One of the best parts about doing a weekly mixtape is hearing suggestions from readers on which composer to cover next (PS: keep 'em coming). Out of all the suggestions, nobody has been more requested than Yoko Shimomura. So this week on the Kotaku Mix Tape, we celebrate one of gaming's most moving composers.




Even though she cut her teeth on Street Fighter II and other Capcom titles, Yoko Shimomura is probably best known for her work with SquareEnix. Need somebody to write a piano ballad that'll make you cry your eyes out? Yoko's got your back, and the themes from Xenoblade and Kingdom Hearts are proof of that.

THE LIST:

Beware the Forest Mushrooms - Super Mario RPG

Dearly Beloved - Kingdom Hearts

Primal Eyes - Parasite Eve

Tension Rising - Kingdom Hearts II

Somnus - Final Fantasy Versus XIII

Elder Princess Shroob Battle - Mario and Luigi Partners in Time

Guile's Theme - Street Fighter II (with Isao Abe)

Title Theme - Legend of Mana

Manifold Irons - Front Mission (Dramattica Arranged Version)

Main Theme - Live-A-Live

Main Theme - Xenoblade Chronicles