With the recent co-release of “A Minecraft Movie” and the Minecraft Movie Happy Meal from McDonald’s, my quarterly Minecraft phase has returned. Alas, it always begins the same: I spawn into a new world, wander until I find a village, befriend a cat and start gathering materials for what I think may be my most architecturally ingenious build yet. Each time I repeat this cycle, I’m met with a quiet, familiar sense of nostalgia. And lately, I’ve realized it’s not the game itself, but the music that elicits this feeling in me. “Minecraft – Volume Alpha”, like many game soundtracks, doesn’t just fill the background as you play. It shapes the experience and colors the memory that you hold onto. It becomes the feeling of the game. Yet these songs are rarely talked about — underappreciated, quite frankly. So here are 13 tracks from some of the most legendary video game soundtracks ever made. Ready up and <press play>!
1. “Droopy Likes Your Face” from “Minecraft” — C418 (2011)
Easily the most danceable track on “Minecraft – Volume Alpha.” Built on a glitchy beat, it layers synths, drums and voice samples from the storybook “Droopy the Dragon.” It’s the only song on the OST with lyrics — though they’re not exactly easy to decipher.
2. “Another Medium” from “Undertale” — Toby Fox (2015)
Track 51 from the cult-classic, “Undertale,” this techno soundscape plays as you traverse the pixelated lava scape of Hotland. It’s upbeat and full of momentum — just like the game itself, whose plot morphs and shifts based on the choices you make.
3. “Forest Interlude” from “Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest” — David Wise (1995)
Ethereal and synthy, this track plays in the quiet forest levels of “Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest.” It’s calm, dreamy and retains an unexpected depth for a game about two monkeys on a rescue mission. This song is one of many underrated gems from Nintendo’s golden era of game music.
4. “Rain” from “Terraria” — Re-Logic (2011)
Chiptune, ambient and filled with spontaneous FX, this track often plays when it rains in “Terraria,” a 2D sandbox game where players explore, craft and build. It’s the kind of song that feels like it has a mind of its own.
5. “Summer” (The Sun Can Bend an Orange Sky) from “Stardew Valley” — ConcernedApe (2016)
Warm, melodic and upbeat, this track feels like waking up on a sunny summer morning with nothing to do but water crops on your imaginary farm sim: “Stardew Valley.”
6. “19” from “19 Part One: Boot Camp” — Paul Hardcastle (1996)
Groovy, electronic and full of chopped-up speech samples, this track is an anti-war message about the Vietnam War, where the average age of a soldier was just 19. It inspired a video game called “19 Part One: Boot Camp,” made for early home computers like the Commodore 64 and Spectrum SZ, where players trained for battle. Its sequel, “Part Two: Combat Zone,” was never made.
7. “North Memphis” from “Osu!” — Pharmacist (2019)
This track is a fast-paced phonk beat layered on Memphis rap samples, including vocals from Project Pat and deep-cut 90s mixtapes. Chaotic but satisfying, it’s one of my favorite beat-maps in “Osu!,” a rhythm game where you click circles to the beat of a song. If you get through this one, you are a boss.
8. “Paris St. Germain” from “Club Penguin” — Jeremy Sherman (“Club Penguin,” 2011)
What begins as an inconspicuous jazz tune becomes instantly familiar at 0:35 — and suddenly, you’re ice fishing in “Club Penguin.” Dodging old boots and sharks, the upbeat acoustic riff is chipper, nostalgic and built for reeling in the big kahuna at the end.
9. “Arpeggios en Ocre” from “Blasphemous” — Carlos Viola (2019)
A haunting blend of Spanish guitar and violin, this track feels like wandering alone through an unfamiliar place. Somber and uplifting all at once, it carries the same weight as the game it was made for: “Blasphemous,” a platformer inspired by the Spanish Inquisition.
10. “Osteoglossum Bicirrhosum” from “Abzû” — Austin Wintory (2016)
Named after a fish, this song is similarly aquatic. Composed for the underwater adventure game “Abzû,” it’s classical, sweeping and quietly introspective, intended to be appreciated in the calm, blue depths of the sea.
11. “Soul of Cinder” from “Dark Souls III” — Yuka Kitamura (2016)
What begins as a glorious final boss anthem in “Dark Souls III” gradually shifts into “Gwyn, Lord of Cinder,” the somber closing theme from the original “Dark Souls.” It’s a musical callback loaded with meaning — for players who’ve been through the series, it’s a cathartic moment. The final opponent isn’t a dragon or a god but a weary old man in tattered armor, echoing a truth embedded in the series: that no matter how epic the journey, all things eventually fade into darkness and entropy.
12. “Tundra” from “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” — Jeremy Soule (2011)
This track is an homage to my brother and easily the most angelic, emotionally stirring piece of game music I’ve ever heard. It sounds like meeting your fate — like every step you’ve taken thus far, and every step that lies ahead carries a profound and undeniable weight. It comes from one of the most iconic and enduring soundtracks in gaming history: “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.”
13. “Mice on Venus” from “Minecraft” — C418 (2011)
Soft, ambient and deeply nostalgic — no other track brings me back to my childhood like this one. It’s simple, emotional and still captures what “Minecraft” means to so many after all these years: creativity, comfort and connection — the ability to shape your world. “You are the player.” “Wake up.”
