chiptune
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Analogue's portable Pocket console is delayed until May 2021
It's been nine months since Analogue announced the Pocket, a $199 portable console that can play Game Boy, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color and Atari Lynx games from original cartridges. The console was scheduled to launch in 2020, but Analogue now says, due to the “unfortunate global state of affairs and supply chain challenges," the retro portable will ship in May 2021. The Pocket, like all of Analogue's consoles, is built around a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chip.
Korg's music-making Switch app offers Genesis and Taito game sounds
It stands to reason that a music creation app on a game console should have sound samples from consoles, doesn't it? Korg certainly thinks so. It's updating its Gadget app for the Switch with both a Sega Genesis-derived drum machine (Otorii) and a Taito arcade synth (Ebina). Both are as retro-looking as their names imply, and they each sample their fair share of classic games.
Crowdfunded Nanoloop synth doesn't need a Game Boy to make beats
Nanoloop has been a cornerstone of chiptune music for years, but using one has meant either owning a Game Boy or making do with a mobile app. You won't have to make those compromises for much longer. Developer Oliver Wittchow and crew are crowdfunding a dedicated, handheld version of the music-generating wunderkind. You'll still have a gamepad-like interface, four-channel synth and 4x4 matrix sequencer, just in a form factor that frees up your other gadgets.
Arcano Systems' chiptune synth offers 80s video game nostalgia
Here at Engadget, we have quite an affinity for all things that remind us of what it was like to play video games in the 80s. That includes musical instruments and gear that are capable of reproducing those iconic chiptune sounds we all know and love. Arcano Systems is no stranger to those tones and the company has taken to Kickstarter to fund yet another of its creations. The company has a knack for creating the 8-bit chiptune synths, including last year's NES Chiptune Synthesizer. This time around, it created the Obscura 8-bit Chiptune Synth 2: a MIDI synthesizer that emulates the sounds of games from Nintendo NES, Famicom and Commodore 64.
A new chiptune album is coming to the Nintendo Famicom
Every week it feels like a new video game soundtrack gets a vinyl release. Journey, The Last of Us, FTL and Shenmue -- none of these are surprises anymore. So what's next? MiniDiscs? Cassette tapes? Well, some musicians are keen to use cartridges instead. 8BIT MUSIC POWER is a new chiptune album that you'll need to slide into a Nintendo Famicom (Japan's equivalent of the NES) to listen to. Developed by RIKI and manufactured by Columbus Circle, it features 12 original tracks from, among others, former Famicom music composers Yuriko Keino (Xevious, Dig Dug) and Takeaki Kunimoto (Star Soldier).
'NoiseChan & Nugget: Adventures in Chiptune' features hot jams, good causes
Chiptune internet radio program Noise Channel Radio, in conjunction with digital music label Ubiktune, has released a compilation album of (surprise!) chiptune jams, dubbed NoiseChan & Nugget: Adventures in Chiptune.The album, available through BandCamp on a pay-what-you-want basis, features songs from Adventure Time/Double Dragon Neon/Contra 4 composer virt, in addition to 10 other artists. Additionally, all album sale proceeds go directly to Child's Play, which means that while Adventures in Chiptune is technically available for free, you could drop some bucks for a good cause.
Street Fighter X Mega Man's chiptune soundtrack now on Bandcamp
Street Fighter X Mega Man's superb chiptune soundtrack is now available on Bandcamp, complimenting yesterday's release of the game. Composed by San Francisco-based electronic music producer A_Rival, the 22-track album fuses Mega Man's sonic sensibilities with classic pieces of orchestration from Street Fighter's past.The soundtrack, which includes character themes and scores from the game's various menus, is being sold through Bandcamp's name-your-own-price model with a minimum price of $0.00. So, hypothetically, this could either be the cheapest or most expensive piece of music you've ever purchased. Regardless of which end of that spectrum you feel is most appropriate, at least do yourself the favor of downloading these sweet, chippy jams.
Grab the Nubuwo Winter Bundle, help fund the FAMI-MODE 2012 DVD
The third video game music menagerie from Nubuwo is the Winter Bundle, and it's available on the Kickstarter for the FAMI-MODE 2012 DVD, a documentary of Tokyo's live chiptune concert. The Winter Bundle includes two halves of more than 80 songs each, the indie pack and the Fami pack, with either half up for $7 or the full bundle for $10.The indie pack includes Rainbow Moon Melodies, Slipstream Volume One (revisiting music from Wipeout), El Huervo Trilogy (including music from Kometen, Hotline Miami and Clairvoyance) and the FTL: Faster Than Light soundtrack. The Fami pack includes the holiday chiptune album 8-Bit Jesus, Mega Man cover album Mega Ran Fifth Anniversary Edition, Killed by Koopa Stage One and FAMI-MODE 2012 Live Recordings.The Kickstarter itself funds the FAMI-MODE 2012 DVD, but if it makes you feel better, look at this as a simple way to get the Nubuwo Winter Bundle on the cheap. The Kickstarter has to succeed for the goods to be distributed in this way, though – there are eight days left to raise $4,700 on this thing. Rock and fund on, chiptune lovers.
Obama, Romney get chiptuned in battle for presidential seat
The battle for the White House is an epic, intense drama to rival those of legend and myth, so of course it makes a great chiptune video game. The Gregory Brothers, creators of Autotune the News and all those viral videos about burgers and bed intruders, songified Barack Obama and Mitt Romney from the Democratic and Republican national conventions (respectively, in case you get those two mixed up).The video is titled "Patriot Game" and presents the presidential candidates side-by-side, comparing their talking points as if they were literal points in an 8-bit video game, set to an upbeat tune. Watch the piggy banks, (bleeding) hearts and American flags stack up over at The New York Times, and see who wins to be the fictional, autotuned President of Earths and Moon. It might surprise you.
Pianocade synthesizer lets DJs practice their shoryuken skills
Tired of the same-old DJ equipment or chiptune gear? Then may want to consider this new and unique piece of kit from Toronto-based Portmanteau Devices. Dubbed the Pianocade, it's a synthesizer and MIDI controller that, as you can see, is disguised as an arcade authentic joystick (albeit one with quite a few extra buttons). Naturally, it's also designed to be fully hackable and customizable (both the hardware and software are open source), and it even includes some strap mounts so you can wear it like a keytar. Sadly, the one thing it can't be used for at the moment is an actual USB joystick, although Portmanteau hopes to add that feature before it ships, or roll out a firmware upgrade later failing that. Those interested can get their pre-orders in now for $250 or $325 Canadian for the one and two octave models, respectively, with shipments are expected to go out 8-12 weeks after the end of the pre-order period on September 14th. An electronics only package is also available for $100 if you'd prefer to build your own. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
'The Triforce of Bass' is three pay-what-you-want Zelda remix EPs
GameChops, an indie chiptune/remix record label founded by DJ Cutman, has released a collection of three electronic dance music EPs based off various titles in the Zelda franchise, such as A Link to the Past and Skyward Sword. The Triforce of Bass features three five-track collections of tunes that include varying degrees of wub from DJ Cutman, Spamtron, Mykah and dj-Jo.Available here, the chiptune/dubstep/trip-hop album is being sold on a "name your price" basis, meaning that customers can pay as little or as much as they want for all 15 songs. From what we can tell, the only way to prevent DJ Cutman from dropping the bass is through repeated use of Guts Man's Super Arm.
New album available from VVVVVV composer Souleye
Souleye, the chiptune mastermind behind the incredible soundtrack for indie darling VVVVVV, has released a new, full-length album of original delights entitles Adventure. The 20 track collection of bleeps, boops and beats includes brand new songs, tracks from VVVVVV 2.0 and VVVVVV for the 3DS, as well as unreleased remixes from the indie rhythm title Pulsen.As the above trailer testifies, Souleye's pseudo-retro compositions are guaranteed to lift your spirits in his trademark, undeniably catchy way. The album is available for $10 (or more) at Souleye's official website, and can be listed to for free at Souleye's Bandcamp profile.
cTrix's gATARI2600 chiptune "guitar"
The chiptune music scene is known for its creative use of antiquated gaming hardware, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better example of "antiquated" than 1977's Atari 2600. Through a clever mix of custom software, handmade cartridges and three Boss stomp boxes, chiptune artist/modder cTrix has created the gATARI2600, an instrument as massive as it is massively impressive. Check out the video above for cTrix's explanation of the device's components, as well as footage of the monstrosity (the instrument, not cTrix) in action at Blip Fest 2011. Personally, we're still holding out for an Intellivision viola.
ThinkGeek Drum Machine bangs out block-rockin' beats wherever you go (video)
Here it is -- the final piece in your all fabric New Order cover band. This $30 wearable drum machine brings a much needed edge to ThinkGeeks existing collection of soft-circuit "instruments." You can choose from seven different drum kits, including the ubiquitous 808 and a palette of chip tune effects. The T-shirt's integrated recorder lets you build loops up to three minutes long and endlessly layer on the sounds. Just keep piling 'em on until your old-school hip hop homage has become an impenetrable wall of noise that washes over you as you walk down the street, proclaiming your geekdom in rhythm. And, of course, the included mini amp cranks all the way up to 11. Check out the videos after the break to see MC Lars and Dex Fontaine demo the capabilities of the personal percussion pullover.
Game Boy makes music of a different sort (video)
Don't get us wrong, we know that Nintendo's original 8-bit portable can create some killer sounds -- we'd never sell chiptunes short. That said, you haven't truly heard Game Boy music until you watch the video above.
Chiptune festival bleepin' and bloopin' at PAX East
Boston8Bit has teamed up with Magfest to bring three days of chiptune concerts to this year's PAX East. Notable chiptune artists (Animal Style and The Engadget Show's own Zen Albatross, among others) will be performing daily in PAX's "Jamspace" area daily from 11AM until 2PM EST -- we've been told the space is not full of jam, despite previous reports to the contrary. Interested parties should head to the event-within-an-event's Facebook page to confirm attendance, or simply to find additional information. The entire list of performances broken down by day can be found after the break.
8-bit DJ Hero remake available now; Ray Parker, Jr. never sounded so good (video)
How would you describe Eric Ruth's 8-bit Pixel Force: DJ Hero game? A clever remake? An artifact from a fictional past? Whatever it is, we're pretty bummed that it's taken this long for mankind to get to the point where we can mix chiptune versions of songs by Madonna, Michael Jackson, INXS, and a ton more -- all the while scoring points and watching a little pixelated guy rock the wheels of steel. What are you waiting for? Fire up that PC, hit the source link to download your copy, and see all productivity cease -- just like it has here at Engadget HQ. Video after the break.
Chipophone is the chiptune organ that you've always wanted
This is no ordinary electric organ, my friend. Swedish software engineer Linus Åkesson loves chiptune so much (don't we all?) that he felt the urge to convert this old-school instrument into an 8-bit synthesizer. By rewiring the keys, pedals and buttons to a couple of microcontrollers (which isn't quite our usual weekend project in the garage), the reborn organ -- dubbed the Chipophone -- can now reproduce classic hits like Super Mario Bros' theme tune on the fly. Oh, and you can even record loops and change their tempo on this bad boy. We're not sure if Linus is planning on publishing the full details of his fabulous mod, but he'll be performing here all week anyway. Well, on YouTube at least -- check him out after the break.
Chiptune rock band Anamanaguchi providing soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim game
If you're a fan of both the high-energy electro-rock stylings of Anamanaguchi and the illustrated adventures of Scott Pilgrim, you're in for a serendipitous treat -- the 'Guch announced during their PAX East concert last night that they would be providing the musical accompaniment for Ubisoft's recently announced video game adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim comic series. Given the comic's penchant for 8-bit gaming references, and the band's penchant for 8-bit gaming synthesizers, we think this partnership is a match made in heaven.
The Engadget Show: Inside chiptunes and 8-bit visuals
Greetings humans! If you've seen The Engadget Show, then you've been privy to some pretty incredible performances by a group of musicians and artists who eschew familiar instruments in exchange for hacked and modded handheld gaming devices. We grabbed our cameras and got a brief look at the history of the chiptunes movement, the difference between Game Boy music and music from Game Boys, and most importantly, how these artists and visualists make it all happen. Kick back and take a look at the segment (featuring the likes of Glomag, Paris, and Outpt) -- you'll be glad you did! Special guests: Glomag, Paris, and Outpt Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Michael Slavens Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Download the Show: The Engadget Show Segment - 005 (HD) / The Engadget Show Segment - 005 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
