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Japanese video game musician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenji Yamamoto (山本 健誌, Yamamoto Kenji, born April 25, 1964) is a Japanese video game musician working for Nintendo, notable for composing music in many titles of the Metroid series, mainly Super Metroid and the Metroid Prime trilogy. Yamamoto also plays a role as a music director at Nintendo, overseeing audio for several of their games. He frequently collaborates with fellow composers Minako Hamano and Masaru Tajima.
Kenji Yamamoto | |
---|---|
山本 健誌 | |
Born | Japan | April 25, 1964
Occupation(s) | Composer, sound director, musician |
Years active | 1987–present |
Employer | Nintendo |
Musical career | |
Genres | Video game music |
Instrument(s) | Piano, guitar |
Yamamoto's music utilizes heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar.[1] In development of Super Metroid, Yamamoto came up with some of the game's themes by humming them to himself while riding his motorcycle home from work.[2][3][4]
He was asked to compose the music for Metroid Prime to reinforce the series' continuity.[4] Developers from Retro Studios noted how the process of fitting all the sound effects for a world in Metroid Prime into 6 MB of space was crucial in producing a quality aural experience, as each sound had to be of very high quality. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption took advantage of the increase in the amount of RAM that took place when the series switched from the GameCube to the Wii; this allowed for higher quality audio samples to be used and thus a better overall audio quality.[4]
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1987 | Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!![3] | Music with Yukio Kaneoka and Akito Nakatsuka |
1988 | Famicom Wars[3] | Music with Hirokazu Tanaka |
1989 | Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind[3] | Music |
1994 | Super Metroid | Music with Minako Hamano[5] |
1995 | Galactic Pinball | Director, music with Masaru Tajima[6] |
1999 | Famicom Bunko: Hajimari no Mori | Music with Kozue Ishikawa |
2001 | Mario Kart: Super Circuit | Sound support |
2002 | Metroid Fusion | Sound director |
Metroid Prime | Music with Koichi Kyuma | |
2004 | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes | Music |
Metroid: Zero Mission[7] | Music with Minako Hamano[7] | |
2005 | Metroid Prime Pinball | Music with Masaru Tajima |
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! | Sound director | |
2006 | English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills! | Sound director |
Metroid Prime Hunters | Sound supervisor | |
Excite Truck[2] | Music with Masaru Tajima | |
2007 | Metroid Prime 3: Corruption | Music with Minako Hamano and Masaru Tajima |
2008 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Arrangement |
2009 | Excitebots: Trick Racing | Music with Masaru Tajima and Shinji Ushiroda |
2010 | Photo Dojo | Sound supervisor |
Donkey Kong Country Returns | Music with various others[8][9] | |
2011 | Rhythm Heaven Fever | Sound support |
Pilotwings Resort | Music supervisor | |
Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword | Music director | |
StreetPass Mii Plaza | Sound supervisor | |
2012 | Kiki Trick | Sound supervisor |
Brain Age: Concentration Training | Sound supervisor | |
2013 | Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D | Sound supervisor |
Tomodachi Life | Sound supervisor | |
StreetPass Mii Plaza | Sound director | |
Nintendoji | Music director | |
2014 | Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze | Music supervisor[10] |
Pokémon Art Academy | Sound supervisor | |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U | Arrangement with various others | |
2015 | Style Savvy: Fashion Forward | Sound supervisor |
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash | Sound supervisor | |
Real Dasshutsu Game x Nintendo 3DS | Sound director | |
Rhythm Heaven Megamix | Sound support staff | |
Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE | Sound support | |
2016 | Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge | Music supervisor |
Disney Art Academy | Sound supervisor | |
Miitopia | Sound supervisor | |
2017 | Hey! Pikmin | Sound progress management |
Metroid: Samus Returns | Music director[11] | |
2018 | Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido | Sound support |
2021 | Metroid Dread | Music director |
2023 | Metroid Prime Remastered | Music producer |
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