Although computer scientists began developing video games in the 1950s, they only came to the fore as a form of entertainment at the end of the 1970s thanks to some important milestones. For example, the release of the Japanese game Pac-Man in the USA (1980) and the introduction of fan-favourite Mario in the Nintendo game Donkey Kong (1981). At this time and for many years after, music in video games was essentially sound effects or very simple, monophonic music. However as technology developed, so did music technology thus changing the music provided in video games.
In recent years, video game music has become a genre in itself, as opposed to just ‘background music’ to accompany a video game. It sets the scene of the game and it helps players to immerse themselves. The music (and sound effects) may alert the player to important information and help captivate them throughout. This is because music can evoke emotion, thereby making the player more invested in the game.
Nowadays, many video game sellers hire famous composers to write music for their games. It has become a real craft and some pieces have even won awards. Examples of famous video game composers include Kondo Koji, Toby Fox and Nobuo Uematsu.
From The Legend of Zelda to Undertale, there are a myriad of musical masterpieces to discover in the video game genre. Our video games sheet music is available in several levels of difficulty for various instruments, and you can play solo or accompanied by the orchestra.