Toad's Turnpike is the first track of the Flower Cup in Mario Kart 64. This track makes a retro appearance in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the last track of the Shell Cup.
The course takes place on an enclosed public road at night. Yes, its public - there is traffic all over the track.
Layout[]
Mario Kart 64[]
The track consists of a closed off highway in a figure-8 shape. A few parking spaces along the edge have a line of Item Boxes, so those supply really well. At one point in the middle, the track drops slowly so that the bridge can pass over it. It is crowded with traffic, and even just slightly tapping a vehicle will send you into the air. Also, they can be very unmerciful, as you can keep hitting them over and over again, like the rainbow Super Thwomps on Rainbow Road (SNES).
If this track is played on the unlockable Mirror Mode, known in the game as Extra, the difficulty level peaks; the cars now come straight at racers, so quick reflexes are needed. This also prevents the possibility of cutting any corners, unless there just happens to be no traffic. Getting hit by four vehicles in a row (Bus>Truck>car>Semi Truck) will stop your progress for a maximum of 20 seconds. Although quite rare, there is a moment where you will be caught by four vehicles in a row without any means to escape (Unless you have Boo or Starman at disposal) especially if you are in the middle of the road.
Even on normal Grand Prix, the cars are a constant nuisance and can turn around races quickly if racers are unfortunate enough to get caught in the traffic, and as such, despite its placement in only the second cup of the game, it is often considered one of the most difficult tracks in the game.
Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe)[]
Toad's Turnpike returns in Mario Kart 8 as the final course of the Shell Cup. It still retains the basic premise of a figure-8, but with some added features/vehicles. Throughout most of the turning sections, Anti-gravitational pads are added to the walls, which are equipped with Dash Panels. There are now car carrier trucks with Glide Panels and pink cars carrying small ramps that allow for tricking, and the vehicles from the original have been replaced with more modern ones with character and cup advertisements. It used to be a playable stage in Balloon Battle, but was removed in the Deluxe version. The road is wider and it is easier to get through the traffic than the original.
Shortcuts[]
- Keep an eye out for a truck with a Gliding ramp just before going under the highway. Glide high to pass right over the entire highway. ✱ for MK8
Staff Ghosts[]
Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe)[]
| Game | Character | Recorder | Time | Vehicle Combination | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body | Tires | Glider | ||||
| 8 | 
|
 Nin★Alice
|
2:08.059 | 
|
|
|
| 8 Deluxe 150cc | 2:08.966 | |||||
| 8 Deluxe 200cc | 
|
 Nin★Rie
|
1:21.856 | 
|
| |
Gallery[]
Mario Kart 64[]
Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe)[]
Trivia![]
- This course was the first Mario Kart course to feature traffic as the main obstacle. Most Mario Kart games after this one have a traffic course in it. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! has two.
- The vehicles will not honk their horns in 50cc.
- In Mario Kart 64, a silhouette of a monkey wearing a cap can be seen driving the yellow buses. While this is commonly believed to be Diddy Kong, it was actually confirmed to be a Ukiki from Yoshi's Island wearing a hat.
- In Mario Kart 8, one of the advertisements seen on the billboards is a radio frequency, which is 64MHz, a reference to the course's origins.
- Neo Bowser City's soundtrack is a remix of Toad's Turnpike.
- In Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, each traffic vehicle has unique license plate numbers.
Previous track:
Kalimari Desert |
Current track:
Toad's Turnpike |
Next track:
Frappe Snowland |
|---|
Previous track:
DS Cheep Cheep Beach |
Next track:
GCN Dry Dry Desert |
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| Mario Kart 64 courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nitro cups | Mushroom Cup | Luigi Raceway • Moo Moo Farm • Koopa Troopa Beach • Kalimari Desert |
| Flower Cup | Toad's Turnpike • Frappe Snowland • Choco Mountain • Mario Raceway | |
| Star Cup | Wario Stadium • Sherbet Land • Royal Raceway • Bowser's Castle | |
| Special Cup | D.K.'s Jungle Parkway • Yoshi Valley • Banshee Boardwalk • Rainbow Road | |
| Battle Courses | Big Donut • Block Fort • Double Deck • Skyscraper | |