Editing King Bowser (theme)

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{{about|The musical theme from [[Super Mario Bros. 3]]|the theme from [[Super Mario World]]|[[Bowser BGM]]|the theme from [[Super Mario 64]]|[[Bowser's Theme]]}}
{{Theme infobox
|composer=[[Koji Kondo]]
|file=[[File:Bowser Battle Theme Super Mario Bros 3.oga]]<br>"King Bowser" in ''Super Mario Bros. 3''
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' ([[List of games by date#1988|1988]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|Super Mario RPG]]'' ([[Nintendo Switch]] remake) (2023)
}}
"'''King Bowser'''"<ref name=SSBU>''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' in-game name</ref> is a musical theme composed for the final boss battle against [[Bowser]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' by [[Koji Kondo]]. As with "[[Bowser BGM]]" from ''[[Super Mario World]]'' and "[[Bowser's Theme]]" from ''[[Super Mario 64]]'', it has made several appearances since, usually as a theme representing Bowser.

==Reuses==
The following list does not include ports or remakes of ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
!width=20%|Game
!width=80%|Description
|-
|''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
|The intro of "Bowser BGM" can briefly be heard during the cutscene when [[Mario]] [[capture]]s 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]]''
|"King Bowser" can be heard when the "Final Boss" [[List of sound effects in Super Mario Maker 2|sound effect]] is used in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' and ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' game styles.
|}

==Arrangements==
===''Super Mario All-Stars''===
An upgraded, 16-bit arrangement of "King Bowser" can be heard during the battle against Bowser in the ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' remake included in ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'', as well as ''[[Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World]]'' and ''[[Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition]]''.
{{media table
|file=SMAS SMB3 The Evil King Koopa.oga
|title={{Conjectural|King Bowser}}
|description=The arrangement heard in ''Super Mario All-Stars''
}}

===''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3''===
An arrangement of "King Bowser" based on the ''Super Mario All-Stars'' version can be heard during the battle against Bowser in [[Game Boy Advance]] remake of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', both in {{world link|8|bowser3|World 8-Bowser's Castle (Super Mario Bros. 3)}} as in the original as well as in the [[World-e]] levels [[Bowser's Last Stand]] and [[Bowser's Airship 2]]. This version is more compressed than the ''Super Mario All-Stars'' version and uses different, slightly lower-quality synthetic instruments.

===''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''===
An arrangement of "King Bowser", titled "'''Battling Bowser'''" in the [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) sound test|in-game sound test]] of the [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|Nintendo Switch remake]], can be heard during the battle against Bowser on [[Bowser's Keep]] in ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]''. This arrangement features an original, extended melody before the piece loops.

In addition, a slow, sinister-sounding arrangement of "King Bowser", known as "'''Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)'''" in the in-game sound test of the remake, can be heard in Bowser's Keep after heading back from [[Nimbus Land]]. Both "Battling Bowser" and "Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)" were arranged by [[Yoko Shimomura]]

{{media table
|file1=SMRPG Fight against Koopa.oga
|title1=Battling Bowser
|description1=The arrangement heard in ''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''
|file2=File:SMRPG Koopa Castle Theme 2.oga
|title2=Bowser's Keep (Second Visit)
|description2=The arrangement heard in ''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''
}}

===''Super Mario RPG'' (Nintendo Switch)===
An upgraded, orchestra arrangement of "Battling Bowser" from ''Super Mario RPG: Legends of the Seven Stars'', again arranged by Yoko Shimomura, can be heard in ''[[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|Super Mario RPG]]'', the [[Nintendo Switch]] remake of ''Super Mario RPG: Legends of the Seven Stars'', serving the same purpose as in the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]] original.

===''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''===
A [[wikipedia:Heavy metal music |heavy metal]]/[[wikipedia:Chiptune|chiptune]]-mixed arrangement of "King Bowser", rearranged by its original composer, [[Koji Kondo]], appears as a playable song for ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]''-series (as well as ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]''-series as of the version 8.1.0 update) stages in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. This arrangement contains some parts sampled from the original, and also incorporates [[Dark Land]]'s world map theme (also sampled from the original [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] [[:File:World 8 Theme Super Mario Bros 3.oga|theme]]) in the second half of arrangement.

==List of ''Super Mario'' appearances==
===Games===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"
!Work
!System
!Year
!Type
!Title
!Credits
|-
|''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|1988
|Original
|「魔王クッパ」 (''{{Hover|Maō Kuppa|Demon King Koopa}}'')<ref>''[[Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3]]''</ref>
|[[Koji Kondo]]
|-
|''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]''
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|1993
|Arrangement
|
|
|-
|''[[Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World]]''
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|1994
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario All-Stars'')
|
|
|-
|''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]''
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|1996
|Arrangement
|「対 クッパ戦」 (''{{Hover|Tai Kuppa-sen|VS Koopa Battle}}'')<ref>''[[Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version]]''</ref>
|[[Yoko Shimomura]]
|-
|''[[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'')
|
|
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|2018
|Arrangement
|"King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3"<ref name=SSBU />
|Koji Kondo
|-
|''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''
|Nintendo Switch
|2019
|Original
|
|Koji Kondo
|-
|rowspan=2|''[[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|Super Mario RPG]]''
|rowspan=2|Nintendo Switch
|rowspan=2|2023
|Arrangement
|rowspan=2|"Battling Bowser"<ref> [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|''Super Mario RPG'' (Nintendo Switch)]] in-game name</ref>
|rowspan=2|Yoko Shimomura
|-
|Past arrangement (''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'')
|}

===Albums===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"
!Work
!Year
!Type
!Title
!Credits
|-
|''[[Super Mario World (album)|Super Mario World]]''
|1991
|Original
|「魔王クッパ」 (''{{Hover|Maō Kuppa|Demon King Koopa}}'')
|[[Koji Kondo]]
|-
|''[[Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version]]''
|1996
|Arrangement (''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'')
|「対 クッパ戦」 (''{{Hover|Tai Kuppa-sen|VS Koopa Battle}}'')
|[[Yoko Shimomura]]
|-
|''[[Game Sound Museum: Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
|2004
|Original
|「魔王クッパ」 (''{{Hover|Maō Kuppa|Demon King Koopa}}'')
|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！」<br>(''{{hover|Maō Kuppa ~ Wāningu ~ Maō Kuppa Harī Appu!|Demon King Koopa ~ Warning ~ Demon King Koopa Hurry Up!}}'')
|Koji Kondo
|-
|''[[Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection]]''
|2005
|Original
|「魔王クッパ」 (''{{Hover|Maō Kuppa|Demon King Koopa}}'')
|Koji Kondo
|}

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=魔王クッパ
|JpnR=Maō Kuppa
|JpnM=Demon King Bowser
|JpnN=Soundtrack albums, ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' in-game name
}}

==References==
<references/>

{{Themes}}
{{SMB3}}
[[Category:Recurring themes]]
[[Category:Super Mario Bros. 3]]