A Great RockBand Offer from MTV Themselves!

If you don’t own RockBand, but want to, now would be a good time to make your move. MTV and Harmonix are selling the original RockBand’s bundle, plus a copy of RockBand 2 for $79 dollars even. No shipping, no tax (unless you live in certain areas I’m sure), and it’s delivered straight to your home. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions are the only options, but that’s probably the majority of console owners at this point anyway. The site is rockband79.com

Giveaway: The Tudors Season 1 and 2 DVD’s!

Are you a big fan of The Tudors? Do you just want to get caught up with everyone else who has already been watching? Either way this is a great opportunity to add to your DVD collection, as I will be giving away the first two seasons of this epic series on my Twitter account this Sunday (4/12/09). All you have to do is follow me at Twitter.com/JPLS, and answer the trivia question I post during the show. First one to answer is the new proud owner of The Tudors Season one and two! Thanks to PopTudors for allowing me to hold this giveaway!

Game Music, My Favorite Genre

As I sit here, staring down my copy of Resident Evil 5, unable to play due to lack of a television set, I’ve had to find other means to fulfill me gaming-wise. Sure, I could play my little sister’s DS, but turn based RPG’s just don’t call out to me like they may have in my youth, and that’s about all her collection features. I could also f around with the laws of the Internets, and grab some roms/emulators, but I just don’t think I’m ready for my computer to get another virus, so F that. PC gaming? Nope, my PC can hardly run Itunes and Firefox without burning itself out. My last option was turning to my music collection, and all the gaming music that I’ve acquired over the years.

Officially licensed music, Remixes, bands covering themes, and just any composition that is in someway related to gaming has helped keep me from missing games too much (but it’s only been a 9 days). I’ve been knee deep in nostalgia listening to everything from The Megas to Nobuo Uematsu. I feel that sharing some of these selections could keep my mind off the missing link (Zelda?) in my life, for at least a little while longer. Without further ado… Game music.

The theme from Punch-out! performed by the Minibosses

One of the first games I’ve ever owned on the Nintendo Entertainment System was Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out. I didn’t beat it until many years later, after my cousin re-purchased it from a Game Crazy in Vegas. I’ve always enjoyed knocking the crap out of Glass Joe, and pretty much everyone else until Poplinski, who I couldn’t beat when I was a kid. The music was as important here, as it was for its film counterpart, Rocky (not official counterpart, of course). Here are the Minibosses bringing the sounds of my youth back to life…

The Opening of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

In possibly the greatest spoof of all-time, MGS3 opens (a long way into the actual game) with a hilarious song about eating tree frogs, dreaming, and being a bad ass spy in this Bond-like composition. This song spoof is as funny and fitting, as anything the Flight of the Conchords has ever done. The rest of the series’ score is more serious in tone, and perhaps this is meant to be, but I can’t help but giggle every time I hear it.

Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII) performed by The Black Mages

Nobuo Uematsu has composed the majority of Final Fantasy’s music, as well as numerous other games, but nothing he’s done is any more bad ass than The Black Mages. The Mages are basically a metal band that plays Final Fantasy music, and has the composer of all that music playing the keys. The band and their musical performances are at least as epic as any of the games their music is featured in.

I’ve been listening to tons of other stuff, but these three selections have always stood out above the rest. Bands like The Advantage, NESkimos, Fucking Champs, Horse the Band, all the stuff from OCRemix, the Castlevania Cd that came with Portrait of Ruin, and anything else I’ve scrounged up over time are also mixed in. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who loves game music, so leave a comment, and let me know which songs you like best.