A subtrope of ContinuityNod. Most often seen in video games, this is music from a related work that is used at some point. Differs from RecurringRiff in that a Musical Nod is used far less, and generally not under the same circumstances it was originally used. However, the new use may be related; one game's random battle theme could be used for a single boss battle in a later game.

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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* The final ED for ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', "To You, 2000 or 20000 Years From Now", contains similar lyrics and melodies to the original OP, "Guren no Yumiya" .The tone is somber compared to the original's triumphant, as while "Guren no Yumiya" dares the audience to stand up and fight against those who would destroy them, [[spoiler:"To You, 2000 or 20000 Years From Now" shows the results of said fighting - new hatred and grudges that will endure until acted upon, creating new conflict that will repeat itself for so long as man exists]].
* In ''Manga/{{Monster}}'', "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz Over the Rainbow]]" is referenced as the song Vardemann's father played on his radio station. When Vardemann finally faces the fact that his father was a spy, and decides to deal with the trust issues this inspired in him, an instrumental version of the song is played in the background.
* When [[spoiler:Polnareff]] makes his first appearance in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', [[https://youtu.be/3vjCHg5WcTQ the music]] contains hints of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2L4r0Aelvg "Virtuous Pope"]], the {{leitmotif}} of a companion from [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders his first appearance]].
* ''Anime/StrikeWitchesTheMovie'':
** The "Witch's Fight" musical cue can be heard in the main title sequence.
** At the end of the film, a short rendition of "The Striker's Flight" is heard [[spoiler:once the 501st destroy the Neuroi threatening Gallia]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Asian Animation]]
* ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'': In the first episode of ''Ultimate Battle: The Next Generation'', one of the simplistic synth tunes that often played in the show's earlier seasons can be heard as the goats dig up their box of memories. It's very rare to hear the show's classic BackgroundMusic tracks in the later seasons, so this was probably a deliberate choice to help hearken back to the goats' previous adventures.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/DanganronpaParadiseLost'':
** "I believe" by KOKIA, the SolemnEndingTheme of FanGame ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaAnother'', plays during two crucial scenes: [[spoiler:Daisuke's YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre speech to Monaca in the Intermission, and Komaru and the other ex-Warriors of Hope's ReformationAcknowledgement in Chapter 6]].
** Monaca Towa's {{Leitmotif}} in ''VideoGame/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls'', "Like I Would Become a Monster", kicks in after [[spoiler:Momiji Akamatsu]] is revealed to be [[BigBad the mastermind]], symbolizing how [[spoiler:[[HeWhoFightsMonsters Momiji's desire for revenge against Monaca has made her just as bad as she used to be]]]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000TheMovie'', during one of the intermission sketches, Mike activates the Satellite of Love's manipulator arms. The button to turn on the arms is labeled "Manos"; when Mike pushes it, the trademark {{leitmotif}} (a.k.a. "the haunting Torgo theme") from ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' can briefly be heard.
* The very end of the ''Film/StarTrek2009'' uses a lushly orchestrated version of the original theme, and then juxtaposes it with the movie's theme. SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic if ever there was any.
* A trailer for the remake of ''Film/TheKarateKid'' has "You're the Best Around" playing on a radio in the background for a couple seconds.
* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', the classic James Bond theme is not played until the very end. This symbolizes the newly-promoted James Bond becoming the badass secret agent we all know.
* The beginning of the theme to ''Film/LicenceToKill'' uses the same chords as the theme to ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''.
* The reveal of Brendan Fraser's car in ''Film/LooneyTunesBackInAction'' as [[spoiler: [[TheAllegedCar an AMC Gremlin]]]] is accompanied by a quote of the theme from a certain [[Film/{{Gremlins}} past collaboration]] by director Creator/JoeDante and composer Music/JerryGoldsmith.
* The remake of ''Film/{{The Parent Trap|1998}}'' has Hallie as Annie humming "Let's Get Together" from [[Film/TheParentTrap1961 the original movie]] under her breath in the hotel.
* ''Film/KamenRiderXKamenRiderFourzeAndOOOMovieWarMegaMax'' marks the return of the 7 Legendary Riders, and the songs that play over theit fight scenes[[note]]"Legend Rider Battle" and "Showa Rider Wars"[[/note]] are essentially instrumental remakes of "Fight! Seven Riders" from ''Series/KamenRiderStronger'' -- to the point where the original song's composer Shunsuke Kikuchi is given co-writer credits on the new songs.
* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** ''Film/IronMan2'': The expo theme, "Make Way For Tomorrow Today" later shows up in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' (albeit in instrumental form).
** ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'': The film incorporates Music/DannyElfman's themes for [[Film/SpiderMan1 the Green Goblin]] and [[Film/SpiderMan2 Doc Ock]], as well as [[spoiler: Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man and Peter / Responsibility theme]] when that character makes an entrance. [[spoiler: Music/JamesHorner's "Young Peter" theme also pops up with Andrew Garfield's Peter]], and Music/HansZimmer's "I'm Electro" makes an appearance.
** ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'': The film's score incorporates Ron Wasserman's ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'' theme to denote Charles Xavier's entrance. Captain Carter, likewise, adopts Music/AlanSilvestri's ''First Avenger'' theme.
** ''Series/MsMarvel'': The [[spoiler: ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'' theme]] once again crops up when it's indicated that [[spoiler: Kamala is a mutant, instead of an Inhuman as in the comics.]]
** ''Film/TheMarvels'': [[spoiler: Music/JohnOttman's X-Men theme]] makes an appearance in TheStinger to indicate that [[spoiler: Monica has ended up in the Fox-Verse.]]
* ''Film/MaryPoppinsReturns'': Has a couple nods to the [[Film/MaryPoppins first film]] toward the end, one when Mr. Dawes talks about Michael's tuppence, "Feed the Birds" is briefly heard, then during "Nowhere to Go but Up", the tune from "Let's Go Fly a Kite" makes an appearance.
* ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'':
** The Creator/{{Paramount}} LogoJoke uses an orchestrated snippet of [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 the series']] BootstrappedTheme [[Level1MusicRepresents Green Hill Zone]].
** Jon Batiste’s piano arrangement of Green Hill Zone can also be heard while Tom and Maddie are painting the interior of their house during the ending.
* Disney's adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'' had a soundtrack inspired heavily by the music Tchaikovsy wrote for the original ballet in 1889. The most obvious is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihVvBCCvA5Y&ab_channel=radostsguy "The Garland Waltz,"]] which the melody for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXbHShUnwxY&ab_channel=DisneyMusicVEVO "Once Upon a Dream"]] was lifted from with little alteration, but other movements in the ballet can be heard during other scenes, as well.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** "[[https://youtu.be/6_rzI7Y_NUs Anakin's Theme]]" from ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' contains a subtle nod to the "Imperial March", hinting as [[Characters/StarWarsDarthVaderAndServants who]] Anakin will become.
** Darth Vader appears several times in ''Film/RogueOne'', and the "Imperial March" has a major reprise when the Tantive IV escapes with the Death Star plans at the end.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'' is packed to the rafters with music from the [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros games]]. Music/BrianTyler, the movie's music composer, said there are somewhere around ''130'' of them! Specific examples:
** Captain Toad's theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' and ''VideoGame/CaptainToadTreasureTracker'' plays when Mario meets Toad, since this version of Toad [[CompositeCharacter combines the "main" Toad with Captain Toad]].
** The beginning of Peach's castle's theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' starts playing when Mario reaches her castle.
** The Level 1 theme from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' plays when Mario, Peach, and Toad arrive at the jungle kingdom, which is inhabited by the ''Donkey Kong'' characters. The DK Rap from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' is ripped wholesale from the game when Donkey Kong gets an introduction.
** The scene involving Rainbow Road has the Rainbow Road music from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' going in the background.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' mini episode "Time Crash" wherein the Tenth Doctor meets his Fifth incarnation has a {{leitmotif}} reminiscent of the music of the Fifth Doctor's era play intermingled with the music more typical of the newer series.
* In the ''Series/MrBean'' Christmas episode, the music Bean hums while playing with the toy marching band is clearly the opening march from ''Series/{{Blackadder}} Goes Forth''.
* While it was not used in the televised episodes, the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' finale "All Good Things..." would have featured a reprise of composer Dennis [=McCarthy=]'s theme for Judge Q's entrance in "Encounter at Farpoint". The composition did appear in an album later on.
* The theme music from the original ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|1978}}'' plays over a human-interest news piece featured in an episode of [[Series/BattlestarGalactica2003 the reimagined series]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* In the long form Music/DavidBowie music video ''Jazzin' For Blue Jean'', the riff playing while Screamin' Lord Byron does his makeup is from Bowie's 1977 song, [[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum "Warszawa"]].
* Occurs in at least three music videos by the band Music/FooFighters.
** At the beginning of the "Monkey Wrench" video, a muzak version of "Big Me", a single from their eponymous debut album, plays in the elevator.
** At the beginning of the "Learn to Fly" video, a muzak version of "Everlong", a single from ''The Color and the Shape'', plays while the plane is being cleaned.
** The "Breakout" video opens with "Generator", from the same album, playing on a car radio.
* The organ lead-in to George Michael's "Faith" is the melody to his earlier Wham! hit "Freedom".
* Many arrangements for the Florida State University Marching Chiefs incorporate the school's famous "War Chant".
* The distinctive guitar riff from Music/MeatLoaf's "Good Girls Go to Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)", written by Music/JimSteinman for ''Bat Out of Hell II'', was remade for piano and used in "Carpe Noctem" from Steinman's musical ''Theatre/TanzDerVampire''. When Meat Loaf covered the latter song on ''Bat Out of Hell III'' as "Seize the Night", the riff was restored to guitar.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'':
** The latter half of the title screen theme sounds similar to the latter half of the original game's title screen theme.
** The theme that plays in K.K. Slider's monologue is done in a very similar style to the opening theme from the [=GameCube=] game.
** When you move into your tent, you receive a radio, which occasionally plays hourly themes from ''New Leaf'' alongside K.K. Slider tunes.
** The Bunny Day theme is a direct remake of the ''New Leaf'' equivalent, with live instrumentation.
** Among K.K. Slider's new "fake" songs (the ones that play when you request an invalid title), one is the title theme from ''Wild World'' and ''City Folk''.
** The Wedding Event theme is a slower remake of the Re-Tail theme from ''New Leaf''.
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'': Destroying a jukebox in Mission 3 will inexplicably incite it to play a few notes from a remix of the battle theme in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1''.
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'':
** Elements of "Lilith's Club" from ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry'' are remixed for "Feel the Shock", the theme for the fight against the Proto Angelo and the Scudo Angelos in Mission 7.
** The first few notes of Cerberus' boss theme from ''Devil May Cry 3'' are remixed in the pre-fight cutscene with King Cerberus.
** The background music in [[spoiler:the boss fights of]] Mission 18 supplement it as a NostalgiaLevel to the first ''Devil May Cry'' game, with each familiar getting a remix of their original counterparts' themes; Griffon gets "Grilled Tandoori Smoke" as a reference to "FLOCK OFF!", Shadow gets "Silent Siren" as a reference to "PSYCHO SIREN", and Nightmare gets "Psycho Machine" as a reference to "MENTAL MACHINE".
* ''Franchise/FateSeries'' works handled by the original composer for ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' will frequently slip in references to his old music with each new instalment:
** ''VideoGame/FateEXTRA'':
*** Caster's theme, "Caster ~ An Extra Life With Anyone She Wants", is lifted from a menu theme from ''stay night'', originally titled "[[{{Pun}} Extra]]"
*** "Last Piece" from VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia" was remixed into "PIECE" and "Last Piece Again" for key emotional beats in ''CCC''.
** ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'':
*** Fuyuki's map theme is a remix of "Into the Night" from ''Fate/stay night'', as an indication that the protagonist, like Shirou Emiya, has just stepped into something much bigger when rayshifted to Fuyuki. It gets a DarkReprise as [[spoiler:Andromalius' battle theme, since that Demon Pillar represents Fuyuki for the final battle.]]
*** "Olden Capital" contains a reference to Gilgamesh's theme, "Golden King", to represent that the protagonists have been exploring his domain in 2655 BC.
*** "Spinal Swan Coaster" is a TriumphantReprise of "spinal coaster" from ''Fate/Extra CCC'' as a [[spoiler:an accompaniment to Meltryllis defeating Kiara once and for all in SE.RA.PH.]]
*** "The Sun in the Abyss" is a gentler version of ''VideoGame/FateExtellaTheUmbralStar'''s main theme, which appropriately plays in a story featuring Altera lending out a helping hand to [[spoiler:Ereshkigal]].
*** "Lost Piece" is a melancholic rearrangement of "last piece" from ''Fate/Hollow Ataraxia''.
*** The Olympus map music is an intense remix of the music for Mare Carcer from ''Extella'' as a subtle nod to the Olympians' connection to the ''Extra'' continuity.
*** The Beast of Taming has four different boss themes, each being a BossRemix of a Lostbelt map theme with a common bassline; [[spoiler:and fittingly, said bassline is the one from "Caster ~ An Extra Life With Anyone She Wants"]].
*** Morgan and Faerie Knight Gawain's boss themes lift several bars from ''stay night'' Saber's theme, "Sword of Promised Victory".
* ''VideoGame/FearAndHunger'': "Pulse and Anxiety", the theme for major bosses, is remixed in the sequel ''VideoGame/FearAndHungerTermina'' as the exclusive BattleThemeMusic of [[spoiler:the Kaiser, Le'garde]].
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' for the PSP does this. The game features four {{bonus dungeon}}s, with each one having a collection of {{Optional Boss}}es from ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII III]]'', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV IV]]'', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV V]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI VI]]''. Each one has their appropriate boss theme from the game they are from, with only Gilgamesh of ''V'' breaking the rule, using his own {{leitmotif}}, "Battle on the Big Bridge," instead.
** Mog's {{leitmotif}} from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' later appears as the theme song of Moogles in general in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles''. Mog's theme itself is a remixed version of ''Final Fantasy V''[='s=] Moogle Theme. Variations of the same song are also found in ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX IX]]'', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV XIV]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0 Type-0]]''.
** ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' features music from previous games in the series, usually as battle music. However, the Overworld or Map themes from every game in the series are used in the every character's story mode.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', the boss battle theme Premonition begins with a snippet of the main theme to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. Also, the Balamb Garden BackgroundMusic contains a line from the opera from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''.
** It's also used in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' at least once; the Castle Pandemonium theme in that game is a slower organ version of the Castle Pandemonium theme from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII''.
** "Aerith's Theme" from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' uses sections taken from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'''s "Aria di Mezzo Carattere".
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' has a few of these. In addition to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbbeBALdv48 the themes for arena battles being the theme's from previous games,]] [[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade the 6th game's]] "Wyvern Generals" battle theme includes both [[VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight first]] and [[VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden second]] games' battle themes, while "Light and Dark" from [[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar FE4]] reappears as the trial map theme in [[VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance FE9]].
* The ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' franchise ''loves'' doing this. Much of the music from modern installments contains throwbacks to earlier games.
** The [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland Superstar Baby Mario]] theme is heard in ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' whenever you use either the Vanish Cap or the Wing Cap. Both themes are variations of the series-wide Super Star invincibility theme.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' features an acapella remix of the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' ground theme for its 2D-inspired obstacle courses.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' reuses the "Koopa's Road" theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', and the "Battleship Raid" theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''. The Athletic theme from the same game as the latter and a bouncy remix of the original ''Super Mario Bros.'' theme also show up. The Underground theme of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' is heard during the Mecha Bowser sequence is Toy Time Galaxy.
** The sequel, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', reuses the ''Koopa's Road'' theme, plus the Athletic and Haunted Mansion themes from ''Super Mario World'', the Bob-omb Battlefield and Rainbow Ride theme from ''Super Mario 64'', and several pieces of the soundtrack of the original ''SMG''.
** ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' has a nod to the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' Castle theme in its ''own'' Castle theme. The secret world's map melody also contains the melody from ''VideoGame/MarioKart64'''s Rainbow Road.
** The final world of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'', which is Peach's Castle [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs under Bowser's control]], features a DarkReprise of the Peach's Castle theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' plays a remix of the Character Select theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' during the slot machine minigame.
** When you revisit the Mushroom Kingdom in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'', you collect Power Stars instead of Power Moons. The "course clear" fanfare from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' plays when you collect them instead of the usual fanfare. And in the postgame, you can play a recreation of World 1-1 from the original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'', complete with the original Ground and Underground themes.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'':
*** The battle theme for the OptionalBoss Culex is a remix of the ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' boss music -- the boss himself is essentially one big reference to the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series. Also, after beating Culex, you can hear the "Victory Fanfare" and the "Prelude" from ''Final Fantasy''. In addition, Bowser's battle theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' is used when he is fought at the start of the game, and it is also incorporated into the BackgroundMusic for his castle later on. A riff from that castle's theme would in turn make it into the music for the final board of the original ''VideoGame/MarioParty1'', Bowser's Magma Mountain.
*** Before going into its own rendition of the classic theme, the "Mario's Pipe House" theme plays a little bit of the world 1 map theme, also from ''Super Mario Bros. 3''. This exact theme was later used in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga''.
*** Here's an obscure one: the file select theme contains a snippet of the high score theme from ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1 Vs. Super Mario Bros.]]'' (i.e. the slightly more difficult arcade version of the original NES game).
** ''VideoGame/PaperMario'':
*** The music that plays on the Bullet Bill bridge in Koopa Bros. Fortress is the airship theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''. The battle against the Koopa Bros. is also a heavily remixed version of the theme played against on-map enemies.
*** The music that plays during the train ride between Toad Town and Mt. Rugged is a remix of the Kalimari Desert theme from ''VideoGame/MarioKart64''.
*** The music for Yoshi's Village is the title theme from ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland''.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' features the theme of ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'', as well as the theme for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''[='=]s music box.
** "Victory in the Dream World" from ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam'' uses the opening melody of "Fight Against Monsters" from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''. Not coincidentally, both games were composed by Creator/YokoShimomura.
** ''VideoGame/FortuneStreet'' contains several previously unloved themes, including the Map Screen and Final Boss theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''.
** The later games in the ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' series occasionally feature musical references to tracks from earlier in the series or from other Mario-centric games:
*** The intro to Rainbow Road in ''VideoGame/MarioKartSuperCircuit'' is taken from a part of the one in [[VideoGame/SuperMarioKart the original]].
*** The Rainbow Road music in ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' features snippets from the Rainbow Road music from both ''Super Mario Kart'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKart64''.
*** In ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'', the music for Bowser's Castle opens with a musical nod to the castle theme from the original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'', and the Rainbow Road music references both the Rainbow Road music from ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' and the Good Egg Galaxy music from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''.
*** In ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', the title screen music references the main theme from ''Mario Kart Wii'' (as well as the series' RecurringRiff, the title screen music from ''Super Mario Kart''), while the Rainbow Road music features several references to the ''Mario Kart 64'' version of the track. Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi spectator music is based on the ''Mario Kart 64'' title screen.
*** ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' uses Galaxy's ''Gusty Garden'' theme as part of Cloudtop Cruise's music.
** ''VideoGame/MarioPartySuperstars'': The victory fanfare for each minigame is lifted from the game in which it originally debuted (in the case of ''Mario Party 1'', the one used for all its revisited minigames is the "success!" version, replacing the solo, team, and "perfect!" versions; ''Mario Party 2'', the team version, replacing the solo version; and ''Mario Party 3'', the solo version, replacing the team and duel versions).
* It would take too long to list every time ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' used a previous melody. Nearly every game contains a remix of King Dedede's Theme and Green Greens somewhere. A trend has been that the final boss' music has Green Green's melody at some point. ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'''s "VS. Star Dream" in particular has a snippet of "Havoc aboard the Halberd"... which is already a variation of Green Greens.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** A version of the bicycle theme from ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue''/''Yellow'' was used as the Pokemon Catching Contest theme in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions. Similarly, the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald versions had the Marine Museum, the BackgroundMusic for which was a slow version of the S.S. Anne theme from RBY.
** Inexplicably, the theme that plays when you're first starting a new game in ''Pokemon Battle Revolution'' is a more upbeat version of the Relic Forest theme from ''Pokemon Colosseum'' and ''Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness''.
** Upon reaching Kanto in the ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Gold/Silver/Crystal]]'' versions, the Trainer and Wild Pokemon battles start using the ''Red/Blue/Yellow'' themes as opposed to the new ones used in Johto. This was retained in ''[=HeartGold and SoulSilver=]''.
** All but the first three of the Sevii Islands in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue FireRed and LeafGreen]]'' have music from ''Gold/Silver/Crystal'' -- Azalea Town's theme on islands Four and Five, Violet City's on islands Six and Seven, and the Route 42 theme on the interconnecting routes.
** The Platinum/HGSS Frontier Brain battle themes have Emerald's Battle Frontier "main theme" stuck somewhere in the middle. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36m7U274d_g Start listening around 0:50.]]
** ''VideoGame/PokemonChannel'' has the player putting together an episode from the anime over the course of the game. The end of that quest finishes with a viewing of the entire episode projected onto the night sky, and as the episode ends, the game plays the 'End of the day' music from ''VideoGame/HeyYouPikachu''.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonRumble'' features the Viridian Forest Edge theme from ''Hey You, Pikachu!'' as its lobby theme.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers of Sky'' uses the BackgroundMusic of Ravaged Field, Magnetic Quarry, Thunder Meadow, Mt. Discipline, Furnace Desert and Jungle (all from ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'') as the dungeon music for Southern Jungle of Team Charm's special episode.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}'' series of games, many of the songs are either outright recycled, or make a cameo appearance in one way or another. Pollyanna, Snowman, and Humoresque of a Little Dog to be specific. The {{Plot Coupon}}s from the first two games, (Queen Mary's Song/Gigyas's Lullaby, and the Sound Stone Melodies, both known as The Eight Melodies in each of their respective games, due to each melody being split into 8 parts) are frequently remixed into other songs related to the Mother Franchise. (Queen Mary's song appears in the battle theme for Onett in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', and the two themes are mixed into a song called ''Sixteen Melodies'' for ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}}''.) It's justified in the latter game, since most of the songs heard from ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound|1994}}'' are there due to [[spoiler:Porky's nostalgia.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' does this a lot. For instance, the first level musics from the [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI first]] [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest three]] [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse games]] ("Vampire Killer," "Bloody Tears," and "Beginning" respectively) frequently get remixed and used again in later games in the series.
** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCircleOfTheMoon'' was notorious for this; only three or four songs in the whole soundtrack were actually original, the rest being from previous games in the series. It's also used in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'', in the game's intro. When the opening text scroll mentions the Belmonts, a little snippet of "Vampire Killer" (the aformentioned first level music from the original game) plays.
** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'' has a memorable example during the battle with Julius Belmont. His theme, "Heart of Fire," is actually a mash-up of "Don't Wait Until Night" [[note]]alternatively known as "Can't Wait Until the Night"[[/note]] (from the final stage of ''VideoGame/HauntedCastle'') and the original "Heart of Fire" (used in Stage 5 of ''CVI''), arranged by none other than Music/MichiruYamane.
** Death's theme in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'' is a combination of the music from the first time he was the final boss ("Evil's Symphonic Poem" from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLamentOfInnocence'') and the music from the first time he was a boss ("Poison Mind" from [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI the original game]]).
* ''VideoGame/{{Uninvited}}'' for the NES featured a room with an old phonograph. If the player used the phonograph, they were treated to a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbD-nzqG2ig#t=0m20s bizarre, off-key rendition]] of the ''VideoGame/{{Shadowgate}}'' theme.
* Oddly, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7im--aTBAM the Level 8 theme]] from ''VideoGame/{{Descent}}'' quotes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxjw6ZsHjNU "The Death of Åse"]] from Grieg's ''Peer Gynt'' suite. Huh.
* This occurs in ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series.
** The witch Syrup's theme is rearranged from her shop music in the ''Oracle'' series, also appearing as the Witch's Hut song way back in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening''.
** In the King's Tomb in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap The Minish Cap]]'' for Game Boy Advance, a remix of the original NES dungeon theme plays. And, more importantly, the NES's five-note "item appears" jingle appears here for the first and only time in the game.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', the members of the Indigo-Gos play songs from previous games when you enter their rooms. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ql0uY4pNm8 pianist]] is playing the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYVuOr52Ni8 game over/continue theme]] from the original ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI Legend of Zelda]]''. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18mNkZM86_I bassist]] is playing the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7T6ZNgoP5M dungeon theme]] from the same. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkVyZ8BPQIs drummer]] is playing the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZGEj8rfDPI cave theme]] from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]''.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' does this several times, such as on Outset Island and Forest Haven (contains variants of the Kokiri Forest theme, as well as Saria's Song for the latter) and the Ballad of Gales (Minuet of Forest). Also, at least one NPC hums the "item get" music when giving you a piece of heart.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': Listen very carefully, and one can hear a snippet of the Goron Lullaby from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'' in the BackgroundMusic of the Goron Mines dungeon. The Howling Stones also use a few tunes from the previous games, like the [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Song of Healing]], the [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Requiem of Spirit]], and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker the Ballad of Gales]] (itself based on the Minuet of Forest). The Sacred Grove music, which is ''Ocarina''[='s=] "Saria's Song" over a new piano track, and the [[spoiler:Temple of Time]], which takes it music straight from ''Ocarina''.
** The GameOver music from ''Ocarina of Time'' has been reused as the first part of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds A Link Between Worlds]]''' Game Over theme (the other part being taken from the original NES game), the failure theme in the ''Zelda''-themed attraction in ''VideoGame/NintendoLand'', as well as the Game Over music in ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors''.
* "Into the Wilderness", the Opening theme of the first ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMs}}'' game, had been continuously remixed throughout the series, having been used as BackgroundMusic, boss battle music, and post-battle music.
* The main theme of ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMs 2}}'' is played in ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMs 5}}'' when the cell phone belonging to the {{Expy}} of Ashley rings.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pulseman}}''[='s=] Neo Tokyo theme was remixed for the ''[[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum]]'' rival theme.
* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
** ''VideoGame/Persona4''[='s=] class trip to Tatsumi Port Island brings back "Joy" and "P3 Fes" from ''VideoGame/Persona3''. The [[Anime/Persona4TheAnimation anime adaptation]] added a few more tracks to the mix.
** ''Persona 3 Portable'' returns the favor, with ''Persona 4'' music playing during the female main character's trip to Inaba.
** In ''Persona 3 FES'', various music tracks from ''VideoGame/Persona1'' and ''VideoGame/Persona2'' are remixed to play in Tartarus -- not that English-speaking audiences would recognize "Snow Queen" as such, as it was DummiedOut of the initial Western release of the first game.
** In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', the Crane Game theme is a {{chiptune}} remix of the Junes theme from ''Persona 4''.
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'' has a very nice musical nod: The opening theme is a remix of the ending theme for [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 the first game]].
** The music that plays at the very first mission of ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' is a remixed version of the eponymous character's badass {{leitmotif}} from [[VideoGame/MegaManX1 the first]] ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' game.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKymeuwwtAk "Final Transmission,"]] the theme used for the network areas at the WWW Base, TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon of ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man Battle Network 3|WhiteAndBlue}}'', takes several cues from ''VideoGame/MegaMan8''[='s=] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-wez5eZwWA Wily Tower 2.]] Considering that ''[[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork Battle Network]]'' is an AlternateUniverse of [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic the Classic series]] [[AlternateHistory based on the premise of computer networking flourishing over robotics]] (and ''[=BN3=]''[='s=] overall plot echoes ''[=MM8=]''[='s=] to some degree), this is probably intentional.
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zDxL3oGpsU main]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHRD-4chGqE theme]] of ''VideoGame/MegaManPoweredUp'' is actually a remix of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g42uM4DhVE "Still Life"]] from ''VideoGame/MegaMan8''.
** The ending for ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork5TeamColonelAndTeamProtoMan'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmQDwB6sm5w "Chain of Wish"]], uses the original main theme from the first three games in one part of its melody. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azIXYrsQLcI "Future"]], the ending theme for ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork6CybeastGregarAndCybeastFalzar'', takes this even further and incorporates both the original AND the main theme used for the 4th and 5th games into its score, fitting considering [=MMBN6=] concludes the entire ''Battle Network'' series.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8DrHPm8OxE Roll's]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fvQIPIL55c heartrending gesture]] in ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'' takes cues from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmgkU3nBxgY her theme]] in ''Mega Man Battle and Chase''.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpAdLbXZEwQ Duff McWhalen/Tidal Makkoeen's stage theme]] from ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'' is a remix of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9Urr2XOyxU Bubble Crab's stage theme]] from ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX2 X2]]''.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuWDDQRx3ZY Sigma's second form theme]] from ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX6 X6]]'' takes some cues from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHRvjEzHgE his first form theme]] from ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX1 X1]]'' and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NrC8qE_hNw both of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMiKfX2pb6M his themes]] from ''[[VideoGame/MegaManX2 X2]]''.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
** At the beginning of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', the Alert theme and boss battle music incorporated parts of the Alert theme from [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid the first game]].
** The BackgroundMusic from the first ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear|1}}'' game for the MSX was used in the VR Training segment of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''.
* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' uses this for DLC character Akira Kazama's stage: when a combatant's HP starts to run low, the opening bars to the opening theme of the [=PlayStation=] version of ''VideoGame/RivalSchools'' kicks in.
* ''VideoGame/AnotherCode R'' starts using the music from the first game during the final few chapters, starting with a particularly jarring moment: [[spoiler:the reunion music from the first game when Ashley meets her dad is replayed as Matthew breaks his TraumaInducedAmnesia and remembers how he accidentally let go of his sister's hand playing on the Lake Juliet dock, leading to her drowning in the lake.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'':
** The Norfair Ancient Ruins theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' has played in many, many fire-based areas over the series since (Magmoor Caverns from ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' being an example).
** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' updates and repurposes the theme from Ridley's lair in ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' as the main theme for Magmoor Caverns.
** ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'' brings back the ItemGet jingle for pickups from the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'', as well as the Artifact Get jingle from [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime the first Prime]] (heard when you acquire an Aeion skill).
* ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' uses [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger Lucca's Theme]] for its victory fanfare. The overworld theme for the Home dimension is also a tropical-sounding remix of one of the 1,000 AD pieces of map music (i.e. the one that plays when away from towns) from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''.
* In the various guest OptionalBoss instances of [[Creator/TriAce tri-Ace]] games (e.g. [[VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile Lenneth and Freya]] in ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'' or [[VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory Gabriel Celeste]] in ''[[VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile2Silmeria Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria]]'') music from their original games will play. The BonusDungeon of ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'' also shares a theme with the Maze of Tribulations from the ''VideoGame/StarOcean'' games.
* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'' has one during the civilization and space stage when ever you hover over a city that isn't yours. [[spoiler: It's "Grunge City" from ''[[VideoGame/SimCity Sim City 4 Deluxe]]'']].
* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie: Nuts 'N Bolts'' has this all ''over'' the damn place. Virtually every single piece of music from the game has nods to songs from not only previous games in the franchise itself, but also from other games made by Rare like ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64''.
* The Starbase stage from ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 Turtles in Time]]'' uses an arranged version of the music from Krang's ship in ''The Manhattan Project''.
* The Speed Slider boss theme from ''VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix'' appears in ''VideoGame/BillyHatcherAndTheGiantEgg'', as the music for Circus Park's night stage. Mariko Nanba composed music for both games.
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** "Sonic - You Can Do Anything," the Japanese theme of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'', is a lyrical remake of the Green Hills stage theme from the [=GameGear=]/Master System version of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''.
** The final segment of ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''[='=]s Windy Valley is accompanied by the Green Grove theme from the [[Platform/MegaDrive Genesis]] version of ''VideoGame/Sonic3DBlast''. Likewise, the latter's Panic Puppet (Act 1) theme is used in the former's Twinkle Park level.
** White Park Zone Act 2 from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4: Episode II'' manages to cram part of the Twinkle Park: Pleasure Castle theme from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' into one of the bridges.
** In ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', the solo of Classic Sonic's remix of Escape from the City is the beta version of the theme, plus the second verse gets [[AutoTune Auto-Tuned]] to the melody of [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Endless Mine]].
** In ''VisualNovel/TheMurderOfSonicTheHedgehog'', "Sonic's Theme" contains a few nods to the ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' version of his personal theme, "It Doesn't Matter."
* The hang gliding music in ''VideoGame/{{Pilotwings}} Resort'' contains snippets of its counterpart from ''Pilotwings 64''.
* The fanfare when the boss door opens in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' is an arrangement of the one that accompanies the elusive "Stop-N-Swop" items from ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' (both games were composed by Grant Kirkhope).
* ''VideoGame/MushihimeSama Futari'''s Stage 3 BGM, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAdsMgIZAEE Shinjuu Forest Rebel Army?]], takes a page out of ''Mushihime-sama''[='=]s final stage BGM, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9MnBgArFX8 The One Who is Always in the Forest]].
* In ''[[VideoGame/DonPachi DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu]]'', a somewhat different version of the stage BGM plays if you access a hidden path in stages 2, 3, or 4. In Stage 2, the music shares a phase with "Colored Rainbow", the stage 2 BGM of ''[=DoDonPachi=] Dai-Ou-Jou''. Stage 3 borrows from the stage 3 BGM of the original, and stage 4 has a segment from the ''Dai-Ou-Jou'' boss battle theme ''[=DoDonPachi=]''.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-_g8NZr1tA theme song]] of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' incorporates musical elements from previous iterations of the Elder Scrolls theme, notably a similarity to the drums of [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind's]] theme and a segment of [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion's]] theme near the end (about 3:00 into the Skyrim theme, the original musical cue comes from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3EOibiVzq4#t=69s this segment]] of the Oblivion theme.)
* In ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'', parts of Chapter 24's music are taken from [[VideoGame/KidIcarus1986 the first]] ''Kid Icarus''[='s=] castle theme. Also, Chapter 4's music uses variations on the first game's "angry Reaper" music as its motif. To make this clearer, the original version plays whenever a Reaper spots Pit.
* The various hidden maps in ''VideoGame/VandalHearts II'' are each accompanied by one of three tracks not heard elsewhere in the game; all three are more densely-orchestrated versions of battle themes from ''Vandal Hearts I''.
* In ''[[VideoGame/DisneysMagicalQuest The Great Circus Mystery]]'' (''Disney's Magical Quest 2''), you get to fight a living painting of Emperor Pete, the final boss from the first ''Magical Quest'', complete with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDoyVflL7Nk same]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MndSzd9BBCk music]].
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles'', being a [[LightGunGame genre swap]] of previous titles, understandably reuses a lot of music. One worth mentioning, which is played during Wesker's first mission, is a combination of two tunes: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mUAV21dHAI "Wreckage of the Mad Experiment"]] from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'' and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ekIu14MMko Wesker's theme]] from the original ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil1''. ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Nr7Dajqxw And it sounds awesome.]]''
* ''VideoGame/DotHackGU'' character Tri-Edge has an action-packed, rather dark theme... which mysteriously contains a brief snippet of the calm and peaceful Mac Anu music from the first set of games, heavily contrasting the rest of the theme. At first this merely seems to be a nod to the fact that Tri-Edge shares Kite's design [[spoiler:but it turns out to be a hint at his true nature as a ''defender'' of the system, and therefore on the side of the heroes.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'':
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ4Z4xfld2k Nina]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9Loo3PPIl0 Anna's]] ''VideoGame/Tekken5'' endings contain a snippet of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jhqWrwmUdM "Endless Warfare,"]] the theme of Raphael in ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur III]]''. (Thanks to the presence of [[LegacyCharacter Yoshimitsu]] in both series, ''Tekken'' and the ''Soul'' series are generally assumed and all but stated to [[SharedUniverse exist centuries apart within the same timeline]].)
* In Mokujin's ''[[DreamMatchGame Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFATGrwt1R4 ending,]] he's invited to Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment's Future Research Laboratory. After hitting it off with a female Mokujin and then toying with her affections, Mokujin is [[MegatonPunch "escorted"]] off the premises. The ''VideoGame/DigDug'' [[{{Fanfare}} death jingle]] plays.
* The Game Boy version of ''Tetris Attack'' remixes the SNES game's/''VideoGame/PanelDePon''[='s=] credits music to include Yoshi's theme, a remix of the story music box from ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland''. This remix is what the [=GameCube=] ''Nintendo Puzzle Collection'' remake/sequel of ''Panel de Pon'' bases its ending theme on, including the snippet of Yoshi's theme.
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' the music used during the Pet Battle minigame is all remixes of music from ''VideoGame/WarcraftOrcsAndHumans'' and ''VideoGame/WarcraftII''.
* In a nod to both [[Music/MichiruYamane the composer]] and producer's previous works, the Hall of Termination area theme from ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'' opens with the classic ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' death jingle.
* ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'':
** While several themes in ''Soulcalibur IV'' were rearranges of previous compositions (which is nothing new for the series), [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cN0RsV8_1o "Infernal Offering,"]] used for Astaroth and Lizardman's stage, is the loosest example. With the exception of the opening bells being lifted from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcml1sLdSoY "Bred from the Gap"]] (Astaroth's theme in ''Soulcalibur'' and ''SCIII'' [[note]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhIFfrKCXf8 SCIII ver.]][[/note]]), it's almost entirely an original piece.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MawZq9zuiQ8 "Let My Soul Burn,"]] the theme of the Sinking Merchant Ship in ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburV'', begins with nearly the same set of notes as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBATyMSCg-Y "Sail Over the Storm"]] [[note]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97-h0wYxqrQ SCIII ver.]][[/note]] from the Indian Port stage seen in ''Soulcalibur'' and ''Soulcalibur III''. Unsurprisingly, these arenas and their respective musical accompaniment are associated with the series' resident nunchaku-swinging Ryukyu pirate, Maxi.
** Being a ContinuityReboot that [[{{Revision}} expands]] [[AdaptationalExpansion upon]] the events of the original ''Soulcalibur'', many of the character-specific stages in ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI'' feature deliberate musical throwbacks to [[NostalgiaLevel their SCI counterparts]]. The clearest example is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PneJB29Nr00 "Under a Pledge"]] (Sophitia) when compared to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N_UQTs-_Wc "Wings of Faith"]] [[note]]along with a recursive nod to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbKTKUQ9nAI "If There Was Any Other Way,"]] the Destined Battle theme in ''SCII'' and ''SCIII'' (which was based on "Wings of Faith")[[/note]], but both [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdUwLAB0veM "Undying Legend"]] (Kilik) and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hne98h0oPQ "Standing Against the Storm"]] (Maxi) feature snippets of previous tunes (those respectively being [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOzNXE17_oI "The New Legend"]] [[note]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tz5Qp3xG6g SCIII ver.]][[/note]] and "Sail Over the Storm"). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWRIxHOSJz8 "Darkest Shadow,"]] used for both Nightmare and Siegfried, is a twofer; while it takes more from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omj1qf1yvPE "In the Name of Father"]] (Nightmare's theme), there are a few cues from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41uBDAGz1Tc "Worth Dying For"]] (Siegfried's theme) in there as well, which is fitting considering the game is set during the period where Siegfried and Nightmare were on in the same. [[note]]Siegfried was also playable in the original ''Calibur'' separate from his Soul Edge-possessed alter ego, but his appearance there was a non-canonical bonus.[[/note]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1rbBOuiLe8 "Diabolous Amalgam"]] (Astaroth) is another double whammy, as it's both a rearrangement of "Bred from the Gap" and uses part of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY5j74JiQ-Q "Recollect Continent,"]] Rock's theme from ''Soul Edge'', as a bridge. [[note]]This is because, in-unverse, Astaroth (the Black Giant) was made in the likeness of Rock (the White Giant), a fact that--in the original canon--Astaroth did not learn about until circa ''III'' and ''IV''. The ''SCVI'' incarnation of Astaroth even [[CompositeCharacter incorporates]] ([[MovesetClone several more of]]) [[CompositeCharacter Rock's attacks into his movelist]] due to Rock's absence.[[/note]] Meanwhile, though [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJAdPBiXFYI "Myriad Souls"]] ([[FinalBoss Inferno]]) doesn't seem to take any overt cues from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOe18uGzOn8 "Immortal Flame,"]] Inferno's theme from ''Soulcalibur II'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssbXlqSQ1AY "Hellfire"]]) is used as the basis for the final battle theme in Soul Chronicle, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ9c4Wu4MJY "The Evil Flame."]]
* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' [[PromotedToPlayable "newcomer"]] Zeku [[note]][[VideoGame/FinalFight Guy's]] master in Bushinryu Ninjutsu, previously seen in his ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha 2'' ending[[/note]] is heavily implied to be the forefather of [[CanonWelding none other than]] [[VideoGame/{{Strider}} the Strider organization]], and one of the many, ''many'' hints dropped by Creator/{{Capcom}} lies within [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twoOZHLFpiY his theme]]--right before the song loops, a snippet of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaQwum7FGsw "Defense Line,"]] the classic ''Strider'' fanfare, triumphantly blares.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder'' uses this to '''[[NightmareFuel terrifying]]''' effect when [[spoiler:Darth Vader shows up as the {{Hopeless|BossFight}} PostFinalBoss, with the usage of "Anakin's Dark Deeds" from ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'']].
* ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'' does this twofold; first with "Lumen Sage and Temperantia", which samples and rearranges segments from [[spoiler:"You May Call Me Father" from the [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} previous game]] as a hint towards the Masked Lumen's true identity.]] And after it's explicitly revealed that [[spoiler:the Masked Lumen was a young Balder, the third and final fight against him directly uses "You May Call Me Father".]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
** ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations Trials and Tribulations]]'' uses a slightly altered version the first game's "Pursuit ~ Cornered" for the very final confrontation.
** In the end of Case 3-4, ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll Justice For All]]''[='s=] courtroom theme plays; this being the only time it plays outside of its own game.
** ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'' uses the original "Objection!" theme when Phoenix objects in the first case, and reuses LOTS of music from the first game in "flashbacks" in the final case.
* ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'' recycles several tracks, including the title theme, from its predecessor, ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The first episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}'' features a distinctive theme for the Space Game in its first episode. The theme is brought back much later on in the episode "System Crash" when the User from that game emerges in Mainframe.
* Episode 4 of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' has Daphne humming the theme from ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyDooMovies'' as she knits an ascot for Fred.
* A cool shout out to ComicBook/{{Robin}}'s origins is used in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' when Slade taunts Robin -- who has temporarily become his [[TheDragon Dragon]] to protect the other Titans -- by claiming that eventually Robin might start to see him as a sort of father figure. Robin responds with "I already have a father" as the screen pans up to show [[Franchise/{{Batman}} bats]] rising to the sky while music from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' plays.
[[/folder]]
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