I've specifically had hints requested of me, and was planning on posting some tomorrow anyway, so I figure I might as well drop these a little early.
01: This is from a game covered by the Angry Video Game Nerd. It's not specifically a forest theme, it just happens to be played only in forest settings... if that makes any sense.
02: Remember how back in the '90s, game developers on Nintendo consoles were practically required by law to always release Game Boy or Game Boy Color versions of their hit console titles, even if the Game Boy hardware couldn't possibly handle them? So generally, they'd make an entirely different game, but give it the same name. This is one such GBC title, little brother to one of the biggest third-party franchise hits on its respective console. I knew the "big brother" game had ample jungle themes to choose from, but had never seen or heard any footage from the GBC spin-off. And while the GBC game scored middling reviews, it looked really cool, and had WAY better music than its big brother, so I ran with it.
(Incidentally, this was an awesome discovery for me, as not only does this game have AMAZING music, the composer is someone whose work I've never heard before but whose entire portfolio is beyond incredible -- it's taking every ounce of my willpower not to post links to like, everything he's ever done right this minute! But rest assured, as soon as episode 6 is up, I am posting ALL ABOUT HIM.)
03: This is from a Falcom title.
04: This PS1 platformer had its main characters completely redesigned, its story completely rewritten and its title completely changed from the Japanese version for... some reason. Great game, though!
05: This is from an absolute SNES classic, often cited as one of the best platformers on the entire console.
06: This, too, is from a Falcom title.
07: I could've used the first stage theme from this classic SNES platformer, as it does take place on treetops, but chose instead to use this second-stage dark forest theme.
08: This, on the other hand, is a first stage theme from an NES classic, and the reason for my disclaimer that the location doesn't necessarily have to be a "traditional" forest. It's called a forest by the game itself, however, so it still counts!
09: This is the earliest title ever to appear on any of my lists so far. This arcade classic was altered when it was brought to the U.S. in order to avoid copyright infringement. The main character sprite was completely redrawn, a sound effect was removed and replaced with a jingle, and the name was slightly altered as well.
10: This is clearly an 8-bit track, but it sounds a little different from any of the Nintendo 8-bit synth you might have heard, don't you think?
(And no, it's not a modern indie title or anything -- this is legitimately from the era!)
11: This, too, is a first stage theme. And while the setting is clearly a forest, it seems to have been mostly DEforested by the time you get to it, as there's practically nothing left but stumps! Good thing they make for such convenient platforms (even if that does raise some questions about perspective!).
12: This is from an unnumbered game in an insanely long-running mostly-PC franchise. It's unnumbered for a reason, though... a reason that another long-running franchise seemed never to consider, since that franchise features two numbered games of the same variety that everyone always says should have just been released as unnumbered spin-offs.
13: This oft-derided RPG had a different name in Japan, North America and Europe, though its Japan and North America names were very similar -- the only difference being that Japan had to make certain its country of origin was pointed out, because I don't think they wanted to take any credit for this particular title.
14: This is the first game I've featured from this particular console on any of my lists so far, and is from a first-party title published on said console.
15: This is from a SquareSoft classic on the SNES. If you haven't gotten it already, you probably just plain don't know it.
16: For some reason, the American version of this NES classic had its very first piece of BGM completely changed, but was otherwise identical to the Japanese version. This is also notable for having a "same name, different game" brother, with the Sega Master System version being a completely different title that had much more in common with the (less interesting) arcade original than this game did.
17: This is a godawful game. I don't think anybody likes it, really! But for some reason, those who have played it sort of seem to have a weird nostalgic fondness for it that even THEY can't explain. Pat the NES Punk covered it in one of his videos.
18: This is also what I'd consider to be a godawful game, but unlike the previous track, this one definitely has its fans. I placed it at #18 because I'm not certain this arcade version was ever officially released in the western world, though I know at least one home port was for the NES (and it was very faithful... unfortunately!). 19 and 20 are both Japanese games, so I figured I'd put this on the border between the Japanese and western titles just to be on the safe side. This game is most notable for having a female protagonist, though I somehow doubt feminists will ever point to it as a particularly progressive game.
19: This, as well, is from a Falcom game. And this one is kind of the reason I made a forest-themed list in the first place, as I absolutely adore this track -- probably my favorite forest theme of all time.
20: This is from the fourth game in its series (the first on PS2), and is the first title in the series to actually use different music for this particular forest (as the location was present in all previous series titles as well)... and that's a good thing, because the old music was extremely short and extremely grating! (And did not appear on any soundtracks.)
There are seven tracks that remain unidentified right now: 2, 4, 9, 12, 17, 18 and 20.
I have my next theme all planned out already, and it's a doozy, so I figure I might as well save up some good will with you guys while I can.
Heheheheh...