I’m leaving a lot of great music out of this series. The connection between music and memory is powerful, and nostalgia is the principal motivator for my selection. For that reason, the list as a whole tends to skew towards older games. In an effort to provide balance, I’ve attempted to limit myself to a couple songs per game, but there are exceptions.

#60

“The Moon” is the most famous track from DuckTales, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System during Capcom’s Mega Man-riddled musical heyday. I considered skipping it or using another song because it gets so much attention, but it really is the strongest track from the game. One thing that makes “The Moon” special is that it’s not a simple background loop like so much video game music of the time; instead, it has a robust musical progression (with an intro, melody, and bridge/transition).

Track: “The Moon” (YouTube Link)
Game: DuckTales (NES, 1989)
Composer: Hiroshige Tonomura