Just posted my preview of the album, with a slightly more detailed review to come in a few days.

In short, I love it.

I've got some fairly lengthy samples on the review page and for those who want to hear more be sure to have a listen to the shorter samples for the rest of the tracks on the official album page.

I'll be very curious to hear what you guys think of the album.  It's probably my top game soundtrack for the year thus far and come 2011 poll time I'd be pretty surprised if it doesn't wind up in a similar position.

I'd never cared about other SQ series, but this production was finally done in the right direction. The tracks from newer installments (especially XI and XIII) are really delightful and really surprised to find myself enjoying "Eyes on Me", its original version I just plain didn't like. 

My major gripe is some questionable track selections. Musashiden? Nanashi no Game? (I'd belileve it if it were labeled as DQ II field theme) Bleh. Also, I'd rather want to see later games transformed into 8 bit forms. FFIII are way over-arranged and already chip-tune (that's why they have to make something like yet another Dragon Quest Dance Remix here).

I look forward to a second album.

Nice preview, Adam!

Quick question on the Final Fantasy IV-V-VI Ending Medley: does it include the "Final Fantasy" theme that originally caps off FFVI?

If you had to take a wild guess on that what would it be?

Let's just say I didn't cover every single aspect of the medley.

*does the Happy Angie Dance*

Full review posted.  More detail, same message, still love it!

I'm only on Track 4 right now, so I'll reserve final judgement for when I hear the whole thing, but so far it's very good.

I love this whole album.  Best one yet for the SQ series.

Just got this in last night along with a ton of other releases here:
http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/forums … hp?id=6428

Only had time to a listen to one of the tracks. Outstanding to say the least...!

This part depressed the hell out of me, because 1) God, it really was 20 years ago when I could be considered a "younger self," and 2) It's more like 25 years.  At least, that's the time frame that feels closer to when I was most appreciative of the chiptune era.

I'm still digesting the album, but the big standout for me so far is the Chrono Trigger Character Medley.  I'm in awe by how thoroughly intelligent this arrangement is.  From start to finish, it just SOUNDS smart and efficient.  The bookending of Outskirts of Time punctuated at the right moments.  The fluid, thematic progression of the medley itself.  (I'm glad they didn't opt to loop Lucca, yet chose to keep both the OSV opening and core melodies of Frog.  Starting Magus at the tail end of his melody made for a great introduction, and omitting Chrono's theme all together was a wise choice to avoid redundancy from the first track on the album.)  And then there's the genuinely delightful surprises peppered throughout; I wasn't expecting Schala, and I was wearing a broad smile when I heard the sound effects for Frog's croak and the ringing of Leene's Bell.

Agreed 100%.  I LOVE this track.

Me neither, and I seriously got chills when that started.  Great stuff!

Just got my copy and listening to it now.  Enjoying it quite a bit so far.  I'm at the Musashi track.  I personally really like it.  BFM needs more lovin'.  There were a lot of filler tracks in that OST, but the tracks I like, I really, really like!  I am excited about the Chrono medley.  You guys have built my expectations pretty high on that one!

...Yea that medley was... hot!

Yes, I know this is my 3rd comment in about a 20-30 minute time span, but I can't get over this album.  I am...oh, I don't know, about a million times more overjoyed than I ever expected.  I'm usually not that big on chiptune stuff, but in this case I'm completely sold.   Overall good arrangements + nostalgia + urge to dance like a complete moron(behind closed doors) = a good thing.
The Xenogears track is looping for the 3rd time in a row right now.  As much as I enjoyed the whole album the first time through, I can't bring myself to stop looping this track this time.  I think it's my favorite.  I know, I know, I can see the warning signs.  "Stop now!  Don't overplay the track!  You will end up hating it!"  But can't stop...

I also picked up the Nier Tribute album and Lord of Vermillion Re-2 Fan Kit.  I was planning to listen to all 3 this evening.  I don't think those other two are going to make it into the CD player tonight.

I've only listened to the first 13 tracks so far, but yeah, Shevat is by FAR and away my favorite.

Listening to this one now.  Lost of good classic Square arrangements on here, especially the excellent Secret of Mana medley.

Yea, I got around to switching discs after the 4th cycle or so of SQ Chips and I checked out Re-2 Fan Kit.  The Mana medley is definitely my favorite track on there.  A lot of the other medleys had a very "this is nice but been there, done that" feel.  We have less Mana arrangements out there, so that track was greatly appreciated.

It'd be nice if we could keep this thread focused on SQ Chips.  Feel no shame in starting a thread for Lord of Vermillion Re-2 Fan Kit.

Anyone in Japan manage to snag a copy of the Village/Vanguard store SQ Chips customer bonus?  I think there are some unique tracks exclusive to that cd...

I think they're all exclusive, actually.

I don't own it, but those who do have said it's quite good. The FFIX track especially.

They just need to make straight-up sequels. SQ Chips 2. SQ Chips 3. And follow the same track selection criteria. A bunch of FF, and then the other half is just random titles. I'm thinking like:

Chrono Cross
Dewprism
Front Mission (any)
Soukaigi
Another Mind
Romancing SaGa
Bahamut Lagoon
Livealive

They could go nuts with this thing.

I'm up for that!!

Wait, how do you get the Village Vanguard edition?  Do you just buy the CD at that store and it's included?  I may have to beg someone I still know in Japan...

You forget FFT. 

I even think like a Piano Collection, a chip tune arranged album entirely dedicated to one particular title would sound great to me.

I keep trying to get my friend to get down to Morioka to his closest Village/Vanguard store but he keeps dragging his feet and saying he keeps forgetting... arggggggg.

I found that bonus disc available to download and decided to do so to see if I really wanted to go out of my way to try to find a copy to purchase.  All the bonus tracks were short and for the most part much more simplistic than the tracks on the actual SQ Chips release.  Matoya's Cave was alright, but none of the rest of them impressed me in the slightest.  Deleting and no longer worrying about trying to track down the real thing.

Agreed that the VV bonus tracks are not really worth worrying about.  More in line with my image of average chiptunes, as opposed to the ones from the album proper which are something special.

That bonus disc would have been a nice place for a vocal-less, sample-less version of "Sailing Enterprise ~ The Invincible".  I'm fine with the track as it is (really enjoy it actually) but it'd be nice to have a chiptune-only version without the silly DJ effects.

I too have now heard the VV bonus CD, and third the opinion that it's more... simple sounding compared to the parent album.  Perhaps they were the tracks that were the impetus to create the full CD...?

Now that everybody's had time to digest the album I'm curious what people's favorites are.  Mine would go like this:

1. Final Fantasy IV-V-VI "Ending Medley"
2. Final Fantasy III "Sailing Enterprise ~ The Invincible"
2. Final Fantasy VII "Aeris' Theme"
2. Seiken Densetsu -Final Fantasy Adventure- "Final Battle ~ Mana Temple"
5. Chrono Trigger "Character Medley"
6. Xenogears "The Wind Calls to Shevat in the Blue Sky"
7. Final Fantasy XII "Near the Water"
8. Final Fantasy XI "Ronfaure"
9. SaGa2 Medley
10. Final Fantasy VI "Terra's Theme"

The FF ending medley literally makes me giddy, it's so... EVERYTHING.  It's looking to be a tough call between that and Distant Worlds: Returning Home's "Answers" for VGM track of the year.  The next three are all equally awesome, just in different ways - love the happy high energy of "Sailing Enterprise", the cutesy charm of "Aeris' Theme" and the overdrive synth of "Final Battle".

The soundtrack in general has really exceeded my expectations, especially after buying it off a 'hunch' ( see earlier in this thread and here >> http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/forums … hp?id=6428 ). That being said, "Seiken Densetsu: Final Battle" is simply, absolutely outstanding. It's been a very, VERY long time since I heard a song so good yet so addicting.

Like the SaGa medley too, and various other tracks - but SQ Chips has literally deterred me from listening to about 6 other soundtracks that I received but are still in their manufacturer wrapper (techically 8, but I did open 2 of them). So all in all, a great listen. I want a sequel.