Wii Grumble Volcano
- Not to be confused with Rumble Volcano.
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| Appears in | Mario Kart Wii (2008) Mario Kart 8 (2014) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cup(s) | Star Cup (Wii) Lightning Cup (8, 8 Deluxe) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Online play | No longer available (Wii, Wii U) Available (Switch) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Grumble Volcano is the fourth and last course of the Star Cup in Mario Kart Wii. It takes place in a volcanic area covered with lava. The course features many jumps and moving platforms, as well as many sharp corners. At certain times, sections of the track will crumble away into the lava, making the road smaller and harder to drive around. The track's music is very similar to that of World 8 in New Super Mario Bros. It reappears in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the third course of the Lightning Cup.
Grumble Volcano is the only course in Mario Kart Wii's Star Cup to not appear in Mario Kart Tour, although an asset titled "RoadGuraGuraTest" in the game's files suggests that it was planned.
Mario Kart Wii
Course layout
The course takes place inside and around an active volcano surrounded by endless lava. There are also many huge rock formations around the course, with ? Blocks and Brick Blocks lodged in them. At the beginning of the track, racers go off a simple ramp and briefly drive straight, where they reach the first set of Item Boxes. They then enter the volcano and take a slight left turn followed by a right turn. This brings them to another ramp followed by the first of several stone platforms; each platform will move left and right across the lava and has a pair of Item Boxes on it. Racers then take a slight right turn and a slight left turn as they enter a cave adjacent to the volcano, where there is a split path and another item set. Both paths involve a right U-turn followed by a left U-turn and then a right turn, though the left path is higher up. As racers exit the cave, there is another ramp and another stone platform, followed by a small piece of normal track and then one last platform.
After the platforms, racers have the option to go right and go off a dash panel ramp, or go left and drop down onto a lower part of the track, where there is another pair of Item Boxes. Both choices involve a slight turn to the left. Afterwards racers will begin to encounter volcanic debris, which is launched onto the course from another volcano far in the distance; hitting volcanic debris will make racers spin out. There is then a gradual U-turn to the right, with dead trees on both sides of the track and more volcanic debris on the track. Along the first half of the turn on the outside is an elevated path that once again ends in a dash panel ramp. After the turn, racers go off another simple ramp and reach one more split path, with a slight left turn or a slight right turn; at the start of each path is one last item set. If racers go left, there is a turn to the right followed by a very brief straight and one last dash panel ramp. If racers go right, there is a left turn, a simple ramp, and a right turn. Along both paths, racers must pass several pipes which Fire Snakes occasionally jump onto the track from. Hitting one will make racers spin out. Where the two paths join, there is one last simple ramp followed by the finish line.
There are also many cracks visible along the course, outlining certain chunks: In addition to the course's obstacles, there is a mechanic where these chunks of the course will start shaking and then sink into the lava, limiting the area where racers can safely drive. Racers will typically observe most chunks shaking on lap 2 and then they will all be gone on lap 3. All of the huge rock formations around the course will also be gone. The reduced track width is most noticeable at the volcano entrance, the cave entrance, and the split paths before the finish line; the right path in particular also loses an Item Box in the process. A few Lava Geysers will also erupt from where chunks of the course used to be, though this does not affect gameplay.
Shortcuts
The first notable shortcut involves a glitch and can be found near the starting line. To the left of it is a rock that can be reached with a Mushroom and performing a wheelie at the starting line, or it can be reached by performing a trick off of the ramp before the finish line and aiming towards the rock. Once on the rock, the course can be completed by driving around the rock. The player must be careful as the rock will start to shake at 53 seconds, and sink at 65 seconds. This glitch was removed in Mario Kart 8 as it does not use the same checkpoint system to determine if the lap will count like Mario Kart Wii does; additionally, the slopes of the rock are so steep that players will simply slide off.
The second notable shortcut can be found after the last stone platform. If the player goes right after the platform, they can reach a rock formation where it is possible to drive on the side of it by using a Mushroom. If performed correctly, they can use this to reach the right side of the split path section, skipping the entire gradual U-turn. The rock formation will sink 95 seconds into the race; after this point, there is an alternate version possible where the player can use a Mushroom while hopping off the edge and aiming towards the track on the other side of the lava. This will allow them to respawn on the right side of the split path section, still saving time in the process.
Lastly, the final turn on the right path at the end of the track can be skipped if the player uses a Mushroom or two to drive through the off-road and launch themselves off the edge of the track that is slanted upwards.[1]
Tournaments
June 2009's first tournament required players to complete a Time Trial in reverse on Grumble Volcano. There are several ramps added to make this possible, though there are also some barriers and extra Lava Geysers added. Players start the Time Trial with a set of Triple Mushrooms. Vehicles are restricted to karts only. The tournament was later repeated as the second tournament of May 2011, the second tournament of August 2012, and the first tournament of November 2013.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Grumble Volcano makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the third race of the Lightning Cup. Its layout is mostly retained but has several notable changes. There are two glide ramps, one on the second stone platform and one at the end of the left path at the end of the track, replacing its dash panel ramp. An additional chunk of the track right after the first dash panel ramp sinks into the lava. Volcanic debris falls more slowly than in the original course, and chunks of the course start shaking and sinking sooner into the race. The course geometry has also been modified along the right path at the end of the track, enabling a new shortcut that functions similarly to the shortcut that skipped the final turn in the original iteration. In this case, it cuts off the turn but is blocked by a large rock formation until lap 3. Lastly, most Item Boxes have been removed, with exception of the first and second full item sets. Instead, there is a set along the gradual right U-turn next to the dash panel ramp. Double Item Boxes also appear at the second and last item sets in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Visually, the clouds in the sky appear to be more orange than purple as opposed to in the original version. The volcano that the players drive through as well as the volcanoes in the background now have lava running down them. The starting banner has been changed, now resembling a slightly deteriorated structure with torches added and the modern Mario Kart logo. Similar to Wii Mushroom Gorge, 3DS Neo Bowser City, 3DS DK Jungle, and the stadium and museum portions of Tour Madrid Drive, the music remains mostly unchanged, but the guitar and sitar have been updated and the mastering has been tweaked.
Profiles
Mario Kart Wii
- European website bio: "With deep lava awaiting anyone who strays off the track and flaming fireballs littering your path, Grumble Volcano will undo all your previous hard work in the Star Cup if you aren't at the top of your game."
- Trading card bio: "The racing can really heat up when battling it out at Grumble Volcano. Lakitu is always busy fishing racers out of the lava beds that line this course. There are many opportunities for mishaps here so watch who you're bumping into. And be sure to watch out for the sections of track that fall away."
Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack liner notes
"This is a remastered version of the Mario Kart Wii track. With all its boiling lava and cracking, sinking surfaces, there's something slightly bleak and downbeat about this course. We wanted to get this across in the music, but without making the atmosphere too heavy."
Sponsors
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Bullet Bill Speed Trial (Signs)
- Morton Construction (Signs)
Gallery
Mario Kart Wii
The course banner
A preview of the course
Through the lava cave
On the moving platforms
Just after the volcanic debris area and before the splitting path
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The course icon
The course, as seen from the Finish Line
The Finish Line with Mii performing a Rocket Start to begin the race
Roy racing on the course
Peach racing on the course
Rosalina races inside one of the track's interior areas.
Morton performing a trick after passing through one of the Dash Panels
A released screenshot of the course, revealing the name of the track
The stamp obtained for beating the staff ghost at this course.
Additional names
Internal names
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
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|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart Wii | volcano_course | Volcano course |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | グラグラかざん[?] Guragura Kazan |
Rumbling Volcano | |
| Chinese | 震震火山[?] Zhèn Zhèn Huǒshān |
Quake Volcano | |
| Dutch | Dondervulkaan[?] | Thunder Volcano | |
| French | Volcan grondant[?] | Thundering Volcano | |
| German | Vulkangrollen[?] | Volcano's Grumbling | |
| Italian | Vulcano Brontolone[?] | Grumble Volcano | |
| Korean | 이글이글 화산[?] Igeul-igeul Hwasan |
Blazing Volcano | |
| Portuguese | Vulcão Rezingão[?] | Grumpy Volcano | |
| Russian | Ворчащий вулкан[?] Vorchashchiy vulkan |
Grumbling Volcano | |
| Spanish | Volcán Gruñón[?] | Grumpy Volcano |
