by
Evan Norris
, posted 2 hours ago / 266 Views
This article series is dedicated to Nikena, my Mario Kart rival.
With a new Mario Kart only days away, it’s a perfect time to revisit Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, perhaps for the final time. Mario Kart 8 has been with us, in some form or another, for over a decade, believe it or not. In that time the track count went from 32 to 48, before ballooning to 96 with the Booster Course Pass DLC. It’s doubtful we’ll ever see a game from the series with so many courses again. To celebrate all 96 tracks, and to bid a fond farewell to what I consider the finest Mario Kart (not to mention the best racing game ever made), I’ve ranked each and every course, from 96 to 1. So buckle up; this is going to take a while.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
#60
Excitebike Arena
A lot of Mario Kart 8 players don’t care for Excitebike Arena at all. I am not one of them. In fact, I’m something of an apologist for the track. Yes, I get that it’s essentially a big oval. But there are a lot of good things at work within that oval, including many fun elevation changes, tons of trick opportunities, a rousing stadium atmosphere, and clean lines and visuals.
#59
Electrodrome
Electrodrome is mostly style over substance, but boy, that style goes a long way. The rave aesthetic, light-up panels, and thumping music really get the pulse pounding. A few hazards or an additional shortcut would help, for sure, but even without those things it’s a uniquely exciting course.
#58
Dragon Driftway
In terms of production design, Dragon Driftway is a top 10 track. You drive into the mouth of a dragon, before skating along its interior and exterior, both right-side up and upside-down. All around you are gorgeous, intricate Chinese designs, including a paifang, lanterns, golden statues, and a giant stone Lakitu in a kung-fu pose. As for the track itself, it’s quite good, if a little narrow and linear.
#57
Choco Mountain
If you came to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe right from Mario Kart 64, you’d find Choco Mountain almost unrecognizable. Based on the Tour version of the track, the mountain feels new and improved, owing to a cave area with bright crystals and bat-like Swoops, a hang glider section, and an immensely satisfying ascending curve with hazardous falling boulders and some silly fossils embedded in the adjacent dirt wall. This one’s worth racing again and again.
#56
Rainbow Road (WiiU)
It’s hard not to see the Mario Kart 8 version of Rainbow Road as something of a disappointment. To be clear: the track is an entertaining, well-paced, visually-arresting course with a lot to offer. It’s just not in that upper tier where Rainbow Roads typically operate. I appreciate that it attempted to do something different with its space station motif, solar panels, and circular conveyor belts. And the Blooper-shaped spaceship floating in the background will always be awesome.
#55
Dolphin Shoals
Dolphin Shoals is a polarizing course. And I get it. It’s a little short, a little disjointed, and the final turn before the finish line is a total pain. At the same time, though, it boasts two of the best moments in the entire game: driving and tricking over the spine of a colossal eel; and the jazzy musical crescendo during the subsequent banking turn.
#54
Tick-Tock Clock
The Mario Kart 8 version of Tick-Tock is a rock-solid affair, thanks to its stellar art direction, second swinging pendulum, underrated theme music, and major visual overhaul. Still, I think I prefer the original on DS. It just felt more dangerous: the clock hands were actual hazards that would clobber your vehicle, the track floor was a grating that showed the bottomless pit below, and there were more opportunities to fly off course.
#53
Rainbow Road (SNES)
The SNES iteration of Rainbow Road isn’t as flashy or complex as some other versions. In fact, it’s one of only two courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that don’t have any dash panels, glide ramps, underwater sections, or anti-gravity sections. As a result, it’s all about the pure driving experience. And it works. Sure, the course is now significantly wider, and it remains entirely flat, but there’s still an exciting sense of danger, due to the lack of walls. It also looks better than before, thanks to its bright full moon, color-changing hills, and sparkly Thwomps.
#52
Ice Ice Outpost
When I first played Ice Ice Outpost, I was a little turned off by its yellow and green color scheme and its winding, braided paths. But the more you explore this DLC course, the more secrets you find. Indeed, in terms of short-cuts, it’s one of the best in the game. There are snowy ramps obscured on the left and right of the main road in the ice caverns, and another ramp just before the finish line — which can turn a second-place finish into first place in the blink of any eye.
#51
Madrid Drive
Madrid Drive is a lovely course. First of all, its music – heavy on acoustic guitar, castanets, and claps – is delightful. Second of all, it includes several Super Mario creatures, including a giant Wiggler, Piranha Plants, Thwomps, and the seldom-seen Shoe Goombas. Third, and most importantly, it boasts impressive diversity. You’ll drive through a wide-open plaza, an art gallery come to life, and even a live soccer match in Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
#50
Paris Promenade
Paris Promenade is perhaps the most inviting track of the first wave of the Booster Course Pass. It’s an airy, cheerful level brought to life thanks to jaunty accordion music and charming views of Paris landmarks, including but not limited to the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. In terms of track design, it’s surprisingly good, with branching paths, a few tight corners, and an alternative third lap that sends racers in reverse, à la Luigi Circuit.
#49
Music Park
Music Park in Mario Kart 8 is more or less the same as it was on 3DS. Hey, if it ain’t broke, right? The course is a lot of fun, not only due to its bopping music, but the amazing theme work. Everything is a musical instrument, even the track itself at times. At certain intervals, you’ll drive over piano keys, a marimba, and vibraphone. The highlight, however, is the split ramp section with Bouncing Notes, which create tremors in the ground that provide small windows for trick boosting.
Stay tuned for Part 5!
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