Steering clear of trouble
Is it your first time behind the wheel? The new Smart Steering option can make it easy for new drivers to stay on the track and away from walls. It’s kind of like putting up bumpers at the bowling alley keep the ball out of the gutter, which means you can even race on the SNES Rainbow Road track without falling off! You can turn on and off this feature at any time during an offline race, or before a tournament race (but not in Time Trials—that’d make it too easy).
Full speed ahead
If you’re having a hard time keeping your “foot on the gas” (or your “finger on the button”), you can trigger the Auto-Accelerate feature. Auto-Accelerate is new to the Mario Kart series of games, making the vehicle automatically accelerate to the fastest speed possible. You can turn on this option when customizing your vehicle by pressing + or – and then pressing R, or by pressing R on the pause menu during a race.
Double Items are twice as nice
Powerful items like Bullet Bills, Golden Mushrooms, and Spiny Shells can help players try to get an edge on the competition. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, players can now carry two items at once while racing or battling. That means you can throw an item in front of you while keeping another item behind you to block items thrown by other racers. Just imagine the damage you could do with a Green Shell and a Banana!
Off the beaten bath
From hidden ramps to secret paths, shortcuts can help save you time on the track (and shave time off your record!). If it’s your first time on a course, you may want to keep your eyes peeled for alternate routes. There are a few different ways to try to spot shortcuts, like doing a super-slow test run through the course or watching the highlight reel of your race on Mario Kart TV.
Just the facts
If you’re still feeling a little lost, you can check out the in-game guide for more info on Battle Types, Driving Maneuvers, and Items. From the main menu, you can select Info to read about how to drift, how to make a U-turn, and other slick techniques that may help you cross the finish line in style.
You can learn more about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at the official site.
ESRB Rating: Everyone with Comic Mischief