Luigi Raceway (theme)
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- This article is about the musical theme from Mario Kart 64. For other musical themes with similar names, see Luigi Circuit (disambiguation).
- "Mario Raceway (theme)" redirects here. For other musical themes with similar names, see Mario Circuit (disambiguation).
| "Luigi Raceway" | |
|---|---|
| "Luigi Raceway" in Mario Kart 64 | |
Image from Nintendo Music | |
| Composed by: Kenta Nagata | |
| Genre | Jazz-funk |
| Key | C Mixolydian |
| BPM | 140 |
| Time signature | 4 4 (Common time) |
| First appearance | Mario Kart 64 (1996) |
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) |
"Luigi Raceway",[1] also known as "Mario Raceway",[1] "Wario Stadium",[1] "Royal Raceway",[1] "3 Raceways/Wario Stadium",[2] "Circuit Select",[3] or simply "Circuit",[4] is a musical theme composed by Kenta Nagata for Mario Kart 64, where it plays in Luigi Raceway, Mario Raceway, Wario Stadium, and Royal Raceway.
History[edit]
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart 64[edit]
Mario Kart 64 marks the first appearance of "Luigi Raceway". It is also included in the official soundtrack albums Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks, Mario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack, and Mario Kart 64: Greatest Hits Soundtrack.
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
In Mario Kart Wii, an arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" plays in N64 Mario Raceway. This arrangement uses higher-quality samples, but it is otherwise near identical to the original.
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Mario Kart 7[edit]
In Mario Kart 7, an arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" plays in N64 Luigi Raceway. It is likewise titled "N64 Luigi Raceway" in the Nintendo Music app. This arrangement uses higher-quality samples, but it is otherwise near identical to the original. A looping drum set beat is added to the instrumentation whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.
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Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
- “This is an old favourite. The live drums propel the track forward, and the addition of a brass section makes it more colourful.”
- —Liner notes in the Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack
In Mario Kart 8 and the Nintendo Switch port, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" arranged by Yasuaki Iwata plays in N64 Royal Raceway. It is likewise titled "N64 Royal Raceway" in the Nintendo Music app and the official Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack album. A looping drum set beat is added to the instrumentation whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.
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Mario Kart Tour[edit]
In Mario Kart Tour, the Mario Kart 7 arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" plays in N64 Royal Raceway, N64 Luigi Raceway, and N64 Mario Raceway.
Mario Kart World[edit]
| It has been requested that more audio and/or video files related to this section be uploaded. Specifics: "Opening (Flower Cup)" 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, a rock arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" plays when racing in Wario Stadium. It is likewise titled "Wario Stadium" in the Nintendo Music app and the game's pause menu. This arrangement was also featured in the Mario Kart World Direct, where it plays during the "Grand Prix" section. The main melody is played on lead guitar instead of an organ. In Knockout Tour, leaving Wario Stadium causes the theme to transition into a coda.
When approaching Wario Stadium from a route or during a rally before reaching the course's finish line, a simple prelude arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" plays. It is titled "Wario Stadium (Intro)" in the Nintendo Music app. The main melody is played on a tenor saxophone with some improvisation.
The theme that plays during the intro cutscene for the Flower Cup features the bassline of "Luigi Raceway" throughout its entirety, as well as the background organ melody that plays when Wario Stadium is being shown. It is titled "Opening (Flower Cup)" in the Nintendo Music app.
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Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, an arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" arranged by Yasufumi Fukuda can play in the Mario Circuit stage. This arrangement also quotes "Starting Grid (Time Trials / Battle)" from Mario Kart 64. It is titled "Luigi Circuit" in the game's sound test.
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Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, "Luigi Circuit" from Super Smash Bros. Brawl can once again play in the Mario Circuit stage. It is titled "Luigi Raceway" in the game's sound test.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, "Luigi Circuit" from Super Smash Bros. Brawl can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Mario Kart-series stage. It is titled "Luigi Raceway - Mario Kart 64" in the game's sound test.
Other appearances[edit]
Mario Kart 64 on Club Circuit[edit]
The Mario Kart 64 on Club Circuit album features a funk arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" arranged by AKOUST. It is simply titled "circuit". This arrangement samples sound effects and voice clips from the original game.
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Super Mario Officially Licensed Music Folio Series[edit]
As part of the Super Mario Officially Licensed Music Folio Series, Super Mario Series for Piano and Super Mario Series for Easy Piano both feature piano arrangements of "Luigi Raceway" arranged by Shinobu Amayake, while Super Mario Series for Guitar features a guitar arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" arranged by Satoshi Aikawa. All three arrangements are simply titled "Circuit".
Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live[edit]
The "Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live" concert series featured a live big band jazz medley arrangement of "Mario Circuit" from Super Mario Kart, "Waluigi Pinball" from Mario Kart DS, "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen" from Mario Kart 7, "Luigi Raceway" and "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 64, "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart Wii, and "Mario Kart 8 Title Screen" from Mario Kart 8.
Super Nintendo World[edit]
At the Super Nintendo World theme park, an arrangement of "Luigi Raceway" plays in the practice gallery of Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge before approaching the starting line.
Gallery[edit]
Image for "Mario Raceway" from Mario Kart 64 on Nintendo Music
Image for "N64 Luigi Raceway" from Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
Image for "N64 Royal Raceway" from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Music
Image for "Opening (Flower Cup)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 64 | Nintendo 64 | 1996 | Original | "Luigi Raceway"[1] "Mario Raceway"[1] "Wario Stadium"[1] "Royal Raceway"[1] |
Kenta Nagata |
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | "Luigi Circuit"[5] | Yasufumi Fukuda |
| Mario Kart Wii | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart 7 | Nintendo 3DS | 2011 | Arrangement | "N64 Luigi Raceway"[1] | |
| Remix | |||||
| Mario Kart 8 | Wii U | 2014 | Arrangement | "N64 Royal Raceway"[6] | Yasuaki Iwata |
| Remix | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Luigi Raceway"[7] | Yasufumi Fukuda |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Nintendo Switch | 2017 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "N64 Royal Raceway"[6] | Yasuaki Iwata |
| Past remix (Mario Kart 8) | |||||
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) | "Luigi Raceway - Mario Kart 64"[8] | Yasufumi Fukuda |
| Mario Kart Tour | iOS, Android | 2020[a] | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | ||
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Pastiche | "Opening (Flower Cup)"[1] | |
| Arrangement | "Wario Stadium (Intro)"[1] | ||||
| "Wario Stadium"[1] |
- ^ Added in the Peach Tour on June 16, 2020
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks | 1997 | Original | "3 Raceways/Wario Stadium" | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack | 1997 | Original | "Circuit" 「サーキット&ワリオスタジアム」 (Sākitto & Wario Sutajiamu) |
Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart 64: Greatest Hits Soundtrack | 1997 | Original | "Circuit Select" | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart 64 on Club Circuit | 1997 | Arrangement | "circuit" | AKOUST |
| Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack | 2015 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "N64 Royal Raceway" | Yasuaki Iwata |
Live performances[edit]
| Event | Year | Location | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Live | 2015 | Osaka International Convention Center, Osaka, Japan and Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan | Arrangement | Super Mario Special Band |
Other media[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Series for Piano | 2011 | Arrangement | "Circuit" | Shinobu Amayake |
| Super Mario Series for Easy Piano | 2011 | Arrangement | "Circuit" | Shinobu Amayake |
| Super Mario Series for Guitar | 2011 | Arrangement | "Circuit" | Satoshi Aikawa |
| Super Nintendo World | 2021 | Arrangement | Dani Donadi[9] | |
| Nintendo Music | 2024 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "N64 Royal Raceway" | Yasuaki Iwata |
| 2025[a] | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | "N64 Luigi Raceway" | ||
| 2025[b] | Original | "Luigi Raceway" "Mario Raceway" "Wario Stadium" "Royal Raceway" |
Kenta Nagata | |
| 2026[c] | Past pastiche (Mario Kart World) | "Opening (Flower Cup)" | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart World) | "Wario Stadium (Intro)" | |||
| "Wario Stadium" |
Names in other languages[edit]
"Luigi Raceway"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ルイージサーキット Ruīji Sākitto |
Luigi Circuit | [1] |
"Mario Raceway"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マリオサーキット Mario Sākitto |
Mario Circuit | [1] |
"Wario Stadium"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ワリオスタジアム Wario Sutajiamu |
Wario Stadium | [1] | |
| Spanish | Estadio Wario | Wario Stadium | [10] |
"Royal Raceway"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ピーチサーキット Pīchi Sākitto |
Peach Circuit | [1] |
"3 Raceways/Wario Stadium"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | サーキット&ワリオスタジアム Sākitto & Wario Sutajiamu |
Circuit & Wario Stadium | [4] |
Notes[edit]
- On the Nintendo Music app, "Luigi Raceway" is labeled as "Selects", classifying it as one "of the very best tracks from the Nintendo Music library", originating from Mario Kart 64. "Luigi Raceway" shares this title with "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" and "Rainbow Road".
- Discounting reuses and arrangements, "Luigi Raceway" has the largest number of different official English names for the original theme out of any musical theme in the entire Super Mario franchise, with a record of seven.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Nintendo Music
- ^ Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks
- ^ Mario Kart 64: Greatest Hits Soundtrack
- ^ a b Mario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack
- ^ Super Smash Bros. Brawl sound test
- ^ a b Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack
- ^ Super Smash Bros. for Wii U sound test
- ^ Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sound test
- ^ Dani Donadi. Profile. Linkedin. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ Mario Kart World pause menu