Arumana no Kiseki (The Miracle of Arumana) is a sidescrolling action game released by Konami in 1987 for the Famicom Disk System. The game bleeds Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Seriously. Gameplay has similar bits and pieces from Castlevania and Bionic Commando but still sets itself apart as a nice little title. More importantly, the music is stellar and it's what we would expect from the 8bit publishing giant. Composed by Kinuyo Yamashita and Kouji Murata. The FDS isn't a stranger to the...
Apr 15, 2017•46 min
Mitsume ga Tooru might not have made a western appearance, but what's not to love? The gameplay is simple, accessible, and challenging - but not in a frustrating 'rage-quit' way, we loved it. Honestly, the soundtrack is awesome and going to be a lot of fun to listen to together with you. Composer, Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, makes an appearance as well to provide some extra insight on the game and his career. Track list: 0:00:00 Intro (Fami) 0:07:34 Stage 1-1/Stage 2-1 0:13:58 Stage 1-2/Stage 5-1 0:23:43...
Apr 01, 2017•1 hr 32 min
In this episode we have a healthy dose of video game music from a variety of different games, systems and composers. Join in as we discuss the music and explore the games in Expansion Pack 18. Track List: 0:00:00 B: The Prairie - Lucky Luke (GB/GBC) - Alberto José González 0:09:26 J: A Premonition - Styx - Ys III (X68k) - Mieko Ishikawa 0:13:31 B: Track 1 - Artist Tool (PCE) - Unknown 0:18:31 J: Stage 2 - Reon’s Adventure (PC) - Unknown 0:24:23 B: Perfect Transformation! Star Ruby - Bunretsu Shu...
Mar 15, 2017•59 min
Toaplan was one of the most well-loved developers in the shooter genre with a number of releases including Tiger-Heli, Twin Cobra, Hellfire, Truxton, and Zero Wing. In 1990, they released a different style of shooter called Out Zone which and is one of the most significant departures from the company’s catalog but still retains all the excitement, difficulty, and attention to detail. Join us as we dive into the soundtrack and have a chat with the composer of Out Zone (as well as many others) Tat...
Mar 01, 2017•1 hr 40 min
Back with another selection of semi-random VGM tracks from a number of different systems. We've been a bit overdue for an Expansion Pack so listen in, join the fun, brush that 3D horse hair, and let us know what you think of the tunes. Track List: 0:00:00 J Pick: Ultima - Dragon Saber (Arc) Shinji Hosoe 0:08:49 B Pick: BGM #5 - Wonder Classic (WSC) T. Fujitani 0:15:35 J Pick: Highly Responsive to Prayers - Touhou Reiiden (PC98) Junya Ota aka ZUN 0:23:26 B Pick: Minigame - My Horse 3D (3DS) 0:30:...
Feb 15, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Want a game that's obscure but still has it all? Alisia Dragoon on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive is exactly the game you're looking for. Fun game play, top-notch artwork, and some of the best music the system has to offer. It's too bad the title didn't get more recognition back in the day, however, 25 years later we can still fall in love with this work of art. The composition was done by a small company called "Mecano Associates," led by Fumihito Kasatani. And with the help of the team, we believ...
Feb 01, 2017•1 hr 34 min
When it comes to the Sega Dreamcast there certainly is no shortage of odd titles. Bangai-O fits the bill. From the moment you start playing, it shatters your expectations into tiny pieces and when you're done it reassemble them into an unforgettable experience. If somehow you were thinking the Dreamcast version wasn't enough, we're also taking a look at the original Nintendo 64 version Bakuretsu Muteki Bangai-O (爆裂無敵バンガイオー) as well as the Nintendo DS sequel Bangai-O Spirits. Enjoy! Track List: 0...
Jan 15, 2017
With the new year we'd like to introduce you to one of the two new show styles that we will be added into the mix. "Pixelated Audio Music Disk Volumes" are a mixture of game music arrangements and original tunes created by the doujin (同人) groups of the late 80s through the 90s and each episode will revolve around a single disk. This episode we'll be looking at the first Orphe Music Disk released in 1991 for the NEC PC-8801 and playing our selection from the 40 tracks created for the SoundBoard I...
Jan 02, 2017•1 hr 2 min
It's no surprise that there aren't many Christmas specific games out on the store shelves. And after looking around we found a few Christmas games and some demo/expansions but nothing we were excited to share. Facing the possibility of not finding a game we felt worth a short holiday episode, we had to dig deep and go outside of the North American release market to find Daze Before Christmas on the Mega Drive and Super Nintendo. Wrapped up in this game we found something fun (and odd), so grab s...
Dec 22, 2016•55 min
Today we bring you the tunes from a lesser-known Commodore 64 title called Quadrant composed by Thomas Detert. While the game might not be all that amazing, it has an awesome soundtrack that will definitely get you moving. We've also snuck in some bonus content to showcase Detert's other work around the time the game was released from the Game On Disk Magazines. Take a listen! Track List: 0:06:51 Subsong 2 (Quadrant) 0:13:24 Subsong 5 0:26:46 Subsong 4 0:35:31 Game On Disk Magazine (Issue 11/93)...
Dec 15, 2016
One of our favorite golf games ever made. Before they were part of SNK, Nazca proved to the industry that they could hang with the best of em. Neo Turf Masters, being one of their first, showcased arcade golf at its finest which drove the game to becoming one of our favorite sports titles ever made. It has great gameplay and clean graphics but the soundtrack is the star with its upbeat, jazzy-fusion and soaring solos composed by Takushi Hiyamuta. Turf Masters was also ported to the Neo Geo Pocke...
Dec 01, 2016•1 hr 30 min
Join us as we celebrate 5 years of VGMRips with many of the people responsible, not only for its maintenance and up keep but its creation. We've asked our friends to share a song that has significance to them and to tell us about it in their own words. This led to an episode crammed with beautiful tunes (across many platforms) that we all think you'll enjoy. Thank you VGMRips community, for all that you've done for video game music lovers and also preserving these tracks for generations to come....
Nov 22, 2016•1 hr 22 min
This week we’re bringing you a special episode from our Extra-Life 2016 charity event (24 hour gaming marathon) that took place on Nov. 5th. We asked the other team members to pick a track from any game that was special to them and tell us why. As always it was a great time with awesome music and good friends. So we invite you to listen to us slowly lose our minds over the course of the 24 hour gaming marathon in another expansion pack. Track List: 00:00:00 Intro: "Talk Dirty to Me" Shock Troope...
Nov 15, 2016•1 hr 38 min
Some games are just flat-out terrible and destined to never to see overflowing love from the gaming world (but that’s okay). This describes Hole Chaser for the PC-8801 perfectly. If you were to pass over this game because of its graphics or because of the erotic storytelling you would be missing out on one truly amazing soundtrack by Masahiro Kajihara. In this episode of Pixelated Audio we’re making sure that this music isn’t forgotten and can receive some of the love it deserves plus an intervi...
Nov 01, 2016•1 hr 26 min
In the 90’s saying Nintendo consoles sucked would get you some new bruises on the at recess. Within 10 years they wrapped up the NES, blew our minds with the Super NES, and followed that with Nintendo 64. You could be thinking to yourself, “Maybe if I mentioned the how bad the Virtual Boy sucked my would-be playground attackers might leave me alone.” But seeing as how the system has been a sore subject for Nintendo fanboys (and girls) since its debut, they might even hit you harder. Today we hav...
Oct 15, 2016•1 hr 48 min
In this episode we (once again) have composer Naoki Kodaka in all his Sunsoft glory with Journey to Silius (aka [rʌf] World) for the NES/Famicom. This game has all the signs of what makes an NES title remembered as "classic." And it's dark visuals, gritty sound, and revenge-focused story draw their own highlights in the ocean of titles on the platform. Join us as we take an in-depth look at the game, the composition, and it's unbelievably heavy DPCM low-end pumping through the NES APU. Track Lis...
Oct 01, 2016
Retro gaming and game audio tends to get associated with US, Japan, and Europe because of the shear volume of games and media. So, we thought to ourselves, why not look at some other countries take on game music. Illusion Blaze (일루젼 블레이즈) was released in 1994 for Korea on the PC and was developed by Family Production. Their games were mostly composed by a duo known as D.A.C. that was producing a mix of rock and electronic music into a unique balance of "destructive harmony." So, join in as we di...
Sep 15, 2016
Namco was known for their extravagant arcade systems and over-the-top designs, however, they also had one of the most impressive sound chips in the early 90s. The 32-voice C352 and it's driver "Quattro" were both innovative and polished but more importantly, they were utilized by an amazing roster of composers. Guest-hosting the show, ctr (from our affiliate site vgmrips.net) joins in to discuss his latest playback and logging tool QuattroPlay which has been released today alongside the show! Ba...
Sep 01, 2016•2 hr 7 min
Imagine, if you will, a game that’s from an Amiga developer heavily influenced by the English rock band Sisters of Mercy. Add in some truly insane music coupled with artwork that's both sexy and demonic in the style of an 80’s heavy metal album cover (sporting a naked demon right on the title screen). The game you would get is Astaroth: The Angel of Death developed by Eldritch the Cat with music by none other than Jochen Hippel. Track List: 0:07:35 Title (Amiga) 0:18:20 Astaroth4-fast.mod - Remi...
Aug 15, 2016•1 hr 41 min
Herzog Zwei is a real-time strategy game that was developed by Tecnosoft and released for the Mega Drive in 1989 for Japan and for the Sega Genesis in 1990 for North America. With excellent music, you're in for a good time. Join us with guest-host Nathan Daniels and a special appearance from composer Tomomi Otani. Track List: 0:00:00 Jagd Flieger - Herzog Zwei (Arai) 0:00:13 A Full Retreat (Otani) 0:12:26 There is No Time to Lose (Otani) 0:26:46 Take it Easy (Arai) 0:34:55 Back to Square One (Ot...
Aug 01, 2016
It’s safe to assume you’ve heard of Bandai, but did you know they developed a handheld console called the WonderSwan? If not, don’t worry, its obscurity comes from the fact that it was never released in North America and had the misfortune to be in direct competition with the Game Boy... ouch! This doesn’t mean it was bad, in fact it was quite amazing... just unlucky (and maybe marketed poorly). Buffers Evolution is a handheld VGM masterpiece and a great example of what this system could do both...
Jul 15, 2016
Today marks the 2 year anniversary of Pixelated Audio and we decided to have a little fun by mixing things up a bit! It's hard to have played Sega Genesis games without hearing the amazing music of Matt Furniss. He is one of the most well-known Western composers and as luck would have it he joined us for a deep dive into some of his more obscure tracks. So listen in as we attempt to stump the legendary composer with his own tunes! *Spoiler Alert* If you want to try to guess alongside Matt, don't...
Jul 01, 2016•1 hr 56 min
In the world of retro gaming there is no shortage of shoot ’em ups. It’s hard not to fall in love with their intense gameplay, flashy sprites, and insane music. Today we return to Compile, a company that had shoot’em ups down to an art form and with Musha Aleste, we feel they hit the perfect balance of look, control and sound. Join us as we dissect one of the best top down shooters of the entire 16-bit era with composer Toshiaki Sakoda as our guest towards the end of the show. Track List: 0:00:0...
Jun 15, 2016•1 hr 13 min
Compile was responsible for dozens of games in the 80's and 90's but well-loved for their amazing shooters like the Aleste series. Aleste got its roots on the Sega Master System but made a portable detour on the Game Gear for two installments: GG Aleste (1991) and GG Aleste II: Lance Bird (1993). These vertical shooters are a blast to play, look gorgeous on Sega's first handheld, and are bundled with music from the SN76489 that totally rocks our world. Track List: 0:00:06 Round 1 GG Aleste 0:10:...
Jun 01, 2016•1 hr 36 min
Granada is a top-down tank shooter developed and published by Wolf Team in 1990 for the Sharp X68000. It also saw a port to the Sega Genesis the same year. Join in as we listen to the FM synth as well as some MIDI versions of the soundtrack composed by Motoi Sakuraba. Track List: 0:00:00 Advance Granada (Opening) - X68K 0:07:53 Heavy Line (Stage 1) 0:16:12 Windy Avenue (Stage 2) 0:24:11 Hopping Express (Stage 3) 0:28:18 Marching Way (Stage 4) 0:30:51 Nature Trail (Stage 5) 0:36:00 Mountain Path ...
May 15, 2016•1 hr 11 min
In 1991, Konami was cranking out hits for pretty much every system available. However, Sunset Riders for the arcade, refused to blend into the herd of releases. While it's fun music, bright colors and its availability in a beastly 4 player cabinet made it hard to miss, the gameplay made it hard to forget. Join us as we bury you with pixels from the music of the arcade (Motoaki Furukawa) and console ports. Track List: 0:00:00 The Magnificent Four (Arc) 0:06:55 Gunfight at the Sunset Corral 0:17:5...
May 01, 2016
Everyone knows that “Amiga love” flows thick in our veins; it’s just a fact. The humble home computer has had so many incredible composers write music for it's games that many of us in North America are a bit unfamiliar with. Today we bring you the music of Jim Power in Mutant Planet from one of the most prolific western composers in video game history, Chris Huelsbeck. Not only that, he's also a guest on the show! Track List: 0:00:00 Title Theme (Amiga) 0:12:24 In game 1 0:24:00 In game 5 0:36:...
Apr 15, 2016•1 hr 54 min
Madou King Granzort was released in 1990 by Hudson Soft (developed by Mutech) for the PC Engine SuperGrafx. Sure, it's a bit on the obscure side but we fell in love with this game almost immediately for its fun gameplay, challenging platforming, and vivid graphics. This little gem didn't get a whole lot of love (namely due to being an exclusive SuperGrafx title) but packs a great soundtrack composed by Norihiko Yamanuki. Track List: 0:00:09 Title 0:00:32 Stage Select 0:09:43 Stage 1 0:17:41 Stag...
Apr 01, 2016•1 hr 19 min
Back in episode 24 we covered an amazing Konami game for the Famicom Disk System titled Ai Senshi Nicol. Today we are covering another 1987 Konami game for the Famicom Disk System titled Falsion and you’re in for quite an auditory ride. This Japan-only released game has an excellent soundtrack and we couldn’t help but share it with you... (plus we are overdue for some more Disk System ear-gasms!) Track List: 0:00:00 The First Space Flight [Level 1] 0:08:56 The Evening Voyage [Level 2] 0:17:33 Na...
Mar 15, 2016•57 min
We're extremely proud to have made it to episode 50 and put together a great show worthy of that milestone. So, with much thought and many show ideas kicked around, we finally decided on a plus sized Expansion Pack! Get ready for 14 tracks from several different systems, game genres, and styles! Track List: 0:00:00 Uranus Theme by Masatomo Miyamoto - Godzilla: Monster of Monsters! (Fami) 0:06:21 Ending by Shouji Tomii, Minoru Endo - Vertical Force (VB) 0:11:43 Track 1 by Wally Beben - Advanced D...
Mar 01, 2016•1 hr 55 min
