Can We Talk About Mario Kart World’s Soundtrack?
When Mario Kart World was first revealed by Nintendo back in April, discussions were focused on a few things: the new mechanics the game had to offer like wall-riding and charge jumping, the change from the traditional Grand Prix formula to “connected” tracks, and the surprise price hike to $80 USD. These were all fair focus points as the decade-long wait for a new Mario Kart game had everyone eager to get their hands behind the wheel of a new game, new courses, and a new era of the famous racing franchise. This excitement (and skepticism) shadowed the smaller but significant reveal that Atsuko Asahi, the music lead behind World, had worked on over 200 tracks for the accompanying music for the game with their team.
I first found a 7-hour video of the soundtrack for World when I went looking, and now there is a 10+ hour video of the unofficial soundtrack on YouTube, along with another playlist that has a whopping 352 tracks. There are still some comments mentioning missing tracks as we are waiting for the official release from Nintendo, likely to their Nintendo Music app. Whether you seek out these videos or not, it doesn't take long to experience these songs when you sink some hours into World. It didn't take much longer for me to realize just how vast and definitive the OST would be, featuring songs throughout the many Nintendo titles of Mario’s historic video games.
“Asahi: Altogether, over 200 for the "jukebox." These are all brand-new arrangements, and we also did live recordings. We prepared pieces from quite a wide variety of musical genres. I believe those who are well-versed in video game music, as well as those who aren't, will enjoy listening to them.*”
Asahi and their team pulled from a wide game pool throughout Nintendo's history for these songs, each interpreted in different genres and forms of the original to evoke the larger-than-life feeling of traversing the different regions on the game’s interwoven map. Its breadth of coverage was as surprising as the quality of each song as most clock in at around three minutes and are centered around the lively, rousing feeling of racing against 23 other players. This is achieved by tracks barreling through melodies like tires drifting around corners as instruments blast through upbeat melodies, multiple solos, and surprising new sections that play off of the unexpected thrill of racing.
The Underground Theme is a great showcase of how these songs are reinterpreted. The popular “dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun” melody is played out as an explosive big band jazz track, moving the beats around for abstract emphasis that completely changes the feel of the original. The drums on this track have some of my favorite moments in the soundtrack, with huge double bass drum fills that crack out in between the lead solos and rein in the rest of the band. They remix the theme again on the soundtrack, this time played on a latin guitar that would be more fitting for a relaxing sunset drive over the bustling courses of the game. Quite a few tracks are centered around their Free Roam addition to World, like the melancholy piano rendition of Yoshi's Island, or the more electronic themed tracks from the Super Mario Galaxy games to aid for the more peaceful and explorative nature of this mode. No matter what you're doing in World, the music will follow, carefully showcasing an intricate, dazzling mix of songs that hum under the buzz of the kart engines as you play.
“Asahi: During the daytime, various bright and cheerful tracks play. In the evening and at night, the arrangements are more chilled. We recorded a band arrangement for the Staff Credits theme from Mario Kart DS in a style that fits this new game, and I personally was really moved when I listened to it driving around during the game's evening scenes. You can enjoy it even without knowing the original tracks, but I think someone with fond memories of playing various Super Mario games will feel a wave of nostalgia listening to these tunes as they drive around.*”
I knew I wanted to sit at the title screen of World when I first booted it up to hear the new main theme, this time focused around electric guitar and harmonica. The songs were also based on the game's overall theme: playful. However, what first compelled me to look into the music further was the track played in between the races. I loved hearing it, often leaving my controller untouched as I hum along to the organ or tap along to the drums as the quick beat loops around and over again. One time I sat long enough for the song to veer into a saxophone solo, an energizing section that takes off and swiftly brings you back to the familiar territory of the track’s main loop. I said, to no one “does every track in this game have a solo?” The answer: pretty much.
Dolphin Shoals - Mario Kart 8 OST
When Mario Kart 8 first released, more and more people began talking about how great the compositions were, and specific focus was given to the song for Dolphin Shoals. On lap 3 the track lets the sax drift off for a huge solo, ballooning the intensity of those last turns to the finish line, all while standing on its own as a wildly fun song with an electrifying ending. This song can be seen as the blueprint for World's soundtrack, as a more thorough exploration of live arrangements and recordings were explored yet again. Atsuko Asahi also helped compose the music behind 8, 8 Deluxe, and the subsequent DLC courses that have explored many world cities (Tokyo Blur, Athens Dash, and Sydney Sprint, for example) through geographical highlights and the world music that defines each culture.
There are so many factors at play to what makes this collection of songs a monumental release, but the clear path from Mario Kart 8 to World is a huge part of the story. The music team behind Mario Kart 8 were interviewed in 2014 and described their thought process around developing these songs. Aiming first to elevate the immersive experience when racing each course, it allowed them to weave game design and sound design into an impressive new height for the series. However, the new development of connected tracks in World feature an impressive array of highway-themed races, and much more room for a wider and varied soundtrack. With hundreds of different routes, the new Knockout Tour and Free Roam modes, the music set out to meet the ambitions of the game.
The changes and new features have certainly caused a bit of a stir among online communities as more and more opinions are shared in the few months following World’s release. Nonetheless, no one can deny the formidable music underlying these new modes, and many have also flocked to share their favorite tracks online. There are also countless videos of people posting a small snippet of a song from the game, asking “what song is this?” For those of you like me, the sickos who also start up the game and sit at the menu to enjoy a medley of tracks before even considering starting a race, this soundtrack is astonishing. It has surpassed any expectations I had leading up to the release, and now stands among some of the best music in video game history.
Mario Kart World was composed by Atsuko Asahi, Maasa Miyoshi, Takuhiro Honda, and Yutaro Takakuwa. They also worked with various composers, along with members from the jazz groups Dezolve and T-Square. T-Square has been a notable addition to Nintendo’s music team, as Koji Kondo himself listed them as a direct influence for his famous compositions that makes it a wonderful full-circle moment.*
While I've mostly been talking about the music, a main conversation point of Mario Kart World was its price increase. Setting a new standard for video game titles, it's been a bit of a mess determining if, or more likely when, other big studios follow. Funnily enough, if someone offered me a CD containing the game's OST for $80, I'd be way more interested in that purchase than the asking price of the video game. Even if the game contains this masterpiece, the many other factors that make up a Mario Kart title are left to be considered when it comes to the general consensus around the game.
Luckily, the music is another key highlight and impressive feat for the franchise. It has the polish and follow-through most expect from Nintendo these days, making this aspect of World a lasting impression for years to come. It's left me with the overwhelming feeling of discovery as I parse through the near-infinite catalogue, finding new songs and familiar favorites constantly. Like many who have deeply appreciated this soundtrack, we are desperately waiting for the official release, more information around the development of these songs, and above all some footage of those live recordings. I will be sure to update if any of these things happen, along with my growing anticipation surrounding eventual DLC (i.e. more music!) from Mario Kart World.
Feel free to check out some of the other songs I've adored from the soundtrack here:
DS Tick Tock Clock (Mario Kart DS) - This just screams “Rick Moranis is up to no good with a shrink ray” to me.
Ground BGM (Super Mario World) (Alt.) - Mario World meets ska?!?!
Opening Melody (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island) - Absolutely beautiful rendition here, it reminds me of the beginning of an equally heartfelt Studio Ghibli film
Written by Evan Lurie
