A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 3: In A Snow-Bound Land

Keeping the ball rolling here, number 3 on the winter VGM list is In a Snow-Bound Land from Donkey Kong Country 2, a game that would have dodged this list entirely were it not for me playing it for the first time a few weeks back. David Wise is quickly climbing up the ranks of my list of favorite composers because of games like this one, and he doesn't disappoint on this track. In Diddy and Dixie Kong's quest to rescue Donkey Kong from the evil klutches (hah) of King K. Rool, they find themselves in various locales around the world; be it underground in a mine, lush green forests, or In a Snow-Bound Land (HAH), the music accompanies the gameplay well, and that's one of the most important things you want in a soundtrack.

This track, like many others in the game, is laid-back, slow and ambient. It makes you want to stop and enjoy the amazing scenery the game is pumping out of the SNES. Sure, the dynamic monkey duo has a job to do, but they should soak in the journey while they're at it, and how beautiful the sights are around them. It's one of those songs that go as far as to make you look back at what you've done in your life, and look ahead at what your goals are in the future.

In ways such as this music has proven to be emotional and thought-provoking, which is something other forms of media can have trouble successfully manifesting. It's a beautiful thing.