Tag Archives: vgmusic

Tutorial: Recreating the Megaman II’s Quick Man Song With Plogue Chipsounds

Chipsounds Audio Unit
Chipsounds Audio Unit

Plogue Chipsounds is one of the most comprehensive and powerful sound modules for creating classic game console chip sounds. However, if it’s interface might not be the most obvious and intuitive when you first start to use it.

Why would you want to use an Audio Unit/VST instead of the actual hardware or a tracker? Well, for adding some quick chip sounds to an existing song or remixing a classic song, it’s super useful to have everything happening in MIDI. You can speed things up, transpose them and make changes without having to spend time outside of your main DAWS. Whenever I want some Nintendo triangle bass, I go straight to chipsounds!

The Quick man track is one of the most amazing classic NES songs ever. It’s just buzzing with electrical goodness and really makes the intense Quickman level even more amazing. In just a few minutes, you can create a pretty accurate sound in Chipsounds.


Continue reading Tutorial: Recreating the Megaman II’s Quick Man Song With Plogue Chipsounds

Saturday Morning Cartoon NES Games

Due to the recent announcement of a remastered version of the classic Duck Tales NES Game, I thought we should take a look at some of the NES games that came out based on Saturday morning (or every morning) cartoons of the 80’s and 90’s. There are some quality games here, packed with nostalgia in more ways than one, and some surprisingly great music too. Check out some of Blind’s Remixes along the way and a final verdict of if you should bother with these games or not.

Duck Tales

Capcom 1989

Verdict: Worth playing, numerous times. Definitely on the top of the heap.

Here I am in Woodman's Stage..I mean, the Amazon...
Here I am in Woodman’s Stage..I mean, the Amazon…

DuckTales was one of the many games that Capcom put out in the 90’s that used Megaman II’s game engine. It was a genius move, since Megaman’s engine is a true masterpiece of 8-bit technology. DuckTales definitely feels like a Megaman game right away. However, there are a lot of nice changes in dynamics and controls to keep things interesting. The cane pogo-stick/golf swing move keeps things exciting and unique. The quality level of everything from music to level design is extremely high. I love how there are tons of mysteries and secrets hidden throughout the levels. It gives you a great replay value. The Moon level song is probably one of the most soothing songs ever written on the NES. However, it is totally inappropriate for the level, it’s just too calm!

This game definitely deserves to be remastered. It set the bar pretty high for the competition. As you’ll notice, some cartoon-based NES games didn’t even make my list.

 

 

 

Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers

Chip N Dale enter a strange world were nothing is proportioned as it should be...
Chip N Dale enter a strange world were nothing is proportioned as it should be…

Capcom 1990

Verdict: Worth Playing At Least Once or With a Freind

 

Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. This game pretty much plays like any standard platformer from the time. You can pick up crates, throw them, stack them, but other than that, it’s your basic game play. There are some creative ideas like shutting off water faucets in order to reach different parts of the stage. The music is pretty good but not all that memorable. Still, it’s good for a trip down memory lane.

The 2 Player mode is also pretty cool. I don’t recall many games on the NES that had simultaneous play like this. It was much more common in the SNES days. This is the saving point for a game that’s pretty standard in other respects.

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Konami 1989

Verdict: Play it if you’re a sucker for punishment.

Real sewers are never this cool...
Real sewers are never this cool…

TMNT was arguably one of the biggest franchises in the 80’s and 90’s. There are tons of totally awesome TMNT video games out now for NES, Genesis, Arcade, SNES but this was the first. Was it great? Well, it was pretty cool at the time and the music was pretty rocking. However, this game was HARD. Not like, “challenge accepted” hard, but like, “this is not fair” hard. With no save point and the dreaded underwater level, many gamers just gave up. The Killer Seaweed tune from the underwater level is quite memorable.

 

 

Bucky Ohare

Konami 1992

Verdict: Play it or at least download the soundtrack!

His slogan: "Let's toast some toads!" (face palm)...
His slogan: “Let’s toast some toads!” (face palm)…

I always had a soft spot for Bucky O’Hare. Sure, it was sort of like Ninja Turtles ripoff in space, but there was something unique about it too. I remember having all the action figures. They were huge, detailed and colorful and just awesome. The game too is colorful, innovative and pretty fun. The music is my FAVORITE of all these cartoon based games. The only weak spot in this game is sometimes the quality level drops in certain levels. While most of the game is top notch backgrounds, innovative levels and awesome bosses, you’ll sometimes find yourself on a screen with about six unique tiles. I mean, come on, you couldn’t even make corners on the platforms? Check out the original theme song too, its like Joe Esposito (Karate Kid song) rapping. Just wow.

 

 

BeatScribeFaceBeatscribe is a full time indie composer, musician and writer. By day he creates soundtracks for various mobile gaming companies, by night creates megaman-inspired chiptunes, in the afternoons he drinks tea.  Check out his latest releases, tutorials and retro ruminations at www.beatscribe.com.

The Most Baffling Video Game Songs of All Time

Designing a video game requires hundreds of tiny creative and technical decisions that all amount to a finished product. You might think music was a no-brainer in the early days, with limited sound chips and minimal memory, but from the beginning their have been some totally baffling video game songs that make you wonder what the developer or composer were thinking. Here’s a few of those confusing moments that you may or may not have heard before. You might be surprised at how enjoyable some of these pieces are, they just don’t fit in their respective games.

Metroid – Norfair

Metroid has one of the best NES soundtracks out there. It’s memorable, heroic and creepy in all the right places..except for this one. Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a lovely piece of music. In fact I listen to it regularly, but after all this time and so many listens, I have no idea how this song makes me feel! Is it supposed to be scary? Relaxing? I find it rather relaxing until those weird unsettling pauses occur. It sort of makes me picture a lifeless puppet dangling in the wind. Wierdly, it reminds me of a 90’s math-rock/emo band called Ethel Meserve.

Continue reading The Most Baffling Video Game Songs of All Time

PAX EAST 2013 = ZOMBOCON 8)

PAX EAST 2013 IS NIGH  (March 22-24th, i.e. THIS WEEKEND!!!)

AND I’M WAY TOO EXCITED TO TYPE UP A COHERENT INTRO TO THIS POST SO STRAIGHT TO THE RELEVANT DEETS:

 

MAGFest Presents: Jamspace

 

magfest-logoStraight from the mouth of MAGFest’s very own Nick the Newbie:

“What in the ever loving shit is “Jamspace”? Jamspace is music all day every day during pax. We’ve got chiptunes, live video game cover bands, DJs, and even open jam time with provided instruments. We’ve got guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard for playing, or you can even bring your own instruments! Follow @MAGFest on twitter for updates of what’s going on all weekend.”

Fri-Sun schedule:
Friday, 3-5pm: The World Is Square, Random aka MegaRan
Saturday, 3-5pm: Lords of Thunder, Armcannon
Sunday 1-3pm: OverClocked University, Crashfaster

Regarding the bulk of the scheduled chipmusic shows happening in the Jamspace…

 

B8B Presents: PAXE Chiptune 2013

 

pax-east-2013-chip-showcase-521x1024Boston8Bit is once again bringing a KILLER chiptune lineup to the PAX East Jamspace. In case you can’t read the SUPER SEKSAY flyer just to the left there, here’s the full Friday & Saturday 11:30am – 2:30pm EST lineup!

Friday:
Dj CUTMAN | Disasterpeace | Br1ght Pr1mate | D&D Sluggers | MC Facepalm | Glenntai

Sat:
Danimal Cannon | Cheap Dinosaurs | Active Knowledge | Doomcloud | RobotSexMusic | Sam Mulligan

Visuals by:
Animal Style | Invaderbacca | VJ Guybrush

Dj: Decktonic

 

And if that’s not enough MOST EXCELLENT chipmusic for you (it’s NEVAR enough!), or you’d like a chance to perform your own chipmusic at an open mic event…

 

B8B & ChipWIN Presents: CHIPstage

 

chipstage-bannerA very first for PAX East, the CHIPstage is essentially a separate Jamspace for chipartists & Djs! Bring your chippy and/or electronic jams & showcase ’em LIVE AT PAX!!!

On top of that, there’ll also be a good chance of any or all of the following happening at CHIPstage:

  • random gaming &/or tourneys
  • ridiculous contests (dickbutt drawing contest anyone? :3 )
  • a guaranteed on stage suplex for every artist who suffers a DMG crash while performing (J/k! Maybe… ♥)
  • really stupid dance offs (Hoodie shuffle comin’ ‘atcha! 8)
  • VERY SPECIAL music events & guests
  • WHO KNOWS WTF ELSE?!?

In summation, NONSTOP ZOMBOCON. 8)

Follow @ChiptunesWIN & @BOSTON8BIT on Twitter for updates during the craziness.

What? Really? That’s still not enough? You want another party to go to on Saturday night?
WELL FINE HERE YOU GO~

 

Saturday Night PAXE Party

 

sat-nite-after-partyLeaguePodcast & Rock On! Concerts present:

|Mega Ran | Active Knowledge (Boston8Bit) | Shane Hall | Gage | Weird Die Young|

This badasstastic music PARTAY is going down at The Cavern Club At The Hard Rock Café.

Doors at 8pm EST, $10 to get in. Tickets here.

What? You want a Sunday night afterparty too? OKAY!!!

 

Sunday Night PAXE Afterparty

 

pax-east-after-partyLeaguePodcast & Rock On! Concerts Present:

The Protomen
MC Frontalot
Br1ght Pr1mate
The World Is Square

This fantabulous shindig of WIN is happening at the Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub.

Doors at 7pm EST, $15 to get in. Tickets here.

 

Seriously y’all, if you don’t get enough VGM/chip jammage in & around PAX East this year (including the AWESOME PAX East main stage lineup HEREIT’S NOBODY’S FAULT BUT YOUR OWN.

And if you can’t come, don’t be a sad panda about it! Just tune into geekbeatradio on UnregularRadio to catch the livestream of the FULL SCHEDULED JAMSPACE LINEUP (chip & VGM shows) & as much of the CHIPstage as they can grab! There’ll be *SOMETHING* PAX East broadcasting on the UR Fest channel throughout the whole party. GOOD TIMES.

I mean, srsly gaiz, THIS IS AN EPIC F*CKTON OF STUFF. We’re all probably going to survive PAXE 2013 this year, but JUST BARELY. 8) In other words…

ZOMBOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON~

~SEE YOU THERE~

Much \m||m/,
President Hoodie

EDIT: Just so this post has EVERYTHING  (& just in case you don’t pay attention to the front page of the PAXE website… :3 ), here’s a schedule of the main stage acts as well!

Friday 3/22, 8:30pm – 1:30am:
| VGO | Those Who Fight | The Protomen |

Saturday 3/23, 8:30pm – 2am:
| Sam Hart | MC Frontalot | Jonathan Coulton | Paul and Storm |
————————————————————————————–

Relevant linkage:
MAGFest Presents: Jamspace
B8B Presents: PAXE Chiptune 2013
B8B & ChipWIN Presents: CHIPstage
Saturday Night Afterparty
Sunday Night Afterparty

PAXE Main Stage Concerts
MAGFest
Boston8Bit
geekbeatradio
Chiptunes = WIN

#freakstyle

Crossposted to the ChipWIN Blog HERE for extra awesome & ZOMBOCON. 8)