---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mario Kart Back Seat FAQ v 1.01 - January 21, 2004 By Matt Schembari (Matteo522) Copyright 2004 Matt Schembari ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION II. BASIC CONTROLS III. PROPER ITEM USAGE IV. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES V. COURSE TIPS VI. THANKS & CONTACT VII. LEGAL INFORMATION --------------------- I. INTRODUCTION --------------------- While spending the last few months feverishly playing Mario Kart: Double Dash!! with my friends, I quickly fell in love with the back seat character. Where the driver requires skill, coordination, and focus, the thrower is for the thinking player and strategist. More often than not, a match is decided based on how the racers used their items in the last thirty seconds of the final lap. If this is the case, why isn't there more information available for proper use of items? That is where this guide comes into play. It is my hope that by writing this, people will start to see the true power that can be unlocked by the back seat player. As you will see, there is much more to do than simply throw items and boost. --------------------- II. BASIC CONTROLS --------------------- If you're reading this guide, then you've probably played or at least seen someone play the back seat. You'll know, then, that the controls are actually quite simple: BUTTON | ACTION ---------------------------------------------- A,B,X,Y | Throw item. Yes, simply mash any button on the right | side of the controller and you'll throw the item you | are currently holding. Holding up while throwing an item | will cause it to be thrown far ahead while holding down | will cause your character to drop it. ---------------------------------------------- L,R | Dodge/Attack. This is a much more controversial move | since it will affect the handling of the car, potentially | throwing you off course or worse. However, as you will | see in a later section, dodging and attacking can shave | a great deal of time off your score. ---------------------------------------------- Control | Boost. When your partner uses the shoulder buttons to Stick | go around a curve, you'll notice that the sparks under | the tires become large. At that point, quickly move | the control stick back and forth from left to right. The | sparks will then turn from yellow to red and then to | blue. Once they are blue, you can stop and the driver | must release the shoulder button to boost. Note that | you can often boost multiple times in one turn. ---------------------------------------------- Z | Switch Seats. If both players press Z at the same time, | the two characters will switch seats. If both players | are equally adept at driving and throwing, it is highly | beneficial to switch for various reasons (more on this | later). ------------------------- III. Proper Item Usage ------------------------- Acquiring, maintaining, and using your items is the real heart of each match as the thrower. As such, it is critical that you know a few things: 1. The items you acquire depend on your current placement. A kart in first or second place (assuming Grand Prix here) is most likely going to receive single green shells, triple green shells, bananas, giant bananas, fake item boxes, and possibly Bowser's shell. As you get further down, the likelihood of getting a star, blue shell, lightning bolt, and the other highly coveted items increases. 2. If both players are equally adept at both driving and throwing, it's always a good idea to save certain items for a more appropriate time (such as Golden Mushrooms or Starmen). Simply switch positions and you'll have the item when you need it. Item Strategies: Mushroom -------- When used, the mushroom will give you a great burst of energy. While boosting, the kart is much less susceptible to being slowed down by rough terrain, making this a great item to use for cutting corners and hitting shortcuts. Always be aware of where you are when you get a mushroom and if there is a shortcut nearby where you could most effectively use this. If there's no easy shortcut, then this is best used either in a straight-away or just as you exit a curve, straightening the kart out. Also, try to hit enemy karts as you use this to send them flying and steal their item. Mushrooms are also useful when near Piranha Plants. Typically you will be going too fast near them for them to hit you when you're boosting with a mushroom. Best Uses: Shortcuts, Cutting Corners, Straight-Away, Exitting a Curve, Hitting Enemies Best Defenses: Watch your opponent's screen as they are incoming (if possible) and dodge at the last moment. Also, communicating with the driver which way to go to avoid the boosters may be useful. See it On the Ground? Hit it. Triple Mushroom --------------- Three mushrooms are better than one! The only thing to be aware of with the triple mushrooms is that if you are hit while holding them, you will drop all but one. For this reason, I tend to use the first two boosts at the nearest straightaway or curve exit, then save the last one for attacking another kart. If you're on a team where both players can drive and throw, the triple mushroom is a perfect item to hold up front for a more useful moment (such as just before the finish line!). When using triple mushrooms, be sure to let the first mushroom die down almost completely before using the next. Best Uses: Same as regular mushroom. Be sure to space them out. Best Defenses: Same as regular mushroom. See it On the Ground? Hit it. Green Shell ----------- Green shells can either be highly useful or highly disastrous to those who do not know how to properly wield them. First off, if you received a green shell, then you're probably in first or second place. As such, you are constantly under heavy attack, so the green shell is actually a great item to receive and not something to be disappointed about. When your radar tells you that you have an incoming red shell, get ready to launch this backwards. You typically have a few seconds between the time the radar notifies you of a red shell and when you are actually hit. Use this time wisely to straighten out the kart if possible. You are much more likely to deflect an incoming red shell if you are going straight than if you are going crooked. If you are in a curve, though, and straightening is not possible, then it is best to hold onto the green shell until the last possible second (when you see the shell itself), and launch it then. If timed properly, you should drop the green shell directly on the red one, destroying both. Green shells are also great for attacking close-range enemies. Their very high speed makes it quite easy to get a successful hit. Since you're not in control of aiming the kart, though, it can get tricky. Just make sure you are always waiting for the moment when the two karts properly align. Also, if the kart is not directly in front of you traveling exactly straight, always be sure to throw ahead of your target since it takes time for the shell to get there (think of how you'd throw a football to a running receiver). One final use is to launch it backwards offensively. If you can see in your opponent's screen that he is directly behind you, launching a green shell straight back will often hit them before they even have a chance to react. This can help strengthen a lead greatly. Best Uses: Hold onto it for defensive purposes (though only launch it if you can see the red shell or if you are traveling straight). Use it to attack only if a successful hit is imminent. Best Defenses: The only real warning you have is in your opponent's screen. In that case, dodge the shells as they are incoming and/or warn the driver about their location. Otherwise there's not much you can do. You can also use shells or bananas to destroy them as they are incoming, but it's better to not waste them on an easily dodgeable target. See it On the Ground? Avoid it. Red Shell --------- The homing power on the red shells is amazing, and something that can really make a difference when racing. When launched foward, the red shell will go running off in search of the person directly in front of you. It will almost always follow the course perfectly, so feel free to send it off even if the enemy is far ahead. The only trouble they have is with certain jumps and obstacles in the road such as other cars or booby traps. Red shells are also not meant for very close-range attack because of how they seek their enemies. If your kart is not aimed directly at the next-placed kart and you are extremely close, the red shell will either miss the target completely or turn back around on yourself. It's always best to save these until you're a little further behind or driving more stably. Note that when you launch red shells backwards, they lose their homing ability. Best Uses: When the opponent is far or moderately far away. Do not use for very close-up attacks. Make sure the kart is stable before launching it so they do not end up hitting the side. Note that these will follow the course to the target and not simply go in a straight line toward them (as Mario Kart 64 did). Best Defenses: A green shell is typically the best way to destroy these as they're coming in, but a banana will do the trick just fine. Wait to launch the defense until you are on a straightaway or you can actually see the shell. It's also possible to dodge shells, but it takes a great deal of skill and should only be used in cases where you have no defense. If you have a red shell on you as you go around a sharp curve, this is your best chance to dodge it. The key is to quickly and sharply change direction at the very last second, causing the red shell to continue going in its previous path and hit the side or fall off. This typically requires both boosting and dodging at the same time. It's also possible to do this on a straightaway if you have enough room to sharply curve and boost. With enough practice, the thrower may be able to consistently dodge incoming red shells. UPDATE: There's a way to consistently dodge red shells even on straightaways without requiring a turn or a boost. You'll notice that the red shell will pause for about a second and a half before it commits to attacking you. You want to dodge just as it commits because it won't follow you after that. This is relatively easy to do once you have the timing down. Last night I was able to dodge three red shells in a row, one of which was on the final bridge in DK Jungle (not always a wise place to punch!), securing the win for my team. One final thing to say is on the use of red shells as defense. Typically you want to do everything you can to avoid getting hit, but that is not always the case. If you are near the end of the course and you have a red shell while another red shell is on its way to you, it is better to get hit by the red shell and then use your red shell to pass the opponent. This is because of the chance that your red shell will miss the opponent's, leaving you both hit and itemless. See it On the Ground? Avoid it. Banana Peel ----------- Banana peels are great. Not only will they block incoming red shells, but if properly placed, they'll also send your opponent flying off the course. The first thing that happens when you hit a banana is you lose control of turning one way or another. Your kart then slows down slightly as you spin out. Finally, your speed drops almost completely, and you regain control at that point. Keep this in mind when deciding placement for the banana peel. Just before a curve with no outside railing is a great place to put one as well as just before the top of a ramp. Try to place it so that the opponent won't have a chance to regain control before flying off the edge. Another great spot is a decent amount before the finish line (make sure there's enough room for the banana to have its full slowing effect before the finish line). Just be sure to remember that you placed it next time around. :) Best Uses: Before a curve with no outside railing, near the top of a ramp with no boosts, at the top of a ramp with boosts, any chokepoint, and any place where there's already a lot of items. Best Defenses: These stationary little beasts are best avoided altogether by the driver. Be sure to notify the driver when you see one, and if it seems like hitting it is imminent, dodge to avoid it. See it On the Ground? Avoid it. Spiny Shell ----------- This is probably the most devastating item available. Once launched, it goes on a mission for the first place player and causes a huge explosion upon impact. The spiny shell will attack the player in first place at the time that the shell gets there, not at the time you threw it. Also note that the spiny shell WILL attack the thrower if the thrower is in first place. It is very important if you are within vision of the first place player to notify the driver that you are throwing it and he needs to avoid the explosion. Otherwise you could waste a perfectly good opportunity to get ahead. When the spiny shell explodes, it causes those within the immediate area to fly up and slightly forward. The cars will then come to a full or near fully stop, creating a huge delay. Any cars that hit the explosion radius will spin out as if they hit a banana. Use this to your advantage when trying to time the attack. Best Uses: Timed so it hits over a jump or near an edge or chokepoint. Also best if it hits multiple cars. ALWAYS be aware of where it is headed, though, and avoid the blast. Otherwise you will not pass your opponents. Best Defenses: There really is no way to avoid these consistently without dumb luck. However, if you have an opponent nearby, slamming the brakes or veering towards them may have them caught in the explosion. If you're going to get hit, you might as well bring down as many others as possible. See it On the Ground? Avoid it. Starman ------- The starman makes the kart completely invincible to any attacks, increases the top speed and acceleration, vastly improves the kart's handling, and causes any karts you touch to go flying backwards. A starman will also partially nullify the effects of rough terrain, making this an alternative to using mushrooms for shortcuts. There's really no bad time to use this since it will both speed you up and improve handling. Finally, if you hit a car while invincible and it has an item while you do not, you will steal that item. This can be incredibly useful. Best Uses: As soon as you get it so that it's not stolen or lost. Try to hit as many opponents as you can when passing them. Best Defenses: Watch your opponent's screen and avoid them at all costs. See it On the Ground? Hit it. Lightning Bolt -------------- Ahh the wonderful Lightning Bolt. When struck, it causes the same effect as if everyone just slid on a banana, then all karts lose their items, and everyone shrinks (greatly reducing their top speed and acceleration). Also, anyone that is normal sized will devestate them when hit. There are two different uses for the lightning bolt depending on how far away your opponent is. If the opponent is near you, then the most effective use is to wait until the opponent is near a curve with no railing or about to go over a jump and blast it, causing them to fall off. When they return, they will be large, so make sure that you can catch up to them before they come back. If they are far off, though, it is more effective to shrink the enemy without him falling because of the length of time traveling at a reduced speed. Note that if you are the person in front that was just shrunk, it is often better to immediately fall off and regain your normal size than to drive the entire time shrunken. Unlike in Mario Kart 64, many of the crucial jumps in the courses have boosts that will help even shrunken enemies across. For this reason, if you want them to fall, it's best to hit them just before they jump. Finally, if you are currently indisposed, stumbling, or using a star, you will not be hit by the lightning. For this reason, make sure your primary opponent will be affected by the lightning before using it. Best Uses: If the enemy is far away, any time he is not indisposed is fine. If the enemy is close, try to time it so that he will fall off. Best Defenses: Tumbling or hitting an automatic travel point (like being shot up DK's Mountain or floating up the beam in Rainbow Road). If you are far ahead, it may be worthwhile to jump off immediately upon shrinking so that you grow again. See it On the Ground? Hit it. Fake Item Box ------------- Fake item boxes, when struck, cause the kart to have the same effect as if it was just hit by a shell. It immediately loses a great deal of speed and tumbles (with little to no control). Because of this, these are best dropped at choke holds or jumps. At best, the opponent will hit the box and fall off the jump. At worst, the opponent will avoid it, but lose control in the process and fall. In addition, the kart is rarely aligned on the track perfectly after hitting a fake box, so dropping these on boosts like the ones on Rainbow Road will often send the opponent boosting off into space. Best Uses: Chokepoints, real item box clusters, jumps, and boosts. They can also be used offensively if the opponent is on your tail. Avoid throwing these ahead as avoiding them can often be tricky. Best Defenses: Look for the upside-down question mark or red coloring and ALWAYS tell your driver when you know it's fake. If hitting it is imminent, dodge away. See it On the Ground? Avoid it. Fireball -------- Special Item for Mario and Luigi When used, five fireballs shoot off at slightly different angles. Anyone caught in them will suffer the same penalty as if they were hit by a shell. I am not sure if they will destroy shells if hit (I imagine they would), but aiming them at a shell would be nearly impossible. The best use for these is to shoot them backwards in a tight hall when many enemies are behind you. Best Uses: Behind in a tight hall when many enemies are there. Avoid tossing these forward as you may hit them yourself, especially if you are near a wall (the fireballs at the edges tend to be the most dangerous ones for the throwers). Best Defenses: You'll either have plenty of warning or no warning at all when dealing with these. Dodge them like you would doge anything else. Heart Shield ------------ Special Item for Peach and Daisy The heart shield is a fantastic item. After activating it, it will absorb the next two items that hit you and give them to you. Though it won't hurt to hit them, try to avoid running into bananas and fake item boxes in favor of keeping it for the dreaded red shell. There's nothing better than picking up a red shell meant for you and passing it along to the person in front of you. If you have Peach or Daisy on your team, let her stay in the back until you get a heart shield (they are actually quite common). Once you get it, switch drivers so that you can start collecting the other character's special item. The shield will be lost if you fall off the edge or are hit by a lightning bolt. Best Uses: Use it immediately upon acquisition. Continue avoiding items as you normally would unless that item is a red/spiny shell. Note that normally friendly items on the ground such as a mushroom will use up one of the charges, so it's up to you whether or not you want to hit mushrooms, stars, or other friendly items. Best Defenses: Do not launch a red shell at someone with a heart shield. Green shells, bananas, and fake item boxes are fine, though, since they will use up a charge. Just be careful because they'll probably use that item back on you! See it on the ground? Hit it. Giant Banana ------------ Special Item for Diddy and Donkey Kong The giant banana is a massive obstacle that, when struck, explodes into three normal-sized bananas. These are incredibly difficult to avoid, and they cannot be destroyed without hitting them. You will definitely want to place this at any narrow point or jump where avoiding it will either be disastrous or impossible. These can be launched forward, but that's almost never a good idea. Best Uses: Dropped behind you at any narrow point where others are likely to run into it. Giant Bananas also destroy most items (and it will deflect Bowser's Shell), so they make excellent defensive items. Best Defenses: Avoid them at all cost. Also, do not throw Bowser's Shell at someone who is carrying a Giant Banana as that may cause it to turn right back around on you. See it on the Ground? Avoid it. Chain Chomp ----------- Special Item for Baby Mario and Baby Luigi When most people see the Chain Chomp for the first time, they think it's the most valuable item in the game. What could be better than a giant auto-pilot monster that speeds you up and kills everything in your path? Not much. However, Chain Chomp has a nasty reputation for betraying the poor babies who unleash it. For one, it's impossible to dodge any items launched at you while you're hanging onto Chain Chomp, and if you are hit, you immediately let go and possibly fall if you've lost control. Second, when you finally let go of Chain Chomp, you'll tend to continue on the path you were on at the moment he let go. Meaning? If he lets go around a turn, you're probably going to go flying off the edge. For this reason, I tend to avoid using Chain Chomps on difficult maps (anything Star or higher). Usually it's safe enough on the earlier maps to not have to worry too much. Best Uses: Any point where you're pretty confident you can't fall off if something goes awry. Be sure to tell the driver to continue "driving" even while the Chain Chomp goes so that you're prepared the second he lets go. Best Defenses: As soon as you see the radar icon for the Chain Chomp, get as far to the edge as possible. Chain Chomp will almost always follow a path in the middle of the track. Also, if you have an item, be prepared to use it as soon as he passes to knock the characters off their free ride. See it on the Ground? Is it possible? Golden Mushroom --------------- Special Item for Toad and Toadette This may be one of the most useful items in the game. Once you use it, you can continue to use it as many times as you can for a fixed period of time. This means that once you start using it, you should tap Y as quickly as possible to get as many boosts out of it as possible. Like the regular mushroom, anyone you hit while boosting will go flying and drop their item. The only real consideration here is to not use it near or around killer curves such as those in the beginning of Rainbow Road or the curved bridge in Dino Jungle. The speed boost you get from the Golden Mushroom is pretty unbelieavble. Best Uses: Any time that won't cause you to fall off. Be aware that as you're tapping, the driver has little control of the car. I tend to do a great deal of correcting and balancing with dodge as we go flying down the course. Best Defenses: Just get out of the way. If you have an item, definitely hit them with it as they pass to kill their momentum. See it on the Ground? Hit it! Triple Green Shells ------------------- Special Item for Koopa and Parakoopa Like the triple mushroom, this is simply three green shells. If you're hit while holding them, you will lose all but one. These are almost always best saved as defense because you'll have three shots to deflect an incoming projectile. If you do need to get rid of them, always toss them backwards unless you feel you have a pretty decent shot at hitting someone ahead of you. Shooting them ahead is very dangerous, though, as it's not easy to avoid three shells in tight quarters. When tossing them, give a bit of a delay between them so that they do not end up crashing into each other. Best Uses: Saved as defense. If you must get rid of them, toss them backwards or forward if it's an easy shot. Best Defenses: Same as single green shells. See it on the ground? Avoid it! Triple Red Shells ----------------- Special Item for Koopa and Parakoopa The triple red shell is a very strong weapon indeed. If used properly, you will almost always be able to hit the person ahead of you three times, causing a huge slowdown. When launching these, it's very important to have a delay between them for maximum effect. This is because if a second shell hits while the opponent is tumbling, the shell will be wasted. Try to wait at least a few seconds between firing them, and be aware that as you go around corners, they may catch up to one another. Just be patient and fire them slowly and surely, knowing that they will find their way to the opponent. If you're able to pass the opponent because of this, always give them a good smack to steal any items and cause an even worse delay. Just like the triple green shell, you'll lose all but one if you're hit while carrying them. Best Uses: Fired ahead to a distant or moderately distant foe with a decent amount of time between shots. If you have three and a red shell is incoming, always use them defensively since you'll lose two shells if you're hit. Best Defenses: Same as regular red shells. Just know that three are on the way, so it's even more important to try to dodge or destroy them. See it on the ground? Avoid it! Yoshi/Birdo Egg --------------- Special Item for Yoshi and Birdo This egg is just like a fun-filled red shell. It's a homing missile that, when struck, explodes into a whole bunch of useful items like mushrooms, stars, etc. Shells and bombs may also spill out, so it's important to be careful when you throw the egg. The egg seems to work more like the red shells from Mario Kart 64 than the red shells of Double Dash, meaning that they will follow the kart in front of you rather than following the course to get to that person. This makes them less reliable for more moderately distant foes, but more reliable for close combats. After firing the egg, pay very close attention to what spills out of it because it could be a great boost or a devastating bomb. Best Uses: On close-up enemies, always paying attention to what may spill out of the eggs. Best Defenses: Same as a red shell. See it on the Ground? Avoid it! Bowser's Shell -------------- Special Item for Bowser and Bowser Jr. Bowser's shell is a massive shell that will slaughter anyone it hits. The shell acts as a solid mass that will send the victim tumbling in the direction of the shell. For this reason, it's always best to shoot these backwards because A) you'll hit the people behind you and force them to stop or even go backwards and B) you won't have any chance of getting hit by it yourself. These are best used in narrow corridors like those found in Daisy's Cruiser for maximum effect. Bowser's shells can also be used defensively very well since they will pretty much destroy anything they touch. The exception, as was noted above, is Giant Bananas--Bowser's Shell bounces off of those, so keep that in mind. Best Uses: Thrown behind you to either block incoming shells or in a narrow, crowded corridor. Best Defenses: Get the hell out of the way or drop a Giant Banana. See it on the Ground? Avoid it! Bob-omb ------- Special Item for Wario and Waluigi The Bob-omb is both a curse and a blessing for Wario and Waluigi. On one hand, when dropped behind them, if someone happens to drive past it a few seconds later or run into it, they're going to blow up in the same way a blue shell would cause someone to blow up. However, when thrown in front of them, there is a great chance that you will run into the bomb yourself. This will *never* be worth it, so be sure to always drop these behind you. The only thing to watch out for when dropping it backwards is that the opponent is not right on your tail. If this is the case, you will hit them, causing the bomb to blow up and catch you in the explosion. Best Uses: Dropped behind you in a narrow, crowded corridor. Best Defenses: Avoid it like the plague. Also, watch out for others that may crash into it and get you caught in the explosion. See it on the ground? Avoid it! ----------------------- IV. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES ----------------------- 1. Double Dash Listen to the beeping at the start of the match. Each beep will be equally spaced from one another, much like a musical beat. Press A when the fourth beep would have been, and you'll get a Double Dash. You'll know you got it when bright blue flames come out of the kart. 2. Attacking Early in the Match Whether or not you got a Double Dash, you should still be able to pass some people. Be sure to smack every person that you pass. In fact, make this a habit of yours. Always hit someone when you pass them, and encourage your driver to get close enough to them for you. The only thing you'll want to be careful of is punching near edges. If you get a successful hit, your kart stops moving in the direction of the punch. However, if you miss, you may have thrown yourself right off the edge. Be very careful of this. 3. Using Punch to Balance Curves As you go around curves, you should always be slapping the control stick left and right whether or not your partner is using the shoulder (it's just good habit). However, once you boost, you'll be able to feel that the kart is slightly off balance. Things are a bit unstable or maybe you're pointing a bit to the side. It is at this time that you punch one way or another to get the kart back balanced. The question is, though, do you punch into the curve or out of the curve? This depends on the turn in question, but you'll eventually just be able to "feel" which way you need to correct. Do this often as your driver will greatly appreciate being straightened out after each turn. Also, when you are driving at a ludicrous speed (such as with a Golden Mushroom), the driver will have little control of the kart. It is at this time that you should be punching constantly left and right to hijack control of the kart and make sure you get to where you need safely. Your punching combined with the driver's driving is more than enough to keep you in control. Finally, at any point where there is no railing on the edge, be sure to use punch to keep the driver from drifting too far in one direction or the other. 4. Saving from Falls However, what happens if the driver gets too close to the edge anyway? Well, you still have a few options. You should always instinctively punch. But if you're falling off the edge, this may not be possible or it may be too little. Do you have a mushroom? If so, quickly use that. Sometimes the boost from it will be just enough to get you back on course. Finally, if there really is no hope, make sure to use whatever item you have because you're going to lose it no matter what. 5. Communicate! This is probably the most important tip I can give you. It is absolutely imperative that both players communicate so that they know where they are going and what they are doing. In addition, as the thrower, you have far less to worry about in real-time so you do not need to intensely watch the course. That's the driver's job. Instead, it is up to you to be aware of everything going on around you. If you see an obstacle ahead, always tell the driver. You can even tell him which direction to go around it. Just a quick, "Go to the left of the banana" will suffice. ALWAYS notify the driver when you know an item box is fake. Do not assume that he or she knows this. Also, when playing multiplayer, always watch the opponent's screen. This will let you know when they are directly behind you to drop an item or when they're about to fire something at you. Similarly, in Grand Prix mode, keep track of how close everyone is to your kart. Another important point of communication comes when you're playing in Mirror Mode. There are several key turns that everyone remembers when playing in the standard modes. As a result, it's easy to forget which way to turn in Mirror Mode. Just before these turns, remind your driver which way to go and that you're in Mirror Mode. This will help prevent them from driving into a corner. Finally, it is the job of the thrower to make sure he has the item from the driver. The driver is far too busy worrying about more important matters than passing the item. When you're ready for it, just say "Pass it". However, you don't necessarily always want the item immediately. If the driver is holding an item, it cannot be stolen when you're punched or hit by a boosting kart. Also, if you're about to hit a single item box, and your partner is holding an item, do NOT have him pass it. By the time the driver reacts and the item is passed, you may not have enough time to drop it before hitting the new item boxes. Nothing is worse than having your partner pass you a banana just so that you miss the next item box. 6. Punch Often You'd be surprised at how forgiving the punch is when you're hitting other karts. Even if you're quite in front of or behind the kart, just barely tapping them will still register as a full punch. Try to punch as often as you can around enemies until you get used to how forgiving it is. Also, don't let your driver tell you not to punch too much. This is your most valuable skill and once you're adept at it, your driver will be thanking you for saving the match every time you win. Of course, there are times and places when you don't want to punch. Never punch towards an edge if you're not absolutely positive that you're going to hit the opponent. If you miss, you'll probably send yourself flying off the course. Also, on some big curves if you punch into the curve and then hit the wall, the kart will go flying high into the air in some miraculous feat of physics. I'm not sure why this happens, but I do know that it will slow you down considerably. Once you see this happen a few times, you'll start to understand when not to punch. 7. Hold Onto Defensive Items Items such as green shells and bananas are best when held onto for defensive purposes. As such, you should hold onto them until hitting another block is imminent. Just before you're going to hit an item box, drop the item behind you to an unsuspecting victim and pick up the new item. This is the best way to keep yourself protected and still continue to pick up new items. This is most important if you are in first place. 8. Do Not Punch Before Boosting As you go around corners and charge up for your mini-boost, a punch will kill reset the charge. For this reason, be sure to punch AFTER the driver has used the boost. 9. Be Polite! Remember, you and the driver are a team, so you should act that way. Do not get upset if the driver makes some mistakes or is constantly missing item boxes. Most likely if there was a mistake made by the driver, you COULD HAVE fixed it if you were on the ball, so don't be so quick to point fingers. If you make a mistake like dodge away from an item or punch yourself off the road, be sure to apologize. Drivers tend to forget the last ten amazing plays you made as soon as you mess up their driving just once. 10. Be Ready to Correct Your Corrections If you punch to help stabilize the car, be ready to punch the opposite direction in case your punch over-corrected. It wouldn't be uncommon to punch five or six times to balance yourself out at a particularly difficult spot. 11. Use Items to Destroy Obstacles You can often use obstacles such as Bowser's Shell, green and red shells, starmen, and lightning bolts to clear away things such as the ducks in Peach Beach and the Goombas on Mario Raceway. --------------- V. COURSE TIPS --------------- Note: I'm not going to describe where each shortcut is. There are plenty of other guides for that, and that's mainly a driver worry. I will mention when you should hold on to a Mushroom or Star, though, to make it through a shortcut if necessary. 1. Luigi Circuit There is a shortcut by the first Chain Chomp, and a Star is the perfect item for that. A Mushroom will work as well, but make sure not to hit the Chain Chomp. Let the driver know that it is much quicker to slide and boost around the sharp turns than to use the boosts on the high part of the track. Do not rely on the last set of items in the course because they are too close to the finish line to be of much use. Secure your lead beforehand and use whatever you get there as defense. Be watchful of incoming traffic when in the straightaway. These can be easily avoided by dodging. 2. Peach Beach The Warp Pipe at the beginning leads nowhere. Do not take it. Make sure to get an item at the first set because the beach area around the corner is wide open for hunting. Those obnoxious ducks WILL follow you, so it's your job to make sure they have not homed in on you. If they have, notify the driver and get the hell out of there. They are much too devastating to mess around with. You can knock them out with a shell if you need to. As you're going up the ramp with the moving item boxes, pay very close attention, and dodge only if you're sure you can get one. Usually it's best to go up that perfectly straight, but sometimes you'll need to punch to get the item. Note that this item won't be of much use in the Final Lap since you're much too close to the finish line. That is, of course, if you're not neck and neck at this point. If you have a Golden or Triple Mushroom, it may be worthwhile to take the left-hand split of the beach and go over the ramp. If possible, a fake item box or banana on top of the ramp could really hurt the opposition. 3. Baby Park As you go around the curves, you may want to punch after boosting to help straighten the driver out. Be *very* aware of shells and other obstacles in this course. It quickly becomes very cluttered. It is pretty easy to dodge red shells going around the curve. This is a prime spot to practice red shell dodging. Bowser shells here are devastating. Be sure to punch everyone as you pass them. 4. Dry Dry Desert Hold onto Mushrooms for the big S curve in the beginning. You can avoid doing all that turning and just skid over the rough terrain pretty easily. Throwing a red shell at someone caught in the quicksand is usually a death sentence. Be sure to drop bananas or fake item boxes around the quicksand pit to make navigating that much more difficult. In the big open field with all the bumps, I've noticed that drivers tend to miss the item blocks here. Pay attention and get ready to dodge. Those last items before the end are just far away enough to the finish line to make a difference. Make sure you get one, especially for defense if you're in first place. 5. Mushroom Bridge There is a decent shortcut at the very beginning. Remind your driver about that if you want to take it. Hold onto a mushroom or star for the other shortcut that takes you over that little town. Be sure to tell your driver to take it if you have the right item. Be very careful of bombcars and watch out for other drivers hitting them. You need to secure your lead before hitting the final items. You probably won't have enough time for them to make much difference otherwise. 6. Mario Circuit You'll probably need to dodge in that very sharp curve before the Chain Chomp to help straighten the driver out. If you have a Mushroom or Star, you can cut across the grass behind the Chain Chomp. Be sure to let your driver know what you're doing with this. Watch out for the Goombas near the end of the course. Also, look for mushrooms on the ground. Any destroyed Goomba will drop a mushroom, so there's a likely chance there will be one after a lap or two. Always remind the driver during the very last stretch to be in the middle of the track. If he's too close to either edge, the Piranha Plant WILL attack you and set you back quite a bit. This can be devastating on the final lap. 7. Daisy Cruiser If you're playing in Mirror Mode, remind the driver to go to the left at the beginning. This seems to be very easily forgotten. There's a shortcut near the pool, but it rarely helps you. Avoid it. Watch carefully when you're going through the Dining Room. You can easily avoid hitting the tables, and you can often grab an item. Just after the dining room, boost and dodge to straighten out the kart and get a nice speed increase. After those curves, only go down the hole if you are not immediately behind someone. Going down the hole is only worth it if you get the double item box since it slightly slows you down (this is due to the amount of time it takes to fall). The refresh rate on the box is very quick, though, so you don't need to be too far behind someone. The last item boxes are usually too close to the finish line to be of much use if you're behind in the final lap. Secure your lead beforehand. 8. Waluigi Stadium This is a very vicious course, and usually all the karts are very close to one another. Your use of items here will make or break the match. You can't punch while you're in the air, so make sure you make any corrections you need on the ramps before you jump. This is very important on the final jump because it's easy to fall if you don't aim straight. In the part where the giant Piranha Plants and spinning flames are, you can get both sets of items by either switching drivers or constantly pressing Y while it's randomizing the item. Usually you can throw the item just before you hit the next item box if you don't wait to see what you got on the first one. On the big curve near the end, be sure to get an item here. You can use this to knock someone off the ramp that's about to come. Save any bananas and item boxes to use just at the top of the ramp. This is very important on the final lap because you'll need something to hit someone with or protect yourself as you go over that final ramp. Don't worry about hitting the item box on that final ramp. You won't be able to use it before you hit the finish line most likely. It's more valuable to hit the ramp straight and not slow yourself down to get the item. The exception to this is if the opponent is very close to you, but even still, you'll want to try to hit them off the ramp more than try to get the item. If you get a lightning bolt, save it until your opponent goes over the final ramp. 9. Sherbet Land Your punching is the most effective way to dodge obstacles while you're on ice. Be sure to use this to your advantage. Watch for the shyguys on the first frozen section. You should be able to avoid them all with dodging. Many of the item boxes are difficult to hit on this course, so pay extra attention as you pass them and punch into them if you can. It is crucial that you avoid the giant ice blocks near the end. You can fire shells at them to push them out of the way if necessary. The best way to avoid, them, though, is to use dodging to keep the kart stable and under control as you go through the ice. DO NOT punch into the ice blocks, obviously. You need to secure your lead before you get to the ice blocks because it's very difficult to get and use an item before the finish line in the final lap. Red and green shells are especially useful to help push the enemy into an ice block. Also, drop bananas and fake boxes to make the opponent dodge them and hit an ice block instead. 10. Mushroom City Your dodging skills become VERY important in Mushroom City as you need to avoid cars, caterpillar buses, and bomb cars. Hitting any of these can be highly devastating. There are many ninety-degree or worse turns in this map. You'll want to boost and punch to help straighten the driver out. Red shells will often run into cars on this map, so be sure to send them when there's no cars around and not to blindly send them to a distant opponent. They probably won't make it. On the final stretch, your dodging skills could make all the difference. Hitting a bomb or car would be disastrous at that point. Also, the item boxes on that last bit are not worth getting since you probably won't be able to use them before the finish line. 11. Yoshi Circuit This is a very curvy map, and often your punching to straighten out the kart is more valuable than boosting. This really depends on the driver and conditions of the course. In the first curve, try to punch people off the course. Just be careful not to fall yourself. If you get a Mushroom as your first item, you can take the shortcut jump to skip the third big curve. Be sure to communicate with the driver that you want him or her to make the jump. Use the Mushroom just as you hit the grass. Be ready to punch when you land if the driver needs help correcting himself to avoid falling off the course. Be ready to boost at any point. Be ready to defend yourself at any point. Be ready to knock someone off the edge at any point. This is a very fast-paced, difficult course where anything can happen. Communicate with your driver when you reach the Piranha Plants. They're hard to see as a driver and can really slow you down. Dodge if necessary. Placing bananas on any curve here could really spell disaster for the opponent. Remember, if the opponent misses the banana and falls off the edge, the banana has done its job. Triple or Golden Mushrooms are very helpful at the curves by the Piranha Plants. You can use them to bypass the curve altogether, and Mushrooms will usually make you pass by those nasty plants before they will have a chance to react. 12. DK Mountain This is one of my favorite courses. :) If you get a Triple Red Shell as your first item, hold onto it until after you get to the top of the mountain. This is also true for Starmen, Lightning Bolts, and anything else that takes time to have its full effect. Opponents are immune to everything while they are shooting to the top of the mountain. Do not use Lightning or Spiny Shells during this time. Remind the driver to look for the Double Item box as you go around the first curve at the top of the mountain. They're easy to hit if you're ready for them. If you use a Chain Chomp near the S-curves prior to the tilting bridge, he will pull your kart straight over the ravines. This is an excellent shortcut to take. This can also be done with a mushroom, but it is very difficult to pull off properly. Be very careful of shooting red shells during the first descent down the mountain. They tend to follow the center of the course and then curve at the last moment meaning that you can easily catch up to them and they may hit you. Also, give plenty of time between red shells. This will help make sure they don't run into each other and also give a good chance that they'll hit around the vicious curve. Don't boost around the vicious curve where the item boxes are. Be ready to punch, though, to keep the driver from falling. Make sure you hit an item just before the bridge. Use this item to shoot down any bananas on the bridge (they're hard to avoid) or to place an obstacle on the bridge. It's best to place them right at the start of the bridge because the other drivers are probably not quite stabilized at this point. Avoid dodging while on the bridge because it may toss you right off. You may hit the opponent if you're sure you'll hit him to knock him off the bridge. Just be very sure you do not fall off yourself. Don't be afraid to punch one way then immediately the other way to cancel them out. Secure the lead before you make it to the bridge. It's difficult to catch up to people in the final lap at that point. 13. Wario Colosseum This is another great course for the thrower. Try to punch people as you go over the ramps in the beginning right at the last moment. This may very well knock them off the course. Be sure to dodge as you go up the ramp to make sure you get the item as you jump. These items are crucial to securing the lead early. Remember, you can't punch once you're in the air. Place as many obstacles as you can at the tip or just before the tip of each ramp. Don't place it before the last boost, though, because usually that one boost is enough to get them over. You want them to fall off the ramp at the top. Boost like crazy as you go down the spiral part. You should be able to pull off constant boosts and gain a great deal of speed. Do not punch into the curve as you go down the spiral because this will cause your kart to drive straight into the wall. You need to be as stable as possible coming out of the spiral to get ready for the next curve. Do not boost while going around the next curve. Remind the driver about the curve and advise him or her to slow down a bit. You may need to do some correctional punching to keep the kart in the center of the track. Do not over punch, though, because you'll end up throwing yourself off the course. Immediately after the curve is a great place to use a Mushroom because they tend to have a straightening effect on the kart. If you get an item box or banana on any of the next two item boxes, save it for the jump over the big hole coming up. Many karts and almost all humans take that jump despite its difficulty. Placing bananas and item boxes at the top of the ramp is a great way to knock them off the course. Also, because the ramp is a boost, it's very difficult to see obstacles on it. Red shells are also a good alternative if you're behind your enemy. Try to time it so that they will get hit JUST BEFORE hitting the ramp. This will make them not point straight, and when they hit the boost, they'll just boost right into the hole. This is the best place on the course to attack the enemy and secure a lead, especially in the final lap. If you're still behind after the hole, you have two more chances to catch up. Make sure you get an item at both locations or there will be no chance. The final jump (the very high ramp) is your last chance to cause an opponent to fall. Place obstacles here. 14. Dino Dino Jungle The starting point of this course is very tight. Be sure to punch your way through at the beginning. Always go for the item under the dinosaur. Getting hit here isn't a terrible thing since you'll want to slow down before you go on the bridge anyway, and having items here can be disastrous for your opponent. Try to dodge the dinosaur's feet if you can. DO NOT USE MUSHROOMS OR STARS JUST BEFORE THE BRIDGE. You will fall off. Remind the driver to slow down as he approaches the bridge, and do not boost around it. You may need to punch to keep him centered. Just after the curve is a great time to punch people since the bridge is so narrow. Also, people usually don't have items left at this point. If you received a Mushroom or Starman from the dinosaur, hold onto it until you enter the cave. As soon as you enter the cave, make a hard right and go over the bridge. You'll need the item to make the jump, but it's well worth it if you do. Be sure to place obstacles at the entrance to the next bridge. This will surely knock your opponents off. Also, this is a great point to punch them off. Going around the tight curve at the end is the last chance you'll have in the final lap to attack your opponent. Make it happen. Place obstacles on the geysers that you drive over. Your opponent only has two choices of geysers, and if one is blocked, he may screw up changing at the last moment. 15. Bowser's Castle This is another favorite course of mine. :) At the beginning as you drive over the draw bridge, PUNCH. Most likely at that point, all the drivers are still bunched together, and it is very easy to throw someone off there. There's nothing better than sending your opponent to a quick 8th place in the beginning to frustrate them. Always go for the double box as you approach the Thwomps. Dodging is also important here to ensure that you do not get squished. As you approach the final curve of the hallway just before you get to the grating over the lava, remind your driver to be careful. It's very easy to fall off at that point if you're not stabilized. Place an item on the top of the ramp before the spiral up. This will surely cause someone to fall. Boost as much as you can as you're going up the ramp and place obstacles on the far outside. Most human players end up hugging the far outside during the whole spiral. As you approach the spinning fire, remind your driver to pick a direction and stick to it. You may need to punch to avoid the fire or grab an item. Getting an item here may help you around the next killer curve. Place obstacles just before the ninety-degree curve with no edge. Just the appearance of them could psych out your opponent enough to fall off the edge there. You may need to punch as you go around that yourself to avoid falling off. As you go around the curve just before the straightaway where the Bowser statue fires giant fireballs, make sure to get an item. If it's an obstacle, hold onto it until the shortcut jump coming up. Place it right before the edge as you jump over it (you are taking the short cut, aren't you?). As you jump over the shortcut, be prepared to punch left (right in Mirror) to help your driver not fall through on the other side. It's pretty easy to hit it once you're used to it. Placing the obstacle before the jump is a sure way to make your opponent fall. If you're just playing against the computer, though, it's not worth it since they rarely take that shortcut and it will just make it more difficult for you on the next lap. Place more obstacles at the top of the next ramp or just as you land after it. They are very difficult to avoid at this point. Be sure to secure the lead before the final jump. You'll have little time to attack after you've landed on the final lap. Try to stay on the inside of the curve, and punch your driver that way if necessary. It makes a big difference at the end. 16. Rainbow Road Get an item on the first round of items and be sure to use it as you go around the first hairpin curve (unless of course it's a star or mushroom). You may need to punch to help the driver get around these two curves. DO NOT BOOST. Feel free to remind the driver to slow down as you go around these, too. Be sure to place items just as you land on the big straightaway with large boosts. It may cause your opponent to lose his facing as he tumbles, and when the boost sets in again, they'll boost right off the map. The big curve with all the little boosts can be very difficult for many drivers. You may need to do some punching to keep them centered. If you do punch, you'll probably need to punch a lot and hijack control to keep the driver on. Many drivers take the next S curve very dangerously. Be ready to punch to keep them from falling off. A mushroom boost may save you here, too. Do not use items before the teleporting beam. If they don't catch up to the driver before they hit the boost, they're wasted. Also, all opponents are invinciple while in that beam, so Spiny Shells and Lightning Bolts are wasted then. If you don't secure the lead during the next straightaway, you may not have another chance to. The final set of items is usually too close to the finish line to have much effect. --------------------- VI. THANKS & CONTACT --------------------- You can reach me, Matt Schembari, by e-mailing [email protected]. You can also ICQ me at 1840696 or catch me on AIM as Matteo522. If you have any comments/corrections/suggestions, I'd love to hear from you. Many thanks to Jared for giving me this game as a random gift. Also thanks go out to Llana, Eric and Jared again for providing both great teammates and great opponents. ----------------- VII. LEGAL STUFF ----------------- � 2004 Matt Schembari, AKA Matteo522, AKA Kenickie. You may reproduce and republish this document ONLY BY contacting me first. If you ask, I'll most likely say yes. However, using any part of this document without my express written approval is forbidden by law. Version History --------------- Jan 22, 2004 - Finished the first draft of this document. Jan 26, 2004 - Added some things that I had overlooked. Many thanks to Matthew Monin and Windu for pointing these out.