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9The music for a non-interactive story, like a film or TV show, is expected to change and adapt to the action taking place. However, games have a limited ability to do this. It's not practical to have Music/JohnWilliams watch the player's actions and spur up the London Symphony Orchestra every time [[VideoGame/MetalGear Solid Snake]] gets seen by a passing guard.
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11A hard cut to a different piece is one possible solution for a game, and it's not so jarring when disguised by a sound effect. But some titles make better use of their technology: in a variable mix, the background music changes subtly and smoothly depending on what is going on in the game. The running background music could have, for example, parallel parts that FadeIn and [[FadeOut out]] with the rising and falling action level, seamlessly transitioning from a bare-bone ambient haunting theme to a hard-rocking drum-backed metal anthem during combat, and back again after the last enemy has fallen. A clever bit of composing that has a very subtle but real influence on player immersion. The Platform/{{MIDI}} musical interface, in which music pieces are not saved as pre-recorded audio but rather as musical notation that is interpreted on-the-fly by the sound hardware, is well suited for this sort of thing, though from MediaNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames onward game developers have found ways of doing this with live music recordings as well.
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13Often overlaps with MusicalSpoiler for more GenreSavvy players who know what particular variations to listen for. Can sometimes enter a variant of MickeyMousing known as MusicalGameplay. See also ThemeMusicPowerUp, which this often turns into if it happens during a boss battle. For music tracks whose instrumentation changes gradually (or layer by layer) as the player goes through a level or approaches a goal, see ProgressiveInstrumentation. Also, see SongsInTheKeyOfPanic for the other end of the scale.
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15!!Examples:
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19[[folder:Action Adventure]]
20* ''Akuji The Heartless'' for the [=PS1=] did this pretty well. Each stage featured a unique musical theme that not only got more hectic when the player entered combat, but also added new layers, changed tempo, or became more ambient when set pieces were triggered.
21* ''VideoGame/BraveFencerMusashi'' did this with the Alucaneet Palace theme only. The subdued BGM you initially hear is performed by a rather spare number of instruments, but for each musician you rescue in the field, an instrument is added to the orchestra until the palace theme sounds downright energetic.
22* ''Videogame/Drakengard3'' adds percussion and a OneWomanWail whenever Zero enters Intoner Mode.
23* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKainSoulReaver'' features musical variations for each location that differ slightly based on the circumstances - standard, suspenseful, danger and combat mixes, and each of these mixes has two versions playing depending on Raziel being in the Material Realm or in the Spectral Realm. The other games in the series also feature situational musical tracks, but with fewer variations than in ''Soul Reaver''.
24* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
25** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' has one example applicable for all versions, and three which only occur in the Switch remake:
26*** All versions do a variable mix with its central Ballad of the Windfish. Once the first two of eight instruments are collected, the Ocarina becomes obtainable, and the song can be played in front of the big egg... but it will sound rather empty. As more instruments are collected, the process can be repeated, until having all eight summons the full song.
27*** In the remake, while traveling with Marin prior to the fourth dungeon, the songs for the overworld, Mysterious Forest, and Tal Tal Heights are replaced with solo recorder covers.
28*** In the remake, when viewing the relief at the Ancient Ruins, the minimalist background song gains a string section to underscore the WhamEpisode.
29*** In the remake, after rescuing Marin from the collapsed bridge, the Tal Tal Heights music gains heavier percussion, adding snare drum and timpani. This variation plays from the start in Hero Mode.
30** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' has a variation in that the main overworld theme is made up of separate segments, which play in a mostly random order, but it picks slow segments when Link is standing still, trumpet fanfares when he's moving, and dramatic music when there are enemies present. At Lon Lon Ranch, when Link is close to Malon, her singing is mixed into the area theme. The OminousPipeOrgan music in Ganon's Tower changes in melody and builds in audibility as you go up the tower. The developers commented that the variable mix system put quite some strain on the Platform/{{Nintendo 64}}'s CPU.
31** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' has the Clock Town theme change depending on what day it is (and, therefore, how close the end of the world is). The first day is upbeat and cheerful, the second day is faster as people begin to realize that the moon is getting bigger. On the third (and final) day, the music is frantic, with a very ominous backing-track. And then, the whole game goes [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness out of character by halting all its various soundtracks]] (except boss battle music) in the last 6 hours of the final day. They're over-ridden with the terrifying portent of the game's single most ominous track as the end is nigh. Even more chilling is the [[CatastrophicCountdown countdown timer]] popping up before doomsday hits. The song is also accompanied by [[ForDoomTheBellTolls clock bells tolling every now and then]], the bells becoming really tense and frequent just before time runs out and the moon strikes Termina.
32** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' saves the trumpets in the overworld melody for when Link is traveling at full speed. In battles, [[MusicalGameplay dramatic flourishes are added as you hit enemies]], and in boss fights, different variations of the boss's theme are used (e.g. the Helmaroc King's music gets a bass line once you remove his crown). The MiniBoss theme gets a special mention, as it has versions for: sword sheathed (Soft), sword drawn (Hard), near enemy (drums are added), low health (fast), landed attacks (the added chords as per usual), landed ENEMY attacks (pitch lowers while the song speeds up), and even a specific horn roll plays while using the spin attack. All of these layers play independently, immersing the player into the action better than any other song in the game, but unfortunately, these battles typically only last a few minutes tops.
33** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'':
34*** The game has two BossBattle themes, the bleak theme when the boss has an advantage, and the upbeat theme once Link finally gets close to its AchillesHeel. Furthermore, in Hyrule Field, if you get on your horse, trumpets and other "epic" instruments are added to the music's arrangement, as well as additional melody phrases. If you stand still for a while, the music will slow down into a soft backing track; running off again will cause it to continue. As the sun sets, the music slows down, and segues into the nighttime music. In the morning, when the sun rises, "morning" music plays and leads back into the theme. Finally, once you reach [[spoiler: Hyrule Castle]], the music starts out as the [[spoiler:Hyrule Castle]] theme, but slowly turns into [[spoiler: Ganondorf's]] theme, one instrument at a time, the closer you get to the end, until you reach the end, where the former's theme is completely drowned out by the latter's.
35*** In the Sacred Grove, Skull Kid's trumpet is added to the music if you're near him, and there's a variation of the music if those puppet things of his are near you.
36*** Used awesomely in the final boss battle against [[spoiler: Ganondorf]]. When you go into a chance, which is when both you and him have [[BladeLock swords locked]] and are [[ButtonMashing trying to push the other down]], the music will change depending on which side is winning, sounding ominous when [[spoiler: Ganondorf]] is winning, and playing the game's main theme when you are winning.
37*** Koji Kondo says that the reason he didn't use orchestrated music for ''Twilight Princess'' was because he apparently had trouble implementing variable mix with non-MIDI music with [[Platform/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] hardware. After ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', such troubles became a thing of the past.
38** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'':
39*** The game has different music tracks that fade in and out as you change the train speed. The chugging of the train's engine in its top gear syncs perfectly with the standard overworld music, making it into a kind of percussion line.
40*** The music when climbing the Tower of Spirits becomes more epic the higher up you go.
41*** When fighting a Rocktite, the music becomes more menacing the closer it is to your train.
42*** When fighting Cragma, the music gains instruments when riding the cart.
43** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', most areas, dungeons, battles and cutscenes take advantage of the technique. A notable early area where this can be seen is the Bazaar, where each shopkeeper has their own little {{leitmotif}} that's a variation on the main one set to play when you approach their stall. The most mindblowing aspect of this is that aside from the Bazaar, Fi's singing, and various other MIDI tracks, every piece of music that's orchestrated is prerecorded. The game accomplishes the transition effects by layering each recorded part of the music on top of each other, and then fading the relevant tracks in and out according to the player's actions. There are a maximum of 6 channels per track in the game.
44** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'', Lorule Castle's theme starts off simple and becomes more complex as Link defeats each miniboss.
45** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes'', the music changes when two or more players stack on top of each other, with each player getting a different change: The player at the bottom gets more drums added to the BGM, the player at the top has some of the instruments drop out in favor of a choir, and the player in the middle has ''all'' the instruments drop out, leaving only the choir.
46** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', Hyrule Castle's theme changes smoothly between "indoor" and "outdoor" versions as you explore: "indoor" features a pipe organ and interpolates Zelda's Lullaby, while "outdoor" has a grander, more orchestral arrangement with quotes of the Hero's Theme. Drums join the track when enemies show up. Those who complete the Champion's Ballad DLC get an arrangement of the Shrine music in the Divine Beast Tamer where new instruments join in as you solve each of the Tamer's locks. In addition, Tarrey Town's music adds more instruments the more people you invite to live there, slowly going from an empty-sounding piece to a full band. The combat music is also dynamic, with it starting simple and getting more intense when fighting stronger enemies.
47* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' repeats the main theme of the game when you're in the Mansion, but it has variations for hallways, dark rooms, and outside. All have Luigi humming over the theme, except in lit rooms, where he whistles the theme. The tempo also decreases if Luigi's health worsens. The poor guy's humming even sounds more and more scared and shaky as his health lowers, too. The game has different versions of each mansion theme playing depending on if you are inside or outside. A MultiMookMelee level also has the music get faster the more ghosts there are that remain uncaptured. A more subtle example is in E. Gadd's bunker, where Luigi will whistle along a little bit with the background music every so often.
48* ''VideoGame/MushroomMen'' has various environmental pieces that make sound effects in time with the background music, such as sparking electrical contraptions and dripping faucets. The {{Jackalope}} boss also features music that gets more and more intense the more damage has been dealt to the boss.
49* Both ''[[VideoGame/GanbareGoemon Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon]]'' and ''Goemon's Great Adventure'' utilize this effect in the castle areas, with the music changing to reflect the player's progression.
50* ''VideoGame/NieR'' uses this to great effect in its soundtrack, adding drums and percussion in several areas when in battle, and sometimes adding and subtracting instruments when you transition into new areas.
51* ''VideoGame/NierAutomata''. Virtually every piece of background music has additional tracks - often including a vocal-track - that pops in under the right circumstance. For example, completing certain benevolent side-quests in Pascal's Village will cause a voice-track featuring joyfully-singing children to overlay the local theme, talking to Anemone in the Resistance-Camp will cause the Woodwinds (and, after a certain point, the voice-track) to join into the local theme. And of course, the ultimate example is [[spoiler: the final theme, Weight of the World, that plays as you try to fight your way to the GoldenEnding. Starting out as a retro 8-bit track, it turns fully embodied as you struggle on, adding goosebump-inducing vocals... and as you continue to fail and yet refuse to give up, uplifting messages from across the world will pop up to egg you on, while the song switches smoothly between English, Japanese and French. When you finally get offered - and accept - the help of other players, a chanting chorus joins in, helping your spirit soar as together, you fight through the previously-impossible challenges towards the final reward...]] Truly a piece of music that cannot exist, in its truest form, anywhere BUT in a piece of interactive media. Lastly, every single area theme has a whopping 7 variants: a quiet, medium and dynamic version, 3 more variants of the same kind but with vocals, and one more chiptune-styled rendition for [[spoiler: 9S' hacking minigame.]]
52* In ''VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams'', the variable mix used was determined by the happiness or lack thereof of the Nightopians in the current level.
53* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', going into important and/or busier areas of some maps would add an extra layer of music. Also, most "overworld" musics have two versions, which one is playing depends on plot point and the time of day, most of the time. Example: Spend a full day from morning to dusk in Shinshu Field, and you'll notice that, while it's mostly orchestral and gentle at first, busy percussion and other instruments fade in as the day progresses. And when it nears sundown, that part fades out again.
54* In one of the oldest examples, the background music for the Atari 2600 game ''Pitfall II'' becomes less upbeat if you go too long before collecting a treasure. If you're touched by an enemy, a minor version of the same song plays as you return to the last checkpoint.
55* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' has this at times. For a subtle instance, during The Milkman Conspiracy, whilst outside houses, there is a theremin in the background, replaced at a certain point in the track with a bassoon. However, inside houses, both drop out, dropping in again once outside.
56* In ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'', the music transitions smoothly to a more upbeat theme once you have discovered how to get onto the colossus.
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59[[folder:Adventure Game]]
60* In ''VideoGame/ChicoryAColorfulTale'', some BGM have instruments that are added or removed depending on where you are on the map. For example, Grub Caverns has more percussion in the deeper parts of the cave.
61* A large number of classic Creator/LucasArts games, beginning with ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge'', used a system called iMuse to provide interactive music, one of the first such examples of this.
62** The most famous example is probably [=MI2=]'s Woodtick, where the music has dozens of transitions meaning that each piece of music comes to a natural end, ''wherever it is in the track'', before moving on to the next piece. The result is mindblowing, and it's the kind of thing which is only possible with MIDI. The [[VideoGameRemake Special Edition]] tried to recreate the effect with live instruments. They did a pretty good job, but the effects were much simplified in many cases.
63** ''VideoGame/XWing'' and ''VideoGame/TIEFighter'' use this, as does the ''VideoGame/RogueSquadron'' series. Needless to say, when used in conjunction with elements of the ''Star Wars'' score, plus new music that blended with it, the effect is extremely enjoyable and atmospheric.
64** iMuse was used well in ''VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland''. Depending on who you were talking to, the background music would segue smoothly into a remixed version; the Barbery Coast theme would gain an accompaniment of accordion when talking to Captain Rene Rottingham, and when on the Sea Cucumber, steel guitar, steel drum, and atmospheric seagulls would be added to a more upbeat version of the Sea Cucumber theme when Mr. Fossie came to harass you.
65* ''VideoGame/MrSaitou'': The Minimori theme gains an upbeat drum line when Saitou picks up and carries a Minimori around. An even more aggressive variant of this theme plays when Saitou struggles to carry a Megamori.
66* ''VideoGame/{{Obsidian}}'' has a few examples of this in its soundtrack, but the most notable instance is in the crossover chip puzzle. It starts with an OminousPipeOrgan track by default, but as each of the chip's segments is filled, the music gets faster and a bassoon, drums, and choir are added along with them.
67* In ''VideoGame/OuterWilds'', the track that plays [[spoiler:after you steal the functional warp core to take to the Nomai vessel]] is reduced to just its own reverb when you're navigating Dark Bramble.
68* In ''VideoGame/PoliceQuestSWAT'''s first mission, the background music intensifies and gains an additional percussion track when the player's team enters the house.
69* In ''VideoGame/SpaceQuestIVRogerWilcoAndTheTimeRippers'', the Galaxy Galleria theme is initially a simple circus/carnival organ tune, but when you enter the Skate-O-Rama, it adds bass and percussion tracks. It also mixes in the various shop music themes as you pass by.
70* ''VideoGame/StarshipTitanic'' features many music themes which blend into each other, and you soon notice that the quality and style of the music depend on how posh your surroundings are, and whether or not you're in an public or maintainance area.
71* ''VideoGame/ATinyStickerTale'': Although the basic melody of the game's background music remains the same as you travel throughout the island, the instruments change to fit the mood depending on where you are and whether it's day or night.
72* Sort of done in ''VideoGame/TombRaiderI'', where there's a particularly jarring music sting as you enter a particular area where you're attacked by a ''Tyrannosaurus rex''. The sting is cued to the location, ''not'' the ''Tyrannosaurus'' itself, so gamers who've managed to kill him while barely surviving and who then go back past the same point for some reason may mess themselves when they hear the sting again.
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75[[folder:Card Battle Game]]
76* ''VideoGame/GwentTheWitcherCardGame'': The battle music has layers added and removed as the game goes on. After particularly impactful plays, the base tracks switch to their more energetic variations.
77* The Ravnican board of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': Arena has background music that varies based on cards played. Whenever a card with a specific guild's watermark is played, the music changes to that guild's variation of the base board theme.
78* Most recent ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' video games use three different songs during each duel: one for when the Life Points are close to even, one for when you have a big lead, and one for when your opponent has a big lead. The music simply fades out and fades in once the threshold is reached, however, without any fancy attempt to blend the songs together.
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82* The first ''VideoGame/{{Burnout}}'' game does things things differently. The standard music plays while not on the booster, and an electronic "thump-thump-thump" rhythm is overlayed while on the booster, growing louder while the BGM goes quieter the faster the player goes. The sequel ''[[VideoGame/Burnout2PointOfImpact Point of Impact]]'' normally has a repetitive rock/electronica soundtrack with a secondary backing track that is muted unless the boost is triggered, creating a more dynamic, louder sound.
83* The music tracks for ''VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing'' are all divided into four sections: a "regular" section, a triumphant section, a tense section, and an ominous section. The music will switch between these sections depending on your position in the final lap of the race. The "regular" section plays normally in the first laps, the triumphant section will play if you're in 1st or 2nd place, the tense section if you're in between 3rd and 5th places, and the ominous section if you're behind 6th place, those last three play on the final lap.
84* ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', not only on the racer selection screen (each racer has a unique instrument playing a variation of the same melody over the same accompaniment), but the track Boulder Canyon switches between three completely distinct arrangements depending on where you are in the lap. The only problem is that if you listen to these tunes on the in-game SoundTest, it plays ''every'' instrument and melody at once. This also occurs in the HubLevel.
85* ''VideoGame/MarioKart'':
86** ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'': Some tracks have added sound effects inside of caves. A distortion effect is added whenever the player is shrunk or flattened due to item or track effects. As a specific example, Toad's Factory adds clapping to the music while you're indoors.
87** ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'' adds extra percussion (bass/snare "dance" beat or a hi-hat, for example) to the BGM if the player takes a significant lead in 100cc or higher, which continues in ''8''.
88** ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' has music layers in a few tracks as well:
89*** Water Park loses most of its percussion and gains a more ambient synth feel during the underwater sections.
90*** Shy Guy Falls and Wario's Gold Mine add the sounds of mining equipment and "heave-ho" sounds to the background music when a player is in the mine section of the course.
91*** Dolphin Shoals uses saxophones and guitars in place of steel drums during its above-ground sections, and gets quieter during the cavern section.
92*** Electrodome adds crowd chanting noises when a player is close to the finish line, and the music becomes more ambient during the anti-gravity sections.
93*** Mount Wario's music track is split into four parts, each of which is assigned to a specific area and transitions smoothly into the next one as the player advances.
94*** Cloudtop Cruise's music changes from orchestra strings to electric guitar when inside the storm cloud.
95*** Super Bell Subway's music loses the strings alongside other instruments and adds a bassline in the tune of World 1-2 from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' when in the underground section.
96** ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'':
97*** Singapore Speedway has a track whose techno-inspired music plays for the most part, but then changes into a far-east variant when drivers enter the Chinatown area.
98*** Madrid Drive subtly changes the state of its theme into a variant with vocals when players enter the soccer stadium (based on Real Madrid's in real life).
99* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'':
100** ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit]]''. Each course has two music tracks: a rock and a techno track. The music changes in pace and intensity depending on several factors: each section of a track has several loops assigned to it and is affected by your grid position, speed and laps in the race (for example: being near the back at slower speeds uses a quieter portion while being, say, at the front at 100 mph on the final lap meant the music would be the most intense). There is even a special bit that plays when you crash (and sometimes that varies depending on location) as well as one when being chased (even that varies, the music is more intense the closer a cop is to you). This also applies to some tracks in ''Need for Speed II: Special Edition'' but doen't have the chase segments. Some tracks don't share this variable mix, such as "Halling Ass" and "Headless Horse" for Norway's Proving Grounds (since it is a simple oval track so a variable mix would've been unnecessary).
101** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted'' does this only during the cop chases.
102** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon'' also applies this with the races themselves.
103** This kind of music returns in ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedRivals'' when chasing or being chased, notably the music would calm down when you or your suspect is escaping or would become incredibly intense depending on the state of you and/or your target. This variable mix is overwritten when using custom playlists on console versions of the game.
104* Both ''VideoGame/NitronicRush'' and ''VideoGame/{{Distance}}'' have the music adapt depending on what the car is doing, with boosting, jumping, flying and overheating adding to the instruments used.
105* ''VideoGame/ProjectGothamRacing 4'' has a dynamic menu theme, specially composed by Music/TheProdigy, that changes as you move between screens.
106* The racetracks in ''[[VideoGame/SegaSuperstars Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed]]'' have different background music depending on which section of the course you're on. For instance, Ocean View has "[[VideoGame/SonicCD Sonic - You Can Do Anything]]" during land sections and "[[VideoGame/SonicR Super Sonic Racing]]" for water sections.
107* Each song in ''VideoGame/SplitSecond2010'' has three variations, one for each lap of the course. Every time you complete a lap, more instruments are added and the speed and volume increase.
108* The levels in ''VideoGame/TwistedMetal 1, 2'', and ''[[VideoGame/TwistedMetalBlack Black]]'' can have up to three dynamic music variations: the ambient music (eg "Cyburb Hunt" in Cyburbia), the battle music (eg "Cyburb Slide"), and the "final opponent" music (''Black'', and maybe ''Head On'').
109* ''[[{{Videogame/Wipeout}} Wipeout HD]]'' applies a lowpass filter to the background music while your craft is using a shield, and applies a highpass filter whenever you catch air.
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113* ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' adds lots of discordant, dramatic strings to the background music whenever you initiate combat or get closer to enemies. The music gets more and more dramatic and higher tempo the closer you are to an enemy, and it remains dramatic until the last nearby enemy is dead.
114* ''[[VideoGame/DefJamSeries Def Jam - Fight for New York]]'' used a variant that revolved around the [[LimitBreak Blazin' Moves]]. Most stages in the game have instrumentals of various hip hop songs as their BGM, which cuts out to one of a few slightly more intense, shorter loops whenever someone activates their ability to use a Blazin' move. If the successfully pull the move off, OminousLatinChanting or some other brief, suspenseful leitmotif plays in the background while the attack is being performed, and, if the Blazin' move is used when the opponent's health isn't in the danger zone and is able to continue fighting afterward, the normal music resumes and for about ten seconds afterward the lyrics of the song play before cutting back into a looping instrumental again. A lesser example occurs whenever you use a submission hold, with disk scratching and various generic sound effects thrown in.
115* The 2013 ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' title has a variety of themes for each stage that fade in and out depending on what characters do during the fight (and that includes plain nothing). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQmkSWPhlNE This video]] explains how it works. In addition, ending a match with an [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Ultra Combo]] changes the music to a character-specific theme that plays a note for each hit of the combo.
116* In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterXTekken'', the music increases in intensity for each round of a match. In addition, a flange effect coats the music when the player's current character's HP is below 25%.
117* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''
118** In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', the main tracks of the stages Summit and Yoshi's Island constantly change in tone and tempo to match the current state of stage (Though the Summit music is a single audio track that's merely ''timed'' to match up with the stage's various events; if you're playing in Slow Brawl, for instance, you'll hear the audio desynch from the onscreen events).
119** In ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'', several stages' soundtracks change depending on what's going on in the game (including a return of the Yoshi's Island one):
120*** The Paper Mario stage's music changes between a remix of the Grassland and Airship themes from ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'' with Rogueport's theme from ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' in between, depending on which form the stage is currently in.
121*** The ''3D Land'' stage's music goes from the main theme of ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' to the beach theme from the same game when it changes to beach form. When the stage is about to change back to grassland form, the music begins speeding up before going back to the first song. The stage's alternate music track does this as well, but like Summit's music, it's a single audio track that only matches up by coincidence.
122*** The Reset Bomb Fortress stage features a remix of Viridi's theme from Kid Icarus: Uprising. The music is timed to the transitions in the stage. It's worth noting that this is the only music track in the entire Super Smash Bros. series that halts when the game is paused, so the music doesn't desync from the events onscreen.
123** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' has New Donk City Hall, in which playing "Jump Up, Super Star!" or "Ground Theme (Band Performance)" will result in having Pauline and her band mates appear in floating platforms. Should anyone pass through them, they will start playing their instruments with Pauline initiating her singing if the fighters pass through her. When the platforms that take all the fighters reaches down to where the stage starts, All of the Band Mates that's playing are presented. Unique to this stage's music selection is a variant that included the Full Band Performance, which immediately has the band already performing, contradicting that every stage enables to play the track list rather than each stage having their own set of music, like in prior games.
124* ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds'': Each stage has a default version, plus six (at launch) complete re-arrangements with different instruments for each character when they have a health lead. And each stage theme also has a variant for the final round, which also has one remix per character. And there are also idle remixes when both players do nothing for a while. Even the character select screen has this depending on which characters players 1 and 2 have selected. [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8g4sHVyZLSvCctLwH1fsKeoEjtrFpPx9 The beta version has a total of at least 128 tracks counting all stage themes, character variants, final round variants, and character select combinations]].
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127[[folder:First-Person Shooter]]
128* Several games in the genre have a smooth transition between normal wandering-around music and when combat began: ''VideoGame/DarkForces'', ''VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh'', ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'', and ''VideoGame/SeriousSam''.
129* ''VideoGame/AtomicHeart'' has area songs that switch between a peaceful, quieter version during exploration, to a more energetic and metal combat mix during firefights and back to the quieter version after battle.
130* ''VideoGame/{{Descent}} 3'''s level musics seamlessly change as you progress through a level, and also change with the intensity of the action.
131* ''VideoGame/{{Destiny}}'' has one when fighting Crota in the Crota's End raid. There is the standard boss music when fighting him, but an interval of more heroic music plays when the Sword Bearer's Sword is picked up. Fitting, considering this is about the time when you put the beat down on Crota.
132* ''VideoGame/Doom2016'' and [[VideoGame/DoomEternal its sequel]] both feature metal scores that vary in intensity based on the player's actions. Lower intensity ambient music plays while the player is exploring a level, then the same song ramps up into a pounding industrial metal track when the player enters combat and builds to a peak during the fiercest fighting before fading back to the original ambience when the last enemy is killed.
133* All of the ''Franchise/FarCry'' games have dynamic music. ''VideoGame/FarCry2'''s battle music has a bad habit of fading in whenever the player fires a shot, regardless of whether or not there are any enemies around. The first game also sometimes play the alert ScareChord in empty areas or before the enemies are alerted.
134* ''VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon'': The music starts to build in suspense just before a major event or battle happens, and segues out once the battle is over. For example, the courtyard in Interval 3 where the helicopter drops off several Replicas. And {{Scare Chord}}s are often set to the action, e.g. when the gun turrets activate.
135* In ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'' and ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', each stage has a "danger" variation of its music.
136* The ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' games, particularly the [[VideoGame/Halo2 second]] and [[VideoGame/Halo3 third]], use what the composer calls "quantum music". A piece may have an intro, followed by a looping middle section that may have different variations depending on the player's actions, and an outtro, again triggered by the gameplay. The music fades out after a certain time if no dynamic triggers are activated. "Glue" musics consisting of short loops (typically drone ambient) are used to transition between larger pieces.
137* ''VideoGame/JediKnightIIJediOutcast'' and ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'' near-seamlessly mixes and matches Music/JohnWilliams's music from ''Franchise/StarWars'', with calm pieces playing when exploring, seguing into dramatic and fast-paced when spotted by enemies, and cooling back down after the encounter.
138* Some levels in the ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor'' series have this, such as "Eye of the Storm", "Rough Landing", "The Golden Lion", "Operation Repunzel", "Yard by Yard" and "On Track" in ''Frontline'', when you reach certain points in a level, an alarm is set off, or the action otherwise heats up. Rough Landing in particular is awesome; it starts with a solo boy soprano and a few instruments, and later in the level, it builds up to the full choir and orchestra. Also, in the train mission, the music starts to pick up speed when you enter the station and approach the train, then goes to its undoubtedly epic full-speed OminousLatinChanting climax during Riding Out The Storm.
139* The music in ''VideoGame/MetalHellsinger'', builds as your multiplier goes up, finally introducing the vocals when you hit the max multiplier.
140* Some of ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'''s map zones have dynamic arrangements of their music. For example:
141** The Chozo Ruins start out with a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD1y38jHIMI choral ambient track]] accompanied by various synth sound effects. Once you acquire the Morph Ball, a drum machine, piano, and more melodic synth leads are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNM8e6rKqg0 added to the music]]. Further variations of the Ruins theme can be heard during the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBwafhQmQyQ Energy Core]] puzzle and in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM2AtBJCCtA Furnace area]].
142** When Samus enters the Depths of Phendrana Drifts, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbUv1hz6mE the music]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGnFiGcsi0k gains techno synths and drums]].
143** During battles with the SpacePirates in their research facilities, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyBrngl6-wQ a more frightening tune]] plays over the already ominous DroneOfDread [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itirsMJlEdM ambience]].
144* ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge'''s soundtrack is calm ambient when Faith is in the clear, becoming more tense ambient when the "[[CowboyCop Blues]]" are en route to the scene, then finally fast-paced techno when they attack or engage pursuit of Faith.
145* ''VideoGame/NoOneLivesForever'' features both sneaking and flat-out shooting elements, and the music rises and falls appropriately if you blow your cover.
146* ''VideoGame/PAYDAY2'':
147** Each track has four separate sections: '''Stealth/Setup''', a quiet and more downbeat portion whilst the heist remains in stealth, '''Control''', a more tense portion once stealth breaks or for downtime between assault waves, '''[[SongsintheKeyOfPanic Anticipation]]''', which rises in intensity as an assault wave approaches, and '''Assault''', a louder and more intense portion which kicks in once the wave starts.
148** Shadow Raid, Murky Station and Yacht Heist are mixed to gain intensity based on the player's actions, as they lack assault waves due to being [[StealthBasedMission stealth-only heists]]. Yacht Heist is notable in that it has ''11'' different tracks, almost triple that of every other song in the game.
149** [[ConcertEpisode The Alesso Heist]] has the music from the ''concert'' work the same way as the soundtrack does in other heists. Which, if you're particularly slow, means [[Music/{{Alesso}} the star DJ]] will be playing a single song for an hour.
150* ''VideoGame/PAYDAY3'':
151** The game uses the same basic setup as ''PAYDAY 2'': loud gets the same Control/Anticipation/Assault loop as before, whilst stealth is mixed to gain intensity as the player gets closer to finishing the heist, using five tracks to do so.
152** ''Rock The Cradle'' is a notable oddity - in stealth, the nightclub's music system acts as the soundtrack, much like the Alesso Heist. Go loud at any point, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4hVKwt5WQ Cryptoshot]] kicks in as the music system shuts off.
153* The FPS games in the ''VideoGame/PoliceQuestSWAT'' series both have the same issue as ''Far Cry 2''. ''VideoGame/SWAT3''[='=]s music switches between a downbeat and a more frantic version of the same tune depending on whether you're in stealth or dynamic mode. Larger maps have separate stealth tracks for different areas, such as for the different floors of a mansion, but each map only has one dynamic track - and it just so happens that firing a shot automatically moves you into dynamic mode and switches the music, even if that shot is simply something like shooting a locked door with breaching shells (although if you're doing that you're probably ''intending'' to go in guns-blazing anyway). ''VideoGame/SWAT4'', meanwhile, would temporarily switch to the full-action part of the song whenever a flashbang detonated, regardless of if anyone (other than you) was actually around to be affected by it.
154* ''VideoGame/{{Prodeus}}'' music has three levels of intensity of its level music that increase in intensity once you're fighting more than 3 and more than 7 enemies respectively.
155* ''VideoGame/RainbowSixVegas'' adds or subtracts instrument layers with the combat intensity.
156* ''VideoGame/ReturnToCastleWolfenstein'': The music is initially mostly percussion, but if an alarm goes off or something, it will add in the full orchestra, ending once the alert is stopped. During {{timed mission}}s, the music intensifies periodically [[SongsInTheKeyOfPanic as the clock runs down]].
157* ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' had a very advanced system for its time (and even today). Each level’s music is built procedurally from different musical building blocks, controlled by parameters in the game. The core set of each level’s musical building blocks are named with a gameplay state (“W”alking, “P”eril, “C”ombat) and a section (“A”,”B”,”C”,…). “WA” can play into “WB”, unless the game state changes to Peril, at which it may play into “PB”. Additionally, each enemy type has its own theme, which is then overlaid on top of the core level music based on the proximity of enemies of that type. This gives the game a hugely interactive and dynamic soundtrack.
158* ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' has a modular sound engine, which means the music is calm when you simply traverse the map, but quickly switches to a more aggressive sound when you engage in combat.
159[[/folder]]
160
161[[folder:Hack and Slash]]
162* ''VideoGame/ChaosLegion'' has a normal level music, and adds OminousLatinChanting when your have a legion out.
163* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' the playable characters' battle music changes depending on the player's [[AwesomenessMeter style ranking]]. For example, when Nero encounters an enemy, the intro of his theme, "Devil Trigger", loops until he actually enters combat. From D to B-rank, the song's main verse loops, as he fills up the A-rank meter the drumbeat increases in intensity, and when he hits S-rank or higher, the song cuts to the chorus, dropping back to the main verse if he dips below S-rank again. Upon clearing the enemy encounter, the song segues to the outro. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gTMISeq4lE This video demonstrates it in action]].
164* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'': The main kingdom themes in [[VideoGame/DynastyWarriors Dynasty Warriors 8]] seamlessly change between normal, uplifting and sad versions depending on the cutscenes before every battle, while [[VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn]] features a triumphant main menu theme that mellows out in the gallery and options, as well as two variations of original music tracks for each of its maps.
165* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriors'', just like its [[Franchise/FireEmblem parent series]], switches the background music between calmer version played on the map screen, and more dynamic one played when you're actually fighting.
166* ''VideoGame/HiFiRush'' not only does this (as a hybrid StylishAction-RhythmGame), but it does it with ''licensed'' music to surprisingly great effect, something that is rarely seen elsewhere. Tracks like [[Music/TheProdigy Invaders Must Die]] and [[Music/NineInchNails The Perfect Drug]] are cut into pieces and woven seamlessly into gameplay loops depending on your progress in boss fights. There is a StreamerFriendlyMode that introduces original tracks to replace the licensed music, but they still sound [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong very similar to the originals.]]
167* In ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', the music adds various instruments (guitar, extra percussion, etc.) depending on if you're in an enemy keep, using magic, and the like. Most audio tracks have around 14 different channels!
168* Keeping with the series' tradition, in ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', music regularly gains and loses instruments and tempo depending on events within the game. Boss themes in particular often shift to different parts of the song to go along with the actions of the battle, usually ending in a full vocal performance. An example would be when either [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzw3pR6-bO8#t=32m57s Sam]] or [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzw3pR6-bO8#t=47m55s Raiden]] temporarily lose their blade during the desert boss fight between Raiden and Sam and later Raiden against [[spoiler:Senator Armstrong]], when that happens the song temporarily shifts to its instrumental variation and picks up the vocal lyrics once more when either Raiden or Sam reacquires their blade.
169[[/folder]]
170
171[[folder:Mecha Game]]
172* ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'':
173** The game spliced in different loops to the mostly trance in-game music depending on whether Jehuty was shielding, locked onto an enemy, trying to escape, etc.
174** ''The 2nd Runner'', for the second stage, had an ominous choir background music with industrial drums fading in and out with the action. A rather memorable scene occurs at the end of the stage when the protagonist reaches the end, gazing out the battleship windows out into space as the drums go out entirely. [[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vKMBeYKhcFg Have a listen - this version has the drums almost the whole way through.]]
175[[/folder]]
176
177[[folder:[=MMORPG=]s]]
178* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'': While in some dungeons, the Diadem/Eureka, and the PVP zones, the music shifts into a more active mix whenever the player or group is in combat. The ''Crystal Tower'' tracks in particular are an interesting case, as the themes are each composed of three pairs of tracks - a calm layer, an action layer, and a percussion/bass layer that the calm and active layers share.
179* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline'' has two themes for each area, one for exploration and one for battle. There are around five transition points in each track - once a battle begins or ends the game will wait for the next of these points and cue the transition to the other theme.
180* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2'' uses this to an extreme degree thanks to its unique "SYMPATHY" system[[note]]The music tracks are actually broken down into multiple "pieces" that are procedurally arranged internally by the game to produce a dynamic soundtrack, with the game "inserting" new pieces from different tracks based on a number of in-game factors and hidden variables[[/note]]. This results in the same track having multiple different variations that change flexibly based on the tide of battle, such as when a boss changes phases, performs certain attacks, or has its parts broken, or when the player is on the field and encounters different events like enemies or PSE Bursts.
181* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'':
182** The PVP only zone Wintergrasp uses a number of different songs dependent on what's happening in the zone at the time: three or four calm tunes for when battles have died down, and an equal number of high energy war songs when players are vying for the fortress.
183** The final boss of Black Temple, Illidan has different music for each of his phases, including an ambient track before engaging him.
184[[/folder]]
185
186[[folder:Party Game]]
187* ''VideoGame/WarioWare'':
188** ''VideoGame/WarioWareSmoothMoves'': An unusual example comes on Dribble and Spitz's stage. The vocal song "Tomorrow Hill" plays throughout the level. When you mess up, the song distorts. You might think it's just an effect placed over the original song, but it's actually a variable mix--the distorted parts of the song are ''actually sung differently'', sometimes even with nonsensical words in place of the normal ones ("Already said my goodbyes" becomes "Already ate my french fry", for example). This alternate version of the song, "Falling Off Tomorrow Hill", can even be heard in the SoundTest.
189** ''VideoGame/WarioWareDIY'' combines this with a BackgroundMusicOverride for Jimmy's stage. The stage plays a dedicated song over all the microgames. The song has variants for failing the microgame and the vocals are pitch shifted to keep up with the tempo as the stage speeds up.
190** ''VideoGame/WarioWareGetItTogether'' Penny's theme has lyrics that change depending on whether or not you succeed in a microgame at that point in the song. Successful microgame clears lead to more positive lyrics.
191[[/folder]]
192
193[[folder:Platform Game]]
194* ''VideoGame/TheAngryVideoGameNerdIIAssimilation'' filters the music when the Nerd is underwater. Unfortunately, the "Croc Conundrum" stage is exclusively underwater, [[WastedSong making it impossible to hear the unfiltered version of its music in-game]].
195* In the ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' games:
196** The music changes slightly depending on where the player is in the level. For example, the music always changes to a harp arrangement when diving underwater. And in the first world, Mumbo's Mountain, a military drumbeat is added to the track when the player approaches the termite hive, and the song's orchestration entirely changes to a more tribal-sounding variant when near Mumbo's skull.
197** Gruntilda's Lair alone has at least 11 different themes that blend seamlessly from one to the next: The base theme music, the underwater music, and one for each world that plays when you approach a world's portrait or entrance, with an arrangement appropriate for that world.
198** In ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'', there is a glitch where after beating Mr. Patch, sometimes every variation of the Witchyworld theme plays at once until you exit the tent.
199** Unsurprisingly, SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'' has the same kind of effect in the playable "Toybox" pre-alpha, and in various areas of the game proper (though sadly not in the hub world).
200* ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'' does this with the theme heard in the areas within and around Windy.
201* ''VideoGame/DeBlob'' features a rather interesting soundtrack that adds instruments as you colour buildings in different colours. At the start of each level you can choose which soundtrack to use, with a variety of available instruments. Additionally, more background music will play as you paint an area- a gray zone will be quiet but a fully painted area will sound quite alive.
202* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'':
203** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'': In the GBA version, which has a new soundtrack, the riverside levels have this, with the ambient+bongo track when out of the river, and an aquatic theme for when you're in the river. Of course, [[ThatOneLevel with most of the river levels eventually hurting you if you end up in the river]]...
204** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'':
205*** The song that plays in the Tag Barrel changes depending on who the light is hanging above.
206*** The main hub theme has variations depending on whether or not you're near DK Island, near the Kremlings' fortress or in one of the level hubs. Even if your character is not in an area where the music changes in a level, if you do something that triggers an event in such an area, the music will change as the ''camera'' enters that area. There's also a more minor version with the music in the tag barrel, where it switches out instruments depending on which Kong is currently highlighted.
207** ''Videogame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'': The background music is often a simple, understated little tune. And if you play through the levels like a normal platformer, it'll stay that way. However, once you start using the combo system (doing tricks in midair and stringing moves together without touching the ground), things get interesting as you collect more and more bananas. More instruments will be added to the song. Then the percussion begins to pick up. Then a crowd yells "GO! GO! GO!" to the beat of the song. Then the crowd also yells "Wooo!" on the off-beats and claps along. Then the main tune is overlaid with some funky jazz riffs. And then the percussion starts drowning everything out... When you finally land and end your combo, the crowd breaks into a hearty cheer, and then it's back to the simple music again. Playing well in this game gets you ''pumped''. There is also the boss music, which effortlessly switches from tense to triumphant, depending on whether DK is on the defensive or the offensive.
208** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'':
209*** The island map has the well-known "Simian Segue" as its BGM until you zoom to any part of it, where it fades to a different rearrangement (with the same rhythm, no less) of that theme in every section, using the appropriate instruments (for example, steel drums in the "beach" map).
210*** The music of the bosses in Worlds 2, 4, and 5 varies depending on how close you are to landing a hit on them, and resets back to its standard form when you do.
211*** Each mine cart level and rocket barrel level has instrument changes for their respective themes dependent on the level.
212** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'' has a more relaxing, atmospheric mix of level themes playing when you go underwater, somewhat similar to both ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' and former fellow Creator/{{Rare}} franchise ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' ([[MusicalNod some levels will even have the song's melody replaced with the melody of "Aquatic Ambience" from the original game]]). Also, like most ''Mario'' games, the music of [[PowerupMount Rambi]] levels gets an added drum beat when you're riding him.
213* ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' has three different versions for each different land's theme (for the purpose of this article, we'll use the Mean Street theme as the only model). These are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4vqKhuWKfQ Paint]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Elod05MCk Neutral]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOvth_cJfHk Thinner]]. What version plays depends on how many Guardians you attract and what kind they are. If you have no Guardians, the Neutral version plays. If you have one or two Tints, the Paint version is layered over the Neutral version. If you have all three Tints, the Paint version is the only version that plays. If you have one or two Turps, the Thinner version is layered over the Neutral version. If you have all three Turps, the Thinner version is the only version that plays.
214* ''VideoGame/TheFairlyOddparentsShadowShowdown'':
215** Each level has two variations of its music: a normal theme and a more upbeat remix for when you're sprinting, or when you come in contact with an enemy. Some levels even have separate areas with different themes that ''also'' have their own variable mix.
216** In "Vicky Strikes Back", selecting the Gamma Ray wish will add percussion and a phaser effect to the stage music. This does not apply to the level's [[PinballZone pinball area]], though there is a variable mix of its theme, as well. However, it's not triggered by sprinting, but by rolling around really fast in your pinball. There's even different mixes depends on how fast you're rolling.
217** In "Get a Clue", turning the mansion upside-down will cue a remixed version of the normal theme. It does not get its own sprint remix, however.
218* ''VideoGame/GianaSistersTwistedDreams'' has two different variations of every level theme: a more withdrawn, orchestral-sounding one for when you're Cute Giana and a more rock-ish one for when you're Punk Giana.
219* ''VideoGame/GliderPRO's'' music slips into a holding pattern if you're stuck in one room too long. The return of the main theme when you make it out is cathartic.
220* ''VideoGame/GravityCircuit'': The main stage boss theme uses a different second half depending on which of the [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Rebel Circuits]] you're fighting, with each boss's respective second half remixing their stage theme.
221* ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', which lists ''Banjo-Kazooie'' and ''Donkey Kong 64'' among its inspirations, uses Variable Mix in a similar way, with the instrumentation of the level theme changing depending on what area of the level you're in.
222* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' loves this trope:
223** Most of the regional themes add a heavier orchestral track in action-packed situations. The Queen's Gardens BGM has an especially epic battle variation heard when fighting the Traitor Lord and his flunkies, which unfortunately was left out of the official soundtrack album.
224** The City of Tears BGM starts with an oboe melody and piano arpeggio harmony indoors, then adds a OneWomanWail and [[EtherealChoir church choir]] outdoors.
225** Troupe Master Grimm's battle music gains a metal guitar riff when he TurnsRed and unleashes his Pufferfish BulletHell attack.
226** The main FinalBoss theme, "Sealed Vessel", starts out appropriately epic for the first half of the battle, then transitions with a ScareChord to [[PlayingTheHeartStrings violin-based]] SadBattleMusic, which gradually adds back the other instruments as HK's HP dwindles. This second movement plays out in the same manner during the Birthplace {{flashback}} and the [[BrutalBonusLevel Path of Pain]].
227* The games in the ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' series add new layers to the background music when the player mounts a vehicle or takes out a weapon.
228* ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'':
229** Different versions of the world map theme seamlessly blend shift to each other when Kirby moves between zones.
230** The pre-boss battle themes, in both the main game and the Colosseum, seamlessly transition to the actual boss themes through a brief interlude in the music.
231** The mid-boss theme, "Plundering Beast Battle", switches to a percussion track if you manage to find a way to stun the boss, and plays an ending flourish when you beat them.
232** The final boss theme, [[spoiler:"Two Planets Approach the Roche Limit"]], transitions into an intermediary segment once the boss is close to entering its second phase, which smoothly turns into a new, more intense arrangement when the boss enters its second phase proper. The song has several variants depending on which point the transition occurs.
233** "The Ultimate Fight" and [[spoiler:"Decisive Battle: Ultimate Z"]], the Colosseum boss themes, add extra percussion and bass once the boss TurnsRed.
234** The music for "The Battle of Blizzard Bridge" will only loop the second half once you make it far enough on the bridge's normal route. Otherwise, the first half is the only part that loops ([[spoiler:the first half will also be the only one to loop if you take the secret path]]).
235** "[[spoiler:The Raging Lion Roars]]" switches to an intermediate vamp once [[spoiler:Leongar]]'s health decreases enough to the point where it gets closer to activating the second phase. Once it does, the dramatic portion of the music plays before looping back to the beginning from there.
236** Getting hit by [[spoiler:Morpho Knight's sound wave attack]] not only [[InterfaceScrew tilts the camera 90 degrees]], but also causes the boss music to become muted until Kirby recovers from the blow and the camera rights itself again.
237* In the original ''VideoGame/{{Klonoa}}'' game, this trope was used two different ways in the same place: the between-level transition screens. Each time you visited it, each level you'd completed would play a section of a tune; completing every level would complete the tune, [[spoiler:the Song of Rebirth]]. In addition, each level had six characters to rescue, who formed members of the band that played the tune; if you didn't collect all six characters in a level, their portion of the tune would have correspondingly fewer instruments. Also, the music playing on the level changes slightly depending on where you are (outer and inner areas) and what is going on (particularly easy to notice in [[spoiler:Temple of the Sun, due to constantly triggering magic-induced twilight in the outer areas]]).
238* In ''VideoGame/KnyttStories'', as the player transitions between areas the music will fade between their two songs (playing both at lower volume when you're in the middle).
239* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'' games do this, especially ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyroDawnOfTheDragon''. The music will fade from a sweeping string melody or a haunting chorus that is the level's normal music to epic horns or fast drums when enemies appear, and then back again when all the enemies are dead, using a quick sort of fade for the transition. Anyone well-versed in music will hear the break quite clearly, but to most people it's almost completely seamless.
240* ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'':
241** In all of the games, the Pod Music will change based on what menu you're in or where you are. On the Main Menu, the Create Moon, etc.
242** All games have Interactive Music Tracks. These songs have anywhere from 2-6 different sliders that will increase or decrease the volume of different vocals, instruments, sound effects, and the like. [[http://archive.lolrus.mediamolecule.com/2014/uploads/wordpress/2008/10/lbp_interactive_music.jpg Here's what the menu for a typical Interactive Music item looks like.]]
243* ''VideoGame/{{Lunistice}}'': World 5-2 uses this in a rather ingenious way to illustrate the player's progress through the level. In order to proceed to the last section of the level, Hana has to break three tear-shaped crystals ensnared by vines. When the level starts out, there is no music, just ambient forest noises, but as she breaks the three crystals, the music starts to return layer by layer.
244* In ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', you're caught without your power suit and trying to stealth your way through the SpacePirates' mothership. The music in the area changes from a softer version when the pirates aren't chasing you to a more urgent, louder version when you are being chased.
245* Every area in ''VideoGame/MuramasaTheDemonBlade'' has a more intense version of the stage music that fades in whenever the player gets in a fight.
246* In ''VideoGame/{{Oddworld}}: Abe's Oddysee'' and ''Abe's Exoddus'', the score shifts from tense-hallway-sneaky to dramatic-drumbeats to kickass-and-chew-bubblegum as Abe possesses a slig. And whenever Abe is spotted by guards or wildlife (Scrabs, mostly), the usually calm background sounds shift into a fast-paced chase music.
247* ''VideoGame/OriAndTheBlindForest'' has subtle variations of the regional themes for certain segments of the map; for example, the Moon Grotto BGM becomes more subdued when you descend into Gumo's hideout; the Ginso Tree music gradually changes as you ascend the tree, and incorporates a ThemeMusicPowerUp during the EscapeSequence; the Sunken Glades/Hollow Grove theme adds more instruments when you head towards the Valley of the Wind, and Sorrow Pass's BGM gets a dynamic buildup starting after you learn the Charge Jump and climaxing when you obtain the Sunstone.
248* In ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'', the [=BGMs=] for each map region have subtle yet significant variations in instrumentation and arrangement between sub-regions.
249* ''VideoGame/{{Ristar}}'' has a [[BandLand music-themed level]] in which the objective was to deliver metronomes to birds found throughout the level. For each metronome returned, a portion of the level's background music was replaced with a choral melody. The final boss theme isn't a layered track like Planet Sonata, but it aims for this effect in spirit. It's timed so that the slow part lasts almost exactly as long as it takes to wear Kaiser's first phase down, the accelerando takes place during his first black hole attack, and the fast, frantic part goes into full swing when he TurnsRed.
250* The two town themes in ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'' change instrumentation depending on where you are in the town. There's also the final level theme which begins with only one instrument and gains more as the player gets closer and closer to the final boss.
251%%* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'' has this.
252%%How? This is completely zero-context as written.
253* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
254** In the pre-''[[VideoGame/SonicAdventure Adventure]]'' games, the BGM currently playing would speed up if you got the super shoes (only ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD Sonic CD]]'' and the Saturn version of ''VideoGame/Sonic3DFlickiesIsland'' didn't do this — presumably technical limitations since they were playing direct from audio CD).
255** ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' has Mystic Mansion with its segmented level theme; different segments play and loop depending on where in the level you are, transitioning at noticeable "checkpoints". You can hear them all in sequence in the SoundTest. The preceding level (Hang Castle) toys with this as well, albeit differently. Its two themes are interchanged virtually seamlessly as you go from normal castle to upside-down castle and back again.
256** ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'':
257*** The music gains a more fast-paced drum beat when boosting in Modern Sonic's Green Hill and Sky Sanctuary stages. In all other stages, boosting simply adds a filter to the music. This originated in ''VideoGame/SonicColors'', where, upon boosting, the prominent instruments in the BGM would be drowned out a bit, allowing the drum & bass to come center stage. Diving underwater with Sonic in Aquarium Park also creates subtle changes in the music.
258*** During the Death Egg Robot boss battle, the music starts out as a march. Once the second phase begins (when you first have to lure him to hit the bombs), it seamlessly turns into more of a rock song, then adding a faster drum beat for the final phase (one hit left) that plays all the way until the results screen.
259*** The Time Eater's theme transitions seamlessly between [[spoiler:an orchestrated rendition with OminousLatinChanting for Modern Sonic and a more electronic version for Classic Sonic, depending on which one the player currently controls.]]
260** Reversed in ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'' where the drum & bass would be drowned out, sometimes completely, when boosting.
261** ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'' does this during the Titan boss fights. For each of them, the first half of their theme plays on a loop throughout the first half of the fight, then once they [[TurnsRed turn red]], the second half loops for the rest of the fight. Each theme's intro and outro plays during the pre- and post-fight cutscenes respectively, just to tie it all together.
262* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
263** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'': The music continues playing when the game is paused but cuts out the main instruments, leaving a sort of "drum and bass" mix.
264** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'': When the player mounts a Yoshi, a track of bongo drums is added to the music, no matter which of the several background music tracks is playing at the time. The same thing happens in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' and ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU''.
265** Grabbing the Tanooki powerup in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'' mildly changes the background music.
266** In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'', carrying a Baby Yoshi causes them to sing along with the background music.
267** ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'':
268*** The water theme. When you are on the beach in Jolly Roger Bay, the music is solely composed of electric piano. If you go in the water, it gains violins; and the hidden cave adds drums to it.
269*** The theme of Hazy Maze Cave and Wet Dry World. Normally, it plays a remix of the ''Super Mario Bros.'' Underground Theme. However, once you're at a certain area, the theme starts adding a few creepy instruments.
270*** The level BigBoosHaunt does this with its own theme, with a ScareChord used as the default theme and percussion sounds added in the inner and lower areas.
271** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'':
272*** Happens in the boss battles against Bowser whenever he becomes open to attacks. The song is normal until you get Bowser to land on the lava; when that happens and he runs around with his tail ablaze, the OminousLatinChanting comes in. When you hit him and he is spinning on his shell, a flute is added in with the song and singing chorus until you hit him again, then the song returns back to normal until you do it again.
273*** Every time you activate a sling or launch star [[MusicalGameplay a harp will be added in tempo and harmony]]. If you activate a launch star, the harmony will be longer; if you use the sling stars, the harmony will be shorter. This occurs with every single song, even with the Rainbow Star (invincibility) and power-up songs (Fire Flower, Ice Flower, etc.)
274*** Any coins that pop up from bushes, etc. will be in tempo and harmony with the song.
275*** Occurs with the Star Ball levels. The less you move, the quieter the song gets and there is only one instrument playing, but, the faster you go, the faster the tempo gets and the more instruments that come in.
276*** Done in the Battlerock and Dreadnought Galaxies when the level switches from a quiet, calm section to an action filled section with cannons and Bullet Bills, with the music getting more epic or just quiet accordingly. The Beach Bowl and Sea Slide Galaxies work similarly, with the loud brass and high flute switching out for steel drums and other luau-ish instrumentation when you dive underwater. Same case with Buoy Base: above water, it's Symphony Orchestra, below water it's synthesiser and organ.
277*** The question-mark color-changing platform puzzles deal out a tone every time you step on a separate platform. Each tone is in tandem with whatever chord is currently being used in the melody of the stage.
278** Water levels in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' transition between "beach" and "underwater" themes depending on whether Mario is submerged. Additionally, the music will fade (as if it's following him) if Mario flies above the top of the screen, and sounds muffled (as if being played through water) if Mario is submerged. ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' does the same thing with the beach music, but it also has a more interesting form of this in that the [[CircusOfFear circus-themed levels]] actually play different parts of the level music depending on which section of the level you are in.
279** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'' use prerecorded music harmonies whenever you're making a stage that it transitions in and out of depending on what you're doing; however, they use MIDI for the melody, and the games actually call out the item you're placing and alters the pitch to match the melody, leading to the game "singing" along to the music with the name of the item you're placing!
280** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' uses this feature quite a bit, mostly for when Mario is Capturing something.
281*** Capturing a frog in Top Hat Tower will add a Güiro to the music, capturing Madame Broode's pet Chain Chomp will add rhythmic barking, capturing and moving along a power line will add a saw wave arpeggio [[spoiler:(or koto arpeggio in Bowser's Kingdom)]], extending or contracting as a Tropical Wiggler will play an accordion chord that matches the music, [[spoiler:capturing a Banzai Bill will add a harsh electronic melody]], and so on. Interestingly, if you use the in-game music player to change the background music, most (but not all) of these will change to match it!
282*** [[spoiler:During the RoboBrood battle, an ominous orchestral number will play in the background, but while the boss is vulnerable, it switches to a traditional Japanese arrangement of the piece. The music alterations are also used for other bosses, such as Torkdrift.]]
283*** Whenever you enter an 8-bit pipe, the background music will change to a chiptune arrangement (unless you're at the New Donk City festival or using the in-game Music Player).
284** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'' uses quite a bit of variable mix.
285*** Most frequently, percussion is added to the background music when players are walking or running.
286*** Playing in a character's Elephant form adds a brass section to the current level's background music.
287*** During the Wonder Effect in the level "Piranha Plants on Parade", defeating a certain Piranha Plant (or preventing it from spawning by standing on or next to its pipe) will remove its part from the song.
288* ''VideoGame/TazWanted'': When Taz is sneaking or the game is paused, a quieter version of the level theme plays. A hard rock version plays while Taz is spinning.
289* In ''VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary'', the background music in Croft Manor changes slightly depending on whether the player is in the house, the gym or outside.
290* The stage themes in the Platform/{{MSX}} game, ''Uşas'' (also known as ''The Treasure of Uşas'' internationally), slightly change in pitch and tempo depending on your character's current mood.
291* Besides the "Hurry Up!" theme, ''VideoGame/WarioLand4''[='s=] music changes to match Wario's actions, slowing down when he crawls, speeding up while rolling, and distorting during transformations.
292* Most levels in ''VideoGame/YoNoid2EnterTheVoid'' have music that changes depending on which area you're in. For example, Swing Factory has rock music that changes into jazz when you're in the interior parts of the level.
293[[/folder]]
294
295[[folder:Puzzle Game]]
296* ''VideoGame/AdventuresOfLolo'' (for the Platform/GameBoy) had an unusual example in which the BGM shifted between four different songs depending on which direction Lolo was facing. The music also changed to a much slower song while Lolo was on flowers. It's only on some levels, and [[RegionalBonus only in the European version]].
297* ''VideoGame/ArtStyle'' series:
298** ''Rotohex'' adds to or changes the music once a new color is available.
299** The background tracks in ''[=PiCTOBiTS=]'' become more complex the closer the stage is to being completed. In some of the Dark World stages, the music tracks go an extra "level" and turn into [[BossRemix Boss Remixes]]. Additionally, an arpeggio will be added to the music when you're picking up or putting down pixels, or when matched pixels are flying to the top screen.
300* In ''VideoGame/AxiomVerge'', the CriticalAnnoyance beeps are synchronized to the music.
301* Cipher Prime games ''Auditorium'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fractal|MakeBloomsNotWar}}'' do this. In the former, each level starts in silence. Every "bucket" you fill with the correct type of flowing particle adds a layer to the music. In the latter, creating more blooms adds these layers. Each level starts with the stereotypical "howling wasteland" sound.
302* In ''VideoGame/DeadlyRoomsOfDeath'', each room style has three corresponding music styles: "Ambient" plays in rooms with no monsters (including revisiting a previously cleared room); "Puzzle" plays in rooms with few monsters, and "Attack" plays in rooms with many monsters or monster spawners.
303* Some of the point + click flash titles by [=Jo99=] (like "The Queen of Snakes" or "Humanoid 47") include music that grows louder and more concentrated as each puzzle is solved, reaching a crescendo right up to the ending cutscene, which is usually where the climax is.
304* ''Marisa & Alice 2: Trap Tower!'' has two versions of each theme, for when the player is controlling either Marisa or Alice.
305* ''VideoGame/{{Meteos}} Wars'' had the music changing as the screen got filled up with blocks. Each planet in the original ''Meteos'' had 3 different soundtracks that would play as the screen filled, but the transition was noticeable as the soundtrack restarted each time. Each planet in ''Meteos Wars'' had up to 5 or 6, and the transitions were seamless.
306* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'' has two mixes of each song used for a level: a calmer version used when there are few zombies on the level, and a more urgently orchestrated one when things are starting to get out of hand.
307* Most of the music tracks in ''VideoGame/Portal2'' gain instruments when the player gets close to certain objects or interacts with certain puzzle elements. For example, the track "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFSwT7Xvpj0 Love as a Construct]]" gains a synthesized "vocal" track when the player gets close to a Companion Cube.
308* ''VideoGame/{{Worms}} Blast'' used this as the blocks got closer and closer to you.
309[[/folder]]
310
311[[folder:Real Time Strategy]]
312* In ''VideoGame/AgeOfMythology'', the normal game music would change to battle music during a large battle, often triggered by an attack on a Town Center, then afterward it would often change to the original music or a "mellow mix" (their own words).
313** The "mellow mix" would also trigger if you lost a significant chunk of your population (about 50% or more) in battle, basically the game telling you you're losing.
314** Also, there's special music that plays whenever Meteor Storm is used.
315* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' is a textbook example; each in-game theme has an intense version to match the height of combat.
316* ''VideoGame/{{Demigod}}'' plays more frantic music if there is a large-scale battle going on nearby and you are on low health.
317* ''VideoGame/DuneII'', being MIDI-based, is not a pure example of this trope, as it is all distinct background music tracks; however, each of the tracks in the game is less than 3 minutes long and fade out, and all of the tracks segue into one another, allowing them to fade in and out smoothly whenever the tone of combat changes.
318* The Westwood/EA RTS games introduced this feature with their SAGE engine-based RTS Games (''VideoGame/EmperorBattleForDune'' and newer). It is especially notable in ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'', which has tracks that change based on varying levels of intensity of the fighting. This includes substantial and instant music changes for such things as suffering a super weapon strike, where it goes from intense fighting music to very hard, "You're SO about to die!" track.
319* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'':
320** The games subtly change the music depending on what time of day it is, whether or not you're in combat, carrying items back to the ship, or just walking around, and -- in ''2'' -- how deep into a dungeon you are.
321** ''VideoGame/Pikmin2'':
322*** The music for the FinalBoss may be the most complex example on this list. The boss has four weapons that must be removed, and every time you take a weapon off, the music will gain some new element. That means five different versions of the main battle theme. Also, the music will briefly diverge to a different theme whenever a weapon is used, and every weapon has its own theme. In total, there's ''nine'' themes.
323*** There are variations on the background music depending on which captain you're currently in control of; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H_HuzCUXc4 Olimar's]] versions are played on the beat, while [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aODvh0KcKCY Louie's]] (and, by extension, the President's) versions are swung with a jazz-like syncopated rhythm. When you clear a level of its treasures, the Pikmin following you also occasionally sing along with the music.
324** ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' continues the series trend of the music shifting when near an enemy, with the change that every enemy family has its own instrument and theme that is layered on the main track.
325* ''VideoGame/SupremeCommander'' featured this to break up its repeating, low intensity track.
326* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'' used Redbook audio, and made an attempt at this. The first attempt wasn't that good, since it always took the first "battle" music track but this was fixed in a patch. Even after the patch, the transition was sometimes jarring, and was always associated with a 1/2 second delay because of the CD drive switching tracks.
327* In ''Videogame/{{Z}}'', the music gets more intense as the situation gets more intense.
328[[/folder]]
329
330[[folder:Rhythm Game]]
331* Several songs in ''VideoGame/{{Beatmania}} IIDX'' actually sound different on different difficulties. Usually these are slight rearrangements, but sometimes they're entirely new remixes.
332** [[http://remywiki.com/index.php/IIDX_General_Info#Why_doesn.27t_.28song_X.29_sound_the_same_as_.28song_X_on_a_different_difficulty.29.3F Here's a pretty comprehensive list]] -- remember that [="Light7"=] means Normal (and was eventually renamed as such) and "Another" means NintendoHard.
333** There's no attempt to blend the different songs; what you pick is what you get. However, three songs ("Scripted Connection", "Anthem Landing" and "Shade", all by the same artist) sound different on each difficulty because they're different parts of the same long song - Normal ends where Hyper (hard) begins, and Hyper ends where Another begins. The home version of the version that debuted "Scripted Connection" had an EasterEgg allowing the player to play the entire song as one piece.
334** And of course, since you're playing these songs, your skill affects how closely you come to actually recreating the song. Do badly, and notes drop - because you never played them. Conversely, long blank sections in a column can be filled in with freestyle riffs.
335** As of ''tricoro'', the menu music also counts as this, as it gains more instruments as you make your way through the main menu.
336* In all of the ''VideoGame/BitTrip'' games, this happens if you get your combo bar up far enough (or, in ''RUNNER'''s case, collect combo-up pickups). Alternately, missing a lot of beats (except in ''RUNNER'') causes the music to stop entirely except for a metronome (in the games after ''BEAT'').
337* ''VideoGame/CoolCoolToon'' replaces the music with goofy sound effects while your life bar is low.
338* ''VideoGame/CryptOfTheNecrodancer'':
339** The main shopkeeper will sing along to the music at any level. It can be heard if close enough, with his volume hinting at the distance to the shop.
340** Zone 3 is a HailfirePeaks level, in which every floor's music has two versions, a hotter, metal version for the LethalLavaLand section, and a cooler, techno version for the SlippySlideyIceWorld section.
341** Coral Riff's music features a variable mix depending on which tentacles are still present in the boss room. Bass guitar plays at all time, while synths, violins, saxophones and drums disappear along with the corresponding tentacles. They all come back out when the head starts chasing Cadence, making the mix whole again.
342** The Necrodancer's second fight involves music speeding up as time passes, as walls close in on Melody.
343** In the Amplified DLC, the boss Fortissimole raps along to the music. Naturally, killing him removes his vocals from the track.
344* ''Videogame/FrequencyHarmonix'': Turning on all tracks of a Variable Mix song is the goal of the game in early Harmonix games ''Frequency'' and ''Amplitude''.
345** Harmonix went on to start ''VideoGame/GuitarHero'' series, which has the players "playing" famous rock songs by following on-screen notes, will have the guitar track of the song replaced with an out of tune mess if the player misses a note or plays the wrong note. On the other side of the spectrum, if you do well enough to activate "Star Power", the guitar track becomes a bit more "pronounced", and the audience will start clapping to the beat of the song.
346** After the publisher turned ''GH'' development over to Neversoft, Harmonix took it a step further in ''VideoGame/RockBand'': do well enough for long enough, and the crowd will ''sing along''.
347** ''VideoGame/DJHero'' lets you directly control the mixing of the two tracks. Unless you are playing on easy, that is.
348* In ''VideoGame/{{Harmoknight}}'', almost every action the player makes, regardless of whether or not the game prompts them to, produces a tone that harmonizes with the background music. Additionally, a bongo track will be added to the background music if Tyko is being controlled, and a harp track will be added if Lyra is in control.
349* In ''VideoGame/{{LocoRoco}}'', the [=LocoRocos=] sing along with the backing track. If they're split into their components, the components start to sing in harmony, even dividing up lead and backing vocals between themselves. The more [=LocoRocos=] the player has obtained, the thicker the choir - and as soon as they're grouped back together, the amalgam sings a single-voiced melody.
350** In ''[=LocoRoco=]'' 2, once more [=LocoRocos=] are obtained, the background music improves from just wind-instrument playing to having the friendly [=MuiMuis=] sing. Songs from the first game had similar changes, but they were more subtle and only applied to songs in which [=LocoRocos=] were backup singers.
351** In the spinoff game ''Midnight Carnival'', the music is completely instrumental by default, but will gain more vocals from the unfriendly [=BuiBuis=] the more bounces you chain together.
352* In ''VideoGame/PaRappaTheRapper'' and its spinoff ''VideoGame/UmJammerLammy'', parts of the backing track drop in and out depending on how well you're doing. When performing well, the track is as it's meant to be heard. When performing badly, the midrange might drop out, the bass remaining only barely; in a few stages the melody changes into a minor key. ''Parappa the Rapper 2'' takes this even further by giving the "Bad" and "Awful" tiers their own unique melodies and transitioning between them via the teacher telling you "Getting better!" or "Getting worse!". If you do ''really'' badly, you start hearing odd squeaks and honks, reminiscent of a comically malfunctioning machine.
353* In ''VideoGame/{{Patapon}}'', as the Patapons become more excited, more drum and instrument tracks drop into the pulsing background beat and they begin to sing more emphatically. When they reach [[LimitBreak Fever mode]], all the instruments come in, and the Patapons begin to chant in harmony. When the spirit is onscreen, even more additional vocals are present.
354* In ''VideoGame/SpaceChannel5'', rescuing every civilian in a segment and adding them to your entourage will add instruments or vocals during the transitional cutscene. If you do ''REALLY'' bad, not only will those instruments be missing, but the band will play off-key and off-tempo while Ulala stumbles about. If there's a segment that doesn't involve rescuing civilians (like the guitar duel in ''Part 2''), there will only be a "good" and "poor" variation.
355[[/folder]]
356
357[[folder:Roguelike]]
358* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'':
359** ''Rebirth'' features this, with stage themes gaining an extra instrument or two (usually an electric guitar) during more intense fights.
360** Inputting "HART BEAT" as a seed causes the music's pitch and tempo to decrease or increase depending on how far away from three full hearts your health meter is.
361** Inputting "SLOW 4ME2" as a seed causes the music's pitch and tempo to change depending on how fast your character is moving.
362** The broken pocketwatch item which randomly speeds up or slows down all enemies in a room does the same thing to the music.
363** The TrueFinalBoss of ''Repentance'' has a theme with five variations, one playing for each stage of the fight. Altogether it is the longest song in the soundtrack. The fight right before that has a theme that starts instrumental, but adds words in the background after defeating its first phase.
364* In ''VideoGame/EnterTheGungeon'', each chamber has two unique themes: the one that plays while in combat and the one that plays when just wandering around empty rooms. Each pair matches up to allow seamless transitions.
365* ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'' has two versions of each of its themes, a mellow one for when you're flying through space enjoying the sights, and a more bass-heavy version for when you're fighting a hostile ship. It smoothly fades between the two when you enter or leave combat. The Cosmos and Civil tracks sound more unique from each other depending if you're in combat or not compared to the rest of the soundtrack, points for Ben on that part. The theme of The Last Stand is the only aversion of this trope, presumably to highlight just how dangerous the sector is.
366* ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'' does this with virtually all of the in-run music. Each track has (at least) an intense version that plays while you are fighting enemies, and a less energetic version (often a solo bass guitar) that smoothly transitions in once the room is cleared. And after defeating (mini-)bosses, the track is smoothly brought to a conclusion at the start of the next measure, at which point a new track can start when you enter the next area. In a similar vein, a few [=NPCs=] are sometimes found singing. Their singing will cut out to allow them to speak, and then smoothly resume again when they are done with dialogue, all while the instrumental parts continue uninterrupted, creating the impression of a person who is just jamming while also having a real conversation with you.
367* ''VideoGame/{{Noita}}'' has three intensity variations of level themes. The most intense variation usually plays when there is a large enemy or there is a lot of action. The medium variation is more subdued variation of the high one. The low-intensity variation usually consists of some ambient cues. When there has been no action for some time, the music stops altogether and only ambient sounds are heard.
368* ''VideoGame/ZettaiHeroProject'': when exploring Mastery Caves, the background music changes depending on your current equipment. With default[=/=]no equipment, it defaults to the Unlosing Ranger's original theme, but different equipment pieces switches parts of the song to other arrangements depending on where the equipment is placed. These arrangements include (but are not limited to) an 8-bit theme for JRPG standard items like swords and shields, a SuperRobot theme for mecha items like tank treads and rocket punches, and a [[HotWitch sexy witch theme]] for [[CatGirl cat ears]] and [[BuxomBeautyStandard big boobs]].
369[[/folder]]
370
371[[folder:Role-Playing Game]]
372* ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoQogaKnellOfArCiel'' also has this in the form of its RAH (Realtime Active Hymmnetics) system, in which the in-battle music changes depending on the situation of the player's party, the ways they have customized the song magic of their Reyvateils (casters) and the events that happen during the battle. Subverted, however, during battles where a storyline-important song is playing, as in these cases the music won't change at all.
373* ''VideoGame/TheCaligulaEffect'' and [[VideoGame/TheCaligulaEffect2 its sequel]] have instrumental soundtracks for when the party is roaming around. Most songs have vocals that layer onto the instrumentals once a fight begins, as well as a remix of the dungeon theme for boss fights.
374* ''VideoGame/CassetteBeasts'': "Wherever We Are Now", the Harbourtown theme, has lyrics when the player is indoors, but is instrumental outdoors. The battle themes all gain lyrics when the player fuses.
375* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' has the music change depending on how bright the area is. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEK0N4eGZ4Y As the party's torch starts to burn out]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScPS_cl4uuM the music]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3dG9hKOyqs gets more and more]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXnaVxt7N4s tense.]]
376* The first four ''[[VideoGame/DotHackGUGames .hack]]'' games do this to nice effect by having a standard dungeon theme and a battle theme that more or less match up, and have one fade into the other when a battle begins or ends. It's especially pleasing in the ice-based dungeons.
377* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' will play a sustained quavering note from violins as party members are killed and the controlled member loses health, while also muting music, fading between the two. By the time your chosen member is the only one standing and nearly down, the music will be completely mute and the violins will be all you hear. It is worth noting that the violins will still fade in at low health even with music turned off in the options.
378* The cave/dungeon music in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'' gets lower in pitch as you go further down. It becomes NightmareFuel when you reach the lowest level of the Dragonlord's Castle.
379* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' has a soft fade-out transition to various musical themes whenever appropriate.
380* This is the point of the soundtrack for ''VideoGame/FableII'': in fights, the music becomes more intense as you do cooler things; be a big enough badass and you'll hear a symphony, more or less. Oh, and [[RuleOfCool the cooler you fight, the more experience you get.]]
381* ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' and ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' have this, with non-radio ingame music changing depending on various things, such as the player arriving at certain locations (or parts thereof) or being discovered by a passing enemy. In the latter, the music also changes between day and night, and with your KarmaMeter and faction allignment, especially during the final battle [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon at Hoover Dam]].
382* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
383** Under normal circumstances, having an enemy appear in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' will cause the music to switch to an 'aggressive' version. Other times there's just one track, period, and a few areas have completely different music for battles.
384** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'', when riding a chocobo, the music changes depending on how fast you go. For example, when you walk slowly, the music starts off by playing a relaxing flute and acoustic guitar and when you start dashing/running, the music changes to an upbeat version of the same song.
385* ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy'' loves this trope. Nearly every track in the game can be divided into multiple parts that change into each other as you advance the dialogue/progress through the stage/deplete the boss's HP.
386* ''VideoGame/Haven2020'':
387** The exploration music, similar to the 3D ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' games, mixes down to a softer and slower arrangement when Yu and Kay are chillaxing, returning to normal tempo once they get on the move again.
388** The finale BGM,"Until the End of Time", is composed of multiple looping parts that segue from one to the next as the protagonists advance through the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon.
389* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'': There are two tracks for everywhere in the game, one for when you're walking around outside as Bowser (or outside ''of'' Bowser as the Mario Bros.) and one for when you're inside Bowser.
390* In ''VideoGame/{{Miitopia}}'', the background music will transition to an ambient trance-like remix when you're given control during a battle. The music will also increase in pitch and tempo every time one of your Miis receives certain status effects.
391* The Genesis RPG ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIII'' tried to do this for its battle theme, many years before it became common. The result was...unpleasant, to put it lightly. The overworld theme also had more instruments added to it as your party grew in size.
392* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
393** ''VideoGame/Persona3'' has the Tartarus theme, which starts out minimalistic at the bottom, but gradually builds as the player ventures into higher blocks until it's more dramatic and triumphant. ''Persona 3: FES'' also does this in the Answer with the theme for the Abyss of Time.
394** ''VideoGame/Persona5'':
395*** "Beneath the Mask", which plays at Café Leblanc, has a quieter mix that plays in lieu of the regular version whenever it rains in-game.
396*** ''[[UpdatedRerelease Royal]]'' does this when it comes to Mementos. The first two sections retain the old Mementos theme from the original game, but switches out to a new song starting with the third area that builds up in intensity as you go deeper. [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs Then the all-new area unlocked in the third semester combines both Mementos themes for a disjointed, yet satisfying remix.]]
397* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
398** ''VideoGame/PokemonFireRedAndLeafGreen'' did this to make an otherwise [[HeKnowsAboutTimedHits dull tutorial sequence]] exciting. Presented with a dry sequence of blue windows explaining what buttons to press to do what, an extra layer was added to the music each screen pressed through - drums, bass, harmony, counter-melody - giving a great sense of build-up. On the final screen the melody finally kicks in, and you feel fully prepared for adventure!
399** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''
400*** The games have this happening a LOT with the various overworld themes. In nearly every town there is an NPC that will add an additional track to the music (i.e., playing a piano or ''singing'') and their volume is set by the player's proximity to them. Additionally, the music playing in the various routes change very subtly according to the in-game Season; you may hear flutes and strings playing a melody in Spring, whilst in Winter the sounds of bells and windchimes will play the melody instead. Additional tracks are also sometimes added depending on what you're doing at the time -- several routes have a percussion layer that only plays whilst you're moving and stops when you do.
401*** The music in some cavern areas also decreases in pitch the deeper underground you go, similar to the ''Dragon Quest'' and ''Tales of Phantasia'' examples below.
402*** Used for great effect at the badge check gates to Victory Road; each gate you go through adds another instrument to the music, until finally you've made it to Victory Road with the full music track playing.
403** ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'': The Gym Leader theme contains multiple different sections that the background theme switches between depending on how the battle is going; the main melody only kicks in once you've brought down one of the leader's Pokémon, while different bridges will cut in once a Pokémon is knocked out and play until the next one is sent in (a solemn HeartbeatSoundtrack if the player loses a Pokémon and a triumphant theme if the leader's Pokémon gets knocked out). When the Gym Leader is down to their last Pokémon, a drumroll leads up to a roaring crowd chant.
404** ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' do this extensively in the overworld. The music picks up a lot when you're riding your legendary mount around, and most of the wild battle themes are actually the background music for the area kicked into high gear. The Gym Leader theme also changes, gaining extra instrumentation and melodies as you knock out more of the leader's Pokémon, then giving way to an uplifting choral tune as they Terastallize their final Pokémon.
405* ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' has two combat tracks for each battlefield type: a fairly laid-back version for normal combat, and a more upbeat one that kicked in when a character performed a hero run. The second version would remain in effect until a minute or so passed without consecutive hero actions.
406* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'':
407** Some tracks in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'' play right into this trope, with the normal battle theme alone having '''''[[SerialEscalation SEVEN DIFFERENT GUITAR SOLOS]]''''' that play at random.
408** ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiNINE'' has this during its HackingMinigame. The music consists of three layers, with each one randomly picked from one of seven different variations.
409* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
410** In ''VideoGame/SaveTheLight'', using Greg's abilities adds an electric guitar line to the various battle themes, and one of Steven's abilities adds a ukulele line likewise. Both can be active at once.
411* This is the central gimmick of ''VideoGame/StrayGods'': picking different options in a song will change how the song goes. This usually takes the form of radical changes (such as changing from wistful and slow to optimistic and upbeat), but can also be more subtle (such as in the finale, where the every choice you made across the game combines to alter the instruments used in the backing track).
412** In ''VideoGame/UnleashTheLight'', the BGM becomes muffled whenever you pause while Greg's and Steven's electric guitar and ukulele lines, respectively, return from the second game whenever you use their musical abilities. There's an achievement for having both instruments active in battle.
413* ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'' uses two different applications of this trope. The overworld travel music acquires distinctive background instrumentation when the characters' ship flies over or near one of the several continents--tribal drums in the vicinity of the South America-derived continent, chimes in the area of the ice continent, etc. Additionally, the BossBattle music changes between normal, triumphant, or desperate-sounding themes depending on how the main characters are faring in the fight(as does the Final Boss theme).
414* Jeremy Soule is a pretty prolific video game music composer. He's done ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'', ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', etc. Usually his songs are composed in odd time signature (i.e. not 4/4 and not 3/4), presumably because it's more difficult to identify where the beat lies exactly, and thus when the game engine switches from one song to another, there's no jarring sense of a song being interrupted in mid-bar.
415* Played with in ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia''. Morlia Gallery has about 10 levels...at first. If you choose to come back later for the BonusDungeon, however, the music gradually becomes lower and more distorted as you venture deeper. You can hardly make out the original theme by the end. Everything in that dungeon enforces a sense of paranoia and suffocation.
416* ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'' has a soundtrack that follows the action during fight sequences. Ambient music cycles along until the player takes an aggressive action or something attacks, and then the combat theme comes in quite abruptly, both to cue the player that they are in a fight and to ramp up the adrenaline level. There's even a modification to the fight theme that changes the music when the player's health gets dangerously low to tip the player off to heal, run, or push for the victory before being killed.
417[[/folder]]
418
419[[folder:Shoot 'em Up]]
420* A rare NES example: In ''Battle Formula / Super VideoGame/SpyHunter'', each stage has two variations of its music, the transition occuring halfway through the stage.
421* Inverted in ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' where the game changes depending on the music.
422* In ''VideoGame/GoBeryllium'', a BulletHell freeware game based around the subatomic world, the music adds unique beats: if you are firing, if you are firing in focused mode, if you have one of the special weapons active, if one of the bosses is onscreen, if you are hitting a boss, if an enemy is exploding, or if you die.
423* ''VideoGame/{{Luftrausers}}'' varies certain parts of the soundtrack, depending on the combination of parts the player's rauser has equipped.
424* ''VideoGame/RayCrisis'' selects the musical score depending on which stage you start with. Each music track has a different variation for each stage and boss, looping if necessary. On the soundtrack CD, the variations are combined into 10-14 minute long suites. The {{Final Boss}}es each have their own music.
425* ''VideoGame/RType'':
426** In ''Delta'', when your ship goes underwater, the music changes to a more subdued, muffled version of the level's soundtrack, then goes right back to the original when you get back in open air.
427** ''Final'' does this in some levels, for example, techno-industrial percussion is added to the ambience when the [[HumongousMecha mecha]] {{miniboss}} appears in the first level, and in the BattleshipRaid level, the music gets faster and more epic during the final approach to the ship's core.
428* ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders''
429** The first game may well be the UrExample. The simple four-note looping background music increases in tempo as the gameplay gets faster.
430** In ''Space Invaders Extreme 2'', during bonus rounds, music becomes more subdued. However, music becomes more intense during fever.
431* The thirteenth ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' game, ''Ten Desires'', has two different tracks for each boss and stage theme: one that plays normally, and the other when you enter a "spirit trance mode".
432[[/folder]]
433
434[[folder:Simulation Game]]
435* ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'' has certain instruments fade out to muffle a given mission's track as you fly through clouds.
436* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'':
437** Starting with ''Wild World'', each of the rooms in the museum slightly changes the tune (the art wing adds harpsicord music, the fossils wing adds extra percussion, and so on).
438** In ''New Horizons'', each sub-room of the exhibits has its own arrangement.
439** In all of the games except the first one, the hourly music will be quieter, with less instruments and some being replaced by glockenspiels, when it is raining or snowing.
440** In ''New Leaf'', Timmy and Tommy's store, T.I.Y., will change the background music's instruments depending on if the player is standing in the Gardening Store or the T.I.Y. store.
441* In ''[[VideoGame/AnnoDomini Anno 1503 A.D.]]'', every time the player shifts views to another inhabited island, the music will change.
442* In ''VideoGame/{{APICO}}'', Mothense's theme gradually plays louder the closer you approach them and slowly quiets down when you leave.
443* ''VideoGame/{{Creatures}} 3'' blew a fair portion of its budget on dynamic music. The music changes based on the land types, the creatures, the relative mood, and the amount of various objects (even food has unique altering).
444* ''Videogame/DontStarve'' takes its cue from ''Harvest Moon'' (see below) by having different tracks for its Summer and Winter seasons. It goes a step further though, by changing almost the entire soundtrack for various activities (working, fighting and boss battles), And the subterranean Caves and Ruins areas get their own variants. The ''Reign Of Giants'' expansion moves the Summer soundtrack to Autumn and introduces new tracks for Spring and Summer.
445* The ''[[VideoGame/FreeSpace Descent: Freespace]]'' series did this pretty well. Aside from transitioning to action music when enemies arrive, fanfare music is played when allies warp in or objectives are completed.
446* ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'' has this depending on whether there are enemies nearby.
447* ''VideoGame/GrowingUp'': When you enter a new life stage, its theme song plays with lyrics. After that, its instrumental version plays on loop, with some instruments fading in and out depending on where you are.
448* In the ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' games, the music track changes according to the seasons, with one track for spring, summer, autumn and winter. there are also howls at night, and crickets in summer in some places. In several games in the series (most notably the Mineral Town games), if you are low on stamina and turning blue, the theme becomes slow and creepy-sounding. Also in some games, the BGM will get deeper and slower the lower you get in the mines.
449* In ''VideoGame/PotionPermit'', the overworld theme transitions to its night variant at 6PM and slowly fades out towards midnight.
450* The overworld music of ''VideoGame/RootsOfPacha'' has some instruments that only play if you're near the person who's playing them. It also transitions to its night variant in the evening and fades out towards midnight.
451* Almost every piece of background music in ''VideoGame/TheSims4'' dynamically adds or removes instruments depending on what the player is doing. The calmer versions of songs usually play when more "detailed" work is being done (such as placing decorations, curtains, or rugs), and the livelier versions play with more "general" activities (such as building walls, roofs, or doors). The songs each have up to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJNa75DSKN0 eight different variations]] in total.
452* The main theme of ''VideoGame/StickyBusiness'' seamlessly transitions into its variants when you're designing a new sticker, printing it, or ending the in-game day.
453* ''VideoGame/TomodachiLife'':
454** The percussion for the Mii Apartments theme drops out, leaving just the flute, when the player is in an apartment. In the original ''Collection'', the music gains additional percussion when in an apartment, and just the percussion is heard when in the song menu.
455** When inside an apartment, whatever condition the Mii is in will cause the background music to change its style. It gets a whining violin theme if the Mii is hungry, a jingly music box rendition if they're happy, a low, off-key horn sound if they're sick, a lullaby rendition if they're asleep, and no music aside from a questioning beat if they have a normal problem.
456** The office theme gains more vibrant instrumentation when viewing the personality list.
457* This occurs during the Orthopedics operations in ''[[VideoGame/TraumaCenter Trauma Team]]''. The operations start with a base soundtrack that adds more instrumentation with each successful series of combos you perform. A single screw up causes the last set of added instruments to immediately drop out.
458* ''VideoGame/VegaStrike'' has background music varying [[labelnote:sets]] (in current v.0.5.1 -- 58 tracks in 27 lists)[[/labelnote]] by situation (which faction owns the system, whether it's peace/far enemy presence/battle) and for different planets or bases when the PlayerCharacter's ship is docked. Endlessly [[GameMod moddable]], since sets are plain m3u playlists and "dj" is a MediaNotes/{{Python}} module.
459* ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' had action-sensitive music which changed as the player fought against enemy ships.
460* ''VideoGame/XCom: Interceptor's'' take on this was to use 5-second snippets of music played randomly and in succession during space battles. When something good or bad happened in the battle, like destroying an enemy or taking a friendly casualty, it would interject a "happy" or "sad" snippet of music into the stream. When the battle was over, the fast-paced battle music would change to something a little more spacey and ambient.
461* ''Videogame/XRebirth'''s music becomes more frantic and complex when your ship is moving at high speeds through a [[PortalNetwork highway]].
462* The ''VideoGame/XWing'' series had a similar execution to ''Wing Commander''.
463[[/folder]]
464
465[[folder:Sports Game]]
466* The BGM speeds up during the challenges in ''[[VideoGame/BackyardSports Backyard Skateboarding]]''.
467* It's used in the final event in ''Anime/{{Hamtaro}}: Ham-Ham'' games, where you must tap the A button to a certain rhythm. The music speeds up if you're doing well and slows to a crawl if you're failing.
468* The ''VideoGame/{{SSX}}'' series featured this extensively. However since the music was almost entirely made up of licensed tracks, the mixing amounted to jumping to various parts of the music track (shortcuts would have a downtempo, the end of the track is climactic, etc). In addition to this, being at the front of the pack would amp up the bass, while getting big air would 'suck' all of the bass and most of the treble out of the music, as if the music itself were gasping. In ''SSX Tricky'', the tempo of the [[Music/RunDMC It's Tricky]] lyrics when landing an Uber Trick would match the pace of the music
469** The only exceptions to this were the main menu tracks for ''SSX Tricky'' and ''[=SSX3=]'', which played this trope more traditionally. As well, the music in the original ''SSX'' was only affected by the "big air" and "first place" filters, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness and did not jump around the music track depending on where on the course the player was like the later games]].
470** ''[=SSX3=]'' took it to the next level, with the track switching to a portion without lyrics if the player wiped out, and did not return until got back up to speed or landing a decent trick.
471[[/folder]]
472
473[[folder:Stealth-Based Game]]
474* The music in Predator sections of ''Videogame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' and [[Videogame/BatmanArkhamSeries its sequels]] becomes more intense as you dwindle down enemy numbers and the rest become increasingly more terrified.
475* In ''VideoGame/InvisibleInc'', the background music in each level becomes more intense as the mission's alarm level increases, which [[StalkedByTheBell usually happens over time]], but will accelerate if your cover is blown, leading to some pretty intense moments.
476* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
477** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' have two versions of the Alert theme, one for the "Alert" phase and one for the "Evasion" and "Clearing" phases. They are alternate versions of the same theme, and fade between each other seamlessly when the phase changes. An experimental "Making Of..." compendium called ''The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2'' allowed users to ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Document_of_Metal_Gear_Solid_2#The_Document_of_Metal_Gear_Solid_2 among other things]]) segue between the moods of each track at the push of a button. (For the curious, compare and contrast [[http://www.mgstus.org/downloads/music/mgs2_documix/04%20-%20sons%20of%20liberty%20-%20lethal%20encounter.mp3 the Tanker Alert music]] with [[http://www.mgstus.org/downloads/music/mgs2_documix/05%20-%20sons%20of%20liberty%20-%20tanker%20-%20evasion%20mode.mp3 the Tanker Evasion music]]. As you can hear, the claustrophobic Evasion theme is a stripped-down version of the passionate, exciting Alert theme with the same chords--so if Snake gets seen again, the melody of the Alert theme can cut straight in.)
478** There's also the "suspicion" theme, a more tense version of the main stealth theme, played when a guard notices something, before going to full alert, ala ''VideoGame/SplinterCell''.
479** Also used a bit in some other situations. The music in the Shell 1 Conference Hall in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' gains a creepy string track if Raiden takes off his disguise, and an electric piano line is added to the music when Raiden is leading Emma by the hand, and a drum track when he's trying to snipe her pursuers. In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', several of the boss tracks change depending on what the boss is doing--instrumentation changes when The Fear is hungry, when Ocelot is breaking from the fight to reload his gun, when The Pain is shooting Bullet Bees, when The Fury's suit gets ripped, and so on. For the Boss, the music acts as your timer, with instrumental kicking in at 5 minutes left, followed by the full song with vocals at 3 minutes racing you to the end.
480* ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'' series: Arouse suspicion, a ScareChord plays and the ambient music gets tense. Once on full alert, a techno track kicks in. In the third entry ''[[VideoGame/SplinterCellChaosTheory Chaos Theory]]'', there was a mission where you had to defuse time bombs. The beeping of the timers was [[MickeyMousing integrated into]] an increasingly frantic techno track as they counted down.
481* Because of the importance of listening to your surroundings, the ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'' games tended to avoid background music of any sort, until they wanted to make you jump out of your skin. The very first level of the first game had one notable moment where you would be following a side hallway, and once you got to a more central passage, the game would suddenly play a single deep, loud note. ''DOOOOOOM.''
482[[/folder]]
483
484[[folder:Survival Horror]]
485* The "We Sing" level in ''VideoGame/AlanWakeII'' features the rock-opera piece "Herald of Darkness" by the fictional band Old Gods of Asgard (portrayed by the real-life band Music/PoetsOfTheFall), which plays as the player progresses through the roughly twenty minute level. Different sections of the level play different verses of the song, and are tied together with a variety of randomly selected guitar solos and instrumental sections that can be subtly looped and rearranged in any order for continuous music no matter how long the player takes, such that no two playthroughs of the level will have the exact same sound. [[https://www.facebook.com/markus.kaarlonen/posts/pfbid0wYnvkFfGkCWjbWTidjesCPRmPHvRU7XZGKp1StDZkSYgZ1zaep3U8ef1hnDEyyCal According to Poets member Markus Kaarlonen,]] the full piece contains roughly 130 discrete clips of music that can be rearranged into countless complete songs.
486* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'':
487** Nemesis's {{leitmotif}} in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'' had a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TddpWDSK1g suspense version]] when he's in the vicinity, and the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6cLuqZTbfI&feature=related battle version]] when he enters the room. There's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09hQUVgdLsQ a different battle theme variation]] for him after he turns OneWingedAngel, although it's still preceded by "Feel The Tense".
488** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'' [[WhatCouldHaveBeen was originally going to have]] more dynamic music, according to videos of ''RE 1.5'', where the music seamlessly changed depending on the action and the player character's health.
489** Verdugo and Krauser's themes in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' do this before and during their boss fights. Also, creepy [[DroneOfDread droning]] atonal music starts to build up when Ganados or other danger are approaching.
490* Used a lot in the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series; sometimes there's a variation of a music piece that only plays when entering or exiting a room (like the scary music when you return to the clock room for the last time in the second game, and the ScareChord when you jump across the alleyway), or different variations are used for different types and numbers of enemies (e.g. the music quiets down when there's only one or two left), as well as different rooms (the alternate mall in the third game is a major example).
491** The music often gets scarier when you're about to enter the DarkWorld, such as after you unlock the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOReJnwhALo school]]'s clock tower or activate the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nytCCJ8hfEo hospital]]'s generator.
492** Some [=BGMs=], for example the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdClFYCf0n8 sewers]] in the third game, have up to 10-15 variations.
493** A particularly scary example occurs when you make the final LeapOfFaith from the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgRPiUi4Rys prison morgue]] to the Labyrinth in ''VideoGame/SilentHill2''. First there's the regular droning ambience, then it adds a groaning noise similar to a steam valve, then a horrible high-pitched siren-like sound (so bad you have to cover your ears, worse than the "radio squeal" in the first game).
494** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brbKPSCBuuc alleyway sequence]] in the first game. First quiet ambience, then the air-raid sirens start up when it gets dark, then a loud scraping mechanical noise when you pass the gurney, then it adds an OminousPipeOrgan when you see the blood and disemboweled corpses, and finally the percussion kicks in when you hit the end of the alley and get ambushed by the Gray Children.
495[[/folder]]
496
497[[folder:Third-Person Shooter]]
498* ''{{VideoGame/Blasto}}'' was composed by Chuck Doud, featuring adaptive music for each level that changed depending on the level of danger the titular Captain Blasto was in: a standard variation that acted as the equivalent of an inflitration theme, Mild Danger and High Danger variations that ramped up the energy and intensity of the melody, and, in certain levels, an Invincible version that played when Blasto's invincibility power-up was active. The adaptive music concept, composition style, and many of the instruments were brought over to the soundtrack for Chuck Doud's next and better-known work: ''Syphon Filter''.
499* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' has a fairly revolutionary dynamic music system; the background music would rise as you walked through a room, and hold if you stopped. By far the worst, though, is that the music sting that would play when enemies were approaching would not be played unless the player was ''looking'' at the creature. As a result, it's entirely possible to wander around a room, thinking there's nothing in there, and get stabbed in the back by something that's been stalking you; complete with a nice little music sting timed just right to go with the stabbing.
500* In ''VideoGame/MaxPayne3'', each level BGM is composed of several "stems" that are variably mixed according to the action intensity and Max's position in the level. One of the more notable examples is the Stadium, [[http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/health-breaks-down-their-score-for-imax-payne-3i as discussed by HEALTH here]].
501* The ''VideoGame/NavalOps'' series features variations of this. In ''Warship Gunner'', proximity to enemy ships triggered the BGM to change from a naval theme to a low volume, tense repeating beat that would expand if the fighting went longer. ''Warship Gunner II'' featured varying BGM that changed from the main, rather unremarkable track to a more appropriate combat track.
502* ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'':
503** In each game, the tutorial level's music slowly gains instruments the closer you get to completing it.
504** During gameplay, the background music gets muffled while the player is swimming in their ink, going back to normal once they jump back out.
505** Each game has all its stores share the same basic theme, with the instrumentals changing depending on which one you're currently in.
506** During a Splatfest, the individual idol's vocals will be louder or softer depending on which one you're standing near.
507** In the various Hero Modes, the background music gradually evolves and adds layers of instruments with each boss you defeat. A short, muffled loop of a level's music track will also play when you approach its Kettle.
508** A rhythmic cymbal crashing is added to the soundtrack whenever an enemy is near.
509** In the first game's UFO levels, the drums and alien chattering drop out if you escape the Octostriker's sights.
510** In enemy Octoling levels, the snare and vocal samples drop out if no Octolings are nearby.
511** In all single-player levels (save the FinalBoss), the music increases in pitch and tempo at the last checkpoint.
512** During the first game's final boss fight, a strange banjo-and-electric-guitar melody is added to the music when he fires a missile.
513* ''VideoGame/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineTheFallen'' uses this to great effect to keep the player constantly on edge and enhance the suspense of levels where combat encounters with Jem Hadar and other enemies are likely. The trick is that the game always transitions into a ScareChord and PsychoStrings when in combat, but ALSO transitions into both at random while on levels, making the player feel as if an enemy is always right around the corner.
514* ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter'' series: The soundtrack for the first three Syphon Filter games was composed by Chuck Doud, who brought over the adaptive music and some instrumentation from his previous project, ''Blasto''. Most levels have an "infiltration" theme and a "danger" or "battle" theme, which are dynamically segued between. Later entries in the series retained the adaptive music concept, despite changing composers. The second trilogy also has "suspense" and "boss" variations for certain missions.
515* ''{{VideoGame/Warframe}}'' features a changing soundtrack depending on how the level has been going. If the player has remained unknown to the enemy, the music remains in its calm / stealth phase. If detected, the music seamlessly picks up in intensity, and will drop back to calm if the player manages to elude detection, or ramp up even further if the enemy cottons onto the player's presence, usually if the alarm has been set off.
516[[/folder]]
517
518[[folder:Turn-Based Strategy]]
519* ''Dynasty Tactics'' had music that played during battles, switching between a calm music when armies were marching around or engaging in minor battles and getting much fiercer when tactics were used. There were only two exceptions. One particular music didn't have a calm version. Along with that, when one side was about to be eliminated, the music would stay on the frantic fierce battle music.
520* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' games, starting with ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]''[[note]]with the exception of ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden Echoes]]'', which intentionally returned to the older, separate combat themes[[/note]], fluently switch between calm, more peaceful versions of background songs played on the map screen, and dynamic, livelier ones played when zooming on combat or other actions. The exact specifics depend on game, but unless BackgroundMusicOverride is in effect, every mission will have at least one dynamically switching track.
521* ''VideoGame/IntoTheBreach'': The first minute of [[https://benprunty.bandcamp.com/track/open-a-breach Open a Breach]] is used for the main menu, and the second minute is used when selecting a mech squad. Transitioning between the two screens will add or remove instruments without interrupting the musical flow.
522* ''VideoGame/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle'':
523** The [[HailfirePeaks Sherbet Desert]] music has two arrangements, for the sandy areas and the icy areas, and changes dynamically depending on where the player goes.
524** Each area features a background element shaped like a musical instrument that moves in time with the music. When you get close to one, whatever instrument it represents will become louder.
525* ''VideoGame/{{Mewgenics}}'': Each chapter of the turn-based tatics half of the game has its own unique track, with different takes crossfaded in for each submenu (combat, map, event)
526* Combat themes in ''VideoGame/XCOM2'' transition seamlessly from dramatic and orchestral during XCOM's turn, to menacing and electronic during the alien's turn. This is accomplished by subtracting certain instruments from the music during the enemy turn.
527* In the original GBA version of ''VideoGame/YggdraUnion'', changing your in-battle tactics to Aggressive or Passive would change the tempo of the music and alter its mix slowly. The PSP rerelease has a similar mechanic, but restricts it to the player characters and only loops the first half of each {{leitmotif}}. Too bad that there's no option to actually trigger the glitch that occasionally makes Yggdra's theme play sans bass in the GBA version.
528
529[[/folder]]
530
531[[folder:Wide Open Sandbox]]
532* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has this with mission-specific music, which builds up track by track the further along in the mission you get. Background music also plays when the player gets a 3 star wanted level in free roam, which progressively intensifies as the chase drags on and the player gets more stars.
533* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' is, with the exception of a couple of songs, scored like this. The game is always in A minor at a fixed tempo, but drops backing instruments in and out depending on what is happening in the environment, which of the three areas the player is travelling in, and what the player is trying to do in those areas. Usually, bass riffs indicate combat, and whistling melodies means you are preparing to do something awesome (like raid a hideout).
534* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', the music for regular street battles changes depending on which [[StanceSystem battle style]] you're currently using. While Majima's tracks are all original ([[spoiler:save the Legend style's track, which is a remix of his signature {{Leitmotif}}]]), Kiryu's tracks are all remixes of battle themes from past games.
535[[/folder]]
536
537[[folder:Non-Video Game Examples]]
538* At the 2012 Video Games Unplugged concert in Melbourne, a ''real-time'' version of this was done for the segment featuring the final round of a ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries SoulCalibur V]]'' tournament. [[AwesomeButImpractical Impractical But Awesome]].
539* A [[TheNineties 90's]] GameShow from Spain, ''Series/ElGranJuegoDeLaOca'' (''The Great Game of the Goose''), featured this during the show's various challenges. Depending on the setting of the challenge (funny, happy, dangerous, underwater, gross, industrial, etc.), a musical track of that style was played accordingly. As the challenge progressed, the composers played additional accompaniment on their keyboards - sometimes depending on what the contestant did, but also ensuring that the same musical track rarely, if ever, sounded the same twice.
540* This technique is used in a lot of rides at Ride/DisneyThemeParks. For example, the "It's a Small World" ride has speakers throughout the course, with each set playing a different arrangement of the theme.
541** The Haunted Mansion and Ariel's Undersea Adventure use this too. Hidden speakers nearby various show elements (i.e., the singing busts, Sebastian, the Graveyard Band, or the saxophone-playing fish) will play a synchronized loop of just that element.
542** The Main Street Electrical Parade is a mobile example; radio controllers in the floats communicate with the park's audio system to cue themes from their respective films when they reach key locations along the route.
543* Some {{pinball}} machines also use this. Note that since the machine can only track the ball's location through which switches it's passed through, this trope in pinball is typically limited to the ball hitting certain things rather than its absolute location.
544** A common example is limiting the background music to the bass and percussion, then starting the rest of the music after the ball has reached a certain area of the playfield. For instance, take ''Pinball/AustinPowers'': a short loop containing a saxophone and a bit of percussion starts playing the moment the player presses the start button and loads a ball onto the plunger, then the rest of the song starts playing when the ball reaches any switch accessible during gameplay.
545** A variant of the above is to use different variants of the main theme as the player advances through the game in some way. ''Pinball/WhiteWater'' adds more instruments to the main theme as the player progresses their raft, for example, while ''Pinball/TheMunsters'' simply changes instruments for each ball.
546** Another approach is to have the bumpers, which are usually arranged close together so the ball hits them repeatedly, create sounds that add to the music in some way. Creator/{{Stern}}'s ''Pinball/{{The Rolling Stones|Stern}}'' takes this approach, with one of the three bumpers representing a bass drum, one a snare drum, and one a cymbal, so that the ball getting tossed between the bumpers sounds like a drum jam played over the background music.
547** The background music in ''Pinball/HauntedHouse'' cuts out when the ball enters the basement or the attic and uses a different sound effect set. When the ball re-enters the main area, the music returns.
548** The music in ''Pinball/TheWizardOfOz'' changes from its version of "We're Off to See the Wizard" into the Winkle Guards' chant when the ball reaches the castle mini-playfield and changes back to normal once it leaves.
549* The group [[http://www.bluebra.in/ Bluebrain]] has done this closer to the video game version by having their music linked to a GPS system that detects the listener's location and plays the music differently depending on where they are.
550[[/folder]]
551
552[[folder:Miscellaneous Games / Multiple Genres]]
553* ''VideoGame/Action52'' has this unintentionally in level 3 in ''Lollipops''. While belonging to glitch chiptune subgenre, it changes with every action like walking, jumping and attacking. This is apparently due to the system attempting to read game data as music (like playing the data track of a CD-ROM in a CD player).
554* The NES version of ''Series/AmericanGladiators'' had this in the Joust, Wall, and Human Cannonball events, starting with the percussion and/or bass, then adding the other instruments when you engaged a gladiator.
555* ''Aztec Challenge'' has monotonous levels, using the changing music as a means to represent progress within a given level. It's only controlled by the user in two levels where you can delay progress by not moving, and it would otherwise be procedurally generated.
556* ''The Basement Collection'' features this on the main menu and title screen, where the latter's theme is a more muffled and distant version of the former.
557* ''VideoGame/GhostMaster'' switches among a set of soundtracks based on the situation, becoming more intense as mortals are terrified. However, camera height takes priority in deciding the chosen music.
558* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'': The 'Summoner's Rift' theme changes as more time is elapsed in the game - towards the mid and late game it adds more drums and stronger backing.
559* In ''[[VideoGame/NintendoBadgeArcade Nintendo's Badge Arcade]]'', the badge catcher music varies depending on how many plays you have left and whether or not the claw has anything in it.
560* ''Rescue: The Embassy Mission'' for the NES had this during the sniper positioning sequence. If your sniper was hiding, the music became subdued; if your sniper was running, more instruments come in.
561* ''VideoGame/WiiPlay'':
562** In one-player Table Tennis, the music changes tempo with the ball speed and briefly adds instruments after every ten rallies.
563** In Pose Mii, the music adds an instrument whenever a rainbow bubble is present.
564** In two-player Laser Hockey, the music adds instruments at match point.
565** In Billiards, the music changes while the balls are moving and further changes after an object ball has been pocketed but a foul has not occurred; the music goes back to normal at the end of the turn.
566** In Tanks!, there are a total of 22 tracks. The track used depends on the strongest enemy tank present and the number of enemy tanks present.
567[[/folder]]

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