Top 15 Amiga 500 Games renowned for their music

What really made the Amiga 500 and its successors like the Amiga 500+ stand out was the music this computer could produce. Arguably, it had one of the best, if not the best sound outputs of the time, whereas other machines and game consoles still had bleep and beeps. While most game systems utilize mono sounds at this time, the Amiga 500 could create stereo sound, handle four channels, and later on synthesize music instruments like drums, flutes, and the piano at the composer’s disposal. Even a synthesized voice could function as a sample voice. Hey, remember I’m talking about 1987 when the Amiga 500 was launched before many of our readers were even born. It was truly an advanced piece of hardware.

But what really set the sound apart from the others was the quality of the game sound tracks this system had. Tunes left behind that will always be remembered from such great composers like David Whittaker, Chris Hülsbeck and Allister Brimble. Some of which came from the C64 to work on the new Amiga 500 hardware.

So here it is, my top 15 list, it was incredibly hard to select as there are just so many amazing game soundtracks from this system. It made it hard to squeeze them down to a top ten fifteen list. It was so difficult in the end I had to extend my top ten, a top fifteen list.

[promo title=”#15 Gods – 1991 – Nation 12″][/promo]

Perhaps one of the first games to truly make use of voice samples and singing. Into the wonderful by group Nation 12. At the time of its release this blew most people away because never before had anyone heard actual singing in a game soundtrack. So I couldn’t leave it off this list for this very reason, this track made history.

[promo title=”#14 Full Contact – 1991 – Allister Brimble & Jimmy Fredriksson”][/promo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Nj5dXzsGA

Full Contact from Team17, had one of the best intros for a game at the time. With a perfect matching sound track to accompany it from Allister Brimble & Jimmy Fredriksson.

[promo title=”#13 Lotus II – 1991 – Barry Leitch”][/promo]

Many great games were released in 1991. These catchy tunes from Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 aka Lotus 2 by Barry Leitch, made you really want to jump into the game and start racing.

[promo title=”#12 Super Cars II – 1991 – Barry Leitch”][/promo]

Another classic from 1991, Barry Leitch again with his Super Cars II intro tune. Definitely deserves its place in the list here. It helped make the game one of the best top down racers for years to come.

[promo title=”#11 R-Type – 1989 – Chris Hülsbeck “][/promo]

R-Type set the standard for sidescrolling arcade games and so did its soundtrack from Chris Hülsbeck. The Amiga sound track bettered even the original arcade game and all ports of it. This is definitely one of Chris Hülsbeck’s best tunes. The alien sounding first part of this tune scared many a child back in the day!

Now onto numbers 5-10 of our top Amiga game soundtracks:

[promo title=”#10 Shadow of the Beast – 1989 – David Whittaker”][/promo]

This insanely hard side scrolling game, made the Amiga famous. A stunning title at the time of its release with equally stunning music. Without a doubt its some of David Whittaker’s finest work, the drum and flute samples used by David really brought the player into the world of the Beast. No top list would be without these amazing tracks.

[promo title=”#9 Turrican II – 1991 – Chris Hülsbeck”][/promo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0FaAs4M3d0

 

 

This platformer game was legendary, as so was its music by Chris Hülsbeck. One of the best games on the system, which included its own soundtrack for each level. Something that was uncommon back then.

[promo title=”#8 Swiv – 1991 – Andrew Barnabas”][/promo]

 

SWIV top view shoot ’em up game. The spiritual successor to the side scrolling Silkworm. Very cool tune for the time period. One of many newer soundtracks showing everyone just what the Amiga sound chip “Paula” could really do. Andrew Barnabas composed this classic.

[promo title=”#7 Shadow of the Beast II – 1990 – Tim and Lee Wright “][/promo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSmKPNp4Amk

 

Another Shadow of the Beast game, this one was simply too hard for the average gamer. I struggled to get anywhere in this game. But the music was very atmospheric and really added to the feel of the game. One of the best tunes is the game over guitar tune, you don’t get tunes like this anymore!

[promo title=”#6 Blood Money – 1989 – Ray Norrish”][/promo]

Personal favorite, from Ray Norrish. Great side scrolling shoot’em up game Blood Money. The intro tune is good with its use of various voice samples used, but the real gem here is that killer in-game soundtrack. It gets stuck in your head and its been stuck in mine for the last 20 years…

And now onto the Top Five, the best of the best:

Finally, the top five game soundtracks from the Amiga. It was a hard choice and trust me when I say I have listened to hundreds of tunes over the years to come to this decision on my top five!

[promo title=”#5 Agony – 1992 – Richard Joseph & Jon Hare”][/promo]

Utilizing the Amiga’s high resolution mode, this side scrolling shoot’em up from Psygnosis is a beautiful game. With a timeless intro piano soundtrack to match this classic. And atmospheric load tunes to accompany the lengthy load times this game had between levels.

[promo title=”#4 Project X – 1992 – Allister Brimble and Bjørn Lynne”][/promo]

 

Chart topper of a game on the Amiga and this one required a whole one meg of ram to run! A horizontal scrolling shooter that was the best of its kind at the time. It took the system to new graphical heights and pushed the sound to the limits. The sound track from Project X, was just so fresh and new, the likes of which wasn’t heard until this game came along.

[promo title=”#3 PinballDreams – 1992 – Olof Gustafsson “][/promo]

Pinball Dreams, a pinball simulator. With the best ever intro tune ever on the Amiga. And each pinball machine had its own tune that was themed perfectly. A classic, that would make any Amiga music top spot as it does here.

[promo title=”#2 Cannon Fodder – 1993 – Richard Joseph & Jon Hare”][/prom

Number two comes from Sensible Software. Cannon Fodder. A look down style shoot’em up war game. Released back in 1993 it shot to the top of the Amiga Charts, It was later ported out to the Atari ST, Mega Drive and Various other systems. The intro tune “War, never been so much fun” is another top song. And personally the menu tune is the best tune. It just suited the game.  You would listen to this tune before you selected your new recruits, and where the graves on the hill of your lost soldiers were that didn’t make it. Poor Jools, it was hard keeping him alive

[promo title=”#1 Flashback – 1993 – Jean Baudlot, Raphael Gesqua, Fabrice Visserot “][/promo]

One of the best games on the Amiga, that just had a sound track like no other, top notch futuristic style tunes that fitted perfectly with the games look and feel. The options menu even let you select music tracks for your own listening pleasure, not many games let you do that

 

 

I would also like to thank all the composers featured for their tunes that help shaped the gaming world. Many, if not most of the companies behind these great games are now defunct or merged so have disappeared completely, but the games and their music lives on via retro sites such as Lemon Amiga. Which I highly recommend for any Amiga fans out there.

I hope you enjoyed this nostalgic trip back in time looking over the top Amiga 500 soundtracks. I know there are many great tunes I had to leave of my list. Let me know in the comments if you agree with my top 15 tracks and any I should have added? What’s your favorite tune featured and why?