Topic: Mario Kart strategy & help thread

[Berny]

I've recently had a lot of luck with Baby Bowswer (Bowser Jr. Whatever. :/) and Toadette in Toadette's cart. It has AMAZING acceleration. Also the same characters in Diddy's cart. I like it cause it has the best horn of any cart.

[Shorty McNostril]

If I'm in the mood for a heavyweight I use Bowser and King Boo in the Boo Pipes, (King Boo's Silver Pipe Car).  It has good acceleration which I like and it has still got 5 stars on weight.

[evil intentions]

I don't like heavy cars. I'd rather have light cars.

[Guitar Smasher]

I prefer Yoshi with King Boo in the Boo Pipes.  That combo has worked beautifully for me.

[Mario]

I never lose with light characters/karts, but when i use a heavy kart or even a medium one, it seems like im getting hit with weapons every five seconds (usually when im in the lead). When i use a small kart (Toads), i just cruise along when im coming first and like, nothing hits me, odd. *shrugs shoulders*

[Myxtika1 Azn]

This is the exact opposite with me.  I use light karts and rarely use the heavy ones, but I always get bombarded with shells when I'm in the lead.  On the last lap of any given race, I can almost always predict what's going to happen to me, and when.  First, it'll be a Blue Shell, then a lightning (or vice versa), then a couple of red shells right after each other.  Then if I'm still in the lead, another blue shell will be paying another visit.  This makes me hate the fact that computer characters can pick up items, because it will almost always be in their favor.

[Zach]

I hate it when that happens and you go from first to about fourth or fifth. I have to disagree with Myxtika1 Azn though because of the fact that if the computers could not pick up items, that would give you a major advantage and there would be no challenge.

[Zach]

About Molobert's post earlier with the shortcuts, there are probably a lot more, but this is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. In Bowsers castle, when you are on that long straight-away heading for the giant fire-breathing statue, instead of turning right, you go straight, there is a missing section of the wall where you can jump the gap and skip the hairpin turn, you dont need a mushroom or anything for this one.

[Molobert]

Found some more shortcuts- In Waluigi Stadium, about 1/3 of the way through the circuit, there will be a left turn with a large pool of water to the left of the track. If you Mushroom Boost or use Starman through it it cuts off a lot of time.

On Mushroom City, go straight in the beginning and there will be a small pink path that cuts through the building to your right. Has a double box at the end.

Yoshi's Circuit: near the start, there will be a wide turn (in the shape of a C), and a small green hill to the right of its entrance. Use a mushroom boost to clear the gap. Another: a bit later on there is a wide turn with a guardrail on the left side, but there is a break and a small hill that marks the spot where you should mushroom boost over the water and into a hole in the side of a mountain.

Sorry if they're a bit confusing, if I find any more I'll post them.

[Fluke Worm]

?Is there any way to defend against blue shells? If not this would be my one and only gripe about the game. I like the fact that weapons bring some fun arcade action and hope to less skilled(or unlucky) players but it seems to me that the blue shells are just too powerful. Maybe if they just made you just spin-out or were blockable but as it stands now (IMO) this makes the game unbalanced. I know that passing through a 'warp tunnel' will save you but I was hoping a well timed boost might do the trick.

[vudu]

there is no way to stop the wrath of the blue shell.  the only thing you can do is (assuming you know one is coming) break and try to drop into second place so the shell targets someone else.  the  two problems with this strategy are (a) if you're really far ahead you may not have time to drop into second place and (b) since the blue shell has quite a blast range you may still get smacked if you don't get far enough away.  also, it really only works in multiplayer because otherwise you usually won't have enough time to get out of the lead before the shell hits.

(quick story:  once i was in first place and coming up on lapping the 8th place computer when i saw him shoot out a blue shell.  so i had to drop into third place for the next half lap and let the shell hit the cpu's in first and second place.  i found it funny.  guess you had to be there.)

EDIT:  as far as your comment about not liking the blue shells, i hate them.  but not for the same reason you do.  i find them worthless because the only time you get them is if you're really far behind (usually last place).  typically, the blue shell only slows down the first place character by a few seconds, so it really only winds up helping the guy in second place.  i much prefer the lightning if i'm getting my ass handed to me.)

[S-U-P-E-R]

I've evaded blue shells once or twice. I remember doing it on rainbow road, powersliding around a corner hard at the time, and slamming the wall really hard just as it was about to hit me, it went over the edge and couldn't get back up. I think I also did the same thing on DK Mountain, but I'm not as sure about that one.

[Fluke Worm]

Quote
Originally posted by: S-U-P-E-R
I've evaded blue shells once or twice. I remember doing it on rainbow road, powersliding around a corner hard at the time, and slamming the wall really hard just as it was about to hit me, it went over the edge and couldn't get back up. I think I also did the same thing on DK Mountain, but I'm not as sure about that one.

A glitch?

[Shorty McNostril]

It happenned to me just recently.  I was sliding around a corner and I happened to run over a little bump. The shell went under me while I was in the air and exploded somewhere to my right. I was well clear of the blast radius.  

[evil intentions]

I hate that when you are in first place you get nothing good.  I usually use bannanas to throw behind me when red and green shells are coming for me.  It works perfectly.  In Mario Kart 64, I usually keep the green shells and bannanas behind me so when something hits me, it gets rid of the item behind me.  It doesn't seem to work in this game though.

[Zach]

I Remember one time, me and my sister were playing 2 player on Bowser's Castle.  My sis had a blue shell and I fell into a lava pit, so she passed me and did not realize it.  Anyway Likitu pulled me out of the lava just in time to watch my sister shoot the shell.  It was so great, the shell made a big loop and came back and hit her.  of course I took my position back in first.  

[Fluke Worm]

Quote
Originally posted by: Zach
I Remember one time, me and my sister were playing 2 player on Bowser's Castle.  My sis had a blue shell and I fell into a lava pit, so she passed me and did not realize it.  Anyway Likitu pulled me out of the lava just in time to watch my sister shoot the shell.  It was so great, the shell made a big loop and came back and hit her.  of course I took my position back in first.

Well, I guess that answers the second question I had concerning the infamous blue shell.
I do hope Ninty does something about these in the next MK (like nerfing them).

[evil intentions]

Quote
Originally posted by: Zach
I Remember one time, me and my sister were playing 2 player on Bowser's Castle.  My sis had a blue shell and I fell into a lava pit, so she passed me and did not realize it.  Anyway Likitu pulled me out of the lava just in time to watch my sister shoot the shell.  It was so great, the shell made a big loop and came back and hit her.  of course I took my position back in first.

Sometimes when I'm playing multiplayer and stuff, I throw the blue shell then stop completely waiting for someone to pass me.  It works like a charm unless im way ahead of everyone, then I'm out of luck.

[Dead_dude]

You will usually get these specials when you are in last because they are so good