Editing Bowser's Castle (Mario Kart 8)

{{italic title|id=yes}}
{{race course infobox
|based_on= [[World 8]]
|image=[[File:MK8-Course-Bowser'sCastle.png|300px]]
|appears_in=''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]])<br>''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' ([[List of games by date#2017|2017]])
|cups=[[Special Cup]]
|ghost={{ghost|8|Nin★Polly|2:23.872|[[File:MK8 Bowser Icon.png|32px|link=Bowser]][[File:BadwagonBodyMK8.png|32px|link=Badwagon]][[File:StandardTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Standard (tire)|Standard]][[File:MK8ThumbBowserSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}{{ghost|8DX <small>150cc</small>|Nin★Polly|2:21.980|[[File:MK8 Bowser Icon.png|32px|link=Bowser]][[File:BadwagonBodyMK8.png|32px|link=Badwagon]][[File:StandardTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Standard (tire)|Standard]][[File:MK8ThumbBowserSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}{{ghost|8DX <small>200cc</small>|Nin★Mark|1:40.953|[[File:MK8 Dry Bowser Icon.png|32px|link=Dry Bowser]][[File:FlameRiderBodyMK8.png|32px|link=Flame Rider]][[File:SlimTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Slim (tire)|Slim]][[File:BowserKiteMK8.png|32px|link=Bowser Kite]]}}
|online_play=Available ([[Wii U]] until early April 2024, [[Nintendo Switch|Switch]])
|sample=Atsuko Asahi<br>[[File:MK8-Music-BowsersCastle.oga]]<br>Frontrunning<br>[[File:WiiU_BowsersCastle_Frontrunning.oga]]
|map=''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''
<div style="white-space: nowrap;">[[File:MK8 Bowser's Castle Map.png|frameless|upright=0.65]][[File:MK8DX Bowser's Castle Map.png|frameless|upright=0.65]]</div>
}}
'''Bowser's Castle''' is the third course of the [[Special Cup]] in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''. This incarnation is heavily based off the [[Bowser's Castle]] levels from recent ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' platformers, particularly those seen in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''. It also contains more obstacles, such as [[Bowser Statue]]s that shoot lasers (similar to ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''), swinging spiked balls, large rolling boulders, and a giant, moving [[Bowser Monument|Bowser statue]] obstacle akin to the ''[[Bowser's Castle (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)|Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'' and ''[[Bowser's Castle (Mario Kart Wii)|Mario Kart Wii]]'' Bowser's Castle courses.

==Description==
In this incarnation of Bowser's Castle, several notable objects are placed inside and outside the castle. One of the notable features is the [[Bowser Monument|giant, fiery moving statue]] in a shape of Bowser himself that constantly punches the forked road to create ripples on the track. Several minions of [[Bowser]], such as [[Hammer Bro]]s., [[Fire Bro]]s., [[Boomerang Bro]]s. and [[Dry Bones]], are seen patrolling inside the castle, sometimes cheering for the drivers, while a number of Bowser's [[Airship]]s, taking their design from the ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' games, are seen floating around its exterior. Like in many other Bowser's Castles, [[Lava Geyser]]s sometimes gush out of the lava pits, damaging other drivers that pass the place where these hazards are nearby. The castle seems larger than most of its previous incarnations and has a more upbeat rock theme for its music, like the ones in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''.

This course appears to be themed after a steel foundry, particularly the inside of the castle and the lava that merely resembles a hot molten iron.

==Course layout==
[[File:MK8 Bowser's Castle Starting Line.png|thumb|250px|left|The course as seen from the starting line]]
The course starts in the entrance of the castle. As soon as the drivers enter the castle, they see a statue of Bowser pointing to the right (signaling where to turn), along with several [[Bowser Statue]]s that shoot lasers at the drivers on laps 2 and 3. After a left turn and a right turn, drivers enter an [[anti-gravity]] section. Along the way lies the ramps that the drivers can perform [[Trick]]s on, but with extreme caution, as there lie sets of [[Fire Bar]]s and a [[Spinner]]. After these sections lies the square U-turn that leads to the forked road where the large [[Bowser Monument]] is. Each road curves down and around into a cavernous space with a [[Glide Ramp]] leading out of the castle. [[Lava Geyser]]s gush out from the lava pit and hit drivers that collide with them. There is a slight turn left and then another U-turn, where incoming boulders launched from one of the castle's cannons will attempt to knock over any racers. After these turns lies a split path, one part of which has a ramp, and the finish line. The starting banner on the top features a fiery ''Mario Kart'' logo with a pair of [[Burner]]s going out from above.

This is the only Bowser's Castle that has a giant Bowser statue that does not breathe fire. Instead, it just punches the two paths of the main road.

During the countdown to the race, the castle's portcullis is seen being raised. This is one of six courses (the others being [[Twisted Mansion]], [[Electrodrome]], [[Mount Wario]], [[Excitebike Arena]], and {{classic-link|DS|Waluigi Pinball}}) to have an opening animation during the countdown.{{br|left}}

==Shortcuts==
*Players can use a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]] to boost through the black grass before the finish line.

==''[[Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack]]'' liner notes==
''"In this title, this is actually more like an fortress than a castle - it has a really aggressive feel. For the background music we went for a very direct approach, and you might even think it's a bit too in-your-face. We wanted the music to clearly signal that there is a big bad boss lurking here."''

==Gallery==
<gallery widths=150px>
MK8 Bowser's Castle Course Icon.png|The course icon
Bowser Castle MK8 Bowser outside.png|[[Bowser]] racing outside of his castle in ''Mario Kart 8''
BowsersCastle8EntranceLasers.png|Lasers from the [[Bowser Statue]]s, which start firing lasers when players usually enter the second lap
BowsersCastle8BallnChain.png|The [[Spinner]] jump
BowserCastleMK8.png|The giant flaming [[Bowser Monument]]
BowsersCastle8SplitPathBowserGolem.png|The path splitting and the Bowser Monument
BowersCastle8Gliding.png|The gliding segment before the course's end
BowsersCastle8View.png|A view of the exterior of Bowser's Castle, before the starting line
BowserKart8.png|A released screenshot of the course revealing the name of the course
MK8 Bowser's Castle Bowser Golem Stamp.png|The [[Stamp (Mario Kart 8)|stamp]] obtained for beating the staff ghost of this course
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=クッパキャッスル
|JapR=Kuppa Kyassuru
|JapM=Bowser Castle
|Spa=Castillo de Bowser
|SpaM=Bowser's Castle
|Fra=Château de Bowser
|FraM=Bowser's Castle
|Dut=Bowsers Kasteel
|DutM=Bowser's Castle
|Ger=Bowsers Festung
|GerM=Bowser's Fortress
|Ita=Castello di Bowser
|ItaM=Bowser's Castle
|Por=Castelo do Bowser
|PorM=Bowser's Castle
|Rus=Замок Боузера
|RusR=Zamok Bouzera
|RusM=Bowser's Castle
|Kor=쿠파 성
|KorR=Kupa Seong
|KorM=Bowser Castle
|ChiS=酷霸王城堡
|ChiSR=Kùbàwáng Chéngbǎo
|ChiSM=Bowser Castle
|ChiT=庫巴城堡
|ChiTR=Kùbā Chéngbǎo
|ChiTM=Bowser Castle
}}

==Notes==
*This is the only Bowser's Castle course that does not feature any [[Thwomp]]s, excluding the ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'' appearance of the ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' [[Bowser Castle 1|Bowser]] [[Bowser Castle 2|Castle]] [[Bowser Castle 3|courses]], as all hazards were removed.
**It is also the first nitro Bowser's Castle course since ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'' to not have a giant stone version of Bowser's mouth as the castle entrance, instead having a giant shield above the drawbridge with Bowser's emblem on it.

{{MK race courses}}
{{MK8}}
[[Category:Volcanic areas]]
[[Category:Bowser's castles]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 race courses]]
[[de:Bowsers Festung#Mario Kart 8]]
[[it:Castello di Bowser (Wii U)]]