It seemingly has become a requirement for every Mario Kart game to include courses from previous entries, and each iteration of the popular racing series has taken a distinct approach. Returning classic tracks might have received a minor facelift or incorporated new features from that game (i.e., paragliding and underwater segments), but ever since Mario Kart 8 took the series into HD territory, course remakes have been more full graphical and artistic overhauls.
Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2 takes these classic courses several steps further: not only does the game reinvent several memorable tracks from Mario Kart history, but it fully integrates them into the larger world map, adding nooks and crannies for players to explore in Free Roam mode. There are 14 returning retro courses in Mario Kart World, and below is our ranking, from least to most favorite, based on several factors, including faithfulness to the original tracks, visual and gameplay features, and how fun they are to race through.
14. Sky-High Sundae (Switch)
It’s hard to consider a course to be “classic” when it debuted merely three years prior, but Sky-High Sundae returns in World as the lone representative of the mobile game Mario Kart Tour and the Booster Course Pass for Mario Kart 8. It isn’t necessarily a bad track by any means, but if you asked any fan of the series to come up with an extended list of courses they’d want to see again, I don’t think this one would even pop up in anyone’s brain.
Visually, it’s much more colorful and detailed compared to the mobile version. However, we’re not far enough removed from Sky-High Sundae to feel any sort of nostalgia for it, and it’s not a course that needed much revamping compared to the other legacy tracks included in the game. And on a larger scale, this track barely makes sense in the context of the open world compared to the other courses. Like, where the hell are we? An amusement park? A high-concept themed mall? Or are we suddenly in that candy and ice cream world from Wreck-It Ralph?
13. Wario Stadium (N64)
Strangely, the original Wario Stadium is the only Mario Kart 64 track to never reappear in a subsequent game — until now. Its return should have been a monumental one, as it was an iconic course and marked the genesis of the “Stadium” archetype in the Mario Kart series. Instead, it served as one of the biggest disappointments in Mario Kart World.
First off, the track layout was gutted, turning it into an echo of the OG Wario Stadium. Gone are the absurd number of sharp U-turns and bumpy dirt roads, and instead we get a much shorter and rushed race. The original Wario Stadium could be frustrating due to its length, but at least it was memorable, and the maze-like nature of the track fit Wario’s personality well. What also stuck out about that original track was Wario’s ugly mugshot all over the walls of the track, following you like the sadistic torturer he is. No amount of pyrotechnics in the World remake could reach that level of hilarious vanity.
12. Desert Hills (DS)
Desert Hills is a good example of Mario Kart World‘s philosophy of reinventing old courses, but it doesn’t quite go far enough. The original DS track was populated by Pokeys and featured elements from Super Mario Bros. 3, such as the Angry Sun and its Fire Snakes. The World iteration of the course replaces them with giant heads called Tokotokos and Batadons from Super Mario Land (I had to look up what the heck these things were on the Super Mario Wiki).
Admittedly, I love the designs of these dudes, and it’s quite amusing seeing them run down the track in the second and third laps. But as a whole, Desert Hills doesn’t have anything else to offer after stripping the most iconic parts of the original course away. What we’re left with is, well, mostly empty hills in a mostly empty desert. But keep those giant, sunglasses-wearing heads in future courses, Nintendo. They’re hilarious.
11. Wario Shipyard (3DS)
One of the gimmicks in Mario Kart 7 was underwater racing, and Wario Shipyard was one of the best courses to showcase this feature. Compared to other underwater sections in that game, Wario Shipyard distinguished itself with its stormy weather and loads of obstacles for racers to dodge. Mario Kart World adheres to the aesthetic and layout of the track, but a major change in World ultimately proves to be a significant detriment for this specific course.
Since racers in World can only drive on top of water, that means that a lot of features from Wario Shipyard were cut out. No more having to avoid Fish Bones, no more jumping around with pipes that blow out air, etc. And even worse, the remake strips out the “Wario-ness” of it, taking away the purple and yellow colors and any iconography that invokes the course’s namesake. It still plays fine, but without the distinguishing features of the original or any sort of reinvention to make the course fresh, one has to wonder why it returned at all.
10. Shy Guy Bazaar (3DS)
As we reach the middle of this list of retro courses, we’ll see many tracks that still hold up quite well, albeit with very few changes. Shy Guy Bazaar from Mario Kart 7 isn’t necessarily an iconic course, but it fits in extremely well in the open world of the new title. The remake is a very faithful recreation of the original, with added rails for grinding mischief.
As a part of the larger world, it’s nice to see, well, actual Shy Guys in the bazaar. There’s also a greater attention to detail, thanks to the Switch 2’s graphical capabilities, with elements such as Shy Guys riding elephants, which carry the track’s starting line banner. And with alternate routes on the rooftops and narrow pathways of this marketplace, races feel dynamic and chaotic, as any good Mario Kart course should feel.
9. Moo Moo Meadows (Wii)
If Moo Moo Meadows ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This classic Wii course already returned in Mario Kart 8, with a beautiful graphical remake that adds a sunrise to give it some visual distinction. The Mario Kart World version doesn’t add much, though, as the game has a day-night cycle, players will see the farm and its happy, bovine residents in different lighting environments.
Moo Moo Meadows also showcases how many older Mario Kart areas underwent some form of development. There’s more audience seating and racing iconography (the giant Cow statue holding checkered flags is hard to miss), indicating that this farm has become a racetrack and tourist spot with greater explicitness. Even the windmills have added flame decals, because everything has to be more extreme, I guess.
8. Airship Fortress (DS)
Airships are a mainstay of the larger Mario franchise, and including one in the Mario Kart World map is a fun novelty. Airship Fortress is one of the more memorable courses from Mario Kart DS, and the World remake is a fantastic refresh. The game doesn’t mess with the Bullet Bills, Rocky Wrench, and fire obstacles, and the course even adds some visuals showing that it’s also a manufacturing plant for Bullet Bills, if you want to see where the sausage is made.
Like most courses in World, Airship Fortress includes rails to grind on, but in this course, it’s especially satisfying to grind off the giant chains as you enter the airship. It’s still a super fun track to race through, even though it’s super questionable why anyone would want to visit this area as a tourist in the world of Mario Kart.
7. Toad’s Factory (Wii)
There was something odd and plastic-like about the visuals of Mario Kart Wii, but the greater graphical capabilities of the Switch 2 and the strong art design of Mario Kart World bring its returning tracks a new life. Toad’s Factory is very much one of those courses, boasting improved lighting and other visual enhancements, even though the course itself remains largely the same.
Those conveyor belts are still super fun to zoom on, and the hydraulic presses that slam into them are chock-full of Mario Kart items, which is a lovely detail. If you slow down (which usually isn’t recommended during a proper race), you’ll also see diagrams on the wall depicting the process of how a block turns into an item box. Toad’s Factory still proves to be a banger; we just hope that whoever works in that facility is unionized and is working in good conditions.
6. Koopa Troopa Beach (SNES)
Koopa Troopa Beach retains the simplicity of the original SNES tracks, even reverting to the first game’s five-lap rule. It doesn’t reach the chaos of something like Baby Park, but it still feels like pure Mario Kart. Visually, the new version of this course is splendid, featuring lovely views of other parts of the Mario Kart World map.
What really tips the scale for this course, however, is the inclusion of that totally awesome Koopa Troopa DJ, presumably performing the electronic remix of the SNES Koopa Beach music diegetically. I love knowing how much the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom love to party hard, and it’s a small but hilarious piece of worldbuilding. Is this a regular festival held in this world? Is this DJ Koopa a celebrity? And does he have any sick beats on SoundCloud? We’ll never know, but it’s fun to think about.
5. DK Pass (DS)
DK Pass is a fun reinvention, mostly taking the layout of the Mario Kart DS original track while also combining elements from DK Summit from Mario Kart Wii. While it’s missing a fun uphill shortcut from the DS version, it retains the same pleasant music and adds Shy Guy snowboarders throughout the track, similar to DK Summit.
The one thing that the track could have benefited from is the addition of more half-pipes, but it’s a very solid return for an older course. Should Mario Kart World add other courses as DLC, it would be great to see more hybrid courses like this, especially if Nintendo thinks of more creative ways to mix, match, and merge elements from different parts of Mario Kart history.
4. Peach Beach (GCN)
Peach Beach was always a pretty course in every game it’s appeared in, but the version featured in Mario Kart World excels. While the original track in Double Dash looked like something on the coast of Delfino Plaza, the World version has the course surrounding a new resort, which looks more like a castle (unsurprising, given Peach’s royal status). Unexpectedly, the second lap in the race takes players on a different route, through that resort area.
The new track sections in Peach Beach almost turn the course into a new one, and I wish that more returning courses had done something similar. It’s a great way to show how these course remakes can invoke nostalgia, and then immediately upend players’ expectations by introducing something completely different.
3. Mario Circuit (SNES)
By itself, there isn’t much to say about the original, original Mario Circuit from Super Mario Kart, other than it’s an undisputed classic given its status as the first-ever track in the series. In its Mario Kart World iteration, it’s perhaps the only course that looks like a true go-karting track, and the garage and giant Mario Kart statue in the center are a nice touch.
Once you finish the first lap, however, players will see just how much thought and respect Nintendo has for the original game. Mario Circuit in Mario Kart World combines three Mario Circuit tracks from the SNES original, directing racers through different routes and turns. It’s a seamless way to pay tribute to three tracks at once, while turning a simple course from the old track into an original and dynamic racing experience.
2. Dino Dino Jungle (GCN)
Dino Dino Jungle in Double Dash is a hazardous but memorable course to race through, and while the World version might have more safety rails, it has a lot more going on. Continuing the theme of these returning tracks featuring more development in their modern iterations, Dino Dino Jungle has evolved into a laboratory, while cleverly still retaining the same track layout from the GameCube original.
In how many other video games can you grind off of dinosaurs or use a triceratops as a ramp? The T Rex’s entrance in the second lap is also an excellent addition, as it makes its own circuit around the track and can prove to be an obstacle. Dino Dino Jungle has the same bridges, ramps, and geysers from the old track, but all of these additions make it feel brand new.
1. Choco Mountain (N64)
This may be controversial, but I admire the audacity of Nintendo to completely revamp Choco Mountain into what looks like a demolition derby starring Charging Chucks. You still have your falling boulders and the same general layout, but this is far from the Choco Mountain you stored in your memory banks.
I hate speaking ill of classic Mario Kart tracks, but the Mario Kart 64 version had little to offer visually. With this new stadium aesthetic, from the fountains of mud, the sparklers, and the endless Charging Chucks out to ruin your day, Choco Mountain finally has some visual panache. I’ve seen a lot of complaints arguing that Nintendo took the “Choco” out of “Choco Mountain,” but my friends, I don’t think that brown stuff was ever real chocolate to begin with. Plus, have you heard that rockin’ metal remix of the music? Out of all of the retro courses in Mario Kart World, Choco Mountain is the best example of how to totally reimagine a classic.
The post All 14 Mario Kart World Retro Tracks, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.
