Nov 252015
Incredible synth jams from two overlooked katana-em-ups. There may only be two games to discuss, but holy crap get ready for sincere 80s awesomeness.
0:00:00 – Daddy Mulk (The Ninja Warriors 87)
0:09:37 – Are You Lady (The Ninja Warriors 87)
0:11:59 – Japanese Smile (The Ninja Warriors 87)
0:21:49 – Motherless Children (The Ninja Warriors Arrange Soundtracks)
0:29:05 – Opening (The Ninja Warriors 94)
0:30:11 – Headquarters (The Ninja Warriors 94)
0:33:20 – City Center (The Ninja Warriors 94)
0:41:04 – City (The Ninja Warriors 94)
0:45:18 – Final Stage (The Ninja Warriors 94)
0:52:41 – Final Boss (The Ninja Warriors 94)
1:00:45 – Ending (The Ninja Warriors 94)
I saw the title and was like “Is this just going to be an hour of Daddy Mulk?”
Of all the things i’d like to go back in time to see this live performance of Daddy Mulk is way up the list. Great show!
[…] Incredible synth jams from two overlooked katana-em-ups. There may only be two games to discuss, but holy crap get ready for sincere 80s awesomeness. Check out the full episode over on VGMpire! […]
the first track from the SNES Game really feels like Razor Ramon’s Theme to me.
I remember someone hearing the weird vocals in Daddy Mulk as “Potato Baked Potato.” Ah, Zuntata, one of the closest video game equivalents to progressive rock this side of Nobuo Uematsu. Though the original Ninja Warriors is kind of stiff, Ninja Warriors Again is really one of my favorite action games on the SNES, like how Natsume took Taito’s property of Kiki Kaikai and gave us the great Pocky and Rocky.
Taito always seemed like Acclaim to me, not a company to get excited about, except for Darius and Bust a Move, but Zuntata music has always been great.
Loved this episode so hard that I’m ready to spend my last $16 iTunes credit on the Ninja Warriors stuff. <3 ZUNTATA, my first exposure to Ogura-san's stuff was "Rastan Saga II /Nastar Warrior" a super mediocre sidescroller arcade game that I used to play in my local Pizza Hut in the mid-90s. That OST is also on iTunes and I recommend it. It's weird, but really cool n jazzy: http://vgmdb.net/album/38551 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EImzYJ3pWOM
That Daddy Mulk performance is just awesome, I wish I was there for that. The Shamisen solo was INSANE.
VGMO did a great interview with Ogura back in 2011, worth a read! http://www.vgmonline.net/hisayoshiogurainterview/
Ogura is also in the BEEP Documentary, there's a great 20+ minute video of composer interview clips from there that feature Ogura. He has some really interesting (potentially controversial) opinions about game music. It's fascinating listening to him. Also Yoshino Aoki of Breath of Fire IV fame is in this and Gawd it was so awesome.
Love Zuntata! I used to own a (huge) full size Ninjawarriors cabinet, though most of the time it had the Darius board installed. Terrific music throughout, great choice for the show.
What a happy surprise to see an episode on the Ninja Warriors series! Those games are really hidden gems and I only became familiar with the awesome SNES game through emulation some 15 years ago. (But I do remember encountering the original arcade with the odd 3-split screen.)
“Ninja Warriors Again” had absolutely gorgeous graphics with huge sprites, awesome character designs and fun (but difficult) gameplay. That game deserved MUCH more attention than it got, and so did developer Natsume. I believe some of the people involved with “Ninja Warriors Again” also worked on “Wild Guns”, which is another fantastic SNES game sporting some really incredible graphics and stellar robot bosses.
The original Ninja Warriors arcade is a much more crude game, but it features some cool background artwork with tanks and planes and what not, and plays like a slightly more interesting Rush’n Attack/Green Beret.
Anyways. Thank you VGMpire for a fun episode and for raising Ninja Robot awareness. I’d love to see Kunoichi and gang return one day. 🙂
Do Aerobiz!
Dat fucking Main Title and Japan themes!
Bret, were the ninja warriors tracks you played for the arcade installment from the original soundtrack or the arranged soundtrack? After i heard this episode, i immediately wanted to download the ost on itunes.
Only Motherless Children was from the arranged album on iTunes – the rest are from the arcade OST. But the iTunes version is still pretty amazing.
Much thanks sir! Also the show is really cool, keep up the good work. 😀
Amazing episode!! One of my favorites, I bought the remastered album on Itunes before I was even done with the episode! This soundtrack has a bit of everything I love
Absolutely loved these episodes! I had never heard of these games before, but the music was amazing. Already bought the soundtrack off itunes, and I think I liked the SNES one even better!
Can’t wait for your Darius episode, that’s gonna rock.
Can I look forward to another year in review track on Bandcamp, or will you make that for Patreon donors?
Brett, did you ever remember the name of that video game music documentary you were talking about?
I love documentaries. DON’T JUDGE! haha
great episode. I had no idea that this existed. i love the familiar stuff, but i really love finding new stuff because of this show. yay!
the video of those musicians playing Daddy Mulk did something very specific and special to me.