GBA Bowser's Castle 4

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Bowser Castle 4
Bowser's Castle 4
MKSC Bowser Castle 4 Starting Line.png
Information
Appears in Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001)
Mario Kart Tour (2023)
Cup(s) Special Cup
Tour(s)
Music sample
Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario Kart Tour
Course map
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
MKSC Bowser Castle 4 Map.png
MKSC Bowser Castle 4 Mini Map.png
Mario Kart Tour
GBA Bowsers Castle 4s map in Mario Kart Tour

Bowser's Castle 4 (known as Bowser Castle 4 prior to Mario Kart Tour) is the third course of the Special Cup in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. It is the first Bowser's Castle course to appear as the third course of the Special Cup before Rainbow Road, a trait that would later be shared by every new Bowser's Castle course in future main-series installments. It is the longest course in the game and shares its music with the game's other three Bowser Castles (Bowser Castle 1, Bowser Castle 2, and Bowser Castle 3).

This course features many dangerous jumps over lava pits, several Thwomps blocking the way, and Mechakoopas at the end of the race. What appears to be a large generator with Bowser's emblem on it can be seen in the background. Unlike most stages with Thwomps, some of the Thwomps on this stage are capable of moving horizontally, moving further down the track and back at regular intervals before slamming down.

This course makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart Tour as part of the 2023 Bowser Tour.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Course layout

Initially, there is a left-right turn followed by two normal left turns, after which there is a long, wide stretch of ground littered with square pools of lava that let out Lava Bubbles. This ends with a left turn, three right turns (with Thwomps near the last) and a left turn that leads into a thinner pathway. After another right turn the player is given the choice to take the right, narrow and (due to the boost panels) speedier route forwards or the left, wide and slower route forwards. Afterwards there are two more right turns, another split path filled with jumps, followed by a larger jump over an earlier portion of the track. The subsequent right-left turn has several Mechakoopas before the upcoming left turn. There is another left turn, two right turns and a final U-turn (with two Thwomps right in the middle of it) before the finish line is reached. Overall there are eight (a group of three, two, a lone one and another pair) item boxes on this course.

Mario Kart Tour

GBA Bowser's Castle 4 in Mario Kart Tour
The course in Mario Kart Tour

Bowser's Castle 4 makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart Tour, starting with the 2023 Bowser Tour, making this the first Special Cup course from Mario Kart: Super Circuit to return in another Mario Kart game. Though it is visually fashioned after the aesthetic of GBA Bowser's Castle 1 instead of keeping its original visuals, the castle is now depicted as ruined, with the castle situated within a lava lake bordered by two volcanoes, and the lava inside the castle now flows into a large chasm in the middle. A large throne area has been added near the bottom section of the course, though players cannot reach it. The track has been given elevation and regular road portions, bringing it closer to other GBA courses in Tour. While the layout remains relatively faithful to the original, some of the turns are simplified, the section with the holes of lava has fewer holes (all of which have ramps in front of them allowing them to be jumped over), and the section involving jumping between platforms is streamlined. New obstacles and elements have been added, like metal balls which are dropped from dispensers with propellers keeping them afloat and bounce down a stretch of road that was previously a small split path. The Mechakoopas are removed in this version. Two new gliding sections have been added, with one leading into a new split route in the bottom section of the course with pillars that can be tricked off of and a second one along the final stretch on the other route.

The course is also now a section-based course, similar to Wii Rainbow Road. Unlike that course, the beginning of lap 2 is clearly marked with a banner, which rests along the horizontal path in the upper-left portion of the course. This is the first section-based Bowser's Castle course in the series. Two parts of the road that overlap each other are depicted as connecting on the minimap.

The course also appears as Bowser's Castle 4R (reversed), in which the metal balls are gone, and there are instead Bone Piranha Plants throughout the course. Bowser's Castle 4 was not only the first track since the Battle Tour to not have an R/T variant upon launch, but also the first track overall to not feature a T variant at launch. It is one of 2 courses overall to never receive an R/T variant, alongside 3DS Rock Rock Mountain. It is also the only course to have never received a T variant.

Appearances

For this course's tour appearances, see List of GBA Bowser's Castle 4 tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Top-tier and middle-tier items

Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which GBA Bowser's Castle 4 and its variants are always favored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, see List of GBA Bowser's Castle 4 tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.

Course Three-item drivers Bonus points ×2 karts Combo bonus ×3 gliders Two-item drivers Bonus points ×1.5 karts Combo bonus ×2 gliders
GBA Bowser's Castle 4 from Mario Kart Tour
Normal variant
Bowser Mii Racing SuitCastle Mii Racing SuitDonkey Kong (Gladiator)Iggy Mii Racing SuitKitsune LuigiLuigi (Chef)Luigi (Golf)Orange Mii Racing SuitPauline (Cowgirl)Spike Mii Racing SuitToadette (Sailor)Waluigi Mii Racing Suit Armored RiderBlack CarriageBlack Shielded SpeedsterBlazing EagleDK MaximumDry Bones DasherFish Bone FerryGold Wild SluggerHot Pot Hot RodMach 8-RMetal B Dasher Mk. 2Red CometRed Crawly KartSilver Warrior WagonStreetle 8-Bit 1-Up Mushroom8-Bit Bullet Bill8-Bit Super GliderBlack StarchuteGreen Cat ParafoilMario Bros. ParafoilMario's Hat BalloonRainbow BellsRed EmblemTulip Corsage Daisy (Yukata)Gold MarioKoopa Clown Mii Racing SuitLudwig Mii Racing Suit***Mario (Baseball)Mario (Black Suit)Monty Mole Mii Racing SuitMoo Moo Mii Racing SuitPastry Chef Mii Racing SuitPeach (Yukata)PeachettePokey Mii Racing SuitPoochyPurple Mii Racing SuitRosalina (Volendam)Roy Mii Racing Suit Black Jingle BellBronze CucumberCleanup HitterCoral Jet CruiserCupid's ArrowDaikon RocketGold Fish Bone FerryGold Sweet RideGold Warrior WagonHuffin Puffin EggPineapple 1Pink B Dasher Mk. 2Purple Rattle Buggy***Rainbow Pipe BuggySilver Flower KartSky-Blue B Dasher Mk. 2Star BroomTuk-Tuk KartWild Wiggler Black Great SailBright RibbonChocolate PretzelGold Boo MasksGold Checkered GliderGold Manta GliderGold Mario's Hat BalloonGold Origami GliderGold Piranha Plant BalloonsGold TulipsMario Golf CapRainbow Fare FlierSilver Candlelight FlightTropical BalloonsWhite Waves Origami GliderWonderful Wings
8-Bit Jumping Luigi
Ludwig Warship
GBA Bowser's Castle 4 from Mario Kart Tour
R variant
Dr. PeachLuigi (Golf)Mario (Satellaview)Para-Biddybud Mii Racing SuitPauline (Rose)Petey Piranha (Gold)PoochyRosalina Mii Racing SuitRoy Mii Racing SuitWhite Tanooki MarioYoshi (Gold Egg) Black Jingle BellBlazing EagleBlooper ShuttleCream B Dasher Mk. 2Gold DriverGold EagleGold Fish Bone FerryGold Rambi RiderGold Warrior WagonGreen Cat CruiserIce-blue PoltergustPurple BunnySpicy ZucchiniStar BroomTropical TruckTuk-Tuk Kart 8-Bit Super MushroomAutumn LeavesBright BalloonsCandlelight Flight CakeGold Candlelight FlightGold Checkered GliderGold Cloud BalloonsGold Manta GliderGold Origami GliderGold Piranha Plant BalloonsGold TulipsLuigi ParafoilLuigi's MustacheMario Golf Cap Cat Mii Racing SuitDonkey Kong (Gladiator)Dolphin Mii Racing SuitIggy Mii Racing Suit***King Boo Mii Racing SuitKitsune LuigiLarry (Wintertime)Luigi (Gold Knight)Mario (Golf)Moo Moo Mii Racing SuitPauline (Cowgirl)Toadette (Sailor)Waluigi Mii Racing SuitWhite Mii Racing SuitYellow Shy Guy (Explorer) Black CarriageBlack Shielded SpeedsterBlue Crawly KartCoral Jet CruiserDK MaximumDry Bones Dasher**Fish Bone FerryFlower KartGreen B Dasher Mk. 2Metal B Dasher Mk. 2Pink SpeederRainbow TaxiRed CometRed Crawly KartSports Coupe 2022StreetleSwift TalonYellow Sub Scooter 8-Bit GoombaFestival WingsFestive HollyFire Manta GliderGold Flappy WingsGold UmbrellaGolden WingsIcy Mario's MustacheMario Bros. ParafoilRainbow BellsRecord SetterRed EmblemSmiley Flower GliderTulip CorsageWonderful Diamond
BowserLakitu Orange Turbo Birdo White Shy Guy Pink Turbo Yoshi
Lemmy Larry Bullet Blaster
* indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 3.
** indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 6.
*** indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 8 for High-End items.

Bonus challenges

Time Trial
Icon Course variant Chosen
driver
Chosen
kart
Chosen
glider
Grand Star scores Tour appearances Cup
Thumbnail of the Mii Cup challenge from the 2023 Bowser Tour; a Time Trial challenge set on GBA Bowser's Castle 4 Regular Kamek from Mario Kart Tour
Kamek
Pipe Frame from Mario Kart Tour
Pipe Frame
Super Glider from Mario Kart Tour
Super Glider
  • 1:42.00
  • 1:35.00
  • 1:28.00
Bowser Tour (2023) Mii Cup from Mario Kart Tour
Mii Cup

Gallery

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario Kart Tour

Course icons

Screenshots

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese クッパキャッスル4[?]
Kuppa Kyassuru 4
Bowser Castle 4
Chinese (simplified) 酷霸王城堡 4[?]
Kùbàwáng Chéngbǎo 4
Bowser Castle 4
Chinese (traditional) 庫巴城堡 4[?]
Kùbā Chéngbǎo 4
Bowser Castle 4
German Bowsers Festung 4[?] Bowser’s Castle 4
Italian Castello di Bowser 4[?] Bowser's Castle 4
Korean 쿠파 성 4[?]
Kupa Seong 4
Bowser Castle 4
Portuguese Castelo do Bowser 4[?] Bowser's Castle 4
Spanish Castillo de Bowser 4[?] Bowser's Castle 4