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Everybody loves Pokémon.
This iconic monster-catching RPG series became a household name after many successful titles during the late 90s and early 00s.
It has remained one of the world’s favorite gaming franchises ever since.
Something that’s received a lot more attention lately has been Pokémon songs, which indie producers worldwide love remixing into catchy jams.
Beat Saber mod creators have also been working to turn Pokémon tunes into incredible maps to help you burn some calories and train yourself to LVL 100.
First up, we have a challenging Diamond & Pearl-inspired map by creator Ejiejidayo.
Cynthia is one of the most popular female trainers in the Pokémon franchise. She’s the Champion of the Sinnoh region and commands a team of absolute beasts – including her terrifying Garchomp.
As expected of a champion fight, her battle theme is fast-paced and intense, especially from the halfway mark onward.
At first, the tune reflects her sober and intellectual nature as an archaeologist, but then it turns into a hotblooded battle theme worthy of a champion.
Clearing this on Expert+ might be more brutal than the actual Pokémon battle.
Another fantastic battle tune that’ll help you work up a sweat is Champion Iris’ theme from Pokémon Black & White 2.
We met Iris in the original B&W as one of the Gym Leaders of Opelucid City.
She’d rise up to replace Alder as the Pokémon Champion two years later.
Unlike most Pokémon Champion battle themes, which focus on building tension, this is a rather cheery tune that reflects the excitement in each trainer’s heart.
This map by Cocoapoco is perfect for playing when you need an emotional pick-me-up during your workout.
Musician Corentin Rahil appeals to the excited teen discovering Pokémon Gen 2 in all of us – with a modern arrangement of three iconic Pokémon Gold songs.
It’s fun and energetic, with many different sounds and instruments coming together for a multi-part journey through a game that defined many childhoods worldwide.
The songs chosen for this magical arrangement are the themes from:
Azalea Town
Ecruteak City
And the National Park
Even at Expert+, this map by Felino will put you in a relaxed, flowing mood as you give in to the sound waves and let your arms do the rest.
Few songs are more well-loved by the Pokémon community as the Pokémon Center theme by composer Junichi Masuda.
With the acoustic complexity of an old Nokia ringtone, this song elicits feelings of safety and calm in anyone who’s ever played any Pokémon game – especially the old-school ones.
The Pokémon Center Remix by rising talent VGM producer Qumu injects more energy and depth into this classic tune with some new notes and a higher BPM.
Mapper Night made sure every note in the song had a cube counterpart for you to slice, letting you slip into a chiptune trance where the music and your movements are one and the same.
If there’s one thing the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series has, it’s a great soundtrack.
Through the Sea of Time is an inspiring tune that accompanies the emotional moment when a group of Pokémon brave the Sea of Time to reach the Hidden Land, and save the world in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time.
It uses bits and pieces of songs encountered previously in the game to remind you of your journey and why you risk everything for your fellow Pokémon and the rest of the world.
The mapping by CocoaGalaxy is dynamic and should provide a decent challenge without overwhelming the player.
The Lavender Town theme has become one of the most recognizable Pokémon tunes thanks to a long history of creepypastas and memes referencing the song’s eerie nature.
Lavender Town is a settlement in Kanto renowned for its Pokémon Tower – an ancestral burial ground for Pokémon. The unsettling background music was vital in creating a truly dark and ominous ambiance for this ghostly town.
Rumors of the song deteriorating the listener’s mental health have been around since the late 2000s – but that shouldn’t be a problem if you’re just playing it a couple times a day.
Now, if you’re grinding to get the 100% on Z-ANESaber’s Expert difficulty map, you might want to schedule some breaks…
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were an incredible opportunity for old-school fans to re-experience the Sinnoh region from a whole new perspective.
One of the most emotional moments in my playthrough was walking through Route 201 and hearing Hitomi Sato’s updated take on the classic BGM.
It brought me back to my first time heading to Sandgem Town and getting the Starly that would become my main Pokémon (because starters are for normies).
This fantastic map by CocoaGalaxy should elicit similar feelings while you work up a sweat.
Whenever I think of watching TV as a kid, I imagine Ash facing the future as this song plays in the background. I knew the lyrics then, and I know them now – as do you.
Don’t come into this Beat Saber map expecting just a minute of action. M
apper CocoaGalaxy chose to work with the full version of the song, including the second verse. So it’s about three minutes of hardcore focus if you want to get 100% completion.
No Pokémon song is more iconic than the anime’s original opening – but when it comes to slicin’, Pokémon Sword & Shield’s ultra-hype Gym Battle theme comes out on top.
This song really makes you feel the adrenaline and excitement of fighting a gym leader in the middle of a packed stadium cheering you on.
It’s do or die!
You’ll feel the crowd’s energy as you slice through CocoaGalaxy’s challenging map, edging closer to 100% accuracy with each retry – much like you’d tackle a difficult gym battle.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
