Mario Circuit

Mario Circuit is the name of various race courses attributed to Mario as his own in the Mario Kart Series. Indeed, these courses bear some features ligated to the plumber, as his red Cap, the Mushrooms he uses; Princess Peach's Castle, where the hero sets out his adventures in many games; Warp Pipes, and sometimes, enemies like Goombas and Piranha Plants, Mario's common enemies, with no mentioning the banners that say his famous name. Apart from Mario Kart, the Mario Circuit has presented in other series such as Itadaki Street DS and Super Smash Bros Brawl, where it can be considered a stage held for other various purposes.

Super Mario Kart
In Super Mario Kart, four Mario Circuit race tracks appear, looking similar to a typical standard raceocurse, having also in them some obstacles such as Warp Pipes, located normally on the road, blocking the path of the vehicles; and Oil Slicks that cause vehicles to spin out of control while running over one.

Each Mario Circuit appears numbered by the time that appears: Two Mario Circuits in the Mushroom Cup, another in the Flower Cup, and one more in the Star Cup. The first course of the Mushroom Cup, Mario Circuit 1 is the most basic track and the most simple in game, having open corners and few obstacles. In contrast to that circuit is the Mario Circuit 2, the fifth and last course of the cup. This stage is notable by showing a great jump before the finish line, where the racers need cross the zone, getting a speed boost over Boost Pads and jump over speed humps to reach the other side and finally pass the line. The third circuit, Mario Circuit 3 is the last track of the Flower Cup. This course contains dangerous curves, being a zone when a racer attempts to turn around and stucks into a wall or a pipe, or getting into dirt, slowing down the kart. Finally it is the Mario Circuit 4, the longest of Super Mario Kart ' s Mario Circuits. This track contains more sharp bends and obstacles scattered through the track.

The Mario Circuit courses, along with the other tracks from Super Mario Kart, reappear for the Game Boy Advance installment Mario Kart Super Circuit, as hidden classic racecourses. However, in the recent Mario Kart games, only two of these stages appear in. In Mario Kart DS features the Mario Circuit 1; the first course of the Shell Cup from Retro Grand Prix, known as SNES Mario Circuit 1. In Mario Kart Wii, the Mario Circuit 3 (also known as SNES Mario Circuit 3) appears in the Lightning Cup, bearing an enhanced graphical look as its portable counterpart.

Mario Kart 64
Known as Mario Raceway in game, this circuit is found in the Flower Cup, being the fourth and last race course to compete in. The course features Mario's red cap on the top of the course's terrace, next to the starting line. The road is made by concrete, such as Luigi Raceway and Royal Raceway. Though the course is fairly secure, by having no pits hazards, it's filled in rough grass, and running over them, any kart will slow down. However, using a speed booster as a Mushroom or a Star, drivers can make shortcuts through the grass and dust. Piranha Plants are an obstacle found over the grass, and bumping into one, the vehicle will spin around. Many Piranha Plants are chiefly located near to the corners.

Upon getting the first turn, The racers will go near a hill to take a semi-circular turn surrounding a big toadstool. A long stretch of the road will come next, leading the racers to a curl S bend and pass through a Warp Pipe tunnel. The racers end crossing the finish line once gone out of the pipe. Going too high up the hill will cause the racer no go on undrivable grass and need Lakitu.

Mario Raceway makes its reappeareance in Mario Kart Wii as the last track of the Shell Cup. An element added to the track is a ramp to perform tricks in the middle of the rough grass past the toadstool. In addition, the first Mario Kart Wii tournament of November 2008 is on this racecourse, with extra obstacles such as pokeys from DS Desert Hills and Dry Dry Ruins and oil slicks from SNES Mario Circuit 3.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit
The Mario Circuit from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, makes part of the Flower Cup as the first racecourse to race. This Mario Circuit is a rather plain stage and short in length, with few obstacles and Item Boxes to deal against rivals. It contains a winding path however, such as a hairpin bend, or a curl path found before the home stretch. Next to the checked line there is a detour where racers can get a speed boost by running onto a Boost Pad located there.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
For Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Mario Circuit is the second race course of the Flower Cup. For this installment, the circuit surrounds the Castle of Princess Peach, while in the background there can be seen some warp Pipes, tall toadstools, smiling trees, and a Mushroom-shaped hot-air balloon midair, overviewing the track. A giant Chain Chomp guards a piece of rough terrain, ramming into any vehicle who pass near to it. Also, some Piranha Plants appear, attacking the karts and bikes that pass too close to them, causing the racers to roll over and drop their items onto the road. However, they are vulnerable to being hit by some items of sort like a Green Shell, which they stay stunned awhile. Another obstacle is the Goombas crossing the track back and forth, before the finish line. Making contact with one, the kart spins around. Using certain item against these enemies, a Mushroom pops out of them.

The course contains many curves and corners. Employing the Drift is the main hint given to clear this circuit. After got the first turn and another tight turn, the racers will encounter the Chain Chomp wandering the zone, biting the trespassers. Players then enter to a curved tunnel; cross a bridge upon leaving the tunnel and discover a road of soil. After getting into another corner, racers face Goombas crossing an uneven road, giving to the racer certain difficulty to maneuver well. Crossing another bridge then (where two Piranha Plants await racers to attack indiscriminately) the racers reach the finish line.

This Mario Circuit version was going to appear in Mario Kart DS. Many of the elements mentioned here were removed for the handheld version. However, the track was taken out before the game's release. The racecourse reappears once more in Mario Kart Wii, being one of the four tracks of the Leaf Cup.

Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, the Mario Circuit is the third race course to compete in the Star Cup. The course is a reminiscent to the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! version, albeit being longer than its predecessor. As in Double Dash, the course surrounds Princess Peach's Castle, while in the background can be seen a wide country with warp pipes around. In the course appear enemies acting as obstacles: The Goombas appear crossing the road to and from the sides. Shooting a Koopa Shell at them, or using a Star, the Goombas will let out a Mushroom for convenience. A pair of Venus Fire Traps spit fireballs at the course. The victim will spin out of control by thouching one. Typical Piranha Plants, as they were seen in Mario Kart 64, are also present.

Characters start out the race near of a lake surrounding the Castle. After going through the first corner, Goombas wandering on the middle of the track will try to block racers' path. Passing by these enemies, characters run along a piece of the lake. Due to that part have no security fence, a player can fall off into water. Continuing the path, two Venus Fire Traps located in a S bend will spit fireballs to the course to burn the drivers. Going through a warp Pipe-modeled bridge, the players will lead to a road of soil after have taken a tight turn. The track's soil can cause some karts to go off of course, specially on corners. Crossing over the Pipe bridge, the racers go down on a curly track with Piranha Plants. Past this, characters then continue running over concrete road. After taken a tight S turn, players cross the checked line.

The levels 5-8 and 7-4 take place on this circuit in Mission Mode. During the mission 5-8, Luigi has to compete against Mario to reach the finish line in a lap. In mission 7-4, Toad must get rid of every Goomba found in a part of the course, providing with Green Shells from the Item Boxes.

''Mario Kart Wii
In Mario Kart Wii, Mario Circuit is the first track to compete in the Flower Cup. The track's overview is slightly similar to Figure 8 Circuit from Mario Kart DS, having two main bends and two straight stretchs. The course takes place in a section of Toad Town, also that Princess Peach's Castle can be seen there. Some supporting characters from the Mario game series appear as well, watching the race in session in Toad Town: Hammer Bros., Shy Guys and Sledge Bros.. Of course, other characters serve as obstacles within the course such as the Goombas or the Chain Chomp.

Competitors start out the race in the town, going downhill through a straigh stretch, to take then the first corner, where pedestrian Goombas are crossing the road oblivious left and right. Characters then leave the town to follow to an open zone of grass and trees. A Chain Chomp found over a piece of rough terrain tends to ram into the course, flipping any driver and vehicle passing there. Behind the Chomp it is possible to make a shortcut using either a Mushroom or a Star, to run over the dust and gain then more speed boost by performing a trick, taking the ramp found there. The track leads the racers through a tunnel beneath the town, and taking a turn that get the racers back to Toad Town to achieve the goal line.

The first game's Tournament took place in this circuit. The player raced against CPU-controlled opponents, while evaded hazards set during the event.

Itadaki Street DS
The Mario Circuit also appears as a playable stage in Itadaki Street DS, in the form of a monopoly board. It is loosely based on the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! version.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Mario Circuit is also a stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (looking like Figure-8 Circuit), with the stage taking place on the 8-figure intersection. The stage is set up with two levels; the bottom level, which is a flat surface across the race course, and the upper level, which takes place on a few platforms of the race course. On occasion, go-karts driven by Shy Guys will race along the back or sides of the stage, crashing into characters, damaging them greatly (just like in a massive Mario Kart DS download play mode). When they come in from the back, they will hit the bottom level, and when coming from the sides, they will hit the upper level. Players can keep track of where the Shy Guys are from the screen in the back of the stage. However, like in Mute City and Onett from Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Shy Guy's can be knocked aside with items, such as the Home-Run Bat. In the background of the stage, there is a big screen which shows the racers' positions on the track (by which fighters can guide themselves as to where to stay, if on the upper or the lower section).