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Kalimari Desert is the last track of the Mushroom Cup in Mario Kart 64. It takes place on a desert with a simple layout and a lack of gimmicks, and it's known for having a railroad where steam trains travel along.

Kalimari Desert makes a retro appearance in Mario Kart 7 as the first track in the Leaf Cup, in Mario Kart Tour as of the Tokyo Tour, which eventually received a second variation known as "Kalimari Desert 2", taking racers along the railroad tracks, and in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as part of Wave 2 of the Booster Course Pass, as the third track of the Turnip Cup, which combines the two variants that appear in Tour into one track.

Layout[]

Mario Kart 64[]

Kalamari Desert

Yoshi at Kalimari Desert, with a Spiny Shell behind him.

Kalimari Desert takes place on an orange desert with a mesa in the middle of the track. It's a medium length track with a few hazards, especially two trains that drive on the rails clockwise, bowling over any racers are ram into them when they approach a crossing. There is also cacti spread throughout the course that cause spin-outs. As the track lacks barriers, it is possible to drive too far outside the main road, counting as out-of-bounds, requiring Lakitu to pick the player up. Racers can also traverse the rails.

Racers start to the right of the mesa. A very wide left u-turn takes racers to a straightaway that starts off with a railroad crossing, where the Train can pop up, sending racers high in the air if they ram into it. The track then bends to the right before a straightaway with another crossing. A very long left turn goes around the railroad crossing, before a straightaway where a tunnel in the rails can be seen. A sharp right chicane stands at the end of the straightaway, leading to the Finish Line.

Sets of Item Boxes appear three times: at the beginning before the first railroad crossing; again right before the second railroad crossing; and finally halfway after the second railroad crossing.

Mario Kart 7[]

The N64 Train

Kalimari Desert as seen in Mario Kart 7.

Kalimari Desert reappears in Mario Kart 7 as the first track of the Leaf Cup. This track features some changes aside the updated graphics: the Trains now pull only three passenger cars as opposed to five, the main path now features brighter sand instead of darker sand, some shortcuts with Glide Panels at the end has been added, as well as a trick ramp near the end of the track. The tunnel is now considered out-of-bounds, and the lap skip glitch has been patched. Also, the Cacti act more like walls in this game and no longer spin racers out.

Mario Kart Tour[]

Kalimari Desert returns in Mario Kart Tour. It has a similar design to that of the 3DS version, in updated graphics. Also, the Trains are no longer harmful and instead racers can trick on them as well as being sent in the air when they touch one of them.

There is a second version (Kalimari Desert 2) where racers drive through the train track.

Kalimari Desert 2[]

In this version, the track starts off as normal, but the first crossing has ramps to jump over. When racers approach the second crossing, a barrier forces them into the rails. A left u-turn and a straightaway leads to the second section. The second section starts off with another left u-turn and a straightaway, before being forced out of the rails, sending racers to traverse the rest of the regular version.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[]

Kalimari Desert also reappears in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the third track of the Turnip Cup. This track has hugely changed in design, while retaining features from the previous two appearances. This version combines the two versions from Mario Kart Tour together. The first lap takes racers through the regular layout, but the second diverts them to the rails via a titled Kanaami road ramp. As the racers approach the tunnel, the final lap begins, which is similar to the second section of Kalimari Desert 2, except that the sand path to the left of the rails is accessible. Unlike previous appearances, there is only one train as opposed to two.

Variants each lap takes from[]

Lap Variant
1 Kalimari Desert 1
2 and 3 Kalimari Desert 2

Hazards[]

Shortcuts[]

  • Whilst holding a Star, turn left to the rails at the second crossing. Avoid the train(s), and activate the Star right before the tunnel. Turn to the left when exiting the tunnel.  for MK64
  • Use Mushrooms or a boost item to cut across the sand.  for all games
  • There are two shortcuts that allows the player to glide over the railroad crossing, where they require Mushrooms or a boost item to take them effectively. (for all games except MK64)
  • Near the end of the track there is an off-road ramp. Use Mushrooms or a boost item to take it effectively. (for all games except MK64)

Staff Ghosts[]

Mario Kart 7[]

Character Time Kart Combination
Body Tires Glider
ShyGuyIcon-MK7 Normal
02:01.932 Cactux MK7 Wood MK7 Swoop
Expert
01:48.707 Bolt Bug Red Monster Ghastly Beast Glider

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[]

Character Recorder Time Vehicle Combination
Body Tires Glider
150cc
MK8DX Dry Bones Icon
Nin★Pit 1:40.363
StandardKartBodyMK8D MediumPurple LightSkyBlue
MonsterTiresMK8
MK8D LightSkyBlue White Super Glider
200cc
MK8 Dry Bowser Icon
Nin★Juliet 1:10.511
MK8BoneRattler
MonsterTiresMK8
MK8 Black Tan Super Glider

Gallery[]

Mario Kart 64[]

Mario Kart 7[]

Mario Kart Tour[]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[]

Trivia![]

  • The railroad crossing sounds were taken from real Japanese National Railway railroad crossings. In the MK7 version, however, the crossing sounds are American.
  • They sound out of place in the North American version, as they use different electronic bells as well as mechanical bells.
  • On Mario Kart 64, a bonus title screen that can be unlocked after finishing the game shows Yoshi, Peach, Luigi, Donkey Kong and Mario driving on Kalimari Desert.
  • The engine on the train is No. 64 and is a 4-4-0 engine, which has a 4-4-0 wheel arrangement because No. 64 is also an American type steam locomotive. Locomotives of this wheel arrangement were used most common on American railroads during the 1800's and the 1830's until 1928 and were given the name "American" in 1872, because of how they did all the work on every railroad in the United States. These types of engines have eight wheels (four leading wheels, four driving wheels, and no trailing wheels).
  • The locomotive lacked side rods in it's Mario Kart 64 appearance, despite having them in promotional images.
  • Usually a steam locomotive's tender would have two four-wheel trucks, which would make for a total of eight wheels, except for the engine No. 64, that only has four wheels on its coal tender, like the Evergreen 504 engine in The Evergreen Express, The Sky's The Limit, and A Catered Affair, the three episodes of the TV series, The Raccoons, and the runaway engine from "The Good, The Bad, and the Tigger" episode from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
  • The engine No. 64, with its four-wheeled coal tender, pulls five passenger cars, which are also known as coaches.
  • Due to space limitations, in multiplayer mode on Mario Kart 64, the train's extra cars are absent in 3 and 4 playermode with them only being 1 in 2 player mode. In 2 player mode, there is only 1 extra car. In 2 player Grand Prix, the cars and tender are also absent.
  • Nintendo Uk posted a tweet on June 3, 2016 saying "Good things come to those who wait. #MK8" and showing a picture of Kalimari Desert, which lead players into thinking the track would come to the game in the form of DLC. This did not happen, although it did eventually come to the Booster Course Pass in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
  • This is one of two courses from Mario Kart 64 whose lap count is reduced in a later game (in this case Mario Kart 8's Booster Course Pass), the other being Mario Kart 64's Rainbow Road. Both were three laps long, but the latter got reduced to one lap, while the former has one lap of the original layout with the second lap being considerably longer as the racers have to drive along the race tracks for a total of two laps; this also makes this course the first course to use both laps and sections.
  • Kalimari Desert 2 could have been derived from the lap glitch from Mario Kart 64, as the glitch is triggered by driving through the tunnel in Mario Kart 64 while in Mario Kart Tour's Kalimari Desert 2, the racers have to go through the tunnel.
  • Kalimari Desert is the first course to have sections of sand that count as out-of-bounds areas; this would continue in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'s Dry Dry Desert and Mario Kart DS's Desert Hills track.
  • Kalimari Desert is one of two desert courses (four if the Choco Island tracks from Super Mario Kart are counted) that do not have Arabian-style or Egyptian-style music, the other being Sunset Wilds from Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Coincidentally, both tracks are brought back for the Booster Course Pass.
  • The train's wheels are black instead of red on the Wii and Wii u virtual consoles of Mario Kart 64.
Previous track:
Koopa Troopa Beach
Current track:
Kalimari Desert
Next track:
Toad's Turnpike
Previous track:
DS Waluigi Pinball
1st reappearance:
Mario Kart 7
Next track:
DS DK Pass
2nd reappearance:
Mario Kart Tour
N64 Kalimari Desert 2
Previous track:
SNES Mario Circuit 3
3rd reappearance:
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 64 courses
Nitro cups Mushroom Cup Luigi RacewayMoo Moo FarmKoopa Troopa BeachKalimari Desert
Flower Cup Toad's TurnpikeFrappe SnowlandChoco MountainMario Raceway
Star Cup Wario StadiumSherbet LandRoyal RacewayBowser's Castle
Special Cup D.K.'s Jungle ParkwayYoshi ValleyBanshee BoardwalkRainbow Road
Battle Courses Big DonutBlock FortDouble DeckSkyscraper
Mario Kart 7 courses
Nitro cups Mushroom Cup Toad CircuitDaisy HillsCheep Cheep LagoonShy Guy Bazaar
Flower Cup Wuhu LoopMario CircuitMusic ParkRock Rock Mountain
Star Cup Piranha Plant SlideWario ShipyardNeo Bowser CityMaka Wuhu
Special Cup DK JungleRosalina's Ice WorldBowser's CastleRainbow Road
Retro cups Shell Cup N64 Luigi RacewayGBA Bowser Castle 1Wii Mushroom GorgeDS Luigi's Mansion
Banana Cup N64 Koopa Troopa BeachSNES Mario Circuit 2Wii Coconut MallDS Waluigi Pinball
Leaf Cup N64 Kalimari DesertDS DK PassGCN Daisy CruiserWii Maple Treeway
Lightning Cup Wii Koopa CapeGCN Dino Dino JungleDS Airship FortressSNES Rainbow Road
Battle Courses GBA Battle Course 1N64 Big DonutDS Palm ShoreHoneybee HiveSherbet RinkWuhu Town
Mario Kart Tour courses
SNES Courses SNES Mario Circuit 1SNES Rainbow RoadSNES Mario Circuit 2SNES Choco Island 2SNES Ghost Valley 1SNES Mario Circuit 3SNES Vanilla Lake 1SNES Donut Plains 1SNES Choco Island 1SNES Koopa Troopa Beach 2SNES Donut Plains 2SNES Vanilla Lake 2SNES Ghost Valley 2SNES Donut Plains 3SNES Bowser Castle 3
N64 Courses N64 Koopa Troopa BeachN64 Kalimari DesertN64 Frappe SnowlandN64 Royal RacewayN64 Choco MountainN64 Yoshi ValleyN64 Luigi RacewayN64 Mario Raceway
GBA Courses GBA Bowser's Castle 1GBA Bowser's Castle 2GBA Sunset WildsGBA Cheep Cheep IslandGBA Sky GardenGBA Bowser's Castle 3GBA Boo LakeGBA Riverside ParkGBA Snow LandGBA Yoshi DesertGBA Bowser's Castle 4GBA Peach CircuitGBA Luigi CircuitGBA Lakeside Park
GCN Courses GCN Dino Dino JungleGCN Yoshi CircuitGCN Baby ParkGCN Daisy CruiserGCN DK MountainGCN Mushroom BridgeGCN Waluigi Stadium
DS Courses DS Luigi's MansionDS Waluigi PinballDS DK PassDS Airship FortressDS Peach GardensDS Shroom RidgeDS Mario Circuit
Wii Courses Wii Maple TreewayWii DK SummitWii Mushroom GorgeWii Coconut MallWii Koopa CapeWii Rainbow RoadWii Dry Dry RuinsWii Daisy CircuitWii Moonview Highway
3DS Courses 3DS Toad Circuit3DS Cheep Cheep Lagoon3DS Rock Rock Mountain3DS Daisy Hills3DS Shy Guy Bazaar3DS Mario Circuit3DS Neo Bowser City3DS Rainbow Road3DS Rosalina's Ice World3DS Wario Shipyard3DS Bowser's Castle3DS Piranha Plant Slide
City Courses New York Minute (1, 2, 3, 4) • Tokyo Blur (1, 2, 3, 4) • Paris Promenade (1, 2, 3) • London Loop (1, 2, 3) • Vancouver Velocity(1,2,3) • Los Angeles Laps(1, 2, 3) • Berlin Byways(1, 2, 3) • Sydney Sprint(1, 2, 3) • Singapore Speedway(1, 2, 3) • Amsterdam Drift(1, 2, 3) • Bangkok Rush(1, 2, 3) • Athens Dash(1, 2, 3) • Rome Avanti(1, 2, 3) • Madrid Drive(1, 2, 3)
Nitro Courses Merry MountainNinja HideawaySky-High SundaePiranha Plant Cove(1, 2, 3) • Yoshi's IslandPiranha Plant PipelineSqueaky Clean Sprint
Sequel Courses N64 Kalimari Desert 2
RMX Courses RMX Mario Circuit 1RMX Choco Island 1RMX Rainbow Road 1RMX Rainbow Road 2RMX Choco Island 2RMX Vanilla Lake 1RMX Ghost Valley 1RMX Bowser's Castle 1RMX Donut Plains 1RMX Vanilla Lake 2
Battle Courses GCN Cookie LandGBA Battle Course 1DS Twilight HouseNew York Minute BParis Promenade B
Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe) courses
New cups Mushroom Cup Mario Kart StadiumWater ParkSweet Sweet CanyonThwomp Ruins
Flower Cup Mario CircuitToad HarborTwisted MansionShy Guy Falls
Star Cup Sunshine AirportDolphin ShoalsElectrodromeMount Wario
Special Cup Cloudtop CruiseBone-Dry DunesBowser's CastleRainbow Road
Retro cups Shell Cup Wii Moo Moo MeadowsGBA Mario CircuitDS Cheep Cheep BeachN64 Toad's Turnpike
Banana Cup GCN Dry Dry DesertSNES Donut Plains 3N64 Royal Raceway3DS DK Jungle
Leaf Cup DS Wario StadiumGCN Sherbet Land3DS Music ParkN64 Yoshi Valley
Lightning Cup DS Tick-Tock Clock3DS Piranha Plant SlideWii Grumble VolcanoN64 Rainbow Road
DLC cups + Egg Cup GCN Yoshi CircuitExcitebike ArenaDragon DriftwayMute City
Triforce Cup Wii Wario's Gold MineSNES Rainbow RoadIce Ice OutpostHyrule Circuit
Crossing Cup GCN Baby ParkGBA Cheese LandWild WoodsAnimal Crossing
Bell Cup 3DS Neo Bowser CityGBA Ribbon RoadSuper Bell SubwayBig Blue
Booster Course Pass cups + * * Golden Dash Cup Tour Paris Promenade3DS Toad CircuitN64 Choco MountainWii Coconut Mall
Lucky Cat Cup Tour Tokyo BlurDS Shroom RidgeGBA Sky GardenNinja Hideaway
Turnip Cup Tour New York MinuteSNES Mario Circuit 3N64 Kalimari DesertDS Waluigi Pinball
Propeller Cup Tour Sydney SprintGBA Snow LandWii Mushroom GorgeSky-High Sundae
Rock Cup Tour London LoopGBA Boo Lake3DS Rock Rock MountainWii Maple Treeway
Moon Cup Tour Berlin BywaysDS Peach GardensMerry Mountain3DS Rainbow Road
Fruit Cup Tour Amsterdam DriftGBA Riverside ParkWii DK SummitYoshi's Island
Boomerang Cup Tour Bangkok RushDS Mario CircuitGCN Waluigi StadiumTour Singapore Speedway
Feather Cup Tour Athens DashGCN Daisy CruiserWii Moonview HighwaySqueaky Clean Sprint
Cherry Cup Tour Los Angeles LapsGBA Sunset WildsWii Koopa CapeTour Vancouver Velocity
Acorn Cup Tour Rome AvantiGCN DK MountainWii Daisy CircuitPiranha Plant Cove
Spiny Cup Tour Madrid Drive3DS Rosalina's Ice WorldSNES Bowser Castle 3Wii Rainbow Road
Battle Courses Mario Circuit * • Toad Harbor * • Wii Moo Moo Meadows * • GCN Dry Dry Desert * • SNES Donut Plains 3 * • N64 Toad's Turnpike * • GCN Sherbet Land * • N64 Yoshi Valley *
Battle Stadium * * • Sweet Sweet Kingdom * * • Dragon Palace * * • Lunar Colony * * • 3DS Wuhu Town * * • GCN Luigi's Mansion * * • SNES Battle Course 1 * * • Urchin Underpass * *
+ - denotes DLC. * - denotes exclusivity to Mario Kart 8. * * - denotes exclusivity to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
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