Best music played during a game's ending/end credits

[theblackw0lf]

So I finished Mass Effect again and one thing that struck me is how kick-ass the song at the very end is.

So what is the best music (instrumental or vocal) that you've heard being playing during the ending of a game? (besides Portal).

[Tankero]

This... this is like a snake eating its own tail at the particle-level. It's ended before it's even begun! It's eternal and nonexistent! It's a mirage that casts a shadow!

I need my pills now.

[Staff Sergeant]

Yup, Portal and Mass Effect. Thread over with the OP, impressive.

[Jon_Danger]

You have to burn the rope.

[Bahimiron]

I always liked the Arabian take on the Quest for Glory hero's theme that gets played at the end of the original Quest for Glory.

[BDGE]

Say what you will about Kojima's anti-war imagery of Alaskan nature, but that song that plays at the end of MGS1 was bittersweet and memorable. It's resurgence near the endgame of MGS4 was pretty memorable too(for obvious reasons).

[Drastic]

The ending credits God Hand musical number (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAga2AjfZlg) cannot be ignored. No really, try to ignore it. It sneaks into your brain anyway.

[Harkonis]

Titan's Quest is my favorite. It's by the Harmonix dudes I believe, Bang Camaro. Just a rock version of the game's theme which plays so often in so many different ways that by the time you finish the game it's stuck in your head already and you'll be humming along to the credits. :)

[BDGE]

The ending credits God Hand musical number (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAga2AjfZlg) cannot be ignored. No really, try to ignore it. It sneaks into your brain anyway.

Damnit, I really need to track that game down.

[Shadarr]

In terms of just the song, Portal. I haven't even played the game and I've heard the song.

In terms of the credits overall, Rock Band. I finished the solo tour at least four times and watched the credits every time.

[flatsinki]

Say what you will about Kojima's anti-war imagery of Alaskan nature, but that song that plays at the end of MGS1 was bittersweet and memorable. It's resurgence near the endgame of MGS4 was pretty memorable too(for obvious reasons).

Was going to post that one as well. Its one of the few games songs that I've actively searched for an mp3 of.

[Rob_Merritt]

Before I clicked on this thread I was thinking about Mass Effect. Easily my favorite ending credit song

[BDGE]

Before I clicked on this thread I was thinking about Mass Effect. Easily my favorite ending credit song

Remind me again, was the end credit song the pseudo rap/rock take on the opening theme? Been awhile.

[Staff Sergeant]

Mass Effect: Ending Credits Song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrDWAuyqtc)

[idrisz]

Warcraft 3 frozen throne's ending with Arthas rocking out was neat.

[Jazar]

Super Mario Land (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryBvAYo5mRo#t=2m40s)
Strike Commander (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KigTEfgM_aU#t=2m17s)
Zelda OoT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC3TCO5ISck)
Final Fantasy 8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKdYFLbqB7A&feature=PlayList&p=154B82393B17332D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1)

These popped into my head instantly. They all have this happy/melancholy ending tune which makes you excited that you've conquered the game yet sad that it's over. :(

[Adam B]

The Plants vs. Zombies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N1_0SUGlDQ) ending song is awesome, though it was used as a hype tool before the game came out. Still counts though.

The Gears of War (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPk1LtESE-U) rap is awesome on a whole nother level.

[Rob_Merritt]

I wish the PvZ song was a surprise. Using it as marketing killed it for me.

[Linoleum]

Full Throttle had an awesome ending.

[Kid Socrates]

Kingdom Hearts 2, "Sanctuary -after the battle-" or however it was done. Then the credits music, more of a symphonic piece going through each of the game's iconic themes, absolutely stellar.

[Wholly Schmidt]

You have to burn the rope.

Excellent choice.

I nominate ICO as well.

[Robert Sharp]

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

[Omniscia]

There's a zombie on the lawn...

And I kinda liked "Through the Fire and Flames" as a closer for GH3. In the game proper, it's awful[ly hard to keep up with], but in the credits it just works. Probably 'cos you can't fail it then.

[kerzain]

I never finish my games, so I have no idea whatsoever. I did finish Portal though (off topic tangent incoming), but I was more annoyed than amused by the end creidts.. I finally understood something like 90% of the meme's I've been seeing over the prior year or two, and it annoyed me that the game was as over hyped as it ended up being. I think the difficulty of the puzzles scaled up incredibly slow.. and by the time I finally felt, "OMG, OKAY, I am going to FINALLY be challenged by this game" it was over.

Yea yea, the writing had some funny lines, but the one-gimick gameplay that scaled up in difficulty so slowly didn't work for me like it did for all those people knitting plush pillows out of those cube things.(okay return to your regularly scheduled program)

I think one of the Zelda games (I can't remember which, they are all a blur) had a good one.

You know.. this is a tough question, I just can't recall. I need to finish more games.

[Robert Sharp]

Portal's gameplay gimmick, as you call it, isn't why people love that game. It was the writing and character.

[Staff Sergeant]

The real challenge of Portal was the time attack/step limit/portal limit modes and special challenge maps. If you think the game was too easy, go back and try to get gold on every map, then come back and apologize.

[kerzain]

Portal's gameplay gimmick, as you call it, isn't why people love that game. It was the writing and character.I undertand that now, my problem was assuming I was buying a game, not a tech demo/interactive story.

[Alan Au]

Is this sort of like how movies put a main theme remix over the credits, often with (unintentionally) hilarious effect? Actually, it sometimes work well with games, because you end up with stuff like the silly Baldur's Gate techno remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlvxKEP38ds), or the modernized theme from Rome: Total War (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bnyULz9phs).

- Alan

[FoRmaT]

I always loved the ending music in the original Ace Combat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoc0UmUC4LU), especially from about 1:15 to 1:45.

[FoRmaT]

And speaking of intro movies, I love the theme from "Mafia".

[jellyfish]

1. The vocal song that is played during the end credits of Rome: Total War.
2. The ending (win) screens for Times of Lore (an old game).

[CheesyPoof]

NOLF had some groovy music.

[baelthazar]

I'll agree with Quest for Glory.

Portal was, of course, classic.

Not exactly "music" but the intro sounds in System Shock 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXPn6wcsUmk)were some of the best ever!

[Gordon Cameron]

Parallax had a great high score tune. So did Commando. (C64 versions.)

[FoRmaT]

Damn, I forgot.

Tekken 2 has the best ending music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGISg2JYke4) EVER!

[theblackw0lf]

I'll agree with Quest for Glory.

Portal was, of course, classic.

Not exactly "music" but the intro sounds in System Shock 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXPn6wcsUmk)were some of the best ever!

In that vein, the intro song for the original System Shock was awesome. (yes I'm derailing my own thread).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID2BEXJ4IKc

[Warning]

I really liked the Lacuna Coil song "Swamped" that played at the end of Vampire: Bloodlines. I went out and bought the album after that.

[Marcin]

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

I thought of this one as well. It's slightly cheesy pop, but it's kinda wistful and has some faint hints of vaguely (could I put in more qualifiers here? :P) middle eastern instrumentation. Fits that ending.

Think I'll have another listen to it ...

[kerzain]

Oh yea, I just remembered the best end-game song of all time:

Game: "Burn the Rope"

[Prodigy]

Corny as hell but fitting the theme, Max Payne 2's end song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrkr6NzZ55s) (warning : end game spoiler). Kinda like it in all its romantic-emo glory.

Otherwise, Yuzo Koshiro's music for Beyond Oasis for the stats screen just as your finished the game. I used to fight the end boss just to listen to it...

[Cubit]

speaking of video game music, the street fighter 4 and resident evil 5 (86 tracks!) soundtracks went up on itunes today. should be more capcom music coming in the future too.

[HUMBY50]

I always had a soft spot for the music over the ending to Vandal Hearts.

Also more embarassingly

this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLsgLtTd4Go)

But if anyone asks me in public it's Portal.

[Staff Sergeant]

Oh yea, I just remembered the best end-game song of all time:

Game: "Burn the Rope"

http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showpost.php?p=1748339&postcount=4

[Funkula]

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

This.

Also, on a completely different level, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URcvdDtnM_0).

[FoRmaT]

Just played a bit of Tekken 2. I had forgotten that Paul's stage features the World Trade Center.

[Horrible Oscar]

The FF6 ending that worked every character's theme into the track as they showed up. I'm surprised that nobody mentioned this yet!

[roguefrog]

Portal, You Have to Burn the Rope and God Hand were the three I was going to mentioned, but to no surprise all three have already been mentioned.

So I'll just say the MadWorld credits commentary track (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72r9BTMsXsI). (NSFW)

[Chaplin]

As mentioned... Portal. Even as I type this, I hear it in my head. It is also perhaps the only game I have gone looking for the song for after the fact.

[Pogo]

Also, on a completely different level, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URcvdDtnM_0).

Hmm... there haven't been any updates on the LotL situation. I guess nobody decided to really do anything about it.

[copet]

Still one of the best soundtracks ever! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1OkWsqt-30) Though to be honest, this is probably one of the worse (but still great) songs of SoM.

Also this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh_IputlWSY&feature=PlayList&p=0313D328804FD4BF&index=21) Sorry! I can never forget these times of my life :D

Lastly! PSIV (http://www.fantasyanime.com/phantasystar/music/Phantasy%20Star%20IV%20-%20Staff%20Roll.mp3)

EDIT: Oh god! I forgot about this, maybe the best ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDaio2hf1fE

[EvilIdler]

The original Tenchu. The entire soundtrack was great, but especially the ending.
(I think some of the same people were involved with Tekken 2's soundtrack)

Not at the ending, but Darkstone (one of the best Diablo-clones) had a music video.

[Tim James]

WTF, why had I never heard Mass Effects end credits song? Was there a delay after you beat the game before it started? I must have quit out quickly.

[Harkonis]

found the one for Titan Quest, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joCjw6vNod0

[Staff Sergeant]

The first few seconds of the song are quiet before the guitar comes in. But yeah, it's definitely a terrific song. <-- this is in response to Tim

EDIT: I love that TQ rock song, it was the music for the secret passage with all the hardest enemies in the game, really fun to farm with some epic rock music.

[SpookyKG]

EDIT: Oh god! I forgot about this, maybe the best ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDaio2hf1fE

This song (Streets of Rage 2) is seriously epic for 1992.

[Tim James]

Still one of the best soundtracks ever! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1OkWsqt-30) Though to be honest, this is probably one of the worse (but still great) songs of SoM.

Also this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh_IputlWSY&feature=PlayList&p=0313D328804FD4BF&index=21) Sorry! I can never forget these times of my life :D

Lastly! PSIV (http://www.fantasyanime.com/phantasystar/music/Phantasy%20Star%20IV%20-%20Staff%20Roll.mp3)

EDIT: Oh god! I forgot about this, maybe the best ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDaio2hf1fEList thread attack! SO EXCITED

Slow down and spell out your acronyms, maybe explain what your random YouTube links are about. :)

[theblackw0lf]

Oh I also vote for the epic 20 minutes of closing music for Final Fantasy VI.

[Omniscia]

Oh, yeah, that was good. Thanks for reminding me.

[ColonelT]

Come on guys, get in the game. http://bit.ly/tmFV6

(Oh. We're being serious?)

[Lizard Dude]

I've always dug the Viewtiful Joe credits music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OfSsQ13g_s&fmt=18#t=0m17s), the Metroid credits music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeUkUp4uRc&fmt=18) (especially the part after 1:26).

The credits for Space Channel 5 Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icexZ72F3sI&fmt=18) (my favorite game) also have an interesting choice compared to the rest of the game's soundtrack.

[Tracy Baker]

The best ones I could think of off the top of my head have already been listed, with the exception of The Last Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eLhDN3qKE0

This game had great sound/music throughout, and although the end tune is repetitive watching the map change in the background as it played was just a really cool ending to a really memorable experience.

[SpookyKG]

the Metroid credits music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeUkUp4uRc&fmt=18) (especially the part after 1:26).

Pretty epic... listening reminded me of a time when the final song could be the biggest 'reward' for finishing a game. I can think of a few games I beat again just because I wanted to listen to the last song.

[theblackw0lf]

The best ones I could think of off the top of my head have already been listed, with the exception of The Last Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eLhDN3qKE0

This game had great sound/music throughout, and although the end tune is repetitive watching the map change in the background as it played was just a really cool ending to a really memorable experience.

Yea that's a great one as well.

As a side note, Jordan Mechner doesn't receive nearly the amount of recognition he deserves.

[garin]

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
I quite liked the one from Two Thrones, as well. That game ended in a more satisfying fashion than I would have expected.

[Aristophan]

Not at the ending, but Darkstone (one of the best Diablo-clones) had a music video.

After Portal and PvZ, this was the one I was thinking of.

Darkstone Will Shine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMY7y2fONbs)

And speaking of PvZ - my kids love that video and enjoy singing along with it. The zombie education has begun!

[rei]

wtf 3 pages without star control 2?

[aphoristic gamer]

Tactics Ogre

[Erik Andersson]

While the songs from games like Portal or Plants vs Zombies are fun and well done they aren't comparable to the tunes from the 8-bit era. A lot of it is of course that I was a lot younger then, but it's also that the tunes were very strong relative to the quality of the rest! I especially remember the songs from the Sega Master System (the system Tom didn't even recognize!), like Y's (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ6kAVaRUPg&feature=related) and Golvellius (www.youtube.com/watch?v=720-keAmj1E). While music is rarely the reason anyone buys a game it's certainly more memorable than graphics.

[Zak Gordon]

the sound quality of this is a bit low:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEB_eKpCNUs

But in the game it is great. And there is something hypnotic about it, especially after a good few hours of playing the game and causing all that death and destruction, the song kind of puts it in context beautifully.

[copet]

List thread attack! SO EXCITED

Slow down and spell out your acronyms, maybe explain what your random YouTube links are about. :)

I can't just give them all away! You wouldn't be curious about what they are, then ;)

...but, maybe you weren't anyways :O

[copeknight]

Freddie Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist!

[Jazar]

And now for the "Why the hell wasn't this an end credit theme?" award:

NES Duck Tales Moon Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_80PQ543rM)

Bonus Lyrics Additon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHEgzRtKC5o)

[Rock8man]

wtf 3 pages without star control 2?

I loved all the music of Star Control 2, but the ending just recycled music from the rest of the game. There was nothing special about the music at the end. So just like with the latest Prince of Persia, the music was excellent, but by the time you got to the ending, you'd already heard it a few times.

[davidf]

One of my favorite is still Emperor of the Fading Suns.

Very moving and perfect for the game!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcMArkWjNpg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDFcQUHcBz0&feature=PlayList&p=7843A72F7F0D6E84&index=9


and by no suprise its opening is still one of my favorites...full of gravitas and verve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TbVnwdro8o&feature=related

[belgerog]

I finally understood something like 90% of the meme's I've been seeing over the prior year or two, and it annoyed me that the game was as over hyped as it ended up being.


Yes, I also got the sense that Portal was over hyped. Not a bad game, but, for instance, I don't see the point of the companion cube joke. I think that there are memes on the internet that are actually funny, but for other memes, I think some people force themselves to find them funny just to jump in the bandwagon, (like the companion cube or "the cake is a lie"). That is, I don't think they're inherently funny. Actually, I find that many of the jokes written for GLadOS fall on this category.

This was even more annoying given that Episode 2 didn't get as much attention as Portal, and I find Episode 2 to be an excellent game. Especially in writing Episode 2 was better, even for jokes, for instance (minor spoilers follow), when you are leaving the two resistance guys in the antlion cave (with the sentry guns) one of them says "Be adequate!", to which the other replies something like "What!?", and the first one explains that that sounded like something a vortigaunt would say. That is funny.

As for the real thread subject, I have to think a while...

[EvoEco]

Grim Fandango. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q8uaPCn2bA)

Because it should appear in every discussion of game music!

[mashakos]

Nobody can dispute the awesomeness of... Another World Ending Musics (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuHcSVXn6g#t=2m26s)

[Omniscia]

I don't disagree that Grim Fandango has an excellent soundtrack, but does it have an excellent ending tune?

Didn't they just repeat Companeros (I'm not finding the character with the darn tilde) from earlier in the game?

[mashakos]

And now for the "Why the hell wasn't this an end credit theme?" award:

NES Duck Tales Moon Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_80PQ543rM)

Bonus Lyrics Additon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHEgzRtKC5o)
new rule:
only ocremix versions of crap 8-bit game music allowed! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU9SNOvLW6E)

srsly, you'll embarrass us in front of the kiddies who have never known a world without CD audio ....

[mashakos]

I don't disagree that Grim Fandango has an excellent soundtrack, but does it have an excellent ending tune?

Didn't they just repeat Companeros (I'm not finding the character with the darn tilde) from earlier in the game?
Companeros!



finally found the name of that awesome song from Grim Fandango...

[Dufresne]

The No One Lives Forever series has great music throughout, but always has some of its best during the credits (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nby83VzmzxE).

[SpookyKG]

Yes, I also got the sense that Portal was over hyped. Not a bad game, but, for instance, I don't see the point of the companion cube joke. I think that there are memes on the internet that are actually funny, but for other memes, I think some people force themselves to find them funny just to jump in the bandwagon, (like the companion cube or "the cake is a lie"). That is, I don't think they're inherently funny. Actually, I find that many of the jokes written for GLadOS fall on this category.


You mean we might actually have to play the game to find them amusing? How insulting to our senses of humor.

[ilanham]

Are console games up for this? No matter how crazy the storyline, Chrono Cross has some of the best music of any game. Ending music is great, and even then doesn't hold a candle to the opener

[Wobbo]

Michael Jackson at the end of Sonic 3.

[Adam B]

No love for Symphony of the Night? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrghiJv6qkY) Philistines.

I am the wind
I am the sun
And one day
We'll all be one

[Jazar]

No love for Symphony of the Night? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrghiJv6qkY) Philistines.

I am the wind
I am the sun
And one day
We'll all be one

If you liked that you need to listen to Metal Gear Portable Ops' ending song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXkgn3QUA2w).

[Alan Au]

wtf 3 pages without star control 2?
The credits are great, but they use the standard audio motifs and don't have their own music.

Freespace 2 apparently has 2 songs tagged as "credits" music, and they're both good. (credits) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moXY_8eVy-A) (end credits) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn654_sg0-4)

- Alan

[Podunk]

Corny as hell but fitting the theme, Max Payne 2's end song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrkr6NzZ55s) (warning : end game spoiler). Kinda like it in all its romantic-emo glory.

I liked that one too. Poets of the Fall has actually put out some halfway decent stuff as a band since they put that MP2 tune together.

[Adam B]

If you liked that you need to listen to Metal Gear Portable Ops' ending song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXkgn3QUA2w).

I am hurt, sir, that you would think that I actually like I am the Wind.

Good lord, this Portable Ops song is horrific.

[Jazar]

I am hurt, sir, that you would think that I actually like I am the Wind.

Good lord, this Portable Ops song is horrific.

Now here's the end theme to Kings Quest VI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD5_aKUl4Vs&feature=related).

[mashakos]

No love for Symphony of the Night? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrghiJv6qkY) Philistines.

I am the wind
I am the sun
And one day
We'll all be one
is that? Kenny G??

FAIL

[Kalle]

new rule:
only ocremix versions of crap 8-bit game music allowed! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU9SNOvLW6E)


Screw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQuR1LHAVI) you. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH7dz7bqgyA)

[Knickerbocker]

The fact that no one's mentioned Planescape Torment's closing song (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gVtPrtJCiE) is kind of sad.


Sad and disappointing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gVtPrtJCiE

Edited because I suck at links

[mashakos]

you. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH7dz7bqgyA)
damn, why do all C64/Amiga games sound like that to me? Must be all those cracktros I had on my disks :D

[Marcin]

The original Tenchu. The entire soundtrack was great, but especially the ending.
(I think some of the same people were involved with Tekken 2's soundtrack)


Noriyuki Asakura writes some good stuff. I have (also his) both Way of the Samurai soundtracks and yes, that one's an entry into this thread too. Thanks for reminding me :)

[Janster]

The old Amiga game, Turrican, it had way cool music, probably the best every to come from Amiga 500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0

Oh also, warcraft 2, actually included a soundtrack part, which was quite cool infact.

[krayzkrok]

PoP: Sands of Time is the only one I can think of that made me go and seek out the artist and buy his music. Plus the rest of the soundtrack is great. Generally though my favourite pieces in games are rarely the ones they use for the end credits.

[Gordon Cameron]

The old Amiga game, Turrican, it had way cool music, probably the best every to come from Amiga 500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0



That's pretty cool, and Chris Huelsbeck is a genius, but I think my favorite Amiga music would be from Faery Tale Adventure and Shadow of the Beast.

[CLWheeljack]

If we're just talking about great soundtracks in general, (I don't recall if it had an ending theme per se), the old Sierra game Inca had a great soundtrack. If I recall they released the soundtrack on a CD separately, such was the demand for it.

[Janster]

That's pretty cool, and Chris Huelsbeck is a genius, but I think my favorite Amiga music would be from Faery Tale Adventure and Shadow of the Beast.



Hah http://www.huelsbeck.com/

He has an adobe player in the music section playing Turrican II air combat.

Not better than the opening score imho, but hey.

He's also doing that Play! orchestra thing, he's one of 2 big amiga sound artists, glad to see him alive and kicking still.

[rei]

Now here's the end theme to Kings Quest VI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD5_aKUl4Vs&feature=related).

Ken Williams boasted in CGW interview this song would hit top 40 play in radio stations nationwide.