Editing Tour Athens Dash

{{Classic title}}
{{race course infobox
|title=Athens Dash
|image=[[File:MKT Athens Dash Scene 2.jpg|300px]]<br>View of the {{wp|Theatre of Dionysus}} and [[Hadrian's Arch]]
|appears_in=''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' (2023)<br>''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' (''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'', Wave 5) (2023)
|cups=[[Feather Cup]]
|tours='''Athens Dash:'''<br>[[Spring Tour]]<br>[[Vacation Tour]]<br>'''Athens Dash 2:'''<br>[[Spring Tour]]<br>[[Vacation Tour]]<br>'''Athens Dash 3'''<br>[[Anniversary Tour (2023)]]
|based_on=[[Athens]], {{wp|Greece}}
|online_play=Available ([[Nintendo Switch|Switch]])
|sample='''''Mario Kart Tour'''''<br>[[File:MKT Athens Dash Theme.oga]]<br>'''''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'''''<br>Normal<br>[[File:Switch Tour AthensDash BCP.oga]]<br>Frontrunning<br>[[File:Switch_Tour_Athens_Dash_Frontrunning_BCP.mp3]]
|map=''Mario Kart Tour''<br><small>Athens Dash</small><br>[[File:MKT Map AthensDash.png|140px]]<br><small>Athens Dash 2</small><br>[[File:MKT Map AthensDash2.png|140px]]<br><small>Athens Dash 3</small><br>[[File:MKT Map AthensDash3.png|140px]]<br>''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''<br>[[File:MK8DX Tour Athens Dash Map.png|140px]]
|ghost={{ghost|8DX <small>150cc</small>|Nin★Pedro|1:52.892|[[File:MK8DX Wiggler Icon.png|32px|link=Wiggler]][[File:MK8 Orange Circuit Special.png|32px|link=Circuit Special]][[File:SpongeTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Sponge]][[File:MK8ThumbOrangeSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}{{ghost|8DX <small>200cc</small>|Nin★Massim|1:21.362|[[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]]}}
}}
'''Athens Dash''' is a race course in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''. It is set in [[Athens]], {{wp|Greece}} and first appeared in the [[Spring Tour]], making it the first city course to debut in a tour that is not named after the city it is based on. The course is the fifth course set in a European city. The course visits various landmarks of the city it is based upon, specifically atop the {{wp|Acropolis of Athens|Acropolis}}, and the various ruins atop it, such as the [[Parthenon]] and the {{wp|Erechtheion}}. Unlike most other city courses, Athens Dash largely keeps the city proper to the background, instead focusing on the ancient ruins the city is known for. Also unlike other real world city courses, which tend to reconstruct real world buildings faithfully, this course takes many liberties regarding its design, such as placing a gigantic statue of {{wp|Athena}} outside the Parthenon, made of ivory and gold and wielding a spear and shield, similarly to the long-disappeared statue of {{wp|Athena Parthenos}}. Like [[Tour Sydney Sprint|Sydney Sprint]] and [[Tour Singapore Speedway|Singapore Speedway]], the track largely does not condense landmarks down and instead situates the ones featured around where they are in real life, though akin to the former, it takes more liberties with the layout and what's included. The starting banner consists of two golden statues of {{wp|Danaïdes}} holding vases of water.

There are three routes for this course, named Athens Dash, '''Athens Dash 2''', and '''Athens Dash 3'''. The first two routes debuted together while the third route debuted in the [[Anniversary Tour (2023)|2023 Anniversary Tour]]. The first route takes racers to the {{wp|Theatre of Dionysus}} and [[Hadrian's Arch]], the second route takes racers off the Acropolis, and the third route features the {{wp|Odeon of Herodes Atticus}} and a large drop onto the Theatre of Dionysus. Additionally, the first route starts in the opposite direction compared to the other two. It is the first city course in ''Mario Kart Tour'' to debut in 2023; additionally, the period of time between its introduction and the introduction of the previous city course is longer than any other city course, with twenty-one tours between [[Tour Bangkok Rush|Bangkok Rush]]'s debut in the [[Bangkok Tour]] and Athens Dash's debut in the Spring Tour. Athens Dash is also the first city course to feature [[Half-pipe (object)|half-pipes]] and the second city course to lack any [[Lists of sponsors|sponsor]] advertisements, the first being Singapore Speedway. Prior to the official reveal of Athens Dash, references to assets for this course such as pillars and doorways were left within the game's internal data, all of which were appended with the course's internal abbreviation (<tt>mobat</tt>).

Athens Dash returns in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as the first course of the [[Feather Cup]] in the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]''.

==''Mario Kart Tour''==
{{multiframe
|align=right
|1=<div style=background:#999999>[[File:MKT FullMap AthensDash.png|120px]][[File:MKT FullMap AthensDash2.png|120px]][[File:MKT FullMap AthensDash3.png|120px]]</div>
|2=The city course's routes in relation to each other.
}}
===Athens Dash===
Racers start inside the [[Parthenon]]. Upon leaving the Parthenon, racers soon take a left turn before going down hill to approach some ruins. Racers can choose to jump off of a ramp and drive along the floor, or jump up on some arches and collect a few coins. After avoiding some ruins that create a fork in the road, racers drive up a ramp before landing on the {{wp|Theatre of Dionysus}}. After curving along the seats, racers drive off a boost panel, and take two left turns to enter a cannon located beneath the [[Hadrian's Arch]], taking them back up to the Acropolis via a tunnel that has swarms of [[Swoop]]s. After exiting the tunnel and taking a left turn, racers make their way back to the Parthenon to reach the finish line.

This route also appears as '''Athens Dash R''' (reversed), '''Athens Dash T''' (with ramps), and '''Athens Dash R/T''' (reversed with ramps). In the R and R/T variants, racers leave the Theatre of Dionysus via road that's not present on the minimap. In the T variant, the Swoops are gone. In the R/T variant, the starting line is now located in the middle of the former gliding section near Hadrian's Arch, making this course one of five courses in ''Mario Kart Tour'' to not start in the same location as the original, the others being [[3DS Rock Rock Mountain|3DS Rock Rock Mountain T]], [[3DS Rainbow Road|3DS Rainbow Road T, 3DS Rainbow Road R/T]], and [[Tour Singapore Speedway|Singapore Speedway R/T]]. The gliding section itself is now shortened to begin after the new starting line.

====Appearances====
For this course's tour appearances, see [[List of Athens Dash tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour#Athens Dash|List of Athens Dash tour appearances in ''Mario Kart Tour'' § Athens Dash]].

====Top-tier and middle-tier items====
{{MKT favored table|new|Athens Dash}}

====Bonus challenges====
<div class="contentbox mw-collapsible mw-collapsed>
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Do Jump Boosts|Athens Dash}}
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Big Reverse Race|Athens Dash}}
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Time Trial|Athens Dash}}
</div>

===Athens Dash 2===
This route starts in the opposite direction of the first route. After leaving the [[Parthenon]], racers take a left turn and approach the {{wp|Erechtheion}} briefly before taking a [[Glide Ramp|glide ramp]] into a street resembling {{wp|Monastiraki}}, driving down many sets of staircases as they approach a wide U-bend. After the U-bend, racers approach the {{wp|Roman Agora}} while avoiding a [[Thwomp]]. They then begin driving uphill, avoiding [[boulder]]s that fall down the Acropolis. Here, there is a shortcut in a narrow tunnel that can be reached with a boost. Once up the Acropolis, racers drive beneath the {{wp|Beulé Gate}} and the {{wp|Propylaea}} while avoiding a pair of [[Goomba]]s. After a brief straightaway, they approach the finish line.

The course also appears as '''Athens Dash 2R''' (reversed), '''Athens Dash 2T''' (with ramps), and '''Athens Dash 2R/T''' (reversed with ramps). In all three variants, the boulders and Goombas are gone. In the R variant, there are two Thwomps positioned side-by-side, and racers use a [[Cannon (Mario Kart series)|cannon]] just after the wide U-bend. In the T variant, there are five Thwomps throughout the course, and the gliding section is gone; racers instead use a glide ramp once up the Acropolis. In the R/T variant, all Thwomps are gone.

====Appearances====
For this course's tour appearances, see [[List of Athens Dash tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour#Athens Dash 2|List of Athens Dash tour appearances in ''Mario Kart Tour'' § Athens Dash 2]].

====Top-tier and middle-tier items====
{{MKT favored table|new|Athens Dash 2}}

====Bonus challenges====
<div class="contentbox mw-collapsible mw-collapsed>
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Time Trial|Athens Dash 2|Athens Dash 2R}}
</div>

===Athens Dash 3===
This route starts in the same direction as the second route. After exiting the [[Parthenon]], racers immediately take a right turn to drive on a [[Dash Panel|dash panel]] ramp, sending them on a long fall onto the {{wp|Theatre of Dionysus}}. Upon landing, racers drive on a road connecting to the stage of the theatre, turning right to approach the ruins. After taking a split path around a ruin in the middle of the road and tricking off fallen pillars, racers take a left into an entrance to the {{wp|Odeon of Herodes Atticus}}. Racers drive across the Odeon's stage before ascending a section of seats covered in dirt to leave the Odeon. Racers then take a right next to the {{wp|Beulé Gate}} to climb up some stairs and drive beneath the {{wp|Propylaea}}, while avoiding a pair of [[Thwomp]]s, before taking one last straightaway to the finish line.

The course also appears as '''Athens Dash 3R''' (reversed), '''Athens Dash 3T''' (with ramps), and '''Athens Dash 3R/T''' (reversed with ramps). In the R and T variants, the Thwomps are gone. In the R variant, racers use a [[Glide Ramp|glide ramp]] to exit the Theatre of Dionysus. In the T variant, there is a glide ramp that allows racers to glide over the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. In the R/T variant, the pair of Thwomps now appears where racers exit the threate.

====Bonus challenges====
<div class="contentbox mw-collapsible mw-collapsed>
{{MKT bonus challenge table|Time Trial|Athens Dash 3}}
</div>

==''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''==
[[File:MK8-Course-Tour AthensDash.jpg|thumb|250px|Athens Dash in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'']]
Athens Dash returns in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as part of Wave 5 of the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' DLC. It appears as the first course of the [[Feather Cup]]. It has received significant visual upgrades compared to its appearance in ''Mario Kart Tour''. The cannon from the first route has been replaced with a normal Glide Ramp. As Athens Dash 3 had yet to be released when this course was added to the Booster Course Pass, Athens Dash is one of the two ''Tour'' city courses alongside [[Tour Sydney Sprint|Sydney Sprint]] to be added to the pass before all three variants were released. The course features a second starting line (along the Athens Dash 3 route), making it the second course in the ''Mario Kart'' series to open a cup and use sections (after [[Wuhu Loop]] in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'') and the third course in the series to feature both laps and sections, the first two being {{classic-link|N64|Kalimari Desert}} and {{classic-link|Tour|Singapore Speedway}} (though unlike those courses, the section replaces the second lap rather than the third). It is used to begin the second lap, while the third and final lap starts in reverse along the Athens Dash 2 route.<ref>@NintendoAmerica (July 7, 2023). "[https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1677435870075572224 ''The Feather Cup arrives in Wave 5 of the #MarioKart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass! Enjoy two classic courses in Daisy Cruiser and Moonview Highway, a historical tour with Athens Dash, and the brand new course, Squeaky Clean Sprint!'']" ''Twitter''. Retrieved July 9, 2023.</ref> Lap 1 follows the route of 1, although instead of racers turning left toward the finish line, racers take a U-turn to section 2. Section 2 follows Athens Dash 3's route, and Lap 3 takes on the route of 2. Many changes have been made. The beginning ramp was changed to a wooden one, leading to the raised pillar route being adjusted and the split path at the bottom is removed. The pillars take after their functionality from Athens Dash 3, rather than being short and static like in Athens Dash 1 and 2. The large drop on the Athens Dash 3 route now has several consecutive trickable green ramps on the way down (similar in function to Athens Dash 3T’s singular [[Kanaami Road]]), leading racers to more consistently land on the {{wp|Theatre of Dionysus}}'s stage. The Thwomps have been removed. The minimap has also been rotated 90° clockwise.

Athens Dash is one of three courses from ''Mario Kart Tour'' to be present in the fifth wave, alongside {{classic-link|Tour|Los Angeles Laps}} and {{classic-link|Tour|Vancouver Velocity}}.

Internally, the course is referred to as "Cnsw_65", implying it may have originally been intended to be the first course of the [[Spiny Cup]] and thus possibly originally being intended to be the final city course of the pass.

On the Nintendo Switch's newsfeed in North America, an article erroneously names this course as '''{{classic|Tour|Athens Drift}}'''.<ref>July 11, 2023. [https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/mario-kart-8-deluxe-booster-course-pass-more-courses-more-characters-more-giant-toilets/ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass: More courses! More characters! More … giant toilets?!] nintendo.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230712025716/https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/mario-kart-8-deluxe-booster-course-pass-more-courses-more-characters-more-giant-toilets/ Archived] July 12, 2023, 02:57:16 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

Unlike other city courses that do not use staff ghosts from their home nations, Athens Dash has a Spanish staff ghost, rather than an American or Japanese one.

{{br}}

==Profiles==
===''Mario Kart Tour''===
*'''''Mario Kart Tour'' Twitter:'''
**''Here's a sneak peek of what's to come in #MarioKartTour! Toad and Yoshi went ahead to check out the new tour location and sent a picture back. It looks like some races are about to heat up in a historic city with towering temples.''<ref>mariokarttourEN (April 13, 2023). [https://twitter.com/mariokarttourEN/status/1646392775540375555 ''Twitter'']. Retrieved April 14, 2023.</ref>
**''The Yoshi Tour is wrapping up in #MarioKartTour. Next up is the Spring Tour featuring the course Athens Dash course{{sic}}, along with other European city courses!''<ref>mariokarttourEN (April 14, 2023). [https://twitter.com/mariokarttourEN/status/1646776764423868418 ''Twitter'']. Retrieved August 5, 2023.</ref>

===''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''===
*'''Nintendo Switch News app (US)''':
**''This course first appeared in the Mario Kart Tour game.''
**''This course is modeled after the city of Athens in Greece. What a historic place!''
**''Speaking of history, you'll speed through historical sites such as temple ruins.''
**''Keep an eye out for jump boost opportunities. In addition to the course layout being different depending on the lap, stairs and pillars add different heights into the mix too.''
*'''Nintendo Switch News app (UK):''' '''''Become a racing hero in Athens Dash!'''''<br>''Here's a closer look at another course released as part of the fifth wave, which is available now: Athens Dash.<br>First appearing in the smart device app Mario Kart Tour, the course is set in the Greek capital of Athens, meandering through and among the ancient temples, stadiums and gates whose ruins are dotted around the city. Each lap takes a different route, and the track is full of stairways, ramps and fallen pillars, giving the smart racer ample opportunity to trigger Jump Boosts - this will be key to claiming the laurel wreath of victory!''

==Gallery==
===''Mario Kart Tour''===
====Athens Dash====
=====Course icons=====
<gallery>
MKT Icon AthensDash ToadTourist.png|The course icon
MKT Icon AthensDashR KitsuneLuigi.png|The course icon of the R variant
MKT Icon AthensDashT LightblueShyGuyExplorer.png|The course icon of the T variant
MKT Icon AthensDashRT LuigiChef.png|The course icon of the R/T variant
</gallery>

=====Screenshots=====
<gallery>
MKT Athens View.jpg|View of the starting line
Athens Starting Line.png|Alternative view of the starting line
MKT Athens Dash View 3.jpg|View of [[Hadrian's Arch]]
MKT Athens Dash View 4.jpg|View of the {{wp|Theatre of Dionysus}}
MKT Athens Dash Scene 1.jpg|View of some pillars
MKT AthensDash View 1.png|View of the [[Parthenon]]
MKT Athens Dash Parthenon.jpg|Alternate View of the Parthenon
MKT AthensDash Athena.png|The statue of {{wp|Athena}}
MKT Athens Dash Athena & Parthenon.jpg|View of the statue of Athena & the Parthenon
MKT Spring Tour Landscape.png|Athens Dash in the trailer for the Spring Tour
MKT AthensDash CreamClassic.png|Toad (Tourist) and Rosalina (Volendam) on Athens Dash
</gallery>

====Athens Dash 2====
=====Course icons=====
<gallery>
MKT Icon AthensDash2 ToadAstronaut.png|The course icon
MKT Icon AthensDash2R ToadetteSailor.png|The course icon of the R variant
MKT Icon AthensDash2T LightblueShyGuyExplorer.png|The course icon of the T variant
MKT Icon AthensDash2RT Poochy.png|The course icon of the R/T variant
</gallery>

=====Screenshots=====
<gallery>
File:Athens Dash Urban.jpg|View of the urban area resembling {{wp|Monastiraki}}
MKT Athens Dash View 1.jpg|View of a staircase
MKT Athens Dash View 2.jpg|View of the road up the {{wp|Acropolis}}
Halfpipe Athens.png|Alternate view of the staircase
</gallery>

====Athens Dash 3====
=====Course icons=====
<gallery>
MKT Icon AthensDash3 MarioKing.png|The course icon
MKT Icon AthensDash3R DaisyFairy.png|The course icon of the R variant
MKT Icon AthensDash3T ToadTourist.png|The course icon of the T variant
MKT Icon AthensDash3RT WigglerMiiRacingSuit.png|The course icon of the R/T variant
</gallery>

=====Screenshots=====
<gallery>
MKT Athens Dash 3 View.jpg|View of the split path around the fountain and the entrance to the tunnel.
File:Athens Dash 3.png|View of Odeon Herodeus Atticus.
File:Athens3Thwomp.jpg|View of Thwomps blocking the middle path on a staircase. 
AthensPanorama.png|Panorama of Athens Dash.
MKT Anniversary Tour 2023 Teaser.jpg|[[Princess Peach|Peach (Vacation)]], [[Gold Mario]], [[Luigi|Luigi (Gold Knight)]], [[Princess Daisy|Daisy (Thai Dress)]], [[Donkey Kong|Donkey Kong (Gladiator)]], [[Rosalina|Rosalina (Volendam)]], [[Toad|Toad (Tourist)]], and [[Pauline]] driving on the course
</gallery>

===''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''===
<gallery>
MK8D Tour Athens Dash Course Icon.png|The course icon
MK8D Tour Athens Dash Starting Line.jpg|View of the starting line
MK8D Tour Athens Dash Scene 2.jpg|View of the course
MK8D Tour Athens Dash Theater of Dionysus.jpg|View of the {{wp|Theater of Dionysus}}
MK8D Tour Athens Dash Scene 3.jpg|View of the [[Goomba]]s
MK8D Tour Athens Dash Scene 4.png|[[Link]] on the course
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=アテネ ポリス
|JapR=Atene Porisu
|JapM=Athens Polis;「ポリス」is a transliteration of "πόλης", a Greek word meaning "city".
|Chi=雅典城邦
|ChiR=Yǎdiǎn Chéngbāng
|ChiM=Athens Polis
|Dut=Athene-Trip
|DutM=Athens Trip
|Fre=Athènes antique
|FreM=Antique Athens
|Ger=Athen auf Abwegen
|GerM=Astray in Athens
|Ita=Alture di Atene
|ItaM=Athens Heights
|Kor=아테네 폴리스
|KorR=Atene Polliseu
|KorM=Athens Polis
|Por=Cenas de Atenas
|PorM=Athens Scenes
|Rus=Афинские красоты
|RusR=Afinskiye krasoty
|RusM=Athenian Beauty
|SpaA=Periplo ateniense
|SpaAM=Athenian periplus
|SpaE=Atenas de Altura
|SpaEM=Athens of Height
}}

==Trivia==
*Athens Dash is the second course in the ''Mario Kart'' series to feature three different [[Finish line (object)|finish line]] locations, but to only have one of them ever be used among its numbered routes in ''Mario Kart Tour'' (the first being Singapore Speedway). They are:
**The finish line in Athens Dash, Athens Dash 2, and Athens Dash 3, and beginning the first and third laps in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''.
**The finish line in Athens Dash R/T.
**The finish line beginning the second lap of the course in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''.

==References==
<references/>

{{MK race courses}}
{{MKT}}
{{MK8}}
[[Category:Cities]]
[[Category:Towns]]
[[Category:Classic courses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass race courses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour race courses]]
[[it:Alture di Atene]]