Victory theme
A victory theme, sometimes referred to as a flourish, or a fanfare, is a short and recognizable melody that plays at the Results screen after a character wins a Vs. match or other similar events such as a Tourney. For instance, in the Results screen after Mario wins a match, an orchestral cover of the fanfare played at the end of each level in Super Mario Bros. plays.
Characters from the same universe usually share victory themes, but starting with Meta Knight in Brawl, several universes have received multiple unique victory fanfares in a single Smash entry. These include Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Kirby, Fire Emblem, Kid Icarus, Xenoblade Chronicles, Final Fantasy and Persona, with the latter's three unique themes all being tied to a single character, Joker, in Ultimate. In addition, Kazuya from the Tekken universe has no victory theme at all.
In Ultimate, several returning victory themes were shortened to be more consistent in length, either by increasing the tempo or abridging the melody.
Mario Victory Theme[edit]
| Mario Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Mario Victory Theme |
| Universe | Mario |
| Debut game | Super Mario Bros. |
| Characters accompanied | Mario Luigi Peach Bowser (Melee, Brawl) Dr. Mario Daisy |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Mario's Victory.
Origin[edit]
This flourish is a cover of "Course Clear", the jingle that would play whenever Mario or Luigi grabbed a Goal Pole in Super Mario Bros., a track that went on to become a recurring theme. In Ultimate, the entire fanfare is sped up slightly, and the ending is abridged.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl & SSB4 version
- Ultimate version
Mario Villains Victory Theme[edit]
| Mario Villains Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Mario Villains Victory Theme |
| Universe | Mario |
| Debut game | Super Mario Bros. |
| Characters accompanied | Bowser (SSB4, Ultimate) Bowser Jr. Piranha Plant |
Origin[edit]
A music piece based on the same melody as the Mario victory theme, but instead of a standard orchestral arrangement, the piece is played with slightly distorted electric guitars. It also resembles the level clear theme of Bowser's sidequests in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. This flourish also makes Bowser the only character to change victory themes from Brawl to Smash 4.
Gallery[edit]
- SSB4 & Ultimate version
Rosalina & Luma Victory Theme[edit]
| Rosalina & Luma Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Rosalina & Luma Victory Theme |
| Universe | Mario |
| Debut game | Super Mario Galaxy |
| Characters accompanied | Rosalina & Luma |
Origin[edit]
This flourish is a remix of "Overture", the title screen track for Super Mario Galaxy, as well as the theme played when Mario or Luigi obtains a Power Star in that game.
Gallery[edit]
- SSB4 & Ultimate version
Donkey Kong Victory Theme[edit]
| Donkey Kong Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Donkey Kong Victory Theme |
| Universe | Donkey Kong |
| Debut game | Donkey Kong Country |
| Characters accompanied | Donkey Kong Diddy Kong |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled DK's Victory.
Origin[edit]
This flourish is a cover of "Well Done", the short track that plays in Donkey Kong Country whenever a playable Kong defeated a boss or completed a bonus game.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl, SSB4 & Ultimate version
King K. Rool Victory Theme[edit]
| King K. Rool Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | King K. Rool Victory Theme |
| Universe | Donkey Kong |
| Debut game | Donkey Kong Country |
| Characters accompanied | King K. Rool |
Origin[edit]
This flourish is a small excerpt of "Gang-Plank Galleon" from Donkey Kong Country.
Gallery[edit]
- Ultimate version
The Legend of Zelda Victory Theme[edit]
| The Legend of Zelda Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | The Legend of Zelda Victory Theme |
| Universe | The Legend of Zelda |
| Debut game | The Legend of Zelda |
| Characters accompanied | Link Sheik Zelda Young Link Ganondorf Toon Link |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Zelda Team Victory.
SSB, Melee Origin[edit]
The flourish for The Legend of Zelda series in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee was an excerpt of the "Overworld Theme" in The Legend of Zelda, a track which went on to become the main theme of the series. The excerpt is also followed by the theme that plays when Link obtains certain items.
Brawl, SSB4, Ultimate Origin[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Zelda series got a new flourish, now a cover of "Got a Triforce Fragment", the music that would play when Link obtained a Triforce Piece in The Legend of Zelda for the NES. This song is also the basis for the Ultimate flourish; however, the theme is rearranged to be significantly shorter.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl & SSB4 version
- Ultimate version
Metroid Victory Theme[edit]
| Metroid Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Metroid Victory Theme |
| Universe | Metroid |
| Debut game | Metroid |
| Characters accompanied | Samus Zero Suit Samus |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Samus's Victory.
Origin[edit]
In Metroid for the NES, this flourish would originally play when Samus Aran obtained a new power-up or addition to her Power Suit, as well as when Samus defeated Ridley or Kraid, known as "Item Obtained". In nearly every Metroid game since, a variation of this fanfare is used for acquiring major item upgrades.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl, SSB4 & Ultimate version
Metroid Villains Victory Theme[edit]
| Metroid Villains Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Metroid Villains Victory Theme |
| Universe | Metroid |
| Debut game | Metroid |
| Characters accompanied | Ridley Dark Samus |
Origin[edit]
Ridley and Dark Samus's victory theme is an intense and sinister variation of the Metroid victory theme.
The E3 2018 demo featured a different victory theme based upon the "Unknown Item" fanfare from Metroid: Zero Mission.
Gallery[edit]
- Ultimate version
Yoshi Victory Theme[edit]
| Yoshi Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Yoshi Victory Theme |
| Universe | Yoshi |
| Debut game | Yoshi's Story |
| Characters accompanied | Yoshi |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Yoshi's Victory.
Origin[edit]
This flourish is a combination of two small music excerpts from Yoshi's Story. The first is a sped-up, orchestrated cover of the title music, "Yoshi's Story!", while the other is "30 Fruit!", the short flourish that plays when Yoshi collects all thirty necessary fruits and completes a level. In Ultimate, it plays at a slightly faster tempo, and the second half of the jingle is abridged.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl & SSB4 version
- Ultimate version
Kirby Victory Theme[edit]
| Kirby Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Kirby Victory Theme |
| Universe | Kirby |
| Debut game | Kirby's Dream Land |
| Characters accompanied | Kirby King Dedede |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Kirby's Victory.
Origin[edit]
Kirby and King Dedede's victory theme is a cover of the "Kirby Dance" theme that plays when Kirby completes a stage or defeats a boss, debuting in Kirby's Dream Land (though the shortened version that this track is based on debuted in Kirby's Adventure). The Melee version of this flourish is considerably slower in pace in relation to the original track, though its other versions more closely match its original tempo.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl, SSB4 & Ultimate version
Meta Knight Victory Theme[edit]
| Meta Knight Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Meta Knight Victory Theme |
| Universe | Kirby |
| Debut game | Kirby's Dream Land |
| Characters accompanied | Meta Knight |
Origin[edit]
The Meta Knight Victory Theme is also based on the "Kirby Dance" theme, but is performed with electric guitars in quadruple meter, as opposed to the symphonic instrumentation and triple meter of the Kirby Victory Theme.
Gallery[edit]
- Brawl, SSB4 & Ultimate version
Star Fox Victory Theme[edit]
| Star Fox Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Star Fox Victory Theme |
| Universe | Star Fox |
| Debut game | Star Fox 64 |
| Characters accompanied | Fox Falco Wolf |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Fox's Victory.
Origin[edit]
This victory theme is based upon "Title Theme" from Star Fox 64. It also shares similarities with "Mission Complete", the music that would play in that game when Fox completed a level, as that track was also based on the title theme.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl, SSB4 & Ultimate version
Pokémon Victory Theme[edit]
| Pokémon Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | Pokémon Victory Theme |
| Universe | Pokémon |
| Debut game | Pokémon Red and Green Versions |
| Characters accompanied | Pikachu Jigglypuff Pichu Mewtwo Pokémon Trainer Charizard Lucario Greninja Incineroar |
In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Pokémon Victory.
Origin[edit]
This victory theme is a small excerpt of the title theme for the first generation of Pokémon, a track which would go on to become the Pokémon main theme for the entire series. In Ultimate, the theme is abridged.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl & SSB4 version
- Ultimate version
EarthBound (Mother) Victory Theme[edit]
| EarthBound (Mother) Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | EarthBound (Mother) Victory Theme |
| Universe | EarthBound |
| Debut game | EarthBound (SSB, Melee) EarthBound Beginnings (Brawl, SSB4) (Ultimate) |
| Characters accompanied | Ness Lucas |
On the Nintendo All-Star! Dairantō Smash Brothers OST, this theme is titled Ness Wins. In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Ness's Victory.
SSB, Melee Origin[edit]
In EarthBound, a major objective is for Ness to collect the Eight Melodies. This victory theme comes from the final four melodies of the eight.
Brawl, SSB4 Origin[edit]
This victory theme is a highly sped-up remix of Mother Earth, the title theme of the original NES Mother / EarthBound Beginnings.
Ultimate Origin[edit]
This victory theme flourish is a combination of the final two out of the Eight Melodies in Mother / EarthBound Beginnings.
Gallery[edit]
- Super Smash Bros. version
- Melee version
- Brawl & SSB4 version
- Ultimate version
F-Zero Victory Theme[edit]
| F-Zero Victory Theme | |
|---|---|
| Track title | F-Zero Victory Theme |
| Universe | F-Zero |
| Debut game | F-Zero X (SSB, Melee), F-Zero GX (Brawl, SSB4, Ultimate) |
| Characters accompanied | Captain Falcon |
On the Nintendo All-Star! Dairantō Smash Brothers OST, this theme is titled C. Falcon Wins. In the Melee Sound Test, this theme is titled Capt. Falcon's Victory.
SSB, Melee Origin[edit]
This victory theme is an electric guitar-based cover of "Goal Fanfare", the short track that would play when a character finished a race in F-Zero X. In Melee, it appears to be performed by the same musicians as the Mute City theme.
Brawl, SSB4 and Ultimate Origin[edit]
This victory theme is an electric guitar-based cover of "Finish to Go", the short track that would play when a character finished a race in F-Zero GX.