Grumble Volcano

Grumble Volcano
Grumble Volcano in Mario Kart 8.
Information
Cup(s)	Star Cup (MKW) Lightning Cup (MK8/MK8D)
First appearance	Mario Kart Wii (2008)
Appearance(s)	Mario Kart Wii Mario Kart 8 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Map(s)	Wii 8 8D Regular Mirror Regular Mirror Regular Mirror

Grumble Volcano is the last track of the Star Cup in Mario Kart Wii. It reappears as a retro track in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the third track of the Lightning Cup.

As its name implies, it takes place on a volcano at sunset, where the erupting volcano shoots Lava Plumes onto the track and causes parts of the track to collapse. The track is also filled with lava down below.

Layout

Mario Kart Wii

It's a track surrounded by huge rocks with ? blocks and bricks and volcanoes. It's also one of the two tracks to have Fire Snakes as hazards (the other one being DS Desert Hills). The track's layout is going around a volcano. During the second lap, the track starts to fall apart, and by the last lap, there is barely any track left. Most of the track will fall into lava and it gets very tricky to drive on. Additionally, Lava Plumes erupt from the areas where the fallen ground used to be.

There are Fireballs shot from a volcano and Fire Snakes emerging from warp pipes. Moving plates also appear. You go inside part of the volcano for part of the course. This track features many "forks in the road" (there are two places where the path splits but then meets back up again) and two substantial optional jumps.

This track is oddly very similar to Bowser's Castle's, in both music selection and track layout. There is a well-known ultra shortcut which allows you to complete the race in under a minute. If you can get up on the rock on the left of the starting line, and drive around it three times correctly, it completes the race.

In terms of its theming, it seems to resemble World 8 from New Super Mario Bros., as it takes place on a volcano with a dark forest, not to mentions some of the volcanoes even resemble the ones from said world and game, the same dead, purple trees and the dark purple sky.

Mario Kart 8/Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Grumble Volcano returns as the third track of the Lightning Cup. This course, like all other courses, has better shading and graphics. Also, Morton Construction has now taken over the volcano, with blocks and signs posted near the entrance. There is now a gliding pad after the cave and the cliff above the last dash to the Finish Line. The popular shortcuts from Mario Kart Wii now do not work anymore.

Shortcuts

• Use a Mushroom to cut through the rough terrain as soon as one enters the cave. ^{✱ for all games}
• A Mushroom can be used to cut through a turn on the right path at the end of the track after around 1:52 on Mario Kart Wii and 1:47 on Mario Kart 8.^{✱ for all games}
• At the beginning of a race, use a Mushroom to speed up on the rock at the starting line, then drive around it in a specific way to trick the game into thinking you drove the entire course. See Ultra Shortcut for more info.^{✱ for MKWii}
• Use a Mushroom and ride the rock in the middle of the track to hop on the other side.^{✱ for MKWii}
• Alternatively, you can hop to the other side and hit the wall to respawn to the other side. This is useful for when the rock falls (at around 1:35).^{✱ for MKWii}

Staff Ghosts

Mario Kart Wii

Character	Recorder	Time	Vehicle	Wii Wheel?
	Normal
	Nin★Gorin	02:28.237		Yes
	Expert
	Nin★aki	02:11.852		No

Mario Kart 8/Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Game	Character	Recorder	Time	Vehicle Combination
				Body	Tires	Glider
8		Nin★Yuya	2:18.305
8 Deluxe 150cc			2:16.524
8 Deluxe 200cc		Nin★Maria	1:44.284

Gallery

Mario Kart Wii

The course in Mario Kart Wii.

Dry Bones near the finish line.

Dry Bowser inside the volcano, after the crumbling road and tunnel.

Dry Bowser driving through the hexagon tunnel.

Mario Kart 8

The track's icon.

Roy Koopa, racing near the track's interior areas.

Peach near a gliding ramp.

The Stamp unlocked for beating the Staff Ghost on this course.

Music

Mario Kart 8 - Grumble Volcano (Wii) - Music

Trivia!

• This is the only track and one of three courses, along with Big Donut and Battle Course 2 (GBA) in the whole Mario Kart series with lava in that aren't named after Bowser.
  • This is unless you count Lakeside Park with lava running in the background.

Previous track: Maple Treeway	Current track: Grumble Volcano	Next track: Dry Dry Ruins

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