Sega Master System Gets Classic NES Tunes: Contra and Castlevania II Music Remade by Chirinea

In the world of retro gaming and video game music, preservation and reinterpretation of beloved soundtracks continue to inspire both fans and creators alike.

A recent project has captured the attention of the Nintendo and Sega communities, as musician chirinea has taken on the ambitious task of recreating the classic soundtracks of Konami’s Contra and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest—originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)—for the Sega Master System platform. Chirinea, an independent musician known for his expertise in retro video game music, recently published a series of YouTube videos showcasing his Sega Master System PSG (Programmable Sound Generator) arrangements of tracks from these iconic NES titles.

These adaptations not only demonstrate the unique sonic signature of the Sega Master System’s hardware but also highlight how familiar melodies can sound when translated to an entirely different 8-bit console. These musical arrangements are part of a larger fan-driven effort in collaboration with programmer Enrico Pallazzo.

The duo originally joined forces four months ago to begin work on a Master System port of Contra—the legendary run-and-gun shooter first launched by Konami for the NES in 1988.

Building on this partnership, they have recently set their sights on a new project: reimagining Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest for the Sega 8-bit system.

Both projects are still under development, and active work is ongoing to implement functional gameplay. According to video annotations and publicly shared updates, chirinea’s PSG recreations are written specifically for these work-in-progress Master System ports.

As a result, the music serves not only as a standalone homage to the original NES scores by Konami’s composers but also as a foundation for what soundtracks might have accompanied the games had they been officially released on Sega hardware. Enrico Pallazzo, the programmer behind these conversions, has made early demos of both games available to download from SMS Power, a popular community and resource for Sega Master System development.

These previews offer a tantalizing glimpse into what it could be like to experience Contra and Castlevania II on the 8-bit Sega platform. Chirinea has covered a wide range of tracks for Contra, including arrangements of the title screen theme, the opening Jungle level, as well as stage, boss, and end credits music—all tuned to take advantage of the Master System’s unique sound chip.

For Castlevania II, he has so far shared renditions of standout pieces such as “The Silence of Daylight” and “Bloody Tears,” iconic compositions in the Castlevania franchise. With these projects, chirinea and Enrico Pallazzo are delivering compelling proof of the enduring appeal of NES classics and their adaptability across retro gaming platforms.

Their work continues to be met with enthusiasm from the retro gaming community, celebrating both the artistry of chiptune music and the ingenuity of homebrew game development. Fans can follow chirinea’s latest arrangements via his YouTube channel and download demo builds from SMS Power.

These creative endeavours not only showcase the technical possibilities of Sega’s hardware but also pay tribute to the timeless appeal of Konami’s legendary game soundtracks.

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