N64 Luigi Raceway

Luigi Raceway, alternatively named Luigi Circuit (which is also its Japanese name) or Luigi's Circuit, is the introductory track of Mario Kart 64, serving as the first course of the Mushroom Cup. It is Luigi's home track of the game and shares its music with Mario Raceway, Wario Stadium and Royal Raceway. This song received an arrangement for the Mario Circuit stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate under the name "Figure-8 Circuit". In the latter game, the song is able to be played on any Mario Kart stage as well as on Battlefield, Big Battlefield, Small Battlefield, and Final Destination as of the version 8.1.0 update. The course is reminiscent of various NASCAR-style speedway tracks with large, broad corners allowing for high-speed racing. It is the longest introductory course in the Mario Kart series.

Luigi Raceway reappears in Mario Kart 7 as the first course of the Shell Cup, and in Mario Kart Tour starting with the 2022 Mario vs. Luigi Tour.

Course layout
This course features no hazards, save for small rough terrain areas that are located all over the track. The course is long and simple, featuring open turns through which the player may employ powersliding to accelerate faster. The race begins near a grand stand full of cheering audience, atop which is a large model of the Luigi Cap. Following a long straightway and a wide banked turn to the left is a long road to a long overhang, followed by another long curve to the left and a short straightway leading back to the starting line, which happens to be part of the longest straightway in the course. During the race, a balloon depicting Luigi's face dips onto the course at the end of the first straightway, hanging an Item Box beneath. The item is always a Spiny Shell and may be obtained if a racer hops at the right time just as the balloon reaches its lowest point of descent. The course does not have any notable shortcut, but it is possible to save few seconds by cutting across the grass and sand on the turns while using a Mushroom or a Star.

Staff ghost
If a player beats the time of 1:52:00 on this course in Time Trial mode, they unlock a Luigi staff ghost.

Mario Kart 7
Luigi Raceway makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart 7 as the first race of the Shell Cup. It is mostly unchanged, except the hot air balloon has been moved and a Mii character is inside the basket, and the item box hanging below it that always gave out a Spiny Shell has been replaced with a regular item box. An alternate way has also been added on the platforms next to the curves that were inaccessible in Mario Kart 64, and it has Dash Panels on them. This is one of two Luigi courses that appear in the Shell Cup, the other being from Mario Kart DS.

This course and are the only courses not to use either gliding or underwater driving features in Mario Kart 7.

Mario Kart Tour
Luigi Raceway also reappears in Mario Kart Tour, starting from the 2022 Mario vs. Luigi Tour. Prior to the course's introduction, two badges were released featuring the name of the track. The Luigi Parafoil reuses one of the badges' logos, which also later appears on the blimp in GBA Luigi Circuit. Luigi Raceway is the last classic course from Mario Kart 7 to return in Mario Kart Tour.

The course's background now features hills similar to the ones seen in 3DS Mario Circuit and 3DS Rock Rock Mountain. The markings now split the road in two lanes instead of three, and curbs line the corners. The platforms next to the curves are now striped, and the second had its color changed to yellow. The hill where the tunnel passes is higher. The grandstand was slightly redesigned. Much like N64 Koopa Troopa Beach, the starting banner uses the updated version of the classic Mario Kart logo, but remains unchanged from its original design, unlike a majority of the other Mario Kart 64 tracks. Like N64 Royal Raceway, the course uses the source quality version of the original N64 music track that was previously used in Mario Kart 7 in this game, being the first non-numbered course since the introduction of 3DS Mario Circuit in the Tokyo Tour seventy-six tours prior to share its music with another track. Luigi Raceway has the longest gap between the first and second appearance of any classic course in the game, not having reappeared for twelve tours until the 2023 Doctor Tour.

The course also appears as Luigi Raceway R (reversed), Luigi Raceway T (with ramps), and Luigi Raceway R/T (reversed with ramps). The R and T variants debuted alongside the normal variant in the 2022 Mario vs. Luigi Tour, while the R/T variant debuted in the 2023 Mario Tour.

Appearances
For this course's tour appearances, see List of N64 Luigi Raceway tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Mario Kart 64

 * Instruction booklet bio: Long straightaways and easy corners -- the perfect course for beginners to practice their sliding.
 * Webpage bio: A fine track for beginners.
 * Nintendo Magazine System (Australia) issue 49 (page 40): The first course in the game is reminiscent of an IndyCar track, with banked turns and long straights for acceleration.

Mario Kart 64

 * Koopa Air (trackside banners)
 * Luigi's (trackside banners)
 * Mario Star (trackside banners)
 * Nintendo (trackside banners)
 * Shot! (trackside banners)
 * Yoshi (trackside banners)

Mario Kart 7

 * KoopaKart (trackside banners)
 * Luigi Grand Prix (trackside banners)
 * Nintendo (trackside banners)
 * Shoot! (trackside banners)
 * Super Mario (trackside banners)
 * Yoshi (trackside banners)

Mario Kart Tour

 * KoopaKart (trackside banners)
 * Launch! (trackside banners)
 * Luigi Raceway (trackside banners, signs)
 * Super Mario (trackside banners)
 * Yoshi (trackside banners)

Trivia

 * Luigi Raceway is the only introductory course from the first four games in the Mario Kart series to not appear as a classic course in Mario Kart DS. As such, it is also the only introductory course from the first four games to not be in the game’s Shell Cup. Instead, appeared alongside the other introductory courses in that cup.