Bowser BGM

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This article is about the musical theme from Super Mario World. For other musical themes associated with and/or named after Bowser, see Category:Bowser's themes.
"Bowser BGM"
"Bowser BGM" in Super Mario World
The image for "Bowser BGM (Phase 1)" from Super Mario World on Nintendo Music.
Image from Nintendo Music
Composed by:
Koji Kondo
Genre Thrash metal
Key E minor
First appearance Super Mario World (1990)
Latest appearance Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
Arranged in
"Bowser Castle" (Super Mario Kart)

"Bowser BGM",[1] also known as "Final Boss",[2] is a thrash metal-styled musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for Super Mario World, where it plays during the final boss battle against Bowser. The intro bears a resemblance to "World 8 Map (Dark Land)" from Super Mario Bros. 3.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario World[edit]

Super Mario World marks the first appearance of "Bowser BGM", and it returns in the port of the game included in Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World for the same purpose. It is also included in the official albums Super Mario World and Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music.

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]

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In the Game Boy Advance remake of Super Mario World, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" plays for the same purpose as in the original game. The electric guitar used in the first phase version of the arrangement is out of sync compared to the second and third phase versions, playing one verse earlier than normal.

Super Mario Maker[edit]

In Super Mario Maker, an excerpt of "Bowser BGM" plays when the player completes a level as Costume Mario with the Bowser costume.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

In Super Mario Odyssey, a brief excerpt of "Bowser BGM" plays during the cutscene when Mario captures Bowser at the end of the game, which features a screenshot of the final boss battle from Super Mario World as one of Bowser's past memories.

Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

In Super Mario Maker 2, the original version of "Bowser BGM" plays whenever the "Final Boss" sound effect is triggered in Super Mario World-style levels. The intro portion of the theme (sans the final note) is omitted.

Super Mario World television series[edit]

In the Super Mario World animated series, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" is featured in the episode "Send in the Clown".

Super Mario Kart[edit]

Main article: Bowser Castle (Super Mario Kart theme)

In Super Mario Kart, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" plays in all Bowser Castle race courses: Bowser Castle 1, Bowser Castle 2, and Bowser Castle 3. It is titled "Bowser Castle" in the Nintendo Music app.

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser Castle - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Kart
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Itadaki Street series[edit]

Itadaki Street DS[edit]

In Itadaki Street DS, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" plays when one player has reached the target net worth of a Super Mario-series board. It is titled 「魔王クッパBGM」 (Maō Kuppa BGM, "Evil King Bowser BGM") in the game's sound test.

Icon of an audio speaker. 魔王クッパBGM - The arrangement heard in Itadaki Street DS
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Fortune Street[edit]

In Fortune Street, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" plays when one player has reached the target net worth of a Super Mario-series board.

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser BGM - The arrangement heard in Fortune Street
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Gallery[edit]

List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario World Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1990 Original "Bowser BGM"[1] Koji Kondo
Super Mario Kart Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1992 Arrangement "Bowser Castle"[1] Soyo Oka
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1994 Original "Bowser BGM"[1] Koji Kondo
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 Game Boy Advance 2001 Arrangement
Itadaki Street DS Nintendo DS 2007 Arrangement 「魔王クッパBGM」 (Maō Kuppa BGM)[3]
Fortune Street Wii 2011 Arrangement
Super Mario Maker Wii U 2015 Original Koji Kondo
Super Mario Maker 2 Nintendo Switch 2019 Original "Final Boss"[2] Koji Kondo

Film and television[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario World 1991 Arrangement Michael Tavera

Albums[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario World 1991 Original 「魔王クッパBGM」 (Maō Kuppa BGM) Koji Kondo
Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music 2004 Original 「クッパ」 (Kuppa) Koji Kondo

Other media[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Nintendo Music 2025[a] Original "Bowser BGM" Koji Kondo
  1. ^ Added on February 3, 2025

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Note(s) Ref.
Japanese クッパ
Kuppa		 Bowser [4]
魔王クッパBGM
Maō Kuppa BGM		 Evil King Bowser BGM [1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Nintendo Music
  2. ^ a b Super Mario Maker 2 sound effect
  3. ^ Itadaki Street DS sound test
  4. ^ Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music
[Edit]
Recurring themes
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong "Hammer BGM" • "Round 1 BGM"
Donkey Kong Jr. "Round 1 BGM" • "Title BGM"
Donkey Kong (NES) "Title BGM"
Donkey Kong Country "Aquatic Ambiance" • "Bonus Room Blitz" • "Cave Dweller Concert" • "Cranky's Theme" • "The Credits Concerto" • "DK Island Swing" • "Fear Factory" • "Forest Frenzy" • "Funky's Fugue" • "Gang-Plank Galleon" • "Ice Cave Chant" • "Life in the Mines" • "Lost a Balloon" • "Mine Cart Madness" • "Northern Hemispheres" • "Simian Segue" • "Treetop Rock" • "Voices of the Temple" • "Well Done"
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest "Crocodile Cacophony (K. Rool's Theme)" • "Lockjaw's Saga (Lockjaw's Locker)" • "Run, Rambi! Run! (Parrot Chute Panic)" • "Snakey Chantey (Rattle Battle)" • "Stickerbush Symphony (Bramble Blast)"
Donkey Kong 64 "DK Rap"
Donkey Kong Country Returns "Mine Menace"
Mario Bros. series Mario Bros. (NES) "Title BGM"
Wrecking Crew series Wrecking Crew "Bonus Phase" • "Golden Hammer" • "Phase BGM"
Super Mario series Super Mario Bros. "Castle BGM" • "Ending" • "Ground BGM" • "Invincibility BGM" • "Underground BGM" • "Underwater BGM"
VS. Super Mario Bros. "Gyōmu-yō Mario Namae-ire"
Super Mario Bros. 2 "Boss BGM" • "Ending" • "Final Boss BGM" • "Ground BGM" • "Please Select Player" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 3 "Airship BGM" • "Athletic BGM" • "Bros. Battle" • "Ending" • "Fortress BGM" • "Fortress Boss" • "Ground BGM" • "King of the Koopas" • "Music Box" • "P Switch BGM / Toad's House" • "Slot Game BGM / Memory Game BGM" • "Underwater BGM" • "Warp Zone" • "World 1 Map (Grass Land)" • "World 2 Map (Desert Land)" • "World 3 Map (Water Land)" • "World 4 Map (Giant Land)" • "World 5 Map (Sky Land) - On the Ground" • "World 5 Map (Sky Land) - In the Sky" • "World 6 Map (Ice Land)" • "World 7 Map (Pipe Land)" • "World 8 Map (Dark Land)"
Super Mario Land "Birabuto Kingdom BGM" • "Chai Kingdom BGM" • "Easton Kingdom BGM"
Super Mario World "Bowser BGM" • "Donut Plains (Map Screen)" • "Ending" • "Forest of Illusion (Map Screen)" • "Ground BGM" ("Athletic BGM" · "Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Ghost House BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "P Switch BGM" • "Special World (Map Screen)" • "Star World (Map Screen)" • "Title BGM" • "Valley of Bowser (Map Screen)" • "Vanilla Dome (Map Screen)" • "Yoshi's Island (Map Screen)"
Super Mario 64 "Big Boo's Haunt" • "Bowser's Road" • "Bowser's Theme" • "Dire, Dire Docks" • "File Select" • "The Final Battle" • "Hazy Maze Cave" • "Lethal Lava Land" • "Main Theme" ("Cool, Cool Mountain" · "Opening" · "Slider") • "The Merry-Go-Round" • "Metal Mario" • "Peach's Castle" • "Piranha Plant's Lullaby" • "Staff Roll" • "Stage Boss" • "Title Theme"
Super Mario Sunshine "Isle Delfino" ("Ricco Harbor" · "Staff Credits") • "Secret Course"
New Super Mario Bros. "Castle Theme" • "Ground Theme" ("Athletic Theme") • "Mega Mario" • "Switch On!" • "Tower Theme"
Super Mario Galaxy "Buoy Base Galaxy" • "Egg Planet" • "Enter Bowser Jr.!" • "Final Battle with Bowser" • "The Galaxy Reactor" • "Gusty Garden Galaxy" • "The Honeyhive" • "Ice Mario" • "King Bowser" • "Luma" • "Overture" • "Purple Comet" • "Rosalina in the Observatory" • "Space Junk Road" • "The Star Festival" • "Super Mario Galaxy" • "The Toad Brigade" • "Waltz of the Boos"
New Super Mario Bros. Wii "Bonus Area" • "Bowser Jr. Battle" • "Castle Theme" • "Coast Theme" • "Desert Theme" • "Forest Theme" • "Ghost House Theme" • "Lava Cave / Underground Ruins Theme" • "Lava Theme" • "Title Theme" • "Toad House Minigame" • "Underwater Theme"
Super Mario Galaxy 2 "Bowser Jr.'s Fiery Flotilla" • "Bowser's Galaxy Generator" • "Fated Battle" • "Melty Monster Galaxy" • "Puzzle Plank Galaxy" • "Slimy Spring Galaxy" • "Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer Theme" • "Teleporter Melody"
Super Mario 3D Land "Beach Theme" • "Castle Theme" • "Main Theme" • "Snow Course" • "Victory Parade"
New Super Mario Bros. U "Ground Theme" ("Athletic Theme")
Super Mario 3D World "A Boss Approaches" • "Chainlink Charge" • "Piranha Creeper Creek" • "Super Bell Hill"
Super Mario Maker "Title Theme" • "Flying Battleship Theme"
Super Mario Odyssey "Fossil Falls" • "Jump Up, Super Star!" • "New Donk City"
Dr. Mario series Dr. Mario "Chill" • "Fever" • "Game Over" • "Selection Screen" • "Title Screen" • "Vs. Game Over"
Mario Kart series Super Mario Kart "Awards Ceremony (1st – 3rd Place)" • "Bowser Castle" • "Donut Plains" • "Ghost Valley" • "Mario Circuit" • "Rainbow Road" • "Super Mario Kart Title Screen"
Mario Kart 64 "Battle Arenas" • "Choco Mountain" • "D.K.'s Jungle Parkway" • "Frappe Snowland" • "Kalimari Desert" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" • "Luigi Raceway" • "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" • "Moo Moo Farm" • "Rainbow Road" • "Results (1st − 4th Place)" • "Staff Credits" • "Toad's Turnpike"
Mario Kart: Super Circuit "Bowser Castle" • "Peach Circuit"
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! "Baby Park" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Peach Beach"
Mario Kart DS "Cheep Cheep Beach" • "Luigi's Mansion" • "Peach Gardens" • "Waluigi Pinball"
Mario Kart Wii "Coconut Mall" • "Grumble Volcano" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Wii Maple Treeway" • "Moo Moo Meadows" • "Mushroom Gorge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Wario's Gold Mine"
Mario Kart 7 "Neo Bowser City" • "Piranha Plant Slide" • "Rainbow Road" • "Toad Circuit"
Mario Kart 8 "Bowser's Castle" • "Cloudtop Cruise" • "Mario Circuit" ("Mario Kart Stadium") • "Mario Kart 8 Title Screen" • "Rainbow Road" • "Twisted Mansion"
Mario Party series Mario Party 9 "Good Job!"
Wario franchise Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 "Main Theme"
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! "Pyoro: Stage" • "Sci-Fi (Dribble & Spitz) - Drifting Away" • "Title" ("Reality (Dr. Crygor) - Stage")
WarioWare: Twisted! "Mona Pizza"
WarioWare: Touched! "Ashley's Theme"
Yoshi franchise Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island "Athletic BGM" • "Bowser" • "Flower Field BGM" • "Goal!" • "Opening Melody" • "Powerful Mario" • "Yoshi's Island"
Yoshi's Story "Yoshi's Song" ("Yoshis on the Beach") • "Yoshi's Story!" • "Yoshi's Tale"
Luigi's Mansion series Luigi's Mansion "Title Theme (Humming)"
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series Mario vs. Donkey Kong "Mini Mario Stage" • "Title Theme"
Super Smash Bros. series Super Smash Bros. Melee "Rainbow Cruise"
Other The Legend of Zelda "Important Item Acquired" • "Magic Whistle Melody" • "Overworld Theme"
Mario Paint "Drawing Board 1" • "Gnat Attack: Level 1" • "Save & Load"
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars "Beware of Forest Mushrooms" • "Hello, Happy Kingdom" • "Super Mario House"
Miscellaneous "Galop infernal" • "Mute City" • "Title BGM" (Excitebike) • "Totakeke's theme"
[Edit]
Super Mario World / Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Protagonists and allies Mario • Luigi • Princess Toadstool • Yoshi • Red Yoshi • Blue Yoshi • Yellow Yoshi • Little Yoshi • Dolphin • Bird
Bosses Koopalings (Iggy Koopa · Morton Koopa Jr. · Lemmy Koopa · Ludwig von Koopa · Roy Koopa · Wendy O. Koopa · Larry Koopa) • Bowser • Reznor • Big Boo
Items 1-Up Mushroom • 3-Up Moon • Berry • Bonus Coin • Cape Feather • Coin • Control Coin • Dragon Coin • Yoshi's Egg • Fire Flower • Gray Coin • Lakitu's Cloud • Magic ball • Power Balloon • Super Mushroom • Super Star • Yoshi's Wings
Objects ! Block • ! Switch • Arrow Sign • Beanstalk • Blue Door • Bonus block • Bridge • Bubble • Cloud Block • Coin Block • Coin countera • Count-Lift • Daikon • Diagonal platform • Dotted-Line Block • Empty Block • Escalator • Fence • Flimsy Lift • Floating island platform • Flying Platform • Flying Prize Block • Grab Block • Gray Block • Gray P Switch • Hidden Block • Ice Block • Note Block • Jumping Board • Key • Lift • Message Block • ON/OFF Switch • O/X Block • Piston Lift • Prize Block • Revolving Door • Rope • Rotating Block • Roulette Block • Semisolid Platform • Single Swing Lift • Skull Raft • Snake platform • Spotlight • Spring platform • Star Road • Stretch Block • Switch Block • Triangular Block • Triple Swing Lift • Yellow Door • Yoshi Cloud
Worlds of Dinosaur Land Yoshi's Island (Yoshi's House · Kappa Mountain) • Donut Plains • Vanilla Dome • Twin Bridges • Forest of Illusion • Chocolate Island • Valley of Bowser • Star World • Special Zone
Moves Carry • Crouch • Dash • Fly • Jump • Looking up • Slide • Spin Jump • Stomp • Swallow • Swim
Enemies and obstacles Amazing Flyin' Hammer Brother • Ball 'N' Chain • Banzai Bill • Big Boo • Big Bubble • Big Steely • Blargg • Blurp • Bob-omb • Bony Beetle • Boo Buddy • Boo Buddy Block • Boo Buddy Snake • Boo Crew • Bowser Statue • Bullet Bill • Buzzy Beetle • Chainsaw • Chargin' Chuck • Cheep Cheep • Circling Boo Buddies • Climbing Koopa • Decoy • Dino-Rhino • Dino-Torch • Disappearing Boo Buddy • Dry Bones • Eerie • Falling spike • Fire Snake • Fishbone • Fishin' Boo • Fishin' Lakitu • Floating Mine • Flying Goomba • Fuzzy • Goomba • Grinder • Haunted Hole • Hothead • Ice • Jumping Fire Piranha Plant • Jumping Piranha Plant (Jumping Pumpkin Plant) • Koopa Paratroopa • Koopa Troopa • Lakitu • Lakitu in a Pipe • Lava • Lava Bubble • Lil Sparky • Magikoopa • Mechakoopa • Mega Mole • Monty Mole • Muncher • Ninji • Para-bomb • Para-Goomba • Pillar • Piranha Plant • Pit • Pokey • Porcu-Puffer • Rex • Rip Van Fish • Shell (flashing) • Shifting wall • Skewer • Spike • Spike (Super Mario World) • Spike Top • Spiny • Spiny Egg • Sumo Brother • Super Koopa • Swooper • Thwimp • Thwomp • Torpedo Ted • Torpedo tube • Turtle Cannon • Unshelled Koopa • Urchin • Volcano Lotus • Wiggler
Music and sound effects "Bowser BGM" • "Donut Plains (Map Screen)" • "Dragon Coin" • "Ending" • "Forest of Illusion (Map Screen)" • "Ground BGM" ("Athletic BGM" · Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Course Clear" · "Ghost House BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "P Switch BGM" • "Pin-pon-pan-pon" • "Special World (Map Screen)" • "Title BGM" • "Valley of Bowser (Map Screen)" • "Vanilla Dome (Map Screen)" • "Yoshi ni noru toki" • "Yoshi's Island (Map Screen)"
Other 1-Up Room • Bonus game • Bonus Star • Fall • Giant Gate • Item Stock • Keyhole • Midway Gate • Sand cloud • Timer • Tourist Tips
Promotional content 1992 Super Mario World • 1993 Super Mario World • Charmy Water: Super Mario World • "Konnichiwa Super Famicom" • Life, Advanced Quiz • Mario 'n Me • Nintendo Characters: Super Mario Advance 2 • Super Mario World: Mario Pachinko • Mario Slot • Super Mario Bingo Party • Super Mario Embroidery World • Super Mario World (ball-in-a-maze game) • Super Mario World (Barcode Battler II) • Super Mario World (handheld pinball game) • Super Mario World (slot machine) • Super Mario World (water game) • Super Mario World Coin Game • Super Mario World Lucky Coin • Super Mario World: Mario Kiki Ippatsu • Super Mario World: Mario no Pukapuka Ofuro Land • Super Mario World Mario no UFO Crane • Super Mario World Maze Game • Super Mario World Ojama Shoot • Super Mario World Puzzle Game (1) • Super Mario World Puzzle Game (2) • Super Mario World Puzzle Tsumiki • Super Mario World Sports Stadium Soccer & Hockey Game • The Music Man
Further info Gallery (GBA) • Glitches • Mario Bros.a • Mario Mania • Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook Super Mario World • Nintendo Music (soundtrack) • Pégate a Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 • Pre-release and unused content • Staff (GBA) • Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World • Super Mario History 1985-2010 • Super Mario World (album)
Adaptations 4koma Manga Ōkoku (Super Mario: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7) • GO! GO! Mario World • Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook Super Mario World • Super Mario (Kodansha manga) (Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 1 · Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 2 · Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 3 · Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 4 · Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 5 · Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 6 · Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World 7 · Super Mario World 8 · Super Mario World 9) • Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater (books: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 10) • Super Mario Adventures • Super Mario World (television series) • Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land • Super Mario-kun (Volumes: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6)
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