Best 8 Music Tracks from Sonic (Classic Era)

Even though it be easier (and much more deserving) to include “Green Hill Zone” due it being the very first level theme to the very first Sonic the Hedgehog game, there’s just something about “Spring Yard Zone” that personally wins me over and makes me wish it wasn’t so overlooked. The track – which many have pointed out sounds a bit like Bobby Brown’s pop single “Every Little Step” – has a nice “funk hop” quality to it that takes me back to a specific era from the early 1990’s that the Genesis seemingly embodied at the time: a different, more notable emphasis on “urban” visuals and sound.

Hidden Palace Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2, 1992)

Something of a major “cheat” since the level was ultimately scrapped from the final version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (which underwent many revisions during development), but the theme for “Hidden Palace Zone” is still included in the game’s unlockable sound test. The track has an oddly slow and somber quality to it, with it reportedly being intended for a cutscene that would’ve shown players changing into “Super” Sonic for the very first time; however, along with the ongoing analysis of discoveries from StH2‘s multiple prototypes, the track also puts forth an indelible sense of mystery.

Tidal Tempest [JP/EU ver.] (Sonic CD, 1993)

In an interesting story in its own right, the North American release of Sonic CD had the primarily house, techno, and “swingbeat” soundtrack featured in the original Japanese release (and retained in its European releases) replaced with a more atmospheric, rock-infused score. Among the Japanese and European versions of the soundtrack, I really enjoy Masafumi Ogata’s “standard” mix of the level “Tidal Tempest” for its very soothing and bright ambience, with the echoey throughline beat having an equally nice waterdrop-like effect that ties in splendidly to the stage’s underwater cavern location.

Doomsday Zone (Sonic 3 / Sonic & Knuckles, 1994)

As I discussed in another article, the track “Doomsday Zone” from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (the “completed” form of StH3 and Sonic & Knuckles via the latter’s unique “lock-on” feature) is a very frantic and frenetic piece that plays as the combined game’s true final boss theme. If playing as Sonic, the sheer amount of work required to unlock this final battle (and with players having battled Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik over three – arguably four – mainline Genesis titles), gives the track a very climatic and decisive weight that felt like it could’ve possibly been the series’ definitive finale.

Seascape (Knuckles’ Chaotix, 1995)

Despite Knuckles’ Chaotix not really being a mainline Sonic the Hedgehog game (though it started out as one in early development), it was – and still is – seen as a fascinating little curio for the Sega 32X that had its own unique charm and very well-crafted soundtrack. “Seascape,” the track utilized for the game’s harbor/cruise ship-themed area “Marina Madness,” is something of a nice intersection between “Spring Yard Zone” and “Tidal Tempest” in its musical presentation: in particular, having an R&B/pop sound like the former piece combined with a bright and soothing ambience like the latter.

Death Egg’s Eye (Sonic the Fighters, 1996)

The soundtrack of Sonic the Fighters, an obscure 3D fighting game released only in arcades but given later console and digital re-releases, features the very intense and determined-sounding piece “Death Egg’s Eye ~ Never Let It Go” as the theme of the penultimate boss fight with Metal Sonic. The track’s opening piano riff is notably (and probably very purposely) evocative of other, more famous pieces of pulse-pounding music like Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” with the rest of its frantic and fast-paced instrumentation doing a nice job of playing up the fight’s infamous (even somewhat unfair) difficulty.

Diamond Dust Zone [Saturn] (Sonic 3D Blast, 1996)

Following the then-expected delay (and subsequent cancellation) of Sonic X-treme for the Christmas 1996 season, an enhanced Sega Saturn port of Sonic 3D Blast was very quickly commissioned, developed, and released in late November to fill the former title’s place. In addition to notable visual enhancements to the original Genesis version of the game (including new, fully 3D polygonal bonus stages), the Saturn port also included an entirely new soundtrack by Richard Jacques, with both acts of the icy “Diamond Dust” level featuring really great wintery/Christmas-like arrangements in them.

Radical City: Living in the City (Sonic R, 1997)

Worked on by the same developers as the Genesis and Saturn versions of Sonic 3D Blast, 1997’s Sonic R is a 3D racing title that also included a soundtrack by Richard Jacques (with multiple vocal tracks performed by British singer Teresa Jane “TJ” Davis). While I’m not trying to dismiss Davis’ more recognizable contributions to the game’s soundtrack (“Super Sonic Racing” and “Resort Island: Can You Feel the Sunshine?”), I have a personal preference for “Radical City: Living the City” due to it fitting neatly into the “city pop” subgenre that’d also be heard in “At Dawn” from Sonic Adventure.

Honorable Mentions

“Toxic Caves” (Sonic Spinball); “Gigalopolis Zone” (Sonic Chaos); “Fang the Sniper/Nack the Weasel” (Sonic Triple Trouble); and “Hydro City Zone Act 2” (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles / Sonic Mania).

“Child’s Song” (Knuckles’ Chaotix); “Space Queens” (Sonic X-treme [cancelled]); “Panic Puppet Zone Act 2” (Sonic 3D Blast [Genesis]); and “Radiant Emerald: Diamond in the Sky” (Sonic R).