There are many elements that have come together to make the Pokmon series so addictive, so compelling to fans both young and old over the years. A versatile roster of cute, powerful and downright quirky critters mixed with memorable characters and heated multiplayer battles. The series has evolved from the days of black and white pixels to eye popping 3D, bringing in more than 700 monsters to meet and a huge community of online players.
One of the features of Pokmon that isn’t as talked about is the hours upon hours of intricately composed music that really brings out the mood and sets the pace of the entire journey from start to finish. Given Pokmon launched on the Game Boy, the original graphical capability of the hardware made it difficult to convey a feeling about the environment – so the NPC dialogue and sound had to step up and bring it all together.
The musical world of Pokmon to date has been led by the now producer Junichi Masuda, who first started at developer Game Freak by being the sole composer and sound effects designer for Pokmon Red, Green and Blue. In the early nineties Masuda developed a piece of software known as “Sound Driver”, which was used in the production of various Game Freak projects including the famous animal noises in the original Pokmon games. Masuda has been involved as a composer for all the main series titles to date, joined by fellow musicians Hitomi Sat, G Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki and Takuto Kitsuta.
Many years on, the soundtrack has evolved to incorporate more layers and a growing synth and futuristic sound, yet maintaining the core charm and simplicity that the Pokmon series has been known for.
To celebrate the release of Pokmon X and Pokmon Y, the Cubed3 Team put together a handful of our favourite songs in the series so far. This isn’t a definitive list, nor in any particular order, but certainly a selection we feel are worth including.
The Glass to the Wall podcast, featuring Jorge, Susan, Rudy and Adam first aired on 24th October and can be listened again below, or as a GrooveShark playlist.
Pokmon Music Glass to the Wall Podcast – Listen Again
Pokmon Music Special – Playlist
Radio Tower Takeover! (Pokmon Gold & Pokmon Silver)
There was a bigger drive towards communication in Pokmon Gold and Pokmon Silver to keep trainers in the loop during the grand adventure and at the heart of it all was the Goldenrod Radio Tower, a beast of a building that broadcast all sorts of Pokmon shows across the land – including Professor Oak’s Pokmon Talk. At one point the tower was raided by Team Rocket and so it was up to our trainer to break in and save the day. Fiddly, sneaky with light brush strokes on the drum, “Radio Tower Takeover” was a perfect melody for the hapless Team Rocket. Jorge
Gym Leader Battle (Pokmon Stadium)
For me, Pokmon music is synonymous with battle themes. The games themselves revolve around making Pokmon compete against each other. So it’s only natural that very early in the series there would be a fondness for battle themes in particular. The “Gym Leader Battle” from Pokmon Red, Blue and Yellow is engraved in my memory, highlighting the feeling of the danger of the situation whenever hearing it, as well as making me pumped up for the challenge! Its rendition in Pokmon Stadium had the same effect, but only reinforced. Rudy
National Park (Pokmon Heart Gold & Soul Silver)
“National Park” is a beautiful diversion from the high pitched adrenaline of Pokmon battles; a tumbling piano with a cascade of chords over a slowly rocking bass. I remember this place well from the original second generation game, walking with the selected Pokmon, watching trainers and their creatures strolling around the centre. It was one of those generations that allowed trainers to do more with Pokmon than just acting as battle machines; they felt more like pets, like companions. Susie
Gym Leader Battle (Pokmon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald)
Gym Leader themes are some of the most memorable soundtracks in the entire series and the one for the Hoenn region is no different. While this one may seem like an untypical choice, Pokmon Ruby was the first Pokmon game I played despite following the franchise and watching the anim since its inception, so this soundtrack is a particularly nostalgic one. While it has received two official remixes over the years, the original Game Boy Advance tune is still quite charming in its own way. SirLink
Anistar City (Pokmon X and Pokmon Y)
Towards the later stages of Pokmon X and Pokmon Y, players will wind up in the cold, slightly unsettling town of Anistar City, home to a gym that dabbles in the mind. It’s here that this particular sound fits into the place, a fairly slow and more mysterious track than your common Pokmon landmark tune. A soft, chiming piano drives the song forward with the occasional bell and consistent ticking clock driving the mood into a spacious daze – a strong contrast to the more upbeat areas in Pokmon X and Pokmon Y. Jorge
Rival Battle (Pokmon Stadium)
I don’t know about you, but I played the Pokmon League over and over and over again on Pokmon Yellow. After all, the trainers there were the strongest in the game and battling was the best way to farm experience, so naturally, I would play it on repeat. Every time, it would end on an epic “Final Boss” theme, against the rival in the game, who became the great champion ahead of our protagonist. Again, the Pokmon Stadium version only increases the grand vibe compared to the Game Boy original. Rudy
Kalos Power Plant Pokeball Factory (Pokmon X and Pokmon Y)
“Kalos Power Plant Pokeball Factory” is in all parts fantastic; this atmospheric industrial tune is parts haunting, parts funky, but all subliming into a perfectly balanced mix when entering the Pokball Factory in the Kalos region. We hear the swinging bass punctuated by the squeaks of the synth. It has an underlying sinister layer, but it wouldn’t stop you dancing along to your doom… or something. Susie
Team Magma/Aqua Boss Battle (Pokmon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald)
The Hoenn region has a very unique twist on its antagonists that makes it stand out from the rest of the series. Instead of a single team like Team Rocket or Galactic causing havoc, players fend off Team Magma and Team Aqua in Pokmon Ruby and Pokmon Sapphire respectively and deal with both at the same time in Pokmon Emerald. While the teams have different goals, they share the same boss theme and it’s very catchy, featuring a bass line that’s actually reminiscent of classic Final Fantasy battle themes. SirLink
Snowbelle City (Pokmon X and Pokmon Y)
Again one of the later moments of Pokmon X and Pokmon Y, it’s not too difficult to guess what this particular city is like. Drained of any sense of warmth, this small village is stained with heaps of snow and frost. The track that goes with it helps set the mood perfectly, slightly sad in its town initially, though delicate single, rousing piano notes and twinkling at the beginning which eventually builds up to a trumpet driven, soothing finish as if to say there really is some hope and ambition in an otherwise frosty place. Plodding and delicate, “Snowbelle City” is one of the standout tracks in the 3DS game. Jorge
Route 30 (Pokmon Silver/Gold/Crystal)
It might sound like a strange choice, much time was spent on route 30 very early in Pokmon Silver, to train Pokmon. I’ve come to associate the second generation of Pokmon with this particular track. Why not a battle theme? Well I never grew fond of the battle themes from that particular generation, except for the “Wild Pokmon” battle theme, despite much preferring those games to the previous generation for all the things it introduced, on top of finally being a true Game Boy Color game; Route 30 is a cool place to be, baby! Rudy
Santalune Forest (Pokmon X and Pokmon Y)
What a light tune, reminiscent of American Beauty and Chrono Trigger (a bizarre mix); a light frosting of xylophone hangs over the mist with a foreboding hint of strings. “Santalune Forest” is a short little tune, the length of say, a mobile ring tone, but it’s a beautiful sprinkling of atmosphere as you enter the forest. Less sinister than say, the original generation’s take on caves and forests, but just as effective for mood building. Susie
Final Boss Battle (Pokmon Colosseum)
While Pokmon Stadium and Pokmon Stadium 2 on the Nintendo 64 were the first 3D Pokmon games, it wasn’t until Pokmon Colosseum on the Nintendo Gamecube that the series had a fleshed out 3D RPG on home consoles. Developed by Genius Sonority, the setting and tone were unlike anything the series is known for and the same can be said about its music. The final boss theme is just one example, featuring a majestic orchestral tune that perfectly captures the thrill of the battle. SirLink
Trainer Battle (Pokmon Black & Pokmon White)
There are perhaps too many different trainer battles to count in the Pokmon series, right from the earliest steps out into the Kanto region to the more recent Kalos adventure. One of the highlights of the numerous variations is the theme featured in Pokmon Black and Pokmon White, which set the pace just right in its introduction, building into an energetic composition that leaps from here to there in urgency. Synth driven, with prickly trumpets and a rambunctious, marching drum, “Trainer Battle” fit the bill and suited the game well without becoming a hindrance given the number of times its heard. Jorge
Battle! Team Galactic (Pokmon Diamond/Pearl)
In the Pokmon series the final boss in the game usually isn’t the main antagonist of the story. In the first generation, Team Rocket was the main group of villains, and in Generation IV it was Team Galactic. While there wasn’t any fondness for Team Rocket, other than the two villains from the animated series, I thought Team Galactic had something distinctly cooler about them – their battle team sure was epic enough! It was even one of my favourite battle tracks in Super Smash Bros Brawl. Rudy
Kimono Dance Theatre (Pokmon Heart Gold/Soul Silver)
I loved the oriental inspired tunes in second generation and this is no exception. The ladies have each an Eevee evolution as their faithful companions, and it was an amazing thing to see both Espeon and Umbreon ready for battle. It was where I found some of my favourite Pokmon in the flesh, staring down the barrel of the impending battle. Plucky shamisen trills and flutes rent the air in this dainty but powerful tune. Susie
Miror B. Battle (Pokmon XD: Gale of Darkness)
Despite its lower sales compared to series standards, Pokmon Colosseum eventually received a sequel called Pokmon XD: Gale of Darkness. Much like its predecessor, its soundtrack is a highlight of the game. While the epic orchestral tunes are still there in full force, one track in particular is something nobody would ever expect to hear in a Pokmon game. It’s extremely catchy disco music and the battle theme of a dancing, wacky villain called Miror B. SirLink
Viridian Forest (Pokmon Red/Blue/Yellow, Pokmon Heart Gold & Soul Silver)
A prominent and memorable song for anyone who played either the first or second generations of Pokmon, “Virdian Forest” comes in two very distinct flavours due to when players encounter them in which games. The first, which comes immediately after setting off at the very start of Pokmon Red/Blue/Yellow echoes a haunting, spooky melody that still sends a shiver down your spine years one; it’s effortlessly dangerous. However in Pokmon Heart Gold & Pokmon Soul Silver, the trip to the woods comes a lot later, so serves up a more jubilant and very contrasting feel. Jorge
Battle! Champion (Pokmon Diamond/Pearl)
Battle themes resonate more than any other type of music in RPGs in general, along with emotional, “sad” themes but that latter kind isn’t very prominent in Pokmon in general. Battle themes are though, since each episode has more than a few types of battles, each with its own musical theme. And that particular track, for the final Pokmon master in Generation IV, did the job of conveying the fury of the fight particularly well. It remains one of my favourite Pokmon tracks, all generations included. Rudy
Lumoise City (Pokmon X and Pokmon Y)
What a tune to start off the Pokmon X and Pokmon Y generation! The heralding of trumpets and bells is the perfect rousing anthem when entering the big city. This beautiful orchestrated rendition is a light beat nature, bells chiming and swooping bass as a happy note to leave town on, a thrill of a city with promise. This is a place with many lights, sights and sounds with many things to do, reflected well in the tune. Susie
Mysterial Battle (Pokmon Battle Revolution)
After the two games on the Nintendo Gamecube, Genius Sonority developed Pokmon Battle Revolution on the Nintendo Wii and it’s essentially Pokmon Stadium 3 but with a lot of wasted potential. The soundtrack, however, doesn’t disappoint. Each available Colosseum has its own catchy soundtrack with a different style to match the location. The theme for the final boss is appropriately epic and grand. SirLink
You’ve heard some of our favourite Pokmon songs, so what are yours?
