Fan of Castlevania (specifically Super Castlevania IV) and Final Fantasy? You definitively should listen to this!

I don't even know how to label this in terms of genre, but just ended calling it "Darksynth Metal de Chocobo", official title being simply "Chocovania". I don't discard the idea of doing more Castlevania + Final Fantasy music mashups in a future, though; in which case we'd need more specific titles.

This was originally made for the VGM monthy contest of Pixel Mixers. August 2023 was "Mashup Month" and I was initially reticent to participate because my lack of motivation and tiredness lately. But eventually I got the inspiration and "just had to try it". Surprisingly I had a quick progress with both the music and the video. While not the greatest I think it just works and fits the intended vibe without hurting ears too much.

The sources combined are "Ascension to the Castle" from Super Castlevania IV (originally titled as "Akumajou Dracula") and the classic Chocobo's Theme from the Final Fantasy franchise.

A couple references to the Castlevania cover version of Naoto Shibata (originally included in the album "Perfect Selection Dracula Battle II" are included (ie: the notes in the intro's flute and the orchestral hits and rythms before the outro).

You can watch the video in Youtube here:
youtu.be/EOA_JWO9zBA

A reduced version is included in this album. So is an instrumental version with its own reduced version too. And maybe something else...

Here's the text for the prologue of the hypothetical mashup game:

"Every one hundred years
the forces of good
mysteriously start
to weaken.

Thus, the power of Dracula
starts to revive itself.

Not enough with that
another menace from
a different world
is coming along.

The war of the Magi reduced
the world to a scorched wasteland
but the Empire escaped from
a inter-dimensional portal
and reached Transylvania.

The evil forces of the Empire
along with Shinra Corp
joined the evil Count.

And so came heroes from another
world to join the Belmont clan.

Double menace, double support.
Dracula grows stronger than ever
but the Belmonts are not alone.

Terra, Cloud, Squall and more
brave warriors are part of this.
Some spoony bard and some
weirdo named Butz joined too.

An army of chocobos
guide them to the path of victory.

A battle of epic proportions
a war greater than all wars
is about to happen in Transylvania.

I'm sorry to disappoint you, though
but this is not the prologue
of a real, existing game.

All we have of this idea
is this silly piece of music
Arranged, programmed, mixed
and ruined by the infamous chocobo.

With love from the Unknown Lands:
-Unknown Pseudoartist"

Enjoy it ... or suffer it! If you like you can share with your friends (or with your enemies, to hurt their ears and brain). And that boring reminders everyone in Youtube seems to repeat in all their videos nowadays.