8 awesome covers of video game music

14 September 2015, 17:46 | Updated: 6 January 2017, 14:45

Surely the music for Final Fantasy couldn’t be any more epic… could it? How about an a cappella version? And what about Mario Bros for violin?

We’ve brought together some of our favourite classical versions of some of the most iconic video game tracks, from a cappella choirs to one guy on his violin.

The Super Mario Bros quartet

The 'Belstrings' quartet from Chile felt one of the most famous video game scores was in need of a chamber music reboot. Here's the ensemble's arrangement of the game's first stage, complete with synchronised gameplay. We're grabbing our console and heading for Wigmore Hall now...

Final Fantasy VI – a cappella. That's right.

That's some pretty impressive vocal gymnastics, not to mention video-editing skills.

Mario Bros played by one guy on his violin

"Surely the theme to Mario Bros would never work on solo violin," we hear you say. How wrong you are…

Mortal Kombat in close harmony

This impressively slick video comes from The Warp Zone who've also recorded a cappella versions of The Pokemon Theme and the title music from Doctor Who… Unsurprisingly, this video is a bit gruesome.

Final Fantasy IX as a string quartet

Ok, so it's not a real string quartet. But this video shows a) a stack of musical talent and b) a whole load of thinking outside the box.

Super Marios go a cappella

Extra points for use of props.

The Legend of Zelda on classical guitar

A moment of relaxation courtesy of this brilliant cover of Koji Kondo's music for The Legend of Zelda

This amazing Nintendo medley

This guy (known as 'The String Player Gamer') arranges video game tracks and then uses a mixture of real instruments and MIDI keyboards to record his covers. Oh and he created a crazy conductor character (played by himself) to keep the whole thing together. You need this in your life.