The music for End of the World is another mix of "Destati," complete with chimes, strings, and vague chanting in the background...or just vocalizations. There's a bit of vibraphone in there too. The effect is both beautiful and nightmare-inducing.
For recurring boss themes, there's Squirming Evil (which plays during most Disney villain boss fights), Destiny's Force (which plays during a variety of boss fights), and Shrouding Dark Cloud (which plays during most of the early Heartless boss fights and Cloud).
Another Side. Plays in the Final Mix secret ending trailer, and it spawned "Organization XIII", "Graceful Assassin", and "Showdown at Hollow Bastion". A remix of the whole track was used in 358/2 Days, and the actual track was used in Aqua's battle against Braig in Birth By Sleep.
Memories in Pieces, the opening theme which has bits from "Hand in Hand," a chilling version of "Scent of Silence," Naminé's beautiful theme, and then the ominously awesome "Castle Oblivion."
Naminé's theme. Much like Kairi's theme, it's so beautiful. It also uses something similar to "Prelude" as a background tune.
The Re:Chain of Memories version of Sinister Sundown, for your daily dose of great fight music. And it's a good thing it's so good, because you hear its Kingdom Hearts II incarnation a lot in Days...
Night of Fate, full stop. This song is the battle theme of Destiny Islands and acts as a musical accompaniment for Sora's sadness, confusion, and drive against the Heartless until he comes to understand himself and his power....on the night when all this happened, no less. Creative name.
As good as "Dearly Beloved" was in the original, Shimomura just turned it into an utter masterpiece for the second game.
Roxas's theme, due to its context at the end of the Prolonged Prologue: "Sora, you're lucky. Looks like my summer vacation is...over..."
In the same vein as "Hikari" above, Passion was also orchestrated...and in doing so was turned from a fairly good J-pop song to an awesome mood-setting piece.
The Other Promise, a remix of Roxas's theme only heard in the Final Mix version of the game.
Fate Of The Unknown, which plays during the extended secret ending in the Final Mix. "Sunset Horizons," the wonderfully ominous song that plays during the original secret ending serves as its precursor.
Running down the Ravine Trail to avenge a boulder-beaned Goofy to Vim and Vigor is also epic. When combined with the pairing-up with Final Fantasy characters, it becomes an all-around Crowning X of Awesome.
Hazardous Highway, a rockin' piece of Gummi Ship music. The two levels that feature it were already reminiscent of Sonic games, but the music clinches it.
The Gummi Ship themes are all surprisingly peaceful or upbeat, and the levels are kind of goofy, really. Well...all of them but the Star Wars-ish last one, with dreadnoughts of doom blasting the hell out of you, and its epic theme called Battleship Bravery.
You want a kickass battle theme? Try The Encounter! The best part is that it plays mostly during Disney villain boss fights, so you get a good background song for your Catharsis Factor.
Darkness of the Unknown, which plays during the multiple phases of the fight against Xemnas.
The credits music, Fantasia Alla Marcia, which contains amazing renditions of "Dearly Beloved," "Sora," and most especially "Destati" back to back with "Another Side" at 3:00.
Sora's theme. Sure, it sounds all light and airy, because Sora's so happy all the freaking time, but underneath it you can hear this steady, driving beat. Not only does it remind you of a heart, but it also shows his sheer determination to find his friends and generally win. It sends shivers down the spine.
Working Together. It has such a happy beat to be a battle song, instead making you feel like you want to dance.
"Sacred Moon", the melancholy theme for The World That Never Was. There's a reason why some keep running around The World That Never Was besides the plot.
Xion's Themedefinitely counts, being a melancholy variation on Kairi's theme that is quite fitting for the character.
Someone actually decided to cover this song. And by cover, it's actually complete with original lyrics and some pretty good singers to boot. Here you go!
The mix of "Another Side" used for the Doomed by Canon final boss battle that was first shown in the track's original appearance in the Final Mix version of Kingdom Hearts.
Vector to the Heavens, Xion's final battle theme which is a remix of her character theme.
Secret of Neverland and Crossing to Neverland, Neverland's themes in this game which are completely redone from the Neverland music in the previous games. It's a shame they didn't use it in Birth By Sleep.
Then there's Critical Drive, one of the final battle themes in the game. While the KH2 version, Deep Drive, was all right, the 358/2 Days version really brings out Roxas's and the player's drive to beat the mission.
The Kingdom Hearts 358/2 DaysSacred Moon remix named Mystic Moon, heard as Roxas escapes the castle. While neither truly original, nor action packed, it communicates tension, fear, and uncertainty in Roxas' leaving of the Organization.
The opening song, "Sanctuary". While it made its first appearance in Kingdom Hearts II, the lyrics really fit with the Nobodies, especially Roxas.
Fight and Away is a fantastic remix of the two boss themes, Struggle Away and Fight for my Friends, from Chain of Memories and makes any fight ten times more epic.
The winner for the most unexpected piece of music to ever come out of the Kingdom Hearts series: "A Date With Fate", a bouncy remix of "Succession (Theme of Crisis Core)" that plays during scenes with Zack.
The Unversed Boss music, particularly Unforgettable are fun, as well as giving huge hints that the Unversed come from Vanitas due to the similarity of the themes.
Dismiss, the Final Boss theme, takes the already awesome "Fragments of Sorrow", mixes it with Terra's theme, and turns the whole thing Up to Eleven, bringing out both a feeling of foreshadowing and tragedy as Aqua has to defeat her possessed former friend.
Makaukau, the Deep Space battle music. It's pretty much hardcore techno.
These two remixes of Scherzo Di Notte and Radiant Garden, which take the already great original songs and adds a touch of grandiosity fitting for Birth by Sleep's version of the world.
The Tumbling, otherwise known as the Wheel Master battle. Fans were rearranging and remixing this track almost immediately after it was revealed in an early gameplay trailer.
Rage Awakened - The Origin -. For all the awesomeness from KH2, it's even better here. It has a sense of urgency that fits the tone of the fight that KH2 didn't have. The song makes that scene.
Terra's Theme isn't bad either and befit Terra's resolve and will. It is also similiar to Rage Awakened since both songs are affiliated with Terra, either as himself or as the Lingering Sentiment/Will.
The Silent Forest, Enchanted Dominion's theme, is beautifully haunting.
Considering that Sleeping Beauty had a soundtrack comprised entirely of classical music, it's no surprise that the world based on it has fittingly great music. Having said that, listen to The Rustling Forest, the battle theme of Enchanted Dominion, and try not to go deaf from how awesome it is.
Impossible as it may seem, the Ice Cream Beat mini-game actually managed to come up with a version of It's A Small World that's not only not-cringe-inducing, but actually pretty good! (it helps that the thing that makes the original so ear-grating - the singing - is absent.)
From the game's Final Mix we have Master, Tell Me The Truth, the battle theme for The Armor of The Master, Master Eraqus' Sentiment, which incorporates some of the Land of Departure's battle theme.
Also from the Final Mix, Forze dell'Oscurita, which is the battle theme of No Heart, Master Xehanort's Sentiment. It epically combines "Forze del Male" with "Darkness of the Unknown" for music of sheer power.
Another one from the Final Mix is Hunter of the Dark from the Secret Episode.
The beautiful, almost-holy-sounding The Key of Light, and its chilling Dark RepriseThe Key of Darkness. Which is again remixed into The Key, Aqua's (and Mickey's) final boss theme against Vanitas-possessed Ventus and his completed χ-Blade.
The version of The Encounter used in Birth By Sleep may be superior to the original! And it gets used in an awesome way in 3D when it plays during the JuliusBonus Boss fight.
As the tradition goes, a new and amazing version of Dearly Beloved just as beautiful as all the others.
Xigbar's own leitmotif, debuting in this game. It's the Organization XIII theme, only with a faster rhythm - a waltz, to be correct - and a creepy violin theme playing underneath. This is meant to invoke an unpleasant effect*
; and while it'd be spoileriffic to say why, this theme fits Xigbar and Braig perfectly, summing up his prominent role in the formation of the rest of the Organization.
Link to All is very upbeat theme that very well emphasizes Sora's ability to link so many hearts.
UNTAMABLE, the most recurring Dream Eater boss themes, gives off a fun fair vibe, inviting you to enjoy the fight, while being fairly epic! This is in contrast to a good part of the other KH boss themes which are usually ominous and foreboding, while being epic.
Ice-Hot Lobster, like many Dream Eater boss themes, invites you to just enjoy the fight and have fun!
Gigabyte Mantis gives a techno feel to the usual Dream Eater music, and works you up to excitement as you battle the boss!
While Chernabog kept Night On Bald Mountain as his boss theme in the international and Final Mix of Kingdom Hearts, Some argue that the version used is pretty much inferior to the original. Thankfully, 3D remade it into something much more awesome to listen too, and it makes the fight ten times more epic!
All For One, Country of the Musketeers' battle theme, is very energetic and cheery. The playful and peppy runs are what really sell the piece.
How could this list not include L'Impeto Oscuro, a truly epic remix of Dark Impetus.
L'Oscurita dell'Ignoto is a truly amazing rearrangement of Darkness of the Unknown. The violin gives off a very ominous, urgent vibe which really suits the fact that it plays during the fight that shatters Sora's heart.
Drammatica
Destati got worked over, adding much more brass and giving a much more epic feel, making the original, once one of the greatest songs in the series, seem meek in comparison.
It's Fragments of Sorrow. UP.TO.ELEVEN!! This is by far, THE most epic rendition of Fragments of Sorrow.
The theme associated with Roxas, the Other Promise, also gained its own orchestral version. Most of the song is spent building up, but the final climax brings both chills to the spine and a tear to the eye.
There's also Twinkle Twinkle Holidays, an orchestration of the theme used in Christmas Town. While not epic in the same way as the others listed here, it is still worth mentioning.
What takes the cake, though, is the masterpiece known as The 13th Anthology. Yoko Shimomura took every single track within the games that had used Another Side's central theme, and worked them together into one goosebump-inducing song.
Piano Collections Kingdom Hearts and Piano Collections Kingdom Hearts Field & Battle
The Concert Paraphrase on Dearly Beloved, which is probably the greatest Dearly Beloved piano arrangement that exists. This version's epicness comes from the feeling of climbing stairs as you listen to it. With the simple, standard Dearly Beloved at the beginning of the album, this awesome piece bookends the album with a virtuoso presentation of a fairly simple melody.
Then there's The Other Promise in it's most emotional incarnation, for sure.
The Symphonic Fantasies Kingdom Hearts piece. Fifteen minutes of pure orchestrated gorgeousness with all of the major pieces from the games seamlessly strung together. My god.
