Airship Theme
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| "Airship Theme" | |
|---|---|
"Airship Theme" in Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
| Composed by: Koji Kondo | |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) |
| Latest appearance | The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) |
The "Airship Theme" is an atonal[1] musical theme commonly associated with airships in the Super Mario franchise. It was originally composed by Koji Kondo for airship and tank levels in Super Mario Bros. 3. The theme begins with a triplet-based rhythm evoking a military march, which plays throughout the rest of the theme. It is loosely based on "Mars, the Bringer of War," the first movement of Gustav Holst's The Planets.
Composition[edit]
As Super Mario Bros. 3 is for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Family Computer, the theme is orchestrated as chiptune with a timpani PCM sample. The original Airship Theme is short, lasting 30 seconds, though later arrangements would go on to extend the theme. It has been reused in Super Mario Maker (as well as its Nintendo 3DS port) and Super Mario Maker 2 in airship levels of the Super Mario Bros. 3 style.
In the Japanese and American versions of Super Mario Bros. 3, the first part of the theme plays the PCM sample slightly after the other channels by about a twelfth note, leading to slight desynchronization and the percussion being cut off early as the second part begins. This is corrected in the European version but retained in Super Mario Maker.
 Airship Theme - Japanese / North American version | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Theme - European version | File info 0:30 |
Reuses[edit]
| Game | Description |
|---|---|
| Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS | The original "Airship Theme" serves as the background music for Airship stages in the Super Mario Bros. 3 style. |
| Super Mario Maker 2 | The original "Airship Theme" serves as the background music for the daytime version of Airship stages in the Super Mario Bros. 3 style. |
Arrangements[edit]
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, an arrangement of the "Airship Theme" plays in scenes relating to the Doom Ship and Doom Sub.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario All-Stars[edit]
As Super Mario All-Stars features a remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, the "Airship Theme" was given an updated, 16-bit arrangement on brass and timpani. This version skips the 2-bar timpani solo after the track loops. This arrangement is also included in the game's Wii port Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition, as well as Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World.
| Airship Theme - The arrangement heard in the Super Mario All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. 3 | File info 0:30 |
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
The "Airship Theme" also received an updated arrangement in Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. In the opening cutscene, the first half of the "Airship Theme" plays before transitioning to an original piece.
| Opening - The arrangement heard in the opening of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Theme - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | File info 0:30 |
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
A fully orchestrated arrangement of the "Airship Theme" titled "Attack of the Airships"[2] is featured in the opening of Super Mario Galaxy, arranged by Mahito Yokota. A variation of this arrangement, titled "Airship Armada"[2], plays in Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada. "Airship Armada" has a shorter introduction than "Attack of the Airships" and it loops instead of ending.
"Attack of the Airships" can be heard in Bowser Jr.'s newcomer video for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U when the Koopalings appear. "Airship Armada" is reused in the opening of Super Mario Galaxy 2 when Bowser appears. It also returns in Super Mario 3D Land and can be heard in airship levels, though it is compressed and played on synthesized instruments. "Attack of the Airships" and "Airship Armada" both return along with Super Mario Galaxy in Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
| Attack of the Airships - The arrangement heard in the opening of Super Mario Galaxy | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Armada - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Galaxy | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Armada - The compressed version heard in Super Mario 3D Land | File info 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]
In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a mostly faithful arrangement plays in airship levels. The melody is played by an organ instead of brass and a countermelody has been added before the piece loops. If the player runs short on time, string accents are added to the arrangement along with the tempo increase. In the room before a boss fight, only the percussion plays. The arrangement is reused in airship levels in New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (all three of which also reuse the pre-boss variation), Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, Super Mario Maker 2, and Super Mario Run.
Sheet music for this arrangement is featured in New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos.
| Airship Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Theme (Fast) - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Interior - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:29 |
Super Mario Maker[edit]
In Super Mario Maker, when editing an Airship course in the Course Maker, a more ambient arrangement of the corresponding Airship Theme plays, using multiple tracks that fade in and out randomly to create a dynamic mix. This arrangement returns in Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS and Super Mario Maker 2.
| Airship Theme (Edit) (Super Mario Bros. 3 style) - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Maker | File info 0:29 |
| Airship Theme (Edit) (New Super Mario Bros. U style) - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Maker | File info 0:29 |
Super Mario Odyssey[edit]
The opening cutscene of Super Mario Odyssey features an arrangement of the theme from Super Mario Bros.-style airship levels in Super Mario Maker titled 「オープニング ～ピーチ城上空～」(Ōpuningu ~Pīchi-jō Jōkū~)[3] (meaning "Opening ~Above Peach's Castle~"), and a section of the arrangement includes a part of the "Airship Theme".
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
In Super Mario Maker 2, there are music box arrangements that play in the "Airship Theme" at night in the Super Mario Bros. 3 and New Super Mario Bros. U styles.
| Airship Theme (Night) (Super Mario Bros. 3 style) - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Maker 2 | File info 0:30 |
| Airship Theme (Night) (New Super Mario Bros. U style) - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Maker 2 | File info 0:29 |
Paper Mario series[edit]
Paper Mario[edit]
The first arrangement of the "Airship Theme" outside of Super Mario Bros. 3 and its remakes and adaptations is featured in Paper Mario, which plays when the Koopa Bros. fire Bullet Bills at Mario when he reaches the Koopa Bros. Fortress's rooftop. It was arranged by Yuka Tsujiyoko and is titled "Bill Blaster! Go Faster!".[4]
| Bill Blaster! Go Faster! - The arrangement heard in Paper Mario | File info 0:30 |
Paper Mario: Sticker Star[edit]
In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, an arrangement of the "Airship Theme" plays in Bowser Jr.'s Flotilla. This version uses the saxophone as its main instrument (an instrument common in the game's music) and is based on Super Mario Galaxy's arrangement.
An excerpt from this arrangement is used in Bowser Jr.'s newcomer video for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U during the clips of gameplay after his splash screen introduction. This arrangement is also incorporated into the "Paper Mario Medley" arrangement from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
| Bowser Jr.'s Flotilla - The arrangement heard in Paper Mario: Sticker Star | File info 0:30 |
Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, an arrangement played on a French horn titled "Bowser's Airship Aloft"[5] plays outside the Crimson Tower when the giant bucket of paint is carried up by the airship, but stops abruptly when it is held down by an anchor. After Mario frees the anchor from Bowser Tape, the music continues playing when he boards the airship himself.
| Bowser's Airship Aloft - The arrangement heard in Paper Mario: Color Splash | File info 0:29 |
Mario Hoops 3-on-3[edit]
In Mario Hoops 3-on-3, an arrangement of the "Airship Theme", titled 「飛空艇登場のテーマ」(Hikūtei Tōjō no Tēma)[6] (meaning "Airship Appearance Theme") in the official soundtrack, plays in the cutscene where Ninja steals the Rainbow Tourney trophy.
| Airship Appearance Theme - The arrangement heard in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 | File info 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, an orchestral arrangement of the "Airship Theme" titled "Airship Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)"[7] was arranged by Mario Golf and Mario Tennis composer Motoi Sakuraba. The "Hurry Up" tune from Super Mario Bros. is also incorporated in the middle of the song. The arrangement can be played on the Luigi's Mansion stage and can be heard in the Subspace Emissary while fighting Petey Piranha, during cutscenes involving Bowser, and during fights against False Bowser, False Diddy Kong, and Wario.
The arrangement can be heard at the beginning of Bowser Jr.'s newcomer video for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.
The arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can be played on the Luigi's Mansion and Super Mario Maker stages, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it can be played on any Super Smash Bros.- or Super Mario-series stage. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the arrangement's name is formatted as "Airship Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3".[8]
| Airship Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3) - The arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. Brawl | File info 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS[edit]
The arrangement "Paper Mario Medley"[9] in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS adds an electric guitar to Paper Mario: Sticker Star's arrangement of the "Airship Theme" and incorporates it into a medley of other themes from the Paper Mario series. The arrangement can be played on the Paper Mario stage. The arrangement is also included in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS' sister game, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can be played on Woolly World.
The arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and can be played on any Super Smash Bros.-series or Super Mario-series stage.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]
In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, an arrangement of the "Airship Theme" is incorporated into the theme "Double Bowsers!",[10] which plays during the final battle with Bowser and Paper Bowser.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, scored by Brian Tyler, the first half of the "Airship Theme" is arranged for the beginning of the track "King of the Koopas",[11] which plays when Bowser arrives at the Snow Kingdom, while the second half is arranged for the track "Fighting Tooth and Veil"[11] after Peach rejects Bowser and uses the Ice Flower.
| King of the Koopas - The arrangement heard in The Super Mario Bros. Movie | File info 0:30 |
Other arrangements[edit]
Super Mario Orchestra Concert[edit]
The "Airship Theme" was one of the songs performed in the Super Mario Bros. medley in the Super Mario Orchestra Concert in 2018.
Gallery[edit]
"Airship Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3" in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
"Paper Mario Medley" in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo Entertainment System | 1988 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM)[12] | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario All-Stars | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1993 | Arrangement | ||
| Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1994 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | ||
| Paper Mario | Nintendo 64 | 2000 | Arrangement | "Bill Blaster! Go Faster!"[4] | Yuka Tsujiyoko |
| Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | Game Boy Advance | 2003 | Arrangement | Taiju Suzuki | |
| Mario Hoops 3-on-3 | Nintendo DS | 2006 | Arrangement | 「飛空艇登場のテーマ」 (Hikūtei Tōjō no Tēma)[6] | Masayoshi Soken |
| Super Mario Galaxy | Wii | 2007 | Arrangement | "Attack of the Airships"[2] | Mahito Yokota |
| "Airship Armada"[2] | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | "Airship Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)"[7] | Motoi Sakuraba |
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Wii | 2009 | Arrangement | "Airship Theme"[13] | |
| Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Wii | 2010 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Galaxy) | "Airship Armada" | Mahito Yokota |
| Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition | Wii | 2010 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | ||
| Super Mario 3D Land | Nintendo 3DS | 2011 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Galaxy) | "Airship Armada" | Mahito Yokota |
| Paper Mario: Sticker Star | Nintendo 3DS | 2012 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. U | Wii U | 2012 | Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | |
| New Super Luigi U | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | |
| New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | |
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2014 | Arrangement | "Paper Mario Medley"[9] | Saki Kasuga |
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Paper Mario Medley" | Saki Kasuga |
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Airship Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)" | Motoi Sakuraba | |||
| Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition | Nintendo 3DS | 2015 | Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | |
| Super Mario Maker | Wii U | 2015 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Arrangement | |||||
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | ||||
| Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam | Nintendo 3DS | 2015 | Arrangement | "Double Bowsers!"[10] | Yoko Shimomura |
| Paper Mario: Color Splash | Wii U | 2016 | Arrangement | "Bowser's Airship Aloft"[5] | |
| Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2016 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Arrangement | |||||
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | ||||
| Super Mario Run | Android, iOS | 2016 | Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Nintendo Switch | 2017 | Arrangement | 「オープニング ～ピーチ城上空～」(Ōpuningu ~Pīchi-jō Jōkū~)[3] | Naoto Kubo |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Airship Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3"[8] | Motoi Sakuraba |
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Paper Mario Medley"[9] | Saki Kasuga | |||
| New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | Nintendo Switch | 2019 | Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | |
| Super Mario Maker 2 | Nintendo Switch | 2019 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario Maker) | |||||
| Arrangement | |||||
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | "Airship Theme" | ||||
| Super Mario 3D All-Stars | Nintendo Switch | 2020 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Galaxy) | "Attack of the Airships" | Mahito Yokota |
| "Airship Armada" |
Film and television[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 | 1990 | Arrangement | ||
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | Arrangement | "King of the Koopas"[11] | Brian Tyler |
| Arrangement | "Fighting Tooth and Veil"[11] | Brian Tyler |
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario World | 1991 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Paper Mario Game Music Soundtrack CD | 2001 | Arrangement | "Bill Blaster! Go Faster!" | Yuka Tsujiyoko |
| Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music | 2004 | Original | 「飛行船BGM～ワーニング～飛行船BGM ハリーアップ！」 (Hikōsen BGM ~ Wāningu ~ Hikōsen BGM Harī Appu!) |
Koji Kondo |
| Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection | 2005 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Mario Basketball 3on3 Original Soundtrack | 2006 | Arrangement | 「飛空艇登場のテーマ」 (Hikūtei Tōjō no Tēma) | Masayoshi Soken |
| The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music | 2015 | Original | 「飛行船BGM」 (Hikōsen BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario Odyssey Original Soundtrack | 2018 | Arrangement | 「オープニング ～ピーチ城上空～」(Ōpuningu ~Pīchi-jō Jōkū~) | Naoto Kubo |
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | 2023 | Arrangement | "King of the Koopas" | Brian Tyler |
| Arrangement | "Fighting Tooth and Veil" | Brian Tyler |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 飛行船BGM Hikōsen BGM |
Airship BGM |
References[edit]
- ^ Super Mario Series for Piano: Intermediate-Advanced Edition, pg. 17
- ^ a b c d Super Mario Galaxy Original Soundtrack
- ^ a b Super Mario Odyssey Original Soundtrack
- ^ a b Paper Mario Game Music Soundtrack CD. VGMdb. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Prisma Museum Sound Gallery - Paper Mario: Color Splash
- ^ a b Mario Basketball 3on3 Original Soundtrack
- ^ a b Sound Test - Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- ^ a b Sound Test - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- ^ a b c Sound Test - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
- ^ a b Music Player - Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
- ^ a b c d The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- ^ Super Mario World album
- ^ New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos
