Continuing our look
at video game music this month, today let’s focus on the idea of making music
in video games. Has anyone played The
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, released
for Nintendo 64 in 1998? This particular game features an ocarina that gamers
must play in order to beat the game. The ocarina is an instrument that you
receive during the game and it can be played by using button presses and
bending the pitch with the analogue stick. As players progress, they learn
various songs they can then play on the ocarina.
The
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is
an example of a game balanced between ludo and narrative. If you are like me
and unfamiliar with gaming terminology, you may be wondering what this means. Primarily,
ludic games emphasize game play, like Angry
Birds, Pong, and Tetris. Narrative-heavy games emphasize
story elements, as Heavy Rain and The Last of Us do. Many games, like Ocarina of Time, are a balance of both
elements. By making music using the ocarina, players further the plot and solve
puzzles.
Ocarina
of Time is one
of many games that involve making music as part of the game. Other examples
include Twilight Princess (players
use a whistle to call a horse), Skyward
Sword (players can strum a harp), and Wind Waker (players can direct patterns with a conductor’s baton).
Have you ever
played a video game in which you could make music? Which one?
Join me next time
as we continue looking at making music in video games by examining Guitar Hero and Rock Band!
