Summary
The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) has announced that legendaryNintendocomposer Koji Kondo will be inducted into the 27th Annual D.I.C.E Awards Hall of Fame on February 15. Kondo rose to icon status with his music production forThe Legend of ZeldaandSuper Mario Bros.franchises and will receive a major honor for his beloved work.
Koji Kondo joinedNintendoin 1984 and was the first dedicated music composer for the company’s video games. While he may be best known for his work on theSuper Mario Bros.level themes and the title song forThe Legend of Zelda, his first credit came with the original arcade cabinet version ofPunch Out!!!Kondo continues to work on music for Nintendo to this day, and his induction into the D.I.C.E Awards Hall of Fame will see him join a number of familiar faces.
First revealed by the AIAS, Koji Kondo will be inducted into the 27th Annual D.I.C.E Awards during a live ceremony on Thursday, February 15. The D.I.C.E Awards are a yearly celebration that recognizes various achievements in the video game industry. Many consider the D.I.C.E Awards to be the video game equivalent of the film industry’s Academy Awards, making an induction into the ceremony’s Hall of Fame a distinguished honor. Koji Kondo will be joining the likes of Hideo Kojima, Todd Howard, and fellow Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto. The highly recognizableSuper Mario Bros.Ground Themewas the first video game song to be added to the United States Library of Congress last year, highlighting the significance of Koji Kondo’s work. This song and his other great creations contributed to his Hall of Fame induction, which many fans are considering an overdue payoff for his beloved work.
Video Game Music Continues to Receive New Recognition
Koji Kondo’s upcoming induction will mark the first ever inclusion of a video game music composer into the D.I.C.E Awards Hall of Fame. This follows a growing trend of rising recognition for video game music (VGM) in various circles. Just last year, theGrammy Awards created a brand-new VGM categoryfor Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media. The move marked the first time in Hollywood awards show history that VGM was formally recognized by a major ceremony. Kondo’s scheduled Hall of Fame induction marks another major step forward for VGM soundtracks and composers. With a massive library of iconic Nintendo music on his discography, it should come as no surprise that Koji Kondo is receiving a major honor for his legendary songs.
Video games continue to grow in popularity, and music can play a major role in the success of a game. As more ceremonies elect to give honors to VGM creators and soundtracks, fans continue to show support for the various team members behind their favorite games. With theSuper Mario Bros.franchiseandThe Legend of Zeldaseries continuing to receive praise, Koji Kondo remains a core contributor to the popularity ofNintendoclassics and video game music as a whole.
Nintendo
Nintendo is a Japanese video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. While producing highly popular hardware consoles like the Switch, the company is known for its many first party video game franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem, Pokemon, and many more.
