Episode #17: Game Music History ~1988~

A look at the year 1988 in game music. The year that saw the first CD and MIDI soundtracks, arcade boards started the transition from FM to PCM, and some real classics were released on the NES. Meanwhile in Europe the C64 had reached its commercial peak in a market that was slowly being taken over by the new generation of 16-bit computers. As always, the playlist is in rough chronological order.

Download Episode #17: Game Music History ~1988~ (154 MB, mp3) here

…or watch it on Youtube

Playlist:

01 “Daddy Mulk” – Ninja Warriors (1988, Arcade) by Hisayoshi Ogura

02 “Main Theme” – Crystal Hammer (1988, Amiga) by Karsten Obarski

03 “Burning Heat” – Gradius II (1988, Arcade) by S.Tasaka,M.Furukawa,K.Matsubara,S.Fukami

04 “Main Theme” – Rimrunner (1988, Commodore 64) by Richard Joseph

05 “Overworld Theme” – Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (1988, FDS) by K.Murata,S.Fukami,Y.Kurahashi,K.Sada,A.Fujio

06 “F-3000 Final Race 2” – F-1 Dream (1988, Arcade) by Manami Matsumae,Takashi Tateishi

07 “Main Theme” – Cybernoid (1988, Commodore 64) by Jeroen Tel

08 “High Speed Level BGM” – Twin Eagle: Revenge Joe’s Brother (1988, Arcade) by Goblin Sound

09 “In-Game BGM” – Obliterator (1988, Amiga) by David Whittaker

10 “Great Battleship VOID” – Star Cruiser (1988, PC-8801) by Toshiya Yamanaka

11 “Carrier Command” – Carrier Command (1988, Atari ST) by Dave Lowe

12 “Night Line” – Chequered Flag (1988, Arcade) by Konami Kukeiha Club

13 “Area 1” – Blaster Master (1988, NES) by Naoki Kodaka

14 “Feel Blue” – Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished-The Final Chapter (1988, PC-8801) by Hideya Nagata

15 “Title Screen” – Odysseus: Trojan Warrior (1988, Commodore 64) by Steve Barrett

16 “Operation in Unsteady Space” – Star/Ship Rendezvous (1988, PC-8801) by Hitoshi Sakimoto,Masaharu Iwata

17 “A Flower Enchanted by the Devil” – Sorcerian Add. Scenario Vol.1 (1988, Sharp X1 TurboZ) by Mieko Ishikawa

18 “Name Entry” – Ball-Blasta (1988, Commodore 64) by Adam Gilmore

19 “Sympathy -Version II-” – Angelus: Akuma no Fukuin (1988, PC-8801) by Koichi Sugiyama,Yasuhiro Taguchi

20 “Introduction (Excerpt)” – King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella (1988, MS-DOS) by William Goldstein

21 “Level 1” – The Legendary Axe (1988, PC Engine) by Jun Chikuma,Toshiaki Takimoto

22 “Title Screen” – Bodyslam (1988, Commodore 64) by Tim Follin

23 “Main Theme 1” – Top Landing (1988, Arcade) by Zuntata

24 “Still Running Around” – Super Mario Bros.3 (1988, NES) by Koji Kondo

25 “For Your Tighs Only” – Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (1988, MS-DOS) by Al Lowe

26 “Staff Roll” – Chatty (1988, PC-8801) by Manabu Saito

27 “Central Park (In-Game)” – Last Ninja 2 (1988, Commodore 64) by Matt Gray

28 “Revolver” – Police Quest 2: The Vengeance (1988, MS-DOS) by Mark Seibert

29 “Take Off One’s Gloves” – Thunder Force II (1988, X68000) by Tomomi Ootani

30 “Title Theme” – Hybris (1988, Amiga) by Paul van der Valk

31 “Main Theme: Part 1” – Skateboard Joust (1988, Commodore 64) by Tonal Teapot

32 “Eagle’s Theme” – Fighting Street (1988, PC Engine CD) by Shofuku

33 “Unbreakable Determination” – Ninja Gaiden (1988, NES) by Keiji Yamagishi,Ryuichi Nitta

34 “Title Screen” – R-Type (1988, Commodore 64) by Chris Hülsbeck

35 “Twilight of Neo Kobe City” – Snatcher (1988, MSX2) by Konami Kukeiha Club

36 “Stage 2: The Village of Decay” – Ghouls’n Ghosts (1988, Arcade) by Tamayo Kawamoto

37 “Rebel Army Theme” – Final Fantasy II (1988, NES) by Nobuo Uematsu

38 “Flash Flash Flash” – Bosconian (1988, X68000) by Yuzo Koshiro

39 “Samba de Ram” – Crazy Climber 2 (1988, Arcade) by Kenji Yoshida

40 “Main Theme” – Quiz Master (1988, Atari ST) by Jochen Hippel

41 “Dr. Wily’s Map” – Mega Man II (1988, NES) by Takashi Tateishi

42 “Mission 1” – Double Dragon II: The Revenge (1988, Arcade) by Kazunaka Yamane