Fans of Nintendo were taken by surprise recently with the company’s announcement of Nintendo Music, a streaming app tailored specifically for Android and iOS users. This reveal follows closely on the heels of the Nintendo Alarmo, a Nintendo-inspired alarm clock, marking yet another unexpected turn from Nintendo. Meanwhile, speculation about the Switch 2, fueled by leaked hardware specs and possible release dates over the past months, remains unaddressed by the company.
When you first open the app, you’ll likely be reminded of the interface seen in popular music players like Spotify. This isn’t by accident, as the app carries over many familiar functions, such as playlists curated by Nintendo itself. They’ve even thrown in some unique features—namely, spoiler filters for selected game tracks and the ability to seamlessly extend certain songs for up to an hour, rather than simply looping them.
So, what does this mean for you? It’s likely that many of you are already intrigued by the app, perhaps even downloading it on your Android or iOS device as we speak. As long as you’re part of the Nintendo Switch Online membership program, even just a trial version, you can dive right into using Nintendo Music and explore all it has to offer.
However, let’s address the glaring questions people have.
Firstly, Nintendo’s decision to introduce a standalone music app is intriguing, especially when most other developers and publishers choose to host their original soundtracks (OSTs) on platforms like Spotify. This makes it challenging for users who prefer to keep all their music centralized in one app. It’s great to have official Nintendo soundtracks, sure, but the need for a separate app and membership fee exclusively for Nintendo tunes could be a hassle for those who enjoy diverse music collections or social features integrated into mainstream music apps.
For years, dedicated Nintendo fans have painstakingly uploaded Nintendo OSTs on YouTube and elsewhere, effectively doing what Nintendo is only now venturing into. Even so, composer and artist credits are conspicuously absent on the app, with only game titles provided. This lack of detail is puzzling, especially considering user uploads often include this valuable information.
With the advent of Nintendo Music, prior fan-uploaded OSTs facing copyright strikes from Nintendo might make a tad more sense. Yet, this move undermines some essential aspects of game preservation. Oddly enough, Nintendo should find it easier than anyone else to provide complete track information.
At the moment, the most surprising discovery is the limited selection of soundtracks available. Although the app covers soundtracks from all Nintendo consoles, only 23 soundtracks are present, leaving numerous iconic tunes unrepresented. Even the trailer hints at the presence of tracks like the Super Mario 64 OST, though it is missing from the current lineup.
Given the wealth of legendary games and soundtracks in Nintendo’s extensive catalogue, and the decades taken to introduce such a service, fans have every right to hope for a more substantial library from the start.
And so we wonder, when will the soundtrack from Legend of the Seven Stars be available? Only time will tell.
