Ground Theme (Super Mario World)
This article is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible.
The "Ground Theme" is a musical theme used as a leitmotif throughout Super Mario World.
Arrangements
Super Mario series
Super Mario World
The Ground Theme itself is played on steel drum, with synthesizer, guitar, brass, and acoustic bass as accompaniment, matching the tropical setting of Dinosaur Land. Part of the melody is played on brass in the Course Clear Theme, and the first three notes are played on electric piano in the Game Over theme.
The melody mostly adheres to the major pentatonic scale in the key of F; however, the mode is often changed in other instances of the leitmotif. In the Underground Theme and Castle Theme, most instances of the mediant and leading-tone are flatted to put the melody in the Dorian mode. The motif is played slowly in several natural minor scales in the Ghost House Theme: the key center regularly changes throughout the theme to produce an unnerving, disorienting effect.
The motif remains in F major in the Underwater Theme and Bonus Game theme, but its rhythm is altered in the former to fit the triple meter. It is also transposed to the key of C for the Athletic Theme and part of the Castle Theme.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
The Dorian variation on the motif is quoted in New Super Mario Bros. Wii's Castle Theme.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the music for Haunty Halls Galaxy and Boo Moon Galaxy is an arrangement of the Ghost House Theme. The music for Hightail Falls Galaxy and "Purple Coin Beach Dash" is an arrangement of the Athletic Theme.
An arrangement of the Bonus Game theme plays when touching the notes in the Puzzle Plank Galaxy. This recurs in Super Mario 3D Land.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
In New Super Mario Bros. 2, the chime that can be heard while the game loads sometimes plays a small part of the Ground Theme.
Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker reuses the Ground Theme, Underground Theme, Underwater Theme, Ghost House Theme, and Castle Theme for the respective course themes in the Super Mario World game style, as well as the Course Clear Theme upon hitting the Giant Gate's tape, and the Bonus Game theme through the Bonus Music sound effect.
Like the original Super Mario World, Super Mario Maker integrates a variation on the motif into the game style's new Airship Theme. The motif is in a minor scale, as in the Castle Theme, and is played on brass and strings.
Every piece of background music associated with a course theme has an original, more ambient arrangement for editing such a course in the Course Maker, using eight tracks that fade in and out randomly to create a dynamic mix. These return in Super Mario Maker 2.
Super Mario Odyssey
In Super Mario Odyssey, a solo piano jazz arrangement of the Ground Theme, titled "New Donk City: Cafe", plays on a radio in New Donk City's Outdoor Café. Also, an arrangement of the Bonus Game theme, titled "Above the Clouds", is used in some of the challenge areas.
Super Mario Maker 2
All instances of the motif used in Super Mario Maker return in Super Mario Maker 2. The Game Over music in Endless Challenge is now also from Super Mario World if the last course played was in that game style.
The new course themes introduced in this game also use the Ground Theme leitmotif. The Desert Theme plays the motif on a plucked string instrument, aerophone, and violin in the Hungarian minor scale. The Snow Theme is an arrangement on strings, horn, glockenspiel, trumpet, tubular bell, and accordion, with some notes removed from the melody, and acoustic bass and sleigh bell as accompaniment. The Forest Theme plays the motif on vibraphone and oboe, with acoustic bass, hi-hat, and bongos as accompaniment. The Sky Theme reuses the Athletic Theme from Super Mario World. All of these tracks are also paired with dynamic Course Maker arrangements.
A music box version of every piece of background music associated with a course theme plays during nighttime levels.
Mario Discovery series
Mario is Missing!
In all but the NES version of Mario is Missing!, a swing arrangement of the Ground Theme plays for most of the game, specifically during the times in which Luigi investigates cities.
Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters / Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers / Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun
All three games in the Mario's Early Years! sub-series feature an arrangement of the Ground Theme with hastened staccato notes in the melody that plays during the games' various activities outside of their respective Sing Song Worlds.
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
The first seven notes of the melody after the intro are reused in the title theme for Paper Mario.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's victory jingles (both with and without the partner having lost all HP) are rearrangements of the Course Clear Theme from Super Mario World.
Mario Party series
Mario Party Advance
In Mario Party Advance, the results screen music after the player runs out of Mushrooms in Shroom City is a rearrangement of the Ground Theme, played on glockenspiel and a chiptune lead. The harmony consists of seventh chords.
Mario Party 9 / Mario Party: Island Tour
In Mario Party 9, the results screen music remixes the theme's intro bar into its own final bar before repeating. Said theme returns in Mario Party: Island Tour under the same capacity.
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Mario Sports Mix
In Mario Sports Mix, a remix of the Athletic Theme, titled "Island Athletic", is available as one of the songs in Harmony Hustle.
Mario & Sonic series
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
WarioWare Gold
In WarioWare Gold, the Ground Theme is used as the background music for the Super Mario World microgame. Its tempo is synchronized to the interstitial stage music and the ticking of the Bomb.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 地上BGM Chijō BGM |
Above-ground BGM |
