What Makes a Good Mario Kart Track?

[@marksrecroom]

Thanks for watching! What’s your favorite Mario Kart track?

[@tobekontinued7090]

I haven't thought about it in a while, but Maple Treeway and Music Park will always be two of my faves.

[@Parakarry077]

Koopa cape and Moonview highway baby

[@superlarrykoopabros5381]

DK SUMMIT is the best track ever and you can’t tell me you don’t love the music

[@EEEE42069]

3DS Rainbow Road

[@polarbearfan]

Piranha Plant Cove I don’t know why

[@milkshakedraws6944]

This is very interesting! I think this is part of the reason why DS Mario Circuit stands out from other circuits. It has the hook with goombas, a continuation with the fire piranha plants and forest, and then the windy shortcut-filled conclusion! I’ve never actually looked at the tracks this intricately before, and I think this is an amazingly crafted video! Very thought provoking for sure! Great job

[@Stratilex]

DS Mario Circuit may have a good structure, but I'd argue aesthetically it drops the ball in Mario Kart 8. I'd much rather play Royal Raceway and Yoshi Circuit, or even simpler circuits like the Mario Circuits from 8 and GBA

[@Star-Powder]

Only 1.6K views?? The quality for this video made me think it would have gotten at least 100K. Great job at dissecting Mario Kart's track design in such a practical and eloquent way!

[@wilben8570]

Cheese Land and Ribbon Road are some of my absolute favorite retro courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as they add all sorts of new elements to both the gameplay and the visuals, while still keeping the same overall layout. Conversely, Sky Gardens and Sunset Wilds are some of my least favorite retro courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as they removed elements from both the gameplay and the visuals, even cutting some of the turns. Just to clarify, I don't see any of the Tour tracks as retro courses. If I did, then Sky Gardens and Sunset Wilds would be nowhere near my least favorite.

[@AcetylCoA605]

Personally, I enjoy all 4 courses. In my opinion, they are all fun to play on. That being said, Sky Garden and Sunset Wilds clearly were made for the phone app, like Riverside Park, Boo Lake, and Snow Land. I believe the reason the first two were recieved so poorly compared to the others is because, like Cheese Land and Ribbon Road, Sky Garden and Sunset Wilds are two of the biggest names from the GBA, and thus we would expect even more from said remakes.

[@JcFerggy]

The word you were looking for was "Readability" when it comes to driving on a track for the first time.

[@PatoUnleashed]

I've been playing a Hot Wheels game that relies on custom tracks for some time now. This video was very useful! I feel like my custom tracks are better now thanks to this :)

[@thehussiteking]

Fantastic video as always Mark! I never even considered the Shakespearean structure of the tracks, but you're right. A lot of the best tracks are like that. Personally, 3DS Rainbow Road has to be my favorite track in the series. It's a perfect course imo.

[@marksrecroom]

Thanks so much for watching!! and GREAT taste - i also love 3DS rainbow road, one of the best 3-part tracks imo

[@CasiniLoogi]

I think it would be really interesting to look at custom tracks made by fans for the various different games, all of them have at least some. Some of them really highlight what you *shouldnt* do in a mario kart track, while few actually outdo the official game in one of the three metrics you gave. Either way, i feel like taking a look at custom tracks would've given you some valuable insight for the video (i am in no way biased as a custom track creator you can trust me!)

[@isaaclee1416]

Super Bell Subway I feel always went under appreciated! The theming is unique, the multi-pathing in the tunnel keeps the pack manageable, and the subway cars are so fun to drift along with. I’d say the start line would’ve benefited from being in a city street leading into the station to sell the effects better, but all in all a fantastic course imho

[@bm_burger]

Ok now I REALLY want a series that goes over every Mario Kart's mechanics and tracks lol I love the "Shakespearean Structure" bit, using Waluigi Pinball is such a great example because of how famous the ending of that track is.

[@dakotastude3410]

Funny enough, I am currently working on a research paper over "What makes a good Mario game?" for class, and this gave me some inspiration for what I need to write for it. Absolutely fantastic video!

[@seth5362]

I have no idea how they'll release a new mario kart since mario kart 8 has years of support and a billion maps now. Hopefully with sound options so i can actually hear the music with 4 people playing

[@finleymaster101]

Absolutely fantastic description of Mario Kart courses! This video manages to be entertaining and inspiring while still making its point perfectly. It makes me able to reflect and realise how fan-favourite tracks and my personal faves (like Maple Treeway, Coconut Mall and Toad's Factory) are so likable. This is the first video I've ever watched on your channel, and I already know that your content is amazing. You have earned my sub, keep up the great work! :)

[@Chef_Lewie_Gaming]

This video is AMAZING! I'm currently in the earlier stages of creating a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track tier list for my KZbin channel, and I had this exact topic come up when figuring out the criteria I am basing the list off of, and it almost feels like you were able to take the concepts and ideas of what I was thinking about, and you presented it in a way that not only clarified and validated what I was originally thinking about (at least with the overall track design), but expanded it in a way to which I never even thought about (a good example is when you mentioned the Tour City Tracks and how they can be really confusing at first for newer players). I also completely agree with how you came to your conclusion about how the Structure, Mechanics, and the Aesthetics are the main focal points here, and it makes me realize why I love tracks like DK Summit, Waluigi Pinball, Big Blue, etc. I'm glad I got recommended this video on at least one of my many KZbin feeds! TLDR, Amazing Video! Keep Making More Content Like This! 10/10

[@ade1174]

Fantastic video. Yoshi's Island is my favorite track in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe because it has such strong theming, and the glider bridge is such a unique mechanic. Also, I now have the Dolphin Shoals song stuck in my mind at 1:30 AM. It's so good!

[@cianoreillycork]

Just discovered your channel, really fantastic video, well deserving of many many more views and subscribers!!

[@ZombieManF]

I think a good example of a track that's bad at the "story structure" element is Merry Mountain. It sets up its premise well, the journey slowly culminates as you climb the mountain, and as you turn to bombastically descend from the peak, the whole thing the track was building up to... it just fizzles out. You drive in a straight line and that's it. 16:07 Oi what's with the Shroom Ridge slander?

[@cherry_top]

Commenting to boost engagement bc it is absolutely INSANE how professional and good quality this video is. I hope you blow up man, this is an amazing video and I can’t wait to see what you do in the future! Subscribed as well :)

[@B0ssguy]

this was a really great analysis of what makes a great mario kart track, id love to see you rank every track in 8dx using your metrics

[@TonyNes64]

I would like to see GBA Cheep Cheep Island be remade one day. I think the layout with the sunset, the island and...well, the jumping Cheep Cheep, has potential

[@solgamerworld2807]

My favorite is mount warily because of how creative they got with one mountain and the soundtrack

[@giangeegibb]

Awesome video! You had some really great insight into structure that I hadn't considered before!

[@marksrecroom]

Thanks so much for watching I appreciate it!!

[@KevSB07]

Good video! The Shakespearean plot really makes sense considering tracks like maple treeway, moonview highway, toads factory, etc Although I will disagree on cheese land. The MK8DX version of it is among my least favorite courses in that game. It’s so bumpy and inconsistent to drive on, and I really think it’s a poor adaptation of the original. It really shouldn’t be a desert track, it should be a cheese track. I mean, imagine if Sweet Sweet Canyon was basically a snow level but the name of it implied it was sugar. Instead, it’s sweet because it has a wonderful variety of sugary foods in the scenery. Cheese land could’ve been a lot more colorful and interesting if they tried to incorporate different kinds and colors of cheeses. (And it would’ve looked less like sand)

[@Stratilex]

I kinda agree. I wish they had kept the cheese moon aesthetic and leaned more into the cheesiness, it is one of the base 8 Deluxe tracks that I would argue is too desaturated.

[@astrolys3482]

That was a great video ! I was surprised to see you had less than 5k subscribers, because this looks and sounds like the work of someone who should be more popular ! I really liked your point about course structure because you put words on feelings and ideas I couldn’t describe before, and it makes so much more sense. Thank you, hope to see more !

[@lenzoftruth1480]

What a fun watch Mark! Glad I found your channel. So much nostalgia as I’ve been playing Mario Kart since the SNES. I made a 9 year review for MK8 on my channel and and can’t wait for the next installment as we play all the booster course tracks

[@lenzoftruth1480]

You have a subscriber 😊 Great video editing friend 🎉

[@RabbidTheNabbit]

Great video, you covered pretty much all avenues and some of it is actually pretty interesting. Subbed

[@chillyn]

W video frfr! Never seen somone describe MK Track design so clearly! Loved it!

[@dmansuperich2800]

This video was amazing, you're really good at editing and commentary! Too many KZbinrs will do an analysis like this and try to force in unneeded jokes. You, however, had a great balance of info and light humor. Not to mention you have very clean visuals. I hope the video spreads man, this is a good one. Also I can't believe I never knew you could smack the rocks for Bells in the Animal Crossing course just like the main games.

[@marksrecroom]

yo thanks so much i greatly appreciate it!!

[@rebirthphoenix5646]

What are you trying to get a PHD? I agree with like everything you pointed out in this video! My favorite tracks are DK Mountain and Airship Fortress especially. I love how the former really makes you feel like you’re off-roading through a rugged mountain going down a winding path, avoiding landslides, and crossing the bridge like some shit out of Indiana Jones! I especially love the view at the beginning where you can see the whole track coming up the mountain from the cinematic cannon shot and also seeing the rest of the track from above when starting to come down the mountain. Gives such an awesome first impression! Airship Fortress just has that really epic and grim vibe of being in basically a war zone that isn’t really replicated much at all in the Mario Kart series and it really throws enemies at every turn. The Banzai Bills coming at you from the beginning before boarding the ship then getting overrun by Rocky Wrenches and entering the cellar below deck where boxes can give you items while also avoiding fire bars before getting shot out to the fortress that’s being attacked. The final winding turn down the tower and crossing a ruined fortress pathway back to the finish line really just seals it for me as a top 2 favorite of all time!

[@recht_voor_zijn_raap5506]

Encountered your channel thanks to KZbin recommended. Great video. You really deserve more subscribers. So I did my part and subscribed. Keep up the great work 😁

[@bradybracken1282]

My favorite course changes every day, but right now it’s gotta be Squeaky Clean Sprint. The alternate routes and the theming really carry it for me!

[@cbgplays1777]

Hi, when will the Mario party DS retrospective be released?

[@Color_Splsh]

Really good video. I'm surprised it has such low views.

[@williamsoule9067]

Great video! I think the structure or clarity of courses is a major point, and as you said a lot of the city tracks struggle with it. I feel that structure is something a lot of Mario kart modders don’t value enough either, some custom tracks would be much stronger with added clarity! My personal fav is tough, either Electrodrome, Mount Wario or Cheese Land (mk8 version)!

[@drift3426]

what makes a good mario track: 1. it is more than just an oval

[@zupaschnitzel3300]

Never played F-zero, but big blue and mute city are my favorites. Still big blue is mostly the music, when it starts 200cc instantly turns into 300cc

[@lemonking3851]

First time coming across you channel and this video was excellent! Just one thing though maybe hold your jokes (the ones that showed clips) for just a little bit longer as it felt like a blink and you miss it sort of thing but overall great video that you should be proud of

[@Sir_Musty]

Its not often i see someone else who also prefers the original concepts that Mario Kart nails so often Super Bell Subway and Cheese Land to name a few tick every box i could ask for

[@HmmmmmLemmeThinkNo]

One of my favourites is Baby Park! For one, it was my fav growing up w DD (I got a gcn w dd when I was 5). For two, I love how simple it is, yet challenging, with all the items. For three, the music!!!

[@blindspuut]

You don't have to worry about another Mario Kart game being in the works lol, 8 Deluxe sold a gajillion copies But this is a really solid deconstruction- and I'd argue that any existing boring course can be truly revamped if these rules are followed

[@JSoldierPro]

Very well done video:D

[@davidmandel8960]

Once, a friend of mine did a custom mkds track for me. I loved it. Then, he revealed to me that it was just a volcanic retexture of mario circuit. That is why mario circuit is one of my top 5 mkds tracks: the layout is great but the aesthetics destroyed it.

[@Rimuru.Tempest]

Great video mate!

[@marksrecroom]

Thanks so much for watching!!

[@bruneleythor2604]

Waluigi Pinball, Coconut Mall, 3DS Rainbow Road, Mapple Treeway, Airship Fortress, Mount Wario, Tick Tock Clock, Sky Garden, GCN Rainbow Road, SNES Bowser's Castle 3, Koopa Cape, Music Park, Big Blue, Delfino Square, Rock-Rock Mountain, Electrodrome, Peach Gardens, N64 Bowser's Castle, Wario's Shipyard, Wii Rainbow Road, Kalimari Desert, Ribbon Road, DS Wario Stadium, Mute City, Piranha Plant Slide, Yoshi Valley, Neo Bowser City, Wii Bowser's Castle, Sunshine Airport, Moonview Highway, Yoshi's Island, Choco Mountain, Wario's Goldmine, DK Jungle, Daisy Cruiser, Toad's Factory, Dino Dino Jungle, DK Summit, Lakeside Park, DK Mountain, Daisy Circuit, Luigi's Mansion, Riverside Park, Mushroom Gorge, N64 Koopa Beach, Baby Park, Sweet Sweet Canyon, Yoshi Circuit. This are the best Mario Kart tracks (not in order)

[@LandonEmma]

REMEMBER GUYS YOU EITHER MALL OR YOU FALL!

[@therockinggoomba]

the best mario kart tracks are the ones i'm currently winning, until i start losing, then it becomes badly designed

[@ICoONiK]

Thank you for having an objective way of explaining this. I love it ❤

[@JRS06]

I like Toad Circuit. And Desert Hills. I feel people blow their flaws out of proportion.

[@maskedtape]

Amazing video and amazing analysis.

[@SpinDash]

THE F-ZERO STRIPS GIVE YOU COINS??? Actually though, very good video. You make a lot of good points that I hadn’t even considered before, and I can genuinely apply them to some of my favorite tracks

[@marksrecroom]

Hahah yes they do!! it’s a really cool nod to F-Zero that fits the gameplay of Mario Kart perfectly. It’s a big reason the F-Zero tracks are so fun IMO thanks for watching!!

[@DekuDude]

Great video!

[@mrpiccionedivino5598]

0:40 guess this video was taking a long time about favorite tracks, i think i have a soft spot for all those toad city tracks with all the cars you have to avoid, also wario's gold mine, toad's factory, grumble volano, tick tock clock and big Bell subway

[@marksrecroom]

Thanks for watching!! some banger choices in your favorites list for sure!

[@Jeffke_BS]

This might sound weird but my favourite track is moo moo meadows

[@WritingCountingOriginal]

Disliking the cities because they’re challenging at first is not a reason to hate them, it’s not even a reason to slightly dislike them, that would be immature.

[@mrpiccionedivino5598]

There's a difference between "challenging" and "you have to play the track 2/3 times just to not slam anywhere", the rainbow roads are challenging but they don't surprise with 180° turns or if they do you at least have an idea of the layout

[@WritingCountingOriginal]

@@mrpiccionedivino5598 That’s still a skill issue with the cities. I’m baffled how many people are this dull minded that they can’t even process the arrows the first time, and that it’s this notable to whine about it. It’s literally not hard, I’ve had to tell this to nearly everyone. Your lack of a keen eye is not an excuse lmao.

[@KevSB07]

@@WritingCountingOriginalin an issue of accessibility, skill is not only an excuse but one of the most important considerations. There will always be players capable of perceiving the turns and reacting in time to navigate them, but like he said Mario Kart is as immensely popular as it is because it appeals to the wider range of players. And that includes players who don’t care as much to learn the tracks or even pay as much attention to them, people who can’t react to the windy turns fast enough or don’t notice the arrows in time. It’s not a coincidence that the most widely favored city tracks are the ones with the most diverse layouts and fewest intersections. Obviously, your personal favorite tracks don’t need to take this into account if you yourself are a skilled player and these things don’t bother you. I quite like the cities for this reason. But that doesn’t make me ignorant of the fact that even people who CAN maneuver them still might not enjoy the process. Tl;dr you cannot deny they are less appealing because they are less accessible, but you’re allowed to like them yourself

[@WritingCountingOriginal]

@@KevSB07 I don’t care about the casual players, but I know they’re more than capable of getting used to the alternating laps. They’re not “less accessible”, the casual players just don’t care about them, but that’s not an excuse. I think the people who complain about the cities layouts, even the more complex ones, those people really gotta get their IQ tested in my opinion. I gotta be bold and I don’t care whose ego I shatter lol All the cities are mad easy, anyone who says otherwise is either a casual or just incredibly dumb.

[@JacobPDeIiNoNi]

@@WritingCountingOriginal I mean yes, it’s a “skill issue”, but why does that matter? The game should be fun for casual players too, and flying off the track every few seconds because it’s difficult to tell where you need to go is not fun. As somebody who plays this game way too much, I think the best solution that would have made the tracks more accessible while not hindering the reward you get for figuring them out, would have been a better minimap. The maps for city maps are absolute spaghetti as is, they should’ve had it shade out the parts of the track that aren’t your current lap. That would make figuring out the track for beginners much easier, make telling where others are on the minimap easier, and make the maps more aesthetically pleasing, all while not changing how they feel to drive at all.

[@MrDean44]

Great Video!

[@MatthewSmart]

Okay, I initially assumed you were going to rank all of Mario Kart 8's tracks. I'm glad that you ended up choosing something simpler for the sake of your sanity. But yeah, a lot of your reasoning holds up, and even the smallest difference can make or break a track for me. I figured I'd write down a few good and bad examples from my experience. Tour's City Tracks: Yeah, the city tracks are all over the place in quality for me. Tracks like Tokyo Blur and New York Minute are beyond boring to race on and aren't aesthetically pleasing. But then there are some tracks like Sydney Sprint and Singapore Speedway that have so much more going on with their layouts and landmarks that they make me want to visit those places in real life, which is the best thing a city tracks can be. Koopa Cape: This track is obviously a classic on Wii, but I just don't find it as engaging in 7 and 8. Because the tube has turned into an underwater segment, that removes the raging rapids and electric bars making that final trek far less intense. Twisted Mansion: The beginning of the track is stellar with you riding on the moving floor-turned-walls and the Boos floating around, but the underwater area that happens afterwards goes on for way too long and has nothing going on aesthetically which kills a lot of the potential this track had for me. Cheep Cheep Beach: I find this track to be very underappreciated. You start on the boardwalk before gliding into the sand with tons of open water and end by going through the dense jungle. Yet the track maintains its cozy and welcoming atmosphere the whole way through. Sunset Wilds: Talk about destroying the whole point of the original track. What made the track on GBA so special was the transition from sunset to night and the Shy Guys latching onto you from their tents. You take both of those aspects out and on top of that simplify the layout even further, and you have one of the most bland desert tracks in the series. Riverside Park: On the other hand, this is a GBA remake done right. It maintains the original layout, and does so much more with it. The Ptooies help make the track more challenging, and the ascent into the cave and out the giant waterfall at the top makes for an excellent finish. It reminds me of Splash Mountain from Disneyland. It's so satisfying. I could go on, but we'd be here all day. So many aspects come together to make these tracks stick out in our minds in a positive way. Also, in the name of everything that is holy, I cannot accept Toad Circuit slander in this house!

[@marksrecroom]

LOL thank you, i love watching ranking videos but i figured this would be another fun route to talk about Mario Kart since I’ve been playing and thinking about it a lot lately. I like a lot of your analysis here, and I agree with a lot of the sentiments here for sure. Thanks so much for watching!!

[@TortinhoToritoSupportToritos]

amazing video

[@dustinduzgames1276]

To me one of the most important things is how creative the track is which is why I like tracks like koopa cape who thought of driving down a waterfall underwater and back out that's so awesome who thought of driving through a mall that's awesome too but that's not always the case for me tracks that feel bad to race on I hate even if they have a good theme tracks like ninja hideaway that feel like shit to race on are not fun they're not even challenging because they're not built for your karts turn Circle you could call it a skill issue if you're struggling on that track in 200 cc that doesn't mean I can't do it it's just not fun to try cuz it takes so much mental energy not to fly off

[@PK_Yoshi]

Simple it has to be a track in Mario Kart 7 or 8 unless you’re a circuit

[@UN713]

Personally, the luigi circuit from double dash and the song that accompanies it is my fav so youre wrong about the 8 figure courses specifically bcs of this, like comment and subscribe tho

[@jumentoqueanima]

The thing is, every Mario kart track is at least fun Lmao.

[@Foonguz_Editz]

😊

[@THEEJONESY]

ur takes on mario kart hurt my head "rushing water is an okay mechanic" "baby park is a bad map" like are you purposely saying how things are bad just to praise them afterwards so it sounds more impactful? idk i just dont like how you word things, ive been giving ur channel a shot, but idk i might be giving up