As the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch title,Mario Kart Worldwill undoubtedly remain one of the Switch 2’s most played games throughout its lifespan. Although that’s great since it means online lobbies will never fall short of players, it also, unfortunately, means that there are thousands of players out there to beat.
Fortunately, it’s never too late to work on increasing your first-place odds. Even if it seems like you’ve tried everything and aren’t seeing the results you would like, you’re likely just overthinking things. Mastering Mario Kart World seems more complex than it is, but all it truly takes to come out on top is to go back to basics.
10Coins Matter, But They’re Not Essential
Try To Have A Few On Hand, But Don’t Go Out Of Your Way For Them
Similarly toMario Kart 8 Deluxe, you don’t want to ignore coins when you’re out on the track, but you also don’t want to prioritize them so much that they’re costing you the race. InMario Kart World, you may collect up to 20 coins at any given time, but you don’t necessarily need that many to win. If you’re looking for noticeable differences in speed,you only need around 7-10 of them to keep you from falling behind.
Trying to maintain 20 when you’re constantly being bombarded by items that are knocking them off you is only going to take your focus off the race and hinder you in the long run.Having all 20 does provide a significant boost, but it’s not worth going out of your way to get them. Maintain about half that, and you’ll have more than enough to keep you in the competition. That being said, the Coin Shell can help you increase that amount without too much extra effort, if you get one.
9Smart Steering Is Not A Cheat, So Get Rid Of It
Smart Steering Is A Learning Tool That Will Only Hurt Experienced Players
When you begin playingMario Kart World, you might notice theSmart Steering setting is activated. This feature is active by default because it isdesigned to assist new players or younger racers who have a harder time staying on the track. Smart Steering is essentially an invisible version of the bumpers you sometimes see on bowling lanes and is designed to keep from going off course.
While this is a great optional feature, many players make the mistake of seeing this as a cheat. After all, how could something that automatically keeps you on track be a bad thing? Well, that’s exactly how.Smart Steering is based around a predetermined path, which means you are unable to do anything that is considered off-course, which can include shortcuts, drifting, and more. Finding your line is a major part ofMKWand what sets you apart from newer racers who stick to the main path.
8Learn The Tracks On Your Own First
When you start trying your hand at some races inMario Kart World, it’s easy to become focused on making it into first place and ignore everything else. However, that’s not a good way to approach a newMario Kartgame. Unless it’s a case where older tracks are being brought back that you may already have memorized,the first thing on your mind should be learning the tracks.
Instead of focusing on winning right away, try out every track in the game and take some time to practice the ones you have trouble with. Speed isn’t everything when it comes to racing. Knowing when to time the turns and what the optimal routes are is going to be the thing that matters more. It won’t matter if you’re the fastest if you constantly miss your turns or take the slowest path, solearn the tracks until you’re able to anticipate most aspects of them, then focus on things like placement and stats.
7Don’t Hold On To Your Items, There’s Plenty More To Go Around
A Good Item In The Hand Is Worth Less Than A Mediocre Item In Play
Everyone knows that in everyMario Kartgame, there are great items and there are throwaway items. The most important thing to remember here is thatif it requires a unique set of circumstances to be utilized efficiently, it’s probably not worth your time. Not doing so can lead to bad habits, like item hoarding. This includes holding on to an item for an entire lap without ever using it because you’re waiting for the right moment.
There is an exception to this. A first-place racer doesn’t need anything to trip up players in front of them, because there aren’t any. So instead, it’s better to hold onto an item, particularly a defensive item, like a Red Shell.
I know it seems like this is a good idea, but it’s not. Even a seeminglyuselessMario Kartitembeing utilized is better than a great item just sitting in your hand the whole race.The key is to remember that item boxes are everywhere, and if you haven’t used something in a full lap, it’s not helping you, so get rid of it and get something else. Waiting until you’re in the right moment to use something won’t mean anything if you’re able to’t get yourself into that position to begin with.
6First Place Only Matters At The End Of The Race
Don’t Prioritize Being In First All Three Laps When Only Those Last Few Seconds Count
Another easy thing to get focused on is aiming for first place during the entire race. While yes, you want to win the race, maintaining a first-place lead the entire time isn’t always as good as it sounds. In rare circumstances, staying in first for a large portion of the race, also called Front Running, can guarantee your win, but that’s only if you build a large enough gap between you and second place, and you’re incredibly consistent.
Staying in first puts a massive target on your back and makes you the inevitable victim of Blue Shells, which will almost always knock you out of first, even temporarily. So, it’s often better tofocus on maintaining a later position for earlier laps, and then shoot for first towards the end with better items you’ve secured back there, sometimes referred to as Bagging. This helps youdodge being hit by Blue Shellsand gives first place a false sense of security before you sneak up on them.
5Take Advantage Of Other Modes
MKW’s Other Modes Can Help You Prepare For Races, Even If It Doesn’t Seem Like It
One ofMario Kart World’s biggest changes to the franchise was the implementation of Free Roam. This new mode allows players to explore the map ofMario Kart Worldin an open world style as opposed to just racing on the tracks. While there is plenty to do out there that is more of a way to add content to the game, not all of it is irrelevant to the races themselves. For example,Free Roam can help you unlock Karts, practice tricks, and get some experiencein a more relaxed setting.
However, that’s not all that’s available for help. If you’re struggling to master tracks, find optimal routes, or utilize certain tricks, another great resource is Time Trial Mode. Here, you canwatch the Nintendo Staff Ghosts and learn some unique tricks that you might not have thought of yourself. So take a moment to look through everythingMario Kart Worldhas to offer, because all of it is there for a reason.
4Mario Kart World Tricks Aren’t Just For Show
Tricks Aren’t Just A Cool-Looking Gimmick, They’re Encouraged On The Tracks
One of the most emphasized aspects ofMario Kart Worldracing is the ability to perform a wide variety of tricks. Thesetricks can often give you an edge in races, but they can hinder you too if you don’t know what you’re doing. For example, in terms of tricks, time spent in the air is slower than time spent on the ground. So, air tricks should be utilized strategically and minimally, as they can overall slow you down. If something is going to launch you higher than usual, it’s probably best to avoid it.
Knowing when not to perform a trick is just as important as knowing when to do it. Furthermore,directional input and timing play a big factor when it comes to tricks as well. For example, performing a forward trick can help you land faster, but performing multiple tricks will not necessarily speed you up midair. Practice performing a variety of tricks off different surfaces throughout a track to get a feel for timing as well as what provides you with an advantage and what doesn’t.
3Keep An Eye On Your Surroundings
Defensive Driving Is The Key To Winning Races
If you have a Driver’s License, chances are that you’ve heard of defensive driving. This is the idea that while it is important to know what you’re doing on the road,it’s just as vital that you’re aware of what everyone around you is doing too, so you have the appropriate time to react. WhileMario Kart Worldisn’t necessarily the same as driving in real life, the concept of defensive driving still applies.
When you’re worried about your speed, coins, items, and other things, it’s easy to forget that there are racers all around you who are looking to mess you up. If you’re so focused that you’re being bombarded by items constantly and running into things on the track, then it doesn’t matter how fast you are, because you’ll still never get to first place. That’s not to say that you need to be aware of everyone in the race, butkeep an eye on those in your direct vicinity and what items they may be carrying.
2Utilize Drift Boosts With Intention, Not Just Because They’re There
Drift Boosts Can Make A Big Difference, But Only If Used Optimally
Drifting has always been a major part ofMario Kart, but a lot of players still utilize it even though they don’t properly understand it. When you drift, you’ve probably noticed the color appearing around your kart that changes the longer you drift, indicating your boost level. In total, there are three boost levels to drifting, with the third being the hardest to achieve. What you may not know, however, is that even with the boost, drifting shouldn’t always be the go-to.
Drifting boosts, when you can achieve the boosts, are great, but a lot of players make the mistake of trying to drift constantly just on the off chance they gain a boost. Unfortunately, this is causing you to slow down, because a drift without a proper boost is slower than if you just didn’t do it at all. In short, you only want to attempt a drift boost if you can handle the turn while doing it and if you have the timing right to achieve a solid boost.
1Don’t Worry About The Meta, Do What’s Best For You
Meta Combos Won’t Guarantee A Win & Non-Meta Combos Don’t Guarantee A Loss
Perhaps the biggest thing you should keep in mind when it comes toMario Kart Worldis the meta, but not for the reason you think. To say you should completely ignore thebest Racer and Kart comboswould be misleading, but that doesn’t mean you should consider them the end-all-be-all. When it comes to metas, in any game, the reality is that they truly only matter in the case of about the top 1% of players. As for normal online races with the general public, the meta is not required to pull out a win.
When it comes to your stats, consider whetherpicking yourMKWKart or Raceris more important to you, and adjust the other accordingly.
When a meta is defined, it generally tends to cause a massive shift in lobbies where nearly half the roster or more consists of that combo. Unfortunately, a lobby full of meta builds ultimately has the opposite intended effect, since everyone is running the same thing, so it comes down to skill. Metas inMario Kart Worlddon’t lock in your win, and a skilled racer with an average combo is still far more likely to win than a less experienced racer running the meta, so don’t get too reliant on stats.
