Super Star (theme)
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The Invincibility Theme is a recurring musical theme usually played when a character is invincible. As such, it is tightly associated with the Super Star power-up. Composed for Super Mario Bros., it has since been arranged in numerous games.
The theme follows a cyclical chord progression between the D minor seventh and C major seventh chords. The main melody uses the seventh and root of these chords, whereas the bassline uses the root and fifth.
Arrangements
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros.
In Super Mario Bros., the theme plays while Mario or Luigi is under the effects of the Starman. As Super Mario Bros. is for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Family Computer, the theme is orchestrated as chiptune. Like the Ground Theme from this game, the noise channel plays a swing rhythm, in contrast to later arrangements which would use straight eighths.
The theme is reused in Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2.
Super Mario Bros. Special
Super Mario Bros. Special uses a mostly faithful version of the Invincibility Theme; notably, the bassline descends to the fifth of the chord instead of ascending, and includes the major third.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2 uses an arrangement with PCM percussion samples, which, unlike the original theme, is not swung.
Super Mario Bros. 3
The arrangement in Super Mario Bros. 3 uses both the noise and PCM channels to represent a hi-hat and wood block, respectively. It is reused in Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2 in the Super Mario Bros. 3 game style.
Super Mario World
Super Mario World plays the theme on brass synthesizer and acoustic bass. Due to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System's increased number of audio channels, the melody is now voiced in block chords. The hi-hat rhythm returns from Super Mario Bros. 3. This arrangement is reused in Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2 in the Super Mario World game style.
The Invincibility Theme is also the basis for the Star World map music, with a variation on the melody played over the same chord progression.
Super Mario All-Stars
In Super Mario All-Stars, a single arrangement is used across all remakes.
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS use an arrangement titled "Powerful Mario" for Wing Mario and Vanish Mario, and another arrangement titled "Metallic Mario" for Metal Mario. "Powerful Mario" reuses the countermelody from "Powerful Infant" in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and is itself reused in New Super Mario Bros., and Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS while Mario is wearing the Mario costume and has Super Star invincibility. "Metallic Mario" has an original countermelody, and is reused in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS while Mario is wearing the Mario (Silver) or Mario (Gold) costume and has Super Star invincibility.
Super Mario 64 DS introduces two slow arrangements of "Powerful Mario" for while the player character is riding Hoot and while Mario has Floating Power, and two arrangements of "Metallic Mario" for while they are in Mega form and while Yoshi has Fire Power.
The minigame Bounce and Trounce uses another variation on "Powerful Mario" as background music, where the instrument that plays the countermelody is mallet percussion instead of strings.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe uses two arrangements of the Invincibility Theme. The latter is used as the credits music, and introduces an original melody and chord progression that the original theme is reharmonized to fit.
Super Mario Advance
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy uses an arrangement with the countermelody from "Powerful Infant for Rainbow Mario, which accelerates over time to reinforce that the power-up is temporary. The arrangement returns in Super Mario Galaxy 2.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii introduces an arrangement that includes descending F major seventh and E minor seventh arpeggios. It is reused in New Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, Super Mario Run, New Super Mario Bros. U Delxue, and Super Mario Maker 2.
In only New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and New Super Mario Bros. U Delxue, the music gains bongos and other percussion while one or more of the players is riding a Yoshi. If a Super Star is used from the inventory, a version with much quieter bass and no drums will play on top of the world map music. In New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, held Baby Yoshis will also sing along to the music.
New Super Mario Bros. U
In New Super Mario Bros. U, a chiptune-inspired arrangement with a shaker plays while the Boost Mode player is under the effects of the Boost Star. This arrangement returns in New Super Luigi U, but is absent in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe as Boost Mode was removed.
Super Mario 3D Land
Super Mario 3D Land uses an arrangement based on that of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. In a demo version of the game, the melody had a different echo effect, and squelchy percussion was used in the introduction.
Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 3D World uses an arrangement under the name "Super Star Sharing".
Super Mario 3D World
Dr. Mario
Mario Kart series
Super Mario Kart
In Super Mario Kart, the Invincibility Theme is played on piano, bass, and drum kit.
Mario Kart 64
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart 7
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Yoshi series
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island uses an arrangement of the theme titled "Powerful Infant". This arrangement introduces a countermelody that would later reappear in Super Mario 64 and numerous later games.
Yoshi Touch & Go
Yoshi's New Island
Yoshi's New Island uses a ukelele arrangement that plays the countermelody from "Powerful Infant" on glockenspiel.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Mario Tennis series
Mario Tennis
Mario Power Tennis
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a heavy synthesizer arrangement with a techno drum kit and timpani is used in Bowser's interludes while he is in Mega form from eating enough Meat.
Super Paper Mario
Super Paper Mario uses an arrangement with an original countermelody, titled "An Unrivaled Battle", for when a character is in Mega form from using the Mega Star.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Paper Mario: Sticker Star arranges the Invincibility Theme for standard Super Star invincibility, and later integrates it and the game's title theme into "Kersti's Power", featuring the countermelody from "Powerful Infant".
Paper Mario: Color Splash
Mario Party series
Mario Party 3
Mario Party 6
Mario Party: Island Tour
Mario Party 10
Mario & Luigi series
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
Mario Pinball Land
Mario Superstar Baseball
Mario Superstar Baseball arranges the theme on organ, piano, acoustic bass, and drum kit. The arrangement is reused in Mario Super Sluggers.
Super Mario Strikers
Super Mario Strikers uses a disco-inspired arrangement which is reused in Mario Strikers Charged.
Tetris DS
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Mario Sports Mix
Just Dance 3
Nintendo Land
In Nintendo Land, a chiptune-based arrangement featuring strings, ride cymbal, and synth bass is used when the GamePad player has Super Star invincibility.
