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Just wanted to write down my (by no means final) impressions of each track having played the game for a couple of days.
I'll mostly focus on the 3-lap versions since I haven't even come close to playing every intermission to and from each course, but if there are interesting things to point out in the lead-ups to certain courses I'll definitely mention them.
30. Koopa Troopa Beach - I'm open to different opinions but I think this is a pretty obvious dead last. Although the track looks pretty, it is just a small circle that you race around five times, and it's just barely too large for chaotic Baby Park shenanigans to work. They should have combined multiple SNES beach tracks like they did with the Mario Circuits.
29. Moo Moo Meadows - Not sure why they brought back one of the most boring MK Wii tracks for two games in a row. Not the worst track in the world but it just isn't very interesting. There are a couple of unexpectedly neat shortcuts I've seen in WRs though.
28. Desert Hills - I like the Mario Land retheming. We haven't seen some of these enemies in like 35 years, so I was surprised to see them return. However, the track itself is pretty bland outside of a couple of nice turns, and they removed the Angry Sun.
27. Mario Circuit - this track is about as interesting as SNES Mario Circuit can be, but the layouts are pretty basic to begin with. It's cool that it's essentially three tracks in one, and you race across all three of them in VS mode, but the most interesting of the original circuits, Mario Circuit 4, is excluded (yet again). Would have liked to see them finally put that in a 3D Mario Kart game.
26. Starview Peak - One of the most beautiful tracks in the game, and I love the Galaxy callbacks, but the layout is a big missed potential. It's not the worst in the world, but I think they could have done a lot more with the wide water section that dominates the second half of the track. I think the intermissions to and from this course tend to be among the better ones though, if only for the glorious mountain views.
25. Choco Mountain - Love the electric guitar arrangement in the music. The track itself isn't too bad, and the Chargin Chucks make nice hazards. I'm not too up in arms over the retheming of the track since we already got a very faithful version that plays well in the Booster Course Pass. Still, there are better courses out there.
24. DK Pass - Pretty much just a standard snow mountain course with DK's name slapped onto it. I was never a big fan of this track in the original game, and I wish they would have saved DK Summit for World instead of throwing it into the Booster Course Pass. I will say the pole shortcut is really cool.
23. Mario Bros. Circuit - I don't really have anything bad to say about this track, even though it ranks relatively low. The Arizona desert vibe is great, the layout does a nice job introducing rail grinding, and there are a couple of fun alternate routes. As an opening course it's one of the best (I think only GCN Luigi Circuit and Mario Kart Stadium compete). But as an opening course, it's also pretty simple.
22. Peach Stadium - I like the layout! It kind of reminds me of 8's Mario Circuit but a little more fun to race on, while the visuals call to mind Royal Raceway. There's not a whole lot else going on with the track to set it apart from the next few ones, though. And it loses big points for how mind-numbingly boring the Shell Cup variant of the track is.
21. Faraway Oasis - Now we're getting into the tracks I really enjoy. The savanna theme is great, and I like the water sections here; the last part reminds me of Yoshi Falls and Koopa Cape. I just wish there were a few more animals running around, but at least they show up in the intermissions.
20. Peach Beach - The first retro track in this list that I quite like. The original track felt pretty simple to me so I'm glad they upped the ante by adding new sections. The city section in particular has a lot of charm and is fun to race on. However, the third section is rather barren compared to the first two, especially when you get to the water. And they removed the phallic rock.
19. Salty Salty Speedway - Feathers are super satisfying to use on this track considering the number of high-up alternate routes. I also really like the Venice aesthetic going on. The layout isn't the strongest, IMO.
18. Dandelion Depths - The layout as a whole is quite fun, but I'm particularly fond of the underground water section. Getting all the tricks right down there is tough but very rewarding if you're able to do it consistently. The wide turn in the beginning is peculiar though, because it's one of the few in the whole series where there's no obvious advantage to drifting it as opposed to driving normally. Definitely messes with my head a bit.
17. Sky-High Sundae - One of the worst tracks in the Booster Course Pass was definitely redeemed by this version of it. The course is littered with fun routes, and the wall shortcut at the end is incredibly satisfying to pull off once you get it down. Maybe a tad too chaotic for my taste, but that's more a personal preference than anything.
16. Toad's Factory - Surprised this didn't make an appearance before World. It's one of the most faithful classic tracks in the game, and it's just as fun to play on as it used to be. I love taking the rail shortcut after the big jump out of the factory.
15. Crown City - Great section track. I'm not overly fond of city courses in Mario Kart, but this is one of the best. The cars are quite fun to interact with compared to other games since you can bounce on them, and the skyscraper section is awesome. Unlike Peach Stadium, I think both routes taken during the GPs are good, though I definitely prefer them being lumped together.
14. Cheep Cheep Falls - Despite the bland name, this track has one of the most unique visual (and musical!) presentations. Really looks lovely, and it's fun to play on even though I find it one of the more challenging tracks in the game due to the water section.
13. Bowser's Castle - It's quite a fun track to race on, and the presentation is just perfect. Launching from a lava fall into the eye of the storm is a very cool moment, and I like how the storm section speeds you up to make it more intense. The intermission leading up to it is also pretty nice. I like that it passes through a battle course, and ascending the volcano is great. My only gripe is that the beginning part inside the castle itself should be a bit longer.
12. Boo Cinema - It doesn't have the most unique layout, but the movie screen gimmick is one of the most creative I've seen in a Mario Kart game. I also love how the intermissions leading to and from it pass through segments of the SNES Ghost Valley tracks.
11. Acorn Heights - This one is kind of a sleeper hit for me. It's unassuming but surprisingly fun to race through. I love that they made the beanstalks rails, and jumping between them for the shortcut is great to pull off.
10. Wario Stadium - The presentation is whatever, but the layout is one of my favorites in the game. It got a lot of hate pre-release because of how they shortened it from the original, but I say that's fine because the original track was the most boring in 64. Wall-riding is at its most fun here, and the ramp near the end is pretty hype.
9. Wario Shipyard - One of my favorites from 7 finally made a return here and I'm all for it. The water driving makes the gameplay feel very different, and it's satisfying to trick off of all the waves if you can get the timing right. Also some fun shortcuts and alternate routes here, especially the one on the ship masts after the cannon.
8. Shy Guy Bazaar - I liked the track ok in 7, but the addition of new alternate routes make this the definitive version IMO. I think it's really cool that you can race in Daisy's Palace on some VS routes. Definitely a pleasant surprise.
7. Dino Dino Jungle - I love how new this feels even though it's a retro. Changing the interior part to a laboratory was really cool, and I like how the dinos are even more involved in the gameplay than before. Music got a big glowup too.
6. Dry Bones Burnout - The Day of the Dead aesthetic is just awesome. And the course feels really fun to drive on, with fun alternate routes and a winding, creative layout. Being able to zip through lava quickly if you have a speed item is also a nice change that enables some interesting shortcuts.
5. DK Spaceport - It's a really neat callback to the old Donkey Kong game, and the course layout is really unlike any other: an ascending gauntlet of challenges that generally increase in difficulty. Just a neat setpiece altogether.
4. Airship Fortress - Perfect as ever. It looks really nice, and the rails in the beginning part are a welcome addition to what was already one of the best DS tracks. I also like the lead-up to this track in GP, and racing through it in Knockout Mode is really fun.
3. Whistlestop Summit - The shortcuts in this one are insane. Rail grinding on this track feels probably the best in the whole game, and the accompanying road layout flows really well with it. I quite like the theme too. There's not a whole lot else I can say, it's just a very fun track to play on.
2. Rainbow Road - It's not the most challenging Rainbow Road but this feels like a proper sequel to 7's grandiose iteration of the track. My first experience playing this course was probably my favorite single race in the series. The course layout, the distinct sections, the beautiful visuals (I love the stained glass road), and the incredible music all come together to create a banger track that feels like a return to form after 8's fairly lackluster Rainbow Road. My one gripe that puts it below the top spot is that the water section is a bit boring, much like Starview Peak's.
1. Block Ruins - Probably the most technical track in Mario Kart history. The sheer depth of racing gameplay is really unlike any other up to this point, but even if you play it casually, without any knowledge of the insanely cool tricks and shortcuts you can take, the track is still a very fun time. And the aesthetic and music are both awesome - the latter reminds me a bit of Bowser's Fury. Just a top-notch track all around.
I'll mostly focus on the 3-lap versions since I haven't even come close to playing every intermission to and from each course, but if there are interesting things to point out in the lead-ups to certain courses I'll definitely mention them.
30. Koopa Troopa Beach - I'm open to different opinions but I think this is a pretty obvious dead last. Although the track looks pretty, it is just a small circle that you race around five times, and it's just barely too large for chaotic Baby Park shenanigans to work. They should have combined multiple SNES beach tracks like they did with the Mario Circuits.
29. Moo Moo Meadows - Not sure why they brought back one of the most boring MK Wii tracks for two games in a row. Not the worst track in the world but it just isn't very interesting. There are a couple of unexpectedly neat shortcuts I've seen in WRs though.
28. Desert Hills - I like the Mario Land retheming. We haven't seen some of these enemies in like 35 years, so I was surprised to see them return. However, the track itself is pretty bland outside of a couple of nice turns, and they removed the Angry Sun.
27. Mario Circuit - this track is about as interesting as SNES Mario Circuit can be, but the layouts are pretty basic to begin with. It's cool that it's essentially three tracks in one, and you race across all three of them in VS mode, but the most interesting of the original circuits, Mario Circuit 4, is excluded (yet again). Would have liked to see them finally put that in a 3D Mario Kart game.
26. Starview Peak - One of the most beautiful tracks in the game, and I love the Galaxy callbacks, but the layout is a big missed potential. It's not the worst in the world, but I think they could have done a lot more with the wide water section that dominates the second half of the track. I think the intermissions to and from this course tend to be among the better ones though, if only for the glorious mountain views.
25. Choco Mountain - Love the electric guitar arrangement in the music. The track itself isn't too bad, and the Chargin Chucks make nice hazards. I'm not too up in arms over the retheming of the track since we already got a very faithful version that plays well in the Booster Course Pass. Still, there are better courses out there.
24. DK Pass - Pretty much just a standard snow mountain course with DK's name slapped onto it. I was never a big fan of this track in the original game, and I wish they would have saved DK Summit for World instead of throwing it into the Booster Course Pass. I will say the pole shortcut is really cool.
23. Mario Bros. Circuit - I don't really have anything bad to say about this track, even though it ranks relatively low. The Arizona desert vibe is great, the layout does a nice job introducing rail grinding, and there are a couple of fun alternate routes. As an opening course it's one of the best (I think only GCN Luigi Circuit and Mario Kart Stadium compete). But as an opening course, it's also pretty simple.
22. Peach Stadium - I like the layout! It kind of reminds me of 8's Mario Circuit but a little more fun to race on, while the visuals call to mind Royal Raceway. There's not a whole lot else going on with the track to set it apart from the next few ones, though. And it loses big points for how mind-numbingly boring the Shell Cup variant of the track is.
21. Faraway Oasis - Now we're getting into the tracks I really enjoy. The savanna theme is great, and I like the water sections here; the last part reminds me of Yoshi Falls and Koopa Cape. I just wish there were a few more animals running around, but at least they show up in the intermissions.
20. Peach Beach - The first retro track in this list that I quite like. The original track felt pretty simple to me so I'm glad they upped the ante by adding new sections. The city section in particular has a lot of charm and is fun to race on. However, the third section is rather barren compared to the first two, especially when you get to the water. And they removed the phallic rock.
19. Salty Salty Speedway - Feathers are super satisfying to use on this track considering the number of high-up alternate routes. I also really like the Venice aesthetic going on. The layout isn't the strongest, IMO.
18. Dandelion Depths - The layout as a whole is quite fun, but I'm particularly fond of the underground water section. Getting all the tricks right down there is tough but very rewarding if you're able to do it consistently. The wide turn in the beginning is peculiar though, because it's one of the few in the whole series where there's no obvious advantage to drifting it as opposed to driving normally. Definitely messes with my head a bit.
17. Sky-High Sundae - One of the worst tracks in the Booster Course Pass was definitely redeemed by this version of it. The course is littered with fun routes, and the wall shortcut at the end is incredibly satisfying to pull off once you get it down. Maybe a tad too chaotic for my taste, but that's more a personal preference than anything.
16. Toad's Factory - Surprised this didn't make an appearance before World. It's one of the most faithful classic tracks in the game, and it's just as fun to play on as it used to be. I love taking the rail shortcut after the big jump out of the factory.
15. Crown City - Great section track. I'm not overly fond of city courses in Mario Kart, but this is one of the best. The cars are quite fun to interact with compared to other games since you can bounce on them, and the skyscraper section is awesome. Unlike Peach Stadium, I think both routes taken during the GPs are good, though I definitely prefer them being lumped together.
14. Cheep Cheep Falls - Despite the bland name, this track has one of the most unique visual (and musical!) presentations. Really looks lovely, and it's fun to play on even though I find it one of the more challenging tracks in the game due to the water section.
13. Bowser's Castle - It's quite a fun track to race on, and the presentation is just perfect. Launching from a lava fall into the eye of the storm is a very cool moment, and I like how the storm section speeds you up to make it more intense. The intermission leading up to it is also pretty nice. I like that it passes through a battle course, and ascending the volcano is great. My only gripe is that the beginning part inside the castle itself should be a bit longer.
12. Boo Cinema - It doesn't have the most unique layout, but the movie screen gimmick is one of the most creative I've seen in a Mario Kart game. I also love how the intermissions leading to and from it pass through segments of the SNES Ghost Valley tracks.
11. Acorn Heights - This one is kind of a sleeper hit for me. It's unassuming but surprisingly fun to race through. I love that they made the beanstalks rails, and jumping between them for the shortcut is great to pull off.
10. Wario Stadium - The presentation is whatever, but the layout is one of my favorites in the game. It got a lot of hate pre-release because of how they shortened it from the original, but I say that's fine because the original track was the most boring in 64. Wall-riding is at its most fun here, and the ramp near the end is pretty hype.
9. Wario Shipyard - One of my favorites from 7 finally made a return here and I'm all for it. The water driving makes the gameplay feel very different, and it's satisfying to trick off of all the waves if you can get the timing right. Also some fun shortcuts and alternate routes here, especially the one on the ship masts after the cannon.
8. Shy Guy Bazaar - I liked the track ok in 7, but the addition of new alternate routes make this the definitive version IMO. I think it's really cool that you can race in Daisy's Palace on some VS routes. Definitely a pleasant surprise.
7. Dino Dino Jungle - I love how new this feels even though it's a retro. Changing the interior part to a laboratory was really cool, and I like how the dinos are even more involved in the gameplay than before. Music got a big glowup too.
6. Dry Bones Burnout - The Day of the Dead aesthetic is just awesome. And the course feels really fun to drive on, with fun alternate routes and a winding, creative layout. Being able to zip through lava quickly if you have a speed item is also a nice change that enables some interesting shortcuts.
5. DK Spaceport - It's a really neat callback to the old Donkey Kong game, and the course layout is really unlike any other: an ascending gauntlet of challenges that generally increase in difficulty. Just a neat setpiece altogether.
4. Airship Fortress - Perfect as ever. It looks really nice, and the rails in the beginning part are a welcome addition to what was already one of the best DS tracks. I also like the lead-up to this track in GP, and racing through it in Knockout Mode is really fun.
3. Whistlestop Summit - The shortcuts in this one are insane. Rail grinding on this track feels probably the best in the whole game, and the accompanying road layout flows really well with it. I quite like the theme too. There's not a whole lot else I can say, it's just a very fun track to play on.
2. Rainbow Road - It's not the most challenging Rainbow Road but this feels like a proper sequel to 7's grandiose iteration of the track. My first experience playing this course was probably my favorite single race in the series. The course layout, the distinct sections, the beautiful visuals (I love the stained glass road), and the incredible music all come together to create a banger track that feels like a return to form after 8's fairly lackluster Rainbow Road. My one gripe that puts it below the top spot is that the water section is a bit boring, much like Starview Peak's.
1. Block Ruins - Probably the most technical track in Mario Kart history. The sheer depth of racing gameplay is really unlike any other up to this point, but even if you play it casually, without any knowledge of the insanely cool tricks and shortcuts you can take, the track is still a very fun time. And the aesthetic and music are both awesome - the latter reminds me a bit of Bowser's Fury. Just a top-notch track all around.
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