C64 Skate Or Die Intro - NTSC

[Wolfmoss1]

This was one of the best C64 games. Aaah good times.

[BodSTAX1]

And it would work the other way around. Composing on an NTSC C64 and then running it on a PAL system, the tune would slow-down.

[BodSTAX1]

I'm a bit confused as to what the correct speed of this should be. Thinking about it the slower version is the correct speed. Running a machine at NTSC speed on a PAL TV results in screen refresh speed-up and music speed-up. This happens no matter what machine you program on. I suppose the only real way to find out how the tune should sound is to ask Rob Hubbard himself.

[MrBrown77]

I was used to the slower version as a kid. But I understand that this is the original version. It's supposed to be fast and energetic - it's finest 8 bit punk rock! ^^

[HankyWangman]

I'm British, and I played this in PAL. But this is the correct speed, there's no two ways about it. Hubbard was in the States working for EA at this time - why would he write it for PAL whilst he was surrounded by a ton of NTSC equipment?

[UrielDagda]

I played this in my teens on an actual Commodore 64, and this is exactly what it sounded like.

[00Skyfox]

This ranks right up there with my all time favorite C64 tunes, along with Cybernoid 2, DJ Puff's Volcanic Capers, Afterburner, and Parallax.

[jjjred1987]

nice!

[Scioneer]

Revisting this video again, this time with my sound card piped through the audio jacks of my Commodore 1702.

[Teebonemendez]

fuXn rockin!

[Scioneer]

This version completely slaughters the NES version.

[kibjohn]

@Scioneer Konami was actually responsible for the NES version. But Rob Hubbard was still the main composer.

-KT

[nicholascooney]

@Scioneer Well it has to. Commodore took long as fuck to load. And Skate Or Die 2 On NES sounds better....

[Jdub14000]

At 3:47 I love how it changes to guitar and synth. Awesome!

[sbmrunning]

I LOVED THIS MUSIC EFFECT ! I JUST PLAYED IT OVER AND OVER ON MY 128 THANKS FOR THIS! also i remember breakdancing ones too!

[silenceofthehills]

Blonde Archfeind on a skateboard.

[mightypotato]

God, the only two people who could play that bass line are Geezer Butler or Cliff Burton. Damn.

[zierkly]

@mightypotato How about, oh I dunno, Geddy Lee, Flea, Chris Squire, Victor Wooten, John Entwhistle if he was still alive, I could go on.......

[rhtite]

@mightypotato It makes me think of Geddy Lee every time I hear it. Sounds very Rush.

[rayadhd]

The tune was obv meant to be played slower. The NTSC was a usa thing.

[zaphod77]

@rayadhd The game was written in the USA. hence, it's a NTSC game. Hence, NTSC is the proper speed for the tune. yes, it's supposed to be this fast.

[rhinonose]

@zaphod77 you could argue that the composer was british. that ruins everything.

[zaphod77]

@rhinonose GO listen to NES skate or die 2, which has it's rocking title tune at just about the same tempo (and is obviously right), and then come back and tell me it wasn't supposed to be this fast.

[zaphod77]

@zaphod77 And for real proof, the PC version of the tune (which wouldn't be subject to pal/ntsc issues) is also this fast.

[rhinonose]

@zaphod77 i was just playing devil's advocate following your logic. i love it at this speed and agree that it's correct. just sayin'. rob hubbard is english and everything english is PAL

[TeamRocketReviews]

@rhinonose I think it's supposed to be this fast. It's an american game, and american is NTSC. Maybe it's just the way I'm used to hearing it.

[Gfors85]

I think the Nes version is so much better, not so noisy.

[JeDorsBeaucoupTrop]

@Gfors85 It's a question of taste but I think the C64 got more funky sound. The NES seems to me too flat imho.

[zierkly]

@Gfors85 Maybe not as noisy but the NES version is missing a ton of synth notes because it can't physically play all the notes in the chords. Compared to this exact version, the NES version is lame.

[Gfors85]

@zierkly I agree with the comment above yours, its a matter of taste. the wannabe electric guitar sounds like shit and the nes version is much cooler and cleaner...thats what I think and you dont have to think the same :)

[zierkly]

@Gfors85 I can go along with that =)

[senorverde09]

@Gfors85 Well Gfors85, I've done listens to both, and actually on technical terms the only thing sampled in the NES versions are the drums while this has a digitized 5 minute electric guitar thing going on. I do however praise the NES version for its clever use of square waves to mimic the guitar though.

[officialmashitup]

Haha rob hubbard beat machinae supremacy to SID-Metal!

[zaphod77]

Umm, no. this game is most definitely NTSC.

[wrestletube1]

This is a non otomised PAL game being played in NTSC speed.

[rmcdev]

@wrestletube1

Correct. Most people think the opposite, that the PAL version is too slow. That was the way it was meant to sound, and I prefer it.

[zaphod77]

@rmcdev incorrect.

The game was developed by a north american company (EA) and if you play the original on an NTSC c64, it indeed sounds like this. If played on a PAL c64, it plays at 5/6ths speed. 

The super slow version is what happens when you play the PAL version of the game on an NTSC c64. because the interrupts happen faster, the music updates every alternate interrupt. yielding 3/5ths speed compared to PAL.

[nyx779]

Cooles game ever... haha

[Dwedit]

And YouTube has applied their "auto volume control" filter to the music, ruining it completely.

[Ruvinio]

There was no one better than hubbard. i love his tunes.

[TheCyberios]

I love how it just flips out at 00:35, it's just awesome.

[drweedon]

Wow....the BEST intro to any computer game period! It got me so pumped to play this game every time. Brings back a lot of memories!

[RashaTwain]

where can i download this?

[RashaTwain]

i'm surprised i haven't heard this shit sampled. It's so raw.

[farerse]

this tune punishes!

[JeffMkII]

This is one of the best chiptunes ever.

[madmomentsgo]

@JeffMkII i agree hubbard is my favorite retro composer.

[jazmlz]

God, this brings back memories. I would load this and play it over and over in my room. I thought (and still do) that this is best video game tune ever written.

Thanks for posting it.

[atomiswave2]

doesnt get any more badass than that. you can take all your xbox 360s and ps3s and shove em where the sun dont shine. Old school games had heart!

[vnisanian2001]

Yes! This is the proper speed for the "Skate or Die" theme.