Koji Kondo is a music and sound composer who worked on the Mario franchise and the The Legend of Zelda franchise.
He composed the well-known Ground Theme for Super Mario Bros., considered to be the most well-known video game score ever.
Biography[]
Early years[]
Born in Nagoya, Japan, Kondo began taking lessons in the electronic organ early in his life, only at the age of five. He improved his skills in the instrument in a cover band that played jazz and rock music.[1] Kondo studied at the Art Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts,[2] but was never classically-trained or particularly dedicated to music. However, he gained some experience in composing and arranging pieces, using both the piano and a computer to assist him. During his senior year, Nintendo sent a recruitment message to his university stating that they were interested in hiring people dedicated to composition and sound programming. An LCD and arcade gamer, Kondo successfully applied for the job in 1984 without requiring any demo tapes.[1]
Works[]
As composer[]
Year | Title | Note(s) |
---|---|---|
1985 | Super Mario Bros. | |
1986 | Vs. Super Mario Bros. | |
1986 | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | |
1988 | Super Mario Bros. 2 | |
1988 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
1991 | Super Mario World | |
1995 | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | |
1996 | Super Mario 64 | |
2002 | Super Mario Sunshine | with Shinobu Tanaka |
2006 | New Super Mario Bros. | "Ground BGM" only |
2007 | Super Mario Galaxy | with Mahito Yokota |
2008 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Music arrangement: "Ground Theme" |
2010 | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | with Mahito Yokota and Ryo Nagamatsu |
2013 | Super Mario 3D World | with Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, and Yasuaki Iwata |
2014 | Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Music arrangement: "Super Mario Bros. Medley" |
2015 | Super Mario Maker | with Naoto Kubo and Asuka Hayazaki |
2017 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | |
2017 | Super Mario Odyssey | with Naoto Kubo and Shiho Fujii |
2018 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Music arrangement: "King Bowser" |
As supervisor[]
Sound support[]
Sound adviser[]
Year | Title |
---|---|
2004 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong |
2009 | New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
2012 | New Super Mario Bros. 2 |
New Super Mario Bros. U | |
2013 | New Super Luigi U |
Miscellaneous[]
Year | Title | Note(s) |
---|---|---|
1996 | Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars | Special thanks |
1999 | Super Smash Bros. | Original staff |
2000 | Paper Mario | Original music |
2001 | Super Smash Bros. Melee | Original staff |
2003 | Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga | Original music |
2004 | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | |
Mario Pinball Land | Special thanks | |
2005 | Super Mario Strikers | |
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time | Original music | |
2006 | New Super Mario Bros. | Sound director |
2007 | Super Paper Mario | Original music |
Mario Strikers Charged | Special thanks | |
2009 | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story | Original music |
2011 | Super Mario 3D Land | Special thanks |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chris. Koji Kondo. Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved on 2009-09-17.
- ↑ Mario and Zelda composer Koji Kondo shares all at GDC '07. Music4Games (2007-01-19). Retrieved on 2009-09-18.
External links[]
- Koji Kondo at Nintendo Wiki, a wiki on all things Nintendo.
- Koji Kondo at the Internet Movie Database
- Koji Kondo at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia