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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.

Mario Kart has had a presence in my life since I was 10 years old and all the way to college! The game is my escape from reality and my greatest source of nostalgia! Here is a list of five of my favorite tracks in the game!

1. Mushroom Gorge

Mushroom Gorge is one of those tracks you dread when you first play it. How are you supposed to bounce across gigantic mushrooms to successfully get to the other side of the road without falling off them a dozen times? Let’s not forget that it gets infinitely harder when players leave banana peels and upside-down item boxes smack in the middle of the mushroom tops! Also, getting targeted by the blue spiny shell during this track is a death sentence. However, once you get the hang of it, Mushroom Gorge is one of the most fun circuits of all time! Not to mention the satisfying boing, boing, boing sound effects when you bounce across the mushrooms!

2. Coconut Mall

What could be better than speeding your kart through the daily hustle and bustle of Coconut Mall? This track actually features a real-life mall in all its grandeur with escalators, stores, and parking lots. Keep in mind that you have to get on the right escalator. You might accidentally get on the one going down when you should be going up (this can get really frustrating). Overall, Coconut Mall is a fun-filled and entertaining circuit!

3. DK Summit

The highlight of DK Summit is the sheer number of speed boosts. They make for quite chaotic and exciting laps! Unfortunately, you may slip on an occasional banana peel lying conveniently on a boost. Be on the lookout for patches of thick snow. Once you’re stuck, it can be a hassle to get out! The golden mushroom is your best friend on this track! Don’t forget to choose Donkey Kong as your avatar!

4. Maple Treeway

The chilly winter of DK Summit isn’t for you? Fear not, for Maple Treeway has got you covered with its super pretty autumn-themed track! You get to zoom across enormous tree branches and streets covered in piles of fallen maple leaves! However, be wary of the Wigglers; gigantic caterpillar-like creatures that stomp across the road. Also, here’s a heads up! If you bump into one of these, they turn red with rage and stomp around much faster!

5. Rainbow Road

What better way to finish this list off than with my all time favorite circuit? Rainbow Road is that one track that you will constantly keep playing even if you finish last place every single time! Trust me, I’ve been there. It is set in space on a rainbow-themed road with shooting stars that basically yeet you across the circuit! Hello, paradise? The track itself is one of the hardest ones to beat, yet so entertaining! The way I welled up with pride the first time I finished the track in first place, I might as well have put it on my resume!

And there we go! These are just some of the most fun circuits in the game! Which of these is your favorite?

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Pooja Panuganti

U Mass Amherst '24

Pooja is a sophomore business major and YA romance books are her guilty pleasure!