As well as having an all-star cast from the Mario universe, Mario Kart allows you to truly immerse yourself in some of the most creative and colorful tracks you’ll ever see in a racing game. From the treacherous trap-filled Bowser’s Castle to the iconic Rainbow Road, let’s explore some of the more memorable tracks from the series to remind us why we love this game so much.
25. Baby Park
First up on the list we’re heading to Baby Park. When the camera pans over this wacky track in the first few seconds you’re met with the most eye-catching array of moving attractions you’ve ever seen. Taking place in a wild theme park that has all the trimmings, you’ll struggle not to notice everything going on around you as you jostle for top spot past the finish line. With the jolly music and the chaotic vibe, this racetrack definitely stands out and will have you wanting to play it again. With a relatively simple layout this also shouldn’t prove too difficult to navigate either, so it’s one you can truly enjoy the scenery as you go around.
24. DK Mountain
By far one of the more unique race tracks, DK Mountain launches racers out of a huge DK barrel cannon atop a large mountain. Racing across ratchety wooden bridges that sway with the weight of the karts, and navigating mud slopes that’ll take a fair amount of acceleration to stay on top of… DK Mountain is a complicated course to say the least. It’ll for sure test your driving abilities while giving you memorable moments to keep with you the rest of the game. Like being fired out of a cannon when you reach the summit.
23. DK Summit
Speaking of DK and summits, the next track on this list seems as if it’s the natural progression for Donkey Kong lovers. Except this one doesn’t have a large cannon, nor take place in the jungle. In DK summit you will be slaloming your way down a snow-covered mountain as if you were an expert skier. A tough ice course, which is fairly rare for the Mario Kart series, DK Summit offers the exhilarating experience of racing the rest of the roster downhill while trying not to fly off the edge in spectacular style. Not too shabby to look at either.
22. Toad’s Factory
A challenging course that will have you racing both indoors and out, Toad’s Factory is a whirlwind ride through – you guessed it – a factory. Complete with conveyor belts moving back and forth and side-to-side, and even in opposite directions, Toad’s factory is not for beginners of the MK series. But this course is highly entertaining as a result and will leave your head spinning. Great to play with friends too.
21. Yoshi Valley
Enter the domain of the lovable green dinosaur in this level which features giant rolling eggs and lots of twists and turns. A very open track, Yoshi’s Valley is one of those where you can rely on top speed and good handling to take you pole position without worrying much about hazards and death traps. You’ll have to be careful of the dangerous dinosaur eggs crushing anyone who dares drive too close to them, and the ledges at every corner. But aside from those minor annoyances this track is a relatively straightforward experience. Certainly worth mentioning on this list!
20. Wario Colosseum
Like a giant hamster cage, Wario’s Colosseum has you racing around the side hugging the cage to stay in the race. A great course to test out your drifting ability and throw your friends off, once you have mastered Wario’s Colosseum you will want to keep coming back for more. Just like the evil Mario-hating Wario, this course bearing his name is designed to torture you in twisted ways. Watch out for all the heinous turns and steep slopes.
19. Mushroom Gorge
A weird and wonderful network of large bouncy mushrooms is what you’ll find in Mushroom Gorge. From the grassy gorge to the underground cave section, you’ll want to keep your wits about you and not succumb to the allure of the mushrooms that steer you off course. Another outdoor level like Yoshi Valley(number 21), Mushroom Gorge rewards solid handling and capable driving. It’s also just a pleasure to look at, even considering how detailed the Mario Kart Wii graphics are for this system.
18. Wild Woods
Pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a title such as Wild Woods. This track is like an adventure down the rabbit hole into a whole new weird and wonderful world. Like something out of Avatar, the fantasy world imagined through this gorgeously crafted track is amazing to behold and it fits perfectly into the course for Mario Kart 8. Like a never ending adventure through an enchanted forest, you will feel as if you are exploring the set of a movie. A Mario-themed movie with a racing crocodile thing.
17. Big Blue
A mind-boggling mix of different elements, this F-Zero inspired track flows as smoothly as the cascading water does down the ramps. With a futuristic spin on this design, Big Blue is so fun to race around and it’s accompanied by a high-energy soundtrack to get you pumped up. The adrenaline of flying down the course will also push you to keep going on and win the cup. Not to mention this track is anything but flat. In fact, this one is such a rollercoaster ride in terms of its layout that you might need to lay down after you finish.
16. DK Jungle Parkway
A classic course in the series that takes inspiration from the world of Donkey Kong, DK jungle parkway is a great example of less is more. The graphics here are not so great since they come from the special up in Mario Kart 64, back when the N64 was dominating the gaming market. But it’s still got a lot of lovable charm to it with a fun layout. With a characteristic long wooden bridge and a ramp that will propel you over a Mario inspired cruise ship, you won’t get bored of this course any time soon.
15. Wario Stadium
An unassuming racetrack that has plenty of potential for setbacks and shortcuts, Wario Stadium is a solid course that is more akin to a real-life racing track than most others in the Mario Kart franchise. Feeling like you’re the star of the show, Wario Stadium puts you under the floodlights as you try your best to stay on course despite the numerous ramps and obstacles. Similar to a Ninja Warrior like experience, only with karts instead of bodies, this level requires you to put on a show for the many blurry spectators. And blurry they should be, since this is also from the N64 title back when Mario Kart was basically brand new.
14. Cheese Land
What could be more enticing than a world made entirely of cheese? A race track made of cheese, I’d say. Cheese Land brings you just that and so much more. A complicated course full of cheesy potholes and other such obstacles, Cheese Land is a great track to play with your friends just goofing around. Brie-lieve it or not, this is a real corny level that you won’t be able to resist like a smooth cheddar.
13. Airship Fortress
Zooming around a floating fortress hundreds of miles up in the sky has never been so enjoyable than in the Mario Kart level Airship Fortress. Although a DS and 3DS exclusive, Airship Fortress is one of the better Mario Kart tracks. If you play this often enough you will get well acquainted with Bullet Bill as he’s launched out of cannons all over the fortress. Like a castle on a large ship, this level is sure to impress and is a really satisfying race track to navigate as you’re out playing on your DS(or at home in jammies like all true gamers).
12. Maple Treeway
Set in the fall, you’ll be able to enjoy the falling brownish leaves and beautiful autumnal trees as you cruise around the Maple Treeway track. Racing up and down tree trunks, as well as in and out of the trees themselves, Maple Treeway is an exciting course that is well put together and should be a staple in any tournament. Imagine you’re coasting along an autumnal forest as you’re launching green shells and hurling banana skins for that uniquely Mario Kart experience.
11. Koopa Cape
Koopa Cape provides a watery backdrop to the racing fun and plenty of obstacles to keep you honest. From cascading water slopes to glass underwater tunnels with rotating lasers that’ll zap you if you’re not careful, Koopa Cape has it all for a Wii title. The breathtaking scenery should keep you invested in the race and the challenging difficulty should keep your attention where it belongs: on the finish line.
10. Waluigi Pinball
Taking place inside a pinball machine(of all things) we have this wacky course from the Flower Cup in Mario Kart DS. And it has plenty to keep you coming back for. Don’t let the simplistic start and seemingly easy-to-navigate track fool you. Where this gets interesting is when you get to the flippers. In case you want to literally imitate a pinball and bounce off every surface in the vicinity, you’ll want to be extra careful and rely on your handling to keep you in the race with this track. A great level to challenge your friends to, Waluigi Pinball separates the beginners from the experts and provides many funny moments.
9. Super Bell Subway
An interesting premise for a race track, Super Bell Subway takes place in an underground train station which immediately gives it an edge over some of the other courses. The excitement of trying to avoid oncoming trains as well as trying to outmaneuver your competitors really adds to this special track. Choose to take the high or low track and see if you come out on top. Especially after the trains have steamed through the subway taking out any unfortunate driver that gets in their way.
8. Sunshine Airport
An airport on an island, gigantic commercial planes flying over the course, and some huge ramps and jumps to pull off. Sunshine Airport is definitely one of the standout courses from the Mario Kart 8 title. Make sure you don’t phone it in for this track since you’ll be needing all of your racing know-how to navigate. Much like Baby Park (number 25), Sunshine Airport is full of exotic and exciting events to watch unfold. This will certainly keep spectators entertained as well as racers.
7. Coconut Mall
Take a trip to the mall in this rather obscure level which allows for plenty of small yet crucial choices throughout the race. One of the best parts about the Mario Kart series is the multitude of minute choices you make throughout the game which dictate how much advantage you can get. Whether it’s a choice between the high route and the low route, the shortcut or the safe option, Coconut Mall does a great job at offering plenty of possibility. A good level to get to know inside out if you really like Mario Kart Wii.
6. Mount Wario
Like DK summit mentioned earlier, Mount Wario is another icy mountain course that’ll have you working your way down a mountain at neck breaking speeds. Starting on a plane hovering above the summit of the mountain, you’ll feel like a stunt actor as you soar through the air and onto the mountain below to kick off your race. Consisting of a series of icy bends and long downhill stretches, this is a course you’ll want to stay focused on so as not to end up in an icy crevasse below. Downhill racing is always fun but pretty terrifying when you want to win. Combine that with the snowy surroundings and the uphill climb at the end and you’ve got a challenging course that you’ll love to hate.
5. Koopa Troopa Beach
With a suitably exotic soundtrack and a real soothing layout, Koopa Troopa beach is the idyllic island in the middle of the ocean that makes for the perfect Mario Kart setting. Perhaps one of the more challenging courses in the series, Koopa Troopa Beach invites you to stay on the sand and avoid the waves that will try to bring you into the water. Avoiding palm trees and other things you’d expect to find on an exotic island, this racetrack brings a lot of variety to the game and allows for some very competitive races.
4. Electrodrome
Complete with all the glitz and glamor of a Hollywood nightclub, the Electrodrome is the place to come for a fun session of Mario Kart with friends. Ditch the night out for a night in within this wonderfully dynamic environment which seems much more alive than a lot of the other tracks. Giant boomboxes hang from the walls and bright colors are displayed from the big screens, capturing the feeling of looking around Times Square in awe for the first time. The track itself is wide enough to be forgiving to beginners but sufficiently challenging for the veteran bearing some resemblance to the infamous Rainbow Road.
3. Tick Tock Clock
With a series of large spinning cogs making life difficult for all racers, Tick Tock Clock is hard to overlook. With all kinds of moving machinery intended to set you back, Tick Tock Clock requires pinpoint precision when it comes to your driving and shows no mercy to newcomers struggling to get to grips with their kart’s handling. Note this is also one course that has appeared in multiple games so it’s clearly a staple choice for Nintendo. Certainly a challenging course, but no less entertaining, Tick Tock Clock will have you counting down the time until you can play it again.
2. Bowser’s Castle
If you have any experience with the Mario Kart series you probably could have predicted the top 2 tracks on this list. One of which is the infamous Bowser’s castle. A level which invites you to enter the castle of the evil Bowser and navigate a series of obstacles such as menacing thwomps and red hot lava rivers. The typical abode of the pointy-shelled villain of most Super Mario games, this castle pays a satisfying homage to Bowser and provides the perfect backdrop to a fiercely competitive race.
1. Rainbow Road
The tension and elation associated with the end of the road and the final course. It’s tough to deal with and also so memorable. Rainbow Road is a bright vibrantly-colored race track in the air. It can serve as the best glory lap ever, or your worst nightmare as you fall off the edge more times than you care to count. With so much at stake in the final course, the extra tension here will ensure that you remember to steer properly and avoid drifting. But more than just being the last level, Rainbow Road has that magical Mario Kart quality to it since it appears in so many games. This is definitely one for the record books. Doesn’t matter when you started playing the game, everyone knows (and slightly fears) Rainbow Road.
