DS Peach Gardens

Peach Gardens is the second racing course of the Special Cup in Mario Kart DS. The course is located in the backyards' gardens of Princess Peach's Castle. Obstacles in the course include Chain Chomps and Monty Moles, both capable of attacking the player. The course is often blocked by large hedges which cannot be driven through and patches of grass that slow players down. However, a speed booster such as a Mushroom or a Star can be used to get across the grass for a shortcut. Peach Gardens has also reappeared in Mario Kart Wii as the second course in the Lightning Cup. An element added for this version is a ramp found near to the soil path right next to where the Monty Moles jump up. Also, the Chain Chomps have chains and they move more slowly.

The course contains various gardening elements such as ornamental trees and flowers. Some parts of the road are decorated by trellised archs, like the one standing over the starting line that supports the "Mario Kart" banner on it. The track also includes a pond with a circular terrace that has a garden sculpture of Mario in the center. This is the only part of the track that is not protected by fences and falling to the pond cause Lakitu to go for the racer in hurry and take back to the road. The rest of the track, however, is protected by fences and tall hedges serving as walls.

Course layout
The track starts with the starting line in the front of the castle's backdoor. The racers go along a straight piece of road towards the pond in a roundabout circling the garden sculpture of Mario and a single Chain Chomp running around the sculpture. The racers swerve to the left to return to the garden and take a semicircular turn to the right. A patch of flowers in it can be passed through to skip the turn. The road continues uphill to a square terrace with a pair of squared patches of grass and flowers in it. The road turns in a 90 degrees turn to the right; however, any racer can cut the path by going to a narrow portion of flat terrain to the right of the front patch of flowers and go instantly downhill out of the terrace. Racers enter to a maze-like zone, where the main road is split up in multiple paths by square parterres and some stray Chain Chomps wander in the maze with two Item Boxes following after them. The maze ends with the paths gathering again to the main road that leads the racers uphill to another terrace. The road makes an abrupt S bend to the right and around a patch of flowers and goes downhill to a circular path with three high hedges that split the road again in parts that are shaped like a peace symbol, but gathers shortly and sends the racers to a curly path of dark soil with green lawn and some trees scattered in the zone. Among other elements in this section of the track are the pesky Monty Moles hiding below holes found in the corners of the path and, in Mario Kart Wii, a pair of speed ramps found over the lawn to perform Tricks. The path ends near the castle in a straight walkway that returns the racers to the backdoor, and swerving to the right from this spot, racers find the finish line to complete a lap.

Missions
Peach Gardens is the setting of mission 5-1. The mission involves the player having to finish one lap around the course before a Chain Chomp.

Mission 6-8 also takes place here. In this mission the player must finish one lap before Peach.

Tournaments
In Mario Kart Wii, a tournament took place on this track. It was a time trial race, where players had to get past a larger number of Chain Chomps and Monty Moles. It was the second tournament of April 2009, and it was later repeated as the second tournament of April 2011, the second tournament of July 2012, and the first tournament of October 2013.

Official descriptions
Mario Kart DS
 * US website: "Peach's tranquil gardens are the perfect backdrop for a tight race. Don't drive through the flowers, and keep an eye peeled for Chain Chomps on the loose!"
 * European website: "After Wario Stadium's dirty tricks, Peach's peaceful gardens are a breath of fresh air. That is, until you run into a Chain Chomp's snapping jaws, plop into the pond water or get stuck in the numerous flower beds. Oh, and keep off the grass or Peach will get most upset..."

Mario Kart Wii
 * European website: "Should you really be ripping through a country garden on high-powered karts and motorbikes? Peach's presence on the starting grid suggests she's happy for her lush green facilities to be a part of the Lightning Cup competition!"

Trivia

 * The Chain Chomp theme (which is similar to that of Double Dash's theme, with a changed melody as well as an extended bass line and bridge) appears in Mission Mode level 5-1, where Peach has to race a stray Chain Chomp on this course.
 * This is the only course to be not available over Wi-Fi in Mario Kart DS, but it is available over Wi-Fi in Mario Kart Wii.
 * A remixed version of the course's music can be heard while playing on the course of the same name in Mario Golf: World Tour.