Video Game Music History Quiz

Which game had the first chip generated, continuous soundtrack?

This 1980 game featured a song based on a US civil war era song. Which game and song?

The most popular 1980s OST online today (2022) is ​Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (NES)

This distinct sound chip was used in several 1980s Gottlieb arcade games.

The first female game composer was Yuriko Keino. Which of these games did she compose for?

Stereo music in games was introduced this year.

Besides chip music, which formats were used for games pre-CD audio? Check all that apply.

The Mortal Kombat theme song from 1994 was never used in any of the actual games.

In this game, the music changes depending on which item you are carrying.

Which two home systems pioneered fully sample-based chip music?

These systems use FM synthesis out of the box (by default). Check all that apply.

Which artist had a major influence on European game composers of the 1980s, as evidenced by a variety of covers?

What's that bubbly sound used in a lot of European chiptunes to simulate chords?

What were the technical advantages of tracker-based and MIDI-based game music?

The NES sound chip had enough audio channels and soundwave complexity to simulate what?

Which single country is the most famous for its game music pre-2000s?

Which of these JP composers didn't become famous until about 10 years into their career?

Which of these OSTs are known for prominent use of variations on a single melody or leitmotif?

The C64 stands out among its peers for these reasons

What major advancement(s) for game music happened in 1988?

The term chiptune originally referred to later sample-based OSTs emulating the sound of earlier chip music

Which of these game OSTs had tracks that were used in online memes later on?

In the 32-bit generation, the CD based consoles completely abandoned sequenced tracks and audio files in favor of CD audio.

Out of these, what are the five most popular retro game OSTs online nowadays?

This rhythm game's level design changes based on the music playing on whatever audio CD the player puts in the system after booting the game up.

The Super Mario Bros. overworld theme was heavily inspired by this song.

What was the first fully orchestral OST?

Which games are known as much or more for their music as for their gameplay?

What is the Atari 2600 sound chip infamous for?

How did David Wise simulate the Korg Wavestation's wave sequencing (a form of modulation of a sample's waveform as it plays) on the SNES sound chip for the Donkey Kong Country OSTs?

Older PC DOS soundtracks are a bit infamous for their poor FM synth sound (Adlib or Sound Blaster OPL2 music), which often happened because of automated conversions from MIDI to FM synth. Which of these OSTs show how to use that sound setup properly?

Which of these OSTs and individual tracks are infamous for being seen as bad?