Koji Kondo
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese video game composer and sound director
who has been employed at Nintendo
since 1984. He is best known for scoring numerous titles in the Mario
and The Legend of Zelda
series.
from the age of five. He improved his skills in the instrument in a cover band
that played jazz
and rock music
. Kondo studied at the Art Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts
, but was never classically-trained or particularly dedicated to music. However, he gained some experience in composing and arranging pieces, using both the piano and a computer to assist him. During his senior year, Nintendo
sent a recruitment message to his university stating that they were interested in hiring people dedicated to composition and sound programming. An LCD
and arcade game
r, Kondo successfully applied for the job in 1984 without requiring any demo tapes
.
. As the Famicom
had become highly popular in Japan, Kondo was assigned to compose music for the console's subsequent games at Nintendo's new development team, Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
(EAD). Kondo also wrote an instruction manual on how to program Japanese popular music
into the Famicom using the peripheral
Family BASIC. To conclude his first year at Nintendo, he created the music to Devil World
alongside Akito Nakatsuka. In 1985, Nintendo started marketing the Famicom abroad under the name the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to capitalize on the 1983 video game crash that devastated Atari, Inc. He composed the music for the hit releases Super Mario Bros.
(1985) and The Legend of Zelda (1986) which helped the system to sell 60 million copies in total and established some of the most well-known melodies in the video game industry.
Super Mario Bros., for many years the best-selling video game of all time, was Kondo's first major score. The game's melodies were created with the intention that short segments of music could be endlessly repeated during the same gameplay without causing boredom. Kondo's soundtrack to Super Mario Bros. gained worldwide recognition, and is to this day the most well-known video game score. The main theme
is iconic in popular culture and has been featured in over 50 concerts, been a best-selling ringtone, and been remixed or sampled
by various musicians. Kondo's work on The Legend of Zelda scores has also become highly recognized. He produced four main pieces of background music for the first installment of the series; the overworld theme has become comparable in popularity with the Super Mario Bros. main theme. Following the success of The Legend of Zelda, he provided the score for two Japanese-exclusive titles, Nazo no Murasame Jō (1986) and Shin Onigashima
(1987). He also created the soundtrack to Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987), which was later rebranded outside of Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2
in 1988.
Kondo returned to the Super Mario series to produce the scores to Super Mario Bros. 3
(1988) and the SNES
launch title Super Mario World
(1990). Koichi Sugiyama
directed a jazz arrangement album of Super Mario Worlds music and oversaw its performance at the first Orchestral Game Music Concert
in 1991. After finishing the soundtrack to Super Mario World, Kondo was in charge of the sound programming for Pilotwings
, and created the sound effects for Star Fox
. In 1995 he composed for the sequel to Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
. Until the Nintendo 64
era, Kondo would usually write all compositions for a game, ending with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
as the last score he worked alone on. Since then, he has been collaborating with other staff members at Nintendo EAD, supervising music created by others, as well as providing additional compositions for games such as Super Mario Galaxy
, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
.
at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, Illinois
in May 2006. His music from the Super Mario Bros.
and The Legend of Zelda
series was performed by a full symphony orchestra. This event drew nearly four thousand attendees. He also attended and performed in a series of three concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series in late 2011.
" reached number one on Billboard Magazines Hot Ringtones chart in 2009. Kondo cites rock bands Deep Purple
and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
as major musical influences.
He has also cited as influences the works of the Russian romantic composer Sergei Rachmaninoff
, particularly his four piano concertos.
Director of audiography
The Director of Audiography is the head of the sound department and the person responsible for planning the audiography and managing the audiographers of a film....
who has been employed at Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
since 1984. He is best known for scoring numerous titles in the Mario
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
and The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
series.
Early life
Born in Nagoya, Japan, Koji Kondo began taking lessons in the electronic organElectronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
from the age of five. He improved his skills in the instrument in a cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
that played jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. Kondo studied at the Art Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts
Osaka University of Arts
is a private arts university located in Kanan, Minamikawachi District, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The university was founded in 1945 as , changing its name to in 1957, and then to in 1964...
, but was never classically-trained or particularly dedicated to music. However, he gained some experience in composing and arranging pieces, using both the piano and a computer to assist him. During his senior year, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
sent a recruitment message to his university stating that they were interested in hiring people dedicated to composition and sound programming. An LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
and arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
r, Kondo successfully applied for the job in 1984 without requiring any demo tapes
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
.
Career
Kondo was the first person hired by Nintendo for the purpose of creating compositions, and was to play an integral role in making the company's games and music recognizable worldwide. The first games he scored were the arcade games Vs. Golf and Punch-Out!!. Despite creating very little music, he was able to overcome the challenges of sound designSound design
Sound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
. As the Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
had become highly popular in Japan, Kondo was assigned to compose music for the console's subsequent games at Nintendo's new development team, Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
, commonly abbreviated as EAD, is the largest division inside Nintendo. It was preceded by the , a team of designers with an art background responsible for many different tasks, which Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka originally belonged to...
(EAD). Kondo also wrote an instruction manual on how to program Japanese popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
into the Famicom using the peripheral
Peripheral
A peripheral is a device attached to a host computer, but not part of it, and is more or less dependent on the host. It expands the host's capabilities, but does not form part of the core computer architecture....
Family BASIC. To conclude his first year at Nintendo, he created the music to Devil World
Devil World
is a maze video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan on October 5, 1984 and in Europe on July 15, 1987. The game was also released on the Wii's Virtual Console in Japan on January 22, 2008 and in Europe and Australia on October 31,...
alongside Akito Nakatsuka. In 1985, Nintendo started marketing the Famicom abroad under the name the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to capitalize on the 1983 video game crash that devastated Atari, Inc. He composed the music for the hit releases Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
(1985) and The Legend of Zelda (1986) which helped the system to sell 60 million copies in total and established some of the most well-known melodies in the video game industry.
Super Mario Bros., for many years the best-selling video game of all time, was Kondo's first major score. The game's melodies were created with the intention that short segments of music could be endlessly repeated during the same gameplay without causing boredom. Kondo's soundtrack to Super Mario Bros. gained worldwide recognition, and is to this day the most well-known video game score. The main theme
Super Mario Bros. theme
-Composition:This theme took the longest of the six tracks of Super Mario Bros. to compose, according to its composer Koji Kondo. He stated that he would write one piece, and the team would put it in the game. If it did not accentuate the action, did not time up with Mario running and jumping, or...
is iconic in popular culture and has been featured in over 50 concerts, been a best-selling ringtone, and been remixed or sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
by various musicians. Kondo's work on The Legend of Zelda scores has also become highly recognized. He produced four main pieces of background music for the first installment of the series; the overworld theme has become comparable in popularity with the Super Mario Bros. main theme. Following the success of The Legend of Zelda, he provided the score for two Japanese-exclusive titles, Nazo no Murasame Jō (1986) and Shin Onigashima
Shin Onigashima
, often simply referred to as , is a video game title developed by Nintendo EAD and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo. It was first released on two disk cards for the Family Computer Disk System. The first disk was released on September 4, 1987, while the second disk was released September 30,...
(1987). He also created the soundtrack to Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987), which was later rebranded outside of Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
in 1988.
Kondo returned to the Super Mario series to produce the scores to Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Bros. 3
, also referred to as Super Mario 3 and SMB3, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the third game in the Super Mario series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, in the United States in 1990, and in Europe in 1991...
(1988) and the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
launch title Super Mario World
Super Mario World
, subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 for its original Japanese release, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series...
(1990). Koichi Sugiyama
Koichi Sugiyama
is a Japanese music composer, council member of JASRAC , and honorary chairman of the Japanese Backgammon Society...
directed a jazz arrangement album of Super Mario Worlds music and oversaw its performance at the first Orchestral Game Music Concert
Orchestral Game Music Concerts
The were a series of Japanese video game music concerts. The events took place in Tokyo from 1991 to 1996 and were performed by different orchestras. Recordings of the concerts were released as a series of albums, which are known for their rarity....
in 1991. After finishing the soundtrack to Super Mario World, Kondo was in charge of the sound programming for Pilotwings
Pilotwings
is a video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division, led by producer Shigeru Miyamoto. The game was originally released in Japan on December 21, 1990, shortly after the launch of the SNES...
, and created the sound effects for Star Fox
Star Fox (video game)
, released as Starwing in Europe and Australia due to a game of the same name and subsequent trademark issues in those regions, is the first game in the Star Fox series of video games. It was released in the spring of 1993 for the SFC/SNES...
. In 1995 he composed for the sequel to Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, originally released as in Japan, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the SNES console. Despite its title, this game serves as a prequel to all other games within the established Mario Bros timeline...
. Until the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
era, Kondo would usually write all compositions for a game, ending with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
as the last score he worked alone on. Since then, he has been collaborating with other staff members at Nintendo EAD, supervising music created by others, as well as providing additional compositions for games such as Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the...
and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November...
.
Concerts
Kondo attended the world-premiere of Play! A Video Game SymphonyPlay! A Video Game Symphony
PLAY! A Video Game Symphony is a concert series that features music from video games performed by a live orchestra. The concerts from 2006 to 2010 were conducted by Arnie Roth...
at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
in May 2006. His music from the Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
and The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
series was performed by a full symphony orchestra. This event drew nearly four thousand attendees. He also attended and performed in a series of three concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series in late 2011.
Musical style and influences
The "Super Mario Bros. themeSuper Mario Bros. theme
-Composition:This theme took the longest of the six tracks of Super Mario Bros. to compose, according to its composer Koji Kondo. He stated that he would write one piece, and the team would put it in the game. If it did not accentuate the action, did not time up with Mario running and jumping, or...
" reached number one on Billboard Magazines Hot Ringtones chart in 2009. Kondo cites rock bands Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
as major musical influences.
He has also cited as influences the works of the Russian romantic composer Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
, particularly his four piano concertos.
Discography
| Video games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Co-worker |
| 1984 | Golf Golf (video game) Golf is a sports-simulation video game released in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan in 1984 for the Nintendo Family Computer... |
Composition | |
| Family BASIC | Sound programming | ||
| Devil World Devil World is a maze video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan on October 5, 1984 and in Europe on July 15, 1987. The game was also released on the Wii's Virtual Console in Japan on January 22, 2008 and in Europe and Australia on October 31,... |
Composition | Akito Nakatsuka | |
| 1985 | Soccer | Composition | |
| Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist... |
Composition | ||
| 1986 | The Legend of Zelda | Composition | |
| Nazo no Murasamejo Nazo no Murasamejo is a video game produced by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System on April 14, 1986. The game was one of the early games released for the FDS, and the second original title after The Legend of Zelda... |
Composition | ||
| Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels , also known as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, is a platforming video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System... |
Composition | ||
| 1987 | Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic | Composition | |
| Shin Onigashima Shin Onigashima , often simply referred to as , is a video game title developed by Nintendo EAD and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo. It was first released on two disk cards for the Family Computer Disk System. The first disk was released on September 4, 1987, while the second disk was released September 30,... |
Composition | ||
| 1988 | Super Mario Bros. 2 Super Mario Bros. 2 Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment... |
Composition | |
| Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario Bros. 3 , also referred to as Super Mario 3 and SMB3, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the third game in the Super Mario series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, in the United States in 1990, and in Europe in 1991... |
Composition | ||
| 1990 | Pilotwings Pilotwings is a video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division, led by producer Shigeru Miyamoto. The game was originally released in Japan on December 21, 1990, shortly after the launch of the SNES... |
Sound programming | |
| Super Mario World Super Mario World , subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 for its original Japanese release, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series... |
Composition/arrangement | ||
| 1991 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was... |
Composition/arrangement | |
| 1993 | Star Fox Star Fox (video game) , released as Starwing in Europe and Australia due to a game of the same name and subsequent trademark issues in those regions, is the first game in the Star Fox series of video games. It was released in the spring of 1993 for the SFC/SNES... |
Sound effects | |
| 1995 | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, originally released as in Japan, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the SNES console. Despite its title, this game serves as a prequel to all other games within the established Mario Bros timeline... |
Composition/arrangement | |
| 1996 | Super Mario 64 Super Mario 64 is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over... |
Composition/arrangement | |
| 1997 | Star Fox 64 Star Fox 64 , known in Australia and Europe as Lylat Wars, is a scrolling shooter video game for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is a reboot of the original Star Fox, and the only game in the Star Fox series to be released on the Nintendo 64.... |
Composition/arrangement | Hajime Wakai |
| 1998 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998... |
Composition/arrangement | |
| 2000 | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (original soundtrack) is a soundtrack album by Koji Kondo, featuring the complete score to the Nintendo 64 video game, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Unlike the soundtrack of Ocarina of Time, it was released over two discs, comprising 112 tracks overall. Three tracks were composed by Toru Minegishi; "Battle", "Mini... |
Composition/arrangement | Toru Minegishi Toru Minegishi is a Japanese video game composer, best known for his work on Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. He was raised in a very musical family, and developed an interest in video games and their music from an early age. Minegishi did not receive any special education, but he gained experience as a... |
| 2002 | Super Mario Sunshine Super Mario Sunshine is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002... |
Composition/arrangement | Shinobu Tanaka |
| The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on... |
Composition/arrangement | Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, and Toru Minegishi Toru Minegishi is a Japanese video game composer, best known for his work on Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. He was raised in a very musical family, and developed an interest in video games and their music from an early age. Minegishi did not receive any special education, but he gained experience as a... |
|
| 2004 | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure | Composition/arrangement | Asuka Ohta |
| 2005 | Mario Superstar Baseball Mario Superstar Baseball Mario Superstar Baseball, known in Japan as is a sports game that was developed by Namco and NOW Production and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube in 2005. The game was created in the vein of other Mario sports games such as Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis. This game... |
Sound Support | Taro Bando |
| 2006 | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series... |
Composition | Toru Minegishi Toru Minegishi is a Japanese video game composer, best known for his work on Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. He was raised in a very musical family, and developed an interest in video games and their music from an early age. Minegishi did not receive any special education, but he gained experience as a... and Asuka Ota |
| New Super Mario Bros. New Super Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in May 2006 and in Australia and Europe in June 2006... |
Composition | Asuka Ota and Hajime Wakai | |
| 2007 | Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a... |
Composition | Mahito Yokota |
| 2008 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl Super Smash Bros. Brawl Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by... |
Arrangement | |
| 2009 | The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the... |
Composition | Toru Minegishi Toru Minegishi is a Japanese video game composer, best known for his work on Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. He was raised in a very musical family, and developed an interest in video games and their music from an early age. Minegishi did not receive any special education, but he gained experience as a... , Manaka Tominaga, and Asuka Ota |
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan... |
Sound Advisor | ||
| 2010 | Super Mario Galaxy 2 Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy. It was released in North America on May 23, 2010, in Japan on May 27, 2010, in Europe on June 11, 2010, and in Australia on July 1,... |
Composition | Mahito Yokota and Ryo Nagamatsu |
| 2011 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is an action-adventure video game co-developed by Grezzo and Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS handheld console. The game was released on June 16, 2011 in Japan, June 17, 2011 in Europe, June 19, 2011 in North America and June 30, 2011 in Australia; however, it... |
Music Supervisor | |
| The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November... |
Composition | Hajime Wakai | |
External links
- Game | Life Video Games Live 2007 Interview
- Advanced Media Network Video Games Live 2007 Interview
- IGN GDC 2007 Interview
- Interview with Music4GamesMusic4GamesMusic4Games was a video game music information site originally launched in 1999. It focused on the video game soundtrack industry and claimed to target dedicated gamers, game music fans, audiophiles, students, composers, developers, publishers, producers, audio directors and music executives as a...
- Kelly, Piaras (26 March 2004). ". Accessed 17 February 2006.
- MacDonalad, Mark (3 May 2006). "Koji Kondo Interview, Part 1". 1UP.com. Accessed 17 February 2006.
- Van Zelfden, N. Evan (30 May 2006). "Play! kicks off world tour in Chicago. Gamespot.com. Accessed 17 June 2006.
- The Legend of Zelda: Super Best Collection interview at BerriBlue