Retro Encounter can't be the only one making quiz show episodes. Rhythm Encounter had to get in on the action to celebrate our 150th episode milestone! Which of course means making our contestants identify songs, composers, and more across five themed rounds. Who will triumph? Feel free to play along too and see how you do! We had enough fun with this one that we don't want to wait another 150 episodes to bring it back. But for now, put your quiz show hats on (those are a thing, right?), make some guesses, and ring in 150 episodes with us!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Rounds
0:05:31 - Round 1: Better Together
0:16:45 - Round 2: This One's for the Girls
0:35:35 - Round 3: This, That, or the Other: Sakuraba Edition
0:51:50 - Round 4: Final Fantasy Arrangements
1:13:10 - Round 5: Know Your Eras
1:31:06 - Round 6: Final Question

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We all have origin stories about how we got into RPGs (several of us shared them almost six years ago in this feature!), so today our panel discusses music origins — what RPGs attuned us to the RPG music scene or otherwise elevated our senses and made us take notice. For some of us, this dates back to the days of the NES, and sometimes our awakening happened during the days of the GameCube. Whenever these songs hail from, they each hold a special place in our hearts.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Wes Iliff, Gio Castillo, Rob White; Edited by Paul Dennis

Warm Beginnings
0:05:01 - Diddle's Organ (Yoko Shimomura) - Legend of Mana
0:05:53 - Godot - The Fragrance of Darkness; That is Coffee (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations

16-Bit Vibes
0:25:35 - Kids Run Through the City (FFPR ver.) (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
0:28:11 - Frog's Theme (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Trigger

Round 3: Fight!
0:44:50 - Colosseum Round 3 (Tsukasa Tawada) - Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
0:49:05 - Battlefield Without Light -War Theme 2- (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden II

Iconic Themes
1:11:11 - Tantagel Castle (Koichi Sugiyama) - Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest I
1:14:31 - Fear of the Heavens (Hiroki Kikuta) - Secret of Mana
1:46:22 - Gio's Bonus Track!

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We're no strangers to game series-themed episodes on Rhythm Encounter, such as our Mario RPGs or Dragon Quest shows. Now, it's time for the Tales series! Bandai Namco's long-running series turns 30 next year, and the mainline series alone contains 17 games (or 18 depending on which ones you count). That's more than enough material to showcase on an episode, wouldn't you say? Join our panel as we talk about the oldest, newest, and several Tales games in between, and listen to music by the venerable Motoi Sakuraba and company.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Tales of Strings
0:09:30 - Risk It All (Takao Ogi) - Tales of Crestoria
0:12:35 - Flame of Hope (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Arise

Tales of Battle
0:30:09 - Fighting of the Spirit Remix (Motoi Sakuraba, arr. S.S.H) - Tales of Phantasia
0:34:17 - The Arrow was Shot (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of the Abyss

Tales of Resolve
0:55:12 - White Light (comp. Koichi Tsutaya, Shiho Ochi, perf. Superfly) - Tales of Zestiria
0:57:21 - Theme of Velvet (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Berseria

Tales of Forest
1:14:09 - Mystic Forest (Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura) - Tales of Phantasia
1:16:59 - Sunlight Filtering through the Trees (Go Shiina) - Tales of Legendia
1:53:16 - Wes' Bonus Track!

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It's been awhile since our last instrument spotlight, so in this episode, we're sharing some favorite RPG songs featuring woodwinds, like flutes, ocarinas, and more! Whether it's the incredibly moving sounds of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the adventurous Dark Cloud 2, or Final Fantasy III's Maiden of Water, we have a lot to cover, so join us on this lovely journey, won't ya?

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

• What is a zurna?

Tracklist
Calming Melodies
0:09:48 - Village of the Elw (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs
0:11:18 - A Life Sent On (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Open Plains and Seas
0:27:27 - Shinshu Plains (Masami Ueda arr. Tomomichi Takeoka) - Okami Goju no Onchou
0:31:28 - Elia, the Maiden of Water (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Takashi Hoshide, perf. Siena Wind Orchestra) - BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY BRASS de BRAVO 3 (FFIII)

Slippery & Drippy
0:53:40 - Price (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 5
0:55:25 - Ding Dong Dell -The Cat King's Castle- (Joe Hisaishi) - Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Your Big Chance
1:15:30 - The Adventure that Never Ends (Rush Theme) (Tomohito Nishiura) - Dark Cloud 2
1:17:09 - Field (With Marin version) (Normal) - (Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
1:47:23 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

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Somehow it's been four years since Rhythm Encounter's last Halloween episode, back in 2020's episode 56. Well, it's time we rectified that. A sequel to that episode and a spiritual successor to our previous episode about the works of Michiru Yamane, our panel dug into our gaming experiences to find music for the most spooky time of year. You'll find one of Pokémon's most iconic themes, and everything from old PC adventures to SNES, PS4, and more. If you need some tunes while carving pumpkins, or you're baking some Halloween treats... well, first of all, send us some. But either way, join us for a spooky good time!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Mario Garcia, Wes Iliff; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
What Lurks Beneath
0:04:34 - Forest Temple (Koji Kondo) - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
0:08:14 - The Surface of the Water (Yoko Shimomura) - Parasite Eve

Let's Have Some Fun
0:25:01 - Heart of the Idol (Robert Holmes arr. Space Quest Historian/Troels Pleimert) - Gabriel Knight: Synths of the Fathers
0:29:47 - Amusement Park (Keigo Hoashi) - NieR: Automata

Witchy Vibes
0:52:49 - Lavender Town (Junichi Masuda) - Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen
0:54:40 - Freshly Glazed Porxie (Masayoshi Soken, Nobuo Uematsu, and Daiki Ishikawa) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Unsettling Ambiance
1:14:45 - Magus' Castle & Confusing Melody (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Trigger
1:16:43 - Firelink Shrine (Motoi Sakuraba) - Dark Souls
1:42:35 - Mario's Bonus Track!

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We are at the beginning of "spooky season," and while this isn't (yet) our Halloween episode, October is a fine time to shine a spotlight on composer Michiru Yamane, known in our parts for her excellent work on the Castlevania and Suikoden series. That means some games you may expect, but definitely some you wouldn't, from this talented composer. So dim the lights, summon your favorite fairy companion, and get ready.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Patrick Gann; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Come See the Softer Side of... Oh
0:06:45 - Searching for a Past Hero (Flame Champion Waiting Ground BGM) (Michiru Yamane) - Suikoden III
0:09:36 - Nocturne (comp. Michiru Yamane, vo. Hekiru Shiina) - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Perplexing 3D Attacks
0:29:04 - Unknowable Geometry (Symphony Mix) (comp. Jim Guthrie, arr. Michiru Yamane) - The Scythian Steppes: Seven #Sworcery Songs Localized for Japan
0:33:06 - Reincarnation of Light and Darkness ~ Shagaru Magara (comp. Marika Suzuki, arr. Michiru Yamane) - Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Compilation Album [Tribute]

House of Fortune
0:57:04 - House of Sacred Remains (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
1:00:55 - Gears of Fortune (Michiru Yamane) - Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Ecclesia the Elder
1:16:03 - Screen Credit (Staff Roll) (Michiru Yamane) - Elder Gate
1:19:54 - Wandering the Crystal Blue - Arranged (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
1:39:34 - Pat's Bonus Track!

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There are countless reasons we play and love RPGs, and often those that become our favorites have powerful stories and characters. But pitting your party against often overwhelming odds requires inspirational music for the optimal effect. In this episode we share both music and RPGs that have inspired US in turn, whether it's through bombastic battle music or lively energy. What RPG soundtracks inspire you? Let us know!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Lucas Greene, Tin Manuel, Rob White; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Familiar Territory
0:05:52 - Weight of the World - Prelude Version (Keiichi Okabe, Nobuo Uematsu) - Death Unto Dawn: Final Fantasy XIV (Shadowbringers)
0:08:23 - Color Your Night (comp. Atsushi Kitajo, lyrics by Lotus Juice) - Persona 3 Reload

Soldiers (but not SOLDIERS) and SEEDs
0:27:45 - The Landing (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VIII
0:32:18 - Revolt / Thunder (Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata) - Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Stellar Days
0:53:46 - The Song of the Sirens (Mothervibes) - Stellar Blade
0:57:47 - Halcyon Days -Branched- (Yoshimi Kudo) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Remix and Arrange Album -The Branched-

Like a Boss
1:20:22 - Tumult - Raise Thy Sword in Pride (Yuzo Koshiro) - Etrian Odyssey III HD
1:22:00 - Hopes and Dreams (Toby Fox) - Undertale
1:49:32 - Rob's Bonus Track!

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With fall (or autumn, if you prefer) around the corner for many of us, it feels like a good time for relaxing music. While we did a pair of episodes focused on relaxing RPG music about four years ago (see Episode 54 and Episode 55), this time, RPGFan's biggest lo-fi fans got together to listen and chat about lo-fi RPG music. Sometimes these are straight from games, but often they come from the incredible community of independent musicians and arrangers. We have both of these and more covered today, to put on your favorite comfy Lofi Girl merch and chill out with us.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Wes Iliff; Edited by Paul Dennis

Special Credit: Our title this episode is inspired by and in honor of Homework Radio's excellent fantasy-themed lo-fi playlists. Check 'em out!

Tracklist
Square Enix & Chill
0:09:04 - Fisherman's Horizon (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. by Kilikabeats) - Final Fantasy VIII Lo-fi Cover
0:12:58 - Roman (Minstrel Mix Version) (Masashi Hamauzu, arr. Takegorou Kobayashi) - SQUARE ENIX - Mellow Minstrel Mix Vol.3 (SaGa Frontier 2)

Defying Expectations
0:31:28 - Sweetheart Latte (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly
0:36:57 - Starless Skyline (Maybe Masayoshi Soken?) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Game Changers
1:03:23 - Dark World (Koji Kondo, arr. Mikel) - Zelda & Chill
1:05:58 - Beneath the Mask -Rain- (Shoji Meguro, vocals Lyn) - Persona 5

Toss a Coin
1:31:48 - Day at the Academy (Yuki Ichiki, Tsukasa Saitou, Ayako Minami, Shouhei Tsuchiya, Daisuke Matsumoto) - Enchanted Arms
1:33:18 - Blood and Wine (Marcin Przybyłowicz, arr. bits & hits) - The Witcher but it's lofi beats
1:58:27 - Wes' Bonus Track!

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So many of our beloved RPG soundtracks are filled with great music, and often have songs named in the same dramatic flair as the games and their narratives. And then sometimes, we find great tracks in our RPGs with names like "No No I don't die Noooo!" or "Rouen 'But-dad-dead-bed'," and those are the songs we are showcasing in this episode. It's always entertaining coming across these songs when listening to music, so for this episode, our panelists all chose music we love with offbeat, weird, or otherwise amusing titles.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Audra Bowling; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
The Fantasy of Being Tall

0:06:32 - A Sunbaked Throb (Masanori Osaki of Falcom Sound Team jdk) - Ys SEVEN

0:09:23 - Seize the Artifact For Tallness (Motoi Sakuraba) - Eternal Sonata

Shopping and Slaughter

0:24:18 - Holy Death Strike of Slaughter (ACE) - Code of Princess

0:27:49 - When We Laugh About Forgetting to Buy Something (Kazuki Yanagawa) - Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key

Modern Villains

0:46:45 - It's On Like Necronomicon (Ryan Ike) - Shadows Over Loathing 

0:50:00 - Fish Force (HyperDuck SoundWorks) - Penny Arcade’s On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4

Science Fantasy

1:09:36 - So nah, so fern (comp. Hiroyuki Sawano, vocals Mika Kobayashi) - Xenoblade Chronicles X

1:14:13 - EXEC_CUTYPUMP/. (comp/arr Maiko Iuchi, vocals au) - Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel

1:41:12 - Pat's Bonus Track!

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Part two of our handheld RPG music celebration continues — and concludes — today! Last time, we brought you some of our favorite tracks from Nintendo DS RPGs, and this time we talk about the DS' competition, the Sony PSP. The PSP was a haven for RPGs, especially considering its support of playing PSOne/PSN titles. From a surprise track by Nobuo Uematsu, beautiful vocal tracks, to the second and last Mega Man Legends title, we have a great lineup today. Let us know what some of your favorite PSP music is!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Toneless Feelings
0:03:51 - Tears of Feelings (evbtl08) (comp.&arr. Chikayo Fukuda / vocal Tomoyo Mitani) - .hack//Link
0:07:53 - Toneless (comp. Nobuo Uematsu / arr. Kimio Itoyama / vocal YVONNE) - Anata wo Yurusanai

Snowy Jungle
0:29:01 - ‌Calinca Tundra & Calinca Ruins (vs Reaverbots) (Makoto Tomozawa) - Mega Man Legends 2
0:31:13 - ‌Shibuya - Jungle Navigation (Yuzo Koshiro) - 7th Dragon 2020

Written in the Stars
0:51:02 - Crimson Star {PSP “Growlanser” OP2 (Male Version)} (Noriyasu Agematsu {Elements Garden}) - Growlanser PSP
0:54:59 - Rendezvous of the Stars - Ready to Fly - (English Version) (Chiaki Fujita {Sing Like Talking}, Additional Music by Bill King) - Summon Night 5

Extra Gurumin
1:06:26 - Sight of Silence (Falcom Sound Team jdk) - Gurumin
1:10:05 - Battle (Shinji Hosoe) - Fate/EXTRA
1:35:36 - Gio's Bonus Track!

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It's a handheld celebration! We had so much fun with our Game Boy Advance music episode last fall, we're back for two more handheld episodes, starting with the Nintendo DS! Nintendo's little experimental handheld made waves upon its announcement, and once the dust settled on many gimmicky titles, some great games made their way into our hearts. And as you'll hear today, some great music as well, featuring the likes of Hitoshi Sakimoto, Michiru Yamane, Yasunori Mistuda, and more. Give it a listen and come back for the next one too, where we'll be discussing PSP music!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann, Gio Castillo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

• Michiru Yamane on YouTube
• Yuzo Koshiro on YouTube

Tracklist
Legends in Obscurity
0:06:09 - ‌Amaty, the Ancient City (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Soma Bringer
0:09:39 - Yellow Brick Road (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

A Good Mana Is Hard to Find
0:28:48 - ‌The Guitar's Serenade (Shu Takumi, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban Tokubetsu Hōtei 2008 (Apollo Justice)
0:33:22 - Beyond the Pale Blue Sky (Kenji Ito) - Children of Mana

Darkness and Soul DS
0:51:10 - The Unknown Floor (Arrange Version) (Kenichi Arakawa) - The Dark Spire
0:54:33 - ‌Demon Castle Pinnacle (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

I'm not gonna spend my life being a color.
1:18:07 - Scene - Blue and White [Event: Truth] (Yuzo Koshiro) - Etrian Odyssey
1:20:33 - ‌Anville Town (Go Ichinose) - Pokémon Black & White
1:50:50 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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