Wuhu Loop

Wuhu Loop, or Wuhu Island Loop in the British version of Mario Kart 7, is themed around Wii Sports Resort, and features a track that winds through the town, across a bridge, over the golf course, and through a tunnel that gives us flashbacks to Yoshi Circuit.

With scenic cliff views and shortcuts a-plenty, plus a boppy little remix of the Wii Sports Resort theme, it's not a huge fan-favourite, but it is a fun little road trip. With the announcement of Nintendo Switch Sports, it seems like a dead cert.

Maka Wuhu

Wii Sports Resort returns in Mario Kart 7 for Maka Wuhu, a sunset drive through the island of Wuhu... again. Similar to Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu winds through the countryside and town, but where it differs from the previous track is the fact that it's not a loop, similar to Big Blue, Mount Wario, and Rainbow Road 64. We always want more non-traditional courses, so this one's a no-brainer.

Wario Shipyard

Wario Shipyard is a very wet course. Taking place almost entirely underwater, it has Wario and pals driving (and gliding) through a partially-flooded track, with occasional jumps above the surface and small segments on the decks of the titular ships.

Mostly, this course makes us worry about the health and safety protocols at Wario's shipyard — should boats be underwater? Probably not — but it is a cracker of a race.

Wario Colosseum

Wario Colosseum is a huge improvement on Mario Kart 64's Wario Stadium, with players forced into a Globe of Death-style cage in the centre. And what could be better than a Globe of Death that you can actually drive upside-down on?

This one takes place on metal tracks high above the ground, and ends with a rather exciting speed ramp and a punishing 90-degree turn that will sort the Mario Kart wheat from the Mario Kart chaff. Green shells on this one are especially dangerous, with the narrow spiral providing plenty of opportunity for pile-ups.

Dino Dino Jungle

Dino Dino Jungle, from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, has it all: An extremely catchy soundtrack, a variety of obstacles and shortcuts that can thin the herd, a bunch of risk/reward choices to make, and best of all: DINOSAURS. Every track should have dinosaurs, actually.

Plus, we can't wait to relive the satisfying clack-clack-clack of a kart on the wooden boards of Dino Dino Jungle. What a sound.

Toad's Factory

Toad's Factory is underrated. Sure, it's unlikely that Toad could run a factory given his propensity to get into trouble, and also the fact that he willingly turned it into a racetrack, but we can overlook that fact thanks to Toad Factory's unique combination of gimmicks.

There's the double conveyor belt section, which switches from forwards to backwards for each lap, making it vital for players to pay attention; then there's the thrilling final stretch that takes place on a muddy road, with cranes and plows used as walls, and speed panels placed enticingly in the midst of wet, tyre-jamming mud. A factory run by Toads is a weird concept, but it pays off.

Shy Guy Bazaar

Shy Guy Falls is one of the best tracks in Mario Kart 8, so why not add a little more Shy Guy flavour with Mario Kart 7's Shy Guy Bazaar?

The best part of this track isn't its gorgeous inky-blue night-time colours, but the fact that it looks a lot like Paper Mario: The Origami King's Shroom City, the Arabian-themed desert oasis that has bee taken over by Snifits (which are just Shy Guys with different masks).

Imagine a retooled version of Shy Guy Bazaar with Paper Mario aesthetics!

Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)

Mario Kart 8 already has the highest number of Rainbow Roads of any Mario Kart game — three, including its own, the SNES remake, and the N64 version. Why not add another?

If we're only getting one more Rainbow Road, make it the one from Mario Kart 7, which takes place on a solar-system-spanning course with no looping laps, just one long track. Unlike other Rainbow Roads, you'll get to drive on Saturn and the moon alongside the multicoloured ribbon that's made it into every Mario Kart game in one form or another.

But hear us out: What about a Rainbow-Road-only wave of DLC? There are 7 unused Rainbow Roads left:

  • Mario Kart 7
  • Mario Kart Wii
  • Mario Kart Tour (RMX 1)
  • Mario Kart Tour (RMX 2)
  • Mario Kart DS
  • Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
  • Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Throw in the Rainbow Road from Super Mario Galaxy 2 and you've got yourself a full 8-course set!


So, there we have it: Sixteen tracks that deserve to be in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!

That said, there are a whopping 24 tracks still up for grabs, so we're pretty sure all your faves will be included, eventually. Which tracks do you want to see? Drop a banana reply in the comments below!