Mario Kart 8 Best Shortcuts

The Mario Kart franchise has long been the go-to for any fans of the racing game genre. Making its debut on SNES back in 1992, the series has since appeared across nine different platforms and ten unique titles. Packed to the brim with iconic Nintendo protagonists, Mario Kart allows for hours of solo and multiplayer fun.

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Even with its successor already in the making, Mario Kart 8 and its Switch exclusive deluxe edition remains one of the most popular entries in the franchise. It features tracks both old and new and is in the midst of six waves of new DLC that will bring even more variety to the game. So, for gamers looking to achieve their best score, here are the best track shortcuts that Mario Kart 8 has to offer.

Updated on February 6, 2025 by Blaise Santi: With the recent announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 coming in 2025, fans of the Mario Kart franchise have a brand-new installment in the franchise to look forward to! There’s little known about the new game, including even its title, but what most fans are excited about are which levels from previous games will be returning. From the chaotic frenzy of Waluigi Pinball to the blue skies of Sunshine Airport, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe fans have a lot of studying to do if they wanna hit the ground running in the new Mario Kart knowing all the best shortcuts in some of the best levels (assuming they all come back!).

13

Cheep Cheep Beach Shallow Harbor

Don’t Be Afraid Of A Little Swim

This level originated in Mario Kart DS, preceding the franchise’s addition of underwater racing in Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS. With the track returning to Mario Kart 8, Cheep Cheep Beach has a new section that players can breeze through by taking a trip underwater, following a path of gold coins in shallow water behind an arrow sign pointing left early in the course.

While this shallow water does contain dark sand at the bottom that could slow players down, this can be remedied by clever timing with a Mushroom, so make sure you’re not trying to take advantage of this shortcut without one locked and loaded. This hidden path will get you ahead of racers who take the normal path without ever noticing where you went.

12

Piranha Plant Slide Water Current

Cleverly Avoid A Dangerous Piranha Plant

Piranha Plant Slide returns to Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from the 3DS, featuring a wide variety of obstacles as racers breeze through a sewer system. However, it’s easy to end up falling behind if you get attacked by giant Piranha Plant hazards, with one in a key spot right before you exit the sewers. That being said, it’ll require some perfect timing on the players’ part.

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On the gated floor of the track, water bubbles will rise up to indicate a current, lifting players a la a gust of wind in other levels. If you notice a water current at any point nearing the Piranha Plant, feel free to race straight into it, as it’ll give you an aerial boost that can not only avoid enemy hazards, but also set you up perfectly for the cannon at the end of the tunnel.

11

Toad Harbor Train Tracks

Go Off-Road For A Hazard-less Ride

Toad Harbor is an original stage in Mario Kart 8, and for the most part, seems like a pretty easy course to race through. However, nearing the finish line, follow the train tracks to find an alleyway, which is free from hazards and (for the most part) other players, letting you breeze past opponents. This shortcut can allow for a pretty exciting end to any Mario Kart race!

For instance, imagine you’re trailing behind an enemy racer in 2nd place, but with knowledge of this shortcut, you swerve to the right and ride along the tracks. With the addition of a well-timed Mushroom, you can surpass the racer ahead of you to 1st place without them even seeing you passing them! Plus, the alleyway will drop you out just ahead of the course, giving you the head start for the next lap.

10

Athens Dash Hidden Passage

A Helpful Tip For Your Odyssey

Athens Dash, based on historical locations in the real-world country of Greece, originally debuted in the mobile title Mario Kart Tour. With all the incredible sights, including the Parthenon, statues of Greek deities, and amphitheaters, it can be tough for racers to spot this secret passageway, blocked by a pair of Piranha Plant wooden cutouts.

By taking this hidden route, racers will be granted a speed pad they can use to get ahead of other players. However, given how the Athens Dash route changes, this shortcut can only be accessed on the second and third laps of each race. These wooden Piranha Plant cutouts can also be found on courses like Daisy Circuit and Boo Lake.

9

Yoshi’s Island Road

Watch Out For Winged Clouds

Very few courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe reference the Yoshi’s Island franchise, but the Booster Course Pass changed this with the Yoshi’s Island stage. Aesthetically, it resembles the graphics of the SNES title Yoshi’s Island, featuring enemies and characters like Poochy, Goonies, and Nep-Enuts. However, the shortcut on this track is not immediately obvious!

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One Winged Cloud, which can be found floating in the sky throughout the course like in Yoshi’s Island, will reveal a red staircase letting players ride for a while above the regular route. This will help players get a little further ahead and avoid obstacles, or possibly give them a safe space to use a Mushroom and speed ahead.

8

Sunshine Airport Luggage Carousel

For Those Who Leave Their Baggage Unattended

Sunshine Airport was originally a part of the Star Cup in the base game of Mario Kart 8. Throughout its DLC releases and re-imagining on Nintendo Switch, frequent Mario Kart fans have probably raced through Sunshine Airport hundreds of times. However, even they might not know of one particular shortcut towards the end of each lap.

As racers pass through the indoors of Sunshine Airport, nearing the finish line, they’ll notice a luggage carousel with wooden crates moving on a conveyor belt. Players can actually drive through this section for a quicker line to the finish, but even more so, the wooden crates can be driven through, granting a Mushroom to help players make that final push to first place.

7

Yoshi Circuit Waterfall

You’re In Yoshi’s Hands Now

First appearing on the GameCube version of Mario Kart, this track is shaped like everyone’s favorite dinosaur creature, Yoshi. Players with a keen eye will be able to spot this shortcut immediately after the start/finish line. Though the track veers off to the left, there’s a large waterfall visible through a gap in the stone with a grassy slope in front of it.

This shortcut can be absurdly difficult to master without bonus items, so even experienced players will need to give it a few practices to get it right. When aiming for the waterfall, the best course of action is to drift, hop twice, then perform a stunt boost to get across. Of course, for those who aren’t interested in perfecting this multi-step technique, a mushroom boost works just as well.

6

Shy Guy Falls Upper Cave

Fly High With The Paraglider

As a new track making its debut in Mario Kart 8, Shy Guy Falls is a fun track with two steep waterfall sections dominating the loop. However, this track holds several small shortcut opportunities – two of which flow into each other nicely. When launching off the ramp into the canyon, players will need to perform a stunt boost to access an upper path nestled inside a cave.

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As players perform another trick when launching off the ramp on this upper path, they should see a grassy path to the right. Performing a right drift and a hop at the last moment will allow players to drive along this grassy path without slowing down. This path also ends in another ramp, giving players an opportunity for an additional stunt boost as well.

5

Tick-Tock Clock Hands

Don’t Run Out Of Time

This track is one that was introduced to the series in Mario Kart DS and features as part of the lightning cup in Mario Kart 8. It can be a tricky track, but there are two key shortcuts that will help players save some time. The first can be found in the large clockface center of the track, where the path diverges around a circular hole in the center. If the hand is in the right position, players can use it to bypass the gap and drive straight ahead so long as they stunt boost off the center.

The second is much trickier but uses the same logic of driving along the clock hands that appear just before the start/finish line. Players will need to drift toward the hand and perform a quick left hop as they leave the road. Once they land on the hand, players should hop to the right to stay on track and then perform a stunt boost as they return to the main path.

4

Ice Ice Outpost Double Cut

A Treacherous Way To Break The Ice

Also new to the Mario Kart series is the Ice Ice Outpost track which features as DLC in Mario Kart 8 but is included in the deluxe version. To hit this shortcut, players will need to keep an eye out when they enter the icy cavern after the two diverging yellow and green tracks meet back up. To the right of the cave, there is a path formed by large ice blocks with two visible ramps. Veer onto this path and perform stunt boosts for added momentum.

When players land, they may be tempted to immediately correct themselves to the right to follow the track. However, another shortcut can be used if they hold the same direction. Coming out of the previous jump, players can drop off the track to land on an icy path with two more ramps. Using a drift boost and stunt boosts will increase the speed at which players launch out of this shortcut and back onto the main track.

3

Bone-Dry Dunes Bowser Cave

The Return Of Dry Bowser

Another track that debuts with Mario Kart 8 is Bone-Dry Dunes which features a large cave resembling Dry Bowser. This cave is where another key shortcut can be found in the form of a higher wooden path, which will also reward players with a bonus item block. Accessing this path can be difficult, but there are two main ways.

The first is to utilize the sand spout that appears and bounce off it to access the wooden track. However, it can also be accessed from the air if players position their glide just right. When launching off the glide ramp, letting go of the joystick will give players much more height than normal. Using this extra height, players should then turn towards the path once they come near the two teeth of the Dry Bowser cave.

2

Merry Mountain Cut

A Present For Mario Kart Experts

This Christmassy course appears in the third wave of DLC Booster Course Pass tracks and has a shortcut that allows players to cut through the top part of the mountain. It does require a mushroom boost to pull it off, however, the payoff is worth it. When driving up the mountain players will see large wrapped presents buried in the surrounding snow.

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When passing the final set of presents, players can use their mushroom boost to drive around the left of the gift, hugging it tightly. Following this corner around, there will be a small cliff that players can jump off, giving them extra airtime as they sail downwards. This shortcut lands players a decent way down the slope but will mean sacrificing a few item boxes.

1

Bangkok Rush Subway

Stand Clear Of Closing Doors

Released as part of the fourth wave of DLC Booster Course Pass tracks, Bangkok Rush takes players through the busy capital city of Thailand. Though the course features a handful of small shortcut opportunities, the best one appears toward the end of the loop. When players exit the market section of the track, there is a set of stairs leading upwards on the left.

Taking the stairs up will give players access to the subway tracks and a great but somewhat narrow drift opportunity. There are several sections where players can drop back down to the track but waiting until the one with the red arrow will grant players three extra coins and take them much closer to the start/finish line.

9/10

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Systems

Released

April 28, 2017

Developer(s)

Nintendo EAD, Nintendo EPD

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty