Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)
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The "Main Theme,"[2] also known as the "Ground Theme"[3] or the "Overworld Theme,"[4] is a musical theme composed byKoji Kondo for the overworld levels inNew Super Mario Bros. It is written in duple (2
4) time, at anandantino tempo of 100 beats per minute, and in the key of C major.
It is the first theme heard in-game that gives a gameplay effect to the "paah" vocals, which werepreviously sampled inSuper Mario 64. This would become a recurring game mechanic throughout theNew Super Mario Bros. series.
Reuses
The following list does not include ports or remakes ofNew Super Mario Bros.
| Work | Description |
|---|---|
| Mario Party: Star Rush | The "Main Theme," now titled the "Overworld Theme," is one of the selectable songs inRhythm Recital. |
| Taiko no Tatsujin | The arrangement fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii is included in the "New Super Mario Bros. Wii Medley" track, available in various games starting fromTaiko no Tatsujin Wii: Minna de Party Sandaime! |
Arrangements
Super Mario series
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros. features four additional arrangements of the "Main Theme."
The theme heard whileMario andPrincess Peach walk together during the opening cutscene is aswing arrangement of the first two measures of the theme's melody. It is played on thevibraphone withacoustic guitar harmony accompaniment. The melody segues into a mysteriousaugmented chord with stacked major seconds as Mario and Peach notice the thundercloud forming overPeach's Castle.
The athletic theme is an uptempo swing arrangement of the "Main Theme" that featuresclarinet,mutedtrumpet,xylophone,piano,trombone, and acousticbass. The B section of the arrangement adds a new melody played on a squaresynthesizer.
One section of the credits theme features an arrangement of the "Main Theme" played onsteel drum in the treble range with a whistledcounter-melody, staccato square synthesizer, and the drum kit featured throughout the rest of the piece. This transitions into a fuller version played onelectric organ withbrass accompaniment, then into "Underground BGM" fromSuper Mario Bros.
In theMario Vs. Luigi mode, one of the two themes heard during the gameplay is an arrangement of the "Main Theme."
 Athletic Theme - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. | File infoMedia:NSMB Music Athletic Theme.oga 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii features several arrangements of the "Main Theme."
An arrangement of the "Main Theme," titled the "Ground Theme,"[3] plays on ground levels like inNew Super Mario Bros. The rhythm of the hook and opening section is changed. The latter replaces the square-wave sixteenth notes with a staccato electric organ that continues in the background throughout the A section. The orchestra hits that accompany the "paah" vocals in the original version are replaced by clapping rhythms. When the player is riding aYoshi, additionalcuíca andshaker percussion is added to the instrumentation. Said cuíca originates from an earlier version of the "Ground Theme," which had slightly different instrumentation.[5]
An arrangement of the first two measures of the "Main Theme"'s melody plays at the end of the opening cutscene whileMario,Luigi,Yellow Toad, andBlue Toad are chasingBowser'sairship. The leitmotif is played on synthesized brass, leading to a dominant chord andtimpani roll.
Similar toNew Super Mario Bros., the athletic theme is an arrangement of the "Main Theme," though the piano, clarinet, xylophone, and square synthesizer from the original athletic theme have been replaced withaccordion,banjo, and mutedelectric guitar, making it abluegrass/country arrangement.
The theme heard in snow courses is aChristmas/winter arrangement of the "Main Theme" played onFrench horn,strings,sleigh bells, andsnare drum fills. It also reintroduces theacoustic guitar from theNew Super Mario Bros. original. Like the "Ground Theme," additional cuíca and shaker percussion is added to the instrumentation when the player is riding a Yoshi.
The theme heard in the first phase of theBowser battle is based on the first two measures of the "Main Theme." This arrangement is reused for the same purpose inNew Super Mario Bros. 2.
The credits theme, titled "Staff Credit Roll,"[3] quotes and reharmonizes the "Main Theme" as well as "Ground BGM" fromSuper Mario Bros.
| Opening - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii | File infoMedia:NSMBW Opening Jingle.oga 0:05 |
| Ground Theme - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii | File infoMedia:OverworldNSMBW.oga 0:30 |
| Athletic Theme - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii | File infoMedia:AthleticNSMBW.oga 0:30 |
| Snow Theme - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii | File infoMedia:New Super Mario Bros Wii Snow Overworld.oga 0:30 |
| Bowser Battle - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii | File infoMedia:NSMBW Bowser Battle.oga 0:30 |
| Staff Credit Roll - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii | File infoMedia:StaffCreditNSMBW.oga 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World features a more relaxed arrangement of the "Main Theme" based on the arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii. The main melody is doubled onaccordion andpiano, and the melody of the section before the loop is played ontrumpet. In addition to new instrumentation, this arrangement uses a different "paah" sample thanNew Super Mario Bros. Wii.
While it does not include the actual melody, the game's ending theme features the same basic chord progression as the "Main Theme."
| Grass Overworld - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World | File infoMedia:Grass Overworld NSMBW Coin World.oga 0:29 |
| The End - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World | File infoMedia:The End NSMBW Coin World.oga 0:30 |
New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Mario Bros. 2 uses arrangements of the "Main Theme" for its ground, athletic, snow, and credits themes heavily based on the arrangements heard inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii. All of these arrangements (done by Kenta Nagata) double the melody witha capella vocals.
The ground, athletic, and snow themes add woodblock instrumentation when the player is inRaccoon form, and the melody is doubled on a bell synth arpeggiator when aGold Ring is active.
An arrangement of the "Ground Theme" fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii can be heard in the starting zones ofWarp Cannon andRainbow Courses located inWorld Mushroom,World Flower, andWorld Star.
The standard ground arrangement returns as a playable track titled "Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can be played on theMushroom Kingdom U andSuper Mario Maker stages, as well as inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, now formatted as "Ground Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2," where it can be played on anySuper Smash Bros.- andSuper Mario-series stage.
| Ground Theme - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. 2 | File infoMedia:NSMB2 Ground Theme.oga 0:30 |
| Athletic Theme - The arrangement heard inNew Super Mario Bros. 2 | File infoMedia:New Super Mario Bros 2 Athletic Theme.oga 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, a tropical-styled arrangement of the "Main Theme" and level clear jingle, titled "Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)" and composed by Shogo Sakai, can play in theDelfino Plaza stage. It has abossa nova-type beat with acoustic guitar, steel drums, and saxophone. This arrangement returns inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can play in the Delfino Plaza andSuper Mario Maker stages, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, now formatted as "Main Theme - New Super Mario Bros.," where it can play in anySuper Smash Bros.-series andSuper Mario-series stage.
| Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.) - The arrangement heard inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl | File infoMedia:SSBB NSMB Main Theme.oga 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
InSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, a medley arrangement of the athletic and ground versions of the "Main Theme" fromNew Super Mario Bros. 2, titled "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" and composed by Yusuke Takahama, can play in theGolden Plains andSuper Mario Maker stages. This arrangement returns inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can play in theMushroom Kingdom U and Super Mario Maker stages, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, now simply titled "Athletic Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2," where it can play in anySuper Smash Bros.-series andSuper Mario-series stage.
| Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2) - The arrangement heard inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | File infoMedia:SSB4 NSMB2 Athletic.oga 0:30 |
Mario & Sonic series
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
TheNintendo DS version ofMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games features a partial arrangement of the athletic version of the "Main Theme" at the end of the Mario Medley routine ofUltimate Figure Skating.
TheWii version ofMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games features an arrangement of the athletic version of the "Main Theme" as a playable track. The drums featured in this arrangement are reused from "That's The Way I Like It" fromSonic Adventure 2, performed by Hisanori Kumamaru. This arrangement returns in the Wii version ofMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games,Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and theWii U version ofMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
TheWii version ofMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games features an arrangement of theNew Super Mario Bros. Wii snow version of the "Main Theme" as a playable track. This arrangement returns inMario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and theWii U version ofMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
TheWii U version ofMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games features an arrangement of theNew Super Mario Bros. Wii "Ground Theme" version of the "Main Theme." The "paah" vocals are sampled directly from theNew Super Mario Bros. Wii snow version of the "Main Theme."
Mario Party 10
InMario Party 10, a brief orchestral arrangement of the introduction and first four notes of the melody of the "Ground Theme" fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii, titled the "Contemporary Theme," is one of three music tracks that are chosen to play at random in theSteal the Beatminigame, alongside "Ground BGM" fromSuper Mario Bros. and "Ground BGM" fromSuper Mario World.
| Contemporary Theme - The arrangement heard inMario Party 10 | File infoMedia:MP10 Contemporary Theme.oga 0:08 |
Mario Strikers: Battle League
Arock arrangement of the "Main Theme" is used inMario Strikers: Battle League as one of the themes for theMushroom Hill stadium.
| Mushroom Hill 1 - The arrangement heard inMario Strikers: Battle League | File infoMedia:MSBL Mushroom Hill 1.oga 0:30 |
Mario Kart World
InMario Kart World, arrangements of the "Main Theme" and "Staff Credit Roll" can play inFree Roam and duringroutes in Grand Prix or VS Race.
Other arrangements
Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Musical Toothbrush
The Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Musical Toothbrush includes a speaker that plays a two-minute remix of the athletic theme fromNew Super Mario Bros., titled "Nintendo Game song," which is pitched up and lacks the "paah" vocals.[6][7]
E3 2009
An arrangement of the "Main Theme" played at theNew Super Mario Bros. Wii booth atE3 2009 and was meant to play alongside an early version of the "Ground Theme" from said game.[8][9]
Video Games Live
Video Games Live inTokyo,Japan featured a live piano performance byKoji Kondo of themes from variousSuper Mario games including the "Main Theme."[10]
New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos
TheNew Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos book features two solo piano arrangements of the "Main Theme": a full arrangement titled the "Ground Theme," and a partial arrangement included in "Staff Credit Roll."
PRESS START 2010 /SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition
PRESS START 2010 inTokyo,Japan featured a live orchestra medley arrangement of several themes fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii, including the "Ground Theme," which was included in theSUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition album and titled 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii ~From PRESS START 2010~").[11]
| New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜, New Super Mario Bros. Wii ~From PRESS START 2010~) - The arrangement heard at PRESS START 2010 | File infoMedia:3._New_Super_Mario_Bros._Wii_~from_PRESS_START_2010~.flac 0:30 |
Nintendo World 2011
Nintendo World 2011 featured a live piano performance byKoji Kondo of themes from variousSuper Mario games including the "Main Theme," based on the arrangement he played atVideo Games Live.[12]
Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live
The "Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live" concert series featured a live big band medley arrangement by theSuper Mario Big Band of several themes from theNew Super Mario Bros. series, including the "Main Theme" and its athletic version.
LINE
TheSuper Mario's Relaxing LifeLINE sticker set features a brief arrangement of the "Main Theme" that plays over asticker of a Goomba saying thanksMedia:SMRL-Line-Goomba-Thanks.gif.
| Main Theme - The arrangement heard in the LINE sticker | File infoMedia:SMRL NSMB Main Theme.oga |
Super Nintendo World
At theSuper Nintendo World theme park, an arrangement of the "Main Theme" can play in the1-UP Factory.
Nintendo Live 2023
Nintendo Live 2023 inSeattle,Washington,USA featured a live big band medley arrangement by theSuper Mario Super Big Band titled "Athletic Theme" of several themes fromNew Super Mario Bros., including the "Main Theme" and its athletic version, as well as the intro to the "Ground Theme" fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii.[13]
List ofSuper Mario appearances
Games
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo DS | 2006 | Original | "Main Theme"[2] | Koji Kondo |
| Arrangement | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | "Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)" | Shogo Sakai |
| Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games | DS | 2009 | Arrangement | "Mario Medley" | |
| Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games | Wii | 2009 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Wii | 2009 | Arrangement | "Ground Theme"[3] | Kenta Nagata[3] |
| "Staff Credit Roll"[3] | Ryo Nagamatsu | ||||
| Arrangement | |||||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World | Arcade | 2011 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games | Wii | 2011 | Arrangement | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games) | |||||
| New Super Mario Bros. 2 | Nintendo 3DS | 2012 | Arrangement | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM)[14] | |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | |||||
| Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games) | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games) | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2014 | Arrangement | "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" | Yusuke Takahama |
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.)" | Shogo Sakai |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. 2) | "Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme (New Super Mario Bros. 2)" | Yusuke Takahama | |||
| Mario Party 10 | Wii U | 2015 | Arrangement | "Contemporary Theme" | |
| Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Wii U | 2016 | Arrangement | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games) | |||||
| Past arrangement (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games) | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Main Theme - New Super Mario Bros." | Shogo Sakai |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. 2) | "Ground Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Athletic Theme - New Super Mario Bros. 2" | Yusuke Takahama | |||
| Mario Strikers: Battle League | Nintendo Switch | 2022 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement |
Albums
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario History 1985-2010 | 2010 | Original | "Main Theme" | Koji Kondo |
| SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition | 2010 | Arrangement | 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜)[15] | Takeshi Hama[16][17] |
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: A Smashing Soundtrack | 2015 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Athletic Theme / Ground Theme" | Yusuke Takahama |
| The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music | 2015 | Original | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | |
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | |||
| Past arrangement (New Super Mario Bros. 2) | 「地上BGM」 (Chijō BGM) | |||
| 「アスレチックBGM」 (Asurechikku BGM) |
Other media
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Musical Toothbrush | Remix | "Nintendo Game song" | ||
| E3 2009 | 2009 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos | 2010 | Arrangement | "Ground Theme" | Shinobu Amayake |
| "Staff Credit Roll" | ||||
| LINE | 2017[18] | Arrangement | ||
| Super Nintendo World | 2021 | Arrangement | Dani Donadi[19] |
Live performances
| Event | Year | Location | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video Games Live | 2009 | Tokyo International Forum,Tokyo,Japan[20] | Arrangement | Koji Kondo[10] | |
| PRESS START 2010 | 2010 | Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre,Tokyo,Japan[11] | Arrangement | 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜)[15] | Takeshi Hama[16][17] |
| Nintendo World 2011 | 2011 | Makuhari Messe,Chiba,Japan[21] | Arrangement | Koji Kondo[12] | |
| Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live | 2015 | Osaka International Convention Center,Osaka,Japan andTokyo International Forum,Tokyo,Japan[22] | Arrangement | Super Mario Special Band[22] | |
| Nintendo Live 2023 | 2023 | Seattle Convention Center,Seattle,Washington,USA[23] | Arrangement | "Athletic Theme"[13] | Super Mario Super Big Band[13] |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Tema principale[24] | Main theme |
References
- ^SUPER MARIO HISTORY 1985-2010 Soundtrack CD.VGMdb (English). Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^abSuper Mario History 1985-2010
- ^abcdefNew Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos
- ^Mario Party: Star Rush'sRhythm Recital music selection
- ^Nintendo World Report (October 3, 2009).New Super Mario Bros. Wii gameplay PAX trailer.YouTube (English). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^[1]. Discount Pool and Party Supplies. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^SpongebobSailorMoon98 Productions (March 24, 2020).New super Mario bros Ds - athletic theme (toothbrush version).YouTube (English). Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^Nintendo World Report (June 5, 2009).Morton Koopa Jr. in New Super Mario Bros Wii (Koopa Kid Returns) E3 2009.YouTube (English). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^PelaajaHD (June 4, 2009).E3 2009 New Super Mario Bros Wii.YouTube (English). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^abJVN (September 24, 2009).Koji Kondo - Video-Games Live Japan (Super Mario Medley).YouTube (English). Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^abPRESS STARTとは?. Retrieved June 22, 2025. (Archived June 20, 2010, 22:56:56 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^abonilink888 (January 10, 2011).[Nintendo World 2011 Nintendo Music Live! Featuring Koji Kondo].YouTube (English). Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^abcHitbox Hero (September 3, 2023).Nintendo Live 2023 - Super Mario Super Big Band uncut full show (30:19).YouTube (English). Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music
- ^abSUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition
- ^abEnterbrain, Inc., ed. (December 9, 2010). スーパーマリオ25周年記念ブック [Super Mario 25th Anniversary Commemorative Book] (in Japanese). Enterbrain, Inc. p. 35.ISBN 978-4-0472-6981-1.
- ^abVGMdb (November 22, 2010).SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition.VGMdb.Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^Ganos, Lauren (October 19, 2017).Super Mario’s Relaxing Life | Line Sticker Showcase.Nintendo Wire (English). Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^Dani Donadi.Profile.Linkedin. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^Tour dates.Video Games Live. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^Japanese Public Get to Play the 3DS at Nintendo World 2011.Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^abSeedhouse, Alex (July 1, 2015).Super Mario 30th Anniversary Live concerts announced for Japan. Nintendo Insider. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^Home – Nintendo Live 2023 – Nintendo Official Site. Retrieved June 23, 2025. (Archived June 23, 2025, 04:56:07 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition | Wii | Giochi | Nintendo IT.Nintendo (Italian). Retrieved August 18, 2024.
