Editing Bowser's Theme

{{Media missing}}
{{Theme infobox
|file=[[File:SM64-Boss Theme.oga]]<br>"Bowser's Theme" in ''Super Mario 64''
|composer=[[Koji Kondo]]
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario 64]]'' ([[List of games by date#1996|1996]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' ([[List of games by date#2023|2023]])
}}
"'''Bowser's Theme'''," originally known as "'''Koopa's Theme''',"<ref name=SM64>''[[Super Mario 64 Original Soundtrack]]''</ref> is the musical theme composed by [[Koji Kondo]] for ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' that plays when fighting [[Bowser]] in [[Bowser in the Dark World]] and [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]]. The theme's title uses Bowser's Japanese name, despite the soundtrack releasing in the West both physically in 1996 as well as in ''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]'' in 2020. This was fixed on [[Nintendo Music]] in 2024.

==Reuses==
The following list does not include ports or remakes of ''Super Mario 64''.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
!width=20%|Game
!width=80%|Description
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Wii U Edition]]'' / ''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition]]'' / ''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition]]'' / ''[[Minecraft]]''
|"Bowser's Theme" is included as a part of the music for the [[Minecraft#Super Mario Mash-up|Super Mario Mash-up]].
|-
|''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
|"Bowser's Theme" can briefly be heard during the cutscene when [[Mario]] [[capture]]s Bowser at the end of the game.
|}

==Arrangements==
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario 64''====
In addition to the original theme, ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' features a short arrangement of "Bowser's Theme", "'''Bowser's Message'''", consisting of the first four notes of the main riff of "Bowser's Theme" followed by Bowser's laugh, which plays when Mario first enters the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]] at the beginning of the game and whenever he tries to enter an inaccessible door. The same four notes played on church organ are also heard at the beginning of "The Final Battle", the theme used for the final battle against Bowser.

This arrangement returns along with the original theme in ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]''.

====''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''====
In ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', an arrangement of "Bowser's Message" plays if two Bowser or [[Bowser Jr.]] panels are flipped over in [[Power-up Panels]].

====''Super Mario Odyssey''====
In ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', an electric guitar arrangement of the main riff of "Bowser's Theme" is included in "[[Break Free (Lead the Way)]]". An 8-bit arrangement of "Break Free (Lead the Way)" can be heard exclusively through the [[Super Mario Odyssey sound test|Music List]] by fulfilling at least three of [[Jammin' Toad]]'s requests.

The English version of "Break Free (Lead the Way)" returns as a playable track in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', where it can be played on any ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]''-series or ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]''-series stage.

====''Super Mario Bros. Wonder''====
In ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'', an electric-guitar arrangement of the first four notes of the main riff of "Bowser's Theme" plays in the opening when Bowser transforms into [[Castle Bowser]]. The theme that plays during the final boss battle with him also incorporates elements of Bowser's Theme.

===''Mario Tennis'' series===
====''Mario Tennis'' (Nintendo 64)====
In the [[Nintendo 64]] version of ''[[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Mario Tennis]]'', an arrangement of "Bowser's Theme" plays in the Bowser Stage mode, as well as during matches on the [[Bowser Court]].

====''Mario Tennis'' (Game Boy Color)====
In the [[Game Boy Color]] version of ''[[Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)|Mario Tennis]]'', an arrangement of "Bowser's Theme" plays during the [[Two-on-One]] minigame.

====''Mario Tennis Open''====
In ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]'', an arrangement of "Bowser's Theme" plays during matches on the [[Bowser's Castle (Mario Tennis Open)|Bowser's Castle]] court.

====''Mario Tennis Aces''====
In ''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'', a medley arrangement of "Bowser's Theme" and "Bowser's Road" plays during the final boss battle against [[Bowcien]].

===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''====
In ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'', the theme heard in [[GBA Bowser's Castle 1|Bowser Castle 1]], [[GBA Bowser Castle 2|Bowser Castle 2]], [[GBA Bowser's Castle 3|Bowser Castle 3]], and [[GBA Bowser's Castle 4|Bowser Castle 4]], titled 「'''クッパキャッスルコース'''」 (''Kuppa Kyassuru Kōsu'', Bowser Castle Course) in the compilation soundtrack ''[[Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music]]'', is an arrangement of "Bowser's Theme". It is much faster than the original version and adds a chugging bassline. The second half of the arrangement also features a unique melody.

{{media table
|file=MKSC-Music-BowserCastle.oga
|title=クッパキャッスルコース
|description=The arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''
}}

====''Mario Kart DS''====
In ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', a new version of the arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' with different instrumentation plays in {{classic-link|GBA|Bowser's Castle 2|Bowser Castle 2}}.

{{media table
|file=MKDS-Music-GBA-BowserCastle2.oga
|title={{Conjectural|{{classic|GBA|Bowser Castle 2}}}}
|description=The arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart DS''
}}

====''Mario Kart Wii''====
In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', a new version of the arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' with slightly different instrumentation can be heard in {{classic-link|GBA|Bowser's Castle 3|Bowser Castle 3}}.

{{media table
|file=MKW-Music-GBA-BowserCastle3.oga
|title={{Conjectural|{{classic|GBA|Bowser Castle 3}}}}
|description=The arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart Wii''
}}

====''Mario Kart 7''====
In ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', a new version of the ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' arrangement with slightly different instrumentation can be heard in {{classic-link|GBA|Bowser's Castle 1}}. Additional percussion is added to the instrumentation when the player is driving at top speed while in first place.

The former arrangement returns in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', where it can be heard in this track as well as [[GBA Bowser's Castle 2]], [[GBA Bowser's Castle 3]], [[GBA Bowser's Castle 4]], and [[RMX Bowser's Castle 1]].

{{media table
|file1=MK7 GBA Bowser Castle 1.oga
|title1={{Conjectural|{{classic|GBA|Bowser's Castle 1}}}}
|description1=The arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart 7''
|file2=MK7_GBA_BowserCastle1_Frontrunning.oga
|title2={{Conjectural|{{classic|GBA|Bowser's Castle 1}} (Frontrunning)}}
|description2=The arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart 7''
}}

===''Mario Golf'' series===
====''Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour''====
In ''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]'', an arrangement of "Bowser's Theme" plays in [[Bowser Badlands]].

====''Mario Golf: Super Rush''====
Part of the [[Bowser Highlands]] theme from ''[[Mario Golf: Super Rush]]'' is loosely based on "Bowser's Theme".

===''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''===
In the [[Wii]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', an arrangement of the {{Classic|GBA|Bowser Castle}} version of "Bowser's Theme" from ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'' plays during [[Dream Ice Hockey]].

===''Mario Party 10''===
In ''[[Mario Party 10]]'', an arrangement of "Bowser's Theme" plays in amiibo Party mode when Bowser's [[amiibo]] is being controlled.

{{media table
|file=MP10 Bowser's Theme.oga
|title=Bowser's Theme
|description=The arrangement heard in ''Mario Party 10''.
}}

===''Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge''===
In ''[[Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge]]'', multiple arrangements of "Bowser's Theme" plays during all the levels in [[Fire Ride Fortress]].

==List of ''Super Mario'' appearances==
===Games===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"
!Work
!System
!Year
!Type
!Title
!Credits
|-
|rowspan=3|''[[Super Mario 64]]''
|rowspan=3|[[Nintendo 64]]
|rowspan=3|1996
|Original
|"Bowser's Theme"
|rowspan=3|[[Koji Kondo]]
|-
|Arrangement
|"Koopa's Message"
|-
|Arrangement
|"Ultimate Koopa"
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Mario Tennis]]''
|Nintendo 64
|2000
|Arrangement
|
|[[Motoi Sakuraba]]
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)|Mario Tennis]]''
|[[Game Boy Color]]
|2000
|Arrangement
|
|Motoi Sakuraba
|-
|''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''
|[[Game Boy Advance]]
|2001
|Arrangement
|「クッパキャッスルコース」 (''{{hover|Kuppa Kyassuru Kōsu|Bowser Castle Course}}'')
|[[Minako Hamano]]<ref name=Loud>{{cite|language=en|url=vgmdb.net/album/2426|title=Nintendo Sound Selection vol.2 Koopa <Loud Music>|publisher=VGMdb|accessdate=September 2, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]''
|[[Nintendo GameCube]]
|2003
|Arrangement
|
|Motoi Sakuraba
|-
|rowspan=3|''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''
|rowspan=3|[[Nintendo DS]]
|rowspan=3|2004
|Original
|"Bowser's Theme"
|rowspan=3|Koji Kondo
|-
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario 64'')
|"Koopa's Message"
|-
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario 64'')
|"Ultimate Koopa"
|-
|''[[Mario Kart DS]]''
|Nintendo DS
|2005
|Arrangement
|
|[[Shinobu Tanaka]]
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''
|[[Wii]]
|2008
|Arrangement
|
|<!--Asuka Ohta, Ryo Nagamatsu (specific arranger unknown)-->
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
|Wii
|2009
|Arrangement
|
|
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''
|Wii
|2009
|Arrangement
|
|
|-
|''[[Mario Kart 7]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|2011
|Arrangement
|
|<!--Kenta Nagata, Satomi Terui (specific arranger unknown)-->
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''
|Nintendo 3DS
|2012
|Arrangement
|
|Motoi Sakuraba
|-
|''[[Mario Party 10]]''
|[[Wii U]]
|2015
|Arrangement
|"Bowser's Theme"
|
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Wii U Edition]]''
|Wii U
|2015
|Original
|
|Koji Kondo
|-
|''[[Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge]]''
|Nintendo 3DS, Wii U
|2016
|Arrangement
|
|[[James Phillipsen]]
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition]]''
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|2017
|Original
|
|Koji Kondo
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS#New Nintendo 3DS/New Nintendo 3DS XL|New Nintendo 3DS]]
|2017
|Original
|
|Koji Kondo
|-
|rowspan=2|''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
|rowspan=2|Nintendo Switch
|rowspan=2|2017
|Original
|
|Koji Kondo
|-
|Arrangement
|"Break Free (Lead the Way)"
|[[Naoto Kubo]]
|-
|''[[Minecraft]]''
|Nintendo Switch
|2018
|Original
|
|Koji Kondo
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]''
|Nintendo Switch
|2018
|Arrangement
|
|Motoi Sakuraba
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
|Nintendo Switch
|2018
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario Odyssey'')
|"Break Free (Lead the Way)"
|Naoto Kubo
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''
|{{wp|Android (operating system)|Android}}, {{wp|iOS}}
|2019
|Past arrangement (''Mario Kart 7'')
|
|<!--Kenta Nagata, Satomi Terui (specific arranger unknown)-->
|-
|rowspan=3|''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]''
|rowspan=3|Nintendo Switch
|rowspan=3|2020
|Original
|"Bowser's Theme"
|rowspan=3|Koji Kondo
|-
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario 64'')
|"Koopa's Message"
|-
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario 64'')
|"Ultimate Koopa"
|-
|''[[Mario Golf: Super Rush]]''
|Nintendo Switch
|2021
|Arrangement
|
|Motoi Sakuraba
|-
|''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]''
|Nintendo Switch
|2023
|Arrangement
|
|
|}

===Albums===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"
!Work
!Year
!Type
!Title
!Credits
|-
|''[[Super Mario 64 Original Soundtrack]]''
|1996
|Original
|"Bowser's Theme"
|[[Koji Kondo]]
|-
|''[[Nintendo 64 Original Soundtrack Greatest Hits]]''
|1996
|Original
|"Bowser's Theme"
|Koji Kondo
|-
|''[[Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.2: Loud Music]]''
|2004
|Past arrangement (''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'')
|「クッパキャッスルコース」 (''{{hover|Kuppa Kyassuru Kōsu|Bowser Castle Course}}'')
|[[Minako Hamano]]<ref name=Loud/>
|-
|rowspan=2|''[[Super Mario Odyssey Sound Selection]]''
|rowspan=2|2017
|rowspan=2|Arrangement
|"Break Free (Lead the Way)"
|rowspan=2|[[Naoto Kubo]]
|-
|"Break Free (Lead the Way) Japanese Version"
|-
|rowspan=4|''[[Super Mario Odyssey Original Soundtrack]]''
|rowspan=4|2018
|rowspan=4|Arrangement
|"Break Free (Lead the Way)"
|rowspan=4|Naoto Kubo
|-
|「Break Free (Lead the Way) 日本語バージョン」 (''{{hover|Bureiku Furī (Lead the Way) Nihongo Bājon|Break Free (Lead the Way) Japanese Version}}'')
|-
|「Break Free (Lead the Way) カラオケ」 (''{{hover|Bureiku Furī (Lead the Way) Karaoke|Break Free (Lead the Way) Karaoke}}'')
|-
|「Break Free (Lead The Way) 8bit版」 (''{{hover|Bureiku Furī (Lead the Way) 8 Bitto-Ban|Break Free (Lead the Way) 8 Bit Version}}'')
|}

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=クッパのテーマ
|JapR=Kuppa no Tēma
|JapM=Bowser's Theme
}}

==References==
<references/>

{{Themes}}
{{SM64}}
[[Category:Recurring themes]]
[[Category:Super Mario 64]]