3. Main Theme
Super Mario 64
I was this close to choosing Dire, Dire Docks for this spot, but when it comes to finding the defining track of Super Mario 64, the Main Theme really does take Peach’s cake. For many, this song causes memories of blissful days running around Bob-omb Battlefield, avoiding water bombs, and diving into cannons. Not to mention, almost every single piece of music from the courses in Mario 64 are alternate versions of this theme, from the Princess’s Secret Slide to Snowman’s Land.
The track sounds like it would belong on a playground, inviting players to run and play however they pleased. Mario’s free range of control introduced on the Nintendo 64 fits right into this. Don’t tell me you didn’t spend hours running around in Super Mario 64 just jumping and doing tricks. And have you heard the orchestrated version of the theme from Super Mario Galaxy 2? It’s great!