Aftermarket Soundtrack: Final Fantasy IV

As I alluded to in the SNEStacular grab bag edition of this feature, 16-bit Squaresoft RPGs were going to rate their own editions. And it’s already happened for Secret of Mana.

I’m going to rewind a bit and start this journey from the beginning, with Squaresoft’s very first Super Famicom game: Final Fantasy IV. But you already knew that because you saw the headline.

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“Long Distance” performed by Risa Okhi for “Final Fantasy Vocal Collections 2: Love Will Grow” from “Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV”

Let’s start things off with a vocal rendition of the game’s overworld theme, a tune that finds its way all through the soundtrack as a very persistent motif.

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“Tales of Courage and Sorrow” by Rebecca E Tripp from “Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV”

But if vocals aren’t your bag (baby), Rebecca has you covered with this rendition of the same song.

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“Theme of Love” performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra for “20020220 – Music From Final Fantasy” from… “Theme of Love”

This is the only orchestral cover of “Theme of Love” I know of that doesn’t come off as Laurence Whelk-y. Just do yourself a favor and ignore any other you might find; I’ve done the hard work for you. But do check out the entire 20020220 album. It’s an old favorite of mine.

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“Welcome to our Town” arranged by Máire Breatnach from… “Welcome to our Town”

There’s a strong style to this piece from the “Celtic Moon” album, as one might imagine from the name. But this is one of my favorite tracks from it because the piece tells a story. Just try to tell me you do not hear the arrival of weary travelers that get pulled into a festive celebration before eventually settling down to rest.

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“Rydia (Clean Mix)” by Tim Sheehy from “Rydia”

I want to call this a simple and clean remix, but the very timbre of a piano lives so far from the midi flute of the original, can I really call it that simple? That simple change gives Rydia’s theme an entirely different emotion to it, moving from sad and beautiful to warm and relaxing.

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“Battle With the Four Fiends” performed by The Black Mages from… “Battle With the Four Fiends”

But enough wandering around. It’s time for action! And said action is Nobuo Uematsu covering himself, but I think we can all agree the man has earned it.

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“Zeromus Sum Game” by Sbeast from “The Final Battle”

It’s time to wrap things up and where better to finish than at the end? Sbeast delivers pretty much my favorite guitar-heavy rendition of a Final Fantasy boss theme not performed by The Black Mages.