Bowser BGM

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This article is about the musical theme from Super Mario World. For other musical themes with similar names, see Bowser (disambiguation).
"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
Key E minor
First appearance Super Mario World (1990)
Latest appearance Mario Kart World (2025)

"Bowser BGM"[1] is a musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for the final boss battle against Bowser in Super Mario World. The opening of the theme sounds very similar to "World 8 Map (Dark Land)" from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Reuses[edit]

The following list does not include ports or remakes of Super Mario World.

Game Description
Super Mario Maker The opening of "Bowser BGM" can be heard upon completing a course with the Bowser costume in the Super Mario Bros. style.
Super Mario Odyssey The main section of "Bowser BGM" can briefly be heard 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 "Bowser BGM" plays when the "Final Boss" sound effect is triggered in Super Mario World-style courses. The opening portion of the theme, sans the final note, is omitted.

Arrangements[edit]

Super Mario World television series[edit]

An arrangement of "Bowser BGM" can be heard twice in the Super Mario World animated series episode "Send in the Clown".

Mario Kart series[edit]

Super Mario Kart[edit]

In Super Mario Kart, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" without the intro, titled "Bowser Castle" in the Nintendo Music app, plays in Bowser Castle 1, Bowser Castle 2, and Bowser Castle 3. This arrangement returns in Mario Kart Tour, where it plays in SNES Bowser Castle 3.

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser Castle - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Kart
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Mario Kart: Super Circuit[edit]

In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, an arrangement of "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart with chiptune instrumentation plays in Bowser Castle 1, Bowser Castle 2, and Bowser Castle 3.

Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser Castle (Extra Track) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart: Super Circuit
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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as part of Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass, an arrangement of "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart plays in SNES Bowser Castle 3, likewise titled "SNES Bowser Castle 3" in the Nintendo Music app. A looping drum set beat is added to the instrumentation whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.

The final lap version of the arrangement also uses a shorter intro; this distinction is shared with "Rock Rock Mountain" and "DK Jungle" in Mario Kart 7, and "Toad Harbor," "Mute City" and "GBA Ribbon Road" in Mario Kart 8.

Icon of an audio speaker. SNES Bowser Castle 3 - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Icon of an audio speaker. SNES Bowser Castle 3 (Frontrunning) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Mario Kart World[edit]

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Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See the help page for help getting started.

In Mario Kart World, an arrangement of "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart can play during routes in VS Race.

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]

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Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See the help page for help getting started.

In Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, the Game Boy Advance remake of Super Mario World, an arrangement of "Bowser BGM" plays during the final boss battle against Bowser, just like 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.

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 board.

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 board. This arrangement is slightly altered from the Itadaki Street DS version.

Icon of an audio speaker. Target Net Worth Reached - The arrangement heard in Fortune Street
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Gallery[edit]

  • Image for "Bowser BGM (Phase 2)" on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Bowser BGM (Phase 2)" on Nintendo Music

  • Image for "Bowser BGM (Phase 3)" on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Bowser BGM (Phase 3)" on Nintendo Music

  • Image for "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Bowser Castle" from Super Mario Kart on Nintendo Music

  • Image for "Bowser Castle (Final Lap)" from Super Mario Kart on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Bowser Castle (Final Lap)" from Super Mario Kart on Nintendo Music

  • Image for "SNES Bowser Castle 3" from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Music

    Image for "SNES Bowser Castle 3" from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Music

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
Mario Kart: Super Circuit Game Boy Advance 2001 Arrangement
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)[2]
Fortune Street Wii 2011 Arrangement
Super Mario Maker 2 Nintendo Switch 2019 Original "Final Boss" Koji Kondo
Mario Kart Tour iOS, Android 2023[g 1] Past arrangement (Super Mario Kart)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch 2023[g 2] Arrangement "SNES Bowser Castle 3"[1]
Mario Kart World Nintendo Switch 2 2025 Arrangement
  1. ^ Added in the 2023 Bowser Tour on May 2, 2023
  2. ^ Added in Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass on November 9, 2023

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
Past arrangement (Super Mario Kart) "Castle" Soyo Oka

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese 魔王クッパBGM[1]
Maō Kuppa BGM 		Evil King Bowser BGM

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Nintendo Music
  2. ^ Itadaki Street DS Sound Test
[Edit]
Recurring themes and sound effects
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong "Game Start" • "Hammer BGM" • "Round 1 BGM" • "Round Start BGM" • "Title BGM"
Donkey Kong Jr. "Game Start" • "Round 1 BGM" • "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" • "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)" • "Stickerbush Symphony (Bramble Blast)"
Donkey Kong 64 "DK Isle" • "DK Rap"
Donkey Kong Country Returns "Mine Menace"
Mario Bros. series Mario Bros. "Game Start" • "Title BGM"
Wrecking Crew series Wrecking Crew "Bonus Phase" • "Phase BGM"
Super Mario series Super Mario Bros. "1-Up" • "Castle BGM" • "Coin" • "Course Clear" ("Power Up") • "Ending" • "Ground BGM" ("Game Over" · "Player Down") • "Invincibility BGM" • "Pause" • "Pipe Travel / Power-Down" • "Timer Warning" • "Underground BGM" • "Underwater BGM" • "World Clear"
VS. Super Mario Bros. "Gyōmu-yō Mario Namae-ire"
Super Mario Bros. 2 "Boss BGM" • "Ground BGM" • "Please Select Player" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 3 "Airship BGM" • "Athletic BGM" • "Bros. Battle" • "Ending" • "Fortress BGM" • "Fortress Boss" • "Game Over" • "Ground BGM" • "King of the Koopas" • "Music Box" • "P Switch BGM / Toad's House" • "Player Down" • "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 "Chai Kingdom BGM" • "Main Theme" • "Underground Theme"
Super Mario World "Bowser BGM" • "Donut Plains (Map Screen)" • "Ending" • "Ground BGM" ("Athletic BGM" · "Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Course Clear" · "Ghost House BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "P Switch BGM" • "Star World (Map Screen)" • "Title BGM" • "Vanilla Dome (Map Screen)" • "Yoshi ni noru toki" • "Yoshi's Island (Map Screen)"
Super Mario 64 "Bowser's Road" • "Bowser's Theme" • "Dire, Dire Docks" • "File Select" • "Main Theme" ("Cool, Cool Mountain" · "Course Clear" · "Slider") • "The Merry-Go-Round" • "Metal Mario" • "Peach's Castle" • "Piranha Plant's Lullaby" • "Staff Roll"
Super Mario Sunshine "Isle Delfino" ("Ricco Harbor") • "Secret Course"
New Super Mario Bros. "Course Clear" • "Fortress Theme" • "Main Theme" ("Athletic Theme") • "Mega Mario" • "Paah" • "Switch On!"
Super Mario Galaxy "Buoy Base Galaxy" • "Egg Planet" • "Enter Bowser Jr.!" • "Gusty Garden Galaxy" • "Luma" • "Overture" • "Purple Comet" • "Rosalina in the Observatory" • "The Toad Brigade" • "Waltz of the Boos"
New Super Mario Bros. Wii "Bonus Area" • "Castle Theme" • "Coast Theme" • "Desert Theme" • "Forest Theme" • "Ghost House Theme" • "Lava Cave / Underground Ruins Theme" • "Lava Theme" • "Title Theme" ("Game Over") • "Toad House Minigame" • "Underwater Theme"
Super Mario Galaxy 2 "Bowser's Galaxy Generator" • "Puzzle Plank Galaxy" • "Slimy Spring Galaxy" • "Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer Theme" • "Teleporter Melody"
Super Mario 3D Land "Castle Theme" • "Main Theme" • "Snow Course" • "Underwater Theme"
New Super Mario Bros. U "Ground Theme"
Super Mario 3D World "A Boss Approaches" • "Chainlink Charge" • "Piranha Creeper Creek" • "Super Bell Hill"
Super Mario Maker "Title Theme"
Super Mario Odyssey "Fossil Falls" • "Jump Up, Super Star!"
Dr. Mario series Dr. Mario "Chill" • "Fever" • "Game Over" • "Selection Screen" • "Title Screen"
Mario Kart series Super Mario Kart "Awards Ceremony (1st – 3rd Place)" • "Donut Plains" • "Mario Circuit" • "Rainbow Road" • "Super Mario Kart Title Screen"
Mario Kart 64 "Battle Arenas" • "Choco Mountain" • "Frappe Snowland" • "Kalimari Desert" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" • "Luigi Raceway" • "Moo Moo Farm" • "Rainbow Road" • "Results (1st − 4th Place)" • "Staff Credits" • "Starting Grid (Time Trials / Battle)" • "Toad's Turnpike"
Mario Kart: Super Circuit "Koopa Castle Course" • "GBA Mario Circuit"
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! "GCN Baby Park" • "Mario Circuit" • "Peach Beach"
Mario Kart DS "DS Peach Gardens" • "Waluigi Pinball"
Mario Kart Wii "Coconut Mall" • "Luigi Circuit/Mario Circuit" • "Wii Maple Treeway" • "Moo Moo Meadows" • "Mushroom Gorge" • "Wario's Gold Mine"
Mario Kart 7 "Neo Bowser City" • "Piranha Plant Slide" • "Rainbow Road" • "Toad Circuit"
Mario Kart 8 "Cloudtop Cruise"
Yoshi franchise Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island "Athletic BGM" • "Bowser" • "Flower Field BGM" • "Opening Melody" • "Powerful Mario" • "Stage Start" • "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)"
Wario franchise WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! "Drifting Away" • "Pyoro" • "WarioWare, Inc." ("Dr. Crygor")
WarioWare: Twisted! "Mona Pizza"
WarioWare: Touched! "Ashley's Theme"
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series Mario vs. Donkey Kong "Mini Mario Stage"
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"
Miscellaneous "Le Galop infernal d'Orphée aux Enfers" • "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 • Baby 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 • Donut Plains • Vanilla Dome • Twin Bridges • Forest of Illusion • Chocolate Island • Valley of Bowser • Star World • Special Zone
Moves Crouch • Dash • Fly • Jump • Looking up • Shell Toss • 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 "Bowser BGM" • "Donut Plains (Map Screen)" • "Ending" • "Ground BGM" ("Athletic BGM" · Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Course Clear" · "Ghost House BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "Title BGM" • "Vanilla Dome (Map Screen)" • "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
Miscellaneous Charmy Water: Super Mario World • Gallery (GBA) • Glitches • Mario Bros.a • Mario Mania • Mario Pachinko • Mario Slot • 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 Embroidery World • Super Mario World (album) • 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 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
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