As the "retro" aesthetic continues to evolve, MIDI Quest has tapped into this nostalgia in a way that is creatively fulfilling rather than purely derivative. By grounding the work in a specific childhood concept and applying rigorous technical and musical standards, I managed to compile a collection that is both a tribute to the past and a modern achievement in its own right.

This work sought to create a library containing distinct states of mood and movement that can be assembled into an adventure in the form of a musical narrative. Composing in Finale helped achieve a level of musicality that is often lacking in typical sample-based retro-style music. By adhering to the constraints of the NES APU and drawing inspiration from my childhood Nintendo games, MIDI Quest has succeeded in a musical experience that is both entirely original, yet feels oddly familiar.

Whether viewed as concept music for a lost game or as a standalone chiptune masterpiece, MIDI Quest stands as a living relic of Mike’s musical evolution through the turn of the 21st Century.