Episode #409 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth hit the slopes for a Winter Olympics themed episode.

From the SEGA Genesis to modern extreme sports titles, we're covering everything from speed skating and figure skating to biathlon, cross-country skiing, and mountain descents. Grab your skis, strap on your snowboard, and get ready to chase that gold medal.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. Short Track from Winter Olympic Games [John Hancock, 1993]
2. BGM 04 from Millennium Winter Sports [Norihiko Togashi, 2000]
3. Track 22 from Winter Stars [Frank Herrlinger & Iris Wallner, 2011]
4. Track 34 from KuruKuru Princess: Tokimeki Figure Mezase! Vancouver [Yumi Satake, Shinsuke Kudou & Shin Nakajima, 2009]
5. Hall of Fame from Advanced Ski Simulator [Steve Barrett, 1989]
6. In-Game 2 Normal from RTL Biathlon 2009 [Frank Herrlinger, Dietmar Heß & Gösta Bergfeld, 2008]
7. Silver Mountain from Snowboard Kids [Isao Kasai & Tomohiko Sato, 1997]
8. Main Menu from Vancouver 2010 [Steve Duckworth, Jeremy Corbett, Duncan Bradshaw, Guy Cockcroft, Jim Croft, Kevin Stainwright, Lee Campbell, Mark Topley, Sarah Scott & Xan Williams, 2010]
9. Trust Your Heart -Cross-Country Skiing Theme- from Winter Heat [Hiroaki Yoshida, 1998]
10. Matterhorn Descent from Steep [Zikali, 2016]
11. Ice Hockey from Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games [Teruhiko Nakagawa, 2009]
12. Mode from Nagano Winter Olympics '98 [Soshiro Hokkai, Akira Yamaoka & Keiko Fukami, 1997]
13. Snow Jewelry from Konayuki Fururi ~Yuzuhara Curling Club~ [Tomoyuki Hamada feat. Kaname Yuzuki, 2008]
14. Medals from Winter Gold [Jeroen Tel, 1996]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #62 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan explores The Vessel, a massive derelict spaceship where nature and technology collide in MIO: Memories in Orbit, the atmospheric Metroidvania from French indie studio Douze Dixièmes. As the nimble android MIO, players traverse overgrown corridors and industrial ruins to restore the ship's lost memories before total shutdown.

This Musical Review dives into the game's remarkable 75-track soundtrack composed by Nicolas Gueguen. We explore how its ambient textures, layered synths, and live choir vocals create a haunting atmosphere that guides emotion and discovery throughout the journey. Bryan also discusses the fluid traversal mechanics, environmental storytelling, and memorable boss encounters that make MIO a standout example of how sound design can elevate exploration into something deeply personal and meaningful.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. Mio's Theme from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
2. The Spine from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
3. Acat from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
4. Haven from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
5. Crow from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
6. Poltergates from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
7. Finding Samsk from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
8. The Chase from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
9. Vlad from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
10. The Core from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
11. Sol & Vin from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
12. The Keeper from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
13. Spine Keeper from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]
14. Pearl: The Heart from MIO: Memories in Orbit [Nicolas Gueguen, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #408 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of January 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 83!

We're starting the new year of Radio Hour with tracks spanning courtroom drama, retro shooters, tactical RPGs, free-to-play goodness, and skateboarding through the Underworld!

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. Blurring from Arknights: Endfield [Chengcheng Tang feat. Maria Nalyon, 2026]
2. Pursuit -Corner the Culprit- from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [Masakazu Sugimori/Akemi Kimura, 2005]
3. Stage 4 from Sky Shark [Tim Follin, 1987]
4. Breath of the Earth from Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together [Masaharu Iwata, 1995]
5. Empty Lands from Skate Story [Blood Cultures, 2025]
6. Indian Summer from Skate Story [Blood Cultures, 2025]
7. God Hook from Skate Story [John Fio, 2025]
8. Theme 2 from Populous: The Beginning [Mark Knight, 1998]
9. Chip Zeal from Just Shapes & Beats [Big Giant Circles, 2018]
10. Cirinthia Town from Rise of the Third Power [Jacob McNatt & Michael Donner, 2022]
11. Resort Hotel from Animal Crossing: New Horizons [Kazumi Totaka, 2020/2026]
12. The Height of Majesty from The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon [Mitsuo Singa, 2024]
13. Spring River Flowers and Moonlight Night from Where Winds Meet [Yida feat. Yang Xue, 2025]
14. Mirage Saloon -Act 2- from Sonic Mania [Tee Lopes, 2017]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

BGMania B-Sides #40 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth drops into Tetris Battle Gaiden, the Japan-exclusive Super Famicom spin-off that takes Tetris in a wildly unexpected direction, trading pure abstraction for colorful characters, elemental themes, and head-to-head puzzle combat that feels equal parts playful and intense.

Packed with bright melodies, bouncy rhythms, and a surprising amount of personality, Tetris Battle Gaiden’s soundtrack leans into upbeat synths, jazzy progressions, and arcade-sharp hooks that keep the energy high without ever feeling stressful. Each character theme adds its own flavor, turning familiar falling blocks into a lively musical showdown where competition feels expressive and endlessly replayable rather than cold or mechanical.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. Title Screen from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
2. Haunted House from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
3. Genial Sunshine from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
4. Spiritual Beauty from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
5. Tiny Little Concert from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
6. The Art of Ninja from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
7. Samurai Temple from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
8. Pompous Opponent from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
9. The Last Battle from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]
10. Credits from Tetris Battle Gaiden [Tomoyuki Hamada, 1993]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #407 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth spotlight Octopath Traveler 0, the newest entry in Square Enix's beloved HD-2D series.

Yasunori Nishiki returns as composer, delivering new tracks that capture the game's themes of loss, revenge, and restoration. From Wishvale's destruction to ring-bearing villains, we explore battle themes, character leitmotifs, and an emotional vocal ending.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. Main Theme from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
2. Choices to Make from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
3. Wishvale from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
4. Battle 0 from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
5. Tytos, The Hero from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
6. Herminia, the Covetous Witch from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
7. Auguste, the Playwright from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
8. Decisive Battle 0 from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
9. Bestower of Wealth from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
10. Who Awaits on Greed's Path from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
11. Hell -Battle- from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
12. The Heavens -Decisive Battle- from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
13. Returning All to Nil from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki, 2025]
14. Yet I Carry On from Octopath Traveler 0 [Yasunori Nishiki feat. Kaon Kokudo, 2025]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #406 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth delve into the emotional power of ballads throughout gaming history.

From satirical power ballads to heartbreaking laments, and interactive folk songs to sweeping orchestral endings, we're covering the full spectrum of vocal storytelling. Whether it's karaoke confessions, ending credit tearjerkers, or sirens serenading you during boss fights, ballads give composers space to explore melody and lyrics in ways that humanize virtual worlds and create those intimate moments we never forget.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. This is a Power Ballad from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City [Lex Horton feat. Darren Ritchie, 2002]
2. Lament of Orpheus from Hades [Darren Korb, 2020]
3. Without You from Sonic X Shadow Generations [Jun Senoue feat. Casey Lee Williams, 2024]
4. We Are As One from Bayonetta 3 [Hiroshi Yamaguchi feat. Rachael Hawnt, 2022]
5. Amidst a Dream from Judgment [Kiyo feat. Nao Toyama, 2018]
6. Theme Song from Love And Deepspace [Sarah Brightman, 2024]
7. Why from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion [Yoshihiko Nishio feat. ayaka, 2022]
8. What We Did in Colorado from Wasteland 3 [Nathan Long feat. William Whitmore, 2020]
9. Fear Not This Night from Guild Wars 2 [Jeremy Soule feat. Asja Kadric, 2012]
10. Baka Mitai from Yakuza 0 [Mitsuharu Fukuyama feat. Takaya Kuroda, 2015]
11. Wherever You Are from Digimon Story: Time Stranger [Yuichi Ohno & Atsushi Masuda feat. reche, 2025]
12. Maybe Tomorrow from Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra [Yuki Kajiura feat. Emily Curtis and the Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus, 2006]
13. Bewitching Eyes from Hades II [Darren Korb feat. Erin Yvette, Ashley Barrett & Judy Alice Lee, 2025]
14. Girl In The Tower from King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow [Mark Seibert feat. Bob Bergthold & Debbie Seibert, 1992]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

BGMania B-Sides #39 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth takes flight into Air Twister, Yu Suzuki’s kaleidoscopic rail shooter that blends arcade intensity with surreal fantasy, sending players soaring through pastel skies and dreamlike landscapes at breakneck speed.

Driven by Valensia’s operatic, symphonic rock score, Air Twister’s soundtrack feels grand, theatrical, and unashamedly dramatic. Sweeping strings, choral flourishes, and pulsing rhythms collide in a way that’s both elegant and overwhelming, creating a musical experience that’s constantly in motion, like riding a gust of wind through a vivid, ever-shifting dream where beauty and chaos exist in perfect balance.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. Air Twister from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
2. Maia from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
3. Michelle Mambo 2022 from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
4. Phantom of the Opera 2022 from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
5. Into the Realm of Nature from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
6. Aglaea 2022 from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
7. Princess Mystique from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
8. Act of the Silver Squid from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
9. Arma et Alas from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]
10. We Have Come Home from Air Twister [Valensia, 2022]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #405 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth kick off the beginning of a new year by going all the way back to the very beginning itself.

No, this has nothing to do with the SEGA Genesis. Instead, we ring in 2026 by exploring the creation story of Genesis, as well as various other creation myths and ideas stemming from things like the Garden of Eden and Adam & Eve.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

1. In the Beginning, There Was... from Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse [Yuki Kajiura feat. Deb Lyons, 2004]
2. Kamiki Village from Okami [Masami Ueda, 2006]
3. Main Theme from Populous [Rob Hubbard, 1989]
4. Main Theme from From Dust [Tom Salta, 2011]
5. Let There Be Light from Floral Flowlove [Shinichiro Matsumoto feat. Mitsuki Nakae, 2020]
6. Lilith 1 from EdgeLords [Unknown, 2023]
7. Tree of Life -Roots- from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon [Keisuke Ito, Yasuhiro Kawagoe & Noriko Murakami, 2015]
8. Introduction from Black & White [Russell Shaw, 2001]
9. Old Rites from Dawn of Man [José Luis González Castro, 2019]
10. Pain from Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht [Yasunori Mitsuda feat. Joanne Hogg, 2002]
11. The Serpent from Wavetale [Joel Bille, 2022]
12. Original Sin -Dracula's Castle First Half- from Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge [Hidehiro Funauchi, 1991]
13. The Fallen from Destiny [C Paul Johnson, Skye Lewin, Paul McCartney, Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, 2014]
14. Your Own Personal Universe from Spore [Brian Eno & Cliff Martinez, 2008]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously