Totaka’s Song Easter Egg Discovered in Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has a well-known tradition of hiding subtle musical Easter eggs across its games, with one melody standing out as a true hallmark of the company’s rich game development legacy.

In Mario Kart World for the Nintendo Switch, players have recently uncovered the inclusion of the iconic Totaka’s Song—a tune recognized and celebrated by longtime Nintendo fans. Mario Kart World, the latest entry in Nintendo’s beloved racing series, launched on the Nintendo Switch to worldwide acclaim.

Developed by Nintendo’s experienced internal teams, the game expands on the franchise’s hallmark gameplay while introducing a diverse roster of characters, tracks, and secrets.

Just a week after its release, social media buzzed with excitement as players observed a familiar Nintendo tradition woven into the game’s character selection menu. As documented by community members, most notably via a widely shared Mario Kart subreddit post, players who linger on the character select screen will eventually hear Yoshi humming a distinctive tune.

The user, identified as ‘charizardtelephone,’ recounted, “While spending time on the character select screen, I heard Mario humming and soon noticed Yoshi began humming a hidden melody.

After a few moments, it became clear—Yoshi was humming Totaka’s Song, reminiscent of previous Mario Kart releases.” This hidden audio Easter egg might be subtle, especially with background menu music, but attentive players will recognize the notes of Totaka’s Song—a composition originally penned by Kazumi Totaka, a prolific Japanese game composer and sound director.

Celebrated as one of Nintendo’s signature musical motifs, this melody has been subtly woven into numerous Nintendo games for decades, debuting in 1992’s Mario Paint and appearing in titles like Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and Mario Kart 8. There is a special connection between the song, Yoshi, and its creator: Kazumi Totaka is not only the composer behind the tune, but he also provides the iconic voice for Yoshi, reprising the role in Mario Kart World.

This tradition of including Totaka’s Song as an auditory Easter egg serves both as a tribute to the composer’s enduring impact at Nintendo and as a delightful nod for fans familiar with the company’s history. The discovery adds another layer of charm to Mario Kart World and highlights Nintendo’s ongoing commitment to playful secrets for dedicated players.

As the game continues to perform strongly on the Nintendo Switch and spark conversation across forums and media, these subtle Easter eggs reinforce the enduring bond between Nintendo, its creators, and its passionate community.

Mario Kart Nintendo Switch Mario Kart World Nintendo Mario Switch Kart Totaka’s Song Kazumi Totaka Yoshi Mario Kart 8 Animal Crossing Zelda Mario Paint Nintendo Everything