The Nintendo Music App Thread

[Swamp Sensei]

Here is a spot to discuss the Nintendo Music App. This app was released on October 30th, 2024. It lets you legally stream music from Nintendo titles. They are updating the titles being added frequently.

Here are all of the titles currently on the app. This list will be updated as more tracks are added. This list will be divided by console and will include the initial release date given by the app.

Spoiler: Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Bros. Wonder - 2023
Pikmin 4 - 2023
Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet - 2022
Splatoon 3 - 2022
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 2020
Kirby Star Allies - 2018
Super Mario Odyssey - 2017
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 2017
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 2017

Spoiler: Nintendo Wii

Super Mario Galaxy - 2007
Wii Sports - 2006
Wii Channels - 2006

Spoiler: Nintendo DS

Tomodachi Collection - 2009
nintendogs - 2005

Spoiler: Gamecube

Metroid Prime - 2003

Spoiler: Game Boy Advance

Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade - 2003

Spoiler: Nintendo 64

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - 1998
F-Zero X - 1998
Star Fox 64 - 1997

Spoiler: Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - 1995
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - 1995
Donkey Kong Country - 1994

Spoiler: Nintendo Game Boy

Kirby's Dream Land - 1992
Dr. Mario - 1990

Spoiler: Nintendo Entertainment System

Metroid - 1987
Metroid (Famicom Disk System) - 1986
Super Mario Bros. - 1985

Here is a list of soundtracks that are confirmed to be coming to the app at a later date.

Spoiler: Confirmed Soundtracks

Splatoon 2 - 2017
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 2011
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - 2003
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble - 1996
Super Mario 64 - 1996
Super Mario World - 1991

Feel free to use this thread as a way to track song additions, to talk about what soundtracks you hope they add next, or even vent. Not all the discussion has to be positive as there are flaws with this app, even if I find myself fascinated by it.

I'll write a review of this app soon, but feel free to say anything you want about it here.

 

[Mushroomguy12]

One soundtrack that I really want in the game but I think they would have trouble getting is Super Mario RPG, just because of the shared rights with Square. I wonder how they would work that out when it comes to games they don't fully own.

 

[chocolatejr9]

I hope they're at least willing to include some of their less-successful titles like Ever Oasis or Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. someday, but given how many big name titles are still missing I won't get my hopes up.

 

[fogbadge]

can't wait for MM and SS

hope we get chibi-robo and another code

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Alright. Here's my current review of the app. I'll try to break it down into positives, negatives, hopes for the future, and fears for the future.

Positives:

• The quality of these soundtracks is actually really high. The music just sounds much clearer than the YouTube videos I usually use. I'm hearing some instruments and rhythms I don't normally hear, and I think that's nothing but a good thing. Heck, some of these tracks from older consoles sound better than the actual hardware that originally played them. It makes soundtracks like Star Fox 64 sound... a little grating. But that's not really the fault of the app, that's just how Star Fox 64's soundtrack was designed.
• The standard features like making playlists, and shuffling and repeating songs are all there. It all works as expected. The extended feature is a cool touch. You can actually just let a track play on loop for up to an hour. You can't do this with tracks like jingles or cutscenes and that makes sense. Some of these tracks don't naturally loop. They weren't designed to, and it that regard, it wouldn't any different from just hitting the repeat button. But... I'll address something else later.
• The pictures add a lot. Like, its such a simple thing, but it adds to that Nintendo charm. Not only does it help identify where the track plays (in case it wasn't obvious), but its just a nice trip through memory lame. Some of the pictures are unintentionally hilarious, but I wouldn't change them at all. Poor Nils from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade has a picture where he's just screaming out in agony. And the sound test exclusive tracks have pictures of... the sound test mode. Regardless, these are cool. It's such a small thing adds so much.
• Most of the soundtracks are complete, including things like jingles and even DLC. Breath of the Wild, Kirby Star Allies, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet all seem to have their DLC tracks. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade includes bonus tracks from their sound test mode and the physical CD from back in the day. They even added both soundtracks for the original Metroid. If a track has multiple versions, they are either merged together into one track or are listed separately. For the most part, they were very thorough, which makes one later point very confusing.
• The character playlists are charming and are cool ways to introduce yourself to new tracks. Some of the character choices are a little confusing though. There's no Mario or Donkey Kong, but you have characters like the Great Deku Tree getting playlists. Hilariously, Sheik has a playlist that lasts a total of two minutes. It's only her theme and the six songs she teaches you. It's hilariously small and unless they add Hyrule Warriors to the list, I don't see it expanding any time soon, lol.
• The ability to filter out spoiler is really cool. I haven't used it because well... I haven't need to. But its cool that its there for other people.
• You can actually download tracks directly. Considering how protective Nintendo is of their IP, I'm shocked they even allowed this as an option. This means we may get some super clean rips of tracks we never had before. I'm willing to be some people have downloaded everything just to ensure there are clean digital copies somewhere online.
• The selection of titles chosen is... surprisingly diverse. Usually when Nintendo does something like this, you get your EAD franchises like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and Splatoon and that's usually it. But with this app, they've already shown willingness to work with other companies to bring more soundtracks. HAL is allowing Kirby to be used. Intelligent Systems is allowing Fire Emblem to be used. And perhaps most surprisingly of all, Game Freak and the Pokémon Company are allowing Pokémon to be used. I'm pleasantly surprised. Can we expect other franchises like Monolith Soft's Xenoblade to be included? Perhaps some of their smaller titles that were made with help from other companies like Chibi-Robo or Golden Sun? Time will only tell.
• Nintendo is cheating, in a good way. Some of these soundtrack choices seem like intentional choices to included multiple soundtracks at once. Kirby Star Allies and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have tracks from all across their franchise histories. I wouldn't be too shocked to see more games like this chosen.

Negatives:

• This is the biggest one. NONE OF THE COMPOSERS ARE GIVEN CREDIT! This is absolutely unacceptable. The composers should at least be listed under track information. I know this isn't new or surprising. Nintendo has some weird copyright system where any direct reference to a past game is just said to be owned by Nintendo (and any other relevant company). This hit mainstream news when they didn't give credit for the DK Rap in the Mario movie. I'll still call it out because its honestly horrible. The fact that Nintendo is willing to credit fictional Splatoon artists before their actual composers is insulting.
• Not every game has its complete soundtrack. I originally thought only Splatoon 3 was missing its DLC music. I thought perhaps they'd add it as its own separate game as that DLC is big enough to be advertised as its own game. But then I learned Animal Crossing: New Horizons doesn't have its DLC music either. What gives? Considering how the other games had their entire soundtracks I have to assume this is deliberate. And that makes no sense to me.
• The ability to extend tracks is also inconsistent. For example, I can't extend ANY Pokémon Scarlet or Violet tracks. No battle tracks. No town tracks. Nothing. Trying to give as much credit as possible, I thought maybe the battle tracks can't loop because there's a flourish at the beginning (It's bull****, but I couldn't think of any other reason). But I can't think of ANY reason for the town tracks to not loop. I can only assume this is either an oversight, or some meddling from The Pokémon Company.
• The selection is pretty small right now. I don't think this will be a forever problem. I use to think the same of the NSO games, and honestly I can't say that anymore. There's a lot of games you can play though the NSO service right now. I do have faith this complaint is only going to be temporary. The console representation is a bit skewed. This has mostly Switch games and I get it. It's another way to advertise Switch games, but c'mon man. Give the Wii U and the 3DS something.
• The requirement to have an NSO subscription is... something. It doesn't affect me, because I'm already paying for the service, but I wish they had another option for others who want to try it but don't want to pay for the service. I guess they're trying to add value to the NSO service. That's a good thing. The service certainly needs more value. I'm not sure this is the way to do it.

Thoughts on the Future of the App:

• Overall, I think this app has the potential to be awesome! The sparse amount of tracks seems to be only a temporary thing. I was pleasantly surprised to see them release Super Mario Bros. Wonder only one day after the apps launch, with a promise of at least one other track the following week. The success of this app hinges on how often they add new soundtracks. This app COULD be a good value in the future. But it isn't there quite yet. One soundtrack a week... could work. It's not ideal, but if its consistent, it could work.
• I'm expecting some, but not too many obscure games being added. We'll get the occasional oddball, cult classic or spin off game. But I don't see every track from a franchise being added unless your franchise is like... five games. I think the virtual console libraries and the NSO libraries may provide a good way to gauge which games are considered important. Like I think we'll be getting Pokémon Snap or the Pokémon Trading Card Game OSTs before say... Pokémon XD or Pokémon Trozei.
• I fear specifically for Xenoblade. You can actually stream Xenoblade music from other websites. I'd love for Xenoblade music to be included with the app, but the fact that its already available somewhere else concerns me. This extends to any other soundtrack you can find elsewhere.
• I don't expect composers to get the credit they deserve. This just seems to be the way Nintendo handles its own copyrighted material. This really sucks, because playlists centered around certain composers seems like the easiest thing in existence. It's an obvious move, which is why I don't expect Nintendo to do it.
• The naming of the app, Nintendo Music, makes me think this is something they intend to use for a very long time. They didn't tie this to any console, even if its being bundled with NSO. We could easily see Switch 2 games added to the app to promote the new console.
• I wonder how long this app took to develop. Nintendo has been slowly stepping away from mobile titles and apps, even if they still support some like Fire Emblem Heroes and all the Pokemon titles. They did jack all with the NSO app. Is this a sign Nintendo intends to try for the mobile sphere again, or is this going to be a halfhearted attempt? Time will tell.
• I know the fact that this is its own dedicated app (that you have to pay for) and isn't just Nintendo music being on Spotify or YouTube is really annoying to some people and I get it. Making a dedicated app for this seems unnecessary in this day and age. But since the app is here, I'm going to treat it as what its trying to be. A dedicated app for streaming Nintendo music.

Verdict:

The app is a really cool novelty. There's a lot of charm in it and it offers a lot of great features. But there are some major problems that need addressing. It's not worth buying a NSO subscription just for the app, but I don't think you needed me to tell you that. I'm pretty sure this is meant to be a cool bonus for NSO members and yeah it certainly is. I've found myself using it a lot over the last few days. That could easily be because this is a new toy and interest may fade away. If Nintendo consistently updates the app with new tracks though, maybe I'll keep using it. I don't think it'll replace YouTube as my preferred music app, even for Nintendo music, but with time, this could become pretty cool.

Tldr: It's neat. Make it better. please. Add lots more music. Credit your composers.

 

[NintenRob]

Biggie I want is Majora's Mask. I'm sure it'll be added eventually but I'm worried it'll be ages before we see that.

Also, I know getting the Ultimate soundtrack would be borderline impossible but I think Melee might be doable and would be such a cool get with a lot of variety

 

[SneakyLink]

Donkey Kong Country 2 is now on the app

 

[Mushroomguy12]

I wonder if they would ever put stuff from their official live concerts in the app. For example stuff like the Zelda concert they had at Nintendo Live Tokyo. I believe they've had concerts for Mario, Splatoon, and Kirby too. Listening to the original game music is nice, but I do enjoy remixes as well.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Interestingly, we got DKC2 icons for NSO profiles today too.

Do you think they'll link these in the future?

Regardless, the OP has been updated.

 

[SneakyLink]

Interestingly, we got DKC2 icons for NSO profiles today too.

Do you think they'll link these in the future?

Regardless, the OP has been updated.

For now, we'll have to wait and see. Maybe next month they can do Donkey Kong Country 3 icons while adding the game to Nintendo Music?

Then again, the Japan video for the service (linked here), shows DKC3 as coming to the service in the future.

And someone on Bluesky received a promotional email from Nintendo that shows Super Mario World as coming to the service.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

For now, we'll have to wait and see. Maybe next month they can do Donkey Kong Country 3 icons while adding the game to Nintendo Music?

Then again, the Japan video for the service (linked here), shows DKC3 as coming to the service in the future.

And someone on Bluesky received a promotional email from Nintendo that shows Super Mario World as coming to the service.

Oh. I had no idea this two games were confirmed.

I'll update the OP with those two shortly.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

So, do you think we'll get another soundtrack next week?

 

[fogbadge]

So, do you think we'll get another soundtrack next week?

probably

 

[Jotadé]

Me doing groceries while listening to the Hyrule Market™ theme song from Ocarina Of Time™ and the Funky Kong™ theme from Donkey Kong Country 2 Diddy's Kong Quest™ on the Nintendo Music™ app

 

[Janx_uwu]

Wait, there's no Mario 64 soundtrack?

huh. It just seems like a no-brainer.

BTW, I wonder if they'll add the Mario & Sonic soundtracks at some point. I know it would be strange to see Sonic on a music app for Nintendo specifically, but I want a better way to listen to these songs, even if that means I will have to shell out twenty dollars a year for an online service I'll never use.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Wait, there's no Mario 64 soundtrack?

It's confirmed to be coming soon.

 

[Quillion]

I know the fact that this is its own dedicated app (that you have to pay for) and isn't just Nintendo music being on Spotify or YouTube is really annoying to some people and I get it. Making a dedicated app for this seems unnecessary in this day and age. But since the app is here, I'm going to treat it as what its trying to be. A dedicated app for streaming Nintendo music.

I wish they'd at least have a computer/browser option at any rate. I know Spotify and YouTube have a lot of problems with their monetization that Nintendo doesn't want to deal with, but that's more incentive to make a computer option.

 

[SneakyLink]

Wii Sports has been added to the lineup.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Wii Sports has been added to the lineup.

Alright. It seems they like to update the app every Monday at approximately 5:00 PM PST.

Updating once a week isn't bad, but it could easily be better. If they stick this this once a week schedule, it could work well in the long run. Slow and steady is an option if there's actual consistency.

So, what game do you think will be added next week? The last two games have been games that were on the short list of "coming soon" titles.

The remaining games include Splatoon 2, Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, Mario 64, F-Zero X, DKC3 and Super Mario World.

I'm going to guess that the next inclusion is either Wind Waker or F-Zero X.

 

[fogbadge]

Alright. It seems they like to update the app every Monday at approximately 5:00 PM PST.

Updating once a week isn't bad, but it could easily be better. If they stick this this once a week schedule, it could work well in the long run. Slow and steady is an option if there's actual consistency.

So, what game do you think will be added next week? The last two games have been games that were on the short list of "coming soon" titles.

The remaining games include Splatoon 2, Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, Mario 64, F-Zero X, DKC3 and Super Mario World.

I'm going to guess that the next inclusion is either Wind Waker or F-Zero X.

come on wind waker

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

I originally thought only Splatoon 3 was missing its DLC music.

It's worse than you think for Splatoon 3, actually.

It only has songs up to the 2023 Fresh Season which was the game's VERY FIRST post-launch update. Anything that came after that, be it as a part of the Side Order OST or even the songs that came for free in the content updates after the first one (including all the Grand Festival songs), are completely missing.

This is a very glaring oversight in an app that seems to strive for giving you entire soundtracks with no stones left unchecked. I'd get it if Side Order was kept at its own thing but it sucks that we're not given the chance to hear other bands like Chirpy Chips or Yoko & the Gold Bazookas.

My only theory for it is that Nintendo's waiting for the Ordertune album to come out so people pay for it before they put all that stuff in their streaming app which would definitely sound scummy but I got nothing else.

 

[Oracle Link]

I really want the ACTUAL zelda main them as its own theme I dont really care which version (although maybe not pixelated for others sake)
I take Majoras Masks version! If you gave me a choice which 3d zelda they should do next 100% Majoras mask for termina field alone!
But i think the ideal choice wouldve been to launch the app with LINKS AWAKENING while that soundtrack is less iconic its modern and has one of the best versions of the main theme which shouldve been a requirment tbh!

I currently have one singular mario kart track that being the zelda course theme because that is currently my only semi decent option!

 

[Swamp Sensei]

I really want the ACTUAL zelda main them as its own theme I dont really care which version (although maybe not pixelated for others sake)
I take Majoras Masks version! If you gave me a choice which 3d zelda they should do next 100% Majoras mask for termina field alone!
But i think the ideal choice wouldve been to launch the app with LINKS AWAKENING while that soundtrack is less iconic its modern and has one of the best versions of the main theme which shouldve been a requirment tbh!

I currently have one singular mario kart track that being the zelda course theme because that is currently my only semi decent option!

Your best bet is probably Skyward Sword then. It's confirmed to be coming and the credits have a great orchestra rendition of the main theme.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

I'm going to guess that the next inclusion is either Wind Waker or F-Zero X

Hey, looks like I was right!

F-Zero X is now on the app.

I had no idea the whole soundtrack was like 20 tracks. That is a small soundtrack.

 

[Mushroomguy12]

My most wanted at this point are just the Smash Bros series music. I'm so used to listening to the Smash Bros remixes of some Nintendo songs that listening to the original versions of some of these songs makes me wish I could be listening to the Smash Bros remixes of them on the app too.

64 and Melee should be easy enough to get, the soundtrack sizes are relatively small. As for Brawl, Smash 4, and Ultimate, the 3rd Party music is almost certainly impossible to get, but the 1st Party music should be doable, as we have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's large soundtrack on there. Ultimate's song list may seem daunting at first, but a large portion of the songs are either non-remixes ripped straight from the original games, or remixes taken from past Smash games. If we just include the 1st Party, new remixes specific to Ultimate, I think that should be doable (since the remixes that were made for 64, Melee, Brawl, and Smash 4 would just be included in those game's section in the app).

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Hey is anyone else having this problem? Sometimes the app just gets stuck loading when I try to open it. I haven't figured out how to fix it yet.

 

[chocolatejr9]

Hey is anyone else having this problem? Sometimes the app just gets stuck loading when I try to open it. I haven't figured out how to fix it yet.

I don't have the app myself, but I do have another app that automatically closes itself the first time I open it, forcing me to open it again in order to use it. It could just be a problem with the app itself, though I should also mention my phone is a bit on the older side, which might have something to do with it in my case...

 

[PLATINUM7]

Hey is anyone else having this problem? Sometimes the app just gets stuck loading when I try to open it. I haven't figured out how to fix it yet.

I find the app just fails to load the first time I open it but closing it and reopening it makes it work instantly.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

I find the app just fails to load the first time I open it but closing it and reopening it makes it work instantly.

That's the thing. That's not working for me.

That aside, I'm expecting Wind Waker tomorrow. If it's not that, I expect Splatoon 2.

 

[PLATINUM7]

That's the thing. That's not working for me.

That aside, I'm expecting Wind Waker tomorrow. If it's not that, I expect Splatoon 2.

Hmm, well it just crashed for me with a message saying it has a bug and that the cache needed to be cleared. Have you tried looking into clearing the app's cache?

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

That's the thing. That's not working for me.

That aside, I'm expecting Wind Waker tomorrow. If it's not that, I expect Splatoon 2.

We’ll see if Splatoon 3’s treatment is consistent if it truly is Splatoon 2.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

And here comes Brain Age with the steel chair!

Yeah, Brain Age of all things was added.

The whole soundtrack is 14 songs. With most of them being tiny jingles.

Not gonna lie, this feels like a waste.

 

[chocolatejr9]

And here comes Brain Age with the steel chair!

Yeah, Brain Age of all things was added.

The whole soundtrack is 14 songs. With most of them being tiny jingles.

Not gonna lie, this feels like a waste.

On the bright side, we know what a hypothetical Brain Age Medley track could sound like in Smash.

 

[Laniv]

No Super Mario 64, no Xenoblade Chronicles, no Tears of the Kingdom, no Splatoon 2, but Brain Age is a go.

At some point, you just have to laugh at the absurdity.

 

[Mushroomguy12]

Getting reminded of the NSO service where they put dozens of obscure NES games no one cared about while ignoring SNES, N64, GBA, etc, for large portions of the Switch's lifespan.

Looks like this'll be a grueling wait.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Like, I don't wanna knock Brain Age. I'm usually pretty approving of Nintendo's more casual titles. They have their place and they're fun.

But like... I don't hear anyone saying things about Brain Age's music. Like we just got Wii Sports not too long ago. That's a casual game, but it's soundtrack is iconic. Brain Age, not so much.

I'm guessing Nintendo wants to diversify their soundtracks with some more calming music.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

I would mind Brain Age's addition less if we had two OSTs a week.