Editing SNES Bowser Castle 3

{{classic title}}
{{about|the race course from ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''|the race course from ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'' and retro course in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''|[[GBA Bowser's Castle 3]]}}
{{race course infobox
|title=Bowser Castle 3
|image={{tabber|title1=''Super Mario Kart''|content1=[[File:SMK Bowser Castle 3 Lower-Screen Map.png]]|title2=''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''|content2=[[File:MKSC Bowser Castle 3 SNES.png]]|title3=''Mario Kart Tour''|content3=[[File:MKT SNES BowserCastle3 Scene.jpg|250px]]|title4=''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''|content4=[[File:MK8D SNES Bowser Castle 3 Scene 1.png|250px]]}}
|appears_in=''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' ([[List of games by date#1992|1992]])<br>''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'' ([[List of games by date#2001|2001]])<br>''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' (2023)<br>''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' (''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'', Wave 6) (2023)
|cups=[[Star Cup]] (''Super Mario Kart'')<br>[[Extra Cup|Extra Star Cup]] (''Super Circuit'')<br>[[Spiny Cup]] (''8 Deluxe'')
|tours=[[Bowser Tour (2023)]]
|sample=''Super Mario Kart / Mario Kart Tour''<br>[[File:SMK-Music-BowserCastle.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''<br>[[File:MKSC-ExtraCourse-BowserCastle.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''<br>[[File:Switch SNES Bowser Castle 3 BCP.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' (frontrunning)<br>[[File:Switch SNES Bowser Castle 3 Frontrunning BCP.oga]]
|online_play=Available ([[Nintendo Switch|Switch]])
|map=''Super Mario Kart''<br>[[File:SMK Bowser Castle 3 Overhead Map.png|140px]]<br>''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''<br>[[File:MKSC SNES Bowser Castle 3 Map.png|140px]]<br>[[File:MKSC SNES Bowser Castle 3 Extra Cup Map.png|frameless|upright=0.75]][[File:MKSC SNES Bowser Castle 3 Mini Map.png|frameless|upright=0.75]]<br>''Mario Kart Tour''<br>[[File:MKT Map BowserCastle3SNES.png|140px]]<br>''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''<br>[[File:MK8DX SNES Bowser Castle 3 Map.png|140px]]
|ghost={{ghost|8DX <small>150cc</small>|Nin★Polly|1:54.632|[[File:MK8 Bowser Icon.png|32px|link=Bowser]][[File:LandshipBodyMK8.png|32px|link=Landship]][[File:WoodTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Wood]][[File:MK8ThumbBowserSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}{{ghost|8DX <small>200cc</small>|Nin★Mark|1:22.052|[[File:MK8DX Dry Bones Icon.png|32px|link=Dry Bones]][[File:StandardKartBodyMK8D DryBones.png|32px|link=Standard Kart]][[File:MonsterTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Monster (tire)]][[File:MK8DThumbDryBonesSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}
}}

'''Bowser Castle 3''' is the fourth course of the [[Star Cup]] in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''. Like every Bowser Castle course, the entire race is held inside a large castle room filled with a big [[lava]] pool.

The course returns in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'' as the second track of the [[Extra Cup|Extra Star Cup]], in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' starting with the [[Bowser Tour (2023)|2023 Bowser Tour]], and the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' for ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as the third course of the [[Spiny Cup]], as well as being the penultimate course of the game overall.

==''Super Mario Kart''==
===Course layout===
[[File:SMK Bowser Castle 3 Screenshot.jpg|thumb|left|[[Luigi]] approaching a split path on Bowser Castle 3]]
As with the other Bowser Castle tracks, Bowser Castle 3 is composed entirely of straightaways and 90° turns. There are also [[Thwomp]]s as obstacles, which remain airborne on the first lap. The course begins with a left turn, a straightaway with a row of four Thwomps at the end, and another left turn. Racers then encounter the first fork where they must continuously jump over the lava onto various platforms while dodging four individual Thwomps. The platforms also have individual [[? Panel]]s. After two left turns, a brief straightaway with another row of four Thwomps, and two right turns, racers encounter the track's second fork; here there are three distinct paths separated by walls. The leftmost has six [[coin]]s and a [[Dash Panel|zipper]], but is farthest away and narrows the following turn into a hairpin. The easiest path to reach is the right one, which has a jump pad and a zipper directly behind such that a player who hits the jump line passes over the zipper. To reach the zipper, racers must time a hop over the jump pad. The middle path has six coins and two jump pads with ? Panels positioned behind them. At the end of the left and rights paths is an individual Thwomp. After two more left turns, racers pass a pair of Thwomps and soon reach the finish line.

{{br|left}}

==''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''==
Bowser Castle 3 reappeared in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'', and is the second track of the [[Extra Cup|Extra Star Cup]]. It uses the background from [[GBA Bowser's Castle 1|that game's Bowser Castle 1]]. The Thwomps and zippers were removed from the track, along with the jump pad in the rightmost path at the end. Also, the Question Blocks in the first split path were reduced to just three [[Item Box]]es (one on both sides early on, and one in the middle afterwards).
{{br}}

==''Mario Kart Tour''==
Bowser Castle 3 returns in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' starting with the [[Bowser Tour (2023)|2023 Bowser Tour]], marking the first reappearance of an SNES Bowser Castle course in a ''Mario Kart'' title since ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''. It was the final SNES course added to the game. Unlike any other SNES courses that reappeared before it, the course has received a major visual and gameplay overhaul, including a new starting banner, being the first SNES remake in the ''Mario Kart'' series to feature any kind of dynamic elevation. Unlike the [[GBA Bowser's Castle 1|GBA]] [[GBA Bowser's Castle 2|Bowser's]] [[GBA Bowser's Castle 3|Castle]] [[GBA Bowser's Castle 4|courses]] in ''Mario Kart Tour'', this course retains its original name, Bowser Castle, as opposed to being changed to read "Bowser's Castle".

Large stretches of the course are now angled vertically, including segments of lava. The course now features more walls, pillars, and ramps. Offroad has been added all throughout the course, similar in appearance to the offroad present in GBA Bowser's Castles. Unlike in most other ''Tour'' courses, the offroad is not blocked off at all through the game's Smart Steering, even for the patches that do not serve as opportunities for shortcuts. The layout of the jump section has been streamlined, with the platforms all being fully aligned and offroad now breaking up the platforms. [[Lava Geyser]]s now erupt from the lava. An extra turn has been added before the U-bend where the track previously only got thinner, marked with an arrow sign. The walls separating the three roads towards the end can now be driven on, and gaps have been added between sections of the walls. The final turn is now a curved bend as opposed to two 90 degree turns. [[Bone Piranha Plant]]s have been added to the end of the course. The background is more open, since the arches in the background have been trimmed down and do not fill the entire horizon. A volcano similar to that of [[3DS Bowser's Castle]] has been added to the course's background.

The course also appears as '''Bowser Castle 3R''' (reversed), '''Bowser Castle 3T''' (with ramps), and '''Bowser Castle 3R/T''' (reversed with ramps). In the R variant, there is a [[Glide Ramp|glide ramp]] at the beginning of the last straightaway, allowing racers to cut off the final turn. In the T and R/T variants, a glide ramp is located at the fork with the numerous jumps. In the R/T variant this allows racers to cut off the second to last turn if they can dodge the additional Bone Piranha Plants that are present.

Like with the Donut Plains, Koopa Beach, and Vanilla Lake courses, this course reuses its original musical arrangement from ''Super Mario Kart''. 
{{br|left}}

===Appearances===
For this course's tour appearances, see [[List of SNES Bowser Castle 3 tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour|List of SNES Bowser Castle 3 tour appearances in ''Mario Kart Tour'']].

===Top-tier and middle-tier items===
{{MKT favored table|SNES|Bowser Castle 3}}

===Bonus challenges===
<div class="contentbox mw-collapsible mw-collapsed>
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Big Reverse Race|SNES Bowser Castle 3}}
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Steer Clear of Obstacles|SNES Bowser Castle 3}}
</div>

==''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''==
Bowser Castle 3 reappears in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as part of the sixth and final wave of the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' DLC. It appears as the third course of the [[Spiny Cup]], marking the first time an SNES Bowser Castle course has been present in a cup since ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''. It and {{classic-link|SNES|Mario Circuit 3}} are the only courses from ''Super Mario Kart'' to appear in the Booster Course Pass. It is also the first and only classic [[Bowser's Castle]] to appear in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''. It is based on its appearance in ''Mario Kart Tour'', but with significant visual upgrades. [[Anti-gravity]] has been added starting from the first jump, continuing up until the end of the slanted section, making it the first SNES course to use anti-gravity. The Thwomp in this section was removed. The ground at the top of the incline is now a metal grate, instead of stone. Fireballs have been added as an obstacle, while more Thwomps appear along various parts of the course. Some of the added offroad from the ''Tour'' version was removed, while all the offroad was removed from the minimap. The turn following the antigravity section has been made slanted instead of following 90 degree angles. Metal blocks were added along the inner edge of the curved turn. Two Thwomps are added at the final jump with coins that lay atop them, which can be collected by players passing over them. The left side of the course in this final stretch has been widened. The music was also arranged as a metal composition; the only retained instruments from the original SNES version of the track are the sampled AKAI S1000 brass hits. Like [[3DS Rock Rock Mountain|Rock Rock Mountain]] in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', [[Toad Harbor]], {{classic-link|3DS|DK Jungle}}, [[Mute City]], and {{classic-link|GBA|Ribbon Road}}, the final lap version of the music uses a different, shorter intro than the normal version; it is the only Booster Course to do so.

Although the course's name in-game and in the Wave 6 reveal trailer reads as "Bowser Castle", like in its previous appearances, the official North American website for the ''Booster Course Pass'' names the course as '''Bowser's Castle 3''', matching most modern Bowser's Castle courses. Bowser Castle 3 is the only SNES course in the game to not be the second course of its cup, as {{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 3}}, {{classic-link|SNES|Rainbow Road}}, and {{classic-link|SNES|Mario Circuit 3}} are respectively the second courses of the [[Banana Cup|Banana]], [[Triforce Cup|Triforce]], and [[Turnip Cup|Turnip]] cups.

Internally, the course is referred to as "Cnsw_57", implying it may have originally been intended to be the third course of the [[Cherry Cup]].

==Profiles==
===''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''===
*'''Nintendo Switch News app (UK): ''Burn up the track in Bowser Castle 3!'''<br>Today we'd like to present another course released as part of the sixth wave, which is available now: {{Color|Bowser Castle 3|blue}}.<br>This course, first introduced in the Super NES game {{Color|Super Mario Kart|blue}}, is hosted in the imposing, lava-encircled environs of Bowser Castle, on a track further complicated by Thwomps and Bone Piranha Plants. You'll need to drift deftly to navigate the course's many right-angle corners, and make good use of Spin Boosts in the antigravity zones of the latter half if you're aiming for a decent time!''

*'''Nintendo Switch News app (US)''':
**''This course first appeared in the Super Mario Kart™ game on the Super NES™ System.''
**''Welcome to Bowser Castle! For those who lava good obstacle, this course is littered with Thwomps and Bone Piranha Plants looking to stand in your way. Oh, and of course watch out for lava!''
**''You’ll need to flex your drifting skills to tackle the many sharp 90-degree curves here. You can try to shorten your time by using the spin turbos in the anti-gravity areas in the first half of the course.''

==Gallery==
===''Mario Kart Tour''===
====Course icons====
{{main-gallery|Mario Kart Tour race course icons (SNES courses)#Bowser Castle 3|Mario Kart Tour race course icons (SNES courses) § Bowser Castle 3}}
<gallery>
MKT Icon BowserCastle3SNES Meowser.png|The course icon
MKT Icon BowserCastle3RSNES LudwigMiiRacingSuit.png|The course icon of the R variant
MKT Icon BowserCastle3TSNES IggyMiiRacingSuit.png|The course icon of the T variant
MKT Icon BowserCastle3RTSNES CatLuigi.png|The course icon of the R/T variant
</gallery>

====Screenshots====
<gallery>
MKT SNESBowserCastle3 Scene.png|View of the starting line
MKT SNESBowserCastle3.png|Alternative view of the starting line
MKT SNESBowserCastle3 Scene2.png|View of the ramps section
MKT SNESBowserCastle3 Scene3.png|View of the walled off road
</gallery>
===''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''===
<gallery>
MK8D SNES Bowser Castle 3 Course Icon.png|The course icon
MK8D SNES Bowser Castle 3 Scene 2.png|View of the castle
MK8-Course-SNES BowserCastle3.jpg|Thwomps on the course
MK8D SNES Bowser Castle 3 Scene 4.png|[[Bowser]] and [[Bowser Jr.]] driving on the course
MK8D SNES Bowser Castle 3 Scene 5.png|Bowser and [[Dry Bowser]] on the course
MK8D_SNES_Bowser_Castle_3_Scene_6.png|Bowser on the course
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=クッパじょうコース ３ <small>(''Super Mario Kart'')</small>
|JapR=Kuppa Jō Kōsu 3
|JapM=Bowser Castle Course 3
|Jap2=クッパじょう３
|Jap2R=Kuppa Jō 3
|Jap2M=Bowser Castle 3
|ChiS=酷霸王城堡 3
|ChiSR=Kùbàwáng Chéngbǎo 3
|ChiSM=Bowser Castle 3
|ChiT=庫巴城堡 3
|ChiTR=Kùbā Chéngbǎo 3
|ChiTM=Bowser Castle 3
|Dut=Bowsers Kasteel 3
|DutM=Bowser's Castle 3
|Fre=Château de Bowser 3
|FreM=Bowser’s Castle 3
|Ger=Bowsers Festung 3
|GerM=Bowser’s Castle 3
|Ita=Castello di Bowser 3
|ItaM=Bowser's Castle 3
|Kor=쿠파 성 3
|KorR=Kupa Seong 3
|KorM=Bowser Castle 3
|Por=Castelo do Bowser 3
|PorM=Bowser's Castle 3
|Spa=Castillo de Bowser 3
|SpaM=Bowser's Castle 3
|Rus=Замок Боузера 3
|RusR=Zamok Bouzera 3
|RusM=Bowser's Castle 3
}}

==References==
<references/>

{{MK race courses}}
{{SMK}}
{{MKSC}}
{{MKT}}
{{MK8}}
[[Category:Bowser's castles]]
[[Category:Volcanic areas]]
[[Category:Classic courses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass race courses]]
[[Category:Super Mario Kart race courses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart: Super Circuit race courses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour race courses]]
[[de:Bowsers Festung 3 (Super Mario Kart)]]
[[it:Castello di Bowser 3 (SNES)]]