DS Mario Circuit

Mario Circuit is the third race course in the Star Cup in Mario Kart DS. 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 a wide country with warp pipes around can be seen. In the course enemies appear acting as obstacles: Goombas appear crossing the road to and from the sides. By shooting a Koopa Shell at them, or using a Star, Mushrooms spawn from the Goombas. A pair of Venus Fire Traps spit fireballs at the course. The victim will spin out of control when touching one. Typical Piranha Plants, as seen in Mario Kart 64, are also present.

Course layout
Characters start 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 the racers' path. After passing by these enemies, characters run along a piece of the lake. Due to that part having no security fence, players 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 reach a soil road after taking a tight turn. The track's soil can cause some karts to go off of course, especially 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 taking a tight S turn, players cross the checked line.

Mission Mode
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, provided with Green Shells from the Item Boxes. This is the second Mario Circuit course to appear in the Star Cup, following Mario Circuit 4 in Super Mario Kart.

Official descriptions

 * European website: "Constructed in the grounds of Princess Peach's famous castle, Mario Circuit is where red-capped plumbers feel most at home. Negotiate the snaking turns while avoiding waddling Goombas, bouncing flames and snapping Piranha Plants, and you might just make it to Peach's place in time for tea."

Trivia

 * This is the only Mario Circuit in the Mario Kart series that is not in the Flower Cup.