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, also having some obstacles as Warp Pipes, which these normally are located on the road, blocking the path of the vehicles; and the 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, by 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 cross the zone, getting a speed boost over Boost Pads and jump over speed bumps to reach the other side and so, pass the line. The third circuit, Mario Circuit 3 is the last track of the Flower Cup. This course contains dangerous curves, as a U-turn just located in the middle of the track, being a zone when a racer attempts to turn around and stucks into the wall, or getting into dirt, slowing down so the kart. Finally it is the Mario Circuit 4 the longest of Super Mario Kart ' s Mario Circuits, having 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, better known as SNES Mario Circuit 1. In Mario Kart Wii, the 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 boster 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 by touching 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 to 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 curly turn and pass through a Warp Pipe. Once run by the pipe, the characters end crossing the finish line.

Mario Raceway makes its reappeareance in Mario Kart Wii as a classic racecoure 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.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit
In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Circuit is a rather plain stage, containing only one shortcut, no obstacles, and few item boxes. It appears as the first track of the Flower Cup. The four original Mario Circuits appear in this game as well in the extra cups.

As with all Super Mario Kart courses, the original four from said game reappers.

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 it 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 by it. Also, some Piranha Plants appear there, attacking the karts and bikes that pass too near to them, causing the racers to roll over and drop their items onto the road. However, the Piranha Plants are vulnerable being hit by some items of sort, as a Green Shell, which they stay stunned awhile. Another obstacle is the Goombas crossing the track back and forth, before the finish line. Any kart will spin around when contact is made. 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 for this course. After got the first turn and another tight turn, the racers will encounter the Chain Chomp wandering the zone to bite 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 (where two Piranha Plants await to attack indiscriminately any driver) 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 from the handheld version. However, the track was taken out after the release date of Mario Kart DS. The racecourse appears once more in Mario Kart Wii, 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 of the kart by thouching one. Typical Piranha Plants, as they are seen in Mario Kart 64, are also present.

Characters star out the race near 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. Past these enemies, characters will run along a piece of the lake. Due to that part have no security fence, a player can fall off into the lake. Continuing the path, two Venus Fire Traps located in a curly turn 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 turns. 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 reach the finish 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 every Goomba wandering a part of the course, providing himself with Green Shells from the Item Boxes.

Mario Kart Wii
In Mario Kart Wii, Mario Circuit is the first track in the Flower Cup. This Mario Circuit has Princess Peach's Castle and other buildings in the background, and may have been inspired by Toad Town. The Mario Circuit in Mario Kart Wii contains Goombas and a Chain Chomp.

Super Mario Kart's Mario Circuit 3, Mario Kart 64's Mario Raceway and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'s Mario Circuit also reappears as Retro Stages.

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).