The Music of Shuffle

Like any great modern game, especially any great Pokémon game, Pokémon Shuffle also has music to complement its gameplay. Music has a fair bit of importance in this game in that it mostly serves as indicators of areas or states, such that one can tell where one is or what happens even if one's attention is diverted, which might occur at times. In considering this and the musical themes found in the game, I've found that overall there are three categories that pertain to the musical content of the game.

One category of music in the game is what I consider "zonal music". All the Main Stages are divided into groups with specific zone types; though each group has a different name, some zone types are actually repeated. But what's important music-wise is that each zone has a distinct musical theme, such as "festival", "forest", and "mechanical". If one knows the sequence of the zones, then it shouldn't be hard to tell where one is based on the music and therefore the themes. Though they're distinct, the Expert Stages and Special Stages can be considered their own "zones" because they too have their own musical themes. The musical themes for the zones are therefore area indicators.

Another category of the game's music is "battle music". This simply covers the music that plays in the battles, that is, the puzzle screen. Each Pokémon has a distinct battle theme out of a handful of themes; as examples, Meowth has a "playful" theme, while there is a distinct theme that applies for the stages of many Legendary Pokémon. But regardless of the stage, if a Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution is in play and has Mega Evolved, the "Mega Evolution" theme takes over and plays instead; that theme is upbeat and very melodious, perhaps almost to the point of annoyance for some people playing the game - and yet it does serve as a powerful reminder that Mega Evolution is present and active. These are definitely indicators of states.

The last category of music is what I call "special music". These involve music that is found in one technical part of the game and nowhere else. The intro music is included in this respect, as it is only present on the "splash screen" before one taps "Start" to open the rest of the game; one might take a moment to enjoy it before going on to the game. The results screen music is also unique to said screen as one reviews the results of the stage. Finally, there is the shop music, which is shared for all of the shops, including the Special Shop and Jewel shop. They may not be found anywhere else, but their presence is warranted and necessary for their respective parts.

Music is important for a modern game. If anything, it serves to complement the situation or environment of certain parts of the games. The same would be true for even a minor game such as Pokémon Shuffle, and the three categories of music do indeed just that. They indicate the environment or the state of the situation to a good extent. In that regard, they are lively and dynamic, just as much as the puzzles and battles they intend to complement.

One year ago: GTS and Wonder Trade in Pokémon Go?
Two years ago: 1000 Episodes!!!