The Magic of the Ecco the Dolphin Soundtrack

Ecco the Dolphin was everywhere in the late 90s. The game was a huge seller on the Megadrive and was ubiquitous with the system as it’s not often that you got to play as a flipping dolphin! The fact that the graphics looked amazing didn’t hurt it much either but it was only when you played it that you realised how batpoop crazy it was. Rather than a walking/ swimming simulator, the game involved the disappearance of your pod linked to the Giger-esque aliens who had their own creepy machinations planned for you kith and kin.

The game was rock hard and nearly impossible to beat without the invincibility code, which is how I finally completed the game. However, what really resonated with me was the sublime vapourwave soundtrack. It was my (and I guess many others’) introduction to vapourwave before vapourwave was a thing that gained prominence with the onset of the internet and nostalgia for the 80s.

I had heard and loved the Megadrive soundtrack as it was all ethereal, alien and warbly 80s style synths, but when I heard the Sega CD soundtrack many years later it blew my mind. Spencer Nilsen produced an amazing album that is reminiscent of the works of Vangelis, Popol Vuh and Waiting for Cousteau-era Jean Michel Jarre.

The album is my vinyl white whale as there are only a few bootleg copies out there and they seem to go for a high price. There seems to have been a pressing from Germany in 2016 and I hope to add it to my collection one day. In the meantime, I’ve linked an interview with the composer talking about his score below. Have a listen and be transported back to the mid 90s!

LINK- Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Fire Tripper: Cult Manga Review

LINK- Akira Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- Manga Exhibition at the British Museum

LINK- The Transportive Nature of Objects (And the Power of Mini Consoles)

LINK- My One True Gaming Constant in Life- Nintendo

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) - Complete Series Review

Thunder Force AC Released on Switch

My first experience at the arcade was when I was 6 and it was at my local video store, there was Pacman and Space Invaders. I suppose that was my first intro to shoot 'em up games, that little sit down cocktail cabinet.

They've always held a special place in my heart as once the enemy patterns are learnt and memorised you can look like a boss completing a game. I have a vivid memory of playing R-Type at Heathrow airport and getting to level 3, that huge base ship. Over the years I bought R-Type again on the Master System and then progressed to the Megadrive where I continued my love of shoot 'em ups. This system was excellent at shoot ‘em ups but there were a couple that stood out and those were the Thunder Force series.

I am pleased that Sega Ages released Thunder Force IV a while back for the Switch but I have more fondness for its predecessor, Thunder Force III. Now Sega Ages have released Thunder Force AC, a made for arcade version of Thunder Force III. Whilst not exactly the same, as it more a slightly remixed version, the game is still gorgeous to look at and still slick as heck. The shooting mechanics are meaty and the enemy waves and designs are interesting. Look out for a ‘Video Games As Art’ portfolio on the game soon.

Streets of Rage Soundtracks Available To Download On BandCamp.

The early to mid 90's were a great time for gaming but it was still seen as a childish past time by many. When the Playstation released it tapped into to the burgeoning dance market where House and Trance tracks were popular and consistently hitting the charts. It seemed like a perfect mix; edgy games and oh-so-zeitgeisty music. However before Sony's miracle machine we 16-bit gamers did have a saviour of coolness and that was the inimitable Yuzo Koshiro. The composer behind the first two Streets of Rage games was a pioneer when bringing the sounds of the clubs into games. The Streets of Rage soundtracks are amongst the most highly regarded of the 16-bit era and rightly so. Whilst The Orb, The Prodigy and Orbital were getting into the charts, Koshiro was applying the music styling of the genre into his soundtracks.

I have all three albums and they are great, especially the first two that hold a special place in my heart.

I have all three albums and they are great, especially the first two that hold a special place in my heart.

His three albums have been released on vinyl by DataDiscs and I have all 3 (I have linked my reviews of all three albums below) but recently the albums have been put up for purchase on BandCamp. At just 6 GBP a piece I’d say that it’s a bargain and with the imminent release of Streets of Rage 4, it’s a great time to revisit these astonishing albums.

Streets of Rage Soundtracks on BandCamp

Yuzo Koshiro on Composing for Streets of Rage, Techno and Programming

Yuzo Koshiro, the composer behind the Streets of Rage games, was a pioneer when bringing the sounds of the clubs into games. The Streets of Rage soundtracks are amongst the most highly regarded of the 16-bit era and rightly so. Whilst The Orb, The Prodigy and Orbital were getting into the charts, Koshiro was applying the music styling of the genre into his soundtracks.

I have all three Streets of Rage soundtracks on vinyl and they are awesome!

I have all three Streets of Rage soundtracks on vinyl and they are awesome!

In an interview for Red Bull Music Academy, Koshiro discussed the early days of his career, how he and Motohiro Kawashima sought inspiration in nightclubs for Streets of Rage and why he never let limitations stop him from pushing forward. At nearly an hour and an half it’s an informative and interesting in-depth discussion about a very singular creator.

Space Harrier Soundtrack on Vinyl

Space Harrier was a game I was aware of but never really got around to playing, even though I owned a Megadrive and Master System. However, for those who have fond memories of the game or the soundtrack, Data Discs have released the soundtrack on vinyl. I have purchased a few soundtracks in my time from them and can say that they are always amazingly presented and the pressings are crisp and clear. Check out the Data Discs website in the link below and check out my other vinyl reviews.

Space Harrier Soundtrack on Vinyl ©DataDiscs

Streets of Rage III Soundtrack Vinyl Release

I'm a HUGE fan of the Streets of Rage fan a large part of that is due to the stunning soundtracks by Yuzo Koshiro. Well Data-Discs, the London based record company is releasing the Streets of Rage 3 soundtrack later today. I will be ordering the album of course as I want to complete my vinyl collection. I have the first two and they are very impressive. The album will retail at £24.99 and will be a double disc release, remastered for the format. Once I get the album I'll post a review but for now you can check our my vinyl soundtrack reviews for Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2 on the links below. 

SEGA Forever Service Offers Classic Games For FREE!

Nostalgia is a powerful thing and it seems that Sega finally realise that too. With the Sega Forever service people are able to download and play classic Sega games for FREE on their Apple and Android devices. The games are free to play (including offline) but will feature adverts, so to turn off the adverts you have to pay a small fee. However the possibilities of playing these games on the go and with modern features like cloud saves, Bluetooth controller support, and online leaderboards putting up with a few adverts doesn't seem so bad. Currently there are five games including: Sonic the Hedgehog (the original, not the god-awful 360 game, Comix Zone, Altered Beast, Kid Chameleon, and Phantasy Star II.

Sega Forever

Sega have promised that this list will grow and that the service will not just feature games from the Genesis or Master System era but also may include Saturn and Dreamcast games. The possibility of playing Panzer Dragoon, Wonderboy IV or Streets of Rage II on the move sounds great. 

Streets of Rage 2 Soundtrack on Vinyl

I am very excited to have received the Streets of Rage 2 vinyl from DataDiscs today. The classic soundtrack has been remastered and optimised for the vinyl format by Yuzo Koshiro, the famed composer of the game. The double disc set contains a few bonus and remixed tracks but overall is the same quality soundtrack that you remember from years ago. The soundtrack is one of the greatest in video gaming history and to have it on vinyl is very cool. I feel so hipster it hurts but vinyl is a fun way to collect 16-bit soundtracks of yore.

Sega Megadrive Classics Hub

SEGA seems to be upping its game with its recent announcement of a brand new online hub where you can log in and play some of the greatest Megadrive games from yesteryear. SEGA removed a whole wave of sub-par ports from iOS about a year ago and promised to do better and this seems to be a part of that promise. They are promising that Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2 and Revenge of the Shinobi will be emulated perfectly to replicate the original machine. In SEGA's own words:

The SEGA Mega Drive Classics Hub will be launching on Steam April 28th as a free update & there's no need to purchase games you already own on Steam to use it!
The new-look system is based on a bedroom of an early nineties SEGA fan with dynamic time-of-day conditions, retro SEGA paraphernalia, a shelf full of MEGA Drive games (including the ones you own) and of course a CRT TV! That’s not all, every single MEGA Drive game will now feature Steam Workshop support allowing you share modified versions of your favourite retro SEGA titles!
In addition to these new features, the new SEGA Mega Drive Hub also includes:
- Spot-on emulation
- Local co-op for games that support it
- Optional graphic enhancement filters
- The ability to save at any point in the gameplay
- Full controller / keyboard support

The list of games available are:

Golden Axe™
Altered Beast™
Comix Zone™
Ecco the Dolphin™
Gain Ground™
Shinobi™ III: Return of the Ninja Master
Vectorman™
Crack Down™
Shadow Dancer™
Space Harrier™ II
Ecco™ Jr.
Alex Kidd™ in the Enchanted Castle
Bonanza Bros.™
Super Thunder Blade™
Kid Chameleon™
Ristar™
Galaxy Force II™
Columns™
Eternal Champions™
Fatal Labyrinth™
Bio-Hazard Battle™
Columns™ III
Sword of Vermilion™
Virtua Fighter™ 2
Ecco™: The Tides of Time
Alien Storm
Decap Attack™
Flicky™
ESWAT™: City Under Siege
Golden Axe™ II
Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole
Shining Force
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
Streets of Rage 2
Alien Soldier
Light Crusader
Gunstar Heroes
Streets of Rage
Shining Force II
Shining in the Darkness
Beyond Oasis
Dynamite Headdy
Golden Axe III
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
Streets of Rage 3
Revenge of the Shinob
Vectorman 2
Wonder Boy in Monster World

All in all this seems to be a step in the right direction and alongside the 3D remakes being released for the Nintendo 3DS, it finally seems like SEGA is getting its act together... about time for a company with a marvelous gaming legacy.

Megadrive Portable

There are many ways to play 8 and 16-bit games out there; as well as the simple option of emulation there are the dearth of clone systems and retro machines. There are many ways to play the games of yore but I was recently handed a Megadrive Portable by my cousin who was having a bit of a clear-out. The machine itself costs around 30 pounds and I think this is an excellent value. Its certainly a cost effective alternative to getting an import Sega Nomad and an Everdrive cartridge. The machine comes with an SD card slot and the fact that by downloading roms from sites like emuparadise you can add pretty much have every single Megadrive game ever made is brilliant.

A real perk of the system is that the AV out is great to connect up to your TV or in my case, the projector in my mancave- I have spent many an hour laying down in my futon look up at the projected game on my ceiling plugged into my headphones playing my way through my childhood games.

There are only a few negative points, the main one being that the speaker isn't great quality. The machine doesn't have the Yamaha YM2612, the six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha, and so the soundtracks don't sound like they used to (not a bad thing in some cases sure, but for games like Streets of Rage 2 or Thunderforce 3 a real loss). The controls are good without being spongy but don't feel as solid as the Megadrive controllers.

Overall the system is well worth the asking price and the litmus test is that my two nephews (aged 5 and 3 1/2) love playing the system. Even though there is no way to play two player in the games there are plenty of great games on the system to sink your teeth into.

The Genesis Power Team

We all have fond memories of our childhood but few of us have video footage. Tyler Esposito, the creator behind the Sega Channel, found some old video footage and has been slowly uploading it on youtube. Of particular note is the promo he and his father made in the early 90's to convince some of his family to pack in their NES and jump on over to the Genesis. It's a wonderful video clip and the enthusiasm and bond father and son have is there for all to see.

Tyler has described the video thusly:

My Dad and I were a video game duo in the early 90's. This is a promo video we made for some of our family in an attempt to win them over to SEGA. Dedicated in loving memory to my Dad.

Drop Dead 'Classics' Megadrive Clothing Collection

Drop Dead, the clothing label founded in 2005 by 'Bring Me The Horizon' singer Oliver Sykes, have released a collection of clothes celebrating iconic Sega games.

dropdead shop.jpg

The collection contains three limited edition collectible t-shirts which feature artwork from the popular Sega retro games titles 'Ecco The Dolphin,' 'Golden Axe' and 'Streets Of Rage.' Whilst looking very cool the only one I feel that I'd be able to get away with wearing would be the 'Golden Axe' top, but if you are daring with your fashion go for it!

dropdead sega classic.jpg