Album Review: Daniel Tidwell – Versus Video Games 3 (Daniel Tidwell)

The longest of the three (currently but we can expect the 4th in the near future) Versus Video Games 3 opens with a piece of music that I’ve wanted to hear get the metal treatment for some time.

The Main Theme of Metal Gear Solid is a fantastic piece of music in itself but remixed in a metal way it just sounds even bigger. It really is an incredible start that gets you well & truly pumped for the following 30+ tracks. It’s a a hell of a lengthy album but filled with some of Daniel Tidwell’s most unique takes on video game music to date.

Where else are you going to find heavy metal versions of the Trainer Battle from Pokemon Red, Blue & Yellow? How about the a stunning rendition of Terra’s Theme from Final Fantasy VI? Or the haunting melody of Not Tomorrow from Silent Hill?

Capturing every drop of emotion & nostalgia in the squeals of a guitar, throb of a bass & bashing of drums.

With 33 tracks, everyone will have their own personal favourites here but some of the standout tracks include Vivi’s Theme from Final Fantasy IX (that double kick pedal drum!).

An instrumental version of Still Alive from Portal, The Monkey Island Theme, Spring Yard Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog & Knee-Deep in the Dead (Doom). The last one of those actually has some well sung death metal vocals too.

In fact there a number of tracks here that have vocals. A death metal version of Still Alive from Portal will put a wry smile on your face while Stab the Metal Sword of Justice from Star Ocean: The Second Story is an epic way to see out an album that is arguably the best of the bunch so far.

Based on the huge amount of quality content, this is the definitive Versus Video Games album. It’s got a few misses here & there. Green Greens from Kirby’s Dream Land, Stage 1 Theme from Journey to Silius & Song B from Gauntlet are three that fall a bit flat.

The thing is the good easily out-weighs the bad & even the ones that don’t hit as well aren’t terribly done songs! If you’re thinking about picking up one of these albums then I would suggest this is the one you grab. 33 slices of Video Game gold turned into hard-rocking metal songs with the volume turned up to 11.

Overall Track Listing:

1. Main Theme (Metal Gear Solid)
2. Trainer Battle (Pokemon Red, Blue & Yellow)
3. Main Theme (The Last of Us)
4. Stab the Sword of Justice – Battle Theme (Star Ocean: The Second Story)
5. Liberi Fatali (Final Fantasy VIII)
6. Terra’s Theme (Final Fantasy VI)
7. Vivi’s Theme (Final Fantasy IX)
8. Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII)
9. Not Tomorrow (Silent Hill)
10. Boss Battle (Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals)
11. Green Greens (Kirby’s Dream Land)
12. Haunted Woods (Diddy Kong Racing)
13. Dragonborn (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
14. Still Alive – Instrumental (Portal)
15. Blue Water Blue Sky (Guilty Gear)
16. Storm Eagle (Mega Man X)
17. Spark Mandrill (Mega Man X)
18. Act 4-2 (Ninja Gaiden)
19. Stage 1 (Battletoads & Double Dragon)
20. Halloween Stage (Tetris Battle Gaiden)
21. Stage 1 Theme (Journey to Silius)
22. Organic Beat (Phantasy Star 4)
23. Song B (Gauntlet)
24. The Song of Storms (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
25. Corneria (Star Fox)
26. Monkey Island Theme
27. Boss Theme (Castle of Illusion Starting Mickey Mouse)
28. Shadow Boss (Double Dragon II)
29. Spring Yard Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)
30. Still Alive – Death Metal Vocals (Portal)
31. Knee-Deep in the Dead – At Doom’s Gate (Doom)
32. Restore Glory (Conquest of the Crystal Palace)
33. Stab the Metal Sword of Justice (Star Ocean – The Second Story)

You can buy & find out more about Daniel Tidwell’s incredible work over on his Bandcamp page here. You can follow him on Twitter here & like him on Facebook here. Also subscribe to his YouTube channel here as well as support him over on Kickstarter here & on Patreon here.

Seriously, chuck him a little bit of money, his work is incredible.