One of the most important, and enjoyable, aspects of video games is their music. Music has the fascinating power to impact the emotions of the player in kaleidoscopic ways. In myriad situations -- when you turn on the game console; when you do battle against a powerful rival; when you encounter a Pokémon you’ve never seen before – what happens on the screen is accompanied, and enhanced, by changes in the game music.
Ever since the advent of Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Green Version a quarter century ago, Pokémon game music has become indelibly engraved in the minds of players of all ages. Countless fans thrill to Pokémon’s music, and for that reason we entrust the creation of our game music to a phenomenally talented and dedicated team.
Surprisingly, though, for a long time there were few opportunities, other than during game play, to access and enjoy Pokémon’s musical treasures.
One of our employees lamented this lack of accessibility – and proposed that the Company do something about it. Acting on the employee’s suggestion, in the spring of 2021 we launched a project called “Pokémon Music Spotlight” to develop ways of bringing the joys of Pokémon music to people everywhere – both those already familiar with it, and those who stand to become Pokémon fans through its music. Since then, the project members have vigorously exchanged ideas on Pokémon music’s infinite possibilities.
One direct outcome of their discussions is the “Pokémon DP Sound Library*,” an online repository of the background music and sound effects used in the original Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version video games. A total of 149 selections are already accessible free of charge. What’s more, the music – and even the musical scores – can be downloaded. As a result, fans everywhere can now use and adapt the Pokémon game music in derivative and innovative ways limited only by their imagination!
Besides making Pokémon music widely accessible through the Pokémon DP Sound Library, the project team also considered other approaches to make our music – and not only our game music – readily available to music fans through subscription and other means. This desire has already resulted in the creation of two amazing songs: “Reconnect” and “Grown.” They were created with the help of Yaffle, a remarkably talented young composer, arranger and music producer. In both works, Yaffle has inserted samplings of music, sound effects and keywords from popular Pocket Monster games. Yaffle himself played Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Green Version as a child, and we made only one request of him: to create the coolest music imaginable. Yaffle came through brilliantly, and “Reconnect” and “Grown” have quickly attracted avid interest among not just Pokémon fans, but also music lovers the world over, even reaching the hit charts.
From its start in 8-bit format, Pokémon game music has steadily evolved in step with technological advances and the changing tastes of the times. Every game has its own original music, making for a collective repertoire today of huge proportions. To make utmost use and enjoyment of this vast musical treasure, we will continuously expand and develop the possibilities of “Pokémon Music Spotlight” for game players and music lovers everywhere.
Pokémon 25: Yaffle - Reconnect（feat. Daichi Yamamoto & AAAMYYY）
Pokémon 25: Yaffle - Grown（feat. 空音 & yama）
*Pokémon DP Sound Library ends in May 2022
