GCN DK Mountain

DK Mountain is a racing course coming from the Mario Kart series. DK Mountain appeared first in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! as the fourth and last stage of the Star Cup. The course takes place in the middle of the jungle, though the track mostly runs along of two volcanoes of the jungle. The centerpiece of the track is the giant Barrel Cannon that shoots all racers to the upper part of an active volcano. The course itself is complex, containing several curly paths, dangerous tight turns and an uneven ground that result difficult to control drifting well.

The course reappears in Mario Kart Wii in the Lightning Cup, but in this game, some elements were added, such as ramps, and some of the deep grass is replaced by mud. Also, the sign pointing to the cannon says "DK Cannon" in Mario Kart Wii while in Mario Kart Double Dash!! it says "Donkey Cannon". Also worthy of note is that DK Summit of Mario Kart Wii is similar to DK Mountain in many ways and it even has a sign saying "DK Mountain". What could be DK Mountain can be seen in the background of Baby Park.

Course Layout
All players start the race in the jungle. Just starting the race, players go to the base of an inactive volcano, taking a curly path to reach a great curve that surrounds the crater of this volcano. Racers soon are fired at 195mph / 314km/h (GCN version) by the DK Cannon, to the top of an active volcano. While flying, it's noticeable that racers are totally invulnerable and any item cannot affect them in this state. After landing near the top of the mountain, drivers now have to go downhill, happening upon a highly rugged terrain.

In Mario Kart Wii, the slope of the active volcano has wooden ramps so that racers can take them and perform a trick to gain a momentary speed boost during the descent. Although running over the track in the volcano is essential, racers can also run off-road without losing speed, granting an advantage to get out from other racers and any possible hazard set in the slope.

Almost reaching the base of the active volcano, racers will happen on a road prone to falling boulders. Boulders roll downhill, bowling over any kart that crashes into them. In Mario Kart Wii, only giant boulders will flip karts, whereas small ones disintegrate into dust if a vehicle collides with them, slowing down the vehicles slightly. Also in the Wii rendition, racers can take some trick ramps in some curves of the track while descending to the base of the mountain.

After descending of the volcano, players take a zigzagging path with more boulders rolling from the hills. Taking the first turn, racers should take care for not falling to the cliff while swerving around. A second turn surrounds an unprotected crevice, where players may fall and remain out of the race for some seconds. Lastly, a third tight turn leads racers to a very swingy, windy, rope bridge (the bridge barely shakes in the Wii version)  hanging high above a deep canyon. Racers return to the spot where the finish line is found.

The course has one shortcut while descending the zigzagging stretch of the track. Just after taking the first tight curve, players can instantly jump the crevice of the road, reaching the other end of the second turn and shaving off seconds of their time.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

 * Official Website: “Go off-roading on DK Mountain as you fly with reckless abandon down a volcano, through ridiculous curves, and across a twisting log bridge. Oh, and you get shot out of a cannon too.”
 * Official European Website: “Dense jungles, rickety bridges, slippery slopes, rolling boulders and, erm, a sulking volcano… It can only be DK Mountain”

Trivia

 * In the overview map on the official Mario Kart: Double Dash!! website (also seen at the top of the page), the wooden bridge is missing.