The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time took first place in the first Gamemuziek Top 50 broadcast on Nov. 13, 2026, as reported by NPO.nl.
The 1998 Nintendo classic beat out other legendary titles in a countdown curated by a professional jury and decided by live public voting.
NOS Nieuws noted that the broadcast originated live from the Beeld & Geluid museum in Hilversum. NPO Klassiek organized the event to reach younger audiences with less affinity for traditional classical music. Social media clips shared by the network earlier generated massive engagement, prompting the full radio and streaming special.
“Dat zou best wel eens de Bohemian Rhapsody van de gamemuziek kunnen worden,” Zwiep told NOS Nieuws, adding that the true status might become clear in ten years.
A five-member expert panel determined the top fifty tracks before fans voted on the final top ten during the broadcast. The jury included Sander Zwiep, Willem Hilhorst, Martine Spaans, Jeffrey Wirtz, and Martin Verschoor, according to NPO Klassiek. Voting took place via Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and the NPO Luister app.
| Rank | Game Title | Composer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Koji Kondo |
| 2 | Donkey Kong Country | David Wise |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Nobuo Uematsu |
| 4 | The Last Of Us | Gustavo Santaolalla |
| 5 | Red Dead Redemption II | Woody Jackson |
The eighth-ranked Tetris soundtrack derives directly from a classical composition.
NRC said that simple electronic blips defined early puzzle software, while grand orchestral arrangements came to dominate fantasy and role-playing adventures. Red Dead Redemption II combined orchestrated scores with authentic saloon music, according to NOS Nieuws.
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The panel awarded the inaugural Gamemuziek Oeuvre Award to Dutch composer Joris de Man. De Man shaped international soundscapes through his work on Killzone and Horizon Zero Dawn.
“Joris heeft zich weten te onderscheiden met een bijzonder eigen geluid,” jurylid Jeffrey Wirtz said on NRC. Wirtz praised his focus on strong melodies and recurring character themes.
