Understanding Game Scoring: The Evolution of Compositional Practice for and Through Gaming

Understanding Game Scoring explores the unique collaboration between gameplay and composition that defines musical scoring for video games.

Using an array of case studies reaching back into the canon of classic video games, this book illuminates the musical flexibility, user interactivity and sound programming that make game scoring so different from traditional modes of composition. Mack Enns explores the collaboration between game scorers and players to produce the final score for a game, through case studies of the Nintendo Entertainment System sound hardware configuration, and game scores, including the canonic scores for Super Mario Bros. (1985) and The Legend of Zelda (1986).

This book is recommended reading for students and researchers interested in the composition and production of video game scores, as well as those interested in ludo-musicology.

Mack Enns is a Research Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, specializing in music design and programming for video games and interactive media, music technology and popular music studies.