I might get shanked for saying it, but I feel certain videogame composers are just as talented as their film counterparts.

No one will argue that music can make a film. I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked out of a theater and stopped thinking about the movie immediately, only to find myself humming part of the score on the drive home.

A movie’s theme can become as iconic as the film itself. Themes for flicks like “The Godfather,” “Star Wars” and “Psycho” are instantly recognizable to even the most novice of film-buffs.

Videogames can act in exactly the same manner. Even those who aren’t fanatics can most likely hum a few lines of the iconic “Mario” theme. And although music for the original Nintendo consisted of only the most basic of noises, composers were creative enough to work around that limitation and create great pieces of music.

Besides music, videogame sound effects have even become iconic. Most gamers can recognize the few notes that play when you open a treasure chest in “Zelda,” jump in “Mario,” or score a touchdown in “Tecmo Super Bowl.”

By the time videogames progressed into the new millennium, hardware was powerful enough to render music that was almost indiscernible from any real-life instrument.

I might get shanked for saying it, but I feel certain videogame composers are just as talented as their film counterparts. Yes, that includes film-score legends like John Williams, Bernard Herman and Danny Elfman.

The most prolific composer of videogame music is Nobuo Uematsu, the mind behind the classic songs in the “Final Fantasy” series as well as numerous other games. What started off as very basic tunes on the NES has evolved into fully orchestrated scores that evoke the entire gamut of emotions.

Outside of scores, videogames have also become a way for bands to promote their new songs. Nearly every sports or racing game includes a soundtrack that consists of songs by the newest artist of the month. Other games, such as “Jet Set Radio,” contain amazing songs by extremely obscure bands. This allows gamers to broaden their musical horizons in the same way they did with movies like “Easy Rider” and “Garden State.”

Music has become so prominent in games it has even created its own genre. Games like “Guitar Hero,” “Samba de Amigo” and the upcoming “Rock Band” all revolve around the playing of one or more instruments (yes, I count my voice as an instrument on par with an oboe or a tambourine).

The future of music in games will most likely expand upon evolutions that have been occurring over the past decade. As production values go up, so will scores, further blurring the line between videogame music and film music. In addition, artists will continue to rely on the medium as a way of promoting their newest singles. Also, the continued success of music-based games will only further expand the market for that genre.

What started as simplistic noises has evolved into something with a depth and beauty rivaling anything film has to offer.

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