GCN Yoshi Circuit
Yoshi Circuit is the third racecourse of the Star Cup in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
The course is unique in that it is shaped like Yoshi himself, making it the only track in the Mario Kart series to be shaped after a playable character. Many turns are in the 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. This track shares its music with Luigi Circuit and Mario Circuit.
It reappears as the fourth race of the Lightning Cup in Mario Kart DS as well as in Mario Kart 8 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
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 right 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 flowerbeds 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
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 and the second shortcut being 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
Yoshi Circuit appears for the second time as a retro track 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 track. 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 the modern design, instead of the classic one used for most of the retro courses between SNES and GCN in the game. 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 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". Also 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.
Mario Kart Tour
Yoshi Circuit reappears in Mario Kart Tour, mostly taking on the appearance of its Mario Kart 8 iteration. The Mario Kart logo on the starting banner has been reverted to its classic one. It is one of the few retro tracks in this game to not make an appearance in Mario Kart 7, and one of three courses with that distinction to not originate from Super Mario Kart. It is also the only course in the game to either be from or retain its retro appearance from Mario Kart 8, since SNES Rainbow Road (the only other one last seen in Mario Kart 8) more so uses its Mario Kart 7 design. This course is favored by Yoshi, Red Yoshi, Yoshi (Reindeer), Peach (Wintertime), and Yoshi (Egg Hunt).
Despite using its Mario Kart 8 appearance, this course uses the original version of its music from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
New York Tour
In the New York Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the first course in the Yoshi Cup, the second course in the Peach Cup, and the location of the challenge in the Daisy Cup. It also has a Reverse variant which appears as the third course in the Toad Cup, and a Trick variant which appears as the first course in the Metal Mario Cup.
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Tokyo Tour
In the Tokyo Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the second course in the Lakitu Cup and the second course in the Mario Cup. It also has a Reverse variant that appears as the first course in the Peach Cup, and a Trick variant that appears as the third course in the Daisy Cup.
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Paris Tour
In the Paris Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the first course in the Yoshi Cup, the second course in the Baby Luigi Cup, and the location of the challenges in the Yoshi Cup and the Peachette Cup. It also has a Reverse variant which appears as the third course in the Baby Rosalina Cup, and a Trick variant which appears as the second course in the Peachette Cup and the first course in the Metal Mario Cup.
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London Tour
In the London Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the location of the challenge in the Peachette Cup. It also has a Reverse/Trick variant which appears as the third course in the Ludwig Cup and the second course in the Bowser Cup.
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Holiday Tour
In the Holiday Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the third course in the Mario Cup, the first course in the Wario Cup, and the location of the challenge in the Peachette Cup. It also has a Reverse variant which appears as the first course in the Baby Daisy Cup and the third course in the Baby Rosalina Cup, and a Trick variant which appears as the third course in the Lakitu Cup.
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New Year's Tour
In the New Year's Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the second course in the Yoshi Cup, the first course in the Koopa Troopa Cup, and the location of the challenge in the Iggy Cup and the Birdo Cup. It also has a Reverse variant which appears as the third course in the Peach Cup, and a Trick variant which appears as the third course in the Daisy Cup and the second course in the Metal Mario Cup.
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Mario Bros. Tour
In the Mario Bros. Tour, Yoshi Circuit appears as the second course in the Rosalina Cup, the first course in the Dry Bones Cup, and the location of the challenge in the Morton Cup. It also has a Reverse variant which appears as the first course in the Wendy Cup, and a Trick variant which appears as the third course in the Metal Mario Cup, the second course in the Larry Cup, and the location of the challenge in the Donkey Kong Cup.
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Hammer Bro Tour
In the Hammer Bro Tour, Yoshi Circuit has a Reverse variant that appears as the location of the challenge in the Peachette Cup, and a Reverse/Trick variant which appears as the third course in the Birdo Cup.
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Yoshi Tour
In the Yoshi Tour, Yoshi Circuit serves as its signature course. It appears as the first course in the Yoshi Cup and the location of the challenge in the Bowser Cup. It also has a Reverse variant which appears as the third course in the Peach Cup, and a Trick variant which appears as the second course in the Birdo Cup.
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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?"
Sponsors
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! / Mario Kart DS
- Delfino Fruits (Posters)
- Luigi Oil (Trackside banners)
- Mario Kart (Signs, trackside banners)
- New Yoshi's Egg (Trackside banners)
- Nintendo (Signs)
- Princess Daisy (Logos) (Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only)
- Ribbon 86 (Posters)
- Sunshine (Logos) (Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only)
- Super Star! (Trackside banners)
- Yoshi Yoshi (Banners) (Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only)
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Gallery
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
The track logo
The track icon
The "fingers" portion of the track
The "nose" part of the track, which is a tunnel
Piranha Plants do appear on the track
A helicopter based on the Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island transformation can be seen
Reaching the final turn before the goal
Going through one of the shortcuts on the track
Using another shortcut on the track
Yoshi and Birdo on the course
Mario Kart DS
The track icon
- YoshiCircuitDS.png
The course as it appears in Mario Kart DS
The tunnel in Yoshi's nose area
Bowser driving in Yoshi Circuit
The turn before the finish line
Mario Kart DS early image
Mario Kart DS early image
Pre-release version with palm trees rather than Piranha Plants
Pre-release version
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- MK8 DLC GCN Yoshi Circuit Course Icon.png
The track's icon
Tanooki Mario, driving on the course
Tanooki Mario, performing a trick on the ramp underneath Yoshi's "shell"
Cat Peach, leaving the town section of this course in the Cat Cruiser
Many different colored Yoshis, racing through the town section of the course
A Yoshi-shaped house
Roy Koopa and Iggy Koopa, racing at the track
Rosalina and Metal Mario, at the other side of the waterfall
Daisy and Baby Peach, driving inside the tunnel
Donkey Kong and Cat Peach, driving on Yoshi Circuit
Different colored Yoshis racing on this course in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart Tour
The course icon with Mario
The course icon with Yoshi (Reindeer)
The course icon with Red Yoshi
The course icon of the Reverse variant
The course icon of the Reverse variant with Baby Rosalina
The course icon of the Trick variant
The course icon of the Trick variant with Peachette
The course icon of the Trick variant with Yoshi (Reindeer)
The course icon of the Trick variant with Yoshi
The course icon of the Trick variant with Yoshi (Egg Hunt)
The course icon of the Reverse/Trick variant
The course icon of the Reverse/Trick variant with Yoshi
The course icon of the Reverse/Trick variant with Red Yoshi
The course icon of the Reverse/Trick variant with Mario
The course icon of the Daisy Cup Challenge (New York Tour)
The course icon of the Yoshi Cup Challenge (Paris Tour)
The course icon of the Peachette Cup Challenge (Paris Tour)
The course icon of the Peachette Cup Challenge (London Tour)
The course icon of the Peachette Cup Challenge (Holiday Tour)
The course icon of the Iggy Cup Challenge (New Year's Tour)
The course icon of the Birdo Cup Challenge (New Year's Tour)
The course icon of the Donkey Kong Cup Challenge (Mario Bros. Tour)
The course icon of the Morton Cup Challenge (Mario Bros. Tour)
The course icon of the Peachette Cup Challenge (Hammer Bro Tour)
The course icon of the Bowser Cup Challenge (Yoshi Tour)
View of the entire course
Another view of the entire course
Yoshi approaching the Yoshi Tunnel
Yoshi in the Turbo Yoshi
Metal Mario on the Trick variant
Baby Rosalina exiting the tunnel
Toad (Pit Crew) tricking near the starting line
Yoshi gliding above the course
Mario drifting
Red Yoshi cheering in the Red Turbo Yoshi
Yoshi gliding with the Yoshi's Egg Hanafuda
Yoshi (Egg Hunt) tricking in the Bright Bunny
Yoshi drifting in the Egg 1
Black Yoshi tricking on the Reverse variant
Yoshi and Birdos tricking on the course
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
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| Chinese | 耀西賽道 (Traditional) 耀西赛道 (Simplified)[?] 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 to the Mario franchise
- 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.[1] 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.
Trivia
- This is one of two tracks in the series not from Super Mario Kart that appears in more than two console Mario Kart games, the other being Baby Park.
- Both of these tracks debuted in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, reappeared in Mario Kart DS as retro tracks, and then returned as DLC in Mario Kart 8.
- In Mario Kart 8, it is one of only two courses that do not have any Dash Panels, glider pads, underwater sections, or anti-gravity sections, with the other being SNES Rainbow Road. Coincidentally, both of these courses are part of DLC Pack 1.
- Likely due to the lack of anti-gravity sections, this is the only track layout directly ported from Mario Kart 8 to be featured in Mario Kart Tour.
References
- ^ GameXplain. (January 12, 2015). Totaka's Song in Mario Kart 8 (Secret). YouTube. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
