Old Composer Reacts to The Legend of ZELDA Main Theme 1986 to 25th Anniversary Orchestral Version

[@TheWorstPartyMember]

I love this theme. It kicks in your door, storms into your room, grabs you by the shoulders and screams "Hey kid, you wanna go on a freakin' ADVENTURE?!"

[@suemiller2522]

"It's dangerous to go alone. Take this AWESOME SOUNDTRACK."

[@kallistikaleid]

Both of you....hyped me up all over again.

[@blakec8549]

It's dangerous to go alone. Now go... Alone.

[@TheWorstPartyMember]

@@blakec8549 He was offering to alleviate the "dangerous" part not the "alone" part I guess.

[@franciscoramirez4179]

OH ABSOLUTELY!👌

[@crabjuice3254]

As a child the 8 bit theme sounded like the orchestral version in my imagination. I get a little emotional hearing the music and watching my children playing Breath of the Wild, discovering the same magic I did all those years ago.

[@flyingfajitas]

I'm still really pleased at how much of a victory lap BotW is/was. So much to look at and remember from playing all those games growing up, and then the musical rehashing just makes it all so perfect.

[@pronumeral1446]

@@flyingfajitas Just wait till you see TotK

[@jackstrawful]

I was thinking the same. I was young enough when playing the original, 6-7, for my imagination to get me completely invested. My first grade recesses were spent 'playing' Zelda, crawling through bushes around the school yard as if I was exploring Hyrule. A seasoned gamer could get through that game in an afternoon, 2-3 days tops, but I played it for months and months, thoroughly investigating every square pixel of the map, trying to burn every single bush, to push or bomb every boulder and inch of stone, to launch the raft from every bit of shoreline, and playing the flute on every screen - then doing it all again in new game+.

[@Desert-Strike]

Yep 🎉

[@Sept1mus]

So a fun fact: Nintendo originally wanted to use Maurice Ravel‘s Bolero as the main theme for the game. However shortly before the release they realized that the piece wasn’t public domain yet. So the composer worked an all nighter and arranged the field theme into the title theme. Such an iconic track!

[@novustalks7525]

Really?!

[@yohnouchi2024]

Koji Kondo did this? Such a beast

[@captain_eaglefort]

Came here to say the same. It’s why Ocarina of Time has a song called Bolero of Fire. It’s pretty amazing that a song that was essentially thrown together last minute became one of the most recognizable game themes in the world. And while it has been iterated upon several times (as the last version showed in its medley) it still has the recognizable heart sitting in there.

[@MrMurdock86]

Regardless, Koji Kondo did some pretty genius work even for then. In nearly every case, the in-house nintendo game he scored, the theme or level music is instantly or near-instantly recognizable. Super Mario World, for example, while for the most part is one melodic theme, the variance in the levels made it unique, while ‘showcasing’ what the SNES’ hardware could do at the time. The castle theme from that game on a proper pipe organ sounds impressively intimidating.

[@JPBrooksLive]

(deleted a comment cuz I didn't read yours correctly lol! You're totally correct!)

[@melsy94]

As a lifelong Zelda player, and retired double bassist, this theme never fails to bring tears to my eyes when I hear the 25th anniversary orchestral arrangement. It is the quintessential feeling of Zelda, and Koji Kondo knocked it out of the park. There are so many Zelda melodies that have become legendary in their own right, but they all stemmed from this one masterpiece. I hope everyone who watches/watched your Twitch stream suggests their favourites for you, because there is such a wide range of beauties and no way to suggest them all for you from one person. One thing I will say though, is that I hope you hear some of the melodies from Majora's Mask (one of the Zelda games) - the Song of Healing, Astral Observatory, and Final Hours are some of the most evocative pieces of music I've come across. Maybe it's from growing up with this generation of the games, but they really capture the more somber mood of that game in the series with aplomb. I hope they will be suggested to you, as I doubt this comment will be seen, because I hope you get to experience even a fraction of the love for these pieces that I've carried with me for so many years.

[@OmegaGamingNetwork]

What you said..and why my primary grievance with BOTW (Which I do enjoy) is the utter and complete lack of this music in it. I mean honestly, what on gods green earth were they thinking? Great game, beautiful music but lacked the soul of LoZ.

[@Moe7133]

The Orchestral Arrangement doesn't justify what Koji did on 8bit! To strip it down and made it that good on 8bit! That is talent and skill without a doubt! What I'm saying is like going back in time to watch Marvel Avenger in those little box television on black and white in the 60's and say that movie was pretty good. LOL!

[@justanotherartist5646]

@@OmegaGamingNetwork I think they were heavily focused on you being so immersed in this open landscape that sometimes very soft music and ambiance was what they wanted to use to further push that feeling. I understand both sides of the coin completely, but that's just my take on why they tried that route. Outside of Hyrule Castle's music is amazing.

[@OmegaGamingNetwork]

@@justanotherartist5646 I know why they did it, I just don't like it. Don't get me wrong, it is beautiful music, but it doesn't feel like a zelda game because of it outside key area's. Hopefully in the next one they go back to "I'm going on an adventure" music or at the least offer a DLC music pack for those of us who want that. At this point I usually just turn the volume completely off on BOTW and stream something else.

[@philbarton2832]

@@OmegaGamingNetwork It's because those bombastic pieces wouldn't work in an open world such as BOTW's. Having that loud adventurous music looping over and over would have broke the immersion and 'feel' the game was striving for. The music in BOTW changes dynamically as you travel, it's fragmented like the ruined Hyrule at times you hear a faint motif of the main theme then it fades perfectly complementing the state of the land, it's very masterfully done. There's actually alot of music in BOTW but alot of it isn't particularly memorable to alot of people. Remember music doesn't have to be memorable to be good, in videogame music what's important is how it conveys tone to the player in the moment and it does that incredibly well.

[@ElChicoBush]

Koji Kondo was also the composer of Super Mario Bros. Probably the most recognizable theme of any videogame in history. He's indeed a legend.

[@peggieschafer485]

Check out Zelda 64's Shop Theme, which he also did. It's a certified banger 🤘

[@Drewtendo]

​@@peggieschafer485 BA baba baba baaaa!

[@bevrosity]

yeah, him and nobuo.

[@efaustus9]

See T-square Sister Marian 1:02

[@paulogustavobatistasantosl1491]

@@Drewtendo mm

[@ryannguyen9470]

I'm a 50-year-old man and I've been playing Zelda since day 1. I'm tearing up as I'm listening to the orchestra playing one of the most beloved theme songs out there. It is one of the games that I still continue to play even though priorities have taken over my life. I can not wait for the new Zelda game to come out a few months from now. I'm so excited!

[@JPatel1995]

Me and you both my man… well I’m 48 but close enough.

[@bee4590]

hope youre enjoying the game !

[@areaxs1019]

I’m 18 and started with Breath of the Wild as my first Zelda game and now the new Tears of the kingdom I love seeing gamers that grew up on the early editions of games and still plays my dad turns 54 in July and even tho I don’t care for fortnite that much me and him play about every week he’s been a gamer since his childhood and actually at one point was a beta tester and programmer for a video game company and so since I was young we’ve played games together and I hope I do with my kids If I have some one day

[@dannyawesome8759]

Having fun with Tears of the Kingdom?

[@awesome220]

Same. But I’m 40😊

[@rutt7147]

Koji Kondo is often considered one of if not the most influential and recognizable video game composers in history. His work has an astounding attention to detail and ability to induce emotions. His music has buried itself forever deep in the minds and hearts of multiple generations, including my own, and has inspired so many new composers.

[@suemiller2522]

Between Koji Kondo and John Williams, that's about 60% of the soundtrack of my youth lol

[@suburbanindie]

I would say Nobuo Uematsu from the Final Fantasy franchise is just as revered as Koji Kondo.

[@captainpep3]

@@suburbanindie it’s safe to say both koji and uematsu are the John Williams of gaming music

[@Nefarious_Bread]

@@suemiller2522 For me it's Koji Kondo and Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts).

[@meee_5155]

@@Nefarious_Bread I mean I love kingdom hearts but objectively, having both Mario and Zelda under his belt puts koji kondo far above everyone else in terms of popularity and influence

[@Feilanna]

he ENJOYED that last one. Didn't pause to say anything, and the way his expression moved with the song says it all. it made me happy

[@bot_ave]

Even not having played Zelda, this is one of the most iconic and important tracks in the history of game OSTs.

[@nintendude794]

Yes

[@n1nj4l1nk]

Play some Zelda.

[@Retro_Rainer]

@@n1nj4l1nk for real

[@meee_5155]

Play Zelda then by far the best game series period.

[@Retro_Rainer]

@@meee_5155 as a man with a zelda tattoo and probably more to come: no. it's not. but that's highly subjective.

[@RockstarRacc00n]

Hey, Compsci professor with a professional music background here: I actually studied Koji Kondo's work in-depth at some point. Just to clarify, the "8-Bit" part was the processor that did all the calculations: 8-bit processors can only do numbers up to 255, without clever programming, but often worked with halves, quarters, or eigths of that so they could multitask things, like how colors often had only 16 possible values. These are "Chiptunes", and at that time, they were done with very small numbers (255 at most, to represent every possible sound, with often as low as 32 or even 16 possible values for the note), and the NES had only 4 channels: 2 sine wave, 1 square wave, and one "static" where wither the beat or "whooshy" sound effects were done. He has all 4 there, but has to only use 2 or 3 during gameplay, because of the sound effects. The second one you listened to was a reorchestration of Koji Kondo's later version of that song, the game that plays when you're running around the main part of the world in Zelda 3. It's actually based more closely on the main-gameplay song from the original, which was a faster version of the Title theme you were listening to. This was on the SNES, which had a FAR more powerful 16-bit processor. (to clarify, 16 bits can handle numbers up to about 65,000, 255 TIMES the numerical values of an 8-bit processor) I don't think that's one of Koji Kondo's versions, and if I'd reccomended one for the second, it'd be the version from the mid-90s: "Termina Field" from "Majora's Mask", which is using digitized instruments on the Nintendo64. The Third one incorporates elements from all 25 years of the franchise, which had like, 10 hit games, at that point. If you liked it, there's an album you can listen to for free which is Koji Kondo's personal reorchestrations of the N64 era games. I used to put that on at work a lot. Long-running same series like Zelda are really interesting to look at the soundtracks to, because they've reinvented themselves on several generations of hardware. Metroid, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Castlevania are really good for this too.

[@RockstarRacc00n]

I typed that while I was paying attention to your video, so I didn't realize how long it was going... Wow, I hope you actually read that, lol.

[@doswillrule]

I attended one of the three concerts Nintendo arranged for the 25th anniversary, it's one of my treasured memories. Zelda Williams (Robin Williams' daughter) hosted, and the original composer Koji Kondo played Grandma's Theme from Wind Waker on the piano. You could have heard a feather drop, the silence was reverent! Such an incredible body of work over so many years, and to have all those fans and some of the developers together in one room to appreciate it was so special. Edit: by the way, Zelda would be a great series to play through on Twitch! Breath of the Wild is very approachable, intuitive and widely beloved, and the score is very unique. I think you'd enjoy it!

[@JPBrooksLive]

Omg, we didn't have Zelda Williams or Koji Kondo at the Atlanta show I went to, but still was one of the most magical nights of my life! It was on the 20th anniversary of the release of Link's Awakening and I sneaky recorded the entire audio with my phone lol

[@doswillrule]

@@JPBrooksLive It was the 2011 concert in London! I remember reading at the time that Kondo didn't come out to play in New York as the crowd was being too rowdy :D I don't know if that was true or not though. Was the Atlanta show on the Symphony of the Goddesses tour? The version of Ballad of the Wind Fish they played was amazing. Pretty sure Eimar Noone conducted those as well

[@kallistikaleid]

I was blessed to attend the Symphony of the Goddesses at the Long Center in Austin back in....2012, maybe. I dressed in my best, had a balcony seat, with my wife at the time, and my super nerd best bud and his wife. The girls enjoyed it, but, Robert and I....tears. Silence. Eyes closed while swaying. As two dudes about 40 now, we got to see first hand those 8-bit journeys turn ever more complex and wider reaching. I hope we all have another chance to sit in the audience of such a grand exhibit again.

[@JPBrooksLive]

@@doswillrule it was the Symphony of the Goddess tour! I got the shirt and the poster and have them still!

[@switched_on]

@@doswillrule dude, I went there too. Was goosebump inducing when Koji sort of snuck onto the stage shyly from the side. I remember the queues in the intervals to play Skyward Sword were insane. I opted to not check it out for spoilers ha.

[@stillscrubbin]

15:41 At this moment I burst into tears. This noise signifies you have uncovered a secret (usually a trap door or a hidden chest), and as an old school gamer this is a very wholesome noise to add into the beginning of such a magnificent rendition.

[@pythonxz]

It truly is one of the greatest jingles.

[@elvis723]

Glad to see I'm not the only that teared up. lol

[@DoctorOctoroc]

Saw your comment before I got there in the video, forgot to check the timestamp then it came and damn that hit me too, same exact spot.

[@lgmediapcsalon9440]

burst into tears? You people need help.

[@cteal2018]

Extremely meta since I just discovered this channel.

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

Sidenote, I LOVE that you pointed out how good the sound was on the last one. Engineers are CRIMINALLY underappreciated, and they do so much to bring a performance together

[@mosiharamirez6406]

I was crying at the orchestra. The Legend of Zelda has carried me thru so much

[@carbonfibercarpet4655]

Same. Zelda's ass in Breath of the Wild gave me life.

[@ElRealista.]

I was crying since the original 8 bit version. But with the 25th version... I haven't cried that much in years.

[@sebastiancook8903]

@@carbonfibercarpet4655 Links even more of a female (femboy) charachter in that gmae

[@prodigalsin6621]

big love your way!

[@feiwong3634]

Just for your info: The concert is basically 2 themes, the first one is what the main theme plays during the game title screen, and the second is what you heard while you play in the world game field.

[@HeroicJay]

The intro to the second half actually reveals that it's actually based on the Link to the Past version of the theme.

[@Clery75019]

@@HeroicJay Exactly, at 17:30 we get the ALTTP intro, followed by ALTTP version of the field theme (light world).

[@L33PL4Y]

Heeyy, I just finished playing through Xenogears for my first time! Nice name/avatar.

[@Lycanthromancer1]

Koji Kondo is an *_amazing_* composer. He's done some of the greatest and most memorable tracks in any video game, ever. He's right up there with Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda for just how prolific and talented he is. If you want a more modern one to listen to that will absolutely blow you away, check out _Gusty Garden Galaxy,_ from Super Mario Galaxy. It's something you'll be listening to for *_years._*

[@craigmcfly]

Gusty Garden Galaxy is considered so beautiful it's regularly played on Classic FM in the UK!

[@pythonxz]

Matoi Sakuraba is up there too. He was the composer for Golden Sun, for example.

[@LordKirtash]

@@pythonxz I love Golden Sun Games. Thanks for reminding that game to me.

[@jellycore1316]

@@craigmcfly WHATTT THAT'S SO SICK I DIDN'T KNOW THAT?? XD Oh my god, that's so hecking cool, thank you for the info! I HAVE to tune in to that sometime

[@tcrpgfan]

@@jellycore1316 Also, gusty garden isn't Kondo, it's Mahito Yokota's. Kondo hasn't written a lot of newer game music.

[@GamingintheAM0801]

Fun fact: Originally, Koji Kondo wanted to use Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" as the Zelda theme, but it wasn't yet in the public domain. So he composed this theme instead, and apparently pulled an all-nighter writing it, as the change was made last-minute.

[@AsecasJavi]

Digimon used it tho

[@GamingintheAM0801]

@@AsecasJavi It sure did!

[@AsecasJavi]

@@GamingintheAM0801 i didn't even notice the takato PFP lmaoooo

[@HiAndHello-w9l]

Why is it that all legendary video game themes seem to be made at the last minute? 😂

[@devonm042690]

@@HiAndHello-w9l Maybe it alludes to the ability to work well under pressure that's almost necessary in that kind of work? Some people do their best work under pressure.

[@Teslabluewolf]

The 25th anniversary soundtrack will always bring a tear to my eye. It is so powerful for those of us who have lived with the series from the beginning.

[@jaredbaker5964]

This is the cd I have in my car. Think the 25th Anniversary cd came with the Wii skyward sword. Love it still

[@bmwx5m226]

@@jaredbaker5964 Ima have it played at my funeral soon.

[@ProteusRex]

@@jaredbaker5964Yeah, I got my copy of the CD from Skyward Sword too, still love it to this day!

[@nermervillarreal2691]

I still have my copy of the CD as well, always majestic!

[@militarykobold]

To confirm what you read before, for the original melody from 1986, it was on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). The hardware creating the music had 4 music channels: 2 square waves (usually carrying the melody), a triangle wave (an even pattern often used for low notes), and a "noise" channel (for atonals like percussion and collisions/explosions). That was all you had for both music and sound effects, and composers at the time had to be extremely creative with those tools. For some truly deft compositions in this format, I would look to the music from the original Mega Man games on the NES (Mega Man 1 through 6). It's a diverse mix, but most frequently falls in the Rock genre (the series is called Rock Man in its original Japanese, after all). If I can offer two tracks as a sampler, listen to Cut Man's stage theme, from Mega Man 1, and Wily's Castle - Stage 1, from Mega Man 2. The latter is monstrously famous (and well deserved of it). Love your work!

[@tychozzyx9439]

To expand on the music hardware side, you could have more sound channels or even wave shapes, but doing so required a special sound processing chip to be added to the game cartridge itself. See the American vs the Japanese releases of Castlevania III for an example. The Japanese version had the chip and added more voices while the American one didn't and had to live with the more limited palette.

[@kallistikaleid]

Oh, Mega Man. Such happy memories of X and Zero. I couldn't quite enjoy the original games as much, but, many of the songs on Overclocked Remix have gotten me through good and tough times. Mega Man songs, especially the Wiley tracks, bring such power and conflict.

[@insertcolorherehawk3761]

A bit of a correction:this is the melody from 1987, the original 1986 release was on the Famicom Disk System (FDS) and had an extra sound channel

[@wrob08]

I agree, but I'd replace Cut Man with basically any of the robot masters from Mega Man 3.

[@AxiomofDiscord]

NES could also do samples but with 40ish KB of space I realize it was limited.

[@sidnew2739]

I will never forget how the 16-Bit version hit me when I played "A Link To The Past". It was my first Zelda and I was 13. I simply couldn't believe that a videogame could have such epic music. It screams ADVENTURE and yet there always seemed to be a second layer, a deeper one. Needless to say I am still a big fan of the franchise now that I am 42.

[@chasingperfect28]

I am still here. Koji Kondo is one of Nintendo's legendary composers. His tenure is incredible. He's not only responsible for several Zelda compositions (across multiple decades) but he is responsible for the classic Super Mario Bros theme and many other Mario songs (again, throughout the decades). His music has left a prominent impact on pop culture and a lifetime of memories for the people who grew up with it. Thank you for doing this unique video that analyzes how one piece of music has grown and evolved over time. It was super interesting listening to your perspective. I hope you can listen to other Zelda songs in the future.

[@Jwine95]

Koji Kondo had a direct impact on my life through the music in these iconic games. It truly has moved me that much. He's a freaking legend!

[@georgebelmont7253]

The Legend of Zelda theme is indeed legendary. May this legendary videogame franchise last forever.

[@calebclunie4001]

That's high praise, especially from a Belmont. This theme, will always be, near, and dear to our hearts. ♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️⚰️🕯️🏰🦇🐺🧛🏻‍♂️🦹🏻‍♂️🧟‍♂️👻💀♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️💓💟♥️❣️💓

[@georgebelmont7253]

@@calebclunie4001 Sometimes I feel special being born into a family with the Belmont name even though we've never slayed any vampires

[@diabolico5285]

ON GOD

[@Larweigan]

Man, they didn't have to go that damn hard on the anniversary orchestration but they sure did. It brings tears to my eyes reliving the memories of those adventures.

[@mosiarmstrong]

This theme still gives me goosebumps at almost 40 years old. First played this back in '92 at the tender age of 9.

[@SgtWicket]

One of my favorite uses of music in Zelda is in the game Majora’s Mask. The main town has its own theme called Clock Town Theme. In the game, you play through the same 3 days on a loop and the moon crashes down onto the town on the third day. The theme changes each day and gets darker and more threatening while still creepily retaining an frantic cheerfulness. It’s a trip.

[@davidnankivell9311]

I have to second this - I love listening to all three versions of Clock Town and just thinking about those subtle changes

[@1gnore_me.]

majora's mask in general is a phenomenal piece of art, the fact that they made the entire game in little over a year is just mindblowing.

[@meee_5155]

The clock town theme is great. The second best theme in majoras mask.

[@joemama3681]

@@meee_5155 whats the first? I really like song of healing

[@deansbian5607]

@@meee_5155which would you say is the first

[@Bzk--]

First game I ever played as a child was Zelda: A Link to the Past on the SNES with my dad. I can't help but get emotional everytime I hear the 25th year anniversary play. Back then this theme used to make my mind fly in this amazing fantasy world. And it still does today.

[@GeekMasterGames]

As a diehard Zelda fan, it warms my heart to see you react to this theme. It is truly iconic and the fact that the arrangement has survived through the series almost entirely unchanged, and that Koji Kondo (who also did the Mario music, btw) is still working at Nintendo, makes me happy. And yes, Zelda is very very much about "You have to save the world." (I'm still here)

[@pythonxz]

Nintendo is so lucky to have such talented people.

[@tacobell2009]

The second one sounded like a fan rendition in MIDI to me, the tempo was slightly too fast and the music wasn't nearly as full as even the N64 version release in 1998. The orchestra at the end was absolutely incredible.

[@Kelvari7882]

I'd almost say the second one is from Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, personally.

[@darthstatic]

@@Kelvari7882 Now that you mention it, it sounds almost exactly like a rearrangement of the Hyrule Field theme from ALTTP. For comparison: kzbin.info/www/bejne/robZdop5or-rZqM

[@Zye1984]

@@Kelvari7882 it's like @darkstatic said, it's not straight from ALTTP. Plus some flourishes, apparently.

[@atlasroyale5294]

It’s a remake from an old a link to the past album called Zelda Sound and Drama.

[@szeltovivarsydroxan9944]

Fun fact: the Zelda theme is nowhere to be found in Ocarina of Time.

[@Kryxx07]

Wow, I teared up during the orchestra performance. Was not expecting that. Amazing.

[@iplaysdrums]

Same

[@bigtocadinot7569]

how the fuck did everybody cried during that performance, i cried too

[@switched_on]

I love the natural reactive smiles which break across his face when the music hits unexpectedly. It's like a shared feeling in the joy of the music.

[@XIII_Lightning_]

That orchestra with the choir was mind blowing. Can’t help but get choked up by this. And you took the words right out of my mouth. I can’t help but wonder how that feels as a composer to not only hear it at this level but to know that fans get emotional to hear it.

[@yvancluet8146]

The amount of good music in the Zelda franchise is staggering. There hours upon hours upon hours of memorable, classic tunes

[@stealthxhawk22]

Almost 40, just sitting here with my 4 year old daughter listening and watching your reaction videos. I have so many fond memories of music throughout the history of videogames from NES to current. Thank you for doing these, they're actually very informative.

[@AttackRunRepeat]

My daughter is 3 and she is often subjected to the music of The Witcher 3, Persona 5 and Zelda. Here's to raising the next generation of video game lovers. 🥂

[@pylotlight]

@@AttackRunRepeat sounds old enough to hold a controller already :P

[@AttackRunRepeat]

@@pylotlight She plays Mario kart sometimes. I like it because it has all of the accessibility options.

[@Dyne25]

I can't listen to orchestral versions of Zelda songs without tears welling up. This is exactly how it felt inside my heart in every version of this game from NES to Switch. I love that this series that started with one game has transcended games, grown across various media, and become such a beloved staple for millions. I'm thankful I've been able to share in this epic adventure my whole life.

[@MetalMachine-wx5eq]

I'm still here and I cried during the last performance of that song. The legend of Zelda has been apart of my life for 22 years now and it brings forth so much emotion when I listen to this song and how I've heard it transform over the years. Thanks for covering this song. Keep up the good work!

[@The_Kiosk]

The entire theme just screams "Hero's Journey". So epic.

[@kriketo]

I was born in 1985, and this melody has been with me all my childhood and still today, this song does make me feel a lot of things (specially the orchestra one), nostalgia, admiration, chills in my body skin, Zelda is great and not just his main theme, theres a lot of good tracks!! :)

[@Ardi_0]

I don't think there is any other game theme that makes me so emotional. I can see everything Zelda has to offer through that sound.

[@freedustin]

Zelda's got amazing music, but it came too early for me. My kid brain couldn't memorize all those square maps, they are too similar, constantly getting lost. Chrono Trigger is the game that gets me those feels, and also has amazing music.

[@annamae4761]

Man you have me crying. So emotional listening to the progression of such an important theme in my own life. From watching my dad play the games until I could play Zelda Link to the Past myself on the snes which was that second one. This music has got me through a lot of hard times. Just bought the Zelda Breath of the Wild OST and love sharing the music with my boys. Thank you for making this content.

[@doctorwhich1]

Koji Kondo is incredible. A personal favorite thing he's done is the Ballad of the Goddess, which when played backwards is Zelda's Lullaby, a theme used in nearly every Zelda games since A Link To the Past. Check out Midna's Lament, Sidon's theme, Dragon Roost Island, or Gerudo Valley

[@dexterwillmon]

The 25th anniversary orchestra makes me tear up. It’s so good. I’d kill to see it live in person.

[@showoffvideo]

If you read about the history of this opening Zelda tune. They were going to use some different classical music in it's that was going to run out of it's license at launch for the intro screen. However due to the quicker release of the Famicom Disk System in Japan of which this was a launch title for. Made them release the game quicker, and thus without the correct license for the classical music. So the fact that this iconic tune came about due to a licensing issue fascinates me.

[@pauldunn8874]

Zelda has a insane amount of amazing themes and songs. My favorite one is Zelda's Lullaby and Fairy Fountain. As well as windwakers great sea and title theme

[@ive3336]

wow dude first 5 minutes in and you've already nailed the fan perspective. Was so happy when you addressed the 8-bit constraint right away because its a huge point that could be easily overlooked without the console restricting context. Also your understanding of how the beautiful hook would be imbedded in the fans brain who still follow the franchise. Done your research! 🤘 edit: finishing watching and hand a lump in the throat listening to the anniversary edition, so epic. Great Vid 👍

[@madraccoon5934]

There's very few songs that you can actually hear in your head and is applicable to the content of the game or movie. Most of them are the likes of John William's works such as Jurassic Park Theme, Indiana Jones, Star Wars... but you can always hear The Legend of Zelda theme in your head, and it always brings you back to your first Zelda game. It's attachment and nostalgia is very rare in it's association of work.

[@Voitan]

Speaking of composers limited with their hardware, Nobuo Uematsu's work in FF6 which was done on the SNES, was fondly described as the Sistine Chapel created out of crayons. A work of impeccable beauty.

[@tylerannand3777]

You should consider some of the Metroid (especially 'Super Metroid') sound track... Such atmospheric storytelling that is very supported by the music

[@GamingintheAM0801]

I was just gonna comment and say how much I'd like to see him react to the Super Metroid theme, but yeah, that entire soundtrack is great.

[@atomickid]

Yeah especially"underground depth - brinstar" My favorite

[@rootbourne4454]

I would love to see this!

[@valdezjones]

Please please please do this. Metroid OSTs are unparalleled in atmosphere

[@JudoGeoff]

I'm also here to support a Metroid reaction. I *definitely* would like to see Super Metroid, though the main title theme from the first Metroid would be a good lead-in at the beginning of the video for comparison. Super Metroid is actually one of the only games I successfully streamed all the way through back when I was doing semi-regular game streaming. Helps that I've got the thing fairly well memorized 😅

[@chibi0vampyre030]

OML WHY WAS I SO EMOTIONAL AT THE END!? Nostalgia is amazing. After years and years of the same theme just in different renditions from the 8-bit to the orchestra really gives Koji Kondo's composition justice!

[@TheAfterscore]

Honestly just hearing you say you did the homework, instead of what so many others would do and shrug it off like "well I don't know zelda, Im too busy for this, I'll just click this one" gives me so much respect for you

[@Ellary_Rosewood]

I cried so hard during the orchestral version. This is probably one of the most meaningful themes of my life, going back to when I played the old Zelda games as a child. These games impacted me more than most things and are still an important part of my life today. They are probably a huge reason why I went into art and made me want to create worlds as epic as Hyrule. I'm so glad I was recommended this video! I really hope you do more Zelda related videos because there are so many wonderful pieces of music that have been written for these games throughout the years. Instant subscriber right here. ❤

[@elvis723]

Same here, ever since I popped in that old cartridge in the NES, my world changed. I had never been so captivated by anything at my young age until I started playing it. I found it weird at first, never seen anything like it, but after a short while I was in love with the story, with Link and his adventure, and with Hyrule. I don't play many video games anymore, mainly because of responsibilities that come with growing up. lol, But, whenever there's a new Zelda, I make time for it. The theme song is my happy place. That one from the orchestra was amazing, brought tears to my eyes. Hope your art is going great!

[@Ehud1513]

I really like how you started with 8 bit and moved all the way up to a live orchestra. Nostalgia is a funny thing, because when I think back to playing the Zelda games as a kid, that final orchestral version is how I always remember it sounding.

[@L33PL4Y]

WOOOOW, hearing that live orchestra I had the biggest grin and tears rolling town my cheeks. It's so, SO amazing that such a simple little beep-'n-boopin' tune in an old video game could've had such a timelessly lasting impact on the world in such a way that it's being played by orchestras nearly forty years later. Hearing the movements, the swells, the emotion, the passion in the piece as played by that orchestra was absolutely stunning.

[@ravenm6443]

The orchestra version was amazing! It’s just such an epic theme. It makes you feel like the hero about to start the journey of a lifetime.

[@TriXJester]

Zelda's theme is such an ear worm that its one of the main things I hum to myself when doing mundane tasks around the house

[@emmamiller.]

Koji Kondo is an absolute legend! The 25th Anniversary Orchestral version makes me want to tear up. So many goosebumps lol Also, the 37th anniversary of this series was on this last Tuesday :)

[@garchompy_1561]

in the latest game "the legend of zelda: breath of the wild" many concepts were thrown out and the music was no different, moving to more ambient music that phased in and out as you played, with specific regions no longer having real notable themes. that is, until the final area of the game, that combined the new musical themes of chaotic piano that represented the enemies and that phasing in and out that all the other music in the game used, all with a grand orchestral version of this original theme. then when you go inside the castle interior, it phases in to a calmer version played on an organ. a fantastic way to end that game that many players have spent so long in.

[@majeddraws5104]

Speaking of the conductor: She is Eímear Noone - Irish conductor. Very well known composer for video games such as (World of warcraft)... You can see her conducting the Danish orchestra here on KZbin, at their channel.

[@HyruletheCheetah]

Zelda music can spark so many emotions and its all so amazing.

[@JairVVZ]

The orchestral version have much much much and really much power. You really feel like "this is your adventure, you are the last hope, this is your destiny, go and save everything, save everyone, you are the HERO!"

[@LittleAl016]

7:56, yeah. That's not an official version of the theme. That's a fanmade re-creation.

[@RatRatRatty]

I was very lucky to attend the anniversary concert here in Australia and share the moment with my young son. What really surprised me was how strong my emotional reactions to the music were! I had to constantly fight back tears as it took me through a journey of my teenage years to now sharing the love of this game with my family. Especially with The Ocarina of Time, the music is iconic and wonderful, especially as an orchestral set.

[@videostash413]

There are 2 things I love about what you do. 1) Seeing you enjoy music that's new (and surprising) to you that I know very well, and 2) Your comments teach me things I never knew about music I know very well.

[@chainsaw8507]

This theme is iconic to say the least. Always brings nostalgia when I hear it.

[@paulmenard6219]

As an old sentimental fool every version of this brings a tear to my eyes. The ending orchestra is just breathtaking… noises from the games … ugh… this is absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing

[@matheass93]

17:20 iconic melody, played when you started A link to the past. was a crazy time when they were able to add orchestra sound after they jumped to 16bit consoles. the 8 bit version was really great for its time but AlttP established this melody as one of the greatest pieces of video game music history

[@CloriEdenx]

17:27 I think is probably the more accurate start. But OMG when I heard this bit added here in the orchestrated version, I got goosebumps. Its soooo ICONIC I love ALTTP. I became so hype instantly, what an amazing add and shout out to one of the best zelda games and soundtracks. 😩👌💛

[@takeyourheart1]

God this song is timeless and I love hearing modern arrangements of it. It’s crazy that a song I heard on my NES as a young kid can sound so incredible. The original music from Pokémon Red and Blue played orchestrally gives me the same nostalgia heart warm.

[@michaelmarhal]

top 3 fav zelda tracks: dark world theme from link to the past, hyrule castle from link to the past, and gerudo valley from ocarina of time. fun fact: the skyward sword main theme is the fairy fountain theme reversed.

[@nicholasgraves3149]

The limitations of the bit technology of retro games gave birth to such an iconic sound. They had to be so creative in order to make stuff that sounded good. It still impresses me to this day. Also, I love hot hot the brass are in the orchestral recording of that. The low horns, bones, and tuba really give a serious bottom to that ensemble and make the overture just sound so huge and grand. And does anything beat the timpani beating V - I - V - I in the last few bars? It's like a big warm hug.

[@PenroseMusic]

Zelda is my FAVORITE game series of all time. So happy you made this video!! :)

[@Mike-ge7pe]

The tech restrictions the composers had to work with on the NES yielded some amazing harmonic choices and chord progressions. Some of it is truly brilliant. “Dancing Mad” from Final Fantasy 6, while of a slightly different era, is a highly recommended listen. The Tetris version of “Dance of the sugar plumb fairies” is another with some awesome note choices.

[@mortmortmort8908]

The Legendary Hero and Staff Credits from The Wind Waker are my favorite Zelda themes. I got to see the Buffalo Philharmonic play the Zelda Symphony Orchestra at Kleinhan's Music hall. I cried a few times, it was one of the best live music experiences I've ever had.

[@jp263]

Interesting factoid that I’d heard online (so you know it’s true), originally they had some music lined up that was copyrighted (missed by ~1 month for copyright to end) and Kondo created this masterpiece OVERNIGHT to ship with the game

[@anthonyciarlante9154]

Hey Geebz, I know that this is over 2 months late but I would just like to thank you for doing this video, and I’m still here!! This music piece and game series are a huge part of my life, and I still love the Zelda series at 25 years old as much as I did when I was a little kid. Thank you for making my day, man!!! 🤘🤘🧡

[@FaneRPG]

I love that there’s over 100 thousand people listening, feeling the same nostalgia as me

[@preston_s.]

This theme has never given me chills before, but that 25th anniversary rendition just had to go and do that.

[@charlesmartinjr3971]

What?! No, I didn't tear up! Slander and calumny!

[@MasterXelcas]

Yea man, me too, it felt like when the food critic in ratatouille tasted the food and went back to childhood. It really brought me back to childhood, made me feel like i was there for the first time for a second. Welled my eyes up

[@rickards-rm]

on the limitations, yes i believe it was 8bit, but he only had 4 sound channels to work with, so he had to cram all those notes and percussion (and in-game sfx) into those four. that is what is truly amazing

[@hugheseguia1845]

I cried happy nostalgia tears, especially with the first and the third melodies. It's just beyond beautiful 🥰

[@MerryMarvelite]

I see some confusion in the comments about where the second rendition came from. It was actually the first track on an official album called The Legend of Zelda: Sound & Drama that was released exclusively in Japan in 1994. It was one of several reorchestrations made for the two CD set, which also included a Japanese language audio drama. It was later used as part of another Japan exclusive product in 1997, The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets, a game which could be played through an add on for the Super Famicon, the Satellaview. By receiving the audio via satellite broadcast, the game was able to make use of the CD quality tracks.

[@Tftapodcast]

The last orchestral version made my heart swell with joy! What a performance of a timeless piece of music! Thanks Geebz!

[@1wngdngl]

There's nothing like watching someone's first time experience of something you love :)

[@sirmaurice1023]

Final Fantasy 6 would be a treat. It's got everything from some great rock and fusion stuff to opera. And Aria de Mezzo Carattere (Celes' opera piece) and Dancing Mad are amazing imo.

[@PlatinumRmx]

Love how you can see you seeing the song being played in your head by the way your eyes move back and forth. The sign of a true composer listening to music.

[@Enharmony1625]

Would love this same approach with "Dancing Mad" from FF6. The original SNES version and then the arrangement by Soken for FFXIV.

[@LionheartRen]

Still here! Appreciate the reaction and I thought it was such a cool idea to show off the track starting at the roots. It's always a joy seeing people who may or may not be familiar with the source material giving their thoughts on what these tracks convey. I look forward to seeing what other content you may be exposed to through the channel!

[@finchytv12]

I wish i could go back to being 5 years old again and hearing this for the first time. This song has literally been in my head for 33 years..

[@brockadams7197]

I'm still here! Fantastic analysis and reaction to one of the greatest compositions of all time!!

[@JasonUmbergerLordofnothing]

I learned to read playing Legend of Zelda Link to the past. It still remains one of, if not my favorite game ever. There are a few songs that will reduce me, a 30 year old man, to tears but the opening theme of this series brings me back to that same feeling of wonder as a child. Koji Kondo has well earned his legendary status.

[@codingkriggsofficial]

Hey I also credit that game in particular with teaching me to read! Meaning it was the first time I could read without thinking about the chore of reading, it was the first time reading felt effortless. And I didn't go to English school so yeah it would have been mostly video games and maybe garfield comics that taught me English. I played games a lot before that growing up, including some RPGs where reading can be important. But with Link to the Past, I really was pulled into every dialog, the game had such tremendous polish, it still stands up so well to this day.

[@Bzk--]

A Link to the Past was my first videogame ever. Used to play it on the weekend when I was a child when staying with my dad (divorced parents). I will never thank him enough for getting me into videogames and it all started from booting up that game and standing in awe in front of the TV, watching that 3D triforce coming together

[@Kasaaz]

Doing something like this seems like an excellent way to teach someone about the idea of music as language. What the song is trying to tell you or set up in your mind. Especially since in those stripped down early versions they have to be so efficient with it. You can get the themes there, then as you up the complexity of the music you can see how it sits within and how it manifests.

[@patrickdaly369]

The entire Zelda soundtrack spanning almost 40 years is top notch. The theme has seen slight tweaks over the years to match technological advances in game capabilities as well as acting as a story element to set and enhance the tone the game tries to convey.

[@johnholland9371]

I have absolutely no idea how many times I’ve heard this theme in the past ~35 years. Tens of thousands at least. I can’t imagine ever being tired of it.

[@JH-no8sy]

This made me so happy, I’ve been playing Zelda games forever, this theme hits me perfectly in the feels.

[@JH-no8sy]

Please do the Gerudo Valley theme!

[@Kyle_Posey]

Awesome! I’m glad you got to this one, I was one of the ones bugging you on twitter for it.

[@Richard.Linder]

I loved the format of this video: the evolution from the 8 bit beginisngs to the more modern renditions. I'd love to see you do more of these evoltion journeys. The 8 bit era is a source of some great melodies. As you noted, the severe limittions emposed by the technology, compelled the composers to make the most of what limited resources they had. Every note really mattered. They created some really beautiful, compelling and memorable music.

[@Aestolia]

Came across your channel for the first time today - went back and watch a few of your other videos as well. Love watching knowledgeable people break down music that means very much to so many people. Video games especially are such a Diverse collection of Genres. Hoping to catch one of your Twitch streams. Love the content and looking forward to more.

[@stillcrashlanding]

Thanks for the joy, Geebz! If you listen to anything from Final Fantasy 7 I suggest listening to the original versions from 1997 prior to the new arrangements from 2020. It's truly astounding how video game music evolves with their respective series'. Older tracks had to be built with so much intention. Seeing these old composers' original vision realized with live instruments and modern technology is a treat.

[@keiichimorisato98]

I definitely prefer the orchestrated version of the original music over the newer orchestrated compositions for the "remake".

[@iplaysdrums]

Definitely still here, and I'm on the same page as many commenters here - this music has informed most of my life, and I'm so glad it gets the recognition it deserves for being as great a composition as it is.

[@ieyke]

Koji Kondo is honestly one of the most legendary and successful composers in all of history. In fact, he's probably the ONE composer, aside from maybe John Williams, that the MOST people know a significant chunk of his work. He's responsible for an absolute AVALANCHE of legendary Nintendo pieces. Like people have HEARD OF Beethoven and Bach, etc, but how many pieces of their music will the average person actually recognize? A handful. I'd say 90% of gamers can probably recognize a dozen if not dozens of Koji Kondo's pieces, even if they've never heard his name before.

[@ChrisVanMiddelkoop]

the version they did for the gamecube 4 game collection really hits hard. I remember that is when I got surround sound for the first time and I put that disk in and had to sit and listen for an hour just letting it repeat and riminess before I even played the game. The wind waker version was pretty good too. The orchestra version was amazing. It reminded me a lot of the flourishes they do in Harry Potter movie series. I played in a big band but the strings add so much and I really like hearing the higher toned instruments like flutes sprinkling sugar flourishes on top while the melody and harmony is played below. That sound was great. Music is so fun.

[@3DJapan]

The live version brings a tear to my eye. The latest version of the game is possibly my favorite game of all time. And I grew up with the original.

[@chrisd561]

The portion by the orchestra was so well done. Incredible! I've never heard that song played that well! Wow.