Nintendo has always made strange decisions. The latest such example is the launch of Nintendo Music, a mobile app that can be downloaded completely free by Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Chances are, most people didn’t expect Nintendo to release a competitor to services like Spotify and Sirius XM, but the company has rolled out a music streaming service with no ads, a growing library, and an unbeatable price. These are all ways Nintendo Music is somewhat superior to other music apps on the market, but there’s a more important way that it beats them: Nintendo Music actually feels like a celebration of music as an art form.
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In our modern era, media has been perilously devalued, and streaming services are largely to blame. Where once consumers bought and cherished music, television shows, and movies, subscription services have become the equivalent of troths, filled with slop and force fed to a hungry public. Content is added to these services with little fanfare, and companies quickly pivot to the next thing to promote. As a result, it often feels like there’s no longer an appreciation for the work that goes into the creation of art. Companies don’t help that image either, as content is constantly being removed, while executives debate replacing real artists with A.I. generated junk. On top of all that, we have curators that are actively destroying their own products for tax breaks, when they should be focused on preserving them for future generations to experience.
In the midst of all this, Nintendo Music is a desperately needed contrast. The service’s very existence feels revolutionary. For decades, video game music has endured not because of companies like Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, or Sega, but because of their fans. Video game music has long been treated as disposable by companies, often appearing just once in a single game, and then quickly forgotten by the publishers that commissioned it. Over the decades, it’s been up to the fans of these games to preserve and share this content, and they’ve done so by ripping tracks to YouTube, or playing covers at concerts. Occasionally, popular games will get a soundtrack release, and some of the biggest franchises have even gotten orchestra tours. Unfortunately, both have been few and far between. Now we have an entire app dedicated to sharing music, where users can hear quality versions of these tracks, create their own playlists, and even listen to extended versions.
Music is an integral part of the gaming experience. The best music tracks can immediately take us back to playing these games for the first time. When I hear Aquatic Ambiance or Phendrana Drifts, I feel like I’m transported to the first time I swam on Enguarde’s back, or watched snow gently fall on Samus’ visor. These tracks also remind me why I enjoyed these games in the first place. It wasn’t just the visuals or gameplay that first captured my imagination; the atmosphere was integral. I’ve listened to these tracks countless times over the years, and even replayed these games over and over again just to hear them. I’m certainly not alone in that, and it’s wonderful to see the industry acknowledge just how important music is to the gaming experience. And for those that never got a chance to play these games, seeing these tracks highlighted on Nintendo Music might even convince them to try a game they might never have played.
This isn’t to say that Nintendo Music is perfect. If there’s one area where the app comes up short, it’s the fact that artists and composers are not given credit for their creations. The service would be far superior if users could search by artist, and see the evolution of talents like Koji Kondo or David Wise. We’ve already seen Nintendo Music grow and improve within just a few weeks, as music has been added from games like F-Zero X and Brain Age. Hopefully artist credits will be added at some point, in order to make the app better for both users, as well as the musical talents Nintendo has employed. That’s an important next step, and it will help elevate the overall listening experience.
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Every once in a while, Nintendo does something that proves the company is more forward thinking than some might realize. Nintendo Music is one of the best features Nintendo Switch Online has ever gotten, and it’s only going to get better as time goes on. As it stands right now, the app serves as a reminder of the artistry that goes into the company’s music, and that stands in stark contrast to what we usually see from streaming apps. There are definitely ways that the service needs to be improved, but I hope the app’s existence convinces more gaming companies of the value of their music catalogs.
Have you been enjoying Nintendo Music? What do you think of the app so far? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
