Ten of the Scariest Video Game Music Tracks

In retrospect this probably would have been a better post for around Halloween rather than a day after New Years, but I didn’t think of it until now so here we are.

I’ve done lists of badass video game music before, but in-game tracks have the power to make us feel any number of emotions. Here, we have songs that make us feel anywhere from uneasy to downright terrified.

Some of these are from non-horror games, and a few can be played in MIDI form, but they’re still pretty damn scary. See if you agree.

1. Lavender Town (Pokemon)

httpv://youtu.be/JNJJ-QkZ8cM

This is the track that inspired this whole list for me. If I ever have a truly terrifying nightmare, usually it’s this song that’s playing in the background.

2. Drowning (Sonic the Hedgehog)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yw5jkAHgME

Perhaps this isn’t “spooky” like some of the rest of these, but it’s the most terrifying son on this list if you’re swimming under water without an air bubble in sight.

3. The Windmill Song (Ocarina of Time)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXsd_gAaC74

I might be alone in thinking this track is creepy, but the effect is greatly amplified by the guy in the windmill with that look on his face.

4. Prayer (Silent Hill)

httpv://youtu.be/liJfyxmzkMQ

There are a bunch of tracks from Silent Hill to choose from, but “prayer” is one of the most unnerving. Who is praying? What are they saying? What are they saying???

5. Eternal Stairs (Super Mario 64)

httpv://youtu.be/7wp3rzAdwT8

I forgot about this until I was doing research for this article, but now that I’m remembering, this was a really out of place creepy moment as you realized you would never get up those mysterious stairs.

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22 Comments

  1. This list ia incomplete without Diablo 1 dungeon music? That dungeon BGM playing while hacking my way down to hell made me scared of what’s lurking in the darkness.

  2. For the life of me, I still get creeped out by the music from Tourian in the original Metroid. Add the eery squeaking from the Metroids themselves and *shudder*.

  3. I played’em all at the same time and tweaked each video’s volume to create a mixing board from hell. Hehe, maybe play it in my dark bathroom later with my bike light on strobe and think about, hehehe, mmmmm candy.

  4. @Spencer – It’s the ITEM ROOM music from the original Metroid that did me in as a kid. I STILL get scared by that music to this day. The other versions of the song that were used in the sequels don’t scare me as much. Gotta love those 8 bit chiptunes sounds!!

    The Tourian music actually sounds like a reworked version of the castle music from the original Super Mario Brothers. As well as the overview map music from Stage 8 of SMB 3 (probably intentional).

    Also, the “drought” song in Pokemon sounds like a rehash of the Iceland (stage 6) music overview map song from SMB 3.

  5. I have the Silent Hill 3 soundtrack (that’s my favorite music genre). I always picture an army of Pyramid Heads when that one plays.

    The Donkey Kong one sounds like it should be in Silent Hill instead. That is super creepy.

  6. First, definitely agree with the Sonic drowning theme. Nothing is more terrifying than KNOWING you’re going to die and there’s nothing you can do about it if there’s no air coming.

    Second: The “time’s about to expire” jingle from Mario , followed by the music speeding up.

    And for one actual track that’s always creeped me out

    The special boss theme (Laughter) from Phantasy Star IV. Something about this track just oozes malice (especially the opening), and I’ve always absolutely loved it.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHRwy-AIJVU

  7. I really love coming to your fucking site now unreality and having fucking spam pop up on my screen, and having to listen to those stupid talking ads. Just awesome. I used to like this site too. asshole.

  8. What about the PSX version of Doom ?

    Tonnes of creepy tracks on there. Remember the one with the wailing demons and crying babies ? Think it was on the level called ” The Crusher “

  9. I think anything from the 2010 Aliens Vs Predator game could make this list. It’s quite similar to the music of Hannibal, in that it’s jarring and creepy and when you’re in the mood of the game it freaks you out.

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