Download Episode 86: “Adventure Games w/ Brian” here!

Adventure games have been seeing quite the revival lately, with titles like Broken Age and Thimbleweed Park calling back to the golden age of the genre, where games like The Secret of Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion ruled PC game shelves. Composers like Peter McConnel and Frank Klepacki made names for themselves on these early titles, creating atmospheric and sophisticated soundscapes in which one could easily get lost. Join Mike, Ed, and special guest host Brian (of the fledgling podcast Pixel Stories,) as they share music from some of their favorite Point ‘n Click Adventure titles both old and new!

 Check out Brian’s podcast at https://www.pixelstories.net/

Thanks to Richard Kruse for submitting a PixelChat question. Send YOUR questions for us to answer at [email protected]!

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The Tracklist:

Format: Game Title (System, Year) – Track Title – Composer(s)

1 – The Legend of Kyrandia: Book 3: Malcolm’s Revenge (PC, Mac, 1994) – “Back in Kyrandia (Night)” –  Frank Klepacki

2 – Snatcher (Sega CD, 1994) – “The Entrance To Hell” – Kazuki Muraoka, Motoaki Furukawa, Akira Yamaoka, Hiroshi Tamawari, Kida Sun, Kazuhito Imai

3 – Thimbleweed Park (PC, 2017) – “No Quarter” – Steve Kirk

4 – Deja Vu (NES, 1990) – “Investigation Theme 1 (Indoors, Taxi)” – Hiroyuki Masuno

5 – Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright – Justice for All – (DS, 2002) “Announce the Truth” – Naoto Tanaka

6 – Dropsy (PC, 2015) – “Mothersbaugh on the Beach” – Chris Schlarb

7 – Legend of Kyrandia 2: Hand of Fate (PC, 1993) – “Credits” – Frank Klepacki

8 – Policenauts – (PSX, 3DO, Saturn, 1995) – “Criminal Investigation Part 1” – Tappi Iwase, Masahiro Ikariko, Motoaki Furukawa, Kozo Nakamura

9 – Broken Age (PC, 2014) – “Shay’s Secret Mission” – Peter McConnel

10 – Sam & Max – Hit the Road (PC, 1993) – “Pleasantly Understated Credit Sequence” – Michael Z. Land, Peter McConnell, Aric Wilmunder

11 – Hotel Dusk (DS, 2007) – “Play It Again” – Satoshi Okubo

12 – Deponia (PC, 2012) – “A Life of Order and Happiness” – Finn Seliger, Thomas Höhl

Download Episode 85: “Wild West Hoedown” here!

Saddle up for our Wild West Hoedown! Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Mike and Cowpoke Ed round up some of their favorite western-themed VGM tracks in today’s show. There’s a lot of variety here, from Sunset Riders to Trials Frontier, so you won’t wanna miss it!

Thanks to Richard Kruse, KeyGlyph, and Cam Werme for submitting PixelChat questions. Send YOUR questions for us to answer at [email protected]!

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The Tracklist:

Format: Game Title (System, Year) – Track Title – Composer(s)

1 – Darkwatch (Xbox, PS2, 2005) – “GBU Theme” – Michael Reagan, Asdru Sierra, Ennio Morricone

2 – Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, 2013) – “Title Theme” – Paweł Błaszczak, Rod Abernethy

3 – Sunset Riders (SNES, 1993) – “Stage 1” – Naohisa Morota, Motoaki Furukawa, Hidenori Maezawa

4 – Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa (Arcade, 1992) – “ Stage 1” – Michiru Yamane

5 – Wet (XBox 360, 2009) – “Desert Slaying” – Brian Lebarton

6 – Trials Frontier (Android, iOS, 2014) – “Village Theme” – Vili Viitaniemi

7 – Wild Arms (PS1, 1996) – “Courage Dungeon” – Michiko Naruke

8 – Dead Man’s Hand (PC, Xbox, 2004) – “Title Theme” – Calexico, Rom Di Prisco, Michael Larson

9 – Wild Guns (SNES, 1995) – “Carson City” – Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, Haruo Ohashi

10 – Red Steel 2 (Wii, 2010) – “Vulture’s Prayer” – Tom Salta

11 – Tin Star (SNES, 1994) – “Out in the West – Stage 2” -Chris Jojo, Matthew Cannon, Suddi Raval

12 – Outlaws (PC, 1997) – “Sanchez the Outlaw” – Clint Bajakian, Hans Christian Reumschuessel

Download Episode 84: “TurboGrafx-16 & PC Engine” here!

It was back in 1989 that NEC and Hudson Soft’s TurboGrafx-16 game console took North America by storm… well, maybe not by “storm.” It was more like a passing shower. But overseas in Japan, the system’s counterpart, dubbed the PC Engine, was taking a large amount of market share away from Nintendo and Sega. On today’s show, Mike and Ed tackle “The Little (PC) Engine That Could,” with Mike sharing tracks from TG-16 games, and Ed rocking out with the best that the PC Engine exclusive titles had to offer. Listen in for some familiar composers and some that might be new to the podcast as the guys explain the hardware, the software, and the marketing behind this cool little console.

Thanks to Alex Messenger, Gene Roberts, and Rebecca Gruber for submitting PixelChat questions. Send YOUR questions for us to answer at [email protected]!

Join our Facebook group to check out extra content from this episode!

The Tracklist:

Format: Game Title (System, Year) – Track Title – Composer(s)

1 – Fighting Run (PCE, 1991) – “Dark Street” – Hiroshi Funaba

2 – Somer Assault (TG-16, 1992) – “Gemini (Round 3) and Cancer (Round 4)” – Hidehito Aoki, Katsuyuki Inose

3 – Hana Taka Daka?! (PCE, 1991) – “Shosuke ‘Kame’” – Kinuyo Yamashita

4 – Jackie Chan’s Action Kung Fu (TG-16, 1992) – “Stage 1-2” – Masakatsu Maekawa

5 – Makai Hakkenden Shada (PCE, 1989) – “BGM 3 (Overworld)” – Shōgo Sakai, Masaaki Iwasaki, Takafumi Miura, Seiichi Hamada, Yūji Suzuki, Yūsuke Takahama

6 – Air Zonk (TG-16, 1992) – “Stage 2 (Brains Town)” – Daisuke Morishima

7 – Jaseiken Necromancer (PCE, 1988) – “Field” – Jun Chikuma

8 – New Adventure Island (TG-16, 1992) – “High Mountain” – Keiji Sakata

9 – Bomberman ‘94 (PCE, 1993) – “Jammin’ Jungle” – Jun Chikuma

10 – Soldier Blade (TG-16, 1992) – “Operation 1” -Keita Hoshi, Makiko Tanifuji

11 – Hany on the Road (PCE, 1990) – “Hany on the Road” – Ako Matsudaira, Yasushi Kawasaki, Junya Kozakai

12 – Neutopia (TG-16, 1989) – “Water Sphere” – Tomotsune Maeno

Download Episode 83: “Cadillacs & Dinosaurs” here!

Imagine a world in which humans and dinosaurs coexist. Imagine that world is an amazing beat ‘em up arcade game from Capcom with rockin’ Q-Sound music. Now, imagine your favorite podcast hosts digging their claws into the game, ripping out the best music, and playing them while discussing the finer points of the tunes and gameplay! That’s the concept behind today’s episode, focusing on Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. Fire up your dino-poop-powered convertible Caddy and enjoy the show!

 Mike and Ed livestreamed a playthrough of this game! Watch the action on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkAITX3hcQw

Thanks to keyGlyph for submitting a PixelChat question. Send YOUR questions for us to answer at [email protected]!

Join our Facebook group to check out extra content from this episode!

The Tracklist:

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Intro 1 – Opening Demo

Intro 2 – Demo

1 – Cadillacs -The Four Heroes- (Stage 1-1, Ending 2)

2 – Trap of Silence (Stage 1-2, 2-3, 6-1)

3 – Pursuit (Stage 1-3, 7-1)

4 – In the Poachers’ Forest (Stage 2-1, 6-2)

5 – Ancient Earth (Stage 2-2, 6-3)

6 – Roaring Around (Stage 3-A)

7 – Like a Gale (Stage 3-B, 7-2)

8 – Stolen Fortress (Stage 4-1, 8-2)

9 – Wild Shooting, Wild Combat (Stage 4-2, 5-2)

10 – Ambush (Stage 4-3, 7-3)

11 – The Dinosaur Wasteland (Stage 5-1)

12 – The True Form of Evil (Stage 8-1)

13 – The Madness that Lurks Underground (Stage 8-3)

14 – Return (Ending 1)

Download Episode 82: “A Chat with Matt Furniss” here!

With soundtracks like Puggsy, Wiz ‘n Liz, and Alien 3 to his name, composer Matt Furniss has been recognized as one of the most unique and talented musicians to grace the Sega Genesis. On this very special episode of PixelTunes Radio, Mike and Ed sit down with Matt himself to talk about his career, his music, and the technology behind his compositions! The PTR guys have chosen a few tracks of his that you may not be too aware of, while Mr. Furniss brings down the house with a few ending themes from some of the games he’s worked on. As a bonus, he’s also brought along an exclusive track from Fear Effect Sedna, marking his first game composition in almost two decades!

Thanks to Came Werme, KeyGlyph, Daniel Tolin, Mega Drive Profile, and Nathan for submitting questions for Matt. Send YOUR questions for us to answer on future episodes at [email protected]!

Join our Facebook group to check out extra content from this episode!

The Tracklist:

Format: Game Title (System, Year) – Track Title

*All Songs Composed and Performed by Matt Furniss*

Intro – Puggsy (Genesis, 1993) – “Flour Power”

1 – Escape From the Planet of the Robot Monsters (Atari ST, 1990) – “Title Theme”

2 – Shadow Warriors (Ninja Gaiden) – (Amiga, 1990) – “Intro Music”

3 – Booger Man  – (Genesis, 1994) – “Ending Theme”

4 – Cytron (Amiga, 1992) – “Title Theme”

5 – Nanotek Warrior – (PS1, 1997) –  “CD Track 6”

6 – The Adventures of Mighty Max (Genesis, 1994) – “Ending Theme”

7 – Botics (Atari ST, 1990) – “Title Theme”

8 – Alien 3 (Genesis, 1992) – “Stage 2”

9 – Bills Tomato Game (Genesis, Unreleased) – “Ending Theme”

10 – Second Samurai (Mega Drive, 1994) – “Ending Theme”

11 – Fido Dido (Mega Drive, Unreleased) – “Ending Theme”

12 – Legend of Galahad – (Genesis, 1992) – “Ending Theme”

Outro – Fear Effect Sedna (2017, PS4,Steam) – “Title/ Menu Theme”