There’s just something cool about flying past other drivers in Mario Kart World with a perfectly timed boost and landing in a way that seems impossible. Picking the right kart and character matters, but if you really want to have fun on the track, it’s all about your driving technique. The best players know how to take turns better, speed up faster and stay in control no matter what’s happening around them, so we’re here to show you how to pull off some cool driving tricks.

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There are smart ways to drift, boost and move through each track that can help you race better. These aren’t hard to do, but they take practice. Once you get the hang of them, you’ll notice a big difference. You’ll be hitting corners smoother, getting ahead more often and even dodging some of the chaos that happens in crowded races.

A collage of Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

8Spin Turn

Turn around Quickly to Grab Missed Items

The Spin Turn is a fast and tight turning move that helps you change direction on the spot. You do it by holding down both the A and B buttons while pushing the control stick left or right. This makes your kart spin around without needing to drift or move forward first.

This move is helpful when you miss something important, like abunch of coinsor an item box. Instead of going in circles or reversing slowly, you’re able to do a Spin Turn and face the other way right away. It saves you time, especially when you’re trying to grab something just behind you. Spin Turn is also great when you’re stuck or facing the wrong way. Maybe you hit a wall or crashed into an obstacle. Rather than backing out or doing a big loop, just spin in place and take off again.

Spin Turn Mario Kart World

7Ultra Mini-Turbo

Hold Your Drift Longer to Get a Powerful and Lasting Speed Boost

The Ultra Mini-Turbo is the biggest speed boost you can earn from drifting. To pull it off, start drifting around a corner by holding the drift button. As you drift, sparks appear under your kart. They’ll first turn blue, then orange and finally pink. When you see pink sparks, let go of the drift and your kart will blast forward with the strongest boost in the game.

This boost lasts longer than the regular mini-turbo or even the super version. That means you get more time at high speed, which helps you pass otherdriversor make up time. The only problem is that it takes longer to build up, so you need enough space to hold the drift.

Ultra Mini-Turbo Mario Kart World

6Rocket Start

The Rocket Start gives you a burst of speed right at the beginning of the race. It only works if you press the gas button at the perfect moment during the countdown. The right time to press is exactly when the number “2” shows up on the screen.

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If you press too early, your kart will stall. If you press too late, nothing special happens. But when you hit the timing just right, your kart shoots forward the second the race starts. I love using the Rocket Start on narrow tracks or ones with a sharp first turn. Getting out in front early means you won’t get stuck behind other karts or hit by random items right away.

Rocket Start Mario Kart World

5Slipstream

Gain Speed Advantage by Tailing Other Racers

Slipstream is a trick that gives you a short speed boost when you drive right behind another racer. You don’t have to press anything; just stay close to the back of their kart for a few seconds. If you’re in the right spot, you’ll see white wind lines around your kart and hear a light whoosh sound. That means the boost is about to kick in.

When the boost activates, your kart quickly speeds up, letting you catch up or pass the racer in front. It’s most useful on long straight roads where you can stay in their trail without hitting anything. You don’t even need to drift or use an item.

Mario and Peach frontrunning a race, and collecting coins on water

4Delay Drift

Tap-Hop Just before Landing to Drift and Charge Turbo Faster

Delay Drift is a smart way to drift that helps you build up a turbo faster. Instead of starting your drift in the air or right at the jump, you wait just a bit and start drifting the moment your kart lands. You press the jump button, let your kart lift off the ground, and then as soon as the wheels hit the track again, you tilt the stick to the side to begin the drift.

When you drift right after landing, the turbo spark starts building much quicker. You still hold the drift like normal, but since you start it at just the right time, you charge up your boost in less time. That means you’ll leave the turn faster and keep your speed up withoutusing any items.

3Rail Sliding

Slide on Rails to Go Faster and Find Shortcuts

Rail Sliding is a trick that lets you ride along narrow rails on certain tracks. When done right, it helps you avoid traps, speed up and even find hidden paths. To start a rail slide, you usually need to jump up onto the rail. That often means using a Charge Jump to reach it. If your kart lands on the rail, it locks in and starts automatically gliding.

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You don’t need to steer much while sliding. The kart follows the rail on its own, which gives you time to build a mini-turbo if you’re holding a drift. Once the rail ends, your kart launches off and you get a nice burst of speed. This launch is super helpful because it throws you forward faster than regular driving.

2Wall Riding

Cling to Walls, Charge Speed and Escape Messy Ground Routes

Wall Riding lets your kart stick to walls and ride along them for a few seconds. To start a wall ride, you may use a Charge Jump. Hold the drift button until you see blue sparks, then aim toward the wall and let go. If the angle is right, your kart slams into the surface and sticks to it, letting you glide sideways for a few seconds.

Walls you can ride aren’t limited to the edges of tracks. You can use fences, cliffs, buildings or even moving trucks. If the surface is flat and wide enough, it probably works. Tracks like Shy Guy Bazaar and Bowser’s Castle have many wall ride spots you can enjoy the trick on.

1Charge Jump

Helps You to Jump Higher, Dodge Danger, and Find Better Paths Mid-Race

The Charge Jump is a move that gives you a big, controlled leap. You can trigger it by holding the drift button while driving. As you hold it, sparks build up under your kart. Once the sparks appear, let go of the button to launch into the air. This jump is bigger than the usual trick jumps and gives you more height, distance and airtime.

Charge Jump is useful when you’re in trouble. If a Red Shell is chasing you, you can time a Charge Jump to hop right over it. It also helps with dodging banana peels, spikes and other ground traps. You can even use this move to take shortcuts without any items. For example, if you Charge Jump into a wall just right, your kart will stick to it and ride along the side, skipping parts of the track completely.

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