MUSIC MAKES VIDEO GAMES EPICCC!!! :D

Okay, given the amount of time we spend on our computers, online, whatever, I have no doubt that at least a few of us here are gamers in some form or fashion. Even if not, we've all seen or all played video games, and if you're like me, they've left their impression on you, be it good or be it bad. Video Games have a unique capacity to draw us into their storytelling medium that other forms of entertainment, such as television simply don't have. When you have a controller in your hand, or when you are typing on your keyboard, or flicking your mouse across the screen, you become a part of whatever story is being told, whether simply the story of a race, or the story of an epic adventure to save the galaxy.

The first video games, from the days of the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972 to the days of the Atari 2600 in 1983 (yes, I looked all this stuff up) didn't place a heavy emphasis on the music tracks utilized in their games, if any. This is certainly understandable, since the capabilities of these systems were fairly limited (indeed, the Odyssey had only two lights on the screen, and relied on overlays in place of graphics), but ever since the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System which helped re-energize the Video Game market after it crashed in 1983, Music has played a larger and larger part in our ever-evolving hobby. It's safe to say that without music, video games today would not be anywhere close to what they are... This thread is made to recognize the contribution Video Game Music has played on the medium. SO!

Post a track. Comment on other tracks posted! Enjoy yourself, and show off your favorites. The only rule I would like to request is that these threads be focused on the music (no whole cutscenes unless specifically to comment on the music in said cutscene), and ONLY themes which can be found in games (unless, again, for comparison or commentary).

With that in mind, I'll start us off with a song that should come as no surprise.

Mario is the grand-daddy of all modern video games. Suffice to say that this portly Italian plumber with his penchant for saving princesses and battling evil koopa creatures single-handedly brought the Video Game Industry back from the brink of total annihilation. Through every generation of video game evolution, he manages to live on and his adventures are considered some of the best in the industry. But who could ever forget whiling away the hours in the original Super Mario Bros. video games? And who could forget the track we listened to, from the very first steps we took in the Mushroom Kingdom?

Nice one, Firestorm.

For me, to get introduced to the computer and the games, began with the Commodore 64. For those who know it. It exists only out of a big fat keyboard, brown in color.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Commodore-64-Computer.png

I still have it here, together with a tape streamer, a disk drive and a printer as peripherals. Further a few joysticks. (who have gotten allot of abuse) and a mouse. The "computer" got connected to the scart port of the TV and you where set to go. The good ol' times. There is even a suitcase full of tapes. where games are copied on, with a self made book, where is on listed the games and on what time length it starts on the tape. Just having a digit wrong and the game you wanted to load was just skipped and the next one is being loaded.

My brothers and sister and parents have spent hours with it. Mostly my brothers and having lots of competitions. There is even a OS program to called GEOS which could be loaded and you have a sort of windows 3.1 look and icons. Just look at the link beneath for the Commodore 64.

Self I have also played lots of games on it, recalling the sound of when I turned on the disk drive, rattataktak.

Uhm.... before I start to talk hours and pages long about the C-64, I can better start to come with a song or music.


Ok. A game I have played, out of the many, a theme song that is stuck and is famous of a TV show, which has had gotten lots if remakes and alternate versions of it. From the Jazz version to a blues and rock version. The game is called: Spy Hunter. You would need to have two controllers, one for playing the game normally, but the other controller the red fire button, to use your aft weapons. Oil slick, a cloud.

Here is a long play of the game and enjoy the sound track. The Peter Gunn Theme!




About the Commodore 64: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64

I admit I wasn't always a big video game girl until Zelda: Ocarina of Time came out for the Nintendo 64. I always hated the water temple like nothing else in the entire game (I usually enlisted my older brother's help to beat it).

But for what it was worth, my favorite song (that Link plays on the Ocarina) in the game is the Serenade of Water, the original game sound is below.



I loved the original to start with, it is sweet and calming to start with which appeals to me even now as an adult. Over time, I started finding remixes of different Zelda songs, including Serenade of Water. Instead of a 24 second version, this is a nearly 4 minute composition on a piano that is everything that Serenade of Water sounds like it would be in a longer format.



Don't get me wrong, I loved all of the songs that Koji Kondo wrote for the game, but of the Ocarina songs, Serenade of Water holds a special place for me above all the others. Perhaps I've grown attached more to the piano version in the second link, but I know where it's roots are!