A look at the year 1988 in game music. The year that saw the first CD and MIDI soundtracks, arcade boards started the transition from FM to PCM, and some real classics were released on the NES. Meanwhile in Europe the C64 had reached its commercial peak in a market that was slowly being taken over by the new generation of 16-bit computers. As always, the playlist is in rough chronological order.
Download Episode #17: Game Music History ~1988~ (154 MB, mp3) here
01 “Daddy Mulk” – Ninja Warriors (1988, Arcade) by Hisayoshi Ogura
02 “Main Theme” – Crystal Hammer (1988, Amiga) by Karsten Obarski
03 “Burning Heat” – Gradius II (1988, Arcade) by S.Tasaka,M.Furukawa,K.Matsubara,S.Fukami
04 “Main Theme” – Rimrunner (1988, Commodore 64) by Richard Joseph
05 “Overworld Theme” – Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (1988, FDS) by K.Murata,S.Fukami,Y.Kurahashi,K.Sada,A.Fujio
06 “F-3000 Final Race 2” – F-1 Dream (1988, Arcade) by Manami Matsumae,Takashi Tateishi
07 “Main Theme” – Cybernoid (1988, Commodore 64) by Jeroen Tel
08 “High Speed Level BGM” – Twin Eagle: Revenge Joe’s Brother (1988, Arcade) by Goblin Sound
09 “In-Game BGM” – Obliterator (1988, Amiga) by David Whittaker
10 “Great Battleship VOID” – Star Cruiser (1988, PC-8801) by Toshiya Yamanaka
11 “Carrier Command” – Carrier Command (1988, Atari ST) by Dave Lowe
12 “Night Line” – Chequered Flag (1988, Arcade) by Konami Kukeiha Club
13 “Area 1” – Blaster Master (1988, NES) by Naoki Kodaka
14 “Feel Blue” – Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished-The Final Chapter (1988, PC-8801) by Hideya Nagata
15 “Title Screen” – Odysseus: Trojan Warrior (1988, Commodore 64) by Steve Barrett
16 “Operation in Unsteady Space” – Star/Ship Rendezvous (1988, PC-8801) by Hitoshi Sakimoto,Masaharu Iwata
17 “A Flower Enchanted by the Devil” – Sorcerian Add. Scenario Vol.1 (1988, Sharp X1 TurboZ) by Mieko Ishikawa
18 “Name Entry” – Ball-Blasta (1988, Commodore 64) by Adam Gilmore
19 “Sympathy -Version II-” – Angelus: Akuma no Fukuin (1988, PC-8801) by Koichi Sugiyama,Yasuhiro Taguchi
20 “Introduction (Excerpt)” – King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella (1988, MS-DOS) by William Goldstein
21 “Level 1” – The Legendary Axe (1988, PC Engine) by Jun Chikuma,Toshiaki Takimoto
22 “Title Screen” – Bodyslam (1988, Commodore 64) by Tim Follin
23 “Main Theme 1” – Top Landing (1988, Arcade) by Zuntata
24 “Still Running Around” – Super Mario Bros.3 (1988, NES) by Koji Kondo
25 “For Your Tighs Only” – Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (1988, MS-DOS) by Al Lowe
26 “Staff Roll” – Chatty (1988, PC-8801) by Manabu Saito
27 “Central Park (In-Game)” – Last Ninja 2 (1988, Commodore 64) by Matt Gray
28 “Revolver” – Police Quest 2: The Vengeance (1988, MS-DOS) by Mark Seibert
29 “Take Off One’s Gloves” – Thunder Force II (1988, X68000) by Tomomi Ootani
30 “Title Theme” – Hybris (1988, Amiga) by Paul van der Valk
31 “Main Theme: Part 1” – Skateboard Joust (1988, Commodore 64) by Tonal Teapot
32 “Eagle’s Theme” – Fighting Street (1988, PC Engine CD) by Shofuku
33 “Unbreakable Determination” – Ninja Gaiden (1988, NES) by Keiji Yamagishi,Ryuichi Nitta
34 “Title Screen” – R-Type (1988, Commodore 64) by Chris Hülsbeck
35 “Twilight of Neo Kobe City” – Snatcher (1988, MSX2) by Konami Kukeiha Club
36 “Stage 2: The Village of Decay” – Ghouls’n Ghosts (1988, Arcade) by Tamayo Kawamoto
37 “Rebel Army Theme” – Final Fantasy II (1988, NES) by Nobuo Uematsu
38 “Flash Flash Flash” – Bosconian (1988, X68000) by Yuzo Koshiro
39 “Samba de Ram” – Crazy Climber 2 (1988, Arcade) by Kenji Yoshida
40 “Main Theme” – Quiz Master (1988, Atari ST) by Jochen Hippel
41 “Dr. Wily’s Map” – Mega Man II (1988, NES) by Takashi Tateishi
42 “Mission 1” – Double Dragon II: The Revenge (1988, Arcade) by Kazunaka Yamane
