Knowing these Mario Kart 8 shortcuts will save players some trouble in the long run.
The Mario Kart franchise has long been the go-to for any fans of the racing game genre. Making its debut on SNES back in 1992, the series has since appeared across nine different platforms and ten unique titles. Packed to the brim with iconic Nintendo protagonists, Mario Kart allows for hours of solo and multiplayer fun.
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Even with its successor already in the making, Mario Kart 8and its Switch exclusive deluxe edition remains one of the most popular entries in the franchise. It features tracks both old and new and is in the midst of six waves of new DLC that will bring even more variety to the game. So, for gamers looking to achieve their best score, here are the best track shortcuts that Mario Kart 8has to offer.
First appearing on the GameCube version of Mario Kart, this track is shaped like everyone’s favorite dinosaur creature, Yoshi. Players with a keen eye will be able to spot this shortcut immediately after the start/finish line. Though the track veers off to the left, there’s a large waterfall visible through a gap in the stone with a grassy slope in front of it.
This shortcut can be absurdly difficult to master without bonus items, so even experienced players will need to give it a few practices to get it right. When aiming for the waterfall, the best course of action is to drift, hop twice, then perform a stunt boost to get across. Of course, for those who aren’t interested in perfecting this multi-step technique, a mushroom boost works just as well.
As a new track making its debut in Mario Kart 8, Shy Guy Falls is a fun track with two steep waterfall sections dominating the loop. However, this track holds several small shortcut opportunities – two of which flow into each other nicely. When launching off the ramp into the canyon, players will need to perform a stunt boost to access an upper path nestled inside a cave.
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As players perform another trick when launching off the ramp on this upper path, they should see a grassy path to the right.