ReMix: Super Mario 64 'The Alternate Route'
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- Game: Super Mario 64 (Nintendo, 1996, N64)
- ReMixer(s): ParagonX9
- Composer(s): Koji Kondo
- Song(s): 'Koopa's Road'
- Posted: 2004-10-11, evaluated by the judges
Guilty fun. Well, actually, not that guilty - this d'n'b/breakbeat SM64 mix from newcomer ParagonX9 has some good structure, variety, a nice intro, and some downright mean effects and transitions. Judges had some reservations - I think one thing that's important to keep in mind is the rather limited original material, which is admittedly not overly modified, but instead contextualized inside a very energetic, loud (perhaps too loud - there were some suggestions that it could have been mixed a little more conservatively in this regard) electronica track. There are some more repetitive portions, but pieces like 2'38" where the melody is repeated once over a very deep sub do have a distinct flavor to them. Shariq, who I believe shares my depression at the recent conclusion of Full Metal Alchemist (non-sequitir), sums things up:
"Arrangement feels too repetitive for me. Some nice drum work, but some of it's a bit loopy. Hi-freqs could use a boost. It's a nice take on the source material though; bass stuff is really tight sounding. Overall its a very groovy piece, with some overlookable issues."
It's not your typical SM64 mix. The minimal rising synth pads in the intro actually reminded me to very beginning of the main theme from the Terminator films, and the rest is solid breakbeat stuffs with a competent grip on firing changeups when they're needed. Could have been more interpretive and innovative, but didn't need to be just to cut the mustard, given the overall presence and mojo. Good initial mix that gets more things right than wrong and gives Mario something to dance to, or alternatively you could listen to it while playing the recently announced SM64 remake for the DS when it's released. Fun.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the I discovered this on Youtube, copied as it has been multiple times
onto different Youtube accounts, before I found it on OC. I always
liked this remix, as I feel it gave the technological feel that the
Super Mario 64 Bowser Roads (especially Bowser in The Dark World)
always had. While it may not build as much as other ReMixes do, it
fits the feel of the source, and the several returns to the
beginning will always make me smile because of how many times
Bowser in the Sky killed me and sent me flying out of that pipe.
Keep up the good work!
- Priests and Protists on August 19, 2010
- Priests and Protists on August 19, 2010
Nice loops, bro. :-)
The track does tread water for the duration, but I did have a good time with it, and cool breakdown sections mixed in with some modulations and SFX keep things interesting until it's over.
Good stuff, but not great. :-)
- OA on March 10, 2010
The track does tread water for the duration, but I did have a good time with it, and cool breakdown sections mixed in with some modulations and SFX keep things interesting until it's over.
Good stuff, but not great. :-)
- OA on March 10, 2010
This isn't a mix I would describe as going places. It lingers on
the one section of the source the entire time, lingering with the
drum loop, lingering with synth cycles. It's fun to listen to, but
it has a hard time satisfying my appetite.
Technically I see nothing wrong with this. I love the source tune, I think the samples sound great. I just have a real problem with the arrangement. It's not that I think it is boring, I'm happy to sit through this. But as far as my want for it to progress, to build or to even bridge, it underperforms. This is the sort of mix that travels its furthest in its first minute, and from then on gets overly comfortable in what it is doing.
Like I said, it's more than competent for D'n'B, not so much for game music remixing. By no means a stinker, but a little outside my tastes.
- Marmiduke on January 4, 2010
Technically I see nothing wrong with this. I love the source tune, I think the samples sound great. I just have a real problem with the arrangement. It's not that I think it is boring, I'm happy to sit through this. But as far as my want for it to progress, to build or to even bridge, it underperforms. This is the sort of mix that travels its furthest in its first minute, and from then on gets overly comfortable in what it is doing.
Like I said, it's more than competent for D'n'B, not so much for game music remixing. By no means a stinker, but a little outside my tastes.
- Marmiduke on January 4, 2010
I'm not even usually that big a fan of d'n'b (maybe it's the
breakbeat part that does it for me), but this is a great, solid mix
that really gets me jamming. Awesome job here.
- Lucentas on December 11, 2009
- Lucentas on December 11, 2009
Pyromuffin;36785 wrote: more of ParagonX9's work at http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/view.php?id=198486
and for the song, I've been following ParagonX9's work for a long time now and this isn't one of his best tracks (see Danger Ahead) but I still enjoyed it because I'm a very big SM64 fan.
I was going to mention that, but, good, someone else already did.
Anyway, cool, I had forgotten you had an account here. Great remix... a little repetitive at the end, but, eh, who cares. Still fun to listen to.
- MstrSwrd on October 29, 2008
This was one, IMO, one of my few mistaken votes that I've made out
of nearly 2,000 votes. I'd say maybe 4 or 5 I would change given
the chance. Pretty much all of them in my first couple of months on
the panel.
One of the things this mix later underscored to me was that, IMO, you should never vote down a track because it only deals with a limited portion of the source tune being used. There's no obligation to base a mix on most or all of the ideas presented in a source tune.
This piece worked with the main verses of "Koopa's Road" extremely well with a lot of interpretation and personalization, mostly in the instrumentation and mood, but also in the compositional quality of the original sections added. So thanks a lot to Jermain for helping me broaden my thinking and improve my open-mindedness as a judge.
- Liontamer on May 22, 2008
One of the things this mix later underscored to me was that, IMO, you should never vote down a track because it only deals with a limited portion of the source tune being used. There's no obligation to base a mix on most or all of the ideas presented in a source tune.
This piece worked with the main verses of "Koopa's Road" extremely well with a lot of interpretation and personalization, mostly in the instrumentation and mood, but also in the compositional quality of the original sections added. So thanks a lot to Jermain for helping me broaden my thinking and improve my open-mindedness as a judge.
- Liontamer on May 22, 2008
this is the sort of remix i hoped somebody would make of this
song
though i guess things like the bass could be a little more aggressive
good job
- Radiowar on June 4, 2007
though i guess things like the bass could be a little more aggressive
good job
- Radiowar on June 4, 2007
hey dude this track of your is really good man really brings the
fear out of a person if any one has played the game hahaha. great
work man this is top range work man goodluck man for yh next
track..
- Darkshadow455 on June 4, 2007
- Darkshadow455 on June 4, 2007
Ok, so I'm one of those people that has been coming to this site
for years (since around 2002) and never posted. Time to break that
trend :).
This is one of my favorite songs on OCR. I've always loved the source tune from the game, but this takes it to new levels. I guess I can see why many feel it's repetative, but I honestly think there's enough change-ups to keep it interesting. Plus, it's added a ton of energy to the original tune, which was already solid. Excellent work.
- Nutritious on October 4, 2006
This is one of my favorite songs on OCR. I've always loved the source tune from the game, but this takes it to new levels. I guess I can see why many feel it's repetative, but I honestly think there's enough change-ups to keep it interesting. Plus, it's added a ton of energy to the original tune, which was already solid. Excellent work.
- Nutritious on October 4, 2006
I second all previous comments. This remix really captures the mood
of the original and the percussion really keeps it going with the
intricate rhythm. The stop-go pace of this remix really keeps you
engaged. Keep it going Paragon X9!
- lady zelda on May 11, 2006
- lady zelda on May 11, 2006
I can't stop listening to this song!!!
If you are a fan of the Tetris Techno song?
Heavy Drum'N'Bass goodness?
This song owns honestly, such a pump up!!!
I just pulled out Mario 64 to beat the final boss to hear the song again.
Such memories :D :D :D
- Muteki on May 11, 2006
If you are a fan of the Tetris Techno song?
Heavy Drum'N'Bass goodness?
This song owns honestly, such a pump up!!!
I just pulled out Mario 64 to beat the final boss to hear the song again.
Such memories :D :D :D
- Muteki on May 11, 2006
Go backwards in time 10 days before this post. I was playing Super
Mario 64 on my emulator and heard the original song in the Bowser
Room #1. Go forward 3 days after that, and this song still has what
it takes. My foot always taps without fail when this song is
playing, and even a little head nodding is in order too. The main
track sounds like a mix between chanting and bass, with a little
bit of electric guitar. This definitely gets a 10 out of 10
fireballs.
- RPharazon on February 23, 2005
- RPharazon on February 23, 2005
Yase. it roxxor's my soxxors.
I was just thinking the other day that someone should remix this song.
personally, I think that there should have been more of the original motif appearing in it, but it still works this way.
Also, I think that maybe the next person to remix this song should try making a new melody based on the original one, interlace it from time to time, then bring them together. But thats just a thought. :D
- jaw the un on February 19, 2005
I was just thinking the other day that someone should remix this song.
personally, I think that there should have been more of the original motif appearing in it, but it still works this way.
Also, I think that maybe the next person to remix this song should try making a new melody based on the original one, interlace it from time to time, then bring them together. But thats just a thought. :D
- jaw the un on February 19, 2005
