Wuhu Town

History:

The new rising popularity of the Wuhu Island Sports Resort was not limited to new exciting tracks. The Battle Committee within the Grand Prix ruling body desperately wanted to cash in on the area to also construct a Battle Course. Peach had a controlling interest in the Island using her vast wealth and influence, but the Committee was hesitant to hand over to her two of the three new Battle Stages, considering she had also pushed through Sherbet Rink. In another one of his more eccentric purchases, Yoshi bought a controlling interest in the development after he was on site overseeing Maka Wuhu. Considering his failure with Thwomp Desert, Yoshi didn't have much else on his hands, and desperately needed a win

7:

Wuhu Town is a complex course more suited for Call of Duty than Mario Kart.There is a central plaza with a fountain, some ramps leading to a ledge that oversees this area, and then many rows of buildings, alleys, and a road along the edge of a harbor. There's really no other Battle Stage like it. It's set in a more realistic world than other pipe or block-themed stages. It favors sneaky play, hiding and sniping over random banana dropping and shell-wall clunking domination. It's one of the greater Battle Stages for this reason. There are wide open stretches, and the center is a common Mario Kart Killbox, with the High Ground being essential to drive the slaughter and not be a victim of it.

Super Circuit Battle Course 4

History:

Yoshi's Battle Stages were few and far between but in the wake of Mario and Bowser's advancements, he transformed a section of his newly purchased Yoshi Desert into a unique Battle Stage. While Yoshi had difficulty maintaining many of his tracks, this barren patch of land stayed in his possession although it became vacant for decades.

Super Circuit:

This is an interesting stage. It has a relatively simple layout although it's punctuated by five water hazard patches. Trying to traverse these will lead to certain doom. It's also one of only two Desert Battle Stages (the other being Wii's Thwomp Desert). It's clearly modeled after Yoshi Desert and is also the only Battle Stage obliquely associated with the Dinosaur. All of this means it's a very unique course that has never really been revisited.

Shells

History:

When the first Grand Prix Council got together to determine what Items would be used, Bowser proudly volunteered an offensive options: The Koopa Shell. At first he only supplied standard Green Shells, but eventually his Shell Technology grew more sophisticated. He added homing powers with Red Shells from Paratroopas and finally, the Blue Spiny Shell, one of the most rare and deadly of any of the Mario Kart Items. For the 2003 Tournament he added his own Bowser Shell, the most monstrous and gigantic of all Shells.

The Green Shell Appears in:


SMK
64
Super Circuit
Double Dash
DS
Wii
7

The Green Shell is one of the most basic, stalwart offensive options in Mario Kart. It has hardly changed since its earliest days in Mario Kart History. Once fired it travels in a straight line, bouncing off any solid wall until it crashes into a racer or falls off an edge. It can also be used defensively, being held behind a Kart similar to a Banana, where it will absorb the hit of any other Shell or shell-like item (This option was unavailable in Double Dash). It can be fired behind the racer when held here, which is helpful in some instances, for instance if a player is far ahead and there is a higher danger of firing it forward.

The Triple Green Shell Appears in:

64
Super Circuit
Double Dash*
DS
Wii
7

The Triple Green Shell in practice acts exactly like a Green Shell,  a straightforward projectile. It is also a very able defensive weapon, though, because once activated, all three shells will encircle a player. If drivers run into anyone else, the result will be as if the opponent had hit a Green Shell. Players are still susceptible to damage, though, if an Item penetrates the Shell Guard players will still flail out. This is less an issue when all three are activated but when only one or two shells are circling around players are more vulnerable. Of course, they are no more vulnerable than if they had nothing at all.

*In Double Dash this was a Special Item reserved for Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa. The Shells did not encircle the players, making them less useful defensively, but still a great offensive option.

The Red Shell Appears in:

64
Super Circuit
Double Dash
DS
Wii
7

The Red Shell has been a staple of Mario Kart games from 64 on. It fires forward like a Green Shell, but instead of traveling in a straight line and then bouncing off walls it homes in on the closest player ahead in the race. It will become defunct if it strikes a wall though, necessitating a degree of precision during Battle Matches with many walls, such as SMK's Battle Course 4.




The Triple Red Shell Appears in:

64
Super Circuit
Double Dash*
DS
Wii
7

The Triple Red Shell once activated acts exactly like the Triple Green Shell, encircling and protecting players. Once fired they act exactly like Single Red Shells, homing in on enemy players.

*In Double Dash this was a Special Item that only Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa could use. They did not circle around the Kart, making them less useful defensively, but they are very valuable to use to specifically attack a wide number of opponents.

The Blue Spiny Shell Appears in:

64
Super Circuit
Double Dash
DS
Wii
7

This is another fairly rare and legendary Item. It often comes up while racers are near the back of the herd and is one of the only such weapons that his used offensively from back there. Using the shell's wings, it flies and seeks out whoever is in First Place and messes up their day. From Double Dash on the disaster has become more significant, causing a great Blue Explosion that will also engulf any players driving around the Blue Shell.

It is possible to avoid the Shell, but this is tricky and lucky to do. The key is that the Shell doesn't pick its victim until that final plunge, which is where you can escape. Still, there are dangerous parts of the track where getting hit is not only inescapable, it proves disastrous. This includes over any gap and particularly in Mario Kart 7 in many Air Portions.

The Bowser Shell Appears in:


Double Dash

The Bowser Shell is the Special Item of Bowser and Bowser, Jr. in Double Dash and is a pretty useful item. The enormity of the shell takes up most of any track and it will clobber anyone in its path. There is some caution when throwing it forward though, as the thrower may become a victim as well. It's best on straightaways shot directly behind to annihilate anyone who is considering challenging you. It can be disrupted by Giant Bananas, although it will destroy the Banana, as well as Hearts, which can pick it up to be used by either Peach or Daisy.

The Yoshi Egg Appears in:


Double Dash

The Yoshi Egg has properties very similar to Shells, so it is included here. Technically the Yoshi Egg is the Special Item of Yoshi (as well as Boo and Petey Piranha) and a pink version, the Birdo Egg is the Special Item of Birdo. Both have exactly the same function and operate basically like a Red Shell, seeking out and destroying whoever the next in line is. The key though, is that once struck, the Egg will crack open with Items such as Stars, Mushrooms, Bananas, or Stationary Green Shells. It could also pop open a Bob-Omb. All this means that the Egg could either be very beneficial to the user, or it could be hazardous. It's even possible that the enemy struck will come away with a star. It's not that useful.

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.

Yoshi Circuit

History:

As Yoshi's personal wealthy blossomed from his partnership with Mario he also sought to expand his investments. He sank a tremendous amount of money into an island off the shore from his own Yoshi's Island, converting it into a Racetrack. Not only that, he reshaped the Island to resemble his own silhouette, as well as imported asphalt to pave it like a Circuit Track. Even though it was popular the construction of Yoshi Circuit bankrupted Yoshi for a time. He was forced to sell Desert Hills to Waluigi and give up the rights to the Dry Dry Desert just to cover his losses. For his expenses though, Yoshi Circuit has just recently broken even for Yoshi and it remains his proudest possession.

Double Dash:

This is one of the more dangerous Circuit Tracks in the Mario Kart Games. It's a Circuit Track because it's basically pavement between grass around a relatively simple loop. It's just that this loop is shaped exactly like Yoshi, which is much harder than would appear. There are plenty of shortcuts straight through some of Yoshi's bumpier parts as well as some good drifting places around his tail and feet. All in all there is, like any other Circuit Track, a good amount of straightaways and tough turns. There's probably more of the former than the latter, especially late in the course, meaning a Heavier Kart may be more effective, particularly towards the end of the race. Of course there is always the notion that Blue Shells are always lurking, but that's going to screw you up anywhere. Your left side will almost always be rubbing against Ocean, but it's pretty easy to stay on dry land, even with Big Karts butting around.

Double Dash had Secret Staff Ghosts for every Course in Time Trials. The Ghost here is Yoshi, of course, driving Birdo around in the Turbo Yoshi with a time of 1:59:886. The track also reappeared in DS with some minor cosmetic differences. It's actually the Final Track in the game, coming at the end of the Retro Lightning Cup. The Ghost is Yoshi again, in the Standard YS at 1:48:793.

Jungle Tracks

History:

There are many Jungles throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, many of which have seen the intrusion of Race Tracks, seemingly inescapable in any location. Riverside Park was developed by Wario during his many travels to the far reaches of the Kingdom. It exists through the Emerald Passage far beyond the Dry Dry Desert. Wario also sought to develop the Lakeside Park park track on DK Island, next to the Monkey Mountains. Eventually as tensions rose between him and Kong this track was shut down and no one has raced there in a decade.

Yoshi's Island is the location of Yoshi Falls and Dino Dino Jungle, both in the midst of lush water resources. Yoshi however, after overextending himself in numerous Desert Tracks was forced to sell the Dino Dino Jungle rights to Kong, who, with no interest in managing the course, gave it to his buddy Diddy.

Super Circuit:

There are two similar Jungle Tracks in Super Circuit that have never appeared in any other game. Riverside Park is as it sounds - a winding twisting track around and across a wide river. It is also possible to use some nasty shortcuts here. There are a few straightaways but nothing that dominates the course, and much more often there's tight turns with a lot of grassy off-road spots. Someone Lightweight is going to be the key here that can maintain speed while dealing with all that junk. For only being the third track in the Mushroom Cup it's a decently complex track, with jumps and twists and hazards.

Lakeside Park is the same kind of deal. It's a winding track around a bit wider water hazard, although it does have the distinction of transitioning from daylight to darkness after the huge volcano erupts. There is somehow both more of a straightaway and more sharp turns, making a clear-cut choice for who should race this more difficult. Since Toad and Peach by far the better Drivers in this game, they're always a safe choice. This course leads off the Special Cup, which is actually similar to D.K.'s Jungle Parkway leading off that Cup in MK64. It also features a big jump and lots of water danger, making it somewhat of a spiritual successor.

Double Dash:

Again in the Special Cup, Double Dash featured Dino Dino Jungle, which can be a very difficult course. It's a relatively simple Figure-8 but features an unstoppable gigantic Dinosaur over part of the course and then a dastardly wooden bridge without guardrails. There's also evil geysers that erupt from the ground but generally you can see them coming. There are a good amount of hills near the finish line that will decimate Kart without good shocks like the Waluigi Racer, probably at the time you need it most. This map actually does a nice job dividing the track into four quarter-sections: Jungle, Bridge, Cave and Mountain.

Double Dash had Secret Staff Ghosts for each track in Time Trials. The Ghost here is Diddy Kong taking the lead with his partner, Donkey Kong. They ride in the DK Jumbo because of Donkey's heavyweight status. Still, they put in a time of 2:00:908. I suppose they needed to give the Jungle Course to the Monkey since Donkey has DK Mountain.

This course returns in Mario Kart 7 where it is generally the same. There are some more Air boost panels and a few other small differences but other than that it hasn't changed a huge amount. The Staff Ghost here is Yoshi in a befitting way. The Normal Ghost goes 02:29.837 in the Egg 1 using Roller Wheels and the Parafoil. The Expert uses the Egg 1 again in Monster Wheels and Swoop Glider. He'll have decent speed and very good handling. The moderate amount of air travel doesn't make air speed a necessity, stick to something with good acceleration around those turns, such as sticking the Wood Wheels on the Soda Jet.

DS:

Yoshi Falls is one of the shortest courses in any Mario Kart game and is really a very simple loop. Therefore we see it in the Mushroom Cup, in fact, it's the Second Course of the game. The key here is getting the inside track, because the actual course is very wide. What makes this difficult is the occasional waterfall along the Inside Track that can be very hazardous for sloppy drivers. The first and third falls are the only ones that inexperienced drivers should attempt to cross, the middle is much steeper and more dangerous. Beyond that, plenty of gentle curves and nice straightaways, feel free to nab someone like Bowser who has some Speed.

DS also had Staff Ghosts. Here Yoshi clocks in at  0:57:677 driving the Egg 1. This course came back in Wii though with no major changes. That game had both Normal Ghosts and unlockable Expert Ghosts. The Ghost is Yoshi again, this time the Normal uses the Zip Zip in 01:16.461 and the Expert goes  01:09.175 in the Super Blooper. He uses the Super Blooper, really? It's the only Ghost use of that Kart in the game. It's easy now to switch to Funky, who tears through this thing.

8:

The Thwomp Ruins could be considered a Jungle Track but it was different enough that I considered it its own course. You can find more information about it here.

Yoshi Valley

History:

Yoshi never had a lot of money. It was cheap then to convert a large desolate valley in Dinosaur Land on the borders of the Donut Plains into a Race Course. Yoshi didn't specify an exact path however, and his course instead winds through the sun-baked valley as a huge maze, with little direction. It was never that profitable, though, and after years of low attendance and difficult viewing spots by spectators, as well as the angering fact that no one ever knew who was in first or last place, Yoshi   was forced to close it down in the late 90s.

Fates shifted and the young Dinosaur was able to re-open the Valley as a Nature Sanctuary for his own people in time for the 2014 Grand Prix. The Valley underwent some tremendous changes in the nearly twenty years in between exhibitions, but much of the maze was preserved.

64:

Yoshi Valley first appeared in MK64, and there's never really been another track like it before or since. Yoshi's had plenty of tracks but they've all been pretty different. Super Circuit featured Yoshi Desert, it became Yoshi Circuit in Double Dash and the Jungle Track Yoshi Falls in DS. It's interesting that Yoshi  is so adaptable to different course styles, but this was the original.

It mostly features a Giant Yoshi Egg which is the only overt connection to Yoshi himself. There's also tons of pesky porcupines, some dangerous cliff edges and finally, plenty of paths to choose from. Some of the variable paths are clearly better than the others but here are a couple of your best bets:

This path veers towards the left once the maze starts, which is tough because it goes through a porcupine-filled stretch as well as a narrow tricky path with no guardrails. If you can maintain a course without killing yourself though this is one of the straightest ways to go with only one major turn in the maze itself, although that one may be too out of the way.

This is the broadest, safest route, with not a porcupine in sight. It's also incredibly slow as it takes the driver on the most extreme route through the valley. This might be alright for Beginners or those racing in the 50 cc cup with terribly stupid computer players. Then again, you can get a long way by taking the shorter, more dangerous routes there.

This would be a nice route if not for the brutal 360° turn near the end with the threats of Porcupines, a drop and a lot of speed going into the Central Mountain. The first narrow bridge is also a tricky shoot to make. In all, not a great path to take.

This is going to be the fastest route, but it's also probably the most hazardous. Porcupines abound, but it's still very direct if you can avoid them. It's also the wider tunnel and it has no major turns or brushes with the edges or extremes of the course. Still, those Porcupines can be Satanic, so watch out. Just make it to the huge Center Mountain and you'll be fine. There are some other paths through the Valley but they're all derivative of these four main routes. Mostly the trade off is safety for slowness, but that's typical for Mario Kart. A good driver here is going to have good control, there isn't a whole lot of room to get some nasty speed going.

8:

This course returns as the Final Course of the Retro Leaf Cup in Mario Kart 8 with some of the greatest changes ever for a course remake. These are primarily cosmetic, as the course adds more mountains, rivers, water falls, and slight alterations in the hills and landscape to make the course feel very different. There are other more oblique alterations, though. That Red Route above now holds a Barrel Cannon to Air Blast players along the long distance. The Green Route also had its bridge replaced with a tunnel, which doesn't change too much but feels hella weird.

There are some other differences. The porcupines are now Goombas, and the Final Egg is significantly smaller. The Staff Ghost here is Yoshi, of course, who pulls a 2:28.814 using the Wild Wiggler, Standard Tires, and the Flower Glider. It's the only Ghost that features the Wild Wiggler as well as the Flower Glider. Considering that Air Travel is optional and not really the best route, you can bypass that entirely. The Wiggler is decent, not much Speed lost for heavy improvements in Handling. Throw on some Metal Tires to make it even more fearsome.

Birdo

History:

Birdo was once a General in the Grand 8 Bit Army of Wart, an evil presence to attempted to wrest control of the Kingdom of Subcon, a world that may interact with the Mushroom Kingdom through Dreams, tho there is a Physical Secret Passage between worlds. Wart attempted a few more insurrections but has never recovered the power he once had and hasn't been a presence in Subcon for the past decade. In his absence Birdo has branched out on her own and found a niche in some of the Sports Events of the Mushroom Kingdom. Naturally getting close to the only other Dinosaur, Yoshi, she has partnered with him a few times and he even gave her a Racecourse, the Dry Dry Desert. Considering her Apparent Gender Crisis, Yoshi's flirtation with her is all the more alarming.

Double Dash:

Birdo first appeared as a Regular Character in Double Dash, teamed up with Yoshi. Her Kart is Unlockable, though. Double Dash put more importance on Karts that players would choose rather than the characters. Birdo is a Middleweight and basically the same as Yoshi except that her Special Item is a Pink Birdo Egg rather than the Green Yoshi Egg. These Special Items were also the only difference between Characters.

Birdo's Ride is the Turbo Birdo. As Middle Karts go it's one of the worst Offroaders, and it's also one of the Bounciest Karts in the game, meaning that for courses with Big Jumps it loses a ton of speed. It also doesn't have great Acceleration tho at 14th overall it beats the Mario Bros. Karts. It succeeds in a decent 57 mph Top Speed and is the 5th Heaviest Kart in the game, #1 among Middle Karts. All in all it's really not that great, there are better options to choose from.

Birdo's Item is the Egg, and it has the same effect as Yoshi. It's beneficial in that 2nd or 3rd Place position because it will seek out the Kart ahead like a Red Shell. When it hits, three Random Items will pop out that could have beneficial or disastrous consequences. The Items range from Shells to Mushrooms to Stars and Bob-ombs. If one of the negative Items emerges and devastates a competitor, all the better. Likewise if you can time it to receive a Star close to 1st place. The opposite may also be true, however. Your competitor could get Mushrooms and Stars after being hit and you end up with a Bob-omb in your face. It's a gambit using this character, it can be pretty good or turn out awful.

Double Dash had Secret Staff Ghosts to be unlocked in Time Trials. Birdo takes the Lead on Dry Dry Desert with a time of 1:50:755. She reverses with Yoshi and sits in the back during his Yoshi Circuit a bit later, with a time of 1:59:886. Both use the Turbo Yoshi. This is the only Staff Ghost of Birdo Ever.

Wii:

How is there debate over what this thing is

Birdo doesn't come back again until Wii, and she's still pretty useless. She's one of the easier characters to unlock, but there's no reason to ever really use her. Wii took Kart-Specific stats a step further and implemented Six Custom Bikes and Six Custom Karts for Eight Characters in each Size Class. Birdo is in the Middle Class, giving her access to some Cherry Rides. Each Character also got added Bonuses in each stat, making the game very individualised. Birdo gets a small Weight and Offroad Bonus but a hefty Mini-Turbo, meaning she's ideal for timing Drifts to cut Offroad Corners. Her biggest Bonus is identical to Diddy's though, who with a Drift and Acceleration Bonus as well, makes him more suited for Driving how Birdo should drive. Also, who can pick Birdo over Diddy? Birdo also shares similar but superior stats to Bowser Jr. Here are her Specific Stats for Each Kart and Bike available to her:

Her best Vehicle is probably the Zip Zip. Birdo, amazingly is the only Character in Wii not to have any Staff Ghosts. None. At all. She has no signature track, no signature vehicle, how did she get in this game anyway?

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.

Yoshi

History:

Yoshi Originated from Yoshi's Island, a part of Dinosaur Land discovered by Mushroom Kingdom Explorers in 1843. Yoshi's Island itself was not found until 1969 when a young Mario stumbled upon it during an early adventure. He found Yoshi there who knew no English but had a strong sense of loyalty and courage. Mario took Toshi as a pet and after Mushroom People introduced Shoes to the Island in 1975 the Yoshi Race warmly became an ally to them in the Wars Against the Dark Land. The Yoshis have no King or Leader but as Yoshi himself seems to be one of the only Dinosaurs who understands English, along with his strong relationship as a pet to Mario, an influential figure in the Court of the Mushroom Kingdom, he has emerged as their de facto Head of State.

Super:

Toasted, nicely toasted.

Yoshi was classified in SMK as "The Dino and the Lady" with stats identical to Princess Peach. He thus has comparable weight, this time in the Middle Class, along with very high acceleration, low speed and moderate handling. Yoshi's Kart History is a lot like Peach's actually. He has switched between Light and Medium Weight Classes as different games have called for it. The Rival Order for Yoshi, a system in SMK that determined who would finish where if Yoshi was in First Place was Koopa, DK Jr, Peach, Bowser, Mario, Toad, and Luigi. The Koopa rivalry may be some Reptile Feud. As a computer player Yoshi would sometimes throw Eggs, an ability human players did not have.

64:

Yoshi was again identical to Toad and Peach in this game. As a lightweight player he possessed great speed and acceleration but some sloppy handling and low weight, making him liable to getting knocked around. His signature course, Yoshi Valley, really had nothing to do with him but did feature a giant Egg. Which is cool. His kart was green. Yippee. Like Peach and Toad he's one of the better drivers in the game.

Super Circuit:

Super Circuit is one of the few games that really differentiated Yoshi. While Peach and Toad had great speed offset by very low weight, Yoshi only had slightly above average speed at the cost of being a bit bigger than the other two. This game also featured the Yoshi Desert, which would be the only Yoshi course ever not set someplace tropical.

Double Dash:

Double Dash wasn't focused so much on the Drivers as it was the Karts. Yoshi was bumped to a Middleweight here and his Kart, the Turbo Yoshi always kind of sucked. It has a low top speed for a Medium Kart, fair acceleration (10th Overall), but was very bouncy but with a tight turn speed. It's pretty heavy for a Medium Kart, only the Turbo Birdo is heavier, but it's Offroad speed was towards the bottom of the barrel. I think its biggest fault though was its width. It's just very difficult to dodge things, especially with its clunky handling.

This was of course also in the Birdo Era and she as Yoshi's strange girlfriend of some kind shared all the same stats and abilities save for the cosmetic difference that her Birdo Egg was pink. Yoshi's Green Egg was at equal times a good and poor Super Item. It was handy to get because it acted like a Red Shell and would seek out the Kart ahead. Upon hitting the Kart, it would break open revealing any number of items, sometimes a Star or a Mushroom. It's a double whammy to knock out the Driver ahead of you and then pick up the Star that falls out while you're in a high place. There was also the possibility though, that a shell, banana or even a Bob-omb would pop out, which is awful. Furthermore there's the possibility that the opponent hit would pick up the beneficial Item that popped out. Yoshi Egg is strange like that, it's always a risky Item, but also one of the only good ones to have when fighting for First Place from that Second or Third Position.

There are also Secret Staff Ghosts in Double Dash. Yoshi is in the Turbo Yoshi for both, first behind Birdo in Dry Dry Desert with a time of 1:50:755 and then with Birdo in tow during the Yoshi Circuit at 1:59:886. This continues Yoshi's Desert Association, although technically Birdo is the lead there.

DS:

DS gave each driver three individual Karts of varying statistics. The major difference between characters is weight, and Yoshi adds 0.5 to the weight of all his vehicles, making him bigger than Toad, Dry Bones, and Shy Guy but pretty lighter than Peach and Daisy. Generally each character has a Standard Kart with average stats, an exceptional Kart that has a weak Item Rating and a poorer Kart with an excellent Item Ranking perfect for the Grand Prix and Time Trials, where he or she starts with Three Mushrooms. Here are Yoshi's Stats:

As you can see, the Cucumber should be Yoshi's Grand Prix Kart and the Egg 1 should be used for Time Trials. It's also worth noting that like Peach again, Yoshi was downgraded to a Light Driver from his position as a Medium in Double Dash. He has quite a few Time Trial Ghosts with courses he's associated with. With the Egg 1 on Yoshi Falls he clocks in at 0:57:677, one of the shortest tracks in any Kart Game. There are Yoshi Ghosts on two Retro Tracks as well. Apparently he's the closest they could find for someone on Koopa Beach 2 from SMK, which is again a very short track at 0:54:847. He breaks from the Egg 1 to the Standard YS for the final Retro Track, the Yoshi Circuit from Double Dash at 1:48:793. Yosh is one of the only characters to have such a variety of tracks bear his name or association. They range from Deserts to Circuits to Jungles to deep Valleys, it's crazy how adaptable he is.

Wii:

In Wii each of the six available Karts and six available Bikes have their own very specific stats. Furthermore each Character adds certain bonuses to each Stat, making the game very unpredictable and customizable. Yoshi is back to being a Middleweight in this game and adds a bit of weight and drift to each of his rides, but a good amount of Offroad speed. After all, he's a wild animal, he belongs off the track. Here are the Yoshi-Specific Stats for each Vehicle in Wii:

Yoshi is most associated with the Classic Dragster, as it closely resembles his Cucumber from DS. He is also the promotional guy for the Turbo Blooper, though I can't figure out why. The Dragster is probably his best Kart. His Ghost rides in in Dry Dry Ruins in 02:30.949. The Dry Dry Ruins connection is there because it's the spiritual successor to both Dry Dry Desert and Toshi Desert. Yoshi also has a Ghost on the Retro Yoshi Falls in 01:16.461 with the Rapide. The Expert versions of these are 02:14.286 with the Nitrocycle and 01:09.175 with the Turbo Blooper respectively.