game sound – Simon Hutchinson

Super Mario Bros vs Mario 3: Koji Kondo’s Underground Theme

by Simon 10 March 2026No Comments

Comparing the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 versions of Koji Kondo’s “Underground Theme,” focusing on how each uses the NES/Famicom soundchip.

Both themes use the NES’s five‑channel audio architecture, but the Super Mario Bros. 3 version introduces several major changes. Most obviously, SMB3 adds a new drum groove using lo‑fi DPCM samples and noise‑channel hi‑hats, but, also significantly, we look at how the two games use the pulse channels differently, shaping the timbre and overall character of each version of the theme.

These choices highlight not only Koji Kondo’s evolving creativity, but also composers were able to leverage the NES soundchip differently over the life of the system.

Whether you’re interested in game music, NES chiptune sound design, or how classic game composers created so much with so little, I hope this provides some background into how the “Underground Theme” remains one of the most iconic tracks in video game history.

Introduction to Immersive Audio in Games (Spatialization & Unity3D Audio Sources)

by Simon 12 March 2025No Comments

Explaining the fundamentals of spatial audio in games and its relationship to immersion.

In this video, I share some basic ideas about real-time audio spatialization in videogames, focusing on creating immersive environments. This is a wide-ranging discussion defining “immersion”, outlining audio techniques for spatialization, and then showing how you can make them interactive in real time using Unity3D audio. I cover concepts such as front-back spatialization, parametric support, and how interactive environments enhance immersion.

Check out more videos on game audio here:

PlayStation 5, Tempest 3D AudioTech, and HRTF (Sony PS5 Immersive Audio)

by Simon 23 November 2020No Comments

The new PS5 audio engine, Tempest 3D AudioTech, creates 3-dimensional sound on any headset by using HRTFs, head-related transfer functions. So what are HRTFs? How does this work? Will it work for everyone? What does this mean for surround-sound setups? What are the five “Types” in the 3D Audio Profile Settings?

This video is a quick overview of what Tempest 3D AudioTech is reportedly doing now at launch (November 2020), and what possibilities and questions there will be in the future.