Mahito Yokota / Koji Kondo: Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2

"It takes less than 10 minutes in the first Galaxy to set up the series' central leitmotifs, which convey the games' character, story, and scope through sound alone. Upon booting the game up, a swift run of horns plays the main theme, a magnificent game-spanning refrain which appears during the mightiest moments, from title screen to credits. When the gameplay starts, the jaunty woodwinds that score the intro level's joyous "Star Festival" are almost immediately brought to a devastating halt by the now-iconic choral chants that shout Bowser's new villainous leitmotif, "Catastrophe," which reappears throughout the various fights with him in both games."

"The final battle with Bowser contains a seamless blend of digital synths and orchestral recordings, one of many examples in the soundtrack where the two very different styles harmoniously intertwine. The glittering synth plucks that introduce the ambient "Space Fantasy" end up paired with soft woodwinds, creating the sort of astral majesty series creator Shigeru Miyamoto envisioned when Yokota first discussed the orchestral direction with him. These intersecting styles work just as well together for intense cuts like "Buoy Base Galaxy," whose sprawling synth lead bounces around the horn section in a pounding march, emboldening the player to carry on through the industrial base in the depths of deep space."

"As extravagant as these boundless adventures can be, their scores can be equally sparse. Some of the games' best moments are when the perpetually swift energy comes to a dramatic halt-suddenly, you realize you're a mere speck i"

The music in Galaxy rapidly sets up central leitmotifs that communicate character, story, and scope through sound alone. A main theme with horns plays from boot-up and returns during major moments from title screen to credits. Early gameplay shifts from jaunty woodwinds in the Star Festival intro to choral chants that introduce Bowser’s villainous leitmotif, Catastrophe, which reappears across fights. Bowser’s new universe-conquering ambition is matched by grand musical motives. Final battles blend digital synths with orchestral recordings, pairing glittering synth plucks with soft woodwinds to create astral majesty. Intense tracks use synth leads that bounce through horn sections to drive momentum, while some standout moments rely on sudden musical restraint.

Read at Pitchfork