Toad Harbor
Toad Harbor (written as Toad Harbour in the PAL version) is the second race track in the Flower Cup of Mario Kart 8. This course takes place in a town by the seaside with some similarities to the city of San Francisco. The Shy Guy Metal signs can be seen at this track. It also has a Statue of Liberty model with Princess Peach as Lady Liberty. Toadette is used here in Time Trials. Mario, Luigi and Wario each have trollies in this course. Each has some Toads as passengers and a Koopa Troopa as the driver.
Description
This island track showcases an entire marina with sail boats and a train station (that acts as a short-cut to some power-ups), a market and a shopping area, as well as a vertical wall section with anti-gravity. The track features several areas that seem to be inspired by American cities, such as a steep cable car hill (à la San Francisco) and a Statue of Liberty in the harbor (like in New York).
Course layout
The course starts near the docks with a few boats. After turning right, there are two paths; one goes over a bridge while another allows players to drive onto a boat with a ramp. Racers will be starting to enter the town after this point. They can continue driving right, though they can either go straight through, take a Boost Pad, or drive on top of the market tents in the area. After that, a shortcut can be taken upon driving over a narrow path and jumping off a ramp.
After a few turns, drivers will perform a U-turn past the Toad Toy Store, which provides this course's only anti-gravity section. If players stick to the normal path, they'll have to avoid oncoming trolley cars. If the player attempts to follow the trolley car rails after the station, Lakitu will come and hoist the player back to the road. Whichever path was taken, both lead to a steep downhill part of the track leading back to the coastal area, with more trolley cars to dodge. A pathway with a Boost Pad can be taken, but otherwise, after two turns, the track leads back to the finish line.
Gallery
- ToadHarborMk8.png
A released screenshot of the course revealing the name of the track.
- MK8- Toad Harbor.PNG
The track's icon.
The only anti-gravity section of the course.
The section with the view to the sea and the cable cars.
Rosalina, drifting around one of the alleyways.
Rosalina, drifting around another alleyway.
As a battle course.
Baby Rosalina performs a trick, during a battle on the track.
The stamp obtained for beating the staff ghost at this course.
- Toad Harbor Prima Guide Map.jpg
Map of the course from the Prima guide.
Names in other languages
Trivia
- This is one of the three courses (along with Mario Circuit and Twisted Mansion) that were playable at E3 2013. Coincidentally, all three take place in the Flower Cup, in the same order as the original demo.
- This is the only new course in Mario Kart 8 which doesn't involve air gliding, and is also one of two new courses where the anti-gravity section isn't compulsory, the other being Bone-Dry Dunes.
- The "Tropical Grocery" sign that appears throughout the course has the Double Cherry's artwork from Super Mario 3D World on it.
- The Peach Statue of Liberty can be seen in the Mario Kart 8 version of Mario Kart 64's Rainbow Road.
- There are banners throughout the course that have a Dolphin and text reading "Super Marine World". This may be a reference to Super Mario World, the first game the Dolphin appeared in.
- A sign in the course depicting a Shy Guy reads, "Shy Guy Metals, Since 1987". 1987 was the year Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic was released; the first game Shy Guys appeared.
