It would appear that I am a fool. I recently made a list of my favorite fighting game themes tied to fighting game main protagonists like Sol Badguy, Ryu, Kyo Kusanagi, and more. But I really messed it up. While I still think it's a good list that meets a strict criteria and I did put a Captain America on the list, I didn't put the Captain America on the list... not the Marvel hero, but Guile. Consider this my apology for this grave oversight. Because I am a generous soul (and because Guile's music generally kicks a**), this is the top 9 fighting game theme songs that are just Guile's themes.
Featured image from TerminalMontage's hilarious Street Fighter 2 parody. Check it out.
9. Street Fighter: The Movie - The Game
When people asked why I didn't put Guile on my protagonist theme list, my answer was simple and correct: Guile hasn't ever been Street Fighter's main protagonist except in one game, Street Fighter: The Movie - The Game, where Jean-Claude Van Damme played him. And I stand by the opinion that the version of Guile's theme in that game stinks. Everything about it feels so stupidly mixed. The drums and base are basically drowning out everything else while the main melody just sounds like poor preset noises on a cheap Casio keyboard. If you would dare to put this version of Guile's theme over any other version, then I am truly sorry that you have such poor taste. Let me invite you to sample something better. Still, it is technically a Guile theme which still makes it worth mentioning, if just to shame.
8. Street Fighter Alpha 3 - Plight
So outside of Street Fighter: The Movie -The Game, I actually wouldn't say any Guile theme is bad, but I would say his Street Fighter Alpha 3 theme is just... less good than other Guile themes. It's not a bad song, but it doesn't really sound like a Guile song in my opinion. Plight sounds like something that should have been given to Adon, Cody, or Sodom instead. Someone with a mean streak, not a beef-chugging all-American hero. For that, I consider this to be the least good Guile theme.
7. Street Fighter 2 - The World Warrior
You truly can't keep a classic down. This is the one that started most people's love affair with Guile's theme in the first place. It's the well from which all better Guile themes flow and it is beloved in all ways. I wouldn't dare to put this song down, but it does go down the list simply because it's the basic version of Guile's main theme. I really love it, but the airy quality of it and overall limitations of technology at the time that are present throughout the song definitely make it a good starting point and not the end-all-be-all. You can't go wrong with this one, but Capcom's improvements on the basic formula can't be denied either.
6. SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
So you may be wondering why the heck I would put a 16-bit handheld version of Guile's theme over the original. The answer is that I love this chiptune style and I think it brings out parts of the song that other versions don't. For instance, the backing melody to the main melody has a sort of interesting swing to it that just gives it unique character. I also happen to think it sounds like if Guile's theme were adapted to a O.G. Mega Man level and that just tickles me pink.
5. Super Street Fighter 4
There's something very curious about this version of Guile's theme. On one hand, I think it's one of the heaviest versions of the song, like if Guile's regular theme was lightly dipped in hip-hop, electronica, and sludge. It's chonky, but in a good and interesting way. I still don't think it's the best we've gotten out of Guile's original theme by far, but I do think it's still better than a lot of them just for being so different.
4. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
I really, really like this version of Guile's original theme. It's crisp, it's clean, it changes things up without devolving the spirit of the song. I think my favorite part of it is how the song kind of starts out reserved and calm before really cutting loose and letting a rip with the amazing guitar, keyboard, and drums. Pretty dang cool way to honor an American hero in what has been one of the final versions of Street Fighter 2.
3. Street Fighter EX3
Street Fighter EX3's Guile theme is better than it has any right to be. Not only is it a deviation from the usual Guile theme, but it's a really good one. It's also trapped in a kind of lackluster Street Fighter game. I'll admit, I was about to write this one off becaause it starts out so slow, but it builds... Boy, howdy does it build. It invites you in, gets jazzy, and then goes hard to the paint. Not only does this Guile theme get kudos for being very different from the rest, but it also deserves praise for really knocking it out of the park once it really gets going.
2. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo
This is the best 16-bit version of Guile's theme. It's not even particularly close. Gone is the airiness I have issues with in the original version. Upped is the bass to really give this one a funky groove without drowning out the main melody. The keyboard giving a sort of bell backing to the main melody is also a nice touch. This is the version of the song I expect to hear if anyone is using the classic theme. There isn't much better than it... except for one.
1. Street Fighter 5
I am not a huge fan of Street Fighter 5. I think it took waaaaay too long to get good. However, I also think that Guile is absolutely impeccable in that game and his song is just as good. It's still riffing off the original Guile theme, but dang, they really just let the lead guitar go buckwild here and it's freaking excellent. A song about America's favorite fight man deserves to be this bombastic. You can make cases as to whether Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo or Street Fighter 5's theme should go in this number one spot. I think it goes to SFV. It's the ultimate evolution of many years of Guile theme songcraft.
There you go folks. That's the official, undeterred, unmistakeable listing of Guile songs. I hope you'll forgive me for my previous oversight, but those songs are also good so you should check them out, too. By the way, which one is your fav? Sound off and share your love for Guile.
