GoldenEye's Iconic Watch Music Is Missing Something On Nintendo Switch [Update]

GoldenEye's watch theme has become an indelible part of the legacy of the game, immortalized in internet memes and YouTube compilations. However, the track--which plays whenever the player pauses the game--sounds a little different in the Switch version of the game, as revealed by a clip that Nintendo of America posted. Co-composer Graeme Norgate noticed the subtle omission on social media. [Update: Fortunately, with the game now released, it turns out that the music isn't missing this signature detail. However, the controls when playing on Switch are less than desirable.]

Your mission – sit back and listen to the music from the Q Watch in #Nintendo64’s GoldenEye 007, coming 1/27 on #NintendoSwitch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members. 🎶 pic.twitter.com/8nSobxuR6b
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 25, 2023

Missing some sounds there guys, hope this isn't the final version. @grantkirkhope
— Graeme Norgate (@Norgans) January 26, 2023

Compare the above clip to the below YouTube video, which is the original track from the Nintendo 64.

As spotted by ResetEra user Lady Bow, the track is missing a pitched-down cymbal sample (a sonar-like sound) that's used in several tracks in the game, and the snare is also missing reverb. You can hear it on every other four-count. This issue also apparently impacts several other music tracks in the game, including the Dam, Facility, and Elevator themes.

it's so bizarre that the Goldeneye pause music has developed a life of its own, something that took me 20 mins to write and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Constantly on the phone to @norgans because I'd broken something or couldn't understand what was going on!
— Grant Kirkhope (@grantkirkhope) January 25, 2023

While we don't know the exact cause of the disparity, Digital Foundry's John Linneman suggests that it's probably related to emulation issues. The Nintendo 64 is well-known as a particularly difficult console to emulate, and previous versions of popular emulators struggled to replicate its sound output in the past. It's unclear if these issues will apply to the Xbox version of GoldenEye 007, as it will use a different emulator than the Switch version. The game comes to both consoles on January 27, so that mystery won't remain much longer. Track composer Grant Kirkhope recently stated that he wrote the watch theme in a mere 20 minutes.