Page 23 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #7

16-Bit Age
16-Bit Age
Music Reviews
Music Reviews

Sonic Boom
Sonic Boom

o, it’s not an ode to Street through time, each region features its own
Fighter II’s Guile, but rather a “good future” or “bad future” theme song,
focused compilation of Sonic changing based on Sonic’s performance.
n the Hedgehog melodies created Yet the American tunes all suffer from re-
by Spencer Nilsen, a music composer, petitive blandness. The soundtrack drones
arranger, and producer best known for his on and on without any energy or sense of
work on first-party Sega CD games. Yet purpose, regardless of what’s happening
Sonic Boom, which exclusively consists of on the screen. It’s almost depressing.
Sonic CD tunes as well as selections Looking back, the Sega CD seemed to
from Sonic Spinball, is more of a curios- be a workbench for Spencer Nilsen (a
ity than something you’ll want to listen to relative of Sega’s marketing manager at
more than once. the time, Al Nilsen) to experiment on.
The problem? The arrangements never Sometimes his synthesizer-laden sound-
feel like they belong in a video game, tracks worked (the peaceful, hypnotic
much less an upbeat, fast-paced Sonic Ecco the Dolphin soundtrack comes to
title. Interestingly enough, the soundtrack mind) but most are uniformly forgettable.
for the U.S. version of Sonic CD was com- Released as a promotional tie-in for Sonic
pletely redone for American audiences, the Hedgehog 3, Sonic Boom does fea-
causing a stir in at least one mainstream ture one bright spot: Sonic CD’s cheesy
game magazine, Die Hard Gamefan. main theme, sung by a female trio named
Though not exactly known for its editorial on almost a monthly basis. Pastiche, which is catchy in a Buckner/
restraint or even-keeled tone, the maga- The editors’ reaction in this case was Garcia sort of way. Not much can be said
zine was quick to criticize the revamped not unfounded, however. The American about the rest of the music in Sonic
soundtrack in the January 1994 issue, soundtrack never detracts from the game, Boom, other than it never comes close to
knocking the game’s final score down but it doesn’t add anything meaningful to the red sneaker-tapping tunes in the origi-
20% on average from the Japanese ver- it, which is a shame because Sonic CD’s nal Sonic the Hedgehog.
sion. This was unusual for the hype-crazy unusual structure lends itself well to inter-
review crew, who tossed out 100% scores esting arrangements. Since Sonic travels

Smashing…...
Smashing…...
N subscribers re- Live!! of nostalgia.
Live!!
intendo Power
If you’ve ever considered picking your-
ceived a surprise in their Janu-
ary 2003 issue: an audio CD
self off the sofa, grabbing a stick, running
packed with 15 tracks from hit
screaming “Hee-ya!” at the top of your
games on the NES, Super NES, Game outdoors, and swinging at shrubs while
Boy, and Nintendo 64. But this was no or- lungs , this music will inspire you to do just
dinary soundtrack compilation. The that -- or another game’s equivalent. Also
themes were all performed by the New on disc are exuberant songs from Star
Japan Philharmonic in a live concert held Fox, Super Mario 64, Metroid, Fire Em-
on August 27, 2002 in Tokyo. Specifically, blem, Pokémon, Kirby’s Dream Land/
it is a collection inspired by music found on Super Star, Rare’s Donkey Kong Coun-
the GameCube’s Super Smash Bros. try, which you can swing dance to, and
Melee, which itself draws from many clas- the appropriately infectious theme to Dr.
sic titles in Nintendo’s storied history. Mario. The most surprising thing when
The orchestra gives new life to these listening is not how the orchestra gives
songs, which are as iconic a selection as emotional weight to the selection, nor is it
you’ll likely find from a single publisher. the often bright, brassy, and brisk ar-
Whether it’s the light, breezy rendition of rangement: rather, it’s just how over-
Super Mario Bros., played with clarinets, looked Nintendo’s musicians are in evalu-
the playful theme to Yoshi’s Story, minus ating a game’s success. Smashing…Live!
the adorable, helium -filled chorus of Yo- lets your ears know what your eyes have
shis, or the bold, rousing theme from The been enjoying for almost two decades.
Legend of Zelda, you will be grinning
from ear to ear, basking in the warm glow -Scott Alan Marriott

Classic Gamer Magazine March 2004