GCN Yoshi Circuit
A Double Dash classic returns to the fold to start off the Egg Cup. This course doesn’t have much in the way of hazards, but there are plenty of shortcuts and tricks for those willing to master its sharp and plentiful turns.
Grand Prix
This course starts you out with a couple of hairpin turns before straightening out again. The first turn is a good time to drift and build up a Mini or Super Mini-Turbo. If you grab a Mushroom from the cluster of Item Boxes, you’re going to want to avoid drifting too hard through the second turn.
A rather conspicuous waterfall presents itself at the end of the first straightaway following the previous set of double turns. If you have a Mushroom, you can use it to boost through the waterfall to skip a portion of the track. Make sure to hold right when coming out of the waterfall, or you’ll fall off the track and into the ocean.
Yoshi’s nose makes for one of the best drifting spots on the track, so make use of it. Don’t overcommit, however; the turn ends with another turn, which will be very difficult to make if you’re going at blazing speeds from a Super Mini-Turbo.
You’ll also find a small collection of Coins on the outer lane, along with a grouping of Item Boxes. Try drifting through both of these elements. If you miss one or both of them, that’s okay. It’s more important for you to drift through this entire section until you reach a Super Mini-Turbo. Besides, there’s always the next lap.
This Piranha Plant marks a shortcut for those with Mushrooms (or those boosting from a Mini-Turbo in 200cc). Boost by the right side of the pipe to the track below to cut down your travel time.
On the outer side at the base of Yoshi’s neck, you can find a small ramp and some Coins if you’re willing to defy gravity a bit. It’s only worth it if you’re confident that you’ll earn a boost by timing your jump-button press when riding off the ramp.
Time Trial
The first turn of the track is an easy spot for a Super Mini-Turbo. Never miss the opportunity to drift through this turn.
The waterfall makes for the best use of your Mushrooms on this track, but avoid going through it on your first pass. You’ll want to follow the normal route to grab the four Coins that line the track ahead. After the first lap, use your Mushrooms to jet through the waterfall every time you see it.
A word of warning: make sure to angle yourself to the right when launching through the waterfall. When you come out the other side, the course will be sharply angled to the right.
Stick to the main road here unless you’re in 200cc or driving with a Cruiser-class racer. If you don’t completely clear the path between the wall and the Piranha Plant, you’ll lose a good bit of speed, which will render this shortcut pointless.
You might be tempted to drift through these micro turns, but you’re better off using a straight path between all the turns. Aim toward the Coins and drive on through.
Ride along the side of the wall on your first lap if you need more Coins, but ignore it on following laps. It’s faster to stay on the main road than to go for the Jump Boost.
If you skip the waterfall for your first lap, you’ll have an extra Mushroom for the rest of the race. Feel free to use it to slip between the tires here to knock a couple of seconds off your time. Only do it once, though. The waterfall is a much better use of your remaining Mushrooms.
Excitebike Arena
Excitebike, the game this course is based on, boasted a course-creation system. Not wanting to miss a beat, the Excitebike Arena does the unthinkable: every time you race on this track, you’ll experience a new layout. Master the art of hitting the jump button while riding off ramps, and you’ll blaze through this course with ease.
Grand Prix
Excitebike Arena is a strange beast. Its layout has a very simple shape, and while the elements on the course shift, they largely stay the same in nature. For example, you’ll always find a cluster of ramps at this point, but the number and size of the ramps often vary.
Getting first in this course is all about mastering the fundamentals. Press the jump button a moment just before your front wheels leave the top of the ramp, and your driver will do a stunt in the air, which gives you a small boost upon hitting the ground. There are a ton of jumps and ramps in this course, so timing your jump-button presses will easily lead you to the head of the pack.
It is very common to find mud puddles at this location, which slow your kart if you drive through them. The turns on this course are perfect for gaining Super Mini-Turbos by drifting through them. Because of the placement of the mud puddles, you’ll need to drift between and around them if you want to reach that sweet, sweet Mini-Turbo.
There’s a large assortment of ramps on this course, one of which can be a bit deceptive. Ramps as shown here hide a patch of grass in front of them. If you’re hit just before riding off one of these ramps, you’ll fall into the grass below, slowing you even further. If you’re not driving at max speed, avoid these altogether.
Time Trial
Excitebike Arena has a standardized layout for Time Trial, so you can know what to expect every time you race the course. For most of it, excellent drifting and spot-on Jump Boosts are all you need to beat the course ghost, but there are a couple of tricks that will help you get an even better time.
For starters, use your Mushrooms exclusively to cut through the grassy knoll on the inside of the first turn. Start a drift while driving toward the grassy area, then hit your Mushroom to boost while maintaining your drift. As soon as you exit the drift, you’ll be able to follow up with a Mini-Turbo for extra speed.
Straddle the inside line of the second major turn while drifting. If done correctly, you’ll slide right between the mud pool and the grass and come out the other side with a Mini-Turbo.
Dragon Driftway
Like the reptile it’s named for, Dragon Driftway’s narrow paths curve, turn, and practically slither like a serpent. Those willing to brave the borderless edges will be rewarded with first place—or a quick drop into the great below. If you’re able to master its ever-winding road, you’ll leave your mark on this challenging course.
Grand Prix
The course starts off with an antigravity pad at the base of the dragon’s mouth. Use this opportunity to nudge other players for a Spin Boost.
Immediately following the dragon’s mouth, you’ll find a set hairpin turns back-to-back. You’ll have enough time to sneak out a Mini-Turbo at the end of each turn, but don’t do more than that. Once you’ve Mini-Turboed at the end of the first turn, immediately jump into another drift to prepare for the next turn.
The next turn is a monster. Go into it drifting and try to hug the inner line as much as possible. It’s incredibly easy to slide into the outer wall or, if you’re not drifting, slide off the inner ledge. This is one of the tougher turns, so some practice might be warranted.
Following up the previous turn are two turns that are almost as tight. Again, go into them drifting while hugging the inner walls. The final turn in this set has a large patch of grass that you can motor through if you have a ride with high traction and you enter it with a Mini-Turbo. Otherwise, ride along the edge just in front of the grass.
If you’re feeling bold, you can hit the ramp off the course to the left before these two turns and nearly skip them both altogether. You’ll need to stop your drift through the previous turn (the one in Point 3) at the halfway point, then Mini-Turbo toward the ramp to clear it.
After completing those previous three tight turns, you’ll hit a straightaway. You’ll encounter another set of Item Boxes and get a quick breather before being thrust into another series of turns.
Shortly after hitting the antigravity panels, you’ll encounter Spin Boost pillars in the shape of upside-down gourds. They line the center of the road, so make a point to knock them to gain a Spin Boost.
You’ll find a series of humps in the middle of the next straightaway. Each of these can be jumped off of to earn you an additional boost, if your jumps are timed correctly. Make use of them to pull ahead before the finish line.
The final turn of the course is its largest; it also features a large patch of grass that can be driven through with a heavier racer and the necessary boosting apparatus.
Time Trial
Beating the track ghost on this track’s Time Trial doesn’t require many tricks, but it does require some incredible drifting abilities. If you can master drifting around these corners, you can take the record.
The track starts with a couple of tight turns, then leads up to a large set of turns that are great for building up Mini-Turbos. Try to keep your drift close to the inside line of the turn; it will save more time overall, as you will have driven over less track during the course of the Time Trial.
Release your drift about halfway through the turn in Point 1 and try to point yourself toward this ramp. You can save a few seconds if you land on it and jump off cleanly.
You can grab some Coins and hit a few Spin Boost pillars by staying in the center of this path.
Make a point to go for Jump Boosts on any of the humps you hit here. There are three total humps, but you’ll likely only land on two of them if you time your Jump Boosts correctly.
Save your Mushrooms for drifting through this grassy area. Start a drift toward the grass, then hit your Mushroom while maintaining your drift. Once you’ve cleared the grass, you’ll have at least a Mini-Turbo waiting for you on the other side.
Mute City
Not content to let Mario and friends have all the fun, the the F-Zero crew have thrown their hat into the racing arena with Mute City, a course that defies gravity and the limits of speed. Littered across the entire course are dash panels; mark an optimal path to hit as many of them as possible and you’ll steal the lead. Miss them and you’ll be praying for a Lightning power-up to get you back in the race. Mute City is a thrilling and challenging map for all skill levels.
Grand Prix
The first thing you’ll see in Mute City is a large cluster of dash panels in the middle of a pair of purple lanes on either side of the track. Drift across these purple lanes to fill up your Coins, increasing your top speed.
The track drops below these dash panels and begins to curve to the left. Don’t let this catch you off guard!
After you drop onto the lower track, you’ll find a surplus of Spin Boost pillars. Make use of them to get ahead of your opponents.
You’ll find another jump and drop here. The road will start to veer to the right after you land the jump, so be prepared. Also note that purple panels and dash panels await you shortly after you land.
If you’re not full on Coins yet, hit the purple panels on the left and right sides of this section. If you are, go nuts on the dash panels and cut ahead of your opponents.
The shortcut for this track is devilishly hidden in plain sight. Before you reach the ramp leading to the final, winding bit of the track, hang a hard right to find a ramp just before it. Hit this ramp and the one following it, and you’ll skip a solid half—if not more—of the final stretch of the race. If you have a Mushroom, you can rocket off the first secret ramp and fly through the air toward the track below instead.
Time Trial
Start your run off by hitting the purple panel on the right to get some Coins. You’ll be able to reach six or seven Coins easily here, which will put you at near top speed for the rest of the Time Trial.
On following laps, ignore these panels altogether and focus on the dash panels instead.
Use this second set of purple panels to fill up on Coins completely. On the following laps, ignore these purple panels and make a path through as many dash panels as you can.
If you hang a hard right before reaching the ramp leading to the final stretch of the race, you’ll find a secret set of ramps. Use your Mushroom to launch off the top-left corner of the ramp and soar above most of the final stretch of the course. Use your Mushroom here on every lap.