Merry Mountain

Merry Mountain is a Christmas-themed race course from Mario Kart Tour. The course takes place around a small, festive village by a foggy mountain decorated with Christmas presents and candy canes. Merry Mountain debuted as the featured course in the 2020 Winter Tour. This was the first new course in the game that is not based on a real-life city or a previous course. It is also the first original course that isn't a remix course to appear in normal tours.

Several Toads, Yoshis, and Shy Guys act as audience members in the village segment of the course. There are several flying sleighs pulled by locomotives with audience members in the course, flying around the mountain and riding the course's railroad. At the time of the course's release, Merry Mountain was one of a few courses in the game that appeared in a tour with festive trees to not have any of them, presumably due to the course already having a Christmas theme.

This course is a favorite of Red Toad (Pit Crew), Penguin Luigi, Luigi (Classic), Captain Toad, Peach (Halloween), Luigi (Lederhosen), Cat Peach, Mario (Tuxedo), Luigi (Painter), Bowser (Santa), Petey Piranha, Chargin' Chuck (Gold), and the Gold and Yoshi Mii Racing Suits. It can also be a favorite of Light-blue Toad (Pit Crew), Fire Rosalina, and the Santa Mii Racing Suit when they reach level 3, and Cat Toad and Penguin Toadette when they reach level 6.

Merry Mountain reappears as a classic course in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass as the third course of the Moon Cup.

Course layout
The race course begins at the snowy village on the mountain's base, with a couple of bends in the road before moving into the rocky cliffside area. There is a split in the road at the cliffside; the lower path features a dirt road with coins, and the upper path features a railroad bridge, which lets the driver boost on a Dash Panel onto another suspended ramp, allowing them to trick a second time. After the split path, there is a wooden bridge which takes the driver further up the mountain, which is decorated with candles, Christmas presents, and candy canes. After several turns in the road, there is a large bump in the road allowing the player to trick. There is a tower of large presents at the top of the mountain, where a gondola lift of presents feeds into. The peak of the mountain features a super half-pipe giving the player a speed boost, at which point the race track goes down the mountain's steep slope. The road to the finish line features a wide Dash Panel beginning the descend down the mountain, with a snowy ramp and two Dash Panels on each side of the road following after. Finally, the track ends with a ramp allowing the player to jump over a bottomless pit beneath the mountain's base, and onto the finish line back at the village.

The course also appears as Merry Mountain R (reversed), Merry Mountain T (with ramps), and Merry Mountain R/T (reversed with ramps); the first two debuted alongside the normal variant in the 2020 Winter Tour, while the last debuted later in the 2021 Holiday Tour. In the R and R/T variants, racers are able to hit a candy cane with an Item Box on it via the super half-pipe.

Appearances
For this course's tour appearances, see List of Merry Mountain tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Merry Mountain makes its console debut in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as part of the third wave of the Booster Course Pass; first shown in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, it and were the first two courses to be revealed for the wave (the announcement of which used Merry Mountain's music), with its theming tying in to the wave's release in December. It is the third course of the Moon Cup. The course has received significant visual upgrades from its appearance in Mario Kart Tour. An anti-gravity panel has been added on top of the snowy ramp before the half-pipe, fitting the road leading up to and down from the hilltop workshop with anti-gravity, complete with Spin Boost Pillars on the downwards slope. The half-pipe at the mountain's apex is retained, introducing the mechanic to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the first time alongside. Rather than featuring arrows as in previous games, the half-pipe panel has the appearance and effect of an Antigravity Panel. Double Item Boxes now appear in the air above the half-pipe. A Glide Ramp has also been added to the jump near the end of the downwards slope that appears beginning on lap 2. The minimap has also been rotated 90 degrees clockwise. Merry Mountain is one of five courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to contain a map of itself, alongside Mario Kart Stadium, Water Park, Rainbow Road, and.

Like Ninja Hideaway, the course does not use a "Tour" prefix in-game, though it is highlighted in promotional material as being from Mario Kart Tour. Certain promotional material gives it the "Tour" prefix.

Merry Mountain is one of three courses from Mario Kart Tour to be added in the third wave of the DLC, alongside and. It is also currently the only Tour track that is neither the first nor the last course of its cup.

Mario Kart Tour

 * Mario Kart Tour Twitter:
 * A brand-new course is ready in blue! Welcome to Merry Mountain! This is an original course appearing in a Mario Kart game for the first time. We hope you look forward to the Winter Tour that starts on Dec. 1!
 * The Winter Tour starts today and it features the debut of Merry Mountain, a brand-new course lined with candy-like street lamps and gift boxes! And we've brought back the festive trees. They're hidden along courses in blue!
 * The new course features holiday sights perfect for winter! Take screenshots in Auto Mode and share with the hashtag blue! Number of total posts X10 coins will be gifted to all players! (Max of 5,000 coins) Promotion runs until Dec. 6, 6:59 AM PT. See image for details!
 * A photo-sharing campaign is on now in blue! Here's where we'd recommend taking memorable photos on the new course: the main street with its cobbled path and warmly lit storefronts! If you get a good shot in auto mode, share it with the hashtag blue!
 * A photo-sharing campaign is on now in blue! Here's another spot we'd recommend to take photos on the new course: Stay on the train tracks long enough, and what do you see? If you get a good shot in auto mode, share it with the hashtag blue!
 * A photo-sharing campaign is on now in blue! Here's the last spot we recommend taking photos on the new course: After nailing the super half-pipe, the slope will take you back to town! If you get a good shot in auto mode, share it with the hashtag blue!
 * The official home of Super Mario: Jingle all the way to the top of Merry Mountain, a brand-new course making its Mario Kart™ series debut! Race through the streets of a lively and festive town, heading up the train tracks on your way to the top of the present-adorned peak. The super half-pipe at the top is great for catching some air right before you descend back to the warmly lit town.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

 * Nintendo Magazine 2022 Winter: This course is set in a city surrounded by mountains and decorated by holiday lights. Trains carrying a haul of presents will boost the holiday atmosphere. Check this out The peak of the mountain has a half-pipe area. Accelerate with Jump Boosts and run down the mountainside, straight to the finish line!
 * Official Nintendo social media accounts: It’s time to get festive with Merry Mountain from Mario Kart Tour, coming to Wave 3 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass. That half-pipe is sure to send you soaring through the snow!
 * Nintendo Switch Newsfeed (US):
 * This course first appeared on the Mario Kart™ Tour game.
 * This course winds its way through a snow-covered mountain, passing presents, villagers, and cane-shaped lights. You may even score some coins from a flying sleigh-shaped train!
 * At the top of the mountain, you'll find a half-pipe just waiting to be shredded. Use the jump boosts to speed up and launch yourself towards the finish line.
 * Nintendo Switch Newsfeed (UK): Have yourself a merry jaunt on Merry Mountain! This course first appeared in the smart device game Mario Kart Tour and takes place on a mountainside adorned with shining lights of all shapes and sizes. Keep an eye out for the sleigh-like train making the rounds - you might just find some gift coins coming your way! The track also features a conveniently placed half-pipe, perfect for getting a Jump Boost before making a beeline for the finish line.

Trivia

 * Merry Mountain is one of two race courses in Mario Kart Tour to have its final lap music altered in a later tour, the other being Bangkok Rush. Prior to the 2022 Holiday Tour, Merry Mountain's music was pitched up by five semitones for the final lap, but in the 2022 Holiday Tour, this was changed to being pitched up by one semitone, as in most courses in other Mario Kart games.