Chainlink Charge (theme)

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"Athletic Theme (Super Mario 3D World)" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Athletic Theme (Super Mario World).
"Chainlink Charge"
"Chainlink Charge" in Super Mario 3D World
Thumbnail for "Chainlink Charge" from Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury used for Nintendo Music
Image from Nintendo Music
Composed by:
Koji Kondo[1]
Key E-flat major
BPM 240
Time signature 2
2
First appearance Super Mario 3D World (2013)
Latest appearance Mario Kart World (2025)
“This is a tough stage, so it's important that you want to keep on trying, even if you slip up. To achieve this, we came up with an upbeat, infectious theme. You can't help but be carried along by the rhythm. The drummer plays with brushes, which gives the performance a lot of expressive power. We used this effect to create a theme that makes it fun to keep playing.”
Liner notes in the Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack

"Chainlink Charge",[2][3] also known as "Athletic Theme",[4][5] is a musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for Super Mario 3D World, where it plays in the levels Chain-Link Charge, Switchboard Falls, Cakewalk Flip, Cookie Cogworks, and Rolling Ride Run.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

Super Mario 3D World marks the first appearance of "Chainlink Charge". It is also included in the official albums Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack and The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music.

A tropical arrangement of "Chainlink Charge", also arranged by Koji Kondo,[1] plays in Pipeline Lagoon, Sunshine Seaside, and Pipeline Boom Lagoon. This arrangement features a soprano saxophone lead. The unlooped version of the arrangement is in C major and modulates to D-flat major. When the player is underwater, a chill-out arrangement plays instead. In the Nintendo Music app and the official Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack album, both versions are played in sequence on the same track, titled "Sunshine Seaside".

Both "Chainlink Charge" and "Sunshine Seaside" return in the Nintendo Switch port, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, for the same purposes.

Icon of an audio speaker. Sunshine Seaside - The above-ground arrangement heard in Super Mario 3D World
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Icon of an audio speaker. Sunshine Seaside - The underwater arrangement heard in Super Mario 3D World
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Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

In Super Mario Maker 2, the original version of "Chainlink Charge" and the underwater version of "Sunshine Seaside" play in Super Mario 3D World-style sky- and underwater-themed levels respectively.

Two separate ambient arrangements of "Chainlink Charge" and "Sunshine Seaside" play while editing Super Mario 3D World-style sky and underwater-themed levels respectively in the Course Maker. Both arrangements use eight tracks that fade in and out randomly to create a dynamic mix.

Icon of an audio speaker. Sky Theme (Edit) - Super Mario 3D World - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Maker 2
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Icon of an audio speaker. Underwater Theme (Edit) - Super Mario 3D World - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Maker 2
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Help:Media fileHaving trouble playing?

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]

In Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, the original version of "Chainlink Charge" and the above-ground version of "Sunshine Seaside" play in athletic and underwater levels respectively.

Mario Kart World[edit]

Mario Kart World features two arrangements of "Chainlink Charge".

A bebop arrangement of "Chainlink Charge" can play in Free Roam during the day and on any VS Race route during nighttime. It is titled "Athletic Theme (Jazz) (Super Mario 3D World)" in the Nintendo Music app and simply "Athletic Theme (Jazz Ver.)" in the game's pause menu.

A soul arrangement of "Chainlink Charge" can play exclusively in Free Roam during nighttime. It is titled "Athletic Theme (Soul) (Super Mario 3D World)" in the Nintendo Music app and simply "Athletic Theme (Soul Ver.)" in the game's pause menu. This arrangement also takes elements from "Sunshine Seaside". The corresponding Nintendo Music image depicts a race on Sky-High Sundae, a scenario in which the arrangement cannot play.

Icon of an audio speaker. Athletic Theme (Jazz) (Super Mario 3D World) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World
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Icon of an audio speaker. Athletic Theme (Soul) (Super Mario 3D World) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World
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Help:Media fileHaving trouble playing?

Gallery[edit]

List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario 3D World Wii U 2013 Original "Chainlink Charge"[3] Koji Kondo
Arrangement "Sunshine Seaside"[3]
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Nintendo 3DS 2015 Original Koji Kondo
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World)
Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Nintendo 3DS 2015 Original Koji Kondo
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World)
Super Mario Maker 2 Nintendo Switch 2019 Original Koji Kondo
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World)
Arrangement
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury Nintendo Switch 2021 Original "Chainlink Charge"[3] Koji Kondo
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World) "Sunshine Seaside"[3]
Mario Kart World Nintendo Switch 2 2025 Arrangement "Athletic Theme (Jazz) (Super Mario 3D World)"[4]
"Athletic Theme (Soul) (Super Mario 3D World)"[4]

Albums[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack 2013 Original "Chainlink Charge" Koji Kondo
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World) "Sunshine Seaside"
The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music 2015 Original 「アスレチック」 (Asurechikku) Koji Kondo
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Nintendo Music) 2026 Original "Chainlink Charge" Koji Kondo
Past arrangement (Super Mario 3D World) "Sunshine Seaside"
Mario Kart World (Nintendo Music) 2026[a] Past arrangement (Mario Kart World) "Athletic Theme (Jazz) (Super Mario 3D World)"
"Athletic Theme (Soul) (Super Mario 3D World)"
  1. ^ Added to the album on August 17, 2026

Naming[edit]

Due to the official Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack album only releasing in Japan in 2013 and Europe and Australia in 2014, the title of "Chainlink Charge" uses the British English spelling of the corresponding level, Chain-Link Charge. However, despite other themes having their titles updated for the soundtrack's worldwide release on the Nintendo Music app in 2026, the title of "Chainlink Charge" remains the same for North American regions.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Note(s) Ref.
Japanese アスレチック
Asurechikku
Athletic [2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Koji Kondo: I worked on two tracks for the athletic and seaside courses." – Napolitano, Jayson (November 6, 2013). Super Mario 3D World composers talk cats, dogs, and more. Destructoid. (Archived via archive.today[deprecated link].)
  2. ^ a b Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Nintendo Music)
  3. ^ a b c d e Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack
  4. ^ a b c Mario Kart World (Nintendo Music)
  5. ^ Mario Kart World pause menu (Ver. 1.4.0, 1.5.0, 1.7.0)