Video Games Live: Level 2

It's strange but also satisfying to hear the thin Casio-style themes of video game infancy—beloved classic 8-bit Nintendo titles such as Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, and The Legend of Zelda—given the full orchestral treatment (with choir!) in this second entry in the Video Games Live series. Like Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts or even Disney's Fantasia films, this traveling music love-fest for gamers seems—judging from the families in the audiences—aimed at dragging kids into the concert hall, although veteran controller jockeys of all ages are likely to appreciate the beautiful compositions here from such modern franchises as Halo, World of Warcraft, Mass Effect, Myst, and Civilization. And who can resist the bouncy charm of Sonic the Hedgehog (the chorus even delivers a rousing “SEGA!”). Composer/guitarist Tommy Tallarico hosts (in somewhat cheesy game show style) this 17-song/suite set, appropriately performed before a massive video wall featuring gameplay footage from the highlighted selections. Overall, it's a mixed bag: meeting Ralph Baer, the “father of video games” (original creator of the prototype for Pong) is a treat, but watching a kid furiously finger his guitar controller towards a high score while playing Aerosmith's “Sweet Emotion” seems a little far afield, and few would want to listen to the sturm und drang of something like God of War outside of the game. Still, the pluses outweigh the minuses here, with the audience absolutely eating up pianist Martin Leung's lightning quick performance of Mario's classic theme—blindfolded. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 on DVD and DTS-HD 5.1 on Blu-ray, extras include bonus interviews with composers, behind-the-scenes footage, a featurette on the popular Tetris franchise, and more. Recommended. (R. Pitman)