Pocky & Rocky ~ Yokai Rock was a reorchestrated soundtrack released in September 2022.
© 1992-2022 Natsume, Hiroyuki Iwatsuki & Alexandre Renevey
Pocky & Rocky (known in Japan as KiKi KaiKai: Nazo no Kuro Manto, literally Mysterious Ghost World: The Mystery of Black Mantle) is an action-packed run-and-gun game released for the Super Nintendo (SNES) in 1992. The game follows Pocky, a young Shinto shrine maiden, and her tanuki companion, Rocky, as they battle to rescue a group of goblins from dark forces. Featuring six vibrant levels, fast-paced shooting mechanics, and deep roots in Japanese mythology and folklore, Pocky & Rocky left a lasting impression on many players.
As a teenager, I played this game a lot. The pixel art was gorgeous, the animations fluid, the gameplay exhilarating - and the soundtrack? Simply unforgettable. Composed by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, who had been with Natsume since 1991, the music captured the essence of Japanese culture with its traditional instruments and exotic melodies. At the time, I was already fascinated by Japanese anime and cinema, so this soundtrack resonated deeply with me and remained in my mind for years.
Pocky & Rocky's music has always been special to me - its lively melodies and unmistakable Japanese charm perfectly match the game's quirky, action-packed vibe. In August 2021, fueled by my love for the soundtrack, I set out on a fun little side project: reorchestrating a couple of tracks using Apple Logic Pro. I wanted to figure out how to turn chip-generated tunes into full CD-quality arrangements while also giving them a fresh new sound. But once I got started, I couldn't stop. What began as a small experiment quickly spiraled into a full-scale passion project, and before I knew it, I had reworked all 24 tracks of the soundtrack.
The soundtrack was wrapped up in September 2022, capping off a passion-fueled journey that mixed nostalgia with modern music production. Breathing new life into Pocky & Rocky's legendary tunes was an absolute blast, and I'm proud to have reimagined them with the richness and energy they deserve.
In addition to reorchestrating the full soundtrack, I composed five bonus tracks, each exploring a different musical style, including a lullaby, doom metal, chiptune, and a vintage film score aesthetic. 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!
I reimagined the music by fusing the delicate, ethereal tones of traditional Japanese instruments like the koto and shakuhachi with the raw energy of electric guitars, punchy percussion, and a pop-rock attitude. My goal was to stay true to the heart of the original compositions while cranking up the intensity to give them a bold, cinematic edge; because if yokai are going to rock, they might as well do it in style. I dubbed the album Yokai Rock, a fitting name for this fusion of classic Japanese sounds and modern rock flair.
Fun fact: While I was deep into reworking the soundtrack, a retro remake of Pocky & Rocky was announced - and then released! Titled Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, it felt like the ultimate edition of the original game, packed with new characters and fresh stages. Naturally, one of the first things I did was check out its soundtrack, half-excited, half-terrified that it would blow my reorchestration out of the water. But to my relief, it still had a very synthetic sound, meaning my version had its own unique charm and a distinct, organic feel.
With the full soundtrack release, I also needed to design a custom logo. I created one that blends elements from both the original Japanese and Western versions. I retained the colors and extra artwork (such as the small ghost and spirit) from the Japanese logo while incorporating typography inspired by the Western version. Fuuuuusion!
I couldn't resist - this project needed a mascot too! Inspired by Rocky the tanuki from Pocky & Rocky, I designed a character that fuses Japanese folklore with a bold, modern rock vibe. Drawn in crisp, clean vectors, this little rocker is full of personality. With fluffy fur, a fiery red scarf, and a dynamic pose, it radiates energy and charm. And, of course, no rockstar is complete without an electric guitar! It's a perfect blend of tradition and rebellion - just like Yokai Rock itself.
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.
As I worked on the soundtrack, a skilled programmer known as Cubear from the Zeldix MSU-1 ROM hacking forum began developing a custom MSU-1 patch for Pocky & Rocky. This patch allowed players to experience the game with my reorchestrated soundtrack replacing the original SNES music. To make the soundtrack compatible with the MSU-1 specifications, I exported a dedicated version, converting the tracks into PCM format and setting seamless loop points to ensure smooth playback during gameplay. Both the final version of the patch and the MSU-1-ready soundtrack can be downloaded directly from the Zeldix forums.
Fun fact: My username on the Zeldix forums, as well as some other forums, is JustinBailey - a nod to the famous Metroid (1986) password on the NES that allowed players to start the game with Samus out of her Power Suit.
With my soundtrack successfully converted to MSU-1 PCM format and shared on the Zeldix forums, there was just one last piece of the puzzle: a custom cover to bring it all together. Since I had already designed a template to showcase 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 and crafted a unique Pocky & Rocky SNES-CD cover.
My goal was to stay true to the spirit of the original game while seamlessly incorporating my custom logo and design elements into a polished, authentic-looking presentation. I built the cover primarily around the original Japanese box art, keeping its bold, vibrant aesthetic intact while adapting it to fit my template. The result? A fresh take that feels both nostalgic and brand new at the same time! I like to think this is how a real SNES-CD version of Pocky & Rocky might have looked.
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