GCN Yoshi Circuit

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Yoshi Circuit
A screenshot of the overview of Yoshi Circuit.
Bird's eye view of the island.
Information
Appears in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)
Mario Kart DS (2005)
Mario Kart 8 (DLC Pack 1) (2014)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)
Mario Kart Tour (2019)
Cup(s) Star Cup (Double Dash!!)
Lightning Cup (DS)
Egg Cup (8, 8 Deluxe)
Tour(s)
Based on Yoshi
Music sample
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! / Mario Kart Tour: Shinobu Tanaka, Kenta Nagata

Mario Kart DS: Shinobu Tanaka Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Atsuko Asahi

Course map
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
The map of Yoshi Circuit.
Mario Kart DS
GCN Yoshi Circuit map

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Map of GCN Yoshi Circuit in Mario Kart 8.Map of GCN Yoshi Circuit in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Mario Kart Tour
Map of GCN Yoshi Circuit in Mario Kart Tour

Staff ghost(s)

1:59.866 (Double Dash!!)
(Yoshi and Birdo in the Turbo Yoshi)
1:48.793 by Ninten★たろう (DS)
(Yoshi in the Standard YS)
2:11.299 by Nin★Adrien (8)
(as Red Yoshi)
2:07.557 by Nin★Adrien (8 Deluxe)
(as Red Yoshi) (150cc)
1:38.869 by Nin★Elena (8 Deluxe)
(as Light Blue Shy Guy) (200cc)

Yoshi Circuit (also called Yoshi's Circuit[1]) is the third racecourse of the nitro Star Cup in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.

The course is unique in that it is shaped like Yoshi himself, making it the only course in the Mario Kart series to be shaped after a playable character. There are many turns in this course, including a particularly sharp hairpin turn located at Yoshi's "tail". There are also many Piranha Plants at the sides of the road, nipping at racers who get too close. The course shares the same music as Luigi Circuit and Mario Circuit.

It reappears as the fourth race of the retro Lightning Cup in Mario Kart DS as well as in Mario Kart 8 (as part of the Legend of Zelda DLC pack) and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the first course in the Egg Cup. It also reappears in several tours in Mario Kart Tour, first appearing in the New York Tour.

Course layout

Yoshi Circuit
The start of the race

The race first starts at the straight road under Yoshi's "shoe." As the racer progresses for a little bit, the player will make a slow curve to the right. Piranha Plants are present on the grass on the right of the course, and to the left, there is water that will stop the player in their tracks if fallen off. Past the curve is a short straight road and a turn left. After the turn left is another straight road and soon, another curve to the right, which would be going around Yoshi's "hands". After the "hand" curve is a straight road, and another turn to the left that leads to an overhang, which starts a large curve around Yoshi's "nose".

Inside the curve in Yoshi's "nose", the player is protected by walls to the right to prevent them from falling into the water. Past the long curve to the right in Yoshi's "nose" is a sign that the player will see to turn left, obviously initiating for the player to turn left. The player will then make a shorter curve to the right around Yoshi's "eyes". Past Yoshi's "eyes" are his "spines", which are small and short curves around circular flower beds which won't pose the player much of a problem if the player correctly drives straight.

Past the orange flowers is a Piranha Plant, and past that Piranha Plant is a slight downhill change of terrain and a U-turn to the left. Past the U-turn is a small incline and a straight road, as one is progressing the "tail." On the tip of the "tail" is a U-turn to the right and a straight road. The straight road leads to a turn to the left and three Piranha Plants. Past the Piranha Plants is a turn to the right and a straight road, indicating that the finish line is just in front of the player and starting the cycle of the course again, but on the next lap.

Shortcuts

There are three shortcuts. After the first left turn, if a player gets a Mushroom from an Item Box, they can use the Mushroom to jump over the moat, not having to maneuver around Yoshi's "hand". It is also possible to do this without a mushroom, instead using a well-placed powerslide. In the DS version, however, the shortcut can be done with a well placed jump over the moat if the player is using a high acceleration kart.

The second shortcut comes right after the tunnel, and it requires the player to use another Mushroom to propel themselves from the course into a tunnel, which emerges into a straightway. There are also Double Item Boxes in the tunnel. This second shortcut is removed in every following version.

A third, minor shortcut can be performed by boosting behind the Piranha Plants through the grass before the finish line.

Mario Kart DS

Screenshot of GCN Yoshi Circuit
The course in Mario Kart DS

Some edits have been made to the course for its reappearance in Mario Kart DS. One of the most significant changes is that the Piranha Plants are no longer in Warp Pipes and bite at racers that drive too close, instead being the small, constantly-biting variation that is seen throughout other courses. Another somewhat significant change is that the number of "spines" on the back of Yoshi's "head" have been reduced from three to two. The tunnel shortcut was also removed. Some minor graphical changes that do not impact gameplay include Yoshi's "fingers" not being there, the windows in the tunnel being larger, Yoshi's "cheek" being made of sand instead of water, the helicopter not being present, and the banners near the finish line being removed. The course was available in Wi-Fi.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Overview of the course in Mario Kart 8
Overview of the course in Mario Kart 8
The course as seen at the starting line
The course as seen from the starting line

Yoshi Circuit appears for the second time as a classic course included with The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8 downloadable content in Mario Kart 8, and as part of the core game in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as the first course in the Egg Cup. Many changes have been made in this version of the course. The "shoe" is now a small town near the starting line, with a dock, several small islands and sailboats nearby. The course banner now resembles an archway connected by two street lights, with two sets of flower bouquets on both sides and a ornament of a Gold Yoshi posing on top of a sliver and gold Yoshi Egg.

The Mario Kart logo on the starting banner is red and uses the modern design instead of the classic one used for most of the classic courses from games before Mario Kart DS. GBA Cheese Land and GBA Ribbon Road also use this design.

The Piranha Plants before and after the starting line have been removed and replaced by tires similar to the ones on GBA Mario Circuit, while the ones in the "spines" have been re-positioned. The flower patches in the "spines" are no longer blocked off and can be cut through for a shortcut. The Yoshi Helicopter has been replaced by a green Mario Kart TV helicopter, from the view above the course. The second shortcut has been removed entirely similar to the DS version; this time, the path is entirely blocked with guard rails. The first shortcut now has a waterfall which players must drive through. Players can now perform tricks off the grass ramp at the first shortcut if they are fast enough. The "saddle" now acts as a place to shade spectators. Also, a sign saying "Yoshi Tunnel" can be seen on both ends of the tunnel around the "nose". The course is more straight, and the dips and inclines at the "spines" and the "saddle" have changed. Red Yoshi on the B Dasher kart with Standard tires and the Super Glider is the Staff Ghost for this course. Light-blue Shy Guy, using the P-Wing with Slick tires and Parachute glider, is the 200cc staff ghost for this course.

The new, live-recorded background music was rearranged with new instruments including guitar, saxophones, and drums.

It is one of only two courses that does not have any Dash Panels, Glide Ramps, underwater sections, or anti-gravity sections, with the other being SNES Rainbow Road. Coincidentally, both of these courses are part of DLC Pack 1.

Mario Kart Tour

GCN Yoshi Circuit in Mario Kart Tour
The course in Mario Kart Tour

Yoshi Circuit reappears in Mario Kart Tour, mostly taking on the appearance of its Mario Kart 8 iteration. This is likely due to its lack of anti-gravity sections on the course in Mario Kart 8. The Mario Kart logo on the starting banner has been reverted to its classic one. Otherwise, the track changes little from its appearance in Mario Kart 8. This course is a favorite of Yoshi, Red Yoshi, Green Shy Guy, Peach (Wintertime), Yoshi (Reindeer), Yoshi (Egg Hunt), Mario (SNES), Fire Rosalina, and the Toad and Bronze Mii Racing Suits. It is also a favorite of Black Yoshi if he reaches level 3, and Birdo (Black) if she reaches level 6.

Despite using its Mario Kart 8 appearance, this course uses the original version of its music from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Like other courses in the game, Yoshi Circuit has a reversed variant, a trick variant and a reversed/trick variant, referred to as Yoshi Circuit R, Yoshi Circuit T and Yoshi Circuit R/T respectively. While the former two were introduced alongside the normal variant in the New York Tour, the latter was introduced in the London Tour.

For this course's tour appearances, see List of GCN Yoshi Circuit tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Profiles

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

  • North American website bio: "Yoshi Circuit is a spine-tingling, mind-bending course filled with dangerous curves and high ocean cliffs. This track is not for the feint of heart."
  • European website bio: "A circuit in the shape of the cute green dinosaur. See if you can spot Helicopter Yoshi from Yoshi’s Island in a guest appearance."

Mario Kart DS

  • European website bio: "You wouldn't know it unless you looked at the track from above, but Yoshi Circuit is shaped like the lovable green dino himself. Tight turns, tunnels and treacherous waters about in one of the toughest courses of the tournament. But by now, you're ready for that, right?"

Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack liner notes

"For this track, in order to fully bring out Yoshi's whimsical nature, we swapped the brass part used in the original track with a saxophone ensemble. We also rerecorded that characteristic choppy guitar sound live. We left the whistling part untouched, though!"

Sponsors

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! / Mario Kart DS

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

References to the Mario franchise

Link sees the Daisy Cruiser out in the distance while exploring the Yoshi Circuit.
Daisy Cruiser as seen in the background
  • The Daisy Cruiser can be seen in the background of the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 8 versions of this course. However, if Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is played via split-screen, the Daisy Cruiser will not be there.
  • The Sunshine can be seen in the background of the Double Dash!! version of the track.
  • In Mario Kart 8, one of the Yoshis in the audience will occasionally hum Totaka's Song.[2] This also occurs in other courses with Yoshis in the audience.
  • The Delfino Fruits sign has an M Graffiti, referencing Super Mario Sunshine.
  • There is a helicopter modeled after Helicopter Yoshi.
  • In Mario Kart 8, the Standard Kart and Yoshi Bike can be seen in the garages by the starting line, as well as Standard Tires and ? Blocks.

Gallery

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Mario Kart DS

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart Tour

Course icons

Screenshots

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ヨッシーサーキット[?]
Yosshī Sākitto
Yoshi Circuit
Chinese (simplified) 耀西赛道[?]
Yàoxī Sàidào
Yoshi Speedway
Chinese (traditional) 耀西賽道[?]
Yàoxī Sàidào
Yoshi Speedway
Dutch Yoshi's Circuit[?] Yoshi's Circuit
German Yoshis Piste[?] Yoshi's Track
Italian Circuito di Yoshi[?] Yoshi's Circuit
Korean 요시 서킷[?]
Yosi Seokit
Yoshi Circuit
Portuguese Circuito Yoshi[?] Yoshi Circuit
Russian Трасса Йоши[?]
Trassa Yoshi
Yoshi's Track
Spanish Circuito Yoshi[?] Yoshi Circuit

References

  1. ^ "Egg Cup, where players can zoom along the GCN Yoshi’s Circuit track—which is actually shaped like Yoshi himself!"—Option in a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe opinion poll. Play Nintendo. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  2. ^ GameXplain (January 12, 2015). Totaka's Song in Mario Kart 8 (Secret). YouTube. Retrieved September 10, 2017.