When Video Games Live debuted in 2005, it was not the first time video game music had been set to a live orchestra; symphonic recordings of Japanese RPGs such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest had been available for more than a decade. But Video Games Live snubbed that reproducible medium in favor of a full sensory performance that has been touring the world for three years, evolving with the industry to commemorate gaming's classics such as The Legend of Zelda and modern hits like Mass Effect.
Knowing me to be both an audiophile and game fanatic, my youngest brother bought us tickets to see Video Games Live at Boston's Orpheum Theater in 2006. For reasons lost to the mists of time, the performance was cancelled. In email exchange I had a year later with Tommy Tallarico, the show's co-creator and executive producer, he said, "Boston is at the top of my list!! Especially since I grew up in Springfield, Mass!!"
Finally, that promise will be fulfilled this November 21st when Video Games Live comes to the Wang Theatre. If, unlike me, you haven't bought your tickets yet, it must only be out of ignorance. Allow me to edify you with better samples than you'll find on the official VGL Web site. Their trailer has the production team talking about the orchestra, which is incomparable to actually seeing the show itself:
The orchestra is capable of more than just medleys, also performing extensively from individual game soundtracks. Note how this piece incorporates spotlights and actors to recreate the environment in which the music was originally heard, producing a more than aural experience:
If you miss this opportunity, be sure to get tickets for your local venue.
Mega Man 9 was finally released today for download from the Wii Shop Channel. It's a purchase I'll be making tonight, though I will likely take the opportunity to fill my shopping cart with other goodies, such as these four SNES games:
Zelda 3: A Link to the Past — one of the greatest 16-bit adventure games ever made. I've played this title over and over, finding its rituals comforting. I've not done so in years, and it'd be fun to go back and compare this experience to the newer ones offered by the likes of Twilight Princess.
Contra III: The Alien Wars — little beats the old-school Contra games for fast action shoot-em-up, and the franchise's only SNES entry is no exception.
Super Metroid — another game I've rehearsed over and over, yet I seem to forget the order of levels and locations of power-ups every time, making each play-through feel like the first time.
Super Mario World — I once mastered this game so thoroughly, I was able to beat every level and find every exit without activating a single Switch Palace. Mario games have always been a balance of action and exploration, and I'd like to revisit the pack-in that once came with every SNES.
Besides the Virtual Console and Mega Man 9, the new WiiWare platform also offers other intriguing titles, including Block Breaker Deluxe and Groovin' Blocks, which appear reminiscent of arcade games Arkanoid and Columns, respectively. Granted, the only other WiiWare game I've purchased, VIP Casino Blackjack, was disappointing, but it hasn't deterred me from the venue's potential.
The cost for all seven of the above games is $58, which may sound like a lot, but consider that the same amount would buy only a single game at retail. And by making this purchase now, it gives me time to save another $20 for two more classic games revisited: Space Invaders Get Even and Bomberman Blast.
Though between this bounty and the undeniable lure of other downloadable games for the Xbox 360, destitution seems inevitable… but who needs food and water when you have games like these?
