Music of the Metal Gear series

Lore & Background

The earliest soundtrack, Solid Snake: Metal Gear 2, was released on April 5, 1991, for the MSX2 game Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, with music composed by Konami Kukeiha Club and recorded from the SCC chip sound source. It was re-released in 1998 as part of a 2-CD bundle. Arranged music from this game later appeared in Metal Gear Solid: Integral and its VR Missions, as well as hidden tunes in the main game via a secret codec frequency, including 'Theme of Solid Snake' and 'Zanzibar Breeze.' The 'Theme of Solid Snake' also appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

The Metal Gear Solid Original Game Soundtrack, released September 23, 1998 under King Records, featured music by the KCE Sound Team Japan, with the main theme by TAPPY and 'The Best Is Yet to Come' by Rika Muranaka. Three versions of the soundtrack exist, with the 'Metal Gear Solid Control Mix' missing from the earliest version. The soundtrack for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, released November 29, 2001, was mostly composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, with contributions from Norihiko Hibino and Rika Muranaka. A second soundtrack, The Other Side, followed in 2002. For Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the soundtrack was released December 17, 2004, on two discs, featuring artists including Harry Gregson-Williams, Norihiko Hibino, Cynthia Harrell, TAPPY, and Starsailor, and included a 'Special Camouflage Key Disc' for in-game use.

Reader's Guide

The music of the Metal Gear series is significant for its breadth and evolution across 11 games, encompassing 17 albums and over 940 minutes of music. The series employed a wide range of genres—from breakbeat and classical to industrial metal and lounge—reflecting the diverse tones of the games. The shift in distributors from King Records to Sony Music after Metal Gear Solid 2 marked a change in the series' commercial reach. Notable producers such as Harry Gregson-Williams and Norihiko Hibino brought cinematic and electronic elements to the soundtracks, while earlier games relied on Konami's in-house composers and the SCC chip. The inclusion of arranged tracks in later titles, such as those in Metal Gear Solid: Integral and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, demonstrates the lasting impact of the series' music on gaming culture. The soundtrack for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater also innovated by including a special key disc that unlocked in-game content, blending music with gameplay.

Did You Know?

• The Metal Gear series has 17 different albums totaling over 940 minutes of music across 11 games.
• Konami served as their own record label for all Metal Gear music albums, with King Records as initial distributor up until Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
• The 'Theme of Solid Snake' from Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Shadow Moses Island stage.
• The Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack included a 'Special Camouflage Key Disc' that allowed players to obtain additional camouflage uniforms in the game.