Of my favorite things when I was younger, the Gameboy definitely stands out as one of the things that drew me to love music.
I mean, they had to write songs that loop continuously. and you had to make it good, or else the player gets irritated.
One of the things I've noticed in most games these days, the quality of soundtracks rivals that of film, and have amazing composers, but yet it has no lasting value.
I mean, they have every bit of musical capability to entice the player into enjoyment, but it really has no impact for the most part. While amazing and talented, none come even remotely close to the gameboy.
In particular, the Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening stands out in my mind as having some of my favorite music, period.
Every scene on this tiny, pixelated, green, and nearly impossible to play unless in direct sunlight, liquid crystal display had enticing scores following each scene after scene. Even if the song was only heard once in the entire game, it usually still stood out in my mind, and I remember it.
So good, that I'd even start the game and play the first 15 minutes leading up to getting the sword, then listen to that track for a while with headphones. That was my first personal music player.
Before we had CD players or tape decks, I'm pretty sure videogames were what taught a lot of children to appreciate music.
To make music, within the confines of completely digital medium, and to do it well, is a great feat that not many famous musicians can even tout.
Even when I was travelling across the country, homeless and broke, I still had an old brick gameboy in my pack and two games, Warioland and Zelda.
and spare batteries.
Check out track 29 of Links Awakening, if your a music loving nerd and you so happen to find this page on the open sea of the internet.
Use the Meridian Gameboy Sound Plugin for winamp here;
http://www.zophar.net/download_file/13060
and the GBS file for links awakening;
http://www.zophar.net/download_file/15485