No longer available (Wii) Available (3DS until early April 2024, Switch)
Music sample
Mario Kart Wii / Mario Kart Tour Normal
Underwater
Mario Kart Wii River
Wub
Mario Kart 7 Normal
Underwater
Frontrunning
Underwater/frontrunning
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Normal
River
Underwater
Normal/frontrunning
River/frontrunning
Underwater/frontrunning
Course map
Mario Kart Wii Mario Kart 7 Mario Kart Tour Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Staff ghost(s)
Wii
Nin★Rose
3:03.022
Wii Expert
Nin★morimo
2:41.370
7
Ret★Quinn
2:49.046
7 Expert
Ret★Shane
2:28.585
8DX 150cc
Nin★Massim
2:18.943
8DX 200cc
Nin★Frank
1:41.749
Koopa Cape is the second racecourse of the Star Cup in Mario Kart Wii. The course takes place on an isle of sort, where racers begin the race near to a cliff. The isle in this course also contains a river cutting through a forest and an underwater tunnel for racers to dive into, with a Warp Pipe at both ends. This course is owned by Koopa Troopa, as signs of him and the name of the course itself reveal.
The course is seemingly located on an island called Shell Island according to advertising signs. It begins with a huge cliff on the left side and endless water on the right side. Racers first make a slight right turn before going off a ramp with two dash panels as well as the first set of Item Boxes. Racers then make make a gradual left turn where the right half of the road has been replaced with Kanaami Road. As this happens, the track goes under part of the cliff and there is a picture of Koopa Troopa above the track; the Koopa head will be replaced by a random Mii's head if there is a Mii in the race, and the body is also changed to be a Mii outfit for Mii Outfit A. Towards the end of this turn there is a simple ramp on the left side that allows racers to jump over a gap. Racers then turn right while avoiding three Goombas. Afterwards there is another ramp, this time in the middle of the road, followed by a U-turn. On the outside of the U-turn is more Kanaami Road and a half-pipe with a set of Item Boxes on top. Racers then go off another dash panel ramp and enter a river section where a country-styled version of the course's music begins playing.
The river section takes place in a forest with grass and trees on both sides of the track. Koopa Troopa and Koopa Paratroopa billboards can be seen along turns in this section of the course, holding a flag and using New Super Mario Bros. artwork, respectively. The track itself is initially asphalt but has a wide river cutting through the middle of it that racers follow. If racers attempt to drive upstream, they are soon thwarted by a tall fence. Along the river, individual Item Boxes also float downstream. There are several paths throughout this section. When racers first land on the river, they can either go off a simple ramp on the left side, follow the river itself as it weaves down the middle, or drive to the right into a cyan Koopa shell tunnel, where there is a pair of Item Boxes. The three options then converge as the track turns left, with grass on the inside of the turn and the last stretch of asphalt road on the outside of the turn. The river then widens, becoming the only track for racers to drive on, and racers quickly encounter a rocky arch between the middle of the river and the right side. Racers can either go under the arch or to the left of it; next to the arch on the left is a simple ramp with another pair of Item Boxes. The river then turns right around a large red Koopa shell that merely acts as an obstacle. After one more left turn, the river greatly narrows and becomes a waterfall; this is the same waterfall that's seen to the right at the beginning of the course, and it sends racers off the cliff into a very large warp pipe. As this happens, a classic warp pipe sound effect is played and a more ambient version of the course's music starts playing after.
All of the rushing water from the river flows down the pipe and the Item Boxes vanish, but racers are soon caught by a bit of Kanaami Road and are led into a transparent underwater tunnel that's connected to the pipe. Outside of the tunnel, some aquatic creatures such as Unagi and Big Cheep Cheeps can be seen. Inside the tunnel, racers are immediately faced with the first of several Koopa Zappers followed by a left turn. Racers then pass through a huge green Koopa shell that's resting on top of another warp pipe. A narrow water current flows from the middle of this shell into the next portion of the tunnel as racers soon encounter another Koopa Zapper. A very slight left turn and then a right U-turn follow, with the water current continuing to assist racers. There is then a brief straightaway where they must avoid two back-to-back Koopa Zappers. As this happens they enter another green Koopa shell where the water current is drained. After going off a simple ramp inside the shell, racers enter the last portion of the tunnel; this portion is much shorter, the bottom of the tunnel is completely flat, and it starts to curve upwards out of the water. Racers first encounter another set of Item Boxes before using three dash panels and going off a ramp at the tunnel's exit. As this happens another classic warp pipe sound is played and the course's music returns to its default tropical sounding version.
After exiting the tunnel racers reach a very wide right turn, however the inner half of the turn is taken over by a huge waterfall; it flows perpendicular to the track, similar to that of DS Yoshi Falls, but with a much more aggressive current. Outside the turn is a bit more Kanaami Road and a second half-pipe with one last set of Item Boxes on top. After this is a slight left turn where racers reach the finish line.
Shortcuts
The first four notable shortcuts each involve cutting off a turn by using a Mushroom to drive through the grass; the first can be found at the right turn with the three Goombas. However, if the first Goomba is on the right side of the track, the player can instead hit it with a shell and use the resulting ground Mushroom to take the shortcut.
The second can be found at the following U-turn, where the player is able to skip the dash panel ramp. However, this typically cannot be done without either slowing down or hitting a wall to realign.
The third can be found where the river turns left before the rocky arch. If performed correctly, this one can be done by releasing a mini turbo and hopping instead of using a Mushroom. Also, the player can use a single Golden Mushroom to complete both the previous two shortcuts and this one in one go, saving a lot of time in total.
The fourth can be found at the rocky arch, where the player can go under the arch and drive to the right of the red Koopa shell.
The other notable shortcut on this track is at the right turn at the end. While the waterfall current is strong enough to typically prevent racers from crossing, using a speed item can allow the player to make it through on the inside of the turn.
Tournaments
The August 2008 Tournament 2
August 2008's second tournament required players to pass through 25 gates on Koopa Cape. The tournament was later repeated as the second tournament of August 2010, the second tournament of January 2012, and the first tournament of April 2013.
Mario Kart 7
Koopa Cape in Mario Kart 7
Koopa Cape makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart 7 as the first course of the Lightning Cup. Most of the course remains unchanged, though the course itself was significantly shortened. However, there has been an added wall on the right at the starting line. The ramp into the brook has become a Glide Ramp. The most significant change is that the underwater glass tunnel has had its top removed and the player can now drive underwater in it. Cheep Cheeps now serve as obstacles in this area, replacing the Koopa Zappers. The "Turn Left" sign does not have a flag in the Koopa's hand, as it uses its New Super Mario Bros. artwork instead. The sign at the beginning of the track now says Lightning Cup instead of Star Cup, due to the course being in the Lightning Cup, and the large Koopa Shell in the background has also been removed. The brook section now uses the first variant of the course's theme, as the second variant has been removed.
When playing either locally or online, the Cheep Cheeps and the Unagi in the tunnel are absent.
Glitches
If the player drives up to the top of one the walls at the start of the underwater pipe at a turn, then hops at the very moment they reach the top, they spring high enough into the air to jump out of the water.
A difficult glitch shortcut can be performed at the end of the rushing water section in order to skip the pipe entirely. By driving towards the entrance of the pipe, drifting left and using a Mushroom early, it is possible to clip through the fence to the left and land by the finish line. The player must then go backwards to around the beginning of the waterfall to hit the last key checkpoint of the course, and therefore make the lap count. If done fast enough, this glitch saves approximately three seconds.[1]
A respawn shortcut can be performed near the beginning of the course by using a Mushroom to gain air time off of the edge of the fence on the right, after the first Dash Panel. If the player gets enough distance, they will activate the out-of-bounds plain for the next key checkpoint and respawn before the Glide Ramp, saving about two seconds.[1]
Mario Kart Tour
The course in Mario Kart Tour
Koopa Cape returns in Mario Kart Tour starting in the May 2022 Peach vs. Bowser Tour. The track overall has a more mountainous appearance, with the cliff sides being taller and the color of the mountain being changed from gray to tan. The starting banner's design has been changed, now being a large, red metal sign with the modern Mario Kart logo and a Green Shell on top of it that bounces back and forth. The starting banner is also supported by two Warp Pipes. Both the large green Koopa Shell in the background and the half-pipes from the original Mario Kart Wii version of the course have been re-added, whilst the Koopa Troopa head at the entrance to the cave has been removed. The cup sign has been removed due to the track appearing in different cups. The "Turn Left" sign has been replaced with a Sunshine Parts advertisement, while the "Turn Right" sign has been replaced with a Red Shell Strike Equipment advertisement. An additional half-pipe was implemented in the underwater section, allowing racers to jump out of the water. The water currents are noticeably weaker in this version of the track, likely to accommodate the controls of the game and the reverse version of the course - which adds hot-air balloons. The Maw-Rays in the background of the underwater section have been removed, though there are now more plants in the background. The course uses its original music from Mario Kart Wii, but the second variant of the theme for the brook section remains absent like in Mario Kart 7.
The course also appears as Koopa Cape R (reversed), Koopa Cape T (with ramps), and Koopa Cape R/T (reversed with ramps). The former two debuted alongside the normal variant in the May 2022 Peach vs. Bowser Tour, while the latter debuted in the 2023 New Year's Tour. In the R variant, racers use a glide ramp to get up to the river from the pipe, and there are two Cheep Cheeps jumping on the river. In the T variant, the two ramps near the first patch of grass are gone as well as the glide ramp; there is instead a glide ramp towards the end of the pipe section. In the R/T variant, racers skip the pipe section entirely, instead driving on Kanaami Road above the water until they glide up to the river.
In the game files for Mario Kart Tour, there is an intro to the underwater version of the course's music that is not present in the Mario Kart Wii or Mario Kart 7 version of the course. It is not heard anywhere in-game, not even in the Glider Challenge on Koopa Cape, which starts underwater but uses the normal intro.[2]
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which Wii Koopa Cape 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 Wii Koopa Cape 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
Normal variant
*****
**
***
R variant
******
**********
*********
T variant
********
***
*****
R/T variant
***
*****
***
* 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.
Koopa Cape returns in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as part of Wave 5 of the Booster Course Pass. It appears as the third course of the Cherry Cup. It is based on its Mario Kart Tour appearance, only with significant visual enhancements. Toads, Yoshis, Shy Guys, and Koopa Paratroopas have been added as spectators as well as the Toads with scuba diving gear in the underwater section. The buried Red Shell now has a more metallic look. The Maw-Ray returns in this version after being removed from Mario Kart Tour, now considerably smaller. The manta that appears in Dolphin Shoals can be seen swimming near the U-turn in the underwater section.
The brook section of the background music returns after having been absent from Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart Tour, now featuring a fiddle countermelody and an intro compared to the Mario Kart Wii arrangement. The alternative music for the underwater section also features an intro, similar to Mario Kart Tour.
The course has been downscaled in size compared to its past appearances. The jump into the brook section is now a regular ramp, rather than a Dash Panel or Glide Ramp (like in Koopa Cape T). The ramp to the left of the rock arch has been removed. A Dash Panel has been added before the waterfall drop. The underwater section has been converted into an anti-gravity section, complete with Spin Boost Pillars, making it the first course to feature an anti-gravity section that is entirely underwater. The Cheep Cheeps now swim below the tube and cannot directly interact with racers. The additional half-pipe underwater now contains Item Boxes as well as coins, and it is now more difficult to jump out of the water.[3]
Koopa Cape is one of two courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to not mark the beginning of an anti-gravity section with an Antigravity Panel, the other being 3DS Rainbow Road.
With Koopa Cape's inclusion, every retro course from Mario Kart Wii in Mario Kart 7 appears in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe It is also one of two courses from Mario Kart Wii to appear in Wave 5, alongside Wii Moonview Highway. Excluding Mario Kart 8's Rainbow Road theme, which is used in all trailers for the Booster Course Pass, Wii Koopa Cape was the only course whose music was used for the second trailer for Wave 5.
Before its official reveal, screenshots of the Mario Kart Tour iteration of Koopa Cape were included among the many pictures used in an Template:Media link for the Booster Course Pass, located within internal data present in version 2.0.0 of the game. Internally, the course is referred to as "Cnsw_52", implying it may have originally been intended to be the second course of the Feather Cup.
Profiles
Mario Kart Wii
European website bio:From the initial ascent up a steep mountain path to the moment you plunge below the ocean into a glass tunnel, your speedy passage round Koopa Cape will leave you breathless.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Nintendo Switch News app (US):
This course first appeared in the Mario Kart Wii game.
This seaside locale features watery pathways and halfpipes just waiting to be driven on.
The underwater section also makes use of anti-gravity. Does this part feel like a water slide to you?
***
**
**
***
***
***
**
***
**
**
*
**
*
**
***
***
