aaamusic | On 05, Jan 2017

Ever since it was announced that video games have eclipsed both music and movies as the world’s leading entertainment activity, it seems as though our music stars have been keen to embrace gaming technology – and we’re not just talking about that Lana Del Rey song.

From the likes of post-rockers 65daysofstatic producing a complex never-ending soundtrack for the open-world gaming hit No Man’s Sky, to the wave of music icons licensing their names to online casino games, it seems that musicians are starting to supplement their dwindling revenues with a bit of gaming action.

One of the mobile gaming world’s surprise hits at the end of 2016 was the Nicki Minaj: The Empire game. This gave gamers the chance to try and emulate the phenomenal career of the pop star from their smartphone as they rapped their way over some pretty impressive beats and sought celebrities to boost their star-power.

Using music as a core part of the gaming activity is nothing new of course. Many people spent the early part of the 21st century trying to air-guitar along with the likes of ZZ Top and Motörhead on the weirdly difficult Guitar Hero game on the PlayStation 2.

This has reached its logical conclusion with the likes of Rock Band giving you chance to team up with friends to perform hits by the likes of The Beatles and Green Day by drumming, playing guitar, or even singing through the USB microphone.

Even something as traditional as a slots game has been given plenty of musical facelifts with the King of Pop’s slot machine at Mr Smith Casino helping Michael Jackson’s legacy find new fans. And whilst the Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast RPG mobile game might only cater to hardcore metal fans, it shows how astute certain bands are about embracing the new gaming technology.

However, some of the best music-related gaming hits don’t even try and tie themselves into specific artists. Take the wildly inventive Thumper VR game that uses music as a core aspect of the rhythmic violence to create a sinister atmosphere of impending doom as you try and bash your tiny spaceship towards its safe haven.

And with even a revamp of PaRappa The Rapper aiming to give a new generation of smartphone gamers a musical treat, it’s not just those online slots games that show how music and gaming make the perfect combination.