History Main / RecurringRiff

** ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'', in addition to it's leitmotifs and reprises of the first game's themes, has a few recurring riffs not associated with a particular character or location, such as the motif heard in the E3 2018 trailer, Luma Pools, and Windswept Wastes.

** "Field of Screams" is a more rock & roll sounding remix of "Asphalt Assault".

* ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'', the sequel to ''VideoGame/OriAndTheBlindForest'', reuses a load of leitmotifs from its predecessor, including, in addition to the main theme, "Ori, Lost in the Storm", "Naru, Embracing The Light", "Finding Sein"(used for miniboss-type enemy encounters and Combat Shrines), "Up Spirit Caverns Walls"(heard in parts of the starting area, just like in the first game), the Ability Acquired fanfare, "Restoring The Light, Facing The Dark"(during escape sequences and most boss battles), "Conundrum"(used for [[TimeTrial Spirit Trials]]), and "Fleeing Kuro"(this time used for the new BigBad, Shriek).

* ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'', the sequel to ''VideoGame/OriAndTheBlindForest'', reuses a load of leitmotifs from its predecessor, including, in addition to the main theme, "Ori, Lost in the Storm", "Naru, Embracing The Light", "Finding Sein"(used for miniboss-type enemy encounters and Combat Shrines), "Up Spirit Caverns Walls"(heard in parts of the starting area, just like in the first game), the Ability Acquired fanfare, "Restoring The Light, Facing The Dark"(during escape sequences and most boss battles), "Conundrum", and "Fleeing Kuro"(this time used for the new BigBad, Shriek).

** The series has its classic theme song music from the first two games, which was even referenced as late as 2001 in ''VideoGame/SonicAdvance''. A bit more commonly, though, is the Round Clear music from ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'', which has been used for over ten years when a character completes a stage. It's also heard as Sonic's victory theme in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl]]''.

* Chico Marx's theme appears in several Creator/MarxBrothers movies, including Harpo's solo in ''Film/MonkeyBusiness'' and Chico's [[OverlyLongGag endless piano solo]] in ''Film/AnimalCrackers''. It even has two different ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics ("I'm Daffy Over You" and "Lucky Little Penny").

* Due mainly to there being only a handfull of films in the "James Bond" series that weren't composed by either John Barry or David Arnold, there's a lot of this, with four themes that find themselves in nearly every film, and a few others that make apearances in other films. You can make a game of setting the scores on random and guessing which film it's actually from.

* ''Film/Avengers2012'' started one for the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, a version of it was later used for ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy''

** ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'' is the only film that does not use an excerpt from the Courage theme in its main theme, but it does use an arrangement for the "Captain's Log" segments in the second act. And, of course, Jerry Goldsmith's theme for TMP returns in [[Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier the]] [[Film/StarTrekFirstContact other]] [[Film/StarTrekInsurrection four]] [[Film/StarTrekNemesis films]] he scored, along with his Klingon theme (which is used in ''The Final Frontier'' repeatedly for the antagonist Klaa, and gets a heroic upgrade in the [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]] films when it's used for Worf).
** James Horner uses his unique ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' theme throughout the film. His "Spock" theme from the film is also upgraded into Horner's main theme for ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', which also uses snippets of the ''Wrath of Khan'' main theme.

** Jerry Goldsmith opens the remaining three TNG films, ''[[Film/StarTrekFirstContact First Contact]]'', ''[[Film/StarTrekInsurrection Insurrection]]'', and ''[[Film/StarTrekNemesis Nemesis]]'', with their own unique themes, and uses the new themes about as much as his returning themes.

** Some of the recurring tunes from previous games in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': 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 ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', Goron City, Zora's Domain (almost identical to its ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' incarnation), the opening riff of the title music from the original ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'', 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.

* Many of the ''VideoGame/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]]).

** ''DoubleDragonNeon'' also reuses many of the classic themes, some of which are recurring riffs within the soundtrack. For example, Skullmageddon's theme is in fact a highly reworked version of the second cave theme from the first NES game.

** Just as Calamari Inkantation is linked to the Inklings, the Octarians have a 5 note jingle that shows up in quite a few tracks related to them. It appears as the intro of both games' first single player themes, as the level clear fanfare, and [[BossRemix remixed into both final boss themes]].

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' has a title theme and an Encounter-ally/Recruitment theme introduced in ''Sword of Seals'', 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 series.

* Many Creator/NipponIchi games (''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'', and ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom'' especially) will use music samples from ''VideoGame/LaPucelle'', particularly the Rosenqueen Shop and Dark World themes, in various situations

* The ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series has its classic theme song music from the first two games (which was mixed with "Hall of the Mountain King" and "Flight of the Bumblebee" 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 ''[[VideoGame/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]].

** It's also common for Sonic games that have Zones split into individual acts to have different tracks for each act (starting with ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''). Each track will usually share some kind of RecurringRiff between them, though.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' again; often, the various in-game jingles (Invincibility, Speed Up), the menu screens, some specific cutscenes, the title screen, and in later games the final boss all match the same theme, but with variations.

** Much of ''Sonic Adventure 2'''s soundtrack is built around a single motif, which finally comes to a head with the song "Live and Learn" during the game's final boss fight. It's [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic pretty sweet.]]
* ''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.
** The boss music in ''Sonic 2'' also seems to be loosely remixed from the ''Sonic 1'' boss theme, which, in turn, was remixed and used in the final boss for that game.
*** In fact, although it had a different composer, the first half of the S3&K main boss music is a MusicalPastiche of ''Sonic 1'''s boss theme, more resembling the FinalBoss remix of it.

** The EarWorm-y music that plays when someone is bringing you somewhere to show you something (known as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wskGh5rYAQ "Follow Me", "Guidance", or "Hurry Along"]] in the games; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJdVAFza1E8 "Silly Psyduck"]] in the anime) is always a variation on the same theme.

* Amazingly, ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' uses this: While the [[EarWorm opening and ending themes]] are for the most part played only during the 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 recognize them showing up ''all over the place''.

* Running throughout the score of the musical ''Theatre/OneTenInTheShade'' 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.

* The soundtracks to the ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' games have similar riffs, such as the "Sith Theme" and a lot of the music in ''KOTOR II''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}''
** Calamari Inkantation is a theme deeply linked with the Inklings, to the point that it's said that "may as well be carved into the very DNA of all Inklings". This theme shows up often in-game, appearing on Inkopolis (as the train station's jingle), the credits (as part of the medley), and as a ThemeMusicPowerUp for the final phase of the FinalBoss.
** Just as Calamari Inkantation is linked to the Inklings, the Octarians have a 5 note jingle that shows up in quite a few tracks related to them. It appears as the intro of the first single player theme, as the level clear fanfare, and [[BossRemix remixed as part of the final boss's theme]].

* ''Radiant Silvergun''[='=]s SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}}'' has much of its soundtrack consisting of various remixes of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRZz1HugwNo Ideal]]''. [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic Nobody particularly minds the repetition]]. The only music in that game that doesn't use any recurring riffs is "Faith".

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' again; often, the various in-game jingles (Invincibility, Speed Up), the menu screens, some specific cutscenes, the title screen, and in later games the final boss all match the same theme, but with variations.

** Many tracks in ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'' contain portions of the song "Great Revival ~ Miles Edgeworth," which originated in the second ''VisualNovel/AceAttorney'' game. Rather appropriate, considering [[CaptainObvious he is the main character.]]

* Amazingly, ''Manga/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 recognize them showing up ''all over the place''.

** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' reuses all the exploration and battle themes of the original's worlds that also appear in the sequel.

*** "Destati" is mixed into "Dismiss", "Fragments of Sorrow", "Guardando nel Buio", "L'Eminenza Oscura I", and "The Eye of Darkness".
*** Ansem's theme, "Forze de Male" is remixed into "Guardando nel Buio" and "L'Eminenza Oscura I".

** [[LandSeaSky "Terra", "Aqua", and "Ventus"]] comprise "Fate of the Unknown".
** The themes of "Terra" and "Fate of the Unknown" are heard in "Rage Awakened".
** "Sora", "Roxas", and "Ventus" can be heard in "Enter the Darkness", Vanitas's battle theme.

* The ''Series/{{Shoestring}}'' theme is worked into the score of almost every episode.

* The ''Series/{{Shoestring}}'' theme is remixed into the soundtrack of scenes in every episode.

* ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'''s songs use the same "Tadadah tadadah! Tadada tatadaa!" motif in almost every song.