So you can't seem to win in Mario Kart Tour? Whether it's your first game in the Mario Kart series or not, Mario Kart Tour can be challenging, especially when you don't know the tracks. Instead of struggling your way through the cups, try out these five tips to get a leg up.
At the end of the day, Mario Kart Tour is just another game in the Mario Kart series. While Nintendo did make some questionable changes to help new players, they also gave us settings to change for a more authentic experience — as well as gaining an advantage. By changing a few options and knowing a few tricks of the trade, you can start crushing the competition.
Trick #1: Collect Coins
Coins are really important in Mario Kart Tour. First, they act as currency to purchase items like new karts, gliders, and upgrades for different drivers. Besides the "Coin Rush" mode (which requires Emeralds, a different currency that is purchased through micro-transactions), the only way to collect coins is while racing.
But there's another purpose to coins: they boost your speed. That's right, collecting coins will actually increase your top speed. The maximum amount of coins you can collect while still receiving this effect is ten, so making sure you have at least ten coins each race can be crucial. However, we recommend you collect at least 13 coins. You lose three coins each time an item hits you, so this gives you a chance to recollect another three-coin cushion so you never lose the speed boost.
Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks
Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks
Trick #2: Use Slipstream
Slipstream is what Mario Kart calls drafting, a technique where drivers get a speed boost by riding in another driver's wake. Imagine you are on the last lap. You and the first place opponent are trading positions. Instead of going back and forth, you can ride behind him and you'll get a boost that can slingshot you into first right at the finish line. Check out our guide below to learn more about slipstream.
Trick #3: Manually Drift Through Corners
Mario Kart Tour makes drifting very easy compared to the console versions. By simply swiping left or right and holding your finger long enough, you will begin to drift. Sparks will appear around your wheels to indicate you've acquired a small speed boost from drifting, which you can then activate by releasing your finger.
While the simplicity of this technique is helpful, there is a better way: Manual drift. This requires you to do a bit more work to drift, but gives you an added bonus: Ultra mini-turbo. Ultra mini-turbo is the highest speed boost you can get for drifting, and it's a huge advantage when performed correctly. Check out our guide to how to turn on this feature on and to perform it.
Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks
Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks
Trick #4: Hold onto Items
In Mario Kart Tour, some items are triggered automatically. If you have any items when you hit an item box, if you have any items, the game automatically efires the old items off randomly. This might help new players, but it hurts experienced players. As anyone who's played a Mario Kart game knows, the lower your track position, the better items you get. Some items, such as the Mega Mushroom, Lightning, and Spiny Shell, are only really possible to obtain while in last place or second to last.
So if you're running behind, automatically triggered items are usually detrimental. The same can be said if you're in first place and holding a shell behind you to thwart attacks from other drivers — if you hit an item box and get nothing but coins, you're now unprotected.
To turn this off, head to the main page and select "Menu," "then "Settings." Scroll down and find the checkbox for triggering items automatically. Turn this feature off and you can keep your items and use those rarer items later in the race for the easy win.
Trick #5: Learn the Tracks & Shortcuts (Practice Makes Perfect)
As the saying goes, "Practice makes perfect." It is a pretty obvious tip; one that many seem to overlook. But how you practice matters.
Don't just practice on 50 cc and think you'll get better. Play on the more difficult tracks to learn their layouts. Try out different characters, karts, and upgrades to see which combination allows you to minimize your loss of speed and maintain a top position. Get a sense of where the item boxes are, where coins are scattered, and look for shortcuts. Mario Kart is notorious for shortcuts that can dramatically change how the track is played, so look out for them!
Cover image by Phoenix King Gaming/YouTube
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