1: Mushroom Cup Tracks

1: Mushroom Cup Tracks

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Mushroom Cup Tracks

Luigi Circuit

Luigi Circuit is the first track you'll race on, but it isn't exactly a plain race. While the course is generally wide and gives you only two big turns to worry about, several elements are worth pointing out.

The little ramp: Once you get past the first big turn after the starting line, the sandy part of the track appears. If you have the appropriate boosting item, you can get a leg up on the rest of the pack. Don't forget to trick off the edge for an extra boost when you land!
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Riding the rim: Immediately after that ramp, the track raises and is dotted with boost strips. You can expect everyone in the race to use them, so this part doesn't make much of a difference if you can manage to hit every strip. 427x240
Super shortcut: Expert players can bypass the boost strips effectively by manually boosting through the small patch of sand and pipes along the inside curve, and actually reach the finish line faster as a result! This is a great technique for Time Attacks, too. Though it's better if you're on a bike, since their narrower frames mean you have less of a chance of hitting one of the pipes. 427x240


Moo Moo Meadows

Things get a little hairier in Moo Moo Meadows. A road shifting constantly shifts from wide to narrow, plus an abundance of grass, means you don't get a whole lot of freedom to drift.
Shortcuts aplenty: After the first turn, the grass starts to spread out from under the fences, and when you're able, you can boost through the green to cut the corners. Use the grass to your advantage as much as possible. 427x240
Jumps big and small: There are only two ramps on this track: a small blue one towards the southwest corner of the map, and then a larger one with a boost strip at the start of the section with the dirt mounds. Use the first one for an easy trick boost, then use the second to simply cut across the field easier.

Alternatively, if you missed the second ramp, you could use Mushrooms to boost off the mounds, then perform a trick and land with an extra boost. When playing Time Attack, this is a valuable strategy regardless, especially after landing from the ramp.
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Mole malarkey: By the time you come up to the mounds, moles will be burrowing around the track, leaving behind a trail of upturned dirt. Driving into their dirt will slow you down, so keep a close eye on their movements as you drive. 427x240

Mushroom Gorge

The Mushroom Cup features a fitting mushroom-themed track that will keep you in the air half the time.
Trust the fungus: The huge mushroom pads dotted around the level aren't as daunting as they seem. To maintain control, you should stay straight before hitting the first one, then turn in midair to change direction as needed. 427x240
Forks in the road: The path splits twice on this course. After bouncing off the first mushroom, you can choose to veer left, or keep going straight onto more mushrooms. If you go with the mushrooms, make sure to maintain your speed, and travel a little bit to the left-hand edge of the mushrooms, or else you'll knock yourself against the cliff and fall out of place.

The second split is inside the cave, where there's a large group of mushrooms. The left path is longer, so it's best to stick to the right. The upside of the left path is that there are more (and easily accessible) Item Boxes.
The final turn: Right after getting out of the cave is one last wide turn before the starting line. A wide patch of grass is off to the left, but if you boost through it too late, you may not get back onto the track in time. So, try boosting when you're still in the dirt, not so much at the edge of the grass. 427x240

Toad's Factory

It's just one thing after another here -- most of those things having to do with conveyor belts. Be prepared to make split-second turns.
Mind the mashers: The compressors inside the factory just after the starting line are, in a word, tricky. This is partly due to the conveyor belts directly below them that will change directions after each lap.
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More belts and shifting platforms: After the compressors, you'll come back outside to a series of platforms moving left and right, with more conveyor belts on them. If you keep your eyes forward and fixed on the tunnel ahead, you should make it across fine. Just beware of the plain crates lying around, as they can stop you cold if you hit them. First-timers shouldn't worry too much about trying to hit the Item Boxes that come in on the belts. 427x240
The tunnel: After that, it's into the tunnel, which has more conveyor belts in the middle. On the far right, there's a raised shoulder you can drive on and grab Item Boxes, but try to stay on the green to get that extra gain in speed. And again, the directions will switch on the next lap. 427x240
The mud pit: The tunnel spits you out (figuratively, of course) onto a dirt track which winds around into the mud pit. Got a Mushroom? Hope you've been able to hold onto it! The giant bulldozers on the edges of the mud act as half-pipes, and they move back and forth periodically. It's crucial to hit every boost strip as you see it, ending with the large jump over the end of the pit and back to the finish line. Failure to keep boosting will result in you stuck in the mud, puttering along to the finish. Not good.