The Sega Genesis GEMS Driver is often considered one of the worst drivers created for video game music. However, we are optimists when it comes to most chips, so today, we’re taking a deep look into the GEMS driver. Who created it, why it was important to Western composers, the benefits of it and the […]

It should be pretty obvious if you’ve heard the show before that Mike and Justin LOVE comedy. So on this episode, which just so happens to release on April Fools for no specific reason, the guys get deeply personal and share never before heard stories before. Listen to some wacky tunes about sunflowers, finding secrets, […]

The Super Nintendo is known for having some of the most lush compositions in 16 bit history. But have you ever wondered what these tracks would sound like with real instruments? Our guest today is Andrew Thompson who runs a musical project where he answers that very question and the results are EPIC! Mike and […]

It’s that time of year again! NikoTengoku joins us for his third return as the unofficial “third host” of the show…and he’s ready TO DANCE! We let Niko pick the theme this time around and he wanted to get down! We’ve all picked a variety of dance tracks to listen to from all walks of […]

While single games have been covered before on XVGM Radio, never before have we went into a soundtrack without hearing it period. Taking a page from our pal Ed Wilson over at The VGMbassy, we’re doing a “Blind Listen” episode where we pick tracks we haven’t heard, and learn about the game as we go […]

On XVGM Radio, we generally are pretty knowledgable about the subject matter of both game music and the game series we discuss. But what about when we’re not familiar with a franchise or its tunes? We bring in someone who’s played them all and in this circumstance that would be patron saint of video game […]

It’s that time of year again! Spooooooooooooookyfest has returned for it’s 2021 festival! Join Mike and Justin (and lots of zombies) for the most ghoulish “live” music event of the year! We’ve picked some really devilish tracks for you to sink your teeth into this Halloween season! From brand new Sega Genesis games to creepy […]

Barry Leitch is mostly known for his compositions on the Top Gear racing game series, and more recently, Horizon Chase Turbo. But if you dive deep enough, you’ll uncover a wealth of video game music magic from a man who was inspired by the greats of the C64 era. Starting out as a teenager, his […]

The difference between consoles and handhelds can be immense…..or….there’s not much of a difference (if we’re talking about redbook audio, at least.) But what happens when we DO compare these two regarding the same composition, but different arrangements? What sacrifices need to be made to make the underpowered consoles stand out? Today on XVGM Radio, […]

The XVGM Radio guys go WILD…..with their fourth rendition of their Free Picks series of shows! Every 20 episodes, Mike and Justin pick whatever tracks they want to showcase, plus they flip a coin to determine the order of who introduces the episodes and picks the first tracks. How exciting! With a wide assortment of […]

The original Blaster Master on the Nintendo Entertainment System was host to plenty of nostalgic memories for those of us who grew up during that era. But there’s a surprising amount of games that have been released for the game-turned-franchise and on this episode, Justin and Mike dive deep into the legacy of the series […]

It’s a teamup of EPIC PROPORTIONS! Mike and Ed of XVGM Radio join forces with VGM Podcast minister and community mastermind, Ed Wilson (current host of The VGMbassy and previously co-host with Mike on PixelTunes Radio) to listen to some truly smash-tastic tunes. The guys pick their favorites from the Super Smash Bros. franchise, songs […]

Plenty of video games have only had certain releases in exclusive territories but PAL territories are home to some pretty oddball selections of games; some of which we’ve chosen here to highlight their amazing music. Who let a bunch of Yanks in to chat about PAL exclusives, anyways?! No idea, but you’ll soon forget about […]

We’re no strangers to covering obscure stuff on XVGM Radio…but this might be the most obscure thing we’ve chat about: Bandai’s Wonderswan family of handhelds. Going after the Game Boy was a lofty goal, one which made the Wonderswan succumb. But today, we dig up the grave of Bandai’s Wonderswan, the Wonderswan Color and the […]

In an epic battle for Justin’s soul, Mike and Justin teamed up with Rhythm & Pixels to discuss the wild, wacky world of Adventure Island and Wonder Boy games and their funky fresh music! From heavy metal chiptune boss bangers to Dorabian Night arabic themes (yes, you read that right), the guys showcased some absolutely […]

What do didgeridoos, surf rock and discussions on bellbottoms have in common? Well, they’re all featured bits of conversation taking place in Episode 74 of XVGM Radio, where the XVGM guys are chatting about spy and espionage games and their video game music! Listen to Mike and Justin get super nostalgic for the Get Smart TV series, the debate about two different types of listeners in regards to the Jazzpunk track that Justin picked and of course, a deep dive into the allure of spy and...

The Legend of Zelda is perhaps most famous for being one of the flagship franchises on Nintendo consoles, expanding into the third dimension and consistently innovating as time has marched on. However, the franchise has also had its fair share of exploration on handhelds beginning with Link’s Awakening and continues to this day on the console/handheld hybrid Nintendo Switch with the remake all these years later. Today on XVGM Radio, we explore the vast history of the Legend of Zelda on...

Going all the way back to Episode 3 where they covered Board and Card Game based titles, Mike and Justin are back at it, revisiting the theme but adding in some new twists and turns. This time around, they’re focusing on featuring video games that are board/card games utilizing gaming’s top franchises. From conversations about how Eddie from Mega Man dials a phone, to Speed: The Movie: The Card Game and of course, what the DS in every DS game REALLY stands for. Hint: It’s not Dice...

Every now and then a game comes out that features a soundtrack that puts the fire back in our VGM lovin’ hearts. Paradise Killer is exactly that kind of OST. The XVGM Radio guys are joined by Barry “Epoch” Topping, the composer of (what Mike considers) the best VGM soundtrack of 2020. From the vocal-infused, saxophone wailing on the intro theme “Paradise (Stay Forever)”to the mix of genre-hopping across the70s and 80s (and even a little bit of the 90s), this soundtrack features an eclectic...

It’s time to dim the lights, snuggle up with your favorite person and...put on some VGM?! In a post-Valentine’s Day delight, Mike and Justin have set up a playlist of games involving sexy characters and their equally sexy songs. The music choices here range from smooth jazz, sultry salsa, hard rockin’ and hip-hoppin’! Listen to discussions about hot dogs running from hungry girls, Mike getting his Beethoven tracks mixed up, plus a special call in from a certain grumpy gamer! All on this...

What happens when video games and anime collide? You get video games based on anime, of course! Mike and Justin are joined by fellow-anime lover and Sega mega fan, George aka G To The Next Level, where the guys really hit it off celebrating video games based on anime and their stellar music. Diving deep into their own nostalgic memories of how they got interested in anime, the guys bring full attention to the jungle beats of Astro Boy, the creepiness of Mystic Defender and the smooth jazzy...

HADOKEN! GET OVER HERE! C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER! All of these are sounds of the arcade and fighting game scene in general. But what about the fighting games that we didn’t play to death? On this episode of XVGM Radio, we dive into the music from fighting games to which we have zero nostalgia. From heavy discussions about balls..er…ballz, Alice Deejay comparisons, to the surprising lack of memories from giants like Sega, SNK and Konami, this is an episode full of monster tunes of an eclectic...

New Year, New Niko Episode! 2020 was a rough year on all of us, but before it got out of hand, Niko had stopped by for an episode in January and there was discussion at the end of that episode to cover Amiga the next time he stopped by. We didn’t forget his suggestion, and so this episode of XVGM Radio sees the NikoTengoku himself is back with a slew of amazing Amiga tracks that will melt faces! Mike and Justin add some goody goody BASS to the mix, Justin’s eyeballs get threatened while he...

Happy Holidays to all! For the final episode of 2020, in what’s been an absolutely bonkers world, Mike and Justin take a moment to sit down and enjoy the holidays together (socially distanced, of course.) What follows is a celebration of winter and holiday music of the video game variety, discussions about getting dat nut, Prehistoric Turtlesaurus’, and of course...gift giving. The guys unwrap gifts they’ve given to each other, all while closing out the year with a smile and some fun tracks...

Classics versus Covers has been done by XVGM Radio before, but never with a solo artist! Today’s episode is a treat, as Justin and Mike sit down with Lucia La Rezza, an Italian violinist and all around fan of video games. From her beginnings with the Game Boy to her self-admitted Playstation obsession, Lucia is as much of a fan of working on music as she is for video games; and the two aren’t mutually exclusive. We showcased 6 of her covered arrangements and compare them with the original,...