Bowser Castle (Super Mario Kart theme)

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"Bowser Castle"
"Bowser Castle" in Super Mario Kart
The image for "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart on Nintendo Music.
Image from Nintendo Music
Composed by:
Soyo Oka
First appearance Super Mario Kart (1992)
Latest appearance Mario Kart World (2025)
Arrangement of
"Bowser BGM" (Super Mario World)

"Bowser Castle",[1] also known as simply "Castle",[2] is a musical theme composed by Soyo Oka for Super Mario Kart, where it plays in all Bowser Castle race courses: Bowser Castle 1, Bowser Castle 2, and Bowser Castle 3. This theme is an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" from Super Mario World, but it omits most of the intro portion, and it contains a different melody for the second half of the theme.

History[edit]

Mario Kart series[edit]

Super Mario Kart[edit]

Super Mario Kart marks the first appearance of "Bowser Castle". It is also included in the official album Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit[edit]

In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, an arrangement of "Bowser Castle" with chiptune instrumentation plays in the extra tracks Bowser Castle 1, Bowser Castle 2, and Bowser Castle 3.

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser Castle (Extra Track) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart: Super Circuit
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Mario Kart Tour[edit]

In Mario Kart Tour, the original version of "Bowser Castle" plays in SNES Bowser Castle 3.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as part of Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass, a heavy metal arrangement of "Bowser Castle" plays in SNES Bowser Castle 3. It is likewise titled "SNES Bowser Castle 3" in the Nintendo Music app. The AKAI S1000 brass hits from the original theme are retained, though their sound also deviates from the original at times. A looping drum set beat is added to the instrumentation whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.

The version of the theme that plays during the final lap features a unique intro; this distinction is shared with "Rock Rock Mountain" and "DK Jungle" in Mario Kart 7, "Toad Harbor", "Mute City", and "GBA Ribbon Road" in Mario Kart 8, and "Peach Beach" in Mario Kart World.

Icon of an audio speaker. SNES Bowser Castle 3 - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Icon of an audio speaker. SNES Bowser Castle 3 (Frontrunning) - The remix heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Mario Kart World[edit]

In Mario Kart World, a metalstep arrangement of "Bowser Castle" can play on VS Race routes coming from Airship Fortress, Wario Shipyard, Dry Bones Burnout, and Bowser's Castle.

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser Castle - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World
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Other appearances[edit]

Super Nintendo World[edit]

At the Super Nintendo World theme park, a brief arrangement of "Bowser Castle" plays during the boss battle against Lava Bowser in Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.

Gallery[edit]

List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario Kart Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1992 Original "Bowser Castle"[1] Soyo Oka
Mario Kart: Super Circuit Game Boy Advance 2001 Arrangement
Mario Kart Tour iOS, Android 2023[a] Original Soyo Oka
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch 2023[b] Arrangement "SNES Bowser Castle 3"[1]
Remix
Mario Kart World Nintendo Switch 2 2025 Arrangement "Bowser Castle"[3]
  1. ^ Added in the 2023 Bowser Tour on May 2, 2023
  2. ^ Added in Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass on November 9, 2023

Albums[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music 2004 Original "Castle" Soyo Oka

Other media[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Super Nintendo World 2021 Arrangement Dani Donadi[4]
Nintendo Music 2024 Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) "SNES Bowser Castle 3"
2025[a] Original "Bowser Castle" Soyo Oka
  1. ^ Added on January 20, 2025

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Note(s) Ref.
Japanese クッパじょう
Kuppa-jō		 Bowser's Castle [1]
Spanish Castillo de Bowser Bowser's Castle [3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Nintendo Music
  2. ^ Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music
  3. ^ a b Mario Kart World pause menu
  4. ^ Dani Donadi. Profile. Linkedin. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
[Edit]
Recurring themes
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong "Hammer BGM" • "Round 1 BGM"
Donkey Kong Jr. "Round 1 BGM" • "Title BGM"
Donkey Kong (NES) "Title BGM"
Donkey Kong Country "Aquatic Ambiance" • "Bonus Room Blitz" • "Cave Dweller Concert" • "Cranky's Theme" • "The Credits Concerto" • "DK Island Swing" • "Fear Factory" • "Forest Frenzy" • "Funky's Fugue" • "Gang-Plank Galleon" • "Ice Cave Chant" • "Life in the Mines" • "Mine Cart Madness" • "Northern Hemispheres" • "Simian Segue" • "Treetop Rock" • "Voices of the Temple"
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest "Crocodile Cacophony (K. Rool's Theme)" • "Lockjaw's Saga (Lockjaw's Locker)" • "Run, Rambi! Run! (Parrot Chute Panic)" • "Snakey Chantey (Rattle Battle)" • "Stickerbush Symphony (Bramble Blast)"
Donkey Kong 64 "DK Rap"
Donkey Kong Country Returns "Mine Menace"
Mario Bros. series Mario Bros. (NES) "Title BGM"
Wrecking Crew series Wrecking Crew "Bonus Phase" • "Golden Hammer" • "Phase BGM"
Super Mario series Super Mario Bros. "Castle BGM" • "Ending" • "Ground BGM" • "Invincibility BGM" • "Underground BGM" • "Underwater BGM"
VS. Super Mario Bros. "Gyōmu-yō Mario Namae-ire"
Super Mario Bros. 2 "Boss BGM" • "Ending" • "Final Boss BGM" • "Ground BGM" • "Please Select Player" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 3 "Airship BGM" • "Athletic BGM" • "Bros. Battle" • "Ending" • "Fortress BGM" • "Fortress Boss" • "Ground BGM" • "King of the Koopas" • "Music Box" • "P Switch BGM / Toad's House" • "Slot Game BGM / Memory Game BGM" • "Underwater BGM" • "Warp Zone" • "World 1 Map (Grass Land)" • "World 2 Map (Desert Land)" • "World 3 Map (Water Land)" • "World 4 Map (Giant Land)" • "World 5 Map (Sky Land) - On the Ground" • "World 5 Map (Sky Land) - In the Sky" • "World 6 Map (Ice Land)" • "World 7 Map (Pipe Land)" • "World 8 Map (Dark Land)"
Super Mario Land "Birabuto Kingdom BGM" • "Chai Kingdom BGM" • "Easton Kingdom BGM"
Super Mario World "Bowser BGM" • "Donut Plains (Map Screen)" • "Ending" • "Forest of Illusion (Map Screen)" • "Ground BGM" ("Athletic BGM" · "Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Ghost House BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "P Switch BGM" • "Special World (Map Screen)" • "Star World (Map Screen)" • "Title BGM" • "Valley of Bowser (Map Screen)" • "Vanilla Dome (Map Screen)" • "Yoshi's Island (Map Screen)"
Super Mario 64 "Big Boo's Haunt" • "Bowser's Road" • "Bowser's Theme" • "Dire, Dire Docks" • "File Select" • "The Final Battle" • "Hazy Maze Cave" • "Lethal Lava Land" • "Main Theme" ("Cool, Cool Mountain" · "Opening" · "Slider") • "The Merry-Go-Round" • "Metal Mario" • "Peach's Castle" • "Piranha Plant's Lullaby" • "Staff Roll" • "Stage Boss" • "Title Theme"
Super Mario Sunshine "Boss Battle" • "Isle Delfino" ("Ricco Harbor" · "Staff Credits") • "Secret Course"
New Super Mario Bros. "Castle Theme" • "Ground Theme" ("Athletic Theme") • "Mega Mario" • "Switch On!" • "Tower Theme"
Super Mario Galaxy "Buoy Base Galaxy" • "Cosmic Comet" • "Dino Piranha" • "Egg Planet" • "Enter Bowser Jr.!" • "Final Battle with Bowser" • "The Galaxy Reactor" • "Gusty Garden Galaxy" • "The Honeyhive" • "Ice Mario" • "King Bowser" • "King Kaliente" • "Kingfin" • "Luma" • "Major Burrows" • "Megaleg" • "Melty Molten Galaxy" • "Overture" • "Purple Comet" • "Rosalina in the Observatory" • "Space Athletic" • "Space Junk Road" • "The Star Festival" • "Super Mario 2007" • "Super Mario Galaxy" • "The Toad Brigade" • "Waltz of the Boos"
New Super Mario Bros. Wii "Bonus Area" • "Bowser Jr. Battle" • "Castle Theme" • "Coast Theme" • "Desert Theme" • "Forest Theme" • "Ghost House Theme" • "Lava Cave / Underground Ruins Theme" • "Lava Theme" • "Title Theme" • "Toad House Minigame" • "Underwater Theme"
Super Mario Galaxy 2 "Bowser Jr.'s Fiery Flotilla" • "Bowser's Galaxy Generator" • "Cloudy Court Galaxy" • "Fated Battle" • "Melty Monster Galaxy" • "Puzzle Plank Galaxy" • "Slimy Spring Galaxy" • "Starship Mario" • "The Starship's Journey" • "Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer Theme" • "Teleporter Melody" • "Yoshi Star Galaxy"
Super Mario 3D Land "Beach Theme" • "Castle Theme" • "Main Theme" • "Snow Course" • "Victory Parade"
New Super Mario Bros. U "Ground Theme" ("Athletic Theme")
Super Mario 3D World "A Boss Approaches" • "Chainlink Charge" • "Piranha Creeper Creek" • "Super Bell Hill"
Super Mario Maker "Flying Battleship Theme" • "Title"
Super Mario Odyssey "Fossil Falls" • "Jump Up, Super Star!" • "New Donk City"
Dr. Mario series Dr. Mario "Chill" • "Fever" • "Game Over" • "Selection Screen" • "Title Screen" • "Vs. Game Over"
Mario Kart series Super Mario Kart "Awards Ceremony (1st – 3rd Place)" • "Bowser Castle" • "Donut Plains" • "Ghost Valley" • "Mario Circuit" • "Rainbow Road" • "Super Mario Kart Title Screen"
Mario Kart 64 "Battle Arenas" • "Choco Mountain" • "D.K.'s Jungle Parkway" • "Frappe Snowland" • "Kalimari Desert" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" • "Luigi Raceway" • "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" • "Moo Moo Farm" • "Rainbow Road" • "Results (1st − 4th Place)" • "Staff Credits" • "Toad's Turnpike"
Mario Kart: Super Circuit "Bowser Castle" • "Peach Circuit"
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! "Baby Park" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Peach Beach"
Mario Kart DS "Cheep Cheep Beach" • "Luigi's Mansion" • "Peach Gardens" • "Waluigi Pinball"
Mario Kart Wii "Coconut Mall" • "Grumble Volcano" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Wii Maple Treeway" • "Moo Moo Meadows" • "Mushroom Gorge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Wario's Gold Mine"
Mario Kart 7 "Neo Bowser City" • "Piranha Plant Slide" • "Rainbow Road" • "Toad Circuit"
Mario Kart 8 "Bowser's Castle" • "Cloudtop Cruise" • "Mario Circuit" ("Mario Kart Stadium") • "Mario Kart 8 Title Screen" • "Rainbow Road" • "Twisted Mansion"
Mario Party series Mario Party 9 "Good Job!"
Wario franchise Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 "Main Theme"
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! "Pyoro: Stage" • "Sci-Fi (Dribble & Spitz) - Drifting Away" • "Title" ("Reality (Dr. Crygor) - Stage")
WarioWare: Twisted! "Mona Pizza"
WarioWare: Touched! "Ashley's Theme"
Yoshi series Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island "Athletic BGM" • "Bowser" • "Flower Field BGM" • "Goal!" • "Opening Melody" • "Powerful Mario" • "Yoshi's Island"
Yoshi's Story "Yoshi's Song" ("Yoshis on the Beach") • "Yoshi's Story!" • "Yoshi's Tale"
Luigi's Mansion series Luigi's Mansion "Title Theme (Humming)"
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series Mario vs. Donkey Kong "Mini Mario Stage" • "Title Theme"
Super Smash Bros. series Super Smash Bros. Melee "Rainbow Cruise"
Other The Legend of Zelda "Important Item Acquired" • "Magic Whistle Melody" • "Overworld Theme"
Mario Paint "Drawing Board 1" • "Gnat Attack: Level 1" • "Save & Load"
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars "Beware of Forest Mushrooms" • "Hello, Happy Kingdom" • "Super Mario House"
Miscellaneous "Galop infernal" • "Mute City" • "Title BGM" (Excitebike) • "Totakeke's theme"
[Edit]
Super Mario Kart
Playable characters Bowser • Donkey Kong Jr. • Koopa Troopa • Luigi • Mario • Princess • Toad • Yoshi
Courses Mushroom Cup Mario Circuit 1 • Donut Plains 1 • Ghost Valley 1 • Bowser Castle 1 • Mario Circuit 2
Flower Cup Choco Island 1 • Ghost Valley 2 • Donut Plains 2 • Bowser Castle 2 • Mario Circuit 3
Star Cup Koopa Beach 1 • Choco Island 2 • Vanilla Lake 1 • Bowser Castle 3 • Mario Circuit 4
Special Cup Donut Plains 3 • Koopa Beach 2 • Ghost Valley 3 • Vanilla Lake 2 • Rainbow Road
Battle courses Battle Course 1 • Battle Course 2 • Battle Course 3 • Battle Course 4
Items and objects Question Block items Banana Peel • Feather • Ghost • Green Shell • Lightning • Mushroom • Red Shell • Star
CPU-only items Egg • Fireball • Poison Mushroom
Miscellaneous items and objects Coin • Jump • Kart • Trophy • Zipper
Techniques Drift • Mini-Turbo • Hop • Rocket Start
Species, enemies, and obstacles Big Cheep Cheep • Bullet Bill • Gopher • Flopping Cheep Cheep • Ice • Lakitu • Oil slick • Snow block • Super Thwomp • Thwomp • Warp Pipe
Music "Awards Ceremony (1st – 3rd Place)" • "Battle Mode" • "Bowser Castle" • "Choco Island" • "Donut Plains" • "Finish! (1st – 4th Place)" • "Finish! (5th – 8th Place)" • "Ghost Valley" • "Koopa Beach" • "Mario Circuit" • "Race Results (Donkey Kong Jr.)" • "Rainbow Road" • "Staff Credits" • "Super Mario Kart Title Screen" • "Vanilla Lake"
Promotional content Howard Lincoln Answers Your Questions • Mario Kart Dice • Super Mario Embroidery World • Super Mario Kart (Barcode Battler II) • Super Mario Kart (sliding puzzle) • Super Mario Kart: Checkered Flag • Super Mario Kart: Gekisō! Mario Kart • Super Mario Kart Kuru Kuru Puzzle • Super Mario Kart: Mario Kart Grand Prix • Super Mario Kart: Super Mario no Puzzle Kart • Super Mario Kart: Yūshō wa dare? • Wario Cheat of the Day
Miscellaneous Battle Mode • Finish line • Gallery • Go! Go! Mario Circuit • Nintendo Music (soundtrack) • Pre-release and unused content • Staff • "Super Comboy" (song) • Super Mario Kart: Doki Doki Race
Adaptations Super Mario (Super Mario Kart 1 · Super Mario Kart 2 · Super Mario Kart 3) • Super Mario-kun (Volume: 6)
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