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Mario Kart 8 eGuide
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Contents

  • How To Drive
    • Game Modes
    • Drivers Manual
    • Terrain
    • Trackside Assistance
    • Items
  • Mario Kart TV and MiiVerse
    • Mario Kart TV
    • Miiverse
  • The Racers and Rides
    • The Racers
    • The Starting Grid
    • The Unlockables
    • Vehicle Customization
    • Body
    • Tires
    • Gliders
  • The Drivethrough
    • Grand Prix and Time Trials
      • Introduction
      • Grand Prix
      • Time Trial
    • The New Tracks
      • Mario Kart Stadium
      • Water Park
      • Sweet Sweet Canyon
      • Thwomp Ruins
      • Mario Circuit
      • Toad Harbor
      • Twisted Mansion
      • Shy Guy Falls
      • Sunshine Airport
      • Dolphin Shoals
      • Electrodrome
      • Mount Wario
      • Cloudtop Cruise
      • Bone-Dry Dunes
      • Bowser's Castle
      • Rainbow Road
    • Returning Classics
      • Wii Moo Moo Meadows
      • GBA Mario Circuit
      • DS Cheep Cheep Beach
      • N64 Toads Turnpike
      • GCN Dry Dry Desert
      • SNES Donut Plains 3
      • N64 Royal Raceway
      • 3DS DK Jungle
      • DS Wario Stadium
      • GCN Sherbet Land
      • 3DS Music Park
      • N64 Yoshi Valley
      • DS Tick-Tock Clock
      • 3DS Piranha Plant Slide
      • Wii Grumble Volcano
      • N64 Rainbow Road
    • Battle Mode
      • Introduction
      • Wii Moo Moo Meadows
      • GCN Dry Dry Desert
      • SNES Donut Plains 3
      • N64 Toads Turnpike
      • Mario Circuit
      • Toad Harbor
      • GCN Sherbet Land
      • N64 Yoshi Valley
    • Additional Game Modes
      • Additional Game Modes
  • Secrets
    • Secrets
    • Stamp Collection
  • Videos
    • Banana Cup
    • Leaf Cup
    • Shell Cup
    • Flower Cup
    • Lightning Cup
    • Star Cup
    • Special Cup
    • Mushroom Cup

Mario Kart 8 Guide › The Drivethrough › Returning Classics

N64 Royal Raceway

One of the longer courses in the game, Royal Raceway is not a particularly challenging course to race on. Racing well, however, demands that a driver exploits every single turn to the fullest. Unlike so many Mario Kart courses defined by special gimmicks and obstacles, this track can be defined by a distinct lack of them.

Roadside Unassistance

Piranha Plants: While not as aggressive as the variety that inhabits pipes, running into these guys on the sides of the track can be problematic. Don’t let yourself stray that far off road.

Kart of Champions
Nintendo’s Best Time Trial: 2:04.626
Player: Jeff C. M.

Racer: Wario

Body: Sport Bike

Wheels: Slick

Glider: Parafoil

Grand Prix

Coins and items are a precious resource on this track. With little in the way of natural obstacles to help defend against your rivals, your use of items requires timing, and it becomes important to deny every Coin to the enemy. Always look for groups of Coins, like these pictured on the first left turn, and collect them on every lap if possible.

Technically more of a Time Trial technique, hugging turns tight enough that your wheels drag across the red-and-white stripes on the roadside might be one of the things that keeps you ahead of your opponents, especially on higher difficulties. That said, seeding the inside of turns with Bananas can be a great tactic to handle anyone following you closely.

To the left of this curving section of track is a ramp with a dash panel on it. You need a Mushroom to reach it without tanking your speed first though. You can collect more items from the Item Boxes at the end of the ramp.

This uphill portion of the track has two dash panels and a glide ramp that will launch you across the lake to the other side of the track. More Coins can be collected from clusters in the air on the other side of the water.

The turns in this series all have chunks of grass that can be cut across with Mushrooms, if you have ‘em. Otherwise, drift through the turns to try and score multiple Mini-Turbos. Watch for Coins scattered on the inside of each curve!

Time Trial Mode

Note

As with Toad’s Turnpike, a Time Trial on Royal Raceway focuses heavily on getting the most out of every drift and every turn. There’s multiple places throughout the course where a Mushroom could be considered useful, but the shortcuts here are not like the game changers seen in other courses, such as Donut Plains 3.

On this turn, you can afford to pass up the Coins and take the turn as tight to the inside as possible.

The hairpin turn after the first three Coins leads to another grouping of three Coins. Stay on the inside, and collect the lone Coin near the red and white markers.

Another trio of Coins can be found just before the ramp on the left-hand side of the course. You can collect two of these Coins during Lap 1, then burn a Mushroom to take the ramp and cut a portion of the course. However, this isn’t necessarily efficient use of your items. Save them for later!

The turn leading towards the uphill jump has more Coins to collect, with a pair on the inside line being the ideal target.

As you approach the jump itself, four Coins, lined up in two rows, can be found. If you’ve done well on your first lap, this is where you’ll have reached ten Coins.

Crossing the lake, you can collect from other groupings of Coins if you still need to reach ten on Lap 1. After you land from the glider flight, cut the upcoming left turn by Mushrooming across the grass, as close to the stone wall as you can get away with!

As you work your way through this series of curves, don’t miss out on collecting the Coins while drifting and Mini-Turboing your way to the finish. As always, keep to the inside of the curves as best you can.

TM & © 2014 Nintendo.

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