Let’s all take a moment to appreciate what could possibly be the most overlooked aspect of last week’s live Nintendo Switch presentation – the ridiculously cool build-up DJ set from Ken Ishii.
The Sapporo techno pioneer has something of a gaming history and may be familiar to you from having worked on games such as Rez – for which he provided ‘Creation The State of Art‘ – as well as producing a number of tracks for the CD release of LSD: Dream Emulator‘s surreal and experimental soundtrack.
Ishii’s live set offers a gradual, silky smooth build-up that serves as a fitting parallel to the anticipation many would have felt in the final minutes prior to the presentation beginning. The vibe throughout carried a fresh yet refined tone, a flavour that perhaps could be seen to signify an attempted change in image on Nintendo’s part with the launch of their newest hardware. It all culminated in an energetic section that made use of the distinctive ‘click’ sound that has quickly become a trademark of the console and its promotional material.
Few will remember this part of the Nintendo Switch’s introduction – many likely forgot it had even happened the second the first game was shown. Regardless, why not take twenty minutes to sit down, listen and relax with a pleasant surprise that Nintendo have subtly treated us to.