Staff Ghosts are members of the Nintendo team that set staff times for one to try and beat. However, they only appear in Time Trials. Staff Ghosts were introduced in Mario Kart 64.
Like regular ghosts, they appear as semi-transparent characters and behave as players who used them. These drivers cannot be touched and pass through karts and obstacles.
One's personal best has to be better than the staff time of a ghost in order to unlock Expert Staff Ghosts, which only appeared in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, which in turn unlock characters, vehicles, or stamps.
Mario Kart 64
Staff Ghosts were introduced in Mario Kart 64. Only three of the tracks have unlockable staff ghosts.
Luigi Raceway (ghost of Luigi): 1:52.
Mario Raceway (ghost of Mario): 1:30.
Royal Raceway (ghost of Peach): 2:40.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Staff Ghosts in Double Dash can be unlocked by achieving a certain time on a respective course.
Mushroom Cup
Luigi Circuit | 01:29.000 | 01:26.277 | Luigi | Mario | |
Peach Beach | 01:23.000 | 01:20.404 | Peach | Daisy | |
Baby Park | 01:14.000 | 01:11.108 | Baby Mario | Baby Luigi | |
Dry Dry Desert | 01:53.000 | 01:50.755 | Birdo | Yoshi |
Flower Cup
Mushroom Bridge | 01:34.000 | 01:31.458 | Koopa Troopa | Paratroopa | |
Mario Circuit | 01:44.000 | 01:41.384 | Mario | Luigi | |
Daisy Cruiser | 01:55.000 | 01:52.207 | Daisy | Peach | |
Waluigi Stadium | 02:02.000 | 01:59.658 | Waluigi | Wario |
Star Cup
Sherbet Land | 01:28.000 | 01:25.904 | Baby Luigi | Baby Mario | |
Mushroom City | 01:53.000 | 01:50.663 | Paratroopa | Koopa Troopa | |
Yoshi Circuit | 02:02.000 | 01:59.886 | Yoshi | Birdo | |
DK Mountain | 02:15.000 | 02:12.639 | Donkey Kong | Diddy Kong |
Special Cup
Wario Colosseum | 02:24.000 | 02:21.106 | Wario | Waluigi | |
Dino Dino Jungle | 02:03.000 | 02:00.908 | Diddy Kong | Donkey Kong | |
Bowser's Castle | 02:47.000 | 02:44.690 | Bowser | Bowser Jr. | |
Rainbow Road | 03:19.000 | 03:16.476 | Mario | Peach |
Mario Kart DS
Just like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, staff ghosts can be unlocked by achieving a certain time on a certain course.
Mushroom Cup
Figure-8 Circuit | Mario | 1:36:481 | |
Yoshi Falls | Yoshi | 0:57:677 | |
Cheep Cheep Beach | Donkey Kong | 1:43:654 | |
Luigi's Mansion | Luigi | 1:59:357 |
Flower Cup
Desert Hills | R.O.B. | 1:31:262 | |
Delfino Square | Peach | 1:53:921 | |
Waluigi Pinball | Waluigi | 2:23:228 | |
Shroom Ridge | Toad | 2:05:123 |
Star Cup
DK Pass | Donkey Kong | 2:14:607 | |
Tick-Tock Clock | Daisy | 1:54:903 | |
Mario Circuit | Mario | 1:56:533 | |
Airship Fortress | Bowser | 2:07:748 |
Special Cup
Wario Stadium | Wario | 2:14:868 | |
Peach Gardens | Peach | 1:52:989 | |
Bowser's Castle | Bowser | 2:19:661 | |
Rainbow Road | R.O.B. | 2:16:246 |
Shell Cup
SNES Mario Circuit 1 |
Mario | 0:50:688 | |
N64 Moo Moo Farm |
Donkey Kong | 1:17:751 | |
GBA Peach Circuit |
Peach | 1:12:011 | |
GCN Luigi Circuit |
Luigi | 1:29:759 |
Banana Cup
SNES Donut Plains 1 |
Dry Bones | 1:08:027 | |
N64 Frappe Snowland |
Wario | 2:08:781 | |
GBA Bowser Castle 2 |
Bowser | 1:52:258 | |
GCN Baby Park |
Toad | 0:50:920 |
Leaf Cup
SNES Koopa Beach 2 |
Yoshi | 0:54:847 | |
N64 Choco Mountain |
Wario | 2:15:571 | |
GBA Luigi Circuit |
Luigi | 1:46:581 | |
GCN Mushroom Bridge |
Toad | 1:30:600 |
Lightning Cup
SNES Choco Island 2 |
Waluigi | 1:01:620 | |
N64 Banshee Boardwalk |
Dry Bones | 2:14:403 | |
GBA Sky Garden |
Daisy | 1:44:400 | |
GCN Yoshi Circuit |
Yoshi | 1:48:793 |
Mario Kart Wii
In this game, there are Normal and Expert Staff Ghosts. Beating the normal staff ghosts by a certain amount of time unlocks the Expert Staff Ghosts. Unlocking them can help unlock certain characters and vehicles in the game.
Mushroom Cup
Luigi Circuit | 01:29.670 | Sprinter | 01:26.394 | 01:19.419 | Mach Bike | |
Moo Moo Meadows | 01:37.856 | Booster Seat | 01:34.160 | 01:25.909 | Bullet Bike | |
Mushroom Gorge | 02:16.110 | Quacker | 02:10.875 | 02:01.011 | Mini Beast | |
Toad's Factory | 02:22.480 | Jet Bubble | 02:17.653 | 02:05.593 | Blue Falcon |
Flower Cup
Mario Circuit | 01:44.777 | Zip Zip | 01:40.528 | 01:33.702 | Sprinter | |
Coconut Mall | 02:30.764 | Sugarscoot | 02:25.620 | 02:13.333 | Wild Wing | |
DK Summit | 02:34.693 | Standard Bike L | 02:29.076 | 02:17.546 | Flame Flyer | |
Wario's Gold Mine | 02:19.585 | Wario Bike | 02:15.323 | 02:04.800 | Flame Flyer |
Star Cup
Daisy Circuit | 01:56.822 | Daytripper | 01:51.786 | 01:41.362 | Mach Bike | |
Koopa Cape | 03:03.022 | Cheep Charger | 02:56.867 | 02:41.370 | Jet Bubble | |
Maple Treeway | 02:58.633 | Classic Dragster | 02:51.684 | 02:37.812 | Sneakster | |
Grumble Volcano | 02:28.237 | Offroader | 02:22.856 | 02:11.852 | Spear |
Special Cup
Dry Dry Ruins | 02:30.949 | Classic Dragster | 02:26.064 | 02:14.286 | Sneakster | |
Moonview Highway | 02:16.802 | Standard Kart M | 02:10.509 | 02:04.163 | Mach Bike | |
Bowser's Castle | 03:04.836 | Piranha Prowler | 02:57.382 | 02:42.098 | Flame Runner | |
Rainbow Road | 03:05.895 | Shooting Star | 03:00.007 | 02:44.734 | Jetsetter |
Shell Cup
GCN Peach Beach | 01:34.233 | Daytripper | 01:30.909 | 01:23.140 | Dolphin Dasher | |
DS Yoshi Falls | 01:16.461 | Zip Zip | 01:14.072 | 01:09.175 | Turbo Blooper | |
SNES Ghost Valley 2 | 01:06.595 | Standard Kart L | 01:04.261 | 00:58.907 | Spear | |
N64 Mario Raceway | 02:14.799 | Bit Bike | 02:10.069 | 01:59.053 | Mini Beast |
Banana Cup
N64 Sherbet Land | 02:48.651 | Quacker | 02:42.536 | 02:28.356 | Blue Falcon | |
GBA Shy Guy Beach | 01:45.568 | Cheep Charger | 01:41.174 | 01:32.867 | Magikruiser | |
DS Delfino Square | 02:41.807 | Wario Bike | 02:36.630 | 02:24.169 | Honeycoupe | |
GCN Waluigi Stadium | 02:32.882 | Standard Bike L | 02:26.335 | 02:12.367 | Piranha Prowler |
Leaf Cup
DS Desert Hills | 02:10.233 | Standard Bike S | 02:02.358 | 01:52.686 | Tiny Titan | |
GBA Bowser Castle 3 | 02:58.304 | Standard Kart L | 02:53.651 | 02:39.391 | Flame Runner | |
N64 DK's Jungle Parkway | 02:58.264 | Phantom | 02:51.693 | 02:37.782 | Flame Flyer | |
GCN Mario Circuit | 01:59.771 | Standard Bike M | 01:55.907 | 01:49.939 | Wild Wing |
Lightning Cup
SNES Mario Circuit 3 | 01:38.880 | Standard Kart S | 01:35.213 | 01:26.659 | Bullet Bike | |
DS Peach Gardens | 02:34.894 | Magikruiser | 02:29.793 | 02:16.777 | Mini Beast | |
GCN DK Mountain | 02:57.744 | Wario Bike | 02:52.100 | 02:38.130 | Flame Flyer | |
N64 Bowser's Castle | 03:19.323 | Standard Kart M | 03:09.228 | 02:55.933 | Sneakster |
Mario Kart 7
Just like in Mario Kart Wii, this game has Normal and Expert Staff Ghosts, which appear in Time Trials. The Normal Staff Ghosts are available at the start, but when the player gets a time higher than the Normal Staff Ghost of a track, the Expert Staff Ghost of the same track will be unlocked.
Mushroom Cup
Toad Circuit | 01:35.135 | 01:26.632 | |||||||
Daisy Hills | 02:06.351 | 01:51.111 | |||||||
Cheep Cheep Lagoon | 01:53.758 | 01:42.011 | |||||||
Shy Guy Bazaar | 02:31.167 | 02:14.714 |
Flower Cup
Wuhu Loop | 01:44.287 | 01:32.854 | |||||||
Mario Circuit | 02:25.001 | 02:10.018 | |||||||
Music Park | 02:19.336 | 02:07.511 | |||||||
Rock Rock Moun -tain |
02:35.105 | 02:19.149 |
Star Cup
Piranha Plant Slide | 02:20.186 | 02:06.540 | |||||||
Wario Shipyard | 02:26.268 | 02:12.313 | |||||||
Neo Bowser City | 02:11.032 | 01:58.996 | |||||||
Maka Wuhu | 01:50.607 | 01:39.361 |
Special Cup
DK Jungle | 02:24.040 | 02:10.777 | |||||||
Rosa- lina's Ice World |
02:25.784 | 02:13.091 | |||||||
Bowser's Castle | 02:34.815 | 02:15.244 | |||||||
Rainbow Road | 02:10.090 | 01:52.077 |
Shell Cup
N64 Luigi Raceway | 02:04.317 | 01:52.206 | |||||||
GBA Bowser Castle 1 | 01:31.030 | 01:22.221 | |||||||
Wii Mush -room Gorge |
02:02.292 | 01:50.526 | |||||||
DS Luigi's Mansion | 02:09.982 | 01:58.539 |
Banana Cup
N64 Koopa Troopa Beach | 01:54.274 | 01:42.909 | |||||||
SNES Mario Circuit 2 | 01:28.106 | 01:17.777 | |||||||
Wii Coconut Mall | 02:30.117 | 02:14.167 | |||||||
DS Waluigi Pinball | 02:44.372 | 02:27.574 |
Leaf Cup
N64 Kalimari Desert | 02:01.932 | 01:48.707 | |||||||
DS DK Pass |
02:35.045 | 02:16.534 | |||||||
GCN Daisy Cruiser | 01:49.564 | 01:43.341 | |||||||
Wii Maple Treeway | 02:53.560 | 02:34.877 |
Lightning Cup
Wii Koopa Cape | 02:49.046 | 02:28.585 | |||||||
GCN Dino Dino Jungle | 02:29.837 | 02:14.430 | |||||||
DS Airship Fortress | 02:23.323 | 02:07.704 | |||||||
SNES Rainbow Road | 01:34.459 | 01:21.994 |
Mario Kart 8
Just like in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, the player starts out with Staff Ghosts for each course. However, unlike with the past Mario Kart installments, Expert Staff Ghosts (or Fast Staff Ghosts) do not appear in this game.
Mushroom Cup
Mario Kart Stadium | 1:59.781 | ||||
Water Park | 2:02.954 | ||||
Sweet Sweet Canyon | 2:12.107 | ||||
Thwomp Ruins | 2:11.157 |
Flower Cup
Mario Circuit | 2:07.436 | ||||
Toad Harbor | 2:31.066 | ||||
Twisted Mansion | 2:16.195 | ||||
Shy Guy Falls | 2:19.528 |
Star Cup
Sunshine Airport | 2:24.429 | ||||
Dolphin Shoals | 2:19.160 | ||||
Electro -drome |
2:24.747 | ||||
Mount Wario | 2:06.283 |
Special Cup
Cloudtop Cruise | 2:26.347 | ||||
Bone-Dry Dunes | 2:13.391 | ||||
Bowser's Castle | 2:23.872 | ||||
Rainbow Road | 2:23.967 |
Shell Cup
Wii Moo Moo Meadows |
1:46.099 | ||||
GBA Mario Circuit |
1:49.158 | ||||
DS Cheep Cheep Beach |
2:11.220 | ||||
N64 Toad's Turnpike |
2:08.059 |
Banana Cup
GCN Dry Dry Desert |
2:29.678 | ||||
SNES Donut Plains 3 |
1:39.148 | ||||
N64 Royal Raceway |
2:21.371 | ||||
3DS DK Jungle |
2:26.900 |
Leaf Cup
DS Wario Stadium |
2:14.213 | ||||
GCN Sherbet Land |
2:21.192 | ||||
3DS Music Park |
2:24.468 | ||||
N64 Yoshi Valley |
2:28.814 |
Lightning Cup
DS Tick-Tock Clock |
2:13.712 | ||||
3DS Piranha Plant Slide |
2:23.991 | ||||
Wii Grumble Volcano |
2:18.305 | ||||
N64 Rainbow Road |
1:33.731 |
Egg Cup
GCN Yoshi Circuit |
2:11.299 | ||||
Excitebike Arena | 2:06.483 | ||||
Dragon Driftway | 2:05.487 | ||||
Mute City | 2:10.427 |
Triforce Cup
Wii Wario's Gold Mine |
2:19.782 | ||||
SNES Rainbow Road |
1:46.599 | ||||
Ice Ice Outpost | 2:07.868 | ||||
Hyrule Circuit | 2:11.156 |
Crossing Cup
GCN Baby Park |
1:22.562 | ||||
GBA Cheese Land |
2:09.601 | ||||
Wild Woods | 2:04.480 | ||||
Animal Crossing | 1:58.273 |
Bell Cup
3DS Neo Bowser City |
2:09.513 | ||||
GBA Ribbon Road |
2:11.839 | ||||
Super Bell Subway | 2:07.175 | ||||
Big Blue | 1:44.100 |