Best of Final Fantasy CD!

[Wolf Kanno]

Alright, say you decided to make your own makeshift "Best of" CD for Final Fantasy... yes I'm aware you have probably already done this but bear with me and just play along...

Anyway, choose 18 tracks to build your Ultimate quintessential FF soundtrack from all official FF games (the Legend and Adventure series do not count I'm afraid.) You may even use arranged or variations of tracks, for example, you may use the Advent Children version of Aerith's theme or the arranged version of Aria Di Mezzo Carraterre and even the Black Mages version of Battle on the Bridge. All I ask is that you limit it to 18 tracks and you are not allowed to either choose an official piece (You can't say the first disc of the FFX or FFVI soundtracks:rolleyes2 ).

Have fun

[The Ceej]

Off the top of my head (and I may change my mind without notice because there are way too many great Final Fantasy songs), I'd have to say the following:

FFVIII- The Landing
FFIV - Boss Battle
The Final Fantasy Prologue
FFVII - Main Theme
FFV - Clash On The Big Bridge
FFIX - Black Mage Village
FFVIII - My Mind
FFIV - Main Theme
FFV - Cursed Lands
FFVII - Oppressed People
FFX-2 - Yuna's Theme
FFX - Suteki Da Ne
FFIX - Melodies Of Life
FFVII - Those Chosen By The Planet
FFVI - Dancing Mad
FFVI - Boss Battle
FFV - Unknown Lands
FFVII - Rufus' Welcome Ceremony

And these are in the order I thought of them, not the order in which I like them. I can't say what's my favorite. And if there were any more room on the CD after that, I'd have to add J-E-N-O-V-A.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'll post my current choices (may change on a whim)

Aria Di Mezzo Caraterre - FFVI (Arranged Version with Vocals)
Tina's Theme - FFVI (Arranged Piano Version)
Dancing Mad - FFVI (Black Mages Version)
Aerith's Theme - FFVII (AC Piano Version)
Battle On the Bridge - FFV (Black Mages Version)
Black Chocobo Theme - FFIV
Torian Beauty - FFIV (Arranged Version)
Freya's Theme - FFIX
Not Alone - FFIX
Dear Friends - FFV (Arranged Piano Version)
Home Sweet Home - FFV (Arranged Vocal Version)
Staff Credits - FFT (Unimaginative title but an amazing piece none the less)
Epsers Boss Theme - FFXII (Can't remember it's true name)
Those Chosen By The Planet - FFVII
Epitaph - FFVI
Liberi Fatali - FFVIII
Prelude - All versions
Still More Fighting - FFVII (Black Mages Version)

[The Ceej]

You know, it's too bad we couldn't use songs from Chrono Trigger because I'd love to put the Zeal Kingdom theme on the album. I could make something come off to fit that on.

[Brennan]

I don't have any albums, but I do know the songs so...

FF8 - Those Who Fight Further
FF10 - The Skies Above
FF10 - To Zanarkand
FF7 - J-E-N-O-V-A
FF5 - Battle on the Big Bridge
FF4 - Main Theme
FF9 - Battle Theme
FF9 - Kuja Fight

And the Prelude for everyone of them

[The Ceej]

Am I the only one who prefers the Prologue to the Prelude? I love the Prologue. In fact, the only time it got old was when I spent half an hour trying to steal the dark matter from Zeromus. But half an hour of any song will likely annoy you. The Prelude is a good song and all, but it's not as good as the Prologue and it gets annoying relatively quickly. 'Course that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

[Croyles]

My personal one is quite piano/orchestra/symphony heavy.

In numerical order:

FFII:
Main Theme (Symphonic Suite version)

FFIII:
Memory of the Wind/Legend of the Eternal Wind (Nintendo DS version)

FFVI:
Terra's Theme Vocal
Searching for Friends

FFVII/AC:
Main Theme
Main Theme Piano (AC version)
Cosmo Canyon Piano
Aeris's Theme (AC version)
The Promised Land (AC)

FFVIII:
Liberi Fatali
Blue Fields (Orchestrated version, not horrible ingame version)
Blue Fields (Piano version)

FFIX:
Your Not Alone (Tour De Japon orchestrated version)

FFX:
People Of The North Pole
To Zanarkand
Suteki Da Ne

FFX2:
Eternity - Memory of Lightwaves (Piano version)

FFXII:
Clash on the Bridge

[charliepanayi]

In chronological order (I'd probably go mad trying to order these, save for having Liberi Fatali at the start and Holding my Thoughts in my Heart at the end):

Tifa's Theme (FFVII)
FFVII Main Theme (Arranged Version - FFVII)
Flowers Blooming in the Church (FFVII)
Holding my Thoughts in my Heart (FFVII)
Life Stream (FFVII)
Aeris' Theme (FFVII)
Liberi Fatali (FFVIII)
Fisherman's Horizon (Piano Version - FFVIII)
The Castle (FFVIII)
The Extreme (FFVIII)
Ending Theme (FFVIII)
The Place I'll Return to Someday (FFIX)
Over the Hill (FFIX)
Eiko's Theme (FFIX)
Oeilvert (FFIX)
You Are Not Alone (FFIX)
Melodies of Life (FFIX)
To Zanarkand (FFX)

[Wolf Kanno]

You know, it's too bad we couldn't use songs from Chrono Trigger because I'd love to put the Zeal Kingdom theme on the album. I could make something come off to fit that on.

We'll stick to FF themes, Mitsuda has made enough good tracks to warrant his own "Best of" CD. If I allowed CT, I would also have to allow CC and Xenogears and then while I'm at it, I would have to add Vagrant Story for the Hitoshi Sakimoto fans. It's easier this way.

Am I the only one who prefers the Prologue to the Prelude? I love the Prologue. In fact, the only time it got old was when I spent half an hour trying to steal the dark matter from Zeromus. But half an hour of any song will likely annoy you. The Prelude is a good song and all, but it's not as good as the Prologue and it gets annoying relatively quickly. 'Course that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

I hear ya, the Gold Saucer theme and many of the minigame themes throughout the series, drive me crazy...

[Slothy]

God it's tough to choose. I'll give my picks, but they could easily change on a whim. All of these are the original versions unless noted otherwise.

FFIV:
Prelude
The Lunarians
Within the Giant

FFVI:
Terra
Cyan
Celes
Aria Di Mezzo Caeattere
New Continent
The Fierce Battle
Tina (FFVI Piano Collections)

FFVII:
Opening - Bombing Mission
Aeris
Those Chosen by the Planet

FFVIII:
Liberi Fatali

FFIX:
The Place I'll Return to Someday

FFX:
At Zanarkand

FFT:
Bland Logo
Staff Credit

Curse you Wolf Kanno for holding me to 18 tracks.

[Heath]

18? I guess I'd try and pick two tracks each from 4-10 & 12 then fill in the gaps.

1. IV The Dreadful Fight (Four Fiends Battle theme)
2. IV Tower of Babil
3. V Battle with Gilgamesh
4. V The Dragon Spreads It's Wings
5. VI Cyan's Theme
6. VI Forever Rachel
7. VII On The Day, 5 Years Ago
8. VII Still More Fighting
9. VIII Truth
10. VIII Julia
11. IX Freya's Theme
12. IX Hunter's Chance
13. X To Zanarkand
14. X Illusion
15. XII The Forgotten Capital
16. XII The Sochen Cave Palace
17. VII Cid's Theme
18. Final Fantasy Main Theme

Dear God, 18 tracks is terribly limiting! I don't even think the 18 I've picked entirely do the music justice. I could probably do with 18 tracks per Final Fantasy.

[The Ceej]

18. Final Fantasy Main Theme

Are you referring to the Prologue? Please say you are because, for such a Final Fantasy staple, it's not getting many votes.

[Slothy]

Prologue isn't what most people think of when they think FF main theme I think. True it is a great song, but keep in mind, we're limited to choosing 18 out of a few hundred songs.

[Heath]

Yes, I do mean Prologue having cross-referenced the PSF I was thinking of to a piece on Final Fantasy Classic. I just felt it would be a bit odd for it not to be on there, really. To be honest, I prefer Prologue to Prelude (which sounds like the title of a really bad novel) though they're both certainly iconic pieces of FF music.

[Ouch!]

Boy, this is difficult.

1. Into the Darkness - Final Fantasy IV Celtic Moon
2. Main Theme - Final Fantasy IV Piano Collection
3. Theme of Love (Arranged Version) - Final Fantasy N Generation
4. My Home, Sweet Home - Final Fantasy V Piano Collection
5. Ahead on Our Way - Final Fantasy V Piano Collection
6. Aria Di Mezzo Carattere (Arranged Version) - Final Fantasy N Generation
7. Opening Theme - Tina - Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale
8. Mystery Train - Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale
9. Main Theme (Orchestrated) - Final Fantasy VII Reunion
10. J-E-N-O-V-A - Final Fantasy VII Piano Collection
11. Ami - Final Fantasy VIII Piano Collection
12. The Man with the Machine Gun - Final Fantasy VIII Orchestra Fithos Lusec Wecos Venosec
13. The Place I'll Return to Someday - Final Fantasy IX Piano Collection
14. A Face Unforgotten - Final Fantasy IX OST
15. Vamo 'Alla Flamenco - Final Fantasy IX Piano Collection
16. To Zanarkand - Final Fantasy X Piano Collection
17. Eternity Memory of Lightwaves - Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection
18. Clash on the Big Bridge - Final Fantasy XII OST

Undoubtedly it didn't escape anyone's notice that I prefer piano and arranged versions of the songs. There's so much more I wanted to put on this list, but given the limit...