Ten Favorite Songs from Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy was a masterpiece for many reasons, including its soundtrack. In a surprising move, Nintendo opted for a mix of MIDI and orchestrated music, the latter of which made the game even more epic. The result was one of the most memorable soundtracks in the history of Mario games, and with Super Mario Galaxy 2 about to be released, with the promise that its soundtrack will be even better, I feel that it is time to take ten tracks from the original game and compile them onto the following list. These, and other tracks, really helped to make Super Mario Galaxy the amazing game we know today. The tracks that I have selected are...

Purple Coins: Getting all of the Purple Coins in places with time limits can be a real challenge, but at least there is some epic music to go along with it. This tune, complete with a bridge taken from the Gusty Garden Galaxy theme, gives you the feel that you are in a fast-paced and exciting race to collect them all. It is one of those tunes that sound great no matter how often you listen to it, which is a good thing considering that some of the Purple Coin challenges can take many tries to master (Luigi's Purple Coins, of course, is a prime example). I read that this tune will be making a comeback in the sequel, so we can once again have some great music to listen to while taking on the maddening task to grab all of those coins.

Melty Molten Galaxy: It should be a rule of thumb that the levels placed near the end of the game should have music that truly sounds like you are closing in on the grand finale, and the music for this level does not disappoint in that area. As you deal with the lava and other dangers, the drum beats fit the level quite well, and the portion towards the end of the piece is perhaps one of the most epic parts of any Mario song to date. In short, this tune is, dare I say it, hot, and puts the lava level music in previous games to shame. Let us hope for an equally amazing remix to show up in the future.

Speedy Comet Levels: When you are in a race against time, you need music that gives a feel for that sensation, and in Super Mario Galaxy, this is that song. Also heard at the start of most of the Daredevil Comet challenges, this fast-paced tune adds to the sense of urgency of completing the task as quickly as possible. The song is simply great to listen to, as well, which is a good thing since you will hear it quite a bit if you are going for all 120 stars. Will a remix or a similarly awesome song materialize in the sequel? It will be pretty neat to find out, and if a remix does show up, it will really make me look forward to taking on more timed challenges.

Buoy Base Galaxy: It is unfortunate that this song is heard in only one level, albeit one that you can visit twice to get both of its stars. That is because it is a catchy tune that sounds as if belongs in a superb adventure movie...simply put, it is that cool. Even better is how the song seamlessly changes from on arrangement to another when you dive underwater, and switches back to the original arrangement when you surface. This tune should have been heard in more galaxies instead of the one song heard in a lot of the smaller galaxies, as unlike the latter song, it sounds more majestic than monotonous.

Bowser's Airships: Of course, this game is also full of excellent remixes of classic Mario songs, including this beloved classic from Super Mario Bros. 3. As you explore the airships on your way to a confrontation with one of Bowser's minions, this dramatic tune truly fits the action well, as it did when it first appeared. No other remixes of this tune can compare...the version heard in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, while still good, is disappointingly lacking of any real drama, and it came out a mere two years after Galaxy did. The airships are coming back in at least some way in the second game, but will we hear the airship theme there, as well? The wait to find out will soon be over.

Bowser's Galaxy Reactor: Don't get me wrong...the remix of Bowser's Road in the other Bowser levels is superb, but this song heard at the end of the game beats them all. It really gives you the feel that the endgame is nigh, and a lot is at stake. That is because basically a lot of things hang in the balance: Peach is still being held captive, and Bowser is plotting to create his own universe, where his empire will rule everything. It is an epic race to the finish, and Nintendo is to be commended for creating an amazing tune to go along with it.

Gateway Galaxy (Going After the First Grand Star): One of the earliest examples of the great music this game has to offer comes in the form of the music that plays on your way to recovering the first Grand Star. As you learn the ropes on how to play the game, this tune gives you the sense that you are setting off on a grand adventure, because you are. The one disappointment is that the song is quite short and loops a bit too often. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful song for your first challenge, and delivers a superb first impression of what the rest of the soundtrack has to offer.

Space Junk Galaxy: There are adventurous tunes, there are more lighthearted songs, and then there is this rather sad-sounding track. While traveling through this relatively early level, the melody sounds a bit melancholy, which I reckon is fitting since people are in fear of what the ultimate fate of the universe will be. The piano music here is quite beautiful, and there are portions of the track that truly give it the feel that it sounds like it should be heard in outer space. It is not quite sad enough to make one cry, but it is still quite a beautiful tune.

Freezeflame Galaxy(Snow Areas): Whereas the music in snow levels in other Mario games sound quite happy, this tune sounds quite mysterious. While exploring the snow-covered regions of this level, you hear a tune that is so mystical and memorable, you cannot help getting it stuck in your head. It is a bit short, but it is still one of the best snow level tunes ever made. It should be noted that the remix heard in the lava areas of this galaxy is also impressive, but I prefer this version for sounding so mystical and truly sounding like it would be a nice fit for any snow level.

Comet Observatory: In this, the game's hub world, you have beautiful and relaxing music guaranteed to make you feel quite calm. This is good if you wish to chill out for a bit before going after another difficult-to-obtain star. What's more, the tune changes as you unlock more domes, sounding better every time until it evolves into a song that puts the hub world music in other Mario games to shame. From what I understand, the map music in the sequel will sound amazing, and if it ends up sounding as good as (if not better than) the Comet Observatory music, I feel that it is safe to say that the hype will be well worth it.

There are many songs not on this list, either because they missed the mark by just a little bit or they simply did not have what it took to be real masterpieces, though truth be told, a lot of Super Mario Galaxy's tunes are great. It makes me wish that Nintendo used songs like this more often, and seeing as how they will do just that in Super Mario Galaxy 2, it makes me wonder if it will become a regular trend from now on. Who knows...we could be hearing orchestrated music in a Zelda game next. If you have never played Super Mario Galaxy (and if not, you really should), be sure to do so to prepare for the sequel and to listen to the wonderful background music. It is simply amazing, and worth hearing for hours on end.