If your December isn’t complete without a bit of chiptune cheer or a cosy JRPG melody drifting through the speakers, Scarlet Moon has you sorted once again. The label has just launched Scarlet Moon Christmas Volume X, the tenth entry in its long-running holiday series — and this year’s lineup is a particularly strong one.
The album features everything from chilled-out Nintendo arrangements to classical choral pieces, plus a few unexpected guest contributions. And as someone who grew up loving game music (owning things like Chris Huelsbeck’s Turrican soundtrack and Jeremy Soule’s Guild Wars album), this is exactly the sort of release I look out for.
A decade of festive game music
The Christmas compilation tradition started back in 2014, and Scarlet Moon has managed to keep the formula fresh: a mix of classic game remixes, holiday standards, and brand-new winter-inspired pieces by veteran composers.
For Volume X, highlights include:
- Cool Cool Christmas (Super Mario 64) by RandomBeats
- Buried in Snow (Final Fantasy VII) by Sean Schafianski
- An icy Pokémon Diamond & Pearl piano ballad, arranged by David Peacock and performed by Augustine Mayuga Gonzales
- A new choral original by Nintendo legend Soyo Oka (Super Mario Kart, Pilotwings)
- A classical “Angels We Have Heard on High” arrangement by Osamu Kubota (beatmania, Granado Espada)
- A serene synthwave track from San Diego artist VECTORDRIVE
- A cover of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Forbidden Colours by mojera and Yosuke Kakegawa
It’s a broad mix — nostalgic, reflective, and occasionally surprising — but that’s always been the charm of these compilations.
Holiday deals for soundtrack collectors
Alongside the album release, Scarlet Moon is offering 25% off their entire Bandcamp catalogue through Cyber Monday using code TGCM2025. If you’re into game soundtrack vinyl, CDs, or even cassette releases, they’ve also published a holiday gift guide covering music from Scarlet Moon and partner labels.
A Christmas tradition for the digital age?
Over the years, Scarlet Moon’s Christmas albums have featured the likes of:
- Hiroki Kikuta (Secret of Mana)
- Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid)
- Nami Nakagawa (NieR)
- Robyn Miller (Myst)
- Vince DiCola (Rocky IV, Transformers 1986)
…and remixes from an enormous swathe of classic series:
Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Mario Kart, Pokémon, F-Zero, Mega Man, Zelda, Secret of Mana, Celeste, Fallout, Donkey Kong Country, Castlevania, Kirby, and plenty more.
It’s become a small but cherished annual tradition — the kind of thing that game music fans quietly look forward to in the background of all the usual end-of-year noise.
Where you can listen
Scarlet Moon Christmas Volume X is available now on all major streaming platforms and digital storefronts. If you want to dive deeper, the album page and Scarlet Moon’s wider catalogue are available through the links in the press release.
Oh, and it’s available through YouTube, too, as the video above demonstrates.
If your holiday playlist needs a bit more retro charm — or just something relaxing to put on while finishing that last-minute shopping — this one’s a lovely option. Learn more at www.scarletmoon.com/christmas.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
