Suspiciously Similar Song / Video Games: T to Z

T

• Tales Series:
  • Tales of the Abyss has "Never Surrender", which is a suspiciously similar Version of Baten Kaitos' battle theme, "The True Mirror". Later, Origins takes a few cues from "Never Surrender" with its battle theme. Then again, all three games share the same composer.
  • The military base theme in Tales of Symphonia sounds similar to "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen.
  • The tune played during comical scenes in Tales of Vesperia, "The Young Sorceress's Foul Mood", resembles "Entry of the Gladiators" by Julius Fučík (a piece commonly used in circuses).
  • The theme "Worthy Guardian" from Tales of Graces sounds very similar to "The Wise one" from Tales of Vesperia, a theme rarely heard.
  • The music of the Mine of Gnome from Tales of Eternia sounds similar to the theme of Top Gun.
  • The Spiral Draco theme actually sounds quite similar to the Doom Dragon theme from Golden Sun - another game Sakuraba did the music for.
• The "Meet the Engineer" trailer used a guitar piece suspiciously similar to a song called, oddly enough, "Someone Else's Song", by the group Wilco. When the song was added to the game as main menu music nearly unaltered from the trailer, it was quickly changed out for a Suspiciously Similar Song twice.
• Tekken:
  • Lei Wulong's theme in Tekken 2, especially the arcade version, sounds like "No Limit" by 2 Unlimited.
  • The A-section of the arcade arrangement of Nina's T2 theme sounds like "Everybody Everybody" by Black Box.
  • In the PlayStation version of Tekken 2 (not the arcade version, which uses an almost completely different arrangement), the first third of the midboss theme, "Quiet Interim Report", resembles the progressive trance song "Joy" by Peter Vriends/Quadripart Project.
    • In the arcade version, the intro of the mid-boss theme is similar to the main riff of Berlin's "The Metro", while the second part sounds suspiciously like the boss theme from Raiden.
  • The intro theme to the PlayStation version of 2 is similar to the Knight Rider theme.
  • Jack-2's theme sounds like the Terminator theme, which fits with him being a Terminator Impersonator.
• The rather obscure visual novel Tentama has, as a sort of main theme, a tune that sounds a lot like Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" (though with a mostly different melody). Related, albeit not an example, is the use of an abridged Pachelbel's Canon as another track.
• The title theme of Test Drive II: The Duel is suspiciously similar to that of RC Pro-Am.
• The music in the trailer for the unreleased Thea Realm Fighters for the Atari Jaguar sounds suspiciously like the theme from Mortal Kombat: The Movie, except that the Mortal Kombat theme is good. The never-finished game in question was a pretty blatant Follow the Leader attempt to be like MK, even starring members of MK2's cast, so you might even file this under Plagiarism.
• Them's Fightin' Herds: Shanty's stage theme sounds very similar to Gang-Plank Galleon, the final boss theme from Donkey Kong Country. Fitting, since both stages take place on a pirate ship.
• Thunder Force:
  • "Gyges, Will You Please Help Me?" from Tyrian is closely based on the Haides theme from Thunder Force III.
  • "Metal Squad", the stage 8 theme from Thunder Force IV, is very similar to Loudness's "Soldier of Fortune", right down to the solo.
  • "Lightning Strikes Again", the opening theme from Thunder Force IV, is based on Dokken's song named—get ready for it—"Lightning Strikes Again".
  • The ORN Emperor's theme from Thunder Force VI sounds similar to the Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle from Metalocalypse, of all songs.
• Time Crisis:
  • The main theme of the first two games is very similar to the Speed theme, particularly the "Rush Hour" variation. In turn, "Contingency" from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is suspiciously similar to the TC theme.
  • Some songs in Time Crisis 2, particularly the final boss theme and the end credits is similar to "Hummel Gets the Rockets" from The Rock. Also, the ending theme to Crisis Zone rhymes with "Fighting 17th" from Backdraft.
• "Masquerade of Hedonists" from Timespinner resembles "Wood Carving Partita" from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
• The end credit music in the computer game Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games sounds uncannily, incredibly, suspiciously similar to the song "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie, right down to its chord progression.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants In Manhattan's end credits song (starting at 3:26) sounds very similar to "Take on Me."
• ToeJam & Earl:
  • The main theme of the series, "ToeJam Jammin'", has a bassline that heavily resembles that of "For the Love of Money" by The O'Jays.
  • "Funkotronic Beat" from the first game begins with a riff that brings to mind the song "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory.
• The town theme of Torchlight appears to be a suspiciously similar version of the Tristram theme from the original Diablo. Not surprising, considering several of the people from the Diablo team worked on Torchlight, including Matt Uelman, who composed the music for both games.
• The Tower of Druaga has a dungeon melody with a progression slightly reminiscent of Rygar's Sueru Mountain theme, but both of them owe a lot to Vultan's Theme from Flash Gordon.
• When Track & Field was included on a Nintendo DS compilation, "Chariots of Fire" (which was heard in the original arcade release) was turned into a suspiciously similar version.
• The main in-game theme of Transformers: Convoy no Nazo sounds very similar to the main theme of the Jaleco arcade/NES Shoot 'Em Up Argus.
• Treasure of the Deep: In this obscure PlayStation game by Namco, the "Safe Passage" level theme sounds like very much the Crimson Tide theme.
• The theme to the NES game Treasure Master features a virtual soundalike to the Starsky & Hutch theme song.
• Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon:
  • One of the Pirate Battle tracks, BTL_DeadlyPirate_Full01 sounds almost identical to the Battle of Endor track from Return of the Jedi.
  • BTL_RoyalNavyArrives is very similar to Edward Elgar's Imperial March Op. 32.
• Triggerheart Exelica's boss theme sounds suspiciously like "Termination", the Final Boss theme from Ys II. Also, the Final Boss music is similar to Hibachi's theme from Do Donpachi Daioujou.
• Turok 2: Seeds of Evil:
  • The Port of Adia theme, oddly, sounds like an orchestral rendition of "I Got 5 on It" by Luniz.
    • Likewise, the B-section of the castle theme in Mystery Quest resembles Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad", whose main hook was interpolated in "I Got 5 on It".
  • The climax of the Mantid Hive theme resembles the third part (by Skaven) of the soundtrack from Future Crew's Second Reality.
  • The unused battle theme "Dark Totem" sounds like the boss theme from SNK's Iron Tank.
• Twilight Wing:
  • The first boss theme, "Back to Ego", is similar to "A Strange Enemy" (Stage 1 Boss) from Lightning Fighters.
  • The second final boss theme, "Never Let Go", resembles "Critical Moment of Contra" from Contra: Shattered Soldier.
  • The credits theme, "Voyage Beat", is similar to Orbital's "Belfast".
• Twisted Metal (1995):
  • The title theme sounds suspiciously like "Swamp Music" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
  • "Asphalt Assault" sounds like "Highway Star" by Deep Purple, with a touch of KISS's "I Was Made for Loving You".
  • The second interlude in "Cyburb Slide" is similar to the intro of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers theme.
  • The recurring guitar riff throughout the soundtrack sounds like the bridge section of Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator".

U-V

• Undertale:
  • "sans." sounds a lot like Smash Mouth's "Walking on the Sun".
  • "Dating Start!" is similar to "Turnabout Sisters" from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. "Dating Tense!" and "Dating Fight!" are likewise heavily influenced by "Suspense" and "Pursuit ~ Cornered".
  • "Oh! One True Love", being a parody of the opera scene from Final Fantasy VI, is a soundalike of "Aria de Mezzo Carattere". "Oh! Dungeon" is based on "Grand Finale".
  • The musical sting that plays when the Mad Dummy comes to life is essentially a pitched-down version of the "Guts Man's Ass" riff.
  • Mettaton's battle theme "Metal Crusher" bears a heavy resemblance to "Korobeiniki" (or the Tetris Type A theme), and Ievan Polkka.
  • The opening of "Snowdin Town" sounds like the opening of "Mabe Village" from The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
  • Two of the songs you can play in Napstablook's house, "Spooktune" and "Spookwave", sound quite similar to the Inspector Gadget theme, as SiIvaGunner noticed.
  • "Gaster's Theme", accessible through an Easter Egg, bears similarities to the Eagle's Tower theme, also from Link's Awakening.
  • "Megalovania" significantly resembles the song "Gadobadorrer" from Brandish 2: The Planet Buster. It also contains a few nods to "Master of Puppets" by Metallica, and the beginning sounds a little like Heat Man's theme from Mega Man 2. To say nothing of the obvious nods to Live A Live's "Megalomania", which served as the game's boss theme. It also strongly resembles the Julius Belmont theme from the Castlevania series, which is likely referenced in the "-vania" part of the name. The main riff of Megalovania also sounds somewhat similar to the bass intro of "Couple Suicide" by Annihilator.
  • There are a few nods to Chrono Trigger: "Another Medium" heavily resembles "Secret of the Forest," particularly the ascending lines of the melody, and "CORE," especially the piano line, is very similar to the second part of "Black Omen" (this one is probably on purpose, because it also plays during battles, much like the Chrono Trigger Ocean Palace stage).
• Valis:
  • Flash of Sword from Valis: The Fantasm Soldier, and Level 1 from Final Zone II. In this case, the games were made by the same company, so it may be Self-Plagiarism.
  • Also from Valis 1, "Cellular Tissue" resembles the Stationary Boss theme from the NES game Iron Tank.
  • The chorus of "Don't Stop (Song for Bowie)" from Final Zone II is similar to the theme from The Phantom of the Opera.
  • The main riff of the Valis II title theme, "Sacred Sacrifice", is suspiciously similar to Rad Racer's Music 1.
  • In the TurboGrafx-16 CD version, the last section of the Act I theme sounds like the second half of "First Step Towards Wars" from Ys.
• From Valkyria Chronicles there's the song "Resistance" that sounds incredibly similar to the Batman: The Animated Series opening.
• The battle theme in Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria and Tales of Legendia sound suspiciously similar. Incidentally, while both titles have different composers (Motoi Sakuraba for Silmeria and Go Shina for Legendia), Sakuraba is the normal composer for the Tales of series.
• Vampire Survivors: "When the Clouds Drown," one of Moongolow's themes, is a clear homage to "Lost Painting" from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, particularly in the first thirty seconds of the song.
• In Acclaim's PlayStation racing game Vanishing Point (no relation to the movie):
  • "Receptor" sounds alot like the psytrance song "Superbooster" by The Infinity Project, with hints of Juno Reactor's "Guardian Angel".
  • The second half of "Purple Maze" (no relation to "Purple Haze") sounds like "Stella (Tall Paul Remix)" by Jam & Spoon.
  • The synth melody of "Q" sounds like the B-section of the Light Plane BGM from Pilotwings, which itself borrows from the sax riff of Men at Work's "Who Can It Be Now?"
• While all of the songs in the game are inspired by existing tracks, "Dave's Anthem" from Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense is almost a direct copy of "Highway Star" by 70s rockers Deep Purple.
• The Argus battle theme in Vanquish is similar to "The Dusk Gathers" from Contra: Shattered Soldier, which also plays while fighting a Transforming Mecha.

W-Z

• Waku Waku 7: Bonus-kun's theme "Gently Forgiving" doesn't sound like Ryu's theme in the way rearranging parts of a song might make it sound not so similar.
• Unlicensed NES game War in the Gulf contains close soundalikes of Judas Priest's "Atomic Eye", "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne and "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and "Still Loving You" by the Scorpions.
• Wario Land: Shake It! contains a few. "Soggybog River" is clearly a suspiciously similar version of "Eye of the Tiger" and "Gurgle Gulch" being one of the original Underground theme from Super Mario Bros. Another one of note is “Stonecarving City” which bears a strong resemblance to Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” and “Greenhorn Forest” from Wario World.
• The 2nd stage from Wayne's World for the SNES has background music that sounds awfully similar to "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix.
• Aki's WCW/nWo Revenge could make this trope look like Kouji Niikura Version. Not only the main menu receives a knockoff, the Souled Out arena also gets one, in form of an extremely catchy, somewhat parasitic and insanely rockified version of Cammy's theme from Street Fighter Alpha 3. Just wait till the lead guitar kicks in. By the way, SFA3 was released two months prior to Revenge...
• Wild ARMs:
  • The overworld theme in the original Wild ARMs has more than just a few bits taken from "The Ecstasy of Gold" from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
  • Twilight Venom uses The Good, the Bad and the Ugly's famous five-note whistle in its theme.
  • In Wild ARMs 3, the theme for the town of Claiborne resembles "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas.
  • Many of the themes in Wild ARMs: Alter Code: F are not direct remixes of tracks from the original Wild Arms but Suspiciously Similar Songs, for example, the Curan Abbey theme.
  • "Cold Darkness" in the original version of the first game sounds like a "dark" version of "Only You (and You Alone)".
  • In Wild ARMs 4, the bridge of "Gun Blaze" is taken from the main theme of (again) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
• In WinBack, the first boss theme is similar to the intro and breakdown of "Tinkletoon" (the Las Vegas BGM) from Rush 2.
• Upon the reveal, the main theme for the indie title Wing of Darkness, "Eisen Flügel", almost immedietly drew comparisons to Attack on Titan's well known main theme "Guren No Yumiya".
• The invincibility potion theme in the first Wizards & Warriors sounds like the beginning of "Baba O'Riley" by The Who.
• In Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap:
  • The Danger Zone sounds similar to the Jungle BGM from Contra. The intro riff also resembles that of "Runaway" by Bon Jovi.
  • "Sidecrawler's Dance" is similar to part of the theme from the Amiga game Crystal Hammer.
• Wolfenstein 3-D had a song that was a mashup of Suspiciously Similar Songs to classic "war" tunes. Let's face it, Bobby Prince isn't known for his originality.
• Part of "Three Minutes Clapping" from The World Ends with You sounds like a riff from Kansas' "Carry on Wayward Son", and another part sounds like a riff from Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey".
• By the admission of the composer, "Ode To The Bridge Builder" from World of Goo is a suspiciously similar version of "Amazing Grace" In the Style of Ennio Morricone's Spaghetti Western scores.
• Xenosaga:
  • The Mazinger Z theme gets this treatment again in Xenosaga II, fittingly enough as the Leitmotif for a pair of Super Robot Otaku.
  • The main battle music in Xenosaga Episode III resembles the theme to Inspector Gadget.
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon's Kamurocho Battle Theme from 0:36 on sounds an awful lot like the infamous "Gangnam Style" by PSY.
• Yume Penguin Monogatari's first boss theme is essentially just "E1M1 At Doom's Gate" from Doom
• The title theme of the Neo Geo shmup Zed Blade/Operation Ragnarok sounds like Two Unlimited's "Get Ready For This".
• The final battle theme from Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner sounds similar to Father and Son from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Taking on the Shagohod from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

---