Sound Origins
This term describes the first storage method for game sounds, using tapes or records rather than digital memory.
What is analog?
The console released in 1972 often called the start of home video games is the _____.
What is the Magnavox Odyssey?
The NES provided this many separate audio channels to composers.
What is five?
A rhythm game released in 2005 that used a guitar-shaped controller to match notes on-screen is called _____.
What is Guitar Hero?
The 2003 sports game soundtrack that went platinum and sold over 1.3 million copies was which game's soundtrack?
What is NBA Live 2003?
Early game "beeps" were typically produced as simple single-tone sounds created by this type of audio output on chips.
What is a square wave?
The 1978 arcade game that introduced a continuous looping background soundtrack with descending bass notes was _____.
What is Space Invaders?
The SNES audio subsystem was co‑designed by this electronics giant and supported sampled audio and DSP effects.
What is Sony?
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, players used this instrument with five notes to solve puzzles and progress.
What is the ocarina?
This franchise used in-game radio stations with different genres to play while driving, starting a new approach to licensed music in games
What is Grand Theft Auto?
The 1958 game, often credited as an early influence on Pong, played on an oscilloscope, is called this.
What is Tennis for Two?
The 1983 industry event that caused a major drop in sales and nearly ended home gaming in North America is known as the _____.
What is the Video Game Crash of 1983?
The Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) offered stereo and more tone channels than the NES and included one channel for this type of audio.
What is PCM Sample?
Name the LucasArts sound system introduced with Monkey Island 2 that synchronizes music transitions with on-screen action.
What is iMUSE?
Baba Yetu" is a Grammy-winning song from which strategy game?
What is Civilization IV?
Name the 1971 arcade game by Syzygy (later Atari) that used simple white-noise for engine sound.
What is Computer Space?
This 1975 arcade game is one of the first to use digital/“chiptune” sound in arcade cabinets.
What is Gun Fight?
This 2020 PlayStation audio innovation (engine) emphasizes 3D audio placement for immersive sound.
What is the Tempest Engine?
This 1999 game allowed players to load their own music CDs, generating levels based on the music chosen.
What is Vib-Ribbon?
One of the first mainstream consoles to allow full CD-quality audio (16-bit, 44.1 kHz) and speech via CD-ROM marked which generation?
What is the Fifth Generation?
This term describes music made using programmable sound generators and simple waveforms, common in early consoles and still used today as a stylistic choice.
What is a Chiptune?
The handheld bundled with Tetris and allowing selectable background music became iconic; name this device.
What is the Game Boy?
The Dreamcast and later consoles expanded online play and audio; the Dreamcast was notable for including this network feature built into the console.
What is a built-in modem?
Give one clear example (one sentence) of how music directly changed gameplay in either Guitar Hero or Ocarina of Time.
Example: In Guitar Hero, hitting notes in time with the music determines player score and success, making the music integral to gameplay.
Name two audio features introduced or popularized on the Xbox Series X or PS5 that show the move toward immersive modern audio (give two).
Examples: Dolby Atmos / 3D audio and support for higher channel counts like 7.1 surround or Project Acoustics.