The Music of Breath of the Wild | GMTK Extra

Hi! My name's Mark and this is Downloadable
Comment, which is what I'm calling these spin-off

bonus videos where I get a chance to follow-up
my most recent episode of Game Maker's Toolkit,

and cover the same topic - but from a different
angle.

In this one, I want to talk about the music
in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Because, while it does not have the best soundtrack
in Zelda history, there's still so much to

love about this game's score.

Now, each Zelda game has a very different vibe,
and Nintendo has always reflected this in

the choice of music. Ocarina of Time is heroic.

Wind Waker is optimistic.

And Majora's Mask is foreboding.

So what about Breath of the Wild? Well, Link
has woken up in a ruined kingdom, all his

friends are dead or missing, and he has lost
his memory, to boot. This is a melancholic

game - and the quiet, slow, and subdued piano
music really fits the bill.

Plus, the music often fades out into complete
silence, leaving you with nothing but ambient

sounds and Link's footsteps.

As much as this
game is about going on an adventure - it's

one that is tinged with sadness and regret.
It's a bummer, basically.

While the music is subtle and atmospheric,
it does change dramatically depending on where

you are in Hyrule. There's music for the desert,
the woods, Death Mountain, snowy areas, ruins,

and other places. It's actually kinda rare
for open world games to have scores that fit

the different areas on the map.

Each town also has its own theme, of course,
and they mostly echo previous Zelda games

- though, I'm not sure what's going on with
Kakariko Village.

Goron City, Zora's Domain, and Gerudo City,
though, all reference Ocarina of Time's music,

and the Rito Village references one of my
favourite Zelda songs ever - Dragon Roost

Island from Wind Waker.

I had, a bit of a moment when I first got
here in Breath of the Wild.

Also, the music in these towns changes depending
on the time of day. It's always the same song,

but the tempo and whatnot, shifts down during
the night.

Anyway, these aren't the only Zelda songs
to appear in the game. Lots of classic tunes

are in there, but hidden away - kinda like
how Hyrule has been hidden under the ruins

of Calamity Ganon, wink wink! I just winked
at a microphone.

So you've probably heard the fairy fountain
music and Epona's theme.

But you might have missed the main Zelda theme, which only appears,

like a ghostly echo, if you ride your horse

for a great distance at night.

During the day, Zelda's lullaby plays instead - though, it's very slow.

Also, this music from Death Mountain...

is the same as the music in Dungeon 9 in the
first Zelda game...

And the shrine music, which is just very evocative
and otherworldly...

sounds like the light world dungeon music
from Link to the Past.

Ganon's castle also references classic Zelda
games but is also just an absolute belter.

Super epic. Really gets you in the mood for
taking on that end Boss.

Other, just generally rad music includes the
Korok Woods...

And the ancient laboratory which is just super
weird and good...

The music in Breath of the Wild also helps
you find important things in the overworld.

The music for the stables, the Fang and Bone
shop, and Kass's accordion can all be heard

from a distance, and lead to you areas of
interest.

Plus, the music warns of you impending peril
as it shifts to combat tunes when enemies

spot you, or when you stand on a rock monster's
head, or when you're being targeted by a guardian,

or when the blood moon is about to rise.

My absolute favourite piece of music, though,
is part of the side quest "From the Ground

Up". And if you haven't finished that side
quest yet, go check it out - you need to buy

the house in Hateno Village to unlock it.

Anyway, this quest is all about building and
populating a small village called Tarrey Town.

You'll be asked to gather wood - lots, and
lots of wood - and also find unhappy people

throughout Hyrule, and give them a new life
in Tarrey.

Now, when you first visit the village the
music sounds like this.

Hopeful, but kinda quiet - just like the town. But as you bring

in more and more people, the music starts to evolve.

When you welcome the Goron to Tarrey Town,
the song gains this horn.

When the Gerudo joins the village, you start to hear this
sorta Sitar flourish in the music.

The Rito brings in some wind instruments.

And The Zora addition is quite subtle, but it adds some extra depth to the music.

Each additional instrument or melody comes
from the main towns in the game - from Goron

City to Zora's Domain. And what you get is
this tremendously full-bodied music that represents

this melting pot of different people and races
and cultures all coming together.

And this is such a juxtaposition to the melancholy
music, found elsewhere in Breath of the Wild.

Because this song, and this town, shows hope
that Hyrule can live on, and thrive.

Pretty cool, right?

So, there we have it. Breath of the Wild has
some incredible music, and I think composer

Manaka Kataoka shows real restraint in how
she withholds these banging tunes and famous

bits of music until the perfect moment. Other
times, you're just left with the quiet, atmospheric

echoes of exploring a long-dead kingdom. Lovely
stuff.