Infendo’s Top 5 Mario Kart tracks
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 6:04pm by Jake
What truly defines Mario Kart? Characters, items, and kart type are the main factors, but the course designs are truly at the core of each race. Since our first taste of kart racing back in 1992, Mario Kart tracks have undergone major changes. Some courses lack skill to master, while others such as the DS version require precision handling and a memorized course layout.
As many know, Mario Kart Wii will be releasing this Sunday (April 27) and it’s only proper to compile a small list of my all time favorite tracks throughout the entire Mario Kart series.
5) Donut Plains – Super Mario Kart
Simple can be better. Clean, colorful, and flat, Donut Plains is the perfect way to refine your turns and cut corners. Skill is in getting a good slide around those tight corners just in time to steal 1st place. Though it has been brought to other MK titles, racing through Donut Plains on the SNES can’t be beat.
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4) DK’s Jungle Parkway – Mario Kart 64
Who doesn’t remember your first race through this bad boy? You ramp over a stinkin river boat! The lush N64 jungle would bludgeon the crap out of you via coconuts if you were bumped off the track. Your best bet is to drop a minefield of bananas for opposing racers to wipe out on.
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3) Waluigi Stadium – Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Though MK64 had a similar dirt track, Waluigi Stadium is the best off-road course that the Mario Kart series has to offer. Improvements over N64’s Wario Stadium were the overall smaller track width. This contributed to more action and shell flying which is never a bad thing in Mario Kart. Larger ramps and more item boxes only increased the chaos. Try to getting a heavy kart with good handling to round those turns.
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2) Luigi Circuit – Mario Kart Double Dash!!
A great track where good speed and a light kart really come into play. Your decision when slinging around the two opposite turns will ultimately decide your end position. Slide around the top with the multi-boosts will give you a quick break from the action, but sliding sharply around the base of the turn will yield excellent times. If you have the skills enough to break away from the rest of the group you gain the pleasure of smashing oncoming racers. Just don’t hit the Chain Chomp!
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1) Delfino Square – Mario Kart DS
Might not be what others consider their numero uno, but this track is a blast for me. The way the winding course flows through Delfino and loops back into a wide straight away makes this a great track to test your snaking skills. The most overlooked shortcut would have to be the small dirt alleyway that is blocked by banana boxes. This can be easily accessed by a quick slide which of done properly will get you ahead of the competition. Thankfully we will be able to race through Delfino Square in Mario Kart Wii. Remember to survive those blasted blue shells once you start pwning online.
What are your favorite tracks in the series?
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Might want to re-format the article, numbers 2 and 4 kind of get lost in the spacing. Oddly enough, those are the two tracks out of the list that I don’t like at all, so I guess it was formatted right after all.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
no love for rainbow road?
for shame.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
I can’t stand any of the Rainbow roads, sorry
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
No love for Yoshi Circuit on the GC & DS?
http://www.mariowiki.com/Yoshi_Circuit
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I agree with you one Delfino Square. I just tear up that course online.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Koopa Beach all the way
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Wario Colosseum gets #1 in my book.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Wah? no love for Bowser’s Castle? Those were always difficult but insanely fun.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Great call on Donut Plains (SNES), Jake. Definitely one of the best in the series, and easily one of my favourites. Great turns, great (sparse) item placement, great skill required. Great course.
If I had to pick a quick top five, mine would be:
05. Ghost Valley (SNES)
04. DK Mountain (GCN)
03. Bowser’s Castle (GCN)
02. Airship Fortress (DS)
01. Rainbow Road (GCN)
I think Mario Kart: Double Dash (GCN) had some of the best courses in the history of the series. Not sure why there was so much hate for that game; it doesn’t get much better than some of those courses.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
^I agree all the way, GCN had some great track designs.
There’s just something about Rainbow Road that I hate….maybe the music.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I would have to go with Rainbow Road on the N64 as my favorite track of all time.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Banshee Boardwalk.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Rainbow road is only about 20 minutes too long and boring as hell. Other than that it sucks.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Seriously? Those were horrible tracks! :p
Rainbow Road (MKDS) owns all of these.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Next Top 5: Top 5 Mario Kart Rainbow Roads.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Rainbow Road on SNES. Now there’s a track that took skill.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I can’t believe the only one from N64 is DKs Jungle! I never liked that course, though I definitely wouldn’t put rainbow road on the list (way too long, and too hard to catch up when you get behind even if you drive with skill). I would have picked banshee’s boardwalk or bowser’s castle from n64, since you have to have tight skills and control to win at those courses. You have to be really good to hit those tight curves and not fall off into water/ lava.
In general I like Mario Kart on the 64 WAY better than Double Dash. I think the driving mechanics were better in 64. And the multiplayer games on Double Dash aren’t as fun.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Mario Kart 64 - Royal Raceway however without the ‘cheat glitches’. I always loved that one. Just the right length, variety, etc…
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:20 am
I agree with Delphino Square, Waluigi Stadium and DK Jungle Parkway. But I’ve also got to say Rainbow Road, the music by and large makes it for me. However, they always separate the men from the boys. Play Rainbow Road online, 12 people, with 6 6000’s ranking individuals and 6 4000’s ranking individuals to see what I mean.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:56 am
Rainbow Road has been my favourite since the beginning, they’ve designed a new one for every game and the ones for DS and GCN were the ones that got it right, I’m kinda dissapointed with the Wii one, mainly cause I keep losing on it lol
Another one they should have brought back, baby circuit, was one of the easiest tracks to master but was so fun, one second you’re first and about to lap the other players, the next you’re in last place and have been lapped yourself, it’s such a hit/miss stage which makes it so fun.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:16 am
Baby Park!! The total chaos it brings is awesome!
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
5. Baby Park (Cube Version - raucous fun with items going EVERYWHERE!)
4. Wario Stadium on the Cube
3. DK’s Jungle Parkway
2. Luigi Circuit (Originally from GBA, but on the DS of course)
1. Mario Circuit (From the original game, I love this track on my DS, the fact that I can run a time trial on it in under a minute makes it even more fun)
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 am
I agree with previous comments, where was Rainbow Road?
I remember my first time on that track… blew my fishy little mind.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 am
Waluigi Pinball is my personal favorite, but this is a very good list.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:19 pm
First ghost house in the original. I spent so much time perfecting that. Well, more than the others at least.
I hate all Rainbow Roads. All of them. Maybe that’s because I don’t play as the big guys . . . .
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
You just picked probably the 5 most boring tracks in the game, amazing.
My list:
1. Star Road N64
2. Waluigi Pinball NDS
3. That cloud one on the GBA game
4. Choco Mountain N64
5. Moo Moo Farm
April 29th, 2008 at 1:17 am
5 mushroom city - GC the only cource where one can go anty trafic
4 rainbow road - DS snaking is hard but doable
3 bowser castle - DS i found 2 shortcuts in this round and one of them can only be used on the last lap
2 baby park - GC go blue shells and giant bananas
1 sky garden - DS you can take so many short cuts on dry bone starndards that is amazingly cheep
May 6th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Nice list, but where is Waluigi Pinball?!? Am I the only person who likes that track?!?