This Would be an Amazing Time to Feature KOJI KONDO

Koji Kondo is my favorite video game composer.

I grew up listening to his music. His work on Super Mario Bros., A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, and countless other Nintendo classics helped shape my childhood and, honestly, my taste in music.

Which is why I've always been a little disappointed that once Nintendo moved away from the cartridge era, Kondo gradually stepped back from being a lead composer on major projects.

Now, don't get me wrong—I understand why.

At a certain point, legends earn the right to mentor the next generation. Nintendo has a tremendous amount of musical talent internally, and Kondo has played an important role in helping develop that talent over the years.

But selfishly?

I want Koji Kondo back in the lab.

Not just supervising.

Not just advising.

Not just contributing a handful of tracks.

I want him leading a project again.

Nintendo Has Never Fully Leveraged Kondo's Legacy

One thing that has always fascinated me is how differently Nintendo and Square approached their composers during the Nintendo 64/PS1 era

Back then, I collected video game soundtracks. And I always felt that Square absolutely understood the value of its composers. If you were a fan of Final Fantasy, you knew who Nobuo Uematsu was.

Square promoted him.

They celebrated him.

They released incredible soundtrack packages through DigiCube. Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX received lavish multi-disc releases with premium packaging, extensive liner notes, and complete presentations of the music.

The company held concerts. Fans knew the composer's name. The music became another way people connected with the franchise.

Nintendo never really approached Kondo that way back in those days and I always thought that was a missed opportunity.

The Ocarina of Time Soundtrack Deserved Better

One example that still bothers me is the original Pony Canyon Ocarina of Time soundtrack release.

I love that score. In my opinion, it's one of absolute favorites. And yet the original commercial soundtrack release was so underwhelming. Instead of receiving the kind of deluxe treatment that many Square soundtracks received, the music was condensed onto a single disc. Many tracks were shortened, they would only loop once, and the overall presentation felt far less prestigious than the music deserved.

I've written about this before, but it's always felt like Nintendo undersold one of its greatest creative assets.

You don't treat a masterpiece like an afterthought.

You celebrate it.

Thankfully, Nintendo eventually got a lot better with this.

Things Have Improved

Fast forward to today, and Nintendo is doing a much better job preserving and celebrating its music.

The Breath of the Wild soundtrack release was enormous. The Tears of the Kingdom soundtrack received similar care and is even bigger (9 discs!!!).

Nintendo music is featured in concerts around the world.

And thankfully, Koji Kondo's contributions are receiving the recognition they've always deserved.

That's great to see.

But I still feel like something is missing!

One More Zelda

What I really want is simple:

I want Koji Kondo to come back and lead another major Zelda soundtrack.

Not as a supervisor.

Not as a consultant.

As the lead composer.

Whether it's a brand-new Zelda game or the rumored Ocarina of Time remake, I'd love to hear what a fully engaged Koji Kondo would do as lead composer for a new Zelda score. Imagine him taking the lead on a new orchestral interpretation of Ocarina of Time. Or Imagine a modern Zelda score driven primarily by the man who helped define the musical identity of the series in the first place.

That's something I'd love to experience.

In closing…

Nintendo has an incredible roster of composers, and many of them have done phenomenal work over the years.

But there is only one Koji Kondo.

His music helped define Nintendo itself. And while I'm glad he's earned the right to take a step back and mentor younger composers, part of me still hopes we'll get more major projects where he's front and center - the lead composer.

Because as great as Nintendo's music continues to be, I still miss hearing new melodies from Nintendo’s OG sound guru himself.