Top 20 Super Mario Songs and Themes

“Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island” (1995)

Bowser has plenty of great boss themes, but one of the most surprisingly epic is against the King of Koopas when he was an infant. After Kamek turns Baby Bowser into a giant, the battle against the kaiju sized Koopa is underscored by this tune which absolutely slaps! Using every ounce of power from the SNES’s processor, “Koopa” delivers a rock/metal theme that goes hard! From its ominous opening to the wailing synthesized guitar, this final boss music makes a dinosaur with a baby on its back throwing eggs at a big turtle impossibly epic!

“Mario Kart 64” (1996)

Practically every “Mario Kart” has a “Rainbow Road” and an accompanying theme. However, our pick for the best goes to the one from the Nintendo 64 game. Composed by Kenta Nagata, this ethereal tune is positively enchanting. Along with its persistent drums throughout, the track combines piano, flutes, and guitar to create a scintillating atmosphere as beautiful as the neon-lit “Rainbow Road” itself. The “Rainbow Road” theme is a transportive one, not only taking us to the gorgeous racecourse, but also taking us back to simpler times. And much like the course, “Rainbow Road”’s theme shines bright amidst the darkness.

“Super Mario Odyssey” (2017)

There are plenty of stellar tracks from “Super Mario Odyssey,” but one of the most unique is “Steam Gardens,” the song from Wooded Kingdom. Composed by legendary “Mario” composer Koji Kondo, “Steam Gardens” takes its cues from 1960s surfer rock. Over a persistent drumbeat, the song alternates between smooth guitar and keyboard, punctuated occasionally by horns. “Steam Gardens” makes exploring the burnt orange structures covered in greenery both relaxing and exciting at the same time. It’s a perfect song to groove to, and playing it on the game’s Sound Test is a temptation that’s difficult to resist!

“Bowser’s Fury” (2021)

Metal isn’t generally a genre we associate with “Mario” music, but this theme shreds! When the titular enormous form of Bowser awakens, his berserk, widespread destruction is accompanied by this banger of a song! The guitars wail, the drums are demolished, and the vocalists include not only a metal singer, but also a heavenly choir! And sure, it’s tough dodging everything Fury Bowser throws at us during his rampages, but a song this apocalyptically awesome makes us look forward to them every time they happen! Any metalhead worth their salt can’t help but do some headbanging to this monstrously epic theme! No wonder they put it in the movie!

“Super Mario Odyssey” (2017)

Songs with lyrics are another rarity among “Mario” songs and this one is the first from the mainline series. A big-band jazz number, “Jump Up, Super Star!” is sung by Kate Higgins, the voice actress for Pauline, and performed by the Super Mario Players. The tune plays during New Donk City’s festival, a loving tribute to Mario’s origins. “Jump Up, Super Star!” is a toe-tappingly catchy song, with lyrics that pay tribute to the “Mario” franchise. It simultaneously makes our hearts soar, tugs on our nostalgia, and gets us surprisingly emotional! From the first time it played during the game’s trailer, we were hooked on this amazing theme!

“Mario Kart Wii” (2008)

The “Mario Kart” games have some of the catchiest music in the “Mario” franchise, and one of the most infectious of all is “Coconut Mall.” A fast-paced, piano driven track, “Coconut Mall” feels appropriately like something you’d hear in a mall, but with a tropical flare. Xylophone, saxophone, trumpets, steel drums, and all manner of instruments help make the tune snappy and memorable. Whether it’s the soundtrack to your own cruise through a mall, or the anthem to your anxiety (especially during the final lap!), “Coconut Mall” is a tune that’s tough to get out of our heads!

“Super Mario Bros. Wonder” (2023)

Hailing from what is perhaps the weirdest “Mario” game ever, “Piranha Plants on Parade” is suitably bizarre! In the titular level, after jumping on a lot of pipes and musical blocks, hitting the Wonder Flower will trigger a group of piranha plants to pop out and perform a musical number! The steady marching drums and their high-pitched singing make for a completely shocking contrast. And while the song itself is not exactly a crowd pleaser, there’s no denying that “Piranha Plants on Parade” is unlikely to ever be forgotten by anyone once they’ve heard it!

“Super Mario World” (1990)


Sometimes called “Overworld Theme,” this track is practically synonymous with “Super Mario World.” And we mean that literally, since so many other songs from the game are essentially remixed versions of this one - including one we’ll be discussing later on. But the original is perhaps the most famous. Played primarily on the steel drums, but also utilizing other instruments as accompaniment, “Ground Theme” is just such a happy-go-lucky theme. Its bright, upbeat, and somewhat tropical sound is incredibly memorable. It’s a tune that we often find ourselves humming when we’re in a good mood.

“Super Mario Galaxy 2” (2010)

Any time there’s lava in a “Mario Galaxy” game, the music is bound to be phenomenal, and this level’s theme is no exception! The song from “Melty Monster Galaxy” takes the game’s orchestral score to new heights. Sounding like an epic war march, this track gives dodging the titular lava monsters and all those infuriating boulder challenges an air of unexpected grandeur! The theme even incorporates elements of the original “Mario Galaxy”’s main theme! Triumphant and heroic, “Melty Monster Galaxy” melts our eardrums every time we hear it, because it’s just that awesome!

“Super Mario Sunshine” (2002)

Given that it’s the theme to the central hub world of “Super Mario Sunshine,” we get to hear this tune a lot. And honestly, that’s great, because it’s incredibly catchy! Deceptively simple with its alternating guitar and accordion, “Isle Delfino,” otherwise known as “Delfino Plaza,” is a bouncy and happy song that feels like a cross between Italian folk music and a more tropical melody. While Mario’s vacation to Delfino may not be relaxing, we would gladly listen to this theme for hours, whether we’re on the beach or are just wishing we were.

“Super Mario Brothers 2” (1987)


Super Mario Brothers 2 is an oddity in the main series. We know it’s a reskinned Doki Doki Panic, but at the time we were expecting a follow up to the green pipes, flagpoles, and castles. Instead... we fall. But as we’re falling down the rabbit hole of sorts, we hear a pleasant tune. It’s upbeat and easy to whistle along to, and when we land on the ground we find ourselves in a brand new world full of shy guys and vegetables. Ironically, we would later hear that same music in another oddity in the Mario franchise.

“Dr. Mario” (1990)


Didn’t you know? Mario can write you a prescription... or at least show you how to stack pills in a Tetris-like fashion. When using your medicinal skills to rid the playing field of viruses, you have a choice between two themes: Chill, and our #9 pick (0:20). It’s the kind of music you’d expect to hear from a quirky cartoon series about a doctor... which is preferable to the funky commercial about said doctor (0:16). The tune gets an updated version for the Smash Brothers series as Dr. Mario makes his opponents take two punches and call him in the morning.

“Mario Kart 8” (2014)


There’s a lot of things we’ve come to expect in the Mario Kart franchise: crazy race tracks that no one should be driving on , our irritation toward different colored turtle shells, and, of course, the music. Electrodome is a stage that feels like we’re driving through a nightclub, complete with speakers on the walls, dancing Koopas, fretboards, and a giant disco ball. But what really creates that night life atmosphere is the music and it’s bumpin’ techno beat, especially during the final lap. If only we could jump out of the kart and dance when we crossed the finish line.

“Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island” (1995)


Ever since our first adventure through the Mushroom Kingdom, there’s always been a cool tune to listen to when we take that pipe and end up underground. To us, the epitome of “cool” was this particular underground theme in the happy-go-lucky and surprisingly challenging “Yoshi’s Island.” After being introduced to the cute, coloring book style and frolocking through the sunshine with smiling flowers and drug-induced fuzzies, this was not the music we expected to hear, but there it was, the most chilled out underground theme in the Mario franchise... until a certain baby cried and ruined it.

“Super Mario World” (1990)


Ah, Yoshi’s Island. It’s bright and colorful, with happy tunes as you ride around on friendly dinosaurs. Then suddenly, up ahead, there’s a castle. It doesn’t look that daunting, but then... that music starts. Any Mario player know that castles are bad news, but this theme is foreboding and downright chilling. Each note feels like a warning of what’s to come: lava, spikes, chainsaws, giant pillars that try and crush you, bottomless pits... jeez! No wonder Yoshi stays outside... except in Mario Maker. We know you’re scared, Yoshi, but this drum beat is on point.

“Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars” (1996)

Before Disney combined its powers with Square Enix, there was one other franchise that became an unlikely RPG. Back before Squaresoft became Square Enix, they took hold of everyone’s favorite plumber. What started as the typical save-the-princess story became an incredible RPG full of lovable characters, fun gameplay, and incredible music. It’s actually difficult to pick a favorite tune, but in the end, we had to give it to the forest. You can feel the subtle tones of mystery, and curiosity, while at the same time remaining upbeat and charming, which is not an easy emotion for composers to try and capture in their work, yet first time Mario composer Yoko Shimomura, didn’t just capture the tone, she defined it.

“Super Mario 64” (1996)


There’s a lot riding on the first level of a Mario game. Not only does it have to be fun, but the music has to be a tune we’re going to want to listen to over and over again since the songs tend to appear in other levels. Fortunately, this melody lived up to our expectations, so much so that even Mario Galaxy 2 paid homage to it, by remaking the game’s 2nd stage Whomp Fortress. The song was a perfect for a first level, especially a first level where we could jump around and WAHOO to the beat.

“Super Mario Galaxy” (2007)


As always with a new Nintendo console, we expected a new Mario adventure. Better graphics, bigger worlds, and for the purposes of this list: a memorable soundtrack, and the bar was sky rocketed into space with Galaxy’s fully orchestrated music. While every Galaxy track is worth a listen... or ten... the music for the Gusty Garden Galaxy exemplifies all of our excitement with the series. Triumphant horns, soothing harps, and violins that encourage you to flick your wiimote and take to the skies. Honestly, this music spoiled us for any other platformer we played that year.

“Super Mario 64” (1996)


The downside to Mario 64’s water levels is the fact that, for the first time, Mario can drown. The upside? That music. Of course, the levels looked great, but that music is what made us want to submerge ourselves into the water. As we swam around the deep depths of the sea, the music became more exciting, encouraging us to go a little further even if we were running low on air. After exploring the waters and discovering underground caverns, sunken ships, and even Bowser’s submarine, the music increased in tempo.

“Super Mario Brothers” (1985)


Sometimes, you just gotta turn to the classics. This is the music that made Mario and Nintendo a household name. Even if you’re not a gamer, this is definitely a song you recognize, a song you’re probably humming along to as you’re telling us in the comments that it better be #1. Fear not, Mojoholics, we know that this theme is the epitome of Mario, and it’s no surprise that variations of it sneak into other Mario titles, whether it’s the full track, or that beginning Do do do do do DO! It’s classic. It’s catchy. It’s-a-simply Mario.


Is there a “Mario” song we forgot? Let’sa go to the comments, so you can tell us your favorites!