The franchise has had a lot of good tunes, and Super Mario 64 is no exception.
- Go back, and listen to the File Select
theme a few times. Let the memories soak back in. - The hub music packs in a royal, elegant air so good, Nintendo has remixed it for many subsequent Mario games.
- The main theme as used in the first stage, Bob-Omb Battlefield (as well as Whomp's Fortress, Tall Tall Mountain, and Tiny-Huge Island) is pure awesomeness from the opening trumpet fanfare, getting the player fired up for another platforming adventure with Mario - now in three dimensions!
- The suitably gentle Piranha Plant's Lullaby is quite lovely, particularly the piano version.
- Jolly Roger Bay and Dire, Dire Docks share very atmospheric underwater music, complete with a variable mix for when Mario is on dry land or in caves. The "Psyche Out" minigame in the DS version uses a slower version of this song. It's even more relaxing.
- Cool Cool Mountain and Snowman's Land give the main theme a wintry remix with concertina and sleigh bells, instantly conjuring up a festive atmosphere for the game's ice levels.
- The Wing Cap theme. Take the Starman theme (an awesomely appropriate theme in its own right), and add a soaring violin melody over the top for pure awesome. Incidentally, that violin melody predates Super Mario 64. It was used in the invincibility music in Yoshi's Island.
- Metal Mario starts with the Starman theme from the original Super Mario Bros., then dials up the energy and adds metallic sound effects to enhance the adrenaline rush of storming through the level in liquid metal form.
- The famous Bowser's Road theme creates just the right amount of tension for the treks through the fiery levels leading to the game's three Bowser fights. It was remixed for the Galaxy games as well as the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series. Additionally, Super Smash Bros. Melee's menu music is somewhat reminiscent of this theme.
- Big Boo's Haunt is a sinister theme with an ominous choir playing against a xylophone-esque soundfont. It contrasts the rest of the soundtrack very well and really amps up the Nightmare Fuel as you explore the Trope Namer of haunted house levels.
- Of all the Underground Theme remixes, this game's version, as heard in Hazy Maze Cave and Wet-Dry World, is probably the one that most accurately conveys the mood of being in a deep, underground cavern.
- Lethal Lava Land/Shifting Sand Land. Probably one of the most psychedelic pieces of BGM to ever come out of a video game, and nothing short of awesome. You can almost feel the oppressive, energy-sapping heat of the Trope Namers for volcanic levels and desert levels just by listening to this track.
- The awesome secret slide music is another remix of the main theme, but now transposed from C major to D major and boasting lively banjos, fiddles, and whistling to convey a real sense of fun, even when it's used in the frustratingly difficult two last levels, Tick Tock Clock and Rainbow Ride. It even got remade in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario 3D World.
- The first Bowser theme, and of course Final Bowser. The organ serves as the centerpiece of a fitting theme to introduce one of the most iconic video game villains of all time to 3D for the first time.
- The theme played during the end credits really makes you feel like you've accomplished something.
