Alternate Sonic Soundtracks

[SIXTH-RATE SOMA]

You all know it's "You Can Do Anything," and not "Toot Toot Sonic Warrior," right?

 

Anyfreakingway, I'll put down my vote for US as well. The ambience in those tracks really set it apart from most Sonic soundtracks, and Sonic Boom is still one of my favorite themes in the series. The JP/EU one is alright, but it's just a bit too... I don't even know. Too upbeat? Too disco-esque? I'm usually a pretty good person when it comes down to nailing my complaints down about music, but with this one I just don't quite know.

[Blue Wisp]

Palmtree Panic: USA (just listen to it, the guitar sounds like rayman origins)
Collision Chaos: JAP

Tidal Tempest: USA

Quartz Quadrant: Eh, neither. They're both boring to me.

Wacky Workbench: USA

Stardust Speedway: JAP
Metallic Madness: Uh... Not sure.

I'll be honest, for years I thought Tidal Tempest was the most boring zone in Sonic CD. I couldn't bother with it at all and I just tried to speed through it. But then I heard this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93u4qeYV8AI

 

It's so catchy, I think if it weren't for that song I would have ended up dissing Tidal Tempest. D:

 

But overall, ehem.

[MamboCat]

Um... is it weird to say I like both soundtracks?

 

'Cause I do... :B

[Burtzman]

I prefer the Japanese soundtrack.

I blast that shit in my car all the time.

 

The weird thing about the US soundtrack is that it actually fits the tone of the game and the storyline more, the atmosphere is usually spot on. However, by catering to setting an atmosphere for the game it can suffer from being forgettable at times.

 

I love discussing Collision Chaos Present when talking about both soundtracks.

The US track is an alien sounding song, and fits the bizarre landscape and visuals of the zone spot on. I absolutely love it, it's creepy, it's wonderful, and just as bizarre as the level design.

The JP track doesn't fit the zone as well, but I still tend to prefer it both in-game and just to listen to because it's so bouncy and fun. You can ignore the fact that the zone is one of the most bizarre things in Sonic game (what with it being between 2 planets and all), and just have fun and tap your foot or hum along or whatever. It's fun. The whole soundtrack is fun. The Japanese soundtrack wins.

 

And Quartz Quadrant Present... don't get me started.

On the JP side you have one of my favorite pieces of Sonic music of all time.

And on the US side you have one the the worst.. ugggh

 

Of the US version, I do prefer all the themes for Tidal Tempest, the futures for Quartz Quadrant and Wacky Workbench, the speed up jingle, boss theme, and Sonic Boom.

 

The best music for BOTH games is definitely Stardust Speedway.

And the worst music for both games is Metallic Madness.

[Old dead account]

Technically I'd say that the JP soundtrack is superior because of US lack of its own soundtrack for past stages and Final Fever. On personal preference I do prefer the JP soundtrack. I can't not give the US soundtrack its own merits though, thanks to Taxman I was able to play the game with both soundtracks and they both being so different give the game a much different feel depending on which one you play it with.

The JP track gives it a clearly more upbeat and lively atmosphere saying that you're good to go do your thing now SMASH SOME SHIT UP AND HAVE FUN! Even in the Robotnik battles where certainly Work that sucker to death and you work him good. Every stage has a fun feel to it and untimatwly feels more like Sonic to me.

The US track is different. Right from the get go it somehow feels more laid back and mysterious. The music is pretty catchy but morethan anything it's atmospheric, ambient and overall gives a more mysterious and... Creepy atmosphere to the game almost to Metroid levels IMO. The boss themes make this soundtrack, they're urgent and creepy as fuck as if saying that Robotnik is not fucking around. The gameover theme too, in JP it just sounds like "Oh snap you're dead... Try again?" but in here it's more like "You're dead. Welcome to hell where ther is no escape!"

Edited April 2, 2013 by Prince Solaris

[Urban Flow]

I like both but If had to choose would go with the US version. Though as someone who really loves JP; The Special Stage for the US version is pretty sweet! (and I like it just a bit more then the JP version) Plus I grew up with that version so yeah nothing can beat childhood memories. Every time I think of that though I remember my cousin being extremely pissed at me for breaking his Sega CD lmao hahaha. I was like 5 or 6 so............yeah.

[-Mark-]

The JP soundtrack can go suck a dick.  It's too wacky and listening to the music out of context makes you feel like you're watching some insane Japanese gameshow.  In game it's not as bad, admittedly, but it's still too "Japanese" for my taste.

 

The US soundtrack, however, works both in and out of context, and is beautiful, dark, atmospheric, and fitting to each stage.  I mean, just listen to fucking Metallic Madness Present.  I get friggin' goosebumps every time.  My only problem is that there isn't an American Past track for each level.

 

Also, You Can Do Anything and Believe in Yourself are stupid and ridiculous, and, besides going "TOOT TOOT SANIC WARRIOR", have nothing to do with Sonic himself (and barely the game at all besides a few random lines about saving time).  Sonic Boom is...well, Sonic Boom.

 

Wow. D: I found Metallic Madness Present US one of if not the most awful, out of place tracks in the whole game.

 

I've said my piece on this countless times, but I still can't disagree more. I found the vast majority of the US soundtrack painfully unfitting, generic and totally forgettable. 

 

Considering I actually grew up with the US soundtrack (PC version), didn't even know the Japanese soundtrack existed at all until late 2005 (around the time Gems Collection came out) and even at the time felt that the US CD soundtrack felt massively underwhelming says a hell of a lot, I think. A lot of the US soundtrack sounds more like ambient noise as opposed to actual music. For the most part it just feels so dull and doesn't sound like it has a place in a Sonic game at all. 

 

I'd say the only real noteworthy track from the US soundtrack is probably the opening five to ten seconds of Stardust Speedway present. Despite growing up with the soundtrack, I could barely recognise much more than three tracks from it if you played them all to me now. 

 

I'm not saying that Spencer Nilsen is a bad composer, just that he has no place whatsoever anywhere near a Sonic game. 

 

I will admit that I do have a bit of bias against the Sonic Boom song, though. Despite not knowing about the Japanese soundtrack until 2005, I did see the Japanese opening and ending in Sonic Jam years prior, and instantly fell in love with the songs. I was totally gutted when I got the PC version only to hear Sonic Boom. At the time I just assumed they'd replaced the songs for the PC version; I honestly had no idea they replaced 75% of the entire soundtrack. That said, even as a kid I found it odd that the Past versions of the tracks sounded so much more structured and composed compared to the generic ambient noise of most of the other stages.

Edited April 2, 2013 by -Mark-

[Supaidaman]

I prefer the Japanese OST by far.

 

Actually, the first time I played Sonic CD was with the US OST. And I hated it so much that I couldn't stand playing the game. They're not bad tracks per se, but to me... they feel bland. For me, they don't suit the game (or Sonic) at all.  They feel like they came from a movie or a cutscene, not from a game. That's the reason I hate a lot of big AAA games OSTs: they're not bad but they don't see to be in the right place.

 

When I decided to play Sonic CD  with the JP OST some years later, I loved it. The Japanese OST really made the game feel more "alive" to me, more fun. The only track from the US version that I prefer is Sonic Boom (as opposed to You Can Do Anything) since I'm not into "engrish" songs. 

Edited April 2, 2013 by ViniciusLC

[Sean]

The US music is my favorite soundtrack in the series.

 

It was a perfect atmospheric soundscape and each song really helped shaped my experience back when I first played it. I always feel so much more engrossed in the game because of the mellow and rather unorthodox style that just hasn't been replicated in any other Sonic game; the closest I've heard was Sonic 3D Blast's Saturn version. I think just about every song is appealing in its own way, moreso when coupled with the game's outstanding visuals. Collision Chaos is hauntingly beautiful, Tidal Tempest is surprisingly playful, and Stardust Speedway is kickass in a rather surreal kind of way. Metallic Madness is eerily calm for a final level theme and it gets to be very unsettling at times. And that's just covering the present tracks. I actually liked how most of the future tracks used similar styles to the present tracks, but with entirely different melodies - Collision Chaos's good future feels like the dawn of a new morning, Stardust Speedway's good future is is one of the most badass songs in the series and definitely sets the mood in the race against Metal Sonic. Palmtree Panic's bad future feels like I'm in a deep, rainy jungle. The list goes on and I love all the imagery that accompanies these songs, both in-game and mentally.

 

Meanwhile the Japanese soundtrack is good but like Sean Carbo said earlier, it just doesn't fit the game for me. A Sonic game adapting typical J-pop into its level themes strikes me as unfitting of the bizarre environment design and aesthetics; Sonic CD's visuals are particularly surreal even by Sonic's standards at the time. It felt like a dream world in a sense. And while I do really enjoy the JP soundtrack as well, hearing it in-game just completely takes me out of the experience. There are a few tracks I admire and highly respect, such as Wacky Workbench past, Metallic Madness good future, and Stardust Speedway present (even though I prefer the US version of this song anyway). The rest of the songs are pretty great as well, but honestly I'd rather just hear them in my MP3 player rather than while I'm playing the game. Some of the vocals are distracting and I really don't like them at all (the boss theme, Metallic Madness present); it is cool however how each zone (or round I guess) has a universal melody that all time eras share, but I appreciated more how the US soundtrack went with the complete inverse: take the same feel, but use an entirely different melody. It felt more unified to me than simply remixing themes, and during times when the JP soundtrack didn't use a different genre for a past/future soundtrack, it sounded way too similar, such as Quartz Quadrant present and good future.

 

And of course I prefer both versions of Sonic Boom over either You Can Do Anything or Cosmic Eternity. They fit the action of the animations much better; Sonic Boom emits a sort of western noir kind of feel that I think is visually represented in the animation, what with Sonic tearing across the desert wasteland and absolutely nothing holding him back. You Can Do Anything is just a song I plain don't like; the female vocals are perfectly fine but I really can't get behind how the male rapping fits the animation better than Sonic Boom does. I do like Cosmic Eternity and it makes for a wonderful ending theme... but I still like the ending version of Sonic Boom just a bit more, both as a song and as an extremely fitting credits song. Sonic Boom, both versions, in fact is my favorite vocal theme in the entire series. That's how great it is.

 

I've always considered Spencer Nilsen to be a genius of a game composer, and I think he does a fantastic job at interpreting Sonic music with bits and pieces of his style from the Sega CD Ecco games. It's very atmospheric and it's easy to get lost in thought just absorbing the music; at the same time it has a consistent direction in its individual songs. Meanwhile the JP soundtrack is great as a stand-alone experience but within the game I just can't appreciate it for what it is. Even when I'm listening to each soundtrack by itself, I think the US music wins by a landslide. It's a gorgeous array of music and I can never really empathize with anyone who claims it to be forgettable or weak, because it had an extremely strong impression on me and it reigns high above the rest of the series' music in how brilliantly composed I find it to be.

[Dizcrybe]

I don't favor one over the other, but I do​ think the US soundtrack is criminally underrated

As for tracks, I suppose I should do a quick rundown of each stage.

Palmtree Panic Present:
JP > US, but not by much. Both tracks are great and a perfect fit for the stage.

Bad Future:
JP = US for different reasons. I love the former's high-energy dance beat, although it doesn't sound that much like a bad future. I like the latter's atmosphere, and how bleak it sounds. It sounds like it's trying to convey something about the level.

Good Future:
JP = US. See Palmtree Panic.

Collision Chaos Present:
JP > US, but again, only slightly. I like the US versions new-age arcade feel, but I like the funk of the JP version just a bit more.

Bad Future:
US > JP, by far. Not only is the JP version painfully dull, but it doesn't even sound like a bad future. The US version is livelier, yet sort of deserted and sad at the same time.

Good Future:
JP = US. Two lovely, serene tracks that are just wonderful. I like how the US version gives you a sense of accomplishment by sounding like you've just won a mighty battle.

Tidal Tempest Present:
JP = US. What can I say? Don't really like one over the other.

Bad Future
US > JP. The JP version just sounds discordant, which works for a Bad Future, I guess, but the US version pulled off the Bad Future while still remaining coherent, beautiful, and haunting.

Good Future:
JP = US. I can't decide which one I like better. Both tracks are great in their own way (even though the US version would sound more fitting for a trucker driving down a highway).

Quartz Quadrant Present:
JP = US. Both tracks are awesome. I LOVE the Ska feel the US version has. Not so much the "BAAAAAHdum" vocals that kick in later on. I love the JP version mostly for dat second half.

Bad Future:
JP = US. Neither track is particularly outstanding. JP version would win if it had more piano, but, alas, it does not.

Good Future:
JP > US. Again, not by a big margin. (Slightly underrated: the US version reminds me of the Crimson Chin level in Fairly Oddparents: Shadow Showdown.)

Wacky Workbench Present:
US > JP, in the sense the former is good, while the latter is just okay.

Bad Future:
JP > US in terms of how the songs fit, US > JP in terms of how good the songs are. The JP version does much better at portraying a bad future than the US version does, but I think the US version is the better track. DAT SOLO, MAN.

Good Future:
JP = US. The former is just so happy and light, but the latter is so catchy and funky.

Stardust Speedway Present:
JP = US. blah blah blah both tracks are great blah

Bad Future:
JP > US, HURHURHURHUEHURHRUHUR and all. US version is good too, though.

Good Future:
JP = US. The JP version is nice and serene, while the US version is rockin' and fast-paced. Also, the return of dat second half.

Metallic Madness Present:
JP > US. While the US one is okay, I much prefer the high-energy... ness of the JP version.

Bad Future:
JP > US. The US version is filled with dread, and I like it for that, but I prefer the JP version for combining the bad future sounds with dance beats. It's worth noting, though, that the US version sounds rather Hans Zimmer-esque.

Good Future:
JP > US. The US version is okay, but I prefer the happiness of the JP version.

Boss:
JP works the US version to death.

Final Boss:
Since the US version is just a slightly version of the regular boss music, the JP version wins by default.

And real quick, the jingles.

Speed Up:
US > JP. I really don't like the Japanese Speed Up theme. Contrarily, the US version is awesome.

Invincibility:
JP > US. it just sounds better, plus it's a remix of the main theme.

Act Zone Clear:
US >>>>> JP. I LOVE the US Zone Clear theme. The JP one is... okay.

Game Over:
JP > US for not being as scary.

...yeah, this wasn't quick at all.

But anyway, we know the US version has the best Past tracks, amirite?

EDIT: Oh crap, I completely forgot about the Special Stage theme.

Special Stage:

US > JP. The JP version is good but it seems like it doesn't know what to do with itself. The US version, however, is not only more coherent, but has a better melody.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Big McLargehuge

[Vertekins]

No competition here, JP/EU all the way.

 

I for one always loved how that soundtrack took one very distinct musical motif and created different spins on it on each time frame. The US soundtrack tried emulating this sense of creativity and failed spectacularly. The thing is, The JP/EU songs expertly made one series of notes sound distinctive and echoing of the time frame's feel by utilizing different instruments and tempo. It has that effect of even giving the zones an identity though this manner of making variations on one tune. Compare Quartz Quadrant Present and Quartz Quadrant Bad Future JP/EU;

 

 

 

One instrument in particular (The Piano) is utilized in a way that sounds similar yet Bad Future's tempo makes all the difference, lending a panicked tone to it. Very suiting of a place with conveyer belts and where the ground in the BG and the sky is blazing. The vocals at one point in the Bad Future gets across how hellish the place is.

 

Now Compare Quartz Quadrant Good Future and Bad Future US;

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phO14XIdTZc

 

 

This is the epitome of sameyness in Sonic music. The drums are exactly the same as Good Future, the glitteriness in the beginning is in no way suiting of a mine who's crystals have been gutted out entirely and the delicate-sounding notes at the beginning being inappropriate to a place whose sky is practically ablaze. The song just sounds as if the vocals were changed and notes at the beginning were as well as the chorus very slightly from the Good Future version. It gets across how rushed the soundtrack was.

 

The US soundtrack to me always sounded sterile, cold and in no way suiting of the colourful, vibrant and often surreal environments. There was far too much fixation with the electric guitar as well as repetition vocally and instrumentally. It makes for very boring compositions to me and the vocal parts just sounded off and bizarre, very different to the feel of the vocals in the JP/EU which really suited the vibrancy and variety. It sounds extremely in-line with the feel of Sonic CD, a game that takes single environments and portrays variations of them with the soundtrack taking the same approach in a creative manner.

 

"Sonic - You Can Do Anything" is a song that puts across the game's time travel theme in an endearing way and puts across Sonic's determination to stop Eggman taking advantage and exploiting Little Planet. I also love how it took inspiration from Sonic 2's Green Hills Zone which makes it even more endearing to me. "Sonic Boom" to me is annoying, repetitive and is akin to SatAM in how it goes the wrong way about showing Sonic's 'tude. It's akin to how the US boss theme gives the impression that you're fighting a monster rather than a flamboyant and jolly spherical-gutted man with a funny mustache whose cape is too small for him.

 

I'll give the US soundtrack one thing though. It's Special Stage theme was good and Stardust Speedway Good Future was simply fantastic and my favourite song on the US soundtrack because it's so genuinely lively and lacks the repetition of many other US songs. I'd say it's even superior to the JP/EU version, it's that awesome!

[Tornado]

It's always been a push to me. Too lazy to look for my posts in previous topics about it, even the one I made.

 

 

Half the time the Japanese soundtrack seemed to throw sounds and voice samples and various other shit at a wall to see what stuck. Half the time the US soundtrack spends so much effort trying to set the mood that it's completely forgettable when not attached to the game (the same problem that that Nilsen's Ecco soundtracks suffered from in spots).

[Sean]

This is the epitome of sameyness in Sonic music. The drums are exactly the same as Good Future, the glitteriness in the beginning is in no way suiting of a mine who's crystals have been gutted out entirely and the delicate-sounding notes at the beginning being inappropriate to a place whose sky is practically ablaze. The song just sounds as if the vocals were changed and notes at the beginning were as well as the chorus very slightly from the Good Future version. It gets across how rushed the soundtrack was.

 

On the contrary, I'd argue that the US future themes are an example of how two songs being very similar can be used for entirely different moods in a great way. The differences are subtle and although the other future themes in the US soundtrack tended to be starkly different from each other, QQ's future themes evoke an "alternate history" affair much more than some of the others, i.e. timelines that diverged from each other due to a few changes here and there. In that sense, I think it is brilliant that the two songs are so close to each other because in the end they feel very different atmosphere wise. I also feel they're fairly appropriate for the zone in general because I always had that notion of delving deeper from the surface and further down Robotnik's increasingly mechanical base, especially in the boss act which I think all the future themes are definitely suited for.

[Semi-colon e]

Quartz Quadrant Bad Future US imo fits more than the Japanese one. The Japanese one is way too upbeat while the US one fits a pretty much dead world with all life and crystals just mined and used up. The droning guitar just blares out into the distance of the hellhole much like Crisis City Classic. The beginning of it also sounds like it's trying to tune into a signal only it doesn't work properly and makes a "chhh" sound. The Good Future seems to "tune in" correctly, as well as sound a lot more twinkly. The guitar in this isn't droning, it's upbeat and energetic and the vocals are atmospheric in a much more relaxing way.

 

I feel like the Japanese Good Futures are mostly "generic happy fun time", while the US ones add a layer of beauty to these surreal colourful dream worlds where everything is all good and everyone's just chillin'. The guitar is prevalent in a lot of them, but it's kind of an upbeat guitar and you don't expect guitar in a happy good future place, it's very 90s and CD itself also feels very 90s because of it's wacky aesthetic. Collision Chaos and Stardust Speedway Good Futures in their US tracks imo kick the living shit out of their Japanese versions. And I'll take QQ and WW US as well.

 

I would have loved to have heard Neilson's take on the past scenarios, it's too bad he couldn't. I'm sure he would have struck gold with these, I always felt when I was younger the Past tracks were weak and felt out of place before I knew that they were the ones that were unchanged (and indeed even before I knew about the two soundtracks).

 

Don't get me wrong, the JP versions have great tracks and I love having the option to use either soundtrack in CD 2011, but I just prefer playing it with the US version.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Semi-colon e

[Sean]

Speaking of the 2011 release, you really have no idea just how much my love for both soundtracks went up by the sheer presence of loops. The fact that Taxman went the extra mile to use unused looping cues for the JP release and bits and pieces from the Sonic the Hedgehog Boom CD soundtrack definitely makes them both feel much more alive and connected, rather than "Whoops song ended because of Redbook audio limitations!" which really pulls me out of the game experience. The way that both soundtracks cut off in previous releases was just terrible, but I'll admit it was less distracting in the US version; in the JP soundtrack, it always felt like the songs ended 10 seconds sooner than they should have. I pretty much replaced all of my game rips with those from the 2011 remake, I honestly can't go back and listen to the old, non-looped versions anymore.

[Semi-colon e]

I love the Sonic Boom ones, it makes me wish they'd taken a bit more of it, especially in Quartz Quadrant Present US where there's a section with different vocals really late into the song that wasn't used sadly (of the guilty pleasure kind).

 

http://youtu.be/C0ml4jlJ0lk?t=1m56s

 

I also really like Collision Chaos Good Future US's one, where the guitar just fades back in before it suddenly goes back to the intro. I don't know why but that was so genius. Considering it wasn't on Sonic Boom, it was a damn good way of simply looping it. Or there's both of the Stardust Speedway Bad Future themes with their added parts. God damn CD is full of awesome music!

Edited April 2, 2013 by Semi-colon e

[Komodin]

This opinion is probably an unpopular one,  but with Sonic CD's soundtracks, I would like to take the third option: that they're equally awesome.

 

You know, prior to today, I've always had a neutral opinion of Sonic CD's Japanese soundtrack; I mean, it wasn't auditory molestation, but it didn't quite hold a candle to the American soundtrack, in my opinion. After listening to the rearrangement of Stardust Speedway Bad Future (JP) used in the battle with Metal for this game, it made want to listen to the rest of the Japanese soundtrack again and well... I find it to be just as enjoyable as the American soundtrack now. So, yeah, thanks, game, for getting me interested in the Japanese soundtrack.

 

Do anyone recall this post I made back in the "Sonic Generations Preview" thread? Well, it's been over eighteen months since then, and my opinion hasn't really changed all that much. Some days, I play the game with the US soundtrack; other days, I do it with the EU soundtrack. While there are some tracks that I think was done better in one soundtrack than the other (e.g.: Collision Chaos Present US, Stardust Speedway Bad Future JP, Quartz Quadrant Good Future JP, Special Stage US), as a whole, both soundtracks make for some excellent listening.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Komodin

[TheOcelot]

Okay now where to start?

 

My favourite is the Jp soundtrack, but ONLY just. They are both excellent.

 

My first experience of Sonic CD was the PS2 Gems Collection, and thus I listened to the US soundtrack first. It wasn't until a few months prior to the 2011 release, that I finally heard the Jp soundtrack. I was blown away by just how different both soundtracks were from each other.

 

The main different between them is that the Jp is upbeat/in your face, very 90's cool/kind of cheesey tracks that make you smile and feel good. It's a soundtrack that sounds excellent being played on your car stereo whilst speeding down the motorway at 88mph... Whereas the US soundtrack was designed to fit the atmospheric feel/design of the zones to perfection, and it succeeds spectacularly.  

 

Both soundtracks were the best 2d Sonic game soundtracks ever produced and the music still sounds beautiful nearly 20 years on.

 

- - - - - - - -

 

Palmtree Panic:

 

The Jp tracks, both present and good future feels like they belong in a Brazilian carnival for some reason. It's so upbeat and makes you smile. The bad future being very dramatic/catchy and adds a real sense of excitement to the zone. I guessed correctly that they would use the bad future track for the Sonic CD 2011 launch trailer. They chose the perfect track as it makes the trailer feel and look so enticing.

 

 

The past version of PP gives a feeling that there should be dinosaurs roaming the zone. It's just really cool.

 

The US versions of each track gives the mood of a tropical setting with the good future being a calm and tropical paradise. It reflects the natural atmosphere of the zone and works well.

 

- - - - -

 

Collision Chaos:

 

The Jp present track is the best track in the entire game. It's so fucking upbeat. You could be feeling incredibly low in life and this track will pep you right up. It's doesn't feel like it suits the zone, and yet because it's catchy fun you just have to love it-a wonderful piece of music. The good future track is nice and happy but doesn't stand out compared to the present track. The bad future track feels like a dumb down version of the present track and doesn't impress much.

 

The calm US present track is so beautiful. It suits the quiet/low key feel of the level perfectly. The bad future is very similar/compliments the present track and adds a feeling of decay. As for the good future track, that is incredible. It 100% suits the tranquil/peaceful feel and look of the zone which sits in harmony with technology and nature. It's like an outdoor botanical garden/techno feel - surely a mismatch - which fits perfectly.

 

The past track is wack, crazy, catchy and shows how the Mega CD tech could be used to simulate a past setting.

 

- - - - - - -

 

Tidal Tempest:

 

The jp present soundtrack is angelic. It makes you feel like your in a vast ocean. This particular track suits the level so well, it's easy to shed a tear at how good it is. The bad future track doesn't really fit anywhere. It's okay but nothing special. The Good future track is water paradise. It reminds me so much of this track from the James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Bender Me. 

 

 

The past version feels like a pre-historic water setting. Just so ancient and upbeat. 

 

As for the US present:

 

"Now this is the story all about how
My life got flipped, turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-air".....

 

Needless to say it's an excellent track and memorable for many reasons.

 

The bad future track is incredible. It gives the feeling of a post apocalyptic dead atmosphere, perfectly suiting the level. I could listen to that track for hours and not get tired of it.

 

The good future track gives a very happy feeling.

 

- - - - -

 

Quartz Quadrant:

 

I don't rate either of the good and bad future versions of the Jp soundtrack. They don't really suite the feel of the level. The present track takes a while to get going, but after about ten seconds it hits you and you never want travel to another time period! Upbeat and breathtaking. SEGA thankyou for this!

 

The US present track is in your face straight away, has a bit more of a serious feeling to it. Whilst the good and bad future tracks are similar, I think the good future perfectly suits the sweet futuristic feeling so nicely. The bad future track is also rather peaceful.

 

The past track is a bit wacky and doesn't really belong with the other tracks, and yet in it's own right is a really cool piece of music.

 

- - - - - - -

 

Wacky Workbench:

 

Neither the Jp present and good future tracks do much for me. They don't really belong in the zone. The bad future track on the other hand is fucking awesome. It's dramatic and fits the chaotic bounce feel of the level.

 

The US present track is catchy, upbeat. The bad future track is quite upbeat and compliments the present track. The good future is perfection It compliments the beautiful party feeling of this crazy looking zone, now at peace.

 

The past track is so funky. This always makes me feel good.

 

- - - - - -

 

Stardust Speedway:

 

Every track from both the Jp & US soundtracks is excellent. Special mention to the dramatic feel of the US bad future track which adds to the tention of the race with Metal Sonic. The past track is just weird funkiness.

 

- - - - - -

 

Metallic Madness:

 

The Jp present and past tracks are upbeat like crazy and really in your face. They don't suit the feel of the level but they sound great. The good future has a peaceful feel to it and the bad future is badass with evil Eggman laughter!

 

The US present track is a better match for the feel of the level. The same goes for the more dramatic bad future track and the very calm good future piece.

 

 - - - - - - -

 

The Jp Boss track is just cheesey, funky and I absolutely love it. The US version has a more realistic menacing feel. Whilst I don't really like the Jp final boss track, at least it is different to the main Jp boss track,. Whereas the US final boss is almost a carbon copy of the normal US boss track.

 

I prefer the US fast shows and invincibilty tracks compared the Jp ones that sound too similar to each other. The da garden tracks are nice.

 

The opening and ending tracks for Jp and US are all so awesome. Listening to Japanese singers sing in English is just crazy funny, and that cheesey Sonic Boom track, gotta love that.

 

Special mention to the excellent extended versions of the US tracks, which feature in the Sonic Boom album. Also, special mention to the Sonic The Hedgehog remix album which contains remixs of the Jp tracks.

 

Honestly both soundtracks have had so much love over the years. They both enhanced the experience of an incredible game, making it even more fun. I often switch between both soundtracks which give me hours of pleasure.

 

Thank you and goodnight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Edited April 3, 2013 by -Bender-

[FireBird75]

At gunpoint, I'd have to go with the JP soundtrack.

 

However, in all honesty, both soundtracks are amazing!  They fit the game so well and give a experience while playing the game and thanks to the 2011 version, you can have both at your disposal. ('Past' tracks are based on the JP version)

As for the music itself, the Japanese soundtracks has many upbeat and fun tunes that are a real treat to listen to. The US version has some great tunes as well with some of which I prefer more than their JP counterparts.  

 

 

If you must twist my arm, I'd have to go with the JP soundtrack, though I really don't prefer one over the other.  They both that awesome

[Tani Coyote]

I'll admit that I didn't play much of Sonic CD, so my knowledge of the soundtrack is limited. Based on the tracks I have heard though:

 

Boss Theme: Trophy goes to the US version. Robotnik actually feels like a villain, whereas the JP version just sounds weird to me.

 

Palmtree Panic Present: Tie. I like both. JP is clearly more energetic, but the voices in the background kind of are unnecessary.

 

Stardust Speedway Bad Future: I used to prefer the JP version because that's the one that plays against Metal Sonic in Generations. However, Bad Future US was played at Sonic Boom 2012, and the nostalgia of that event gives that version extra weight. So, I'd say there's a tie.

 

Main Theme: Sonic Boom all the way. You Can Do Anything's lyrics do not really fit for me, even if the tune itself is actually very nice and I'm glad it made its way into Transformed.

 

===

 

Observations: Well I'm glad I was somewhat surprised; I was expecting every US member to say they preferred the US version and every non-US member to say they preferred the JP version due to the power of nostalgia. Seems the trend is still true overall, though there are some exceptions.

 

Question: why exactly were both regions given different soundtracks? This wasn't done for any other Sonic game to my knowledge, so why this one?

Edited April 3, 2013 by Ogilvie Maurice

[FireBird75]

Question: why exactly were both games given different soundtracks? This wasn't done for any other Sonic game to my knowledge, so why this one?

Sonic 3D Blast had two different soundtracks IIRC. One for the Genesis version and one for the Saturn version.  As for why Sonic CD had two different soundtracks, I'm not exactly sure.  I do know however that the US version was delayed for a while so the US soundtrack could be produced but as for why that was done in the first place I really have no idea.

[Sean]

The Japanese soundtrack was probably considered by Sega to be too outlandish for American audiences.

 

There is also the possibility that the multitude of samples in the Japanese tracks would have treaded some sketchy legal ground back then, but I'm just hazarding a guess.

[Tornado]

Or, since this was circa-1993 Sega at the absolute height of the two divisions' open war, it might have just been dick waving on SoA's part.

 

 

Or maybe it was all of them.

[Sami]

JP all the way, on the basis that it's actually fun to listen to and gets me pumped whenever I hear it. I always found the US soundtrack boring, to be honest.

[Chaos Incarnate]

Before comparing the two soundtracks, let me start off by saying that I prefer every single good and bad future track from the japanese version. Good futures were just so happy and feel good, while bad futures felt so edgy and fast paced. The US versions were just.... too quiet and reserved for me to fully enjoy them. Anyway, I'll be comparing the intro and ending songs, present stages, power ups, and boss themes.

 

Intro Song: "You can do anything" grew on me quite a bit. I like "Sonic Boom", but " You Can Do Anything" is more enjoyable for its random rap segments, hilarious nonsensical lyrics, memorable melody, and for just getting me pumped up whenever I hear it. Toot Toot Sonic Warrior, motherfucker!

 

Palmtree Panic:Us slightly wins, mainly for the spanish guitar solo that plays in the middle of the song. I like Japanese as well, but the cheering in the background felt a bit too over the top.... fits the good future version more, which is why I prefer the Japanese good future over US.

 

Collision Chaos: No contest, Japanese beats the ever loving shit out of the US version. I felt like visiting a disco as soon as I heard the japanese track. I only enjoy the bass in Collision Chaos US.

 

Tidal Tempest: US, mainly for the air bubble sound effect and female singers. Japanese is fitting, but I find US more catchy.

 

Quartz Quadrant: US was what I usually found when I went to my head. I just love the incredibly 90's guitar instruments and overuse of the word " battle( at least I think so)" by the female singers. Japanese has a solid opening, but that's about it.

 

Wacky Workbench: Japanese, even though it's a technically terrible song. I know it's just random beeping noises, but I find it an enjoyable guilty pleasure. US is technically well composed, but it doesn't fit the aesthetics of the level at all.

 

Stardust Speedway: Japanese, without a doubt. Sounds like a random funky dance club song, and I absolutely adore the "He, he, he's". The guitar opening to the US version is sweet, but the rest of the song doesn't even compare to the japanese version.

 

Metallic Madness: Japanese is once again the winner. I love the fast paced beat and nonsensical vocals used. US just feels.... really fucking bland.

 

Invincibility+ Speed shoes: Japanese, mainly since they're both remixes of " You Can Do Anything." I know that sounds biased, but US speed shoes felt like generic rock, while US invincibility didn't feel as fitting as the japanese version.

 

Stage Clear: Japanese, no contest. I always feel rewarded when hearing the insane " teleportation, yeah!" lyric.

 

Boss: Japanese wipes the floor with the US version. US is more threatening, but it doesn't really feel like a song. I just love the rap lyrics that sound like they're encouraging Eggman to " work that sucker to death" in the japanese version.

 

Final boss: This isn't exactly fair, seeing as how the US version is basically the same bland regular boss theme. Japanese, while not exactly fitting for a final boss, is so unique with its opera style genre. Point goes to japanese version.

 

Game Over: Japanese. I love how the person singing " You can do anything" sounds so depressed for getting a game over.

 

Ending Song: Tie. I love Cosmic Eternity's intro and inspiring lyrics, while Sonic Boom ending version just feels so.... badass, to say the least. The 90's guitars, female singers, and hero worshiping sonic lyrics place these songs on an even footing with me.