Uematsu, now 62, single-handedly composed the first nine installments of Final Fantasy scores, creating music that remains a nostalgic rabbit-hole for many fans. Since 2007, there have been more than 200 official Final Fantasy concerts across 20 countries, according to Square Enix, the company behind the game.Īt the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony this summer, athletes marched to songs from popular games including Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, Sonic the Hedgehog and Final Fantasy, music described by its organizers as “ a quintessential part of Japanese culture that is loved around the world.”
“Sometimes, people start crying when there is a good moment in a game that’s nicely implemented with the music.”īecause of this emotional connection, the influence of these scores extends far beyond the games themselves. You play it, you feel it, you embody it,” said Melanie Fritsch, a professor in media and cultural studies at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany. As a result, “you do not just watch a game.
These journeys are interwoven with music throughout, like a film score. The Final Fantasy games have an interactive, role-player format, which immerses gamers in the journeys of its heroic protagonists.