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Born in Nagoya, Japan, Koji Kondo developed an early passion for music, learning electronic organ during childhood. He joined Nintendo in 1984 as their first dedicated music composer, revolutionizing game audio when most titles used simple beeps. Kondo's breakthrough came with 1985's Super Mario Bros., where he composed the timeless overworld theme in a single night—now one of the world's most recognizable melodies. His inn...