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Editor's Note: This isn't a collection of videogame music on YouTube but something far more subtle and interesting...if you have an ear for it. -Shoe

Brett Bates' piece about an art installation in San Fransisco has inspired me to finally get around to something I've been meaning to do for a while. There have been a million pieces about videogame music. This isn't one of those.

Instead, drawing on my semi-substantial knowledge of music, I've collected a series of tunes that reveal how ingrained videogames music (of the 8- and 16-bit variety) have permeated our culture and how -- and I have no idea if the following artists even realize it -- popular music draws from the distinct sounds of these early videogames.

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Compared to outlandish ones like Final Fantasy or Xenosaga, Bethesda's RPGs are grounded in reality...relatively speaking. Vampirism, magic, mutants, and mini-nuke launchers aside, you can pretty much relate to the people and worlds in Oblivion and Fallout 3. Strangely enough, they're kinda normal.

Maybe that's because Todd Howard is kinda normal himself. Bethesda Game Studios' game director and executive producer is a big (make that huge) Bruce Springsteen fan. He watches Friday Night Lights. And he thinks he can become Batman someday. He's an everyday guy who just happens to make epic games for a living. Epic games that feel "normal," that is.

He's our latest subject in our 21 Random Qs interview, so let's get to know...Todd Howard.

1. What is your favorite end-of-the-world movie?

Todd Howard: 12 Monkeys.

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Editor's note: We were fully in the grip of E3 when this mock profile of Mario was first posted, so we totally missed it -- in case you did, too, we're promoting it now. (Oh, and if any lawyers are reading and it's not already completely clear, this is a parody.) -Demian

I'm standing at the intersection of Warp Pipe and Vine, and I can hear the subject of my latest interview before I see him. About a block away, I can hear his 150 cc golden car power slide through a red light, and the characteristic slot machine sound of a power up queuing up as he bowls through an Item Box. He skids to a halt directly in front of me as I jump back from the curb.

"Get the fuck in, I got a Golden Mushroom here, and we got to let the lead out." The attitude is betrayed by a singsong farce of an Italian accent.

I jump into the back seat and with a "Let's a-go!" we are gone with a perfectly timed starter boost.

For better or worse, this is a day in the life of videogames' most famous character, Mario.

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We have questions. But they're not necessarily easy questions to answer.

They have answers. But do they want to give them up?

Welcome to "21 Random Qs: Getting to Know..." -- a biweekly series of interviews where the norm ("What's it like working on your game? And just how awesome is your game, by the way?") is out of the question. We have way tougher things to ask.

And just who are "they"? Game developers, executives, professional players, journalists...or just plain nice guys in the industry.

David Jaffe does not fall into the latter category. The game director, designer, and co-president of development studio Eat Sleep Play (you may better know him as the creative mind behind God of War and Twisted Metal) is one outspoken SOB.

He's not afraid to tell you that you suck -- he's even got the balls to call out the press on stuff he doesn't agree with. We know. We've been on the receiving end back in our EGM days.

Jaffe has nothing new to promote right now (Sony's not letting him talk about his upcoming PS3 projects yet), but that's OK, because "21 Random Qs" was not designed to be a promotional vehicle for anyone. Instead, we want to get to know Jaffe as a normal human being.

Who's his favorite superhero? What's the best prank he's ever pulled? And -- for you God of War fans out there -- has he ever been in a real-life three way?

Let's get to know...David Jaffe.

1.  Who's your favorite comic-book superhero?

David Jaffe: Spider-Man.

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