I heard MyLifeInGaming also reference how epic it is. Am I missing a reference? It was clever, I'm assuming Joe wrote a song and then used AI to create it, but from all the hype I feel like I'm missing the punchline.
Great Episode! Fun fact. Jake Kaufman composed his music using a VRC6 for the Shovel Knight games. It's really great! I have a modded NES and an original Famicom just for the purpose of music.
“Why did they even bother to include the chip if they’re almost never using it?” - good question, and one thing the internet seems to forget is that most of these chips were first *graphics and memory mappers*, with audio as a _secondary capability_. The Namco 163, for example, expands the program ROM space from 32KiB (stock NES) to 512KiB. Some others, like the MMC5, even allow for mid-frame tile swaps and scroll effects that are not possible with a stock NES or Famicom.
He overlooked the fact that the NES was unable to use audio expansion chips like the Famicom. It's not just that the rest of the world "wasn't ready." While the NES had more pins in the cartridge connector than the Famicom, it was lacking the audio pin.
@@Chris-uj3dh I think OP has a point with what he said about the chips not being only for audio (definitely an oversight), but I think that that part about the world not being ready is just Joe being funny.
I will never not love the Castlevania 3 soundtrack. The NES version actually was great for what it was, but I was blown away the first time I heard the VRC6 version.
@@PlasticCogLiquid that’s not why, silly. We would have been so impressed that we’d have constantly dropped our controllers and started clapping. Like when we’re in a movie theater, or when a plane lands. Or after a meal. Or a really satisfying bathroom trip.
Man, these technical episodes just keep getting better. Being able to isolate the individual chip contributions and then comparing them makes a real impact. Well done as always and look forward to the next one.
The look on your face while you sauntered across the room for another game was pretty epic, not gonna lie. Really made my day. Thanks, Joe. Never change.
Wow!!! That ending is pure lunacy, even for you!!! And if that was done with AI, it's the single best use of it ive ever seen. And if not? Then how?!?!!!
He responded to my comment and said he wrote ALL the lyrics. :) And I think we can assume that the music was AI composed to his lyrics. I really hope he does more stuff like that because it was epic. And I mean as a first try even, imagine if he really gets into it. He could put out some retro game themed bangers for sure.
@cajampa yeah, agreed. That's exactly what I thought too. After years of watching, those lyrics were joe through and through! Cheers for confirming that though mate, much appreciated.
I just want to say this is the only youtube channel i give a like on every video because Joe isnt an obnoxious like beggar just like every other youtuber. Thank for the quality content all these years.
7:36: TWOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo 🤣🤣🤣 excellent video, thanks for breaking down all these sound chips and especially each game, love the isolated sound demos too!
The VRC 7 was also used in Tiny Toon Adventures 2, however it was only the graphics and memory management side of things that was used, not the sound. All those chips allowed the Famicom to do things graphical that were not possible stock standard, from vertical scrolling, angle scrolling, animation in the back grounds, all sorts of things, I know it was sound topical, but I think you could have mentioned that also. Lagrange point is an amazing game, it was doing things graphically and gameplay wise that were unseen on the Famicom prior to its release in 1991, it has weapon building and a pretty deep story, a lot of the enemies were actually designed via readers of Famitsu and chosen via competition, also the MMC 5 is based on the VRC 6, those two Hal games were epic, give them some time and remember that you are playing a Famicom when doing so. Thank you for your video.
Joe, this summer marks the 10th year since I started watching Game Sack, but this skit is the absolute religious experience. Thank you so much for perfecting Game Sack for us no matter what!
Expansion audio is one of the reasons I had to get an AV Famicom. Hearing some of these sounds coming out of an 8-bit game is a really wild experience.
If I owned a retro gaming store I’d have all your videos playing endlessly on a vintage TV. Keep up the excellent content. You are dying breed of entertainment and among the best informative retro gaming YT channels. Always look forward to your next episode.
I remember growing up in the early 90s and Id go over to visit my grandparents. I'll never forget walking into my Grandfather's tool shed while he was listening to this old timey jazz song and it really peaked my interest. I asked my grandpa what the guy was singing about and he sat me down and told me about when he was a small boy the number one song was about 16 bit power and Greendog. He told me that naturally, they had no idea what the song was about but they liked it anyway.
I really love the subtle audio enhancements in famicom disc system ganes especially. Also i am very disappointed we didn't get to see joe playing dance aerobics with the powerpad on camera, that would have been incredible
So there were two separate decisions from Nintendo involved here: 1. No audio pins on the NES cartridge. 2. No third-party chips allowed (games that used a third-party mapper like the VRC6 had to be re-written to use one of Nintendo's chips). Most of the chips that had audio capability were third party, but even Nintendo's own MMC5 had extra audio that unfortunately went unused in the west because there was nowhere for it to go.
Number 2 isn't quite true some Sunsoft, Namco and Konami mappers did make it into NES cartridges. But for number 1 yeah why they would expand the number of pins on the connector but drop the audio pins, there's theory's but no real explanation.
@@schaffiourketaris2691 That's for Japan, the Famicom didn't have a lockout chip and so everyone could make cartridges for it. For the NES, Nintendo decided that they should be the only company allowed to fabricate the cartridges, and so they added those extra restrictions.
Also they moved the pins to the bottom expansion connector because they probably intended to release a Disk System that docked to the bottom. It's likely that they never anticipated that cartridge games with expansion chips would become much of a thing, especially not with extra audio. And of course some of the added pins are for the lockout chip so that the chip on the console can communicate with the one on the cartridge.
@@Nukle0n You beat me, that is what i was about to comment. The external audio pin was relocated into the expansion connector on the botton of the NES, most likely to accomadate an American version of the Famicom Disk System that sadly never happened.
@@Nukle0n Yes Nintendo made all the cartridges but some do have 3rd party mappers for instance Batman return of the Joker and Mr Gimmick use the Sunsoft FME-7 chip.
I will always miss Dave, but I love Game Sack as it is now. I’d have no problem nagging and saying “make a new channel” if I thought this was no longer “Game Sack”. But it has been since. You’re the man, Joe. Keep the flame burning 🔥
Thank you Joe, again u r super serving me what I want! I have everdrive pro N8 and I modded my NES so it actualy plays the expansion audio, so this is just the info I need to know what games to play to take advantage! The biggest one so far is japanese Castlevania 3, it sounds so amazing I cant believe it
Great episode, and I love how these extra chips can add layers to video game music. A few years ago I was in Japan, and I walked past a retro game store and heard a familiar tune, but it sounded a little different. It was the Legend of Zelda main theme, but it had additional instruments, and this extra chip thing was unknown to me at the time, I found it pretty darn cool.
Great episode and topic choice! NES audio (inc. expansions and DPCM) was one of the subjects that cemented my nerdy interest in games and gaming tech (you know, as opposed to just playing the games like a normal person). By the way, SanGokuShi is just the Japanese version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, so you don't need fan translations!
Man, I am loving these obscure videos you're coming out with. These are the things I really find interesting in gaming. This might be a daunting task but coming up with a video for PlayStation 1 games that support the use of the analog sticks either One or both and games that cannot make use of them
You didn't cover digital devil monogatari 2. The ethereal sound of that game slaps hard, it also really nailed the sound of smt games as a whole in 8 bit
"Hey, Joe. What are you listening to? Blues?"
"Nah, Greens."
GREEN DOGS
What about reds, peppa pig reference
And colours
Hands Down, One of the Best if not the best End Skits ever! GameSack rules!
I heard MyLifeInGaming also reference how epic it is. Am I missing a reference? It was clever, I'm assuming Joe wrote a song and then used AI to create it, but from all the hype I feel like I'm missing the punchline.
Wow that ending was superb! Am impressed to see that Joe has an entire 1950's gospel church at his disposal!
This is probably the peak of AI generated music
@@Xydako I don't care if it's AI generated music, I want a copy of that record!
@@emerje0 praise greendog, yes!
@@emerje0I need a 45 of this right now
All timer of an end sketch in this one. Absolutely brilliant. The VRC6 rendition of the Game Sack theme was great too.
Great Episode! Fun fact. Jake Kaufman composed his music using a VRC6 for the Shovel Knight games. It's really great! I have a modded NES and an original Famicom just for the purpose of music.
Yeah same, I just had to have the ability to hear the extra sounds.
That guy rules, really beautiful work on that game
Is he the same guy who did the awesome music for Double Dragon Neon?
Great game that Shovel Knight. Love the soundtrack,"especially " le dance macabre "
Wait Kaufman made Shovel Knight music? It makes so much sense now.
“Why did they even bother to include the chip if they’re almost never using it?” - good question, and one thing the internet seems to forget is that most of these chips were first *graphics and memory mappers*, with audio as a _secondary capability_. The Namco 163, for example, expands the program ROM space from 32KiB (stock NES) to 512KiB. Some others, like the MMC5, even allow for mid-frame tile swaps and scroll effects that are not possible with a stock NES or Famicom.
He overlooked the fact that the NES was unable to use audio expansion chips like the Famicom. It's not just that the rest of the world "wasn't ready." While the NES had more pins in the cartridge connector than the Famicom, it was lacking the audio pin.
@@Chris-uj3dh I think OP has a point with what he said about the chips not being only for audio (definitely an oversight), but I think that that part about the world not being ready is just Joe being funny.
The song at the end is amazing.
Quickest click I’ve ever done! Thrilled to see Famicom expansion chip stuff finally covered.
The song at the end was the best religious experience I’ve ever had on a Sunday
16 Bit Power! Ohhhh Lord help us allllllll! 😅
By the preacher Blast Processor himself.
Testify Brother !
Amen!
Lord, give us our daily bits.
Nothing better than getting a fresh game sack on a Sunday!
Oh Lordy, that song at the end was mighty good!
That end song was fantastic. Expanded audio really enhances Game Sack.
I will never not love the Castlevania 3 soundtrack. The NES version actually was great for what it was, but I was blown away the first time I heard the VRC6 version.
Castlevania music is the best
I have a "mixed" ROM that combines the Japanese and English versions, and has all the expansion audio. Emulators handle the extra audio just fine.
Japan knew we couldn't handle that kind of sound here in America. It would have scared us.
@@PlasticCogLiquid that’s not why, silly. We would have been so impressed that we’d have constantly dropped our controllers and started clapping. Like when we’re in a movie theater, or when a plane lands. Or after a meal. Or a really satisfying bathroom trip.
Man, these technical episodes just keep getting better. Being able to isolate the individual chip contributions and then comparing them makes a real impact. Well done as always and look forward to the next one.
The look on your face while you sauntered across the room for another game was pretty epic, not gonna lie. Really made my day. Thanks, Joe. Never change.
I like the A and B comparisons and then combining the tracks. That made it so much easier to pick up on the additions. Thanks again, Joe!
I love that you’ve been covering game audio so much recently! Thanks for all the content Joe
That was the greatest skit you’ve ever done. That song was amazing.
These transitions are next level. Always an A+ production at Game Sack. Keep up the good work.
Wow!!! That ending is pure lunacy, even for you!!! And if that was done with AI, it's the single best use of it ive ever seen. And if not? Then how?!?!!!
He responded to my comment and said he wrote ALL the lyrics. :)
And I think we can assume that the music was AI composed to his lyrics. I really hope he does more stuff like that because it was epic.
And I mean as a first try even, imagine if he really gets into it.
He could put out some retro game themed bangers for sure.
@cajampa yeah, agreed. That's exactly what I thought too. After years of watching, those lyrics were joe through and through! Cheers for confirming that though mate, much appreciated.
That ending tho
I just want to say this is the only youtube channel i give a like on every video because Joe isnt an obnoxious like beggar just like every other youtuber. Thank for the quality content all these years.
7:36: TWOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo 🤣🤣🤣 excellent video, thanks for breaking down all these sound chips and especially each game, love the isolated sound demos too!
The episode I was truly waiting for. Thank you for all the free content you put out. It’s stellar stuff.
i have always wondered what akumajou densetsu would sound like if played in a normal NES thank you for finally satisfying that curiosity
The ending skit was absolutely fantastic. Well done
I'm always excited when Joe gets his Sack out.
join the club
LGB
Please consider making the end skit it's own short. It deserves it.
How has no one mentioned how awesome the fm intro was?
Came here to say that! So cool!
💖
The VRC 7 was also used in Tiny Toon Adventures 2, however it was only the graphics and memory management side of things that was used, not the sound.
All those chips allowed the Famicom to do things graphical that were not possible stock standard, from vertical scrolling, angle scrolling, animation in the back grounds, all sorts of things, I know it was sound topical, but I think you could have mentioned that also.
Lagrange point is an amazing game, it was doing things graphically and gameplay wise that were unseen on the Famicom prior to its release in 1991, it has weapon building and a pretty deep story, a lot of the enemies were actually designed via readers of Famitsu and chosen via competition, also the MMC 5 is based on the VRC 6, those two Hal games were epic, give them some time and remember that you are playing a Famicom when doing so.
Thank you for your video.
THEY’RE MY SOUNDS, AND I WANT THEM NOW
CALL 877-SOUNDNO
(…stupid number limitations….)
I have a cash annuity and I need sounds now
🎶Call J Joe Redifer, 877- Sack Now🎶
Amazing episode! Congrats for the end skit.
Joe, this summer marks the 10th year since I started watching Game Sack, but this skit is the absolute religious experience.
Thank you so much for perfecting Game Sack for us no matter what!
Your videos can always make a day better. Always such consistent quality, thank you Joe 🙏
That outro was amazing dude.
Loved the AI composed song, I bet you wrote most of the lyrics though. I want to see full goofy episodes like this.
I wrote ALL of the lyrics. :)
@@GameSack Yeah, I am not surprised. You have to do more content like that. Looking over the comments it seems we all loved it.
that transition at the end of the aerobics game was mildly nightmare inducing. I think she got banished to the shadow realm.
One! Twooooooooo...
The premise of Madara must be a nod to Tezuka's Dororo... one doesn't easily forget the idea of a cursed, limbless caterpillar baby!
The ending sounds like an Obscurest Vinyl Production! I love it!
Godlike that song was godlike. Sounded like i was listening to a 70s ccr song. Seriously whoever did that needs a raise
I'm guessing AI generated but who cares it's amazing
Best end skit EVER! Thanks Joe!
The GameSack show is like a good wine that you savour and have a good time!
Loved this series Joe. I really loved the ending. Awesome. ❤ Gotta praise and worship the mighty Greendog. 😁
12:42 Nice scanlines and bubble effects. Yeah, we noticed. Thanks for the nice touch.
Great song at the end! Very authentic sounding
I love everything about old audio chips. Great episode (as always).
What an ending, Joe. Outstanding. Greetings from the Czech Repblic. Love your channel.
You're missing out, Joe. Gimmick is definitely one of the top 10 best games on the NES.
What a good video, talking about sound chips that i didnt know it exist, thanks gamesack for that info!!! Just in time for me
Your best end of sketch you have done!!! Great Job!!
Expansion audio is one of the reasons I had to get an AV Famicom. Hearing some of these sounds coming out of an 8-bit game is a really wild experience.
If I owned a retro gaming store I’d have all your videos playing endlessly on a vintage TV. Keep up the excellent content. You are dying breed of entertainment and among the best informative retro gaming YT channels. Always look forward to your next episode.
I remember growing up in the early 90s and Id go over to visit my grandparents. I'll never forget walking into my Grandfather's tool shed while he was listening to this old timey jazz song and it really peaked my interest. I asked my grandpa what the guy was singing about and he sat me down and told me about when he was a small boy the number one song was about 16 bit power and Greendog. He told me that naturally, they had no idea what the song was about but they liked it anyway.
This end skit was goated. Everytime I think I've seen it all, you surprise me again and again.
What an awesome LP!! Thank you kind Sir!! 👏👏👏🍻💥🍻😄
I've been watching since the beginning and the skit at the end of this was, hands down, the best. Joe, well done mate. And while I am here, thank you.
Another great episode! Thanks so much for our weekends that much better! You do fantastic work.
I really love the subtle audio enhancements in famicom disc system ganes especially.
Also i am very disappointed we didn't get to see joe playing dance aerobics with the powerpad on camera, that would have been incredible
So there were two separate decisions from Nintendo involved here: 1. No audio pins on the NES cartridge. 2. No third-party chips allowed (games that used a third-party mapper like the VRC6 had to be re-written to use one of Nintendo's chips).
Most of the chips that had audio capability were third party, but even Nintendo's own MMC5 had extra audio that unfortunately went unused in the west because there was nowhere for it to go.
Number 2 isn't quite true some Sunsoft, Namco and Konami mappers did make it into NES cartridges. But for number 1 yeah why they would expand the number of pins on the connector but drop the audio pins, there's theory's but no real explanation.
@@schaffiourketaris2691 That's for Japan, the Famicom didn't have a lockout chip and so everyone could make cartridges for it. For the NES, Nintendo decided that they should be the only company allowed to fabricate the cartridges, and so they added those extra restrictions.
Also they moved the pins to the bottom expansion connector because they probably intended to release a Disk System that docked to the bottom. It's likely that they never anticipated that cartridge games with expansion chips would become much of a thing, especially not with extra audio.
And of course some of the added pins are for the lockout chip so that the chip on the console can communicate with the one on the cartridge.
@@Nukle0n You beat me, that is what i was about to comment. The external audio pin was relocated into the expansion connector on the botton of the NES, most likely to accomadate an American version of the Famicom Disk System that sadly never happened.
@@Nukle0n Yes Nintendo made all the cartridges but some do have 3rd party mappers for instance Batman return of the Joker and Mr Gimmick use the Sunsoft FME-7 chip.
Joe, the end skit for this one has to be your best ever. I couldn't stop laughing! Loved it.
Nice haircut brother! Keep on keepin' on! Love me some Game Sack
OH it’s Joe with a haircut! I thought he managed to get BRAD PITT to guest host an ep /grandmacomment
😊😊 really tho, looking forward to good Joe!
I love this musical Gospel ending !! Joe, you're a really talented person. Thanks !
I will always miss Dave, but I love Game Sack as it is now.
I’d have no problem nagging and saying “make a new channel” if I thought this was no longer “Game Sack”. But it has been since. You’re the man, Joe. Keep the flame burning 🔥
Thank you Joe, again u r super serving me what I want! I have everdrive pro N8 and I modded my NES so it actualy plays the expansion audio, so this is just the info I need to know what games to play to take advantage! The biggest one so far is japanese Castlevania 3, it sounds so amazing I cant believe it
What an incredibly well put together ending sketch. Thanks for that!
You missed the most impressive N163 audio enhanced game. Megami Tensei 2.
They drop videos at 2 am eastern every now and then 😂 I enjoy game sack to fall asleep too sometimes
I mean it makes sense, it's midnight in his time zone.
Namcot was the label that Namco used for home releases in Japan, until early '95.
i`ve always wondered why? thanks☺👏
The ending was supreme
I chuckled at the hand to ear thing u did when briefly talking about the fds games
Dude this was hands-down the very best ending skit in a LONG time.
LOL dude, that Outro was amazing!
Awesome intro music, and an awesome episode as always, thanks Joe!
Great as every time! Thank you for all those years of Entertainment.
Always look forward to Sunday mornings and Joe arrives in with a new episode. Great stuff dude.
A lot of work in these. Very thorough.
Great episode, and I love how these extra chips can add layers to video game music. A few years ago I was in Japan, and I walked past a retro game store and heard a familiar tune, but it sounded a little different. It was the Legend of Zelda main theme, but it had additional instruments, and this extra chip thing was unknown to me at the time, I found it pretty darn cool.
Sunsoft and Konami games have some of the best soundtrack in the cartridge era of video games
Oh I knew that end scene had a Greendog lurking in there!!! LOLOLOLOLOL
Nice episode Joe! I'm playing Sayuki on the PSX, is a Strategy RPG, pretty cool, i'm having a lot of fun, you should add this game in a future episode
Joe knocks it out of the park once again. Thanks once again for all your efforts as they are greatly appreciated, Joe.
This is your best ending skit yet. And it was on a damn good video, too 😂
One of your very best skits, so awesome
Terrific Video Joe. I appreciate your videos and I appreciate what you do. 🙂
this should be an upload on Sound Sack
Great episode and topic choice! NES audio (inc. expansions and DPCM) was one of the subjects that cemented my nerdy interest in games and gaming tech (you know, as opposed to just playing the games like a normal person).
By the way, SanGokuShi is just the Japanese version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, so you don't need fan translations!
The MMC5 chip really kicks out the jams.
Love when I get home late on a Saturday and there's a Game Sack waiting. Thank you 💙
This was amazing.
I always knew Famicom sound expansions but never fully heard them
Seriously, that end sketch is something else. An instant classic, and in my top 5!
Woah nice intro music!!
Man, I am loving these obscure videos you're coming out with. These are the things I really find interesting in gaming. This might be a daunting task but coming up with a video for PlayStation 1 games that support the use of the analog sticks either One or both and games that cannot make use of them
Since the companies made their own Famicom carts in Japan there's probably some copy protection aspect with extra chips.
"Jesus Loves Greendog" had me in stitches.
OMG Joe! That was AWESOME 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿 Great work on the end skit as always!!!🎶🎶🎶🎵 Music is a key to the heart ❤️
Another Sunday, another Sunday morning with game sack and breakfast, keep them coming
This is a great and very unique episode. I really hope you do one for the famicom disc system games the next chance you have. Great work!
Damn, we need an album of THIS.
That end number was superb. Hats off for that performance.
That ending skit is one of my favorites now, I need that song to listen to when I drive.
You didn't cover digital devil monogatari 2. The ethereal sound of that game slaps hard, it also really nailed the sound of smt games as a whole in 8 bit