SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "Bookends by Prelude" Edition

Welcome to a fashionably late edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, a special edition on a Tuesday of all days. It's also special for having a bookend at the beginning and end featuring prelude themes, one of which is one of the most memorable and notable prelude themes in gaming history.

We begin with the prelude theme from Bravely Default before rocking out to music from Super Street Fighter IV. Following that is a flying theme from Rayman Origins, a terrific platformer in its own right. Finally, Stella Glow gives us a stellar song while Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call closes out with its own prelude theme.

Click on the VGM volume name to be taken to its YouTube video where you can hear it, and check out the VGM Database for all past VGM volumes. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1391. Bravely Default (3DS) - Prelude Moving Towards Hope

Progressive rock artist Revo (not to be confused with Devo, the band that wanted listeners to "whip it good") composed the music for Bravely Default, and it has wound up as one of my favorite RPG soundtracks of all time. Every song is a magical experience, some absolutely rocking experiences like most battle themes, while some are purely majestic, such as this prelude theme for the game. Unfortunately, Revo was too busy on a totally different project when the Bravely Default's sequel was being developed, hence the downgrade in Bravely Second's soundtrack compared to the original.

v1392. Super Street Fighter IV (PS3, 360, PC, 3DS) - Crumbling Laboratory (Round 1)

Take on the final boss of Super Street Fighter IV, Seth, with this theme. The boss fight takes place in the titular arena as this terrific tune plays. Whether you're on a home console, on PC, or taking it to Seth on the small screen with the amazingly done Nintendo 3DS version, you're bound to have a great time, if not a difficult one, as Seth is no pushover!

v1393. Rayman Origins (Multi) - Desert of Dijiridoos ~ Shooting Me Softly

Outside of the platforming in the phenomenal Rayman Origins, there are levels where Rayman and friends ride mosquito-like creatures that can suck up and shoot out enemies through auto-scrolling areas. The Desert of Dijiridoos has such levels in it, and this lively theme is heard as you fly, shoot, and soar through the sandy skies of the instrument-themed desert level.

v1394. Stella Glow (3DS) - Battle ~ South Valley

Stella Glow is an oft overlooked game in the exhaustive and expansive Nintendo 3DS library. One of the composers behind the game is none other than the masterful Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears fame. He's also working on the upcoming Xenoblade 2 for the Nintendo Switch. Like all of his soundtracks, Stella Glow, co-composed with Shunsuke Doi, is a stellar example of his quality composition skill.

v1395. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (3DS) - Prelude

This is a special remix of Final Fantasy's Prelude theme, a theme that is heard in a lot of Final Fantasy games, particularly the earlier ones. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is a series that celebrates the music of the Final Fantasy franchise while giving players a fantastic rhythm game to boot, one of my favorites in the genre due to its mixing of rhythm-based gameplay with the series' tried and true RPG lineage.