Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)
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| "Main Theme" | |
|---|---|
| "Main Theme" in New Super Mario Bros. The source quality version from Super Mario History 1985-2010 | |
| |
| Composed by: Koji Kondo[1] | |
| Key | C major |
| BPM | 100 |
| Time signature | 2 4 |
| First appearance | New Super Mario Bros. (2006) |
| Latest appearance | It's Me, Mario! Stop Motion Shorts (2025) |
The "Main Theme,"[2] also known as the "Ground Theme"[3] or the "Overworld Theme,"[4] is a musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for the overworld levels in New Super Mario Bros. It is written in duple (2
4) time, at an andantino tempo of 100 beats per minute, and in the key of C major. It is the first theme heard in-game that gives a gameplay effect to the "paah" vocals, which were previously sampled in Super Mario 64. This would become a recurring game mechanic throughout the New Super Mario Bros. series.
ReusesEdit
The following list does not include ports or remakes of New Super Mario Bros.
| Work | Description |
|---|---|
| Mario Party: Star Rush | The "Main Theme," now titled the "Overworld Theme," is one of the selectable songs in Rhythm Recital. |
| Taiko no Tatsujin | The arrangement from New Super Mario Bros. Wii is included in the "New Super Mario Bros. Wii Medley" track, available in various games starting from Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Minna de Party Sandaime! |
ArrangementsEdit
Super Mario seriesEdit
New Super Mario Bros.Edit
New Super Mario Bros. features four additional arrangements of the "Main Theme."
The theme heard while Mario and Princess Peach walk together during the opening cutscene is a swing arrangement of the first two measures of the theme's melody. It is played on the vibraphone with acoustic guitar harmony accompaniment. The melody segues into a mysterious augmented chord with stacked major seconds as Mario and Peach notice the thundercloud forming over Peach's Castle.
The athletic theme is an uptempo swing arrangement of the "Main Theme" that features clarinet, muted trumpet, xylophone, piano, trombone, and acoustic bass. The B section of the arrangement adds a new melody played on a square synthesizer.
One section of the credits theme features an arrangement of the "Main Theme" played on steel drum in the treble range with a whistled counter-melody, staccato square synthesizer, and the drum kit featured throughout the rest of the piece. This transitions into a fuller version played on electric organ with brass accompaniment, then into "Underground BGM" from Super Mario Bros.
In the Mario Vs. Luigi mode, one of the two themes heard during the gameplay is an arrangement of the "Main Theme."
 Athletic Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. | File info 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. WiiEdit
New Super Mario Bros. Wii features several arrangements of the "Main Theme."
An arrangement of the "Main Theme," titled the "Ground Theme,"[3] plays on ground levels like in New Super Mario Bros. The rhythm of the hook and opening section is changed. The latter replaces the square-wave sixteenth notes with a staccato electric organ that continues in the background throughout the A section. The orchestra hits that accompany the "paah" vocals in the original version are replaced by clapping rhythms. When the player is riding a Yoshi, additional cuíca and shaker percussion is added to the instrumentation. Said cuíca originates from an earlier version of the "Ground Theme," which had slightly different instrumentation.[5]
An arrangement of the first two measures of the "Main Theme"'s melody plays at the end of the opening cutscene while Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad are chasing Bowser's airship. The leitmotif is played on synthesized brass, leading to a dominant chord and timpani roll.
Similar to New Super Mario Bros., the athletic theme is an arrangement of the "Main Theme," though the piano, clarinet, xylophone, and square synthesizer from the original athletic theme have been replaced with accordion, banjo, and muted electric guitar, making it a bluegrass/country arrangement.
The theme heard in snow courses is a Christmas/winter arrangement of the "Main Theme" played on French horn, strings, sleigh bells, and snare drum fills. It also reintroduces the acoustic guitar from the New Super Mario Bros. original. Like the "Ground Theme," additional cuíca and shaker percussion is added to the instrumentation when the player is riding a Yoshi.
The theme heard in the first phase of the Bowser battle is based on the first two measures of the "Main Theme." This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in New Super Mario Bros. 2.
The credits theme, titled "Staff Credit Roll,"[3] quotes and reharmonizes the "Main Theme" as well as "Ground BGM" from Super Mario Bros.
| Opening - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:05 |
| Ground Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
| Athletic Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
| Snow Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
| Bowser Battle - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
| Staff Credit Roll - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii | File info 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin WorldEdit
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World features a more relaxed arrangement of the "Main Theme" based on the arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The main melody is doubled on accordion and piano, and the melody of the section before the loop is played on trumpet. In addition to new instrumentation, this arrangement uses a different "paah" sample than New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
While it does not include the actual melody, the game's ending theme features the same basic chord progression as the "Main Theme."
| Grass Overworld - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World | File info 0:29 |
| The End - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World | File info 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. 2Edit
New Super Mario Bros. 2 uses arrangements of the "Main Theme" for its ground, athletic, snow, and credits themes heavily based on the arrangements heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. All of these arrangements (done by Kenta Nagata) double the melody with a capella vocals.
The ground, athletic, and snow themes add woodblock instrumentation when the player is in Raccoon form, and the melody is doubled on a bell synth arpeggiator when a Gold Ring is active.
An arrangement of the "Ground Theme" from New Super Mario Bros. Wii can be heard in the starting zones of Warp Cannon and Rainbow Courses located in World Mushroom, World Flower, and World Star.
The standard ground arrangement returns as a playable track titled "Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can be played on the Mushroom Kingdom U and Super Mario Maker stages, as well as in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now formatted as "Ground Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2," where it can be played on any Super Smash Bros.- and Super Mario-series stage.
| Ground Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. 2 | File info 0:30 |
| Athletic Theme - The arrangement heard in New Super Mario Bros. 2 | File info 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. seriesEdit
Super Smash Bros. BrawlEdit
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a tropical-styled arrangement of the "Main Theme" and level clear jingle, titled "Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)" and composed by Shogo Sakai, can play in the Delfino Plaza stage. It has a bossa nova-type beat with acoustic guitar, steel drums, and saxophone. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can play in the Delfino Plaza and Super Mario Maker stages, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now formatted as "Main Theme - New Super Mario Bros.," where it can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage.
| Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.) - The arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. Brawl | File info 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DSEdit
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, a medley arrangement of the athletic and ground versions of the "Main Theme" from New Super Mario Bros. 2, titled "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" and composed by Yusuke Takahama, can play in the Golden Plains and Super Mario Maker stages. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can play in the Mushroom Kingdom U and Super Mario Maker stages, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now simply titled "Athletic Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2," where it can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage.
| Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2) - The arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | File info 0:30 |
Mario & Sonic seriesEdit
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter GamesEdit
The Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games features a partial arrangement of the athletic version of the "Main Theme" at the end of the Mario Medley routine of Ultimate Figure Skating.
The Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games features an arrangement of the athletic version of the "Main Theme" as a playable track. The drums featured in this arrangement are reused from "That's The Way I Like It" from Sonic Adventure 2, performed by Hisanori Kumamaru. This arrangement returns in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and the Wii U version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic GamesEdit
The Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games features an arrangement of the New Super Mario Bros. Wii snow version of the "Main Theme" as a playable track. This arrangement returns in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the Wii U version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic GamesEdit
The Wii U version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games features an arrangement of the New Super Mario Bros. Wii "Ground Theme" version of the "Main Theme." The "paah" vocals are sampled directly from the New Super Mario Bros. Wii snow version of the "Main Theme."
Mario Party 10Edit
In Mario Party 10, a brief orchestral arrangement of the introduction and first four notes of the melody of the "Ground Theme" from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, titled the "Contemporary Theme," is one of three music tracks that are chosen to play at random in the Steal the Beat minigame, alongside "Ground BGM" from Super Mario Bros. and "Ground BGM" from Super Mario World.
| Contemporary Theme - The arrangement heard in Mario Party 10 | File info 0:08 |
Mario Strikers: Battle LeagueEdit
A rock arrangement of the "Main Theme" is used in Mario Strikers: Battle League as one of the themes for the Mushroom Hill stadium.
| Mushroom Hill 1 - The arrangement heard in Mario Strikers: Battle League | File info 0:30 |
Mario Kart WorldEdit
In Mario Kart World, arrangements of the "Main Theme" and "Staff Credit Roll" can play in Free Roam and during routes in VS Race.
It's Me, Mario! Stop Motion ShortsEdit
The It's Me, Mario! Stop Motion Shorts episode "Top Hat" features an arrangement of the "Main Theme" that plays for the majority of the animation.
Other arrangementsEdit
Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Musical ToothbrushEdit
The Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Musical Toothbrush includes a speaker that plays a two-minute remix of the athletic theme from New Super Mario Bros., titled "Nintendo Game song," which is pitched up and lacks the "paah" vocals.[6][7]
E3 2009Edit
An arrangement of the "Main Theme" played at the New Super Mario Bros. Wii booth at E3 2009 and was meant to play alongside an early version of the "Ground Theme" from said game.[8][9]
Video Games LiveEdit
Video Games Live in Tokyo, Japan featured a live piano performance by Koji Kondo of themes from various Super Mario games including the "Main Theme."[10]
New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano SolosEdit
The New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos book features two solo piano arrangements of the "Main Theme": a full arrangement titled the "Ground Theme," and a partial arrangement included in "Staff Credit Roll."
PRESS START 2010 / SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START EditionEdit
PRESS START 2010 in Tokyo, Japan featured a live orchestra medley arrangement of several themes from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, including the "Ground Theme," which was included in the SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition album and titled 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii ~From PRESS START 2010~").[11]
| New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜, New Super Mario Bros. Wii ~From PRESS START 2010~) - The arrangement heard at PRESS START 2010 | File info 0:30 |
Nintendo World 2011Edit
Nintendo World 2011 featured a live piano performance by Koji Kondo of themes from various Super Mario games including the "Main Theme," based on the arrangement he played at Video Games Live.[12]
Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary LiveEdit
The "Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live" concert series featured a live big band medley arrangement by the Super Mario Big Band of several themes from the New Super Mario Bros. series, including the "Main Theme" and its athletic version.
LINEEdit
The Super Mario's Relaxing Life LINE sticker set features a brief arrangement of the "Main Theme" that plays over a sticker of a Goomba saying thanks.
| Main Theme - The arrangement heard in the LINE sticker | File info |
Super Nintendo WorldEdit
At the Super Nintendo World theme park, an arrangement of the "Main Theme" can play in the 1-UP Factory.
Nintendo Live 2023Edit
Nintendo Live 2023 in Seattle, Washington, USA featured a live big band medley arrangement by the Super Mario Super Big Band titled "Athletic Theme" of several themes from New Super Mario Bros., including the "Main Theme" and its athletic version, as well as the intro to the "Ground Theme" from New Super Mario Bros. Wii.[13]
List of Super Mario appearancesEdit
GamesEdit
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo DS | 2006 | Original | "Main Theme"[2] | Koji Kondo |
| Arrangement | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | "Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)" | Shogo Sakai |
| Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games | DS | 2009 | Arrangement | "Mario Medley" | |
| Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games | Wii | 2009 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Wii | 2009 | Arrangement | "Ground Theme"[3] | Kenta Nagata[3] |
| "Staff Credit Roll"[3] | Ryo Nagamatsu | ||||
| Arrangement | |||||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World | Arcade | 2011 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games | Wii | 2011 | Arrangement | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games) | |||||
| New Super Mario Bros. 2 | Nintendo 3DS | 2012 | Arrangement | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM)[14] | |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | |||||
| Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games) | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games) | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2014 | Arrangement | "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" | Yusuke Takahama |
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)" | Shogo Sakai |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. 2) | "Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" | Yusuke Takahama | |||
| Mario Party 10 | Wii U | 2015 | Arrangement | "Contemporary Theme" | |
| Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Wii U | 2016 | Arrangement | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games) | |||||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games) | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Main Theme - New Super Mario Bros." | Shogo Sakai |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. 2) | "Ground Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Athletic Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2" | Yusuke Takahama | |||
| Mario Strikers: Battle League | Nintendo Switch | 2022 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement |
Film and televisionEdit
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| It's Me, Mario! Stop Motion Shorts | 2025 | Arrangement |
AlbumsEdit
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario History 1985-2010 | 2010 | Original | "Main Theme" | Koji Kondo |
| SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition | 2010 | Arrangement | 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜)[15] |
Takeshi Hama[16][17] |
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: A Smashing Soundtrack | 2015 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme" | Yusuke Takahama |
| The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music | 2015 | Original | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | |||
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. 2) | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | |||
| 「アスレチックBGM」 (Asurechikku BGM) |
Other mediaEdit
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Musical Toothbrush | Remix | "Nintendo Game song" | ||
| E3 2009 | 2009 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos | 2010 | Arrangement | "Ground Theme" | Shinobu Amayake |
| "Staff Credit Roll" | ||||
| LINE | 2017[18] | Arrangement | ||
| Super Nintendo World | 2021 | Arrangement | Dani Donadi[19] |
Live performancesEdit
| Event | Year | Location | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video Games Live | 2009 | Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan[20] | Arrangement | Koji Kondo[10] | |
| PRESS START 2010 | 2010 | Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Tokyo, Japan[11] | Arrangement | 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜)[15] |
Takeshi Hama[16][17] |
| Nintendo World 2011 | 2011 | Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan[21] | Arrangement | Koji Kondo[12] | |
| Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live | 2015 | Osaka International Convention Center, Osaka, Japan and Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan[22] | Arrangement | Super Mario Special Band[22] | |
| Nintendo Live 2023 | 2023 | Seattle Convention Center, Seattle, Washington, USA[23] | Arrangement | "Athletic Theme"[13] | Super Mario Super Big Band[13] |
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Tema principale[24] | Main theme |
ReferencesEdit
- ^ SUPER MARIO HISTORY 1985-2010 Soundtrack CD. VGMdb (English). Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ a b Super Mario History 1985-2010
- ^ a b c d e f New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos
- ^ Mario Party: Star Rush's Rhythm Recital music selection
- ^ Nintendo World Report (October 3, 2009). New Super Mario Bros. Wii gameplay PAX trailer. YouTube (English). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ [1]. Discount Pool and Party Supplies. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ SpongebobSailorMoon98 Productions (March 24, 2020). New super Mario bros Ds - athletic theme (toothbrush version). YouTube (English). Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ Nintendo World Report (June 5, 2009). Morton Koopa Jr. in New Super Mario Bros Wii (Koopa Kid Returns) E3 2009. YouTube (English). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ PelaajaHD (June 4, 2009). E3 2009 New Super Mario Bros Wii. YouTube (English). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ a b JVN (September 24, 2009). Koji Kondo - Video-Games Live Japan (Super Mario Medley). YouTube (English). Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ a b PRESS STARTとは?. Retrieved June 22, 2025. (Archived June 20, 2010, 22:56:56 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ a b onilink888 (January 10, 2011). [Nintendo World 2011 Nintendo Music Live! Featuring Koji Kondo]. YouTube (English). Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^ a b c Hitbox Hero (September 3, 2023). Nintendo Live 2023 - Super Mario Super Big Band uncut full show (30:19). YouTube (English). Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^ The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music
- ^ a b SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition
- ^ a b Enterbrain, Inc., ed. (December 9, 2010). スーパーマリオ25周年記念ブック [Super Mario 25th Anniversary Commemorative Book] (in Japanese). Enterbrain, Inc. p. 35. ISBN 978-4-0472-6981-1.
- ^ a b VGMdb (November 22, 2010). SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition. VGMdb. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ Ganos, Lauren (October 19, 2017). Super Mario’s Relaxing Life | Line Sticker Showcase. Nintendo Wire (English). Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Dani Donadi. Profile. Linkedin. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ Tour dates. Video Games Live. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ Japanese Public Get to Play the 3DS at Nintendo World 2011. Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Seedhouse, Alex (July 1, 2015). Super Mario 30th Anniversary Live concerts announced for Japan. Nintendo Insider. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ Home – Nintendo Live 2023 – Nintendo Official Site. Retrieved June 23, 2025. (Archived June 23, 2025, 04:56:07 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition | Wii | Giochi | Nintendo IT. Nintendo (Italian). Retrieved August 18, 2024.