GCN Yoshi Circuit

Yoshi Circuit (also called Yoshi's Circuit ) is the third race course of the Star Cup in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. The course is unique in that it is shaped like Yoshi himself, making it the only course in the Mario Kart series to be shaped after a playable character. There are many turns in this course, including a particularly sharp hairpin turn located at Yoshi's "tail". There are also many Piranha Plants at the sides of the road, nipping at racers who get too close.

This track shares its music with Luigi Circuit and Mario Circuit. An arrangement of it appears in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix under the title "Rollercoasting". An arrangement of the music for these courses also appears as one of the selectable songs that can be played during events in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Nintendo DS version), Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii version), and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

It reappears as the fourth and final course of the Lightning Cup in Mario Kart DS and in Mario Kart 8 (as part of the Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8 DLC) and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the first course of the Egg Cup, as well as appearing in Mario Kart Tour, in which it debuted in the New York Tour.

Course layout
The race first starts at the straight road under Yoshi's "shoe." As the racer progresses for a little bit, the player will make a slow curve to the right. Piranha Plants are present on the grass on the right of the course, and to the left, there is water that will stop the player in their tracks if fallen off. Past the curve is a short straight road and a turn left. After the turn left is another straight road and soon, another curve to the right, which would be going around Yoshi's "hands". After the "hand" curve is a straight road, and another turn to the left that leads to an overhang, which starts a large curve around Yoshi's "nose".

Inside the curve in Yoshi's "nose", the player is protected by walls to the right to prevent them from falling into the water. Past the long curve to the right in Yoshi's "nose" is a sign that the player will see to turn left, obviously initiating for the player to turn left. The player will then make a shorter curve to the right around Yoshi's "eyes". Past Yoshi's "eyes" are his "spines", which are small and short curves around circular flower beds which won't pose the player much of a problem if the player correctly drives straight.

Past the orange flowers is a Piranha Plant, and past that Piranha Plant is a slight downhill change of terrain and a U-turn to the left. Past the U-turn is a small incline and a straight road, as one is progressing the "tail." On the tip of the "tail" is a U-turn to the right and a straight road. The straight road leads to a turn to the left and three Piranha Plants. Past the Piranha Plants is a turn to the right and a straight road, indicating that the finish line is just in front of the player and starting the cycle of the course again, but on lap two.

Shortcuts
There are three shortcuts. After the first left turn, if a player gets a Mushroom from an Item Box, they can use the Mushroom to jump over the moat, not having to maneuver around Yoshi's "hand". It is also possible to do this without a mushroom, instead using a well-placed powerslide. In the DS version, however, the shortcut can be done with a well placed jump over the moat if the player is using a high acceleration kart. The second shortcut comes right after the tunnel, and it requires the player to use another Mushroom to propel themselves from the course into a tunnel, which emerges into a straightway. There are also Double Item Boxes in the tunnel. This second shortcut is removed in every following version.

A third, minor shortcut can be performed by boosting behind the Piranha Plants through the grass before the finish line.

Mario Kart DS
Yoshi Circuit makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart DS as the fourth and last race of the Lightning Cup, as well as the thirty-second and last race of the game overall. Some edits have been made to the course for its reappearance in that game. One of the most significant changes is that the Piranha Plants are no longer in Warp Pipes and bite at racers that drive too close, instead being the small, constantly-biting variation that is seen throughout other courses. Another somewhat significant change is that the number of "spines" on the back of Yoshi's "head" have been reduced from three to two. The tunnel shortcut was also removed. Some minor graphical changes that do not impact gameplay include Yoshi's "fingers" not being there, the windows in the tunnel being larger, Yoshi's "cheek" being made of sand instead of water, the helicopter not being present, and the banners near the finish line being removed. The course was available in Wi-Fi.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Yoshi Circuit appears for the second time as a classic course included with The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8 downloadable content in Mario Kart 8, and as part of the core game in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as the first course of the Egg Cup. Many changes have been made in this version of the course. The "shoe" is now a small town near the starting line, with a dock, several small islands and sailboats nearby. The course banner now resembles an archway connected by two street lights, with two sets of flower bouquets on both sides and a ornament of a Gold Yoshi posing on top of a silver and gold Yoshi Egg. Additionally, Yoshis and Toads appear as spectators waving and jumping.

The Mario Kart logo on the starting banner is red and uses the modern design instead of the classic one used for most of the classic courses from games before Mario Kart DS. and also use this design.

The Piranha Plants before and after the starting line have been removed and replaced by tires similar to the ones on, while the ones in the "spines" have been re-positioned. The flower patches in the "spines" are no longer blocked off and can be cut through for a shortcut. The Yoshi Helicopter has been replaced by a green Mario Kart TV helicopter, from the view above the course. The second shortcut has been removed entirely similar to the DS version; this time, the path is entirely blocked with guard rails. The first shortcut now has a waterfall which players must drive through. Players can now perform tricks off the grass ramp at the first shortcut if they are fast enough. The "saddle" now acts as a place to shade spectators. Also, a sign saying "Yoshi Tunnel" can be seen on both ends of the tunnel around the "nose". The course is more straight, and the dips and inclines at the "spines" and the "saddle" have changed. Red Yoshi on the B Dasher kart with Standard tires and the Super Glider is the Staff Ghost for this course. Light-blue Shy Guy, using the P-Wing with Slick tires and Parachute glider, is the 200cc staff ghost for this course.

The new, live-recorded background music was rearranged with new instruments including guitar, saxophones, and drums.

It is one of only two courses that does not have any Dash Panels, Glide Ramps, underwater sections, or anti-gravity sections, with the other being. Coincidentally, both of these courses are part of DLC Pack 1. Also, it is one of only two races in Mario Kart 8 that has appeared more than once as a classic course at time of release and does not originate from Super Mario Kart, the other being. Coincidentally, both originate from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and returned in Mario Kart DS.

The map of the course is seen on its icon, making it one of five courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to feature its own map within itself, alongside Mario Kart Stadium, Water Park, Rainbow Road, and Merry Mountain.

Mario Kart Tour
Yoshi Circuit reappears in Mario Kart Tour, starting with the New York Tour. It mostly takes on the appearance of its Mario Kart 8 iteration (the same applies to N64 Royal Raceway, N64 Yoshi Valley, and GCN Baby Park). This is likely due to its lack of anti-gravity sections on the course in Mario Kart 8. The Mario Kart logo on the starting banner has been reverted to its classic one. Most trees have been removed, and the jump near the start of the course is obscured by wooden cutouts of Piranha Plants rather than a waterfall. Otherwise, the track changes little from its appearance in Mario Kart 8. This course is a favorite of Yoshi, Red Yoshi, Pink Toad (Pit Crew), Green Shy Guy, Koopa (Freerunning), Yoshi (Reindeer), Peach (Wintertime), Yoshi (Egg Hunt), Mario (SNES), Fire Rosalina, and the Toad and Bronze Mii Racing Suits. It is also a favorite of Black Yoshi and Petey Piranha if they reach level 3, and Birdo (Black) if she reaches level 6.

Despite using its Mario Kart 8 appearance, this course uses the original version of its music from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Like other courses in the game, Yoshi Circuit has a reversed variant, a trick variant and a reversed/trick variant, referred to as Yoshi Circuit R, Yoshi Circuit T and Yoshi Circuit R/T respectively. While the former two were introduced alongside the normal variant in the New York Tour, the latter was introduced in the London Tour. In the reverse variant, a Glide Ramp is added in the grass of the Piranha Plant section. The course's reverse and trick variant is the first course variant in the game where a section of the course is traversed in the "wrong direction."

For this course's tour appearances, see List of GCN Yoshi Circuit tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

 * North American website bio: "Yoshi Circuit is a spine-tingling, mind-bending course filled with dangerous curves and high ocean cliffs. This track is not for the feint of heart."
 * European website bio: "A circuit in the shape of the cute green dinosaur. See if you can spot Helicopter Yoshi from Yoshi’s Island in a guest appearance."

Mario Kart DS

 * European website bio: "You wouldn't know it unless you looked at the track from above, but Yoshi Circuit is shaped like the lovable green dino himself. Tight turns, tunnels and treacherous waters about in one of the toughest courses of the tournament. But by now, you're ready for that, right?"

Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack liner notes
"For this track, in order to fully bring out Yoshi's whimsical nature, we swapped the brass part used in the original track with a saxophone ensemble. We also rerecorded that characteristic choppy guitar sound live. We left the whistling part untouched, though!"

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! / Mario Kart DS

 * Delfino Fruits (Posters)
 * Luigi Oil (Trackside banners)
 * Mario Kart (Signs, trackside banners)
 * New Yoshi's Egg (Trackside banners)
 * Nintendo (Signs)
 * Princess Daisy (Logos) (Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only)
 * Ribbon 86 (Posters)
 * Sunshine (Logos) (Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only)
 * Super Star! (Trackside banners)
 * Yoshi Yoshi (Banners) (Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only)

References to the Super Mario franchise

 * The Daisy Cruiser can be seen in the background of the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 8 versions of this course. However, if Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is played via split-screen, the Daisy Cruiser will not be there.
 * The Sunshine can be seen in the background of the Double Dash!! version of the track.
 * In Mario Kart 8, one of the Yoshis in the audience will occasionally hum Totaka's Song. This also occurs in other courses with Yoshis in the audience.
 * The Delfino Fruits sign has an M Graffiti, referencing Super Mario Sunshine.
 * There is a helicopter modeled after Helicopter Yoshi.
 * In Mario Kart 8, the Standard Kart and Yoshi Bike can be seen in the garages by the starting line, as well as Standard Tires and ? Blocks.