MARIO KART DS TIPS & TRICKS
Skip credits
Press Select + Start to skip the credits to the congratulations screen.
Quick start
During the initial countdown, hold down the gas (A) about a half of a second to a second after the number "2" appears to get a large boost when the race starts. You may have to practice to get the correct timing.
Extra boost while driving
Press R to hop while turning or when making a turn. While you are sliding, or immediately beforehand, keep pressing Left then Right (or vice versa) to acquire a blue flame behind your kart. Release it to get a slight boost. If you keep pressing Left then Right (or vice versa) some more while you have the blue flame, you will get a red/orange flame for an even better boost. You may or may not notice the blue flame when getting the red/orange flame.
Drafting
If you are in second place or worse, follow the opponent ahead of you very closely. You will see lines on the sides of your kart. Follow close for long enough, and a large air wave will appear in front of you. This will increase your car's top speed momentarily and allow you to push aside other karts, even if you are light. When the wave disappears, your speed will return to normal.
Higher jump
To jump higher when you are going over a jump, press R. This requires some practice and precise timing.
Save time with sandy pits
On any sandy pit on a curve that would normally slow you down, use a mushroom to cross over it.
Inflate balloons faster
Instead of holding Select, blow into the microphone. If you stop or go very slow in balloon battle, you can blow up your kart's balloons; however there is a limit on the top right. If you hold Select it will fill your balloon, but if you blow into the mic it works better. If you whistle into the mic it works even better.
Inflate balloons faster
When playing in Balloon Battle mode, on the top screen you may see four yellow balloons in the top right corner. Everyone starts out with one balloon on their Mario Kart. After the "3, 2, 1, Start!" countdown ends, instead of going towards the mystery boxes, stay in place and hold Select to fill up a balloon. REMEMBER: You may only have up to three balloons at a time on your kart.
Stealing balloons
When playing in Balloon Battle mode, you can steal balloons from another kart by getting a Speed-Up Mushroom from a mystery box and ramming another player. REMEMBER: You may only have up to three balloons at a time on your kart.
Throw a banana peel forward
While throwing a banana peel, press Up.
Holding items behind you
While having a throwable item in your inventory, hold L or X to hold any throwable item behind you. This can protect you from oncoming opponent attacks from items that hit you from behind, such as red and green shells. You are also able to store another item in your inventory while holding your throwable item behind you.
Using the "?" boxes correctly
Use the following trick to help your chance of winning in almost all modes of play. When getting a "?" box, wait until you see another item box before planting it. If timed correctly, the "?" box that was laid down will be directly on top of where the original one was. If anyone tries to get it, they will not be able to tell it is a fake until they hit it.
Lighting bolt
On the DK Jungle Parkway, Royal Raceway, or Wario Stadium courses, use a lightning bolt just before someone reaches the jump. They should fall off the jump, costing them time. Do not use it when they are on the turbo pads because it will not affect them.
Upside down track
In Time Trials mode, choose any character and car, then select the Rainbow Road track. When you get to the part that is only boosts, crash into a wall and jump. It will appear as if the stage has flipped upside down. REMEMBER: If you jump on the first area filled with boosts, sometimes you will just fly off into space and the stage will not flip temporarily.
Shortcut in Bowser's Castle
When you get to the rotating floor, go around it all the way until you see the small entrance.
Shortcuts in Delfino Square
Near the halfway point of the course, use a mushroom to cross the water and land on a dock. This is not easy, but saves a lot of time. Additionally, after the track is on again after it splits, go over the bridge and follow the course as usual. Slightly before you make the right turn to go across the bridge, make a right turn to go in an alleyway and cut the corner and be ahead on the track slightly. It is recommended that this be done with mushrooms or some other speed boost item.
Shortcuts in Mario Circuit
In Mario Circuit 1, get two mushrooms. On the third turn there are two pipes. Use the mushrooms in the dirt part to save approximately five seconds. The second shortcut is in Desert Hills. In the part with the big "pyramid", there is a small gap. Use a mushrom to go through a good shortcut.
Shortcut in Sky Garden
When you get to the second green bridge, look to the left to see a cloud that goes across to the other track. Hop over it to get to it, then hop back off to avoid falling off. REMEMBER: This may require some practice.
Shortcut in Waluigi Pinball
After you shoot up the slot at the beginning of the race, get a mushroom and wait until you see the first ramp on the track. When you are coming toward it, use the mushroom to ramp off and go over your opponents on the track. This can help you to get ahead a few places.
Shortcut in Wario Stadium
This course is one of the longest in the game, but it has a shortcut that can cut a lot of time off your lap. It is possible to jump over the wall to the left of the starting line by using any one of the four small jumps there. Although you can make it over the wall without the assistance of any speed boosting item, a Mushroom or Mini-Turbo assist is helpful. Approach the wall at a high speed so that you are driving directly at it as you reach the peak of the small hill. Jump right before you hit the wall and you will fly over it. The timing requires some practice, but once you master it, it is not too difficult. It is also possible to jump back over the wall on the other side of the starting line, but the return jump is much more difficult and requires precise jump timing and aim.
Shortcut in Yoshi's Circuit
Just after the first two turns, go straight and you will see a gap in the wall. Hop over it to get ahead.
Shortcut in Yoshi's Valleys
This course is a tangle, as shown in the introductory map. However, there are a few shortcuts that will help you defeat just about anybody. Follow the course until you reach the maze part. Immediately go left and keep towards the left. The first shortcut is to stay left on the narrow part of the course. After doing that, you will hit a little checkered ledge, and see a large red and white sign on the left pointing to the right. This is the difficult part. Accelerate as fast as possible and stay to the far right. As soon as the rail on the left side ends, pull a hard left powerslide off the road. You will continue the powerslide onto the upcoming road after you land, and if done correctly, you will have shaved off at least ten seconds. This requires a lot of practice.
Enemy attacks
Look at your bottom screen to know if you are about to be attacked by an enemy (such as by a Green Shell). The following are the symbols for the various enemy attacks:
Banana Peels
A yellow banana peel on the ground.
Blue Shell
A blue turtle shell rushing at you or a blue dot following you until it hits you.
Green Shell
A green turtle shell rushing towards you.
Red Shell
A red turtle shell homing in on you.
Mystery Box
A red checkered box on the ground.
Turbo Missile
A black missile homing in on every player from seventh to first. REMEMBER: This is another player that was in eighth place.
Shortcut on Mushroom Brige
First,get a mushroom. Then, pass the first highway and you will see a sandy path. Use your mushroom to get up there and it will lead you to the other side.
MARIO KART DS UNLOCKABLES
Leaf Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Shell Cup and Banana Cup to unlock the Leaf Cup for that class.
Lightning Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Leaf Cup to unlock the Lightning Cup for that class.
Rainbow Cup
Beat all the Staff Ghost Data on the Retro tracks to unlock the Rainbow Cup in the Retro Grand Prix.
Star Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Mushroom Cup and Flower Cup to unlock the Star Cup for that class.
Special Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Star Cup to unlock the Special Cup for that class.
150cc Mirror Mode
Win all Gold trophies in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix 150cc class to unlock 150cc Mirror Mode.
Mission Mode mission 7
Get a 1 Star or greater rank on each level of missions 1 through 6 to unlock mission 7.
Bonus karts
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Nitro Grand Prix in the 100cc class to unlock a third kart for all characters. Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Nitro Grand Prix in the 150cc class to unlock a total of seven karts for all characters. Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix in the 150cc Mirror Class to unlock all karts for all characters.
Unlock Daisy
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Nitro Grand Prix in the 50cc class to unlock Daisy.
Unlock Dry Bones
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix in the 50cc class to unlock Dry Bones.
Unlock R.O.B.
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Mirror Mode Nitro in the 150cc class to unlock R.O.B.
Unlock Shy Guy
Play a Download Play game against another player to have the option to play as Shy Guy. REMEMBER: Shy Guy can only be used Download Play mode.
Unlock Waluigi
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix in the 100cc class to unlock Waluigi.
Alternate ending sequence
Win all Gold trophies in all cups and classes to change the ending sequence.
Star next to name
Win all cups in all classes with a 1 Star or greater rank for a star to appear next to your name in Multiplayer mode and on the "Records" screen.
Nitro Cup Airship Fortress
Airship Fortress: 2:10:000
Nitro Cup Bowser Castle
Bowser Castle: 2:20:000
Nitro Cup Cheep Cheep Beach
Cheep Cheep Beach: 1:45:000
Nitro Cup Delfino Plaza
Delfino Plaza: 1:55:000
Nitro Cup Desert Hills
Desert Hills: 1:35:000
Nitro Cup DK Pass
DK Pass: 2:15:000
Nitro Cup Figure-8 Circuit
Figure-8 Circuit: 1:38:000 (1:36:481 best time)
Nitro Cup Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion: 2:00:000
Nitro Cup Mario Circuit
Mario Circuit: 1:57:000
Nitro Cup Peach Gardens
Peach Gardens: 1:53:000
Nitro Cup Rainbow Road
Rainbow Road: 2:17:000
Nitro Cup Shroom Ridge
Shroom Ridge: 2:06:000
Nitro Cup Tick-Tock Clock
Tick-Tock Clock: 1:55:000
Nitro Cup Waluigi Pinball
Walugi Pinball: 2:24:000
Nitro Cup Wario Stadium
Wario Stadium: 2:15:000
Nitro Cup Yoshi Falls
Yoshi Falls: 0:58:000
Retro Cup Baby Park
Baby Park: 0:55:000 (0:50:920 best time)
Retro Cup Banshee Boardwalk
Banshee Boardwalk: 2:15:000
Retro Cup Bowser Castle 2
Bowser Castle 2: 1:53:000
Retro Cup Choco Island 2
Choco Island 2: 1:02:000
Retro Cup Choco Mountain
Choco Mountain: 2:16:000
Retro Cup Donut Plains
Donut Plains 1: 1:09:000
Retro Cup Frappe Snowland
Frappe Snowland: 2:09:000
Retro Cup Koopa Beach
Koopa Beach 2: 0:55:000
Retro Cup Luigi Circuit
Luigi Circuit: 1:37:000 (1:29:759 best time)
Retro Cup Mario Circuit
Mario Circuit 1: 0:51:000
Retro Cup Moo Moo Farm
Moo Moo Farm: 1:18:000
Retro Cup Mushroom Bridge
Mushroom Bridge: 1:31:000
Retro Cup Peach Circuit
Peach Circuit: 1:13:000
Retro Cup Sky Garden
Sky Garden: 1:45:000
Retro Cup Yoshi Circuit
Yoshi Circuit: 1:49:000
Donut Plains 1
SNES
Frappe Snowland
Nintendo 64
Bowser Castle 2
Game Boy Advance
Baby Park
GameCube
Koopa Beach 2
SNES
Choco Mountain
Nintendo 64
Luigi Circuit
Game Boy Advance
Mushroom Bridge
GameCube
Choco Island 2
SNES
Banshee Boardwalk
Nintendo 64
Sky Garden
Game Boy Advance
Yoshi Circuit
GameCube
Mario Circuit 1
SNES
Moo Moo Farm
Nintendo 64
Peach Circuit
Game Boy Advance
Luigi Circuit
GameCube