Nintendo says it made its own music app to give people a “uniquely Nintendo way” to listen to music and “feel inspired to play games again” 

Nintendo recently surprised us all with the launch of Nintendo Music on October 31. The music streaming app for iOS and Android devices lets Switch Online subscribers listen to well-known game tracks from a range of Nintendo IPs, including The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon and the Mario series. 

As it has more or less become the norm for game publishers to release their soundtracks on third-party streaming platforms such as Spotify, Nintendo’s decision to launch an independent service is quite unprecedented. When asked about why they decided to do so by Nippon Television News, Nintendo responded, “We believe that game music is a valuable form of content for making our IPs known to a wide range of people, and Nintendo Music is a service that allows us to deliver our music in a way that is unique to Nintendo.” 

Nintendo doesn’t see the new app as just a way to let gamers listen to their favorite soundtracks, but also as a way to stimulate peoples’ nostalgia and get them back to playing games. “On Nintendo Music, you can enjoy unique features, such as listening along with screenshots and listening to playlists based not only on game titles, but also on various game-related themes, such as tracks related to specific characters or battle music. We believe that if Nintendo Music makes you recall your beloved gaming experiences, it will also inspire you to want to play games again,” Nintendo’s representative explains. 

Nintendo Music is available for iOS and Android. An update on November 1 added 86 tracks from Super Mario Bros. Wonder to the platform’s library, with more additions planned ahead.