In all honesty, picking my favourite C64 chiptune is like finding a needle in a haystack – it’s impossible. With maestros like Hubbard, Dunn, Follin, Dalglish, Maniacs of Noise, Tinman, Tel, Galway to name a few, the task is all the more daunting.
Like any ‘best of’ list, it is all subjective and down to personal taste. I had the pleasure in narrowing my all time favourite chiptunes to my ultimate top 25.
Let the nostalgic SID sounds wash over you!
#25 Paperboy [composer: Mark Cooksey]
source: gdreyband
#24 Operation Wolf [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: NOTHING
#23 Super Monaco Grand Prix [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: cheetahman91
#22 Hawkeye [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: comppi
#21 Bubble Bobble [composer: Peter Clarke]
source: PeyserCommodore
#20 Run The Gauntlet [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: lordtrumpy
#19 Golden Axe [composer: Jeroen Tel]
source: lordtrumpy
#18 Ocean Loader 4 [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: PeyserCommodore
#17 WEC Le Mans [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: Hans Perters
#16 R-Type [composer: Chris Hülsbeck & Ramiro Vaca]
source: th3l3fty
#15 Parallax [composer: Martin Galway]
source: gdreyband
#14 Sanxion [composer: Rob Hubbard]
source: CaseOfGlass
#13 Comic Bakery [composer: Martin Galway]
source: gdreyband
#12 Red Heat [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: NOTHING
#11 The Great Giana Sisters (Menu Theme) [composer: Chris Hülsbeck]
source: PeyserCommodore
#10 Myth [composer: Jeroen Tel]
source: cheetahman91
#9 Last Ninja 2 [composer: Matt Gray]
source: Manialt
#8 Cybernoid [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: inphanta
#7 Skate or Die [composer: Rob Hubbard]
source: Darcal2
#6 BMX Kidz [composer: Rob Hubbard & Jori Olkkonen]
source: Manialt
#5 IK/IK+ [composer: Rob Hubbard] – these could not be split! Absolute classics!
source: manialt
source: cheetahman91
#4 Mega Apocalypse [composer: Rob Hubbard]
source: Luzifer217
#3 L.E.D. Storm [composer: Tim Follin]
source: NOTHING
#2 Turbo Outrun [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: cheetahman91
#1 Zamzara [composer: Charles Deenen / Maniacs of Noise] – wait till you get to 1:55 !
source: inphanta
There you have it – the ultimate 25 C64 chiptunes. Controversial list? You be the judge.
Like with any pleasure, there is the agony – the agony of leaving out music from: Arkanoid, Bionic Commando, Robocop, The Untouchables, Rastan Saga, Dragon Ninja, Dan Dare 3, Yie Ar Kung Fu, Midnight Resistance and most agonising of all, Commando – sorry Mr Hubbard.
[…] exactly what companies like Ocean did. Their Ocean Loader music has become synonymous with popular C64 chiptunes. It was a great way for time to pass while the game loaded. There were (Ed: still are) many […]