David Wise Fueled Your Retro Childhood Games

For some odd reason today Time Lord, the sidescrolling time traveling adventure game from Rare popped in my head. Sure the gameplay wasn’t great, but that wasn’t what I was focusing on, it was its addictive and head bobbing soundtrack. Because I’m old and boring I was curious to see just who composed this chiptune infused world, and David Wise was the man responsible.

If you were alive and gaming from 1987 to 1997 you were 1) in luck since this was one of the greatest and most influential times in gaming and 2) undoubtedly heard some of David Wise’s work. I’m going to go as far to say not only have you heard his work, but that it’s unknowingly some of the most memorable music you’ve ever heard in gaming.

David Wise worked with Rare for over two decades and was apparently their sole musician for half of it, he composed many of the greats, the list being almost too ridiculously long to list…almost.

Here’s just a few of my favorites:

Of course Time Lord got this whole post started, so it’s only appropriate to open up this list with it. The opening credits starts it out right, but when you get to the castle level the music just becomes intoxicating.

The one I think everyone will connect with is Wise’s work on Battletoads in the Turbo Tunnel.

One that has to be noted because it’s arguable the most 80’s of all the games listed, Cobra Triangle emits everything that’s 80’s. Synthesizers and speedboats.

I played so much of the next game at a friends house that I practically could beat the game in one sitting, didn’t even care if Captain Skyhawk had be blowing up aggressive pyramids and attempting to land in rotating space stations of death.

And I think the last one speaks for itself, there isn’t a game other than Zelda who’s opening title is as undeniably memorable as Wizards & Warriors. One of David Wise’s first works and it’s still absolutely brilliant to this day.

And these are just a few of David Wise’s works spanning just a little over a decade, you can see the whole list on his wikipedia page here.

Thanks to and his YouTube page for all the videos. Great work mate.