Game Boy Sound of “Pokémon” Will All Come In And Play CD

 

Review by · March 12, 2007

Known to English-speaking fans as the “Pocket Monsters Game Boy Sound Collection,” the album actually sports a rather lengthy title that doesn’t translate very well into English. The idea is that the your little Poké-friends are coming out to play with you while you listen to the CD.

The source music for this soundtrack is from the very first two Pokémon games for the old, colorless Game Boy. While the US audience knew the games as “Red” and “Blue,” they were originally “Red” and “Green” in Japan. So, this is the OST to Pokémon Red & Green. That, and the Japanese Pokédex to the original 151 creatures.

I liked this album a lot. And there’s a good reason for it: Game Boy synth rules. Honestly, can synthesized music get any better than this unique, stripped-down format? I myself am not sure. But I know that it is wildly addictive.

These are all the classic Pokémon themes, before the newfangled GBA games came out. The main theme, the battle music, the adventurous traveling music: you know it’s all good!

Though it takes up less time, the majority of the track space goes to the “Picture Book” (Japanese “Zukan,” also known as the Pokédex) tracks. These 20-second tracks introduce each Pokémon with a computerized narration, and also include the Sound Effect used on the original Game Boy to represent each creature. Series fanatics should go ga-ga over such a strange and unique treat.

At the very end of the second disc is the sole arranged track on the album, a Techno piece, followed by some random sound effects. It’s a fun song, but it could have been a lot better than it was.

This album is long out of print, but those who really want it ought to be able to find it used for a fairly low price, as the demand is also (surprisingly) low. If you’re a real soundtrack collector, you will follow the motto: gotta catch ’em all! And then add this to your collection … even if you aren’t a fan of the series, Game Boy music should stir your inner VGM-loving desires.

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Patrick Gann

Patrick Gann

Therapist by day and gamer by night, Patrick has been offering semi-coherent ramblings about game music to RPGFan since its beginnings. From symphonic arrangements to rock bands to old-school synth OSTs, Patrick keeps the VGM pumping in his home, to the amusement and/or annoyance of his large family of humans and guinea pigs.