The Games We Played on Flash Flash Revolution

I believe the best part of what I'm about to tell you is that it was done in love. Y'see, Rebirth0 decided to take "The Games We Played", my 17-min. piano megamix of classic video game tuneage, and turn it into the uber-ultimatest stepfile on Flash Flash Revolution you've ever experienced.

Listen and DOWNLOAD MP3:

DOWNLOAD SHEET MUSIC PDF transcribed by Jonathan Shen & Andy Tran

I'm usually shy about superlatives, but not today, because in Rebirth0's own words:

Why would I make such a file? I wanted to make a simfile that matched what I felt towards the girl I love. To do that, I would have to make the perfect simfile. With The Games We Played, I think I did so. There is no other simfile that is like this. She gave me the will to start and finish this simfile. It was an intense two months, but I finished it and the results are outstanding! She is the one person that gave me the ability to do this. Sadly, right now we’re having a little trouble with our relationship. I don’t know what will happen right now, if she’ll leave or if she’ll stay. All I can do now is hope for the best.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL! <3

He was nice to email me too, and let me know he did this.

The followup, however, is sad:

Well, tonight I found out the truth. Me and her were on a “break” from each other as of two weeks ago. I found out tonight that it wasn’t just a break, it was a complete break up. This sucks…really bad. I put so much time into perfecting TGWP because of her, and she’s probably gone. It almost makes me feel like I wasted my time.

But…I know I didn’t completely waste my time. I know that even if it was or wasn’t made for her, it’s still one of the best simfiles ever made if not the best. I accomplished one of my ultimate goals in this game: to make one of the best simfiles ever.

@Rebirth0: heartbreak hurts, but what you did… lives on. I wish you all the best with this, and you already know how many peeps already enjoy your handiwork. Critical respect to you for doing this, bringing back my good memories of performing the piece, and thanx to Tasselfoot for highlighting it, 'cuz TGWP — in all 1 2 3 4 5 parts — was featured as Song of the Week.

(I only found this out today, because the FFR site was down for me during the last few days.)

Also…

I've received a lotta lovely questions asking me about sheet music for "The Games We Played". Regrettably, I must inform you none exists which I know of — I played it by ear, and it's not been transcribed yet, to my knowledge. Wish I could help you more. If anyone even does a semi-decent stab at a manuscript, I'll be happy to help distro the works. SEE SHEET MUSIC LINK ABOVE! (Updated on 2008-10-25)

Also, I've had inquiries asking about a complete song listing, which games are performed, etc. This is gonna sound curiously negligent of me, but I didn't have that either. Thankfully, Rebirth0 posted a partial song listing here, and I've edited it idiosyncratically in bold:

0:00-1:06 - Metal Gear Solid

1:06-1:55 - Deus Ex

1:55-2:40 - Kirby's Dream Land

2:40-3:22 - A Boy and His Blob

3:22-3:35 - Super Mario Brothers

3:35-5:10 - The Legend of Zelda

5:10-5:54 - Tetris

5:54-6:10 - Super Metroid

6:10-6:55 - Final Fantasy 4 Main Theme

6:55-7:16 - Final Fantasy Fanfare

7:16-7:51 - Final Fantasy Chocobo Theme

7:51-8:19 - Final Fantasy 6 Boss Theme

8:19-9:18 - Simple and Clean (Kingdom Hearts Theme)

9:18-9:48 - Torley's own made-up bridge I

9:48-10:52 - Bubble Bobble

10:52-11:37 - Zombie Nation (from the C64 game Lazy Jones)

11:37-12:03 - Great Gianna Sisters (also Commodore 64)

12:04-12:24 - Popeye (another C64 classik)

12:24-12:42 - Torley's own made-up bridge II

12:42-13:13 - Dragon Warrior (NES)

13:13-13:40 - Secret of Mana (SNES)

13:40-14:17 - Final Fantasy 4 End Theme

14:17-16:08 - Megaman II Flashman's Theme

16:08-17:11 - Final Fantasy Crystal Theme

Wheu.

You'l prolly wanna see the whole "Song of the Week: The Games We Played, ALL PARTS!" thread, started by FFR Overseer Shashakiro, too. Apparently, it contains hundreds of tempo changes, and makes good use of FFR's "new ability to convert BPM changes into FFR's engine."

At a time where I'm finding solace in classic 8-bit pleasures and pulling chunks out of my childhood then catapulting them into the environs of my current state, this is all-too-comforting. Heck, if I close my eyes, I can see myself, in March 2004, lettin' the melodies flow… nostalgia doesn't do me much good, but I'm more than appreciative that many new gamers are discovering TGWP through FFR!

Once more, with so much feeling, thank you graciously for doing this, Rebirth0!

Tagged as: General, Ideas, The Web