The origin of Mario’s iconic jump sound

Channel:
United Kingdom Thomas Game Docs
Subscribers:
616,000
Published on ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bgAnZYzyMs


Game:
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Duration: 0:00
227,819 views
6,255

Mario's jump sound is iconic - from Super Mario Bros on the NES to Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the Switch, the noise that plays when Mario leaps into the air has long been a Mario staple. In this video, I'll explore how Nintendo composer Koji Kondo created this sound, I'll discuss some of the music theory behind the sound effect, and we'll talk about how the jump sound has changed and evolved over the past 35 years!

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SOURCES
https://shmuplations.com/nintendogamemusic/ Interview with Koji Kondo and Kazumi Totaka
https://shmuplations.com/kojikondo/ Interview with Koji Kondo
https://games.kikizo.com/features/koji_kondo_iv_p1.asp Interview with Koji Kondo
https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/super-mario-all-stars/0/4/ Interview with Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota
   • Hirokazu Tanaka on Nintendo Game Music, Re...   Interview with Hip Tanaka
https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-11-super-mario-bros-wonder-part-2/ Interview with staff of Super Mario Bros Wonder.
https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/koji-kondo-interview.pdf Interview with Koji Kondo about Super Mario Bros.
https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/10/a-music-trivia-tour-with-nintendos-koji-kondo Discussion of Nintendo’s early sound engineers

CREDITS
Pan flute audio clip via CarlosCarty
Charles Martinet photo via Gage Skidmore

MUSIC
All music written and arranged by me.
Drum loop performed by mpointon, used with permission.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:53 Miyamoto's request
2:30 The arcade era
3:30 Koji Kondo's sound
5:06 The evolution of the sound
8:04 The N64 problem
10:33 Wonder and the ukulele
12:59 Outro



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At present, Thomas Game Docs has 1,783,857 views spread across 5 videos for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, with his channel publishing less than an hour of Super Mario Bros. Wonder content. This is 2.91% of the total watchable video on Thomas Game Docs's YouTube channel.