Luigi Circuit

Luigi Circuit is a series of racecourses from the Mario Kart series, named after by Mario's brother, Luigi. This course has presented in most of every Mario Kart installment, being basically a typical racecourse, featuring some traits on Luigi.

Mario Kart 64
Luigi Circuit makes its first appeareance in Mario Kart 64, better known as Luigi Raceway outside Japan. This circuit is the first racecourse of the Mushroom Cup.

The course is simple, containing just open turns, where the racer can employ the powersliding through them. Racers start out near to a stand full of fans, featuring Luigi's green cap over it. After a long straightway and a long main turn, competitors will come across a tunnel, having the first instance of a television screen recording the race. Once leaving the tunnel, racers take another long turn, bringing them to the checked line. Small shortcuts can be gained by cutting the grass and sand on the turns with Mushrooms or Stars. Another larger shortcut can be done by jumping over the brick wall shortly after the tunnel with a mushroom, saving around seven seconds per lap.

During the race, a ballon protraying Luigi's face tends to dip onto the course, showing so an Item Box hanging below it. A Spiny Shell is found inside, and can be obtained if a racer hops right when the balloon reaches its lowest descent point.

If the player beats the time of 1:52.00 on this course in time trials, she/he get to race against a Luigi Staff ghost.

Appearance in Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Mario Kart: Super Circuit's Luigi Circuit is unique in that it is the only Luigi Circuit not to be the starting course for the game. Instead this version holds the distinction of being the only track to ever take place in the rain.

The track is set on what appears to be a airfield that is filled with puddles from the rain, which if the driver runs over, he or she will spin out. In the background hangars numbered "64" and "65" can be seen next to a radio control building. During the third lap, a Luigi Blimp will take off and fly around. This blimp is later seen in Sky Garden. The level features many tight turns and winds around almost in circles several times. Like other Super Circuit tracks many shortcuts can be achieved on the level. It is found as the first course in the Lightning Cup.

This track returned as the third track in the Leaf Cup of Mario Kart DS. The Luigi Blimp was replaced with a 3D model with a new design in both Luigi Circuit and Sky Garden, the rain was made more realistic then its Gameboy Advance counterpart, and the hanger numbers were both numbered "00". Finally, the driver can not prevent themselves from spinning out on a puddle. Otherwise, the track design did not change. The course cannot be played over Wi-Fi for unknown reasons.

Appearance in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Luigi Circuit is the first race track that appears in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! in the Mushroom Cup. The track is a huge figure 8 with ramps on the sides. Because of this, racers can see other racers going up the track while they are going down. In any setting except for 50cc, the guard rail is removed, and the racers can even collide with each other. To avoid cheating in the course, the drivers have to pass the booster on both ramps in order to complete the round. Additionally, in the higher settings there are several shortcuts around the track, with Item Boxes in them. In the All-Cup Tour in Double Dash!!, it is always the first race.

The track starts off next to what looks like a building for box seats with a garage below. This could be where the karts are repaired or put together, but it is unknown. Going to the right side of the merged lanes, the racers will eventually run into a giant Chain Chomp. If the difficulty is above 50cc, players can go left on the main road, or right on a smaller road with double item blocks. However the smaller road is unprotected from the Chain Chomp. After this, the racers will make the first of two turns on boosters. In the background, a rank "A" mansion from the end of Luigi's Mansion can be seen. After the turn, players will once again enter the merged lane on their way back up to the starting line. On the right a lake can be seen, but no life is seen in it. Before the turn if the difficulty is above 50cc players can veer right onto a smaller path for an extra item block. After the last wide turn the lap is completed. It seems that this course was inspired by the Luigi Circuit from Mario Kart 64 based on its layout.

The track reappeared in Mario Kart DS in the Shell Cup. The track sort of follows the 50cc, along with above it. There is no real shortcuts, like 50cc, but, like above 50cc, there is no inside wall. The track was playable over the game's Wi-Fi connection. Luigi's Mansion at A Rank is still in the background.

Staff Ghost
To unlock the staff ghost, which uses Luigi/Mario in the Red Fire, the player must have a time faster than 1:29.000.

Official Descriptions

 * Official website: “A great beginner’s course, Luigi Circuit has long straightaways and big, loping curves on either end.”
 * Official Australian website: “Long and lanky, like Luigi himself, Luigi Circuit is also home to a Chain Chomp that snaps at any racers who dare to come close.”

Appearances in Mario Kart DS
While there was no new Luigi Circuit in Mario Kart DS, a port of the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Luigi Circuit can be found in the Shell Cup and a port of Mario Kart: Super Circuit ' s Luigi Circuit can be found in the Leaf Cup. In place of the new Luigi's usual circuit track is Luigi's Mansion, which is modeled after the respective game it appears in.

GBA Luigi Circuit
Mario Kart: Super Circuit ' s port is the same excluding a few background details that have been modified to be three-dimensional. The rain now also appears to be flying at the screen, as it would if one were passing through it at a high speed. The course is not playable over the game's Wi-Fi.

GCN Luigi Circuit
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! ' s version of Luigi Circuit is pretty much the same, although the long straightaways are a lot wider. The blimp from the GBA version of Luigi Circuit is also visible. The background has also been reduced to a flat image instead of actual models. The course is playable over the game's Wi-Fi.

Staff Ghost
1:29.759 using Luigi in the Poltergust 4000

Mario Kart Wii
In Mario Kart Wii, Luigi Circuit is once again the starting track of the Mushroom Cup. The track is similar to its 64 and Double Dash counterparts in that it is a giant semi-oval shaped track. It features a long boosted turn which was featured in both previous console versions. It seems to be styled similar to New Super Mario Bros., sharing the same colored hills.

The track starts out in front of a massive stand of people cheering on racers with Luigi's Hat Emblem from the 64 Version of the track. On the right a building can be seen that is also a garage. At the end of the first straight away a giant statue of Luigi can be seen with Miis standing in front of it. When playing as a Mii, Luigi's head is replaced with that of a Mii's. After the first non-boosted turn racers will see the return of the Cheep-Cheep balloon, a staple of the Mario Kart series long missing since the Nintendo 64 incarnation, on the right. On the left a ramp surrounded by dirt can be used to pull off a trick. The final turn is made in front of the massive set of bleachers on a set of boosters similar to Double Dash. The track is playable in the game's WiFi connection.

There are no real shortcuts in the level, however the small ramp can be used to gain an extra item block. If players have a mushroom they can also cut the last turn very sharp over dirt, if they can avoid the many warp pipes.