Player Down
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| "Player Down" | |
|---|---|
"Player Down" in Super Mario Bros. | |
| Composed by: Koji Kondo | |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. (1985) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023) |
"Player Down,"[1] also known as "Lost a Life,"[2] is a recurring musical theme composed by Koji Kondo, first appearing in Super Mario Bros. In its original appearance, as well as in most of its reappearances, the theme can be heard whenever the player loses a life. It is a brief arrangement of a section of the Super Mario Bros. "Ground Theme."
Composition[edit]
"Player Down" is an arranged excerpt of the "Ground Theme" taken from the last several notes of the theme before it loops. Koji Kondo's idea behind this theme was to motivate players to try again, rather than using sounds that would otherwise discourage them.[3][4]
Reuses[edit]
[edit]
The following list does not include ports or remakes of Super Mario Bros.
| Work | Description |
|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels reuses the soundtrack from Super Mario Bros., including "Player Down" |
| WarioWare: Twisted! / WarioWare Gold | "Player Down" plays if the player is defeated in the Super Mario Bros. boss microgame. |
| NES Remix 2 / NES Remix Pack | "Player Down" plays when the player loses a life in the Super Luigi Bros. game mode. |
| Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS / Super Mario Maker 2 | "Player Down" plays in the Super Mario Bros. style when the player loses a life. |
| Super Mario Odyssey | "Player Down" plays if Mario loses all of his health while in a 2D 8-bit segment. |
| WarioWare: Get It Together! | "Player Down" plays if the player is defeated in the Super Mario Bros. microgame. |
Other media[edit]
| Work | Description |
|---|---|
| Wii Sports Resort | In the Island Flyover event, if the player flies near the Hillside Cabins, "Player Down," as well as the "Ground Theme" and "Game Over," can sometimes be heard. |
Arrangements[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. Special[edit]
Super Mario Bros. Special features a slightly slower and much choppier arrangement of "Player Down". It is used for the same purpose as in Super Mario Bros.
 Player Down - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Bros. Special | File info 0:03 |
Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)[edit]
In 1986, a very short arrangement of the theme was made for Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch, Crystal Screen series). This arrangement would reappear unchanged for the Special Edition (1987) and New Wide Screen (1988) versions.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch) | File info 0:01 |
Super Mario All-Stars[edit]
Super Mario All-Stars features a 16-bit arrangement of "Player Down". This arrangement is used in both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World and Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition.
| Player Down (Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels) - The arrangement heard in Super Mario All-Stars | File info 0:03 |
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
In Super Mario Sunshine, an arrangement of "Player Down" titled "Too Bad!" played with horns and percussion plays when Mario loses all of his health.
The arrangement, followed by "Game Over", is also present whenever Mario gets a Game Over.
This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
| Too Bad! - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Sunshine | File info 0:05 |
| Game Over - The Game Over version of the theme | File info 0:08 |
Super Mario 64 DS[edit]
In Super Mario 64 DS, an arrangement of "Player Down" similar to the original plays after losing a minigame. A unique variation of this arrangement plays after losing the Super Mario Slot minigame.
This arrangement is reused whenever the player loses a life in New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, Super Mario Run, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe; in New Super Mario Bros., it also plays when failing a minigame, like in Super Mario 64 DS. It is also reused in Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2 when playing New Super Mario Bros. U-styled levels. It also is heard in WarioWare: Get It Together! in the New Super Mario Bros. U microgame when the player is knocked out by a Fuzzy.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Super Mario 64 DS | File info 0:03 |
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
In Super Mario Galaxy, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays whenever the player loses a life.
This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario 3D All-Stars. It is also reused in Super Mario Maker when falling into a pit while the player has the Rosalina Costume Mario power-up.
| Player Down / Game Over - The arrangements heard in Super Mario Galaxy | File info 0:09 |
Super Mario 3D Land[edit]
In Super Mario 3D Land, another arrangement of "Player Down" can be heard when the player loses a life.
In the demo build of the game showcased in E3 2011, the last few notes of the jingle were played by banjo, but were replaced by the bass in the final game.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Super Mario 3D Land | File info 0:02 |
| Player Down (E3 demo) - The E3 2011 demo version of the theme. | File info 0:02 |
Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]
In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays when all players are defeated.[5]
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Super Mario Bros. Wonder | File info 0:03 |
Mario Kart Arcade GP[edit]
In Mario Kart Arcade GP, the fanfare heard when the player loses a race is an arrangement of "Player Down".
This arrangement is reused for the same purpose in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart Arcade GP and Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 | File info 0:05 |
Paper Mario series[edit]
Paper Mario[edit]
In Paper Mario, an arrangement of "Player Down", followed by "Game Over", plays whenever the player loses all of their HP in battle.
| Player Down / Game Over - The arrangement heard in Paper Mario | File info 0:07 |
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and its remake, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays in the Super Bowser Bros. stages when Bowser loses a life.
| Super Bowser Bros. - Player Down - The arrangement heard in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for the Nintendo Switch | File info 0:04 |
Super Paper Mario[edit]
In Super Paper Mario an arrangement of "Player Down" plays whenever the player loses all of their HP.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Super Paper Mario | File info 0:04 |
Mario & Luigi series[edit]
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays when both Mario and Luigi lose all their HP.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions | File info 0:07 |
| Player Down - A Mario variant of the arrangement | File info 0:04 |
| Player Down - A Luigi variant of the arrangement | File info 0:04 |
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays when either Mario and Luigi or Bowser reach zero HP.
| Player Down - The arrangement heard in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey | File info 0:05 |
| Player Down - A Mario variant of the arrangement | File info 0:05 |
| Player Down - A Luigi variant of the arrangement | File info 0:05 |
| Player Down - A Bowser variant of the arrangement | File info 0:05 |
Art Style: PiCTOBiTS[edit]
In Art Style: PiCTOBiTS, arrangements of "Player Down" and "Game Over" arranged by chiptune band YMCK are featured in the game's credits theme.
| Credits - The arrangement heard in Art Style: PiCTOBiTS | File info 0:09 |
Mario Sports Mix[edit]
In Mario Sports Mix, an arrangement of "Player Down" can be found in the game's files.
| Player Down - The unused arrangement found in Mario Sports Mix | File info 0:04 |
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]
In Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays if the player loses.
| Player Down - The arrangement found in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition | File info 0:04 |
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games[edit]
In the Wii U version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, an arrangement of "Player Down" plays after losing in the Mario League.
Other arrangements[edit]
Brain Age Express[edit]
In Brain Age Express, if the player acquires a rank of "Walking Speed" after an exercise, the man walking on-screen whistles "Player Down" when tapped.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos[edit]
The New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos sheet music book features a solo piano arrangement of the version of "Player Down" heard in Super Mario 64 DS and New Super Mario Bros. Wii titled "Player Down."
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)[edit]
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), the end of the track "Press Start" features the original version of "Player Down" pitched to a higher key. This part of the track is not heard in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and can only be heard in the soundtrack release.
List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo Entertainment System | 1985 | Original | "Lost a Life"[2] | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario Bros. Special | NEC PC-88, Sharp X1, Samsung SPC-1500 | 1986 | Arrangement | ||
| Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | Family Computer Disk System | 1986 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| VS. Super Mario Bros. | VS. System | 1986 | Original | Koji Kondo[6] | |
| Super Mario Bros. | Game & Watch (Crystal Screen) | 1986 | Arrangement | ||
| Super Mario Bros. | Game & Watch (Special Edition) | 1987 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch, Crystal Screen)) | ||
| Super Mario Bros. | Game & Watch (New Wide Screen) | 1988 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch, Crystal Screen)) | ||
| Super Mario All-Stars | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1993 | Arrangement | Soyo Oka | |
| Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1994 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | Soyo Oka | |
| Super Mario Bros. | Game & Watch (Mini Classics) | 1998 | |||
| Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | Game Boy Color | 1999 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Paper Mario | Nintendo 64 | 1999 | Original | ||
| Super Mario Sunshine | Nintendo GameCube | 2002 | Arrangement | "Too Bad!"[7] | |
| WarioWare: Twisted! | Game Boy Advance | 2004 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Super Mario 64 DS | Nintendo DS | 2004 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart Arcade GP | Arcade | 2005 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo DS | 2006 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | ||
| Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 | Arcade | 2007 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart Arcade GP) | ||
| Super Paper Mario | Wii | 2007 | Arrangement | ||
| Super Mario Galaxy | Wii | 2007 | Arrangement | Mahito Yokota | |
| Art Style: PiCTOBiTS | Nintendo DSi | 2009 | Arrangement | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Wii | 2009 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | "Player Down"[8] | |
| Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Wii | 2010 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Galaxy) | Mahito Yokota | |
| Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition | Wii | 2010 | Past arrangement (Super Mario All-Stars) | Soyo Oka | |
| Mario Sports Mix | Wii | 2010 | Arrangement | ||
| Super Mario 3D Land | Nintendo 3DS | 2011 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Galaxy) | Mahito Yokota | |
| New Super Mario Bros. 2 | Nintendo 3DS | 2012 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. U | Wii U | 2012 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | ||
| New Super Luigi U | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U | Wii U | 2013 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | ||
| NES Remix 2 | Wii U | 2014 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| NES Remix Pack | Wii U | 2014 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Ultimate NES Remix | Nintendo 3DS | 2014 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition | Nintendo 3DS | 2015 | Arrangement | ||
| Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition | Nintendo 3DS | 2015 | Past arrangement (Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition) | ||
| Super Mario Maker | Wii U | 2015 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | |||||
| Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Wii U | 2016 | Arrangement | ||
| Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2016 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | |||||
| Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions | Nintendo 3DS | 2018 | Original | ||
| Super Mario Odyssey | Nintendo Switch | 2017 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| WarioWare Gold | Nintendo 3DS | 2018 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey | Nintendo 3DS | 2018 | Original | ||
| New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | Nintendo Switch | 2019 | Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | ||
| Super Mario Maker 2 | Nintendo Switch | 2019 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | |||||
| Super Mario 3D All-Stars | Nintendo Switch | 2020 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Sunshine) | "Too Bad!" | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario Galaxy) | |||||
| Super Mario Bros. 35 | Nintendo Switch | 2020 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. | Game & Watch | 2020 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| WarioWare: Get It Together! | Nintendo Switch | 2021 | Original | Koji Kondo | |
| Past arrangement (Super Mario 64 DS) | |||||
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder | Nintendo Switch | 2023 | Arrangement |
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario World | 1991 | Original | 「プレイヤーダウン」 (Pureiyā Daun) | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario Compact Disco | 1993 | Arrangement | "Mario & Yoshi" | Simon Harris |
| Super Mario Compact Disco (Cassette) | 1993 | Arrangement | 「ヨッシーのテーマ(インスト・ヴァージョン)」 (Yosshī no Tēma (Insuto Vu~ājon)) |
Simon Harris |
| Famicom Sound History Series: Mario the Music | 2004 | Original | 「ミス～ゲームオーバー」 (Misu ~ Gēmu Ōbā) | Koji Kondo |
| Happy! Mario 20th - Super Mario Sound Collection | 2005 | Original | 「ミス～ゲームオーバー」 (Misu ~ Gēmu Ōbā) | Koji Kondo |
| Super Mario History 1985-2010 | 2010 | Original | "Lost a Life" | Koji Kondo |
| SUPER MARIO BROS. 25th Anniversary Special Sound Track PRESS START Edition | 2010 | Arrangement | 「New スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii 〜PRESS START 2010より〜」 (New Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Wii 〜 PRESS START 2010 Yori 〜) |
Takeshi Hama |
| Super Mario Compact Disco: The iOS Release | 2016 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Compact Disco) | "Mario & Yoshi" | Simon Harris |
| Super Mario Sunshine Original Soundtrack | 2020 | Past arrangement (Super Mario Sunshine) | "Too Bad!" | |
| Super Mario Compact Disco – 35th Anniversary Edition | 2020 | Arrangement | "Mario & Yoshi [Remastered]" | Simon Harris |
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | 2023 | Arrangement | "Press Start" | Brian Tyler |
Other media[edit]
| Work | Format | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos | Book | 2010 | Arrangement | "Player Down" | Shinobu Amayake |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Persa una vita[9] | Lost a life |
References[edit]
- ^ Nintendo Music
- ^ a b Super Mario History 1985-2010 tracklist
- ^ Iwata Asks : Super Mario All-Stars : Music Follows Function. Nintendo of America (English). Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Schartmann, Andrew (June 25, 2015). The Genius of the Super Mario Bros. “Game Over” Theme. Slate (English). Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ GameXplain (October 6, 2023). TONS of Mario Wonder Gameplay from GameStop Demo + SECRET Game Over Bonus Stage?!. YouTube (English). Retrieved October 12, 2023.
- ^ Super Mario World. VGMdb (English). Retrieved September 22, 2019.
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine Original Soundtrack tracklist
- ^ New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos
- ^ Super Mario History 1985-2010 track list on Nintendo.it
