Where does your favourite rank amongst the rest? (Picture: Nintendo)

Now that all the DLC has been released we try to decide once and for all what the best (and worst) tracks are in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Six years on from its original release, it appears Mario Kart 8 (nine if you count the Wii U version) is finally complete. 96 different tracks, 24 different cups – some new, some old.

The beloved, legendary game has gone from strength to strength and has benefited from numerous DLC packs and expansions over the years, which have added many new courses and characters.

I love Mario Kart. I’ve loved it for years. All I do when I play it is smile and laugh. It’s the game you can play with everyone, from your little siblings and cousins, to your best friends, right through to your parents (once they get the hang of it).

So, I tried to decide once and for all what the best (and worst) courses are. The final tracks were made available just last week, so now I’ve added them to the overall ranking equation.

Before you read this, it’s worth remembering (over and over again) that this is just my opinion. If you see anything you don’t like, feel free to do your own Mario Kart 8 rankings – we’d love to see them!

96. Dry Dry Desert GCN (Banana Cup)

We have to start somewhere – and it’s here (Picture: Nintendo)

Well, we have to start somewhere. And where better (or worse) to start than with the turgid Dry Dry Desert. Let’s just cut to the chase, desert races are a problem on Mario Kart 8 and this is the worst of them. Think of the different atmospheres and terrains and textures you blitz through on some of the game’s best tracks – and then picture this. Sand, sand, a bit of water, then sand again. An experience that’s always left me feeling impatient to finish, so I can move onto the next race.

95. Toad’s Turnpike N64 (Shell Cup)

Just give me something. Anything. Nowhere to drift, at least not properly; full of obstacles that aren’t even fun to avoid; no real chance of working your way back to the front of the pack if a flurry of red shells comes your way. A painfully boring course.

[This is a savage desecration of all that is good and holy. Toad’s Turnpike is in fact one of the best courses ever, especially in mirror mode. It’s a good job the number one course is what it is or we’d cutting this list short right now! – GC]

94. Cheese Land GBA (Crossing Cup)

Desert race. Next.

93. Bowser’s Castle (Special Cup)

We’re here for a flaming Bowser, though! (Picture: Nintendo)

Not a bad track by any means. Who would dare turn their nose up completely at a massive flaming Bowser pounding his fists into the track in front of you? But there’s a running theme you might spot across the course of this article: desert levels and any levels that involve, mud, fire, rock, harsh metals, etc. don’t tend to sit well with me. It doesn’t make for a fun Mario Kart experience to have everything blend into brown mulch, to the point where one area feels identical to the next.

92. Choco Mountain N64 (Golden Dash Cup)

Desert race. Everything’s brown. Where are the chocolate fondue fountains? Chocolate buttons raining from the sky? A missed opportunity that makes me long for the scene in The Simpsons where Homer dreams about the land of chocolate. There’s more imagination, life, and colour in that short scene than there is across this entire course.

91. Twisted Mansion (Flower Cup)

Look, I dig the haunted house aesthetics and the spooky soundtrack, but once you’re out of the windy, twisty carpeted hallways, what does Twisted Mansion really have to offer beyond a fairly safe ride to the finish if you just manage to stay in the middle of the track on the final stretch?

90. Grumble Volcano Wii (Lightning Cup)

An apt name, considering what the next few sentences are going to consist of. More rocks and fire and mud and everything I tend not to like in a Mario Kart level. Plus, this is one of the more basic courses in the game, with this being little more than a simple loop which, once you’ve gone round the first time, contains no surprises or unexpected twists.

89. Kalimari Desert N64 (Turnip Cup)

Hey – the train is fun! (Picture: Nintendo)

Look, at least avoiding the train is fun, and drifting round that final corner across the finish line feels wonderful, but Kalimari Desert suffers from the same problem as all dry, desert environments on Mario Kart 8: the colours blend into one and the driving experience blurs together into a fairly unmemorable experience.

88. Ninja Hideaway (Lucky Cat Cup)

Just too uncomfortable and claustrophobic in places. Once you go up those steep stairs it feels like you’re trapped in a crawl space. And once you’re spat out onto the roofs of the estate, all you seem to do is bump your way to the finish. Plus, is it really distinguishable from Twisted Mansion? A point for that beautiful, if all too brief, flight through the gardens, though.

87. Bone Dry Dunes (Special Cup)

From the name alone I’m suspicious that they wanted me to hate this. I don’t, though. For once, the sandy textures, especially in the middle third of the track, as you try to avoid the piranha plant skeletons, feel and look like they’d be a dream to drive through, leaving your tyre marks along the way. Still, it’s a desert level, so it comes with most of the usual problems.

86. Sunset Wilds GBA (Cherry Cup)

That sunset really is beautiful (Picture: Nintendo)

More deserts. More sand. More brown mulch. Still, a cracking sunset brings you home at least.

85. Mario Stadium (Mushroom Cup)

The first track on the game. The one designed to show off all the new features on Mario Kart 8. And it’s not bad, if a little gimmicky once you’re used to the various new tricks. Still, the descent towards the finish line, gliding graciously through the air towards the final bend, is a triumphant moment to drink in if you’re leading the chasing pack by a distance.

84. Mario Circuit GBA (Shell Cup)

Nothing special, nothing terrible (Picture: Nintendo)

There’s nothing bad about this, not really. There’s just nothing particularly exhilarating about it either. A few frustrating corners, which feel purposely designed to make it impossible to take them at the correct angle, but nothing too offensive. Just one of the weaker, less invigorating tracks on a great game.

83. Bangkok Rush Tour (Boomerang Cup)

If I was reviewing the Tour version of this track, it would be much higher. As it is, this is a significant downgrade on the earlier version of the track, which contained lots of little details that fleshed out the environment and made it a significantly more enjoyable course to speed through. As it is, it’s become fairly mundane. Another cracking sunset, though.

82. Boo Lake GBA (Rock Cup)

Well, there’s an underwater bit! That’s sort of fun. It always strikes me as a little short and lacking in variety, though. It says rather a lot that the Game Boy Advance version of this track is streets ahead of this update.

81. Rainbow Road SNES (Triforce Cup)

The original Rainbow Road gets a makeover (Picture: NIntendo)

Despite being the original Rainbow Road from way back in the early 90s, this Rainbow Road is perhaps the least traditional of the Rainbow Road designs. However, a pixelated design means it stands apart from the galactic, Aurora Borealis aesthetics of the later Rainbow Road levels. It’s a shame that the design isn’t matched by the experience. A lack of bumpers and rails means you can fly off at any moment, but otherwise, if you know how to drift, there’s little to enjoy from racing on this version of the track.

80. Koopa City 3DS (Bell Cup)

God, those turns are tight and frequent. And the rain. Lands somewhere between the Monaco GP and Blade Runner 2049. A frustrating experience if you catch it on the wrong day.

79. Amsterdam Drift Tour (Fruit Cup)

A fun rendering of the Tour course (Picture: Nintendo)

Perhaps one of the closest things we’ll ever get to Delfino Square on Mario Kart 8. Narrow Dutch streets give way to beautiful flights over tulip-lined fields and gorgeous windmills. Its middle segment is basically an inferior Moo Moo Meadows but this is a fun rendition of the Tour course.

78. Bowser Castle 3 SNES (Spiny Cup)

More fire and rocks and harsh metals. Yay. Still, that moment towards the middle of each lap where you drift right into that sweet spot between two walls and come out the other side with a renewed sense of energy? That’s great.

77. Athens Dash Tour (Feather Cup)

A lengthy but perfectly enjoyable journey through the historical landmarks of one of the most storied cities in the world. Climbing the grand steps towards the finish line is a rewarding moment after an increasingly unwieldy route.

76. Rome Avanti Tour (Acorn Cup)

A fun dash through narrow continental European streets.

75. Donut Plains 3 SNES (Banana Cup)

Cards on the table, I love this track, but unfortunately, I wasn’t alone when I made this list and I was outvoted. Sadly, that means Donut Plains, a drifter’s paradise, is ranked at this criminally low position.

74. Sydney Sprint Tour (Propeller Cup)

I didn’t mean to group so many Tour courses together. Still, the sight of the Sydney Opera House is one to behold at the start of each lap. I just wish we could drive over the Sydney Harbour Bridge instead of just across it.

73. Cloudtop Cruise (Special Cup)

(Picture: Nintendo)

Hands up those of us who use the two large leaves right at the end of each lap to get to the finish line just that inch faster? A fun course to float through, avoiding lightning along the way. This feels closer to fulfilling the potential of the track’s concept than anything else we’ve covered so far.

72. Rainbow Road N64 (Lightning Cup)

How I love to drive through star portals and get that rush of a speed boost.

71. Sky Garden GBA (Lucky Cat Cup)

Basically just Cloudtop Cruise but slightly better.

70. Snow Land GBA (Propeller Cup)

I always get this one mixed up with Sherbert Land. Then I remember that this is the one where the penguins slide around on their bellies to knock you over.

69. Shroom Ridge DS (Lucky Cat Cup)

A message for Toad’s Turnpike: this is what you badly want to be. Nice.

68. Paris Promenade Tour (Golden Dash Cup)

A little confusing, but otherwise an emotionally rewarding trek through the numerous iconic landmarks of Paris. And all set against the backdrop of a warm, sunny afternoon, which really makes the track shine and makes an otherwise complicated course feel like a relaxing Sunday drive.

67. DK Jungle 3DS (Banana Cup)

A trip down memory lane (Picture: Nintendo)

Like a few tracks on Mario Kart 8, DK Jungle reminds me ever so much of Road Trip Adventure, an old PlayStation 2 game that I used to play until my eyes went dry. A fun environment to drive through, even if the final corner into the last stretch of the track is a little confusing – suddenly dropping from a great height, right onto a tight left turn, isn’t that pleasurable.

66. Los Angeles Laps Tour (Cherry Cup)

Seaside skate parks, lifeguard towers, palm trees, Dodger Stadium, skyscrapers – that’s Los Angeles. A course that’s exciting to experience and faithful to the city that inspired it.

65. Rosalina’s Ice World 3DS (Spiny Cup)

A solid update from Mario Kart 7, which keeps the essence of that track and adds a few Mario Kart 8 bells and whistles.

64. Piranha Plant Cove (Acorn Cup)

If you think it’s a little long, that’s because it’s a combination of all three Piranha Plant Cove routes from the history of Mario Kart. The achievement and spectacle of it all is perhaps more entertaining than the experience of driving it, but it’s a heck of an achievement anyway. The long descent in the middle of the course is worth the entry fee alone.

63. New York Minute Tour (Turnip Cup)

One of the most incredible cities on Earth gets a worthy tribute with this fast, diverse track that seems to squeeze almost every environment it’s possible to drive in on Mario Kart 8 into three solid, enjoyable stages.

62. Singapore Speedway Tour (Boomerang Cup)

A beautiful night-time race (Picture: Nintendo)

We’re getting into the great tracks now. There really are so many in this wonderful game. A beautiful summer’s evening is the backdrop for a whirlwind tour of Singapore. There’s ample opportunities to drive and take in the sights; you can drift in the air over the ArtScience museum; or you can take a dip in a skyscraper swimming pool. It’s all up to you.

61. London Loop Tour (Rock Cup)

I’m probably a little biased because it’s the Mario Kart city I know best, but this is such a fun ride.

60. Water Park (Mushroom Cup)

Water Park A b(Picture: Nintendo)

One of the OG tracks from Mario Kart 8, Water Park is a wonderful rendering of a great concept. In and out of water, on the ground and in the air, avoid obstacles and bending round tight turns – there’s lots going on in this one.

59. Yoshi Circuit GCN (Egg Cup)

This always reminds me of Royal Raceway. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, any excuse to race around Yoshi’s outline is an adorable chance I’ll always take.

58. Dragon Driftway (Egg Cup)

Not what you’d expect from a course with this title, which is exactly why I love it. A luscious and somewhat rustic vision of Far Eastern aesthetics, but also reminiscent of courses like Wild Woods.

57. Mario Circuit 3 SNES (Turnip Cup)

A lovely, simple design that brings back wonderful memories of the very earliest editions of Mario Kart. A lovely, nostalgic course to leisurely drive around. There’s a great touch on the final corner as well, as a small group of Toads cheer you on from above just as you realise you can shift to the right slightly to be given a speed boost across the finish line.

56. Wario’s Gold Mine Wii (Triforce Cup)

Do you like flying off the side? (Picture: Nintendo)

One for disciplined drivers. Unless you like falling off the side. The bats suck, though.

55. Mario Circuit (Flower Cup)

Another slightly gimmicky track, designed to show off the new features of Mario Kart 8. But by the time you’re drifting by the castle on the first corner and across the wooden bridge, any thoughts of gimmicks are out of your mind. The best bit is definitely the last approach, which puts you in the air at a height that’s perfect to clunk the banner over the finish line.

54. Moonview Highway Wii (Feather Cup)

Basically Toad’s Turnpike at night but with giant Bob-omb cars you can crash into or, ideally, shunt a hapless rival into the path of.

53. Toad Circuit 3DS (Golden Dash Cup)

Giant! Flying! Inflatable! Toads! Look at them! (Picture: Nintendo!

Giant! Flying! Inflatable! Toads!

52. Rainbow Road (Special Cup)

Another space-age track and another space-age Rainbow Road to show off all the new features that came with Mario Kart 8. Historically, I’ve generally found Rainbow Roads to be difficult to the point where it’s no longer enjoyable, but this steers well clear of such problems.

51. Peach Gardens DS (Moon Cup)

So pretty!

50. Waluigi Stadium GCN (Boomerang Cup)

I’m not normally a fan of muddy levels like this but there’s so much fun and diversity in the various obstacles and challenges Waluigi’s Stadium presents.

49. Thwomp Ruins (Mushroom Cup)

Another OG Mario Kart 8 course. Not usually my type, what with all the rocks and all the grey, but that final stretch is unbeatable. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tried to stay in the air so long that I literally fly over the finish line. Little moments like that are exactly what Mario Kart is all about.

48. Wild Woods (Crossing Cup)

Speed boosters on lily pads, natural water slides, a winding wooden descent to the finish line? Sign me up!

47. Shy Guy Falls (Flower Cup)

A lovely variety of textures and environments throughout what is predominantly a water level. Where desert levels are perhaps my least favourite genre of map, water tracks are among Mario Kart 8’s strongest. The descent from the top of the waterfall, down into the caves and round the final corner, is an exhilarating section of the track and one of the most memorable in the entire game.

46. Riverside Park GBA (Fruit Cup)

A lovely evening sunset bathes a forest course in a soft light that brings the course to life. A smooth ride, drift spots for days. A great run.

45. Tick Tock Clock DS (Lightning Cup)

(Picture: Nintendo)

What a terrific idea to have the cogs placed just before the finish line to force you into a Matrix-style choice. Propelled to the finish or halted at just the wrong moment. Elsewhere, it’s terrific fun to hop across the arms of the giant clocks and dodge the swinging pendulums.

44. Royal Raceway N64 (Banana Cup)

Look beyond the luscious pinks and gorgeous scenery for a second – there’s a lengthy section of the course, just after the start line, where you can put your finger on the drift button for at least 30 seconds without pausing for breath once. The rest of the ride is smooth as butter.

43. Vancouver Velocity Tour (Cherry Cup)

A beautiful Christmassy journey through a wonderful city – who loves drifting alongside the sides of the suspension bridge? What a thing that is to do. And then you get dropped into an ice hockey arena? Wonderful!

42. Mario Circuit DS (Boomerang Cup)

A traditional racetrack beginning, a second section surrounded by lovely trees, back out into a Royal Raceway style S-bend, and back onto the tarmac for the finish. A glorious experience.

41. Tokyo Blur Tour (Lucky Cat Cup)

Another impressive upgrade to a Tour course (Picture: Nintendo)

The Tour levels provide so much variety with what are essentially three courses in one. And with a city as big as Tokyo, and with so many different versions in Mario Kart history, there’s plenty to pack in. Good stuff!

40. Berlin Byways Tour (Moon Cup)

Another stand-up Tour level transposed into the higher-definition Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

39. Daisy Circuit Wii (Acorn Cup)

Mario Kart goes continental Europe (Picture: Nintendo)

There’s a lovely continental European feel to Daisy Circuit. The gorgeous seaside views and detailed mosaics and shiny tilework, it’s great. Plus, there’s that lovely corner where you can drift around the lighthouse. A great improvement from the Wii version of this track, which was already a hit.

38. Rainbow Road 3DS (Moon Cup)

Lovely, really. More Aurora Borealis aesthetics, but this time you get to ride on the rings of Saturn, race across the surface of the moon, and lose yourself in a glorious star tunnel that briefly causes you to forget where you are.

37. DK Mountain GCN (Acorn Cup)

What an idea – and what execution! (Picture: Nintendo)

Brilliant concept and excellent execution. What’s not to love about being blasted to the top of a volcano and then racing down to the bottom?

36. Alpine Pass 3DS (Rock Cup)

Maybe I’m just a sucker for levels that give you a chance to float through the air for a considerable period of the race, or maybe I’m just weak for levels that remind me of Road Trip Adventure, this is such terrific fun. The speed boost littered ascent, as you attempt to avoid mayhem raining on you from above, is another great highlight.

35. Mute City (Egg Cup)

Doing this on 200cc must make you think you’re blind. Incredible.

34. Excitebike Arena (Egg Cup)

Danger round every corner (Picture: Nintendo)

I remember coming across another Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ranking that had Excitebike Arena second bottom. I’m still stunned to this day. Another muddy, dirty level that bucks the trend on this game. It’s tight and fast and one mistake can leave you with a lot of ground to make up. I love the danger.

33. Yoshi’s Island (Fruit Cup)

I’m not really sure what to call them, but I think my favourite kinds of levels on Mario Kart 8 are the ones that seem to pack in as many worlds as possible in three short minutes. Yoshi’s Island takes you to the top of a mountain, under water, along the clouds, and then let’s you fly through the sky on your descent towards the finish, all while gazing out over the sea. And you get to wave at some Huffin Puffins as you drive – perfect.

32. Sherbert Land GCN (Leaf Cup)

This isn’t the one where the penguins slide on their bellies – this is the one where Shy Guys skate hand-in-hand along the ice. A beautiful night under snowy skies.

31. Daisy Cruiser GCN (Feather Cup)

Yeah, why not have a Mario Kart circuit on a boat? I recently took a trip to Belfast to visit the Titanic Museum and got to take a tour through the SS Nomadic. It was wonderful, then I jumped on Mario Kart 8 and saw how beautifully this level captures such a feat of design and engineering while still retaining all the fun and frivolity of the game.

30. Hyrule Circuit (Triforce Cup)

Look, they replace the gold coins with giant green rupees. That alone would be enough to have this comfortably in the top half of the ranking. As it happens, Hyrule Circuit is also a blast to ride through. Cobbled streets, castles, regal decorations for as far as the eye can see – a wonderful course.

29. Madrid Drive Tour (Spiny Cup)

I’ll level with you: I’m into football. It’s super cool that you can drive through the Bernabeau on this course.

28. Dolphin Shoals (Star Cup)

I think it’s become clear by now that I love water tracks. There’s just something about the atmosphere and design that’s so comforting and makes you feel like you’re gliding through the course with ease. Dolphin Shoals is one of the best.

27. Sweet Sweet Canyon (Mushroom Cup)

Sweet, sweeeeeeet canyon… (Picture: Nintendo)

Another one of those brilliant tracks on Mario Kart 8 that takes a very simply concept and pushes it to its fullest potential. This is such a creative and eye-popping experience. The potential for Simpsons references is just a bonus.

26. DK’s Snowboard Cross Wii (Fruit Cup)

Water levels might be high on my list of favourites in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but snowy levels are always likely to excite me as well. The execution of this track is wonderful – the temptation to slalom is too much to bear.

25. Yoshi Valley N64 (Leaf Cup)

Another fine track that’s essentially three journeys in one. The depth of track design here is stunning – making sure everything links up to bring you back to the same spot, after diverging at so many points, is no small feat.

24. Waluigi Pinball DS (Turnip Cup)

A beautiful technicolour light show (Picture: Nintendo)

Some Mario Kart levels don’t need to be explained, they’re just tremendous to drive on and reward repeated races. This technicolour light show maximises the potential of its concept to deliver one of the greatest racing experiences in the entire game.

23. Baby Park GCN (Crossing Cup)

Do-do do-do do-do. I’ll stop. But you sang it too, right? Not a fan favourite by any means, because of how hard you can be punished by just one mistake, but it’s a serious, serious thrill ride for that very reason. This encourages super drift play and extreme vigilance – only the best can win on this track.

22. Wario Stadium DS (Leaf Cup)

As I’ve explained numerous times in this ranking, mud, fire, and metal are usually part of my least favourite combinations for tracks on Mario Kart 8. But there’s something about Wario Stadium that speaks to something primal and childlike within me. There’s something about its rapid-fire assault course that really clicks.

21. Super Bell Subway (Bell Cup)

This is probably the only track on the game with vehicular obstructions that doesn’t bore and/or annoy me. That’s a tremendous achievement by itself. This is just such a fun level to play, dodging the trains, whistling through echoing tunnels, leaping up staircases. It’s everything!

20. Piranha Plant Pipeway 3DS (Lightning Cup)

Professor Frink gets it (Picture: Disney/FOX)

19. Mount Wario (Star Cup)

Who designed this course? I’d like to give them a medal. Oh how wonderful it feels to slip and slide round those icy corners, slalom your way to the bottom of the mountain, and then see the finish line in the distance as you speed boost your way towards it. A fantastic level.

18. Merry Mountain (Moon Cup)

Christmas + Mario Kart = Everything you could ask for.

17. Electrodrome (Star Cup)

Now we’re talking… (Picture: Nintendo)

We’re into the classics now. Riding this is akin to staring straight into a fizzing synapse. So many beautiful details like your little colourful contrail and the keyboard stabs as you hit different parts of the track, razor sharp electro 80s aesthetics, and a giant disco ball to boot. I love you.

16. Cheep Cheep Beach DS (Shell Cup)

Everyone quickly go to Google and search for Road Trip Adventure’s ‘Sunny Beach Raceway’ and you’ll know exactly why I get an immediate and intense pang of nostalgia whenever I play Cheep Cheep Beach.

15. Koopa Cape Wii (Cherry Cup)

Look, I’m weak for water levels. We’ve established this by now. There’s something about the textures and designs of Mario Kart 8’s water levels that really hits me somewhere deeper than my soul.

14. Rainbow Road Wii (Spiny Cup)

Notoriously difficult but oh so rewarding. The finest Rainbow Road of them all.

13. Sky High Sundae (Propeller Cup)

Sometimes garish colours hit the right spot (Picture: Nintendo)

I just love the sugar rush from this. No pun intended. Sometimes garish colours and insane track designs just work for me.

12. Toad Harbour (Flower Cup)

I first started playing Mario Kart 8 with some of my best friends during the summer of 2017. It wasn’t my game, it was theirs. Game of Thrones’ seventh season was coming out, I was writing my dissertation, and I was getting over a break-up. Toad Harbour was the first course on the game that I felt like I truly got to grips with and for that reason I’ll always have a soft spot for it.

11. Big Blue (Bell Cup)

Another race that will likely cause you to go blind if you take it on at 200cc. Plus, water! And lots of it! What a treasure.

10. Squeaky Clean Sprint (Feather Cup)

A level that me and my partner could not wait to play when we first saw it appear on the game. Shrunk down to miniature size, this is a glorious rendering of an ordinary bathroom and is one of the most creative and unforgettable tracks in Mario Kart history.

9. Ice Ice Outpost (Triforce Cup)

An arctic beauty spot (Picture: Nintendo)

As you can probably tell by now, my experience on a Mario Kart track can be significantly heightened if the setting is just right. Well, Ice Ice Outpost is a glorious track in a tranquil setting that makes driving feel like such a breeze. There’s something so tremendously welcoming about its arctic beauty.

8. Mushroom Gorge Wii (Propeller Cup)

A classic! One of the best tracks from Mario Kart Wii gets transposed wonderfully into Mario Kart 8. All I can think of, as I’m propelled from one mushroom to the next during the latter stages, is Dory bouncing off the jellyfish in Finding Dory.

7. Sunshine Airport (Star Cup)

The sort of place you’d want to start your holiday… (Picture: Nintendo)

Another level that really takes me back to the earliest days of playing Mario Kart 8 with the two great friends of mine who introduced me to it. Sunshine Airport lives up to its name and provides a lovely racing experience. Bonus point for that sneaky little shortcut over the luggage carousel on the final corner.

6. Animal Crossing (Crossing Cup)

As well as establishing that desert levels don’t work for me and that water levels really do, levels with multiple environment are also a huge favourite of mine. Not only that, but on Animal Crossing you fly through numerous weather systems, etc. and still have time to take in just how spectacularly the world has been rendered.

5. Maple Treeway Wii (Rock Cup)

Another Wii course is a success on Mario Kart 8 (Picture: Nintendo)

Another glorious level from Mario Kart Wii transposed terrifically onto the Switch. This is somehow even faster and leaner than its earlier versions and is a joy to race on. All the autumnal colours come together so tremendously for a breezy, fun trip down memory lane.

4. Melody Motorway 3DS (Leaf Cup)

I love music. I write it, I study it, I care deeply about it. So obviously this level is something of a dream world for me. The staves littered throughout the visuals like cheeky little Easter eggs, the piano run that plays as you drive along the ivory keys, the bouncing crotchets you have to avoid towards the end of every lap. This is exactly what you want from a music level.

3. Coconut Mall Wii (Golden Dash Cup)

Mario Kart Wii had its problems but its best tracks were ones for the ages, and Coconut Mall’s eventual inclusion on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was a godsend. This is the best kind of obstacle course that Mario Kart can offer. The elevators that switch directions, passing by the palm trees in the centre of your shopping experience, the long flight out of the mall and back to the road outside. A real classic.

2. Ribbon Road GBA (Bell Cup)

It’s canon that Ribbon Road and Squeaky Clean Sprint are in the same house. Glad we got that straight. This one is special. Really special. The textures of said ribbons are probably the best road to drive on in the entire game. Watching the fibres and threads disappear under your wheels is super satisfying. And that final run towards the finish is ripe for drama, as you fly through the air and then immediately crash down on the very final corner. I can’t tell you how many races I’ve won and lost on that specific corner.

1. Moo Moo Meadows Wii (Shell Cup)

The one, the only (Picture: Nintendo)

Could it really have been anything else? What Nintendo understand better than anyone else, at least since the release of the Wii, is family gaming. If you’ve ever played a video game with your parents, it’s probably been a Nintendo one. Think about it. And Moo Moo Meadows is the ultimate family experience on Mario Kart. A course that’s simple but effective, challenging but welcoming. It’s the track I’d encourage people to play first if they’d never laid eyes on Mario Kart before. And that’s why it’s the best of all.

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Where does your favourite rank?