Oasis' Video Game Music Reviews

[Oronoco]

I love reading these!

I never owned any Mario until Super Mario Galaxy, so I'm glad you're pointing out where the musical themes are borrowed from earlier games. Otherwise, I would never have known!

[Oasis]

Thanks Oronoco! Thank Tobbeh for that because he was the one who suggested that to me.

[Oasis]

Bowser Appears

Yes! Finally, the Koopa King! You might get excited by the title, but please don't. It's actually a short, simple track. A bang of a drum begins the whole theme. Then you can hear only 3 instruments.
Not much to be said here except that the Koopa King is here!

Highlights and Lowlights: Brings out the mood here. This is not a theme, it's just saying that Bowser is appearing! Not much I can criticize considering this is just an intro to a character.

Creativity: Nothing really to say here.
Emotion: Brings you the mood right away. You know something will go down, something bad.
Length: Only 6 seconds then set on repeat.
Relevance: See emotion.
Personal Opinion: A great introduction to a great character. 

Report Card: 88%


Bowser Jr.

Here is the Koopa Kid's son, Bowser Jr! You can hear the trumpets beginning the introduction, then a bass and drum comes in to take its place as the trumpet fades away. The bass is really funky here and is also pretty short. It is similar to Bowser Appears in terms of it introducing the character.

Highlights and Lowlights: Brings out the mood here. This is not a theme, it's just saying that Bowser Jr is appearing! Not much I can criticize considering this is just an intro to a character.

Creativity: Nothing really to say here.
Emotion: Brings you the mood right away. You know something will go down, something bad.
Length: Only 6 seconds then set on repeat.
Relevance: See emotion.
Personal Opinion: A great introduction to a great character. 

Report Card: 88%


Bowser Jr's Airship Armada

This is the other version of the Airship except there are some modified bits. This theme seems obviously much more powerful towards the end as the instruments get louder and fade to trombone which starts the process all over again.

Highlights and Lowlights: It is a pretty powerful song, better than Airship appears because it brings out more emotion.

Creativity: You can literally feel the climax as the music builds up and up until its peak.
Emotion: Brings you the mood right away. You know something will go down, something bad.
Length: 1 minute and 7 seconds.
Relevance: Totally relevant as we see its original song in Super Mario Bros 3, aboard the airship.
Personal Opinion: I loved it. 

Report Card: 92%


Bowser's Stronghold Appears

We can hear sounds effects being played, a piano, a synth, and something funky being played.

Highlights and Lowlights: Like the first 2, it is an introduction to something epic about to happen, so nothing much to say.

Creativity: Meh.
Emotion: Brings you the mood right away. You know something will go down, something bad.
Length: 13 seconds.
Relevance: Totally relevant as we see its original song in Super Mario Bros 3, aboard the airship.
Personal Opinion: It is just an introduction so I expect nothing too great.

Report Card: 75%

[Oasis]

Buoy Base Galaxy

Hey look! It's a galaxy! Since the music of galaxies are the core part Super Mario Galaxy, this will much longer and more fuller. Are you guys ready? Ah, Buoy Base, such a marvelous fortress and the music is no joke either. A piano hits the intro note as a synth plays a repeat of notes.
The drums come in and the synth leads the direction of the introduction. After that, you can hear the trombones guiding and leading the "main course" of the song. After a while, the trombones fade and a synth comes in to take the lead as the drum's complexity dies down a bit.
The drums complexity resumes when another instrument takes the synth's direction. Then the trumpets come in as sound effects are added. The synths end the song as the beginning synth we heard early plays a bit of the intro, then the trombone comes in to start the cycle all over.
I like the music really really much as it shows no sign of a quality drop. I feel like this theme gets the mood perfectly of what it is like in space. Did any of you headbang to this song? I thought not. Too bad this only plays in only ONE galaxy and the galaxy is not even a main galaxy.

Highlights and Lowlights: I just love every part of it. The song goes song throughout and doesn't slouch like a couple of other songs. 1 instrument does not take the stage for the whole song. It is a mixture of different instruments and each instruments get some love.

Creativity: How it mixes instrument while still retaining its structure is very impressive to me.
Emotion: This is why I love to stay in the Galaxy and watch Mario sleep. I just love listening to its tune and I visit here if I want to be in a bold, courageous mood.
Length: One minute and forty seconds.
Relevance: It is extremely relevant. Come on. This is a fortress like Battlerock is kind of like a fortress, though this would be a tad bit stronger and more fun than Battlerock.
Personal Opinion: I loved it very much and this would be my second favorite theme from the whole game. My first favorite theme has miles to go, but it will appear eventually.

96%


Buoy Base Galaxy Underwater

This song has the same intro as the regular Buoy Base Galaxy though there are some removed synths and added synths. The trombone has been toned down a bit and plays alongside a crystal piano. You can hear the crystal piano playing an extremely major role trying to make it sound underwater as possible.
It's peak starts at 01:14 as you hear a flurry of instruments as the instruments are being played emotionally and to its full potential.

Highlights and Lowlights: Has a nice underwater vibe to it. It almost feels as if you are underwater!

Creativity: Very creative toning down the trombone and adding a crystal piano to accompany it.
Emotion: You feel very strong when you hear some instruments' volume being raised by quite a lot.
Length: One minute and forty seconds.
Relevance: Extremely relevant and makes you feel like you are underwater.
Personal Opinion: I feel like in some parts, above water is stronger and other parts, underwater. I like it very much though.

95%

[Oasis]

Deep Dark Galaxy/Big Mouth Galaxy

I will be doing only galaxies and major boss fights from now on. I felt like the other songs were too bland, so here are only the major galaxies. Don't get me wrong, some music are catchy, but I feel like doing the galaxies and major bosses would save me time, you time, and I could move on to the next set of music. Maybe Paper Mario TTYD for Super Paper Mario because I love the soundtracks for those.
Ahh, Deep Dark Galaxy. The title, does it unnerve you? No? Great. Don't the title or the music fool you. The galaxy itself is actually not bad. On to the music. You can hear the piano starting off this intense music. After that, you can hear a synth following a quick note. Then the same process, while the drums and another set of synths enter. The piano dies down for a while as you can hear the ride of the drum making a few clicks as the bass kick does too.
The beginning is simple, but as the song progresses it increases in complexity, but never gets too complex. The climax is at 1:00 as you can hear the suspense thicken and at 1:20, the tension is released. Congratulations, you have survived listening to the Deep Dark Galaxy. Go now and beat that galaxy, and if you did, meh.

Highlights and Lowlights: It is simple, but it knows how to build the suspense.

Emotion: This song knows how to get you tensed up. It is basically saying something is watching you and is out to get you, but none of that happens.
Length: One minute and twenty one seconds.
Relevance: Gosh, how relevant is this? It is relevant as it fits with the mysterious, dark galaxy.
Personal Opinion: I remember playing this late at night and it was really scary. I always got scared because I thought something was out to get me. But nothing was.

[Oasis]

Dusty Dune Galaxy

Ahh, Dusty Dune Galaxy. I'd have to say, people like to slam this level as much as they love to slam water levels, but who can blame them? Dusty Dune Galaxy has a really nice tune as it actually sounds like a desert song! Do you guys like that sitar and percussion? In the beginning, you can hear a sitar, a bass, and percussion being played. After the second round of sitar, bass, and percussion, you can hear a piccolo come in and play the same melody as the sitar.
The sitar leaves as the piccolo takes the charge to play the notes the sitar played. Then the sitar comes back in and while the piccolo plays the harmony, the sitar plays the melody. Then you can hear the crystal piano come in, plays, then the whole process starts over.

Highlights and Lowlights:I love how it has the desert feel to it. Basically with the percussion and sitar.

Emotion: This may be just me, but when I listen to the song, I feel like I'm drowning in quicksand, like I'm at a desert...music can do that to you.
Length: One minute and thirty six seconds.
Relevance: It is totally relevant. See highlights.
Personal Opinion: I loved the song, but I disliked the level. I won't let my dislike for the level affect my decision though.