Brian Tyler’s soaring sequel soundtrack for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie expands on the first with brand new themes for Yoshi, Bowser Jr. and Princess Rosalina, while also returning to the impeccable motifs of the first film and Koji Kondo’s ever-iconic sound for the games, overall resulting in a well orchestrated, theme-packed adventure that never ceases to delight.
The score for the original Super Mario Bros. Movie, released back in 2023, remains one of my favourite film soundtracks of recent years. Composer Brian Tyler absolutely knocked it out of the park, delivering a wonderful celebration of all things classic Mario with many a loving reference to Koji Kondo’s iconic themes from the games (see “Level Complete” for an impeccable example of that), while also introducing new, fun and memorable themes of his own (see “Super Mario Bros. Opus”) all wrapped in an exquisitely-crafted orchestral and 8-bit style. Happily, the composer was announced as returning to score the then-upcoming sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie back in September last year, and the wait ever since has been a long one. From my side, I was intrigued to hear how Tyler would not only continue his own thematic story – as his Mario movie themes are genuinely fantastic – but also incorporate motifs from the Super Mario Galaxy games, particularly the delightful main theme and “Gusty Garden Galaxy” (which are both so amazing that even I, a relative rookie when it comes to recognising Kondo’s themes from the games bar the obvious iconic ones, listen to them regularly). Thankfully though the day is now finally upon us, with Tyler’s brand new and ninety minute score now available – so let’s wait no longer, and leap straight in.
The album begins with “Super Mario Brothers Prelude”, and what an opener it is. Surging orchestra quickly kicks off a dramatic pace in the opening seconds, with Tyler’s main theme from the first film then roaring triumphantly into centre stage for a fist-pumpingly epic playthrough to pull us right back into the movie world of Mario. In structure this rendition is much akin to the final minute of the first film’s “Opus” cue, with a snippet of Koji Kondo’s iconic game theme as well as bigger percussion this time, and it all sounds absolutely phenomenal as a result. “Super Mario Galaxy” then introduces the first of the composer’s new themes, Princess Rosalina’s; quiet strings open the track, debuting the six note new motif alongside plinking piano and ethereal vocals evoking gentle wonder. As the music continues, full brassy orchestra then rapidly builds to unleash the theme through several increasingly dramatic and indeed breathtaking renditions, before finally fading to a tranquil close. The bright “Yoshi On The Go” then debuts a playful motif for the loveable Yoshi, with boppy percussion and leaping swathes of brass and strings all dancing happily along to this absolutely delightful theme, before things get rather sinister for “The Rise Of Bowser Jr.”. This new and indeed malevolent motif draws expected inspiration from Bowser’s theme from the first movie but is very much its own thing, with aggressive vocals, strings and brass all swirling to evoke a keen sense of orchestral aggression overall.
With themes both old and new firmly established, “Cool Motorcycle Guys” then opens the score proper with an emphatic action sequence; a pounding playthrough of Kondo’s Mario theme leads the charge at first before Tyler’s ever-enthusiastic main theme charges triumphantly into frame again atop explosive orchestra. The action however then briefly skids to a halt as Yoshi’s new theme mischievously interjects, before the ensemble then builds to a crashingly frenetic finale at just past the two minute mark. Shrill vocals then set an air of mystery at the start of “You’re Coming With Me” alongside low-pitched brass, before anxious strings then usher action back in with both the new Bowser Jr. and Rosalina themes orchestrally battling it out until right at the end of the cue, where a short but happily upbeat rendition of Kondo and Mahito Yokota’s main theme from the Super Mario Galaxy game excitedly plays – the first of many. Tyler’s main theme then surges heroically back into the fray in “Trouble In The Pipes” alongside a wary rendition of the Underground motif from the games, with the instrumentation turning shrill and almost horror-like as a result. Marching drums are then the stylistic focus of “Junior And The Koopas”, with the theme of Bowser’s titular son leading a dramatically in-your-face charge on bursts of tense brass throughout the three minute cue.
“Another Adventure Begins” also opens with marching drums, though this time in a more hopeful vein as Tyler’s theme for Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom reprises in dramatically determined form before a sense of floating vocal wonder then closes the cue with a hint toward the composer’s new Rosalina motif. This rather lovely vocal work continues into “Star Shower” alongside some similarly ethereal synth and brass, altogether evoking an increasing sense of breathtaking orchestral beauty until crescendoing out. Dramatic brassy action then frantically arrives in “Under Siege”, with short bursts of Tyler’s main, Mushroom Kingdom and Yoshi themes darting anxiously inbetween the increasingly imposing orchestrations. An impeccably villainous piano then announces itself at the start of “A Master Artist At Work”, with deafeningly malevolent-sounding blasts of brass, shrill vocals and flurrying strings then fully cementing the imposing presence of Bowser Jr’s new theme. The tone then turns hopeful and much grander in the subsequent “A New World”, with a determined rendition of the Mushroom Kingdom on brass leading into a tremendous burst of the Super Mario Galaxy game theme followed by a shorter and quieter rendition of Tyler’s Rosalina motif to round off the track. Frenetic action then returns in “Cuteness For Crime”, with the Mushroom Kingdom and Yoshi themes playing centrally against Bowser’s and Kondo’s ever-ominous Underground motif.
Standout action setpiece “Punishment By Parasol” never lets up throughout its thunderous four minute runtime, as Bowser Jr’s ever-aggressive motif gives chase to the Mushroom Kingdom theme atop pounding drums, flurries of tense strings, soaring vocals and grand statements of brass until Mahito Yokota’s “Gusty Garden Galaxy” and Tyler’s main theme finally arrive to heroically crash the track to its end. Tyler’s Rosalina motif then grandly reprises at the start of “The Worst Place To Bee”, with moodier statements of both Tyler’s Mushroom Kingdom and Rosalina themes giving way to orchestral wariness in the back half. Some delightful sound effects from the games then accompany the orchestra through the upbeat “Taking Care Of The Kingdom Isn’t Easy”, with a superbly heroic rendition of Tyler’s main theme being a highlight at just past the minute mark. A delightfully bombastic mixture of thematic material from both Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Galaxy then occupies the first two minutes of “The Flight Deck”, but its the final minute where the real treat lies; a thunderously epic electric guitar suddenly leaps into frame accompanied by frenzied drums, playing – spoilers ahead – an impeccably triumphant rendition of the theme for Star Fox 64, composed by Kondo and Hajime Wakai. It’s such a wow moment orchestrally, and even though I’ve never played the games – it’s still a great theme. Some rather wistful woodwinds then open “Dino Might”, with Yoshi’s theme echoing warily through on strings before frantic action quickly scoops it up for several intense minutes.
Things calm for much of the back half of the cue as a more wondrous stylistic focus occupies both Tyler’s main and Rosalina themes, before Bowser Jr.’s ever-aggressive motif then overtakes for both the end of the track and the subsequent “Assault On Planet Bowser”. Here the villainous theme goes orchestrally head-to-head with the main, Mushroom Kingdom, Rosalina and Yoshi motifs as well as further material from Star Fox, overall making for an absolutely spellbinding six minute action setpiece. “Your King Has Returned” then furthers the action with both Bowser Jr. and Bowser himself hammering at the increasingly anxious Rosalina theme on imposing orchestra and vocals, before a boppy 8-bit cameo from Kondo’s Mario theme and a triumphantly brassy main theme start to even the score. The marching malevolence of Bowser then continues into “Family Is Forever” before both the Mushroom Kingdom and main themes beat it back alongside a happily bombastic appearance from Yokota’s “Gusty Garden Galaxy”. Orchestral wonder then returns for the victorious “Rebuilding The Castle” with Tyler’s Mushroom Kingdom, Mario and Rosalina themes in centre stage – alongside a lovely strings rendition of Yokota’s “Gusty Garden Galaxy” – before we’re treated to a fantastic end credits piece in “1up” as, similarly to “Level Complete” from the first movie, Tyler blasts through a tremendously orchestral collection of Kondo’s classic game themes to once again perfectly conclude the score.
Overall, Brian Tyler’s score for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is, much like his work for the first film, an absolute joy. There just so much to love here, as alongside bringing back his memorable Mario, Mushroom Kingdom and Bowser themes from the 2023 movie (see “Super Mario Bros. Opus” for a well-crafted refresher on those), the composer also introduces a bunch of brand new and equally excellent motifs for Yoshi (“Yoshi On The Go”), Bowser Jr. (“The Rise Of Bowser Jr.”) and Princess Rosalina (“Super Mario Galaxy”), all of which receive decent amounts of album time and fit like a glove alongside both Tyler’s prior themes and all the impeccable references to Koji Kondo’s iconic sound for the Mario games. Speaking of, once again you can clearly tell how much of a genuine love Tyler has there, as not only do a whole host of original Mario game themes appear but there are also tremendous references to Kondo and Mahito Yokota’s score for Super Mario Galaxy and even Hajime Hirasawa, Hajime Wakai and Koji Kondo’s material for the Star Fox games. With this expansive thematic tapestry in hand, Tyler also intermixes it wonderfully with a meticulous orchestral and 8-bit compositional style, resulting in some truly breathtaking moments (“Star Shower”) and stellar action setpieces (“Assault On Planet Bowser”) that overall make this sequel score well worthy of the phenomenal original.
Once again I’m genuinely blown away by the sheer enthusiasm of Tyler’s music here. I will admit that I wouldn’t have minded hearing a little more “Gusty Garden Galaxy”, but that’s just me.
Score: 8.5/10
Standout Cues: Super Mario Galaxy, Yoshi On The Go, Attack On Planet Bowser, 1up
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