Breath of the Wild‘s soundtrack is often subtle and sometimes it’s completely absent. But it’s always deliberate, and there’s a purpose for it.
Mark Brown, the creator behind the Game Maker’s Toolkit Youtube channel, has broken down the soundtrack for Breath of the Wild. It’s intriguing how many times the music references older Zelda games – like the music from Death Mountain – but also the shift in tone and pace when you’re going through an area at night, compared to the more upbeat tempo of the day.
The way the music shifts is incredibly clever, especially the Tarrey Town piece. As you encourage different characters throughout Hyrule to join the town, the music changes by adding another instrument or melody, mirroring the diversity that has sprouted in Tarrey Town.
I’ve spent more time playing Breath of the Wild without music, and so I’ve missed out on a lot of these tracks. That’s my failure, because there’s an incredible amount of thought behind the score – not only when it picks up, but when it fades out entirely, and when it looks back on Zelda‘s long history.
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4 responses to “The Genius Behind Breath Of The Wild’s Music”
Where was the classic kakariko village music
Kakariko has never sounded better, the rearranged and properly orchestral tracks are phenomenal.
The piano tracks are a great new addition.
And tarrey town is fantastic.
This soundtrack is peak Nintendo, and they have a great history of nailing the music.
I… don’t think I’ve actually noticed the Kakariko music. I assume it was used in Kakariko here, right? Not somewhere else?
It’s there, as is Zora’s Domain, Rito Village etc. Some are reworked more than others, but they all sound great. I can’t wait for the OST release!