Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack
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| Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack | |
|---|---|
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| Composed by: Shiho Fujii, Atsuko Asahi, Ryo Nagamatsu, Yasuaki Iwata and Kenta Nagata Performed by the MARIO KART BAND | |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Release date | Template:Release |
| Track(s) | 68 |
| Length | LAP 1: 76:13 LAP 2: 74:22 |
| Catalog number(s) | Japanese Club Nintendo |
The Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack is an official compilation of music tracks from Mario Kart 8, which is exclusive to members of Club Nintendo of Japan, Europe, and Oceania. In Japan, it can be pre-ordered for 180 points after April 21, 2015, and it was released in June 2015. The soundtrack was later released for Club Nintendo in Europe on July 20, 2015 for 3000 stars, and in Oceania on July 21, 2015 for 2000 stars. It features 68 music tracks from the game across two discs, the first disc containing the themes for the original 32 tracks while the second disc includes the 16 tracks from the two DLC packs and the rest of the music not played during races, such as in the game's menus and staff credits.[1] It has a combined playing time of two and a half hours.
Track listing
| LAP 1 (disc 1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| LAP 2 (disc 2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Performers
| Performer | Instrument | Songs contributed |
|---|---|---|
| Takashi Masuzaki DIMENSION |
Electric & Acoustic Guitar |
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| Teppei Kawasaki | Electric & Acoustic Bass |
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| Satoshi Bandoh appears courtesy of T-SQUARE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT Inc. |
Drums |
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| Hiroyuki Noritake | Drums |
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| Tetsuro Toyama | Acoustic Guitar |
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| Kazuki Katsuta | Alto Saxophone |
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| Masato Honma | Alto Saxophone |
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| Takuo Yamamoto | Soprano, Tenor & Baritone Saxophone/Flute |
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| Masakuni Takeno | Tenor Saxophone |
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| Eric Miyashiro | Trumpet |
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| Koji Nishimura | Trumpet/Flugelhorn |
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| Luis Valle | Trumpet |
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| Sho Okumura | Trumpet |
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| Yoichi Murata | Trombone |
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| Eijiro Nakagawa | Trombone |
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| Kanade Shishiuchi | Trombone |
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| Hideyo Takakuwa | Flute/Tin Whistle |
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| Takayuki Mogami | Oboe |
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| Masatsugu Shinosaki | Violin/Erhu |
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| Toshihiro Nakanishi | Violin |
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| Hitoshi Konno | Violin |
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| Yoshiaki Sato | Accordion |
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| Kazumi Totaka (uncredited) |
Vibraphone |
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Liner notes
The soundtrack features a booklet containing liner notes for each track, which usually mention the composition and arrangement process of each song.
Lap 1
| Course | Liner notes |
|---|---|
| 01. Mario Kart Stadium | "The idea for this track was to make it sound like the type of music in the opening ceremony. It's worth paying special attention to the bassline. As I'm sure you'll notice, we based this track on the Mario Circuit music in the Flower Cup." |
| 02. Water Park | "We were aiming to capture the excitement of a theme park or festival, with the bass laying down a Latin rhythm along with a lively brass section and drums. When you're underwater, the upbeat music changes just a little bit." |
| 03. Sweet Sweet Canyon | "We wanted a cute and cuddly feel for this candy-filled world, so we wanted to use toy-like sounds along with a light and breezy violin." |
| 04. Thwomp Ruins | "This is a bit of a tricky number, with the rhythm written in triplets. We use a gamelan instrumentation along with metallic effects to add an ethnic feel. The image we had in mind was of a ruined temple somewhere in Asia. We added some thudding percussion here and there to give an image of of a Thwomp shaking the ground." |
| 05. Mario Circuit | "This track takes the form of a kind of Möbius Strip and also suggests the number eight, to signify its place in the series. The synthesiser sound we used for the melody here was meant to give the feel of the anti-gravity effect which features in this title."' |
| 06. Toad Harbor | "For this title, we had a live band at our disposal so we made use of an acoustic guitar and steel drums on this track to give it the cool, laid-back feeling of an exotic tropical town." |
| 07. Twisted Mansion | "The synthesiser melody line is meant to suggest the sound of ghosts singing. We imagined all the Boos dancing along to this track, which means that even though it might sound like it's from a horror film, it has a slight comical edge." |
| 08. Shy Guy Falls | "We wanted to give this track the same sense of excitement you get from accelerating rapidly down a steep slope. We thought the Shy Guys moving in time to the music were really cute, so we added their voices for fun, singing in time to the track." |
| 09. Sunshine Airport | "This was the first track on Mario Kart 8 I was responsible for, and I had a great time working on it. The combination of the gorgeous graphics and the sheer silliness of racing around an airport made it really exciting. I was aiming to create music with a fresh, airy feel, to give you a taste of southern seas and tropical sky." |
| 10. Dolphin Shoals (Sea Depths) | "On this track we used a nylon-stringed acoustic guitar to give it a gentle feel. We then added the samba rhythms, which I think fit that tone perfectly. The musical arrangement for the depths of the ocean adds a touch of mystery to proceedings." |
| 11. Dolphin Shoals (On Dry Land) | "We made the background music for this course completely change to try to get across the dynamic shifts in the landscape, with that liberating feeling of emerging from the water onto dry land. Kazuki Kasuta's sax is a perfect fit for the seaside vibes, and makes for great driving music." |
| 12. Electrodrome | "Unusually for the series, we used dance music here which fits the atmosphere of the shiny dancefloor featured on this track. Shy Guys and Koopa Troopas dance along to the rhythm while you're playing." |
| 13. Mount Wario | "This circuit starts with an exhilarating jump, and continues with you sliding down the mountain, leaving a graceful trail in your wake. You'll pass through valleys, caves, and slalom through trees before hitting the final ski jump. The music accompanies you through all these different stages." |
| 14. Cloudtop Cruise | "On this title, we set ourselves on a challenge of creating melodies we'd never come up with before, and we put a huge amount of effort into this track. We thought that a full orchestra would be perfect for creating that sense of a vast world in the clouds. We've included the thundercloud version of the track, as well as a medley." |
| 15. Bone-Dry Dunes | "We asked the guitarist to strum the strings in such a way as to create the atmosphere of a dry wind blowing across the desert. The violin and bass then combine to give a really emotional performance." |
| 16. Bowser's Castle | "In this title, this is actually more like a fortress than a castle - it has a really aggressive feel. For the background music we went for a very direct approach, and you might even think it's a bit too in-your-face. We wanted the music to clearly signal that there is a big bad boss lurking here." |
| 17. Rainbow Road | "This course is actually located on a space station and we've reflected that in the music by using futuristic-sounding effects." |
| 18. Wii Moo Moo Meadows | "The original track just featured a live recording of a recorder, but for this title, we reworked that part, adding violin and guitar. The musicians arranged this themselves, which gave a really nice live feel to the proceedings. We hope this track will bring back memories of the faces of those lovable cows!" |
| 19. GBA Mario Circuit | "This circuit has been dramatically reworked, so we reflected that in the music by rearranging it and making generous use of a horn section." |
| 20. DS Cheep Cheep Beach | "When we arranged this, we put a lot of emphasis on reproducing the original track. I'm particularly fond of the pedal steel guitar that appears partway through the track." |
| 21. N64 Toad's Turnpike | "The arrangement on this track aims to give a sense of travelling at speed. It's a really fun course to watch, what with all the billboards and signs that pop up. Just be sure to keep your eyes on the road, and don't cause any accidents." |
| 22. GCN Dry Dry Desert | "With the HD graphics, the sense of a parched bone-dry desert has become even more pronounced than in the last Mario Kart title, and we arranged the music to reflect this. The insistent feel of the melody is meant to represent the ever-lovable Pokeys." |
| 23. SNES Donut Plains 3 | "This is a track from the original Mario Kart. We've used live instrumentation, but made every effort to retain a familiar feel to the sound." |
| 24. N64 Royal Raceway | "This is an old favourite. The live drums propel the track forward, and the addition of a brass section makes it more colourful." |
| 25. 3DS DK Jungle | "This is an arrangement of the main Donkey Kong theme music. I hope you can experience the atmosphere of listening to a big band number. This course also has really nice scenery - we've basically remastered the course from Mario Kart 7. It's more fun than a barrel of monkeys!" |
| 26. DS Wario Stadium | "For this track, we've tried to represent Wario's nasty nature in sound. We've actually put most of the emphasis on the beat itself, rather than the original tune." |
| 27. GCN Sherbet Land | "The arrangement aims to faithfully reproduce the original track. The whistle that comes in partway through is particularly nice, I think." |
| 28. 3DS Music Park | "This is a special version we've come up with for the soundtrack, with some additional sound effects that you hear while going around the track." |
| 29. N64 Yoshi Valley | "I was a bit concerned that the violin part was going to be very difficult, but thanks to Hitoshi Konno's superb technique, we were able to reproduce the original part in a live performance. I think with the perfectly-pitched swing tone, we even managed to convey the feel of the adorable eggs towards the end of the course." |
| 30. DS Tick-Tock Clock | "The clock is much bigger than in Mario Kart DS, so we decided to use an orchestra for this track. At the same time, we wanted to make sure we didn't lose the surreal feel of the original. The electronic tones and other effects at the start of the track work really well, I feel." |
| 31. 3DS Piranha Plant Slide | "Compared to this course's Mario Kart 7 incarnation, the amount of water flowing up and the size of the pipes have really been scaled up, and so even though it retains the 8-bit atmosphere, it's become a really dramatic course. We wanted to reflect this in the background music by making it more sweeping in scale and arranging it more dynamically." |
| 32. Wii Grumble Volcano | "This is a remastered version of the Mario Kart Wii track. With all its boiling lava and cracking, sinking surfaces, there's something slightly bleak and downbeat about this course. We wanted to get this across in the music, but without making the atmosphere too heavy." |
| 33. N64 Rainbow Road | "This is a hugely popular track, and for the full HD version we worked on the arrangement to bring out its full beauty. You'll be pleased to hear that those lovable Chain Chomps are alive and well in this title." |
Lap 2
| Course | Liner notes |
|---|---|
| 1. GCN Yoshi Circuit | "For this track, in order to fully bring out Yoshi's whimsical nature, we swapped the brass part used in the original track with a saxophone ensemble. We also rerecorded that characteristic choppy guitar sound live. We left the whistling part untouched, though!" |
| 2. Excitebike Arena | "We worked the original NES Excitebike music in as a motif here. We used the old NES sound for the melody and accompanied it with a band. We were aiming to create a track that would be familiar while also having a fresh new feel." |
| 3. Dragon Driftway | "We used a Chinese stringed instrument known as an erhu for this track. The contrast between this instrument and the same melody played on an electric guitar works really well. Underpinning this, you have the slap bass and the four-to-the-floor beat. When you add that forceful melody, it somehow sounds like a shamisen." |
| 4. Mute City | "The combination of Mario Kart and Mute City is a real recipe for speed, and we wanted your hair to be standing on end with the sense of acceleration. For this, we got the sax and guitar to have an all-out soloing duel." |
| 5. Wii Wario's Gold Mine | "For the Wii version, we used a different arrangement when you're down in the mines. This time around, we added the voices of the Shy Guys. After all, they're really hard workers, so they turn up in all kinds of places." |
| 6. SNES Rainbow Road | "I love this tune, so I was really nervous when rearranging, as I didn't want to spoil it. This is the third time this has appeared as a classic course, so I wanted to make it as bright and sparkly as possible. I went all-out and used a cutting edge digital synth sound." |
| 7. Ice Ice Outpost | "The main feature of this course's design is that it has two separate but intersecting roads. I wanted to bring this across in the music with both a melody line and a separate obbligato line. The drum sound centered on the tom-toms gives the sense of discovering an unknown land." |
| 8. Hyrule Circuit | "I wanted to arrange this in a way that would only be in Mario Kart. I've scattered a number of motifs from The Legend of Zelda series throughout the track, so I hope you'll enjoy listening out for them. Oh, and don't miss the scorching guitar solo at the end!" |
| 9. GCN Baby Park | "On this title, the pitch of the music goes up after every lap. It'll really make your head spin! The horn and guitar parts give this arrangement tons of energy." |
| 10. GBA Cheese Land | "We've kept the pinging sounds from the original track, but we've given it a makeover with the addition of a horn section, making it very easy to dance to. Cheese is quite a unique theme to play with, so we decided to make the bassline suitably distinctive. Say "cheese!" |
| 11. Wild Woods | "This is the first time we've used a quintuple metre signature in a Mario Kart track: perhaps you noticed a slightly strange feeling while you're driving. It's a level with a kind of fairy tale feel as you drive through giant trees, so we wanted to add a fantasy atmosphere that's unusual for the series." |
| 12. Animal Crossing (Spring) | "We received orders to come up with something bright and cheerful that would suit looking at cherry blossom in the spring. I think we've achieved it with that winding electric guitar line, wouldn't you agree? The playful trombone part is something you can only hope to capture in a live performance." |
| 13. Animal Crossing (Summer) | "This is a title I have an emotional connection with, so I really put my heart and soul into working on this arrangement. I started with the summer version of the Animal Crossing background music and found that it was rather like a puzzle, working out which instruments and motifs would suit each season. For this track, I went with a gypsy folk swing feel to give that sense of energy you get in the summer." |
| 14. Animal Crossing (Autumn) | "I thought the slightly melancholy feeling of an autumn sunset would suit Animal Crossing perfectly. I hope you'll enjoy the warm tones of the accordion and guitar combining." |
| 15. Animal Crossing (Winter) | "I was really stumped as to what kind of motifs to use in the night sequence. I decided to vary the type of drumsticks and the playing method for each season, and also used different types of bass. I really hope you're able to notice this variation of tones here." |
| 16. 3DS Neo Bowser City | "This is a remastered version of the music from the Nintendo 3DS title. It began life as an arrangement of the music for a circuit course on Mario Kart 7. Then while we were working on it, for some reason, we decided to add a particular phrase, and all agreed that it worked pretty well." |
| 17. GBA Ribbon Road | "This is really different from the original track. We hadn't expected to end up with this kind of steady stomping sound, but it ends up working surprisingly well. I hope you agree!" |
| 18. Super Bell Subway | "The name of this course ('Ring-a-Ling Metro' in Japanese) gave me a really strong image, and I worked to create a song that you could imagine singing that title to. We wanted it to have a European metro feel, and so used vintage-sounding tones." |
| 19. Super Bell Subway (Underground) | "When you actually go underground, the music suddenly shifts to a much more frantic pace, and Teppei Kawasaki really lets his slap bass run wild. It's also the first game that has featured that famous Mario underground motif recorded using live instrumentation." |
| 20. Big Blue | "When it came to arranging a song as well-loved as this one, I felt I had no choice but to really go for it. We had the sax and guitar engage in a kind of duel before a drum solo cuts in, and then added a buzzing bass solo on top of that. The performances on this track really are white hot!" |
| 21. Mario Kart 8 | "I started working on this one with the intention of creating a track where you could really feel of the live performances. I had the idea that a group of musicians had somehow all come together for an amazing one-night only session. I do hope that comes across in the music." |
| 22. Selection Screen | "We decided we would continue to make use of this old favourite which serves to ramp up the excitement as the race approaches." |
| 23. Selection Screen (Online) | "This laid-back track has a nice light feeling to accompany the downtime between action-packed races." |
| 24. Spectating | "We were aiming to express that impatient feeling you get when you just want to get back out on the track and start racing. Listen out for the bass line here." |
| 25. Mario Kart TV | "The idea was to combine the tempo of the music on the menu screen with the upbeat excitement of racing. This replay mode really is a lot of fun. Seriously." |
| 26. Course Intro Fanfare | "We came up with this track by imagining how a live performance by the Mario Kart Band might begin. We decided to give this track quite a mature, sophisticated feel." |
| 27. Super Star | "The music when you use a Super Star has changed subtly over the course of the series. This time around, we wanted to contrast it with the live performances of the main music, so we actually gave it a deliberately cheap, slightly tacky feel." |
| 28. Result Screen A | "Good work! The race is over, and you can breathe a sigh of relief!" |
| 29. Result Screen B | "This is used when the results aren't quite as good as you might have hoped." |
| 30. F-ZERO Result Screen | "In making use of this music, we were aiming for the feel of a full-scale collaboration between F-ZERO and Mario Kart." |
| 31. Animal Crossing Result Screen | "Sometimes it's nice just to put your feet up and sip a coffee, and this is the perfect music to do it to." |
| 32. Current Standings | "The development team had told us they wanted to make this part feel quite special, so this was written for an orchestra, an unusual approach when compared to earlier Mario Kart titles. Hopefully you will enjoy the powerful instrumental performance, which aims for the atmosphere of a movie trailer." |
| 33. Congratulations! | "After the current standings, we wanted to use the familiar trophy melody from earlier titles, but given an orchestral overhaul." |
| 34. Nice Try! | "The aim of this track is to encourage and assure you that you shouldn't give up. One day you'll get the result you're looking for, and hear that "Congratulations!" music playing just for you." |
| 35. Staff Credits | "For this track, we used a whole range of different motifs taken from the various courses. We wanted to combine the classy feel of this title with old favourites from the series, so we mixed in elements from the ending of Mario Kart Wii and brought it to a close with a high-octane trumpet blast from Eric Miyashiro." |
Gallery
The case's interior with the discs shown
Disc 1 liner notes from the Japanese booklet
Disc 1 liner notes from the Japanese booklet
Disc 2 liner notes from the Japanese booklet
Disc 2 liner notes from the Japanese booklet
Credits from the Japanese booklet
Disc 1 liner notes from the European booklet
Disc 1 liner notes from the European booklet
Disc 2 liner notes from the European booklet
Disc 2 liner notes from the European booklet
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Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マリオカート8 オリジナルサウンドトラック[?] Mario Kāto 8 Orijinaru Saundotorakku |
Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack |
References
- ^ VGMdb listing of the MARIO KART 8 ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK. Retrieved March 11, 2015
- ^ NintendoWiiUUK. (April 14, 2015). The Music of Mario Kart 8 - Super Bell Subway (Wii U). YouTube. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
