Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door)
69. Booster's Tower (Super Mario RPG)
70. Chimera Lab Chaos (Mother 3)
71. Invisible Enemy (Persona 4)
72. You in Wonderland (Persona Q)
73. God of Decadence (Breath of Fire 2)
74. Submarine Castle (Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon)
75. Final Castle (Mystic Quest)
76. Tower of Babil (Final Fantasy IV)
77. Final Transmission (Mega Man Battle Network 3)

ROUND 2

1. Last Duel (Lufia)
2. Palace of Destruction (Ys)
3. Chaos Temple (Final Fantasy)
4. Slam Shuffle (FF6)
5. Dead Sea (Chrono Cross)
6. Undersea Palace (Chrono Trigger)
7. Devil's Lab (FF6)
8. Courage (Wild ARMs)
9. Heaven (Persona 4)
10. At the Bottom of Hell is Distortion (Valkyrie Profile)
11. Mission to Deep Space (Valkyrie Profile)
12. Tyrano Lair (Chrono Trigger)
13. A Searing Struggle (Wanderers from Ys)
14. Theme of Adol 1993 (Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys)
15. Beware the Forest's Mushrooms (Super Mario RPG)
16. Mystic Invasion (Secret of Mana)
17. Leave Time for Love (Secret of Mana)
18. Airport (Digital Devil Saga 2)
19. Spider String 2nd Movement (Digital Devil Saga)
20. Omen (Xenogears)
21. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer)
22. Another Medium (Undertale)
23. Lava Dome (Final Fantasy Mystic Quest)
24. Meltdown 2 (Cave Story)
25. Star Dragon Tower (Lunar 2: Eternal Blue)
26. Ipsen's Castle (FF9)
27. Dungeon (Sorcerian)
28. Wandering (Goblet Grotto)
29. Phantom Forest (Final Fantasy VI)
30. Phantom Train (Final Fantasy VI)
31. Underground Sewer (Chrono Trigger)
32. Forest Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
33. ICARO Beated Ver. (Shadow Hearts)
34. Mysterious Cave (Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete)
35. Hyrule Castle (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past)
36. Valestein Castle (Ys: The Oath in Felghana)
37. Organic Beat (Phantasy Star: End of the Millenium)
38. The incomplete stone (NieR)
39. Revolution to the origin part 2 (Phantasy Star Online)
40. Rogueport Sewers (Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door)
41. Booster's Tower (Super Mario RPG)
42. God of Decadence (Breath of Fire 2)
43. Submarine Castle (Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon)
44. Final Castle (Mystic Quest)
45. Tower of Babil (Final Fantasy IV)

ROUND 3

1. Last Duel (Lufia)
2. Palace of Destruction (Ys)
3. Slam Shuffle (FF6)
4. Dead Sea (Chrono Cross)
5. Undersea Palace (Chrono Trigger)
6. Devil's Lab (FF6)
7. Heaven (Persona 4)
8. At the Bottom of Hell is Distortion (Valkyrie Profile)
9. Tyrano Lair (Chrono Trigger)
10. Mystic Invasion (Secret of Mana)
11. Leave Time for Love (Secret of Mana)
12. Omen (Xenogears)
13. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer)
14. Dungeon (Sorcerian)
15. Forest Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
16. Mysterious Cave (Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete)
17. Hyrule Castle (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past)
18. Valestein Castle (Ys: The Oath in Felghana)
19. Organic Beat (Phantasy Star: End of the Millenium)
20. Booster's Tower (Super Mario RPG)
21. Submarine Castle (Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon)
22. Final Castle (Mystic Quest)

ROUND 4

1. Last Duel (Lufia)
2. Palace of Destruction (Ys)
3. Slam Shuffle (FF6)
4. Devil's Lab (FF6)
5. Leave Time for Love (Secret of Mana)
6. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer)
7. Dungeon (Sorcerian)
8. Mysterious Cave (Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete)
9. Valestein Castle (Ys: The Oath in Felghana)
10. Booster's Tower (Super Mario RPG)
11. Final Castle (Mystic Quest)
12. Tyrano Lair (Chrono Trigger)

ROUND 5

1. Palace of Destruction (Ys)
2. Devil's Lab (FF6)
3. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer)
4. Dungeon (Sorcerian)
5. Valestein Castle (Ys: The Oath in Felghana)
6. Tyrano Lair (Chrono Trigger)

First up!

12. Courage (Wild Arms)
25. Emerald Woodlands (Etrian Odyssey Untold)
10. Dungeon Man Theme (Earthbound)
6. Kefka's Tower (FF6)
1. Last Duel (Lufia)
11. Devil's Lab (FF6)
22. Beware the Forest's Mushrooms (Super Mario RPG)

EDIT: I'll also be leaving these polls up for 2 days instead of the usual 1. This will go a lot slower, but we'll get maybe 25% more voters.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:57 am
by Esperath
god courage is straight up sex in a bottle

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:59 am
by Friday
Alright, as before (Hottest Boss Theme), I'm gonna be more active in this poll because it's a music poll. I'll vote and discuss my choices.

First off, this is a pretty brutal fucking round. I'm glad I get to pick 4 to advance, at least.

Last Duel is my favorite dungeon music of all time, so, let's get that out of the way. Vote.

Courage is a decent track but I never liked it much. I felt WA had other better tracks. I'd vote for it in a weaker group but not here. X

Emerald Woodlands is too calm for my tastes. X

Dungeon Man Theme is a personal favorite of mine. Plus, I mean. It's Dungeon Man Theme in a Dungeon Theme Poll. Vote.

Kefka's Tower is very hit and miss with people, but it hit me. Vote.

Devil's Lab is an amazing piece in every way. Vote.

Mushrooms is very solid. I should probably be voting for it over Dungeon Man, but whatever. X

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:43 am
by Mothra
Ugh, some brutally tough calls right off the bat.

Really want to dial FF6 right down the middle, but I'm going with Devil's Lab and Beware. Kefka's Tower is an awesome theme, but it's not really a dungeon theme in my mind, it's like a special endgame dealie.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:08 pm
by Caithness
I just voted for the games I've played, FF6 Earthbound and Mario RPG.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 4:21 pm
by François
I tend to have a soft spot for dungeon music that you initially wouldn't guess is dungeon music. I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed Emerald Woodlands on that account. (But then I saw it's by Yuzo Koshiro and okay yeah makes sense. Dang the breadth of that dude.)

Ok, next, Lab, Mushrooms, gimmes, no need to spend an hour agonizing.

I get the appeal of Dungeon Man, but it's not doin' it for me. Which... is my opinion of Earthbound as a whole, now that I think of it.

That leaves Courage, Kefka's Tower and Last Duel to fight over my fourth vote. Last Duel is clearly rad even though I haven't played any Lufia, but this particular flavor of SNES synth absolutely rubs me the wrong way for some reason. KT is also good but I was pretty damn ready for FF6 to be finally effing over by the time it came up so it kinda makes me feel annoyed in retrospect and I have trouble enjoying it on its own merit. So, Courage it is. :3

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2016 2:02 am
by Friday
So Lee-Ham accidentally resubbed a track already on the list. Removed and replaced. Mothra, Hardly, and Romo had some last minute additions, which I will include.

After replacing the duplicate track with Hardly Ideal's Submission and including Mothra's and Romo's, we're up to 77 to start with.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 8:49 am
by Friday
Courage (Wild Arms) 8
Emerald Woodlands (Etrian Odyssey Untold) 6
Dungeon Man Theme (Earthbound) 6
Kefka's Tower (FF6) 6
Last Duel (Lufia) 9
Devil's Lab (FF6) 10
Beware the Forest's Mushrooms (Super Mario RPG) 7

A close first round.

Next up:

71. Invisible Enemy (Persona 4)
69. Booster's Tower (Super Mario RPG)
33. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer)
41. Meltdown 2 (Cave Story)
26. Few Paths Forbidden (Seiken Densetsu 3)
20. Moria Gallery (Tales of Phantasia)
54. ICARO Beated Ver. (Shadow Hearts)

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 9:00 am
by Friday
Invisible Enemy is decent, but ennnh. X
Booster's Tower is amazing and I love Booster. Vote.
Disco Descent is hot buttered love. Vote.
Meltdown 2 is too typically Cave Story. X
I'm drawing Lyraggro here, but Few Paths, while good, just doesn't do it for me. It just sounds boring to my ear. Sorry Lyrai don't murder me
Moria Gallery is fantastic. Oldschool dungeon theme. Vote.
ICARO has that phat beat with the beep beep doodly beep shit that makes my nipples hard. Vote.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 1:54 pm
by François
On this one I physically don't have it in me to go against Booster's Tower and Disco Descent, so that's two. Rest is a lot closer though, lessee...

Aight, that beat on Invisible Enemy grows on me after a second listen, it's in too. I've never played any Persona game but it sounds super familiar... somehow...

Oooooh, that's it! I don't know if my brain is broken or what but it really reminds of me Boss Appearance from Nocturne. Was P4 by Shoji Meguro too?

Aaaaand of course it was. Man! Makes me wish Nocturne had dungeon music so I could have nominated some, heheh.

Anyway, where were we?

Right, one vote left, four close tracks. Dang, okay. Good grief, this is gonna be that way all along this poll, isn't it?

...

Alright, I dig the atmosphere in Moria Gallery and Few Paths Forbidden (the latter reminds me of Ecco the Dolphin for some reason), and Meltdown 2 has some seriously contagious energy to it, but the badass marching rhythm in the second half of ICARO just takes the bacon all the way home.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 4:03 pm
by Mothra
Wow, Crypt of the Necromancer is awesome. Never heard that OST before.

That's got my vote along with Booster, Seiken Densetsu 3 and Shadow Hearts.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:04 pm
by Friday
71. Invisible Enemy (Persona 4) 3
69. Booster's Tower (Super Mario RPG) 7
33. Disco Descent (Crypt of the Necrodancer) 7
41. Meltdown 2 (Cave Story) 5
26. Few Paths Forbidden (Seiken Densetsu 3) 3
20. Moria Gallery (Tales of Phantasia) 4
54. ICARO Beated Ver. (Shadow Hearts) 7

Next up:

65. Disturb the doubtful sleep (Valkyrie Profile 2)
34. Running Hell (Cave Story)
9. Undersea Palace (Chrono Trigger)
46. Wandering (Goblet Grotto)
42. Star Dragon Tower (Lunar 2: Eternal Blue)
40. Ivor Tower - Castle (Secret of Evermore)
63. The incomplete stone (NieR)

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 4:01 pm
by Mothra
Nier and Goblet Grotta are ALL THAT ARE DESERVING

Chrono Trigger's is good, it just gets old quick.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 5:42 pm
by François
I usually prefer Motoi Sakuraba's compositions when they're delicate, emotional, or atmospheric, but when his high-energy pieces work (which isn't always the case, he gets a little self-indulgent at times), they really do it for me. And Disturb the doubtful sleep is definitely up there; that opening is so damn money.

I don't think there's even one individual part of The Incomplete Stone that doesn't give me chills. NieR's soundtrack makes superlative use of vocals throughout, and the two choirs here are no exception.

I had never heard of Goblet Grotto before this, and after looking at some videos, if someone made me choose between playing it and getting punched in the dick I'd have to think about it for a minute. But dang I'm digging that sound.

So alright one vote left because of course. It's a tough call but I'm giving it to Star Dragon Tower, by a hair, I like how it's got that balance of bold and dramatic to it.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 7:55 pm
by Esperath

this is all I can think of when listening to the nier track

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:28 am
by Friday
Goblet Grotto


But dang I'm digging that sound.


This track really reminds me of this:



Which, for those of us (we few, we happy few) who played SNES Lord of the Rings, was the only good part of the game aside from the title theme.

anyway, I'm just a sucker for that desolate wind sound in music tracks.

Undersea Palace is amazing, and Star Dragon Tower has that Dramatic Epic flair that really gets my juices nipples.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 12:13 pm
by Caithness
Wow, no votes for Secret of Evermore.

I guess I understand. It's not bad, but it doesn't quite measure up to the likes of Mana or Chrono Trigger as far as SNES music.

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 2:13 pm
by Friday
I actually really like a lot of Evermore music. It's very unique for it's time.

Miniboss

Fire Eyes

Queen Bluegarden

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 2:09 pm
by Friday
65. Disturb the doubtful sleep (Valkyrie Profile 2) 3
34. Running Hell (Cave Story) 2
9. Undersea Palace (Chrono Trigger) 6
46. Wandering (Goblet Grotto) 6
42. Star Dragon Tower (Lunar 2: Eternal Blue) 4
40. Ivor Tower - Castle (Secret of Evermore) 0
63. The incomplete stone (NieR) 7

Next up:

64. Revolution to the origin part 2 (Phantasy Star Online)
68. Rogueport Sewers (Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door)
18. A Searing Struggle (Wanderers from Ys)
56. Castle in the Sky (Breath of Fire 3)
30. Conglomerate Alliance TENPA (Ar Tonelico)
35. Another Medium (Undertale)
72. You in Wonderland (Persona Q)

Re: Hottest Dungeon Theme!

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:18 pm
by François
RttO2 is a god-damned tour de force that switches moods four times in 90 seconds while maintaining the same high level of tension from one end to the other. You may think this could be a little much to listen to over and over, but the genius of it is that PSO has dynamic music, so its final dungeon flows between this and the slower, more eerie Part 1 depending on enemy presence. I nominated Part 2 because I feel that out of context, heard once, it's the most interesting of the pair, but in-game the two tracks function even better together.

I don't know anything about Ar Tonelico but dang TENPA blows me away. I'm a sucker for the musette and flute at the start. And then it goes all celtic-y? Oh man.

You in Wonderland is another I had never heard before, and its delightful trickster tone pierces my heart like a cruel cupid's arrow. (Oh cripes I'm already running out of sensible ways to say "I dig it", I'm in big trubs now.)

Final vote this round goes to A Searing Struggle for being exactly what it is, turned up to eleven without a trace of irony.

Oh and for the record if I don't say I outright dis like any given track, I probably really like it, but not as much as one I actually voted for, and I don't have anything else interesting to say about it. I'm operating from the principle that if one of you nominated a song then chances are it's pretty cool! Discovering new stuff is half the fun.