King of the Koopas (theme)
- "King Bowser (theme)" redirects here. For other musical themes associated with and/or named after Bowser, see Category:Bowser's themes.
| "King of the Koopas" | |
|---|---|
| "King of the Koopas" in Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
Image from Nintendo Music | |
| Composed by: Koji Kondo | |
| Key | A minor |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) (2023) |
"King of the Koopas",[1] also known as "King Bowser",[2] is a musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for the final boss battle against Bowser in Super Mario Bros. 3. It is the first musical theme used for Bowser in the Super Mario franchise.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3 marks the first appearance of "King of the Koopas". It is also included in the official albums Super Mario World, Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3, Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music, and Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection.
Super Mario All-Stars / Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World / Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition[edit]
In the SNES remake of Super Mario Bros. 3 in Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World, and Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition, an arrangement of "King of the Koopas" plays for the same purpose as in the original game.
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Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
| It has been requested that at least one audio and/or video file related to this section be uploaded. Specifics: The arrangement Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See the help page for help getting started. |
In the Game Boy Advance remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, an arrangement of "King of the Koopas" plays for the same purpose as in the original game, as well as during the battles against Bowser in the World-e levels Bowser's Last Stand and Bowser's Airship 2.
Super Mario Odyssey[edit]
In Super Mario Odyssey, a brief excerpt of "King of the Koopas" plays during the cutscene when Mario captures Bowser at the end of the game, which features a screenshot of the final boss battle from Super Mario Bros. 3 as one of Bowser's past memories.
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
In Super Mario Maker 2, the original version of "King of the Koopas" plays whenever the "Final Boss" sound effect is triggered in the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 game styles.
Super Mario RPG[edit]
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]
- “This piece is one of my personal favorites, and among the first pieces of music I composed for the game. It's an arrangement of Bowser's theme from Super Mario Bros. 3. I rearranged several tracks for this game, and this was one where I felt confident the arrangement came out well. Come to think of it, I referenced quite a lot of music from Super Mario Bros. 3. Take "Super Mario House," for example. The main melody is the one we're all familiar with, while the backing I took from a different track in Super Mario Bros. 3.”
- —Yoko Shimomura, Liner notes in Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars features two arrangements of "King of the Koopas", both of which were arranged by Yoko Shimomura, and are also included in the official albums Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version and Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box.
An arrangement of "King of the Koopas" with an extended melody based on the intro plays during the boss battle against Bowser in Bowser's Keep. It is titled 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen, "VS Bowser Battle").[3]
A slower-paced, more foreboding arrangement of "King of the Koopas" is incorporated in the theme that plays in Bowser's Keep after heading back from Nimbus Land. It is titled 「クッパ城(其ノ弐)」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni), "Bowser's Castle (Second Time)").[3]
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Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)[edit]
| It has been requested that at least one audio and/or video file related to this section be uploaded. Specifics: Both arrangements Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See the help page for help getting started. |
- “While arranging the soundtracks for the Switch version, I listened to the original as I worked. There are some synth instruments that are hard to replicate on modern devices, and this song featured one of those. But I was careful to select instruments that still resembled the original!”
- —Yoko Shimomura, Liner notes in Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box
In the Nintendo Switch remake of Super Mario RPG, both "VS Bowser Battle" and "Bowser's Castle (Second Time)" return for the same purposes as in the original game if the music is set to the "Classic" setting. If the music is set to the "Modern" setting, new orchestral arrangements of the themes will play instead. In the game's sound test, they are given the localized titles "Battling Bowser" and "Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)". Both of the new arrangements were once again arranged by Yoko Shimomura. They are also included in the official albums Super Mario RPG Original Soundtrack, Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box, and Super Mario RPG Original Sound Vinyl Box.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a heavy metal/chiptune-mixed arrangement of "King of the Koopas" arranged by Koji Kondo can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage. This arrangement also incorporates "World 8 Map (Dark Land)" from the same game. It is titled "King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3" in the game's sound test.
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List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo Entertainment System | 1988 | Original | "King of the Koopas"[1] | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario All-Stars | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1993 | Arrangement | Soyo Oka | |
| Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1994 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | Soyo Oka | |
| Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1996 | Arrangement | 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen)[3] | Yoko Shimomura |
| 「クッパ城(其ノ弐)」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni))[3] | |||||
| Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | Game Boy Advance | 2003 | Arrangement | Taiju Suzuki | |
| Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition | Wii | 2010 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | Soyo Oka | |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Nintendo Switch | 2017 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Arrangement | "King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3"[2] | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario Maker 2 | Nintendo Switch | 2019 | Original | "Final Boss" | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario RPG | Nintendo Switch | 2023 | Arrangement | "Battling Bowser"[4] | Yoko Shimomura |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars) | |||||
| Arrangement | "Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)"[4] | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars) |
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario World | 1991 | Original | 「魔王クッパ」 (Maō Kuppa) | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version | 1996 | Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars) | 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) | Yoko Shimomura |
| 「クッパ城(其ノ弐)」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni)) | ||||
| Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3 | 2004 | Original | 「魔王クッパ」 (Maō Kuppa) | Koji Kondo |
| Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music | 2004 | Original | 「魔王クッパ~ワーニング~魔王クッパ ハリーアップ!」 (Maō Kuppa ~ Wāningu ~ Maō Kuppa Harī Appu!) |
Koji Kondo |
| Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection | 2005 | Original | 「魔王クッパ」 (Maō Kuppa) | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario RPG Original Soundtrack | 2025 | Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) | 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) | Yoko Shimomura |
| 「クッパ城(其ノ弐)」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni)) | ||||
| Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box | 2025 | Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) | 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) | Yoko Shimomura |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars) | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) | 「クッパ城(其ノ弐)」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni)) | |||
| Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars) | ||||
| Super Mario RPG Original Sound Vinyl Box | 2025 | Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) | 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) | Yoko Shimomura |
| 「クッパ城(其ノ弐)」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni)) |
Other media[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Music | 2025[a] | Original | "King of the Koopas" | Koji Kondo |
- ^ Added on March 9, 2025
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 魔王クッパ[1] Maō Kuppa |
Demon King Bowser |