Bowser's Castle (Mario Kart World theme)

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"Bowser's Castle"
"Bowser's Castle" in Mario Kart World
Thumbnail for "Bowser's Castle" from Mario Kart World used for Nintendo Music
Image from Nintendo Music
Composed by:
Unknown
Genre Heavy metal
Key F-sharp minor, G minor, A minor, E minor
BPM 180
Time signature 4
4
Appears in Mario Kart World (2025)
Quotes from
"Bowser Castle"(Super Mario Kart)
Quoted by
"Staff Credits" (Mario Kart World)

"Bowser's Castle"[1][2] is a musical theme in Mario Kart World, where it plays when racing on the course of the same name. It is a fast paced theme that features electric guitars and synthetizers, and quotes "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart about 15 seconds in.

In Knockout Tour, approaching the next checkpoint causes the music to transition into a coda. This track has three different codas, one for the first half of the theme, one for the bridge section, and one for the second half.

History[edit]

Mario Kart World[edit]

See also: Staff Credits (Mario Kart World theme)

Mario Kart World features the first appearance of "Bowser's Castle". A short, slower prelude pastiche of the theme, with an electric guitar melody plays when approaching the track from a route before reaching the course's finish line. It is titled "Bowser's Castle (Intro)" in the Nintendo Music app.

A remix of "Bowser's Castle (Intro)" only with the lower guitar, bass and drums plays during the rolling start of the Moon Rally.

An arrangement of "Bowser's Castle (Intro)" plays at the end of the intro cutscene for the Lightning Cup, when the course is being shown. It is titled "Opening (Lightning Cup)" in the Nintendo Music app.

An arrangement of the second half of "Bowser's Castle" is incorporated into "Staff Credits". It plays at around 2 minute and 10 seconds in, between the arrangements of "Cheep Cheep Falls" and "Dry Bones Burnout".

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser's Castle (Intro) - The route pastiche of the theme
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Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser's Castle (Intro) (Knockout Tour) - The version that plays at the start of Knockout Tour.
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Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser's Castle (Outro 1) - The outro that plays at the start of the theme.
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Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser's Castle (Outro 2) - The outro that plays in the middle of the theme, around 0:34.
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Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser's Castle (Outro 3) - The outro that plays at the end of the theme.
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Icon of an audio speaker. Opening (Lightning Cup) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World
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Help:Media file • Having trouble playing?

Gallery[edit]

  • Image for "Bowser's Castle (Intro)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
    Image for "Bowser's Castle (Intro)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
  • Image for "Opening (Lightning Cup)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
    Image for "Opening (Lightning Cup)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
  • Image for "Staff Credits" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
    Image for "Staff Credits" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Mario Kart World Nintendo Switch 2 2025 Original "Bowser's Castle"[1]
Pastiche "Bowser's Castle (Intro)"[1]
 
"Opening (Lightning Cup)"[1]
Arrangement "Staff Credits"

Albums[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Mario Kart World (Nintendo Music) 2026[a] Original "Bowser's Castle"
Past pastiche (Mario Kart World) "Bowser's Castle (Intro)"
"Opening (Lightning Cup)"
  1. ^ Added on June 8, 2026

Names in other languages[edit]

"Bowser's Castle"[edit]

LanguageNameMeaningNote(s)Ref.
Japaneseクッパキャッスル
Kuppa Kyassuru		Bowser Castle[1]
Chinese (Simplified)酷霸城堡
Kùbà Chéngbǎo (Mandarin)
Houhba Sìhngbóu (Cantonese)		Bowser Castle[1]
Chinese (Traditional)庫巴城堡
Kùbā Chéngbǎo (Mandarin)
Fubā Sìhngbóu (Cantonese)		Bowser Castle[1]
DutchBowsers KasteelBowser's Castle[1]
FrenchChâteau de BowserBowser's Castle[1]
GermanBowsers FestungBowser's Castle[1]
ItalianCastello di BowserBowser's Castle[1]
Korean쿠파 성
Kupa Seong		Bowser Castle[1]
PolishTwierdza BowseraBowser's Fortress[2]
PortugueseCastelo do BowserBowser's Castle[1]
RussianЗамок Боузера
Zamok Bouzera		Bowser's Castle[1]
SpanishCastillo de BowserBowser's Castle[1]
Thaiปราสาทของบาวเซอร์
Bpraasàat kɔ̌ɔng Baaosəə		Bowser's Castle[2]

"Bowser's Castle (Intro)"[edit]

LanguageNameMeaningNote(s)Ref.
Japaneseクッパキャッスル（イントロ）
Kuppa Kyassuru (Intoro)		Bowser Castle (Intro)[1]
Chinese (Simplified)酷霸城堡（序曲）
Kùbà Chéngbǎo (Xùqǔ) (Mandarin)
Houhba Sìhngbóu (Jeuihkūk) (Cantonese)		Bowser Castle (Overture)[1]
Chinese (Traditional)庫巴城堡（前奏）
Kùbā Chéngbǎo (Qiánzòu) (Mandarin)
Fubā Sìhngbóu (Chìhnjau) (Cantonese)		Bowser Castle (Prelude)[1]
DutchBowsers Kasteel (intro)Bowser's Castle (intro)[1]
FrenchChâteau de Bowser (intro)Bowser's Castle (intro)[1]
GermanBowsers Festung (Intro)Bowser's Castle (Intro)[1]
ItalianCastello di Bowser (intro)Bowser's Castle (intro)[1]
Korean쿠파 성 (인트로)
Kupa Seong (Inteuro)		Bowser Castle (Intro)[1]
PortugueseCastelo do Bowser (Introdução)Bowser's Castle (Introduction)[1]
RussianЗамок Боузера (вступление)
Zamok Bouzera (vstupleniye)		Bowser's Castle (introduction)[1]
SpanishCastillo de Bowser (introducción)Bowser's Castle (introduction)[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Nintendo Music
  2. ^ a b c Mario Kart World pause menu
[Edit]
Mario Kart World music
Courses Race courses New courses "Acorn Heights" • "Boo Cinema" • "Bowser's Castle" ("Opening (Lightning Cup)") • "Cheep Cheep Falls" ("Opening (Leaf Cup)") • "Crown City" • "Dandelion Depths" ("Opening (Leaf Cup)") • "DK Spaceport" ("Opening (Mushroom Cup)") • "Dry Bones Burnout" ("Opening (Leaf Cup)") • "Faraway Oasis" • "Great ? Block Ruins" • "Mario Bros. Circuit" ("Opening (Mushroom Cup)" · "Replay" · "Trophy Theme") • "Peach Stadium" • "Rainbow Road" ("Results Screen (Rainbow Road)" · "Victory Lap (Rainbow Road)") • "Salty Salty Speedway" • "Starview Peak" • "Whistlestop Summit" ("Opening (Mushroom Cup)")
Returning courses "Airship Fortress" ("Opening (Flower Cup)") • "Choco Mountain" ("Opening (Lightning Cup)") • "Desert Hills" • "Dino Dino Jungle" • "DK Pass" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" • "Mario Circuit" • "Moo Moo Meadows" • "Peach Beach" ("Opening (Banana Cup)") • "Shy Guy Bazaar" • "Sky-High Sundae" • "Toad's Factory" • "Wario Shipyard" • "Wario Stadium" ("Opening (Flower Cup)")
Battle courses "Battle Course" (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) • "Battle Course" (Mario Kart DS) • "Battle Course" (Mario Kart 64) • "Battle Course" (Super Mario Kart) • "Battle Stadium" • "Chain Chomp Wheel" • "Delfino Pier" • "Thwomp Desert"
Cups "Opening (Shell Cup)" • "Opening (Special Cup)" • "Opening (Star Cup)"
Arrangements Mario Kart arrangements Super Mario Kart "Bowser Castle" • "Choco Island" • "Donut Plains" • "Ghost Valley" • "Koopa Beach" • "Rainbow Road" • "Staff Credits" • "Title Screen" • "Vanilla Lake"
Mario Kart 64 "Character Select" • "DK's Jungle Parkway" • "Frappe Snowland" • "Kalimari Desert" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" • "Moo Moo Farm" • "Rainbow Road" • "Results Screen" • "Title Screen" • "Toad's Turnpike"
Mario Kart: Super Circuit "Bowser Castle" • "Cheese Land" • "Peach Circuit" • "Rainbow Road" • "Ribbon Road" • "Riverside Park" • "Shy Guy Beach" • "Yoshi Desert"
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! "Baby Park" • "Dry Dry Desert" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Mushroom Bridge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Sherbet Land"
Mario Kart DS "Cheep Cheep Beach" • "Delfino Square" • "Figure-8 Circuit" • "Luigi's Mansion" • "Peach Gardens" • "Rainbow Road" • "Shroom Ridge" • "Staff Credits" • "Tick-Tock Clock" • "Waluigi Pinball" • "Yoshi Falls"
Mario Kart Wii "Coconut Mall" • "Daisy Circuit" • "DK Summit" • "Dry Dry Ruins" • "Grumble Volcano" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Maple Treeway" • "Moonview Highway" • "Mushroom Gorge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Staff Credits A" • "Wario's Gold Mine"
Mario Kart 7 "Bowser's Castle" • "Daisy Hills" • "Music Park" • "Piranha Plant Slide" • "Rainbow Road" • "Rock Rock Mountain" • "Rosalina's Ice World" • "Toad Circuit"
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe "Bone-Dry Dunes" • "Cloudtop Cruise" • "Dolphin Shoals" • "Dragon Driftway" • "Electrodrome" • "Ice Ice Outpost" • "Mario Circuit" • "Mario Kart 8" • "Rainbow Road" • "Shy Guy Falls" • "Sunshine Airport" • "Super Bell Subway" • "Sweet Sweet Canyon" • "Thwomp Ruins" • "Toad Harbor" • "Twisted Mansion" • "Water Park" • "Wild Woods"
Mario Kart Tour "Bangkok Rush" • "Merry Mountain" • "Ninja Hideaway" • "Los Angeles Laps" • "Singapore Speedway" • "Tokyo Blur" • "Vancouver Velocity"
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit "Title Screen"
Super Mario arrangements Super Mario Bros. "Ending" • "Game Over" • "Ground BGM" • "Underground BGM" • "Underwater BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 2 "Ground BGM" • "Please Select Player" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 3 "Airship BGM" • "Athletic BGM" • "Course Clear" • "Ending" • "Fortress Boss BGM" • "Ground BGM" • "Overworld Medley (Super Mario Bros. 3)" • "Underwater BGM"
Super Mario Land "Ground BGM" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario World "Ending" • "Ground BGM" ("Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "Overworld Medley (Super Mario World)" • "Title BGM"
Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins "Main Theme"
Super Mario 64 "Bowser's Road" • "Bowser's Theme" • "Dire, Dire Docks" • "File Select" • "Peach's Castle" • "Piranha Plant's Lullaby" • "Staff Roll" • "Title Theme" ("Cool, Cool Mountain" · "Slider")
Super Mario Sunshine "Delfino Plaza" ("Ricco Harbor") • "Secret Course - Sky and Sea"
New Super Mario Bros. "Castle BGM" • "Ground BGM"
Super Mario Galaxy "Buoy Base Galaxy" • "Egg Planet" • "Enter Bowser Jr.!" • "Final Battle with Bowser" • "Gusty Garden Galaxy" • "Purple Comet" • "Rosalina in the Observatory 3" • "Space Junk Road"
New Super Mario Bros. Wii "Beach Theme" • "Castle BGM" • "Castle Boss" • "Credits Theme 1" • "Desert BGM" • "Underwater BGM" • "Volcano BGM"
Super Mario Galaxy 2 "Bowser's Galaxy Generator" • "Cloudy Court Galaxy" • "Digga-Leg" • "Melty Monster Galaxy" • "Puzzle Plank Galaxy" • "Starship Mario 1" • "Sky Station Galaxy" • "The Starship's Journey" • "Yoshi Star Galaxy"
Super Mario 3D Land "Beach Theme" • "Ground Theme" • "Snow Mountain Theme"
New Super Mario Bros. U "Ground Theme"
Super Mario 3D World "A Boss Approaches" ("Bowser's Highway Showdown" · "World 8") • "Athletic Theme" • "Captain Toad Goes Forth" • "Double Cherry Pass" • "Hands-On Hall" • "Hisstocrat" • "Piranha Creeper Creek" • "Shifty Boo Mansion" • "Sprawling Savanna" • "Super Bell Hill"
Super Mario Maker "Title Screen"
Super Mario Odyssey "Break Free (Lead the Way)" • "Fossil Falls" • "Jump Up, Super Star!" • "Peronza Plaza" • "Shiveria Town" • "Steam Gardens" • "Tostarena Ruins"
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury "Attack! Bowser's Fury" • "Plessie Ride!"
Yoshi arrangements Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island "Athletic BGM" • "Bowser" • "Flower Field BGM" • "Opening Melody" • "Stage Boss" • "Stage Start"
Yoshi's Story "Yoshi's Song" • "Yoshi's Tale"
Other arrangements Mario Paint "Flyswatter Level 1" • "Painting Mode 1"
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 "Main Theme"
Donkey Kong Country "DK Island Swing"
Luigi's Mansion "Title Theme (Humming)"
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! "Voices Being Carried on the Waves"
Flipnote Studio "Mario Drawing Song"
Other "Awards Ceremony (1st – 3rd Place)" ("Trophy Theme") • "Final Lap Fanfare" • "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" ("Victory Lap (Rainbow Road)") • "Mission Clear" • "Results Screen" • "Staff Credits" • "Staff Credits" (Mario Kart 64) ("Special Cup Appears" · "Trophy Theme" · "Victory Lap" · "Victory Lap (Rainbow Road)") • "Super Star" • "Title Theme" ("Opening (Knockout Tour)" · "Replay" · "Course Select" · "Special Cup Appears" · "Spectating")
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