Super Mario Kart #2 Kart-racing sub-genre did not even exist before Mario and Bowser
Gameplay & Walkthroughs
- Developer: Nintendo
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date:September 15, 1992
- $32.99 · Vacaville: $20 · August 18, 1993
- Players: 1 - 2
Introduction
Nintendo was a pioneer in many ways, and of the best examples is Super Mario Kart for the SNES. The kart-racing sub-genre did not even exist before Mario and Bowser took to the miniaturized asphalt and dropped their banana peels for the first time. Since then, many clones have joined the karting club, but none have come close to the awesome balance and charm found in the original SNES classic. With wonderfully designed single-player levels (and many of them!) and the most addictive two-player battle mode to grace the platform, SMK will never be forgotten. It is always amazing when the first is still the best, and Super Mario Kart definitely deserves the title Amazing.
Two gameplay modes; choose from eight drivers; 20 tracks; three skill levels; battery-backed memory to record your best times.
A collection of Super Mario characters including Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr., are out to win the Super Mario Kart championship. Using Mode 7 scaling, the first true kart game on the SNES has you collecting coins to boost your speed while using shells and bananas to stop others on the track.
There are 4 cups to win: Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and Special Cup, each with a selection of tracks to race on (based in Bowser's Castle, Super Mario World and more). Plus, a 2 player battle mode is on offer, where the first to pop the three balloons wins.
Characters
Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr.
These two have great top speed, although due to their weight the acceleration is very slow. They also slide a lot more when cornering. As opponents, Bowser throws fireballs and Donkey Kong Jr. drops bananas.
Koopa Troopa and Toad
Although both of these characters do not have fast speeds, they do have the best cornering skills out of all other drivers. As opponents, Koopa Troopa drops green shells and Toad drops poison mushrooms that shrink other drivers.
Mario and Luigi
Average racers in all aspects. They can corner and accelerate far better than Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr. As opponents, Mario and Luigi become invincible for a few seconds, causing other drivers to spin out if they hit them.
Princess Peach and Yoshi
Very fast acceleration and good top speed, although some corners may have to be taken slowly due to sliding out. As opponents, Peach can drop poison mushrooms which shrink other drivers and Yoshi will drop eggs.
Items
Banana Peel
Peels can either be dropped by pressing A or thrown forward by holding up on the d-pad and pressing A. Either way, they cause a nuisance for the other drivers as they make them spin out of control when hit.
Using it: The banana is not that useful, but if used properly, it can help you out. it is best to use it when someone is right behind you, so that they hit it and it puts some distance between you two. Another way to use it would be to hold it behind you. If someone fired a red shell, or a green shell, and it was on its way to hit you, it would hit the banana instead. This will keep you from being affected. The banana that you were holding onto would no longer exist, but you would not spin out or lose time.
Defending against it: The banana just sits on the road and does not move so the only way not to run into it is to watch where you're going! Also, watch the backs of other racers, as they might be holding one out behind them. The only way you can run through a banana without getting affected is to have a star and become invincible, or to have shells rotating around you so that they hit the banana, and protect you.
Coins
One of the least useful items on GP mode as coins can be found all over the tracks. If you completely run out of coins, you can spin out if other karts hit you. Using this item will give the driver two coins.
Feather
Highly useful on some courses and a waste in others, the feather gives drivers the chance to make one high jump at any point in the level. It is normally used when there is a shortcut that requires a jump over a gap, but can also be used to jump over green and red shells if the timing is correct.
Using it: When you get this, you will be able to jump into the air, higher than you would on a jump. You could use this to get over barriers, gaps, and shortcuts.
Defending against it: There is not much you can do to prevent this from happening.
Ghost
The driver will become invisible when this item is used and enables them to take an item from the opponent, so it is best to wait until they have a good item before using it. This item only appears in battle mode and match race.
Using it: When you use it, Boo will make you invisible for a short amount of time, and will go out in search of items that other opponents will have. Boo will look for items, steal them, and give them to you so you can use them. As an added feature to the invisibility, you will be able to go through things on the road such as bananas, fake blocks, and shells.
Defending against it: There is not really any way to predict Boo, so there is not much of a way to defend against it. The worst he'll do is take your item, just hope that he does not go for you.
Green Shell
These shells can be fired in any direction and will bounce around the track until they disappear off the edge of a level or hit another driver. They can also be dropped behind the driver by holding down and pressing A.
Using it: Normally, the green shell is used to fire at people, but it takes good aim if you are actually going to hit them. it is best to use them on straight roads so that there is more of a chance that you will hit someone. Another way to use it would be to hold it behind you. Like the banana (see above,) they can protect you from red and green shells that other people are firing.
Defending against it: If you are holding something behind you (such as another shell or banana,) you can defend yourself from these. it is not to often that these shells will actually end up hitting you.
Thunder Bolt
The bolt will shrink all of the other racers apart from the driver that has used it. You can run over the other drivers after it has been used, although the ones that have been run over will return to normal size. When shrunk, the poison mushrooms actually help as they make the drivers grow.
Using it: As soon as you get it, you may as well use it. It will shrink all of your opponents. Because they are small, they will go slower and it will be easy to pass or catch up to them. Another nice side effect is that if they are small, you can run over them to squish them making them even slower.
Defending against it: There is not any way to stop yourself from getting shrunk, unless you are using a star (item) at the time. Another way you won't get shrunk is if you are off the course at the time in an out-of-bounds area. There is no way to tell when lightning will strike. If you are shrunk, do not go over any jumps that have gaps in the middle because you will not be able to get over them.
Mushroom
The mushroom gives the driver a boost of speed for a second, and can be essential in taking some of the shortcuts in the game. Be careful not to hit anything while using the mushroom as the driver will slow down like normal.
Using it: Make sure that there are no obstacles ahead of you, and then just use it. it is best to use them on straight roads - they will not help you if you use them on turns. Also, you should save them if you know that there is a shortcut on the track. Some shortcuts will only work if you use a mushroom with them.
Defending against it: There is nothing to defend against.
Red Shell
These shells aim straight for the next racer. They can't turn around sharp corners or cross over gaps, but they will hit the next racer as long as they are ahead. Unlike green shells, red shells can't be dropped.
Using it: The red shell is often used to fire at people if there are any ahead of you. There is a high chance of it hitting them unless they know how to defend against it. (See "Defending against it" section.) If there is nobody ahead of you, there is not much point to firing it, and you should just hold on to it behind you in case someone else fires a Red Shell at you. If nobody does, you could save it for when someone passes you, and as soon as they do, fire it to hit them.
Defending against it: If you are holding something behind you (such as another shell or banana,) you can defend yourself from these. Another way would be to drive near some bananas and hope that the red shell hits them.
Star
The star will give the driver temporary invincibility, making the driver safe from attacks. The driver also becomes much faster, and you can easily cross over rough terrain at the side of tracks without losing any speed.
Using it: When you use it, your car will become many different colors, and you will be lots faster. You will also be invincible so nothing will be able to hurt you. If you have it, you should try to run into other people, as that will make them spin out.
Defending against it: If someone behind you has this, keep out of their way so that they do not hit you. If they do, you will spin out.
Mario Kart Grand Prix
The Mario Kart GP is the main mode in Super Mario Kart. Here players can race against seven (six if in two-player mode) other CPU-controlled opponents in a five-course cup. The top four players receive points based on their ranking: first place earns the player nine points, second earns six, third earns three, and fourth earns one, while fifth and below get zero points.
Players who rank fifth or below lose one of three lives. If both players rank fifth or below, the race must be tried again. If the player ranks fifth or below without any lives left, the game ends. A single extra life can be earned by placing in the same position three times. The maximum score in a GP cup is forty-five, obtained by winning five times. The three best drivers move on to the award ceremony where they receive their trophies. Third place gives the player a bronze trophy, second gives silver, and first gives gold (the player can watch the ceremony only when they place first: however, a protoype version has animations for second and third). Each race is five laps long.
If players beat all of the cups in the 150cc Class, the Message "Excellent driving, you are now a Super Mario Kart expert" pops up, thus officially telling players they have completed the game. If the player wants a harder challenge, they can hold the A button Button and the Y Button at the character selection screen. This will make the character permanently small as if under the effect of a Lightning or Poison Mushroom until the player presses the buttons again.
Match Race
This mode is two-player only: the players can race each other like in GP, except CPU racers do not appear and players can freely choose the track to race in. Chomp-like objects slide around the courses as well, and coming in contact with one will result in the kart spinning out and the object disappearing as if it were a Green Shell. The game keeps track of wins and losses of each player.
Time Trial
This one-player mode have the player to race through five laps of the selected track the fastest they can without items in the 100cc engine class. The five lap times are recorded which are then combined to make the total time, as well as the fastest lap time and the characters used, for each track.
Cups and Cup Courses
Mushroom Cup
Mario Circuit 1, Mushroom Cup
A very simple first track that consists of very mild corners, making this a great place to learn the basics of taking corners well. There are four green pipes just before the second corner. Lighter racers should be fine going between the two left pipes, but heavier racers should go between the right pipes to avoid sliding off the track. Be careful at the third corner as it is very sharp. Either start wide and cut over the corner or release B to stop accelerating when going around the corner. If you do go off the track, get back on as soon as possible as the dirt slows the driver down.
Shortcut: At the third corner, use a mushroom to boost over the dirt at the right side of the track. This skips the fourth corner.
Donut Plains 1, Mushroom Cup
After the initial S-bend near the start of the track, there is a very long corner that can cause the driver to slide out if you take it all in one turn. Another corner similar to this is found before the finish line. In both cases, stop accelerating by releasing B for a second, or slide around the corner but turn left slightly to stop sliding. Be careful not to turn the fourth corner in the track too soon, as it is possible to get stuck behind the barriers. If this happens, just jump and hold right to turn toward the track. There are orange pipes at various points along the track, but these shouldn't cause many problems as they are on the grass at the side of the track.
Shortcut: After the second corner, use a mushroom to boost over the grass and go through the gap in the barrier to skip the third corner.
Ghost Valley 1, Mushroom Cup
Be careful when taking the corners too sharply on this track, as blocks at the side of the track will really slow the karts down if hit. The blocks also disappear after being hit, so the kart will fall off the edge of the track the next time it heads for the same place. Cornering is as good here as it was on the first level, and as the track is so wide there should be no danger of sliding too far. At the last speed jump, you can take a massive shortcut if you have a feather or a mushroom, but also be prepared to face a final sharp turn to the left if you decide to take this route.
Shortcut: After the second jump, use a feather to jump over the gap at the corner and land on the narrow path on the other side.
Bowser Castle 1, Mushroom Cup
Bowser Castle 1
This can be a frustrating level as there are many hazards. Before the second corner, four Thwomps drop down onto the track. They all drop at different times, so look from a distance and try and drive toward the one that is currently on the track. By the time you get there, the Thwomp should have already risen back into the air. After this corner, there will be two speed boosts on the left side and one on the right (on time trial mode, there is no boost). The first left boost can be tricky to get as you need to turn the corner sharply to reach it. There are more thwomps on a series of jumps up ahead, so use the same method to pass them. Be sure to take the jumps straight on, as it is possible to fall off the side into the lava.
Mario Circuit 2, Mushroom Cup
Instead of taking the second corner, you can use a mushroom to boost straight across the dirt. You can even do this without a mushroom by jumping all the way over the dirt, and judging by time trial laps it seems to take out a over a second by using this method. Pipes get in the way of a lot of corners here, so you almost always have to take them wide. There are two pipes near the start of the track that you can go between. The final boost ends in four pipes at the left side of the track. Here you can take a risk by going between the middle two pipes, as this just skims the edge of the corner.
Shortcut: 1: After the first corner, use a mushroom to boost across the dirt at the left side of the track to skip two corners.
2: Before the final zipper, use a mushroom just before the zipper and and aim left to launch over to the finish line.
Flower Cup
Choco Island 1, Flower Cup
Another slidy level, so be careful when taking the corners and either release B to slow down or take the corners wide. Be careful when cutting corners, as barriers on the dirt stretch nearing all the way up to the left side of the track, and if you get caught you will need to spend a lot of time turning right to get back onto the track. The only area without a barrier is the final corner, where it is possible to boost across with a mushroom. Driving across is not recommended however as the kart moves very slowly. Also watch out for the piranha plants at the side of the track, as these will cause the kart to spin out of control as soon as it hits them.
Shortcut: Before the final corner, aim left and use a mushroom to boost across the dirt at the left side of the track.
Ghost Valley 2, Flower Cup
A more difficult ghost valley than the first as some parts of the track have no barrier. This becomes most evident on the missing barrier on the seventh corner and after the eighth corner, where a chunk is missing from the right side of the track. As with the first ghost valley you only get one chance to hit a block of the barrier before that block disappears, so try not to hit the same place twice. On the third corner, two question blocks are positioned at the left side of the track, but you will normally only be able to get to them by sliding with the heavier characters. Lighter drivers will normally turn so sharply that they miss the question blocks.
Shortcut: Use a feather to jump over the gap just before the third corner.
Donut Plains 2, Flower Cup
Watch out for the mole holes in this track. Ride over one of the holes when a mole jumps out and it will stick to the driver, slowing the kart down and making turning much more difficult. Fortunately they can be removed by either jumping a few times or dropping into the lake. The lake has no barrier around it, and it is even possible to fall into the small section at the very edge. Try and avoid it, as driving in water is extremely slow. Otherwise the level is very similar to the first donut plains, with long and slidy corners that can make the kart skid out if you take them too fast.
Bowser Castle 2, Flower Cup
Thwomps are again present in the second version of Bowser's castle, although this time they are positioned in even more awkward places, normally before jumps and on corners. When you come to the first white arrow pointing straight on, do not take the turning left, as this leads to a dead end. At the next white arrow, do go left as on GP mode this leads to a speed boost. The last series of jumps in the level start off with wide sections of track on either side, but end with a very thin section after the thwomps. Aim for the middle two thwomps to avoid falling into the lava.
Shortcut: Turn left at the first white arrow and use a feather to jump from the stop sign to the track on the other side of the lava.
Mario Circuit 3, Flower Cup
The track starts out with very gentle corners and you only have to worry about the green pipes at the side of the track. Soon you will come to the sharpest corner yet in the game, and to make things worse there are green pipes at the right side of the track after the corner just to get in the way if you take it too fast. The best thing to do is to release B entirely so that the kart slows all the way down, now you can just turn the corner at a very slow speed before accelerating safely away. After the next long corner there is a gap in the barrier ahead. This cuts off two corners, but the gap is very small so try and aim straight for the middle of it.
Shortcut: Drive through the gap in the barrier before the final corner.
Star Cup
Koopa Beach 1, Star Cup
Although there are no barriers at the edge of the track, the kart will sink into the dark blue water and you will only be able to ride for a few seconds before Lakitu pulls you out. The light blue water is slow but safe to ride on, and it is best to jump over it when possible at the end of each island section. A shortcut can be taken onto a small island by riding right over the light blue water at the end of the first section of track. On time trial mode this is useless, but on grand prix an extra question block is on the island. Ride around either side of the green patch on the large island before the finish line as it slows down the karts.
Shortcut: Before the second corner, turn right and ride across the light blue section of water to skip a small section of the island.
Choco Island 2, Star Cup
The gap in the barrier in front of the finish line is not worth riding through unless you have a mushroom, even if you gain a speed start from the beginning of the race. As with the previous choco island, the dirt at the side of the track is extremely slow to ride on. A large section of mud about half-way along the track has an island in the middle of it. Though you can jump through the right side of the mud to avoid the four piranha plants, it is quicker to jump through the mud to the island and then keep jumping through to the section of track on the other side.
Shortcut: Drive through the gap in the barrier in front of the finish line.
Vanilla Lake 1, Star Cup
An extremely slidy course made all the more difficult by the ice blocks that appear about half-way around the track. If you hit one of them the kart will bounce back and slow down, but fortunately the block is then gone for the rest of the race. It is possible to go very slow and drive through the gaps between the blocks, although on GP mode the other drivers will normally bounce you directly into their path. Aside from the blocks, there are also sets of pipes to worry about. Unlike the blocks, these can be easily be dodged as there are big gaps between them.
Bowser Castle 3, Star Cup
The final course at Bowser's castle has multiple paths to take and the usual generous helping of Thwomps. There are also very narrow sections of track, so whenever you turn a corner it is best to stay in the middle of the track to avoid missing these sections. After the first set of thwomps, turn slightly left as you go across the multiple jumps to find the quickest route. After another narrow section, the track splits into three paths. The middle one is the best pick here, as it avoids the two thwomps at the other end and also sets the kart up nicely for the final corner.
Mario Circuit 4, Star Cup
This track has a variety of corners ranging from mild to very sharp, but as with the previous Mario Circuit courses the track is not slidy and most of the corners can be taken well at full speed. There are green green placed in the middle of the track at three different sections, so either aim for the wide gap between each pipe to miss them or drive around the side. There is a gap in the barrier before the final corner, and though slow it can be good to go through this gap as it avoids the three pipes on the corner. This shortcut can be taken without slowing down if you have a mushroom.
Shortcut: Drive through the gap in the barrier before the final corner.
Special Cup
Donut Plains 3, Special Cup
There are two bridges in the level, and both can be difficult to cross. The first bridge has a gap at the right side which is easy to avoid on time trial, but in GP mode the other karts can cause trouble and you need to stay at the left side as much as possible. The second bridge has a piece missing toward the end, so just jump over it by pressing L or R. A narrow and winding path follows which ends in a sharp mole-infested corner, so slow down when taking the corner to avoid the moles. If one does jump on, just keep on jumping in the kart until it jumps off. A final corner ends in another series of mole holes, so just stop accelerating around the corner to avoid them.
Koopa Beach 2, Special Cup
An extremely easy special cup course. Just stay to the sand and avoid driving on the green patches as this will slow the kart down. After the second corner, you can either continue straight across the light blue water to the small island, or turn slightly left and avoid the dark blue patches in the water. The island path is slightly quicker and you can also get a question mark from the middle of the island on GP mode. The left path is quicker to take, although watch out for the numerous dark blue patches of water as the kart will sink. There are numerous fish on the beach, though you should be able to avoid all of them as long as you stay near the middle of the beach.
Shortcut: Ride straight across the light blue water after the second corner.
Ghost Valley 3, Special Cup
The most difficult of the ghost valley courses due to the holes in the track. Stay in the middle of the track after the first corner to avoid two holes. The second corner leads to a diagonal section of track with no edge. There is a hole in the middle of the track after the long third corner, so stay at either side to avoid it. The fourth corner leads to a piece of track with three holes in it. Stay left and ride over the jump to avoid two holes. Aim for the left side of the jump to land safely on the narrow section of track. There is then one more diagonal section of track with no edge before the finish.
Shortcut: After the first jump, turn right before the corner and use a feather to jump over to the next section of track.
Vanilla Lake 2, Special Cup
A massive lake fills the middle of this area. The usual pipes and ice blocks make their appearance here, starting with four pipes after the first corner. The second corner leads to three sets of ice blocks with a small gap between them. Try and ride through the gap without hitting any blocks, or the kart will bounce from one side to the other until you exit the gap. A part of the lake stretches far out into the next corner, but it is possible to jump over the thin section of it for a small shortcut. Stay right and ride over the snow to avoid dropping into the lake. Go between the gap in the barrier, then jump over the thin section of lake and turn left to avoid the final ice blocks.
Shortcut: Drive through the gap in the barrier before the final corner.
Rainbow Road, Special Cup
The final level has no sides at all, making falling off a common thing here. To make things harder, all of the corners are sharp and there are four sets of four thwomps. Use the usual sharp cornering technique of releasing B when taking the corners here, and always aim for the thwomp that is currently on the track so that it rises by the time you get there. The track splits into two just before the final corner, and there is no real advantage to either route. Just aim for the route where the thwomps are about to rise. There are four thwomps after the final corner and then it is straight on to the finish.
Battle Mode
Another two-player mode, it is completely different from a normal race and adds some variety to the game. For this mode, there are four square-shaped tracks that are the only selectable. The player's goal is using the items to pop the opponent's balloons. Each player has three balloons that can't be recovered in any way. The first to pop all the opponent's balloons wins.
Two gameplay modes; choose from eight drivers; 20 tracks; three skill levels; battery-backed memory to record your best times.
A collection of Super Mario characters including Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr., are out to win the Super Mario Kart championship. Using Mode 7 scaling, the first true kart game on the SNES has you collecting coins to boost your speed while using shells and bananas to stop others on the track.
There are 4 cups to win: Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and Special Cup, each with a selection of tracks to race on (based in Bowser's Castle, Super Mario World and more). Plus, a 2 player battle mode is on offer, where the first to pop the three balloons wins.
Battle Courses
Cheats
Drive Forever
While you are in the Battle Mode, select one or two players. Play as either player and lose all your protective balls, but keep your finger on the gas. You can continue to drive even though you have lost.
Drop Green Turtle Shells
Get a green turtle shell from a mystery box. To drop it, hold Down and press A.
Erase Data
To erase and reset all the best times and GP Data, go to the title screen and press L, R, Y and A simultaneously. This will take you to the Reset Mode. If you want to erase the times only, use the same code on each of the Time Trial runs.
Ghost Rider
To race against a ghost, choose any circuit, then drive around the track without touching the sides. After the race, go to Retry. When the light turns green, a ghost will appear. Race him and see who wins.
Invincibility Music
If you pause the game the second a player who was invincible is no longer invincible, the invincibility music will play the rest fo the race or battle mode round.
Move the Map
When you are in 1-Player race, the map is normally on the bottom. To move it to the top, use Controller Two to do the following. Highlight 1-PLAYER then hold L + R and press START. Use Controller Two to select your kart class, driver and track then play as normal.
Rearview Mirror
When you start the game go to one-player mode and choose either Time Trial or Mario Kart GP. While playing press the X button to see behind you.
Shortcuts
Ghost Valley I
If you have a feather, head straight for the wall when you see the platfrom across the gap. Hit the A button to use the feather just before you hit the wall and you will make the jump. Also you can use the mushroom by using it on the jumper simultaneously with the mushroom or use the mushroom right when you cross the gap and press L & R.
Or you can use a star right when you select it and when you see to bumpers on the left and right use the star and don't hit the walls and press L & R to cross over the gap.
Vanilla Lake II
Cross the finish line, then lineup along it and drive straight for the water. Just before you go into the Lake, hit L or R to get a good jump. Drive as far out into the water as you can, then turn left before the Fishing Lakitu gets you. If you cross the finish line while the Lakitu has you, it counts as a lap!
Special Cup in Time Trials
Enter the time trials and select your racer. Then push left on the pad to move the cursor beside Mushroom Cup. Then press L, R, L, R, L, L, R, R, A. You should then see Special Cup appear below Star Cup.
Throw Banana Peels
Get a banana peel from mystery box. To throw it, hold Up and press A.
Stop the Music
Rapidly press the START button on either controller. Continue this until the music ends. If you did it right, the sound effects will remain but no music will play unless you use a Star.
Speed Burst
For a burst of speed, hold down the accelerator in between the first and second beeps on the starting grid. You zoom ahead of the pack and cruise to the goal line.
Small Characters
If you want an extra challenge in the Grand Prix or Match Races modes of Super Mario Kart, you can shrink your character! All you have to do is press and hold Y. Then press A on the Character Selection screen. Alternatively, highlight any character, then press A+B+X+Y at the same time.
Screen Rotation
Select Time Trial. Choose your player and go to the track of your choice. While racing, be careful not to hit anything. Get a good time and then access the Replay option. While in Replay mode press the L or R buttons to rotate the screen. You can do this on any level in Time Trail.
Quick Item Select
Run over a mystery box and press A immediately. This will select a mystery box item faster and increase your chance of getting a red shell in battle mode.
Jump Red Shells
To jump over a red shell, press L or R when the shell is just in front of you.
Improve Red Shell Tracking
After firing a Red shell, hold down A. This way, it will not hit walls as often as usual. This also makes a 75% chance of the shell returning if it is jumped over.
Easy Turning
When you are going around a turn especially when you are on a dirty track, just hold the direction you are turing and rapidly tap the gas button. This helps a LOT when you're worried about skidding.
Deflecting Red Shells
In battle mode, whenever someone has a red shell that is on your tail, this IS the perfect chance to use 1 of 6 moves to save your balloons.
- If your current power is a ghost, before the second person can fire. This will steal away his power and give you the power to shoot him. Don't worry, you are still momentarily invisible from sight, the player cannot see you but he can look on your screen. Red shells can still hit if you are in range though.
- Wait until the person fires until executing this move. When the red shell is right behind you, lay a green shell by holding down and A. If the red shell was shot in a straight line or somewhat straight, then the laid green shell should counter and deflect the red shell. If the green shell failed to hit your opponent, having him on your tail may be to your advantage when he run across the green shell.
- Instead of the green shelled power, if you have the banana peel, then you could also counter the shell just by tapping A. Also, this move can be used by up and A. this will launch the peel straight forward for a distance. This move is hard to make a direct hit but now a trap is laid.
- If the red shell has been shot, if you have the feather, DO NOT jump outside of the ring for protection. The player could be waiting behind you to fire away. When the shell has been shot, if you execute the feather to momentarily leap high in the air, if too early, when you land, the shell is probably waiting to hit. If you jump at the right second, the shell will zoom past you and be useless. If you do not like this one, then you may like to try to jump across lanes to safety with him on the other side shocked at the miss.
- You can set up a star power that only lst a short short while. This not only can destroy any obstacle it touches, making it completely invulnerable from ANY attacks, it also can smash the opponents until they spin. If you stay on the opponent, then as the star lasts, each of the three balloons will pop one-by-one. Shocked by the counter and the loss, this move is very good.
- You can use a power slide to skip a lane fast enough to safety. This move is often too slow to make success, so a mushroom should now be really handy. The mushroom will boost your speed, then slide out of the missile shells path.
All of these moves, with practice, will make a player almost untouched in any battle match.
Stall CPU Drivers
On Mario Circuit 2, get a mystery box, if you have a green shell or banana, wait until the jump. Lay the trap in between the 2nd and 3rd zipper and, more likely than not, another driver will hit, miss the jump, and have to do it over. If you have a red shell, wait until the driver is just about to hit the jump and use it. If you have a mushroom, wait again until they are about to jump, use it, hit there back, and that will decrease their speed, resulting on them missing it, but you will still make it.
