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Sub-Tree Area
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| Sub-Tree Area | |
|---|---|
Sample of "Sub-Tree Area" from Kirby Super Star and its remake. | |
| Details | |
| Debut appearance | Kirby Super Star (1996) |
| Last appearance | Kirby Air Riders (2025) |
| Other appearance(s) | Kirby Super Star Ultra Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U Kirby Star Allies Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
| Composer(s) | Jun Ishikawa[1] |
"Sub-Tree Area"[2] (originally called "Underground Tree Area"[3]) is a theme from Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra that plays throughout Sub-Tree, Old Tower and Hotbeat. It was composed by Jun Ishikawa.[1]
Composition[edit]
"Sub-Tree Area" is characterized by a strong and simple percussion and microtonal melody, giving it a primitivistic and exotic atmosphere. The song is set in the Arabic maqam Rast, the tonic is C, and the meter is a typical 4/4. The intro section sets up these traits immediately: while a snare drum and timpani dominate as a percussive basis, a short low-pitched melodic phrase circles around G and C with a neutral second in between. The snare drum closes out the intro with a solo, at which point the percussion and melody go in different directions. The timpani marks strong beats with a G-C jump on the fourth beats throughout most of track. The melody begins half a beat into the bar, giving a sensation of a strong second beat. Played by violin, pan flute and trumpet-like instruments in alternation, it is predominantly descending, and includes quarter tones in place of tones that would otherwise determine a major or minor key (i.e. iii and vi). Each phrase of the melody varies slightly, utilizing ornaments or taking a turn at a different point in the ending. By the fourth variation, short rising fragments remotely hint at "Green Greens". After this, the second section presents a louder and more static contrasting rising phrase, which ends up resolving similarly to the previous phrases, once descending, and the second time rising.
The first section repeats; however, when the second section's turn arrives, the timpani halts completely, and the phrase sounds comparatively quiet, serving as a pause and quiet climax. Here, microtonality fades away, instead focusing on the melody. As it varies further, it gains a rhythm and phrasing reminiscent of "Kirby's Triumphant Return". Soon after the percussion, while still light, gains more traction, and the melody once again has microtonal aspects and plays in the registers of the intro. The entirety of the final section is improvisational in nature, using the rhythmical tendencies of the first section to climb back up to the theme's main pitch. Once it does so, it hits G as the dominant and loops from the first section.
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra[edit]
In Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra, "Sub-Tree Area" is the stage theme for Sub-Tree and Old Tower in The Great Cave Offensive, as well as Hotbeat in Milky Way Wishes. It can be found as track 34 in the original SNES version's Sound Test and track 040 in the remake's.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, "Sub-Tree Area" appears alongside "Crystal Area" as a part of "The Great Cave Offensive", which plays in the eponymous stage. This version possesses more orchestrated instrumentation than the original, and microtonal elements are replaced within standard 12-tone temperation. The medley returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it is now available to play on all Kirby stages, Battlefield, Big Battlefield, Small Battlefield and Final Destination.
Kirby Star Allies[edit]
In Kirby Star Allies, the original theme from Kirby Super Star plays in the Nature's Navel-inspired areas of Duplex Dream. It can be found in that game's Jukebox as track 081. Interestingly, until version 3.0.0, only the first half of the track played.
Kirby Air Riders[edit]
In Kirby Air Riders, a new arrangement of "Sub-Tree Area" paired with "Crystal Area" can be unlocked as the alternate track for Cavernous Corners. It is titled "Cavernous Corners (Alt)" / "The Great Cave Offensive" in the Music Player.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 地底の木々エリア[4][5][6] chitei no kigi eria |
Subterranean Forest Area Derived from the Japanese name of Sub-Tree (ちていの木々), using the kanji writing of 地底 rather than the in-game hiragana writing. |
| English | Sub-Tree Area[2] Underground Tree Area[3] |
The name of the theme was updated on September 18th, 2025, properly matching the name of the area used in Kirby Super Star and its remake. |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kirby Star Allies Jukebox
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nintendo Music listing for Kirby Star Allies, since September 18th, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nintendo Music listing for Kirby Star Allies, before September 18th, 2025
- ↑ Kirby Ultra Super Deluxe Original Sound Track
- ↑ Kirby Star Allies: The Original Soundtrack
- ↑ Nintendo Music listing for Kirby Star Allies
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