PokéTunes VI: Generational Favourites
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Introduction
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Pokémon has been something that has defined a lot of us, something we've grown up with and still cherish today. While a large amount of that can be attributed to its addictive take on the catch-and-raise formula alongside its strategic turn-based battling system, it's hard to deny that a lot of what makes Pokémon great is its excellent tracks and compositions placed into each game. Here we're going to look over some of our personal favorites!
Art by Zephyri.
Generation 1
Opening Theme
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Even though it technically wasn't my first taste of Pokémon, Generation 1 has always been incredibly nostalgic for me. I remember being curled up under my covers with my GameBoy Advance and a flashlight playing way past my bedtime. While I do think there's actually quite a few decent tracks in the original generation of Pokémon, even with the incredibly limited hardware for making music, the actual opening themes for the games have to be my favourite. There's something so comforting about hearing them that makes me feel young again; the upbeat tempo sounds like the start of brand new adventure.
Lavender Town
Aqua Jet
If I had to describe Lavender Town's theme in a word, it would undoubtedly be "ominous". The soundtrack is extremely slow, and just listening to it makes me scared that out of nowhere a ghost will appear! The soundtrack being in E Minor is also quite ironic, as most pieces in E Minor are heavy metal songs known for their upbeat melody. In contrast, the slow piano sets the melody to be slow and somber, almost as if the listener is at a funeral of sorts.
Generation 2
Route 42
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I think my choice for this might be slightly cheating, but oh well. My first Pokémon game was FireRed. I must've spent about 100+ hours alone on one save file, and a large portion of my time was spent in the Sevii Islands. For those of you who don't know, most of the themes from these islands were taken and remixed from different Generation 2 locations. My favourite of all of these was by far the Route 42 remix. When I finally got around to playing Silver after being given it by my uncle, I remember getting to Route 42 and a bright smile going across my face when I heard this theme. It's just so in-your-face and positive sounding, and I still love hearing it to this day.
National Park
Band
I was born in 2002, so I didn't get to experience Generation 2 when it first came out (matter of fact, I didn't get to play it until over a decade later), so nostalgia isn't even a factor when I tell you: this track is perfect. GSC were the first games to implement the Day and Night cycle, which definitely amps up the atmosphere of going out to the park to spend an evening with your Pokémon team. The track also has a more calm segment, in which you can just relax, and a more upbeat part, which gets you going and makes you want to explore and see what's waiting for you beyond the gate. This is a track I frequently listen to if I need to relax and wind down, and I can just imagine chilling out with my team while the sun sets in National Park.
Generation 3
RSE Ending Theme
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I. Love. Hoenn. Music. This was so so so difficult to choose from, with me going back and forth between the opening theme with its eruption of sound, leader battle themes ramping up the tension, or even the electric gym themes. But out of all the incredibly put together dramatic pieces that this game has to offer, my favorite is the ending theme. What a way to finish the game... After a hard earned Elite Four climb into a final confrontation with either Steven or Wallace, you're greeted to this surprisingly mellow theme as you cycle your way home while images of Pokémon you've seen and captured along the way periodically popping up; you even finish out your journey with your rival and friend.
Mount Pyre
zee
I really like this track because I feel like it manages to simultaneously capture two very distinct feelings: the eeriness that comes with Mt. Pyre's inner cemetery and spooky nature and the epic encounter that awaits you with Archie or Maxie, finding out for the first time that their plan is to take the Red or Blue Orb and awaken Groudon or Kyogre. Up until this point in the Pokémon series, there was never a "save the world" plotline, which I think makes this really special. As you scale the mountain, you can feel the buildup and know something exciting awaits you, but there's something also a bit haunted about the theme as well that leaves the end result shrouded in mystery. And when you finally reach that point, well, that's when you know that this game is about to get serious.
Generation 4
Lake Caverns
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Honestly, compared to the other games, the new Generation 4 releases didn't quite do it for me in terms of music, even though the gameplay was still fantastic. However, one track has always been my undisputed number one: Lake Caverns. Holy, this theme sounds like the backing to some epic final boss and I absolutely love it. The start is so dramatic and it only builds up from there, putting you in genuine suspense before you actually engage in fighting one of the Time Trio.
Eterna Forest
Band
Now this is a track I have nostalgia for. Plain and simple, this is my favorite Pokémon track of all time. No matter how much I try to escape from it, Eterna Forest will ALWAYS be my favorite. The atmosphere is absolutely impeccable, the canopy of the trees breaking the sunlight as you go around the forest always, always transports me back to my childhood playing Platinum, and it brings me immense comfort. The perfectly placed piano notes make this my favorite song from the franchise by a mile. And nostalgia, of course.
Mt. Coronet
Kaede
I don't know why but whenever I hear Mt. Coronet's theme start to play, it just sends chills down my spine. Compared to the old version, this one really upped the mood of the music to be much more mysterious and to give a refreshing retake on the age old song. Despite it only being showcased for a short period of time in Legends: Arceus, it really does not compare to any other theme I've heard from this generation. The music only boosts the general setting already depicted by Mt. Coronet, this mysterious mountain that, at a glance, seems monumental and can potentially be tricky to climb.
Generation 5
Emotion
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Like, do I really need to say more? I'd have to argue that N is unequivocally the best written main series character that Game Freak has made, with a complex and heartfelt story. He's someone fighting for what he truly believes in and unbeknownst to him he's also being used for the selfish gain of Ghetsis. Emotion as a piece of music just encapsulates N's character and stands out, just like N, as being one of the best themes in Pokémon. You can almost hear his own feelings in it; what he's fighting for, what he believes in, the struggles he's been through, the bonds he's made and lost... Just amazing.
Undella Town (Spring/Autumn/Winter)
Band
Generation 5 was the hardest one to pick out a favorite for. There are so many good tracks this generation that I could easily make a whole list of all my favorites. But Undella Town comes out on top as my favorite (for now, at least!). This is a track that really makes me feel like I can just forget all of my worries, my problems, everything that's holding me back and just give in let the waves carry me. The turquoise waters and pearly white sand make Undella Town the perfect place to just let go and relax after exploring Unova.
Elite Four Battle Theme
Kaede
My first Pokémon game ever was from Generation 5, so there's certainly a lot of nostalgia running on the many great tracks this generation had to offer. What probably engages my nostalgia the most, though, has to be the Elite Four theme. As the newbie I was, I really did struggle with the game quite a lot, with the Elite Four being the worst of it. Music really just upped my anxiety for it, making the fights both terrifying and at the same time memorable. Once I did start getting the hang of it, I really came to enjoy the music as well, fitting the setting of Unova's strongest well between the teams they used to their introductions as you entered each room.
Accumula Town
Aqua Jet
Ah, Accumula Town. The second town many Pokémon players, including myself, ever encountered. The music is short and humble but lets you know it's there! The beat of the drums throughout the song provides a comforting rhythm for the listener. The piano adds a certain accent to the song that would otherwise be non-existent. However, in this song the instrument I feel plays the most important role is the flute, which is played excellently.
Generation 6
Route 15 XY
zee
This is easily my favorite overworld theme from X and Y, and I think that's saying a lot because there's a wonderful selection to choose from. The major shift in Kalos is that now routes feel way more grandiose as you traverse them in a 3D environment, and I think this track perfectly puts that on display. Route 15 in the games is huge — you're going through valleys, caves, bridges, all as you head towards the 8th gym and begin the end of your journey of trying to collect all the badges. It's upbeat, prideful, explorative, and so many other things that just make you feel like you're in this amazingly beautiful big world while being the main character of it all.
Pokémon League XY
Band
Talk about majestic! First of all, the Pokémon League's aesthetic alone sets the tone for what you're about to face: the light shining through colored glass panels while you stand in this huge cathedral and have to, for the first time in the series, choose what Elite Four member you'll be battling first, makes you realize that despite this beautiful theme playing in the back, you still have to face four powerful trainers in a row and the region's champion! Now, unfortunately the battles don't live up to the hype, but hey, the atmosphere is on point!
Wally's Theme
Kaede
Tight one but Wally's theme sells it for me by far. Despite the song being a rather short verse looping, it was still amazing to see such a new vibe of music in the Pokémon series. Typically your rival battles would capitalize on a theme that's upbeat and iconic; when you first fight Wally, it seems like just a middling rival battle between the trainer music and the lonely Ralts. When he challenges you at the end of Victory Road I certainly didn't expect much, but was bamboozled with the music out of nowhere and the Key Stone reveal, combined with his entire story coming together. This managed to turn it from a forgettable rival fight into one of my favorites ever in the series.
Littleroot Town
Aqua Jet
Fitting with the fact that this is the first town the player enters in Hoenn, this song rings of new beginnings. With a wistfully-played guitar and flute, the song has a sort of haunting sound to it. Almost like the sound of a mother wishing goodbye to her children who are about to venture out into the world of Pokémon.
Generation 8
Gym Leader Theme
Band
This theme manages to build up the excitement really well throughout the match, and Sword and Shield are one of the few games that make you feel like the Gym battles are actually something big and important. There's a huge crowd of people cheering, the match is being broadcasted to the whole Galar region (and maybe to other regions too!), the battleground is spacious so your Pokémon can Dynamax, and to top it all off, this rave-inspired club banger is playing. It's impossible not to feel pumped up when hearing this, especially with the cheering in the back when the Gym leader is down to their last Pokémon!
Generation 9
AI Professor Theme
Band
This theme really taps into the whole bizarre and unknown aspect of Area Zero, since you're up against Pokémon that look familiar, (some more than others), yet have something off about them. They're either robotic or look way too savage to be the Pokémon you knew from your past travels, but they look similar enough for you to know they have to be related. Not to mention the AI Professor being frankly creepy at times, glitching and managing to hit the uncanny valley with their weird speech patterns. But Toby Fox worked on this track, so I expected nothing short of spectacular, and he delivers again!
Area Zero
Kaede
Area Zero really sprung onto me a feeling I never felt in the Pokémon franchise before. The mysterious vibe it bestows upon you as you enter the area matches none other in the series so far, and that's counting Ultra Space and the Distortion World. The general atmosphere and paradox Pokémon add to this vibe especially well. And don't forget the music! With a different approach to the overworld theme than before in the series, it really accomplishes the general mood trying to be set more than I could've ever expected.
Conclusion
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Well, hopefully you've enjoyed coming along with us on a trip down musical memory lane! Maybe you've even added a few of these to your music playlists! We've all really enjoyed looking at our favorite Poké-Tunes from across all main series Pokémon games, so with that we'll have to end our article here. Hope to see you all soon!
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