When it comes to classic video game soundtracks, it's hard to beat good old Rareware. Half the reason why so many gamers still hold Rare above other (arguably better) studios is because of just how nostalgic some of these tracks are.
In fact, for many of the studio's games, the music is the glue that holds everything together: sure, Banjo-Kazooie is great, but would it be nearly as fun to play if Grant Kirkhope's score wasn't playing in the background? Probably not.
As it turns out, Microsoft has a special treat in store for Rare fans: in addition to the massive Rare Replay collection that launched earlier today, Microsoft has teamed up with iAm8Bit to release three of the studio's best soundtracks as limited-edition vinyl records. Better yet, fans won't have to wait to get their hands on them: they're are already on sale.
So, which three games are going vinyl? Well, any classic Rare fan will tell you that Perfect Dark, Battletoads and Banjo-Kazooie are home to three of the best soundtracks in gaming history — it only makes sense that they'd be the games to receive the vinyl treatment.
For anyone wondering where David Wise's Donkey Kong Country or Grant Kirkhope's GoldenEye 007 soundtracks are, we've got some bad news. Sadly, such soundtracks are tangled up in legal restrictions: Rare doesn't technically own either franchise, and as a result, they can't reproduce the music without the actual owners' permission. Basically, Nintendo doesn't want Microsoft making money off of Donkey Kong.
Even so, the three soundtracks up for grabs are still outstanding: each soundtrack complements their respective games perfectly. It's safe to say that these are Rare's greatest composers at their best: even if you weren't around when Jiggies or laptop guns were household names, you'll still find plenty to love throughout this collection.
However, there is one major caveat: only 3,000 copies of each individual record will be available. This isn't one of those, "it'll be in stock again after a few weeks" situations, either: once these records are gone, they're gone for good. Considering how quickly The Last of Us' soundtrack sold out when it hit vinyl, these records won't be around for long.
So, what are you waiting for? The three soundtracks are available on iAm8Bit's official store right now.
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