Madrid Drive
| Madrid Drive | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
View inside theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium | |||||||||||
| Information | |||||||||||
| Appears in | Mario Kart Tour (2023) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Booster Course Pass, Wave 6) (2023) | ||||||||||
| Cup | Spiny Cup | ||||||||||
| Tours | Madrid Drive: Summer Tour (2023) Madrid Drive 2: Summer Tour (2023) Madrid Drive 3: Anniversary Tour (2023) | ||||||||||
| Based on | Madrid,Spain | ||||||||||
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Madrid Drive is a race course inMario Kart Tour. It is named after and inspired by the city ofMadrid, Spain. It is the fourteenth and last real world city course added to the game. The course takes racers through many landmarks of the city such as thePuerta del Sol and thePuerta de Alcalá. The course has three routes, Madrid Drive,Madrid Drive 2, andMadrid Drive 3; the first two debuted together in the2023 Summer Tour while the third route debuted two tours later in the2023 Anniversary Tour - Madrid Drive is the third city course in a row to not debut in a tour named after its respective city and is also the city to have the shortest gap between separate releases of routes. The first route takes racers to theGran Vía andSantiago Bernabéu Stadium, the second route featuresRetiro Park,Plaza Mayor, and theMarket of San Miguel, and the third route features thePrado Museum andAtocha station. Additionally, the second route starts in the opposite direction compared to the other two. The course is the seventh course set in a European city. The course featuresShoe Goombas playing soccer,Big Wigglers, andThwomps. The fences seen across this course use the same color scheme as the ones seen inBerlin Byways, albeit in a slightly different pattern. The starting line for the course resembles the gate for theRoyal Palace of Madrid.
The course's music heavily utilizes acoustic guitars and claps, reminiscent of traditional Spanishflamenco musical form, orpalo. It is the second city course afterSingapore Speedway to feature an alternative version of its theme—namely, when entering the stadium in its first layout, the song is replaced with a version based on a cheering crowd (although this is absent inCoin Rush). A third version of the music is used when players enter the Prado Museum.
Madrid Drive returns inMario Kart 8 Deluxe as the first course of theSpiny Cup in theBooster Course Pass. It is one of the courses spotlighted in theBooster Course Pass credits, during which an arrangement of its theme plays.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Madrid Drive[edit]
The first route for the course begins in thePuerta del Sol. After a very brief straightaway, racers progress through theCalle de Preciados, and driving beneath theSegovia Viaduct, racers take a left turn that goes round almost 270 degrees, passing theMarket of San Miguel and avoiding a pair ofGoombas. They then drive along the top of the viaduct towardsGran Vía, passing the streets own landmarks before heading into theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium. AvoidingShoe Goombas and soccer balls, racers drive through the pitch before driving through agoal, taking them toCalle de Alcalá, taking a right turn to return to the Puerta del Sol. One last slight right bend is taken before racers reach the finish line.
The course also appears asMadrid Drive R (reversed),Madrid Drive T (with ramps), andMadrid Drive R/T (reversed with ramps). In all three variants, Shoe Goombas appear in different locations and have different behavior. In the T and R/T variants, there is aglide ramp near the Segovia Viaduct, and the nearby Goombas are gone. The T variant also has drivers go around the track in reverse for a brief moment at the start, making it the only non-R/T variant inTour to have racers drive in the opposite direction of the non-trick variant.
Appearances[edit]
For this course's tour appearances, seeList of Madrid Drive tour appearances inMario Kart Tour § Madrid Drive.
Top-tier and middle-tier items[edit]
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which Madrid Drive and its variants are alwaysfavored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, seeList of Madrid Drive tour appearances inMario Kart Tour.
Bonus challenges[edit]
| Ring Race | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Course variant | Chosen driver | Chosen kart | Chosen glider | Grand Star scores | Tour appearances | Cup |
| Regular | Lemmy | Pipe Frame | Super Glider |
| Summer Tour (2023) | Mii Cup | |
| Goomba Takedown | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Course variant | Chosen driver | Chosen kart | Chosen glider | Item Box type found | Number of item slots | Grand Star scores | Tour appearances | Cup |
| Regular | Monty Mole | Pipe Frame | Super Glider | Mega Mushroom | 1 |
| Summer Tour (2023) | Lakitu Cup | |
| Time Trial | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Course variant | Chosen driver | Chosen kart | Chosen glider | Grand Star scores | Tour appearances | Cup |
| Regular | Fire Bro | Pipe Frame | Super Glider |
| Summer Tour (2023) | Daisy Cup | |
Madrid Drive 2[edit]
The course's second route begins in the opposite direction compared to the first. Just like in the first route, players begin in Puerta del Sol, but this time head towards theCybele Palace. Racers turn left and drive beneath the arches of thePuerta de Alcalá, using a ramp to jump over the grass that surrounds it. Soon, racers turn right and head toRetiro Park, taking aglide ramp to glide over the park's large pond, which haswater geysers erupting from it. Upon landing, racers turn right to pass both theAtocha station and thePrado Museum. Racers drive past many theaters, restaurants and other facilities before entering thePlaza Mayor. Here, a pair ofBig Wigglers circle the statue ofKing Philip III. Once racers exit the square, they drive towards the Market of San Miguel and avoid the pair ofThwomps inside, before coming out next to the Segovia Viaduct. Racers then drive down the road via a large right turn before entering the Calle de Preciados, before returning to Puerta del Sol, and then reaching the finish line.
The course also appears asMadrid Drive 2R (reversed),Madrid Drive 2T (with ramps), andMadrid Drive 2R/T (reversed with ramps). In all three variants, the Wigglers are gone and much more of the space in the Plaza Mayor is taken up by tables. In the R and R/T variants,Cheep Cheeps jump out of the pond in Retiro Park. In the T variant, there is a third Thwomp, found just before the arches of the Puerta de Alcalá, and the gliding section is gone. In the R/T variant, there are six Thwomps throughout the course.
Appearances[edit]
For this course's tour appearances, seeList of Madrid Drive 2 tour appearances inMario Kart Tour § Madrid Drive 2.
Top-tier and middle-tier items[edit]
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which Madrid Drive 2 and its variants are alwaysfavored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, seeList of Madrid Drive 2 tour appearances inMario Kart Tour.
Madrid Drive 3[edit]
The third route begins in the same direction as the first, in Puerta del Sol. This time, after the straightaway, racers turn left onto theCalle de Cuchilleros, going upwards before descending and driving past multiple buildings, such asCebada Market andSobrino de Botín. After a large left turn, racers drive up some stairs to enter the Plaza Mayor, circling right around the statue of King Philip III until reaching the exit. Racers drive down a wide road until eventually turning right to go insideAtocha station. After descending aconveyor belt and taking a sharp left U-turn, racers leave the train station before immediately taking a slight right to enter thePrado Museum, which houses numerous paintings of various characters. Racers turn left in front of aPiranha Plant inside a torn painting before leaving the museum. Racers then turn right, returning to Puerta del Sol, before taking one last left turn leading to the finish line.
The course also appears asMadrid Drive 3R (reversed),Madrid Drive 3T (with ramps), andMadrid Drive 3R/T (reversed with ramps). In the R variant, there are two Piranha Plants in the Atocha station and a pair ofWhomps in the Plaza Mayor. In the T variant, there is one Piranha Plant in the train station and two in the Plaza Mayor. In the R/T variant, there areInky Piranha Plants throughout the course instead of Piranha Plants; one is in the torn painting in the museum, one is in the train station, and two are in the beds of stationarytrucks just before the final turn.
Appearances[edit]
For this course's tour appearances, seeList of Madrid Drive 3 tour appearances inMario Kart Tour § Madrid Drive 3.
Top-tier and middle-tier items[edit]
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which Madrid Drive 3 and its variants are alwaysfavored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, seeList of Madrid Drive 3 tour appearances inMario Kart Tour.
Bonus challenges[edit]
| Smash Small Dry Bones | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Course variant | Chosen driver | Chosen kart | Chosen glider | Grand Star scores | Tour appearances | Cup |
| Regular | Wario | Pipe Frame | Super Glider |
| Anniversary Tour (2023) | Metal Mario Cup | |
| Time Trial | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Course variant | Chosen driver | Chosen kart | Chosen glider | Grand Star scores | Tour appearances | Cup |
| Regular | Mario | Pipe Frame | Super Glider |
| Anniversary Tour (2023) | Donkey Kong Cup | |
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Madrid Drive reappears inMario Kart 8 Deluxe, as part of the sixth and final wave of theBooster Course Pass DLC. It appears as the first course of theSpiny Cup, and thus functions as the final city course of the pass, and the pass' finalTour course altogether. It has received significant visual improvements compared to itsMario Kart Tour iteration. The first lap is based on Madrid Drive 3, the second lap is based on Madrid Drive 2R, and the third and final lap is based on the first route of Madrid Drive. This makes it the only city course in the game to have its laps traverse itsMario Kart Tour variants in reverse order, and one of three courses originally introduced inMario Kart Tour to begin with a lap that is not the first variant, alongsideTour Berlin Byways andPiranha Plant Cove. The remainingBig Wiggler inPlaza Mayor now sleeps on Lap 1 before waking up during Lap 2, with the other being removed; it also faces the other direction to match the 2R route. There is also now a slim gap between the tables that can be cut through during Lap 2 in Plaza Mayor (and is barely cuttable on Lap 1 due to the angle that the player enters the Plaza Mayor) that does not require aMushroom. Additionally, the smaller body of water players drove over fromTour has been covered up with a bridge; during the following gliding section atRetiro Park, racers can optionally glide to the right to access theMonument to Alfonso XII, which now features a ring of coins. TheGoombas from Madrid Drive have been moved from the three-quarters turn up the overpass to the section after along the left turn.Dash Panels have been added inside theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium, and the crowd now cheers when a player races through the soccer goal.Piranha Plants have been added in theAtocha station like Madrid Drive 3R; the station's length has also been extended considerably. Castanets have been added to the course's music. The minimap has also been rotated 90 degrees.
Similarly to "Wii Mushroom Gorge", "Wii Grumble Volcano", and "3DS DK Jungle", the stadium and museum variants of the course's music are slightly modified versions of theirMario Kart Tour counterparts. Both music renditions feature slightly more reverb in addition to other subtle modifications, such as a faintly audible new bassline in the stadium and slightly different drums in the museum.
Internally, the course is referred to as "Cnsw_51", implying it may have originally been intended to be the first course of theFeather Cup.
It is one of threeMario Kart Tour courses to appear in the sixth wave, alongsideTour Rome Avanti andPiranha Plant Cove.
Brands[edit]
- 1-Up Fuel
- Bowser Oil
- Bullet Bill Speed Trial
- Chase!: Mario's Adventure
- Flamenco show
- Mario Kart TV (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe only)
- Mushroom Kingdom Musical
- Propeller Toad Transport
- Racer's
- Sparkling
- The Shy Guy Parade
- Toad Toy Store
Profiles[edit]
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
- Nintendo Switch News app (UK):See the sunny sights in Madrid Drive
Today we'd like to present another course released as part of the sixth wave, which is available now:Madrid Drive.
This course, first introduced in the smart device gameMario Kart Tour, will have its racers see Madrid's sights at breakneck speeds, charging through art galleries and football stadiums alike! In addition to a route which changes lap-by-lap, you'll be thrilled by an array of gimmicks, including an all-too-lifelike (not to mention hungry) painting of a Piranha Plant in the art gallery, and colossal footballs rolling riot in the stadium, so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled and your wits about you! - Nintendo Switch News app (US):
- This course first appeared in the Mario Kart Tour game.
- Modeled after Madrid, Spain, you'll be zooming through landmarks like a soccer stadium and a museum. (Hmm, rather interesting art in that museum, wouldn't you say?)
- The course changes each lap, so keep your focus! Also, watch out for the Piranha Plant popping out of a torn painting and the giant soccer balls.
Gallery[edit]
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Madrid Drive[edit]
Course icons[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Mario Kart Tour race course icons (original courses) § Madrid Drive.
Screenshots[edit]
View of the starting line at thePuerta del Sol
View ofCalle de Preciados and theSegovia Viaduct
View of theGran Vía
View of theEdificio Metrópolis
View of theEdificio Capitol
View ofGran Vía
View of the exit of theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium in the R variant
Mario (Black Suit) driving theSpicy Zucchini on the course
AGoomba in aShoe next to aSoccer Ball
Madrid Drive 2[edit]
Course icons[edit]
Screenshots[edit]
View of thePuerta de Alcalá
View of theBig Wigglers inPlaza Mayor
View of the starting line, near thePlaza de Cibeles
View ofRetiro Park
View of theTeatro Nuevo Apolo andSt. Isidore's Collegiate Church
View of theMarket of San Miguel
Madrid Drive 3[edit]
Course icons[edit]
Screenshots[edit]
View of a turn in thePrado Museum
View ofWhomps onPlaza Mayor in the R variant
Exterior view ofAtocha station
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Paintings in thePrado Museum
View ofRetiro Park
View inside theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium
Naming[edit]
Internal names[edit]
| Game | File | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart Tour | Gmob_Madrid1 | Grand Prix Mobile Madrid 1 | |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Cnsw_51 | Charger[1]Nintendo Switch Wave 5 Course 1 |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マドリード グランデ[?] Madorīdo Gurande | Madrid Grande;grande means "large" in Spanish | |
| Chinese(Simplified) | 马德里圣殿[?] Mǎdélǐ Shèngdiàn(Mandarin) Máhdāklèih Singdihn(Cantonese) | Madrid Sanctuary | |
| Chinese(Traditional) | 馬德里聖殿[?] Mǎdélǐ Shèngdiàn(Mandarin) Máhdāklèih Singdihn(Cantonese) | Madrid Sanctuary | |
| Dutch | Madrid-Rit[?] | Madrid Ride | |
| French | Méandres madrilènes[?] | Madrilenian Meanders | |
| German | Stadtrundfahrt Madrid[?] | Madrid Tour | |
| Italian | Movida di Madrid[?] | MadridMovida | |
| Korean | 마드리드 그란데[?] Madeurideu Geurande | Madrid Grande | |
| Portuguese(Brazilian) | Madri em Disparada[?] | Madrid on the Run | |
| Passeio por Madri[?] | Stroll around Madrid | Nintendo Music | |
| Portuguese(European) | Passeio por Madrid[?] | Stroll around Madrid | |
| Russian | Мадридские каникулы[?] Madridskiye kanikuly | Madrid Vacation | |
| Spanish | Paseo por Madrid[?] | Stroll around Madrid |
Notes[edit]
- Some of the landmarks in this course are based on their past or future designs.
- Puerta del Sol is based on its design prior to a renovation which started in 2022 before the course's release, in which the fountains, the glass metro station entrance, and the road with this course's starting line were demolished.
- One of theGate of Europe towers has a logo which resembles that ofCaja Madrid, a bank that went defunct in 2010.
- The design of theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium is based on a renovation that is, as of the course's release, yet to be completed.
- A couple of Madrid's famous billboards are changed in the course.
- In Puerta del Sol, theTío Pepe sign is replaced by a Mario Kart sign.
- TheSchweppes sign on theEdificio Capitol is changed to a "Sparkling" sign.
References[edit]
- ^The Cutting Room Floor:Project Names/Nintendo.The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved February 11, 2026.

