These two songs sound suspiciously alike...

[Rucks]

https://youtu.be/dwO5TyuIkjc?list=PLPDoxoGA-MPQX6G_praYBdPDpM4VEbvdR

Trails in the Sky - Engaged People in Secret Maneuvers

https://youtu.be/cLC1Pljj01c?list=PLBdL0iJj-imYL0i1kzPXHwuLs5w5-YXXn

Final Fantasy 6 - Another World of Beasts

I'm getting a serious Vanilla Ice/Michael Jackson situation vibe here.

The bridges are different but it's almost the exact same melody.

Has anyone brought this up (or other instances like this) before?  Or are they nothing alike and I just have that bad of an ear for this sort of thing?

[Goblin Shark]

I feel like that's a very common chord progression for eerie sinister pieces.  I'm reminded of the middle part of the Iron Maiden song "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" when I hear those two VG pieces you linked to.  (Rime was on Iron Maiden's 1984 album Powerslave.  It's my favorite Maiden album and that song saved my hide during an honors English class in high school.)

https://youtu.be/t7zk4as9kzA?t=311

[Towns Car Marty]

Nice one, Jawsh. I didn't pick up on the FF6/Trails comparison but you're absolutely correct.

Reviving a dead thread here but with good reason! This is something I've gotten a lot of joy out of picking up on lately.

Trails of Cold Steel - The Glint of Cold Steel VS Robert Miles - Children
I can't stand Robert Miles, which is probably why I can't stand this battle theme.

Shinobi Arcade - BGM 4 VS Wham! - Everything She Wants
Ninja assassins and George Michael are a perfect fit.

and my personal favorite:

Sound Team JDK - Eyes the Color of Dreams  (Ys 3 Redmont arrangement) VS Shoujo Tai - Hot Dance in Cherry Moon (Dominion Tank Police) VS Bananarama - I Heard a Rumor
Evidence that Bananarama was more popular in Japan between 88-90 than I had ever thought about. Wow! is a legit incredible pop album.

[Goblin Shark]

Reminds me of that controversy 8 years ago with Joe Satriani and Coldplay.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb49QuPLuHg

The Coldplay song came out in 2008 and the Satriani song came out in 2004. 

Then again, that too is a pretty common chord progression.  I think there was a 1970s Cat Stevens song that had that progression in the bridge.

And like I said in a previous post, Iron Maiden predates FF and TitS with that sinister chord progression and I'll bet some classical music piece predates all of that.