Five Video Game Soundtracks You Aren’t Listening To

Much is made of the masterfully created Epic Video Game Soundtracks; you know, the Halos, Call of Duty games (Hans Zimmer?), the Battlefields, the Dragon Ages, the Mass Effects, and of course, ALL the Finalest of Final Fantasies. 

They’re great and all, but I’m not sure when would be an appropriate time to listen to these. 

• While you’re reading? 
  
• Doing taxes? 
  
• When you’re stuck in traffic on a Thursday evening?
  

Here are some great video game soundtracks for when your life isn’t an epic quest for glory:

For speeding down the highway/riding with your biker gang: Full Throttle

The hard rock sound of your favorite dive bar, conveniently squeezed in a 1995 adventure game through the use of beautifully animated cutscenes. Thank goodness for those newfangled CD-ROMs!  I’m glad they went through the effort, because nothing conjures up the smell of asphalt quite like this music. Bonus round: The Brütal Legend soundtrack

For doing chores around the house: Jet Grind Radio

What better way to keep you moving than a musical journey through a neon Tokyo circa the year 2000? You’re not painting an accent wall in the kitchen, you’re expressing yourself through street art and claiming the territory for your own graffiti gang!  Feel free to give yourself a sweet spiky hairdo to complete the experience. Rollerblades completely optional.

For running on the treadmill: Hotline Miami/Hotline Miami 2

Specifically made to put you in an intense trance, the soundtrack is perfect for running a little longer than usual. Nothing’s a better motivator than hard drugs and extreme violence! This electronic 80s dreamscape of a music collection comes complete with faster tracks for sprinting and slower tracks for that much-needed recovery. Just don’t wear a horse mask at the gym, unless you want to star in someone’s viral video.

For drowning in a pool/setting your house on fire: The Sims 

I fully admit to putting this one on disk so I can live out my blissful, smooooooth latin jazz dreams in real life. 

For Taco Tuesday: Guacamelee

The only Mexico-themed action game I know of (if there are more, please tell me) has a collection of tunes perfect for using up all your avocados. Even better? Eating a bunch of Mexican food is much easier than trying to ace some of those killer platforming levels. Just don’t get sent to the land of the dead after too many tequila shots! 

Your captain and DJ,
The Dungeon Dame