ABSTRACT
Frequency Modulation synthesis, enabled by a custom chip inside the game cartridge, is as alien to the core sound of the Nintendo Family Computer as the non-player character Tum is to the story’s main party. An investigation of the path and source of these alien waves is key to defeating the Bio Corps army, but, surprisingly, provides a compelling analogy for Lagrange Point’s unique sonic makeup. This chapter argues that the music and sound of Lagrange Point is as reflective of its role-playing game (RPG) design—its maps, weapons, and characters—as it is symbolic of its narrative. Konami, like many Japanese game developers in the 1980s and early 1990s, did not credit individual staff members to ensure that ownership of the music was retained by the company. Much like an RPG character party, the sound chips contributing to Lagrange Point’s music have specialized roles.
