Earthbound might be old enough to warrant the moniker “cult classic” at this point, but Nintendo’s beloved SNES-era RPG has still managed to win over new fans ever since it came to the Wii U last year. One such player fell in love with the game so wholly that he’s now honored it with — what else? — a rap mashup tribute.
The album is called “Word Is Bound”, and was made by a musician who goes by the handle Aviscerall online. He says he first discovered the true beauty of the eccentric old-school RPG only a year ago when he finally decided to play through the whole thing. He was quickly taken by its music.
“I fell in love with Earthbound about a year ago,” Aviscerall writes on his page for the album. “It was a game I knew I needed to play and finish, and I am definitely glad I did. Not only was the gameplay and story something that I’ll never forget, the soundtrack was definitely one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard in my lifetime. And not just for a video game, but for music in general. I really hope I was able to capture the Earthbound style of music, and bring it into the world of hip hop (Which I felt like it was begging to join).”
Some of the combinations are more than a little wonky. This makes sense, given the source material, though in cases like the remixed version of 50 Cent’s banger “In Da Club” the tinny Earthbound tunes don’t mix that well. But this track using the legendary Notorious B.I.G. lyrics from “Juicy” is pretty great. I love how Earthbound’s music adds an extra bit of whimsy to the song’s triumphant message:
Here’s the original, for a point of comparison:
Man, I dunno about you, but hearing this really makes me want to listen to a mashed-up gaming version of “Gimme The Loot.” Seems particularly appropriate for video game purposes, don’t you think?
The instrumental tracks are my favourites:
You can listen to and download the full album here.
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