The Japanese release of this soundtrack, and those track titles tell you everything about the vibe. "Well Then, Shall We Get Started" is the most polite way to open a game about Bowser stealing a magic star rod. The N64's synth capabilities get pushed into this warm, almost toybox quality that perfectly matches the paper aesthetic.
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"Sunny Goomba Village" radiates pure comfort. "A Shy Guy Riot" has way more groove than a track about tiny masked troublemakers should. "Koopa Brothers' Fortress" builds real tension out of limited hardware, and "It's Bo" (cut off but we know where this is going) brings the sneaky energy.
Every composition feels handcrafted to match its moment. If you want to feel like it's 2000 and everything is fine, press play.