GCN Peach Beach

Peach Beach is Princess Peach's personal race course in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and also appears in Mario Kart Wii. The beach is reminiscent of Gelato Beach and other areas from Super Mario Sunshine.

The race course starts out at a cobbled street that looks like Delfino Plaza. Near the starting line there is a billboard depicting Peach on it. She is holding a parasol and has her hair tied back. There is also a billboard with Toad on it. When entering the beach in a Ricco Harbor-like area, the Daisy Cruiser can be seen in the background. In the harbor, another cruise ship can be seen. It is stated in the official guide for Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, that this cruise ship in the harbor (the Sunshine) belongs to Peach. Also, the Pianta Statue fountain is replaced by a huge Power Star in Split-screen mode. While racing on the beach, wandering Cataquacks of four different colors will charge at the racer if he or she goes near them. The final stretch takes place on a path similar to those at Bianco Hills, and if the player turns left into the square where the fountain is right before the finish line, they will find Item Boxes before a sharp turn back to the course. The award ceremony at the end of every cup in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is carried out here.

Course layout
The racers first begin on the stoned straight road. A blue Pianta and a Noki can be seen waving from the sidelines. After turning to the right of the first corner, the player can go to the left to find a ramp with Dash Panels and get an item box there. If the player takes an early left they will be shot out of a pipe and receive a double item box. However, this pipe does not appear in Mario Kart Wii. After jumping over the ramp, the racer lands on a small piece of land with a palm tree and grass surrounded by water. If the tide is high, the water will greatly slow down the vehicle crossing this zone. However, if the tide is low, the player can travel across without problems.

On the right path, Cataquacks appear roaming in the shore. They flip any vehicle in the air by contact and also take away some items on hand. While there is high tide, racers must follow the curved path, but by using a speed power-up, it is possible to take a shortcut over the water. During the low tide, racers can cut the path going straight to the next turn.

Racers then turn to the right below a pink natural arch where a set of item boxes lie in. After the arch, a pair of Cataquacks appear wandering another piece of the shore that leads to the right at the end.

After turning right, the beach ends in the cobbled road that leads straight to the starting line. Just before the line, there is another set of moving item boxes sliding left and right plus an alternate way to the left of the road that surrounds the fountain with a pair of item boxes behind. This way, however, is not a shortcut.

Appearance in Mario Kart Wii
Peach Beach returns in Mario Kart Wii as the first course of the Shell Cup, where it has received a few changes. Hammer Bros., Toads, Goombas, and Shy Guys can be seen on the deck of The Sunshine cheering (only in single player mode), and there are more umbrellas over the spectators on land. The biggest difference is that the pipe with the double items in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is no longer present in Mario Kart Wii. Another difference is the boost ramp and item boxes in the area behind the colored crates at the end of the dock. The Cataquacks still appear, only the blue one wandering around the first tidal area was replaced with another green one. There are also more Piantas in the audience, and the course's map has been changed.

Tournaments
In Mario Kart Wii, two different tournaments took place on this course.

The first one required players to collect a total of 70 coins, which were scattered around the beach. It was the first tournament of July 2009, and it was later repeated as the first tournament of June 2011.

The second tournament required players to do a time trial race around a bunch of Mushroom Gorge mushrooms. That was the first tournament of April 2010. It was later repeated as the second tournament of October 2011, as well as being the first tournament of January 2013 and second tournament of March 2014.

Staff ghosts
' Mario Kart: Double Dash!! ' The player must finish the race of three laps in one minute, 18 seconds or less. Once done successfully, the staff ghost will appear for the next race. It is Princess Peach driving her Heart Coach with Princess Daisy. Cataquacks are not present during Time trial.

 Mario Kart Wii  Normal Staff Ghost: Princess Peach / Daytripper Time: 01:34.233

Expert Staff Ghost: Princess Peach / Dolphin Dasher Time: 01:23.140

Official descriptions
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
 * Instruction booklet: “Princess Peach’s favorite beach resort! Beware the Cataquacks wandering about the shoreline. The course changes with the tide, so watch the waterline for your chance at a big shortcut.”
 * Official US website: “This ain’t no day at the beach, so stay out of the water. Peach Beach does not have many corners, but the Cataquacks on the beach are worth avoiding.”
 * Official European website: “Take a spin around Isle Delfino, from Super Mario Sunshine. And see if you can spot the Daisy Cruiser circuit in the background.”

Mario Kart Wii
 * Prima's Official Guide Book: "There may not be a hidden green pipe anymore, but this Double Dash track is deceptively simple. After a roar down the cobblestone straight, there's a long curve onto the beach (or a dash panel ramp off a concrete pier), and a choice of paths via an island ramp or a beach where Cataquacks roam. Remember that the tide comes in on the second lap! Once you're through the pink arch, there's a second smaller beach before a final sharp corner, and race to the finish!"
 * Official US website: "No more pipe launch near the start, but a new boost ramp leads into the old shortcut after the first turn."
 * Official European website: "You won't have much time to admire the ocean view as you tear across the sand and the cobbled streets of Peach Beach. Oh, and watch out for the changing tide!"

Trivia

 * Cataquacks are able to walk through the water in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii. However, they disappear if they touch it in Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy.
 * The title of the course, "Peach Beach", is the first race course in Mario Kart that has a rhyming name.
 * A bus with a "Peach Beach" logo and a license plate reading "SUN" appears in Mushroom Bridge.
 * The cruise ship, "The Sunshine", also appears in the waters near Yoshi Circuit.
 * The Peach Kart from the game Nintendogs plays the Peach Beach theme when used.
 * According to the Mario Kart Wii Prima Guide, Toad practiced on Peach Beach.
 * The song from this course is featured in the Nintendo Sound Selection Vol.3: B-Side Music soundtrack, the only song from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! to be included.