Download Episode 90: “Densetsu no Free Picks” here!
On today’s show, Ed and Mike go freestyle and pick some tracks they’ve been listening to lately, and the result is a collection of really energetic and danceable tunes. Join them for a selection of VGM from all eras of gaming, and from composers from all over the world!
Thanks to Cameron Werme, Jay Jorgenson, Myla Wilson, Richard Kruse, and Daniel Laughton for submitting PixelChat questions. Send YOUR questions for us to answer at pixeltunesradio@gmail.com!
Join our Facebook group to check out extra content from this episode!
The Tracklist:
Format: Game Title (System, Year) – Track Title – Composer(s)
1 – Syd Mead’s Terraforming (PCE-CD, 1993) – “Sea of Clouds” (Stage 1) – Katsuhiro Hayashi
2 – Space Invaders ‘91 (Genesis, 1991) – “Rounds 2, 11 & 14” – Noriyuki Iwadare
3 – Perfect Billiard (Arcade, 1987) – “Gameplay” – Composer Unknown
4 – Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4, 2016) – “Face Off” – Motoi Sakuraba
5 – Daiku no Gen-san ~ Robot Teikoku no Yabou (GB, 1994) – “Ending Theme” – Ikuko Mimori
6 – Ontamarama (NDS, 2007) – “Guitar Fiend” Toshikazu Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Kaneda, Kimihiro Abe, Noriyuki Kamikura
7 – Lego City Undercover (PC, PS4, Wii U, 2013) – “Time Trial” – Simon Withenshaw, Suddi Raval
8- Phantom Breaker Battlegrounds Overdrive (PS4, XBLA, 2013) – “Stage 0: Akihabara” – Takeshi Abo
9 – Great Battle Cyber (NES, 1992) – “Stages 1, 7 & 10” – Junya Kozakai
10 – Gravity Rush (Vita, PS4, 2012) – “Assault Cnida” – Kohei Tanaka
11 – MegaRace (Sega CD, 1994) – “Maeva” – Stéphane Picq
12 – Cybernator (SNES, 1991) – “Asteroid Run” – Masanao Akahori
PixelTunes Radio VGM Podcast 
Hey guys! Enjoyed the episode.
First, Ninja Crusaders. Yes agreed 100%. I owned the game as a kid, and only the little kid infinite patience let me play it as far as I did. I tried to revisit it in high school and beat it, and couldn’t get past the last level. But I love the music. Probably Stockholm Syndrome.
I really enjoyed that first track, from Terraforming. I was not familiar with the game, so I’ll have to go check it out! And I’m a real sucker for modern indie chiptune tracks, so I was really digging that Phantom Breaker jam.
Also, I never realized Mega Race was available on so many platforms. I had the game because it came as a pack-in with one of my parents’ first PCs. You are right on the money – hard, bad game; awesome, great music. And I can’t believe that track you played is Maeva! It sounds completely different from the PC version I am familiar with… In fact, are they even the same song?
If you listen reeeeaaaallly closely to Maeva, you can hear the similarities. My first experience with the game was on the 3DO, which had a soundtrack similar to the DOS version but in lower quality. The FM version surprised me in it’s grittiness and quality!
Thanks for the kind words, sir! I’ve been listening to your show and I’ve been enjoying it as well!
-Ed
Wow, you are right. If I heard the two tracks independently without knowing that they came from the same game, I don’t think I would have picked up on it. They may as well be different tracks, the sound is just so different. And I actually think that’s kinda cool- it’s almost like doubling the soundtrack.
Maeva must have been one of the first tracks you hear, because I recognize it from the gameplay. I was terrible at this game… Shout outs to Lance Boyle.
And thanks for the kind words right on back! I feel like I’m starting to find my sea legs.
So where can I find the Mega Race OST other than YouTube, ie in a game music format? I looked on the usual places but came away empty handed.
ND, next time in back at my parents’ house I’ll look for the Megarace CD. It’s possible it might be floating around
Hey, I also loved the episode. Quick notes about Cybernator: firstly, I owned and loved that game back in the day. I must have had a thing for giant robot games, because I also loved Metal Storm, Gun Griffon, and Target Earth. Speaking of Target Earth, both TE and Cybernator were part of a game series called Assault Suits, which also had iterations on the Saturn, PlayStation, PC and PS4. So while not every mecha game out of Japan was related, some were. 🙂
I had some other comments, but I can’t remember them right now. Anyway, there were a lot of cool tra—oh that’s right, I wanted to say that that skit was hilarious! One of the funniest ones you guys have done in a while. Very strange, which is right up my alley!
Anyway, Lotta new and interesting tracks on this episode. I enjoy the fact that you guys actually liked each other’s songs.