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Spring has sprung, and like may flowers so have we! This episode is a tiny salute to game series that took a hard left turn but wound up right where they were always meant to be. Our exemplars this week begin with the cult favorite Mega Man Legends from Ship to Shore Media. We look back at this trailblazer of 3D storytelling from before the likes of Metal Gear Solid, and we appreciate its “Saturday morning anime” vibe. The music, too, is a fun little grab-bag of music from disco to classical to synthy cartoon rock or swing, and it’s all pretty ahead of its time. We also dive into our first piano arrangement album with Across the Worlds: Chrono Cross Wayô Piano Collection, which is a multi-artist adaptation of a game that still divides fans of the “Chrono series” today. We appreciate the emotional range of the piano, and the daring of a piano arrangement album in general to augment or approach a favorite score with nothing but the instrument and someone to play it. We also examine the time and place of Chrono Cross, and whether or not it is actually a sequel to the universally-acclaimed Chrono Trigger.
We continue our discussion with some reflections on game series that changed creative direction, and how the story, aesthetic, and music either benefited or suffered. And finally, we look at all the new releases that have come out in the past few weeks, along with some non-release news that might save you a few bucks on your next vinyl order! Join us to laugh, love, and learn.
Outro: “La tresor interdit” – Across the Worlds: Chrono Cross Wayo Piano Collection, by Benyamin Nuss
Twitter – @vg_grooves, @jeremy_lamont, @ajohnagnello
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Video Game Grooves Episode 8 (Super Castlevania IV, Hero of Time)
http://videogamegrooves.com/2017/07/25/episode-8-super-castlevania-iv-hero-of-time/
Ace Attorney 20th Anniversary (Laced Records)
https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/ace-attorney/products/ace-attorney-20th-anniversary-limited-edition-x6lp-boxset
Trek To Yomi (Devolver Store)
https://merch.devolverdigital.co/products/trek-to-yomi-deluxe-double-vinyl
Ghostwire Tokyo (Laced Records)
https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/ghostwire-tokyo/products/ghostwire-tokyo-deluxe-double-vinyl
https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/ghostwire-tokyo/products/ghostwire-tokyo-limited-edition-x4lp-boxset
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction (Laced Records)
https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/6-siege/products/tom-clancys-rainbow-six-extraction-deluxe-double-vinyl
A Monster’s Expedition (iam8bit)
https://www.iam8bit.com/collections/a-monsters-expedition-earlier-adventures/products/a-monsters-expedition-earlier-adventures-2xlp-vinyl-soundtrack
Phantasy Star (Ship To Shore PhonoCo.)
https://shiptoshoremedia.com/collections/featured/products/phantasy-star
Art Of Rally (Mana Wave Media)
https://manawave.co/products/art-of-rally-2xlp
Heart Of The Woods (Very Ok Vinyl)
https://www.veryokvinyl.com/products/heart-of-the-woods-official-soundtrack
Banana Jamz 2 (Cartridge Thunder)
https://cartridgethunder.com/collections/new-releases/products/banana-jamz-2
Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator (Serenity Forge)
https://store.serenityforge.com/products/space-warlord-organ-trading-simulator-2xlp-vinyl-soundtrack
Kingdom: Two Crowns – Norse Lands (ByNorse)
https://bynorsestore.com/products/kalandra-kingdom-two-crowns-norse-lands-extended-soundtrack-12-black
Attack Of The Petscii Robots (The8BitGuy)
https://www.the8bitguy.com/product/petscii-robots-soundtrack-vinyl-record-pre-order/
DuckTales (Hello Sir Records)
https://hellosirrecords.com/ducktalesrandomcolor.html
Nü Horizons (Wizard of Loneliness)
https://halcyontapes.bandcamp.com/album/n-horizons
Chilltendo Deluxe (Bandcamp crowdfunding)
https://gamechops.bandcamp.com/campaign/chilltendo-deluxe
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