History Main / RecurringRiff

[[AC:MMORPGs]]

* ''TombRaider 3'' has several of these, eg the opening and title theme motifs. ''Legend'' has a recurring "[[OminousLatinChanting Ave Maria]]" motif.

** The music for {{underground level}}s (from now on called "World 1-2" Music) is also commonly remixed and reused, In Super Mario 64, it has several dynamic variations, changing as you go deeper underground.

A {{Leitmotif}} that doesn't apply to a particular character; instead, it applies to a particular work or series. Sometimes a character's {{leitmotif}} is even reused in an installment of a series where that character is not part of the story. Very popular in [[VideogameTropes Video Games]], but by no means exclusive to it. If used across a series, it can have nostalgic connotations. Obviously, compilation games like ''SuperSmashBros.'' use the themes of the games represented to form the majority of the soundtrack.

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Decisive Battle is remixed and reused about 4 times throughout the series. The Beast II is a jazzed up heroic remix of this tune.

*** The Title theme from "A Link to the Past" was used in ''The Wind Waker'' when [[spoiler: Tetra is revealed to be Princess Zelda,]] and also makes a small cameo in the scene where the Great Deku Tree tells the story of the Triforce, as well as being remixed for the theme of the Bridge of the Sages in ''Ocarina of Time''.

*** The Title theme from "A Link to the Past" was used in "The Wind Waker" when [[spoiler: Tetra is revealed to be Princess Zelda,]] and also makes a small cameo in the scene where the Great Deku Tree tells the story of the Triforce, as well as being remixed for the theme of the Bridge of the Sages in "Ocarina of Time".

* ''{{Turok}} 2'': The River Of Souls and Lair Of The Blind Ones musics are both somewhat based on the main title theme, the Death Marshes theme uses riffs from both the Hub and Save Room musics, and the Lightship music in turn uses a hook from Death Marshes, as well as the Flesh Portal theme in its latter half.

*** Particularly notable use of the theme in ''WindWaker'': You hear bars of the Zelda overworld theme during scenes which Link's heroic legacy and destiny are discussed, but never anywhere else.
**** [[FridgeBrilliance]] in that during ''WindWaker'', Hyrule no longer actually exists and is only discussed of in oral legend.

* The title screen music of every MarioKart game to date has contained a remix of the original Super Mario Kart theme.
* The riff of the ''Skate Or Die'' theme song ("SKATE OR DIE! DIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!") recurs in several variations in the second game(eg the mall theme, at least one of the cutscene musics).
* The ''SyphonFilter'' games have a memorable title theme(the Omega Strain version is the CrowningMusicOfAwesome), along with several recurring in-game motifs. The title theme motif recurs the most in the PS2 games.
** The Pharcom Expo Center music from the first game, and its "danger" variation, are reused when you revisit the center in ''Syphon Filter 2''.
* Several of the riffs from the ''Monty on the Run'' theme song are reused in ''Impossamole''. In turn, the Bermuda Triangle and Ice Land themes in the TurboGrafx16 version use riffs from the title theme.
* The music from the first chapter of ''HouseOfTheDead 1'' returns in Chapter 2 of [=HotD2=], and the FinalBoss Magician's theme from the first game is reused for his reappearance in Chapter 5.
* The ''SonicTheHedgehog'' series has its classic theme song music from the first two games (which was mixed with "Hall of the Mountain King" for the syndicated cartoon), which was even referenced as late as 2001 in Sonic Advance. A bit more commonly, though, is the Round Clear music from ''[=~Sonic 3 & Knuckles~=]'', which has been used for over ten years when a character completes a stage.
** It's also heard as Sonic's victory theme in ''[[SuperSmashBros Brawl]]''.
** Some Game Gear spin-offs had ''Sonic - You Can Do Anything'' from Sonic CD as an level theme or invincibility jingle.
** The series also has its infamous [[NightmareFuel Drowning Theme]], officially called "I Wanna Breathe", that is guaranteed to appear in any Sonic game where you can go under water [[SuperDrowningSkills without instantly dying]].
** ''SonicAdventure''[='=]s Twinkle Park/Circuit level reused the music from ''Sonic3D'''s Panic Puppet Zone.
* ''SuperMarioBros.'' uses these liberally; it's very unlikely we'll ever see another game that does not contain the familiar World 1-1 music.
** The music for {{underground level}}s (from now on called "World 1-2" Music) is also commonly remixed and reused, In Super Mario 64, it has several dynamic variations, changing as you go deeper underground.
*** Super Mario Sunshine has an awesome moment where the first six notes are played on a heavily distorted guitar when Shadow Mario first appears.
** The original Underwater music is often heard as well; notably, ''not'' often as an Underwater theme, but rather remixed for a title theme, such as in ''All-Stars'' and the Advance titles.
** The Starman theme too. Although there aren't any invincibility star powerups in Mario 64, it is used for all of the power-ups in that game. A metallic-sounding remix is used for the Metal Cap.
*** The "Peach's Castle" theme from ''Super Mario 64'' is also frequently used, to a far lesser extent. Nearly every game that has a segment that takes place in Peach's Castle will use a variation on that theme, even as a simple cameo. It was even in the SNES game ''Donkey Kong Country'' 3.
** ''Super Mario Kart'''s Bowser Castle courses use a remix of the FinalBoss music from ''Super Mario World'', and the Ghost Valley courses use the [[BigBoosHaunt Ghost House]] theme from said game.
** The 64DD expansion pack to ''F-Zero X'' had a remix of the Rainbow Road music from ''Mario Kart 64'' for its track of the same name, in place of "Driving Through On Max" from the regular game.
** ''Super Mario World'' remixed the ''{{Super Mario Bros 3}}'' fortress music for the Valley of Bowser map.
** ''Super Mario Galaxy'' has remixes of World 1-1 and World 1-2 (and a cameo of the underwater music) from the original game, the athletic theme and airship theme from ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' and the Bowser stages from ''Super Mario 64''.
** ''Mario Kart Double Dash'''s Rainbow Road music uses part of said circuit's ''Mario Kart 64'' theme. The ''Super Mario Kart'' Rainbow Road riff is used as the intro of many of the later RR themes.

* Non-gaming example: Every ''BackToTheFuture'' movie used similar instrumental music when replaying scenes from different perspectives (such as the lighting hitting the [=DeLorean=] at 88 MPH from the first movie, which is replayed at the end of the second and consequently the beginning of the third).
* The ''[=~Pokémon~=]'' games use this in extremes; [=BGMs=] such as defeating a trainer, the Gym interior, etc. are rearrangements. Not to mention the original games' opening music showing up in various places, including the champion/Mt. Silver battle of ''Gold''/''Silver''/''Crystal''.
** To list every riff would take a lot of time, but in one of the stranger example, ''Pokémon Pinball'''s Blue Field theme was rearranged as the more relaxed motif of Ecruteak and Cianwood in ''Gold'', ''Silver'' and ''Crystal''.
** Most themes change from game to game. The Pokémon Center music, however, is always a variation on the same theme.
** The themes from the various Battle Towers tend to be a remix of the original Battle Tower music from ''Pokémon Crystal''.
* ''DoctorWho'' has used variations of the same theme song since 1963.
** The new series went on to use it as a basis for several character themes (notably the Doctor's, while the "sound of drums" heard by the Master is the main melody from the theme itself.)
** A rare CD of Doctor Who music was once released, entitled "Variations On A Theme". Guess what was on it. On every track.
* Many songs in the ''SilentHill'' games(Theme of Laura, I Want Love, Your Rain, Waiting For You, etc. ) feature a guitar riff from the latter part of the opening theme of the first game. Variations of this theme occur in the TearJerker scenes with Lisa in [=SH1=](Not Tomorrow) and Angela in [=SH2=](Theme of Laura Reprise).
** "Home Town", the ending theme from ''SilentHill 3'', is a vocal version of the opening theme from SH 1.
** "Dance With Night Wind" in the third game resembles "True" from the second game, and both are {{Tear Jerker}}s.
** "Promise" in [=SH2=] is another pastiche of the [=SH1=] theme, and is in fact used as Alessa's theme in the movie.
** The intro of "Sickness Unto Foolish Death" from ''Silent Hill 3'' is reused in ''The Room'' whenever Henry returns to the apartment from the otherworld.
** A melodic line from the guitar solo in "I Want Love (Studio Mix)" from the ''Silent Hill 3'' soundtrack shows up again in "Your Rain" from ''Silent Hill 4'' and "Hell Frozen Rain" from ''Silent Hill: Shattered Memories''.
*** On a similar [[IncrediblyLamePun note]], a melodic line from "Theme of Laura" also appears in the second solo of "Waiting For You" from [=SH4=].
** A variation of the "White Noiz" motif from ''SilentHill 2'' is used in "A Stray Child" in ''SilentHill 3''.
* ''TheLegendOfZelda''. That fairie fountain/choose a file music just does not die.
** The original overworld tune may be seeing less use these days, but snippets of it still crop up, [[MusicalPastiche pastiche]]-like, in the overworld music of the newer games.
*** The series also has two commonly-reused fanfares. The "Quest Item Obtained" fanfare and the "Puzzle Solve" fanfare are repeated frequently in the series, and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPf3m2yeKIY the former has undergone MemeticMutation amongst gamers]].
*** Some of the recurring tunes from previous games in ''Twilight Princess'': Dinosaur Boss Battle, especially during the Stallord battle, the first riff of the original Kakariko Village music interpolated with a slow variation of the Dark World theme from ALTTP, Zora's Domain(almost identical to its OOT incarnation), the opening riff of the title music from the original [=LoZ=], used in the intro sequence, Hyrule Castle, and Saria's Song, which is used as the Sacred Woods theme. Sadly, the original overworld theme is almost completely absent. The tune pops up on a more triumphant note about halfway though the ending credits and a few bars appear in the overworld music, but that's more-or-less it.
*** Not to mention the Song of Time used in the [[spoiler: Time-travelling Temple of Time]].
*** Particularly notable use of the theme in Wind Waker: You hear bars of the Zelda overworld theme during scenes which Link's heroic legacy and destiny are discussed, but never anywhere else.
*** In addition, almost every game that has a dungeon taking place inside Hyrule Castle will have a variant on the Hyrule Castle theme from ''Link to the Past''.
* The ''FinalFantasy'' series has a number of these.
** Tied for most famous are the "Prelude" (or "Crystal Theme") and the series's main theme, "Final Fantasy" (aka "Prologue" or "Bridge Crossing Theme").
** Right behind those are the victory fanfare and the Chocobo theme (all its variations are named "X de Chocobo"). All four tend to be subject to minor tweaks per game, but are still recognizably the same tune.
** In addition, almost all of the battle themes share variations on the opening bass riff, but they all diverge from there; noticeable stylistic similarities exist between many of them, though, particularly those composed close together.
*** After being absent for most of ''FinalFantasyVIII'', said bass riff finally does appear for the final boss music.
** Like Zelda, Final Fantasy has a jingle for obtaining key items, though mainly used in the older games.
* The thematic "ChronoTrigger" theme is reused several times in ChronoCross, as well as Lucca's victory fanfare theme. In addition, CC's theme for bustling Termina is reminiscent of Guardia's Millenial Fair in CT, and [[spoiler:the first ending theme contains parts of "Schala's Theme", which makes perfect sense.]] In addition, since CC started life as a game called RadicalDreamers, many themes from the original Satelliview game are remixed for CC, including the main theme, the battle theme, "Frozen Flame", and "Star-Stealing Girl".
* ''FireEmblem'' has a title theme and an encounter-ally theme, the latter recently known as "Together We Ride", in most of its games.
** "Together we Ride" is not the Encounter theme in ''Path of Radiance'', but it does appear during one dialog between Kieran and Elincia combined with "Knight's Oath" a secondary recruitment theme used throughout the seris.
** Fittingly enough, the theme used for the ''FireEmblem'' characters in ''SuperSmashBros. Melee'' was a combination of these two themes.
** The [[LightGunGame Super Scope shooter]] ''Metal Combat'', the sequel to ''BattleClash'', uses the level-up jingle from the ''Fire Emblem'' series when you complete a training stage. Intelligent Systems, the makers of ''Fire Emblem'', also made the ''Battle Clash'' games. Ironically, ''Metal Combat'' only came out in North America and Europe, and during a time where none of the ''Fire Emblem'' games were released internationally.
* Need I mention ''StarWars'' or ''IndianaJones''? The former also has its famous Imperial March, better known as the theme of Darth Vader.
** ''StarWars'' uses this a lot, despite many themes apparently being intended to mainly represent specific characters. The "Main Theme" was originally meant to be Luke's theme, but was used as this [[BootstrappedTheme less and less]] as the series went on. In ''TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Yoda's theme is often used at seemingly unfitting times. The original film uses Princess Leia's theme at odd points as well, such as when Obi-Wan dies.

* ''{{Castlevania}}'' has the classic "Vampire Killer" tune which appears in some form or another in most of the games, though it has remained absent from many of the later ones. In general, the series ''loves'' this trope, with the Big Three recurring tunes being Vampire Killer (from the first game), Bloody Tears (from ''Simon's Quest'') and Beginning (from ''Dracula's Curse''). Once Theme of Simon was introduced in ''Super Castlevania IV'', it started popping up a lot as well, even in games where Simon isn't present or even ''mentioned''. Truely WolverinePublicity in music form.

* ''CommandAndConquer: Red Alert'' and the Hell March.
* ''RedDwarf'''s first season uses pretty much remixes of the closing theme as the only pieces of music. It's actually quite aggravating.

* The instrumental version of "Ai o torimodese" that plays when Kenshiro launches a major attack in ''FistOfTheNorthStar'' is practically an anthem for FightingSeries as a whole.
** The very final episode of the original anime series (well, the sequel series actually) features a medley of all the vocal opening and ending themes that were ever used on the show.

* "He's a Pirate" from the ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' series, has been featured in almost everything related to it, from all three films, to being the battle music in the ''Pirates'' themed world in ''KingdomHeartsII'', to playing in the queue for the original ride.
* Geese Howard from ''FatalFury'' has a remixed version of his original theme song present in every game he appears in, with the title and instruments changing but the composition staying more or less the same. The title of the song is always something "for Geese" (Soy Sauce for Geese, A Kiss for Geese, A Stiff Shoulder for Geese, etc.). The lone exception is the Infernal Gate stage theme in ''KingOfFighters: Maximum Impact'', which is named "Kiss Geese Once More".
** Similarly, the ''FatalFury'' games' other BigBad, Wolfgang Krauser, appeared accompanied by an OminousLatinChanting excerpt from Mozart's ''Requiem'', either "Dies Irae" or "Lacrimosa".
* ''TheKingOfFighters'' uses "Esaka?" from the '96 game quite a bit, from its original use in that game to the remixes (actually used for the various Kyo clones) in '99 and '03.
* Classical music example: Four different works by Beethoven use the same original theme: the ballet ''The Creatures of Prometheus'' (Op. 43), No. 7 of the Twelve Contredanses ([=WoO=] 14), a set of variations for piano (Op. 35), and the finale of the "Eroica" symphony (Op. 53).
* Chico Marx's theme appears in several MarxBrothers movies, including Harpo's solo in ''Monkey Business'' and Chico's [[OverlyLongGag endless piano solo]] in ''Animal Crackers''. It even has two different ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics ("I'm Daffy Over You" and "Lucky Little Penny").
* The ''MetalGear'' series did not let the "Operation Intrude N313 ~ Theme of Tara" piece die. It's first heard in the original ''MetalGear'' as Snake comes up from the water and begins the mission, and while the N313 fanfare only plays once in the whole game, the piece tends to be treated as an amalgam. Later sightings -
** There's a comical mix of "Theme of Tara" during the indoor infiltration segments in ''Snake's Revenge'', all the more unusual because it was for the NES, and the NES version of ''MetalGear'' featured a completely different infiltration theme. The TX-55 Metal Gear theme from the first game is also used in the attract mode and when Snake faces the new Metal Gear at the end of the game.
** ''MetalGear 2'' used a squint-and-you'll-hear-it mix of the "Theme of Tara" in the background to some of the sneaking stages.
*** Also, "Killers", "Night Sight", and "Big Boss" shared the same or a similar riff, "The Front Line" and "Level 1 Warning" are remixes of "Advance Immediately", and "Mechanical" is a remix of ''MetalGear 1'''s boss theme.
** ''MetalGearSolid'' and ''MetalGear: Ghost Babel'' used it as the backdrop to the VR Training missions with the "Opening Intrude N313" fanfare playing over the briefings. In ''Ghost Babel'', the music played as Snake parachutes into the jungle is a mix of the Opening Intrude N313 fanfare, directly paralleling his previous entry to the same fortress (the plot revolved around him re-infiltrating the building that had once been Outer Heaven).
** ''MetalGearSolid 2: Substance'' used the Intrude fanfare/Theme in VR, when playing as Snake in his [=MGS1=] costume. Pay attention during the "Opening Infiltration" segment of ''MetalGearSolid 2'', and you'll hear a little nod to the Fanfare as Snake lands on the Tanker.
** In ''MetalGearSolid 4'', the music that plays while Snake stalks the Resistance member is a heavily modified mix of Theme of Tara. It's also possible to hear sounds of the original Theme emanating from a house - someone appears to be playing the original ''MetalGear'' and really ''failing'' at it.
** In ''SuperSmashBros Brawl'', it's one of the songs initially available on the Shadow Moses stage, complete with the Fanfare lead in. It also plays over Snake's introduction in the Story mode.
** "Zanzibar Breeze", a track first heard in ''MetalGear 2'' over the opening movie, reappears a lot, usually as an EasterEgg. In ''MetalGearSolid'', a mixed version of the opening bars was used as the Main Menu theme (it also showed up as an EasterEgg in ''MetalGearSolid Integral''). It showed up again in ''MetalGearSolid 4'' as an EasterEgg track on the [[ProductPlacement iPod]].
** ''Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions'' also feature plenty of remixed versions of music from the first two [=MSX2=] games. ''Metal Gear Solid: Integral'' also features a remixed version of the "Theme of Solid Snake", in addition to "Zanzibar Breeze", as an easter egg via Codec.

** The original Kirby's Dream Land title screen music appears to be getting more use these days (it showed up in ''Kirby Super Star Ultra'' and ''SuperSmashBrosBrawl'''s "Butter Building" music, among other places). As well, each game uses some variation on the classic death theme, with varying degrees of disguise (it took {{Midna}} years to figure out that the death music in ''64'' was a variation, and only Gooey uses the original death music in ''Dream Land 3'').
** Don't forget the "Stage Clear" theme (of which there are two versions); it, or a varation on the general melody, appears in ''every'' Kirby game.
* The ''{{Ys}}'' series has several recurring riffs, for example, "Adol's Theme", which is one of the opening musics for ''Ys Book I and II'', recurs in some of the dungeons of the other games(eg. the Canal in Ys II, Mountain Shrine in Ys IV, the stage entrance and Ilbern Ruins musics in Ys III, and the ending of ''Ys V''), and the ''Ys IV'' overworld theme not only has many variations in its titular game(Field, Great Forest of Selceta, Blazing Sword, Beyond Reminiscence, Valley of Quicksand, etc.), but in ''Ys VI'' as well(Release of the Far West Ocean, Windslash Steps, Mountain Zone, which also partly sounds similar to the Solomon Shrine music in Ys II, and Defend And Escape!(when you escort Olha and Terra out of the Romun ship), which also resembles part of Niena's theme from ''Ys V'', and the latter part of "Field Of Gale" in ''Ys V''. "Overwater Drive", heard in the Limewater Cave in ''Ys VI'', is roughly a remake of "Beat of the Terror", the Abandoned Mine music in ''Ys I and II''. The motif during the cutscene where the Ark of Napishtim is revived recurs during the second half of the final boss battle(The Depth Napishtim), as well as in Defend And Escape!.
** The boss themes "Holders of Power", "Protectors", and "Shock of the Grim Reaper".
* ''EarthboundZero'' introduced several themes that appear elsewhere in the series - "Pollyanna (I Believe in You)", "Eight Melodies (Queen Mary's Lullabye)", "Humoresque of a Little Dog", and the theme to the NewAgeRetroHippie. EarthBound also introduced "Eight Melodies (Sound Stone)", which was also reused multiple times (including being remixed with the first "Eight Melodies" tune to make "Sixteen Melodies" in ''{{Mother 3}}'').
* Several tunes in ''KatamariDamacy'', most notably the main theme, "Katamari On The Rocks".
* The ''AceAttorney'' series has a bunch of songs that can accompany its courtroom drama, but when it ''really'' counts, they use the first game's crisis theme, "Investigation ~ Cornered".
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxGHvoK9XI&feature=related Search - Core 2001]] has appeared throughout the series whenever Phoenix discovers crucial piece of evidence during investigations.
** The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PwjzsR7pY= suspense theme]] played several times throughout the first three AA games, was replaced in the fourth, only to come back in the fifth.
* ''{{Gradius}}'' has "Aircraft Carrier," which is originally used for boss battles in the first ''Gradius'' game, and is used for the wave of item-carrying Zubs that appear before a BossRush in subsequent games.
** When fighting a boss returning from a previous game, the boss music from that game is usually used, eg "Poison Of Snake" for ''Salamander/Life Force'' bosses, "Take Care" for ''Gradius II'' bosses, and "Dark Force" for ''Gradius III'' bosses. Exceptions include the BossRush in ''Gradius IV'', which all use the "Take Care!" music from ''Gradius II'' regardless of their game of origin, and the reappearance of the Rolling Core in ''Gradius V'', which uses "Aircraft Carrier" instead of the Gradius IV boss theme.

* Practically every major tri-Ace game (''StarOcean'', ''ValkyrieProfile'') contains a bonus dungeon with the theme music "Journey to the Deep Space". Several iconic battle themes can also be heard across games, such as the battle theme from the first Valkyrie Profile.
* ''KingdomHeartsII'' reuses all the exploration and battle themes of the original's worlds that also appear in the sequel.
** All of Organization XIII's themes in ''KingdomHeartsII'' contain a piece of the Organization's main theme, "Another Side." These pieces have been collected in to an orchestrated work called "[[CrowningMusicOfAwesome The 13th Anthology]]".
** Not to mention [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyatdg2USLI Dearly Beloved]].
** "Destati" is used and remixed repeatedly throughout the series as well.
* Almost every DragonQuest game has the same introduction music, as well as the same "item found!" five-note tune.
* Another non-game example: the "Life and Death" theme from ''{{Lost}}'', which has been used since the first season every time a character dies.
** There is also music related to the freighter that plays several times during seasons 3 and 4, with an action packed variant playing at the very end of the season when [[spoiler:the freighter explodes]]. However, for some reason, the theme continues being used in season 5, suggesting it is becoming some kind of general action music.

* Many NipponIchi games (''{{Disgaea}}'', and ''MakaiKingdom'' especially) will use music samples from ''LaPucelle'', particulary the Rosenqueen Shop and Dark World themes, in various situations
* {{Digimon}} also uses this trope heavily, having the main theme playing for ''every'' Digivolution throughout the whole series-except for season 4, which isn't exactly well liked. There's another theme they have, which is considerably more upbeat, but not as prevalently used. Often used for a sense of hope, sometimes this plays out, [[SubvertedTrope sometimes not]].
* Amazingly, ''AzumangaDaioh'' uses this: While the [[EarWorm opening and ending themes]] are for the most part played only during the [[CaptainObvious opening and ending sequences]], you're gonna be hearing [[http://josh.agarrado.net/music/anime/getfile.php?file=963 "Saa, Hajimari You"]] (AKA: the middle and end-of-episode preview theme) or [[http://ichigos.com/res/getfile.php?id=655&type=midi "New School Term 6"]] somewhere in the music. And once you've heard them, you'll reckognize them showing up ''all over the place''.
* Many of the ''DoubleDragon'' games uses the same title theme. In fact, the few games that don't use the classic ''Double Dragon'' theme in some form or another tend to be the crappier games in the series (namely the arcade version of ''Double Dragon 3'' and ''Double Dragon V''). ''Super Double Dragon'' also uses the first stage theme from the original game in one level, while ''Double Dragon Advance'' has a soundtrack composed entirely remixes from the first two games (including the FinalBoss theme from the second NES game, which is played when the player faces [[TheDragon Raymond]]).
** The Japanese version of ''Super Double Dragon'' actually plays the original theme on its title screen. The City Slum theme from the original was also remixed in ''[=SDD=]''.
** The PCEngine CD version of ''DoubleDragon II'', while otherwise regarded as the best version of the game, ironically lacks the classic theme tune.
* In the first ''TwistedMetal'', the main riff of "Asphalt Assault" recurs alot, most prominently in "Cyburb Hunt" and "Cyburb Slide".
** "Quake Zone Rumble" is almost identical to "Snowblind" from ''Jet Moto''.
** The "Suburbs" music from ''Black'' is a remake of "Drop Dead" from the first game.
** The strings riff from "Drop Dead" is reused in "The Drop Zone" in ''2''.
** "Suicide Slide" sounds like a darker version of "Cyburb Slide", also using elements of "Drop Dead".
** "Field of Screams" is a more rock & roll sounding remix of "Asphalt Assault".
* The first stage music from ''RType'' and ''R Type 2'' are both remixed in ''R Type 3'', and ''Delta''.
* The Naughty Dog ''Crash Bandicoot'' games repeat Dr. Cortex's and N. Gin's {{Leitmotif}}s.
* Most of the BGMs from ''Raiden II'' were remixed in ''Raiden IV'', including "Repeated Tragedy", "Tragedy Flame", "All or Nothing", "Depression", and "Flap Towards The Hope".
* The ''MedalOfHonor'' series has these in spades; eg "Main Theme", "Taking Out The Railgun", "Attack on Fort Schmerzen", "The U-Boat", "May 10th, 1940"(the title theme of ''Underground''), "Manor House Rally", "Sturmgeist's Armored Train", etc. In fact, most of ''Allied Assault'''s soundtrack is lifted straight from the first two games.
* "The Game" from ''TheSeventhGuest'' and ''The 11th Hour''. Most of the characters' {{leitmotif}}s are variations of this riff. There are also a few other recurring themes, like the OminousMusicBoxTune(heard in the mouse puzzle and the tower), the library theme and the Stauf Train theme in ''[=T11H=]''

* MarioKartDS does this with a lot of its track themes using riffs from the title screen music.
* ''DawnOfWar II'' likes using the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cn-QyhHayQ "Dark Future of War"]] theme. For example, the part from 1:35 to 1:50 is used as the "mission complete" jingle and the melody (especially the four notes at 1:45) can be heard in the planetary map background music.
* {{Kirby}} was mentioned above, but in Kirby Super Star in particular(and its remake), there's one recurring riff which is heard in various songs, the most glorious example being during the destruction of the final boss(and his Cosmic {{MacGuffin}}).

* {{Earth Bound}} has a downright creepy sequence of notes that plays in various locations and battles.
** {{Mother 3}} also has Tazmily's theme and it's "Love Theme", both of which reappear throughout the game to great effect. Particularly jarring is the penultimate appearance of the love theme, which is [[spoiler:in the middle of a hellishly discordant final boss theme as a similarly discordant, echoing version of itself.]] The Pigmasks' theme also shows up in a ton of different variations.
*** Even the Tazmily theme is a remix of the Hotel music from ''EarthBound'', although it'll take you a while to notice it.
*** Don't get me started on Mother 3's soundtrack. It would be more expedient to list the songs that ''aren't'' recurring riffs.

* Any individual FinalFantasy game contains several leitmotifs. You can hear some recurring tunes in FinalFantasyIV (such as the tune that's most notably used for allies joining your team), but it's more prominent in FinalFantasyV, FinalFantasyVI (where the main theme of the game is basically also Terra's {{leitmotif}}, and FinalFantasyVII (which literally has a soundtrack entry called the "Main Theme"; if you don't know what I mean, try singing "do re mi ti la").
** If there's a vocal track in the game, you can expect to hear several versions of it, often considerably altered.
* ''FinalFantasyIX'' has perhaps the most extensive use of this, for example:
** Variations of Melodies of Life show up in at least eight places: it occurs briefly in "Memories Erased in the Storm", it's the main theme of "Stolen Eyes", it's part of the overworld music "Crossing Those Hills", Dagger sings it "Song of Memories", it's the main theme of "At the South Gate Border", it's "Garnet's Theme", it shows up in the ending in "Towards That Gate", and you have the full version in the end credits "Melodies of Life" (which eventually changes into the "Final Fantasy" music).
*** Not to mention a pipe organ version that plays while Steiner is hiding Garnet in a bag, a high speed version that plays during the beginning scenes and the remix used for the FF IX Coca Cola ads. The game also has the Burmecia theme appear in at least three different versions, both sad and dramatic versions of Beatrix's theme, and instances of music from other games in the series.
*** One scene had Melodies of Life played over Eiko's (melody-lacking) theme. As Melodies of Life is properly Garnet's theme, and the scene in question involved both Eiko and Garnet, this makes a certain amount of sense.
** The 'World' Theme that plays during in the video sequence in the title screen "The Place I'll Return to Someday" eventually appears in the game itself in "Oeilvert", "A Transient Past", "Ipsen's Heritage", "The Four Medallions", and "Terra".
** The 'Action' Theme that plays during the fake sword fight "Vamo' alla flamenco" early in the game, reappears in "Limited Time", "Loss of Me", "Black Mages' Theme", "Protecting My Devotion", "Terra", "You're Not Alone!", and "Passing Sorrow".
* A particularly good FinalFantasy example is the thirteen or so different versions and variations of Hymn of the Fayth from ''FinalFantasyX''.
** Not to mention fully ten variations of ''Suteki da Ne'' five of ''Seymour's Theme'', and four of ''To Zanarkand'' (which takes on a whole different character as ''Revealed Truth'').
* ''FinalFantasyTactics'' has a reoccurring four-measure riff in nearly every song.
* FinalFantasyVII CrisisCore follows this example, with nearly every track that isn't a remix of a FFVII song being based around the same theme. Including the ''final boss music''. In the original FinalFantasyVII, the main theme appeared as a recurring riff as well.
* Fragnents of FinalFantasyVIII's OminousLatinChanting orchestral opening piece Liberi Fatali are re-used in battle themes, background music and cutscene themes.
** FinalFantasyX: Three main themes (To Zanarkand, Suteki da Ne, and Sight of Spira) that are reheard multiple times, culminating in the awesome credits music.
** FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance may be another example but [[GlennMagusHarvey this troper]] hasn't sorted through the soundtrack yet. The tune in question is "so, so, so, mi fa so, ^do, (b)ti, (b)la, so" etc..
* ''SuperMarioRPG'' features a multitude of variations on Geno's theme song, from the cutscene in which he is introduced to the last bit of the ending. The Mushroom Kingdom theme song is also used to a lesser extent.
** Super Paper Mario has two songs that get a lot of mileage throughout the game as well (especially towards the end), the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxtbIkAK3IA Memory]] theme and the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEK4n3wCN1Q Main Theme fanfare]].
*** Fun fact: even ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VxKluLUGmE&feature=related Count Bleck's leitmotif]]'' is a variation of the Memory theme, it follows the same chord progression at the beginning if you listen, (and could probably also count as a MusicalSpoiler once more of the story is revealed.)
* ''Sonic 1'' uses a scary remixed version of the main boss theme(Robotnik's {{Leitmotif}}?) for the final battle, as well as the cutscene at the end of Scrap Brain Act 2 where Robotnik drops you down the TrapDoor.

* ''SuperSmashBros. Brawl'' has a good deal of its original music based around an orchestral piece composed by NobuoUematsu, which has [[OminousLatinChanting lyrics written in Latin]].
** ''Melee'' did the same thing, with a tune that's an "upbeat" remix of Bowser's theme from ''Mario 64''. It shows up in the menus, Multiman Melee, and boss battles. Its own opening theme shows up in some tracks as well, with the alternate menu music, some event matches, and an alternate track for Final Destination.
* ''NoMoreHeroes'' is positively filled with remixes of its main theme, with variations popping up as in-game battle music, background music in cutscenes and occasionally doing a ThemeTuneCameo when whistled by the protagonist.
* ''Azure Dreams'' uses multiple remixes of the tower theme as you ascend ([=PlayStation=] version only; the Game Boy Color version's tunes are distinctly different).
* As mentioned above ''MegaManBattleNetwork'' uses its main theme in many parts, most noticeable being the "Heroic theme" and the Final boss areas.
* This is very popular in modern musicals. Shows like ''{{Wicked}}'', ''[[{{Theatre/ptitlenjisnv3p}} Les Misérables]]'' and just about anything by AndrewLloydWebber have about five tunes reconfigured into twenty songs.
** Those are usually {{leitmotif}}s or [[DarkReprise dark reprises,]] though.
* Many a RockOpera. WASP's ''The Crimson Idol'' comes to mind in particular. Also notably, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' uses the same pieces of music many times throughout the album set to different lyrics.
** Also, ''The Downward Spiral'' by {{Nine Inch Nails}} and ''{{The Wall}}'' by ''{{Pink Floyd}}'' both feature their own recurring and mutating theme; just a short 4-note pattern in the latter, but ''eight measures long'' in NIN's work.
** ''[[{{Theatre/ptitlenjisnv3p}} Les Misérables]]'' does this a lot too, especially with "Look Down", which appears whenever something related to prison or misery comes up (Work Song, beginning of The Confrontation, Look Down, in the sewers), and "Fantine's [[spoiler:Death]]", which appears in relation to some main characters' deaths. In fact, most of the musical is built on recurring riffs.
** The Who's double album RockOpera Quadrophenia features four "themes", or tunes, found in part of the songs of the album. Listen to the whole album, and those four themes, (each respresenting a different side of the protanganist Jimmy, who has four personalities) will grow on you.
* The film ''GiveMyRegardsToBroadStreet'' (a vanity picture for Paul [=McCartney=]) uses the verse melody for "No More Lonely Nights" ("I can wait another day") as a Recurring Riff.
* DangerousMinds uses the chorus of [[ChorusOnlySong "Gangsta's Paradise"]] as a recurring riff.
* The game {{NiGHTS}}: Journey of Dreams does this with the main theme....a lot. The song occurs at least a dozen times. Once of the girl main character, once for the guy main character, twice for a duet between the two, once for the final stage, once for each of the four multiple endings, etc.
** Each separate stage in the worlds will use a different mix of that world's theme song.
** Along with the boss-fights having re-mixes for the second go at them.
* ''TheLegendOfZelda: Twilight Princess'' has its characteristic main theme (which uses snippets of the original Zelda theme, as in ''Ocarina of Time''), which is played in Hyrule Field, Midna's theme, the Fishing Hole, and even the Hidden Village.
** In ''Majora's Mask'', the musics for each of the "provinces" (Woodfall, Snowhead, Great Bay, Ikana/Stone Tower) all share a common riff/melody with different instrumentations, which in turn, is based on [[{{Leitmotif}} Majora's theme]].

** Same goes for Super Mario Sunshine.

* Running throughout the score of the musical ''[[OneTenInTheShade 110 In The Shade]]'' is one EarWorm of a melodic hook. It appears as a fully developed song at the start of first act as "Gonna Be Another Hot Day" and at the start of the second as "Evenin' Star" (though this latter one was a CutSong for many decades). A shorter {{Fanfare}} version turns up at a few highly dramatic moments.
* ''PlanescapeTorment'' has three musical themes that are used in a number of variations (and sometimes combined together) throughout the game's soundtrack.

* The soundtrack of Soul Calibur II does this a lot, and several tracks (If There Were Any Other Way, for example) carry over to SCIII.
* Non-video game example: ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has loads and ''loads'' of remixes of the main theme used as background music throughout the series.
** Not to mention all the versions of the love theme from ''The Cave of Two Lovers'' whenever things get, um, [[ShipTease interesting]] between Aang and Katara. [[spoiler: The very last scene of the series features a full orchestrated version of this love theme... which then fades into the main theme at the same time the words 'The End' are spelled in the screen. [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome It's awesome.]]]]
* Negative example: One of the criticisms for the ''Halo 3'' soundtrack was the repetition of the piano theme from the debut trailer.
** AKA "Finish the Fight".
** Especially during the Covenant mission.
** There's also "Truth's theme", "Farthest Outpost", and a few shorter themes.
* The ''ResidentEvil'' series: A recurring riff can be heard in many of the [=BGMs=] in ''ResidentEvil 2'', including the beginning scene on the street and the musics played while fighting William's many mutations(would that be a {{Leitmotif}} instead?). Also, the Extreme Battle Mode musics in the Dual Shock Edition are further variations of this theme.
** The original version of [=RE1=] has the mansion theme, which occurs in different variations on the first and second floors, and gets remixed into even scarier form when you come back to the mansion from the guest house, which is major NightmareFuel, especially when fighting the [[DemonicSpiders Hunters and spiders]].
* ''TimeCrisis 3'' has a totally different main theme than the other games in the series(including 4).
** Well not quite totally different, it's kind of a MusicalPastiche of the original theme.
* In ''SilentHill 2'', the music piece "White Noiz" heard at the beginning of the game reappears in several variations later in the game, for example "The Day of Night", "Heaven's Night", and "Prisonic Fairytale"(played immediately afterward, when Mary's letter is read).
** That motif also seems to recur in "A Stray Child" from [=SH3=], which also has the "witch doctor" vocal sample heard in [=SH2=] and [=SH4=].
** The "Theme Of Laura" and "Promise" motifs recur throughout the game. EG, the cutscene music when James reminisces about Mary on the overlook is a variation of Promise.
** In the hospital after Maria's death, a piano hook from "Forest"(the graveyard cutscene music) is reused, in TearJerker fashion.
* ''Turok 2'': The River Of Souls and Lair Of The Blind Ones musics are both somewhat based on the main title theme, the Death Marshes theme uses riffs from both the Hub and Save Room musics, and the Lightship music in turn uses a hook from Death Marshes, as well as the Flesh Portal theme in its latter half.
* ''Halo 2'': a variation of the opening riff of "Blow Me Away" is heard during the sniper alley sequence in Outskirts. Blow Me Away proper, of course, is used during the Mausoleum battle in Gravemind.
** "Unyielding/Reclaimer", a variation of the Halo theme with a characteristic piano hook, recurs at least twice in the game.
* ''Zanac'', one of the first games to feature recurring riffs in its soundtrack. The music itself was ahead of its time too. Recurring motifs include the title theme and the first stage music.
* In the NES version of ''Bionic Commando'', the main riffs of the Area 1/3/4/7(Bionic March) and Area 5/6/10 musics have a common theme. Same chord progression/bassline, but different melodies. The Area 1/3/4/7, Area 8, and Area 12 themes are remixes of the Stage 2, 4, and 5 themes respectively, from the arcade game.
* ''RadiantSilvergun'''s songs use the same "Tadadah tadadah! Tadada tatadaa!" motif in almost every song.
** Its SpiritualSuccessor ''{{Ikaruga}}'' has much of its soundtrack consisting of various remixes of ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRZz1HugwNo&feature=related Ideal]]''. [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome Nobody particularly minds the repetition]].
*** The only music in that game that doesn't use any recurring riffs is "Faith".

* In fact, practically every Japanese RPG will fall prey to this, at the very least remixing its main theme three or four times. Examples include ChronoTrigger, BahamutLagoon, and VagrantStory.
* Throughout ''TheDarkKnight'', the Joker has a very noticeable {{Leitmotif}} - a shiver-inducing electric guitar riff. It appears in five of the songs on the film's soundtrack, each of which plays during a scene in which he features heavily.
* ''TheJourneymanProject'' has several variations of a recurring theme; a new-age version during the opening sequence, an "elevator muzak" version in the apartment hallways, an orchestra version when you first arrive at the TSA, and a rock version during the credits.
* DeusEx and TheNamelessMod both have their main theme pop up in various parts of the sound track.
* SinCity has the saxophone in the background of its score repeat in several tracks. So does the singing and modified versions of the bass riff in the opening.
* Whenever one of the main characters in ''TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'' does something cool, the background music goes "oo-ee-oo-ee-oo!". The same applies to ''ForAFewDollarsMore'', except that the sound effect is "DYEEEW".
* The [[Film/StarTrek 2009]] ''Film/StarTrek'' [[Film/StarTrek movie]] uses the main theme ("Enterprising Young Men") in several places, including part of the credits.
* ''Game/MegaMan 9'' has several of its [=BGM=] tunes use a recurring riff based on its title theme.
** ''Mega Man 4'' has several variations on a five-measure riff in some of its stage themes - to wit, Ring Man's stage, Dust Man's stage, Drill Man's stage, and the first two Cossack stages.
** Ditto for Snake Man's and Spark Man's themes, possibly others, in ''MM3''. Another recurring theme is used in the Wily Stage musics.
* {{Overlord}} uses its main title theme liberally throughout the soundtrack. The remix used for the final boss of the first game is particularly epic.
* Every ''AceCombat'' starting with ''04'' does this often. ''Ace Combat 6'' has ''three'' different recurring themes, with at least one of them being present in roughly half of the game's tracks.
* Every song in ''[=~Luigi's Mansion~=]'' is a variation on the Mansion theme.
* NeonGenesisEvangelion: Decisive Battle is remixed and reused about 4 times throughout the series. The Beast II is a jazzed up heroic remix of this tune.

* In Game/ClockTower, the notes that you hear in the track "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2EycU1NB0s&fmt=18 Satanic Place of Worship]]" are repeated throughout many songs. It's played for NightmareFuel, as with many things in the game.
* ''TheForceUnleashed'' reuses its main melody on occasion, usually during a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.
* The soundtracks to the ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' games have similar riffs, such as the "Sith Theme" and a lot of the music in ''KOTOR II''.
* ''{{Runescape}}'' has some riffs and melodies that occur in various different pieces of song like Runescape's main theme.
* In ''{{Flower}}'', one motif is seen in almost all songs.
* In ''Zeta's World'', same thing.
* NES game ''{{Predator}}'', same thing too.
* The theme from ''CrashBandicoot 3: Warped'''s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxsu3ytYark hub]] appears several times in bonus stages, as well as the title screen.
** In ''Crash Team Racing'', the opening theme has five variant themes for each of its hubs, from the [[PatchworkMap tropical beach to the frozen wastes]].
* We've gotten this far without mentioning the bass riff in ''Seinfeld''?
* ''{{Aquaria}}'' does this. There are at least five "different" tracks on the soundtrack that are slight variations on a basic (gorgeous) theme, and two or three really different tracks that still work in elements. There's one particular motif which is worked into so many of the songs because it has gameplay significance.
* ''DonkeyKongCountry 2'' has the title theme developed into the boss theme, Klubba's theme, and the theme for levels atop ship rigging.
* ModestMussorgsky's piano solo suite ''PicturesAtAnExhibition'' does this with the "Promenade theme" (which is also non-prominent enough that it counts as a {{leitmotif}}).

* TengenToppaGurrenLagann has the song Rap is a Man's Soul (Row Row Fight The Power) [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2srghhXrIG0&feature=related appear at various]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHuIva7PaQE points with]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJEtRtlmidk&feature=related wildly]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAlztMvvNkk varying remixes]].

* ''TombRaider 3'' has several of these, eg the opening and title theme motifs. ''Legend'' has a recurring "[[OminousLatinChanting Ave Maria]]" motif.

* The main riff of ''Raiden II''s Stage 1 theme("Repeated Tragedy") is reused several times, eg in Stage 3("All or Nothing"), and Stage 7("Flap Towards The Hope").
* ''OregonTrail II'' uses many variations of its TitleThemeTune, for the town you start in and certain sections of the trail.
* ''Action Doom II: UrbanBrawl'' has one of these. It first appears at the very beginning of the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYXRhqzPuNE intro theme]], then (if you're going the good way, because there are multiple paths through the game) pops up in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeev8am5D0M first stage intro]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO6S8fFPMnU bar music]], end of [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZHp75UeGhM the final level music]] and (in a warped form) [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1Mnu2uZVak the final boss theme]], until it finally ([[MultipleEndings hopefully]]) returns [[BookEnds at the very end of]] the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0D3MkaDFPo good ending theme]].
* {{Rayman}} 2 has one which is played constantly. You hear it every time you die, and almost every song starts with it. However, there is no actual song from which all the others are borrowing, it's simply a few notes which most of the songs use.
* Many songs in Suikoden V use one of two riffs--a fairly upbeat one from the world map theme and a melancholy one that appears primarily in cutscenes. The former riff in particular shows up all over the place.
* ''{{Ys}} IV''(some of which were mentioned in the "series" section):
** "Field", "Forest of Selceta", "Beyond Reminiscence" and "Eldeel"
** "The Dawn of Ys" and "Temple of the Sun"
** "Battle 58", "Lava Area/A Kiss from Eldeel", and "The Heat in the Blaze"
----

* The ''MedalOfHonor'' series has these in spades; eg "Main Theme", "Taking Out The Railgun", "Attack on Fort Schmerzen", "The U-Boat", "May 10th, 1940"(the title theme of ''Underground''), "Manor House Rally", "Sturmgeist's Armored Train", etc.

** That motif also seems to recur in "A Stray Child" from [=SH3=], which also has the "demons moaning" instrument heard in [=SH2=] and [=SH4=].