New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Sound design in games is highly complex and some games rely on noises to even function correctly. In survival horror games, like Dead Space, being able to hear the enemy when you can't see them is part of the genre.
And what about when you're trying to focus on a game that requires concentration, poker or blackjack for example? But, of course, not all games need designer sound to do what they need to do.
Some even benefit from music, games like GTA even encourage it by having their own radio station! But it's worth reiterating that listening to your own music while playing a game might lead you to fall foul of some nefarious entity or missing out on clues.
So why not play the game with the original score/sound and then go back and give it another go with your choice of tunes? With that in mind, let's match some chart music with some of the most popular games of 2023.
Minecraft
This classic genre-defining game is almost crying out for chart tunes as you build and destroy blocks in your own, private world. And there is no shortage of contenders, you can even create your own playlists within the game.
It would seem that soothing music goes well with Minecraft, so how about something more focused on notes and less on vocals? Elton John's 'Song for Guy' seems to reflect the lonely, dystopian mood of the game, but it's pretty enough to keep things moving.
It was also one of John's most successful singles and reached No. 4 in January 1979, where it stayed for ten weeks. After you've finished, 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' will keep the mood going nicely.
Slingo
Slingo games are a great example of when music can benefit play. You hit the button and the rest is taken care of.
So long as you can follow the numbers/symbols and work out the dynamics of gameplay without a second thought, you can play what you want. But if you don't want to spend hours choosing something, we have a sure-fire suggestion.
Because it moves fast, yet has a definitive rhythm, hip-hop is going to be a great accompaniment to slingo. And you've loads of playlists at your disposal, but Money Maker by Ludacris feels like a good place to begin.
It debuted at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2006 and entered the top 40 at number 15 the following week. It may not have done so well back in the day, but these days it's regarded as a classic.
God of War
Action-adventure games can also leave enough space for some of your own music. And, really, only heavy metal is going to work with GOW, now the main issue is choosing the right band.
So, we'll go back to the inventor of the genre, Black Sabbath and their only single to top the chart, Paranoid. This classic works perfectly with the on-screen action, and you're more than free to keep exploring their back catalogue when it ends.
Paranoid was in the charts for 18 weeks and on the 29th of August 1970 it climbed to its highest position of 4. It's the first track on their first album so just keep going…
Final Fantasy XVI
The music for the fantasy TV series Game of Thrones is composed by Ramin Djawadi, and it's perfect for Final Fantasy XVI. Why? Because the latest incarnation of this long-running action role-playing game has been shamelessly inspired by George RR Martin's popular novel series.
Unfortunately, while it may seem like a long introduction to a TV show, the song is only one minute and forty-six seconds long. So why not follow up with some good old-fashioned classical music starting with Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries and take your cue from there?
The theme music for GOT didn't dent the UK charts, but it got 22 in the Belgium Ultratop charts in 2014 and peaked at 65 in the French Singles Charts five years later. As for Wagner, he died in 1883, 69 years before the first official UK chart, but he does have his very own opera house, which is nice.
Street Fighter 6
The classic beat 'em up is now in its seventh (yes, that wasn't a typo) incarnation, and it's lost none of its punch if you'll pardon the pun. And it's a great game to play while enjoying your favourite tunes, too.
We think some US pop and country music is perfect for SF6, so how about a bit of Taylor Swift? And we recommend starting the session off with 2017's 'End Game' featuring Ed Sheeran for obvious reasons.
Okay, it only got to 49 in the UK Charts, but we think it's a Number One choice here!
