Please remember that WiKirby contains spoilers, which you read at your own risk! See ourgeneral disclaimer for details.
Sub-Tree Area
| ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
"Sub-Tree Area"[2] (originally called"Underground Tree Area"[3]) is a theme fromKirby Super Star andKirby Super Star Ultra that plays throughoutSub-Tree,Old Tower andHotbeat. It was composed byJun Ishikawa.[1]
Composition[edit]
"Sub-Tree Area" is characterized by a strong and simple percussion andmicrotonal melody, giving it a primitivistic exotic atmosphere. Its tonic is C, and the meter is a typical 4/4. The intro section sets up these traits immediately: while a snare drum and timpani dominate as a percussive basis, a short low-pitched melodic phrase circles around G and C with a neutral second in between. The snare drum closes out the intro with a solo, at which point the percussion and melody go in different directions. The timpani marks strong beats with a G-C jump on the fourth beats throughout most of track. The melody begins half a beat into the bar, giving a sensation of a strong second beat. Played by violin, pan flute and trumpet-like instruments in alternation, it is predominantly descending, and includes quarter tones in place of tones that would otherwise determine a major or minor key (i.e. iii and vi). Each phrase of the melody varies slightly, utilizing ornaments or taking a turn at a different point in the ending. By the fourth variation, short rising fragments remotely hint at "Green Greens". After this, the second section presents a louder and more static contrasting rising phrase, which ends up resolving similarly to the previous phrases, once descending, and the second time rising.
The first section repeats; however, when the second section's turn arrives, the timpani halts completely, and the phrase sounds comparatively quiet, serving as a pause and quiet climax. Here, microtonality fades away, instead focusing on the melody. As it varies further, it gains a rhythm and phrasing reminiscent of "Kirby's Triumphant Return". Soon after the percussion, while still light, gains more traction, and the melody once again has microtonal aspects and plays in the registers of the intro. The entirety of the final section is improvisational in nature, using the rhythmical tendencies of the first section to climb back up to the theme's main pitch. Once it does so, it hits G as the dominant and loops from the first section.
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby Super Star /Kirby Super Star Ultra[edit]
InKirby Super Star andKirby Super Star Ultra, "Sub-Tree Area" is the stage theme forSub-Tree andOld Tower inThe Great Cave Offensive, as well asHotbeat inMilky Way Wishes. It can be found as track 34 in the original SNES version'sSound Test and track 040 in the remake's.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
InSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, "Sub-Tree Area" appears alongside "Crystal Area" as a part of "The Great Cave Offensive", which plays in the eponymous stage. This version possesses more orchestrated instrumentation than the original, and microtonal elements are replaced within standard 12-tone temperation. The medley returns inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it is now available to play on allKirby stages, Battlefield, Big Battlefield, Small Battlefield and Final Destination.
Kirby Star Allies[edit]
InKirby Star Allies, the version of the theme fromKirby Super Star plays in theNature's Navel-inspired areas ofDuplex Dream. It can be found in that game'sJukebox as track 081. Interestingly, until version 3.0.0, only the first half of the track played.
Kirby Air Riders[edit]
InKirby Air Riders, a new arrangement of "Sub-Tree Area" paired with "Crystal Area" can be unlocked as the alternate track forCavernous Corners. It is titled "Cavernous Corners (Alt)" / "The Great Cave Offensive" in theMusic Player.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 地底の木々エリア chitei no kigi eria | Subterranean Forest Area Derived from the Japanese name ofSub-Tree (ちていの木々), using the kanji writing of地底 rather than the in-game hiragana writing. |
References
- ↑1.01.1Kirby Star AlliesJukebox
- ↑Nintendo Music listing forKirby Star Allies
- ↑Called as such in theNintendo Music listing forKirby Star Allies before September 18th, 2025
| |||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
