Pixelated Audio

Its that time again so join us for a Halloween flavored Expansion Pack with #VGM from a variety of games across a bunch of systems. This episode fits with our previous Expansion Packs but with a creepy theme...we're talking games like Space Hulk, Fez and Pulseman to name a few. They are not exactly all horror-themed games but some are pretty twisted! 

Track List:

0:00:00 Hydro 1 by Josh Randall - System Shock 2 (Win)

0:08:52 Death by Rich Vreeland aka Disasterpeace - Fez  (Win, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3/PS4/Vita)

0:16:05 Ichirou and Mamiya by Junko Tamiya - Sweet Home (Fami)

0:24:22 Brainwash by Junichi Masuda - Pulseman (MD)

0:33:50 Hulk2 by Jason Whitely - Space Hulk (Ami)

0:48:30 Life and Death Crisis by Hiroaki Yoshida, Tatsuya Kiuchi, Kenji Mori - Dark Seal (Arc)

While Sonic the Hedgehog focuses on speed while racing through levels, Ristar takes a different approach that involves creatively maneuvering across the world using his elastic arms while simultaneously solving simple puzzles to progress. The music from Tomoko Sasaki is a perfect fit and brings fun and playful character to each level while making great use of the system’s sound hardware. If you played Ristar, you’ll remember the music right away but if you’ve missed out on this game, the welcoming soundtrack will hopefully entice you to give the game a shot. Click here to view the track list

The 80’s and 90’s were buzzing with shurikens and katana wielding ninjas, not only for video games but all media. During the height of this phenomenon, Shadow of the Ninja appeared on the NES.

With every media outlet fighting to cash in on the fad, it would be easy to write this game off as nothing more than an uninspiring ninja trope. While this game does borrow (quite heavily) ideas from other games in the genre it does them very well. More importantly, it has one of the best soundtracks the NES has to offer. So if you passed on this Natsume title back in the day, now is your chance to see what you were missing. For only $5 on the eShop, it’s a steal. Show notes and track list @ http://pixelatedaudio.com/37

Another mix of video game music from the guys at Pixelated Audio. Tokyo Bus Guide to Commander Keen. Expansion Pack IX

full track list at http://pixelatedaudio.com/36

Even as kids -thanks to Nintendo Power- we knew certain games got released in Japan that would never breach the borders for western audiences to experience. It’s even more painful when a company like Squaresoft (Square Enix) releases a beautiful RPG that will never reach the English-speaking population. Treasure Hunter G, developed by Sting for the Super Famicom, is one of these games.

Treasure Hunter G has all the charm, a rock-solid battle system, and an outstanding soundtrack that would have made it a star franchise in the west but _sadly_ just never got the chance. So your hosts at Pixelated Audio decided that it was time Treasure Hunter G got the chance to shine. Check screenshots and track list here http://pixelatedaudio.com/35

Racing games in the 90s were a very important part of gaming history and culture. Games like OutRun, Top Gear, F-Zero, and the Lotus series brought us a formula that not only defined the genre but also inspired many of us growing up. Barry Leitch, the composer from many well-loved retro games, makes an incredible comeback to game audio with the recently released Horizon Chase racing game for iOS. In honor of his new music we’ve asked Barry to co-host by selecting several of his favorite tracks that he’s composed. We’re very excited to have another opportunity to sit down with him to share his thoughts behind some of the most cherished and memorable melodies in racing game history as well as debut the soundtrack from Horizon Chase. Show notes and track list: http://pixelatedaudio.com/34

It's time for another EXPANSION PACK and this episode guest-host Kevzter, spreads the video game music love with some awesome tracks to bring back some found memories. Tunes from N64, MSX, Sega Genesis, Arcade, and more! Track list can be found http://pixelatedaudio.com/33

In 1999 Hal Laboratory and Pax Softnica combined to develop a unique and interesting new game for the Nintendo 64 showcase what the N64 could do with 3D environments. Hal and Pax used a very well known Nintendo franchise to help pull this idea off and thus Pokemon Snap was born. Blending cutting edge graphics with beloved characters earned a very special place in gamers hearts and homes. So find a sunny spot, grab a cool drink, close your eyes and let us take you to Pokemon Island for some fun. Summary and tracklist can be found at http://pixelatedaudio.com/32

In 1995 the western world was introduced to the cyberpunk anime, Ghost in the Shell (based on a manga of the same name) and two years later a Ghost in the Shell video game developed by Exact (now know as SCE Japan Studio) made its way onto the original Playstation. With clean graphics, unique gameplay and a fast paced soundtrack, get ready for a non-stop thrill ride as a new team member of Public Security Section 9 .

While set in the world of the manga/anime, the creators opted for something different than what you might expect in terms of gameplay because the player is given control a small versatile mech called a Fuchikoma rather than a specific character centered adventure.

Track List:

0:00:11 Thanato - BCJ

0:05:43 Spook & Spell - Hardfloor

0:19:35 Spectre - BCJ

0:23:40 The Vertical - Joey Beltram

0:38:29 Featherhall - Westbam

0:51:26 Die Dunkelsequenz - Westbam

1:01:58 Down Loader - The Advent

1:06:48 Moonriver - Westbam

1:15:11 Firecracker - Mijk Van Dijk

1:20:06 Fuchi Koma [short mix] - Mijk Van Dijk

1:24:20 Ghost in the Shell Theme - Takkyu Ishino

攻殻機動隊: Ghost in the Shell (PSX, 1995) Composed by BCJ, Hardfloor, Joey Beltram, Westbam, The Advent, Mijk Van Dijk, Takkyu Ishino, Derrick May,  Brother From Another Planet, Scan X, Dave Angel

Knightmare (Majou Densetsu), The Maze of Galious, and Shalom were released between 1986 and 1987 and even though they are all completely different (in terms of gameplay) they share an intriguing story, detailed graphics, and some of the catchiest chip tunes around. Complete show notes and tracklist http://pixelatedaudio.com/30