Granada on the Sharp X68000 was a top-down mech shooter that pushed the hardware with smooth scrolling and huge bosses, and its soundtrack is a showcase of what the X68000's superior sound capabilities could deliver in 1990.
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"Advance GRANADA" opens with a driving military-flavored theme that immediately communicates the gravity of piloting the titular mech into battle. The album includes both the medley arrangements and individual track splits, so you get to hear pieces like "HeavyLine" and "WindyAvenue" both as standalone compositions and woven together into longer suites.
The stage themes run a satisfying gamut of moods. "HoppingExpress" and "MarchingWay" keep the momentum high during action-heavy stages, while "NatureTrail" and "MountainPath" bring in more atmospheric textures that give the game's outdoor environments a sense of scale.
"SurvivorLeon" is a standout character theme with a melodic hook that sticks with you, and "TakeAChance" has a restless, forward-pushing energy that fits perfectly with the game's emphasis on constant movement and positioning.
"BrokenOath" delivers the dramatic weight needed for the late-game confrontations, and "QuickCepter" matches the frantic pace of the more intense combat sequences. "Good-bye GRANADA" bookends the experience with a bittersweet farewell that gives real emotional resonance to what could have been a straightforward action game.
The X68000 sound hardware gives everything a richness and clarity that the later Genesis/Mega Drive port couldn't quite replicate, making this the definitive way to hear composer Motoi Sakuraba's early work before he became famous for his Tales and Star Ocean scores -- wait, actually Granada was composed by T's Music staff.
Either way, it's a gem of early 90s Japanese computer game music.