Top 5 Tips to Dominate at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!

You’ve done it! You’re in first place and it’s smooth sailing from here... oh no… it’s that awful sound and that dreaded streak of blue. We’ve spent years trying to figure out how to avoid that dastardly shell, from praying that we drive fast enough, to hitting the breaks so we fall into second place before the shell hits us. Things changed in 2014 when Mario Kart 8 introduced us to the Super Horn, which makes its glorious return in Deluxe. If you manage to get it, hold onto it for DEAR LIFE as it’ll shatter that damn shell -- and if you’re lucky enough to get it in your 2nd item slot, you can conveniently save it for later.

We know you wanna pick Yoshi, or make sure Peach has that matching parasol with her kart, but check the stats of your vehicle first. There’s Speed: the top speed in normal circumstances; Acceleration: how quickly you gain speed; Weight: the heavier the kart, the better chance of knocking opponents away; Handling: your kart’s turning ability; and Traction: the kart’s grip on the road. The wheels and gliders you pick will also affect this, and each character fits into three different weight classes: Light, Medium, and Heavy. Feel free to try a variety of combinations to find what works best for your play style.

As you take on higher engine classes and take your racing online, you’ll start to see drifting playing a major role in your matches. It can be tricky to pull off, but when done correctly, you speed around those winding corners with ease. When you turn a corner, hold down the “R” button to drift through it. The longer you hold down the button, the better your speed boost will be when you let go. Pay attention to the sparks as they change from blue, to yellow, and new to Deluxe: pink -- though this can only be reached on those extra long turns.

It wouldn’t be Mario Kart if you couldn’t go off course to boost across some leaves in the sky. Deluxe is full of hidden paths that’ll shave down the seconds in any race. With that in mind, try and take advantage of those two item slots we mentioned as you can store away a Mushroom for a much-needed boost into a shortcut. If you’re having trouble finding where the shortcuts are, race against online ghosts in Time Trial mode -- especially the staff ghosts, but instead of beating them, follow them. Chances are, they’ll lead you to the stage’s shortcut.

There’s no greater feeling than zipping past your competition thanks to a perfectly timed boost. Right off the bat we’ve got the “start boost” if you hold down the A button at just the right time -- when the “2” fades off the screen. Collecting coins gives you a boost in your max speed, doing stunts off of ramps will give you a boost, tailgating your opponents will give you a boost, even bumping into an opponent while in anti-gravity mode will give you a boost. Mastering these techniques will come in handy in any race where you GOTTA GO FAST... whoops, wrong franchise.