Rio Embraces a New Type of Samba Beat with Video Game Live Concert

This immersive experience, which took place on the 5th November this year, was the third and final time the concert was performed in Brazil during this tour, bringing the soundtracks from several nostalgic and more modern video games to the city of Rio, giving a demographic that might not usually be keen on the idea of listening to a symphony orchestra (performing alongside a light show and live action segments) the chance to take part in this sort of event, which has now been running since 2005.

Fighting Bowser: An Iconic Playlist

Of course, the concert included some of the most iconic music that has ever been created, and therefore it is no surprise that the music from Super Mario (and many other classic games) was included. That said, when you think of computer games and the world of gaming, music might not be the very first thing that you think of next to the graphics, iconic gameplay, and standout characters who have dominated for generations, including Mario, Sonic, Zelda, and even Tomb Raider, all of whom made their way onto the list for inclusion in the concert.

However, with all of these games included, the concert brought a great deal of nostalgia to gamers of a certain generation, with the sounds of the opening credits to Super Mario World sure to bring back memories of hours of precious time wasted trying to defeat the dreaded Bowser on the SNES! This nostalgia is brought back so instantly to gamers thanks to one thing: the music. Of course, Super Mario, and this particular version of the Mario franchise is truly iconic; its legacy is still having an impact upon modern gaming nearly 30 years on from its initial release in 1990, and the wider Super Mario world is still looming large over other attempts at platform gaming and gaming in general.

How Have Games Influenced Music?

Much like some visitors might not associate Rio De Janeiro with a place where you can hire a car, other ways of playing games aren't always associated with iconic music. Indeed, while names like Playtech, Revolver Gaming and Microgaming might not be household names outside the gaming circle, the impact that they have had in making iconic games has helped to ensure that certain games, both online and offline, continue to be linked to popular music. In fact, theme music used in games helps to provide more than just background music for gamers. The world of gambling, for instance, has long been associated as inspiring the creation of iconic music, with songs like Ace of Spades and more modern classics like Poker Face from Lady Gaga all showing the inspiration card games have given music. Studies have also proved that while we concentrate on the video aspect of popular games there is the nostalgia factor according to Betway that has resonated with branding and psychology, particularly with the online slots industry. Anyone who has had the chance to play games like Sega's Sonic The Hedgehog will be all too aware of the dreaded change of music when time starts to run out! There is also music directly influenced by video games in recent years, with rapper MC Frontalot perhaps being the best-known example.
 

The Hell March: The Soundtrack to Excitement

In fact, for some games, the excitement of the action is fueled hugely by the way the background music reacts to the tempo of the game, or in some cases the music the gamer chooses. Indeed, the Hell March from Command & Conquer Red Alert is an iconic bit of music for fans of the PC game and helped it generate over $2.85million worth of sales. The music here was a major reason for this series becoming so popular and enjoying so much success, and it was no shock to see it included in the recent Video Games Live concert.

Perhaps, though, one of the very different approaches to the world of gaming and music came in the form of the more recent Grand Theft Auto games. Indeed, only GTA V has any original music in it. Instead, Rockstar used music from a range of different performers to allow gamers to enjoy different virtual radio stations during the game. This ability to change the music as you were driving your car helped gamers to find the perfect tune that fit with how they played the game and likely helped to increase the popularity of a game series that has made Rockstar an incredible amount of money, with GTA V alone having sold more than 75 million copies per IGN.

Rio Now Dancing to a Gaming Beat

The biggest statement that the Video Games Live concert makes is that Rio is now very much an epicenter of the gaming world. The concert has seriously reinforced the fact that the world of gaming and Rio go hand in hand. A new gaming tournament hosted its first eGames in Rio, showing that eSports are likely to be big here and that Rio is moving into the modern age of attractions; it’s not all about doing taking a tour of Sugar Loaf Mountain or enjoying Copacabana beach while enjoying the life of luxury at the Belmond Copacabana Palace!

With this in mind, the Video Games Live concerts could well turn out to be a watershed moment for Rio as they look to fully embrace the world of gaming and help to encourage more diverse tourism to a city that already has global appeal. If Rio can do this, it will not only have to rely upon its history to propel itself into the future.