GameXplain impressions
Mushroom Cup
Toad Circuit - 3 Laps
This is a simple course, replacing the likes of Luigi Circuit in Mario Kart Wii or Double Dash, featuring long, smooth turns. There is a single jump which allows you to try out the new flight mechanics as you sail over an overpass. The course is also decorated by gigantic Toad balloons that loom overhead.
Daisy Hills - 3 Laps
You’ll take a gentle ride through the countryin Daisy Hills. You’ll begin in a small, quaint village as you race across a few wooden bridges and up the hill-side. Shortly after passing a steep embankment, you’ll reach a massive jump giving you some serious airtime as you sail past several hot air balloons--if you hit one, you’ll bounce off like a pinball. You’ll touchdown back in the village as you pass a small fountain just before the next lap.
Cheep Cheep Lagoon - 3 Laps
After a short ride down a dirt path, you’ll spot a sign just ahead that reads “Go Dive Go,” just before you take a plunge into the lagoon. Underwater, you’ll pass giant seaweed and clamping clams, some of which are holding coins and item boxes if you’re daring enough to go for them. You’ll soon emerge in a dark cave where the path splits: the main road will drop you back intot he drink for a few seconds, while a think path on the left will lead you to a jump that’ll let you fly over the water.
Sky Guy Bazaar - 3 Laps
This level has an “Arabian Nights” feel, as you race through a marketplace under the cover of night. If you stick to the main course, you’ll have to avoid large jars scattering the roadway--some of which walk around on their own! However, you can also skip most of them by taking a ramp early on and riding on top of the shop’s roofs. After some S-turns, you’ll reach a large jump where you’ll take to the air and glide past several shy guys leisurly flying about on some magic carpets (it’s pretty adorable), then it’s just a short jaunt to the finish!
Flower Cup
Wuhu Loop - 1 Lap (3 Sections)
This is the same island that appeared in Wii Sports Resort (complete with a remix of that game’s main theme serving as the music) and Pilotwings 3DS. You’ll race through town, across a Golden gate-like bridge, before taking on the twisties in the mountain. You’ll soon reach a split path, one of which leads to a hang-gliding section complete with a giant fan aimed upward which will give you some additional airtime. The level plays surprisingly well as a Mario Kart level, and feels as if it were designed with it in mind (of course, they’ve taken some liberties with the island design to maximize the Mario Kart-ness). The course is only one lap, though it’s super-long.
Mario Circuit - 3 Laps
The name seems to be a misnomer, since really the race track is built around Peach’s castle, including a drive inside it, up a spiraling ramp. As you exit, you’ll pass by some floating bricks and giant goomas, before reaching a short hang-gliding section, complete with thermal vents from some warp pipes below for some extra lift. Just before the finish line, you’ll pass through a curving wrap pipe for the final turn.
Music Park - 3 Laps
This is one of the coolest and most original courses in any Mario Kart game yet. The race starts off on a track surrounded by giant trumpets. You’ll soon race over a piano, followed by a pair of xylophone, which which creates a sound as you pass over each key, which--if you’re going fast enough, actually creates a song that blends in perfectly with the tack music. Shortly after, you’ll bounce off a drum and pass through a tunnel lined with visualizers--it’s a cool effect. Then just before the finish line, you’ll race around a pair of gigantic bouncing notes, which hit the ground with such impact, you’ll bounce into the air (and if you time it right, you can even do stunts off these short hops!).
Rock Rock Mountain - 3 Laps
After racing through a bat-infested cave, you’ll take a lengthy flight past some tall pipes and through a pine tree forest. You’ll then dash up a steep straight-away--just watch out for the boulders that come barreling down! At the top is a short aerial haunt just before the finish line.
Star Cup
Piranha Plant Slide - 3 Laps
This level is like taking a water slide through classic super Mario Bros. levels. It begins with a short above-ground jaunt as you enter a waterslide, which leads underground through a warp pipe. You’ll race past giant Piranha plants in pipes in what looks like a 3D version of the original Mario’s underground levels. You’ll then enter an underwater section, before being blasted into the area as you fly past several several water-streams emerging from pipes. When you touchdown, it’s just a short ride past soem flap-poles and through the finish line, themed as the castle from the classic NES Mario.
Wario Shipyard - 3 Laps
This course is based entirely around shipwrecks, both above and underwater. Some of the hazards you’ll encounter are skeleton-fish and giant anchors that swing back and forth above ground. But despite being named “Wario’s Shipyard,” there isn’t much Wario-inspiration to be found, apart from some light purple and yellow coloring and some out-of-the-way banners.
Neo Bowser City - 3 Laps
The first thing you’ll notice is this level takes place in a harsh storm--the rain really looks fantastic, with realistic splattering on the ground. Your wheels even kick up water as you race. You’ll then race through a rather boring and linear city, with the most interesting aspect being a spiraling portion about halfway through. There are no major hazards to avoid, nor really interesting landmarks. If it weren’t for Bowser in the name, this course would have almost nothing of relevance to that character.
Maka Wuhu - 3 Laps
This course lakes place on the same island as Wuhu Loop, but in a different portion, and this time at dusk. You’ll start on some coastal roads before winding your through a cave and up the mountain. You’ll soon passy by a large castle, before gliding cliff on your way to a peninsula below (but not before passing by a floating platform right out of Pilotwings 3DS, which contains some item boxes if you’re lucky enough to land on it).
Special Cup
DK Jungle - 3 Laps
DK Jungle is one of the best character-themed levels in the game, perfectly capturing the essence of Donkey Kong Country Returns. You’ll begin by racing through a jungle past Tiki frog enemies who roam back and forth. After swinging past DK’s house and a series of waterfalls, you’ll pass through the Golden Tempe, complete with a giant golden banana, before taking on a flying section as you glide between several stone pillars.
Rosalina’s Ice World - 3 Laps
Although Rosalina was first in Mario Kart Wii, this is the first time she actually gets her own level. This ice-covered track will have you weaving through a slick half-pipe, though a brief cavern past icy-stalagmites, and then diving underwater as you evade swimming penguins. And if you take the time to look in the background, you may notice some cool details such as the crashed Toad ship and some nearby planets, both from Mario Galaxy.
Bowser’s Castle - 3 Laps
The Bowser Castle levels are usually among the best of the Mario Kart series and his 3DS installment doesn’t disappoint. You’ll begin by racing up the ramps in the lobby and through a corridor leading up to a couple of Thwomps. Before long, you’ll either race through or on top of a giant spinning log (depending on which path you take) before going for an underwater adventure as you drive around some lava geysers. The final section takes place on some twisty track sections surrounded by lava before ending with a hang-gliding section just before the finish line.
Rainbow Road - 1 Lap (3 Sections)
Epic. In a Mario Kart first, Rainbow Road is actually just a single lap, but what a fantastic lengthy experience it is. The rainbow colored track starts out pretty standards: some hairpin turns and some short gaps. But shrotly after going around a piral andinto the second section, you’ll find yourself thrust into the air and onto the rings of a nearby planet (like Saturn). Soon after, you’ll take on a section of track that waves like a flag and is littered with holes like swiss cheest--and if you fall through, you’ll land on the surface of a moon below, complete with low gravity, which you’ll notice as you dip in and out of the craters. After passing a Chomp Ball from Mario Galaxy (which is perhaps a reference to Mario Kart 64’s Rainbow Road, which had actual Chain Chomps), you’llreturn to the Rainbow-track for the final stretch. In this portion you’ll find moving walkways (like the ones at the airport) that speed you along before entering a giant spiraling cylinder with boost pads scattered all over. Now it’s just a few more hairpin turns to the finish!
Shell Cup
N64 Luigi Raceway
GBA Bowser Castle 1
Wii Mushroom Gorge
DS Luigi's Mansion
Banana Cup
N64 Koopa Beach
SNES Mario Circuit 2
Wii Coconut Mall
DS Waluigi's Pinball
Leaf Cup
N64 Kalimari Desert
DS DK Pass
GCN Daisy Cruiser
Wii Maple Treeway
Lightning Cup
Koopa Cape
Dino Dino Jungle
Airship Fortress
Rainbow Road
Spoiler
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