Streets of Rage 2 (proof that there was more to the SEGA Megadrives sound capabilities than meets the eye).

Yuzo Koshiro is a sound/music god.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrF3WPi_7uI

Something like Best Soundtrack for games will always be subjective and a personal preference/choice

I think for RPG, what Skyrim did with essentially just one dynamically changing soundtrack that is iconic always, and otherwise goes from epic to background for the whole game was far more impressive than the typical JRPG soundtrack that has a bunch of varied tracks for different areas or cutscenes or whatever, with some of the music being really stellar while others regardless of quality being largely indistinguishable from similar tracks used in other JRPG games.

I would say largest weakness of the JRPG tracks is the "emotional" attachment to those tracks are more for people that have played through those games, while some other game soundtracks like Skyrim can be enjoyed by anyone, recognized iconically as Skyrim music and they could have never played the game or played a lot of it. The quality/appreciation of Skyrim music doesn't go up or down based on anything emotionally attaching in the game (there isn't anything like that in the game).

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Skies of Arcadia Legends
3. Halo: Combat Evolved (the classic soundtrack, NOT the stupid new Anniversary soundtrack)
4. Red Dead Redemption (particularly "Far Away" by Jose Gonzalez)
5. BioShock Infinite

I wouldn't even consider FFX to be among the top 5 of Final Fantasy's soundtracks. FF7, FF8 are both clearly stronger soundtracks. FF4, FF-Tactics, and FF6 are very strong examples too.

Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, Castlevania Symphony of the Night all have better soundtracks.

Xenoblade, Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest VIII have my favorite soundtracks but there are many others that I really like like KH2, KH1, Zelda OoT,Ni no Kuni, FFX, FFVI, etc, etc.

Kingdom Hearts
Metal Gear Solid
Zelda: Twilight Princess

Super Mario Bros. and its not even close.

Everyone know all a lot of the songs from that game.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl because it has like 25 years of the best of Nintendo. And we all know that there were a lot of games to choose from. I don't know how they can outdo that with the new ones, at least the SSB Wii U game will have plenty of songs.

Other than that the first Super Mario Galaxy is epic. Also, FFVII holds a special place in my heart.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadows has a superb soundtrack

Mega Man 2
Super Castlevania IV
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy VI