- Not to be confused with Wii DK Summit.
| DK Pass | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Information | ||
| Appears in | Mario Kart DS (2005) Mario Kart 7 (2011) Mario Kart Tour (2019) Mario Kart World (2025) | |
| Cup(s) | Star Cup (DS, World) Leaf Cup (7) | |
| Tour(s) | ||
| Rally(s) | Spiny Rally Acorn Rally | |
| Online play | No longer available (DS, 3DS) | |
| ||
| ||
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DK Pass is the first course of the Star Cup in Mario Kart DS. It takes place in a snowy mountain lined with winding roads overlooking a frozen lake. It is one of Donkey Kong's home courses in the Mario Kart series, but the only elements themed after him are the sponsors, all appearing in the form of trackside banners.
DK Pass reappears in Mario Kart 7 as the second course of the Leaf Cup, in Mario Kart Tour starting with the 2019 Winter Tour, and will make its home console debut in Mario Kart World as the first course in the Star Cup. DK Pass and Desert Hills are the only courses in the series to appear in two separate games in both the same cup and same slot, both instances being between DS and World.
Mario Kart DS
The stage takes the player over a mountain and back down. Numerous snowballs roll around, and racers lose their item and spin backward if they crash into one. Snowmen also appear in the course, similar to the ones in Frappe Snowland in Mario Kart 64. Collision with them has an identical effect as crashing into a snowball. An isolated Item Box appears up on a snowy cliff at the peak of the hill, after the second set of normal item boxes. The player can avoid slowing down by using a Mushroom to get through the snow to the item box, but in it contains one of these items: Star, Mushroom, Triple Mushrooms, or a Red Shell. Any of them can be received in any position, including in Wi-Fi play, but it will usually yield Triple Mushrooms or a Star.
Missions
Two missions take place on DK Pass, both involving driving through the course in reverse: Mission 4-1, where Wario has to beat Donkey Kong in a single-lap race, and Mission 5-7, where Toad has to pass through 8 gates within 45 seconds.
Mario Kart 7
DK Pass makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart 7 as the second course of the Leaf Cup. Trees in the off-road sections were removed, and some wooden ramps have been placed in the off-road area of this track, allowing players to perform a trick and gain a boost. The Dash Panel in the large jump is replaced with a Glide Ramp. Landing outside the barriers will result in an "out-of-bounds". The secret item box on the hill still holds a Mushroom, Triple Mushroom, or a Star, but will more often yield only a Mushroom than before, and no longer yields a Red Shell. Much like DK Summit from Mario Kart Wii, the race starts out foggy in the first two laps, but the fog clears up on the final lap. It is also now snowing throughout the race, which did not happen in the original.
An shortcut can be performed by leaning off the log ramp on the right before the Glide Ramp, using a Mushroom and tricking to gain air time, and bypassing the cliff to the right to land behind the finish line. The player now must simply cross back over the finish line in the right direction to make the lap count.[1]
Mario Kart Tour
DK Pass returns in Mario Kart Tour, first appearing in the 2019 Winter Tour. The tunnel at the start of the course is redesigned, being of a rounded shape. Near the end of the track, the small village was redesigned and made more visible. Similar to Mario Kart 8, the Mario Kart logo uses a modern design instead of the classic design. Due to a lack of Stars and the Triple Mushrooms being a special item, the secret Item Box only gives normal items. From its debut up until part two of the 2019 Holiday Tour, a festive tree is found by the small village.
In Mario Kart Tour, it is the first course to serve as the signature course in two tours (the 2019 Winter Tour and the Jungle Tour). Like with most other courses, the course has variants known as DK Pass R (reversed), DK Pass T (with ramps), and DK Pass R/T (reversed with ramps); the former two debuted alongside the regular variant in the 2019 Winter Tour, while the latter debuted in the Ice Tour.
In the R/T variant, racers drive across a pair of mushroom trampolines.
Appearances
For this course's tour appearances, see List of DS DK Pass tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.
Top-tier and middle-tier items
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which DS DK Pass and its variants are always favored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, see List of DS DK Pass tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.
Bonus challenges
Mario Kart World
This section is referring to a subject in an upcoming or recently released game. When the game is released, or more information about this subject is found, this section may need major rewriting.
This notice should be removed after a month has passed since the game was first released.
DK Pass makes its home console debut in Mario Kart World, appearing as the first course of the Star Cup. Unlike its previous incarnations, DK Pass now has a skiing theme,[6] though Snowboarding Shy Guys are present as well, similar to DK Summit in Mario Kart Wii.[7]
Sponsors
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart 7
Mario Kart Tour
Profiles
Mario Kart DS
- Website description:
- English (American):
Covered with snow and ice, DK Pass is as dangerous as it gets. Tight turns and runaway snowballs make for nail-biting fun on DK's home turf. - English (British):
Brr, it's chilly in them thar hills... Pack your winter woollies through for this sub-zero speed through snow-capped peaks, as you dodge rolling snowballs and negotiate rows of rock-solid snowmen that bring your kart to an abrupt halt. Keep moving or your engine might freeze up...
- English (American):
Mario Kart Tour
- Mario Kart Tour Twitter: "As soon as the race begins, the once-peaceful slopes of DK Pass transform into a fighting frenzy for first place! Grab your kart and hit the hill in #MarioKartTour!"[8]
Gallery
Mario Kart DS
The starting line
Dry Bones going up the mountain pass
Donkey Kong races down the mountainside.
The segment near the finish line
Yoshi driving up the mountain pass in an older, removed version of the course
Mario Kart 7
Donkey Kong at the start of the race
A first-person view of the starting line
The tunnel immediately after the start
Donkey Kong going up the mountain pass
Donkey Kong going down the mountain
Toad driving further downhill in first-person during a Grand Prix. The image can be viewed in 3D on a 3DS; see the guide at Category:Stereoscopic images
Donkey Kong gliding
The gliding segment near the finish line
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Mario Kart Tour
Course icons
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Mario Kart Tour race course icons (DS courses) § DK Pass.
The course icon
The course icon of the R variant
The course icon of the T variant
The course icon of the R/T variant
Screenshots
View of the starting line
View of the cliffside
Another view of the cliffside
View of the section leading to the glide ramp
View of the cabins
View of a snowperson and festive tree
View of a festive tree during the 2019 Winter Tour
Donkey Kong participating in Goomba Takedown
Donkey Kong participating in Goomba Takedown
Mario (Santa) tricking in the Cheermellow
Shy Guy participating in the Glider Challenge
Pink Gold Peach boosting in the Wildfire Flyer
Black Shy Guy and Mario racing on the course
"Thank you" message for the Winter Tour
Yoshi (Reindeer) tricking in the Jingle Bells
Yoshi (Reindeer) gliding in the Jingle Bells with the Gift Glider
"Happy Holidays" message
Ice Mario using an Ice Flower on the R variant
Donkey Kong tricking in the Ice-blue Poltergust
Donkey Kong boosting in the Snow Skimmer
Donkey Kong gliding in the DK Jumbo with the Barrel Hanafuda on the R/T variant
Bowser Jr. gliding in the Bolt Buggy with the Super Glider
Morton tricking in the Pipe Buggy and Diddy Kong tricking in the Rambi Rider
Donkey Kong collecting event tokens by hitting Mario with a Banana
Wario (Hiker) and Peach (Wintertime) gliding
Racers gliding in Pipe Frames with the Baby Mario Hanafuda and its variants on the R/T variant
Penguin Luigi and Penguin Toad tricking on the course
Penguin Mario and Penguin Luigi drifting on the R/T variant
Dry Bones (Gold), Kamek, and Peach (Vacation) tricking on the course
Donkey Kong doing the "Do Jump Boosts" Bonus Challenge
Mario Kart World
World map icon
Naming
Internal names
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart DS | snow_course | Snow course |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | DKスノーマウンテン[?] DK Sunō Maunten |
DK Snow Mountain | |
| Chinese | DK雪山[?] DK Xuěshān |
DK Snow Mountain | |
| Dutch | DK's Piste[?] | DK's Ski Track. In Dutch, a Piste is a snow slope prepared for skiing | |
| French | Alpes DK[?] | DK Alps | |
| German | DK Alpin[?] | DK Alps | |
| Italian | Vette di DK[?] | DK's Peaks | |
| Korean | DK 스노우 마운틴[?] DK Seunou Mauntin |
DK Snow Mountain | |
| Portuguese | Passagem DK[?] | DK Pass | |
| Russian | Перевал ДК[?] Pereval DK |
DK Pass | |
| Spanish | DK Alpino[?] | Alpine DK |
Notes
- DK Pass is the only course in the Leaf Cup from Mario Kart 7 not to appear in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass.
- Kalimari Desert appears as the third course in the Turnip Cup.
- Daisy Cruiser appears as the second course in the Feather Cup.
- Maple Treeway appears as the final course in the Rock Cup.
References
- ^ new MOMIジ (April 24, 2020). [MK7 WR Replay] DS DK Pass (Glitch) 1:54.946. YouTube (English). Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Andruidus (July 22, 2020). Mario Kart Tour - Exploration Tour: Yoshi Cup. YouTube. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ TheMadWeazel (July 15, 2020). Exploration Tour “Yoshi Cup” - Mario Kart Tour. YouTube. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ a b TheMadWeazel (November 30, 2019). Winter Tour “Peachette Cup” - Mario Kart Tour. YouTube. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
- ^ Andruidus (December 6, 2019). Mario Kart Tour - Winter Tour: Peachette Cup. YouTube. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ^ Nintendo of America (April 2, 2025). Mario Kart World – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Switch 2. YouTube. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ File:Mkw dkpass icon.jpg
- ^ mariokarttourEN (November 22, 2019). Post on X. X (English). Retrieved March 13, 2020.