Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
SNES Mario Circuit from Mario Kart DS, restored to its highest possible quality using the original instrument sources (where applicable/possible)
With this video, part 2 of the Mario Kart DS OST Restoration project has now started. Unlike part 1, which was already fully completed before any videos were posted, and already had projects ready beforehand that only needed to be mixed again, part 2 will consist mostly of songs I have yet to restore, which means more work needs to be done.
This also means that videos will likely not be uploaded in a quick succession like with part 1, because once again, those projects were already completed and planned to be released in one big video, but plans had changed.
Once again, I've changed how I decide to mix these tracks. Before, I wanted it to be faithful to the original tracks, copying how the instruments originally sounded and how loud they were, etc.
However, I realized that this isn't the best, since this soundtrack is kind of flawed. So, I decided to take some more creative liberties with how the tracks are mixed.
The instruments are still one-shot, single sampled notes. This is because for the instruments that are sourced from synths, if I were to use the full patches in the restorations, they wouldn't sound close enough to the real thing (ESPECIALLY that stupid organ).
You can find these restorations available for listening and downloading (.WAV) here:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pz1BknPpJrULU6KKxCb9iCSa3Nx35PA6?usp=drive_link
Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2BKaM3wSlVbiCD4W99b9Gazd4BdpH9Sz&si=L5Ke3MbjPf9sidY8
Q&A:
Q: I'm confused, what's a restoration?
A: Think of it as kind of a remaster. These songs are usually in pretty low quality, typically because of the hardware constraints that the console it was from had. So, the original sources of the instruments were found, usually from a synth or sample CD, and then they're replaced with those higher quality versions to create a higher quality sounding version.
Q: How do you make these?
A: Simple, for Mario Kart DS specifically, I just open the ROM in a program called VGMTrans, which then extracts all of the music from the game, which I can then save as a MIDI (+ DLS since i use FL Studio). After that, it's just finding the original samples, and replacing them.
Sometimes, when there are pitch bends, they are played incorrectly when you just open a MIDI in FL Studio, so using the Level Scaling tool, I can make them as accurate as possible.
Q: How do you find the samples for these?
A: All of these samples are documented on the NEWER VGM Sound Sources spreadsheet. If you're curious, you can check that out here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JJBlHHDc65fhZmKUGLrDTLCm6rfUU83-kbuD8Y0zU0o
Q: What specifically do you use for the samples?
A: Mario Kart DS uses many samples from the KORG TRITON, Roland JV-1080, Roland XV-5080, and an assortment of different sound library CDs. Many of those CDs can be found on websites like Internet Archive, or can also be found uploaded on the VGM & Other Instrument Sources Discord server, which you can join here: discord.com/invite/m4qzYNGHuS
Those synthesizers can be either bought physically (expensive), or also have a VST which is also paid but not as much as buying a physical version. If you want those for free, you figure that part out yourself.
Q: What DAW/equipment do you use?
A: I said this before, but I use FL Studio for all of these restorations. I don't have any fancy equipment besides a DT 770 Pro. But I wish I did.
Q: Can you do (game song) restoration?
A: Depends. Is it from a game with documented sound sources? Is it a game that I would want to do a restoration for? Is it a game where it is possible/reasonable to create one for? If the answer for those is yes, then the answer is, yes I can, might, or I'm already doing it. If not, then No.
SNES Mario Circuit from Mario Kart DS, restored to its highest possible quality using the original instrument sources (where applicable/possible)
With this video, part 2 of the Mario Kart DS OST Restoration project has now started. Unlike part 1, which was already fully completed before any videos were posted, and already had projects ready beforehand that only needed to be mixed again, part 2 will consist mostly of songs I have yet to restore, which means more work needs to be done.
This also means that videos will likely not be uploaded in a quick succession like with part 1, because once again, those projects were already completed and planned to be released in one big video, but plans had changed.
Once again, I've changed how I decide to mix these tracks. Before, I wanted it to be faithful to the original tracks, copying how the instruments originally sounded and how loud they were, etc.
However, I realized that this isn't the best, since this soundtrack is kind of flawed. So, I decided to take some more creative liberties with how the tracks are mixed.
The instruments are still one-shot, single sampled notes. This is because for the instruments that are sourced from synths, if I were to use the full patches in the restorations, they wouldn't sound close enough to the real thing (ESPECIALLY that stupid organ).
You can find these restorations available for listening and downloading (.WAV) here:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pz1BknPpJrULU6KKxCb9iCSa3Nx35PA6?usp=drive_link
Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2BKaM3wSlVbiCD4W99b9Gazd4BdpH9Sz&si=L5Ke3MbjPf9sidY8
Q&A:
Q: I'm confused, what's a restoration?
A: Think of it as kind of a remaster. These songs are usually in pretty low quality, typically because of the hardware constraints that the console it was from had. So, the original sources of the instruments were found, usually from a synth or sample CD, and then they're replaced with those higher quality versions to create a higher quality sounding version.
Q: How do you make these?
A: Simple, for Mario Kart DS specifically, I just open the ROM in a program called VGMTrans, which then extracts all of the music from the game, which I can then save as a MIDI (+ DLS since i use FL Studio). After that, it's just finding the original samples, and replacing them.
Sometimes, when there are pitch bends, they are played incorrectly when you just open a MIDI in FL Studio, so using the Level Scaling tool, I can make them as accurate as possible.
Q: How do you find the samples for these?
A: All of these samples are documented on the NEWER VGM Sound Sources spreadsheet. If you're curious, you can check that out here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JJBlHHDc65fhZmKUGLrDTLCm6rfUU83-kbuD8Y0zU0o
Q: What specifically do you use for the samples?
A: Mario Kart DS uses many samples from the KORG TRITON, Roland JV-1080, Roland XV-5080, and an assortment of different sound library CDs. Many of those CDs can be found on websites like Internet Archive, or can also be found uploaded on the VGM & Other Instrument Sources Discord server, which you can join here: discord.com/invite/m4qzYNGHuS
Those synthesizers can be either bought physically (expensive), or also have a VST which is also paid but not as much as buying a physical version. If you want those for free, you figure that part out yourself.
Q: What DAW/equipment do you use?
A: I said this before, but I use FL Studio for all of these restorations. I don't have any fancy equipment besides a DT 770 Pro. But I wish I did.
Q: Can you do (game song) restoration?
A: Depends. Is it from a game with documented sound sources? Is it a game that I would want to do a restoration for? Is it a game where it is possible/reasonable to create one for? If the answer for those is yes, then the answer is, yes I can, might, or I'm already doing it. If not, then No.
