The theme comes from Super Mario 64, released by Nintendo in 1996 for the Nintendo 64, where collecting the Metal Cap transforms Mario into Metal Mario and changes the background music to this heavier arrangement. The power-up lets him walk underwater, resist wind and ignore most damage, which made the metallic version instantly recognisable to a generation of players. It later spread through gameplay videos, memes and remixes, and creators still reuse it today because it communicates strength and invincibility in just a few seconds.