Bowser's Castle (race course)

The Bowser Castle is one of the common race courses found in the Mario Kart series. The course takes place on the castle of Bowser and surroundings, usually featuring hazards as lava pits, Thwomps, fireballs and tight turns.

Super Mario Kart

 * For more info, see Bowser Castle 1, 2 and 3.

In Super Mario Kart, three Bowser Castle courses appeared in the Mushroom, Flower and Star cups. The stages had the same appearance and features such as lava pits and Thwomps.

Mario Kart 64
In Mario Kart 64, the course has lot of Thwomps that block drivers from preceding to further areas. If the driver drives into the cage holding the green Thwomp an eerie laugh can be heard. It will crush them into the ground, making Lakitu get them in the only way out of the cage. In further corridors there are pictures of Bowser and large stone statues that shoot flames from their mouths, but they are harmless. At the end of the track racers will race on the roof of the castle. On the last lap, or when the player gets too close to the Bowser statue at the start of the track, Bowser's famed laugh plays.

This course reappears as the fourth and last course of the Lightning Cup in Mario Kart Wii. Notorious changes have been remade for such console. In this version, lava columns spring out from the pits to cause the drivers to bowl over, specially when racers attempt to jump. The green Thwomp now is just one of the new Thwomps, and is not significant. It is also impossible to go in the cage. The flame-shooting statues are still harmless. Bowser's laugh is still heard on entry on the final lap, or when the player gets too close to the Bowser statue at the start of the track.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit
For the Mario Kart Super Circuit Tracks, see Bowser Castle 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Racers start out outside of the castle and enter through a large doorway shaped like Bowser. As they precede through the hallway, Thwomps will try to spin them out or squish them. Racers will then travel over a pit of lava and through a circular room filled with Podoboos. During the final stretch of the course a statue of Bowser will shoot fireballs at oncoming cars. If the player has any trouble, Bowser's famed laugh will emit.

Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS the players start by passing through a metallic doorway of Bowser (which plays his laugh on entry) and then pass through a hallway with Thwomps. After climbing stairs and crossing a thin but walled bridge, drivers will enter another circular room like in Mario Kart: Double Dash. However, this one doesn't have a Firebar, and instead spins. A path with a Thwomp and then a spiral bridge follows. If racers aren't careful, they can fall a long way down into lava or even back to the beginning of the spiral. It is possible there to Bob-omb someone out the tower's windows. racers will encounter a spinning log in which the driver must navigate across, or they will fall into a garden and lose time. The final stretch of the map consists of moving platforms that must be jumped over. If the player goes all the way around the circular room, they will take a shortcut. However, the shortcut has fire and a moving Thwomp.

Also, Bowser Castle 2 from Mario Kart: Super Circuit appears.

Foreign Names:

Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii's Bowser's Castle resembles to the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Castle track, though now drivers enter a wavy hallway that can bounce them into the wall or into the purple Dark Land water. After driving through hallways full of Thwomps and similar to Double Dash, the racers enter a large open hallway with another giant Bowser statue. Racers must use the ramps on both sides to avoid the fireballs as well as mud. Racers then finish the map by driving through a field with erupting flames. It also has lava geysers. Bowser's laugh also plays on entry.

Mario Kart Super Circuit's Bowser Castle 3 and Mario Kart 64's Bowser Castle, also reappear with changes in term of gameplay. GBA Bowser Castle 3 now has mud on some place while N64 Bowser Castle features Podoboos on some places.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Mario Hoops 3-on-3's has Thwomps under ? Panels. Also, Podoboos launch up, setting players aflame. Finally, big Podoboos come up, go around, and spontaneously combust.

Trivia

 * The Bowser statue that shoots fireballs in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only moves from side to side, spinning drivers out and catching them aflame. However, the statue of Mario Kart Wii seems to breathe, always positioned in the center, and to wait for the fireball to explode.
 * In the Wii version of Bowser's Castle, a billboard displaying an image of Boo and Dry Bones can be seen. That artwork was first used in Mario Party 7.
 * The Bowser statue at the start of N64 Bowser Castle's eyes will light up while Bowser's laugh is playing.
 * Bowser's Castle, Mario Circuit and Rainbow Road are the only courses that are in each Mario Kart series games.