Diggin' in the Carts

S01E01 The Rise of VGM

This episode explores the evolution of music in video games, tracing its journey from simple sound effects and tunes to the development of continuous music in arcade games, thanks to pioneers at Namco. We hear from Junko Ozawa, one of the original composers on Namco's sound team, and the iconic Hirokazu 'Hip' Tanaka, who became part of Nintendo in 1980. Tanaka is celebrated for creating unforgettable scores for beloved titles like Metroid and Tetris, highlighting the significant role music has played in the gaming experience.