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 tracks strike that delicate balance between being memorable enough to engage players and unobtrusive enough to let learning take center stage, ultimately setting the tone for entire gaming experiences while feeling distinctly introductory.
Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.
EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Nascence from Journey [Austin Wintory, 2012]
Training Stage from Super Street Fighter IV [Hideyuki Fukasawa, 2010]
Tombtorial -Tutorial- from Crypt of the NecroDancer [Danny Baranowsky, 2015]
Training from Perfect Dark [Grant Kirkhope, 2000]
Tutorial from Freedom Planet 2 [Leilani Wilson, 2022]
Artisans Home from Spyro Reignited Trilogy [Stewart Copeland, 2018]
Tutorial Theme from New Pokémon Snap [Hiroki Hashimoto, 2021]
Door into Summer from Knuckles Chaotix [Junko Shiratsu & Mariko Nanba, 1995]
Training Menu from Wii Fit U [Takayuki Kobara, Toru Minegishi, Manaka Kataoka, Shiho Fujii & Asuka Hayazaki, 2013]
Explanations from Kirby's Return to Dream Land [Hirokazu Ando & Jun Ishikawa, 2011]
Gateway Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy [Mahito Yokota, 2007]
Tutorial Theme from Code Vein [Go Shiina, 2019]
The Test from Rollerdrome [Electric Dragon, 2022]
Training from Star Fox [Hajime Hirasawa, 1993]

LINKS

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PODCAST NETWORK

Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
Listening Religiously

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