
To reproduce these melodies, it takes two players, sometimes three!
Musicians will do all sorts of things when it comes to covering their favorite songs, but since everyone (and their neighbor) are uploading homemade music videos to YouTube, you definitely need a way to stand out from the masses.
Song selection is certainly one way to do so, but how about an enormous xylophone that practically spans the length of a room?
▼ More xylophone means more awesome
when it comes to the Final Fantasy III theme.
HATSU 012 has taken their percussion skills, full xylophone, and a couple of their friends to play some familiar themes from our favorite video games.
Plus we know that they are serious. Just take a look at how many mallets they have in the background of some of their videos!
▼ The opening from Pokémon Red/Green
▼ Relive your Pokémon trainer battles in frenetic fashion.
Donning series-relevant hats, these players expertly match the tunes from Final Fantasy and Pokémon.
However their real passion lies in the world of Dragon Quest, as they have uploaded numerous themes and medleys from Dragon Quest I, II, and III and beyond.
▼ Various pieces from Dragon Quest I
▼ No need to go far in this quest for music from Dragon Quest III.
▼ Gypsy Dance from Dragon Quest IV
Even if you don’t know the Dragon Quest series very well, you can still enjoy the dulcet tones of this wooden xylophone. The energetic plunking sounds remind of us a bygone era where game music composers had to make due with extremely limited hardware capabilities, yet managed to create timeless masterpieces.
▼ Final Fantasy‘s main theme arranged on two xylophones!
We are big fans of HATSU 012, and if you are too, be sure to take a look at their YouTube page for more videos featuring silly hats and some amazing xylophone playing.
And if you want to see some other musical covers of classic video game music, check out Australia’s legendary violinist performing Final Fantasy X’s At Zanarkand, or if you’re looking for something a little more hardcore, the guitar covers of Final Fantasy VII’s One-Winged Angel.
Source, images: YouTube/HATSU 012

Olympics opening ceremony plays music from Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Sonic and more【Videos】
Twitter users claim Dragon Quest theme is eerily similar to university song, North Korea’s anthem
Japan picks the 100 greatest games of all time in Video Game General Election
Theatrhythm: Dragon Quest announced for Nintendo 3DS
Musical calculators! Japanese Twitter user recreates songs beautifully by crunching numbers【Vids】
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan has only one airport named after a samurai, so let’s check out Kochi Ryoma【Photos】
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Japanese restaurant chain serves Dragon Ball donuts and Senzu Beans this spring
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 1]
What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Denny’s in Japan?
Rage against the smoothie machine with this 7-Eleven drink hack【Taste test】
Super Budget Dining in Japan – What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen (US$6.70) at Saizeriya?
Japan Super Budget Dining – What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Doutor?
Japan Super Budget Dining – What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Yoshinoya?
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s new “Cunte” contact lenses aren’t pronounced like you’re probably thinking they are
Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Gate and Yamanote Line stairway locations change next month
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Starbucks Japan adds new sakura Frappuccino and cherry blossom drinks to the menu
Japan just had its first same-month foreign tourist decrease in four years
Burning through cash just to throw things away tops list of headaches when moving house in Japan
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Powerman5000 angry at Final Fantasy 14 for “stealing” its music 【Video】
Man arrested for sending 37 death threats to Square Enix because he couldn’t win at a game
Election to determine the best Final Fantasy, game, character, boss, and music underway
Final Fantasy VII battle music sounds even better when played on a shamisen【Video】
Toyota’s Prius c Journeys through Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter
Tokyo’s Shibuya Station now sending trains on their way by playing the Dragon Quest theme 【Video】
16-bit Final Fantasy XIII story recap will make you weep big fat nerd tears
Toyota Chocobos?! Iconic Final Fantasy music used in new car ad 【Videos】
The 20 most fun PlayStation titles, as picked by Japanese gamers
Have a Double Dose of Nostalgia Listening to the Dragon Quest Theme Played On a Moog Synth Courtesy of Google’s Latest Doodle
The unforgettable Dragon Quest theme music took an amazingly short time to write, composer says
Japanese Dragon Quest fan finds her one-button fix for composer’s questionable politics
Dragon Quest celebrates anniversary with enormous rice paddy art in Gyoda, Japan【Video】
Cool Japanese Music Video Brings Back 8-Bit Google Maps…Kinda
New 8-bit Nintendo classic system announced for Japan with 20 games not in last version