I was going to embed these, but it would quickly take up so much space. Because I am indecisive. Also, it's a bit all over the place and I'll likely remember more later, this was more thinking of one song, remembering another, then another, so on,
Escape from the City, from Sonic Adventure 2. I listened to this song so many times, played the level easily hundreds of times.
E.G.G.M.A.N., also from Sonic Adventure 2. This is one that I never really noticed until just a couple years ago, and only grew to love it years after I first played the game, but it's so catchy, and really, most of the Vocal tracks from SA2 could go here.
Red Hot Skull, from Sonic Adventure. There is a very noticeable difference in the overall sound of the two SA games, and while I don't have a musical background and can't really describe it in the right terms, but it always seemed to me that the first had a much more Japanese music sound, while the second felt more American. What does this have to do with Red Hot Skull? Not much, I just really like screeching and rhythm.
Halo, from, duh. I don't know, I just really enjoy the old and new sounds mixing. I don't care much for the Mjolnir Mix, though. Original I think works better.
Staff Roll, from Super Mario 64. A really light, emotional, almost retrospective sound to wind down what was for most of us here one of the quintessential games of our childhood. It just comes off sounding like the musical equivalent to "And they live happily ever after".
A bunch of SMB3 songs, because I love the whole darn thing. Especially the ending song.
Dire, Dire Docks, from Super Mario 64. I hated this level. I loathe water levels and any game developer that feels that weird controlling water levels are a must for games. But this is utter brilliance of music. Starts light, but works up to more and more...something. So, pain in the tuches of a level, but great music to balance it.
Tick Tock Woods (Spring), from Banjo-Kazooie. I enjoy the entirety of the Tick Tock Woods songs, but Spring is easily my favorite of them. Lots of wood instruments, quick tempo, backed by cricket and bug noises, it just feels like spring. Summer is good too, a little slower, with a, I don't know, trombone?. It feels like a more lethargic, oppressive heat sort of song, Fall has more strings, and frog and owls as backup, Winter bringing back the xylophone or whatever 'ting-ting'ing noise that was that Kirkhope also had in Freezeazy Peak, all very chilled, and a very slight bell sound, and the wind whistling, gives an almost alone feel, while still upbeat song.
Spiral Mountain, From the Banjo-Kazooie games. Seriously, give me a game with Grant Kirkhope music, and I'll love it. The man was the best Rare had, and it's a shame he left. But this is just a great song to start an adventure with, kinda goofy sounding like Banjo.
Carnival Night Zone, Act 1, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. I have not hidden my love of this level, and it's in no short part helped by the music. Takes 'Entrance of the Gladiators', and makes it into a sinister metal monster of a circus. The music, I think, is perfectly encapsulated by the red barrels. Back and forth, rising and falling, kinda confusing, almost bothersome to the senses, but perfectly fitting together.
Boss Battle Theme, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Mechanical, Maniacal, Terrifying, Terrific. Another song that I listened to for so long. The first level I would avoid damaging Robotnik for as long as I could just to hear this a bit longer. I at one time knew what the number for this was on the sound check menu. Still have it on my iPod. It's a very intense theme, building up the grinding sounds until the climax when it drops back to the 'DUN-dun-dun-dun-DUN-dun-dun-dun"
Ending Credits, from Perfect Dark. Another great song that fits very well with the game. Raw, industrial sounding drums and guitar side by side futuristic wails, (it sounds like the thing used for the first Star Trek theme. What was it called?) It fits really well with this dirty, corrupt society of espionage and super-corporations that just happens to also have a interstellar war going on. Ending with Cassandra DeVries, cold-voice that she had. Awesome.
Lucca, from Chrono Trigger. I'm a huge sucker for fanfares. Something about the powerful uplifting, triumphant sounds, and this is no exception. And while I still enjoy the original, this cover is quite awesome.
Ultimate Koopa, from Super Mario 64. You can take your One-Winged Angel, THIS is the most menacing final boss theme I've ever heard. Let's face it, organs are the scariest sounding instruments ever. Maybe that's the Christian upbringing speaking, but when you need a imposing, chilling, and just evil sounding musical piece, it's the top of the list. And this song is no exception. No ominous chanting, no strings, nothing but an organ, with a fast, higher set of notes, and low notes that are omnipresent and steady, which to my mind is a combination of the panic you feel facing off against a charging Koopa, and the underlying baser dread of the final showdown.
Prologue/Prelude/Main Theme, from Final Fantasy IV. There are conflicting accounts for what this is actually called, and all the names that I have found for it are generic and used for songs across the whole series, so finding the right one becomes a bit of a pain. Anyway. Powerful, emotional, somber in it's triumph, just a very fine musical piece. It may as well be the story all in itself, rise, fall, struggle, success. Favorite of all the music of Final Fantasy.
Ain't That a Kick in the Head, from Fallout, by Dean Martin. Kinda cheating, because I just love Dean Martin, and one of the best parts of the newer Fallout games is the 40s and '50s music that really helps me get into the atmosphere.
Segata Sanshiro, from the Japanese Sega Saturn commercials. I count this because this is the best advertising campaign that I can think of for anything ever. Again, like a handful of the previous entries, incredibly triumphant, powerful, and fantastically done fanfare for a machine. Seriously, the Saturn would have sold like crazy if that was done here. Don't even need to change it, just add the subtitles, and it would rock.