Where does Mario's "BAH" sound come from? Nintendo Music Secrets 2024
Summary
TLDRThis video explores intriguing musical Easter eggs and secrets in Nintendo games. It delves into the 'bah bah' sound in New Super Mario Bros, Morse code in Wii Sports Resort, and hidden messages in WarioWare Touched. The video also uncovers references in Donkey Kong Country 3, Super Mario 3D Land, and Mario Kart games. It reveals the origin of the 'pah' sound effect and adaptive music in Super Mario Maker 2. The host's passion for Nintendo's meticulous music design shines through, inviting viewers to join the discussion on overlooked gems.
Takeaways
- đź In 'New Super Mario Bros', the 'bah bah' sound effect is a distinctive feature that adds playfulness to the game.
- đčïž 'Donkey Kong Country 3' contains a hidden Nintendo 64 console and the 'Super Mario 64' castle theme music in Wrinkly Kong's Save Caves.
- đ¶ 'Super Mario 3D Land's Special 8' music is a nod to the 'Mario drawing song' from the FlipNote Studio app on DS.
- đ» 'WarioWare Touched' has a controversial easter egg where speeding up Ashley's Theme reveals a hidden message.
- đïž 'Mario Kart 8's Water Park' level reuses the 'Big Booâs Haunt' music from 'Super Mario 64' for its underwater teacup ride.
- đ 'Mario Kart: Double Dash's Dino Dino Jungle and DK Mountain' share music that originally paid homage to 'Donkey Kong Jr.' from the NES.
- đĄ 'Wii Sports Resort' contains Morse code messages hidden in the Flyover mode near The Candle area.
- đ” 'New Super Mario Bros' uses the 'pah' sound effect, originating from a sample pack used by Koji Kondo in 'Super Mario 64'.
- đ ïž 'Super Mario Maker 2's Course World' theme is an adaptive homage to 'Super Mario World's Special World' theme, with variations based on the selected menu.
- đ The video concludes with a call to support the channel through Patreon, offering bonus content and community engagement.
Q & A
What is the distinctive 'bah bah' sound in New Super Mario Bros. games and where did it first appear?
-The 'bah bah' sound is a distinctive sound effect that makes enemies dance or jump, adding a playful element to the game. It first appeared in Super Mario 64, where it played when entering a painting.
How does the 'bah bah' sound effect relate to a sample pack used by Koji Kondo?
-Koji Kondo, the composer for Super Mario 64, used a sample pack called Best Service Voice Spectral Vol 1, which contained unique voice-based sounds. The 'bah bah' sound was sourced from Track 53 of this CD.
What is the connection between Wrinkly Kong's activity in Donkey Kong Country 3 and the Nintendo 64 console?
-In Donkey Kong Country 3, Wrinkly Kong is sometimes seen playing video games on a console that resembles the Nintendo 64, which had been released in Japan around the time of the game's release.
What game is Wrinkly Kong playing in her Save Cave in Donkey Kong Country 3, and how is this reflected in the music?
-Wrinkly Kong is playing Super Mario 64, as indicated by the castle theme from that game playing in the background when she is using the console.
How does the music in Super Mario 3D Land's Special 8 world relate to FlipNote Studio?
-The theme music for Special 8 in Super Mario 3D Land is a reused melody from the 'Mario drawing song' created by Nintendo to promote the FlipNote Studio app on the DS.
What controversy arose from the use of a song in WarioWare Touched, and how was it resolved?
-A controversy arose when a hidden message, 'I have granted kids to Hell', was discovered by speeding up Ashley's Theme. It was later explained as a coincidence caused by the game skipping words when the record was spun fast.
How does the underwater teacup ride music in Mario Kart 8 relate to Super Mario 64?
-The music played during the underwater teacup ride in Mario Kart 8's Water Park course is a re-use of the Big Boo's Merry Go Round theme from Super Mario 64.
What theory is proposed about the music shared by Dino Dino Jungle and DK Mountain in Mario Kart: Double Dash?
-It is theorized that the shared music track was intended for DK Mountain, as it contains a melody from Donkey Kong Jr., suggesting a homage to the Donkey Kong series.
What secret Morse code messages are hidden in Wii Sports Resort and where can they be found?
-Wii Sports Resort contains Morse code messages hidden in the Flyover mode near the lighthouse, known as The Candle. The beeping sounds spell out messages when decoded.
How does the Course World theme in Super Mario Maker 2 relate to Super Mario World, and what changes occur based on the menu selected?
-The Course World theme in Super Mario Maker 2 is identical to the theme from Super Mario World's Special World. However, the melody is removed in some menu selections, making the reference easy to miss.
Outlines
đź Hidden Nintendo Music Secrets
This paragraph delves into the intriguing musical easter eggs found within Nintendo games. It starts with the mystery of the 'bah bah' sound in New Super Mario Bros, questioning its origin. The script then uncovers a hidden Morse code in Wii Sports Resort and a demonic message in a DS game. The focus shifts to Donkey Kong Country, highlighting Wrinkly Kong's Save Caves and the unexpected inclusion of the Super Mario 64 theme, creating a surreal blend of SNES and N64 music.
đ Unearthing Easter Eggs in Mario Kart and More
Paragraph 2 continues the exploration of Nintendo's musical secrets with a focus on Mario Kart 8's Water Park level, where the music is a nod to Super Mario 64's Big Boo's Haunt. It also discusses the shared music between Dino Dino Jungle and DK Mountain in Mario Kart: Double Dash, suggesting a deliberate homage to Donkey Kong Jr. The paragraph wraps up with a mention of WarioWare Touched's controversial secret message revealed by speeding up a song, which was later clarified as a coincidence.
đ” The Art of Subtle Musical References
The final paragraph discusses the Morse code messages in Wii Sports Resort, the playful 'pah' sound effect in New Super Mario Bros traced back to Super Mario 64, and the adaptive music in Super Mario Maker 2's Course World. It concludes by emphasizing the subtlety and satisfaction of discovering these musical secrets, reflecting Nintendo's dedication to their music. The script ends with a call to action for viewers to share their own discoveries and a mention of the creator's Patreon for additional content.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄEaster Eggs
đĄNintendo 64
đĄMorse Code
đĄSuper Mario 64
đĄWarioWare Touched
đĄMario Kart 8
đĄDonkey Kong Country 3
đĄSuper Mario 3D Land
đĄWii Sports Resort
đĄNew Super Mario Bros
đĄSuper Mario Maker 2
Highlights
In New Super Mario Bros, the 'bah bah' sound effect is a distinctive feature that adds playfulness to the game.
The 'bah bah' sound in New Super Mario Bros originated from Super Mario 64 and was sampled by Koji Kondo.
Wrinkly Kong in Donkey Kong Country 3 is depicted playing Super Mario 64 on a Nintendo 64 console.
Super Mario 3D Land's Special 8 theme music is a reused melody from the FlipNote Studio's 'Mario drawing song'.
WarioWare Touched contains a controversial hidden message when a song is played at high speed, which was a coincidence due to word skipping.
Mario Kart 8's Water Park course features music from Super Mario 64's Big Boo's Haunt level.
Mario Kart: Double Dash's Dino Dino Jungle and DK Mountain share music that originally paid homage to Donkey Kong Jr.
Wii Sports Resort contains Morse code messages hidden in the game's sounds, which are a neat secret for players to discover.
New Super Mario Bros' 'pah' sound effect was first used in Super Mario 64 and was sourced from a sample CD.
Super Mario Maker 2's Course World theme is an adaptive melody that changes based on the menu selected.
The Course World theme in Super Mario Maker 2 is identical to Super Mario World's Special World theme.
Nintendo's music is filled with hidden easter eggs and references, showcasing the company's love for detail and player satisfaction.
The video invites viewers to share their own Nintendo music easter eggs and secrets for potential inclusion in future videos.
The video creator has relaunched a Patreon page offering exclusive content and community access for supporters.
Transcripts
In New Super Mario Bros, almost every song features one particular sound: âbah bahâ. But Â
who actually sang those notes? Itâs an interesting mystery, right? But thatâs not all. Did you notice Â
the morse code hidden in Wii Sports Resort? Or the demonic message in the music to one of Nintendoâs Â
DS games? Today I want to solve some Nintendo music mysteries, along with rounding up some Â
of the most hidden easter eggs from within all Nintendoâs music. As Mario puts it, âLet's-a go!â
Number 1
Letâs start by talking about Donkey Kong Country - specifically the third game, Â
Dixie Kong's Double Trouble. Now, this game features a character called Wrinkly Kong, Â
whoâs the wife of Cranky Kong. And in Donkey Kong Country 3, you visit Wrinkly Kong each Â
time you want to save your game - she resides in a number of these âSave Cavesâ, Â
as theyâre known. And each time you enter a Save Cave, Wrinkly will be doing some kind of Â
activity. Sometimes sheâs exercising. Sometimes sheâs fast asleep. But sometimes, sheâll be Â
playing video games. And take a close look at the console sheâs using - itâs a Nintendo 64.
Thatâs right, by the time of Donkey Kong Country 3âs release on the SNES in November 1996, Â
Nintendoâs next console, the Nintendo 64, had actually been out in Japan for Â
about 5 months. And so, that is the console that Wrinkly is playing. But Â
thatâs not all. Because listen to the music that plays when sheâs doing that.
Thatâs right - itâs the castle theme from Super Mario 64!
It appears that Super Mario 64 is the game that Wrinkly Kong is playing from within Â
her Save Cave. It feels super weird to hear this N64 song playing within an SNES game, Â
but thatâs exactly whatâs happening here!
Number 2 Next up, Â
I want to talk about Super Mario 3D Land. So, 3D Land features 16 worlds in total. The first Â
8 are regular worlds, and the second 8 are special bonus worlds full of more Â
challenging levels. The final world in the game is called Special 8, and hereâs its theme music.
Now, that music might sound familiar, especially if youâre a big fan of FlipNote Â
Studio. Back on the DS, to promote their stop motion animation app, Â
Nintendo created their very own FlipNote animation which they called âthe Mario Â
drawing songâ. Thereâs versions of this song in Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Â
Italian, German and Dutch. And just take a listen to a clip from the song.
Does it sound familiar? Super Mario 3D Landâs composers reused that melody for Â
the Special 8 map screen music! Itâs a pretty neat, and pretty obscure, musical reference!
Number 3 Alright, next we have Â
one of the most legendary musical easter eggs from any Nintendo game - and itâs found in the DS game Â
WarioWare Touched. So, one item you can unlock in the game is the Turntable, which lets you speed up Â
and slow down songs from the gameâs soundtrack by dragging this DJ turntable using the touchscreen.
Sounds simple enough, except this feature caused a bit of a controversy around the Â
time of WarioWario Touchedâs release. Because if you take Ashleyâs Theme, Â
one of the three selectable songs, and speed it way up, a secret, hidden message can be heard:
âI have granted kids to Hellâ
That sounds pretty out of place in a WarioWare game, doesnât it? Well, Â
it turns out that the cause is simple - when you spin the record really fast, Â
the game starts skipping over some of the words in the song.
Here is the verse in question, and if we highlight just the beginning of each line, Â
we get âI have granted kids to Hell.â I have granted kids to Hell. Itâs a weird coincidence Â
that caused a minor controversy back when this game was released - so much so that Nintendo Power Â
magazine had to issue an explanation for why this bizarre message was featured in a WarioWare game.
Number 4 Next up, Â
letâs talk about Mario Kart 8, and specifically the course Water Park. Now, if you drive through Â
most of the course, youâll eventually get to this underwater teacup ride. And, Iâm going to slowly Â
drive into the middle of the teacups, and take a close listen to the music that starts playing.
Now, itâs a little hard to hear over the level music, but if youâve played a lot Â
of Super Mario 64, then this music may sound familiar. Because in the stage Big Booâs Haunt, Â
thereâs an underground merry-go-round with music that sounds like this.
And so, returning to Mario Kart 8âs Water Park, take a second listen to that music.
Thatâs right - the gameâs composers re-used Â
Big Booâs Merry Go Round theme for the underwater teacup ride!
Number 5 Now, while weâre Â
talking about Mario Kart, Iâve got another one for you, this time from Mario Kart: Double Dash. So, Â
in some of the older Mario Kart games, multiple courses share the same piece of music. If you Â
play the courses Dino Dino Jungle and DK Mountain from Double Dash, youâll notice that the music is Â
the exact same. But itâs my theory that this music track was intended for DK Mountain, Â
and I have a reason for that claim. You see, listen to this section of the music in question.
And then, let me play you a different song from a totally different game - that being Â
Donkey Kong Jr - the NES game. Listen to the music for Stage 1.
Itâs the same theme, the same melody heard in Double Dash! Itâs even in the same key!
You see, when Double Dashâs composers were tasked with writing the music for DK Mountain, Â
they seemingly included this classic DK Jr. melody as a kind of homage. And that Â
is why I say that this was always a Donkey Kong piece of music first and foremost!
Number 6 Now letâs switch series, Â
and talk a little bit about Wii Sports Resort. Iâve talked about secret Morse Code messages Â
a few times before on this channel, and thereâs another set of messages hidden Â
within Wii Sports Resort. In the Flyover mode, if you fly to the area near the lighthouse, Â
known as The Candle, youâll start to hear some rhythmic beeping which sounds like thisâŠ
That beeping is morse code, and it spells out this message...
But thatâs not the only set of messages. Thereâs also...
And lastly, thereâs this...
Now, the number of people playing Wii Sports Resort who also are familiar enough with Â
morse code to decode these messages as they hear them must surely be close to zero. And Â
yet Nintendo included these messages nonetheless as a neat little secret.
Number 7 Next up, Â
letâs talk about New Super Mario Bros. All four New Super Mario Bros titles Â
feature a very distinctive sound within their soundtracks - the âpahâ or âbahâ sound effect.
Every time this sound plays, enemies will dance around or Â
jump. Itâs a fun way of making the game feel more playful. But what exactly is Â
this iconic sound? Where does this strange singing voice come from?
Well, to uncover that mystery, we first need to track the sound down to its very first Â
appearance within a Nintendo game. Because while everyone associates the âpahâ with Â
the New Super Mario Bros games, some viewers might have already realised that it made its Â
debut years earlier in Super Mario 64. Listen to the jingle that plays when you enter a painting.
And for comparison, hereâs the âpahâ sound from New Super Mario Bros.
Itâs the exact same! So, where did Super Mario 64 get the sound effect from? Well, Â
the gameâs soundtrack was written entirely by Koji Kondo, and around the N64 era, Â
Kondo began experimenting with sample packs, in other words CDs full of unique and interesting Â
instruments and noises from around the world. One of those CDs was called Best Service Voice Â
Spectral Vol 1, which is full of unique voice based sounds, sounds like these...
And take a listen to Track 53 of that CD.
Sounds pretty familiar, right? Koji Kondo heard this âpahâ sound, Â
and liked it enough to use it within the soundtrack to Super Mario 64.
Then a few years later, he was the one who composed the Ground theme of New Super Mario Â
Bros on the DS. And when he wrote that piece of music, he re-used that vocal sample from Mario 64.
And the rest was history!
Number 8 And letâs finish by Â
talking about Super Mario Maker 2. Now, the gameâs online functions are enveloped within whatâs known Â
as âCourse Worldâ. And Course World has its own musical theme, which sounds like this...
Now, if youâve played a lot of Super Mario World, Â
then thereâs a chance this theme might sound familiar - and thatâs because the Â
Course World melody is identical to the theme from Mario Worldâs Special World.
Itâs even in the same key! What a neat little homage to a classic Mario piece of music, Â
in a game which is full of homages to Marioâs history.
But thereâs more - the Course World music is actually adaptive - it changes Â
based on what menu youâre looking at. If you select Network Play, Â
you get this funky, upbeat version of the Special World theme instead.
But hereâs the thing - if you select any other menu, you get a different version Â
of the Course World theme, this time without the Mario World melody. Itâs completely gone!
So, that means that you could spend hours browsing for courses and never Â
know about the reference to Super Mario World. Itâs so easy to miss!
But that goes for pretty much every secret and easter egg Iâve talked about in this Â
video - theyâre super subtle, so easy to miss. But that means that when you do spot something Â
hidden in the music - some reference to an old game or re-used melody from the past, Â
you get a rush of satisfaction. Itâs so obvious how much love Nintendo pours into Â
their music - no-one does video game music quite like Nintendo.
And there we have it, those are 8 of my favourite Nintendo music easter eggs and Â
secrets! If you have any that I didn't talk that you think I should've included in this video, Â
then let me know in the comments below, 'cause I can definitely make Â
another one of these videos in the future including various people's suggestions.
I really hope you enjoyed this video, and while I have you here, just before you go, Â
I want to quickly talk about Patreon. Yeah, you probably know the drill by now, Â
but I've actually recently relauched my Patreon page, Â
with a new $5 tier which gets you access to a monthly bonus video where I talk about more of Â
my personal opinions about games I like, and it's kind of more free and unscripted than a Â
normal Thomas Game Docs video. I hope that if you watch them you will also enjoy them!
You also get access if you join my Patreon page to my Patreon feed where I give updates on videos Â
and also how the channel's going in general - if there's delays then I'll let you know about it, Â
and hopefully keep you informed. Plus you get access to my Patron only Discord server, Â
where other Thomas Game Docs fans can chat about Nintendo games, Â
and other stuff in general. It's been really fun taking part in that community!
So if you want to help financially support this channel and help keep Â
Thomas Game Docs going into the future, then this Patreon page is a great way Â
to do that. Thank you very much for watching this video and I'll see you next time - bye!
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