Whether you know it or not, chances are you've bopped your head to this man's music. Whether you don't know the difference between a Goomba and a Koopa Troopa or consider yourself a hardcore gamer, you've no doubt whistled his tunes in the shower. With his contagious and wildly inventive melodies, Koji Kondo has set a standard for video game composition that few have come close to reaching. And for those of us who grew up with a D-pad placed firmly beneath our thumbs, his scores have acted as the soundtrack of our childhood.
From the original Super Mario Bros. to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to Star Fox 64 and beyond, Koji Kondo's contributions to the art of video game composition are beyond compare, leaving an indelible mark on the entire industry. Today the man who put a melody to the magical worlds of Mario and Zelda celebrates his 51st birthday. In commemoration of his great contributions to the medium, we're taking a brief look back at the two biggest franchises that Koji Kondo brought to life with his resplendent tunes.
Here's to you, Kondo-san - thanks for the memories.
One can hardly hear the word "Mario" without a certain tune running through their brain - you know the one. From the moment you first hear that infectious theme in World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. for NES, you'll never be able to get that crazy melody out of your head. With incredible creativity and musical prowess, Kondo's music has set the ethereal and psychedelic tone that the Mushroom Kingdom is now known for.
But his contributions to Mario's adventures didn't stop with that initial score. From Super Mario Bros. 3 to Super Mario World, from Super Mario 64 to Super Mario Galaxy - Kondo has helped transition Mario from 2D to 3D, from a castle full of paintings to an entire galaxy of adventure. His music is as intimately tied with the idea of Mario as jumping on a Goomba's head or Bowser's affection for Peach. While the man has already given us enough timeless music to last a lifetime, we very much look forward to another 25 years of incredible, mushroomey tunes.
While Kondo's Mario compositions are meant to invoke an aura of pure joy, his work for The Legend of Zelda series is a bit more cutting - tearing at your heart with its sweet melodies and sweeping crescendos. Zelda's music has a way of tearing at your heart - or inspiring a sense of adventure and exploration you simply can't ignore. Ranging from haunting to epic to sweet to unsettling, his scores for Link's adventures in Hyrule add a powerful emotional overtone to each game.
Music has always played an important role in the Zelda series, whether as an instrument for progressing the story (get it?!) or just by lending a sense of magic to the whole affair. It's hard to imagine what Hyrule would be like without Kondo's tunes instilling adventure into the very grass of Hyrule field, adding soul to the inhabitants of Death Mountain, wordlessly conveying the joyful sadness of parting with a childhood friend, or encapsulating the terror of power in the wrong hands. As of now, we still have no idea what Zelda's future holds, as Nintendo makes the leap to its first HD system - but if Koji Kondo has anything to say, you can bet the music will be pitch perfect.
Thanks for joining us as we briefly tipped our hats to one of the greatest musical talents of our time. Now's your turn to chime in! What are your favorite songs by the legendary Mr. Kondo? What has his music meant to you as a gamer, or even just as a person? Share your thoughts in the comments below - then bust out an old Mario or Zelda game in thanks to the man who likely wrote the soundtrack of your childhood.
Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor at IGN and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her wild adventures on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!
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