Mount Wario

Mount Wario is the fourth and last race of the Star Cup in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This course takes place on a mountain summit and ski resort themed after Wario, where players must race from the top to the bottom (similar to DK Summit in Mario Kart Wii and DK Mountain in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!).

This is one of the four courses in the game (the others being, Big Blue, and ) to be divided into three sections rather than three laps. Mount Wario, along with Big Blue, is one of the only two courses in the Mario Kart series to not be a looping race course, so when the racer finishes the race, they will simply sit at the end of the course. These two courses also have separate music tracks for each section instead of playing a sped-up, higher-pitched version of the course's music for the final lap/section. The second segment of the course is the only section that has two separate music tracks, with the first version playing in the cave and dam sections and the second version playing from just after the dam until the end of the section.

Course layout
The course is a race down a snowy mountain split into three sections (like Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 7 and the remake of Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 64 and Big Blue in Mario Kart 8).

Section one starts in a large plane hovering over the top of the mountain, with the racers driving off a ramp before landing on a path at the summit of the mountain. After a few icy downhill turns, some of which are bisected, the course enters a cave, as well as passes the checkpoint marking the start of the second segment.

Section two starts inside the cave, with two anti-gravity sections ending with a hang-glider segment. Two flat rocks with Dash Panels are placed just after, before a boost ramp leads the racers into a hydroelectric dam. After two 90° turns, there is another anti-gravity section with racers driving along the side of the dam, with Dash Panels going down the streams (like in Shy Guy Falls). The player must steer the kart at the direction of the Dash Panels in order to get the speed boost.

After that, racers soon enter a snowy forest, that splits into two paths to start off (one of these paths splits further). The paths meet up to an area with rocks sticking out of the snow, which can provide a boost via Tricks. Eventually, the track exits the forest and reaches the top of a chairlift inside a ski area, as well as the checkpoint for the start of section three.

Section three starts by traveling down a slalom and mogul course, with cheering Toads, Yoshis, and Shy Guys alongside the track. After a few turns, racers enter the final anti-gravity section, which goes down a ski jumping ramp with Dash Panels placed on various parts of the ramp. The section ends with a hang-glider section off the jump, where three rings are placed to help racers out. After two more turns at the landing area, the track reaches the finish line.

When Lakitu is holding the start signal, he is shown on the left side of the player. When crossing the checkpoint to begin the next section, he’s also shown on the left side of the player, holding the section count signs.

Like Twisted Mansion, Electrodrome, Bowser's Castle, and Excitebike Arena, this course has an opening animation, which is the front of the plane opening up and the ramp being lowered. However, unlike in the aforementioned four courses, where the animation occurs during the race countdown, this course's animation starts as the course intro ends and finishes right before the countdown.

Shortcuts

 * Right by the starting line, one can skip a couple of turns of the track using a Mushroom.
 * Just before the start of the second section, one can hit a small ramp and jump over a pit, cutting off the turn.
 * In the forest, one can cut in-between the two paths to a hidden Glide Ramp by using a Mushroom.
 * One can cut off the last turn by Mushroom-boosting through the snow in the corner.

Staff ghost
The staff ghost for this track is Waluigi on The Duke, with a time of 2:06.283. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 200cc, the staff ghost is Wario with a time of 1:37.266.

Other appearances
While Mount Wario is not present in the game itself, a badge based on the track's logo was first available during the 2019 Winter Tour and later in the 2020 Winter Tour.

Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack liner notes
"This circuit starts with an exhilarating jump, and continues with you sliding down the mountain, leaving a graceful trail in your wake. You'll pass through valleys, caves, and slalom through trees before hitting the final ski jump. The music accompanies you through all these different stages."

Trivia

 * The original Mario Kart 8 is the only game to have a Wario-themed course without Wario as the staff ghost, with it being Waluigi instead.

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