Mario Kart 8

Whereas the first track of the Mushroom Cup, Mario Kart Stadium, was a loud and boisterous affair, Moo Moo Meadows, the first track of the Shell Cup, exudes a quiet, unthreatening aura. First appearing in Mario Kart Wii, and serving as a spiritual successor to the Mario Kart 64 track, Moo Moo Farm, this charming course takes place on a rustic country farm – in the early morning, if the rooster crowing at the start of the course intro is any indication.

I don’t have an awful lot to say about Moo Moo Meadows, but there is a simple beauty to this farmland setting that really appeals to me, and the sunrise gives it a peaceful, cosy atmosphere. As you’re tearing through this pastoral landscape, you might notice tractors, hay bales, wagons, milk cans, windmills, and barns by the side of the track, enforcing the idea that this is a working farm. Grassy vistas, rolling hills, and small villages are visible in the background, adding to the quaint rural charm. It’s all so gorgeous and tranquil that you almost want to slow down and take it all in.

Moo Moo Meadows provides a glimpse into the agricultural community that supports the Mushroom World. Compared to many other tracks, this one feels so… normal. But of course, not every location can be a magical kingdom or volcanic fortress – some places have to be where ordinary people live and work. I love locations like this because they help make the Mario universe feel less like a collection of disconnected levels and more like a living world with implied communities and everyday life beyond Mario’s heroic exploits.

A sign by the side of the track warns drivers that there are cows ahead – or Moo Moos, as they’re called in the Mushroom Kingdom. Just around the next bend, you will indeed find cows wandering lazily across the wide, meandering dirt road, and you’ll have to avoid them if you don’t want to waste precious time. Towards the end of the lap, you’ll also need to watch out for Monty Moles, which are digging across your path; but their trails can be used as small ramps for racers to perform tricks off of.

Based on a city map that can be found in Super Bell Subway, Moo Moo Meadows is located on the outskirts of the big city that contains both Toad Harbour and Wario’s Gold Mine, as well as the same city that N64 Rainbow Road hovers over – but we’ll look into that in a future article.

For now, that’s it for Moo Moo Meadows. Next time, we look at one of the biggest ‘glow-ups’ in the Mario Kart series: Mario Circuit GBA.