One Giant Swap Force
What a franchise to be part of! Skylander games are known for fun, adventure, humor, and creativity so it was a very fun project to help with the sound for the 3DS versions. For the most part we carefully converted each Skylander's audio from the console to play on the 3DS. Our games weren't simple ports, though. 3DS owners got a whole new campaign with all new levels and challenges not seen in the consoles.This allowed for brand new audio content for the levels, obstacles and other events exclusive to the 3DS.
Sound Design
Sound Integration/Conversion
Music Composition
Music Editing
What came as a real honor was writing some music for the 3DS version. We had access to the phenomenal score used in Swap Force on the consoles and we used it to great effect in our game but there were two areas that needed a special touch. I'm usually busy working on multiple titles so I don't get much chance to write, but luck so had it in the schedule that I had a few days to crank some tracks out for Swap Force! I had done one small piano loop in a bar for Giants and Swap Force featured a Skeleton Mariachi band that would come to life and play music, which set the scene for new music.
Upon entering the tavern in the Undead Fiesta level you trigger the house band to life. Nothing in the Skylander musical canon featured anything Mariachi. I've never written Mariachi music but I did grow up with it. I created two versions, one with only simple guitar and percussion that the band in the bar would play and one fully orchestrated version that would continue to play as you progress further in the level.
Finally, Count Moneybone. the 3DS custom villain. Well he needed custom music, right? I wrote A few variations that you would hear as you progress in this battle which is broken up a bit. You first hear the theme in Moneybone's secretary's office, but only a stripped down "muzak" version. Also, the skeletons appear again during the Moneybone fight so I wrote a variation of the Moneybone theme using the Mariachi instruments so you hear that while facing them