what people are saying…

“The most compelling aspects of Schartmann's book involve the widening circumference of Kondo's imagination…It's Schartmann's sense of conviction, the hyperbole that occasionally frames his dive into composition and structure, that gives the book its charm”

— The New Yorker

“The book has plenty of content to amuse those with any level of interest in retro video games, video game development or modern composition in any form, and even open-minded 33 1/3 completionists will find Schartmann’s subject refreshingly different and his approach surprisingly in-depth.”

— Spectrum Culture

“There's something ballsy about including a videogame soundtrack in the 33 1/3 series since it's not a traditional album per se, though Andrew Schartmann makes a compelling case for Koji Kondo's score for Super Mario Bros.”

— Ruby Hornet

“Schartmann’s study of Kondo’s score is a brilliant deconstruction and analysis…”

— Nintendojo

“Schartmann gives readers not only a history lesson of video game music and Kondo’s role in elevating it to the respected medium it is today, but also a masterful dissertation on the music theory and philosophy required of the composer to create the themes some of us have been humming to ourselves for 25 years.”

— Consequence of Sound

“[Schartmann’s book] takes itself seriously, as it should, and soundly proves the case that video game composition is worthy of discussion among keepers of music as a craft. If you have an appreciation for game music, this is worth buying. Even if you don't get a few parts, they're only likely to make you admire the work and design that go into composing all the more.”

— Nintendo Life

“As Schartmann demonstrates, Kondo's work on this seminal game – and the legacy of industry influence that followed – is much more than the primitive bleeps and bloops we all remember.”

— Critics at Large

“Schartmann is convincing on Kondo's genius ... It's hard not to appreciate his high aim. If anyone still doubts a video game can be art, perhaps their definition of art is at fault”

— The Wire

“Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack gave me a greater appreciation of something that appears to be so simple on the surface.”

— Pure Geekery