History and influence of music in video games

What would our daily life be without music? Think about a moment of the day, during an everyday task, when you normally put on music. For example, on a car journey, on your trip on public transport, those great songs you dance to while cleaning at home, or even the soundtracks that accompany your work tasks. Of course, music is present in many aspects of human life, as we have seen and talked about many times, accompanying the narrative in films, but have you stopped to think about the importance they have when creating scenarios in a video game?

We tell you a little more:

History of music in video games

The integration of music into video games began in the 1970s, with the arrival of classic games such as 'Pong' (1972), which only featured a few brushstrokes of more rudimentary sounds. It was with hits such as 'Space Invaders' (1978) that we began to see more differentiated melodies that evolved into authentic 8-bit themes that adapted to environments, as we can see while playing Super Mario Bros (1985).
It was with the arrival of consoles like Atari that the composers of these songs began to experiment with the limited options they had for composing. But how well did they succeed!

Who created the music in video games?

Contrary to what we might think, at the beginning of this story, it was not composers as such who were in charge of creating songs or themes, but rather it was the video game developers themselves who introduced the different melodies into the games they were programming.

With the evolution and modernization of computers and consoles, the spectrum in which they could work with video games was expanded, making things easier for composers who began their journey in this world.

One of the pioneers in this field was Tomohiro Nishikado, creator of Space Invaders (1978), who designed the game and included a dynamic soundtrack that changed according to the pace of the game.

Over time, more composers joined Nishikado, including Koji Kondo, who composed the iconic music for Super Mario Bros. (1985) and The Legend of Zelda (1986).

Other important composers include Rob Hubbard, known for his work on the Commodore 64, and Nobuo Uematsu, famous for the music of the series. Final Fantasy.

What was the first video game with sound?

Originally, one of the first video games to use sound was 'Computer Space' (1971), but it was the aforementioned 'Pong' that would officially take this title. Also, let's not think that it had complex 8-bit melodies, like other retro games, but its sound consisted of a series of 'beeps' that accompanied the actions of the game itself.

The importance and influence of music in video games.

Music in video games plays an important role in creating atmosphere and making the player live an immersive experience. If it weren't for that, it would be much more boring!

For example, within the Minecraft game, aimed at a more childish audience, we find the simple and relaxing soundtrack by C418, which encourages players' creativity.

In the case of the popular game The Sims, we have compositions that represent and accompany the characters' daily lives, music similar to that which we could find in public places such as supermarkets or even in elevators. A truly immersive experience.

Finally, we travel to the fantastical side of games. For example, in the game Elden Ring, and others like it, grandiose, and much more complex themes are prioritized, trying to create an atmosphere of mystery, tension and danger. What a great accompaniment to the battles!

Musical narrative in video games.

We know that audio plays an important role in video games, and is linked to the evolution of the story, the different environments, the decision-making of the characters, etc.

Sounds are a crucial tool to guide the player within the universe of the video game, whatever it may be.

In the end, it has a similarity to soundtracks in cinema, but taking into account that this narrative in the context of video games is sometimes flexible.

Many times, in fact, it has a more informative than narrative function.

Have you thought about it before?

Iconic video game soundtracks

We've already mentioned the soundtracks of the most iconic retro video games, but there are currently true works of art in terms of video game compositions that are the order of the day. We tell you a little about some of the best:

Dark Souls and mysticism in melodies: With Dark Souls, Motoi Sakuraga makes his players feel the tension and mystery within the fantasy world of this entire saga. It's hair-raising!
The Last of Us, the importance of the characters: Gustavo Santaolalla, an Argentine guitarist who has already won awards for soundtracks such as Brokeback Mountain, was in charge of this project. With such simple and brilliant compositions, he manages to detect the emotions and thoughts of the characters in this exciting story.
NieR, total immersion in history: The soundtrack by Keigo Hoashi makes you blend in completely between androids and humans. The dynamism and freshness of these melodies stand out in this very special composition.

If you are a true fan of soundtracks, whether from movies or video games, embark with FSO on a journey full of emotions through the best melodies that accompany films.