When Incube8 Games finally published the long-awaited Infinity for Game Boy Color in 2026, they pulled out all the stops. You want a physical copy of a game for a handheld device that has been dead for decades? You got it! Original soundtrack? Heck yes! ARRANGED SOUNDTRACK? Well, why not?
Having written about the game itself and the OST prior to listening to this arrange album, I find myself already adoring Infinity‘s music. Eric Hache is a gem. Mathew Valente’s audio engineering, which makes everything fit perfectly for a four-megabyte cartridge, is sublime. And then, surprise! Legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro (Ys, ActRaiser, Etrian Odyssey) gets a guest spot!
This Infinity arrange album features several new arranged tracks, with a few recorded in 2001 and circulated through demos released by composer Eric Hache at the time. One of the tracks on this album is, of course, the arranged version of Koshiro’s track “Another Challenger Enters.” Why not start there?
In many cases, I prefer the 8-bit OST tracks to the arrangements, but I think Hache knocked it out of the park with this arranged version of “Another Challenger Enters.” This is a high-quality piece of rock music bordering on metal, complete with guitar shredding near the end that reminds me of DragonForce. As far as the up-tempo tracks go on this arranged album, I have to give it to Yuzo Koshiro. He takes the win!
While on the topic of battle themes, I do have to give the nod to Eric Hache for implementing some fun choices. For example, the guitar riff opening the standard battle theme “Battle!” sounds like a very intentional nod to the theme music for the classic shooter DOOM. This riff takes a step back as we reach the main section of the song, and man do I love those big breaks. Though it is melodically nearly identical to what we hear on the OST, the instrumentation and rhythmic boost with a full drum kit make for an entirely new experience. My only complaint with “Battle!” is that it’s too short, running just over two minutes. It could have absolutely benefited from an improvised guitar solo. No such luck!
Hache’s other battle theme is, of course, “The Final Battle.” Once again, I think the drums help to elevate it from its 8-bit origins. I would’ve liked a little more complexity in the drums, but it’s still a strong part. The melody and counter-melody, played on guitar, all sound great here. I still think I prefer the OST version, but just barely. This is a solid arrangement, yet like the standard battle, it could’ve been fleshed out more to expand on the original.
If we turn back the pace and move from rock music to an orchestral space, we can start from the beginning and enjoy the non-lyrical vocal and orchestral opener, “Infinity (New and Old).” Now this is a truly majestic piece. It’s clear to me that Hache put great care into this one. The little details, the auxiliary percussion, the sustains, and the cuts, all perfectly timed. For some reason, this piece reminds me of some of the variants of the Princess’s theme in Brandon Boone’s Slay the Princess.
We get a midtempo “rockestral” arrangement for the fantastic intrigue/dialogue theme “Mysteries Afoot.” I can’t rank this one above or below the original chiptune version. Both are fantastic for different reasons. The synth lead here is fantastic, and the fantasy rock element summoned by the ethereal choir synth is spot-on. I can heap similar praise on the world map music, “Wandering the World,” with one change being the melody handled by flute instead of a synth lead. The flute on this track sounds so good that I honestly don’t know if it was recorded or synthesized utilizing VSTs.
One track that I do know comes from a live performance is “Sadness Piano Feat. Kris Finnerty.” That would be because the pianist is, well, Kris Finnerty. This New Zealander brings plenty of emotion into this theme, and it makes me wonder what an “Infinity Piano Collection” could sound with the right talent. That might be a big ask, after everything the team has already done with the Kickstarter funds. But let a guy dream, okay?
Infinity Arranged Soundtrack ends with the aforementioned “2001 version” tracks, as well as a music box outro. Of these, I think “Madman Parade” turned out the best. I’m legitimately impressed that Hache was able to produce something this fun and lively 25 years ago with digital tools far less sophisticated than those available to musicians today. The big booming brass and the high-register instrumentation create an off-kilter, Kefka-esque march. Yes, that was an intentional pun based on the phrase “Kafkaesque.” And yes, our madman villain Kraith loved chaining nonsense together through wordplay, so I feel good about my choice.
Looking at this album as a whole, while I believe I cherish the OST a bit more, I am exceedingly glad that these sophisticated arrangements exist. Were there a few missed opportunities? Yes, definitely. Was that probably due to time and budget limitations? Also yes. I see no reason to complain. Infinity Arranged Soundtrack is a solid arrange album for the kind of game, and from an era where OSTs went unpublished and arrange albums were generally reserved for established franchises like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. Be sure to check this one out, and consider purchasing a physical or digital copy!
