Right after the biggest straight away there will be a u-turn. Take it and you will find a cloud right off the track. Jump on the cloud and jump off on the other side. You WILL be ahead.
Another Shortcut on Rainbow Road
After the S-turn, go on the narrow strip that has a lot of turbo pads. When you are off, go straight, and when you are in the air turn sharply. If you have bounced , or have landed on a turbo pad, you have just cut off a big turn. This is very hard to do.
Avoid bananas
Bananas and other obstacles can be a pain, espcially in Mario GP. However, if you press B just after you go over one, instead of slipping, a note appears above you. This indicates you've dodged the banana/obstacle.
Barrier
When you have a Shell (Any Item) Hold it behind your kart, this will protect you against:
- Incoming Shells
- Other Drivers, Trying to Bump you from behind.
Very handy in Link mode.
Boost From Starting Line
A common move in all Mario Kart games is the ability to boost right from the starting line. This is done the same way in the GBA version of the game. To do it, you need to press the accelerator as soon as the green light comes on. You need perfect timing to do it, but if you do you'll boost ahead of the other racers right at the start.
Clear memory
If you would like to start over, press and hold L, R, A, B, X, and Y at the same time. Only do this if you want to lose ALL of your information, because it is not retreivable. If you want to clear one run, you wait until it says Saving... Don't Press Power. Obvie, you press power.
Dusk Startup Screen
To turn the Startup srceen orange get a gold cup in every Super Circuit cup in 50, 100 and 150cc.
Easy practice
If you want practice on the course without having to fight other characters, go to the Trial Run. You can pick any course that you have unlocked. Choose this before playing so that you have the feel of the land.
Hidden Jump
On the track Snow Land, wait until you've passed three right turns, and one hairpin left before you continue. Then, you will see a ? box with a red and yellow arrow sign below it, like this:
^^^^^^ run over the sign, and continue going straight, even as the road turns right. Then you will hit a bump, and fly over the wall, and skip an entire loop.
Honk Your Horn
When you press select at character selection screen or during a race you can hear a horn. Each character has individual sounds.
New Stary Screen
Get a '3 stars' rank on every Super Circuit cup in every cc class and the opening screen will have a stary sky and new music.
Nighttime Startup Screen
To turn the Startup srceen starry get a 3 star ranking in every Super Circuit cup in 50, 100 and 150cc.
Off the Beaten Path
In several of the races, there are areas the player can head for that the computer normally does not. These are shortcuts.
Here's a few tips on how to find these:
1. If you see a yellow band (i.e. a yellow strip that makes your kart jump) in an odd place, it may be a shortcut.
2. Look closely at the map. Some tracks have narrow ledges that can allow you to skip 180 degree turns.
3. Remember: the more boost tiles (the flashing red and yellow arrows on the track) that you hit in sequence, the higher you'll fly if you hit a yellow band.
To date, I've found shortcuts in the following courses:
Boo Lake
Sky Garden
2 in Snow Land
Rainbow Road
Player Select Tricks
Whilst selecting a player, press L to make the rotating players fire a turtle and R to make it jump.
Secret Boost in Cheep Cheep Islands
On the Longest bridge in this level there will be a little piece of wood on the left side of the bridge jump onto it and there will be a boost.
Secret Boost in Snow Land
Right before the strait away with all the coins, don't turn. Just go straight. There should be a road strip going out. Take it, and turn. There should be a boost.
Short Cut on Lakeside Park
About 2/3 the way through the track, there is a hair pin turn. Be on the right side after the turn, but be careful because the side wall is like a jump, so if you go over it, you go back in the track a good distance. There is a boost pad on the right side. Use it, and be on the right side of the jump. Ahead you will see the track and water. Between them is a liitle platform. If you land on it, it acts like a jump. You bounce right off of it and over the wall, landing you right near the start line.
Shortcut on Broken Pier
When you come to a group of coins in the shape of an arrow, drive to the jump it is indicating and boost when you get quite close. You should land on another platform and cut off a lot of the track.
Shortcut on Cheese Land
When you come to the first jump head right and simply hop over the wall to the right. You should have just cut off some of the circuit and propel you into the lead.
Shortcut on Extra Donut Plains 3
When coming down the second bridge, boost near the left of the jump. Turn left in the air and then right. If you land left of the Start/Finish line you will have nearly completed a lap, if you land on it, you will have gone backwards. To tell the difference, check if you finish a lap when you pass the Start/Finish line.
Shortcut on Rainbow Road
When you come to the first sharp turn boost straight ahead instead of turning to cut off half the track.
Shortcut on Ribbon Road
After the first U-turn on the track hit the little boost and turn right in the air. You should bounce back onto the course. You have just cut off a lot of the track.
Shortcut on Riverside Park
After the first boost in Riverside park, there will be a turn. Right when you are turning, there will be a strait of shallow water. Take the strait and you are guaranteed to be at least five places ahead.
Shortcut on Sky Garden
When you come to the first long straight look out for a jump with a weapon crate over it. Use a mushroom to boost over this jump, cutting of half the track.
Shortcut on Sunset Wilds
After you pass the teepees look out for a concealed jump on the right hand side wall. Turbo over it to land at the start line.
Special Cup circuit
Win a gold cup in all races to unlock the Special Cup circuit.
Special Cup: Rainbow Road
On Rainbow Road, after the first left and right turns, there will be a sharp left turn, and you'll have to use the brake to keep from going off the edge. Jump oof the left side and make a hard turn left, and you'll have skipped almost an entire curve.
Super Mario Kart tracks
Win with an "A" or better rank on each cup in GP mode. Press L or R at the cup selection screen to access the Super Mario Kart tracks.
Unlimited practice
Anytime you want to practice a track, go to Quick Run and select it. Then go backward on the course, allowing you to explore hidden passageways and jumps without a time limit.
Unlock Classic SNES Tracks in 1P mode
If you want to race on the Classic SNES tracks that you play on in the single cart link mode while in 1P mode, all you need to do is complete each circuit with at least 125 coins collected and you will unlock the respective classic circuit.
Unlock Classic SNES Tracks in Time Trial
Once you have unlocked the SNES tracks in 150cc you will then be able to play through them in the Time Trail mode.