Mario Kart 64 Title Screen
| "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Image fromNintendo Music | |||
| Composed by: Kenta Nagata | |||
| Key | C major | ||
| First appearance | Mario Kart 64 (1996) | ||
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) | ||
| |||
"Mario Kart 64 Title Screen",[1] also known as "Mario Kart 64 Theme"[2] or simply "Title",[3] is a musical theme composed byKenta Nagata forMario Kart 64, where it plays in the game's title screen. It is a heavily enlongated andsyncopated arrangement of the first half of "Super Mario Kart Title Screen", with the last part using more conclusive notes.
History[edit]
 | It has been requested that at least oneaudio and/or video file related to this section beuploaded.Specifics: All arrangements Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See thehelp page for help getting started. |
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart 64[edit]
Mario Kart 64 marks the first appearance of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen". It is also included in the official soundtrack albumsMario Kart 64 Race Tracks,Mario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack, andMario Kart 64: Greatest Hits Soundtrack.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
InMario Kart: Double Dash!!, the theme that plays in the title screen incorporates a fast-paced, ska arrangement of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen", albeit transposed up by two notes.
Mario Kart DS[edit]
InMario Kart DS, the theme that plays in the title screen incorporates an arrangement of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme based on the arrangement in the title screen theme fromMario Kart: Double Dash!!. This theme was originally going to use more organic instruments to match the style ofMario Kart: Double Dash!!, but ended up with more electronic ones in the final release.
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
Mario Kart Wii features two arrangements of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme.
The theme that plays in the title screen, titled 「タイトル」(Taitoru, "Title") inthe game's official soundtrack, incorporates an arrangement of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme. It is a near-direct transcription of the arrangement in the title screen theme fromMario Kart DS, albeit with shorter notes.
The theme that plays inBlock Plaza, titled 「ブロック広場」(Burokku Hiroba, "Block Square") in the game's official soundtrack, incorporates a piano arrangement of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme based on the arrangement in the title screen theme fromMario Kart: Double Dash!!. This arrangement only uses the first half of the theme. This is the only instance in the entireMario Kart series where "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" plays in acourse.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Mario Kart 7 features three arrangements of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme.
The theme that plays in the title screen, titled "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen" in theNintendo Music app, incorporates an arrangement of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme based on the arrangement in the title screen theme fromMario Kart: Double Dash!!, this time transposed back down to C.
The theme that plays during the staff credits, a rendition of "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen", titled "Staff Credits" in the Nintendo Music app, incorporates two arrangements of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme. The second arrangement is transposed up by two notes from the original.
The theme that played when spectating players online, titled "Spectating" in the Nintendo Music app, incorporates an electric guitar arrangement of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen", albeit transposed down by 3 notes. This theme was also used as the music in the game'sdebut trailer atE3 2011.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
The trailer forMario Kart Tour features brief arrangements of "Opening Movie" fromMario Kart Wii and the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme.
Mario Kart World[edit]
- Main article:Main Theme (Mario Kart World)
Mario Kart World features four arrangements of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen".
The title screen theme, titled the "Main Theme" in the game's pause menu, incorporates an arrangement based on "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen" in12
8 as performed on electric guitar.
The awards ceremony after completing theSpecial Cup incorporates an arrangement of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" on an electric guitar.
Jazz fusion arrangements of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" and "Staff Credits" fromMario Kart 7 can play inFree Roam during the day, as well as any VS Raceroute. The former is simply titled "Title Screen" in the game's pause menu.
 Main Theme - The bridge section of the "Main Theme" | File info |
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix[edit]
- Main article:Midnight Drive
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix features adisco arrangement of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" as a playable song. It is titled "Midnight Drive".
| Midnight Drive - The arrangement heard inDance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix | File info 0:30 |
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
InThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, a few notes of the "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" theme are incorporated in the track "Buckle Up", which plays during the first stretch of the heroes'kart journey.
Other appearances[edit]
Mario Kart 64 on Club Circuit[edit]
TheMario Kart 64 on Club Circuit album features afunk arrangement of "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" arranged byAKOUST. It is simply named "title". This arrangement features sound effects and character voice clips from the original game.
Gallery[edit]
Icon for "Midnight Drive" inDance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Image for "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen" fromMario Kart 7 onNintendo Music
Image for the Japanese version of "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen" fromMario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
Image for "Spectating" fromMario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
Image for "Staff Credits" fromMario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
List ofSuper Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 64 | Nintendo 64 | 1996 | Original | "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen"[1] | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | Nintendo GameCube | 2003 | Arrangement | ||
| Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix | Nintendo GameCube | 2005 | Arrangement | "Midnight Drive" | |
| Mario Kart DS | Nintendo DS | 2005 | Arrangement | Shinobu Nagata | |
| Mario Kart Wii | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | 「タイトル」(Taitoru)[4] | |
| 「ブロック広場」(Burokku Hiroba)[4] | |||||
| Mario Kart 7 | Nintendo 3DS | 2011 | Arrangement | "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen"[1] | |
| "Spectating"[1] | |||||
| "Staff Credits"[1] | |||||
| Mario Kart Tour | iOS,Android | 2019 | Arrangement (trailer) | ||
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement | "Main Theme"[5] | |
| "Title Screen"[5] | |||||
| "Staff Credits"[5] |
Film and television[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | Arrangement | "Buckle Up"[6] | Brian Tyler |
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks | 1997 | Original | "Mario Kart 64 Theme" | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack | 1997 | Original | "Title" 「オープニング・タイトル」(Ōpuningu Taitoru) | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart 64: Greatest Hits Soundtrack | 1997 | Original | "Mario Kart 64 Theme" | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart 64 on Club Circuit | 1997 | Arrangement | "title" | AKOUST |
| Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack | 2011 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart Wii) | 「タイトル」(Taitoru) | |
| 「ブロック広場」(Burokku Hiroba) | ||||
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | 2023 | Past arrangement (The Super Mario Bros. Movie) | "Buckle Up" | Brian Tyler |
Other media[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Music | 2025[a] | Original | "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" | Kenta Nagata |
- ^Added on July 14, 2025
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マリオカート64 タイトル[1] Mario Kāto 64 Taitoru | Mario Kart 64 Title | |
| オープニング・タイトル[3] Ōpuningu Taitoru | Opening Title | ||
| Chinese(Simplified) | 标题[5] Biāotí(Mandarin) Bīutàih(Cantonese) | Title | |
| Chinese(Traditional) | 標題[5] Biāotí(Mandarin) Bīutàih(Cantonese) | Title | |
| Korean | 타이틀[5] Taiteul | Title |
Notes[edit]
- On theNintendo Music app, "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" is labeled as "Selects", classifying it as one "of the very best tracks from the Nintendo Music library", originating fromMario Kart 64. "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" shares this title with "Luigi Raceway" and "Rainbow Road".
- "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" is often reused in certain pieces of internal console testing software.[7]
References[edit]
- ^abcdefNintendo Music
- ^Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks
- ^abMario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack
- ^abMario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack
- ^abcdefMario Kart World pause menu
- ^The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- ^James-Money (August 16, 2025).Nintendo's Most Important Audio Sequence - AGING.YouTube. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
