GBA Mario Circuit

Despite the addition of antigravity panels and having an entire portion of the course lift into the sky, this returning iteration of Mario Circuit is still a fairly traditional course. Emphasizing the basics of Mario Kart racing, the various turns of Mario Circuit rewards the racer willing to cut corners tighter than the rest.

Kart of Champions

Nintendo’s Best Time Trial: 1:35.290
Player: Jeff C. M.
Racer: Wario	Body: Sport Bike	Wheels: Slick	Glider: Parafoil

Grand Prix

The opening two turns can be cut heavily by boosting across the grass with a Mushroom. You won’t have this at the start of Lap 1 in a race, but if you do get a Mushroom, consider holding on to it specifically to cut the first turn. It’ll put you on a line to collect some Coins on your way to an antigravity panel.

Just past the antigravity panel on the mid-air portion of the course is sharp hairpin left. Keep to the inside to hit a dash panel on your way back downhill. The dash panel itself is a great location to set Bananas or to shoot Green Shells at pursuing racers who are trailing you while trying to reach the dash panel themselves!

A hairpin right comes just after returning to the ground level of the course. This turn, and the turn after it, are ripe for being cut with the use of Mushrooms to blast across the grass. However, the second of these turns is where such a tactic will be of greater use.

Off the road to the right of another cluster of Item Boxes is a glide ramp that can launch you across a good chunk of the course. You do need a Mushroom to access it, as the rough grass in front of the ramp will slow you down otherwise.

Watch out for the oil slicks marked by road cones in this section. Short of having a Super Star to plow through them unharmed, your best defense is to simply avoid them. Clever players can set up traps with Bananas that can send a rival spinning into an oil slick, costing an opponent up to six Coins for hitting both hazards!

After the final left turn leading to the final straightaway, check the right side of the track to see the entrance to a small pit area that contains an Item Box and a dash panel. With some clever drifting, you can score a Mini-Turbo before you hit the dash panel to cross the finish line. Consider dropping Bananas here to trip up your rivals.

Time Trial Mode

Arguably, it might be a good idea to start Lap 1 of your Time Trial by burning a Mushroom to cut the first corner. With the right angle, you’ll speed across the grass and be lined up to snag some Coins for your trouble.

After getting launched up to the raised portion of the track, the hairpin has five more Coins—two on the inside line and three on the outside. For Lap 1, it may not be a bad idea to take the turn wide to collect the outer three Coins. If you cut the turn early enough after collecting the three, you can still get back to the left side of the track in time to hit the small dash panel.

Don’t miss collecting one of the three Coins at the end of this dash panel ramp.

There’s seven Coins to collect on this turn, but ideally you’ll only collect the three on the inside of the track during Lap 1. Don’t waste a Mushroom to reach the ramp on the grass after the turn!

Watch the oil slicks on the road, and collect Coins if you still need your ten. Take the most direct route through the curves leading to the final turn, with minimal turning to avoid slowing down unnecessarily. Make sure you grab the Coins here if you still need them! As you reach the second oil slick, begin drifting to set up your approach for the final left turn.

Take this last turn as tight as possible. You can also use a Mushroom to cut across the grass just to the right of the tire barrier while drifting, and Super Mini-Turbo towards the finish line.

TM & © 2014 Nintendo.