The Nintendo Entertainment System was a youth staple in the mid-to-late ’80s. The catchy tunes that came from its myriad of games is not only part of the soundtrack to a generation, but has been a muse for California band The Advantage.

The Advantage is a Nevada City, Calif. cover band that would love to cover every 8-bit Nintendo song before they die — even though members aren’t sure that’s possible.

“It’s just been an idea that a bunch of us have always liked,” McWhirter says. “It was always a cool thing to cover those songs; nobody had really done that before.”

Inspired by Mr. Bungle’s cover of the Mario Brothers medley, The Advantage formed in 1998. Although the two founding members are no longer part of the band, McWhirter and Spencer Seim have joined Robby Moncrieff and Ben Milner in continuing the mission. The members share a love for video games and the music that each game contains.

“In order for me to like a game, I have to like the music that is in it,” McWhirter says.

McWhirter prefers the simple catchy 8-bit anthems.

“[In the old games] It’s the same team of guys that made the game, made the music, so that it seems more connected,” McWhirter says.

It’s not only the music of older games, but the games themselves that draw McWhirter. He says that they are “more natural.”

“I rarely find a new game that I am into,” McWhirter says, “The games now are a lot more in depth.”

McWhirter says he dislikes the current relationship between music and video games. The connection between a game’s anthems and the game itself are no longer there.

“Where like now it just seems like they’re just throwing in some rehashed version of an alternative-pop-rock song, just a lot of real bands with radio-hit-sounding songs; I am not into that in the first place, so I don’t wanna hear rehashed versions of the songs,” he says. “I would like it better if they used a real band and if the band took the time and worked with the designers of the game and actually wrote music that fit the game instead of taking the song and sticking it on there.”

As a member of The Advantage, McWhirter and the gang really do have a good time playing the catchy songs they love. McWhirter weighs in on what he believes the catchiest song might be.

“That’s kind of rough, ‘Mario Brothers’ is pretty damn catchy,” McWhirter says.

“Judging on the fact that everyone, even people who don’t play video games recognize the ‘Mario Brothers’ song.”

McWhirter feels the music presented in games like “Mega Man 2,” “Ninja Gaiden” and “Contra” are also very catchy.

“Often times the short little melody lines stick in people’s brains,” McWhirter says.

Along with having the songs stuck in the audiences heads, McWhirter also thinks The Advantage will influence the audience’s collective feet.

“I think the music comes across as pretty danceable, I’d like to see some Nintendo dance parties somewhere along the road,” he says.

Who: The Advantage, Horseshoe Spatulas

Where: M-Shop

When: 8 p.m. Thursday

Cost: $5 student, $7 public