King of the Koopas (theme)

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"King of the Koopas"
"King of the Koopas" in Super Mario Bros. 3
The image for "King of the Koopas" from Super Mario Bros. 3 on Nintendo Music
Image from Nintendo Music
Composed by:
Koji Kondo
Key A minor
First appearance Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
Latest appearance Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) (2023)

"King of the Koopas,"[1] also known as "King Bowser,"[2] is a musical theme composed by Koji Kondo for the final boss battle against Bowser in Super Mario Bros. 3. It is the first musical theme used for Bowser in the Super Mario franchise.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

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Super Mario Bros. 3 marks the first appearance of "King of the Koopas." It is also included in the official albums Super Mario World, Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3, Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music, and Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection.

The SNES remake of Super Mario Bros. 3 in Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World, and Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition, contains its own arrangement of "King of the Koopas," which plays during the final boss battle against Bowser like in the original game.

The Game Boy Advance remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, contains its own arrangement of "King of the Koopas," which plays during the final boss battle against Bowser in World 8-Bowser's Castle like in the original game and in the World-e levels Bowser's Last Stand and Bowser's Airship 2.

Icon of an audio speaker. King of the Koopas - The arrangement heard in Super Mario All-Stars
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Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

In Super Mario Odyssey, a brief excerpt of "King of the Koopas" can 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 Bros. 3 as one of Bowser's past memories.

Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

In Super Mario Maker 2, the original version of "King of the Koopas" plays whenever the "Final Boss" sound effect is triggered in the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 game styles.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[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.
"Battling Bowser" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Bowser Battle.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars features two arrangements of "King of the Koopas," both of which were arranged by Yoko Shimomura, and are also included in the official albums Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version and Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box.

The theme that plays during the boss battle against Bowser in Bowser's Keep is an arrangement of "King of the Koopas" with an extended melody based on the intro before it loops. It is titled 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen, "VS Bowser Battle").[3]

The theme that plays in Bowser's Keep after heading back from Nimbus Land incorporates a slower-paced, more foreboding arrangement of "King of the Koopas." It is titled 「クッパ城（其ノ弐）」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni), "Bowser's Castle (Second Time)").[3]

In the Nintendo Switch remake of Super Mario RPG, both arrangements return for the same purposes if the music is set to the "Classic" setting. If the music is set to the "Modern" setting, new orchestral arrangements of the themes will play instead. In the game's Sound Player, they are given the localized titles "Battling Bowser" and "Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)." Both of the new arrangements were once again arranged by Yoko Shimomura, and are included in the official albums Super Mario RPG Original Soundtrack, Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box, and Super Mario RPG Original Sound Vinyl Box.

Icon of an audio speaker. Battling Bowser - The arrangement heard in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
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Icon of an audio speaker. Bowser's Keep (Second Visit) - The arrangement heard in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a heavy metal/chiptune-mixed arrangement of "King of the Koopas" can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage. This arrangement also incorporates "World 8 Map (Dark Land)" from Super Mario Bros. 3. It is titled "King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3" in the game's Sound Test, and was arranged by Koji Kondo.

Icon of an audio speaker. King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3 - The arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
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List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo Entertainment System 1988 Original "King of the Koopas"[1] Koji Kondo
Super Mario All-Stars Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1993 Arrangement Soyo Oka
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1994 Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) Soyo Oka
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1996 Arrangement 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen)[3] Yoko Shimomura
「クッパ城（其ノ弐）」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni))[3]
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Game Boy Advance 2003 Arrangement Taiju Suzuki
Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition Wii 2010 Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) Soyo Oka
Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo Switch 2017 Original Koji Kondo
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Switch 2018 Arrangement "King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3"[2] Koji Kondo
Super Mario Maker 2 Nintendo Switch 2019 Original "Final Boss" Koji Kondo
Super Mario RPG Nintendo Switch 2023 Arrangement "Battling Bowser"[4] Yoko Shimomura
Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)
Arrangement "Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)"[4]
Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)

Albums[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Super Mario World 1991 Original 「魔王クッパ」 (Maō Kuppa) Koji Kondo
Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version 1996 Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars) 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) Yoko Shimomura
「クッパ城（其ノ弐）」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni))
Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3 2004 Original 「魔王クッパ」 (Maō Kuppa) Koji Kondo
Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music 2004 Original 「魔王クッパ～ワーニング～魔王クッパ ハリーアップ！」
(Maō Kuppa ~ Wāningu ~ Maō Kuppa Harī Appu!) 		Koji Kondo
Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection 2005 Original 「魔王クッパ」 (Maō Kuppa) Koji Kondo
Super Mario RPG Original Soundtrack 2025 Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) Yoko Shimomura
「クッパ城（其ノ弐）」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni))
Super Mario RPG Original Sound Box 2025 Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) Yoko Shimomura
Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)
Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) 「クッパ城（其ノ弐）」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni))
Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)
Super Mario RPG Original Sound Vinyl Box 2025 Past arrangement (Super Mario RPG [Nintendo Switch]) 「対 クッパ戦」 (Tai Kuppa-sen) Yoko Shimomura
「クッパ城（其ノ弐）」 (Kuppa-jō (Sono ni))

Names in other languages[edit]

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

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Nintendo Music
  2. ^ a b Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Sound Test
  3. ^ a b c d Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version
  4. ^ a b Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) Sound Player
[Edit]
Recurring themes
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" • "Course Clear" ("Power Up") • "Ending" • "Ground BGM" ("Game Over" · "Player Down") • "Invincibility BGM" • "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 "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's Island (Map Screen)"
Super Mario 64 "Bowser's Road" • "Bowser's Theme" • "Dire, Dire Docks" • "File Select" • "Main Theme" ("Cool, Cool Mountain" · "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" • "Switch On!"
Super Mario 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" • "Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer Theme"
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" • "GCN Daisy Cruiser" • "GCN Yoshi Circuit"
Mario Kart DS "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" • "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" • "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"
Other The Legend of Zelda "Important Item Acquired" • "Overworld Theme"
Mario Paint "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" • "Totaka's Song"
[Edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3 / Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Protagonists Mario • Luigi • Princess Toadstool • Toads • Kings
Bosses Boom Boom • Big Booa • Fake Bowsera • Koopalings (Larry Koopa · Morton Koopa Jr. · Wendy O. Koopa · Iggy Koopa · Roy Koopa · Lemmy Koopa · Ludwig von Koopa) • Bowser
Items 1-Up Mushroom • 3-Up Moona • Advance Coina • Anchor • Blue Coin • Boomeranga • Cape Feathera • Card • Coin • e-Coina • Fire Flower • Frog Suit • Goomba's Shoe • Hammer • Hammer Suit • Lakitu's Cloud • Magic ball • Magic Wand • Magic Whistle • Music Box • P-Wing • Poison Mushrooma • Starman • Super Leaf • Super Mushroom • Tanooki Suit • Vegetablea
Objects Main game ? Block • Beanstalk • Big Block • Bolt Lift • Brick Block • Brick floor • Bridge • Buzzy Beetle Shell • Canoe • Cloud Block • Cloud Lift • Coin Block • Coral • Directional Lift • Donut Lift • Drawbridge • Elevator block • Empty Block • Flimsy Lift • Floor • Frozen Coin • Giant Shell • Goal • Green Shell • Gun barrel • Hidden Block • Ice Block • Island • Jump Block • Lift • Locked Door • Magic Door • Magic Note Block • Magical ball • Mega ? Block • Mushroom Coina • P Warp Door • Quicksand • Red Shell • Rock • Rotary Lift • Semisolid Platform • Spiny Shell • Switch Block • Track • Treasure box • Warp Door • Warp Pipe • Waterfall • White Block • White Block (platform) • Wood Block
World-ea !-Switch • Axe • Balance Lift • Bubble • Control Coin • Dotted-Line Block • Goal Pole • Flipper • Giant Gate • Grass • Jumping Board • Key • Key Door • Power Meter Block • Rock Block • Rotating Block • Roulette Block • Seesaw • Snake platform • Soft sand • Stretch Block • Triangular Block • Vanishing Block
Forms Small Mario • Super Mario • Fire Mario • Raccoon Mario • Frog Mario • Tanooki Mario (Statue Mario) • Hammer Mario • Invincible Mario • Caped Marioa
Switch Cardsa 1UP Kinoko ga 3UP Moon ni kawaru! • Blue Green Switch • Luigi Power Up!! • Orange Switch • Sugu ni mantan! Power Meter!! • Teki Power Up! Tokuten x2!! • Timer yukkuri!
Worlds Grass Land • Desert Land • Water Land • Giant Land • Sky Land • Ice Land • Pipe Land • Dark Land • Warp Zone • World-ea
Locations e-Coin Castlea • Enemy Course • Panel (N-Mark Spade Panel · Spade Panel · Start Panel) • Toad's House • Treasure Ship
Enemies Main game Angry Sun • Baby Cheep • Big Bertha • Bloober • Bloober baby • Bloober with kids • Bob-omb • "Boo" Diddly • Boomerang Brother • Boss Bass • Bullet Bill • Buster Beetle • Buzzy Beetle • Chain Chomp • Cheep-Cheep • Colossal Koopa Paratroopa • Dry Bones • Fiery Walking Piranha • Fire Brother • Fire Chomp • Firesnake • Giant Koopa • Goomba • Grand Goomba • Hammer Brother • Hot Foot • Jelectro • Koopa Paratroopa • Koopa Troopa • Kuribo's Goomba • Lakitu • Lava Lotus • Micro-Goomba • Missile Bill • Muncher • Para-Beetle • Para-Goomba • Pile Driver Micro-Goomba • Piranha Plant • Piranhacus Giganticus • Podoboo • Ptooie • Rocky Wrench • Roto-Disc • Scattering Bloober • Sledge Brother • Spike • Spiny Cheep-Cheep • Spiny • Spiny Egg • Stretch • Thwomp • Venus Fire Trap • Walking Piranha
World-ea Amazing Flyin' Hammer Brother • Big Boo • Bony Beetle • Bowser Statue (Super Mario World) • Bumpty • Chargin' Chuck • Flurry • Goomba (Super Mario World) • Hoopster • Hothead • Jumping Piranha Plant • Lil Sparky • Magikoopa • Monty Mole • Para-Goomba (Super Mario World) • Porcupo • Rip Van Fish • Spike Top • Thwimp • Wiggler
Obstacles Bowser Statue • Candy ring • Cannon • Cannonball • Diagonal cannon • Falling spikea • Fire-Bara • Giant cannon • Giant cannonball • Lava • Pit • Quartet-cannon • Rocket Engine • Shifting wall • Spike • Tornado • Turtle Cannon
World-e mini-gamesa Blue Mushroom House • Orange Mushroom House • Red Mushroom House
Music "Airship BGM" • "Athletic BGM" • "Bros. Battle" • "Ending" • "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" • "World 1 Map (Grass Land)" • "World 2 Map (Desert Land)" • "World 3 Map (Water Land)" • "World 4 Map (Giant Land)" • "World 6 Map (Ice Land)" • "World 8 Map (Dark Land)"
Miscellaneous Game Over • Extra life • P-Meter • Time Limit
Further info Completion • e-Readera • e-Reader cardsa • Gallery (Super Mario Advance 4) • Glitches (Super Mario Advance 4) • Multimedia • Nintendo Music (soundtrack) • Pre-release and unused content (Super Mario Advance 4) • Quick Poll • Quotes • Staff • Super Mario World
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