Kenji Yamamoto

is a Japanese video game musician working for Nintendo, notable for composing music in many titles of the Metroid series, mainly Super Metroid and the Metroid Prime trilogy. Yamamoto also plays a role as a music director at Nintendo, overseeing audio for several of their games. He frequently collaborates with fellow composers Minako Hamano and Masaru Tajima.

Yamamoto's music utilizes heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar. In development of Super Metroid, Yamamoto came up with some of the game's themes by humming them to himself while riding his motorcycle home from work. Developers from Retro Studios noted how the process of fitting all the sound effects for a world in Metroid Prime into 6 MB of space was crucial in producing a quality aural experience, as each sound had to be of very high quality. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption took advantage of the increase in the amount of RAM that took place when the series switched from the GameCube to the Wii; this allowed for higher quality audio samples to be used and thus a better overall audio quality.

Galactic Pinball Music with Masaru Tajima 1997 BS Tantei Club: Yuki ni Kieta Kako Music

Famicom Bunko: Hajimari no Mori Music with Kozue Ishikawa

Mario Kart: Super Circuit Sound support

Metroid Fusion Sound director Metroid Prime Music with Koichi Kyuma

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Music Metroid: Zero Mission Music with Minako Hamano

Rhythm Heaven Fever Sound support Pilotwings Resort Music supervisor Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword Music director StreetPass Mii Plaza Sound supervisor

Kiki Trick Sound supervisor Brain Age: Concentration Training Sound supervisor

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Sound supervisor Tomodachi Life Sound supervisor StreetPass Mii Plaza Sound director Nintendoji Music director

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Music supervisor Pokémon Art Academy Sound supervisor Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Arrangements

Style Savvy: Fashion Forward Sound supervisor Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash Sound supervisor Real Dasshutsu Game x Nintendo 3DS Sound director Rhythm Heaven Megamix Sound support staff Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Sound support

Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge Music supervisor Disney Art Academy Sound supervisor Miitopia Sound supervisor

Hey! Pikmin Sound progress management Metroid: Samus Returns Music director

Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido Sound support

Metroid Dread Music director

Metroid Prime Remastered Music producer 2025 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Music with Minako Hamano