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Shining Force was one of my favorite games as a child. It is a tactical RPG, so planning where to put your fighters required a lot of thinking especially when you get all clumped up / stuck in narrow corridors. I also enjoyed the music very much. Even though I can still its many weaknesses today this game still has excellent tracks. Here is my review of it.

1- Prologue

If you do not press start when you turned the Genesis On. The arrangements are very fitting for the title (and what happens on-screen, i.e. the game’s introduction). It really sounds like you are shown a great legend and what you are to expect. The main “flute” has an excellent, mysterious beat to it while the occasional string in the background is a good addition.

2- City

The theme inside any normal city. It sounds very nice and welcoming. The main “flute” in the first part of the loop sounds joyful and upbeat, while the “muted” flute in the second part make the most of the welcoming feeling you get. There is even “organ” in the background that set the tempo at the right speed.

3- Castle

Self-explanatory. It sounds very solemn and militaristic… maybe a little too much. The drums are very heavy and roll constantly. Fortunately, the main “trumpet” track helps by adding a more royal feeling to the track. It “takes turn” with high-pitch flute arrangements that suffer from the limitations of the Genesis sound chip. Too bad…

4- After City Destruction

Whenever you entered a ruined / haunted place. The track sounds very sad, and the arrangements are perfect for that. The sad “flute” arrangements set the tone right while the background noise (it is not really an instrument) sets a slow, heavy tempo that is perfect. The arrangements get a little more elaborate in the second part of the loop, finishing up with high-pitch flutes that increase the feeling of mourning.

5- Headquarters

Self-explanatory. This is a nice, joyful military march. The drum roll is heavy once again, but of a better fit than the castle theme. The main track is played by a high-pitch flute, the same you used to hear in battle fields. I thought it was an interesting addition.

6- Sad

When a (usually) non-playing character tells you vital information before dying. The introduction is perfect, sounding indeed “sad.” The “harp” (it reminds me of the NES Prelude themes from Final Fantasy) plays it a slow, sad tempo that is good. The flute adds to the sorrow too; unfortunately the theme goes on and on and becomes uninteresting; it sounds like Shining in the Darkness. Just skip it.

7- World Map 1

Whenever you are outside a village. Yet another military march with heavy rolling drums, but fortunately it features the “epicness” of an overworld theme as it sound thank to good trumpet arrangements (they are sometimes interrupted by swift flute notes). The middle of the loop features more flute and no drums, which is a relief for the ears.

8- World Map 2

When you ride your boat in Chapter 5. It is an upbeat version of the preceding theme, played much quicker and actually better since it loops quicker. The trumpet arrangements are high-pitch and quick too, perfect for a military expedition.

9- Battle Scene

The battle theme. For everyone, ally or foe. This is the worst track of the album; the synthetization is just too heavy and the “trumpet” arrangements are just too-high pitch to be enjoyable. Besides a battle rarely lasts more than 10 seconds so you do not get to hear it that much in-game. Skip it.

10- Battle 1

This is not the first battlefield you encounter; I think you first encounter it in Chapter 4 when penetrating the Fortress of Balbazak. Anyway the theme is a nice military march, sounding more “serious” (as opposed to the “sadder” one in your first battle). The brass arrangements are very interesting and the drums excellent; however the occasional flute gets annoying. The second part of the loop start more quietly without the drums (but with flute), and restart the militaristic feeling afterwards.

11- Battle 2

This is actually your first battlefield, and also the most common one. I thought it was excellent when I first heard it: the military tone with the constant drum roll is excellent and the trumpet arrangements sound a little “sad” and very solemn, perfect for a military context. But once again the occasional flute gets annoying.

12- Battle 3

When you fight inside a “public place” like a village or a circus. It sounds very dramatic with the flute having a tone of “desperation” I like. The drum, once again, is very heavy and upbeat like the other battlefields. The middle of the loop features high-pitch flutes that almost sound like yapping… strange. But it does add to the feeling of urgency that you must save the village. The loop ends with nice, quieter brass arrangements.

13- Battle 4

You sea battlefield. Unlike the sea overworld, the beat is actually slower. It does not have any particular “sea” feeling to it, but it is still good. After a short “brass” intro, the trumpet kicks in with the new slower beat in a good manner that sounds epic enough.

14- Battle 5

The battlefield against Dark Sol. Oh, how much have I been looking for that theme when I first started looking for video game music! I once found one, but it did not sound right… Anyway this is the best track of the album, a very upbeat version of the “boss battle theme” from SITD. It starts with a long drum roll accompanied by loud, high-pitch trumpets. The core of the loop that the drummer hitting his instrument like mad while the main track has quick-tempoed trumpets playing very good high-pitch notes. There is also a constant sound in the background that make the track sound… haunted, in a good manner.

15- Battle 6

The final battlefield, against Dark Dragon. Not as interesting as the preceding track, but you can still feel that this is no ordinary battle. The drums are really what make the track; the other arrangements seem to fade away.

16- File Loading

Simone’s theme, the elf girl who welcomes you after pressing start. It sounds like a lullaby, and appropriately so. When you first start the game she is facing a book, summarizing the intro and inquiring for your help. It sounds good, but the heavy synth in the background kind of spoils the track a little.

17- Shutting Down/ Ending Prologue

Self-explanatory. It loops much quicker than the preceding one. Fortunately the synth has disappeared, making the track sound much more like a lullaby. However, there are still “primitive” Genesis arrangements (like the “piano” from Shining Force II in Yeel) that keep the track from becoming a classic.

19- Staff Roll

Self-explanatory. It starts with excerpts from the sea voyage theme, made with a slower tempo. This is really the most dominant sound that you will hear. Otherwise, the track is unmemorable with it SITD effects that are too primitive for a more modern game.

Final diagnosis: unless you played the original cartridge game, you might not find the soundtrack as enjoyable as I find it. There is so much drum in it that it can get annoying. Also the “flute” arrangements suffer from the limited sound capacities of the Genesis. But otherwise, you will love it!