Toad Harbor

History:

Toad was always heavily involved in the Mushroom Kingdom's Highway System, and it was only natural that he eventually pulled some of these connections in the transportation department to get into the Trolley business. He installed the Trolleys in a small Harbor town, which he named after himself. Once he had a firm footing in the region he erected a giant Statue dedicated to Princess Peach, though some believe it was given to him by the French. The next step of course was to build a race track through the town. At this point Toad gave complete control of both the course and the Trolley system over to his lover, Toadette, who ran the show with such ruthless cunning and expertise it became immediately clear that it had been her plan all along.

8:

Toad Harbor is this real amalgamation of DS's Delfino Square, Wii's Daisy Circuit, 64's Toad's Turnpike, and 7's Shy Guy Bazaar. The course is cosmetically similar to Delfino Square with its tight, building-locked paths and steep hills and geographically similar to Daisy Circuit by the bay, particularly the starting line. The Trolleys replace the traffic from Toad's Turnpike but they function the same way. Finally the multiple routes and canvassed paths are reminiscent of Shy Guy Bazaar. These multiple paths make the course pretty interesting, like a streamlined Yoshi Valley but with paths taking up multiple levels vertically instead of a crisscrossed maze.

The course is also notable for being the only course without air and water sections, as well as anti-gravity sections that aren't mandatory. So it's really old school, pure Mario Kart racing. You know, like the first six installments. The Staff Ghost is Toadette in the Cat Cruiser, with the Retro Off-Road Wheels, and Plane Glider in 2:31.066. It's kind of strange that Toadette is the Ghost for a course named after Toad, but he's tied up on the Retro edition of his eponymous Turnpike. It's also the only Ghost appearance of the Cat Cruiser. This combo actually adds nothing beyond the standard stats, so there is plenty of room to customize here. The track is decently twisty, but the terrain is pretty stable, so someone with great handling is going to be solid at the expense of traction. Bikes in the Sport Bike vein with some slick tires make a good combo.

Music Park

History:

The inspiration for Music Park derives from Toadette's Music Room. As conniving as she is, Toadette sought to extrapolate her interests into an entire Course and exploit its profits as part of her own bid for power within the Mushroom Kingdom. She contacted Rosalina, the only figure she knew with Galaxy and Reality-Warping powers. Rosalina and her Army of Lumas constructed the Music Park in the stars above the Mushroom World, but once she found out Toadette's true corrupt intentions she retained control of the Park and raced it herself rather than give it up to the machinations of evil.

7:

Music Park is a bizarre track. It comes in as the Third Course in the Flower Cup and has a lot going on. It seems like a closed-in track, but it has patches of offroad that pop up here and there, some big drums that act as trampolines (similar to the Big Mushrooms on Wii's Mushroom Gorge), and a long Air portion. What's more is that while there are no especially difficult curves, many of the winding turns are driven over keyboards that play notes as racers drive over them. The air portion is also full of big bouncy animated notes that threaten to upset any careless players.

The Ghost here is Rosalina, which may be a nod to the course's mystical yet positive nature. The Normal version uses the Birthday Girl, Roller Wheels, and Super Glider in 02:19.336. The Expert switches completely, to the Soda Jet, Slim Wheels, and Paraglider in 02:07.551. With the amount of Air dodging one needs to do along the Air Section the Paraglider or Swoop Glider are probably the best option. The Birthday Girl / Roller Wheel combo pushes handling to the extreme at the total expense of speed, you can find a better balance. The Soda Jet and Slim wheels are a really good option here, but the Mushroom Wheels may be a better option that doesn't lose so much Speed on land, yet maintains handling.

Wuhu Tracks

History:

In the late 2000s Wuhu Island grew in popularity as a Sports Resort. As more and more residents of the Mushroom Kingdom became interested in visiting the Island, it became obvious that it would be a perfect spot for a couple of Courses. Princess Peach was the first to wield her vast power and influence to negotiate the rights to a Track with the King of Wuhu. Thus she created the Wuhu Loop, a long, expansive track that is completed in a single lap.

After Peach laid claim to the Island's rights she enacted a bidding war for another track, Maka Wuhu. Surprisingly, Yoshi emerged victorious over Mario, who, Like Luigi, had become more preoccupied with the upkeep of his own Circuit Tracks which held popularity through the Retro Cup.

7:

Both Wuhu Tracks present a unique concept for Mario Kart 7 - they are completed in a single lap. That single lap is enormous however, with three clearly distinct sections. They join Baby Park (7), Wario Colosseum (2), and 7's Rainbow Road (1) as the only tracks that aren't completed in three laps (Besides all the courses in SMK, which were done in 5 laps). Wuhu Loop opens the Flower Cup, and as such it is of moderate difficulty. There is an overriding circuit aspect, with mostly pavement and stretches of grassy offroad fields. There are also some mountainous aspects, though, winding through perilous edges before heading back to the town you start in. Additionally there is a bit of Traffic to deal with, but none nearly as severe as the Highway Tracks.

The Staff Ghost here is Peach, for some reason, who goes 01:44.287 using the Standard Kart, Sponge Tires, and Peach Parasol.The Expert Ghost switches to the Pipe Frame and Slick Tires, keeping the same Glider in 01:32.854. There isn't really any significant Air portions here and the Sponge Tires' boost of drifting is helpful here but there's better options that don't sacrifice so much speed (The Slick Tires for one), but there are better Kart options to emphasize this style. Try the Bumble V or Soda Jet with either Sponge or Slick and Peach is going down.

The Maka Wuhu Course concludes the Star Cup and earns this distinction by being one of the more complex courses in the game. Like the Wuhu Loop it is only one lap long, divided into three distinct sections. There are many alternate paths throughout the course, starting with options of dirt and pavement that weave through the first section's vast fields. The incredibly wide offroad sections are perfect for boosting over. There are also tunnel portions, an option for a quick underwater portion, a huge castle with a quasi-drivable section, and it all leads to a monster Air Jump down to an Island Finish. There are also some steep uphill parts with tremendous boulders crashing down on hapless drivers.

The Ghost here is Yoshi, which is possibly a reference to Double Dash's Yoshi Circuit that has some similar elements being an Island Track, but otherwise it seems fairly random. The Normal Staff Ghost pulls a 01:50.607 using the Bumble V, Sponge Wheels, and Paraglider. The Paraglider is a nice choice here, and there's certainly nothing wrong with the Bumble V / Sponge combo - it doesn't detract too much and adds boosts in some nice areas. The speed is fairly lacking though, the Gold or Slick Tires would be a better option. The Expert does just that and goes for speed, using the Standard Kart with Monster Tires and Super Glider. The Monster Tires have their own problems with acceleration and handling that the Standard doesn't absolve, so it can be countered.

Wario's Gold Mine

History:

After years of searching for Gold, Coins, and Treasure, Wario finally hit the mother lode. Searching deep in the Mushroom Kingdom he found a resource untapped by its people, who cared little for the accumulation of riches. He uncovered a great mine in a chasm of the earth where he stole Gold from the earth to make into coins directly. This made him an extremely powerful figure in Mushroom Banking. The many Mushroom Folk he employed were forced to live on sight, in stuffy, smokey houses built into the cliffside. It was only a matter of time before he employed the track already in place for the Grand Prix.

Wii:

Wario's Grand Prix closes the Flower Cup and is one of the more difficult courses in the game. While many courses in the game are wide to accommodate the increased number of Drivers, the trickiest parts of this course are also the narrowest and lack guardrails. The wooden mine track-style and many hills and drops are like a roller coaster reminiscent of Wario Colosseum or even Waluigi Pinball. Also like Waluigi Stadium it is near sunset. They are all stylistically distinct enough though, to warrant separate entries.

The layout may seem simple, as it may be simplified to a common loop, but really it is a twisting, treacherous course with unforgiving turns, jumps, and obstacles like Swoops and Minecarts that can be deadly. It is more organic, with constant turns instead of straightaways to take advantage of any speed. Indeed, falling behind and getting only mushrooms or stars can be extremely hazardous. While there aren't horizontal complications, there are also many vertical complications that make it more difficult.

Each course in Wii has Normal and Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trials. The Normal is Wario in his own Bike at 02:19.585 while the Expert upgrades to the Flame Flyer in 02:04.800. I find Bikes exceedingly unstable and difficult to control here, Karts are an easier option. Speed here is hairy, someone with more control and drift, such as Mario would work well. Grand Prix can be more perilous with Karts jostling, Bowser is able to knock others around while getting a small drift bonus himself and would be a good fit.

Coconut Mall

History:

The Coconut Mall was already a popular shopping spot on the Isle of Delfino before Daisy took it over. Located near Gelato Beach, she purchased the Mall and converted it to a race course that ended up being even more popular than it was as simply a shopping center. Nevermind the intrusion of Royal Influences on the Isle of Delfino, Daisy later gave the mall over to the Honey Queen, as with her Cruise Line booming and other courses burgeoning, the high crowds and demands became too much for her to handle.

Wii:

Coconut Mall is the second course in the Flower Cup and provides a good transition between the ease of the Mario Circuit and the growing complication of that cup. There is no major dangers here but there are plenty of multiple pathways, difficult shortcuts, sharp turns, and obstacles. There is no Off-Road here, except for a shortcut after the first set of escalators, and for the most part the track is wide but with sheer walls, allowing for plenty of chaos. There are many different paths, although for the most part one is clearly better than the other. The trickiest part may be making sure you hit an escalator when it is moving up and not down, which is on a timer that should work naturally with the progression of the course. If you get bogged down and fall behind that timing will be off (rarely, if you in fact get too far ahead you can beat the timing as well, although this is more of a Time Trial issue). The killer is also timing the final stretch of Boosts around the Cars.

The Staff Ghost here is Daisy, who uses the Sugarscoot in 02:30.764. The Expert switches to the Wild Wing in 02:13.333. Although Daisy is a good character for this level with is massive straightaways and moderate turns, Funky or Rosalina can do a little better with their Vehicle Options' Base Stats and if driven correctly there's no need to slow down or to have even moderate handling.

This track makes a comeback in 7, with some minor changes such as the lack of a final Car, making the final dash panel much safer to hit. The biggest change is the Airstrip on the Final Big Jump, although it's not as essential as Air Travel is on some of the other courses. The Ghost here is switched to the Honey Queen, who uses the Standard, Slim Tires and Super Glider in 02:30.117. The Expert switches to the Koopa Clown, Sponge, and Paraglider in 02:14.167. Her handling in the air will be superb but her land speed leaves much to be desired. Swap those wheels for Slick or Gold and burn it.

Mountain Tracks

History:

In the vast Northwest of the Mushroom Kingdom lay the Tall Tall Mountains, a place rarely traveled by the Mushroom Folk. It is full of dangerous enemies, steep cliffs, and enormous bouncy mushrooms that grow thousands of feet tall. Naturally as the stakes of the Grand Prix increased and more racers vied for their own signature tracks, newcomers were forced to stretch out into this harsh dominion.

Toadette, the power-hungry manipulator that she is, had long hidden in these mountains. It was no surprise then that she owned vast amounts of land to construct the Mushroom Gorge track, which she ran with an evil fungi fist. Lower in the Valley, Daisy established the Daisy Hills track with her own Mitt Romney-like personal wealth. Finally, higher in the mountains Wiggler, piecing together a rudimentary system of nerve impulses he used for a mind, converted his personal home into the Rock Rock Mountain. Along the same chain lay the Shy Guy Metal Mines, which these mysterious people had turned into a profitable business. With anti-gravity technology developed in 2014, the Shy Guys were able to convert this mine into another course, traveling up a previously inaccessible water fall

Wii:

Mushroom Gorge is a fairly simple loop. There are plenty of turns though none of them are that sharp. The greatest hazard here is the boost ramps and Bouncy Mushrooms, which without proper timing can disrupt even experienced drivers. The road also forks into two different paths on two different occasions, although in both cases sticking to the right is a faster option.

The staff ghost is Toadette with a time of 02:16.110 in the Quacker, while her expert goes 02:01.011 in the Mini-Beast. Neither of these vehicles takes advantage of Toadette's greatest strength, her offroad ability, so using just about anyone with good speed and moderate handling like Daisy or Rosalina can beat the pink toadie without a huge issue.

This track returns in 7, where the Ghost this time is Toad. The normal goes a 02:02.292 using the Cloud 9, Mushroom Wheels, and Parafoil, meaning that he'll have a decent mini-turbo and handling, although most of his other stats end up pretty average, especially his speed and acceleration, which is where you can beat him easily on this simple track. The Expert, though, pulls a 01:50.526 using the Pipe Frame, Monster Wheels, and Super Glider. This means Toad will have great offroad (useless here) and above average speed, but terrible handling. Counter that with some Roller or Wood wheels on something fast and you should succeed.

7:

There are two courses in 7 that seem to carry on this Mountain Theme that many Mario Kart Tracks have exhibited, mostly in DK Tracks. Daisy Hills is very reminiscent of Mushroom Gorge, from its steep inclines, wooden dock paths and large gaps.It's also in the Mushroom Cup again and provides the game's first big jump and introduction to the aerial driving that helps to define this game. Other than that, the course is wide, probably with more curves and boosts than a typical Mushroom Cup Track, but nothing intensely difficult.

The Staff Ghost here is Daisy on her eponymous course. She goes a 02:06.351 using the Royal Ribbon, Roller Wheels, and Peach Parasol, which gives her substantial boosts in just about everything except for both land and air speed. Those two crucial components are what can be used to beat her, because there isn't a great need for anything else on this course. The expert uses the same ride with the Sponge Wheels and Super Glider, which means she no longer has a disadvantage in the air and her mini-turbo becomes very good. Sticking with a strong land speed and moderate handling should be fine.

There is also Rock Rock Mountain in 7, which seems to lift directly some parts from Super Mario 64's Tall Tall Mountain. It is actually a relatively simple track with many straightaways, although some tough curves near the start. Rock Rock Mountain is actually the longest original track in the game, which is surprising for a track that closes the Flower Cup. It's also one of the most reliant on air speed. There are multiple big jumps, one of which is deadly - it is greatly beneficial if you survive, but getting hit will lead you to tumble to the path below while others whiz by. There is also a tough vertical track with boosts and rocks that is difficult to avoid, but mostly a straightaway.

The staff ghost is Wiggler at a 02:35.105 using the Standard with Red Monster Wheels and the Super Glider. It's a tough match but the speed can be beat easily by using something like the B Dasher or Bumble V with Wood Wheels and the same Glider. The expert isn't all that better, but he goes a 02:19.149 using the same combination but with the Flower Glider, which increases his air handling at the expense of speed. Stick with a Glider that doesn't slow down that big jump and you'll be fine.

8:

Shy Guy Falls closes out the Flower Cup and contains one of the more relentless vertical sections in the game. There are many tight turns where errors can lead to perilous cliff edges and of course, the eponymous water fall. Going up the falls is difficult if you miss the boost pads, but going down offers a speed increase like the river in Koopa Cape. After that there is an average-sized air section.

The Staff Ghost here is Shy Guy, of course, who goes 2:19.528 using the Flame Rider, Retro Off-Road Wheels, and the Super Glider. The Flame Rider is an excellent choice, but something with more anti-gravity handling such as the Sport Bike may be a good option. Shy Guy may be here because of his strong previous association with desert tracks, and Shy Guy Falls, despite its huge waterfall, seems like it's in some craggy desert canyon.

Waluigi Pinball

History:

Waluigi always attempted to push the danger in new tracks. His massive Waluigi Pinball course treated Drivers as the balls in a Pinball Machine, based off a successful venture in Arcade games. Although dangerous, it has remained one of the more popular later tracks and Waluigi has gladly added it to his growing empire. It is both a testament to his ego and his continual push for technology ahead of the homelier values of most of the Mushroom Kingdom.

DS:

Waluigi Pinball is the longest course in DS, strangely inappropriate for the Flower Cup. It has plenty of turns although most of them are curved gently on a wide track, meaning that there is less of a need for precise handling than would appear. It has plenty of hazards though and it's generally not the greatest track for a Heavyweight who may be slow on the stick. Its length and metallic structure echo Double Dash's Wario Colosseum although its track structure is actually much less complex. The Ghost here is Waluigi driving the Gold Mantis in 2:23:288. Something like Mario's Shooting Star may do well here.

The course reappears in Mario Kart 7 where there is an increased number of jumps and some more added dangers, including a big Air Jump where the initial pinball boost used to be. Since Waluigi is not in the game, Wario takes over as the Staff Ghost. He goes 02:44.372 using the Standard Kart, Slick Wheels, and Swoop Glider. This smartly caters to Land Speed and drift at the expense of Off-Road, which is the key here, but a Kart more like the Growlster will play to his strengths better, although the Koopa Clown or Cloud 9 might be a better choice for handling. The Expert goes 02:27.574 with the badass combo of Growlster, Slim Wheels, and Ghastly Glider. It's a tough combo, but again, using Slick Wheels instead with a Kart that makes up for handling will prevail.

Daisy Cruiser

History:

After spending a large amount of time in the Mushroom Kingdom Princess Daisy created a Cruise Line enterprise based from her Vacation Home on Isle Delfino. It originally launched from Peach Beach, a parcel of land owned by Princess Peach but after Daisy was able to build her own Circuit on the other side of the Island, complete with yachts and other watercraft, the Cruiser launched from there. Its general route takes it from the Daisy Circuit around the Isle Delfino to a brief stop to lounge on Peach Beach, then across the Sea to Dinosaur Land near Yoshi's Island and back again. During the Long Journey Daisy decided to outfit the boat as a Race Course, although the difficult logistics involved has prevented it from appearing in many subsequent Grand Prix.

Double Dash:

Daisy Cruiser appears in the Flower Cup in Double Dash and as such has some tough turns but not a whole lot of obstacles that are that dangerous. Its basic shape is a long oval, although straightaways are usually broken up by slight turns, although some are very sharp. The course is actually wide enough that the two most dramatic turns at both the bow and stern aren't all that difficult and actually pretty good spots for Drifting and Mini Turbos. There aren't any hills but there are some steps that can be lethal for bouncy Karts like the Waluigi Racer, although they're relatively brief. Even though the outside portions of the course are relatively wide there are some tight sections of interior corridors, perfect for nasty items like the Giant Banana, Bowser Shell or Bob-omb. I think any Heavyweight who has access to these items using the Piranha Pipes will finds some success here.

The Daisy Cruiser  can be seen floating around in the distance of many other levels near wide oceans. This includes Peach Beach in both its Double Dash and Wii incarnations, as well as the Yoshi Circuit and Daisy Circuit. The Secret Staff Ghost in the Time Trials here is Daisy driving Peach around in the Heart Coach, pulling a time of 1:52:207.

The course reappears in Mario Kart 7 with some major changes. There is now an alternate path after the start to the immediate left. With 7's new Sea Travel possibilities the big pool is no longer a danger and the cargo hold has been transformed into an aquarium, with just a boost jump afterwards, not a cannon. These are optional shortcuts, but if you take them you had better have someone who is effective underwater. The Ghost here is Daisy, naturally, who goes a 01:49.564 using the Pipe Frame, Sponge Wheels, and Peach Parasol. The Expert exchanges the Pipe Frame for the Tiny Tug and pulls a 01:43.341. The Sponge Wheels rob both of these Karts of their underwater advantage, attack.

Cheese Land

History:

After he forcibly started advancing Koopa Kingdom technology in the late 90s, Lord Bowser developed Space Travel through the use of Dark Magic and a very focused use of resources. He first landed on the Mushroom World's Moon, which he found to be made entirely of Yellow Cheese. With a new Grand Prix looming he obviously saw an opportune moment to create the first track outside of the Mushroom World besides the Rainbow Road. He dubbed his new conquest Cheese Land, and despite its effectiveness as a course, the long journey and little popularity among racers or spectators caused Bowser to abandon it soon after the 2001 Cup. No one has claimed anything on the Moon since.

Super Circuit:

Cheese Land is a bizarre track that only appears in the Flower Cup in Super Circuit. The path seems to be all Cheese surrounded by some...staler browner cheese that slows Karts down. There are some moldy twists and gentle turns and one big jump over a portion of the course. Based on the fact that there is an Earth-like planet in the sky on this course as well as the notion that the Moon generally appears yellow (see Moonview Highway) has driven me to the idea that this place is on the Moon. Of course there are places like Cheese Bridge but there is no cheese there. This track has not returned since Super Circuit, nor has there ever been another incarnation of it. That's probably a good thing.

DK Tracks

History:

After Kong raced in his first Grand Prix he had a very strong desire to create some tracks of his own outside the Mushroom Kingdom, however he lacked the capital. The currency on DK Island at the time was the Banana, and the population was small and friendly enough to engage in a simplistic bargaining system. Eventually coinage was introduced to the Island, possibly from contact with the Mushroom Kingdom, and it became a very capitalistic society. Kong was eventually able to raise enough to create D.K.'s Jungle Parkway that ran through the Heart of the Kongo Jungle, near where Kong made his home.  Nearby he was also eventually able to construct a track leading from the Kongo Jungle to the nearby Monkey Mountains, using his Barrel Cannon technology to traverse an otherwise impenetrable section of Mountain. This was more recent in the History of DK Island, as the once-chilly Gorilla Glacier had since given way to massive Volcanic Areas.

Kong eventually moved away from the Jungle Tracks on his own Island, perhaps he regretted the influx of Tourism and Mushroom Influence directly on his own land. He staked out the Northern Kremisphere, a huge continent located far North of DK Island, although with plenty of pleasant spots. Through his friend Dixie Kong, he was introduced to Blizzard Bear who had already been attempting to convert some stretches of the base of K3 into Race Courses. Here Kong was able to open up the DK Pass to the Grand Prix, as well as the DK Summit, which was soon infested by vacationing Shy Guys who seem to have an uncanny love for Winter Sports.

The most recent Kong Track innovation has been back to the Jungle, this time very close to DK's home, including a race around his actual house as well as the Holiest of Kong Lands, the Golden Temple, home of the Golden Banana Horde. Although this seems counter-intuitive to the best interests of Kong, it appears as if he has moved his most prized possessions elsewhere, suggesting that its whole presence in the latest Grand Prix is a red herring.

64:

Kong got his first track in MK64, and it's notable for featuring a huge jungle as well as a massive jump, the latter of which would define most DK Tracks in the future. This is also the first Jungle Track, but I decided that there were enough similarities between all of Kong's Personal Courses that the Jungle Tracks should be separate. There's actually plenty of tough turns here, mostly because any error puts drivers in the high grassy median, where they are assaulted by Coconuts until he or she spins out. The narrow bridge, easy shortcut up the dirt cave and the huge jump are the big features here. This track opens up the Special Cup and is difficult enough to deserve that.

This track came back in Wii where the Ghost is Kong himself. He uses the Phantom in 02:58.264 then the Expert comes back with a 02:37.782 in the Flame Flyer. This version is notably wider than the 64 version, and the Coconut Chuckers are also gone for some reason. In general the track is easier, although the Cave shortcut is much steeper and more difficult to pull off without a mushroom.

Double Dash:

DK Mountain in Double Dash is a lot like D.K.'s Jungle Parkway. It's a Jungle Trek with a huge jump, dangerous rocks and a narrow wooden bridge near its finale. There is, of course, a huge difference in its basic layout. It's the first Mario Kart track that was largely linear, with a huge automatic boost that takes most of the course. Wii would use this template plenty, but its inspiration was probably the big jump from 64 (in addition to Royal Raceway). This track closed the Star Cup and as such is similar in Grand Prix location as Jungle Parkway was. There is also a difficult shortcut, jumping over a section of twisty track that has disastrous results for failure. I try to pick someone who can turn and accelerate to nail it, as well as someone who isn't going to bounce and lose tons of speed on the ragged hills. The Boo Pipes seem a good fit.

Double Dash had a series of Secret Staff Ghosts. The Ghost here is Kong driving his own DK Jumbo with Diddy in tow at 2:12:639. This track was the second DK Track to return for Wii, where the Ghost this time is Funky Kong at 02:57.744 in the Wario Bike. The Expert goes 02:38.130 using the Flame Flyer, one of the faster Ghost Combos in the game. The Wii version again features a noticeably wider track and a few Boost Panels. There are so many Barrel Cannon-type levels in Wii that this course had to make an appearance.

DS:

DK Pass is the only Original Snow Course in DS and so shares some characteristics with the Frosty Tracks, like the Terrible Snowmen. It also opens up the Star Cup in DS, which Snow Land did in Super Circuit and Sherbert Land did in Double Dash, belaying the simple fact that every other Game besides Wii has also featured a Frosty Track somewhere in the Star Cup. It also features giant Snowballs, like the Rocks from DK Mountain.

Mostly though, it is a true Mountain course in its layout, with a huge uphill section and then a huge downhill section, which makes it more akin with DK Mountain and DK Summit than any other Frosty Track. In general it's nice to see the makers of Mario Kart realise that there are more locations in the Donkey Kong Games than jungles, and their use of snow, which should have been Gorilla Glacier until Donkey Kong Country Returns got rid of it. This is a tricky course with mostly a limited path of road then snow with some huge drop-offs without a lot of room for error. There are some snow patches to blow through on your way up though. Someone light with good Offroad is important then, otherwise you can speed through this. The Staff Ghost is Kong using the Wildlife in 2:14:607.

This course returns in Mario Kart 7 with more of its ramps offroad to be accessed by mushrooms and tricks and with some Gliding action near the big ending jump. The Ghost is Donkey Kong using the Barrel Train, Wood Wheels, and Super Glider in 02:35.045. This leaves his speed moderate, handling pretty good, and mini-turbo outstanding. The Expert goes 02:16.534 using the Bolt Buggy, Red Monster Wheels and Parafoil, which is a very good combo here. To beat it, something that handles well while succeeding off-road navigator is vital. Go for the Koopa Clown with Red Monster Tires.

Wii:

DK Summit is basically a combination of DK Pass and DK Mountain. It seems like it's a focal point for Winter Sports, including Ski Lifts and Lodges as well as plenty of pesky Snowboarding Shy Guys, who seem like a holdover from the Sherbert Land of Double Dash, which featured them Ice-skating. The Barrel Cannon appears again, this time even sooner than it did on DK Mountain, and the remainder of the Track is a long downward journey, at times turning into a half-pipe down to the bottom. It's a slippery track, I've actually had a whole lot of luck with Bowser driving the Honeycoupe. You don't need someone knocking you into the gaping abyss during Grand Prix. The Ghost here is Kong again, this time using the Standard Bike L in 02:34.693. The Expert uses the Flame Flyer in 02:17.546. This is also the only DK Track to appear in the Flower Cup, and only the second Frosty Track to do so.

It deserves mentioning that Wii's Maple Treeway also features a Barrel Cannon and uses Diddy as its ghost, proving some relation to the DK Tracks. It is such a weird track filled with many more Mushroom Kingdom references though, so we won't talk about it more here.

7:

DK Jungle takes an identical position to D.K.'s Jungle Parkway in MK64, opening up the Special Cup. It lakes a huge barrel jump but does reflect changes Donkey Kong has had within the Nintendo gaming world. It is heavily inspired by Donkey Kong Country Returns and includes many of those enemies as obstacles. There is a river and a big Flower Jump, along with a wood bridge, but none are as distinctive as in D.K.'s Jungle Parkway. Instead, the most distinctive element is the huge Golden Temple that really shifts gameplay in the middle of the track, giving some right angle turns, a series of boost jumps and treacherous falls. There are many tough turns, obstacles and a good amount of air time, anyone with fast air speed, good stability is key. Use the Roller Wheels and Ghastly Glider with whatever Kart fits your play style.

 The Normal Ghost here is Kong himself, using the Bolt Buggy with Red Monster Wheels and the Super Glider in 02:24.040. The Expert goes a 02:10.777 using the Wood Wheels with the Standard and Swoop Glider, which should hurt its air speed. Stick with the above-recommended customization.

DK Jungle returns in Mario Kart 8, in the Banana Cup. It's not tremendously unchanged from 7, especially due to the fact that 8 retained the air travel and jump elements that makes a pretty smooth transition. There is the addition of a large anti-gravity portion in the Golden Temple, which makes the already difficult right-angle turns a bit more complex. The Ghost here is DK once again, pulling a 2:26.900 using the Varmint, Monster Wheels, and Super Glider. The Varmint and the Monster's stats nearly cancel each other out but ends up with slight boosts in traction and min-turbo. There are enough straightaways to favor some pretty fast racers, Sport Bike will do with whatever level of handling you need from the driver.

Stadium Tracks

History:

The first Wario Stadium opened up in 1995 in the Mushroom Kingdom. Wario used the dirt track for all kinds of extreme sports and then adapted it to Kart Racing, designing the course himself. In typical fashion it's huge, long and twisted. He later changed it once again for another Grand Prix Competition. When Wario met Waluigi they soon saw eye to eye on numerous endeavours, and Waluigi also started building Stadiums, mostly with Wario's money. Thus Wario was the backer for many of Waluigi's projects until he started making some coin of his own through his Sports Appearances and his Waluigi Pinball enterprise. Despite neither hailing from the Mushroom Kingdom all their Stadiums are located there, the local government sees their presence as intrusions, but the populace that actually gets a chance to watch races in a large venue for once instead of sitting on a fence rail has been very supportive. This has further lined Wario and Waluigi's pockets.

64:

This is another trend that started with MK64. Though there had been plenty of Dirt Tracks before, and the Choco Tracks are their forerunner, no other Tracks are in confined Stadiums like this. This is what we're narrowing down to. Even though Wario Colosseum may be the natural extension (and from there Waluigi Pinball and Wario's Gold Mine), we're talking about limited, dirt-road, confined courses. Wario Stadium 64 is an incredibly long course full of huge jumps, tight turns and some deadly drops that set you back rather than require Lakitu's Help. There are also some very wide portions here which allow for perfect drifting. This is one course that may favour a heavyweight you can drift well and not bounce all over the place, like DK or Wario himself. Each Stadium Track appears in a different cup, this one opens up the Star Cup.

Double Dash:

Waluigi carried on the spirit in Double Dash. The Track itself is simpler and much less lengthy but still has the requisite number of jumps, twists and tough angles. There are Boost Pads for the first time along with a deceptive straightaway filled with giant wooden moving Piranha Plants and Spinning Firebars. The course shows its greater simplicity by closing out the Flower Cup this edition. It's also one of the only Sunset Tracks. Waluigi drives the Wario Car with Wario in the backseat for the Secret Staff Ghost. He goes a 1:59:658, noticeably shorter than the first Wario Stadium.

This course came back in Wii and it's the only Stadium Track to appear in that game. There are some notable additions, including Dash Panels in the Piranha Plant half-pipe and a reverse order of the Plants appearing. Waluigi Stadium is actually distinct from the Wario Stadiums in that its edges slope up to the sidewalls, allowing for some perfect boost turning and tricks (a likely reason it was included in Wii). The Normal Ghost here is Waluigi in the Standard Bike L at 02:32.882, the Expert uses the Piranha Prowler in 02:12.367.

DS:

A different Wario Stadium appears in DS, joining Mario Circuit, Luigi Circuit, Bowser's Castle and Sherbert Land as the only different signature tracks to appear in different games. This time it contains a much simpler in layout despite its appearance in the Special Cup.The DS Special Cup also included Peach Gardens, though, so it's not out of the ordinary that it's not that crazy of a course. It's not an egregiously long course but does feature a bit more mud than other Stadium Tracks, though Waluigi Stadium had a good amount, just not directly on the Kart Path. Thus there's actually some nasty Offroad here for the first time, though it can't really be used for Shortcuts. There are also Boost Panels and Firebars reminiscent of Waluigi Stadium. The walls are steep though, which makes for some tougher turns. Every Stadium Track has some overloop and the same goes for this one. Wario, using the Brute clocks in as the Staff Ghost in h 2:14:868. I think you can get away with Speed and Handling, pick Luigi's Poltergust 4000 or Waluigi's Gold Mantis.

Highway Tracks

History:

The Mushroom Innerkingdom Highway System was completed in 1954, which finally linked the many distant parts of the Kingdom together and allowed for both the many Adventures of Mario and Luigi as well as opportunities for Competition. Unlike ever before residents could travel across the lands and get to new places, most of which had new Race Tracks springing up as the Sport grew in popularity. As such, many of the power players from around the Mushroom World bought up land to make a Course or two, that is, except for Toad.

Toad was Consigliere to the Toadstool Royal Family and as such was forbidden to put his own money down to purchase land for commercial purposes. It was simply a conflict of interest. In order to get in on the Racing Action though, Toad was able to use certain portions of Public Roads as Race Tracks. It was a dangerous move, as he didn't shut the Highways down while doing this. In order to properly manage the tracks, many are close to his home of Mushroom City, tho some are also near his workplace, Peach's Castle.

64:

64 was again the initiator of this Track Trend. Toad's Turnpike opened up the Flower Cup which would be a common place for these kinds of tracks. It's virtually just a figure 8 with some hills that gently slope up and down along with some heavy traffic. The cars are a killer but it's really the big trucks that are very tricky to pass, especially when they pull up next to each other. The meridians are safe, but with 64's steering it's tough to stay there. There aren't any tough turns and plenty of straightaways, but you're never really going straight because there's a constant need to dodge other vehicles. Acceleration and handling are the absolute keys to all the Highway Tracks. In terms of geography, all of these are pretty close together, Toad's Turnpike is likely a highway leading into Mushroom City

Double Dash:

Super Circuit didn't have any Highway Tracks but Double Dash added two in Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City. Mushroom Bridge is the rare Highway Track that takes place during the day. It's a bit more suburban than the hustle and bustle of the city and includes a huge bridge that has some nasty boosts but is cool if successful. Atop the bridge you can see Peach's Castle off in the distance, indicating that it's somewhat closer to the Heart of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mushroom Bridge again leads off the Flower Cup and is a pretty simple course, mostly a big loop with some curves through some tunnels, but again, the traffic, including a couple Bomb Karts makes it tricky, although this may be the most mildly dangerous one. Since no unlockable Character has a Secret Staff Ghost, the Ghost on this track is Koopa with Paratroopa in tow riding the Koopa Dasher in 1:31:458. It does return in DS however with Toad in the Mushmellow driving a  1:30:600.

From the Bridge we move on to the City, which is the only Highway Track to ever be in the Star Cup. It's actually pretty similar in construction to Toad's Turnpike, tho the overpass is a bit longer and there are multiple paths to take, although only the Secret Cut-Through Route is the smart one. It's also the only course that's featured in another course as Double Dash's Rainbow Road takes place in the skies above this City. For the Secret Staff Ghost, Paratroopa switches places with Koopa but stays in the Koopa Dasher with a time of 1:50:663. Again, the traffic here really isn't terrible to deal with (except for the Final On-Ramp) and the turns aren't really awful. If you drive on the edge of the wall you can avoid most of the Bigger Vehicles, I think you can go for Speed on this one, using something like the Piranha Pipes.

DS:

Shroom Ridge exists on the outskirts of Mushroom City and definitely contains the most complex course layout of the Highway Tracks. It has some brutal turns as well as oncoming traffic for the first time. The cars drive on the left-hand side, coming straight at the Player, in prior installments the Drivers always went with the flow. There is also a deadly drop-off for the first time. See, the gimmick of Highway Tracks used to only be that there were other Vehicles on the road. Shroom Ridge would be a fairly dangerous difficult track on its own (although maybe not concluding the Flower Cup), but the added Traffic makes it even tougher. You need to be able to react very fast here, so someone with expert Handling and Acceleration is key. Yoshi in the Egg 1 sounds good. The Ghost here is Toad in the Mushmellow again at 2:05:123.

Wii:

Half-Ridge...Half-City

Moonview Highway is really interesting. It's actually simply a big mash-up of Mushroom City and Shroom Ridge, with even a bit of Mushroom Bridge in there for good measure. Still, it's the only Highway Track in the Special Cup and it deserves to be there as one of the most difficult tracks in the game. There are huge cars and trucks that come barreling down the road, the most tricky parts are the blind turns that spell instant doom. There are also Vehicles that will actually swerve and change direction on the straightaways, meaning you go down one path to try to avoid something and it instead veers straight at you. If you're real sloppy you'll also fall off that bridge into the Unforgiving Abyss Below. There are two keys to this course: 1) Stay either in the middle of the road across the dividing lines where Cars are less likely to cross or on the left-hand side where you'll at least be going with traffic and 2) Hit the Double-X Boost while in the city. There are a series of boosts that go from left to right then right to left, do it while avoiding traffic and you'll get far ahead. Finally, there are Bomb Karts but no Mushroom Karts. Unfair.

Funky in the Spear is really good here although it's a bit uncontrollable and too slow to accelerate for effective Grand Prix Play. I prefer Daisy in the Mach Bike or Dolphin Dasher. The Staff Ghost is Peach, who has some Association with this track, there being a Giant Picture of her in Downtown and all. She's just a City Nightlife kind of Girl. She does a 02:16.802 in the Standard Kart M and then the Expert goes 02:04.163 in the Mach Bike.

Desert Tracks

History:

There are many tracks in the vast Dry Dry Desert located in the Southeast of the Mushroom Kingdom, often similarly linked but owned by no single individual. Navigating the desert was extremely dangerous before the construction of an intricate railway system by Eduard Simpson in 1894. He named his train the K64 and it still runs to the Desert and Back and remains the major mode of transportation into the wastelands. Since the Mushroom Government eventually regulated the Rail Industry Toad was able to build the Kalimari Desert Track around an early loop by the K64. Over the years, though, it fell into Shy Guy hands as the influence of the K64 waned and the Shy Guys crept through the region. Also located in the Kalimari Desert is the Sunset Wilds, which is another public Track.

As more of the Dry Dry Desert was explored in the early 20th Century the Mushroom People discovered a vast lost civilisation. Naturally they were up for converting most of the beautiful ruins into Race Courses. It's just that popular. While maintaining its holdings in the Kalimari Desert, the Mushroom Government put vast stretches of the Dry Dry Desert up for Auction. Yoshi, using some winnings he had gathered from adventuring with Mario purchased a section of land that would eventually become the course known as Yoshi Desert. He also purchased a wide section around some quicksand that he would eventually give to Birdo as well as the rights for an intricate Temple System that would eventually become the Dry Dry Ruins track.

Deeper in the Desert is a track known as Desert Hills. It was first owned by Yoshi as part of the initial Desert Tracks Deal, but he was forced to sell it to Waluigi, possibly under infelicitous circumstances. As Waluigi was attempting to make it a signature track for the Waluigi Grand Prix, which never got off the ground, he upset the Angry Sun, who drove him out with a bombardment of Fire Snakes. The track fell into the temporary care of ROB before it became inhospitable to all by Dry Bones, who the Angry Sun had no real problem with.

Past the point where the K64 runs the Desert gets even more rugged. Beyond the Layer-Cake lay an enormous Dead Sea between the canyons, where Shy Guy Pirates and Dry Bones duke it out for supremacy. Morton Koopa Jr., being familiar with the desert environs sought to make his own personal track here after he was selected for the 2014 Grand Prix. It's one of the most inhospitable of regions, though, and when other tracks are full of ghosts or outer space, that's saying something.

64:

MK64 was the first to feature a Desert Track, but every game since then has followed suit, except for 7, where this course is merely re-made. The Kalimari Desert came at the end of the Mushroom Cup, a trend that only Double Dash continued. It's clearly based on the American Southwest rather than the Egyptian theme of some of the other tracks. It also doesn't have a whole lot that other Desert Tracks have repeated, although its train is distinctive enough to appear again in Paper Mario. It's pretty simple besides the occasional Train Crossing. Good characters are Toad or Peach, characters who can take advantage of some of the lean straightaways, although good Brakes are also important here.

This course returns in Mario Kart 7 where it leads off the Leaf Cup. MK64 courses lead off three of the four Retro Cups and this one has some significant changes. To utilize new Air Travel possibilities there are a few ramps where Drivers can fly over large sections of the track.  The Ghost here is Shy Guy, providing some kind of Desert Connection, possibly a reference to the Native American Shy Guys from Super Circuit. The Normal uses the Cact-X, Wood Wheels, and Swoop Glider in 02:01.932. The Expert goes 01:48.707 in the Bolt Buggy, Red Monster, and Ghastly Glider. There is no water here to worry about here, so sticking with just fast land Wheels and Gliders is key - something like Gold Wheels on the B Dasher with a Swoop Glider works great.

Super Circuit:

Sunset Wilds from the Lightning Cup is a really interesting track, there hasn't been another like it since. It is the only Mario Kart Track which features a noticeable time change, shifting from Sunset to Night by the third lap. It also features ancillary characters that interact with the Racers - Native American Shy Guys who pounce on a Driver if they disturb their Tee Pee. I guess I would do that too. Perhaps a commentary on the plight of the American Indian? I hope so. There are also inexplicable Dinosaur Tracks throughout the land, possibly leftover from some Giant Beast who once prowled those lands

Super Circuit also featured the first Egyptian Desert Course, and this one would have more influence over Future Desert Tracks than either Kalimari or Sunset Wilds. Yoshi Desert began the Association between Yoshi and Deserts as well as the Egyptian Motif. It also has Piranha Plants that will swallow wayward drivers, seen again in Double Dash's Dry Dry Desert, and a Giant Yoshi Sphinx, seen again in Wii's Dry Dry Ruins. It also has some Oases, later seen in DS' Desert Hills. It's interesting that it took this long for the template to really be set. It's also interesting that none of these tracks have ever been in a Retro Cup. Both these courses are very twisty and dangerous, I'd suggest racing with someone who has some kind of handling. This is the only Desert Track ever to be in the Star Cup.

Double Dash:

Double Dash returned the desert track as the Mushroom Cup Closer and this one is named after the Desert it's located in, Dry Dry Desert. There are plenty of Obelisks and Pokeys for the first time, which would reappear in every other Desert Track to come. There is also a terrible Sand Tornado which whips up Drivers, slowing them down immeasurably. Racers will avoid the Tornado only to find themselves on the edge of the Pit of Carkoon with a hungry Piranha Sarlacc in the middle. There are some very hill sections here on a long straightaway, meaning that if you're Kart isn't bouncing around it's a good time to catch up or get ahead. Try the Pipes or one of the Toad Karts for the best results. Double Dash also had a store of Secret Staff Ghosts. Continuing the Yoshi Association with Desert Tracks, the Ghost here is Birdo driving with Yoshi in tow, in the Turbo Yoshi with a time of 1:50:755.

DS:

The DS Flower Cup opens with Desert Hills, which is the only Desert Track to ever be in the Flower Cup, as well as the first opener that wasn't a Mushroom Track or a Mario Circuit since SMK. It's also more or less a simple loop unlike the twisted Super Circuit renditions. There are some nice wide straightaways as well as some gentle turns that aren't difficult for anyone with decent handling. Since you're looking for Handling and Speed I might bet on Luigi, ROB, Waluigi or Yoshi (most of whom actually have some ties to this track). Use their best rides.

Desert Hills is a strange track by association. Yoshi is busy with Yoshi Falls and without any other really appropriate Driver available the Ghost is ROB in the ROB-LGS with a time of 1:31:262 . This is the only Desert Track to ever get a remake, and the Wii Ghost is Dry Bone. The Normal Staff Ghost goes 02:10.233 in the Standard Bike S and the Expert does a  01:52.686 in the Tiny Titan. The Wii Version is also full of Waluigi Grand Prix signs for some reason as well a really pissed off Sun.

Wii:

By comparison this track seems so innocent leading off the Special Cup for the first time. Instead, this track is secretly insane. Besides the giant statues crumbling around you, there are some thread-the-needle Offroad Shortcuts, some inescapable sand, 90° Temple Turns and plenty of Pokeys and Bats to knock you around or at least ruin that final jump. There are tons of Wii courses whose maps look very friendly, indeed this is a simple loop, but full of so many obstacles as well as altitude changes, wide, slippery sandy track material and danger everywhere that it belongs in the Special Cup. Just think when you finish it gets tougher from there.

The Ghost here is back to Yoshi. The Normal goes a 02:30.949 in his signature Classic Dragster, while the Expert blasts off a 02:14.286 in the Nitrocycle. I had a tough time balancing the need for speed on this course with the obvious handling issues. I've actually had some luck with Daisy in the Dolphin Dasher, that'd be my recommendation.

8:

Bone-Dry Dunes is a callback to more a Kalimari / Sunset Wilds kind of craggy desert rather than the Egyptian-themed ruins that more modern games have featured. It's all shaded in a deep orange ochre with swirling vortexes of sand making tornadoes and rivers that can gobble racers up. There's a bit of a heady Mid-Eastern vibe here, too, possibly reminiscent of Shy Guy Bazaar with its caravans, tents, and craggily structures. It's possible to bypass anti-gravity sections entirely here, which is rare, so that could impact your Wheel selection. There is no water but a short air portion, along with some truly brutal turns towards the end of the track. The bone theme is apparent here, with Dry Bones who won't really upset your Kart but surely slow you down, along with Bone Piranha Plants, will mess you up completely.

The Staff Ghost here is Morton Koopa Jr., who uses the Tri-Speeder, Monster Tires, and Super Glider in 2:13.391. That's actually one of the better combos to handle both Speed and Traction, which is necessary in this awfully sandy course. Morton himself also has one of the higher base speeds. The handling will be completely wretched, though. You can pair the Monster Tires with something like the Standard ATV to maintain traction without losing speed or the Pipe Frame, which will lose a little bit of traction but gain handling without losing speed. Good luck, grasshopper.

Frosty Tracks

History:

Like the Beach Tracks, there is no one owner of the Frosty Tracks, but they all have some similar veins running through them. The Vanilla Lakes are on Property owned by the Toadstool Royal Family far North of the Mushroom Kingdom. There was minimal effort done to adjust them into Racecourses, but they are officially maintained now by Mario but owned by Peach. Frappe Snowland was another course in the North, although not as far as the Arctic areas of Vanilla Lake established by a joint venture between Mario and Yoshi in 1994. Ultimately the two disputed ownership and were forced to put it to bid in 2004 wherein it was purchased by Wario. Sherbet Land (64) was also christened in 1994 by Luigi in an effort to also maintain a racing presence, tho his Brood has maintained ownership.

Snow Land is also maintained by the Royal Family. Finally, Sherbert Land (Double Dash) is a recreational spot for Shy Guys and tho they do not typically field a driver, still hold ownership and profits from Races on their grounds.

Deep in the Cosmic Cove Galaxy Rosalina furbished her first track, naming it Rosalina's Ice World. Tho she is relatively inexperienced in racing or managing tracks, the power and influence of Rosalina far outweight most of the mortal men and women who have pursued such a venture. Rosalina's choice to use the Cosmic Cove Galaxy was one of both safety and on the insistence of her Penguin Allies there.

Super: 

Vanilla Lake 2

Vanilla Lake 1 and 2 are courses that seem the inverse of each other. One races around a giant snowy pile with the occasional cracks in the ice that can be dangerous. The other races around an enormous hole in the ice, which would provide inspiration for many Frosty Tracks to come. The track itself is very slippery and The Small Guys, Koopa and Toad have a tough time with it. Vanilla Lake 1 appears in the Star Cup but Vanilla Lake 2 is the penultimate course in the game. It feature many jagged, dangerous turns as well as some ice blocks, pipes and big patches of slowy snow to drive through. It's an intense experience. These tracks never showed up again, besides in Super Circuit, which recreated SMK verbatim (with the exception of changing the format from 5-Tracks in 4-Cups to 4-Tracks in 5-Cups), but provided a lot of inspiration for those to come in the future.

64: 

Frappe Snowland is a snowy track rather than an icy one. There are a couple jumps so someone who can maintain their speed like Toad is of good use. There are again some wicked turns and power sliding opportunities as well as tons of Bomb-filled Snowmen who are deadly. This is also the only Frosty Track besides Vanilla Lake 2 that is not in the Star Cup, it calls the Flower Cup home. Despite featuring giant Yoshi and Mario statues this track returned for DS with a Wario Staff Ghost for some reason. I guess Wario is a better association with the Frigid Wastes than a cheery Tropical Yoshi, and there's plenty of Mario Circuits to take up the Red Plumber's time. Wario clocks in a 2:08:781 in the Brute.

Sherbet Land is one of only a handful of names that appears in different tracks in different games (the others being Bowser Castle, Mario Circuit, Luigi Circuit and Wario Stadium) and is the only name that reappears without attachment to a Racer. It's the clear successor to Vanilla Lake 2, although there is no snow to drive over, there are some tough turns and a giant icy lake in the middle to drive around. The Penguins here are nasty and navigating the Cave is very difficult. This track returned as a Retro Course in Wii where the Staff Ghost inexplicably is Baby Luigi. He goes a 02:48.651 in the Quacker and the expert is 02:28.356 in the Blue Falcon. I suppose there aren't really any other good Luigi-themed courses so they had to stick him somewhere.

Super Circuit

Super Circuit features Snow Land, a fairly unremarkable course for the Star Cup. It does feature some penguins and Snowmen again who block Drivers but don't explode. There are also some puddles that can trap players but they don't seem like Ice Cracks as this course features a snow raceway. There is also a constant Snowstorm, making it the second Mario Kart Course with a weather pattern, but it's never too much to be distracting. Its basic shape does actually recall Frappe Snowland a little bit but with a few more groovy turns. Anyone with good handling who can stay in the middle of the path is going to do well here, which might be someone heavier who won't slip out uncontrollably.

Double Dash:

The Second Sherbet Land appears in Double Dash, leading off the Star Cup, just as Snow Land did for Super Circuit and DK Pass would do for DS. I did decide that the two other snowy courses, DK Pass and DK Summit were more like other DK Courses than these Frosty Tracks, so head over there to see their info. All the Frosty Tracks are basically flat, with ice water hazards and usually some kind of moving or stationary (and exploding) object. This incarnation of Sherbet Land is no different.

The enormous Skating Shy Guys here are basically a recreation of the Penguins from 64 Sherbet Land. There is also a tunnel, tho it's far less dangerous and some snow to slow Racers down, but it's never exactly on the track they should be racing on. The biggest danger here might be the Freezies, which will temporarily chill a player and can destroy good laps right at the last second.

The Secret Ghost here is Baby Luigi/Baby Mario in the Goo-Goo Buggy at 1:25:904. This was probably the inspiration for giving Baby Luigi the 64 Sherbet Land recreated in Wii, but still...what the hell? There aren't any recreations of this course anywhere, and for sure the 64 Sherbet Land is a bit more iconic. It is surprising that there hasn't been a later incarnation of these tracks, but to be sure Original Tracks in DS and Wii are as a rule much crazier than these guys.

7:

Rosalina's Ice World is fairly different from any other Frosty Track that has come before it. The half-pipe sections echo parts of DK Summit from Wii and there are large stretches of a broken ice lake that has been repeated plenty of times, but it is a generally darker track than some of the others here and has a lot more ice than snow portions. It also has a substantial underwater section, so that should be sure to come into your Kart and Wheel selection, although there is not many spots for Air time.

The Staff Ghost naturally then is Rosalina, who goes a 02:25.784 using the Standard with Sponge Wheels and the Parafoil. Neither Rosalina's Cruiser class nor the Sponge Wheels are very good underwater, so that may be where you can strike. The expert though, uses the Gherkin, Red Monster Wheels and Super Glider in 02:13.091. This combo is pretty awful at everything but Land Speed, so either take advantage of the water again or try to match it with something that loses less, such as the B Dasher and Gold Tires, or even the same combo with a Light or Featherweight.

Choco Tracks

History:

Chocolate Island lies in the southeast of Dinosaur Land. It is not made up of Chocolate but rather called that because of its large brown mountains and bubbling hot mud that looks like the candy. Just as Vanilla Lake is named after its icy white colouring and not its actual substance, all the tracks on Chocolate Island are not actually chocolate. It is a sparsely populated region, full of wild animals and otherwise inhospitable living areas. Mario himself after exploring these worlds put forth the cash to build racetracks out of the mountains here, not to introduce economic stability to the area but rather in order to attract attention by including exotic locales for the Flower and Star Cups. He later sold these to Waluigi to cover a gambling debt he had with the Hammer Bros.

Super:

Choco Islands 1 and 2 are featured in SMK. They are difficult tracks with Piranha Plants lurking at curves and huge swaths of Mud to slodge through. Choco 1 leads off the Flower Cup and 2 is the Second Track in the Star Cup. The Star Cup is all about the exotic locales - along with these Muddy Mountains it brings us to the frosty Vanilla Lake and the sunny Koopa Beach. Choco Island 2 returns in DS in the Retro Cup whose ghost is Waluigi in the Zipper with a time of 1:01:620. Waluigi's association here really is probably just because this is a nasty, mean-spirited track, with no way of escaping mud. Grab a driver with excellent offroad and handling, probably someone light like Dry Bones or Peach.

These tracks also came back in Super Circuit, which recycled all of the courses from SMK. Instead of a 5-Track/4-Cup system though, it reshuffled the courses into a slightly more standard 4-Track/5-Cup system. Thus the ordering of the Choco Island tracks is a bit askew.

64:

The infamous "Chocolate Face."

It's interesting how indebted 64 is to SMK. Whereas many Kart games took courses from the most recent Mario game (Peach Beach, Luigi's Mansion, Maple Treeway are good examples), 64 didn't collect that much from Super Mario 64, instead they settled for spiritual successors to SMK tracks. Donut Plains became Moo Moo Farms, Vanilla Lake became Sherbert Land, Ghost Valley became Banshee Boardwalk and so on. There was no shortage of cool SM64 levels to choose from either. A Hazy Maze Cave Track could have been incredible.

Anyway, in this vein 64 transmogrified Choco Island into Choco Mountain. It again comes up in the Flower Cup. It's a cool track, but actually pretty difficult because the sides of the course often rub against a Mountain that doesn't immediately wreck your Driver but assuredly messes them up and slows them down if you hit it wrong. Likewise with all the jumps, one miscalculation and your driver is tumbling towards doom. There are also some intense turns, although no boiling mud this time around which is good. Handling is the key here again, someone a little crisper than the middleweights. I like Donkey Kong with a reliance on power sliding around the most intense lake turn.

This track also came back for the DS. The Ghost is Wario in the Dragonfly with a time of 2:15:571. Apparently the Choco Tracks have a Wario Bros. association, probably because they're the dirtiest, muddiest tracks around. It also may be some reference to their signature tracks being Dirt Stadums. After 64 we didn't see another Choco Track, probably because other Kart games relied more heavily on more recent Mario Games. Chocolate Island really only appeared in Super Mario World, after all.

Bowser Castles

History:

Deep within the Koopa Kingdom, otherwise known as Dark Land the Castle of the Great Lord Bowser looms over all else. While the sky is in a permanent thunderstorm and the land is full of ash, dead trees and lava, the Keep is where Bowser extends his dominion. The Castle itself was erected in the Dark Ages, sometime around 600 CE. No one knows exactly when Bowser inherited it, it's actually more likely that he wrested control of it from its previous occupant sometime in the early 1970s and quickly slapped his name on it as well as plenty of statues and other signifiers of his Cult of Personality. although Bowser has continually modernized it, filling it with mechanical versions of himself and other fusions of technology and magic to make alive plenty of Danger. When Mario obtained the Mario Circuit in the late 1980s, Bowser was not to be undone. The first Circuit retrofitted throughout the Keep was completed in 1991 and with the massive Koopa Troop backing its construction and filling the venue it has never been unpopular, regardless of their actual opinions.

Super:

Bowser Castle 3, Pit of Despair

Bowser's Castle has the most incarnations of any Course in Mario Kart History, a nod to the excess and insanity of Bowser Himself. SMK has three versions of the track, all of which are the penultimate tracks in the first three Cups. Each Bowser Castle precedes a Mario Circuit. Each one features a stone raceway lying in a pit of lava. Not unlike the Ghost Tracks, there is no Offroading here. Even for the Mushroom Cup there are plenty of twists and turns, usually 90° and there are gaps in the track that necessitate a jump over lava in every Course. These tracks seem to be in the belly of the Castle, perhaps in the Deepest Pit so that the denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom couldn't see what he was plotting upstairs. There are also attacking Thwomps. Ouch. All of these had another run in Super Circuit, although they were reformatted from the 5-Track/4-Cup system into a 4-Track/5-Cup one. All these tracks feature basically a series of linked straightaways connected by hairpin turns, which would favour the driving styles of Koopa or Toad.

64:

Bowser's Castle (note the changing possessive as we go along here) is the final Race in the Star Cup of 64. This time we're out of the basement and zooming all over the Castle, from the courtyard to a...Thwomp Prison of some kind, to a rickety Lava Bridge, a grand hall, another courtyard and finally the Castle Roof. Bowser seems to have infused his presence throughout the grounds, perhaps by some Dark Magic. His laugh may be heard echoing throughout the walls during the last lap or when a Drive gets a bit too close to his Statue.

This is a great course, it's a no brainer that it comes back in Wii as the Final Retro Course. It's actually the longest Retro Course, 64 was notorious for its long Races. The Normal Staff Ghost is Bowser, Jr who clocks in at 03:19.323 using the Standard Kart M. The Expert version uses the Nitrocycle in 02:55.933. This is a difficult course, there aren't many obvious straightaways to pick up speed, and there's enough danger around the 90° turns that handling is vital. Pick someone who has both Handling and Drift bonuses. And that would be...Mario? That works.

Super Circuit:

Super Circuit features even more Bowser Castles, one for every Cup but the Lightning Cup. This time Bowser Castle serves as the Final Race in Each except for the Special Cup wherein it's the penultimate track again. This has actually set a nice little trend - a Bowser Castle track has preceded Rainbow Road in each following game. The Thwomps return for all these tracks. Bowser Castle 1 seems to take place in the Bowels of the Keep again. Bowser Castle 2 is in some Great Hall with a massive statue of the Koopa King looming over the Racers. Bowser Castle 3 takes place on the roof, which is still across a giant lake of lava. It's possible that Bowser Castle 3 is some separate Courtyard on the Grounds in the Valley of Bowser. The Fourth and Final Bowser Castle in this game goes back into the Underground with some strange background that suggests some...Giant Fire Octopus or something. This is possibly the most complicated Bowser Castle Track up to this point. They usually actually tend to be relatively simple, just filled with tons of danger.

Bowser Castle 2 made a reappearance as a Retro Track in DS. The Staff Ghost is Bowser, obviously, in the Standard BW with a time of 1:52:258. Bowser Castle 3 came back for Wii, where the Normal Ghost is Dry Bowser in the Standard Kart L at 02:58.304, the Expert uses the Bowser Bike in 02:39.391. Finally and fittingly, Bowser Castle 1 came back in Mario Kart 7 with very little changes, and is also the only track from Super Circuit in the game. The Ghost here is back to Bowser where the Normal goes 01:31.030 using the Pipe Frame, Standard Wheels, and the Ghastly Glider, leaving much to be desired. The Expert goes 01:22.221 using the Koopa Clown, Roller Tires, and Super Glider, a far better combination, although for once Bowser is excelling at handling, not speed. It's interesting that these Super Circuit Tracks have been remade but nothing from SMK has made a subsequent appearance, outside of the Super Circuit redo.

Double Dash:

The Double Dash Bowser Castle is a doozy. It's again the penultimate course in the game and features racing through a Grand Hallway, Thwomp Danger, down to the deepest parts of the Castle and then up to the highest roof. Not content with a Statue of himself that breathed fire but didn't pose a threat to Racers in 64, the Giant Bowser Statue near the end of the course belches a constant stream of Fireballs at any slow-witted Driver here. There is also a vast moat of eery purple water, probably full of excess pollutants from the industrial sections of Dark Land as well as a continuous thunderstorm, tho no rain falls. It's most likely heat lightning due to all the industry and lava everywhere.

Double Dash had Secret Staff Ghosts for every track, one for each Initial Character as Lead Driver...except Bowser Jr. Shame. Anyway the Ghost here is Bowser/Bowser Jr in the Koopa King at 2:44:690. Like all the Castle courses, acceleration and handling are the keys to avoiding obstacles. I'd pick Boo Pipes, any lighter Kart is just going to get destroyed.

DS:

This game might get the prize for most ridiculous Bowser Castle. It is actually a basic loop with only a few smaller loops but there are some alternative paths, high and low, left and right as well as hardly any solid land at all. It has its drivers zooming across rotating metal cylinders, huge moving platforms and spinning rooms. Roughly the first half of the Race is indoors through another Thwomp Hallway and up some stairs. We don't see any dungeons here, most of the track flows through rooftops, courtyards and a gargantuan lake of lava outdoors. Find a Kart with weight enough not to doesn't bounce around and can get some speed to handle both all the jumps and the many straightaways. Perhaps Bowser himself in the Hurricane or DK in the Wildlife is the way to go. The Time Trial Staff Ghost here actually is Bowser again, this time in the Hurricane at 2:19:661.

Wii:

Bowser's Castle (are you paying attention to the possessive, yet?) for Wii is deceptively simple if one looks at the map alone. It seems like just two long corridors connected by some light turns, right? Neither straightaway can be properly taken advantage of - the first is a huge half-pipe with boosts and a giant fireball-breathing mechanical Bowser at the end of it. The second, which includes the starting point is full of lava geysers that swell and erupt at random. There's really an epic feel to this one, though. The hallways are massive and literally bend and shake as the Drivers fly through them. Most of it seems unlike the Bowels of Super Circuit or the Open Air of DS. It's very much directly the spiritual successor of the 64 Version. Actually only this and the 64 Version are called Bowser's Castle, hinting that these are the only ones he lives at. The rest are Bowser Castles, implying the name Bowser is a descriptor rather than a signifier of ownership. This is the only track that runs through a character's house, there has never been a Peach Circuit within Peach's Castle. I guess she just doesn't want tons of crazy Racers and Fans in her house. Bowser doesn't really care. This is definitely a Wii-influenced track, there is way too much craziness going on for this to be replicated on any other system the way, say, Moo Moo Meadows could have been. The carpet is also very nice.

The Normal Staff Ghost here is the Big Man, Bowser himself. He set a time of 03:04.836 in the Piranha Prowler, then the Expert did a 02:42.098 in the Bowser Bike. As such it's the second longest Original Track in the game (Rainbow Road's Ghost takes two seconds longer). There is one longer Retro Track though - the 64 Bowser's Castle.

These guys are brutal.

7:

Bowser's Castle returns as the penultimate course in Mario Kart 7. It uses much of the land, sea, and air travel that characterizes the game. It begins with a journey into the Dark Lord's mouth and then the paths split like they usually do, but this time both vertically and horizontally. There are plenty of Thwomps again, but this may be the most organic of any Bowser Castle. There are less hard angular turns and more caverns and wide paths, although bordered by lava. There aren't any courtyards or trees this time around, but there remains the enormous lava moat towards the end of the course as well as more mountainous terrain than has been seen previously. There's also a spinning tunnel reminiscent of the DS version. As far as length, it's the second-longest original track in the game to Rock Rock Mountain.

The Normal Time Trial Ghost here is again Bowser, who goes 02:34.815 using the Standard, Monster Tires, and Super Glider. The Expert switches to the Blue Seven, Red Monster Tires, and the Ghastly Glider in 02:15.244. This is a well-balanced option but still lacks Sea Speed. The same Kart with Roller Wheels can counter this without losing the high land speed he has.

8:

In 8 the version of Bowser's Castle is similar to the Wii version but everything is amped up. Everything is maxed out. Just look at the façade. There is this progression of the Bowser statue, too - in 64 there was a stationary statue in the first courtyard blowing fire that couldn't really hit you. In Double Dash there was a giant statue that moved left to right spitting fireballs during the last section of track. Wii had an enormous mechanical Bowser that would also spit fireballs, this time during a long half-pipe that eventually split. 8 features a fully animated half-stone / half-lava Bowser that punches the split anti-gravity track, causing it to wobble and yes, annihilate any forlorn racer caught in the way.

The entry way is also very similar to Wii, although it forgoes a split path (see: Twisted Mansion) but has many right angle turns down stairs that are really familiar. On the second lap it adds lasers though, you know, to stay on your toes. There are also tremendous vertical anti-gravity portions with jumps and fireballs and swinging pendulums. It ends with a bit of a cliffside portion that is really similar to any post-Double Dash Bowser's Castle, but also includes a significant air jump across a hazardous, lava-spewing lake. Good luck.

The Ghost here is Bowser, in the Badwagon with Standard Tires and the Super Glider, pulling in at 2:23.872. This is kind of a bizarre pick, not only does he avoid the Bowser Kite, which seems fitting, but the Badwagon is most useful as an underwater vehicle with decent traction. Bowser himself has always been designed around Speed without use for much else and something like the Sports Coupe and Monster Tires would seem more up his alley. Anyway, you can target these or plenty of other Karts to get a speedy edge on the Dark Lord.