3DS Bowser's Castle

Bowser's Castle is the third course of the Special Cup in Mario Kart 7. Unlike previous Bowser's Castle courses, it strongly resembles a haunted mansion inside. It features spiderwebs, lava pillars and geysers, Thwomps, and stairs. This course later returns as a classic course in Mario Kart Tour, starting with the New Year's 2022 Tour.

The second portion of this course's music covers the Bowser's Castle theme from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Course layout
This course starts off on a separate platform with a ramp to glide into Bowser's Castle. There are two entrances, an upper level and a lower level if the upper level is missed while gliding. The two levels have a set of stairs with Thwomps and inclining slopes that lead into one room filled with lava pools and sharp turns. Past that room is a wide wooden Turning Floor that leads to a lake filled with water, with some pipes pouring lava and lava-filled edges. Afterward, racers return to land along a cliff side, passing by lava waterfalls as the racers drive. At the end of the outdoor section is a sharp wide turn that ends with a Glide Ramp leading to the finish line, with a giant ring in the air suspended over the one on the ground highlighting this. The ramp allows for side paths to be taken on laps 2 and 3, which split into two to allow both levels of the castle to be reached. 3DS Bowser's Castle is the only Bowser's Castle course in the Mario Kart series with an underwater section.

When the player enters the castle, Bowser's laugh can be heard, similar to the Bowser's Castle courses from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii.

Mario Kart Tour
Bowser's Castle returns in Mario Kart Tour as a classic course, starting from the New Year's 2022 Tour. The sky is less dark, the castle entrance has been redesigned, and an active volcano has been added into the background. The positions of the pipes pouring lava in the underwater section have been slightly altered, with one being outright removed. The ramp in the underwater section is also extended. The mountainous area has been made more open and lacks the mushroom shortcut on the right side. Additionally, Bowser's laugh no longer plays when the player enters the castle at the beginning of the course. In the trick variant, a wide Turning Floor like the one before the underwater section is added to the start of the course. Multiple of these are added at the start of the reverse/trick variant. This course is a favorite of Fire Rosalina, Yoshi (Kangaroo), Tanooki Rosalina, Wario (Cowboy), Meowser, and the Mario, Gold, King Bob-omb, and Birdo Mii Racing Suits. It is also a favorite of Luigi (Vacation) and Mario (Samurai) if they reach level 3, the Bronze Mii Racing Suit if it reaches level 6, and Kamek if he reaches level 8. Like most courses in the game, Bowser's Castle has a reverse variant, a trick variant, and a reverse and trick variant, referred to as Bowser's Castle R, Bowser's Castle T, and Bowser's Castle R/T respectively. The former two were introduced alongside the normal variant in the New Year's 2022 Tour, while the latter was introduced in the Samurai Tour.

For this course's tour appearances, see List of 3DS Bowser's Castle tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Names in other languages
Bowsers Festung Castello di Bowser (3DS)