The Soundtrack Effect

The year was 1993. X and Zero were in the midst of saving the world from Sigma’s regime of evil robots. With the prologue complete, the levels were presented. With only a basic X-Buster and minimal health, the player would drop into their selected enemy’s realm and the music would start. A rock ballad full of face-melting electric solos and pulse pounding, fast paced rhythmic riffs would begin to play. A multi-layered musical score would be introduced and the music of Mega Man Xwould become known to gamers as one of the best original soundtracks of all time.

Storm Eagle's level in Mega Man X provided one of the most memorable rock ballads in gaming history.

 From early games such as Tetristo current generation AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, music in gaming has been a staple of how players immerse themselves in their favourite game worlds. A quick search online for a preferred game soundtrack would almost certainly reveal not only the specific song being searched, but multiple remixes and covers by a plethora of artists who appreciate the diverse soundscapes present in their favourite games.

Smooth McGroove, an acapella mastermind, has been a perfect example of a YouTube artist who appreciates the intricacies of music in gaming. His devotion to videogame soundtracks has gone to such a tremendous degree that he has made over 200 videos showcasing his talents and boasts 2.7 million subscribers at the time of this article’s publication. Covering a variety of songs from game series such as Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic, and Mario among many others, Smooth’s passion has been apparent and appreciated by gamers of many diverse backgrounds and genres.

Smooth McGroove in his natural environment...

While catchy tunes and rhythms which echo with players for a lifetime have been staples of good gaming soundtracks, the atmosphere and emotion they’ve provided have steadily evolved over the years and have led up to some of the most symphonic, heartfelt music ever created. Music from games such asSkyrim, God of War, and The Last of Us have been able to immerse players further into the title than ever before, allowing them to feel the weight of the story on an emotional level. Spotify has been an incredible source for these soundtracks and hearing these works of art, even without actively being in-game, has been able to evoke broad and specific atmospheres of game worlds alike.

Though AAA studios have boasted larger budgets to pour into custom soundtracks, indie games have exceedingly stepped up to the plate and have recently offered some of the best music found in the current gaming industry.RimWorld, for example, has imparted a masterpiece on the gaming community with its OST, featuring songs that have been able to convey the ups and downs experienced by a player during a colony-sim in a way which only music can.

Whether an 8-bit rendition of the Super Mario World theme or an orchestrated, meticulously composed tune from a modern showpiece, the music in videogames has undoubtedly added to the overall experience granted to those who’ve spent time in their amazing worlds. With a plethora of new games on the horizon for 2023, the gaming industry will without question raise the bar on music in gaming for years to come.