I've often seen people say that Breath of the Wild "doesn't sound like a Zelda game." Let's take a look at what Zelda actually sounds like and why BotW's music is so quiet and sparse.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.
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Music used in this video is from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack, composed by Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata & Hajime Wakai, unless otherwise stated below. In order of appearance:
Great Fairy Fountain (w/ Koji Kondo) House (w/ Koji Kondo) Korok Forest (Day) Dark World - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Koji Kondo) Midna's Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Toru Minegishi) Title - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Kenta Negata) Zelda's Theme ~Romance~ - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Takeshi Hama) Staff Roll - Metroid: Other M (Kuniaki Haishima) Riding (Night) (w/ Koji Kondo) Divine Beast Vah Medoh The Temple of Time (w/ Koji Kondo) Field (Day) Sheikah Tower 4'33" - John Cage Kass' Theme Zora's Domain (Night) Kakariko Village (Night) Flight Training Spot Life in Ruins Parasail Course
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Nintendo, 1991) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, 1998) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Nintendo, 2002) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo, 2006) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo, 2011) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo, 2017) Super Metroid (Nintendo, 1994) Metroid: Other M (Team Ninja & Nintendo, 2010)
Other footage used in this video:
"The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary London Concert" from Nintendo Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGMqX3O6oeU
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer" from Nintendo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw47_q9wbBE
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch Accolades Trailer" from Nintendo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJnnn0BBj_c
"4'33" John Cage(Orchestra with Soloist, K2Orch, Live) / 4分33秒 ジョン・ケージ けつおけ!" from K2Orch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh-o3udImy8
"John Cage's 4'33"" from Joel Hochberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTEFKFiXSx4
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Official Trailer 2 [HD]" from Warner Bros. Pictures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDnYMbYB-nU
Additional Viewing for those interested:
"Breath of the Wild Soundtrack Analysis PART 1 of 4: Hyrule Field Theme" from 8-Bit Music Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl-6K3zrcr0 (The other three videos in the series are on the Main Theme, Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle)
"The music of Breath of the Wild | GMTK Extra" from Mark Brown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FWVKu1gnWs
"Twitch Talks: A History of Zelda Music" from The Musical Narrative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdrOrxs_Qq4
"Zelda: Breath of the Wild Music Analysis" from Daily Music Vlog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsHDhh1Em0k