N64 Luigi Raceway
- This article is about the race course from Mario Kart 64 and retro course in Mario Kart 7. For other race tracks with similar names, see Luigi Circuit.
| Luigi Raceway | |||
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| Information | |||
| Appears in | Mario Kart 64 (1996) Mario Kart 7 (2011) | ||
| Cup(s) | Mushroom Cup (64) Shell Cup (7) | ||
| Distance | 717 m | ||
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Luigi Raceway, alternatively named Luigi Circuit[1][2] (which is also its Japanese name) or Luigi's Circuit,[1] is a race course in Mario Kart 64 as the first race of the Mushroom Cup and in Mario Kart 7 as the first race of the Shell Cup. The music of this course is shared with Mario Raceway, Wario Stadium, and Royal Raceway in Mario Kart 64, and is used as an arrangement for the Mario Circuit stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The course is reminiscent of various NASCAR-style speedway tracks with large, broad corners allowing for high-speed racing.
Mario Kart 64
This is the first course of the Mushroom Cup and the whole game. The course features no hazards, save for small rough terrain areas that are located all over the track. The course is long and simple, featuring open turns through which the player may employ powersliding to accelerate faster. The race begins near a grand stand full of cheering audience, atop which is a large model of the Luigi Cap. Following a long straightway and a wide banked turn to the left is a long road to a long overhang, followed by another long curve to the left and a short straightway leading back to the starting line, which happens to be part of the longest straightway in the course. During the race, a balloon depicting Luigi's head dips onto the course at the end of the first straightway, hanging an Item Box beneath. The item is always a Spiny Shell and may be obtained if a racer hops at the right time just as the balloon reaches its lowest point of descent. The course does not have any notable shortcut, but it is possible to save few seconds by cutting across the grass and sand on the turns while using a Mushroom or a Star.
Staff ghost
If a player beats the time of 1:52:00 on this course in Time Trial mode, they unlock a Luigi staff ghost.
Mario Kart 7
The track appears again in Mario Kart 7, as the first race in the Shell Cup. It is mostly unchanged, except the hot air balloon has been moved and a Mii character is inside the basket, and the item box hanging below it that always gave out a Spiny Shell has been replaced with a regular item box. An alternate way has also been added on the platforms next to the curves that were inaccessible in Mario Kart 64, and it has Dash Panels on them. This is one of two Luigi courses that appear in the Shell Cup, the other being DS Luigi's Mansion from Mario Kart DS.
This course and SNES Rainbow Road are the only courses not to use either gliding or underwater driving features in Mario Kart 7.
Mario Kart Tour
While Luigi Raceway itself does not appear in Mario Kart Tour, a logo for the course appears on a badge, as well as on the Luigi Parafoil. The name of the course also appears on a badge. Luigi Raceway is currently one of two returning tracks from Mario Kart 7 not to return in Mario Kart Tour, the other being GCN Daisy Cruiser.
Profiles
Mario Kart 64
- Instruction booklet bio: Long straightaways and easy corners -- the perfect course for beginners to practice their sliding.
- Webpage bio: A fine track for beginners.[3]
- Nintendo Magazine System (Australia) issue 49 (page 40): "The first course in the game is reminiscent of an IndyCar track, with banked turns and long straights for acceleration."
Sponsors
Mario Kart 64
- Koopa Air (Trackside banners)
- Luigi's (Trackside banners)
- Mario Star (Trackside banners)
- Nintendo (Trackside banners)
- Shot! (Trackside banners)
- Yoshi (Trackside banners)
Mario Kart 7
- KoopaKart (Trackside banners)
- Luigi Grand Prix (Trackside banners)
- Nintendo (Trackside banners)
- Shoot! (Trackside banners)
- Super Mario (Trackside banners)
- Yoshi (Trackside banners)
Gallery
Mario Kart 64
The icon from the menu
The starting line
The long turns on the ends of the course
The Luigi balloon
The tunnel
The course in the Japanese staff credits
An overview of the map from the official Mario Kart 64 website
Mario Kart 7
Koopa Troopa racing on the course with a Super Leaf behind his kart
The big screen by the tunnel
Inside the tunnel
Luigi on one of the platforms along the bend
The new balloon
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ルイージサーキット[?] Ruīji Sākitto |
Luigi Circuit | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 路易吉赛道[?] Lùyìjí Sàidào |
Luigi Speedway | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 路易吉賽道[?] Lùyìjí Sàidào |
Luigi Speedway | |
| Dutch | Luigi's Circuit[?] | Luigi's Circuit | |
| German | Luigis Rennpiste[?] | Luigi's Racetrack | |
| Italian | Pista di Luigi[?] | Luigi's Track | |
| Korean | 루이지 서킷[?] Ruiji Seokit |
Luigi Circuit | |
| Portuguese | Pista do Luigi[?] | Luigi's Track | |
| Russian | Трасса Луиджи[?] Trassa Luidzhi |
Luigi's Track | |
| Spanish | Pista Luigi[?] | Luigi Track |
Trivia
- This is the only starting course up until Mario Kart DS to not make an appearance in that game. N64 Moo Moo Farm appeared alongside the other games' starting courses instead.
References
- ^ a b Nintendo Magazine System (UK) issue 51, page 28.
- ^ Nintendo Magazine System (Australia) issue 49, page 40.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/19980205065149/http://www.nintendo.com:80/n64/mario_kart64/mushcup.html
