In terms of videogame music, there’s rarely any franchise that gets to be as legendary as Super Mario! To celebrate 30 years of Super Mario All-Stars, we’ll be jumping into this iconic world to celebrate some of the timeless tracks that are now firmly embedded into our cultural memory.
The Best of Super Mario All-Stars Music
Super Mario All-Stars, a compilation of the original NES Mario games, came with an upgrade – which adds an extra dimension to the music we know and love! To celebrate a milestone release, we’ll be exploring the best of Super Mario All-Stars music. Let’s-a-go!
Don’t forget to check out our exclusive Mario Bros tees also!
Overworld (Super Mario Bros.)
Ask any generation to hum a song from a videogame, and you’ll most likely hear a rendition of the overworld theme! It’s such a staple of popular culture that we had to include it in the the best of Super Mario All-Stars music list! This remix gives it those extra layers and a beautiful steel pan section. It’s so cheerful and guaranteed to make your day that little bit brighter!
Underworld (Super Mario Bros.)
This piece would also be included into that cultural history section. The Super Mario Bros. drum and bass section stands out as a polar opposite to the overworld – minimal with a sinister tone. That bassline will always be iconic! An essential inclusion for the best of Super Mario All-Stars music.
Swimming (Super Mario Bros.)
I’m a little biased as this is one of my favourite video game themes of all time. The swimming theme from Super Mario Bros. always reminds me of an old time fairground with that waltz-like rhythm and cheerful chords. I like the little arpeggios in the distance too!
The fact that it can make you feel good during a tricky water level just shows how powerful it is! Swimming is up there with the best of Super Mario All-Stars music.
I have to cheat a little and give a shout out also to the Lost Levels title track as it’s an elevated version of the swimming theme – with gliding harps, beautiful strings and ethereal piano. It’s so whimsical!
Castle (Super Mario Bros.)
This had to have a mention – the trilling high percussion gives that eerie feeling to the deep booming bass and creates the perfect atmosphere for Bowser’s castles! Again, it’s easy to see how this theme endures after so long – you can just feel the tension and excitement no matter what version this tune happens to take!
The Super Mario Bros. Castle theme is definitely one of the best of Super Mario All-Stars music.
King Bowser (Super Mario Bros.)
This bop I had to include in the best of Super Mario All-Stars music. A bop in a relatively short lived and pressurised situation! The slap bass, the amped up percussion and blaring horn provides an upbeat but intense flavour to this rush to the axe!
There is the option to hang back and fight fire with fire (literally), which gives you more time to enjoy this awesome piece of video game music!
Overworld (Super Mario Bros. 2)
The overworld theme had a lot to live up to after Super Mario Bros, and I think it delivered! I love the walking bass of this with the cheerful melody, the cute percussion strikes and minimal but playful drums! It really feels that you’re on an adventure of whimsical proportions!
The Super Mario Bros. 2 overworld is a must include in our list of the best of Super Mario All-Stars music.
Wart (Super Mario Bros. 2)
The Super Mario Bros 2. boss battle theme really gives me Legend of Zelda vibes. The sinister motif, the rapid punch of the bass and ascending stabs really gives it an intense feeling.
Wart’s theme is so atmospheric and unsettling, in a great way! An eerie entry in our best of Super Mario All-Stars music list.
Overworld (Super Mario Bros. 3)
Another overworld for our best of Super Mario All-Stars music list, another flavour! The Super Mario Bros 3. entry feels a lot more bouncy and staccato compared to Super Mario Bros. 2. The playful snare, punctuated bass along with the swinging melody makes you want to skip along rather than stroll. It has a similar energy to the first Super Mario Bros. in my opinion.
It’s amazing how these overworld themes are so distinctly Mario yet different in its dynamic!
Airship (Super Mario Bros. 3)
Those marching drums, the sinister horns. It really feels like you’re in the middle of a battle! You can see why the Airship theme has been used in subsequent Mario games as it’s the ultimate anthem for courage and determination. The Airship theme really drives home the fact that you’re near the end of the game and things are ramping up!
Athletic (Super Mario Bros. 3)
This spritely drum, bouncing bass and chirpy chords give that energetic and dynamic feeling to these often-perilous sections, living up to its title well! Jump across moving platforms, dodge enemy attacks – often during an auto scroll. Just playing these segments can feel that you’re doing a good cardio workout!
There are so many others that do deserve to be here – 10 tracks just isn’t enough sometimes!
What tracks are your favourite from this impressive collection?
Exclusive Super Mario Bros. Game Tees
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