Get ready to rev your engines and master the new wild mechanics of Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2! Before you hit the tracks, discover 18 essential beginner’s tips and tricks-from rocket starts and coin collecting to drifting and wall riding-that will give your racing skills the perfect boost and turn you into a kart champion. Whether you’re aiming for speed boosts or learning hidden shortcuts, this guide has everything you need to know for a winning start in Mario Kart World.
Below, you’ll find a list of tips and tricks that will help you get started in Mario Kart World. Whether this is your first Mario Kart game or if you’re just a veteran who hasn’t played in a while, you’re bound to find something helpful.
1. Check your kart stats before choosing a main. Karts with low acceleration take longer to reach their max speed, and low handling means you’ll have to slow down more when you turn. You don’t want to learn which stats your kart struggles with in the middle of a race.
2. Tricks matter more than ever in Mario Kart World. Courses are built with the expectation that you’ll take as many opportunities for drifts, rail grinds, jumps, and other special moves as much as possible, so make sure you’re getting those boosts!
3. Mario Kart World has dozens of character costumes to unlock, but don’t stress yourself out too much with unlocking them all at once. Most will unlock from naturally playing the game, anyway.
4. Speaking of costumes, don’t go too out of your way to grab food during a race unless the drive-thru is empty. It’s easier to unlock costumes in Free Roam mode, so don’t throw a race just to get an outfit.
5. Be aware of your surroundings! Mario Kart World has so many shortcuts, spots for jump boosts and rail grinding, or ways to mess up your opponents (like detonating bomb cars). It’s easy to miss them if you aren’t looking around.
6. Some cars even drop coins and food, so definitely keep your eyes peeled.
7. Practice makes perfect. Take your time learning the tracks. Each track has its own secrets and it’s going to take a while to learn them all, so don’t be surprised if after a dozen runs you’re still finding new ways to get around.
8. Don’t hold on to items for too long. Spend the ones you have so you can keep getting more. More shells and coins are better than just quietly holding on to one!
9. Drafting is back in Mario Kart World, so if you’re lagging behind an opponent, stay directly behind them for a few seconds to get a little speed boost.
10. Drift boosting has several levels. The final, strongest one happens after you hold the second-stage blue drift for a few seconds, so hold out as long as you can before boosting.
11. Those mushrooms are valuable, as you will need a speed boosting item (mushrooms or takeout food) to get through some of those secret paths around the courses.
12. Turn that smart steering off! It’s on by default, but you won’t want to keep it on for long, as it’ll prevent you from exploring the courses.
13. Yes, take the time to explore Free Roam for unlockables. Some of the stickers can only be unlocked via Free Roam, so if you want to catch them all, you’ll need to explore the whole map.
14. Speaking of, you can open the map in Free Roam to both fast travel and have the game tell you how many costumes you’re missing.
15. You can also hover over locations to see how many question mark tiles you’re missing in that area!
16. Those P-Switch missions aren’t just easy-peasy “drive through rings.” Some of them are tough and working on them will help improve your skills when it comes from jumping from obstacle to obstacle and aiming.
17. Don’t forget that you can rewind! Rewind your position by pressing Down on the d-pad if you made a mistake, though know that if you do this in a race, the people will continue passing you by. This is super useful for grabbing those collectables you just miss in Free Roam.
18. Remember there are other game modes! While Knockout Mode and Free Roam are heavily featured, you can play traditional lap-based races if you choose the VS Mode.
Did you just get a Nintendo Switch 2? Are you trying to unlock every character and outfit in Mario Kart World? Or maybe you’re trying out The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the first time and you need a walkthrough for those pesky stoplights in the Forsaken Fortress? Either way, we have your back when it comes to helping you sort stuff out.
What are the most overlooked beginner tips to dominate Mario Kart World
Some of the most overlooked beginner tips to dominate Mario Kart World include:
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Use the rewind feature strategically: During timed challenges, such as P Switch challenges, you can rewind time to save yourself from fatal errors without losing the challenge time. This helps keep your run going smoothly when you miss jumps or make mistakes.
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Master the rocket start with precise timing: Achieving a rocket start requires hitting the acceleration button at the exact moment the countdown hits 2, often synchronized with a character’s hand movement. This early boost can give you a critical lead.
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Disable smart steering early on: Although smart steering is enabled by default, turning it off allows better cornering and taking shortcuts, which are vital for improving performance beyond basic handling.
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Learn and exploit all shortcuts: Every track has shortcuts or alternate routes. Repeated free roam and studying the track layout (including using photo mode in single-player) help you find these hidden paths to shave valuable seconds off your time.
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Hold onto some items for defense or tactical use: Instead of using items immediately, save powerful ones (like Bullet Bill or Blue Shell) to protect your lead when you get ahead, or to strategically disrupt other racers.
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Master mushroom use for off-road boosts: Using mushrooms right before jumping into off-road sections while drifting can maintain your speed longer and charge mini-turbos, helping you regain momentum quickly after turns or obstacles.
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Be aware of your position and anticipate attacks: Regularly check behind you to anticipate incoming attacks or slipstream opportunities, so you can respond accordingly.
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Avoid running into racers who have just spun out: Hitting a recently downed racer wastes your items and momentum, so steering clear is crucial to maintaining your lead.
These tips are often overshadowed by more obvious advice like drifting or character choice but collectively give beginners an edge toward dominating races in Mario Kart World.
What hidden tricks can give beginners an edge in Mario Kart World
Hidden tricks that give beginners an edge in Mario Kart World include mastering advanced track shortcuts, using wall riding and rail grinding, and perfecting item usage timing:
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Track shortcuts and wall riding: Each track features hidden shortcuts that can save you significant time but often require practice to execute reliably. For example, grinding rails along the tracks, chaining wall jumps and rides, and using vertical wall runs let you skip large sections of the track for a faster route. A key trick is to charge a jump, aim for rails or walls to start a grind or wall ride, then jump off to get a trick boost and maintain high speed. These last-second maneuvers let you shave precious seconds off your lap time.
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Boost and trick chaining: Charging mini-turbos by drifting and performing tricks right as you land can produce ultra mini turbos, giving you powerful boosts exiting turns. Brake drifting-tapping the brake while drifting-helps make tighter turns without losing control in faster or tighter sections.
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Strategic mushroom use: Mushrooms are essential for cutting corners where no other shortcuts exist. Timing mushroom boosts to coincide with jumps or off-road sections helps maintain momentum. For example, using a mushroom with a drift to cut grass or trick off walls allows you to take tighter turns and gain speed where others slow down.
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Item conservation and anticipation: Saving powerful items like mushrooms or Bullet Bills for defending a lead or attacking at critical moments, as well as staying aware of your position relative to others, can improve race outcomes.
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Rewind use and smart steering: Beginners can empower themselves by using the rewind feature to correct mistakes without penalty in time trials and consider disabling smart steering for better maneuvering and access to shortcuts.
These hidden techniques go beyond basic drifting or character choice and, when mastered, provide a competitive edge and improve overall race performance in Mario Kart World.
