Editing David Wise (composer)

{{Short description|English video game composer}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = David Wise
| image            = David Wise by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| caption          = Wise in 2024
| alias            = Dave Wise
| birth_date       = 
| birth_place      = [[Coalville|Coalville, England, United Kingdom]]
| origin           = 
| instrument       = Synthesizer, piano, saxophone
| genre            = [[Video game music]]
| occupation       = Composer, musician
| years_active     = 1985–present
| associated_acts  = [[Robin Beanland]]<br />[[Eveline Fischer]]<br />[[Grant Kirkhope]]<br />[[Graeme Norgate]]<br />[[Steve Burke (composer)|Steve Burke]]
| website          = {{url|http://davidwise.co.uk/}}
| label            = [[Brave Wave Productions]]
}}
'''David Wise''' is a British [[video game music]] composer and musician. He was a composer at [[Rare (company)|Rare]] from 1985 to 2009, and he was the company's sole musician up until 1994. He has gained a dedicated following for his work on various games, particularly [[Nintendo]]'s [[Donkey Kong Country (series)|''Donkey Kong Country'' series]]. Wise is known for his atmospheric style of music, mixing natural environmental sounds with prominent melodic and percussive accompaniment.

==Career and influences==
Wise has said that he has had a wide range of musical influences. The first instrument he learned to play was the piano, before later learning the trumpet, and learning to play the drums during adolescence. He played in a few bands during his youth, and he was active in a band as of 2004. His career at Rare began when he happened to meet its two founders; as he explained in response to a question posted on its company website: "I was working in a music shop demonstrating a [[Yamaha CX5M|Yamaha CX5]] Music Computer to a couple of people, [[Tim and Chris Stamper|Tim & Chris Stamper]]. I'd written and programmed the music for the demonstration material. They offered me a job."<ref>[http://www.rareware.com/extras/tepidseat/music/index.html Rare: The Tepid Seat – Rare Music Team (December 2004)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206184941/http://www.rareware.com/extras/tepidseat/music/index.html |date=6 December 2006 }}</ref>

While working at Rare, Wise gained attention and acclaim for his work on the [[Donkey Kong Country (series)|''Donkey Kong Country'' series]]. In addition to the percussive and ambient 'jungle' influences that serve as a thematic undercurrent for much of the series, the games feature a wide variety of different musical styles that are reflective of the various areas and environments they appear in. In the January 1996 issue of ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'', Wise stated that his travelling experiences largely shaped the sound and mood of each ''Donkey Kong'' soundtrack, further saying that the music for ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' was composed during what he called his "experimental Paris phase". In the book ''Playing With Super Power'', some influences for the music of ''Donkey Kong Country'' were mentioned. Specifically, [[Koji Kondo]]'s work on the ''[[Super Mario]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' series; the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] game ''[[Plok]]'', composed by [[Tim Follin]] and Geoff Follin; and synthesized film scores and rock and dance music from the early 1980s. He has composed the soundtrack for the [[Game Boy Advance]] port of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''.{{fact|date=September 2024}}

In October 2009, it was announced by the [[OverClocked ReMix]] community that Wise was remixing a track for ''Serious Monkey Business'', an unofficial ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' remix album. [[Grant Kirkhope]] and [[Robin Beanland]] collaborated on this track, playing guitar and trumpet respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dkc2.ocremix.org/|title=OverClocked ReMix Presents 'Serious Monkey Business'|website=dkc2.ocremix.org|access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02000|title=Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest "Re-Skewed" OC ReMix|access-date=16 May 2020|via=ocremix.org}}</ref> On 15 March 2010, ''Serious Monkey Business'' was released and Wise's track, "Re-Skewed", was featured as track No. 33. Much like his contribution to ''Serious Monkey Business'', Wise later remixed his own composition, the GBA version of "Jungle Jitter", for an unofficial ''Donkey Kong Country 3'' remix album titled ''Double the Trouble!'', which was released on 1 December 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dkc3.ocremix.org/|title=Donkey Kong Country 3: Double the Trouble!|website=OC ReMix|access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref> Wise also provided a saxophone solo for another remix, in addition to mixing and mastering the track.{{fact|date=September 2024}}

On 14 November 2009, Wise announced his resignation from Rare, feeling that the company had "changed a great deal" and there was no longer an opportunity to create music tracks that Rare is most known for.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mundorare.com/news/2009/11/david-wise-composer-since-1985-leaves-rare/ |title=MundoRare {{!}} David Wise, composer since 1985, leaves Rare (November 2009) |access-date=1 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119053646/http://mundorare.com/news/2009/11/david-wise-composer-since-1985-leaves-rare/ |archive-date=19 November 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In December 2010 Wise created a personal studio called the "David Wise Sound Studio".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/davidwise.shtml|title=Game Music :: Interview with David Wise (December 2010)|website=www.squareenixmusic.com|access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref> In June 2013, it was announced that he would be composing for ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'', after receiving a call from Retro Studios president Michael Kelbaugh, who previously worked at Rare.<ref name="David Wise composing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze">{{Cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/david-wise-composing-donkey-kong-country-tropical-freeze-256058.phtml|title=David Wise composing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze|website=Destructoid|date=11 June 2013 |access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="David Wise Explains How He Got His Job on Tropical Freeze">{{Cite web|url=https://gamnesia.nintendoenthusiast.com/david-wise-explains-how-he-got-his-job-on-tropical-freeze/|title=David Wise Explains How He Got His Job on Tropical Freeze|date=6 March 2014|website=Gamnesia|access-date=16 May 2020|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804203032/https://gamnesia.nintendoenthusiast.com/david-wise-explains-how-he-got-his-job-on-tropical-freeze/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Wise composed for ''[[Yooka-Laylee]]'' along with Kirkhope and [[Steve Burke (composer)|Steve Burke]].<ref name="The Team So Far...">{{Cite web|url=https://www.playtonicgames.com/team/|title=The Team So Far...|website=Playtonic Games|access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref>

==Works==
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1987
|''[[Slalom (video game)|Slalom]]''
|
|-
|''[[Wizards & Warriors]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |1988
|''[[R.C. Pro-Am]]''
|
|-
|''[[Wheel of Fortune (video game)#NES version|Wheel of Fortune]]''
|
|-
|''[[Jeopardy! (franchise)#Consoles|Jeopardy!]]''
|
|-
|''[[Anticipation (video game)|Anticipation]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="15" |1989
|''[[Marble Madness]]''
|
|-
|''[[World Games (video game)|World Games]]''
|
|-
|''[[WWF WrestleMania (1989 video game)|WWF WrestleMania]]''
|
|-
|''[[John Elway's Quarterback]]''
|
|-
|''[[California Games]]''
|
|-
|''[[Taboo: The Sixth Sense]]''
|
|-
|''Sesame Street ABC''
|
|-
|''[[Hollywood Squares (video game)|Hollywood Squares]]''
|
|-
|''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit (NES game)|Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]''
|
|-
|''[[Jordan vs. Bird: One on One]]''
|
|-
|''[[Cobra Triangle]]''
|
|-
|''[[Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II]]''
|
|-
|''Wheel of Fortune Junior Edition''
|
|-
|''Jeopardy! Junior Edition''
|
|-
|''[[Silent Service (video game)|Silent Service]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="18" |1990
|''[[Double Dare (video game)|Double Dare]]''
|
|-
|''Wheel of Fortune Family Edition''
|
|-
|''Jeopardy! 25th Anniversary Edition''
|
|-
|''[[Captain Skyhawk]]''
|
|-
|''[[Digger T. Rock]]''
|
|-
|''[[Pin*Bot (video game)|Pin*Bot]]''
|
|-
|''[[Snake Rattle 'n' Roll]]''
|
|-
|''[[NARC (video game)#Nintendo Entertainment System|NARC]]''
|
|-
|''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street (video game)|A Nightmare on Elm Street]]''
|
|-
|''[[Super Glove Ball]]''
|
|-
|''[[Cabal (video game)#Ports|Cabal]]''
|
|-
|''[[Time Lord (video game)|Time Lord]]''
|
|-
|''[[Arch Rivals]]''
|
|-
|''[[WWF WrestleMania Challenge]]''
|
|-
|''[[Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship]]''
|
|-
|''[[The Amazing Spider-Man (handheld video game)|The Amazing Spider-Man]]''
|
|-
|''[[Wizards & Warriors Chapter X: The Fortress of Fear]]''
|
|-
|''[[Super Off Road]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="8" |1991
|''Sesame Street ABC & 123''
|
|-
|''[[Battletoads (Game Boy)]]''
|
|-
|''[[Super R.C. Pro-Am]]''
|
|-
|''[[Sneaky Snakes]]''
|
|-
|''[[WWF Superstars (handheld video game)|WWF Superstars]]''
|
|-
|''[[Battletoads (1991 video game)|Battletoads]]''
|
|-
|''[[Beetlejuice (1991 video game)|Beetlejuice]]''
|
|-
|''[[High Speed (video game)|High Speed]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |1992
|''[[Wizards and Warriors III|Wizards & Warriors III]]''
|
|-
|''[[Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat]]''
|
|-
|''[[R.C. Pro-Am II]]''
|
|-
|''[[R.C. Pro-Am#Sequels.2C remakes and clones|Championship Pro-Am]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1993
|''[[Battletoads & Double Dragon]]''
|
|-
|''[[Battletoads in Battlemaniacs]]''
|
|-
|''X The Ball''
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1994
|''[[Battletoads Arcade]]''
|
|-
|''[[Monster Max]]''
|
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''
|With [[Robin Beanland]] and [[Eveline Fischer]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20051227091731/http://www.rareware.com/extra/scribes/scribes_content.html Rare: Scribes (21 December 2005)] at [[Internet Archive]] "Robin did Funky's Fugue, Eveline did Simian Segue, Candy's Love Song, Voices of the Temple, Forest Frenzy, Tree Top Rock, Northern Hemispheres and Ice Cave Chant, and the rest was the doing of Mr. Wise."</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |1995
|''[[Donkey Kong Land]]''||With [[Graeme Norgate]]
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''||
|-
|rowspan="2" |1996
|''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]''||''DKC 2'' soundtrack converted to the Game Boy by [[Grant Kirkhope]].
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''||With Fischer.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060213091526/http://www.rareware.com/extra/scribes/scribes_content.html Rare: Scribes (9 February 2006)] at [[Internet Archive]]"…everything is by Eveline except for Dixie Beat, Crazy Calypso, Wrinkly's Save Cave, Get Fit A-Go-Go, Wrinkly 64, Brothers Bear and Bonus Time (along with Bonus Win and Bonus Lose), which were by Dave."</ref> Wrote new soundtrack for 2005 GBA port.
|-
|1997
|''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]''||rowspan="2"|
|-
|1999
| ''[[Mickey's Racing Adventure]]''
|-
|2000
|''Donkey Kong Country'' (GBC version)''||With Beanland and Fischer{{check quotation|reason=mismatched italics}}
|-
|2001
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''||Original Game Staff
|-
|2002
| ''[[Star Fox Adventures]]''||With Ben Cullum.
|-
|2004
|''[[It's Mr. Pants]]''||With Beanland and Fischer ("Squeaky Pants")
|-
|2005
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!#Development and release|Donkey Kong Country 3 GBA]]''||rowspan="3"|
|-
|2007
|''[[Diddy Kong Racing#Remake|Diddy Kong Racing DS]]''
|-
| rowspan="3" |2008
|''[[Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise]]''
|-
|''[[War World (video game)|War World]]''||[[Xbox 360]] version
|-
|''[[Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts]]''||The Rare Family
|-
|2010||''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''||rowspan="3"|
|-
|2013
|''[[Sorcery! (video game)|Sorcery!]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" |2014
|''[[Tengami]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Tengami Soundtrack|url=http://nyamyam.com/tengami-soundtrack|publisher=nyamyam|access-date=9 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326163427/http://nyamyam.com/tengami-soundtrack|archive-date=26 March 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''||With [[Kenji Yamamoto (composer, born 1964)|Kenji Yamamoto]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |2015
|''[[Rare Replay]]''||Special thanks
|-
|''Star Drift''<ref>{{cite web|title=Former Retro Studios Developer Opens Squarehead Studios|date=20 January 2015 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/20/former-retro-studios-developer-opens-squarehead-studios|publisher=[[IGN]]|access-date=15 August 2015}}</ref>||rowspan="3"|
|-
|2016
|''Star Ghost''
|-
| rowspan="2" |2017
|''[[Snake Pass (video game)|Snake Pass]]''<ref name="Music of Snake Pass with David Wise">{{cite web | url=https://www.twitch.tv/videos/122505505 | title=Music of Snake Pass with David Wise | work=[[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] | first=David| last=Wise| date=16 February 2017 | access-date=20 February 2017}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Yooka-Laylee]]''||With [[Grant Kirkhope]] and [[Steve Burke (composer)|Steve Burke]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.playtonicgames.com/yooka-laylee-and-yooka-laylee-and-the-impossible-lair-soundtracks-released/|title=Yooka-Laylee and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Soundtracks Released|publisher=[[Playtonic Games]]|date=March 2020|access-date=6 March 2020|author=admin|archive-date=11 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811105106/https://www.playtonicgames.com/yooka-laylee-and-yooka-laylee-and-the-impossible-lair-soundtracks-released/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|2019
| ''[[Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair]]'' ||With Grant Kirkhope, Dan Murdoch and Matt Griffin<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.playtonicgames.com/new-game-yooka-laylee-and-the-impossible-lair/|title=NEW GAME: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair|publisher=Playtonic Games|access-date=2019-06-07|archive-date=7 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607132932/https://www.playtonicgames.com/new-game-yooka-laylee-and-the-impossible-lair/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |2020
|''[[Battletoads (2020 video game)|Battletoads]]''||Original themes, special thanks
|-
|''Tamarin''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/tamarin-conjures-jet-force-gemini-vibes-and-features-music-by-david-wise-551342.phtml|title=Tamarin conjures Jet Force Gemini vibes and features music by David Wise|website=Destructoid|date=24 April 2019 |access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref>||With Graeme Norgate
|-
| rowspan="2" |2023
|''[[Everhood|Everhood: Eternity Edition]]''<ref>{{cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/David_Wise/status/1702717197288681893|title=Did this one a little while back. Great to see the game being released on the 28th September. #Everhood|date=15 September 2023|user=David_Wise|number=1702717197288681893}}</ref>||rowspan="5"|
|-
|''Ratatan''<ref>{{cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/David_Wise/status/1697567604385223010|title=I might be doing a tune or 2 for for[sic] this Rhythm Game #Ratatan. Tune in around 3pm UK time.|date=1 September 2023|user=David_Wise|number=1697567604385223010}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2024
|''[[Nikoderiko: The Magical World]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2024/06/side-scrolling-platformer-nikoderiko-the-magical-world-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-switch-and-pc|title=Side-scrolling platformer Nikoderiko: The Magical World announced for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC|last=Romano|first=Sal|website=Gematsu|date=8 June 2024|access-date=8 June 2024|quote=Legendary David Wise arranged ALL the music for the game!}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Gimmick! 2]]''<ref>{{cite tweet|url=https://x.com/clearrivergames/status/1813940537931817330|title=The music is a crucial component of every great video game. And the composer for Gimmick! 2 is none other than @David_Wise!|date=18 July 2024|user=David_Wise|number=1813940537931817330}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|2025
|''Lucid''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/10/upcoming-metroidvania-lucid-gains-veteran-composer-david-wise|title=Upcoming Metroidvania 'Lucid' Gains Veteran Composer David Wise|last=Reynolds|first=Ollie|website=Nintendo Life|date=11 October 2023|access-date=11 October 2023}}</ref>
|-
|''99 Fails'' ||With Pawel Pachniewski<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2164500/99_Fails/|title=99 Fails on Steam|last=Jelly|first=Frying|website=Steam|date=20 December 2024|access-date=20 December 2024}}</ref><ref> {{Cite web|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2296250/99_Fails_Soundtrack/|title=99 Fails Soundtrack on Steam|last=Jelly|first=Frying|website=Steam|date=20 December 2024|access-date=20 December 2024}}</ref>
|}

===Cancelled===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Title!!Publisher!!Platform
|-
|''Harmony''
|Nintendo/ Retro Studios
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|1=http://www.davidwise.co.uk}}
* {{musicbrainz artist|id=ae29aae4-abfb-4609-8f54-417b1f4d64cc|name=David Wise}}
* [http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,165438/ Profile] at [[MobyGames]]
* {{IMDb name|id=0936336|name=David Wise}}
* {{Commons-cat-inline|David Wise}}

{{Rare}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wise, David}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:British composers]]
[[Category:British male composers]]
[[Category:British video game composers]]
[[Category:Freelance musicians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Rare (company) people]]