Mario Kart can be found anywhere from the bedroom of a toddler to college parties or family events. It’s a household name among all those who game, and rightfully so. It holds a tight spot for one of the most endearing co-op racing games.
The Mario Kart series has amassed a total of 170 tracks throughout its existence. With that many tracks, it can be difficult to compile the best of the best, but rest assured that that’s exactly what this list does. It compiles tracks that are some of the most pleasing to play on, difficult to master, and iconic in the series.
10 10. Baby Park - Mario Kart Double Dash
Baby Park in Mario Kart Double Dash is simple; it has players racing around a track while a roller coaster ride is looping around it in the background. It’s the simplicity of this map that makes it so fun. Instead of being three laps like the usual Mario Kart tracks, this one consists of five laps. That’s because this track is extremely short and leaves the possibility for overlapping other racers.
It’s a great map that feels chaotic and only gets more chaotic in its latest rendition. In Mario Kart 8, the track is 7 laps instead of 5. This track isn’t as intricate as some of the others on the list, but it still holds up.
9 9. Hyrule Circuit - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Hyrule Circuit in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a race through Hyrule Fields that takes players into Hyrule castle. When in the castle players, will find the Master Sword at its center. After this, players will venture into a forest where Zelda-themed Piranha Plants and bats serve as obstacles. The combination of both the Zelda series and Mario Kart is a nice treat for fans.
The map does, however, leave players wishing there was a little more added in detail. There could have been more Zelda iconography to push this map farther on the list. Overall, it’s still an astonishing map to race through.
8 8. Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 64
Rainbow Road on Mario Kart 64 is the longest course in Mario Kart's history. It isn’t the flashiest in the series, but it does a good job of introducing the model for what Rainbow Road courses are. This course is not as challenging as other Rainbow Road tracks or other tracks on this list since the course has guard rails and not many obstacles.
Racing through it, especially for fans who had an N64, gives a strong nostalgic feeling. To those newer to the series, this track might not compare to its later renditions, but they can surely still appreciate its charm.
7 7. DK Mountain - Double Dash
DK Mountain in Double Dash has players racing through an initial forest area up the side of a cliff. Then players shoot out of a canon onto a volcano. As players slide down the volcano, rocks are being flung their way, making for a treacherous descent. Right before the finish line, players have to cross a swinging bridge.
Altogether, this map puts together a theme and sticks to it. Everything from the aesthetic of the map to the audio elements goes together--and having a cute volcano with a face is a plus. The map is a little short in comparison to others, however, and obstacles can be sparse.
6 6. Cheep Cheep Beach - Mario Kart DS
Cheep Cheep Beach in Mario Kart DS feels like an island getaway turned racetrack. The race starts with players gaining speed through bungalows only to then be launched onto a beachside. The beach portion ends with players driving back up a forest hill area to the finish line where the bungalows are located. The tropical music of the map accompanies the setting well with its quick rhythm.
The only bad thing about this map is that it doesn’t have a lot going on. This is fixed in Mario Kart 8 where the area feels much more alive. In that game, the track is filled with obstacles relative to the coastal biome of the track.
5 5. Thwomp Ruins - Mario Kart 8
Thwomp Ruins in Mario Kart 8 offers variety in how it can be completed. There are parts to the track where players can choose to ride on the walls inside of the ruins or continue on the floor path where some obstacles lie. In the outside area, after players ride through the ruins, they have the option of going through the ground area full of Thwomps, on walls, or--if they fall trying to go through the center of the map--through the water-filled area.
The track feels like it takes place in the ruins of a lost city, offering some beautifully scenic fun. There are a lot of challenges for players to overcome and shortcuts to learn on this course.
4 4. Wario’s Shipyard - Mario Kart 7
Wario’s Shipyard on Mario Kart 7 is one of the best haunted-themed tracks in the Mario Kart series. The setting looks wonderful and utilizes the underwater function that Mario Kart 7 introduced into the series.
The setting consists of going through a series of jumps, entering a Fishbones, and then racing through a spooky coral area. After the coral area, players go through a torn-up boat that’s full of obstacles like swinging anchors. Players who are creepy connoisseurs are sure to love this map.
3 3. Moo Moo Meadows - Mario Kart Wii
Moo Moo Meadows on Mario Kart Wii has some of the cutest obstacles in the Mario Kart realm. It has adorable little cows that try and walk across the roads and gophers that pop out of the ground to try and stop players in their tracks. It’s not the wildest looking map thematically, but it’s the sweetest one to race on.
- RELATED: Best Platformer Games
Adding pleasant scenery to an exhilarating race is something that a lot of players never knew could fit so well, yet it does and makes for one of the most relaxing maps in the intense racing series.
2 2. Airship Fortress - Mario Kart DS
Airship Fortress on Mario Kart DS has a strong start as Bullet Bills immediately start flying toward the players. Racers are then placed onto a boat where sewer beaver obstacles are presented. Yes, sewer beavers. Then the race takes players through fire jet obstacles in the hull of the ship. After that, players are launched out to the top of the airship into what looks like a castle tower.
The imagery that the map presents small story moments of an attack that the ship is making on a castle. It’s a short map, but it’s loaded with fun obstacles, making it a blast from beginning to end.
1 1. Bowser’s Castle - Mario Kart 8
Bowser’s Castle is a classic level that first appeared on the SNES, but its best rendition has to be the one from Mario Kart 8. The map becomes more difficult as the race goes on. On the third lap, after racers cross through the castle gate, statues start shooting lasers through the hallways. The map has tight corners, giant spike balls on chains, a giant stone Bowser, and so much more.
This map is exciting to race through at higher speeds, and it can feel like a lot, but that makes mastering it all the more enjoyable. It's a classic map that has been perfected over years of reworking, and one that always leaves room for a player to improve on.