Nintendo DS - Walugi Pinball
Emily-Maisy Milburn
My favourite Mario Kart track has to be Waluigi Pinball, specifically the Nintendo DS version, as it brings me so much nostalgia. The over-the-top bright lights and the fact that the track was built into the pinball machine was mesmerising as a child, it reminded me a lot of the Windows game Space Cadet 3D Pinball which I also adored! When the track was brought to Mario Kart 8, I was overjoyed and purchased the DLC immediately!
Nintendo 64 - Yoshi Valley
Amy Mescus: Gaming Sub-Editor
As a loyal Yoshi main since my first time playing Mario Kart, it comes as no surprise that Yoshi Valley is my favourite track. I love all of the different routes that can be taken on this map, and being a religious Mr Scooty x Roller Wheels sweat, being able to accelerate on each bend has helped me see many 1st place finishes on this track. Other aspects of the track are also super fun, including the large cannon, the caves with the bats, and the comically large Yoshi egg that just rolls around.
Mario Kart 7 - Music Park
Adam Lovegrove: Head of Culture
The Mario Kart series has always been known for its amazing music, with tracks like Coconut Mall and Waluigi Pinball renowned for their iconic soundtracks. Mario Kart 7’s Music Park asks: what if the music was a part of the stage’s mechanics? What ensues is one of the most creative courses to grace the franchise. The race opens with a giant, spiralling piano that plays a descending scale as players drift down it. Tambourines serve as trampolines for racers to bounce across. Even the Piranha Plants are bobbing their heads to the music! With a number of tight turns and a variety of exciting shortcuts to take, Music Park is a track that never gets boring. The course went nearly unchanged in Mario Kart 8, and for good reason. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Mario Kart Double Dash! - Baby Park
Callum Borkowski
Arguably one of the most controversial statements in which a Mario Kart fan can say is that their favourite track is Baby Park. Yet, in my opinion, this statement is completely justified given the sheer chaos in which the track causes. To have the infamous GameCube track on Switch was a great decision from Nintendo. There is something timeless about the simplicity of the track’s layout. Any driver is sure to be hit by a flurry of shells, collide with a bob-omb, or get rammed by a bulletbill. It truly is the only track in which an individual can go from 12th to 1st in a mere matter of seconds. The course encompasses the spirit of Mario Kart as no matter how skilled an individual is, they will be sure to succumb to gaming road rage. My only issue with the track is that I wish it was ten laps instead of seven to heighten the pandemonium even more!
Mario Kart Wii - Mushroom Gorge
Keyon Snoek
Mushroom Gorge is my favourite Mario Kart track. I have the fondest memories playing it on the Nintendo Wii version of Mario Kart, and when Nintendo announced it was going to be added to Mario Kart 8 through DLC, I was ecstatic. What makes this track so great is that it is both peaceful and chaotic at times. Your character is weaving around a naturally beautiful track, but then you hit this darkly lit cave. The cave has you bouncing on a variety of mushrooms as platforms, allowing you to do tricks and obtain a speed boost. However, one wrong move and Lakitu has to send you from first place, potentially all the way to seventh place. Nevertheless, the track also allows for a lot of jumps and tricks, allowing speed runners to complete the track in groundbreaking times. Such as the infamous gap jump on the last bend of the course, which is high risk but definitely high reward, as if executed right, it can give you the edge on your opponents.