Song or score? A tale of two approaches

When I was growing up, video game music was mostly made up of simple songs. For instance, you'd go into a town in Final Fantasy, and you'd here the "town song." Getting in a fight brings up the "battle music." Distinct songs that play in certain situations.

Occasionally a game would come along with a different musical approach. The original NES Metroid is one that sticks in my mind. Metroid didn't use a tuneful approach. It used something more like a musical score, with undertones, small musical swells that didn't serve to give the listener a melody that would play in a person's head. It instead serves to give atmosphere and feeling.

I prefer the "tune" approach in games, but Metroid got it right. I think many games today, however, use too much "underscore" and not enough *song*. What say you?

Super Mario Kart Music Redone by the OneUps

Hat tip ECM.

Looks like Super Mario Kart is getting a treatment by the OneUps, a band that over the years has made a name for itself by making arrangements of video game music for live instruments. Kind of like the Pitch to Pixel approach in reverse, if you will.