Game: Solstice
Song: Title Screen
Above: Title Screen from Solstice
Oh, how I have waited to share this genius with you. By now you should be aware of Tim Follin's unrivaled prowess with NES soundtracks, but Solstice, with its comparatively small number of tracks, tops them all. This one song, which plays during the game's brief title screen and gameplay demo, climbs to heights mortals never dared dream were possible on Nintendo's primitive machine.
Above: GiveRyan 8-bit'ssuper-metal version a try, too!
If any 8-bit song could take you on a journey, this is it. From its modest, almost hobbit-like opening to its soaring jig halfway through, the title screen music tramples over all other NES music. I can't say it's my all-time favorite game song, but it's easily the one that blew my mind in the biggest way possible.
On the other end of the spectrum lies the game's primary background tune (possibly called Theme of Shadax). It's considerably more mellow but no less proficient and listenable. Honestly I prefer this as in-game music, because there's no way I could play ANYTHING with that title screen going nuts. Can't say much about the actual game, as it's too goddamn hard (along with its SNES sequel Equinox), but after these songs, do you need anything else from Solstice?
Bouncy background tunes from Shoji, Tomita and Osumi
Game music of the day: Grandia II
Some of the best JRPG battle music ever, from Iwadare
Ending theme by Ryoji Yoshitomi
