Nintendo may not have marked Metroid’s 30th anniversary this past week, but at least one man did.
Metroid composer Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka has shared memories from his experience in penning the music for the revered Nintendo Entertainment System classic. With that, Tanaka reveals that he hadn’t realised how popular the game was overseas and that, despite criticism, he feels that the music that he had composed had reflected the tone of Samus Aran’s first adventure.
“I can only speak about the very first Metroid game, but… Around the time of the original release, I never got the impression the game was especially popular,” Tanaka explains. “However, as time passed and the Internet came around, I became aware of just how popular it was, especially overseas.
“The music in Metroid, I feel personally, was very different to the music in other games of the time; the sense of an individualistic sound design is very strong. I received some criticism about the lack of melody, or how dark it sounded, but I felt I adhered to the tone of the game’s story as I composed.
“The fact that a piece of music containing only three notes has remained with everyone for so long is really surprising to me. I think it’s because that even before the music was in place, the game world of Metroid was fascinating. I have a lot of respect for the development staff back then.
“Knowing that even after thirty years the game is still supported by all sorts of people from around the world is a continuing source of courage for me as I continue to compose music, and gives me the confidence to believe in my own abilities, and push me forward.
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all the fans. The Metroid series continues to this day. I hope you will all continue to enjoy playing it.”
To mark the occasion, Tanaka also shared a remix that uses sounds heard in the original Nintendo Entertainment System game. You can enjoy that below!
