History Main / BattleThemeMusic

** ''Dual Orb II'' has one battle theme, from the first fight to the FinalBoss. And with its crazy-high encounter rate, you'll be hearing it a ''lot''.

* The ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' and other Infinity Engine games used BattleThemeMusic several times, often having specific music for random encounters vs. plotted ones and so on. It also has an interesting example has a special song when fighting dragons. No other enemy type receives this particular kind of special score. Since Dragons are powerful and significant foes, they tend to warrant "boss" status, even if they aren't actually major parts of the story. (with one exception in ToB)

* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}'', the boss characters are mostly associated with the theme music that plays during their stages and the dialogue shared with them before their fights, rather than the boss fights themselves. Nevertheless, ''Rosenkreuzstilette'' had "Arima's Music No. 03" by [=AM3=] for Freu as the opening stage boss and seven of the main bosses, "Arima's Music No. 22" by [=AM3=] for Freu's second fight (which is the only boss theme actually associated with a boss other than Zeppelin and [[spoiler:Iris]]), "Arima's Music No. 15" by [=AM3=] for the Zeppelin Stage bosses, "Fighting Eternally" by Unlimited Hellest for Count Michael Zeppelin, "Closed Garden" by Unlimited Hellest for the [[spoiler:Iris]] Stage bosses and the boss rematches at [[spoiler:Iris]] Stage 3, "Pray to Muse For..." by Song! Cat Room: Unkolyn for the [[spoiler:Iris Machine]], and "Last Battle ~Requiem for Myself~" for [[spoiler:the Iris Capsule and Seraphic Iris]]. In the sequel, ''Rosenkreuzstilette Freudenstachel'', we get "Attacking Game" by Takumi dot Net for Eifer as the opening stage boss and the eight RKS bosses, "Four Heavenly Kings" by DEAD END WONDER for the four Schwarzkreuz bosses and the boss rematches at [[spoiler:Iris]] Stage 3 along with [[spoiler:Karl]] in Pamela's story, "Blue Daemon" by Unlimited Hellest for [[spoiler:Count Michael Zeppelin and Eifer as the Dark Devil]], "The end of last age final destination" by Kamo King for the [[spoiler:Iris Machine]], and "Awakening the Profound Evil" by Wingless Seraph for [[spoiler:a BrainwashedAndCrazy Tia and Seraphic Iris]].

** Each game has a battle theme for each area, and usually it's played regardless of the monsters fought in them, although some monsters have their own themes as well. For example, starting from the third generation, [[MiniBoss lower-rank]] large monsters (like Great Jaggi, Iodrome or Arzuros) have a soft-paced track that is different from the default stage battle theme (in the first two generations, the simply use the current stage's battle theme). Various monsters that historically served as flagship creatures (like Nargacuga in ''Freedom Unite'', Zinogre in ''Portable 3rd'', Gore Magala in ''4'', etc.) are also accompanied by their own unique themes, as are Elder Dragons due to their importance and difficulty.[[note]]Kushala Daora, Valstrax and Nergigante all have the benefit of [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs being flagships AND Elder Dragons]][[/note]] Lastly, standard large monsters like Yian Garuga, Rajang, Deviljho, and Bazelgeuse have their own unique battle themes as well due to their nomadic nature and exceptional danger level.

** Each game has a battle theme for each area, and usually it's played regardless of the monsters fought in them, although some monsters have their own themes as well. For example, [[MiniBoss lower-rank]] large monsters (like Great Jaggi, Iodrome or Arzuros) have a soft-paced track that is different from the default stage battle theme. Various monsters that historically served as flagship creatures (like Nargacuga in ''Freedom Unite'', Zinogre in ''Portable 3rd'', Gore Magala in ''4'', etc.) are also accompanied by their own unique themes, as are Elder Dragons due to their importance and difficulty.[[note]]Kushala Daora, Valstrax and Nergigante all have the benefit of [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs being flagships AND Elder Dragons]][[/note]] Lastly, standard large monsters like Yian Garuga, Rajang, Deviljho, and Bazelgeuse have their own unique battle themes as well due to their nomadic nature and exceptional danger level.

** Each main game in the series series has a set of battle themes for each type of opponent, with a few variations occuring from game to game: Three themes for enemy encounters (there are only two in ''The Drowned City''), one theme for the Field-On Enemies (F.O.E.), one theme for the main stratum bosses, one theme for the FinalBoss, one theme for the Elemental Dragons and other {{Bonus Boss}}es (this particular theme, "Scatter About", is present in all games [[LaterInstallmentWeirdness except in]] the fifth), and one for the ultimate BonusBoss that is fought in the postgame BonusDungeon (the exceptions are the original game and ''Legends of the Titan'', with the former reusing the standard boss music and the latter using both the regular boss theme in the first phase and the final boss theme in the second).

** In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'', there is Festival of Servants for Normal boss battles, Death Ballad for Major boss battles like Death or Shaft, Enchanted Banquet for Medusa and Succubus, Dance of Illusions for Dracula in the intro, Blood Relations for [[spoiler:[[ClimaxBoss Richter]]]], and Black Banquet for the FinalBoss against Dracula again.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'', Ridley and Kraid share a regular battle theme, leaving the third and last boss (Mother Brain) as the only one with its own theme. For ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', they received their own respective themes (and Ridley would play its in all subsequent appearances, even having a second theme in ''Corruption'' for its Omega Ridley rematch). Ridley's theme is also borrowed by Draygon in ''Super'', while Kraid's is shared with Crocomire and Phantoon; the mini-bosses all share a haunting battle theme.

** ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' amd ''[[VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission Zero Mission]]'' spare themselves the music sharing headache from their predecessors by giving each boss its own theme (the former makes an exception with Serris and Yakuza, as both of them do share one theme).

** Each regular boss in ''World of Light'' mode in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]'' plays whichever theme it plays in its franchise of origin. The original boss themes incorporate elements of the game's main theme, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTISQCY6LYo Lifelight]]". The theme of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO8Htk8wMZ4 Galeem]] is fast-pased OrchestralBombing reflective of the desperation the heroes contend with in fighting the BigBad. [[spoiler:In contrast, the theme of the Galeem's counterpart, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOSl4BAcsH8 Dharkon]], is much slower and foreboding, mixing in [[AutobotsRockOut rock guitars]] befitting the evil god. The TrueFinalBoss theme against [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FKKCJrhUUg both Galeem and Dharkon]] [[DualBoss at once]] strikes a balance between the two themes in its tempo while weaving in the chorus from "Lifelight" and a far more triumphant sound, as befitting the final battle of the game.]]

** In the original ''VideoGame/{{Metroid1}}'', Ridley and Kraid share a regular battle theme, leaving the third and last boss (Mother Brain) as the only one with its own theme. For ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', they received their own respective themes (and Ridley would play its in all subsequent appearances, even having a second theme in ''Corruption'' for its Omega Ridley rematch). Ridley's theme is also borrowed by Draygon in ''Super'', while Kraid's is shared with Crocomire and Phantoon; the mini-bosses all share a haunting battle theme.

** ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' amd ''[[MetroidZeroMission Zero Mission]]'' spare themselves the music sharing headache from their predecessors by giving each boss its own theme (the former makes an exception with Serris and Yakuza, as both of them do share one theme).

* ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'' (and, by extension, ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'') have different music for the evolved Metroid battles (also, unrelated to Villain and Boss, regular monsters that are more dangerous get an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cWbLagjxbA ominous theme]]).

* The major boss themes for ''World of Light'' mode in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' incorporate elements of the game's main theme, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTISQCY6LYo Lifelight]]". The theme of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO8Htk8wMZ4 Galeem]] is fast-pased OrchestralBombing reflective of the desperation the heroes contend with in fighting the BigBad. [[spoiler:In contrast, the theme of the Galeem's counterpart, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOSl4BAcsH8 Dharkon]], is much slower and foreboding, mixing in [[AutobotsRockOut rock guitars]] befitting the evil god. The TrueFinalBoss theme against [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FKKCJrhUUg both Galeem and Dharkon]] [[DualBoss at once]] strikes a balance between the two themes in its tempo while weaving in the chorus from "Lifelight" and a far more triumphant sound, as befitting the final battle of the game.]]

* The ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' series has a unique theme for every major boss. Mini-bosses either share themes with each other or borrow enemy encounter themes (''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' makes an exception with the corrupted hunters, as does ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' with the rival hunters, giving each of them a special battle theme).

* Done in ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' Episode III, where almost every boss has his personal battle theme.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' ep. I, every boss had the same battle theme. In fact, every battle of the game, with the exception of the last battle, used the exact same music.
* The majority of the story bosses in ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' use the same theme, though the songs from the cutscenes preceding them sometimes carry on into the fight, then are replaced by the usual boss theme once they finish. Another boss theme is used for all of the [[BossInMookClothing unique monsters]] and some of the story bosses as well, usually in situations where the party is making a comeback after getting roughed up by the boss in the previous cutscene.
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' has a lot of boss themes. Most of the [[BossInMookClothing Tyrants]] use 'Uncontrollable', the first few story bosses as well as most of the Sidequest bosses use 'z37b20a13t01t08le'[[note]]z37 battle[[/note]], several later story bosses use [='NO.EX01'=], the boss of Chapter 11 uses the first half of 'aBOreSSs'[[labelnote:note (spoilers)]]Ares Boss[[/labelnote]], the boss of Chapter 10 uses the second half of 'aBOreSSs' in the first phase before switching to [='NO.EX01'=], the penultimate boss uses the first half of 'raTEoREkiSImeAra'[[labelnote:note (major spoilers)]]Lao Chimera/Telethia[[/labelnote]], the Final Boss uses the first half of 'The key we've lost', several of the [[BonusBoss Bonus Bosses]] use the last third of [=CR17S19S8=][[note]]Crisis[[/note]], Yggralith Zero uses 'In the forest <X→Z ver.>', some of the Time Attack bosses use an instrumental version of 'Uncontrollable', while [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Telethia, the Endbringer]], the strongest BonusBoss in the game, uses the second half of 'raTEoREkiSImeAra'. Finally, both the final fight against Rexoskell (from the infamous Definian Downfall sidequest) and the fight against Interfearence (from Murderess's last affinity mission, Serial Thriller) use 'z30huri2ba0tt12le1110'.[[note]]z30 free battle[[/note]]

** One of the large monsters that appear recurringly in the series, Khezu, is notable for averting this trope: No music is heard when you fight it. Originally, this was because of the monster's blindness - in the very first game, monsters have to see the hunter so the fight proper starts, and thus the level's battle theme (or the monster's unique theme if it has it) is heard. Even though Khezu can sense the hunter via smell and fight against him/her, the game still won't play any music. Subsequent games changed the mechanic by having the music trigger when ''any'' large monster (including other blind monsters, such as Gigginox which traces its preys' internal heat) notices the player no matter how, but Khezu's battles remain silent for the sake of tradition.

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona'':

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'', naturally, features a fresh arrangement of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRtopyUBoLA Those Who Fight Further]]" for boss fights. The Airbuster, however, has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQDLBKpbXQU unique variation]] of the theme that mixes OrchestralBombing and OminousLatinChanting with [[AutobotsRockOut blaring rock guitars and heavy drums]]/

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' features unique battle themes, often with lyrics, to accompany its boss battles. In the case of primal bosses, they cross over with VillainSong and BraggingThemTune. From the 2.0 version of the game, alone, we have:

** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCcbKY7d0dc Good King Moggle Mog XII]]", the eponymous theme of the Good King Moggle Mog: a bragging theme for the Good King and his Moggleguard in a style reminiscent of "[[Film/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas This is Halloween]]".

** Each main game in the series series has a set of battle themes for each type of opponent, with a few variations occuring from game to game: Three themes for enemy encounters (there are only two in ''The Drowned City''), one theme for the Field-On Enemies (F.O.E.), one theme for the main stratum bosses, one theme for the FinalBoss, one theme for the Elemental Dragons and other {{Bonus Boss}}es (this particular theme, "Scatter About", is present in all games [[LaterInstallmentWeirdness except in]] the fifth), and one for the ultimate Bonusboss that is fought in the postgame BonusDungeon (the exceptions are the original game and ''Legends of the Titan'', with the former reusing the standard boss music and the latter using both the regular boss theme in the first phase and the final boss theme in the second).

** Each main game in the series series has a set of battle themes for each type of opponent, with a few variations occuring from game to game: Three themes for enemy encounters (there are only two in ''The Drowned City''), one theme for the Field-On Enemies (F.O.E.), one theme for the main stratum bosses, one theme for the FinalBoss, and one theme for the Elemental Dragons and other {{Bonus Boss}}es (this particular theme, "Scatter About", is present in all games [[LaterInstallmentWeirdness except in]] the fifth). In some games, such as ''The Drowned City'' and ''Beyond the Myth'', the ultimate BonusBoss (the one fought in the sixth stratum) gets its own theme; others reuse a previous boss theme.

** ''Nexus'' has, in addition to its own boss themes, familiar tracks that correspond to the returning bosses from previous games.

** Some of the 3D games have special battle themes heard during certain cases: ''Ocarina of Time'' has part of the evolving Hyrule Field theme sounding when an enemy is fought there. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', in addition to repeating the trend with its own Hyrule Field, adds the Twilight Beast battle theme, as well as {{Variable Mix}}es of the local music themes. The night battle music in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', heard when sailing during night, differs from the regular enemy theme.

* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonI'' uses the ''Dragon Quest'' style of fanfare at the end of a Mission, whereas ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonII'' uses the ''Final Fantasy'' style, leading into the Intermission theme.

* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonI'' uses the ''Dragon Quest'' style of fanfare at the end of a Mission, whereas ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonII'' uses the ''Final Fantasy'' style.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' has standard "Level Up" and "Quest Completed" fanfares, plus fanfares based on the four story factions' {{leitmotif}}s when completing their respective quests.

* In ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'', the fanfares for acquiring a new Ability, completing a Quest, and being victorious in a battle are arranged to the instrumentation and key of the current dungeon's BGM.

** In the arcade version of ''Double Dragon II'', each boss has a unique theme music. In the NES version, a generic boss theme (the same tune that was used for Abore, the Mission 2 boss, in the arcade version) is used for all the bosses, except the player's [[MirrorBoss evil clone]] (who uses a different boss theme than the one in the arcade version, whose theme was instead used for Mission 6 in the NES version) and the TrueFinalBoss (which was later used in the GBA version as the theme of Raymond, Willy's bodyguard). The ''Trilogy'' port uses "Night Sky Tension"(the Chopper stage theme from the NES version) for the first three bosses, and "Roar of the Double Dragons"(the NES TrueFinalBoss theme) for the climactic battle with Willy and his minions, but retains "Wicked God" for the MirrorBoss.

** In the arcade version of ''Double Dragon II'', each boss has a unique theme music. In the NES version, a generic boss theme (the same tune that was used for Abore, the Mission 2 boss, in the arcade version) is used for all the bosses, except the player's [[MirrorBoss evil clone]] (who uses a different boss theme than the one in the arcade version) and the TrueFinalBoss (which was later used in the GBA version as the theme of Raymond, Willy's bodyguard).

** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'', the signature boss theme of each game style available can be implemented to any enemy or space, not just Bowser or Bowser Jr. (if it's put into Mario himself, [[BackgroundMusicOverride it will be heard during the entirety of the level, negating the music from the areas used]]). Since the original ''Super Mario Bros.'' didn't have any battle theme, in ''Maker'' it borrows the enemy blockade music from ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' instead. ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'' adds a second theme for each game style, namely the FinalBoss theme (again, the original SMB lacked any sort of boss music, so in ''Maker 2'' it borrows the Bowser battle theme from ''[=SMB3=]'').

* Besides the Boss Themes, the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' employs Villain Music quite often. Any time you're in a Space Pirate research facility in the first game, a [[DroneOfDread drone]] ambient track starts playing, changing to a full-fledged "Space Pirate Battle" theme when the Pirates appear. Another special battle theme is used for both the Chozo Ghosts in the Chozo Ruins and the [[GiantMook Elite Pirates]] in the Phazon Mines. ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' has a theme for Ing battles and another to possessed Trooper confrontations. ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' has one per planet, with the one in Pirate Homeworld being the familiar "Space Pirate Battle" music. Lastly, many of these themes are also used for minibosses.

** The first three TwoPointFiveD games (''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds A Link Between Worlds]]'') each have a battle theme in the style of those of the console 3D games (with the one in ''Phantom Hourglass'' being borrowed from its predecessor ''The Wind Waker''), but is only heard in dungeons when Link is ambushed by a group of enemies (note that they're not MiniBoss battle themes, because those games already have them for actual minibosses).

* Besides the Boss Themes, the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' employs Villain Music quite often. Any time you're in a Space Pirate research facility in the first game, a [[DroneOfDread drone]] ambient track starts playing, changing to a full-fledged "Space Pirate Battle" theme when the Pirates appear. Another special battle theme is used for both the Chozo Ghosts in the Chozo Ruins and the [[GiantMook Elite Pirates]] in the Phazon Mines. ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' has a theme for Ing battles and another to possessed Trooper confrontations.

** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'', the signature boss theme of each game style available can be implemented to any enemy or space, not just Bowser or Bowser Jr. (if it's put into Mario himself, [[BackgroundMusicOverride it will be heard during the entirety of the level, negating the music from the areas used]]). Since the original ''Super Mario Bros.'' didn't have any battle theme, in ''Maker'' it borrows the enemy blockade music from ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' instead. ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'' adds a second theme for each game style, namely the FinalBoss theme (again, the original SMB lacked any sort of boss music, so in ''Maker 2'' it borrows the Bowser battle theme from ''Mario 3'').

** Each game has a battle theme for each area, and usually it's played regardless of the monsters fought in them, although some monsters have their own themes as well. For example, [[MiniBoss lower-rank]] large monsters (like Great Jaggi, Iodrome or Arzuros) have a soft-paced track that is different from the default stage battle theme. Various monsters that historically served as flagship creatures (like Nargacuga in ''Freedom Unite'', Zinogre in ''Portable 3rd'', Gore Magala in ''4'', etc.) are also accompanied by their own unique themes, as are Elder Dragons due to their importance and difficulty.[[note]]Kushala Daora, Valstrax and Nergigante all have the benefit of [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs being flagships AND Elder Dragons]][[/note]] Yian Garuga, Rajang and Deviljho, despite being standard large monsters, have their own unique battle themes as well.

** The games, with one exception, have each three music themes for the enemy encounters: The standard battle theme, heard during the first 60% of the main campaign (the first three strata); the music for encounters that take place in the fourth and fifth strata (in ''Legends of the Titan'', this music is also used in the portions of the previous strata that are unveiled near the end of the game); and the music for encounters inside the resident BonusDungeon. ''The Drowned City'' lacks a third battle theme, meaning it keeps using the second one for its secret stratum.