Episode #421 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of April 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 86!

We've got a slightly extended Radio Hour this month due to a mini-review being included for People of Note in the middle. I just couldn't choose three songs from this game. Every single one of them deserves to be listened to and appreciated. Besides that, we have a ton of new releases, some really fun listener submissions, and Bedroth, as usual, takes us in some very different directions.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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BGMania B-Sides #46 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth turns the spotlight toward Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II, the 1989 NES follow-up that leans harder into its dark fantasy tone while expanding on the original game’s scope. It’s a strange, ambitious sequel for its time... one that mixes platforming with a heavier emphasis on exploration and atmosphere, all wrapped in that unmistakable late-80s Nintendo-era design philosophy.

This episode comes your way thanks to listener Heat00veride, whose request gives us a great excuse to revisit more work by David Wise. The soundtrack reflects that shift in tone almost immediately. At the same time, it never loses that classic NES identity, with sharp, memorable hooks cutting through the darker textures.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #420 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth celebrate 4/20 with Episode #420 two days after 4/20. It was almost perfectly aligned!

Psychedelic Trips, Part 1 was back on 4/22/2021 before Bedroth officially joined the show. Come hang out with the guys as they explore additional games that weren't featured back then that all have something trippy about them, whether it's the visuals, the music, or just the overall vibe. Unfortunately, we're not high or tripping during this episode, but we'll make you feel like YOU are by taking you on this journey. Have fun!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Bonus Episode #67 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Replaced, the long-awaited debut from Sad Cat Studios, finally out on April 14, 2026 on PC and Xbox Series X/S and available day one on Xbox Game Pass. Set in a dystopian alternate-1980s America where nuclear catastrophe handed total control to a shadowy organization called the Phoenix Corporation, the game puts you in the role of REACH, an artificial intelligence accidentally trapped inside a human body, navigating a decaying world of corruption, organ harvesting, and hard questions about identity and autonomy.

This Musical Review breaks down the full experience across eight segments, covering the game's stunning hand-crafted pixel art, its slow-burn narrative built around the Disposals and the secrets of Phoenix City, the free-flow combat system and how it evolves across ten chapters, and the friction that comes with some of the platforming and control responsiveness. The episode also dedicates a full segment to the synth-driven original score by Igor Gritsay and aygad, featuring vocal performances by Marina Thorik, and how the music works alongside the world to create something atmospheric and genuinely affecting.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

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Episode #419 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth take a deep dive into their High School years to celebrate the year that was in 2001.

For our annual retrospective into a prior year before this show existed, the guys explore what was honestly a very pivotal year for our industry. Not only did we see the Nintendo Gamecube, Game Boy Advance, and original Xbox release, but we had the beginning of a game and franchise that really defined an entire generation of gamers... Halo: Combat Evolved. Not to mention the plethora of other heavy hitters that released in 2001.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #418 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle have a deep dive discussion on Pokémon Pokopia, the recently released Nintendo Switch 2 life-sim that's been turning heads across the gaming world since its March launch.

Just two people who love games pulling the curtain back on one of the most talked-about Pokémon releases in years. We'll cover everything from the game's post-apocalyptic premise and its surprisingly emotional core, the Animal Crossing-inspired soundtrack, to how a collaboration between Game Freak and the team behind Dragon Quest Builders 2 produced something the franchise has never quite attempted before. Expect honest impressions, plenty of weird tangents, and more than a few thoughts on what this game means for Pokémon going forward.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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BGMania B-Sides #45 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth dives into Lagoon, the early action RPG that made its way from the X68000 to the SNES, bringing with it a distinctly moody, almost off-kilter take on fantasy adventure. It’s a game remembered as much for its quirks as its ambition, with a slower, more deliberate pace that gives the world a slightly distant, dreamlike feel.

Lagoon’s music leans into that atmosphere, built on gentle synth layers and melodies that feel patient rather than urgent. Themes unfold gradually, giving each track room to breathe while still carrying a quiet sense of forward motion.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #417 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are celebrating absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Just a completely standard episode featuring music from a handful of well-known games, exactly as you remember them.

From sweeping orchestral moments to high-energy electronic tracks and everything in between, this episode moves across a wide range of styles while staying firmly grounded in the worlds they came from. No surprises here... just familiar music, familiar games, and the kind of connections that longtime fans will recognize immediately. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a perfectly normal journey through video game music. Nothing unusual, nothing questionable, and definitely nothing that would make you stop and go, “Wait… is that right?”

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Bonus Episode #66 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Sean step into the void to discuss the latest expansion to hit World of Warcraft, Midnight! Announced back at BlizzCon 2023 when the entire Worldsoul Saga was introduced and then reintroduced officially at Gamescom 2025, Midnight takes us back into the lands of Quel'Thalas to work alongside the Blood Elves and try to put a stop to Xal'atath and her destructive plans.

We're diving deep with this episode, starting with a lore dump and narrative recap of the events leading up to the expansion, as well as discussing the new Allied Race, the Haranir. We'll also touch on the four zones you'll quest through and talk a bit about the new dungeons and raids being introduced. Before wrapping up, Bryan has a theory about where all of this could be leading, and finally, we'll talk about a feature that the community has been asking for since almost the beginning: player housing. World of Warcraft: Midnight is a very promising expansion, and as usual, the soundtrack is absolutely incredible. Stick around and listen to perhaps the best soundtrack Blizzard has done since the Mists of Pandaria expansion. You won't be disappointed!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

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Episode #416 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of March 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 85!

Is this year flying by? I feel like it is. Once again, we're hitting every corner of the VGM spectrum this month. Plenty of new releases like usual, but we've also got some TurboGrafx-16, SEGA Saturn, and a mini-spotlight on Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection! One listener also randomly found my number and called in during the show. Hopefully this doesn't start happening more frequently...

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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