25. Knights of the Round (SNES)
Knights of the Round is, for the most part, a cool little beat 'em up. It's based on Arthurian legend just as the name would suggest, and players can choose between the quick but weak Lancelot, the slow but strong Percival, and the well-rounded Arthur himself. It's a totally competent game, but aside from a level up system whereby you can watch Percival gradually evolve from a gigantism-afflicted Prince Valiant to the fucking reaver of death, there's really not all that much that separates it from Golden Axe and its ilk. No, KOTR is really a triumph of atmosphere, and while the source material and nice, colorful graphics contribute to this, it's really the music that puts it over the top. I mean, this stuff is just amazing. Songs like Desperate Fight, Village on Fire, and Knights in a Strange Land convey the feeling of courage in the face of long odds, while more joyous tracks like Battle at the Castle Fort and Decisive Battle at the King's Castle make me feel like a hero on promenade! Street Fighter has a great soundtrack, but this shit takes the Capcom cake. I demand that "Decisive Battle at the King's Castle goes with everything" become a meme right now!
