This game is also available on Wii.
Retro Game Walkthroughs for Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)
Submitted By: Ghost Killer
Here is my walkthrough to what I believe to be the greatest racer of all time. The contents are as follows:
Racing Tips
Racers
Weapons
Tracks
Battle Arenas
Racing Tips
-----------------
Power Sliding
To power slide, on a turn simply press and hold R. Then flick the control stick back and forth till the gas being left behind turns orange. Do this and you'll be given a small boost which helps a great deal in races.
Boast Start
At the beginning of a race to get a boost start press and hold the acceleration button just before the third and final light appears.
Staying Close Behind
When behind a racer stay behind his exhaust and the gas will collect in your engine later causing a small boost.
Weapons
-------------
Green Shell
Effectiveness: *
Use as a type of rocket that fires straight and bounces off walls. Get hit by one and you'll be sent flying. Hold down the fire button and you'll hold the shell behind you acting as a shield from on coming weapons behind.
Triple Green Shell
Effectiveness: **
Same as above except that instead of one shell, three rotate around you.
Red Shell
Effectiveness: **
Like green shells except they can follow the racer ahead. If they hit a wall however they break. You are also able to hold them behind you too.
Triple Red Shell
Effectiveness: ***
Three times the power! Rotate around you like triple green shells.
Mushroom
Effectiveness: **
Give you a brief boost once.
Triple Mushrooms
Effectiveness: ***
Gives you three brief boosts. Don't have to be used all at once.
Turbo Boost
Effectiveness: ****
Gives you unlimited mushrooms for about 18 seconds.
Star
Effectivenes: *****
Makes you invulnerable to any attacks and touch anyone and you'll send them crashing. Only for a short while however. Falling into water or off the track will cause you to lose it.
Lightning Bolt
Effectiveness: *****
Causes all the other racers to go small meaning they are slower and vulnerable to being crushed by you. Only works for a brief period and doesn't apply to racers who have just used stars or ghosts.
Ghost
Effectiveness: **
Allows you to steal a random racers weapon an use it. Also makes you invulnerable to attacks for a short time and invisible to other players.
Spiked Shell
Effectiveness: ****
A shell that goes through the track until it reaches the pole position player. Can hit others along the way and even goes through other objects. Hold attack button to hold behind you.
Banana Peel
Effectiveness: *
Let it drop behind you or shoot it ahead. This slippery weapon causes racer to slip on them when the hit it. Hold attack button to hold behind you.
Five Banana Peels
Effectiveness: **
Basically five banana peels in a row. Hold attack button to hold all behind you
Fake ? Box
Effectiveness: **
Look identical to normal ? boxes except the ? is the wrong way round. Hit one and you'll be sent flying.
Racers
------
Mario
Weight ***
Acceleration ***
Handling ***
Luigi
Weight ***
Acceleration ***
Handling ***
Toad
Weight *
Acceleration *****
Handling ****
Peach
Weight **
Acceleration ****
Handling *****
Wario
Weight ****
Acceleration **
Handling ***
Yoshi
Weight **
Acceleration ****
Handling ****
Bowser
Weight *****
Acceleration *
Handling **
Donkey Kong
Weight ****
Acceleration **
Handling ****
Tracks
------
Luigi Raceway
Difficulty: *
Road surface: Tarmac
Distance: 717m
Nothing at all difficult about this track really. You should have no problem with it at all. The only tip I can give you is that you always use power slides on the two main bends of the track to gain the best advantage over the opponents.
Moo Moo Farm
Difficulty: **
Road Surface: Dirt
Distance: 527m
Again a very basic track with the shape being a round loop. Power sliding is advised as much as possible and watch out for the moles that jump out of the holes in the ground. Hit one and you'll lose a heck of a lot of time.
Koopa Troopa Beach
Difficulty: **
Road Surface: Sand
Distance: 691m
A nice simple track that poses a few hazards along the way. Look out for crabs along the coast towards the end of the track. Hit them and they'll send you spinning. Also don't hit any palm trees as they will have the same effect. Don't go too far into the water or you'll drown. Look out for a major shortcut half way through. You should see a hole in a wall with a ramp leading up to it. All you need to do is obtain a star or mushroom and use it just before you go up it, which should give you enough speed to launch up it and into the hole. This will put you far ahead of the other racers.
Kalimari Desert
Difficulty: *
Surface: Gravel
Distance: 527m
Not much to worry about except don't go out of the track area and onto the rough area or you'll lose speed. Also look out for the train becasue if you hit that, you'll lose a lot of time. Cacti are around so watch out too but most are too far out to pose any threat.
Toad's Turnpike
Difficulty: ***
Surface: Tarmac
Distance: 1036m
Now things are getting harder. This track is basically a motorway with cars, trucks and ans all over. Hit them and you'll crash losing precious time. Power slide only when there are no vehicles surrounding you as power sliding can cause you to lose control a little. So be careful!
Frappe Snowland
Difficulty: **
Surface: Snow
Distance: 734m
Very similar to Moo Moo Farm in a way that you must dodge some snowmen instead of moles. They are located towards the middle of the track and when hit will cause you to crash. Best thing to do is drive around the snowman area. This will reduce the danger of hitting them. Also watch out for the bridge at the very end. Don't fall in the water by mistake.
Choco Mountain
Difficulty: **
Surface: Chocolate
Distance: 687m
Pretty easy. Watch out for falling boulders later on in the race and try not to fall off the track when on that area. This will cause you to return to a previous part of the track wasting time.
Mario Raceway
Difficulty: *
Surface: Tarmac
Distance: 567m
Similar to Luigi Raceway with no real threats accept for the pirana plants scattered around the track. Keep to the track and you should have no problem. Power sliding is advised on any corner possible.
Wario Stadium
Difficulty: ***
Surface: Dirt
Distance: 1591m
A very long track. Loads of big jumps to master as well as some annoying turns too. If you are far behind and manage to grab a lightning bolt then save it and use it just before the other racers reach the main big jump. They won't have enough speed to make the gap and will fall back a quarter of the track. Power sliding is advised throughout.
Sherbert Land
Difficulty: ***
Surface: Snow And Ice
Distance: 756m
Like the previous ice level only more difficult. Watch out at the beginning that you don't fall into the icy lake as this will waste a heck of a long time. Also dodge the penguins in between or else they'll send you spinning. Inside the cave you'll find two main pillars with penguins walking around in one direction. The best thing to do is ride the way that the penguins are going to reduce danger of hitting them. Follow the arrows for guidance.
Royal Raceway
Difficulty: **
Surface: Tarmac
Distance: 1025m
Similar again to Mario and Luigi Raceway only with a major jump included in the track. If you are losing use the same tactic as Wario Stadium when you have a lightning bolt. Watch out for pirana plants on the side and also make sure on the jump that you head straight so as not to hit the steep hills on either side of the track. Power sliding is advised throughout the race.
Bowser's Castle
Difficulty: *****
Surface: Brick
Distance: 777m
Perhaps the most difficult track in the game. To begin with you must make sharp right angle turns while dodging the huge thwomps. Hit them and you'll be sent spinning. Also watch out for ones that flatten you! Take caution when riding across the narrow bridge. Use the brake if needed. Immediately after make a sharp turn to the right and travel down the steps avoiding the nook at the side. Don't get caught. One last hazard is the jump at the end. Lack of speed will result with you in the lava.
DKs Jungle Pathway
Difficulty: **
Surface: Dirt
Distance: 893m
Like Peach's Raceway with a huge jump in the middle after the spiral area. Again like Wario Stadium use the lightning bolt just before the jump so the racers don't gather enough speed to make it. When driving on the grass conkers will be thrown at you which will slow you down so this is best avoided.
Yoshi Valley
Difficulty: ****
Surface: Gravel
Distance: 772m
Nasty level this is. Basically there are many ways to go round this track and the quickest and safest way is the following:
Turn left
Then quickly make the first left again
This should lead you to a bridge which you cross
Avoid all hedgehogs as they will sedn you spinning
Then make a hard left again
This should lead you to the main single track again
When faced with the giant egg make sure you steer clear of it as hitting it will crush you like a bug. At the end of the track always power slide as you'll find that other racers can overtake you on this area. Don't go along the grass or you'll slow down further.
Banshee Broadwalk
Difficulty: ****
Surface: Wood
Distance: 747m
A tough level with sharp turns and a castle full of bats. Basically take it steady on the turns as over riding them will result with you falling into the water below. A nice little trick is to use a lightning bolt just as you enter the castle. Because everyone is so small they will get crushed by the bats meaning you can speed ahead. Remember just to take the level steady. Speeding like an idiot will just result with you losing.
Rainbow Road
Surface: Rainbow
Distance: 2000m
A long level that really requires skill more than anything. There are no edges for you to fall off however there are chain chomps that race in the opposite direction to you. Hitting one will cause you to crash wasting precious time. At the beginning of the race you'll see a huge ramp going down. Jump this as it will be quicker meaning you can over take people ahead. Power silding is vital! There are so many huge soft turns in this level, that you must power silde to stay ahead.
Battle Arenas
--------------------
Big Donut
Difficulty: **
Look out for the huge lava pit in the centre! This arena is basically a big ring. Nothing too hard here.
Block Fort
Difficulty: ****
There are so many places to hide and stay safe of battle. Basically there are four platforms each about two stories high leading off to one another via bridges. Hard to get people in this arena.
Double Deck
Difficulty: ***
A huge three story arena that makes it pretty hard for you to actually find anyone. Top floor is green, middle red and the bottom green again.
Skyscrapper
Difficulty: **
Like Big Donut except no walls on either side. Also there are loads of smaller holes to be aware of in the centre. Don't fall off!
There you have it. My guide to Mario Kart 64. I hope this has helped those of you who are stuck. And all I can really say is look out for another walthrough for Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Racing Tips
Racers
Weapons
Tracks
Battle Arenas
Racing Tips
-----------------
Power Sliding
To power slide, on a turn simply press and hold R. Then flick the control stick back and forth till the gas being left behind turns orange. Do this and you'll be given a small boost which helps a great deal in races.
Boast Start
At the beginning of a race to get a boost start press and hold the acceleration button just before the third and final light appears.
Staying Close Behind
When behind a racer stay behind his exhaust and the gas will collect in your engine later causing a small boost.
Weapons
-------------
Green Shell
Effectiveness: *
Use as a type of rocket that fires straight and bounces off walls. Get hit by one and you'll be sent flying. Hold down the fire button and you'll hold the shell behind you acting as a shield from on coming weapons behind.
Triple Green Shell
Effectiveness: **
Same as above except that instead of one shell, three rotate around you.
Red Shell
Effectiveness: **
Like green shells except they can follow the racer ahead. If they hit a wall however they break. You are also able to hold them behind you too.
Triple Red Shell
Effectiveness: ***
Three times the power! Rotate around you like triple green shells.
Mushroom
Effectiveness: **
Give you a brief boost once.
Triple Mushrooms
Effectiveness: ***
Gives you three brief boosts. Don't have to be used all at once.
Turbo Boost
Effectiveness: ****
Gives you unlimited mushrooms for about 18 seconds.
Star
Effectivenes: *****
Makes you invulnerable to any attacks and touch anyone and you'll send them crashing. Only for a short while however. Falling into water or off the track will cause you to lose it.
Lightning Bolt
Effectiveness: *****
Causes all the other racers to go small meaning they are slower and vulnerable to being crushed by you. Only works for a brief period and doesn't apply to racers who have just used stars or ghosts.
Ghost
Effectiveness: **
Allows you to steal a random racers weapon an use it. Also makes you invulnerable to attacks for a short time and invisible to other players.
Spiked Shell
Effectiveness: ****
A shell that goes through the track until it reaches the pole position player. Can hit others along the way and even goes through other objects. Hold attack button to hold behind you.
Banana Peel
Effectiveness: *
Let it drop behind you or shoot it ahead. This slippery weapon causes racer to slip on them when the hit it. Hold attack button to hold behind you.
Five Banana Peels
Effectiveness: **
Basically five banana peels in a row. Hold attack button to hold all behind you
Fake ? Box
Effectiveness: **
Look identical to normal ? boxes except the ? is the wrong way round. Hit one and you'll be sent flying.
Racers
------
Mario
Weight ***
Acceleration ***
Handling ***
Luigi
Weight ***
Acceleration ***
Handling ***
Toad
Weight *
Acceleration *****
Handling ****
Peach
Weight **
Acceleration ****
Handling *****
Wario
Weight ****
Acceleration **
Handling ***
Yoshi
Weight **
Acceleration ****
Handling ****
Bowser
Weight *****
Acceleration *
Handling **
Donkey Kong
Weight ****
Acceleration **
Handling ****
Tracks
------
Luigi Raceway
Difficulty: *
Road surface: Tarmac
Distance: 717m
Nothing at all difficult about this track really. You should have no problem with it at all. The only tip I can give you is that you always use power slides on the two main bends of the track to gain the best advantage over the opponents.
Moo Moo Farm
Difficulty: **
Road Surface: Dirt
Distance: 527m
Again a very basic track with the shape being a round loop. Power sliding is advised as much as possible and watch out for the moles that jump out of the holes in the ground. Hit one and you'll lose a heck of a lot of time.
Koopa Troopa Beach
Difficulty: **
Road Surface: Sand
Distance: 691m
A nice simple track that poses a few hazards along the way. Look out for crabs along the coast towards the end of the track. Hit them and they'll send you spinning. Also don't hit any palm trees as they will have the same effect. Don't go too far into the water or you'll drown. Look out for a major shortcut half way through. You should see a hole in a wall with a ramp leading up to it. All you need to do is obtain a star or mushroom and use it just before you go up it, which should give you enough speed to launch up it and into the hole. This will put you far ahead of the other racers.
Kalimari Desert
Difficulty: *
Surface: Gravel
Distance: 527m
Not much to worry about except don't go out of the track area and onto the rough area or you'll lose speed. Also look out for the train becasue if you hit that, you'll lose a lot of time. Cacti are around so watch out too but most are too far out to pose any threat.
Toad's Turnpike
Difficulty: ***
Surface: Tarmac
Distance: 1036m
Now things are getting harder. This track is basically a motorway with cars, trucks and ans all over. Hit them and you'll crash losing precious time. Power slide only when there are no vehicles surrounding you as power sliding can cause you to lose control a little. So be careful!
Frappe Snowland
Difficulty: **
Surface: Snow
Distance: 734m
Very similar to Moo Moo Farm in a way that you must dodge some snowmen instead of moles. They are located towards the middle of the track and when hit will cause you to crash. Best thing to do is drive around the snowman area. This will reduce the danger of hitting them. Also watch out for the bridge at the very end. Don't fall in the water by mistake.
Choco Mountain
Difficulty: **
Surface: Chocolate
Distance: 687m
Pretty easy. Watch out for falling boulders later on in the race and try not to fall off the track when on that area. This will cause you to return to a previous part of the track wasting time.
Mario Raceway
Difficulty: *
Surface: Tarmac
Distance: 567m
Similar to Luigi Raceway with no real threats accept for the pirana plants scattered around the track. Keep to the track and you should have no problem. Power sliding is advised on any corner possible.
Wario Stadium
Difficulty: ***
Surface: Dirt
Distance: 1591m
A very long track. Loads of big jumps to master as well as some annoying turns too. If you are far behind and manage to grab a lightning bolt then save it and use it just before the other racers reach the main big jump. They won't have enough speed to make the gap and will fall back a quarter of the track. Power sliding is advised throughout.
Sherbert Land
Difficulty: ***
Surface: Snow And Ice
Distance: 756m
Like the previous ice level only more difficult. Watch out at the beginning that you don't fall into the icy lake as this will waste a heck of a long time. Also dodge the penguins in between or else they'll send you spinning. Inside the cave you'll find two main pillars with penguins walking around in one direction. The best thing to do is ride the way that the penguins are going to reduce danger of hitting them. Follow the arrows for guidance.
Royal Raceway
Difficulty: **
Surface: Tarmac
Distance: 1025m
Similar again to Mario and Luigi Raceway only with a major jump included in the track. If you are losing use the same tactic as Wario Stadium when you have a lightning bolt. Watch out for pirana plants on the side and also make sure on the jump that you head straight so as not to hit the steep hills on either side of the track. Power sliding is advised throughout the race.
Bowser's Castle
Difficulty: *****
Surface: Brick
Distance: 777m
Perhaps the most difficult track in the game. To begin with you must make sharp right angle turns while dodging the huge thwomps. Hit them and you'll be sent spinning. Also watch out for ones that flatten you! Take caution when riding across the narrow bridge. Use the brake if needed. Immediately after make a sharp turn to the right and travel down the steps avoiding the nook at the side. Don't get caught. One last hazard is the jump at the end. Lack of speed will result with you in the lava.
DKs Jungle Pathway
Difficulty: **
Surface: Dirt
Distance: 893m
Like Peach's Raceway with a huge jump in the middle after the spiral area. Again like Wario Stadium use the lightning bolt just before the jump so the racers don't gather enough speed to make it. When driving on the grass conkers will be thrown at you which will slow you down so this is best avoided.
Yoshi Valley
Difficulty: ****
Surface: Gravel
Distance: 772m
Nasty level this is. Basically there are many ways to go round this track and the quickest and safest way is the following:
Turn left
Then quickly make the first left again
This should lead you to a bridge which you cross
Avoid all hedgehogs as they will sedn you spinning
Then make a hard left again
This should lead you to the main single track again
When faced with the giant egg make sure you steer clear of it as hitting it will crush you like a bug. At the end of the track always power slide as you'll find that other racers can overtake you on this area. Don't go along the grass or you'll slow down further.
Banshee Broadwalk
Difficulty: ****
Surface: Wood
Distance: 747m
A tough level with sharp turns and a castle full of bats. Basically take it steady on the turns as over riding them will result with you falling into the water below. A nice little trick is to use a lightning bolt just as you enter the castle. Because everyone is so small they will get crushed by the bats meaning you can speed ahead. Remember just to take the level steady. Speeding like an idiot will just result with you losing.
Rainbow Road
Surface: Rainbow
Distance: 2000m
A long level that really requires skill more than anything. There are no edges for you to fall off however there are chain chomps that race in the opposite direction to you. Hitting one will cause you to crash wasting precious time. At the beginning of the race you'll see a huge ramp going down. Jump this as it will be quicker meaning you can over take people ahead. Power silding is vital! There are so many huge soft turns in this level, that you must power silde to stay ahead.
Battle Arenas
--------------------
Big Donut
Difficulty: **
Look out for the huge lava pit in the centre! This arena is basically a big ring. Nothing too hard here.
Block Fort
Difficulty: ****
There are so many places to hide and stay safe of battle. Basically there are four platforms each about two stories high leading off to one another via bridges. Hard to get people in this arena.
Double Deck
Difficulty: ***
A huge three story arena that makes it pretty hard for you to actually find anyone. Top floor is green, middle red and the bottom green again.
Skyscrapper
Difficulty: **
Like Big Donut except no walls on either side. Also there are loads of smaller holes to be aware of in the centre. Don't fall off!
There you have it. My guide to Mario Kart 64. I hope this has helped those of you who are stuck. And all I can really say is look out for another walthrough for Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Submitted By: Daleo
MARIO KART 64
Been playing this game a lot recently, so thought I’d throw together a guide on some hints and tips I picked up whilst playing the game.
CHARACTERS
MARIO
Mario is your all-rounder. Some average acceleration and top speed, together with good cornering create a good choice character for complete beginners.
LUIGI
Similar to Mario, but maybe doesn’t corner quite as effectively. Not a character I’d recommend, as Luigi doesn’t really stand out in any of the characteristics of the drivers.
PEACH
A nice character to control. Despite branding a modest top speed, Peach does accelerate and corner very well. A good character to go if you’re playing a track with plenty of corners.
TOAD
Toad is a character which stretches from one extreme to the other. Despite having the lowest top speed and being the weakest character, Toad accelerates and corners the best of the 8. Excellent for tracks such as Banshee Boardwalk, but very vulnerable to attacks and over-taking on straights.
YOSHI
Yoshi is another solid character to choose from. Many people brand Yoshi as the best choice in the game, due to his excellent acceleration and cornering, whilst being stronger than the likes of Peach and Toad. A wise choice for any course.
DK
Now we are entering heavyweight territory. DK is much stronger than the average and light characters, and can reach a good top speed. However, his acceleration isn’t the best, and his cornering won’t help either. Avoid on tracks like Banshee Boardwalk and Bowser Castle.
WARIO
Similar to DK in many ways, with slightly better top speed and lesser cornering and acceleration. Again, avoid on the windy courses, but a good choice for Battles or tracks like Luigi Raceway.
BOWSER
Like Toad, the second extreme character. Bowser is the strongest character in the game, and has the best top speed. However, his cornering is very sluggish and his acceleration is painfully slow. If you’re an experienced player, Bowser can be an excellent choice, but beginners should avoid full stop.
ITEMS
MUSHROOM
Using a mushroom will basically give you a short speed boost. Perfect for shooting past near-by opponents.
3X MUSHROOM
Gives you 3 boosts instead of one. Again good for overtaking, or if you’ve just been hit by an item, excellent for getting your kart going again.
SUPER MUSHROOM
A super mushroom gives you ultimited boosts for about 10-15 seconds once employed. Ideal for pushing your way through the pack by boosting constantly, but beware that continuous boosting makes it easier for you to lose control of the kart.
GREEN SHELL
Your more common form of forward-firing ammunition. Green shells, once fired, fire in a straight line, and bounce of the sides of the course in a zig-zag motion. Whilst directly hitting people can prove tough, bouncing them off walls into an opponent is a much more common way of stopping an opponent. Can be held behind you to stop oncoming shells.
RED SHELL
The second type of shell consists of a homing weapon that, when fire, homes in on the person in front and flips their kart. Whilst the opponent does have to be within a certain distance for the shell to home, the red shell can prove a vital route to success. Beware though of windy tracks, where the shells hit the course sides and break, and sometimes if you fire a shell and take over someone before it hits, it may come back and hit you. Can be held behind you to stop oncoming shells.
3X GREEN SHELL
3 green shells, that once employed, circle around your kart. Whilst proving a solid barrier against bananas, boxes and other shells, 3 of the shells can be used to trap an opponent within a frenzy of bouncing shells.
3X RED SHELL
Again, like 3 green shells, 3 red shells forms a solid barrier, and can be used to catch opponents further away, by using 2 shells one after the other, instead of just one.
BANANA
Can be held behind you to stop oncoming shells, and dropped on the track. If a kart hits a banana, it will spin out for a few seconds. An effective weapon to put on corners and jumps, to send foes into walls or off the terrain.
BANANA BUNCH
A line of 5 bananas, that not only prove a solid barrier against oncoming shells, but can prove a difficult obstacle to avoid if the bananas are laid in a diagonal motion across the track.
FAKE ITEM BOX
A very sneaky weapon, that is most effective when dropped within a line of real items boxes, especially if the line is scattered. Hitting an item box will cause your kart to flip in the air and land back down. Can also be held behind the kart to stop oncoming shell attacks.
BLUE SHELL
Blue shells, once fired, follow the course and aim for the person in first place. On the way, they may also hit people in front of you. A very powerful weapon, but not very effective if at the back of the field, as hitting first doesn’t really give you an advantage.
STAR
Launching a star makes your kart immune to any attacks, speeds up your kart, and allows you to travel across off-road terrain at the same high speed for around 10-15 seconds or so. A very powerful weapon that can launch you up the field of racers with ease.
BOO
Launching Boo will make your kart invisible, also immune to attacks, for a few seconds, and also steals an item from a random victim. Perfect to use if someone has a star or lightning.
LIGHTNING BOLT
Lightening bolts, once launched, makes all other racers on the track very small, and therefore a lot slower, for 10-15 seconds or so. If 2 small karts hit each other, or are run over by the person who used the bolt, the kart will be flattened. Lightning bolts are very powerful weapons and can propel you up the field within seconds.
COURSE HINTS/TIPS
MUSHROOM CUP
LUIGI RACEWAY
Not a lot of sly-man racing on this track, just simply simple, consistent racing. However, the figure 8 track is inlayed with sand, and using a boost you can cut the course by racing across the sand terrain.
MOO MOO FARM
A good tip here is to not try to cut the corners, as the track is hollowed, so the further you race from the track, the higher the terrain and the slower you drive, and also on the slopes the moles jump out, and getting hit by one is very annoying, and seeing as the course is so short, could end your race.
KOOPA TROOPA BEACH
There are a number of shortcuts on this track. Firstly, after the triple ramps half-way through the course, there is a single ramp by the rock. If you hit this at the right angle with a boost, you can cut through the hole in the rock and come out by the palm trees, missing a nice chunk of the map.
Also, before you enter the section with the triple ramps, if you drive far right, you can cut across this section through a narrow line of sand, and near the end you can cut across the track toward the finish if the tide goes out.
KALAMARI DESERT
Try your best to follow the track on this map, as the sand slows you down badly. However, after the second crossing, or just after the first, if you have boosts, you can cut across the sand and back onto the track, which is a very effective way to take over opponents.
FLOWER CUP
TOAD’S TURNPIKE
A nice trick on this map is to line yourself up by the item boxes and hit through all of them, so any opponents close behind can’t get an item as you’ve hit them all. I’d also recommend, if 2 vehicles are in your way, over taking through the side by the barrier – never in between, as it usually ends up in getting hit.
FRAPPE SNOWLAND
The snowmen on this map are incredibly annoying. Try simply to stick to the course. Corner cutting just gets you into a big mess. Also, in the area with the mass of snowmen, you can avoid them by going to the right instead of straight into the field, which is a much safer route.
CHOCO MOUNTAIN
Choco mountain’s track is surrounded by steep slopes. Therefore, corner cutting can’t happen, and this very windy track is very tricky to navigate. I suggest using boosts by the area with the falling boulders, and watch out on the jumps, as your kart tends to lose control and hit the side wall.
MARIO RACEWAY
This map is perfect for corner cutting. Despite being a very windy map, the off-road terrain is very large. Therefore if you get a boost or star, try to cut across as much of the terrain as you can.
STAR CUP
WARIO STADIUM
Wario Stadium is home to one of the most deadly moves in Mario Kart – lightning at the large jump near the end. A lot of players will hand back at the rear end of the pack, where getting a lightning is more common. Then, when the front end of the field are just about to jump the jump, the lightning is used, causing the racers to become small. Now small, they cannot complete the jump. The racer will either fail the jump, and skip back a section of the course, or will brake and have to reverse down and accelerate again once the lighting wears off. It’s a very sly and classic tactic than can make or break a race for you.
Another nice shortcut is, at the big jump near the start, with a boost you can jump the wall nearest you an skip a section of the track.
SHERBERT LAND
Beware of the penguins on this track, as they get in the way a lot. Also, do not be tempted to jump the corners of the track, as most of the time you will hit the edge and land in the freezing water.
ROYAL RACEWAY
Like in Wario Stadium, although not so common on this track, lightening can be used before the big boost jump, as the culprit will either need to stop, or will boost and land in the water.
You can also cut the corner at the end of the race by racing across the grass. Beware of the sloped nature of this track, as falling in the water is a very common sight, especially by the u-turn bend after the first corner.
BOWSER CASTLE
Such a difficult track to race, Bowser castle is full of so many obstacles to avoid. The thomps are very deceiving, in the first room, so stay off the red carpet until right at the end.
Beware of the sliding thomps too, as they are so difficult to avoid if the come into your path. The bridge over the lava you’ll need to line up well too.
Watch out for the outer area with the grass, as the hedgerows can be so difficult to get out of and back onto the track.
SPECIAL CUP
DK JUNGLE PATHWAY
Take your time on this course, as most of it is sided with the lake. On the boost jump, the lightning trick can be used, and also if you hit the jump, turn very far to the left and you can avoid the large area where you have to turn your kart.
Also, in the cave at the end, instead of following the track, you can cut the corner by driving up the rock face. However, do not drive at the steep bit, as you’ll just fall back down.
YOSHI VALLEY
Yoshi Valley is another difficult map, due to it’s narrow, windy roads with no barriers. The best route to take is left at the first junction, then right past the hedgehogs and left again past more hedgehogs, which will take you out by the area leading to the big egg.
After the bridge, if you have a boost, you can cut across the grass toward the line very effectively.
BANSHEE BOARDWALK
Another very difficult map, Banshee Boardwalk is very narrow and some has no barriers. Take your time on this map, and if you have lightning, use it on the sections with no barriers, as they should spin into the water, or in the room with the bats, as hitting a bat will squash the racer if small.
RAINBOW ROAD
Probably the greatest, yet least known shortcut in Mario Kart 64. At the start, it is possible to jump over the barrier, and land on a section of the track further down. It is very difficult to pull off, but if you do, you’ll skip around 40% of the course, giving you the biggest advantage you could wish for.
Hope my guide was helpful
Thank you for reading
Crumble
Been playing this game a lot recently, so thought I’d throw together a guide on some hints and tips I picked up whilst playing the game.
CHARACTERS
MARIO
Mario is your all-rounder. Some average acceleration and top speed, together with good cornering create a good choice character for complete beginners.
LUIGI
Similar to Mario, but maybe doesn’t corner quite as effectively. Not a character I’d recommend, as Luigi doesn’t really stand out in any of the characteristics of the drivers.
PEACH
A nice character to control. Despite branding a modest top speed, Peach does accelerate and corner very well. A good character to go if you’re playing a track with plenty of corners.
TOAD
Toad is a character which stretches from one extreme to the other. Despite having the lowest top speed and being the weakest character, Toad accelerates and corners the best of the 8. Excellent for tracks such as Banshee Boardwalk, but very vulnerable to attacks and over-taking on straights.
YOSHI
Yoshi is another solid character to choose from. Many people brand Yoshi as the best choice in the game, due to his excellent acceleration and cornering, whilst being stronger than the likes of Peach and Toad. A wise choice for any course.
DK
Now we are entering heavyweight territory. DK is much stronger than the average and light characters, and can reach a good top speed. However, his acceleration isn’t the best, and his cornering won’t help either. Avoid on tracks like Banshee Boardwalk and Bowser Castle.
WARIO
Similar to DK in many ways, with slightly better top speed and lesser cornering and acceleration. Again, avoid on the windy courses, but a good choice for Battles or tracks like Luigi Raceway.
BOWSER
Like Toad, the second extreme character. Bowser is the strongest character in the game, and has the best top speed. However, his cornering is very sluggish and his acceleration is painfully slow. If you’re an experienced player, Bowser can be an excellent choice, but beginners should avoid full stop.
ITEMS
MUSHROOM
Using a mushroom will basically give you a short speed boost. Perfect for shooting past near-by opponents.
3X MUSHROOM
Gives you 3 boosts instead of one. Again good for overtaking, or if you’ve just been hit by an item, excellent for getting your kart going again.
SUPER MUSHROOM
A super mushroom gives you ultimited boosts for about 10-15 seconds once employed. Ideal for pushing your way through the pack by boosting constantly, but beware that continuous boosting makes it easier for you to lose control of the kart.
GREEN SHELL
Your more common form of forward-firing ammunition. Green shells, once fired, fire in a straight line, and bounce of the sides of the course in a zig-zag motion. Whilst directly hitting people can prove tough, bouncing them off walls into an opponent is a much more common way of stopping an opponent. Can be held behind you to stop oncoming shells.
RED SHELL
The second type of shell consists of a homing weapon that, when fire, homes in on the person in front and flips their kart. Whilst the opponent does have to be within a certain distance for the shell to home, the red shell can prove a vital route to success. Beware though of windy tracks, where the shells hit the course sides and break, and sometimes if you fire a shell and take over someone before it hits, it may come back and hit you. Can be held behind you to stop oncoming shells.
3X GREEN SHELL
3 green shells, that once employed, circle around your kart. Whilst proving a solid barrier against bananas, boxes and other shells, 3 of the shells can be used to trap an opponent within a frenzy of bouncing shells.
3X RED SHELL
Again, like 3 green shells, 3 red shells forms a solid barrier, and can be used to catch opponents further away, by using 2 shells one after the other, instead of just one.
BANANA
Can be held behind you to stop oncoming shells, and dropped on the track. If a kart hits a banana, it will spin out for a few seconds. An effective weapon to put on corners and jumps, to send foes into walls or off the terrain.
BANANA BUNCH
A line of 5 bananas, that not only prove a solid barrier against oncoming shells, but can prove a difficult obstacle to avoid if the bananas are laid in a diagonal motion across the track.
FAKE ITEM BOX
A very sneaky weapon, that is most effective when dropped within a line of real items boxes, especially if the line is scattered. Hitting an item box will cause your kart to flip in the air and land back down. Can also be held behind the kart to stop oncoming shell attacks.
BLUE SHELL
Blue shells, once fired, follow the course and aim for the person in first place. On the way, they may also hit people in front of you. A very powerful weapon, but not very effective if at the back of the field, as hitting first doesn’t really give you an advantage.
STAR
Launching a star makes your kart immune to any attacks, speeds up your kart, and allows you to travel across off-road terrain at the same high speed for around 10-15 seconds or so. A very powerful weapon that can launch you up the field of racers with ease.
BOO
Launching Boo will make your kart invisible, also immune to attacks, for a few seconds, and also steals an item from a random victim. Perfect to use if someone has a star or lightning.
LIGHTNING BOLT
Lightening bolts, once launched, makes all other racers on the track very small, and therefore a lot slower, for 10-15 seconds or so. If 2 small karts hit each other, or are run over by the person who used the bolt, the kart will be flattened. Lightning bolts are very powerful weapons and can propel you up the field within seconds.
COURSE HINTS/TIPS
MUSHROOM CUP
LUIGI RACEWAY
Not a lot of sly-man racing on this track, just simply simple, consistent racing. However, the figure 8 track is inlayed with sand, and using a boost you can cut the course by racing across the sand terrain.
MOO MOO FARM
A good tip here is to not try to cut the corners, as the track is hollowed, so the further you race from the track, the higher the terrain and the slower you drive, and also on the slopes the moles jump out, and getting hit by one is very annoying, and seeing as the course is so short, could end your race.
KOOPA TROOPA BEACH
There are a number of shortcuts on this track. Firstly, after the triple ramps half-way through the course, there is a single ramp by the rock. If you hit this at the right angle with a boost, you can cut through the hole in the rock and come out by the palm trees, missing a nice chunk of the map.
Also, before you enter the section with the triple ramps, if you drive far right, you can cut across this section through a narrow line of sand, and near the end you can cut across the track toward the finish if the tide goes out.
KALAMARI DESERT
Try your best to follow the track on this map, as the sand slows you down badly. However, after the second crossing, or just after the first, if you have boosts, you can cut across the sand and back onto the track, which is a very effective way to take over opponents.
FLOWER CUP
TOAD’S TURNPIKE
A nice trick on this map is to line yourself up by the item boxes and hit through all of them, so any opponents close behind can’t get an item as you’ve hit them all. I’d also recommend, if 2 vehicles are in your way, over taking through the side by the barrier – never in between, as it usually ends up in getting hit.
FRAPPE SNOWLAND
The snowmen on this map are incredibly annoying. Try simply to stick to the course. Corner cutting just gets you into a big mess. Also, in the area with the mass of snowmen, you can avoid them by going to the right instead of straight into the field, which is a much safer route.
CHOCO MOUNTAIN
Choco mountain’s track is surrounded by steep slopes. Therefore, corner cutting can’t happen, and this very windy track is very tricky to navigate. I suggest using boosts by the area with the falling boulders, and watch out on the jumps, as your kart tends to lose control and hit the side wall.
MARIO RACEWAY
This map is perfect for corner cutting. Despite being a very windy map, the off-road terrain is very large. Therefore if you get a boost or star, try to cut across as much of the terrain as you can.
STAR CUP
WARIO STADIUM
Wario Stadium is home to one of the most deadly moves in Mario Kart – lightning at the large jump near the end. A lot of players will hand back at the rear end of the pack, where getting a lightning is more common. Then, when the front end of the field are just about to jump the jump, the lightning is used, causing the racers to become small. Now small, they cannot complete the jump. The racer will either fail the jump, and skip back a section of the course, or will brake and have to reverse down and accelerate again once the lighting wears off. It’s a very sly and classic tactic than can make or break a race for you.
Another nice shortcut is, at the big jump near the start, with a boost you can jump the wall nearest you an skip a section of the track.
SHERBERT LAND
Beware of the penguins on this track, as they get in the way a lot. Also, do not be tempted to jump the corners of the track, as most of the time you will hit the edge and land in the freezing water.
ROYAL RACEWAY
Like in Wario Stadium, although not so common on this track, lightening can be used before the big boost jump, as the culprit will either need to stop, or will boost and land in the water.
You can also cut the corner at the end of the race by racing across the grass. Beware of the sloped nature of this track, as falling in the water is a very common sight, especially by the u-turn bend after the first corner.
BOWSER CASTLE
Such a difficult track to race, Bowser castle is full of so many obstacles to avoid. The thomps are very deceiving, in the first room, so stay off the red carpet until right at the end.
Beware of the sliding thomps too, as they are so difficult to avoid if the come into your path. The bridge over the lava you’ll need to line up well too.
Watch out for the outer area with the grass, as the hedgerows can be so difficult to get out of and back onto the track.
SPECIAL CUP
DK JUNGLE PATHWAY
Take your time on this course, as most of it is sided with the lake. On the boost jump, the lightning trick can be used, and also if you hit the jump, turn very far to the left and you can avoid the large area where you have to turn your kart.
Also, in the cave at the end, instead of following the track, you can cut the corner by driving up the rock face. However, do not drive at the steep bit, as you’ll just fall back down.
YOSHI VALLEY
Yoshi Valley is another difficult map, due to it’s narrow, windy roads with no barriers. The best route to take is left at the first junction, then right past the hedgehogs and left again past more hedgehogs, which will take you out by the area leading to the big egg.
After the bridge, if you have a boost, you can cut across the grass toward the line very effectively.
BANSHEE BOARDWALK
Another very difficult map, Banshee Boardwalk is very narrow and some has no barriers. Take your time on this map, and if you have lightning, use it on the sections with no barriers, as they should spin into the water, or in the room with the bats, as hitting a bat will squash the racer if small.
RAINBOW ROAD
Probably the greatest, yet least known shortcut in Mario Kart 64. At the start, it is possible to jump over the barrier, and land on a section of the track further down. It is very difficult to pull off, but if you do, you’ll skip around 40% of the course, giving you the biggest advantage you could wish for.
Hope my guide was helpful
Thank you for reading
Crumble
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