From the orchestral magnificence that is Nobuo Uematsu’s Final Fantasy themes to the whacky Portal tunes from GLaDoS, music plays a large role in the realm of video games.
Fans migrate towards mimicking that which inspires them — and now, thanks to the internet, performers with amazing talents are able to share their video game covers with the rest of us. Listed below are a few of the greats — give them a listen! If you like what you hear, don’t forget to visit their channels and subscribe.
1. 331Erock
From Halo to Final Fantasy, 331Erock takes the songs we’ve come to know and love and gives them a metal makeover. He doesn’t just stick to video game music, either — anime, television, movies, you name it! (No, really. He likes getting requests from his listeners.) Software handles the accompaniment while Erock shreds on guitar.
2. FamilyJules7X
On the topic of guitars, next up is FamilyJules7X with a mix of electric and acoustic renditions from several games. FamilyJules7X does covers, single-game medleys, and multi-game medleys. He even holds votes in the comments to make medleys from viewers’ favorite themes, such as the battle themes in the video below.
3. Lindsey Stirling
Lindsey Stirling‘s violin is taking the world by storm, but did you know that she has done several covers for video game music? Dragon Age, Legend of Zelda, Halo…the list goes on. One of the draws to Lindsey is how much fun she has in her videos; full costumes, great scenery and/or effects, and dancing.
4. Peter Hollens
Not all performers use instruments — some can make magic with their voice alone. Almost all of Peter Hollens‘ covers are made up of layer upon layer of vocal tracks. His voice makes up both instrumental parts and lyrics. Most of his video game covers are collaborations, including the below World of Warcraft medley featuring his wife, Evynne Hollens, and his cover of Portal 2‘s ending theme.
5. Smooth McGroove
Also in the realm of acapella, we have Smooth McGroove‘s covers. Smooth covers a lot of classics in addition to more current themes. Various themes from franchise games like Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario make up a portion of his repertoire, but he has also covered songs from games like Undertale and Tetris.
This man’s range is incredible, and I can’t help being a little partial to his constant guest star. Don’t know who I’m referring to? Look at my username again, then check out his videos. (Hint: upper left square in the video below.)
6. Collaborations
What’s better than one amazing star sharing their talent with the world? Two or more getting together, of course! For instance, Peter Hollens and Lindsey Stirling have done several videos together, including their amazing Skyrim collaboration.
I had to be choosy picking which videos to share on this post, but each performer has several that you should check out if you enjoyed these samples.
Have a performer you enjoy? Heard a cover or medley that you just have to share? Give us a holler in the comments below!
