Part 1 of the Honor Roll begins later in this first post.
Honor Roll Part 2 is here.
Results past the Honor Roll start here.
The final section of the list is here.
User submitted analysis questions are here.
Comment permission share link for the results is here, in order to manipulate the data as you see fit, please make a copy.
Finally, skip ahead to the discussion.
Meta-Data
Submission Statistics
Number of participants submitted: 48
Number of unique games submitted: 304
Number of games on the Honor Roll: 219
Number of games on the Official Game & Sounds Ranking: 84
Number of unique submissions which are not even videogames: 3
Chronology Based Meta-Data
The oldest game on the list is from: 1985
The newest game on the list is from: The Future
…the newest game that has actually been released was out on: March 16th, 2022
The average year of release for all unique submissions: 2001
The average year adjusted to weight games higher for being picked more: 2002
QUESTION: What are the best years for videogame music?
ANSWER: For better or worse, it appears that Insert Credit are quite firmly 90s kids, cursed to remember the 90s forever.
Here is a chart for all unique submissions, by year of release:
Five distinct years within the 90s have more games represented in the results than the single best years in the 80s, the aughts, 20teens, and the 2020s. Weighting more in favor of the games which were picked multiple times doesn’t change the shape of the chart all that much either.
Platform Based Meta-Data
QUESTION: What style of videogame platform has the best OSTs?
ANSWER: Well, this data isn’t particularly well organized, but it seems that home consoles are quite dominant in the OST department.
Essentially, most of the kinds of platforms that contain the submitted OSTs are either home console exclusives, or are on consoles as well as other platforms. Combined that’s about 3/4s of all submissions.
Best Console/Platform by OSTs
I hacked away at the data a bit here, eliminated counting Multiplatform games entirely (with the idea that these OSTSs would have a greater chance of being written with the console and its associated aesthetics in mind), and snipped off anything that got only 1 or 2 submissions on that platform.
The disproportionately high number of PlayStation and SNES games is a big part of the 90s dominance as well.
Geographic Based Meta-Data
Best OSTs by Region of Origin
If everyone who submitted lists of 6-10 games from Japan thought “someone else will submit some games from Europe or whatever,” well, I’m here to tell you that, no, they did not:
It would probably make more sense to see what the breakdown is without Japanese games…
I have a bit of a feeling that this might look a lot like a breakdown of the non-Japanese videogame market, but not exactly.
Also, without further ado, I would like to recognize…
The Insert Credit Game & Sounds Poll Honor Roll of Countries
Awarded to all countries who made it on to the list with one game:
Czech Republic (Pictured)
Iceland (Pictured)
Ireland (Pictured)
Mexico (Pictured)
Russia (Pictured)
People’s Republic of China (Pictured)
Republic of Korea (Pictured)
The Official 2022 Insert Credit Game & Sounds Poll Most Honorable Users
These four users each submitted a list that added eight distinct entries to the Honor Roll, the highest number of distinct entries among all participants.
@◉◉maru @thebryanjzx90 @Samograj @Karasu
The Official 2022 Insert Credit Game & Sounds Poll Most Idiosyncratic Iconoclasts
This is a ranked list of users whose submitted entries received the least amount of votes in total. The number directly to the right of the user’s name is the total number of votes all of the games they submitted received, combined. The numbers below are the number of games submitted which made the honor roll (as in, they received one vote), plus the number of votes each other non Honor Roll submission received.
Two Time Reigning Iconoclast Champion
@◉◉maru : 12
8 Honor Roll Games + 2 + 2
@Fran : 13
7 Honor Roll Games + 2 + 2 + 2
@thebryanjzx90 : 14
8 Honor Roll Games + 3 + 3
@Karasu : 14
8 Honor Roll Games + 4 + 2
@copySave : 16
6 Honor Roll Games + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2
@connrrr : 16
5 Honor Roll Games + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2
The Honor Roll
Games which received one vote.
Game names should be clickable links to Youtube uploads/playlists of the OST in question. These are either user submitted or quickly done, so accuracy in that regard may be lacking.
| Name of Game | Year of Release | Main Platform | Developer | Country of Origin |
|---|
| Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown | 2019 | Multiplatform | Namco, Project Aces | Japan |
| Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War | 2006 | PS2 | Namco | Japan |
| Alien Crush | 1988 | PC Engine | Compile | Japan |
| Anno Mutationem | 2022 | Multiplatform | ThinkingStars | China |
| Anodyne 2: Return To Dust | 2019 | Multiplatform | Analgesic Productions | USA |
| Ape Escape 3 | 2005 | PS2 | SCEJ | Japan |
| Armed Police Batrider | 1998 | Arcade | Raizing | Japan |
| Banjo-Kazooie | 1998 | N64 | Rare | UK |
| Battle Mania: Daiginjō | 1993 | Genesis | Vic Tokai | Japan |
| Beyond Good & Evil | 2003 | Multiplatform | Ubisoft :/ | France |
| Bit Generations: Orbital | 2006 | GBA | Skip Ltd, Q-Games | Japan |
| Bloodborne | 2015 | PS4 | From Software | Japan |
| Broken Reality | 2018 | Multiplatform | Dynamic Media Triad | Mexico |
| Bubble Bobble | 1986 | Arcade | Taito | Japan |
| Capcom vs SNK 2 | 2001 | Arcade | Capcom | Japan |
| Castlevania: Bloodlines | 1994 | Genesis | Konami | Japan |
| Castlevania: Lament of Innocence | 2003 | PS2 | Konami | Japan |
| Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia | 2008 | DS | Konami | Japan |
| Castlevania: Rondo of Blood | 1993 | PC Engine | Konami | Japan |
| Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | 1997 | PS1 | Konami | Japan |
| Chibi Robo! | 2005 | Gamecube | Skip Ltd., Vanpool, PREMIUM BANDAI | Japan |
| Chrono Trigger: The Brink of Time (Jazz Remix CD) | 1995 | CD/SNES | GUIDO | Japan |
| Cleopatra Fortune | 1996 | Arcade | Taito | Japan |
| Contact | 2006 | DS | Grasshopper Manufacture | Japan |
| Contra | 1987 | NES | Konami | Japan |
| Contra III: The Alien Wars | 1992 | SNES | Konami | Korea |
| CrossCode | 2018 | Multiplatform | Radical Fish Games | Germany |
| CROSSNIQ+ | 2019 | Multiplatform | FUTURE MEMORY (Max Krieger) | USA |
| Crypt of the Necrodancer | 2015 | Multiplatform | Brace Yourself Games | Canada |
| Daikōkai Jidai II | 1993 | SNES | KOEI Co., Ltd. | Japan |
| Dance Dance Revolution 4th Mix | 2000 | Arcade | Konami | Japan |
| DARIUSBURST | 2009 | PSP | Pyramid | Japan |
| Darkest Dungeon | 2015 | Multiplatform | Red Hook Studios | Canada |
| Dead Cells | 2018 | PC | Motion Twin | France |
| Deltarune | TBA | Multiplatform | Toby Fox | USA |
| Diablo II | 2001 | PC | Blizzard | USA |
| Dicey Dungeons | 2019 | Multiplatform | Terry Cavanagh | Ireland |
| Diddy Kong Racing | 1997 | N64 | Rare | UK |
| Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze | 2014 | Wii U | Retro Studios | USA |
| Dragon Quest IV | 1990 | NES | Chunsoft | Japan |
| Dragon Quest VIII | 2004 | PS2 | Level-5 | Japan |
| DuckTales | 1989 | NES | Capcom | Japan |
| DUSK | 2018 | Multiplatform | David Szymanski | USA |
| EarthBound Beginnings | 1989 | NES | APE | Japan |
| Ecco the Dolphin 2: The Tides of Time | 1994 | Genesis | Novotrade International | USA |
| else Heart.Break() | 2015 | PC | Erik Svedäng | Sweden |
| Eschatos | 2011 | Multiplatform | Qute | Japan |
| Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City | 2010 | DS | Atlus | Japan |
| Etrian Odyssey IV | 2012 | 3DS | Atlus | Japan |
| Etrian Odyssey Nexus | 2018 | 3DS | Atlus | Japan |
| Europa Universalis 4 | 2013 | PC | Paradox Interactive | Sweden |
| EVE Online | 2003 | PC | CCP Games | Iceland |
| F-Zero GX | 2003 | Gamecube | Amusement Vision | Japan |
| F-Zero X | 1998 | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Japan |
| Famicom Detective Club Part II: The Girl Who Stands Behind | 1989 | NES | Nintendo | Japan |
| FAR: Lone Sails | 2018 | Multiplatform | Okomotive, Miktvision | France |
| Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles | 2004 | Gamecube | Square Enix | Japan |
| Final Fantasy IX | 2000 | PS1 | Square | Japan, USA |
| Final Fantasy V | 1992 | SNES | Squaresoft | Japan |
| Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light | 2009 | DS | Matrix Software | Japan |
| Flower, Sun, and Rain | 2001 | PS2 | Grasshopper Manufacture | Japan |
| Flywrench | 2015 | PC | Messhof | USA |
| Forecast Channel | 2006 | Wii | Nintendo | Japan |
| FRAGILE Sayonara Tsuki no Haikyo | 2009 | Wii | Tri-Crescendo | Japan |
| Furi | 2016 | Multiplatform | The Game Bakers | France |
| G-Darius | 1997 | Multiplatform | Taito | Japan |
| G-String | 2020 | PC | Eyaura | Japan |
| Game & Watch Gallery | 1997 | Game Boy | TOSE | Japan |
| Ghouls N’ Ghosts | 1988 | Arcade | Sega | Japan |
| Gitaroo Man | 2001 | PS2 | iNiS Corporation, Koei Techmo Games | Japan |
| God of War 2018 | 2018 | PS4 | Sony | USA |
| Gran Turismo 4 | 2004 | PS2 | Polyphony Digital | Japan |
| Granblue Fantasy | 2014 | Mobile | Cygames | Japan |
| Grandia | 1997 | Saturn | Game Arts | Japan |
| Gravity Rush | 2012 | Vita | Japan Studio | Japan |
| grim fandango | 1998 | PC | LucasArts | USA |
| Guilty Gear | 1998 | PS1 | Arc System Works | Japan |
| Guilty Gear XX: The Midnight Carnival | 2002 | Multiplatform | Arc System Works | Japan |
| Heracles no Eikou IV: Kamigami kara no Okurimono | 1994 | SNES | Data East Corporation | Japan |
| Incredible Crisis | 1999 | PS1 | Polygon Magic | Japan |
| Journey to Silius | 1990 | NES | Sunsoft | Japan |
| Jumping Flash! | 1995 | PS1 | Exact | Japan |
| Katamari Forever | 2009 | PS3 | Genki | Japan |
| Kero Blaster | 2014 | Multiplatform | Studio Pixel | Japan |
| Killer7 | 2005 | Gamecube | Grasshopper Manufacture | Japan |
| Kirby’s Dream Land | 1992 | Game Boy | HAL Laboratory | Japan |
| Knuckles’ Chaotix | 1995 | Genesis | Sega | Japan |
| La Mulana | 2013 | PC | Nigoro | Japan |
| Lagrange Point | 1991 | SNES | Konami | Japan |
| Landing Gear | 1996 | Arcade | Taito | Japan |
| Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole | 1992 | Genesis | Climax Entertainment | Japan |
| Layer Section | 1995 | Saturn | Taito | Japan |
| Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC | 2006 | PC | Nihon Falcom | Japan |
| Legend of Mana | 1999 | PS1 | Square | Japan |
| LISA: The Painful | 2014 | PC | Dingaling | USA |
| Live a Live | 1994 | SNES | Squaresoft | Japan |
| LocoRoco | 2006 | PSP | SCEJ | Japan |
| Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals | 1995 | SNES | Neverland | Japan |
| Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color | 2002 | PS2 | Garakuda-Studio | Japan |
Continued in next post…
