The 4D Sound - Double Dragon II

It's a game I sometimes forget about (probably due to it not getting the amount of exposure it's prequel did, or similar games in the genre), but I would have to say that I think Double Dragon II for the NES has the greatest game soundtrack of all time. Almost every track is a home run and are among the most memorable you'll ever hear in a video game.

'But JD! What about insert modern/Mega Man/Sonic/Mario/Ninja Gaiden game here?' This is what you are thinking. I personally consider this above any of those and quite easily, I might add. Not only the original NES version, but the somehow just as amazing arranged version which brings the soundtrack to life using more than ye olde NES soundchip. Let's start this off on a track by track basis. I'll even throw in the arranged version for comparison's sake.


Opening: Dead Or Alive

Probably the most familiar opening theme in the series, next to the iconic opening from part 1. But to say it stands alongside the original is quite a testament to it's quality. As far as opening themes go, few games get it better. The arranged version is quite interesting, since it's a vocal edit(the only one in the arranged version, I might add) as it makes it sound like an 80s anime theme song. It works, but I think the original wins out for getting the Double Dragon feeling right on.


Level One: Unleashing The Ogre

Possibly the most underrated song in the game, while not as flamboyant in it's asskickery like the first game, level one of DD2 is much more subtle and restrained while still having a pulsating feel as well as managing to keep the feel of gritty street violence at the same time. A superb track. The arranged version retains this subtlety beautifully, and adds in a bit of seediness giving it an edge in it's back alley, post apocalyptic brawl. I'm not sure why most people don't talk about this one, it's truly great.


Level Two: Low Pursuit

Easily the most famous song in the game, and is just that great, the second stage of Double Dragon 2 is one of the best designed levels in gaming. A little bit of platforming, throwing dudes off ledges, avoiding helicopter gunfire, and closing it off with a brawl with two ninjas at the end, you've got everything. On top of that you got a song that just oozes seediness and really has the atmosphere of a brawl on a rooftop in the middle of the night, it's slower than the first level theme, but somehow more explosive in it's delivery. The arranged version manages to kick it up a notch making it sound not too dissimilar from something you might hear in an anime or old action movie, hell there are STILL games out there trying to ape this style and failing miserably.


Level Three: Night Sky Tension

Short level, short theme. Is more or less just ambiance anyway. Pretty disappointing considering the rest of the soundtrack. The arranged version is better, but that's not saying much.


Level Four: Advancing Towards Sunset

No other song emulates the feeling of storming a base to kick some butt more than this one does. It's incessantly catchy, hard driving, and just makes you want to hyper knee some dude in the face. The Arranged version is simply beautiful, modernizing this classic tune with a style and flair rarely seen in gaming, the song could easily fit in with other more modern action games like Viewtiful Joe or GodHand with no complaints from anyone.


Level Five: Escape To The Forest

The other song most people probably know from this game. Easily topping the forest theme from the first game, and brilliantly describing a foreboding feeling of danger (it IS the Forest Of Death after all), the theme crawls along your skin as you make your way through the mysterious forest before you. The arranged version adds some power to the track, giving it a sense of urgency instead of mystery, but this merely gives the track it's own flavor making the two essential listening when it comes to videogame music.


Level Six: Wicked God

A pretty average song in all honesty. It's pretty much a short theme of anxiety before entering the enemy base before you. It gets the job done, but it's not one you'll be listening to often.


Level Seven: Breaking The Barrier

Now THIS is more like it. Back to classic DD music full of kickassness. The song is almost like letting the tension out of the game after the dizzying platforming you went through and deadly traps you managed to avoid. It really feels like the main halls of an enemy stronghold. The arranged version pumps it up to 11, making a great song excellent. It's much meatier in it's sound, giving it an impression of some massive gang battle happening.


Level Eight: Entering The Enemy Base

The final stage. The journey is nearing it's conclusion, and it's almost time to face your demons. The foreboding music is perfect for this stage, you know you're near the end, you know the enmy is on the run, and now is your chance to stop them. The arranged version gives it a more industrial feel about it, rescaling the post apocolyptic theme the series tends to forget about after this game. In fact, it sort of reminds me of something you'd hear from a Ninja Gaiden game. It still retains the foreboding message, but twists it a bit to make it some almost like there's an urgency and fear in the air. Brilliant music.


Final Boss: Roar Of The Double Dragon

Okay, this is going to be really biased. This is the best final boss music in the history of gaming. There is none better. If you were to put this into ANY game is the final boss music (doesn't matter which version) the game would be 38% more brilliant. Statistically prove and all that. This song is as perfect as video game music gets and will ever get. The feeling of excitement and adrenaline is unleashed in this final moment before the end, as the final boss teleports all over the screen and turns invisible to kick your ass, the screen changes backgrounds and you have this epic music playing. Gaming doesn't get better than this. Forget Koji Kondo, forget any video game composer you favor, they will NEVER touch this music. You can add this into Mario 3's final battle and it will fit, you can add this to Sonic 3 & Knuckles Doomsday Zone and it will fit, you can add to to Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy, Hell you can add this to freaking Halo 3's final battle and it will fit. There is nothing that will surpass it. Sorry, there just isn't.


Epilogue: Miracle Of The Double Dragon

A heartwarming and yet sad song of how the Lee brothers killed the mysterious warrior without learning anything about him at all. They are are able to find Marion and disappear from history, saving the world and the girl.


Ending Credits: Rising Desire

Combining the epic win that is Roar, and the somberness of Miracle, you get probably the best closing theme in gaming. Hell, it wouldn't be out of place in a final fantasy game. A beautiful end to an awesome game, it's too bad the original team never made another DD game after this, but then I don't know how they would have topped it.


In conclusion, this is one of, if not the best soundtrack in the history of videogames. Kazunaka Yamane, who composed the music of the first two games is a genius, and it's thanks to him that we have all this awesome music in just one game. Not only one of the best games ever, but also he best sounding games ever, Double Dragon 2 is a total classic. If only this series could continue, but Million (who owns the IP) continues to only port the original, ignoring what many people consider the pinnacle of the series (II) and remaking a game that really, really needs it (III). But still, Double Dragon II is an all time classic that should be played (and heard) by everyone. We at the Slacker Chronicles salute you Million for creating some of the best game soundtracks (and by extension, games) off all time.

*Note: Image from lemonamiga
*Extra note: If you want to hear these, a simple title search on a certain video site can yield very tasty results.

The 4D Slip - 'Splosion Man

The "Summer Of XBLA" is here on Microsoft's X-Box Live service, and starting it off is Twisted Pixel's Platformer "Splosion Man". A game where you use your body to explode and propel yourself vertically in the air to reach great distances.

For gamers who enjoy the simplicity of old school platforming action, simplistic yet engaging gameplay, odd '80s references, fantastic N64 era Rare-style music and wonky humor, you can't go wrong with Splosion Man. Featuring 50 simgle player levels and a completely separate 50 levels for multiplayer, as well as an unlockable "Hardcore" mode, you will definitely be getting your worth out of 800 Microsoft points ($10) as well as some free gamerpics and a free premium theme for your X-Box 360.

The Summer Of XBLA to me, is a nice way of making up for the traditional "summer drought" of retail video games, and deliver high quality download experiences on par with those from the glory days of simplistic gaming. With more games like Splosion Man, download services are now becoming THE place to go for that new fresh old school gaming experience.



(Images from XBLarcade.com and Gamespot)

An Introduction to Randy’s Monthly Videogame Challenge

Every month I have chosen to focus on one game and play until completion. This doesn’t mean that I have to 100% it, this just means I have to beat the game from beginning to end. By undertaking to challenge myself each month, I agree to complete at least ONE GAME per month. The motivation behind this challenge is to clear out the backlog of games I've accumulated over the years.

My criteria for selecting the games are as follows:

1. I need to have easy access to the game in question. What I mean by this, is that I have to either own the game, know someone who will lend me the game, or in the case of older retro titles, have access to a working emulator.

2. The game has to be one I’m interested in. This means I will not force myself to play something like Superman 64, or E.T. the Extraterrestrial: The Videogame.

3. The game needs to be beatable within one month. There are exceptions to this rule such as for last gen or current generation RPGs which may take upwards of 60+ hours to beat or whole series of games.

I originally started this challenge back in March and have so far this year completed four challenges.

March - Bioshock (Xbox 360)
April - Earthbound (SNES)
May - Mother 3 (GBA)
June - Mirror's Edge (Xbox 360)

I'm taking the month of July off from the challenge to regroup and plan out the rest of the year. My schedule so far is:

August - Psychonauts
September - Ico/Shadow of the Colossus

If all goes as planned, I should be able to post once a week with my progress and impressions of the games. Since there is no challenge this month, I'll discuss what I'm currently playing to pass the time.

See you next week!

Static Prevails - Seinfeld's Appeal

Seinfeld is regularly considered one of, if not the best sitcom or comedy on television. For those who have seen it, it's hard to argue against it. The show could be fast paced and wacky, or slow paced and subtle, and the jokes could be crude or surprisingly high brow. The show was billed to be 'the show about nothing', but it somehow seemed more relate-able to people than the shows about 'something'. So what is it that makes people still love this show over ten years since it's end?

The characters are all rather selfish, they never learn a thing, and can be rather petty or vindictive when need be. Yet, the characters are widely loved and still quoted to this day.

It might be that it is a very realistic interpretation of the real world we live in. While obviously exaggerated and a bit more cartoony, the characters are very real and not too dissimilar from the people you might meet in real life. The plots are often very similar with very petty concerns that we deal with in our everyday lives blown up in importance just like we tend to do ourselves.

My personal favorite episode is 'The Serenity Now" from the eighth season which follows how stress over the little things can greatly impact your life and effectively ruin it. Despite there never really being a lesson to learn in Seinfeld (they made it a point to keep mentioning that), it found ways of reinterpreting things you already know but maybe don't think about too often. This episode and the existence of the 'Lloyd Braun' character (that person your parents/family constantly compare you to, despite the fact their own problems are large enough to exceed your own) is an example of being highly relate-able to the common viewer, and to entertain over the absurdity of the whole situation.

Seinfeld generally makes light of life, something we all tend to take too seriously way too often. It blows up those quibbling problems we all stress over and let ruin our lives by making light of them to show us that it really isn't all that bad. To me, this is the core ideal I feel that unites the audience to the show, and while that might not be that big revelation to anybody, it should be something to keep in mind when watching this show or when dealing with your own petty problems.

In my view, there hasn't been a sitcom since that has come close to how Seinfeld approaches the world and western society. And in the end, that's what gives it it's appeal and why it is still remembered as the best sitcom of all time.

No matter how many shows (coughFriendscough) ripped it off with lesser results, Seinfeld will always remain unique.

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Better Late Than Never

Hello,

Long time, no see. Sorry for the absolute silence on my part the last few weeks, but I had come down with a cold of some sort. Basically, I’ve spent the last few weeks doing almost nothing but eating and sleeping, like my body was preparing for winter hibernation like some animal. Go figure.

So just a heads up, within the next 24 hours, I will be posting my inaugural post about my monthly videogame challenge. More on that then.

Damn MS Live Writer didn't auto-publish this post like it was supposed to. Gotta fiddle with the settings I think.

You know what?

Clash At Demonhead needs a sequel/remake. It's such a fun shooter/platformer, and the map system has a lot of potential. With a good fleshing out it could be so much better. Especially if they can somehow get WayForward on it, then I know it will achieve it's potential.

For those that don't know, (and somehow stumbled upon this blog) Clash At Demonhead is an old NES game that was very ambitious in it's execution. A shooter like Contra with a lifebar and multiple branching paths for every section of the map. You can buy upgrades, health, and what have you. It's story is typically messed up and confusing for an NES game, but the control is so tight you won't care.

I really hope someone revisits this sometime in the future.

Follow The Sound - When I Come Around (Track Review)

'When I Come Around' by Green Day is probably one of the best singles of the 90s (one of my favorites for music) and one of the band's best songs. After recently being floored with disappointment from Green Day's latest album (as a fan since 1995, it really hurt to see them resort to stealing from other bands wholesale leaving nothing of their own sound) and preferring last year's side project (Foxboro Hot Tubs) immensely more, I had a listen to this track on one of my playlists while cutting the lawn.

The bobbing bassline that ducks in and out of the simple chugging guitar riff, the vocals delivered with just the right amount of snark, humor and emotion (something Green Day excelled at), the drums on a simple beat with perfect tom rolls and crash hits and a short guitar solo that fills me with orgasmic delight no matter how many times I hear it some 14 years later.

Whenever that opening riff pops up, you can bet there will be veterans of the 90s music scene poking their heads up looking for the source that's blasting this tune out. This is the song that gave them their popularity, their airplay, and their record sales. And for some fucking reason, classic radio stations would rather play Nickleback than this song.

This is the perfect pop song. Ever since 1992's Kerplunk, Green Day had mastered this art of simple, yet emotionally involving songs with quirks and personality all to their own. Finally culminating in their masterpiece Warning in 2000. An album full of perfect pop music with a rock n roll bite and the right level of emotion.

The band would later try something new with excellent results (American Idiot, despite being overpraised, is a great album) and lukewarm (The Network's Money Money 2020 side project) before forgetting the core of their sound on their newest flop, 20th Century Breakdown.

But forget all that, if you want perfect pop music, it doesn't come purer than this song, with Rob Cavallo's perfect producing and Jerry Finn's perfect mixing (the only man who could leave the bite on major label punk bands) and an perfect performance. Forget that Green Day has forgotten about songwriting and is instead focusing on convoluted 'statements' in some ridiculous 'voice of the generation' bullshit credibility grab.

Forget the shit the band is up to currently and remember the music they have left us over the last 2 decades. All the heart, emotion, blood, sweat, booze, weed, and bite are all there and they always will be. Forget the bullshit, all you need is the music.

Follow The Sound - The Undertones

This time I will talk about what is in my opinion (and anyone else who has heard it) the best pop-punk album ever recorded. Yes, better than Rocket To Russia, Milo Goes To College, Singles Going Steady, Dookie, My Brain Hurts, or whatever else you can think of. This album is the first by massively underrated band The Undertones, who had a few great albums before disbanding, but their first was definitely their best. This album is permanently ranked in my top 10 best albums ever.



1. Family Entertainment (2:38)
2. Girls Don't Like It (2:18)
3. Male Model (1:58)
4. I Gotta Getta (1:53)
5. Teenage Kicks (2:28)
6. Wrong Way (1:23)
7. Jump Boys (2:41)
8. Here Comes The Summer (1:46)
9. Get Over You (2:44)
10. Billy's Third (1:57)
11. Jimmy Jimmy (2:41)
12. True Confessions (2:23)
13. (She's A) Runaround (1:50)
14. I Know A Girl (2:38)
15. Listening In (2:26)
16. Casbah Rock (0:56)

Bonus Tracks:

17. Smarter Than You (1:40)
18. True Confessions (1:56)
19. Emergency Cases (1:58)
20. Really Really (1:52)
21. She Can Only Say No (0:53)
22. Mars Bars (2:10)
23. One Way Love (2:16)
24. Top Twenty (2:14)
25. You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?) (2:40)
26. Let's Talk About Girls (3:35)


Every band since this album has come out has swiped considerably from it. You've got Beatle-esque pop numbers, Ramones style ravers, and a dash of great songwriting that all makes it sound so unique. I'm not going to pick out favorites here, as that would take way too long with the amount of songs available, but let me say that if you don't think "I Gotta Getta" is one of the best songs ever written, you're crazy and I never want to hear from you again.

The emotions expressed are purely those of being young, and the simplicity involved in it. Although there are songs about girls and longing for them, they never dip into whining territory. It's all sarcasm, irony, self deprecation, and hope, and it's all in good fun.

Every song is perfect pop music with a hard punk kick, exactly like the Ramones intended, but perfect here. Their follow ups are actually almost on par with this (Sometimes I even prefer them), but their song writing is at their absolute peak on the debut. Feargal Sharkey's vocals are probably the most unique you'll ever hear on a punk record, and are able to make the stretch from "tough" to "sweet" almost instantaneously. Let me also note that the legendary John Peel himself once stated that Teenage Kicks is the greatest song ever recorded, and even made the man cry. It's no joke, this album is that good.

*Image from allmusic.com