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aka: Paper Mario The Origami King

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These enemies aren't the only things you'll want to spin on a record.note 
Don't think that just because it's an RPG spin-off series that Paper Mario is any less amazing in the music department. These soundtracks are far more than they seem on paper.

WARNING. SPOILERS ARE UNMARKED

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    Paper Mario 
  • March Ahead, a whimiscal tune that helps you start off your adventure right and sents the tone for your future travels.
  • The first of this franchise's many infectious battle themes ensures that you'll be pummeling your foes to the beat of the music in no time. The Miniboss theme, while just as whimiscal, adds a sense of urgency to inform you that you're in for a tougher fight than normal.
  • Jr. Troopa, your Unknown Rival, gets his own frantic battle theme too for his many, many attempts at beating you one on one.
  • The Goomba King has the honor of being the first boss you trounce, but at least his theme gets goofy as he is.
  • As the game's main hub, Toad Town gets a low-key and casual theme as the player prepares for the roads ahead of them, thought it does get a more hectic variation when the Shy Guys invade.
  • From Chapter 1, the Koopa Bros. get a wide variety of slick SMB3 remixes to their name; Bill Blaster Go Faster! remixes the Airship theme, Trojan Bowser, their phase 1 music, remixes Bowser's theme, and finally, The Hammer Bros. theme for their 2nd phase. While not a remix, Koopa Bros. Keep Cool! sets the stage for their appearance quite well too.
  • Chapter 2's Boss, Tutankoopa, remixes Dry Dry Ruins' music into a fast paced frenzy that plays as you take down the Koopa Pharoah.
  • Chapter 3:
  • Chapter 4:
    • Shy Guy's Toy Box uses energetic xylophone segues and childish percussion to match the area's juvenile aesthetic to a T.
    • General Guy's boss theme initially starts off as a semi-serious militaristic march, but eventually segues into a lighthearted battle theme to blare as you trounce the general's army.
  • Chapter 5:
  • Chapter 6:
    • The inexplicably intense yet fun Petunia Under Attack plays when you are clearing Petunia's field of the Monty Moles.
    • Flower Fields sounds beautiful once you've cleared the area of Huff N' Puff's clouds.
    • Laklilester gets a rock-themed Leitmotif when you encounter him as an enemy under Huff N. Puff's command. Huff N. Puff himself gets a heavier rock theme once you fight him in at the top of Cloudy Climb.
  • Chapter 7:
    • Shiver Mountain starts off with and incorporates bells in a manner similar to many snow-inspired songs. It's then joined by a techno beat and a strange yet wonderful noise. It's so well-made, it's hard to believe it was on an N64 game.
    • Snow Road follows this same type of instrumentation, but with a bigger focus on soothing and mystical synths as you traverse the snow filled path.
    • Following Chapter 7's focus on cryptic synths and Christmas-themed orchestration is Crystal Palace Crawl, which perfectly represents the forgotten palace it's named after by being equal parts mystifying and ominous. Crystal King's theme, on the other hand, drops both of these for an intense Boss Remix that uses the same riffs and melodies from the song to add some spice to this chilling fight.
  • Chapter 8:
    • The theme for Bowser's Castle lets you know that you're in The Very Definitely Final Dungeon through its hardcore guitar riffs and intense synths.
    • Bowser's theme is an Arabian flavored Leitmotif that serves to mark Bowser's on screen presence and features harsh acoustics evocative of anger, fire, and lava, making for one ominous prelude.
    • The music for the first part of the final confrontation with Bowser is a dreary, foreboding piece that uses guitar riffs, organ notes, sitar segues, and synths after Bowser's strength is increased far beyond what the Star Spirits can match. However, once Peach and Twink manage to power up the Star Beam to the Peach Beam, the battle kicks things off with "The King of the Koopas", a high octane piece that uses the guitar, organ, sitar, and synths from before to produce a blood-pumping battle theme as Mario and Bowser duke it out for the fate of the Mushroom Kingdom.
    • Not often acknowledged, but Wish of the Princess is a heartwarming piece where Peach prays from the bottom of her heart and gives the Star Spirits power.
  • Shooting Star Summit follows the same orchestration as Shiver Mountain by using ethereal synths to produce a very mystical piece as you make your way to Star Way.
  • The "Level Up" music is a remix of SMB3's World 1 overworld theme.
  • The end credits theme is more than suited to your inevitable success for beating this game. Especially the part at the 7:54 mark...
  • The heartwrenching Chanterelle's Song is short but so beautiful.

    Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door 
  • General music:
    • The story intro theme is fairly awesome in its own right.
    • Even the file selection theme is epic— it goes for nearly two minutes without looping, on a screen where most people only spend a few seconds.
    • The standard battle theme is just infectious.
    • The regular boss theme is simply catchy and unique. From that intimidating intro, to the catchy melody and unusual instrumentation, it's enough to get you pumped for those fights that you cannot flee.
    • Ruins of the Thousand-Year Door. Creepy, atmospheric, and you'll hear it repeatedly as you revisit the door, hyping you up for what's on the other side.
  • From Prologue: A Rogue's Welcome, Rogueport gives off the impression that you're on quite the adventure. Which, of course, makes sense considering the scope of the world you live in.
  • From Chapter 1: Castle and Dragon, Petal Meadows has hints of World 1-1, but overall is perfect for an opening grassland; bouncy and surprisingly calm at the same time.
  • Chapter 2: The Great Boggly Tree:
    • Shadow Sirens' Battle is a lot of fun to listen to. It always leaves you wanting to see more of them.
    • And how about Danger! Prepare for pure fear and panic to grip you to the edge of your seats, because when you hear this theme, you know shit's about to go down.
    • Lord Crump/Magnus Von Grapple battle theme. Mechanical, yet bouncy. This shows that despite being part of the X-nauts, Crump is a giant goof.
  • Chapter 3: Of Glitz and Glory:
    • The Glitzville theme is perhaps the most bouncy theme park theme you'll ever listen to, fitting for a city that doubles as a carnival in the sky.
    • Rawk Hawk's Theme. "TIME TO RAWK!" indeed.
    • Macho Grubba battle theme sounds like perfect Heel wrestling music, and yet a bit quiet at the same time, just like a ring with empty seats. The sinister pre-battle music that preceded it is also badass.
  • From Chapter 4: For Pigs the Bell Tolls, Doopliss' Theme gives off a haunting, yet fun vibe (appropriate, as it's a riff on Thunder and Blazes). Perfect for a prankster ghost. For that matter, there's his appearance theme, which plays the second he opens his mouth and sounds absolutely twisted, perhaps unsuitably so until it becomes clear exactly what this sadistic little jerk is capable of.
  • From Chapter 5: The Key to Pirates:
    • If you're not wetting your pants in terror after hearing "Danger!", then after hearing More Danger!/Alert!, you most certainly will. A doom-bearing theme that dials the intense level all the way past eleven, it speaks for itself—the world's on the verge of ending, and you've got to pull out all the stops to save it.
    • Cortez's Theme is just spectacular. Perfect for the deceased pirate king.
  • From Chapter 6: 3 Days of Excess, Smorg's Theme. For a Giant Space Flea from Nowhere, it's amazing for a fight against a monster on top of a luxury train.
  • From Chapter 7: Mario Shoots the Moon"
    • Fire Up The Cannon. Plays when you get fired out of a huge-ass cannon to the Moon. After going through a long and tedious Chain of Deals quest to get the Cannon operating, the music makes everything totally worth it.
    • The X-Naut Fortress theme is a techno-style music that goes well with the hi-tech fortification setting of the Chapter 7.
  • From Chapter 8: The Thousand-Year Door:

    Super Paper Mario 
  • Intro:
  • Chapter 1, Lineland:
    • Lineland Road. Very interesting pick of classic Mario tunes.
    • When you get a Mega Star, An Unrivaled Battle plays. Being a remix of the series' invincibility theme, it makes you feel unstoppable listening to it while becoming a humongous pixelated monster.
    • One Shot (no, not that one), a fast and frantic theme that gives off a feeling of panic and urgency whenever it kicks in. It first plays before the battle with Fracktail. It's used again near the end of Chapter 2 while Mimi's chasing you.
    • The Fracktail battle theme. Great, yet it always on the verge of collapsing, or rather, glitching out.
    • Soft Light provides a level of epicness you just don't expect from Mario.
  • Chapter 2, Gloam Valley:
    • Gloam Valley is the first theme you hear in Chapter 2, coming directly after you've beaten Chapter 1 and figured out the pattern of how this game is going to go. So in a way, it's this SPM's way of saying "Okay. So you've learned the basics, so now it's time to start the quest for real. You ready? Good. Let's kick this game off."
    • Merlee's Mansion, a whimsical yet creepy theme that perfectly underscores that there's something very wrong about this place.
    • Mimi the Copycat, a Dark Reprise of Merlee's Mansion with the creepiness amped up further. Fittingly so for the bratty mastermind behind it all.
    • The Mimi Battle theme. A vaguely techno remix of the shapeshifter's main theme that gives off a feeling of eeriness and intimidation befitting of her groesteque transformation.
  • Chapter 3, Bitlands:
    • In the same vein as Lineland Road, retro never sounded so good than Bitlands theme, The Open Plane.
    • Bowser's battle theme, a downright badass remix of the Dark Land theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.
    • Tile Pool music is as relaxing as the level is.
    • The battle against Dimentio, the appropriately called It's Showtime (no, not that one). And what a fitting battle theme, like you're unwillingly participating in a demented circus show.
    • Fort Francis fits its level quite well: vaguely techno, rather strange, and creepy without being so much as to be off-putting.
  • Chapter 4, Outer Space:
  • Chapter 5, Land of the Cragnons:
  • Chapter 6, Sammer's Kingdom:
  • Chapter 7, the Underwhere:
    • River Twygz Bed, an appropriately disturbing piece for the bottom of the Mario-verse's version of the River Styx.
    • Its counterpart, Overthere Shrine, is a heavenly, ethereal theme that perfectly captures the feeling of being in Heaven.
  • Other:
  • Chapter 8, Castle Bleck:
    • Castle Bleck includes elements of Flipside's music to transpose the Eldritch Location nature of the Void and the castle.
    • Closing Battle, Count Bleck's battle theme, is a dynamic final boss theme with a subtle classy vibe in it.
    • The final boss theme, appropriately called The Ultimate Show, is actually a mix of the Chaos Heart's, Mr. L's, and Dimentio's themes.
    • Promise. No better music for the end of Blumiere and Timpani's story.

    Paper Mario: Sticker Star 

    Paper Mario: Color Splash 
  • Ruddy Road, the first level of the game, has some amazing music, sounding very happy and upbeat.
  • The music that plays when you win a Roshambo Tournament is an incredibly catchy arrangement of the ending theme from Super Mario Land.
  • Sunglow Ridge, a very beautiful theme that can make any bad day great.
  • The normal battle theme is damn sweet, especially during the trombone part. As are the nostalgic 8-bit and space-y Parallel renditions.
  • The World Map theme is an example of Evolving Music similar to that of Yoshi's Island, and it's very enjoyable, especially as it progressively builds into a more complex track.
  • The final dungeon of the game really lives up to the other final dungeons (Bowser's Castle, Palace of Shadow, and Castle Bleck) in terms of sheer awesomeness. It even plays in place of the standard battle music, making the situation far more awesome. It also sounds similar to the equally awesome Buoy Base Galaxy.
  • The theme for Event Battles, A Fearsome Foe is very playful, but still manages to have a serious tone to it.
  • The Koopalings all have amazing boss themes.
    • Iggy's theme, which manages to convey Iggy's comic relief personality as well as the desert coliseum setting.
    • ROYal Rumble, with its bizarre-but-entirely-effective quacking sound effects and generally intense vibe.
    • Battle with Ludwig is fitting considering how much of a tactician Ludwig is.
    • Larry's Runaway Train, with its Cowboy Bebop breakdown of brass, piano, bass, bongos, and sax combined with swingin synths, makes the ensuing Traintop Battle with him all the more memorable.
    • Lemmy's Grand Finale, which somehow personifies Lemmy completely in one theme - the violins and especially the accordion give it a perfectly circus-y feel.
    • The best one of all might be Rumble with Wendy, with an unexpectedly AMAZING pirate theme which somehow makes bagpipes sound badass. The fact that the battle is a rhythm battle and Wendy's attacks are in tune with the music make it even better.
    • ME WILL ROCK ME is a jaunty, exciting tune that gives off a very Yo-kai Watch vibe.
  • The Juggler, the theme from the circus level, is a jaunty, feel-good ragtime track that plays while you're... beating up enemies. And it works.
  • Paint Star Memories is a beautiful, quiet little piece that plays whenever you reminiscent a memory of how Bowser attacked Prism Island. It reminds people of Super Paper Mario.
  • Shy Bandit's battle theme. We think that Nate Bihldorff probably had a lot of fun in this, with the Shy Guy vocals.
  • Both of the Final Boss phases. While the first phase shows the more fast-paced and intense theme of the battle, the second-phase shows how it can be slower-paced, but still epic, especially when the pipe organ kicks in and transitions back to electric guitars, followed by soft bells and howling winds.
  • Oh, and the amazing credits theme Prisma Splash, too. It includes arrangements of previous themes in the game.
  • Collecting the green Big Paint Star gives you Paint the Dance Floor, a disco track that even Mario dances to.
  • Island in Violet, the theme of Vortex Island and Lighthouse Island, is a catchy nautical track that perfectly fits the levels it plays in.
  • The two themes for Birdo's musical are jazz music that even has subtitled lyrics as it plays.
  • Maramalade Valley has a catchy harmonica track as its theme.
  • Sunset Express's theme is very fast-paced and fits well with finding all the Rescue Toads and running through the train cars.
  • Toad Trainworks is a Marmalade Valley-style track with industrial noises in the background.
  • Spinning-Door Game is a great arrangement of the already-catchy Super Mario Bros. 2 overworld theme.

    Paper Mario: The Origami King 
  • The eight different battle themes of the game are all awesome, as per usual. The leitmotif is a good track to get you pumped up for a battle, yet each variant brings something new to the table.
    • The Autumn Mountain Battle theme is particularly popular, with both energetic guitar riffs to amp up the intensity and a majestic erhu backing it up to keep with the Chinese musical theme of the mountain.
    • The Unsettling Area battle theme is a Dark Reprise of the game's battle theme, something that hasn't been done before in the series. Each of these come with their own thinking phase, as well.
  • The "battle theme" for The Ringer's ring puzzles. This hidden retraux theme based off of the "thinking" portion of the battle Leitmotif is reminiscent of some of the best tunes from Nintendo's once-chief rival. Now if only we had a proper "attack phase" version of it!
  • Event Battle, the theme that plays for scripted battles, takes everything from previous event battle music in the series and combines it for a great quirky tone along with some amazing guitar. It also gets the player really pumped as it is the first battle theme that's played in the game.
  • The Boss Theme is one of the most intense tracks in the game, the driving guitar riffs and quirky synths combining to create a fantastic backing for a fight with a particularly tough enemy. It's a crying shame that it only plays in two battles...
  • Toad's BBQ Foodeatery, a very upbeat, encouraging, and catchy theme, plays near the end of Whispering Woods.
  • Graffiti Underground may be a short level, but the music is a remix of the classic Super Mario Bros. underground theme.
  • Musee Champignon has a quiet, relaxing piece of piano music as its theme.
  • Picnic Road and Overlook Mountain may have some differences - the former is carried by its flute melody, the latter is more of an ensemble piece - but they give off the same feeling; both carry the torch of the "early game grassland area", yet both are more complex if you listen closely.
  • Overlook Tower under Fire, the theme of Overlook Tower before the red streamer is broken, is an ominous piece of music that fits perfectly for the level.
  • Autumn Mountain has a beautiful Chinese feel to it with the erhu backing up, just the perfect track you want when you see the majesty that is Autumn Mountain itself. It transitions well to and from the Autumn Mountain Battle theme.
  • Chestnut Valley is a jazzy upbeat song inspired by the Super Mario Bros. 3 athletic theme.
  • "Go with the Flow" is a simple yet peaceful song to cap Autumn Mountain off. Since this is where you first teamed with Bobby, the music of Autumn Mountain will likely carry nostalgic memories after Bobby's death.
  • The Shogun Studios Entrance theme sounds remarkably authentic and believable for a theme park gate's music, and is rather catchy as well.
  • The theme for Shogun Studios after it's been cleared is an upbeat, energetic use of Japanese instruments that swings.
  • Scuffle Island is a fast-paced, frantic tune heavy on Super Paper Mario-esque synths and xylophones that encourages you to stay on your toes in a battle against seven beefed-up Paper Macho baddies.
  • Exploring the Great Sea masterfully captures the grandeur and majesty of sailing to adventure out on the open ocean with its use of strings and flutes.
  • Bob-omb's Encouragement, which plays as Bobby explains his backstory and detonate himself to save Olivia, is a sweet and peaceful flute tune that has Bobby thanking Mario for all the adventures before his Heroic Sacrifice.
  • Sad Olivia plays in Breezy Tunnel just after Bobby's Heroic Sacrifice. The instruments invoke imagery of funeral bells, which makes sense as Olivia is in grief over Bobby's death and Mario has to get her to move on. It's also a very sad theme that makes you realize just how much weight an actual death has on both you and Mario.
  • M-A-X Power! is an oddity for being based on Eurobeat, but it has all the chops of a real song from the genre. Although it's part of a brief gag involving the non-disco CDs when trying to lure out Hole Punch, you can continue to listen to it in the Shroom City Royal Hotel.
  • The Legion of Stationery have some kickass tunes.
    • Their entrance theme somehow manages to be both funny and serious at the same time, as explained by one of the comments. This effect is probably thanks to the fact that it uses both synthwave and guitar to convey those emotions.
    • The Missile Maestro, the theme of Jean-Pierre Colored Pencils the XIIth. It gives the sense that you're fighting something far stronger than the standard Folded Soldier, yet Mario can still beat him (he's only the second boss, after all.)
    • The Elastic Entertainer, Rubber Band's theme. Befitting a boss with Villainous Harlequin tendencies, the music heavily resembles Creepy Circus Music at times. It's also very bombastic and bouncy, not only setting the stage for a great battle, but also incorporating Rubber Band's Large Ham and Rubber Man qualities. It also has a vaguely Yo-kai Watch-like tinge to it.
    • The Disco Devil, the theme of Hole Puncher. Though the disco elements of the theme are unusually downplayed for the theme of a Disco Dan-flavored boss, it's an energetic dance theme that manages to incorporate the desert and spooky tones of the area, and follows well on previous desert bosses like Fracktail and Tower Power Pokey! When even the boss' idle animation itself is choreographed to the beat of the music, you know you're in for a real banger. No wonder this track was used in the second trailer to highlight the bosses!
    • The Shifty Sticker, the theme of Tape, is an excellent combination of high violin, constant electric guitars, and unusually low (almost sleazy) synth tones, fitting for a Super Mob Boss. It also resembles a sea shanty at times, rather fitting for the maritime chapter the battle takes place at the end of.
    • Dual-Bladed Duelist, the theme of the Scissors. Its fast-paced nature and occasional dips into darkness evoke the feeling that you're fighting an extremely powerful foe, which you are; despite its Noble Demon and Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy qualities, Scissors won't hesitate to slice Mario to ribbons like it did to many of Bowser's subjects, which makes the stakes all the higher. It's especially notable for incorporating dubstep, of all things. Hell, even the thinking variant sounds badass: without the dubstep drops, it gives the feeling that Scissors is gleefully taunting Mario, as it knows (or so it thinks) that Mario will soon drop dead from its Absurdly Sharp Blade.
    • The Fanged Fastener, the theme of the final member of the Stationary Legion, Stapler. It kicks off with some pumping rock, cluing you in that, whatever you're about to fight, it's powerful...then, segways into a high-energy synthesizer-mixed portion that boggles the senses appropriately with how suddenly this fight is sprung on you, hammering in that you're fighting what amounts to Olly's Angry Guard Dog complete with a synthesized "wan-wan!" barking noise from the instrumentals at points— but it all builds into the crescendo of a heavy-metal breakdown that illustrates once and for all that yes: you're fighting the final and most dangerous of your enemy's minions, and there's no gimmick to winning this time — just a no-holds barred slugfest against a huge, rampaging monster.
  • The Vellumentals' theme successfully captures the stakes at hand and is an awesome battle theme to boot. Mario's effectively fighting his universe's version of The Four Gods. And this piece lets you know that, due to Olly's meddling, they're all extremely pissed off. Straight out the gate with heavy percussion pounding and distorted guitars shredding. Every main instrument takes its turn in a chaotic and loud back and forth, conveying the brutal majesty of the bosses... before the violin comes in full force. Even the Thinking variation reminds you that an elemental god is right in front of you. And it's waiting for its turn to annihilate you.
  • The ballet segment of Big Sho' Studios starts off with a normal rendition of Swan Lake...until Mario accidentally pops one of the Paper Macho Shy Guys on stage, at which point it then segues into this. Not only is it a great standalone remix that makes good use of the guitar and trumpets that fits with the ensuing chaos on the stage, it makes it extremely satisfying to smash the Paper Machos to the beat.
  • Snif City mixes the typical Mario desert track with a more modern, rather unique nightlife feel, complete with a full-on jazzy horn breakdown about a minute in. It turns into Shroom City during the day, which brightens the dark background horns and adds a more complete melody that thankfully gets to keep the jazzy horn breakdown.
  • The first Snif City hotel theme, played by a DJ Snifit in the Royal Hotel's lobby, uses vocals and horns to wonderful effect. One Snifit on a pool chair said it best:
    "Brooooo... I'm vibing so hard with this music. It's like I'm totally oblivious to everything else..."
  • Thrills at Night is an amazing disco track. It's no wonder Hole Punch comes out to dance after hearing this.
  • The final dungeon continues the tradition of Paper Mario final dungeons having amazing music. Between the piano, drums, low strings, high violins, triumphant guitars, and even a choir, it manages to sound ominous and uplifting at the same time. Not only does it play in place of the standard battle music, like in Color Splash - it even overrides the 1,000 Folds Arm background music too.
  • When you finally reach the end, you're treated to King Olly's Throne Room, both it physically and its own song. This rearrangement of his theme really shows how far off the edge he's gone, from folding Peach (and everyone around him to his own whims) at the very beginning of the game to him killing and taxiderming her corpse once his castle is folded, displaying her new tapestry form all for show like as if it's some sort of trophy (and he even brags about this!), and revealing his plan that he's been folding origami cranes all this time, and once he folds the final, thousandth one with Mario's dead body, he will wish that all the Toads will be eradicated and turned into blank paper! All of this for what's later revealed for a simple petty reason, that being the Origami Craftsman wrote on him that he should be a kind and wise king... which ironically, was the very thing that made him the polar opposite as he couldn't understand it. All of this really goes to show that he's not only a threat to the Mushroom Kingdom, but the very paper plane of the world. While thankfully he does realize the errors of his own ways once defeated before he dies, it shows that Olly is a little more than a complete menace and needs to be defeated for the greater good.
  • Battle with King Olly, the theme for King Olly's first phase. Fittingly for a fight with King Olly's version of the Vellumentals, this theme has some soft piano at the beginning, some light flute, and the Vellumentals' strings...then overtakes them all with electric guitars, showing how much control Olly has over these powers.
  • The music for King Olly's final phase. The swelling music and One-Woman Wail instill a sense of dire urgency, as the boss fight it comes with is peppered with quick-time events manifesting as Olly trying to off Mario for good with extremely powerful methods of attack, as well as the poison gas rising up from below; yet at the same time, the guitar lets the theme serve as an awesome build-up to Mario and Olivia's coup de grace.
  • King Olly, Origami Overlord is not what you'd expect the track named after the game's Big Bad himself to be like. It's Olly's theme, alright, but it also turns it into one of the saddest, most somber tracks in the entire game as Olly lays dying in his sister's arms after the final battle. The soft flute and piano not only perfectly underline the regret he feels upon finding out his rampage was for nothing as well as Olivia's grief after he unfolds and passes away, they also characterize him further by working just as wonderfully for the "fair and kind king" his creator had wanted him to be.

Alternative Title(s): Paper Mario 64, Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door, Super Paper Mario, Paper Mario Sticker Star, Paper Mario Color Splash, Paper Mario The Origami King

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