Final Fantasy Music Challenge

Rather than play Fell Seal today, I spent time, masked-up, with friends to play Super Smash Bros Ultimate for the last time this year. I had some good showings, made a final, but failed to win. #Shame

Anyway, I couldn’t play tonight. Rather than leave a blank, I’ll update everyone on the Final Fantasy Music Challenge I’ve been participating in the last week. A Final Fantasy Union video is the first I’ve heard of this, and I felt compelled to indulge. I’ve been posting on Facebook, but not where it makes sense: here! I don’t know how often I’ll mass update this blog during the challenge, but here’s the first five.


Day 1 is the best Final Fantasy Prelude, and I’m going with Final Fantasy VI. I’ve recently noticed I’m not super into high action/BPM video game songs. I think that’s why I’m big on the VI version. Uematsu slowed the arpeggios down to a melodic and relaxing speed that ends up being kinda sorrowful, which fits the tone of the game. He kept the same style for the version I know best, VII. I’m sticking with the Terra version because it came first.

https://youtu.be/ELZfaOQCD4o


Today's 30 Day Final Fantasy Music Challenge is the best Chocobo Theme! The giant, usually, yellow colored ostriches have been a staple of the series since FFII. I think the best way to avoid random battles is on the back of FFIX’s Choco. Maybe it’s because Hot & Cold is my second favorite mini-game, or because Choco has more importance to the story than Amarant, or because he’s more loyal to Zidane than to Fat Chocobo? Or maybe it’s the ukulele?

https://youtu.be/ZCTd-OnrZCU


Today’s strange reason to post video game music sure is strange and Moogle Themed. I had a hard time remembering what the Moogle song even was, let alone my favorite version. thereof. And considering there’s only, like, seven in total, it was surprisingly easy.

Final Fantasy XIV is a game I’ve never played, but when I heard this straight outta Halloween Town tune, I knew I had to post it. I don’t know the context (boss fight?) but enjoy this Tim Burton-esq song.

https://youtu.be/pCcbKY7d0dc


I take to the skies on day four of the Final Fantasy Music Challenge! FFIV’s The Airship was the first airship theme I ever heard, and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. It’s got that peppy feel that all of its ilk has, but I dig on that drumbeat.

https://youtu.be/2pNnn04Yh-Y


Day 5/30 of me posting Final Fantasy songs may be the hardest one yet. Made even more so because this is actually a fight for second place! Every good game has its list of good characters, otherwise, it’s a bad game. But who has the best theme? Peppy characters need their upbeat tunes. Melancholic characters need a dirge. But, ultimately, there’s only one person who gets an epic guitar part: Final Fantasy X’s Auron.

The wise, old guardian, aged 36, has a slightly sad guitar tune over a melody that can be surprisingly upbeat. It represents all he’s fought for while also telling of the peace he finds at the end of the journey. You might see me type this a few times, but I’ve been meaning to write some lyrics for this song.

https://youtu.be/lyyqKg3wDbg


Today’s FFMC is supposed to make you feel homesick: Favorite Town Theme!

I’m going with the naturally occurring village that shares it’s motif with Red XIII, Cosmo Canyon, from VII. CC is all about the planet, the environment, and protecting it. As a dirty liberal, I’m all about those things. There’s also a giant telescope on top that projects an accurate, real-time model of the solar system. So, bonus points! The music tries to fit the role with, what I think are, native instruments that build and build to a triumphant crescendo. Nanaki is one of my favorite characters in Final Fantasy, despite the developers barely giving him any story relevancy. If the remake blows him off again, I’ll be immensely disappointed. Also, the Super Smash Bros version sucks.

https://youtu.be/bWzoXaY108g