============================= Mario Kart DS Short Cut Guide ============================= +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ |Name: Ben van Dijk | |Nickname: Dragon Drake | |Version: 0.40 (started on monday 5 december 2005)| |Game: Mario Kart | |Type: In depth Short Cut Guide | |E-mail: Dragon(dot)Drake(at)gmail(dot)com | +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COPYRIGHT INFORMATIE This Walktrough is copyright(c) 2005 by Ben van Dijk. This FAQ is made for personal usage only. You can not use it for what magazine, site, paper or whatsoever. You can't copy and paste pieces from this Walkthrough/FAQ for own usage. This is plagiarism. You can not use this Walkthrough/FAQ as an example to make your own. You must do everything there is to do in the game yourself or have others give information about your game in order to make a Walkthrough/FAQ. You are allowed to copy the layout though. You can put this Walkthrough/FAQ on your non-commercial or non-profit web site provided that not a single character has been edited or removed, you MUST have permission from the author in order to do so. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ================== Table of Content ------------------- I. Introduction {1.1} Version History {1.2} Introduction ------- II. General Strategy ------- III. Cups {3.1} NGP: Mushroom Cup {3.2} NGP: Flower Cup {3.3} NGP: Star Cup {3.4} NGP: Special Cup {3.5} RGP: Shell Cup {3.6} RPG: Banana Cup {3.7} RPG: Leaf Cup {3.8} RPG: Lightning Cup ------- IV. FAQ ------- V. Contact ------- VI. Request ------- VII. Credits ------------------- =================== =================== I. Introduction =================== =================== {1.1} Version History ------------------- 0.23 - Added all the short cuts i could find. Current number of Short Cuts: 20 - Also made the main part of this guide. ------------------- 0.30 - Added ASCII maps from the courses with the short cuts. I'm not a great artist, but they should help. - Added the credits and the General Strategy sections. - Added a 4 more short cuts. Current number of Short Cuts: 24 ------------------- 0.40 - Added more shortcuts, but many more to come! ------------------- =================== =================== {1.2} Introducion ------------------- Welcome to my Short Cut Guide of Mario Kart DS. I play this game for quite some time now. And like the other Mario Kart games the game has many short cuts to save some precious time. But it's hard to remember them all. So i have written this guide to help you. This guide does not yet contain all the short cuts, that is because it takes time to find them. So if you have a short cut that isn't listed here yet, please send me an e-mail, you can find more information in the request part. ------------------- =================== =================== II. General Strategy =================== For most of the short cuts you need items so you don't slow down. Most of the time a Mushroom is the key to succes, but there are other things you could use. Mushroom: Boosts your speed, use this power-up if you are going offroad. Boo: The Boo gives its user a brief moment of invulnerability. With this power-up you can easily go offroad since the terrain doesn't affect you either. Star: This gives temporary invincibility and a speedboost. This is an other way to go offroad. Mini-Boost: When you are drifting (Press R in a corner and steer) you can get a Mini-Boost. Press left and right repeatedly, first you should see blue sparks, then orange sparks. Release R when you see the orange sparks and you get a Mini-Boost. You can not use this instead if a Mushroom in most of the courses! ------------------- =================== =================== III. Cups =================== ------------------------- {3.1} NGP: Mushroom Cup ------------------------- Map: Cheep Cheep Beach 1 Difficulty: 4/10 Class: All Items: Musrooms/star How to do it: When you are near the second speed ramp, instead over going over it and follow the road, go straight over the water. To win some time this way you have to hit the speed ramp at the left side so you get a speed boost. Now if the boost stops you can either use a mushroom if you have two, or save the one that you have now. When you go over the road again keep going straight and use a mushroom when you are in the water again. If you are lucky the water goes away so you gain some more seconds. Usefulness: If you have 2 mushrooms this is a very good way to gain some time when you are racing. Map: Yoshi Falls Difficulty: 1/10 Class: Any, but a light kart is preferred. Items: Mushroom, starman, boo. (optional) How to do it: Take the first and third waterfall, but NOT the second, it's too big! Usefulness: Items and a shortcut, not much better than this :) Map: Luigi's Mansion Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: When you exit the mansion make a sharp turn to the left and go over the grass while using a mushroom. Watch out for the tree! Usefulness: This saves you some nice time. ------------------------- {3.2} NGP: Flower Cup ------------------------- Map: Desert Hills Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: After the first turn there is a Pyramid. Instead of following the road to the right, take the left side of the pyramid. Use a mushroom so you don't loose speed. The best thing you can do is using 2 mushrooms, because at the end the boost stops and you slow down on the sand. Usefulness: A good way to gain some time if you have a spare mushroom. Map: Desert Hills 2 Difficulty: 3/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: At the end of the level there are some hairpin turns. Instead of following the road use a mushroom to jump over the hills. If you have 2 mushrooms, use them both to get a maximum boost. Usefulness: A good way to gain time if you have 2 mushrooms. Map: Delfine Square 1 Difficulty: 6/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: When you exit the smalls street of the city you enter the docks. At the end of the last house in the city go left and go on the pier. There is a small ramp before the mud, use a mushroom to get enough speed to jump over the water and land on the other at the other side of the water. This can be done without a mushroom, but you have to do 150cc for it and you have to be either really good or extremly luky. Try to hit the ramp before you drive over the mud so you don't loose any speed, it's hard to do it this way, so just use a mushroom. Usefulness: This really helps as long you as you don't land in the water. Map: Delfino Square 2 Difficulty: 4/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: At the end of the docks there should be two crates before a long corner to the right. After the two crates, go directly to the right and there is a passageway. Use a mushroom to get over the mud quickly. Usefulness: This helps if you need to overtake someone since you gain some time. Map: Delfino square 3 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: After the bridge there is a patch of grass, use the mushroom to boost across it. Usefulness: This can save some seconds at the end of the race to just overtake someone. Map: Delfino Square 4 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: Any Items: None How to do it: Go straight when you get to the part with the stairs. Usefulness: It's faster Map: Shroom Rigde Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: Mushrooms How to do it: Before you enter the tunnel there is a big grassfield. If you go over that grassfield you save a lot of time. Just use mushrooms whole way so you don't slow down. Usefulness: Very, it saves you a lot of time. ------------------------- {3.3} NGP: Star Cup ------------------------- Map: DK Pass 1 Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: When you are going uphill you can go over the snow to save some time. Just make a sharp turn and use a Mushroom. Usefulness: This is a good short cut that saves you time. Map: DK Pass 2 Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: When going uphill you can go over the snow to save some time. After the first short cut there is an other one. Just use another mushroom. If you only have one left, use this short cut since this one is a little bit better then DK Pass 1. Usefulness: This is a good short cut that saves you time. Map: Tick Tock Clock Difficulty: 3/10 Class: Any Items: Mushroom, Star (optional) How to do it: Near the finish line, you should see 2 gears spinning vertically, take the one to the left one the first lap, the right one on the 2nd, and the left again on the 3rd Usefulness: Using a mushroom on the gears makes you go super-fast. Map: Mario Circuit 1 Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom or Star How to do it: After the first couple of turns near the beginning, you'll come accross a small left turn then a wide right turn near some sand pits with two fire-spitting flowers. Just before you reach the left turn at the start of the sand aim for the green tunnel and boost to the right of the flower. The only danger here is boosting into the flame flower, but otherwise its really easy. Skips a lot too. Usefulness: Gets you farther ahead. Map: Mario Circuit 2 Difficulty: 3/10 Class: All Items: 2-3 mushrooms How to do it: When u enter the enormous upside down V on the track, go through the sand, and use your boosts to give you speed. In a 8-person race, say you are in 5th place, by doing this, this should move you up maybe 1, 2, or even 3 or 4 places if you are lucky. Usefulness: A few places. ------------------------- {3.4} NGP: Special Cup ------------------------- Map: Peach Garden Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: After the first corner there is a flower bed. Go trough it with a mushroom. Avoid the sigh with the arrow though. Usefulness: It saves you time. Map: Bowser Castle Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: When you enter the rotating platform, instead of going straight, continue on the platform and take the second turn left. This way is a little shorter then the other one. Whach out for the flames on this route. Usefulness: Yes, it saves you some time. Map: Rainbow Road 1 Difficulty: 10/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: There is a big looping on the track. If you drive into the wall and you stand still you will fall down, and if you are lucky you will fall onto the road again. The place to do this is at the end of the looping (if you are looking on the map). It is really hard to do though, but it is possible. Usefulness: This short cut is not very usefull, since you will fall down most of the time. And if you can do it succelfully you probably will be quicker if you just stay in the looping. Map: Rainbow Road Difficulty: 2/10 low drift, 8/10 high drift Class: Any Items: Nope How to do it: Powerslide through all the boost pads at the beginning, and mini turbo at the end. Usefulness: Goes faster. *note for wifi: Watch out for items on these boost pads!* ------------------------- {3.5} RGP: Shell Cup ------------------------- Map: SNES Mario Circuit 1 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: Mushrooms or Star. How to do it: After the second corner, simply use Mushrooms to cut across the dirt. Usefulness: Good, but be careful in 50cc. Map: GCN Luigi Circuit Difficulty: 3/10 Class: 100cc, 150cc and Mirror. Items: Star. How to do it: At the part with the Chain Chomp, use your Star and cut straight across the grass. Don’t worry about the Chain Chomp, because you have a Star on. Usefulness: Okay, but don’t screw it up or you’ll be in strife. ------------------------- {3.6} RPG: Banana Cup ------------------------- Map: SNES Donut Plains 1 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: After the bridge go right, there is a hole in the wall. Use a mushroom so you don't loose any speed. Usefulness: Saves some time. ------------------------- {3.7} RPG: Leaf Cup ------------------------- Map: Snes Koopa Beach 1 Difficulty: 3/10 Class: Any Items: None How to do it: When coming to the part with the water,turn left and dodge the deep water pits. This way is shorter. Usefulness: Keeping Time Trial Times Down. Map: Snes Koopa Beach 2 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: Any Items: Mushroom/Starman/Boo How to do it: Right after the water part, there will be green 'dots' to your left, go through the ones jutting out. Usefulness: Cuts a little off your time. Map: GCN Mushroom Bridge Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: When you exit the tunnel, don't follow the road to the left but go onto the grey path. Use a mushroom so you don't loose any speed. At the end use a mini-boost and turn right so you are on the normal track again. Usefulness: Yes, it is a nice short cut that saves you some time. Map: Choco Mountain Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: Before the finish you have some small hills. If you use a mushroom at the top, you'll jump over to the next hill. usefulness: Saves some time. Map: GBA Peach Circuit Difficulty: 1/10 Class: Any Items: Mushroom How to do it: Cut through the swervy part near the beginning. Usefulness: Barely cuts anything off, maybe 1/2 a second ------------------------- {3.8} RPG: Lightning Cup ------------------------- _______ ____________ /********\ ________/************\ /**/¯¯¯¯\**\____/**********/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|***| |**| \********/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ /**/ |**| \******/ /**/ |**\ ¯¯¯¯¯¯ /**| \***\ LEGEND: /***\ $***\ /*****\ $\***| $ = Short Cut 1 /** **\ $ |**| S = Start/Finish Line|** **\ $ |**| \** *| $/**/ \** * */ $**/ \** */ |***| /\ |***| |***| /||\ |***| |SSS| || ____ |***| |***| || /****\ /**/ |***| || /******\__/**/ \***\_______________/***/¯\******/ \*********************/ \****/ \*******************/ ¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Map: SNES Choco Island 2 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: At the start go straight, there is a hole in the wall that you can use to cut the chicane. To don't loose any speed use a mushroom. Usefulness: Saves some time. _______________________________ /*******************************| /********************************| /***/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|***| /***/ |***| /***/ /***/ /***/ /***/ /***/ /***/ |***/ /***/ |***| /***/ /***/ |***/ /***/ |***| /***/ /\ |***| /***/ /||\ |***|_____ /***/ || |*********| /***/ || |*********| /***/ || ¯¯¯¯¯|***| /***/ |***| /***/ |***| /***/ |SSS| /***/ ____________ |***| |***/ |************| |***| |***| _____|$$$*********|_______ |***| |***| |***$$$O*%%%*******|*******| |***| |***|__________|$$$$*OO*%|******¤*|*******| |***| \************$$$$|***O¤%*|****************| |***| \***********%%%%%%%%%***|****************| |***| ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|***| |***| LEGEND: |***| |***| |***| |***| $ = Short Cut 1 |***| |***| % = Short cut 2 |***| |***| ¤ = Pilar \***\ /***| O = Hole in the ground \***\ /***/ S = Start/Finish Line \***\/***/ \******/ \****/ ¯¯¯¯ Map: N64 Banshee Boardwalk 1 Difficulty: 4/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: When you enter the house, instead of going right like the arrow says, go left and directly right again. Drive slightly at the right side, and when the wall ends make a sharp turn left and jump over the hole in the floor. Now just continue the track like normal. Usefulness: Yes, it saves you some time. Map: N64 Banshee Boardwalk 2 Difficulty: 3/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: When you enter the house, go right like normal. At the end of the hole in the floor there is a pilar. Instead of following the road at the right side of the pilar, go to the left and jump over the gap. Usefulness: Yes, it saves you some time. Map: GBA Sky Garden 1 Difficulty: 4/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: After the first conrner there is a small ramp. Jump over it with the help of a mushroom. If done correctly you should land on some clouds. Jump over the clouds with the R-button so you don't fall down. Usefulness: It saves you almost a second. Map: GBA Sky Garden 2 Difficulty: 3/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: When you are at the other side of the course there is a small ramp. Jump over it with a mushroom, but look out that you don't fall of the edge at the other side. Usefulness: Saves you some time. Map: GBA Sky Garden 3 Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: None How to do it: When you are at the other side of the course there is a small boost-ramp. Use this ramp if you don't have a mushroom to use for the other ramp. Usefulness: Not very usefull, if you know how to make good corners you are probably quicker with following the road. Map: GBA Sky Garden 4 Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: Follow the track until you get to the second boost/ramp area. Save speed by going around the boost. Drive into the clouds ahead of the boost, and use a Mushroom/Star, then jump at the thinnest point. You'll skip the hairpin turn. Usefulness: Saves 4-6 seconds per lap. Map: GBA Sky Garden 5 Difficulty: 2/10 Class: All Items: Star or Boo helpful, but not required How to do it: Head to the last hairpin turn before the straightaway and the finish. Before you reach the actual turn and "vine-grate", you should see a cloud that looks like the rest of the track on your left. Turn left and head for it, jumping over the two gaps. Usefulness: Guaranteed to take you up at least two spots, usually more. Map: GCN Yoshi Circuit 1 Difficulty: 5/10 Class: All Items: Mushroom How to do it: Before you enter the tunnel there is a little cave from some stone and grass. You can jump over the water there with the help from a mushroom. Use the mushroom before you hit the grass, jump over the water and make a sharp turn to the right. If you don't do you probably will fall into the water at the other side of the road. An other way is to power-slide before you jump over the water, this way it's easier to stay on the road. Usefulness: Yes, with this short-cut you can enter the tunnel before the other players. Map: GCN Yoshi Circuit 2 Difficulty: 1/10 Class: All Items: Mushrooms, Star or Boo. How to do it: Just before the finish line there is a corner with piranha plants. Simply use your item just before the corner and turn right and cut across the grass behind the piranha plants. Usefulness: Very, it shaves about a second off your time, good for time trials. ------------------- =================== =================== IV. FAQ =================== - =================== V. Contact =================== If you have any questions, or there are mistakes in the guide, send me an email to: dragon(dot)drake(at)gmail(dot)com Here are some rules if you send me an e-mail: - Don't send spam. - Subject: MK SCG - Don't send mails with an attachment, 'cuz i wont open them. (There are a lot virusses these days.) - Ask anything, as long it isn't in the FAQ. - Please rate the FAQ if you are reading it on GameFaqs. - If you are reading this FAQ on an other site then GameFaqs or Neoseeker, please contact me because that is illegal. - Only send me english or dutch mails. ------------------- =================== =================== VI. Request =================== Since this FAQ hasn't covered all the short cuts in this game, i would appreciate it if you could send me more short cuts to my email-adresse. I look for all ways to save time, so short cuts that skip a part of the course and for short cuts that just cut a small part of the course like going on the grass with a mushroom. The best format to send it to me is: Map: Difficulty: Class: Items: How to do it: Usefulness: Please also put in the email a name that i could use in the guide to give you credit for the things you contributed to this guide. ------------------- =================== =================== VII. Credits =================== Thanks to all the people that contributed to this guide: Bolt_Storm - For giving me a short cut on the course GBA Sky Garden. r0ss7 - For giving me information about the Boo that I forgot. Thomas Smyth - For giving me a short cut on Delfine Square. Whelchie - For the short cut on Mario Circuit. NeoTebby - For the short cut on Donut Plains 1. bigestredzfaneva - For the Mario circuit 2 shortcut. MathsFreak7418 - For various shortcuts. Evilyoshi - For the Choco Mountain Shortcut. Charizard1 - For the Sky Garden 5 shortcut. Chugger1992 - For various shortcuts. ------------------- =================== =============================================================================== *Dragon Drake* ---> "Fear no enemy, make your own Destiny." End of file ===============================================================================