Mario Kart 64 / Tracks / Special Cup
 
D.K.'s Jungle Parkway
Distance: 893m.
Donkey Kong's Jungle Parkway is one of the most scenic courses in any of the Mario Kart Cups. From the Starting line, the dirt track takes a hard right and runs along the banks of a jungle river. You can also catch a glimpse of the river boat "Mario" as it lazily makes its way down the stream. The track then leads to a spiral ramp which uses booster arrows to accelerate racers over the water and onto the opposite riverbank. Then, it's back into the jungle for a series of wicked twists and turns. The jungle inhabitants don't appreciate trespassers, and will use spiny projectiles to knock stray Karts back onto the beaten path. After a series of turns, the track crosses a narrow wooden bridge with a breathtaking view of a roaring waterfall. On the other side of the bridge, the course then ducks into a cave with a hairpin, switchback turn that leads back up to the Starting line. The moderate length of the course, and the many opportunities for trouble, make any race on this course an action-packed Kart safari!
Shortcuts
Shortcut #1
Instead of taking the long way around to the ramp, take a quick right and jump over the railing. Download this movie and see how it's done!
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As an additional time saver, you can cut some time by turning quickly to your left as you exit the dash zone.
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Shortcut #2
At the start of the race, turn around and go into the cave. Then get some speed and head toward the place where the corner of the cave and the ceiling intersect (see figure below). When you reach this place, you need to jump. When done correctly, you'll pass through the wall and into oblivion. When you're place back onto the track, go back to the finish line to end the lap. Download this movie and see how it's done! Also see the pictures below.
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Tips
1. Try to stay on the road, if you go off into the grass the "natives" will throw rocks at you trying to knock you back onto the track. Sometimes but very rarely those rocks can make you spin out.
2. Lay Banana's and Fake Item Boxes on the bridge near the end of the course. They are very hard to avoid and people will most likely hit them.
3. Try and do Mini-Turbo's where possible, they help.
4. On the big jump, try not to hit the ferry, you will run into it and fall into the water. Although you don't have much control over it.
 
Yoshi Valley
Distance: 772m.
The Yoshi Valley course starts out innocently enough, but it soon turns into a twisting, crazy maze of narrow roads which meander over a deep valley. Although some of the road edges are fenced, for the most part if a driver approaches the edge, he'll probably end up going over. There are several possible paths through the maze, but some are quicker than others. One of the best routs is left, right and left again. This rout is the shortest, but is fraught with danger as it passes through two major groups of Spinys. In addition, there are no Item Boxes on this rout, which can be to a racer's disadvantage in Grand Prix and Vs. Mode. Another good rout is right, left, right and then hard left. This rout has only a couple Spinys, but there is a tricky, narrow opening to a bridge after the first left turn, and the last hard left off is off of a jump, which can be disorienting. Both routs will lead to the same spot, a long loop which curves around towards a giant egg. The giant egg will squash a Kart flat if it rolls over it, but it can be avoided on either side. After the giant egg, a narrow bridge leads out of the maze and back towards the Starting line. All of the routes through the maze eventually lead to the giant egg, but any other way will take a lot of time.
Shortcut #1
There's a small, high-risk shortcut near the end of the track. You'll see a checkered ledge and a big red and white sign on the left pointing right. Quickly accelerate and stay to the far right. The moment the rail on the left side ends, pull a hard left and power slide off the road. You should land in the middle of the next road, still sliding, and way ahead of the pack! Download this movie and see how it's done! Also check out the pictures below.
Tips
1. Don't fall off of the edge. Try to keep the utmost control of your kart.
2. Lay Banana's and Fake Item Boxes on the bridges. They are very hard to avoid.
3. Watch out for the giant egg!!! If he squashes you, you're toast!
4. Keep practicing to try and find the shortest path, since this track can get very confusing.
 
Banshee Boardwalk
Distance: 747m.
As the course name suggests, most of the race on Banshee Boardwalk runs over a wooden boardwalk over a dark, haunted body of water. The rotten wood of the boardwalk seems to be coated with slimy ectoplasm in places, which makes for some slippery handling From the Starting Line, the track blasts into two quick right-angle corners. A quick and skillful driver can get Mini-Turbo boosts here, but it's tough. The track then goes into a longer but sharper left turn where it is fairly easy to get a Mini-Turbo boost. After a dip in the track, the course goes through one of its most dangerous parts, a quick and narrow S-curve with no railings. A short jump after that leads into another hard left turn, which leads to the entrance to an ancient stone building. Although the sign above the door says "Welcome," the batty inhabitants certainly won't make a racer feel wanted if they happen to have a collision. The course weaves through the haunted mansion and then back onto the boardwalk. After a sharp right out of the house, the track goes into a short straightaway before it curves left back around back towards the Starting Line.
Tips
1. Don't fall off of the edge. If hesitant about the narrow S curve with no rails, take it slow.
2. Don't let the Boo's in the background, that show up, distract you.
3. Lay Banana's on curves, that way racers will slip and go into the water.
 
Rainbow Road
Distance: 2,000m.
Rainbow Road is simply the longest track in Mario Kart 64. It seems to go on forever, twisting and turning through space with giant neon sculptures in the distance. But, some chomps are waiting throughout the track to take a bite out of your Kart! The entire length of the track has guardrails around the edges to keep Karts on the course. Because it is difficult to go off the track, the challenge here is to concentrate and keep your speed up by performing as many Mini-Turbo boosts as possible in each of the course's loops and turns. This track lacks some of the clever layout features of the other courses, and some have said it's boring, but you can't make that judgment until you've raced it!
Shortcut #1
If you really want to crush the competition, learn this valuable shortcut. Before you catch air on the giant sloping hill, hop left off the course, and into midair. The correct angle and speed leaves you falling for about 10 seconds, then you land on the track below with a big bounce. Hit the brakes in the air or you could bounce off the track. Download this movie and see how it's done!
Tips
1. Do Mini-Turbo's around the curves. This track is good for that, since it has the LLOONNGG curves.
2. Watch out for the Bow-Wow's. Avoid them at all cost. If you hit them you will blow up.
3. Put Fake Item Boxes with the real ones. They are hard to see.
4. Place Banana's on the yellow tiles, this is hard to do but they are also harder to see.
5. At the start, just keep going straight because if you swerve to much when you hit that hill that goes down you may go off of the edge since you fly.
6. On the straight-aways don't swerve to much, it'll slow you down.
Gather some friends and play the Battle Mode!
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