P-Vock's Music Box: Prehistoric Party
Hello and welcome back to P-Vocks Music Box. Last week, I talked about a game that few have played. A game that I doubt most of the people I know that love this soul-sucking hobby as much as I have ever played. A true hidden gem.
This week, I want to do the opposite. I'm going to talk about a game I bet most of you are familiar with even if you haven't ever played it before.
Today, I'm getting prehistoric up in here and talking about the walking bundle of good vibes that is Yoshi.
When you start a new game, this is one of the first sounds you'll hear, and what a delight it is. It's so simple. It's so jovial. It's such a glorious map theme that is equal parts calming and energizing.
If you've just come from a tough level that frustrated you, its repetitious positivity will eventually make you crack a smile, as if it's a friend constantly nudging you with their elbow after telling a dad joke until you laugh.
If you're excited after powering through a level like a champ, the consistent drum line will motivate you to just keep marching your way through the next level.
And when you get into a level . . .
That upbeat marching drum line is even more present here as you blast through the stage. The long and winding notes are whimsical and almost comical. The bass riffs are funky and groovy. The melodies are so iconic that I bet you've heard this track and instantly recognized it, even if you have never played the game.
It all combines into a fun and memorable track that has stood the test of time, much like the game from which it hails.
Also, go on YouTube and search "Yoshi Scream Meme". You're welcome.
For another simple level theme, I think this one is far superior to what we've just heard. This one track alone is enough to make me love the SNES soundfont. It's a simple melody and tune, but the crunchy bass and sheer weight of each instrument make the composition feel so rich and full.
That melody and the sense of joy it causes in me is burned into my mind more than the trauma of that time I walked into Fatal Attraction (a terrible movie) and saw that bunny scene as a kid.
OH! Speaking of potential trauma.
Apologies to your neck for the emotional whiplash it probably just felt at how wildly different this theme is.
Those opening sounds are so intimidating, yet juvenile (perfect for a fight against a giant baby version of Bowser). It's so empty. So solitary.
Until it's not, and you get something that sounds like a composition from a Mega Man game remixed to the instruments and melodic style of Yoshi's Island. It's so aggressive and high tempo. That synth guitar is so hot you can practically smell the smoke. That synth organ is so motivating and hype-inducing. That bass line sounds straight out of a Final Fantasy game.
It's a truly unique track for such a bright and fun game, which is why it works so impeccably for a final boss fight that definitely challenged a young Parker far more than the rest of the game.
Yoshi's Island is such a classic. With a unique setup and making what was once a power-up now the playable character, an absolutely gorgeous art style that looks as if everything was hand-drawn with thick crayons (thematically cohesive with the Mario Brothers and Bowser being babies), and a truly sensational soundtrack that is perfect for the game and as a reflection of my brain.
"No thoughts, head empty" actually means that I am mentally in Flower Garden (or the Yoshi Screaming Meme).
If you somehow haven't played this gem before and have the means to, please do. It's a masterpiece and is so beloved for a reason.
Thank you so much as always for checking out my nonsense, and I hope to catch you back here next time with another suggestion from my Music Box.
Stay Brutal!