Custom music to a music/rhythm game is like homemade whipped cream on a cup of rich, dark hot chocolate. There is nothing sweeter than grooving it out to the beat of your favorite tunes.
If you have a solid sense of inner rhythm, you can always plug the beats in manually. That's not easy to do though, which is why we've compiled a list of beat-heavy songs for you, and it won't make the game absolutely ludicrous to play.
M.O.O.N. - 'Hydrogen' [Hotline Miami Soundtrack]
BPM: 125
Custom Music Length: 4:50
Recommended Zone: 1-2, 2-1, 4-1, Deep Blues
Hydrogen is one of Hotline Miami's better songs, featuring an unmistakable beat and a great mix you can really bob your head to.
Pokemon X/Y & SSB. for Wii U - Team Flare Battle Music [Mashup] (HQ)
BPM: 170
Custom Music Length: 2:59
Recommended Zone: 4-3, Death Metal
Good Pokémon battle themes usually end up with some insane tempos with 200+ BPM — that's more than 3 beats per second! Luckily the Team Flare theme is catchy and not too quick for your fingers (or feet).
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Mt. Tamaranch (Tal Tal Heights)
BPM: 150
Custom Music Length: 7:00
Recommended Zone: 2-3, 3-2, 3-3, 4-2
Not only is Tal Tal Heights a fantastic classic Zelda song, but it's solid beat makes it great for any game that heavily relies on rhythm.
Half life 2 Episode 2 Soundtrack: Vortal Combat
BPM: 125
Custom Music Length: 3:14
Recommended Zone: 1-2, 2-1, 4-1, Deep Blues
Vortal Combat is a sweet beat from Half Life 2: Episode 2 that plays as if it deserves a spot on the NecroDancer floor.
Animal Crossing: Population Growing - Opening Theme
BPM: 120
Custom Music Length: 7:00
Recommended Zone: 1-1
Animal Crossing's original main theme has a great beat pattern that works well for a nice, calming feel. A great pick if you get overwhelmed easily.
Poké Mart - Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Music Extended
BPM: 160
Custom Music Length: 15:29
Recommended Zones: 3-3, 4-3
Don't laugh, the PokéMart theme in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire is really great with a rock-solid tempo! Just make sure the titles of your files don't have funky characters like 'é' in them.
Super Mario World Medley - Super Smash Bros. Wii U
BPM: 140
Custom Music Length: 4:06
Recommended Zone: 1-3, 2-2, 3-2, 4-2, Coral Riff
Super Mario World was full of upbeat melodies, and this great Super Smash Bros. Medley throws it all into a song with a consistent beat — fantastic!
Luigi's Mansion Series Medley - Super Smash Bros. Wii U
BPM: 155
Custom Music Length: 3:48
Recommended Zone: 2-3, 3-3, 4-3
The Luigi's Mansion Medley in Super Smash Bros. 4 has a great feeling to the music and is extremely fitting for crypt crawling.
Sword & Sworcery's Soundtrack - Lone Star by Jim Guthrie
BPM: 145
Custom Music Length: 2:35
Recommended Zone: 1-3, 2-2, 2-3, 3-2, 4-2, Coral Riff
Sword & Sworcery's indestructible soundtrack can find its use in games that are all about music and rhythm. I found Lone Star to be particularly nice and beat heavy.
Transistor Original Soundtrack - Impossible
BPM: 170
Custom Music Length: 5:09
Recommended Zone: 4-3, Death Metal
For Transistor being a game about a "mute" singer, it sure knows how to pump out the beats! Be sure to tick on 2x beats if you're playing Crypt of the NecroDancer.
Soaring the Skies - Day (Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire OST)
BPM: 150
Custom Music Length: 2:39
Recommended Zone: 2-3, 3-2, 3-3, 4-2
This is a great new song unique to Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. Soaring through the Skies of Hoenn was fun with it, now waltzing with the NecroDancer can be too!
The Impossible Game OST | Heaven
BPM: 150
Custom Music Length: 3:15
Recommended Zone: 2-3, 3-2, 3-3, 4-2
This beat-heavy track from The Impossible Game is another wonderful piece to groove to with the skeletons.
Xenoblade Chronicles Music - You Will Know Our Names
BPM: 180
Custom Music Length: 4:21
Recommended Zone: Death Metal
This quick-paced battle music from Xenoblade Chronicles is not for the faint of heart — you'll be hopping around at 3 beats per second! This one deserves to be at 2x speed in the NecroDancer's Crypt.
Half Life 2 Apprehension and Evasion Extension
BPM: 140
Custom Music Length: 7:11
Recommended Zone: 1-3, 2-2, 3-2, 4-2, Coral Riff
Half Life 2 strikes again with another rhythm-heavy beat worthy of grooving down the dance floor.
Banjo-Kazooie - Freezeezy Peak Complete [HD]
BPM: 145
Custom Music Length: 8:17
Recommended Zone: 1-3, 2-2, 2-3, 3-2, 4-2, Coral Riff
Banjo-Kazooie has some incredible music, and we're all very excited to hear what will come of the music in Yooka-Laylee. Until then, we will boogie with the greats that we've got!
Portal 2 Soundtrack - Reconstructing Science
BPM: 135
Custom Music Length: 3:24
Recommended Zone: 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-2, 3-1, 4-1, Coral Riff
Portal 2's original trailer song has some solid electro-tones and is an obvious choice for a shimmy with the NecroDancer.
FTL Advanced Edition Soundtrack: Lost Ship (Battle)
BPM: 120
Custom Music Length: 4:07
Recommended Zone: 1-1, Conga King, Deep Blues
A nice beat with an exotic feel.
Valkyria Chronicles - Desperate Fight
BPM: 150
Custom Music Length: 3:31
Recommended Zone: 2-3, 3-2, 3-3, 4-2
Valkyria Chronicles' lovely Desperate Flight is paired with a subtle but surprisingly effective beat that really knows itself.
DJ Sona’s Ultimate Skin Music - Kinetic (The Crystal Method x Dada Dada Life)
BPM: 130
Custom Music Length: 4:03
Recommended Zone: 1-2, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1
League of Legends, the internet's favorite MOBA sensation. The effort they put into their characters means DJ Sona has some epic jams to pull from, and Kinetic has a really sick beat.
The Opened Way (extended) - Shadow of the Colossus OST
BPM: 130
Custom Music Length: 3:38
Recommended Zone: 1-2, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1
Last but definitely not least, Shadow of the Colossus has a brilliant soundtrack and sounds like it fits right into the Crypt of the NecroDancer's atmosphere.
(Fanart by 45me on Twitter!)
So that's that, our top 20 video game tracks to groove to on Crypt of the NecroDancer! Of course, the original NecroDancer soundtrack is classic and can never be replaced, but sometimes we just need to kick it with our own tunes.
What are your favorite songs to use in custom music games?
Let us know what songs you love using in Crypt of the NecroDancer, osu!, and other custom music games! We may use your suggestions in another custom music list.
Join the discussion in the comments below!
