BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast

Episode #404 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of December 2025 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 82! It's New Year's Eve! As we close out the year and move into 2026, we have a playlist that features wintery vibes, Christmas magic, and some New Year's celebration. Ring in the new year with us and look forward to everything we have...

Bonus Episode #60 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. The final confrontation has arrived. Kaelen and his companions step through the threshold into the Shadowed Core itself, where reality bends to nightmare logic, and thousands of trapped souls cry out from the spaces between Zyra's commands. Here, in this realm of absolute darkness wrapped in corrupted chains, the one who wants to consume th...

Episode #403 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are celebrating Christmas with a fun theme that turned out to be incredibly hard for the guys in a lot of ways. We're focusing on the popular traditional Christmas Carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and using the lyrics from the song to guide our selections for each of the main twelve tracks making up a m...

Bonus Episode #59 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle finally get a chance to sit down and talk about the game they both recently finished, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond! The guys have an in-depth discussion on the latest Nintendo exclusive for the Switch and Switch 2, covering all the bases from the gameplay, narrative, characters, lore, personal opinions, and of c...

Episode #402 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth look back on the insane but wonderful year that 2025 was for gaming and game music, while also reminiscing on the past 12 months of BGMania as well. Everything you'd likely expect to hear today will be featured, from Hollow Knight: Silksong to Hades II, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to Ghost of Yotei, DELTA...

BGMania B-Sides #38 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth steps into a softly glowing winter dream with Christmas Wonderland 3, a cozy hidden-object adventure that trades adrenaline for ambiance, inviting players to slow down and soak in the season’s magic. Rooted in warmth, nostalgia, and gentle holiday cheer, Christmas Wonderland 3’s soundtrack wraps familiar festive...

Episode #401 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth travel back to the formative years of home computer gaming to celebrate the groundbreaking work of Martin Galway, one of the true architects of early video game music. Best known for pushing the Commodore 64’s SID chip far beyond its perceived limits, Galway helped define the sound of an entire era with unfor...

BGMania B-Sides #37 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth dives headfirst into the bright skies and high-speed thrill of Kirby Air Riders, Nintendo’s long-awaited return to the cult-favorite racing series, where momentum, mastery, and just a touch of chaos rule the day. Building on the legacy of Kirby Air Ride while confidently carving its own path, Kirby Air Riders bl...

Episode #400 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth celebrate 400 mainline episodes of this concept and project that started in 2017 with our longest runtime yet for a single episode. And what better way to do so than with an idea that started a few years ago where, much like life, we have no idea what is coming next on the playlist. Besides hopefully finding...

Bonus Episode #58 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan steps into the ancient past of Hyrule in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. After the mystery surrounding the Imprisoning War, Nintendo and Koei Tecmo finally reveal the canonical story of Demon King Ganondorf's first rise to power. In this comprehensive review, we explore how developer Koei Tecmo's AAA Games Stu...

Episode #399 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of November 2025 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 81! This episode is packed with a blend of tracks spanning generations. From sweeping orchestral journeys and relaxed overworld themes to high-energy battle tunes and deep-cut surprises, there’s a little something for every kind of VGM...

BGMania B-Sides #36 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth ventures into the windswept fields and mystical frontier of Windswept, the newly released indie adventure that’s already capturing hearts with its gentle worldbuilding and evocative score. Crafted with a focus on exploration, emotion, and atmosphere, Windswept invites players into a land shaped by ancient spirit...

Episode #397 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth gather around the virtual table for our Thanksgiving-inspired celebration: Nature’s Harvest. We dig into games that capture the spirit of gathering, growing, cultivating, and coming together. From quiet farming moments to festival energy, from playful abundance to mysterious rural charm, we explore how compos...

Bonus Episode #57 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. The fall through shadow has only just begun. Kaelen, Torren, and their unlikely new ally Brenn plummet through a starlight portal into the Sunken Realms, islands trapped in eternal twilight, casualties of Zyra's earliest experiments with corrupted bindings. Here, among crystallized tears and frozen moments of catastrophe, they must confront...

Episode #397 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle have an in-depth spotlight on Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the highly anticipated follow-up to Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the first major Pokémon title released for the Nintendo Switch 2. We'll be diving deep into the world of Lumiose City to discuss gameplay, world design, new mechanics, story elements, and overall p...

BGMania B-Sides #35 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth dives into the stylish and cinematic world of 10,000 Bullets, the PlayStation 2 action game developed by Blue Moon Studio and directed by Yoshitaka Murayama, the creator of Suikoden. This overlooked game blends noir storytelling with intense, slow-motion gunplay, elevated by its exceptional soundtrack from legen...

Episode #396 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth explore the often-overlooked art of tutorial music... those crucial first moments where composers must welcome players into new worlds while teaching fundamental mechanics without becoming distracting. From emotional orchestral awakenings to high-energy training facilities, we examine how the best tutorial tr...

Episode #395 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of October 2025 with our biggest Halloween celebration to date in Radio Hour, Volume 80! This spooky special is packed with terrifying tracks and bonus surprises lurking in the shadows. From cosmic horror and haunted mansions to crushing boss battles and chiptune nightmares, there's a little bit of e...

Bonus Episode #56 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle dive deep into Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch’s chilling follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima. Set amid the wilderness of Ezo, this cinematic action-adventure blends folklore, myth, and breathtaking visuals into one of the year’s most atmospheric experiences. The guys share their impressions of how the game feels t...

Episode #394 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth unwrap the bandaged mysteries of mummy-themed music from across gaming history. From tragic cursed souls seeking companionship to ancient guardians protecting their tombs, this episode explores how composers balance Middle Eastern instrumentation, horror atmospheres, and adventure energy to bring these undead...

BGMania B-Sides #34 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth explores the enchanting and mystical soundtrack of Mago, an indie adventure following a sorcerer's magical journey. Perfect for our spooky October series, the atmospheric score captures the arcane and mysterious world of sorcery, featuring a captivating collection of tracks that blend folk-inspired melodies with...

Episode #393 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth explore the creepy-crawly world of spiders and insects in video game music. From tragic cursed weavers to building-sized arachnid boss battles, discover how composers capture both our primal fear and fascination with arthropods through sound. We're examining everything from mournful orchestral pieces to crush...

Bonus Episode #55 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan re-enters the fog in Silent Hill f. After thirteen years of waiting, Silent Hill returns with a bold new entry that trades American decay for 1960s rural Japan. In this comprehensive review, we delve into Silent Hill f, exploring how developer NeoBards Entertainment and writer Ryukishi07 have reimagined the legendar...

Episode #392 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth continue the spooky month with one of gaming's most iconic archetypes, Mad Scientists! From whimsical inventors tinkering with impossible contraptions to sinister masterminds conducting horrific experiments, video game music has captured the full spectrum of scientific obsession gone too far. We'll journey th...

BGMania B-Sides #33 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth explores the epic and evocative soundtrack of Hades II, the critically acclaimed roguelike from Supergiant Games. Perfect for a B-Sides in October! The haunting score serves as the perfect backdrop for Melinoë's journey through the Underworld and beyond, featuring an incredible collection of tracks that blend or...