GBA Bowser's Castle 3

(Redirected from Bowser Castle 3 (GBA))
This article is about the race course from Mario Kart: Super Circuit and classic course in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart Tour. For the race course from Super Mario Kart, extra course in Mario Kart: Super Circuit and classic course in Mario Kart Tour and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, see SNES Bowser Castle 3.
Bowser Castle 3
Bowser's Castle 3
MKSC Bowser Castle 3 Starting Line.png
Information
Appears in Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001)
Mario Kart Wii (2008)
Mario Kart Tour (2022)
Cup(s) Star Cup (Super Circuit)
Leaf Cup (Wii)
Tour(s)
Online play No longer available (Wii)
Music sample
Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart Tour
Course map
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
GBA Bowser Castle 3 map.png
MKSC Bowser Castle 3 Mini Map.png

Mario Kart Wii
GBA Bowser's Castle 3.png
Mario Kart Tour
Map of GBA Bowser's Castle 3 from Mario Kart Tour

Staff ghost(s)
Wii Nin★Fukuda
2:58.304 Sprite of Dry BowserThe model for Dry Bowser's Standard Kart L from Mario Kart Wii
Wii Expert Nin★A24
2:39.391 Sprite of Dry BowserThe model for Dry Bowser's Flame Runner from Mario Kart Wii

Bowser's Castle 3 (known as Bowser Castle 3 prior to Mario Kart Tour) is the fourth and final course of the Star Cup in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. It reappears in Mario Kart Wii as the second course of the Leaf Cup and in Mario Kart Tour starting from the 2022 Bowser Tour. Like all other Bowser Castle courses, it features sharp 90 degree turns and jumps over pits of lava. Kamek can also be seen flying back and forth near the finish line. The course takes place on the exterior of the castle, with storm clouds and lightning visible in the background. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, the course shares its music with the other three Bowser Castles: 1, 2, and 4.

Mario Kart: Super CircuitEdit

Course layoutEdit

The track starts with a turn to the left after the starting line, leading to a straight section of track containing the first set of Item Boxes and Coins which narrows after passing a Lava grid. The track then takes another left turn past two Thwomps, and then turns to the right over a pair of lava grids with more coins. The track then takes another right towards some coins and then makes a U-turn to the left over another grid featuring a pair of Thwomps. The track then passes over a number of small Ramps over the lava moving slightly to the right, with Lava Bubbles occasionally jumping up from the lava. The track passes another two Thwomps, with an Item Box behind the first one approached, and makes a U-turn to the left, leading to three more Thwomps and several more coins. The track heads to the right and passes over another grid in the lava, now with holes in it through which Lava Bubbles can occasionally jump, and then follows a zig zag shape to the right featuring more coins and Item Boxes. The track then makes a final turn to the left past another pair of Thwomps and over another lava grid with holes before returning to the starting line.

Mario Kart WiiEdit

An overview of the course
The tournament

Bowser Castle 3 makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart Wii as the second course of the Leaf Cup. The track is now a paler gray rather than blue, and the banners of Bowser in the background are now black with red faces, and Kamek has been removed from the track entirely. The track now features patches of mud that slow the player down on most of the track's corners, and all of the coins have been removed. Each set of Item Boxes now feature a larger number of Item Boxes, with several additional single boxes appearing behind Thwomps, Item Boxes occasionally appearing instead of Lava Bubbles on the jump section, extra sets being added on the corner after the jumps and after the zig zag section, and a moving set on the first grid with holes. A Dash Panel ramp has also been added on the left U-turn after the smaller ramps, with the Thwomps being slightly rearranged to suit the new layout. A shortcut can be performed by aiming left at the last yellow ramp and using a Mushroom. The course now has a starting banner, much like the other SNES and GBA courses.

TournamentsEdit

February 2009's second tournament required players to pass through 30 gates on Bowser's Castle 3. Vehicles were restricted to karts only. The tournament was later repeated as the second tournament of February 2011, the first tournament of June 2012, and the second tournament of August 2013.

Mario Kart TourEdit

 
The course in Mario Kart Tour

Bowser's Castle 3 reappears in Mario Kart Tour, starting with the 2022 Bowser Tour. Instead of having a unique appearance, the course now reuses the visuals of the other three GBA Bowser's Castle courses in this game. More ramps have been added to the course, most notably on the bridge at the end, which was slightly redesigned. All offroad sections and the additional ramp added in Mario Kart Wii have been removed. The U-turn after the series of jumps is noticeably shortened. The diagonal portion of the track has also been reworked to be wider and shorter. The coins have been re-added to the course, and Item Boxes can no longer appear instead of Lava Bubbles. Like the other GBA Bowser's Castle courses in the game and RMX Bowser's Castle 1, this course reuses Mario Kart 7's arrangement for GBA Bowser's Castle 1.

The course also appears as Bowser's Castle 3R (reversed), Bowser's Castle 3T (with ramps), and Bowser's Castle 3R/T (reversed with ramps). The latter first debuted in the 2023 New Year's Tour. In the T variant, there is a glide ramp which only becomes available on lap 2. In the R/T variant, a lot of the ramps are haphazardly placed in a way not seen on other T or R/T variants of tracks.

AppearancesEdit

For this course's tour appearances, see List of GBA Bowser's Castle 3 tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Top-tier and middle-tier itemsEdit

Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which GBA Bowser's Castle 3 and its variants are always favored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, see List of GBA Bowser's Castle 3 tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Course Three-item drivers Bonus points ×2 karts Combo bonus ×3 gliders Two-item drivers Bonus points ×1.5 karts Combo bonus ×2 gliders
 
Normal variant
                                       *     ***          **          ** ***     
     
 
 
R variant
                                    **   **      *      **         ***    **    ***    
     
 
 
T variant
                                          **        **               ***    **     
   
 
R/T variant
                                                                            ***
* indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 3.
** indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 6.
*** indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 8 for High-End items.

Bonus challengesEdit

Goomba Takedown
Icon Course variant Chosen
driver
Chosen
kart
Chosen
glider
Item Box
type found
Number of item slots Grand Star scores Tour appearances Cup
  Regular  
Baby Luigi
 
Pipe Frame
 
Super Glider
 
Bob-omb

 
Mega Mushroom
1
  • 12
  • 24
  • 32
Peach vs. Bowser Tour (November–December 2022)  
Diddy Kong Cup
Steer Clear of Obstacles
Icon Course variant Chosen
driver
Chosen
kart
Chosen
glider
Obstacles Tour appearances Cup
  Regular  
Mario
 
Pipe Frame
 
Super Glider
 
Thwomp
 
Lava Bubble
Mario vs. Luigi Tour (2022)  
Pauline Cup
Smash Small Dry Bones
Icon Course variant Chosen
driver
Chosen
kart
Chosen
glider
Grand Star scores Tour appearances Cup
  Regular  
Luigi
 
Pipe Frame
 
Super Glider
  • 6
  • 10
  • 14
Bowser Tour (2023)  
Metal Mario Cup
Break Item Boxes
Icon Course variant Chosen
driver
Chosen
kart
Chosen
glider
Item Box
type found
Number of item slots Grand Star scores Tour appearances Cup
  Regular  
Mario
 
Pipe Frame
 
Super Glider
 
Super Star

 
Mushroom

 
Mega Mushroom

 
Coin
3
  • 5
  • 10
  • 15
Peach vs. Bowser Tour (November–December 2022)  
Baby Luigi Cup
Time Trial
Icon Course variant Chosen
driver
Chosen
kart
Chosen
glider
Grand Star scores Tour appearances Cup
  Regular  
Lemmy
 
Pipe Frame
 
Super Glider
  • 2:00.00
  • 1:54.00
  • 1:48.00
Bowser Tour (2022)  
Mii Cup

ProfilesEdit

Mario Kart WiiEdit

  • European website bio: "Thunder clouds are gathering on the horizon as you race across huge cobbles and attempt to twist round one sharp corner after another. And if that doesn't scare you, then maybe the massive Thwomps will!"

GalleryEdit

Mario Kart: Super CircuitEdit

Mario Kart WiiEdit

Mario Kart TourEdit

Course iconsEdit

ScreenshotsEdit

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese クッパキャッスル3
Kuppa Kyassuru 3
Bowser Castle 3

Chinese (simplified) 酷霸王城堡3[1]
Kùbàwáng Chéngbǎo 3
Bowser Castle 3

Chinese (traditional) 庫巴城堡3
Kùbā Chéngbǎo 3
Bowser Castle 3

French Château de Bowser 3
Château Bowser 3 (MKSC)[2]
Bowser's Castle 3
Bowser Castle 3
German Bowsers Festung 3
Bowser's Castle 3
Italian Castello di Bowser 3
Bowser's Castle 3
Korean 쿠파 성 3
Kupa Seong 3
Bowser Castle 3

Portuguese Castelo do Bowser 3
Bowser's Castle 3
Spanish Castillo de Bowser 3
Bowser's Castle 3

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ From the iQue localization prototype.
  2. ^ Mario Kart: Super Circuit Instruction Booklet (EU), page 53