Pilotwings ~ Soaring in Harmony was a reorchestrated soundtrack released in January 2025.
© 1990-2025 Nintendo, Soyo Oka, Kōji Kondō & Alexandre Renevey
Pilotwings, released on the Super Nintendo (SNES) in 1990, is a flight simulation game that challenges players to master various aerial vehicles, including planes, rocket belts, hang gliders, and skydiving. With its Mode 7 graphics creating a thrilling sense of depth and movement, the game blends skill-based gameplay with a relaxing yet rewarding atmosphere. Earning pilot licenses through increasingly tricky challenges, players experience both the joy of flight and the precision needed to land safely.
During a trip to Thailand in late 1990, I stumbled upon a Super Famicom (the Japanese version of the Super Nintendo) running Super Mario World. Without hesitation, I walked away with the console and a dream lineup: Super Mario World, ActRaiser, F-Zero, and Pilotwings. Each game blew me away with its stunning graphics and incredible music. Pilotwings, in particular, hooked me with its relaxing atmosphere, mesmerizing Mode 7 visuals, and unforgettable soundtrack. After completing my reorchestrated Pocky & Rocky ~ Yokai Rock soundtrack (see my dedicated page here), I knew my next mission: giving Pilotwings the same treatment!
Pilotwings features a smooth, jazzy soundtrack with a mix of relaxing melodies and energetic themes, perfectly complementing its soaring flight experience. While Pocky & Rocky ~ Yokai Rock was all about high-energy, over-the-top fun, I took a more laid-back, faithful approach with Pilotwings. The goal was to stay true to the game's original feel, using a similar instrument lineup to keep that smooth, atmospheric charm intact. The warm, mellow sound of a Fender Rhodes piano flows throughout the album, backed by soft flutes and soulful saxophones. But I also introduced something new - jazzy vocals on many tracks, adding an extra layer of richness while still feeling right at home.
I started the project in December 2024 and wrapped it up in January 2025, crafting a reorchestration that soars while staying grounded in Pilotwings's timeless appeal. I made the album available on Bandcamp, a platform for discovering and supporting independent music: you can listen to it or even download it there.
Plus, I put together a dedicated page showcasing all my released albums: check it out!
The magic behind Pilotwings ~ Soaring in Harmony came to life through two powerhouse applications: Apple Logic Pro for composition and production, and Synthesizer V Studio Pro for the vocals. For the main voice, I went with Natalie, whose smooth tone fit perfectly with the game's dreamy atmosphere. Supporting vocals were split in stereo - Kevin on the left channel and Mai on the right - giving the harmonies a nice, balanced feel. But things take a fun turn for the Bonus Game theme! Since that track is a bit wilder than the rest, I brought in child vocalists, Lin Lai and Yun Quan, to match its playful, high-energy vibe.
Throughout the album, I aimed to craft lyrics that capture the game's themes and emotions, staying true to Pilotwings's unique blend of excitement and tranquility.
For the arranged album, I wanted a custom Pilotwings logo that felt fresh while still paying tribute to the original. So, I took elements from both the Western and Japanese versions of the game's logo, blended them together, and refined the design into a sleek, flat, white emblem.
The biggest twist? I swapped out the dot on the "i" in "Wings" with one of those floating ball gates from the game - you know, the ones you pass through during your flight tests. It felt like a perfect little nod to Pilotwings, tying the logo directly to the experience of soaring through the skies. Clean, simple, and with just the right touch of nostalgia!
Tony is one of the four instructors at the Pilotwings Flight Club, and let's be honest - he's got that cool, approachable vibe. The game describes him as "perfect for beginning students", thanks to his gentle manners that help even the most nervous pilots take flight. But don't let his young age fool you - he's one of the school's top aviators.
With that in mind, I knew he had to be the face of the Pilotwings ~ Soaring in Harmony soundtrack cover. So, I took his pixelated SNES portrait and gave it a full-on vector makeover, smoothing out every detail for a crisp, modern look. Now he's looking sharper than ever - clean lines, fresh colors, and still just as effortlessly cool. Let's be real... Tony's a handsome guy.
In July 2015, a prototype of the Nintendo PlayStation surfaced - a never-released console capable of playing Super Nintendo games from CDs rather than cartridges. This technology would have allowed for higher-quality music and even video playback, akin to what the Sega CD and PlayStation eventually achieved.
By March 2016, a working SNES-CD boot ROM had made its way to the RetroCollect community, a dedicated group of retro gaming enthusiasts who archive rare and historical gaming materials. This discovery led to the development of MSU-1 (Media Streaming Unit revision 1), an enhancement that allowed Super Nintendo emulators and modified hardware to support CD-quality audio in classic games. Enthusiasts soon began creating MSU-1 patches, replacing the original chip-generated music in SNES games with fully orchestrated soundtracks. Today, it's possible to play Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and many other SNES classics with high-fidelity music - an exciting development for retro gamers worldwide.
When I started reorchestrating the Pilotwings soundtrack, my main focus was creating a seamless MSU-1 version for the game. That's why this project has a more grounded, faithful approach compared to the more wild and adventurous Pocky & Rocky ~ Yokai Rock.
Since my goal was to integrate the music directly into Pilotwings, I kept the arrangements tighter and more in line with the original compositions. For the standalone album, each track loops twice before playing an outro. But for the MSU-1 version, the tracks are designed to loop endlessly - so instead of adding tons of new layers, instruments, and rhythms like I did with Pocky & Rocky, I focused on making sure the music felt natural within the game.
Once again, Cubear from the Zeldix MSU-1 ROM hacking forum worked his magic, updating an existing patch originally created by Conn. He not only got my soundtrack running smoothly in-game but also fixed some long-standing bugs in the process. Thanks to his expertise, Pilotwings with MSU-1 audio now feels better than ever! Both the final version of the patch and the MSU-1-ready soundtrack can be downloaded directly from the Zeldix forums.
With my soundtrack fully converted to MSU-1 PCM format and shared on the Zeldix forums, there was just one last missing piece: a custom cover to tie everything together. Since I had already designed a template to highlight various MSU-1 projects by other talented artists (which I break down in detail on my dedicated SNES-CD page), I put it to good use once again and crafted a unique Pilotwings SNES-CD cover.
For this one, I kept things simple and elegant. I worked with the original Japanese box art, making only a few subtle tweaks to ensure a clean, balanced composition - like positioning the hang glider just right for a more dynamic layout. The result? A sleek, polished cover that looks right at home alongside official Pilotwings artwork while still carrying the identity of my reorchestration project.
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