Section Gates are a feature in the Mario Kart series, making their debut appearance in Mario Kart 7.
Description and Functionality[]
In Mario Kart 7, the section gate's design was similar to the the banner used for the starting line, except it has stars on its sign, presumably to denote which section the player has entered with two stars denoting the second section and three stars denoting the third section. In Mario Kart 8, "MARIO KART" is written on the section gate's sign instead, the only exception being in 3DS Rainbow Road, which retains Mario Kart 7's designs. Mario Kart Tour has both designs. A section gate can either be held by two vertical posts, hung between walls, or hung from a ceiling or archway, much like the actual goal gate.
Whenever a course would take too much time to complete in three minutes or less with three laps, section gates are installed to insure quick clearance.
Locations[]
Mario Kart 7[]
Unlike future Mario Kart games, the section gates have signs with stars rather than "MARIO KART."
Wuhu Loop[]
- Section 2 Start: Following the road divider, the racers will encounter the section gate that starts the second section at the entrance to the first tunnel.
- Section 3 Start: This gate appears when the racers go through two turns after a trick ramp shortcut around 60% of the way through the course.
Maka Wuhu[]
- Section 2 Start: The section gate appears after the mud-filled U-bend, preceding a cave with several pits.
- Section 3 Start: After the racers go past Summerstone Castle, then go over a trick ramp, they encounter this gate in the form of an opening in a stone wall.
Rainbow Road (3DS)[]
- Section 2 Start: Following a sharp right turn past the bounce pad, the racers have the opportunity to snatch some Item Boxes and Coins on a wavy road, followed by the gate. This leads into a sharp right turn with a slight left as a wind-up.
- Section 3 Start: The gate that marks this section's beginning lies between the moon area and the conveyor belts.
Mario Kart 8[]
Courses in the Booster Course Pass cannot be found in the Wii U version and are Switch-exclusive.
Nitro Courses[]
Toad Harbor[]
If the racers follow the tram, they will go through a section gate beside the main starting line. This gate is uniquely not marked with a banner, but a strip can be found. The strip is in-line with the main starting line.
Mount Wario[]
- Section 2 Start: The second section begins when the racers go through a cave.
- Section 3 Start: When the racers leave the forest, the third section begins.
Retro Courses[]
N64 Rainbow Road[]
The version from Mario Kart 64 had three laps, but this version cuts the lap count down to 1.
- Section 2 Start: This gate will pop up in the spot where the racers would land if they attempt the gap shortcut in the N64 version. (This shortcut is blocked off in Mario Kart 8.)
- Section 3 Start: Following the U-bend near the middle, the racers will encounter this gate.
Booster Course Pass[]
N64 Kalimari Desert[]
N64 Kalimari Desert's lap count has been cut down to two with the final lap divided into two sections. Rather than going back to the starting line on the second lap, the racers head into the tunnel, where they encounter a sign hung from the entrance, triggering the final section of the race.
3DS Rainbow Road[]
Same locations as the original. (See the respective sub-section in the Mario Kart 7 section.)
Tour Singapore Speedway[]
Like N64 Kalimari Desert, Singapore Speedway has only 2 laps, with the second split into 2 sections. After going through Chinatown on the second lap, racers are diverted into taking the 2nd variant's layout by going through the One Fullterton mall and taking a glide ramp over the lake and under the Marina Bay Sands, marking the beginning of the so-called 3rd lap just before driving through the Gardens by the Bay.
Tour Athens Dash[]
Like N64 Kalimari Desert, Athens Dash has only two laps, with one of them being split into two sections courtesy of a section gate on the Athens Dash 3 route, more specifically on the path leading south from the intersection just to the east of the Párthenon.
Tour Los Angeles Laps[]
Despite the course's name, Los Angeles Laps has only one lap divided into three segments. The section gates are in the following locations:
- Section 2 Start: When the racers get to the central intersection after the first section, they will be forced to turn right, heading down Los Ángeles Laps 3. There is a bridge (which they would later cross) that the racers go under, functioning as a section gate due to "MARIO KART" being written on a cloth sign hung from the bridge's side.
- Section 3 Start: When the racers get back to the central intersection, they will be forced to continue heading east, heading down Los Ángeles Laps 2. The section gate appears at the southern border of the Inglewood Oil Field, mimicking a real entrance gate with an aesthetic toll booth to the side and a sign with "MARIO KART" written on it placed above the chain-link walls.
Mario Kart Tour[]
City Courses[]
Tokyo Blur[]
While the first three Tokyo Blurs lack section gates due to their short length, Tokyo Blur 4 has a section gate placed on the U-bend at the north that was visited in Tokyo Blur 2.
Retro Courses[]
N64 Kalimari Desert[]
While the original N64 Kalimari Desert lacked section gates, there is a re-routed version called N64 Kalimari Desert 2 where the racers go into the tunnel. There is a sign with the series logo hung from the entrance, functioning as a section gate.
GBA Bowser Castle 4[]
When the racers get past the rolling balls at the northwestern corner of the course and turn right, they encounter a banner with some stars on it; this marks the second section of the course.
Wii Rainbow Road[]
When the racers go through the launch star that leads to the mandatory Half-pipe ramp, the second section begins. This section gate is removed in the Booster Course Pass.
3DS Rainbow Road[]
Same locations as the original. (See the respective sub-section in the Mario Kart 7 section.)