Thwomp Ruins

Thwomp Ruins is the fourth and final race track in the Mushroom Cup of Mario Kart 8. This course takes place in a ruins area with caves and is filled with Thwomps.

Course layout
The race starts outside, and after a straightaway, turns left twice. Next, there is a right turn that leads the player into a tunnel. Inside, players can either drive up the wall or stay on the main path which curves right, where Rollers roll out of a raised area. When the player exits the tunnel, they are confronted by many alternate paths. If the player takes the right or left turn, they can either stay on the main path where there is a Thwomp, or drive up the wall. If they drive straight, they can either drive in to the water and go right or left, or go drive up a ramp to a gliding pad. The gliding pad is only accessible when a roller knocks the ramp into place. Once the paths join up, players will enter the mouth of a Thwomp, which is also the entrance to another tunnel, and an anti-gravity section begins. There is then a right turn, which leads to the tunnel exit. After this, there are three more turns, and two Thwomps, leading to where there is a gliding section and a straightaway toward the finish line.

Shortcuts

 * If one uses a speed boosting item in the grass between two big rocks, one can cut off the first two turns.
 * One can drive onto a wooden board cutting off the turn before the second gliding section.

Trivia

 * In the E3 trailer, the anti gravity section was a normal section and the finish line wasn't present on the path after it.
 * This course contains 5 blue anti-gravity strips, more than any other course in the game.
 * This track's song theme is played for 4 seconds during the end credits.
 * If the player goes to the left grass patch at the glider ramp before the finish line the player can find a dead Thwomp in the wall.
 * In the underwater section of the course, engravings in the surrounding walls resemble Thwomp's mouths.
 * Dandelions disperse their seeds when driven through, much like in Super Mario 3D Land.