Editing DS Airship Fortress

|image=[[File:Airship Fortress MKDS preview.png|250px]]

|online_play=Was never available ([[Nintendo DS|DS]])<br>No longer available ([[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]])

Airship Fortress returns as a [[classic course]] in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', as the third race of the [[Lightning Cup]], and in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', debuting in the [[Pirate Tour]].

The race starts with a straightaway, where a barrage of [[Bullet Bill]]s are shot from a [[Bill Blaster]] of the airship and cause players to flip over if they touch them. Passing this section of the track, players turn left with a right turn shortly after and get a boost by running over a [[Dash Panel]], entering the deck of the airship, where [[Rocky Wrench]]es pop out from their trenches, hitting racers who drive over them. Proceeding inside the airship, players take a tight left turn and reach the cellar where some [[crate]]s are spread throughout the room. They may contain a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]] or a [[Banana|Banana Peel]] if broken. The next room features a pair of [[burner]]s moving sideways that cause players to spin out if they touch the fire. Players exit the airship by being launched by the airship's Pipe Cannon with a Dash Panel, similar to [[GCN DK Mountain|DK Mountain]], aimed at a hole in the fortress tower. Following the corkscrew inside the tower, there's one last turn to finish the race. Just before the last turn, players can knock other racers off the course.

*'''Mission 6-2''': The player controls [[Wario]], who must use [[Super Star|Stars]] to hit 15 Rocky Wrenches within 30 seconds.

*'''Mission 7-7''': The player controls [[Bowser]], who must collect 12 [[coin]]s while driving in reverse. This requires the player to navigate a maze-like arrangement of wooden crates and then avoid the pair of burners.

[[File:AirshipFortressMK7.png|thumb|right|{{classic|DS|Airship Fortress}} as it appears in ''Mario Kart 7''.]]

Airship Fortress first appears as a classic course in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' as the third course of the [[Shell Cup]]. The [[Finish Line (object)|grid]] has been recolored from black and yellow to red and white while the banner was changed to a unique, steel-framed wooden panel displaying the classic ''Mario Kart'' logo in orange. In the straightaway following the starting line, both drop-offs can be used to perform a [[trick]] and gain a small boost. The Bullet Bills have become [[Banzai Bill]]s, are now shot out from the [[Banzai Bill Cannon]] at faster intervals, and are no longer visible on the bottom screen map. Some of the Banzai Bills are larger in scale compared to others. The interior of the airship has some minor changes, most notably the presence of a slight curve within the cellar, while the exterior of it has a [[Warp Pipe]] added near the Pipe Cannon (similar to ''Super Mario Bros. 3''{{'}}s) and the fortress section has additional towers. The burner room now has a ventilated floor exposing the sky underneath the airship, and the [[Rocky Wrench]]es now make sounds similar to [[Monty Mole]]s. Hitting a Banzai Bill has the similar effect as getting struck by a [[Bob-omb]], a [[Bullet Bill]], or a [[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shell]], causing the player to tumble and roll over sideways.

*A difficult shortcut can be performed by leaning off the curve on the second, smaller rail to gain an upwards angle and using a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]]. If the player goes far enough, Lakitu will place them just before the cannon. If done quickly, it saves around ten seconds.<ref>{{cite|url=youtube.com/watch?v=h1rnjiASlEA|timestamp=4:01|language=ja|title=【マリオカート7】全バグショートカット集 #マリオカート7|author=MOMIジ|date=June 15, 2020|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:MKT Airship Fortress Scene.jpg|250px|thumb|left|The course in ''Mario Kart Tour'']]

Airship Fortress returns in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' starting with the [[Pirate Tour]], with grand graphical changes. The main tower is now part of a larger fortress, with other towers in the background. The location of the course changes from the sky to a lava-filled ocean, as well as the sky being much more orange in color, as opposed to the purple hue it originally bestowed. Several lit torches were added to the sides of the track before the main airship and on each column of the main tower and hanging lanterns on the main airship's deck. The starting banner is now made of stone that is held up by two small towers, and the ''Mario Kart'' logo on the starting banner is the modern logo, colored cyan. The main airship and several others are a more lighter brown in color, with their masts now possessing propellers instead of sails. Hitting a [[Rocky Wrench]] now gives points to the player instead of making them spin-out, and players can now [[trick]] on top of Rocky Wrenches that poke their heads out of the ground. The tunnel leading to the main airship's cabin has also been given a redesign, with the doors being replaced by multiple portholes, lights, and groups of barrels and crates, while the wall separating the two rooms now resembling the type of wall seen inside a wine cellar. Additionally, the main airship's cabin has been redesigned to resemble a drinking bar, with [[Shy Guy]]s sitting on stools, bottles on shelves, a dartboard, and several tables.

The course also appears as '''Airship Fortress R''' (reversed), '''Airship Fortress T''' (with ramps), and '''Airship Fortress R/T''' (reversed with ramps). The first two debuted in the Pirate Tour, while the third debuted in the [[Trick Tour (2021)|2021 Trick Tour]]. In the R and R/T variants, the [[Banzai Bill]]s are gone. In the T variant, the cannon is removed, and racers use [[Kanaami Road]] to cross the gap. In the R/T variant, there is a row of Rocky Wrenches just before the finish line.

|type=website

|EngE=Bowser should be right at home in these ships in the sky. Race across the decks of these floating wrecks, get blasted from cannons and dodge oncoming missile fire, as you fight to stay in one piece long enough to take the pole position.}}

*'''''Mario Kart Tour'' Twitter:''' ''It's time for the Pirate Tour! The DS Airship Fortress course makes its debut in Mario Kart Tour. It's a long way down from this floating fortress, so make sure you stay on course!''<ref>{{cite|language=en|author=mariokarttourEN|date=August 12, 2020|url=x.com/mariokarttourEN/status/1293429508402368515|title=Post from X|publisher=|accessdate=August 12, 2020}}</ref>

MKT Icon AirshipFortressDS BowserJrPirate.png|The course icon

MKT Icon AirshipFortressRDS FireBro.png|The course icon of the R variant

MKT Icon AirshipFortressTDS KingBobomb.png|The course icon of the T variant

MKT Icon AirshipFortressRTDS Kamek.png|The course icon of the R/T variant

 

===Names in other languages===

|ChiS=弹头杀手飞船

|ChiSR=Dàntóu Shāshǒu Fēichuán

|ChiSM=Bullet Bill Airship

|ChiS2=炮弹刺客飞船

|Spa=Fortaleza Aérea

|SpaM=Aerial Fortress

*Airship Fortress is one of two courses in the ''Mario Kart'' series that has had three different starting line logos, it used the same design as [[Figure-8 Circuit]], [[DS Yoshi Falls|Yoshi Falls]], [[DS Desert Hills|Desert Hills]], and [[DS Wario Stadium|Wario Stadium]] in ''Mario Kart DS'' with the 5 [[Nintendo]] logo-styled ''Mario Kart'' logos in a row, the classic ''Mario Kart'' logo in ''Mario Kart 7'', and the modern ''Mario Kart'' logo in ''Mario Kart Tour''. Coincidentially, both are from ''Mario Kart DS'', with the other one being [[DS Waluigi Pinball|Waluigi Pinball]].