Music + Video Games = Nostalgia

Are video games a waste of time? Sometimes I think so, or I’m made to think so, but then I recall my fond memories of them.

I spent 10-15 years of my life playing them as much as humanly possible. In grade school, I spent many days fantasizing about going home and playing more video games. Many key friendships revolved around gaming. I got excited for the release of several games for which I didn’t even have the proper system yet. The fact that certain games existed, and that I might one day play them, was enough to satisfy my soul. Multiple times a week, I went to websites such as Game Spot and later Giant Bomb for news, reviews, and videos centered around games. Next to movies (and music), I spent most of my life until college thinking about games.

As a little kid, I played N64 with my family. In the 2000s, I played Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Wii. I played GameCube or PlayStation 2 at a friend’s house. From the mid-2000s through to the 2010s, I played so much Xbox 360 (maybe my most played system). It served me well and even survived one red ring of death. In the late 2010s, I got an Xbox One later in its life cycle. I’ve also played some Nintendo Switch in the 2020s. Needless to say, that’s a lot games and not many books read.

This is all to say that I was at one point or another obsessed. I was not the most social creature on planet earth, but I did have video games. My two favorite kinds were first-person shooters and open-world action games. There were others, such as the occasional sports game, but I mostly played ones with guns. These include everything from “Goldeneye 64” to several “Call of Duty” entries. Many gamers that grew up in the 2000s would say the same thing.

In many such cases, the music played a key role in the overall experience.

In some games, the soundtrack melts into the background during gameplay. There’s too much going on to even register the music. Others try and often succeed in mimicking the high-intensity scoring of Hollywood films (e.g. “Halo”).

Then, you have games that feature a well-chosen track list.

One that comes to mind is “NCAA Football 06.” For a brief period between 2005-2007, I found playing a football game exciting. The soundtrack included an eclectic mix of music that include two of my now-favorite songs. The Clash’s “Train in Vain” introduced me to the punk group’s “London Calling” era long before I knew what that was. There was also “Teenage FBI” by Guided by Voices. At the time, I had no idea about the band’s indie rock legacy or their origins in my home state. Many hours went by listening to those two songs while my Ohio State quarterback won the Heisman trophy for executing one play over and over.

Sports-related games seem to be good at picking out music. For my money, the soundtracks to the early “Tony Hawk Pro Skater” games are the best. They mix together hardcore, pop punk, and hip-hop for the ultimate skating experience. Since I could never skate well in real life, these games let me live vicariously through well-coordinated athletes. I enjoyed doing benihanas while Goldfinger’s “Superman” or Primus’ “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” played.

It wouldn’t be Tony Hawk without Dead Kennedys, Anthrax & Public Enemy, and many more classics. The first two games contained songs I’ve heard hundreds of times. My main memory of the third game isn’t music, but McDonald’s. The location near my house had a GameCube setup with “Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3” available to play. “Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4” featured “T.N.T.” by AC/DC. I remember trying to teach my dad how to play one time, with the Australian band’s soundtrack enhancing the play experience. Every time I hear it now, I remember sitting in front of an old TV as we played split-screen.

There was also the soundtracks of “Grand Theft Auto” and “Saints Row.” One was the leading open-world crime game of its time, while the other was an entertaining copy of the first. Both featured all kinds of music for the in-game radio stations. Along with listening to DJs and ad-breaks, the radio included many old school and new wave stations that became my go-to. I remember flying planes and driving cars at full speed listening to “Talking in Your Sleep” by The Romantics, “Sister Christian” by Night Ranger, or some 80s Hall and Oates. Yes, even as a child and young teenager, I was like this.

Two of my favorite games are “Fallout 3” and “Fallout: New Vegas.” They let you explore a vast wasteland with both FPS and RPG elements. In both games, there’s a retro soundtrack that you can access via post-apocalyptic radio stations. The first includes songs from the Ink Spots and even an appearance from the “South Pacific” soundtrack. In “New Vegas,” the tracks shifted to a mix between Western ballads like “Big Iron” and vintage Rat Pack-style hits like “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.” Both games introduced me to eras and styles of music I hadn’t considered before. Next to “Tony Hawk,” these games have the soundtrack that warms my heart the most.

Video games and music feel intertwined for me in countless ways, with even the intro music to a game like “Ms. Pac-Man” feeling nostalgic. My grandparents were from the Silent Generation, but they owned a Sega Genesis. My grandma got especially good at playing the “Pac-Man” sequel in her free time. Years later, my grandpa got a Wii and my grandma decided to conquer “Wii Tennis” all the same.

What are some of your favorite video game memories? Do any of them involve music?

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As always, I’ll be back for the typos.