I'll be honest, the only tune I actually liked from the Space Harrier 2 soundtrack was "Handcuff" (also sometimes known as "Wizard"). I appreciate that they ported said tune to MarkV fair and square, but the Genesis/Mega Drive version hits harder, simply put. Compare 16:31 to ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yEMAC0j8DW4.html While the MarkV treatment has much higher fidelity and better bass, it misses some of the elements heard in the MD original. Particularly the way the metal-sounding synth C note that starts at 0:04 lingers all the way to 0:06 before suddenly cutting off. That part always gave me goosebumps. It's missing in the updated version-in fact that instrument is subdued and barely heard at all now.
After seeing different blogs and people mention that the soundtrack has been rearranged or updated for the Mini 2, I was curious to hear it for myself and thanks for the upload. But after listening through virtually all 40 minutes of the soundtrack I'm kinda disappointed tbo to the point where I prefer the original. I don't know how or what Bo the original composer did with the YM2612, and maybe I need to take the time to pull up and examine his FM settings with Dexed out of curiosity to see how, but it was a unique drum sound that has never been duplicated or reused in any other Sega titles to my knowledge. Space Harrier's Arcade PCM and sound engine just doesn't fit the mood or the composition the way it was on the original Genesis to me. In a lot of ways I wish Sega could have somehow found or tapped Bo on the shoulder for him to handle the conversion of the audio himself. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad at all but for me it leaves something to be desired.
I personally think this version is better. I guess it depends on whether or not you grew up with the original Genesis/Mega Drive version of Space Harrier II or not. This rearranged version was the first time I truly played through this game and now the original version of the soundtrack just sounds worse to me, or at least more basic.
Yeah agree with the sentiment. It's a great port either way, but some of my favourite tracks on the original SHII don't ring the same here. The sound person doing the rearrangements prob worked to the prompt "must feel like the original Space Harrier" which I guess this version achieves well. It also indicates I prefer SHII's tracks as more compositionally interesting than the original Space Harrier game. ;)
Hmmm while I appreciate this port, the music reworking kinda lost some of the compositional details that made the original Space Harrier II soundtrack interesting.
@@FuzzballRenakitty if you'd like, I do suggest checking out Matt Furniss's remixes on a few music tracks, the Commodore 64 and Amiga port do give them different vibes
@@turrican3839 Oh I am very aware of those! I am a big fan of Matt Furniss's music on the Megadrive and I have many of his covers for other ports too~ c:
Thanks for the upload! I was wondering if you could also do Fantasy Zone (The System 16 Port, not Super)'s OST? It has some new tracks and hasn't been uploaded yet. They are specifically tracks from Space Harrier but arranged in style of Fantasy Zone.
You mean the Fantasy Zone port on the Genesis Mini 2? The Space Harrier soundtrack there is a secret option (hold B when selecting a mode), and these alternative tracks and effects aren't listed in the sound test menu, so I can't really get a clean recording of them. The best I could do is a playthrough of the game with the alternative soundtrack.
Yeah, that's what I meant by port. Also they aren't listed there? I swear I remember someone had gotten into the soundtest and played a bit of the new shop theme.
