Space Athletic

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"Space Athletic"
"Space Athletic" in Super Mario Galaxy
The image for "Space Athletic" from Super Mario Galaxy on Nintendo Music.
Image from Nintendo Music
Composed by:
Mahito Yokota
Key C Dorian
BPM 200
Time signature Common time
First appearance Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Latest appearance Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2025)
Arrangement of
"Underground BGM" (Super Mario Bros.)

"Space Athletic"[1] is a musical theme composed by Mahito Yokota for Super Mario Galaxy, and a slower-paced and techno arrangement of "Underground BGM" from Super Mario Bros.. It plays on several galaxies and planets, including Flipswitch Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy, and the interiors of Battlerock Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy's pyramid, and Dreadnought Galaxy.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

Super Mario Galaxy marks the first appearance of "Space Athletic". It returns in its Nintendo Switch ports, Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2. It is featured on the Super Mario Galaxy Original Soundtrack.

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

In Super Mario 3D Land, an arrangement of "Space Athletic" from Super Mario Galaxy plays in underground levels, adding ascending notes at the start of the theme and extra percussion, as well as the theme being synthesized.

Icon of an audio speaker. Underground Theme - The arrangement heard in Super Mario 3D Land
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Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

“The music for the underground courses in Super Mario games may sound like it always has the same arrangement, but it actually differs subtly each time. Perhaps next time we'll shake things up with a major reworking... Or perhaps not!”
Liner notes in the Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack

In Super Mario 3D World and the Nintendo Switch port, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, an arrangement of "Space Athletic" titled "Underground Theme" in the game's soundtrack album plays in underground levels. It is directly based on Super Mario 3D Land's rendition, except with descending notes at the start instead of ascending, and additional drums.

Icon of an audio speaker. Underground Theme - The arrangement heard in Super Mario 3D World
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Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

In Super Mario Odyssey, another arrangement based on "Space Athletic", titled Underground Power Plant" in the Nintendo Music app and "Subterranean 1" in the Music List, plays in several secret areas as well as in the Underground Power Plant in the Metro Kingdom. This version uses a different introduction and backing instrumentation.

An NES chiptune-style arrangement of "Underground Power Plant", formatted as "Underground Power Plant - 8-Bit" in the Nintendo Music app and "Subterranean 1 (8-Bit)" in the Music List, plays when Mario is in a 2D section of an area that uses the theme.

Icon of an audio speaker. Underground Power Plant
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Icon of an audio speaker. Underground Power Plant - 8-Bit
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Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

In Super Mario Maker 2, for underground-themed courses in the Super Mario 3D World game style, "Underground Theme" from Super Mario 3D World plays. An arrangement using eight tracks that fade in and out randomly to create a dynamic mix plays while editing these courses in the Course Maker.

Icon of an audio speaker. Underground Theme (Course Maker) - Super Mario 3D World
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Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker[edit]

Exclusively in the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS versions of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, "Underground Power Plant" from Super Mario Odyssey plays in the Underground Power Plant section of the course Uptown, Downtown.

Gallery[edit]

List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario Galaxy Wii 2007 Original "Space Athletic"[1] Mahito Yokota
Super Mario 3D Land Nintendo 3DS 2011 Arrangement
Super Mario 3D World Wii U 2013 Arrangement "Underground Theme"
Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo Switch 2017 Arrangement "Underground Power Plant"[1] Naoto Kubo
"Underground Power Plant - 8-Bit"[1]
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch 2018 Past arrangement (Super Mario Odyssey) Naoto Kubo
Super Mario Maker 2 Nintendo Switch 2019 Arrangement Mahito Yokota
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World)
Super Mario 3D All-Stars Nintendo Switch 2020 Original "Space Athletic Mahito Yokota
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury Nintendo Switch 2021 Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World) "Underground Theme"
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 Nintendo Switch 2025 Original "Space Athletic Mahito Yokota

References[edit]