Legendary Nintendo composer and sound director Koji Kondo will be inducted into the DICE Hall of Fame during the 27th Annual DICE Awards ceremony next month.
The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) revealed the news today, announcing that Kondo will receive the honor based on his storied work in sound for gaming. The 62-year-old music maker’s work in the industry dates back to the ‘80s, with many feeling that Nintendo games wouldn’t set the high bar that they do without his work. The most notable titles include the original Super Mario Bros., the original The Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and much, much more.
It’s an impressive list that includes some of the most important games of all time. Kondo shared a statement regarding his induction:
“I am deeply thankful for being selected by D.I.C.E. for this important award. It is a true honor to be recognized in this way, and I am extremely humbled,” he said. “Thanks to the help from the many people surrounding me and the support from our customers and fans, I was fortunate enough to be involved in game music development for decades. I am grateful for everyone who helped and supported me. I will continue my efforts in the music and sound aspects of development to hopefully make everyone’s game experience even more enjoyable in the years to come.”
The AIAS describes its Hall of Fame honor as a title delivered to “game creators who have been instrumental in the development of highly influential games and moving a particular genre forward.” It adds that these developers represent the industry’s most creative and innovative, with past inductees including Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon in 2021, Metal Gear Solid mastermind Hideo Kojima in 2016, and Psychonauts and The Curse of Monkey Island lead Tim Schafer in 2022. The full list of those honored can be found here.
We interviewed Schafer about his impact on the industry and his induction last year. To watch Kondo’s induction, you can be sure to keep an eye out for IGN’s stream of the event come February 15 at 8:00 p.m. PT.
“Koji Kondo’s musical work is timeless and impactful, spanning multiple generations of fans across the world,” AIAS president Meggan Scavio said. “For over 39 years, he has delighted all of us in the industry with sounds and songs that are recognized by so many fans and became a pop culture phenomenon. We are honored to be able to induct Kondo-san into the Hall of Fame.”
DICE has already announced the nominees for the award portion of this year’s show. They include lots of love for games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, and COCOON.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
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