Koji Kondo
Koji Kondo (born 1960-08-13) is a Japanese video game music composer who has been working for Nintendo since 1984. He is certainly Nintendo's most famous composer, and one of the most famous video game music composers in history. His music spans many different genres. Kondo currently oversees audio production at Nintendo and doesn't have much time for composing anymore, so he usually only contributes a single song to some of the bigger titles.
Contents
Personal
The first game I heard which had Kondo's music in it was Super Mario Bros. I had no idea at the time who composed the game's music, but I enjoyed it (except the underwater music!). It was The Legend of Zelda soundtrack which really made me take notice that video game music could convey a since of emotion. I would often leave the game's opening demo running on my TV just to keep listening to the title music. I also loved Kondo's soundtracks for Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3. When the SNES came out, I very much enjoyed the soundtrack for Super Mario World and absolutely adored The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I don't remember exactly when I became aware of Koji Kondo as a person, but I don't think it was until even after I heard the soundtrack of Super Mario 64 (another great one).
Gameography
The rank column is based exclusively on my enjoyment of Kondo's soundtrack. A "?" indicates I'm not familiar enough with the soundtrack to rank it, an "N/A" indicates Kondo didn't contribute enough to the soundtrack to consider it in the rankings.
Released | Title | Platform | Rank | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984-02-?? | Punch-Out!! | Arcade | 15 | Mostly covers; original music is just jingles. |
1984-05-01 | Golf | Famicom | N/A | Game only has sound effects. |
1984-06-12 | VS. Stroke & Match: Golf | VS. System | ? | |
1984-10-05 | Devil World | Famicom | 11 | With Akito Nakatsuka. |
1985-04-09 | Soccer | Famicom | 14 | |
1985-05-?? | Arm Wrestling | Arcade | N/A | Reused music from Punch-Out!! |
1985-06-21 | Kung Fu | Famicom | 12 | |
1985-09-13 | Super Mario Bros. | Famicom | 09 | |
1986-02-21 | The Legend of Zelda | Famicom Disk System | 05 | |
1986-04-14 | The Mysterious Murasame Castle | Famicom Disk System | ? | |
1986-05-03 | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | Famicom Disk System | N/A | Same music as the original with an FDS ending. |
1986-07-21 | Volleyball | Famicom | 13 | |
1987-07-10 | Yume Koujou: Doki Doki Panic | Famicom Disk System | 07 | |
1987-09-04 | Famicom Mukashibanashi: Shin Onigashima | Famicom Disk System | ? | |
1988-10-?? | Super Mario Bros. 2 | NES | 06 | |
1988-10-23 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Famicom | 04 | |
1990-11-21 | Super Mario World | Super Famicom | 03 | |
1990-12-21 | Pilotwings | Super Famicom | N/A | Composed Helicopter song |
1991-11-21 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Super Famicom | 01 | |
1995-08-15 | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | Super Famicom | 10 | |
1996-06-23 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo 64 | 02 | Programmed by Hideaki Shimizu |
1996-08-?? | Tetris Attack | Game Boy | N/A | Yoshi's themes. |
1996-09-?? | Tetris Attack | SNES | N/A | Yoshi's themes. |
1997-05-27 | Star Fox 64 | Nintendo 64 | N/A | Sound effects. |
1998-11-21 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | 08 | |
1998-12-18 | Mario Party | Nintendo 64 | N/A | Sound support. |
1999-12-17 | Mario Party 2 | Nintendo 64 | N/A | Sound support. |
2000-05-27 | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | Nintendo 64 | ? | With Toru Minegishi. |
2000-08-11 | Paper Mario | Nintendo 64 | N/A | Original themes. |
2000-12-07 | Mario Party 3 | Nintendo 64 | N/A | Sound support. |
2001-02-27 | The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages | Game Boy Color | N/A | Original music. |
2001-02-27 | The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons | Game Boy Color | N/A | Original music. |
2002-07-19 | Super Mario Sunshine | GameCube | ? | With Shinobu Tanaka |
2002-10-21 | Mario Party 4 | GameCube | N/A | Sound support. |
2002-12-13 | The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | GameCube | N/A | Composed Grandma's Theme |
2004-03-18 | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures | GameCube | ? | |
2006-05-15 | New Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo DS | N/A | Composed Ground BGM; Sound Director |
2006-11-19 | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Wii | N/A | Composed Orchestra Piece #1 |
2007-11-01 | Super Mario Galaxy | Wii | ? | Composed Rosalina in the Observatory, Egg Planet |
2008-01-31 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | N/A | Arrangements |
2009-12-07 | The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | Nintendo DS | N/A | Composed Ending |
2010-05-23 | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Wii | ? | Composed Yoshi Star Galaxy, Starship Mario, Bowser Jr.'s Fiery Flotilla |
2011-11-18 | The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | Wii | N/A | Composed Legend of Skyloft |
2013-11-21 | Super Mario 3D World | Wii U | ? | Composed Chain-Link Charge, Sunshine Seaside |
2014-11-21 | Super Smash Bros. For Wii U | Wii U | N/A | Arrangements |
2015-09-10 | Super Mario Maker | Wii U | N/A | Arrangements |
2017-04-28 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Switch | N/A | Composed Battle Theme |
2017-10-27 | Super Mario Odyssey | Switch | ? | Composed Wooded Kingdom, Bowser Castle |
2018-12-07 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Switch | N/A | Arrangements |
Songs
This is a list of some of my favorite Koji Kondo songs. For all his songs, see Koji Kondo songs.
Media
With Takashi Tezuka and Shigeru Miyamoto in 2015.
With the Super Mario Bros. team in 2010.
Kondo (top-left) and most of the Super Mario World development team in 1991.
Kondo (left) and most of the Super Mario World development team in 1991.