It’s been five days since the launch of Nintendo’s all-new Switch 2, which means five whole days of Mario Kart World races under our belts. Whether venturing to the map’s outermost edges, working your way through single-player cup races, or securing your podium position in online matches, you’ve probably got a few favorite courses.
It’s been hard to move on to all-new content after investing 1,000 (sometimes grueling) hours in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but World‘s intense 24-racer matches, not-so-linear courses, semi-open world, and Pro Skater-esque rail-grinding and wall-riding capabilities certainly help.
Even after virtually memorizing 8 Deluxe‘s comprehensive course library, these World courses are living rent-free in my brain.
Great ? Block Ruins
Really giving the “?” block its moment in the limelight, that’s for sure.
“Great ? Block Ruins,” the final track in both the Banana Cup and Cloud Rally, can be found in the southeastern area of the map. The Aztec ruins-inspired track is suspended among the clouds and features a massive and unmissable “?” block. Lots of gliding, cloud-bouncing, and other exciting obstacles you can manipulate to make it to first place.
Boo Cinema
“Boo Cinema,” the third Leaf Cup course and the first in the Spiny Rally, puts players on a film reel-styled course.
Brave drivers forge through a thick, sepia-tinted haze and around several spooky castles. What really drives it home (no pun intended) is the massive silver screen players burst through to enter the movie. This one’s got a few lurkers hidden in the shadows, so be careful!
Mario Circuit
I’d be remiss to forget the ol’ “Mario Circuit,” the first course of the game’s Mushroom Cup and the second in the Cloud Rally.
“Mario Circuit” is a quintessential Mario Kart course, as reimagined versions of the map can be found throughout the franchise’s game library. Its first appearance was in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version of Super Mario Kart, released in 1992. This one is a liiiiiiittle more elaborate, I’d say, its breathtaking airtime and tight turns making it a World — and series — standout.
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DK Spaceport
Blast “FROM” the past? No. Blast “TO.” Thrills. Nintendo nostalgia. Fan service. “DK Spaceport” has it all.
Our boy DK only gets one special outfit in World, so it’s only fair he gets one of the game’s best courses.
Close out the Mushroom Cup the right way with these retro “25m”-inspired angled platforms, sick soundtrack, and rolling barrels. A colossal and vaguely threatening Mecha DK stands at the top, patrolling the finish line. Can you make it through?
Rainbow Road
I don’t need to wax poetic about “Rainbow Road,” but I’m gonna do it anyway, because this one’s something special.
Franchise fans know a new version of the classic colorful course closes out each game’s most challenging cup race, but we’ve made serious strides since the SNES course dropped in the early 1990s. While World‘s version still features the iconic and lengthy tile-like raceway we’ve come to know and love — “Rainbow Road” courses are always among each game’s longest tracks — it also ups the difficulty considerably.
Does it count as a “scenic route” if it’s the whole course?
Moo Moo Meadows
Hey Alexa, play “Country Roads’ by John Denver.
“Moo Moo Meadows” and its course-obstructing cows have been featured in three other Mario Kart entries, but now, we FINALLY get the fan-fave creature NPC as a driver. Talk about fan service!
Steer clear of the grass, dodge pesky Monty Moles (shouldn’t you be driving anyway?!) and drift ’til the cows come home.
Dandelion Depths
Found in the Ice and Moon Rallies, “Dandelion Depths” lets airtime-loving drivers leap from ledges and lifts throughout an off-the-beaten-path industrial park. The Leaf Cup course, situated within a forest, is eerily reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey‘s “Wooded Kingdom.”
I haven’t found any Power Moons, though. Bummer.
Mario Bros. Circuit
The Ricky Bobby in me has always been partial to the high-speed, few-frills “Circuit” courses, but World‘s ability to add whimsy to these typically linear tracks without jumping the shark? Chef’s kiss.
I came in ready to skrrrt around those ultra-tight turns and take the top spot at the podium, but they’ve sprinkled in some grindable rails and added airtime opportunities. I’m putty in your hands, Mario.
Toad’s Factory
Did anyone else love Toad’s Treasure Tracker the way I did? If so, this one’s up your alley. While “Toad’s Factory” was featured in the franchise’s Wii entry, it feels entirely different — in a good way. In World‘s version, players still trudge through mud and dodge hydraulic presses, but this time around, I swear I felt a breeze in my hair.
Invigorating, breathtaking, visually striking. Don’t forget the hard hat, though, or you’ll hear from OSHA.
Starview Peak
In “Starview Peak,” the ethereal shades of purple-blue, twinkling icicles, and soft, snowy surfaces clearly draw inspiration from other frigid franchise maps, namely “Rosalina’s Ice World.”
Much like the snowy courses of yore, this’ll take your breath away. Make sure you choose your Kart wisely, as icy conditions might take you out.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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