Mario Kart World
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One of Mario Kart’s most exciting parts of a new entry is seeing which old tracks get remade and brought back as retro tracks. The series’ legacy is one part of what makes each game so great, as each game builds upon what worked while rooting nostalgia in iconic and creative tracks.
In Mario Kart World (MKW), there’s a massive world to explore, every track is interconnected with each other and the world itself. There are plenty of great tracks in the cups; however, there are also secret Easter egg tracks hidden within the Free Roam mode’s sprawling world that bring back memories of 16-bit races.
10 Ghost Valley 2 (SNES)
Boo Cinema's After Show
If you have taken an intermission track out of Boo Cinema, there’s a chance you may have driven across an eerie boardwalk surrounded by Boos and, for the avid Mario Kart fan, this will be instantly recognizable as Ghost Valley 2. This iconic track debuted in Super Mario Kart and is one of the series’ first spooky tracks that has appeared in many games across its three variations.
Ghost Valley 2, in particular, is a classic with its tight corners and long straightaways, which now have less railing for you to fall off the track even more easily. All its iconic elements have been preserved in MKW and, while you can’t race on it fully in the Grand Prix or Knockout Tour, it’s still a blast to drive across when you happen to leave Boo Cinema for another track.
9 Choco Island 2 (Super Mario Kart)
Hidden In The Dirt
Choco Mountain has seen massive changes in MKW, with it going from a chocolate-themed mountain to an industrial factory with dirt everywhere, and it’s become one of MKW’s most fun tracks. When taking a visit in Free Roam, you may notice its predecessor from the SNES, Choco Island 2, lurking in the rocky terrain nearby.
This track is memorable as it is one of the few tracks that forces you to drive through a massive road hazard of mud swamp or chocolate sauce, depending on what you want to imagine. Choco Mountain may be the more iconic track these days, but it would be nothing without the legacy that the dirt-filled Choco Island 2 set out in the first Mario Kart entry.
8 Ghost Valley 3 (SNES)
Fading Memories
Out of all the Ghost Valley tracks, Ghost Valley 3 is the one that gets the least love for no reason. The other two have been remade more than once, with Ghost Valley 2 especially being the favorite child, appearing in five games. Ghost Valley 3 hasn’t been in any game since Super Circuit but, it finally makes a comeback in MKW hidden near Boo Cinema.
Even compared to the other two in MKW, this one deserves more love as it has a design that is more interesting and varied. With more zigzaged paths, it is definitely trickier than its counterparts, but this makes it all the more fun, and it should appear in the series more than its other variants.
7 Choco Island 1 (SNES)
Not As Tasty But Still Fun
Choco Mountain was brought back as a full course in MKW, but its original inspiration was not left out either. Choco Island 1 is a track from Super Mario Kart that you can find around its younger sibling, Choco Mountain. Unfortunately, if you wanted a faithful drive along this classic course, you will be met by strange changes that elongate the track while also cutting out sections.
The saddest part about the redesign of Choco Island 1 is that, since Choco Mountain is no longer actually made of chocolate (despite Sky-High Sundae being made of food), it loses a lot of the charm that we would have loved to see. It is more accurate to its original design this way, but we miss the more whimsical look of the Choco tracks like in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
6 Koopa Beach 1 (SNES)
A Hidden Loop
The track, Troopa Koopa Beach, that is included in the Shell Cup is actually Koopa Beach 2 from Super Mario Kart, but is renamed to Koopa Troopa Beach despite other tracks using that title. This track may not be the most exciting, just being a giant loop, but it’s still a joy to blast through five laps of chaos.
You may be wondering where the original Koopa Beach 1 is, and luckily, through some exploring in Free Roam, you can easily find it south of Koopa Troopa Beach. By hitting a P-Switch on the track, you will be tasked with racing around with other drivers just like a proper race, but unfortunately, this is the only way to play on this alternate loop.
5 Mario Circuit 1/2/3 (SNES)
Triple Trouble
Being one of the first Mario Kart tracks ever designed, Mario Circuit has a long history behind it, and it has appeared numerous times throughout the series in various forms, each designed around one of its three original layouts. In MKW, this track is back in the Special Cup, but you may not have noticed that it is now composed of all three layouts instead of just one.
In Free Roam, however, you can take your time and race on each track individually, unlike in the Grand Prix mode. There is a P-Switch as well that allows you to take on a time trial challenge, which takes you through each of the layouts all in one big dash with only two Triple Mushrooms and limited time, requiring you to take the classic shortcuts.
4 Koopa Troopa Beach (N64) / Cheep Cheep Beach (DS)
Not Just Any Generic Beach
The Koopa Troopa Beach is always the go-to beach track to bring back, and MKW is no different. However, there is some love for the other beach tracks in the series hidden. On the map between Koopa Troopa Beach and Wario Shipyard, you can see two islands. If you head here in Free Roam, you can find a P-Switch Mission to race around a deserted island.
While not identical, this secret track features a few elements from the MK 64 original track, including its overall oval shape that makes it feel like a small-scale version of the track. It also shares some elements from Cheep Cheep Beach, and considering how close this island is to the actual Koopa Troopa Beach track, it’s more than just a coincidence.
3 Ghost Valley 1 (SNES)
Don't Fall Off…
Boo Cinema is one of the coolest tracks in MKW with it taking you inside a movie screen to haunt the race with some added Boo mischief. However, after your movie is over, and you leave, you may notice some recognizable wooden roads. Just outside this track, you can find a near-perfect remake of Ghost Valley 1 from Super Mario Kart that has a P-Switch Mission for you to race around.
This track was the series’ first attempt at a spooky track, and while it may have been darker on the SNES classic in MKW, it has taken a different direction. Instead of being hung over bottomless pits of darkness, you now need to worry about falling into the toxic bog below, while fewer barriers keep you safe from the dangers of falling to your doom.
2 Bowser's Castle (SNES / GBA)
One Of The Many Tracks Bowser Owns
This is one track that we really don’t know why is hidden, as it would make for the perfect five-lap race, just like Koopa Troopa Beach. Located right by the lap gate for Bowser’s Castle, you can find a nearby blue path that takes you to an oval track that feels familiar to Bowser’s Castles of the past.
There is even a P-Switch Mission here to race around it, and while it is not a one-to-one recreation of a previous Bowser’s castle, it borrows the classic elements. From slanted brick-built roads to dirt and lava patches with jumps, this track takes clear inspiration from Bowser’s Castles from across the series to create a mini track that’s a blast to drive around.
1 Vanilla Lake 1 (SNES)
Defrosting Under The Sundae
Some SNES tracks, such as Mario Circuit, were included in the Grand Prix cups, but many of the best were left in the depths of Free Roam, and one that is freezing in forgotten memory is Vanilla Lake 1. This frosty track is one of Super Mario Kart’s most iconic, but in MKW, Starview Peak has taken its place as the snow-themed track.
Being at the bottom of some icy mountains near Sky-High Sundae, you can find this track in perfect form, ready to be raced on like old times. Hitting the P-Switch here will take you into one of the most fun missions in Free Roam, as you race around this track against CPUs and sulk about how it isn’t playable with friends in any mode.
