Video games have taken the world by storm. The first video game, “Tennis for Two,” was created in 1958 and followed by a multitude of current popular titles like “Minecraft,” “Fortnite” and more. 

There are various reasons to enjoy video games, such as the graphics, the story or to enjoy spending time playing with your friends or family. However, one aspect of video games is underappreciated: their soundtracks. 

When most people think of soundtracks, they picture TV shows, movies or even Broadway plays. However, video game soundtracks need to be given more attention because they make the game more immersive to play. 

The thing about great soundtracks is they are supposed to represent the video game that the songs are on. The goal for any video game soundtrack is to make people play the game longer and explore the many different modes the game offers. 

When evaluating video game soundtracks, there are two pieces of criteria that are important: The song and genre selection, as well as how it enhances the gameplay experience. 

A simple selection of songs doesn’t do a video game justice. You have to understand how certain songs affect the human mind. 

Wrestling is a high intensity form of sports entertainment. Just selecting random songs for a wrestling video game won’t make people feel their adrenaline pumping. Songs that are uptempo will get players more invested and desire playing the game more. 

When I listen to “Bullet With a Name” from the “WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2007” soundtrack, I always pretend I’m the lead singer and lip sync the song. Personally, I enjoy all the songs on this soundtrack, mostly because they make me feel happy even when I am not playing the game, whether I’m going on a walk or when I’m just doing my homework.  

To me, “WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2007” has the greatest and arguably the most underrated soundtrack of any video game ever. Wrestling games aren’t the most popular, however, the soundtracks for the pre-2k wrestling games never disappoint. 

Before “WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2007” video game, there was just one generic menu music song that played on repeat for the older wrestling games. With the introduction of the “SmackDown vs Raw” series all the way up to WWE ‘12, the menu music featured real songs to listen to. 

The “WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2007” soundtrack is a microcosm of both the nu metal and hip-hop genres. With songs by nu metal bands such as Godsmack, Three Days Grace and Nonpoint, as well as hip-hop icons such as Ghostface Killah and Young Buck, this game has it all. 

This soundtrack has two songs that peaked in the top 25 on the mainstream rock charts and a song from a top five album in 2006. The soundtrack has a mix of heavy rock music and chill hip-hop music that blends together beautifully. 

The songs on the “SmackDown vs Raw 2007” soundtrack definitely center around the genres of metal and rock with a hint of hip-hop, which fit any wrestling game. This soundtrack has a great selection of songs that all fit the mood of a video game where you can fight in a parking lot or a bar and put people through tables, as you can in “SmackDown vs Raw 2007.”

The songs on this soundtrack are heavily focused on drums and guitars and the songs are very uptempo and make you want to do something crazy, such as hit someone with a chair or jump off the top of a ladder.

The biggest reason this soundtrack is so great is that you can easily listen to it while you’re not playing the game. It is a great selection of songs, with my favorite being “Money in the Bank” by Lil Scrappy and Young Buck. 

A few songs on this soundtrack have tie-ins with different modes in the game, those songs being “Lonely Train,” “Stitches” and “Alive and Kicking.” The songs “Money in the Bank” and “Survive” hint at some of WWE’s most popular pay-per-views. The song “Animal I Have Become” gives a nod to current and future WWE Hall of Famers. It is rare to find a video game where the music directly references the video game and its creators in the way this soundtrack does.

Soundtracks are what sometimes make a good video game great, and in the case of “SmackDown vs Raw 2007,” with its uptempo and adrenaline-pumping music that features the genres that reigned at the time, it makes a great example of a soundtrack making a game that much better.