3 ms·

"Perhaps the most recognizable video game theme in history, Koji Kondo's main motif for the 1985 Nintendo classic, “Super Mario Bros.,” helped establish the gam

"Perhaps the most recognizable video game theme in history, Koji Kondo's main motif for the 1985 Nintendo classic, “Super Mario Bros.,” helped establish the game's legendary status and proved that the five-channel Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) sound chip was capable of vast musical complexity and creativity. The game's main theme, or “Ground Theme,” is a jaunty, Latin-influenced melody that provides the perfect accompaniment to Mario and Luigi's side scrolling hijinks. Kondo's score laid the groundwork for an entire generation of chiptune musicians and has been performed by orchestras around the globe, befitting its status as one of the most beloved musical compositions of the last 40 years." Also added: Stairway to Heaven, What a Feeling, All I Want For Christmas and Imagine.

dwighttk 4y ago
Which all I want for Christmas? Two front teeth? Or You?
- turtleyacht 4y ago
  The You one, sung by Mariah Carey: https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/recording-registry/registry-by-induction-years/2023/ https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation...
em500 4y ago
A somewhat unique desideratum of video game music that distinguish them from film scores (especially with the limited storage in the 1980s and 90s) is that short pieces need to be played in a loop for hours and hours on end without the player getting sick of them. I think nobody has done this as well as Koji Kondo (who also did the Zelda music).
- autoexec 4y ago
  Film scores have it easy, but for games instead of just looping a tune there are dynamic scores in video games music that change moment by moment in response to the actions of the player or the current situation in the game. Even SMB did this in a way by speeding up the music as time ran out, but newer games give you multiple versions of the same themes and melodies, but in short segments with entry and exit points that can be transitioned into and out of seamlessly while still sounding natural. Games have been getting better and better at this and when it works well, it blows me away!

dwighttk 4y ago

Which all I want for Christmas? Two front teeth? Or You?

turtleyacht 4y ago
The You one, sung by Mariah Carey: https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/recording-registry/registry-by-induction-years/2023/ https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation...

em500 4y ago

A somewhat unique desideratum of video game music that distinguish them from film scores (especially with the limited storage in the 1980s and 90s) is that short pieces need to be played in a loop for hours and hours on end without the player getting sick of them. I think nobody has done this as well as Koji Kondo (who also did the Zelda music).

autoexec 4y ago
Film scores have it easy, but for games instead of just looping a tune there are dynamic scores in video games music that change moment by moment in response to the actions of the player or the current situation in the game. Even SMB did this in a way by speeding up the music as time ran out, but newer games give you multiple versions of the same themes and melodies, but in short segments with entry and exit points that can be transitioned into and out of seamlessly while still sounding natural. Games have been getting better and better at this and when it works well, it blows me away!