DK Pass
- This article is about the race course from Mario Kart DS. For its musical theme, see DK Pass (theme).
- Not to be confused with DK Summit.
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DK Pass is the first course of the Star Cup in Mario Kart DS. It takes place in a snowy mountain lined with winding roads overlooking a frozen lake. It is one of Donkey Kong's home courses in the Mario Kart series, but the only elements themed after him are the brands, all appearing in the form of trackside banners.
DK Pass reappears in Mario Kart 7 as the second course of the Leaf Cup, in Mario Kart Tour starting with the 2019 Winter Tour and last appearing in the 2023 Sundae Tour. It also reappears in Mario Kart World, where it once again appears as the first course in the Star Cup. Mario Kart World also includes a Battle course named DK Pass, located between its racing counterpart and Starview Peak. DK Pass is one of two courses to later reappear in the same position of the same cup it originally appeared in, returning in Mario Kart World alongside Desert Hills. Coincidentally, both courses originally debuted in Mario Kart DS.
Mario Kart DS[edit]
The stage takes the player over a mountain and back down. Numerous snowballs roll around, and racers lose their item and spin backward if they crash into one. Snowmen also appear in the course, similar to the ones in Frappe Snowland in Mario Kart 64. Collision with them has an identical effect as crashing into a snowball. An isolated Item Box appears up on a snowy cliff at the peak of the hill, after the second set of normal item boxes. The player can avoid slowing down by using a Mushroom to get through the snow to the item box, but in it contains one of these items: Star, Mushroom, Triple Mushrooms, or a Red Shell. Any of them can be received in any position, but it will usually yield Triple Mushrooms or a Star.
It was one of the courses that could be played over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Missions[edit]
Two missions take place on DK Pass, both involving driving through the course in reverse.
- Mission 4-1: The player controls Wario, who has to beat Donkey Kong in a single-lap race. There are extra snowmen added around various parts of the course.
- Mission 5-7: The player controls Toad, who had to pass through 8 gates across the snowy section within 45 seconds. There are extra oncoming snowballs rolling down the hill.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
DK Pass makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart 7 as the second course of the Leaf Cup. Trees in the off-road sections were removed, and some wooden ramps have been placed in the off-road area of this track, allowing players to perform a trick and gain a boost. The Dash Panel in the large jump is replaced with a Glide Ramp. Landing outside the barriers will result in an "out-of-bounds". The secret item box on the hill still holds a Mushroom, Triple Mushroom, or a Star, but will more often yield only a Mushroom than before, and no longer yields a Red Shell. Much like DK Summit from Mario Kart Wii, the race starts out foggy in the first two laps, but the fog clears up on the final lap. It is also now snowing throughout the race, which did not happen in the original.
A shortcut can be performed by leaning off the log ramp on the right before the Glide Ramp, using a Mushroom and tricking to gain air time, and bypassing the cliff to the right to land behind the finish line. The player now must simply cross back over the finish line in the right direction to make the lap count.[1]
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
DK Pass returns in Mario Kart Tour, first appearing in the 2019 Winter Tour. The tunnel at the start of the course is redesigned, being of a rounded shape. Near the end of the track, the small village was redesigned and made more visible. Similar to Mario Kart 8, the Mario Kart logo uses a modern design instead of the classic design. Due to Stars not being present and the Triple Mushrooms being a special item, the secret Item Box only gives normal items. From its debut up until part two of the 2019 Holiday Tour, a festive tree is found by the small village.
In Mario Kart Tour, it is the first course to serve as the signature course in two tours (the 2019 Winter Tour and the Jungle Tour). Like with most other courses, the course has variants known as DK Pass R (reversed), DK Pass T (with ramps), and DK Pass R/T (reversed with ramps); the former two debuted alongside the regular variant in the 2019 Winter Tour, while the latter debuted in the Ice Tour.
In the R/T variant, racers drive across a pair of mushroom trampolines.
Appearances[edit]
For this course's tour appearances, see List of DS DK Pass tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.
Top-tier and middle-tier items[edit]
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which DS DK Pass and its variants are always favored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, see List of DS DK Pass tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.
