Pixelated Audio

The Adventures of Little Ralph, developed by NEW Corporation is a 2D platformer released only in Japan for the Sony Playstation on June of 1999. Like Ralph, there's a big game in this unassuming package. With its tight controls, engaging scoring mechanics, and a polished 1v1 fighting mini-game engine, this is one you're bound to keep coming back to. Composed by Hiroshi Kuronuma, Naoki Tsuchiya and Hideki Satou, The Adventures of Little Ralph features two complete versions of the soundtrack accessible right from the menu: the standard instrumental version and a "PSG" arrange version, both using the Playstation sound source.

Naoki Tsuchiya has the most game credits of the trio and composed for Victorious Boxers: Ippo's Road to Glory for the PS2 and Hajime no Ippo Portable: Victorious Spirits for PSP. He also did some sound design and is the voice of Little Ralph.

**UPDATE** A post-episode Q&A with Naoki Tsuchiya is now available here! [Q&A with Naoki Tsuchiya]

Hideki "Quintana" Satou is best known as a percussionist on the arrange albums for Clockwork Knight 1 and 2, as well as his work with Jun Takagi's Orquesta Del Sol ensemble throughout the 90s.

Hiroshi Kuronuma worked briefly for NEW Corporation and also composed the music for Boxer's Road for the PS1.

Listen in as we explore a selection of tracks from both versions of the massive soundtrack to Little Ralph's homage to the 8 and 16-bit eras.

The Adventures of Little Ralph

ちっぽけラルフの大冒険

1999, New Corporation

Composed by Hiroshi Kuronuma, Naoki Tsuchiya, Hideki Satou (黒沼弘, 土屋直樹, 佐藤英樹)

 

 

The Adventures of Little Ralph Original Soundtracks

ちっぽけラルフの大冒険　オリジナル・サウンドトラックス

Purchase the soundtrack (all 120 tracks) for ¥2100 at EGG MUSIC! http://bit.ly/2HdLMVR

 

 

Episode Track List:

0:00:10 Stage 1-1 - Departure

0:12:34 Casua Watersupply

0:16:53 Holy Battle

0:29:26 High and Alone

0:37:43 Stage 3-1 - Into the Darkness (PSG version)

0:40:45 Stage 4-2 - Ruins of Donan

0:57:03 VS Mode Select - Let's Begin the Battle (PSG version)

1:04:36 Stage 5-2 - In the Citadel of Ice 

1:09:22 Stage 5 Boss Easy - Valgo

1:13:25 Stage 5 Boss Normal - Valgo the Artistic Murderer

1:22:15 Stage 6 - Great Battleship ~Queen Desta~

1:29:53 Stage 7 Boss - Ferica the Sad Goddess (PSG Version)

1:40:11 Stage 8 Boss Change - Destarroza

1:43:59 ETC2: Mt. Etona

1:53:22 Easy Ending - End of Nightmare

2:05:24 Normal Ending 2 - Little Hero's Story (PSG Version)

Neural Gear, developed by Fill in Cafe and published by Cross Media Soft, is a 3rd person rail shooter (riding in the light of Space Harrier) released strictly for the Sharp X68000 on November of 1990. While the game doesn't win any awards in the visual department it makes up for it in audio. Composed by Keishi Yonao, Neural Gear features both a soundtrack designed for the OPM/OKI (FM/PCM) sound source and the MT-32 (MIDI) sound source.

Keishi Yonao, best known for Asuka 120% Burning Fest series, Mad Stalker, and Dies Ire, he's highly regarded in the Japanese chip tune community for his creativity and detail.

Listen in as we discover the music and also chat briefly with Yonao-san about his career and compositions.

Neural Gear - Sharp X68000, Fill in Cafe

Composed by Keishi Yonao

SNK produced some of the best titles to grace the arcades but also covered the spectrum in genre and variety. Only twice in the company's history did they attempt to produce a wrestling game and Big Bang Pro Wrestling released in 2000 for the Neo Geo Pocket Color was out of this world. Taking lots of inspiration from the Fire Pro Wrestling series, the handheld quasi-adaptation delivers everything you'd expect and more. Big roster of characters, multiple modes, customizations, and of course, a rocking soundtrack composed by Takafumi Wada. Take a listen with us and we explore the soundtrack!

Big Bang Pro Wrestling (2000) Neo Geo Pocket Color

Produced by SNK, Developed by S-NEO

Composed by Takafumi Wada

Track List:

0:00:07 Opening

0:09:50 Beginning (Wrestler Bio)

0:11:53 Fight! (Normal Match BGM)

0:18:35 Knives (Brian's Theme)

0:24:49 Red 200X (Mike's Theme)

0:26:38 Night Saw (Deitz's Theme)

0:33:41 Samurai (Title Defense Match BGM)

0:40:23 Fujiyama (Sho's Theme)

0:43:51 I Scream (David's Theme)

0:51:24 Funky Dog (Alex's Theme)

0:53:06 Tokyo Man (Eagle's Theme)

0:59:58 Streaming (Josef's Theme)

1:02:02 Cocoa Milk (Kei's Theme)

1:08:10 Geisha!! (Final Match BGM)

1:16:03 You're Mine (Ending)

After a short break, we're back! Starting off 2018 with a new episode featuring the music of Tetris DS on the Nintendo DS. In 2006, Nintendo did classic puzzle enthusiasts a solid by not only chalking the game full their 8bit all-stars, but also producing a phenomenal Tetris title with loads of new content. Join in as we take a listen to some new arrangements of some well-loved tunes.

Tetris DS, 2006 Nintendo DS

composed by Minako Hamano, Akira Fujiwara

WonderBoy III: The Dragon’s Trap is a special game for a lot of people in a lot of ways. Today we will explore all the different paths to find its hidden gameplay and musical treasures. Much like the game, with its colorful cast of playable characters, we will not be alone on this journey of discovery. We are joined by the original composer Shinichi Sakamoto as well as Michael Geyre, Omar 'Bock' Cornut and Romain Gauthier from the amazing team that brought this game back to life in 2017 for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Whether you played this back in the day on the Master System, picked this up for a modern console, or even have it on your 'wish list' we think you will enjoy this interesting (and chaotic at times) look into a game that was so ahead of its time it's still enjoyable today.

Check the website for loads more info :) http://pixelatedaudio.com/95

Today's Expansion Pack tends to lean heavy on the Sharp X68000 (not planned) but that's not a bad thing. Some amazing tracks selected from the Pixelated Audio team for your listening pleasure. Be sure to let us know your thoughts about the music as well!

Track List:

00:00:00 Victory is Imminent - Lord Monarch (FM Towns)

Mieko Ishikawa, Atsushi Shirakawa, Masaaki Kawai

00:10:15 Premonition - Lagoon (X68000)

Hideki Suzuki

00:18:35 Valley - Lagoon (X68000)

Hideki Suzuki

00:25:32 Launching (Title) - StarTrader (X68000)

Hiroya Hatsushiba, Keishi Yonao, Mieko Ishikawa

00:32:40 Lunatic Dance - Getsumen no Anubis (SFC)

Noboru Iwata

00:41:34 Legend - Sion II (X68000)

Zenji Nishikawa, Tetsushi Takahashi, Noriyuki Shindou

00:49:24 Title Screen - Deneb (Atari 8-bit)

Robert Drag

00:55:36 Ending “Last Drive” - Knight Arms: The Hyblid Framer (X68000)

Toshiya Yamanaka

Pixelated Audio Music Disk Vol. 3 features the 7th and final music disk from GC-clusterz. Released in December of 1991, this compilation includes both arrangements of video game music AND original tunes made for the PC-8801 series of computers by NEC. Led by GEPPEL, this doujin group only lasted a year (as GC-clusterz) but produced a ton of music in that short span of time. Join in as we take a listen to some of our favorite tracks from this awesome indie music disk.

GC-clusterz Music Disk vol. 7

最後の悪あがきの水増し特集（笑）

December 23, 1991 - NEC PC-8801 - SoundBoard II - PMD v3.3

  

Track List:

0:00:08 MAYIM MAYIM Euro Arrangement - composed by Senhor.M

0:12:06 Air Battle (Thunder Cross II - Arcade) - arr. by GEPPEL

0:20:36 某Shooting Opening - composed by GEPPEL

0:28:42 Battle Field (Space Harrier - Arcade) - arr. by Kobuhei

0:32:44 某Shooting 1st Name place Entry - composed by Senhor.M

0:36:20 Talisman, Underground Dungeon (Sorcerian - PC-8801) - arr. by GEPPEL

0:40:11 PSG 3 Voices Brings Me to Tears - composed by GEPPEL

0:44:35 Gift of the Wind (Detana!! TwinBee - Arcade) - arr. Tetsuya Ootani

0:48:50 Opening (Demon II - PC-9801) - composed by Senhor.M

0:54:29 Gallantry (Raiden Densetsu - FM Towns)

1:00:41 The deal with Saturday night (土曜日の夜わ大騒ぎ) - composed by GEPPEL

GEPPEL's website http://neuzkraft.com

Cuphead is the first game by the indie studio called StudioMDHR based in Canada, which was created by brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer.

In development since 2010, Cuphead graced the gaming world only last month but is the first of its kind. Now, we've seen many action platformers and many boss-battle systems pop up before (no short supply here) but a beautiful art style that is reminiscent of cartoons from the 1930s combined with a killer sound that marks an era, Cuphead is something of its own.

Join us as we chat with the current world record speed runner, The Mexican Runner, about the gameplay. And of course, composer Kristofer Maddigan about his composition.

Cuphead (Xbox One, Steam, Windows 10)

Studio MDHR, 2017

Composed by Kristofer Maddigan

krismaddigan.com | @KrisMaddigan

The Mexican Runner (current world record holder of Cuphead)

The Mexican Runner: Twitch | NESMania

Episode Track List:

0:00:00 Introduction

0:10:31 All Bets Are Off

0:17:49 Treetop Trouble

0:37:54 Porkrind's Shop

0:49:29 The King's Court

1:04:27 Floral Fury

1:16:04 Clip Joint Calamity

1:29:14 Sugarland Shimmy

1:39:10 Murine Corps

2:02:11 Closing Credits

It's Halloween season and we're bringing out a soundtrack to one of the most terrifying adorable ghosts around (even makes your ghost emoji look scary). Yuurei-kun (aka Mr. Ghost) is a side-scrolling action game released for the MSX2 and higher compatible machines in 1989  both published and developed by System Sacom. While the soundtrack was written using simple PSG (3 voices), the late Manabu Saito delivered an enjoyable soundtrack that is wonderfully composed and hauntingly catchy. 

A bit of a change from our normal episodes, James is sick this week so Gene taps in to fill the void in this late night recording. We hope you enjoy it!

In this installment we're exploring the soundtrack of an overlooked SNES Action-RPG released in 1994, titled: Brain Lord. It was developed by Produce! in conjunction with a sound group called Opus, and published by Enix for the Super Nintendo (or Super Famicom).

Composed by Masanao Akahori, the game has a totally catchy soundtrack and some truly wonderful moments that were clearly inspired by 80's Pop and Rock. Join in as we take a step into the town of Arcs with Remeer and friends.

Track List:

0:00:00 Dragon Legend

0:08:17 Town of Arcs

0:16:17 Tavern/Inn

0:19:19 Shop

0:23:52 Road to the Tower/Northern Highway

0:28:48 Before the Journey

0:35:41 Road to Toronto/Southern Highway

0:40:07 Town of Toronto

0:48:29 Natural Cavern/Underground Passage

0:57:31 Huge Roach/Cockroach Race

1:08:12 Site of Civilization/Ancient Ruins

1:11:24 Platinum Shrine

1:16:40 Unused Track

1:19:19 Road to Droog

1:25:22 Epilogue