If you played video games at all in your home when you were young, then you likely came across these classic theme songs from the original 8-bit Nintendo. I'm still not sure what it is that makes these tunes so nostalgic. Is it simply the hours spent enthralled by the repetitive mix of beeps and bops? Or was there some real magic to the music's composition?
I'm going with the latter. And just how a track or two can turn a good movie into a classic, these 8 songs of 8-bit genius are what made the Nintendo an icon. Take a little break and listen again yourself. You may find yourself going back in time to where you were — your old house, your first room — when you heard these songs for the first time.
Legend of Zelda
Super Mario Bros.
Tetris
Ninja Gaiden
Castlevania
Punch Out
Double Dragon
Final Fantasy
Did I miss any? What were some of your favorites?
Image: Shutterstock
DIY Idea: Concrete Pendant Lamp
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
On Saying No to Paleo: Why Eating Isn't One Size Fits All
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
They're called chiptunes, and there is an entire community revolved around them. People remix old tracks like the ones above (like DJ Cutman: http://soundcloud.com/djcutman). Others remix and rap over game music (like Random http://megaran.com/ and YT Cracker http://www.ytcracker.com/v2012/). Some do mash-ups of old game music and current music (http://tkrmx.blogspot.com/). People can make their own chiptunes by hacking old consoles or using software (like Little Sound DJ). There have been chiptune covers of Weezer http://weezerthe8bitalbum.blogspot.com/, Daft Punk (http://soundcloud.com/dachip) and other artists. This weekend, in New York City, there is a chiptune music festival called Blipfest http://www.8bitpeoples.com/.
While listening to old game music is still enjoyable, thanks to this community, you can enjoy them in a different way.
Don't forget Teenage Mutant Ninja Tutrles, Dr. Mario, and Duck Tales!
if you're into chiptunes, check out supercommuter and squarewail. awesome stuff.
This wasn't an 8-bit game, but I sort of love these Zelda remixes: Ocarina of Rhyme
Oh, I'm totally going to listen to video game rap all day now. Sigh, such a nerd...
I didn't even have to watch the video to get the Tetris songs stuck in my head. GAH!!!
I spent a whole summer inside trying to beat Legend of Zelda, what an awesome game!
You left out Mega Man! Mega Man II was especially stellar.
Okay, I'm going to shamelessly plug a favorite band of mine: The Minibosses. (www.minibosses.com) They're a 4 piece instrumental rock group that plays to-the-note-faithful tributes from many of the games posted here.
This kind of a setup only proves the point, these are all amazing compositions.
Enjoy
Well, my first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, so I rather missed the 8-bit era ;) It's that gorgeous opening and Kokiri Forest that hits all my nostalgia buttons. Still an amazing tune, though!
I'm glad someone mentioned Mega Man II. Simply the best retro
video game soundtrack. Love chip tunes!
A third vote for the amazingness of the Mega Man II soundtrack!
One of my favorite chip tunes bands is Anamanaguchi. You can check them out on their website, and can be found on Spotify.