Driving and Item Tips and Tactics

Discover expert driving tips and item tactics for Mario Kart Wii. Learn how to use items effectively, block opponents, and gain an edge in races.

Here are some additional item and driving tips that might come in handy. Feel free to submit any of your own!

Coming off the track or hitting a wall slows you down to a literal crawl, so watch your driving! If you are going to cut out some of the track, subsidize the slowdown with a drifting mini-boost or, better yet, a mushroom.

Placing fake item boxes or bananas by real item boxes can block them from view of your opponents, meaning there's a chance they could drive into them. While the CPU might spot this against people in multiplayer, it'll work better online. It is also good if you want to 'replace' your current item with another by dropping it by the item box so you'll collect those in front.

If you are in first place, it's a good idea to drag an item behind you (or have a draggable item with you) in case you need to defend against shells. It's a pain to have your lead wiped away by a cheap item at the last minute, so try and get used to doing this.

If you are neck and neck with an opponent and coming up to item boxes, drop back slightly so you are a position behind them and grab an item. As in first place you cannot pick up red shells, doing this method could bag you one so you can take them out and take a substantial lead. Although this is incredibly annoying and cheap, it's a sure-fire winner, especially if you are on the final lap.

Again, like the above, if you are in a very close race, then drop back a few positions and grab an item box. As items are based on position and not proximity, you could get something like Thunder, a Star, or Three Red Shells.

If you are going to use a red/blue shell, then wait for them to get a slight lead, otherwise the red shell will just fly straight past them, and the blue shell likewise, and even worse, take you out in the impending explosion (if they are in first anyway).

If you have several (hopefully red) shells, then you can incapacitate a kart ahead. Fire one to spin them out, and then fire another as you go past them (where they've hardly had time to recover). By the time they have started going again proper, you'll have sped ahead.

Trick all the time. Every time you get off the ground, every time you hit a ramp, flick up the Wiimote or tap Up on the D-Pad to get a speed boost. It'll help you stomp that rubberband AI, and of course, those invisible people on the internets tubes.

Pick up an item box in a race and you'll get an item. But do you know how to use it properly and to its full advantages? There are three new weapons in Mario Kart Wii - POW Blocks, Big Mushrooms and Storm Clouds. They are shown at the end of the list, so scroll down and take a peek if you want to know how to use these new additions to the already bustling arsenal.