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GBA Sky Garden Mario Kart DS · Lightning Cup, race 3

GBA Sky Garden in Mario Kart DS
GBA Sky Garden course preview

A cobbled road on top of the clouds, linked by bridges and decorated with beanstalks. There are no obstacles, but the open edges make falling off the main danger, and the course is full of shortcuts for racers with boosts.

Cup
Lightning Cup · race 3
Origin
Mario Kart: Super Circuit (GBA, 2001)
Laps
3
Staff ghost
1'44"400
Online play
Yes (until 2014)
GBA Sky Garden course map
Course map (overhead view)

Lap walkthrough

  1. Turn left into the first items and follow a slight S-bend to a wide ramp
  2. Take a reverse S-bend, a left turn and a short straight
  3. Go left, sharp right and left again onto a short bridge
  4. Take a sharp left and two slight bends, then a right U-turn
  5. Cross the second bridge with the last Item Boxes
  6. Take two lefts and a slight right onto the final straight, which has a ramp and a hole on the left

What changed in the DS version

A new shortcut across a large gap was added, and a longer cloud now sits in front of the original first shortcut at the end of its gap.

Racing tips

  • DS-only shortcut: cross the small boost ramp that leads to an Item Box, then use a Mushroom and hop at exactly the right moment to clear the large gap.
  • The same gap can be cleared without a Mushroom by a perfectly placed jump in a high-acceleration kart, but it is very difficult.
  • Do not be afraid to brake: one bad line sends you off the clouds.

Hazards

Track edges (falling off).

Staff ghost

Staff time
1'44"400
Beat to unlock
1'52"752
Racer
Daisy
Staff name
Ninten★ドリー

Set a Time Trial record within 108% of the staff time to unlock the ghost. All staff ghost times.

Missions on GBA Sky Garden

  • Mission 6-5 Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order! (Peach, 0:50)

Full Mission Mode guide

Screenshots

GBA Sky Garden screenshot 1
GBA Sky Garden in Mario Kart DS
GBA Sky Garden screenshot 2
GBA Sky Garden in Mario Kart DS

FAQ

What cup is GBA Sky Garden in?

The Lightning Cup, as race 3 of 4, in the Retro Grand Prix.

Where is GBA Sky Garden from?

Mario Kart: Super Circuit (GBA, 2001). A new shortcut across a large gap was added, and a longer cloud now sits in front of the original first shortcut at the end of its gap.

How many laps is GBA Sky Garden?

3 laps.

What is the staff ghost time on GBA Sky Garden?

1'44"400, set with Daisy in the Power Flower. Finish a Time Trial in 1'52"752 or faster to race it.

Could you race GBA Sky Garden online?

Yes: it was one of the 20 courses on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which closed on May 20, 2014.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against the Super Mario Wiki and the Mario Kart Racing Wiki. Kart statistics, staff ghost times and item odds are the values from the game data as transcribed by the Super Mario Wiki. Screenshots, renders and artwork © Nintendo; local copies archived from Super Mario Wiki file pages (listed on the image gallery).