The Super Mario Bros. video games, in addition to being some of the most popular and iconic games of all time, also tend to have excellent soundtracks. A man who goes by the moniker Samurai Guitarist has taken the soundtrack to Super Mario Bros. 3 to the next level, by soundtracking a four-minute play-through with his own instrumentation.
The video is made up of several different little windows. One shows the play-through of the game, while the others show the Samurai Guitarist (who also calls himself Steve-san Onotera, but Samurai Guitarist just has a better ring to it) making all the music and noises of the game with a variety of instruments. The lower left box is for all the sound effects, which he makes with a guitar. He also plays the drums, the bass, a clarinet, and all sorts of instruments.
It’s super impressive, and it sounds great. It’s especially delightful when he gets to the boss battle. Feel that rock and roll music coursing through your veins! For sheer craftsmanship, it’s worth a watch, but don’t sleep on the music. Super Mario Bros. 3 is an excellent game as is. It’s even better listening to the Samurai Guitarist’s musical opus alongside it. The only disappointment is that he doesn’t play the magical whistle that takes Mario to another land, but let’s not quibble.
