
To mark the first anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom earlier this year, Nintendo lifted the lid on a new soundtrack featuring a whopping 344 tracks across 9 discs. The Limited Edition version also includes a Master Sword USB containing 15 high-resolution sound sources.
As of this week, it's now officially available but the catch it's only been released in Japan. It can be purchased on Nintendo's website. Here's a video along with some photos:
There's been no mention of a local release, so if you're eager to get your hands on this special collection you're probably going to have to import it. Sites like Playasia are already taking orders. The standard edition is priced at $73.99 USD and the limited edition costs $119.99 USD.
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Would you be interested in this soundtrack? Let us know in the comments.
[source x.com, via siliconera.com]
Comments 48
It's also available for preorder on Amazon UK for £190/£126 depending on if you get the Limited Edition or Standard Edition.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Zelda-Kingdom-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B0D2RZGSTS/
There's also an Aussie vendor selling it... with a 50% mark-up (plus shipping). I think I'll stick to the "long and arduous" road of importing, thanks. Honestly, I don't understand why people [female Houndoom] and moan so much about importing. Play-Asia's prices are fair, so long as the item isn't out of print, and you get free shipping if you spend US$100 or more (after tax).
It isn't necessarily cheap, but it isn't a limb exchange as some would have one believe either. I'm still torn on whether I want to grab the standard or the special edition. I'm annoyed that the special edition has such a premium for a handful of higher resolution tracks. Why wouldn't they have just issued a Blu-ray (or USB) release with the entire soundtrack in high-res?
344 tracks…. 340 of them being birds chirping and moblins yelling …. so much fun!
Waiting on mine to ship.
My copy is on its way from Japan, I cannot wait. Those dungeon themes especially were so good. The master sword USB looks awesome but the field music player that came with BOTW's special edition is a little cooler.
I just bought the BotW soundtrack like literally a few days ago so I’m fine for now. 🧐
I've gone fully digital over 10 years ago. There is no device in my house that can play back CDs. So if I want to listen to this collection, I would have to pirate it (?) Thanks Nintendo... Just stop being so annoying and let my buy a digital copy instead.
Surely there is a limit to how many 5 second pieces of incidental piano music there is?
How is this more expensive than the game itself, that already includes all of these tracks .. .
@Vriess it’s not too hard to transfer music out of a cd to a digital library. You don’t need any specialized or shady software, even. Just a computer and a cheap cd drive.
In my case, iTunes/Apple Music does it automatically, and even uploads the music to the cloud so I can download it on any of my devices.
I’d absolutely love it if they started making these soundtracks available digitally though.
Come on Nintendo, when are you finally going to put your music on streaming services, so I won't have to "illegally" listen to them on YouTube?
@Pillowpants You can buy the discs (importing is 100% legal) and then upload them to for example Apple music. Or run your own Plex server and there are other similar services.
So no, no reason to pirate using YT.
Mine shipped from playasia 2 days ago! Looking forward to it
@sanderev I don't have Apple Music, because I don't support Apple in any way. Also, I don't have any disc players in my house any more.
I'll keep doing what I do (listening on YouTube with adblockers), until Nintendo changes their minds. There's plenty of reason to do that. Why would I pay extra to own the soundtracks of games I already own? I understand it from a collector's point of view, but what if I just want to listen to the music instead? Do I have to fire up the games and hope there's a sound test option?
Companies like Capcom, SEGA and so many others put their music on streaming services. I just don't get why Nintendo is so backwards in this, when they could probably earn from having their music on streaming services. Sometimes "pirating" is justified, in my opinion.
I'm also happy to listen to great covers by artists on Spotify, for which I have an actual paid membership. Which doesn't seem to a problem for Nintendo, which is kind of weird, seeing their stance on using their IPs.
And that is where I disagree.
It was your choice not to own a CD player. Not Nintendo's. And since you can buy a USB CD player for $20 or less it's not an issue honestly. As far as I know Apple Music is the only online streaming service that allows uploading of local content. But there may be others (I haven't looked). But you can also run your own media server using Plex or something similar.
Correction, I just noticed. Youtube music (https://music.youtube.com) also allows uploading of music to your private library like Apple. Since you want to listen on YT that could be a solution.
@sanderev It's fine to agree to disagree.
I explained myself thoroughly enough. Owning the game, I already own the music as well, do I not? So if I want to listen to it, I can do it any way I please. You can disagree with me on that, fine, but you're just telling me I should listen to the music with a lot of extra steps and costs. And that's where I fundamentally disagree.
Look at Nintendo, always providing easy access to people who want to enjoy their soundtracks legally!
@sanderev Have you considered shipping and port costs? Nobody can afford that unless they’re too rich for their own good.
@Pillowpants Just ask yourself. "If I buy (only) the soundtrack CD gives that me the right to also play the game?"
The answer to that question is absolutely NO.
So no, you don't own a license to the soundtrack, if you just 'own' the game.
And ofc it's good to disagree, but try telling a judge that you disagree with the law. And see how that helps you
@PinderSchloss Shipping sadly is a thing that costs money. And that's not Nintendo's fault either.
Not sure if I'll be able to import it myself, but definitely tempted and I'm happy for those who will get either version regardless!
That said, I couldn't agree more with those saying that Nintendo should finally make their soundtracks available also in other ways as that's how you actually reduce piracy - those that exclusively want to pirate will do so regardless, but those who want to and can support the official releases will do so if given the chance!
Just tried ordering, but they had trouble processing the payment with my credit card. Then I tried going through PayPal and add funds using my debit card, but even that isn't working. It's like the universe doesn't want me to get this. T_T
Tempting, but it's quite a lot (and I've listened to this a lot over the last year via various YT means).
Defo a contender for one of the best Zelda Soundtracks, the piano work, character themes, orchestration, and backing tracks for cutscenes and boss fights are sublime and up there with the best of series.
@Yoshi3 I have a mate that says this also haha XD I agree that there's plenty of ambient style tracks within the game, but that shouldn't discredit the large amount of other pieces included
@sanderev Actually in this case, it is nintendos fault. Nintendo made the concious decision to make this Japan exclusive, and as it is not commercially available anywhere else there is still no reasonable way to listen to the soundtrack. Therefore again, youtube or piracy is again the only ethical solution for the average person.
@Zeldinion Nintendo is not legally obliged to sell you their soundtracks, so no. There are many companies that only sell to certain countries, that doesn't allow you just to pirate.
It's just trying to justify: "I want to listen to it but I don't want to pay for it"
@sanderev Well, riddle me this, then. How come I can listen to the soundtracks on YouTube just fine if I search for them? YouTube is a legal platform and certainly, if it was illegal for YouTube to allow the music to be available there, isn't that a problem of theirs for not policing their own platform? Many people who use YouTube to listen to Nintendo music probably don't even know it's illegal that YouTube users ripped the music and uploaded it there for everyone to enjoy. In my opinion they're doing what Nintendon't.
I think life would be easier for everyone if they would just put their music on streaming platforms, so everyone can enjoy them at affordable prices. Because, let's face it, these soundtracks are cost heavy and a lot of people will be left out this way, if we're all to follow your reasoning.
@sanderev Nintendo is not obliged to, but if they dont provide an official way to purchase these CDs (as most shipping must be done through external 3rd party companies, which is pretty similar to using a 3rd party company such as YouTube or any ripping software to listen to files from a game you purchased) then we have very little options. The CDs are already offered at a premium in line with their quality. To add shipping costs and import tax on top of that especially while many countries suffer a cost of living crisis is ridiculous, as is falling prey to these company's money hungry traps.
@Eel
I've lived through the 90's and early 2000's and know how to rip cd's. It's just that I don't want to anymore. Why would I go through the hassle of buying a cd/dvd drive (for single use only) and this overly expensive collector edition OST in order to rip the music and never to use cd's again? Yeah, sure, resell value, but again a hassle. I just want to buy the music, not the hassle.
Hopefully I can get this at some point , I love the soundtrack of this game so much. Probably my favorite of all time if I am being honest
I’m not sure why but it makes me chuckle thinking of a judge yelling at someone “How DARE you listen to Nintendo on YouTube?” I probably got up too early today.
Anyways, this is Nintendo being greedy. No reason why they can’t stream their music on Spotify or other streaming platforms. Not sure why people can’t accept that Nintendo is a company at the end of the day and their number one concern is money.
It's also available on Amazon US for pre-order for US $ 193.99.
@Scarmucci
Through scalpers no doubt. Insane!
@sanderev i started my Plex server specifically to have Nintendo soundtracks on streaming. Best of both worlds for sure to have the physical media and convenience of digital.
@Summer235
I totally agree. Streaming music would NOT hurt Nintendo financially. The contrary! It would help them in marketing and to further consolidate their fan base. And most Nintendo fans would not mind paying reasonable amounts for it. But Nintendo is being weird about it, as per usual.
@Pillowpants That's just because of how bad the YT copyright protection is. And Nintendo does take a lot of them down when they can.
But you can actually also find some legal Nintendo music on YT, for example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te7xh9BWzXI
@sanderev But see, there's a problem. It's not a problem if I want it but don't want to pay. I would be glad to pay. But they won't sell them to me. If the new Emio game has an OST I really like for example, it's probably not going to get any sort of official release. Not to mention that the accessibility of these options is absurdly dumb. If I want to listen to the sonic frontiers OST, you know what I do? I search it up on Spotify, and hit play. If I want to legally listen to the totk OST, I first have to import this for a ridiculous price, then I have to burn it into a digital copy, then I need to download a media played app to actually play it. Then I can hit play. Meanwhile, pirating the music is as easy as a Google search. I would rather pay, but they refuse to let me pay for a digital copy. This is one area where Nintendo has failed, and I genuinely cannot fathom why they haven't put their music on Spotify or any other platform.
@Pillowpants I don't disagree with you on listening on YT but "owning the game means owning the music" sounds a little off. Does the same go for movies as well? OK to just pirate any indie band whose music was featured in a film? I agree Nintendo is behind the times in providing a convenient way to listen to OSTs, go pirate as much as needed, but feeling entitled that you own the OST since you own the game doesn't sit right
I'll never understand why Nintendo refuses to release music for their games anywhere outside of Japan.
@CammyUnofficial @sanderev ; The music is an asset of the game, so owning the game, you do own the music and all its other assets for yourself to enjoy. They're not separate from one another in my opinion.
I'm not saying it's okay to pirate indie band music, nor is the argument valid that if you own the OST you somehow own the game, that is really weird argument...
We're talking about a multimedia experience, which video games are. The music was written specifically for the video game (in most cases), thus they're part of the total package the consumer buys.
@Pillowpants I see, definitely a gray area and interesting points. I'd probably get abstract or need to look at copyright jargon to express my point, but I'll save us both the headache interesting topic overall though, for many reasons
tears of the kingdom has music?
@Vriess I guess the main difference is I don’t see it as a hassle.
@N8tiveT3ch
I see your point. I would call them thematic soundscapes. And I love listening and chilling out to them.
@Eel
If the money and effort is worth it to you, then I'm happy for you. I'll probably end up pirating it somehow, someway.
@Vriess I was just joking and one that I see being thrown around the interwebs all the time. Just like you I do like the sounds of the game when they do present themselves.
The 3rd Trailer BGM without the effect hits entirely different. Comparing to the gamerip ones with embedded sound effects, this is absolutely awesome.
@Vriess In regards to your comment about it being sold by scalpers on Amazon.com, unless we're happy to say that Amazon themselves are the scalpers - then no, it's Amazon that are selling it for $193.99 + $51.27 shipping to the UK which will work out somewhere around the £195 mark in total. So yes, let's call Amazon a bunch of scaplers Amazon.co.uk have it for £230.48, which again considering that's Amazon itself selling it, it is ridiculous, considering the actual price in Japan (19800 Yen) works out to be about £105 + whatever the over the top shipping will be. So to all of you blaming Nintendo I'm not really sure how it's Ninty's fault for the scalpy pricing in the US and the UK when there's no way that Amazon couldn't simply bulk ship it for way less than those prices... I'm not saying that Nintendo shouldn't make the OSTs available in the west, but I guess that's why we have access to companies like PlayAsia, from whom I'm waiting for my delivery this morning. Please note, for anyone from the UK who decides to go down the PlayAsia route, just be aware that you'll probably be hit with a VAT request of 20% + courier admin fee for paying the VAT on your behalf when the package clears customs on arrival in the UK. As annoying as that additional fee is, I still managed to get the TotK OST LE and the SS OST LE for less than the UK Amazon price of the TotK OST LE.
@Vriess The Amazon US page says its being sold and distributed, as an import, by Amazon.
I'm disappointed that the Shrine of Light completion song is not in the soundtrack. Unless I am overlooking it?
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