10 of my favourite Mario Kart tracks

This time I thought I'd try something a bit different. I'll present some of my all time favourite tracks in the popular Mario Kart series. They are in no particular order; the main reason for this being that I cannot really place them in an order of priority from 10 to 1, and even if I could, they would be subject to change every few weeks. The tracks are taken from the seven console games (SNES, N64, GBA, GCN, DS, Wii and 3DS); I didn't include the two arcade games, as I haven't yet played them.

So, without further ado, here are 10 of my favourite Mario Kart tracks:

DK Snowboard Cross/ DK Summit  
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii 

Kicking off the list is this snow course from the incredibly popular Mario Kart Wii. Arguably the best snow course the series has produced, DK Snowboard Cross sees you launched from a cannon to the top of a snowy peak, from which you progress back down to the finish line. Easier said than done however, as said journey downwards is full of piles of snow that slow you down considerably, deceptively easy to fall down drops and snowboarding Shy Guys. You'll have a lot of opportunities to perform tricks when you encounter these guys, and it's always a mad rush in the third lap with eleven other racers all trying to find the quickest course of action to get to the goal.

Koopa Troopa Beach

Appears in: Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart 7   

A sensational course from the first 3-D Mario Kart, Koopa Troopa Beach seems simple in terms of layout, but looks can be deceiving. The course is boarded by deep water in which you will have to be rescued by Lakitu should you drive too far into it. On the beach itself, you will encounter several ramps, palm trees that you do not want to meet in a head on collision and a host of crabs scuttling about the finish line (they definitely chose their place strategically). Perhaps the most famous attraction of the course is the cave shortcut. If you time the jump off the ramp leading into it just right, you'll cut a large portion at the top right of the course. Mushrooms are advised for practice. All in all, Koopa Troopa Beach is a course that all Mario Kart fans, both veterans and rookies can enjoy every time.



Bowser Castle (GCN)
Appears in: Mario Kart Double Dash

Bowser Castle has appeared in many different incarnations in every Mario Kart game to date, and that's very unlikely to change any time soon. Proof of that lies within what I consider to be the best incarnation of the track in the whole series. The course contains all the sacred symbols that make these tracks so iconic and challenging, such as thwomps, sharp turns, dangerous jumps, awesome music and lots and lots of lava. What makes this course the best of the lot in my opinion is that it is simply the most fun.Whether you're navigating the thwomp-invested corridors, clinging on for dear life over a steel grating suspended over lava or racing head-on towards the fireball spitting Bowser statue, you feel constantly engaged from start to finish. The icing on this deliciously devilish cake for me is that when ever you get hit, either by an item or course obstacle, you hear Bowser's ferocious laughter echo through the castle; his little way of reminding you that you're on his turf now.



Ghost Valley 3
Appears in: Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart Super Circuit

Taken from the very first Mario Kart game on the Super Nintendo, Ghost Valley 3 is your last visit to this decrepit, ancient bridge. Many portions of the track fell off long ago, leaving several gaps at the most inconvenient of spots. On top of that, almost all of the turns are sharp and there is little to speak of in terms of guardrails for most of the course and even the rails that do remain disappear after a single hit; as if this track wasn't already lethal enough. It's not all bad though, the speed boost panel at the bottom right of the course can work wonders in combination with the jump panel in front of it. Overall, Ghost Valley 3 is a shining example of what made the original Super Mario Kart such an innovation in the video game industry, and why it's design is still considered masterful even today.

Waluigi Pinball
Appears in: Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 7

What can you say about Waluigi Pinball? From the second you see it, you're guaranteed to have a grin on your face just because of the sheer imagination on display. And besides, who doesn't love the idea of racing in a giant pinball machine? From the starting line you'll be launched through a rainbow tunnel to the top of the track, ala a pinball being launched in a pinball machine. It's all downwards from there; long, sharp turns and giant pin balls await to make it so that you'll have to constantly be alert to survive in Waluigi's domain. The real challenge is at the foot of the track. Giant bumpers and flippers are intimidating enough on their own, but the fact that they'll be hurling pin balls your way keeps things both crazy and unpredictable on your journey back to the finish line. Waluigi Pinball is one of those tracks that just has fun being fun. Great stuff.

Alpine Pass/ Rock Rock Mountain
Appears in: Mario Kart 7

The newest course on the list makes really good use of the gliding feature in Mario Kart 7. Most of the track takes place on a mountainside where it is all to easy for an unwary racer to fall to his or her demise (Lakitu will still save you of course). Racers jockey for position in the bat inhabited caves, before taking to the skies with the gliders. Getting hit here can be disastrous as you'll want to stay airborne for as long as possible to keep your speed up. Therefore defencive driving/ flying is advised.

Once everyone has touched down on solid ground again, they'll find themselves climbing a portion of the mountain, complete with huge boulders plummeting down at lightning speed. Choosing your boost pads wisely is key to avoiding them. Before the finish line is another opportunity to use your glider and you can stay airborne for much longer than you might think here. A wonderful course all in all that proves that even after nineteen years, Mario Kart has still got it. Oh, and one more thing. The music on this course? Rocking!

Sunset Wilds

Appears in: Mario Kart Super Circuit

Showing the GBA version of Mario Kart some affection, Sunset Wilds is an epic course set in the desert. The course gets its name from how the sun gradually sets as you complete your three laps; it'll be night time in the last lap. Spacious mud puddles, totem poles, and rocks are your obstacles here. The former slows you down (which can be countered by careful manoeuvrability of surrounding dash panels) while the latter two will stop you dead in your tracks. The most memorable feature is the Shy Guy tippis about half way through. Hitting one will provoke a Shy Guy to grab the back of your kart and slow you down while also taking some coins to return the favour. Sunset Wilds is a prime example of 2-D Mario Kart at it's finest and doesn't receive enough love in my opinion.

Airship Fortress

Appears in: Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 7

Another classic course from the DS game, Airship Fortress takes you on a particularly dangerous tour of one of Bowser's famous airships. The course wastes no time in throwing you in at the deep end, and you'll be dodging a never ending group of Bullet Bills seconds after you've started. Then it's onto the main deck, where Monty Moles frequently pop up to give any kart racers they encounter a hard time. Giant flame- throwers intent on scorching anyone they come across patrol the depths of the ship and when you're done with them, a mighty cannon sends you hurtling towards a long, hairpin turn down to a dangerously narrow wall, and then back to the finish line. Bowser has always made it his priority to throw everything he can at Mario to make his adventures more difficult, and this intense, edge-of-your-seat track sums that up brilliantly.

Maple Treeway
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7

Maple Treeway is a relatively peaceful course from the Mario Kart Wii era. It is set in the tree tops of an autumn forest.You'll find yourself at the tree top courtesy of a cannon (these seem to be a popular theme of this list...) and race through some fairly tricky turns, which include piles of fallen leaves that can leave bananas, mushrooms or if you're really lucky, a star. Two giant Wigglers have made a home out of a fairly wide portion of the course and this can be quite a pain when you find yourself frantically weaving between their long frames to stay on track. From there you'll soon find a wooden bridge which is a great place to leave traps for the more unwary racers. All that remains is large piece of netting that sways in the breeze; an ideal spot for tricks and getting that extra edge over your opponents seconds before the finish. Maple Treeway is my favourite course in Mario Kart Wii and one of the all time best in the series in my eyes. It's happy and laid back, but it still manages to be both fun and challenging.

Rainbow Road

Appears in: Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart Double Dash, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7

You might have seen this coming. I couldn't decide on a single favourite version of this track and I think they're all great, so why not include all of them?

The Rainbow Road courses have always been the final track in each Mario Kart game, and while each maintains the theme of a rainbow-paved path suspended in the star-filled sky, each is unique and brings something new and interesting to the table. The SNES version is nerve-racking with no guardrails at all and Super Thwomps stomping at the most inconvenient places. The N64 version is long and peaceful, if you avoid the Chain Chops patrolling it. The GBA version is fast and energetic, courtesy of jump panels for boarders and dash panels aplenty. The GCN version combines the feeling of all three of these and adds it's own twists, such as a pipe that shoots racers to a higher portion of the track at full speed. The DS version brings to mind F-Zero, thanks to it's many loops and corkscrews. The Wii version is heavily based on Super Mario Galaxy and contains many killer turns and a rainbow cannon (I dodged a blue shell for the first time here). Finally, the 3DS version is one long course with sections rather than laps. The affect of lower gravity is much more noticeable here, especially when you drive on the moon, before an adrenaline rush to the finish line in the final section.

One thing that makes all the Rainbow Roads so endearing and special is that they all allow you to reflect on the series as a whole and bind the games together. No Mario Kart game would be truly complete without one.

And thus concludes my list. I hope you enjoyed reading my opinions on the tracks listed here. It was certainly interesting to take a break from reviews for a little bit.

Until next time, keep on karting! :)