There’s a common argument that the SNES had superior audio hardware to its rival, the Genesis / Mega Drive, and, on paper at least, that’s hard to contest.
Nintendo’s Sony-made sound chip is capable of some amazing music and sound, while the Genesis’ Yamaha YM2612 is based more around an ’80s-style FM sound. Both are great, and both have their strengths and weaknesses – but the usual narrative is that Sega’s console was second-best in this regard.
Famed modder and homebrew coder @GabrielPyron has just put forward a strong counterargument to this on social media, citing @VTRCHIPMUSIC‘s incredible YM2612 interpretation of the classic Super Castlevania IV track, Simon’s Theme.
“What I think is cool about the Mega Drive community these days is that we constantly show how capable the console is, and YM2612 was amazing,” says GabrielPyron. “The only way it could sound bad is in the hands of incompetent artists. Simon’s theme from SuperCV4 by VTRCHIPMUSIC broke another myth.”
This track – along with others from VTRCHIPMUSIC – will be included in the upcoming (unofficial) port of the game to the Genesis, entitled Mega Castlevania IV. You can hear more of the music below.
Go on.... treat yourself to a new game.
