Sherbet Land
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The first Star Cup track is situated in a cold climate. The start of the course takes place over a frozen pond, where players must avoid ice skating Shy Guys, and falling into freezing water. If someone falls off the track and into the lake, they will be encased in ice as Lakitu rescues them.
The next segment of the course takes place in a cramped icy cave and then some snowy banks lined with hazardous snow men. The final stretch consists of another frozen lake lined with Freezies, which freeze racers and send them sliding onward without control. If a Freezie gets hit with a powerful item or hits a wall, however, it will smash into tiny pieces.
Shortcuts
- On the first turn right after the cave, drift over the snow and you should land after it. This is also an ideal spot for a mushroom/star.
Mushroom City
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This course is similar in nature to Mushroom Bridge, featuring the same cars that share the road, although this time they are driving both ways rather than with you. Taking place in a busy city at night, this course features many routes for racers to take on their way to the finish line, including some hidden shortcuts and hazardous dead-ends.
The largest shortcut is a small purple passageway that cuts from one road to the other, shaving off seconds with its diagonal route. Towards the end players must take care as they ride over an overpass featuring a large gaping hole. If players fall down to the streets below, they will have to be rescued by Lakitu.
Shortcut
- When you get back on the "highway" again, go on the right of the pit. You'll need a bit more than a mushroom boost, though and it heavily slows down your speed, so use a star or 2 mushrooms, if you can.
- For a "longcut" that gets you an item box, if you go straight at the first intersection, go right onto the narrow purple path. Also, the mushroom cars are in this course, too! Make good use of them!
Yoshi Circuit
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This island track with ships traveling nearby looks just like Yoshi, and travels around his outline, making a character-shaped track. The winding turns it has make it difficult for turning, especially with heavier karts. Water on the edges of the track are easy to avoid, but fall in and Lakitu will have to rescue that racer, and if a racer is to get too close to a Pihrana plant, they'll be sent flying in an unfriendly manner.
There are two shortcuts on the track. The first one is after the first left-hand turn on the track underneath an arch. A mushroom is needed for this, or at least a powerslide to make over the jump. Otherwise, it's into the water and the pair of racers will have to be rescued by Lakitu. The second one is right after the guard rail ends after the tunnel on the track. This also requires a mushroom or the same thing will happen as on the first. This shortcut is a tunnel that will drop the racers out underneath Yoshi's shell.
Shortcuts
- Around "Yoshi's" hand, you can use a boost, even from a lightweight kart's drift (although that is difficult), to go over the middle area with water.
- There is a "longcut" by boosting off the track and into a tunnel, not long after you go around the long turn which is "Yoshi's" saddle. (You'll be in a tunnel looking area when you're in the saddle.
DK Mountain
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This race takes place high up in the mountains. Falling boulders will spin out racers, sharp turns will make it difficult to navigate through the course, and a swaying log bridge can knock a pair of racers off the cliffs. Lakitu will come for someone who has fallen into the cliffs. The really big part of the trip around the track is the Donkey Cannon. You get shot out of it along the way. Not only does that happen, items can't touch anyone that is flying out of it.
Shortcuts
- There are none. That thing that the Chain Chomp will carry you over? Non-existant! Nah. You can jump over it for a major time saver, even if you have to slow down to readjust, since properly adjusting to it is hard at 54-57 mph even with a sharp drift.