Top 10 Mario Kart Wii Shortcuts
Mario Kart Wii is packed with shortcuts that can shave precious seconds off your time, giving you an edge over the competition. Some are easy to pull off, while others require precise timing and skill. This list focuses on shortcuts based on how much time they actually save per lap.Lap glitches, which trick the game into counting laps incorrectly, won't be included. These aren't really shortcuts in the traditional sense since they completely break the race and remove any real challenge. However, glitches that help you cut across the track without affecting lap counting are fair game.
I haven't performed this shortcut successfully, but I'll give you the rundown. You have to aim yourself at the blue trick spots and the fence while on the mountain, and go between them. You'll cut off two U-turns and a gap, saving you about 12 seconds in the race. But it's freakishly hard!
You use the last ramp in the row of jumps, align with the third row of bricks on the ground, and sit on the sixth column of bricks. Hold A and B (or R if you're using the classic controller or GameCube controller) and guide yourself to the left. Align the center of your character's head with the center of the last brick, then use a mushroom. You'll jump over a pool of lava and skip about 10 seconds of the track.
When you exit the inside of the volcano, you'll come across some moving platforms. Navigate through them to reach the ramp where you can perform a trick. Stay on that platform and do not go off. Align yourself with the rock on the right and aim for its left side. If done correctly, you'll skip about 9 seconds off your time.
This is not a glitch to mess up the lap counter. After passing the metal Bowser that shoots fireballs, head to the right path. You'll see a ramp, but do not go off it. Instead, get close and face to the right. Align yourself with the bolts correctly, then use the speed pad to get a boost. You'll sometimes go slightly to the left and glitch through the wall. You may need to use a mushroom in the air to get it to work.
After the section with ramps and hills, you'll face two gaps. If you slow down slightly, you'll go over the first gap, drift left for a bit, and skip the second one. Doing this will save up to 8 seconds.
If you get a golden mushroom in Mario Raceway, you can use it to cut through a small patch of grass, a sandbank, and possibly behind the piranha plant at the end of the course. Doing this will save 7-8 seconds.
At the end of the track, only on laps 1 and 2, you can pull off a shortcut that saves about 7 seconds if done at the fastest speed. Use a mushroom to get on top of a ledge, followed by a second mushroom. Once lap 2 or 3 is announced, you'll need to use a third mushroom to cut a small portion of the water.
At the end of the course, you'll have to go around a gap with goombas as obstacles, but what if I told you that you could jump over it with the power of a mushroom and a small hop? I tried it out and mastered it, meaning I can do it without fail... most of the time. Not everyone's perfect. Doing this will save you 6 seconds.
This one is a LOT easier than the Mushroom Gorge jump because you don't need to hop or use a mushroom. You just fall, and you're done! Doing this will save 5 seconds.
It's an easier version of the DK Mountain shortcut but saves less time. If you'd like to master the double, go for it, because it's a great way to gain a lot of positions, but it's harder. This shortcut saves about 4.75 seconds.