Wave Master

Wave Master (formerly known as Sega Digital Media) is an award-winning team that has created some of the most memorable scores in gaming history. They have also branched out into other endeavors, including game development and music for television. They employ nearly 40-50 sound designers and recording engineers at their Tokyo office.

Many of the most popular Sega soundtracks have come from Wave Master, including Panzer Dragoon Saga, Phantasy Star Online, and the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Wave Master's music has received critical acclaim, and has been recognized by the International Game Developers Association and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences for excellence in the field. In addition to releasing game scores, Wave Master has put out remixes and compilation albums of their music.

At the heart of Wave Master's operations is their state-of-the-art recording studio. It is composed of three rooms: a control room with a high-end 56-channel mixing console, a 4.6 x 5 meter "live" room with acoustic reflectors, and a 4 x 6.2 meter "dead" room with sound dampening properties. Some of Wave Master's most powerful works feature technology that dynamically changes the music based on game situations. When flying your airship in Skies of Arcadia, the main musical theme subtly changed based on your location in the world. Jet Grind Radio's pumping hip-hop tracks blended together in a way that mirrored a DJ mixing records on turntables. The main theme of Space Channel 5 progressively decomposed the worse you did in the game.

There's more to Wave Master than just game music. In 2000, Wave Master entered the world of game development with a quirky life simulation title called Roommania #203. They also handled the Japanese versions of Visual Concepts' Sega Sports 2K series. Other Wave Master projects include Radio DC (an Internet radio program featuring Sega game music), the Sonic Cafe suite of mobile phone applications, and jingles for TV shows and commercials in Japan.

To date, Wave Master is known to have contributed to one non-Sega game, Enix's Super Galdelic Hour for the PlayStaiton 2.

Current members

• Chihiro Aoki
• Fumie Kumatani
• Fumio Ito
• Fumitaka Shibata (Current Head of Team and Sega Digital Studio)
• Hideaki Kobayashi
• Hideki Abe
• Hideki Naganuma
• Hidenori Shoji
• Hiroshi Kawaguchi
• Jun Senoue
• Kazuki Takagi
• Keiichi Sugiyama
• Keisuke Tsukahara
• Keitaro Hanada
• Kenichi Tokoi
• Mariko Nanba
• Masaru Setsumaru
• Megumi Takano
• Mitsuharu Fukuyama
• Naofumi Hataya
• Sachio Ogawa
• Seiichi Hamada
• Seirou Okamoto
• Shigeharu Isoda
• Susumu Tsukagoshi
• Tadashi Kinukawa
• Takahiro Kai
• Takahito Eguchi
• Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
• Tatsutoshi Narita
• Tatsuya Kousaki
• Tatsuyuki Maeda
• Teruhiko Nakagawa
• Tomoko Sasaki
• Tomonori Sawada
• Tomoya Koga
• Tomoya Ohtani
• Yasuhiro Takagi
• Yasuyuki Nagata
• Yoshitada Miya

Former members

• Hirokazu Akashi
• Hirofumi Murasaki
• Junko Shiratsu
• Taihei Sato
• Takayuki Nakamura
• Tatsuya Kouzaki
• Saori Kobayashi
• Yayoi Wachi
• Yoshiaki Kashima
• Yukifumi Makino (former Head of Team)
• Yutaka Minobe

Games developed by Wave Master

• Roommania #203 (2000) (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2)
• Switch (2002) (PlayStation 2)
• New Roommania: Porori Seishun (2003) (PlayStation 2)

Music & Sound developed by Wave Master

• Panic! (1993) (Sega Mega-CD)
• OutRunners (1993) (Arcade)
• SegaSonic the Hedgehog (1993) (Arcade)
• J. League Pro Striker (1993) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Golden Axe III (1993) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Seima Densetsu 3x3 Eyes (1993) (Sega Mega-CD)
• Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1993) (Sega Mega-CD)
• Dark Wizard (1993) (Sega Mega-CD)
• Virtua Fighter (1993) (Arcade)
• Metal Fangs (1993) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Daytona USA (1993) (Arcade)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Virtua Racing (1994) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Game no Kanzume (1994) (Sega Mega-CD)
• Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit (1994) (Sega Mega-CD)
• J. League Pro Striker 2 (1994) (Sega Mega Drive)
• The Hybrid Front (1994) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Sonic & Knuckles (1994) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Virtua Fighter 2 (1994) (Arcade)
• Clockwork Knight (1994) (Sega Saturn)
• Virtua Racing Deluxe (1994) (Sega 32X)
• Sonic Crackers (Cancelled) (1994) (Sega Mega Drive)
• J. League Victory Goal (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Ristar (1995) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Metal Head (1995) (Sega 32X)
• Knuckles' Chaotix (1995) (Sega 32X)
• Panzer Dragoon (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Sega International Victory Goal (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Shadow Squadron (1995) (Sega 32X)
• Astal (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Cool Riders (1993) (Arcade)
• Super Columns (1995) (Sega Game Gear)
• Blue Seed: Kushinada Hirokuden (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Chou Kyuukai Miracle Nine (1995) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Magic Knight Rayearth (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Clockwork Knight 2 (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• F1 Challenge (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• In the Hunt (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• Sega Rally Championship (1995) (Sega Saturn)
• J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: 1st Impression (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Panzer Dragoon Zwei (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Dragon Force (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• J. League Victory Goal '96 (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• NiGHTS into Dreams (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Greatest Nine '96 (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Sega Worldwide Soccer '97 (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Sonic 3D (1996) (Sega Mega Drive)
• Christmas NiGHTS (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Sakura Taisen (1996) (Sega Saturn)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2nd Impression (1997) (Sega Saturn)
• J. League Victory Goal '97 (1997) (Sega Saturn)
• Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 97 (1997) (Sega Saturn)
• Sonic Jam (1997) (Sega Saturn)
• Sega Worldwide Soccer '98 (1997) (Sega Saturn)
• J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! (1997) (Sega Saturn)
• Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998) (Sega Saturn)
• Pro Yakyuu Team mo Tsukurou! (1998) (Sega Saturn)
• Burning Rangers (1998) (Sega Saturn)
• Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 98 (1998) (Sega Saturn)
• Sakura Taisen 2 (1998) (Sega Saturn)
• Daytona USA 2 (1998) (Arcade)
• Sonic Adventure (1998) (Dreamcast)
• Virtua Fighter 3 (1998) (Dreamcast)
• Sega Rally 2 (1999) (Dreamcast)
• Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! (1999) (Dreamcast)
• Atsumare! Guru Guru Onsen (1999) (Dreamcast)
• ChuChu Rocket! (1999) (Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance)
• Samba de Amigo (1999) (Dreamcast, Arcade)
• Roommania #203 (2000) (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2)
• Planet Ring (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Jet Set Radio (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Skies of Arcadia (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Samba de Amigo Ver.2000 (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Daytona USA 2001 (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Phantasy Star Online (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Crackin' DJ (2000) (Arcade)
• JRA PAT for Dreamcast (2000) (Dreamcast)
• Hundred Swords (2001) (PlayStation 2)
• Dream Passport 3 (2001) (Dreamcast)
• Super Galdelic Hour (2001) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) (Dreamcast)
• Phantasy Star Online Ver.2 (2001) (Dreamcast)
• Guru Guru Onsen 2 (2001) (Dreamcast)
• Puyo Pop (2001) (Game Boy Advance)
• Rez (2001) (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360)
• Sonic Advance (2001) (Game Boy Advance)
• Initial D: Special Stage (2001) (Arcade)
• Sakura Taisen 3 (2001) (Dreamcast)
• Propeller Arena (Cancelled) (2001) (Dreamcast)
• Virtua Fighter 4 (2002) (PlayStation 2)
• Space Channel 5: Part 2 (2002) (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2)
• Jet Set Radio Future (2002) (Xbox)
• Gunvalkyrie (2002) (Xbox)
• Baseball Advance (2002) (Game Boy Advance)
• Ghost Vibration (2002) (PlayStation 2)
• Switch (2002) (PlayStation 2)
• Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 (2002) (Xbox, Nintendo GameCube)
• Blinx: The Time Sweeper (2002) (Xbox)
• Shinobi (2002) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Mega Collection (2002) (Nintendo GameCube)
• Panzer Dragoon Orta (2002) (Xbox)
• Sonic Advance 2 (2002) (Game Boy Advance)
• Initial D: Arcade Stage Ver. 2 (2002) (Arcade)
• New Roommania: Porori Seishun (2003) (PlayStation 2)
• Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! 2 (2003) (PlayStation 2)
• Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (2003) (PlayStation 2)
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (2003) (Nintendo GameCube)
• Onimusha Blade Warriors (2003) (PlayStation 2)
• Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 Plus (2003) (Xbox, Nintendo GameCube)
• Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution (2003) (Xbox, Nintendo GameCube)
• Nightshade (2003) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Battle (2003) (Game Boy Advance)
• OutRun 2 (2003) (Arcade, Xbox)
• Sonic Heroes (2003) (Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC)
• Dragon Treasure (2003) (Arcade)
• Puyo Pop Fever (2004) (PlayStation 2, Dreamcast, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, Mac OS, Game Boy Advance, PC, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Arcade)
• Astro Boy (2004) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Advance 3 (2004) (Game Boy Advance)
• Phantasy Star Online Episode IV: Blue Burst (2004) (PC)
• Quest of D (2004) (Arcade)
• Sega Superstars (2004) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004) (PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC)
• Feel the Magic: XY/XX (2004) (Nintendo DS)
• Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space (2004) (Xbox)
• Yoshi's Universal Gravitation (2004) (Game Boy Advance)
• Ollie King (2004) (Arcade)
• Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! 3 (2005) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Gems Collection (2005) (Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2)
• The Rub Rabbits! (2005) (Nintendo DS)
• Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube)
• Sonic Rush (2005) (Nintendo DS)
• Puyo Pop Fever 2 (2005) (PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS)
• Yakuza (2005) (PlayStation 2)
• Fifth Phantom Saga (Cancelled) (2005) (PlayStation 3)
• Sega Rally 2006 (2006) (PlayStation 2)
• Rule of Rose (2006) (PlayStation 2)
• Sonic Riders (2006) (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC)
• Phantasy Star Universe (2006) (PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PC)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
• Yakuza 2 (2006) (PlayStation 2)
• Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary (2006) (Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii)
• Sonic and the Secret Rings (2006) (Wii)
• J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 5 (2007) (PlayStation 2)
• Virtua Fighter 5 (2007) (PlayStation 3)
• Sonic Rush Adventure (2007) (Nintendo DS)
• Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus (2007) (PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PC)
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007) (Nintendo DS, Wii)
• NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (2007) (Wii)
• Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (2008) (PlayStation 2, Wii)
• Sega Superstars Tennis (2008) (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Wii)
• Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! (2008) (Nintendo DS)
• Phantasy Star Portable (2008) (PlayStation Portable)
• Sonic Unleashed (2008) (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii)
• Phantasy Star Zero (2008) (Nintendo DS)
• Blazer Drive (2009) (Nintendo DS)
• Yakuza 3 (2009) (PlayStation 3)
• Sonic and the Black Knight (2009) (Wii)
• Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! 2 (2009) (Nintendo DS)
• Puyo Puyo 7 (2009) (Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Wii)
• Border Break (2009) (Arcade)
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009) (Nintendo DS, Wii)
• Phantasy Star Portable 2 (2009) (PlayStation Portable)
• Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (2010) (Wii)
• Yakuza 4 (2010) (PlayStation 3)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (2010) (PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE, WiiWare)
• Sonic Free Riders (2010) (Xbox 360)
• FlingSmash (2010) (Wii)
• Sonic Colors (2010) (Wii, Nintendo DS)
• Shining Force Cross Raid (2010) (Arcade)
• Super Monkey Ball 3D (2011) (Nintendo 3DS)
• Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary (2011) (Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Wii)
• Sonic Generations (2011) (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, PC)
• Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2011) (Wii)
• Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure (2012) (Nintendo 3DS)
• Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2012) (Nintendo 3DS)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (2012) (PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE)
• Phantasy Star Online 2 (2012) (PC, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android)
• Yakuza 5 (2012) (PlayStation 3)
• Sonic Lost World (2013) (Wii U, Nintendo 3DS)
• Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013) (Wii U)

External links

• Wave-Master.com