Ground BGM (Super Mario Bros. 3)
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| "Ground BGM" | |
|---|---|
| "Ground BGM" in Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
Image from Nintendo Music | |
| Composed by: Koji Kondo | |
| Key | C major |
| BPM | 150 |
| Time signature | 2 2 (with swung eighths) |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) |
| Latest appearance | Hello, Mario! (2025) |
"Ground BGM",[1] also known as the "Ground Theme",[2] is a musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for the ground levels in Super Mario Bros. 3. It is a reggae composition, featuring a backbeat rhythm on woodblock and timbales that is played through PCM audio samples.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
"Ground BGM" plays in the following levels:
- World 1-1
- World 1-3
- World 2-1
- World 2-3
- World 2-4
- World 2-5
- World 3-7
- World 3-9
- World 4-1
- World 4-5
- World 4-6
- World 5-1
- World 5-3
- World 6-1
- World 7-2
- World 7-
Piranha Plant 1 - World 7-8
- World 7-
Piranha Plant 2
In Super Mario All-Stars, as well as Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World and Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition, an arrangement of "Ground BGM" is included in the game's remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, where it plays in all of the same levels as the original.
In Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, the Game Boy Advance remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, an arrangement of "Ground BGM" plays in all of the same levels as the original game. This arrangement using timbales instead of bongos before the transitional ones. It also plays in the following levels in World-e:
- The ol' Switcheroo
- Piped Full of Plants
- Ice Dungeon
- A Sky-High Adventure
- Sea to Sky
- It's a Shoe-In
- Puzzling Pipe Maze
- A Towering Tour
- Castle Dash
- Ground Work
- An Aqueous Adventure
- No Time to Dawdle
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Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nelsonic Game Watch)[edit]
In Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nelsonic Game Watch, a short arrangement of the theme can be heard at the start of each game.[3]
Super Mario All-Stars[edit]
In the Super NES remake of Super Mario Bros. 3 in Super Mario All-Stars, an arrangement of "Ground BGM" plays for the same purpose as in the original game. This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World and Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition.
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New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]
In New Super Mario Bros. 2, a brief arrangement of "Ground BGM" can somtimes play in the loading chime.
Super Mario Maker[edit]
In Super Mario Maker, the original version of "Ground BGM" is used when playing courses in the Super Mario Bros. 3 style and on the ground theme.
An ambient arrangement of "Ground BGM" using eight tracks that fade in and out randomly to create a dynamic mix plays while editing Super Mario Bros. 3-style ground-themed courses in the Course Maker. This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS and Super Mario Maker 2.
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Super Mario Run[edit]
In Super Mario Run, an arrangement of "Ground BGM" is incorporated into the music that plays in Remix 10.
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
As in the first Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker 2 directly uses the original version of "Ground BGM" for Super Mario Bros. 3-style ground-themed courses. In this game, it is also used for courses with the Desert and Forest themes. However, these courses do each receive a new arrangement for editing them, with the former prominently featuring the harmonica, banjo, and pan flute in its instrumentation, while the latter prominently featuring marimba, pan flute, pizzicato strings, and tuba.
Additionally, a music box arrangement of the theme plays during the nighttime version of levels that use the theme. Unlike editing levels, there is no unique version of this arrangement for Desert or Forest levels.
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The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
An arrangement of "Ground BGM" is a recurring background track in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, as the show is based on Super Mario Bros. 3. This arrangement is also used for the main menu screen on the show's complete series DVD box set.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Melee features a rock/jazz/reggae medley arrangement (done on a Roland Sound Canvas SC-8850) of "Ground BGM" and "World 1 Map (Grass Land)", titled "Super Mario Bros. 3". This arrangement prominently features brass, keyboard, and electric guitar. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, now titled "Super Mario Bros. 3 (Melee)", where it can play in the Yoshi's Island stage, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, now titled "Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)", where it can play in the Yoshi's Island stage and the Super Mario Maker stage, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U also include the original version of the theme, available on Peach's Castle and Super Mario Maker.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U also includes "Style Switch: Ground Theme", which is exclusive to the Super Mario Maker stage and switches between the original versions of the ground themes of the games available in Super Mario Maker, including Super Mario Bros. 3's. This medley is also present in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and is the only track in the game to only be present on the My Music menu of certain stages from a series, as its odds can only be adjusted for the Super Mario Maker stage. However, the medley can randomly appear on Final Destination, Battlefield, Big Battlefield, and Small Battlefield.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a medley arrangement of "Ground BGM", "Course Clear", and "World 1 Map (Grass Land)", titled "Ground Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3", can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage. This arrangement blends acoustic and chiptune-inspired instrumentation.
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Donkey Konga 2[edit]
| Super Mario Bros. 3 Theme | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game(s) | Donkey Konga 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Length | 2:13 | ||||||||||||||||
| Cost | 580 | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The arrangement of "Ground BGM" appears in the European version of Donkey Konga 2 under the title "Super Mario Bros. 3 Theme". It plays once and does not loop.
WarioWare series[edit]
WarioWare: Twisted![edit]
In WarioWare: Twisted!, an excerpt of "Ground BGM" plays during the microgame Super Mario Bros. 3.
WarioWare: Move It![edit]
WarioWare: Move It! also features a microgame titled Super Mario Bros. 3 based on the game of the same name, which features an excerpt of "Ground BGM".
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix[edit]
- Main article: Hammer Dance
In Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, a ska arrangement of "Ground BGM", titled "Hammer Dance", is a playable song.
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Tetris DS[edit]
In Tetris DS, an arrangement of "Ground BGM", titled "Mario Tetris 3", plays in levels 4, 5, and 6 in Marathon mode.
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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series[edit]
It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Where does the 2012 version play?
The Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games includes the original version of "Ground BGM" in its Music Gallery. It can be unlocked after completing four categories.
The Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games features a tropical arrangement of "Ground BGM" played on the melodica with steel drum accompaniment. 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.
Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, the original version of "Ground BGM" plays in some of the 3D portions of the Super Mario Bros. 3-like world in the Green Energy Plant. When Mario flips, it seamlessly shifts to a more ethereal, echoing remix.
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
An arrangement of "Ground BGM" arranged by Brian Tyler is featured in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. It plays during the scene when Mario and Luigi are in the Brooklyn couple's apartment. It is titled "It's a Dog Eat Plumber World" in the official soundtrack.
Mario Kart World[edit]
In Mario Kart World, an arrangement of "Ground BGM" can play in Free Roam.
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Other arrangements[edit]
Super Mario World[edit]
The Super Mario World album includes a jazz arrangement of "Ground BGM" composed by Soichi Noriki and performed by the Mario Club Band, titled "Go! Go! Raccoon Mario".
Super Nintendo World[edit]
An arrangement of "Ground BGM" is featured at Super Nintendo World, where it plays in the 1-UP Factory.
Gallery[edit]
Image of the "Hurry Up!" variant from Super Mario Bros. 3 on Nintendo Music
Icon for "Hammer Dance" in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo Entertainment System | 1988 | Original | "Ground BGM"[1] | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nelsonic Game Watch | 1990 | Arrangement | ||
| 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) | ||
| Super Smash Bros. Melee | Nintendo GameCube | 2001 | Arrangement | "Super Mario Bros. 3" | Shogo Sakai |
| Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | Game Boy Advance | 2003 | Arrangement | Taiju Suzuki | |
| WarioWare: Twisted! | Game Boy Advance | 2004 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Donkey Konga 2 (European version) | Nintendo GameCube | 2005 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "Super Mario Bros. 3 Theme" | Shogo Sakai |
| Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix | Nintendo GameCube | 2005 | Arrangement | "Hammer Dance" | |
| Tetris DS | Nintendo DS | 2006 | Arrangement | "Mario Tetris 3" | |
| Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games | Wii | 2009 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | 2008 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "Super Mario Bros. 3 (Melee)" | Shogo Sakai |
| Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition | Wii | 2010 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | ||
| Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games | Wii | 2011 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. 2 | Nintendo 3DS | 2012 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games) | ||
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)" | Shogo Sakai |
| 2015[a] | Original | "Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)" | Koji Kondo | ||
| Super Mario Maker | Wii U | 2015 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Arrangement | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2015[a] | Original | "Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros. 3)" | Koji Kondo |
| Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Wii U | 2016 | Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games) | ||
| Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2016 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario Maker) | |||||
| Super Mario Run | Android, iOS | 2017[b] | Arrangement | ||
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Original | "Ground Theme - Super Mario series" | Koji Kondo |
| Arrangement | "Ground Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3" | Masafumi Takada | |||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "Ground Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3 (Melee)" | Shogo Sakai | |||
| Super Mario Maker 2 | Nintendo Switch | 2019 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario Maker) | |||||
| WarioWare: Move It! | Nintendo Switch | 2023 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement | "Ground BGM"[4] |
Film and television[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 | 1990 | Arrangement | Michael Tavera | |
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | Arrangement | "It's a Dog Eat Plumber World" | Brian Tyler |
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Famicom Graffiti: Nintendo Cartridge Edition | 1990 | Arrangement | 「MEDLEY III(マリオブラザーズ~スーパーマリオブラザーズ~スーパーマリオブラザーズ3)」 (MEDLEY III (Mario Burazāzu ~ Sūpā Mario Burazāzu ~ Sūpā Mario Burazāzu 3)) |
|
| Game Music Graffiti - Nintendo Complete Works Collection | 1990 | Arrangement | 「MEDLEY III(マリオブラザーズ~スーパーマリオブラザーズ~スーパーマリオブラザーズ3)」 (MEDLEY III (Mario Burazāzu ~ Sūpā Mario Burazāzu ~ Sūpā Mario Burazāzu 3)) |
|
| Super Mario World | 1991 | Original | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Arrangement | "Go! Go! Raccoon Mario" | Soichi Noriki | ||
| Super Smash Bros. Melee: Smashing...Live! | 2003 | Arrangement | "Smash Bros. Great Medley" | Shogo Sakai |
| Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3 | 2004 | Original | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music | 2004 | Original | 「地上BGM~ワーニング~地上BGM ハリーアップ!」 (Chijō BGM ~ Wāningu ~ Chijō BGM Harī Appu!) | Koji Kondo |
| Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection | 2005 | Original | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | Koji Kondo |
| The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music | 2015 | Original | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | Koji Kondo |
Other media[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Nintendo World | 2021 | Arrangement |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 地上BGM[1] Chijō BGM |
Above-ground BGM |
Notes[edit]
- On the Nintendo Music app, "Ground BGM" is labeled as "Selects", classifying it as one "of the very best tracks from the Nintendo Music library", originating from Super Mario Bros. 3. "Ground BGM" shares this title with "World 1 Map (Grass Land)" and "Athletic BGM".
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Nintendo Music
- ^ Super Smash Bros. series Sound Tests
- ^ Sly DC (November 28, 2015). Nelsonic Super Mario Bros. 3 Game Watch (0:09). YouTube (English). Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ Mario Kart World pause menu