Always a Blue Shell - In the stage "Koopa Beach" the
item on top of the rock is a BLUE shell every time.
To get it you do NOT need a mushroom or a star but they
help quite a bit. If you don't have a mushroom or a star
you may get it but you will probably hit the box and
fall but if you have enough speed you will grab it and
be able to continually drive on to romp home for a first
place.
Note: If you have a super mushroom from the last batch
of items it will not have run out in time to maintain
the blue shell.
Banana Trick - Hit the brakes as soon as you hit a
banana peel. Hold the brakes for 1 second, then release
and hit the gas. This will prevent you from skidding or
losing a balloon in Battle Mode.
Drafting - If you can't pass an opponent, try drafting
him. Line your kart up behind another racer. You'll see
wisps of air come off your kart and you'll speed up
slightly. Not much, but enough to pass whomever you're
following.
Ghost Riders - You're probably familiar with the
standard ghost racers (the ones you create in Time Trial
mode), but did you know the course was haunted before
you arrived?
To play against the official course ghosts, enter Time
Trial mode and complete a track within the time shown
below. After beating this time, immediately RETRY
and you'll be see the message, "Now Meet the Course
Ghost."
Course Time to Beat
Mario Raceway 1'30"00
Luigi Raceway 1'52"00
Royal Raceway 2'40"00
Item Shield - You can hold a single weapon item
(shells, explosive box or bananas) behind your Kart by
Z. This can allow you to obtain other items or be used
as a shield against attacks from behind.
Mario 64 Castle - On the Royal Raceway after the big
jump there will be a yellow road to the right. If you
follow it, it will bring you to the Mario 64 castle.
Mega Jump - If you're using a mushroom or a turbo
boost, jump when another driver is immediately in front
of you. If your timing is right, you'll sail over their
head.
Mirror Mode and New Title Screen - For a new title
screen and access to Mirror Mode you must win a gold cup
in all 150cc events. Good luck!
Prevent Skidding - If you skid or blow up, rapidly tap
the GAS button until you recover (usually 3 to 5 times.)
If you see a music sign then you did the trick right.
Quick Lap On Frappe Snowland - When you start, do a
U-turn and drive backwards. (Don't worry about Liukitu's
REVERSE sign) Keep driving until you get to the end of a
bridge. At the end, jump off the RIGHT side of the
bridge and onto the snow. Keep driving, and Likitu will
pick you up and place you completely on the bridge. (If
you are placed back on the snow, then it didn't work.)
If you executed this correctly, you will have advanced
the entire lap. Repeat this trick (after crossing the
finish line) and you should be able to finish the track
in 45 seconds or less!
Shortcuts - Bowser's Castle: You can gain a little speed
by jumping over the stairs.
Koopa Troopa Beach: Many people believe this is only
accessible with a mushroom power-up, but this is false.
Gamers can make the jump off the ramp without
a power-up. Just aim straight into the cave, use jump
(the right shoulder button) make sure not to hit the
walls, and jump right out from under the waterfall. Just
before you get to the first rock arch, instead of going
under the arch go to the right of arch. After making the
turn, head slightly to the right and the water
parts giving you land to ride on cutting off some of the
route. Be careful as you finish this part; there are a
lot of crabs to slip on.
Toad's Turnpike: At the beginning by the first
crossover, start a mini turbo slide before you reach the
place where the roads cross, then jump the rail to the
right. Lakitu will pick you up. Hold A + B one second
before he puts you down. When you hit the ground,
immediately go right and jump the rail again. This time
you will go through the ground. You may land on the road
or you may land in the water. Or sometimes you don't
make it. If you land in the water you will be put on the
road where the short cut comes out. This trick is
extremely difficult but you'll skip about half the track
if done correctly.
Wario Stadium: This is one of the longest tracks in the
game, but it has a super shortcut that can cut tons of
time off your lap. It's possible to jump over the
wall to the left of the Starting Line using any one of
the four small jumps there. Although you can make it
over the wall without the assistance of any speed
boosting item, a Mushroom or Mini-Turbo assist is
helpful. Approach the wall at high speed so that you are
driving directly at it as you reach the peak of the
small hill. Jump just before you hit the wall and you'll
sail over. The timing takes some practice but once you
master it, it's not too difficult. It is also possible
to jump back over the wall on the other side of the
Starting Line, but the return jump is much
more difficult and takes precise jump timing and aim.
Hydro Pond -- After driving through about half the
course, your driver will enter the ghost house. Upon
entering, take a right, but not as sharp as normal, and
you'll pass by a wall on your left. Instead of aiming
toward the bats, you'll aim slightly left and pass on
the left side of the wooden pole. This might look like
suicide, but jump over the edge of the star-shaped pool
and you'll pass up that first-place player.
Rainbow Road -- At the beginning of the race press the
gas just before the third light beeps to get a turbo
then just as you crest the steep part of the first
hill turn to the left and hit jump you fly off the road
and if you get the angle right you will land about 1/3
of the around the track! THis can also be done with
mushrooms on the following laps. A lap time 1'27"00 is
easily possible!
Yoshi's Valley -- This course is a tangle, as shown in
the introductory map, but here are a few short cuts that
will enable you to beat just about anybody. Follow
the course until you hit the mazey part. Immediately go
left and stay left. The first part of the short-cut is
to stay left and on the narrow part of the course. After
managing to do that, you'll hit a little checkered
ledge, and you'll see a big red and white sign on the
left pointing right. This is the hard part. Accelerate
as fast as possible and stay to the far right. As soon
as the rail on the left side ends pull a hard left
powerslide off the road. You'll continue the powerslide
onto the upcoming road after you land, and if you do it
right, you'll have shaved off at least 10 seconds or
lead the pack. Of course, this one takes a lot of
practice, but once mastered, it can't be beat.
DK Jungle Park -- You can advance the lap counter a lap
without going around the track in DK Jungle Parkway. Try
to jump into the wall to the left of the exit from the
tunnel just before the Starting Line. Your angle of
approach is important. If you angle too far to the left,
you will fall back into the tunnel. If you angle too
far to the right, the trick won't work. You want to fall
into the "dark space" behind the wall. Lakitu will pick
you up. If he puts you back on the track, inside the
tunnel, the trick worked. When you go across the finish
line from there, the lap counter will advance one lap.
If Lakitu puts you back on the track outside of the
tunnel, the trick didn't work. The best way touse this
trick is to turn around and go into the tunnel right
from the start. If you pull it off, you can get a 20-30
second lap on this course. More tips: Near the beginning
of the race is a self-propelling ramp which sends
your racer across a giant river. This one is quite
simple. Instead of jumping straight off it, aim to the
far left and you'll be ahead of the crowd by a few
seconds. It works.
Second, this course is full of sharp turns. Use the
mushroom power-ups as you pass across the jungle terrain
and though you'll be hit by coconuts, you'll still end
up farther ahead than if you didn't.
Third, there is one cave on this course that disrupts
many players because of its weird angles and
hard-to-follow path. But look at the ground and there is
a light-colored path, which makes it far easier to
follow.
Fourth, upon entering the cave, accelerate to the
maximum and aim toward the steep slope. If your racer is
going fast enough then pull a hard left powerslide and
you'll slide right up the slope, thereby shaving a few
seconds.
Mario Raceway -- One of the best, and most difficult to
accomplish, shortcuts in Mario Kart 64 is jumping over
the central wall on Mario Raceway. To take
this shortcut, you will need a Mushroom. The point where
you will need to jump to get over the wall is just
before the fourth turn (the hairpin turn around the
giant mushroom). After the third turn, veer slightly to
the left, and go slightly up the hill on the left. Turn
sharply back towards the wall and hit your Mushroom
boost just before you leave the road, jumping at the
same time. You'll want to aim just to the right of where
the sections of wall intersect. If you make the jump,
you will come down near the giant green pipe. If you
manage to take this shortcut every lap in Time
Trial mode, and do the rest of the course perfectly, you
will be able to complete the track in under one minute.
This trick is extremely difficult to perform.
Royal Raceway -- On Royal Raceway, after the first
hairpin turn, go off-road to the left about halfway
between the hairpin and the next turn. Aim for the dark
spot on the opposite shore and use a Mushroom to boost
you over the water as you jump. If you make it to the
other side, Lakitu will pick you up and put you back on
the course just before the monster jump over the pond!
You can save about 15 seconds per lap with this
shortcut. To save even more time, use a Super Mushroom
just before you hit the second pair of arrows on the
super jump across the pond. Once you jump, turn as far
left as you can (try to land on the flat part of the
mountain.) If you make it, Lukitu will pick you up and
put you right in front of the finish line!
Kalimari Desert -- In Mario GP, if you have a Super
Star, you can take a shortcut through the train tunnel
and gain a lap on your first and second lap. To do
the shortcut, you will need a Super Star. From the
second crossing, turn left and follow the tracks to the
entrance to the train tunnel. Activate the Super Star
just before you enter the tunnel, and your lap counter
will advance by one around the min-point of the tunnel.
This shortcut doesn't save as much time as you would
think, because following the train tracks will slow you
down. Also, because you need a Super Star to pull it
off, it isn't a practical shortcut for Time Trials.
Choco Mountain -- Right before the big loop there is a
road to the left. Do a powerslide and you can jump the
wall. If done correctly you can save about 10 seconds.
You have to be in 150cc or extra. Otherwise there is a
fence there.
Throwing Tricks - To throw a banana forwards, hold Z
while holding a banana, then press the joystick UP and
release Z. To toss a turtle shell behind you, hold Z
while holding a banana, then press the joystick DOWN and
release Z.
Turbo Boost - Press A as the starting light turns
green. If your timing is right you'll race ahead of the
other players.
Using the ¿ Boxes Usefully - I use this trick all the
time to help my chance of winning in almost every mode
of play. When I get a ¿ box, I wait until I see another
item box one before planting mine. If I time it just
right, the ¿ box I laid down will be right on top of
where the original one was so if anyone goes to get it
they can't tell it was a fake until they hit it!
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