Win all Gold trophies in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix 150cc class to unlock 150cc Mirror Mode.
Alternate ending sequence
Win all Gold trophies in all cups and classes to change the ending sequence.
Alternate Menu Screen
To change the top menu screen, you have to beat every single cup, on every single prix and on every single engine class. Doing so will also give you an opportunity to try out all of the racer's karts.
Aviod Flying Blue Shells
When you are in first, you are bound to come across a flying blue shell that explodes on top of you slowing you down a great amount. There is a way to aviod these. When you hear the shell coming (you will hear a hissing sound in the air and a blue circle on the touch-screen) try to find something infront of you that you would normally wipe out on like a banana or a green shell. If you time it correctly, when you run over the object you will spin out of control but when the blue shell goes to explode, it will have no effect. Even though you still wipe out by running over the object, it saves you a whole bunch of time.
Baloon Battle hint
To get other ballons in a ballon battle, get a mushroom, then use it to run into someone. You will take a ballon from that person. The most ballons you can hold at once is three.
Best Car
For users who are trying to unlock Daisy and dry bones, use Luigi.
Blow Up Baloons Easy
When you are playing Balloon Battle, it is difficult to blow up the baloons with the mic, so just hold select!
Bonus karts
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Nitro Grand Prix in the 100cc class to unlock a third kart for all characters. Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Nitro Grand Prix in the 150cc class to unlock a total of seven karts for all characters. Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix in the 150cc Mirror Class to unlock all karts for all characters.
Delfino Square Shortcut
Go through the city like normal after you cross the bridge turn left and go strait. On the right there should be two boxes. You may think these boxes are just obsticles but they are actually blocking the entrance to a shortcut. Go around them and there's an alley. When you go through the alley it is full of mud that slows down the kart. Make sure you have a mushroom to speed up with so you keep at a good speed when you hit the mud.
Development team ghost times
Successfully complete the indicated circuit with a time less than the target to unlock its development team ghost racer, with the corresponding best time:
Press R to hop while turning or when making a turn. While you are sliding, or immediately beforehand, keep pressing Left then Right (or vice versa) to acquire a blue flame behind your kart. Release it to get a slight boost. If you keep pressing Left then Right (or vice versa) some more while you have the blue flame, you will get a red/orange flame for an even better boost. You may or may not notice the blue flame when getting the red/orange flame.
Glitch: No Tie
In a ballon battle, have one ballon and get your last opponent to have one ballon also. Then, get item blocks until you get a bomb. Then hold L or B to have the bomb hanging off of the back of your kart and run into your opponent. You will both be blown into the air, but you will win.
Higher jump
To jump higher when you are going over a jump, press R. This requires some practice and precise timing.
Hint: Pipe Plaza
During a ballon battle go to the Pipe Plaza. Get a fake item cube or banana. Go into one of the green pipes. As soon as you land, press B or L to release your fake item cube or banana. The next time someone goes through that pipe, they will hit the item.
Holding items behind you
While having a throwable item in your inventory, hold L or X to hold any throwable item behind you. This can protect you from oncoming opponent attacks from items that hit you from behind, such as red and green shells. You are also able to store another item in your inventory while holding your throwable item behind you.
How to throw bananas further forward
In order to throw bananas farther, when you are about to throw it jump and shoot it and it goes about 2 times as far as usual.
Inflate balloons faster
Instead of holding Select, blow into the microphone.
Ink
If Ink gets on your kart drive over a speed ramp.It will be gone.
Leaf Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Shell Cup and Banana Cup to unlock the Leaf Cup for that class.
Lighting bolt
On the DK Jungle Parkway, Royal Raceway, or Wario Stadium courses, use a lightning bolt just before someone reaches the jump. They should fall off the jump, costing them time. Do not use it when they are on the turbo pads because it will not affect them.
Lightning Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Leaf Cup to unlock the Lightning Cup for that class.
Longer Life in Balloon Battle
First at the start blow up 3 ballons. Once you only have 1 balloon, blow up one more so you have 2. If you lose that one, blow up your last balloon which having those two should help you win that round.
Mission Mode mission 7
Get a 1 Star or greater rank on each level of missions 1 through 6 to unlock mission 7.
No slip banana
To stop slip ing on banana's all you need to do is press b, just as your about to hit a banana. It takes a while to get the timing right but when you dou its very hard to lose.
Play as Baby Mario
Beat 50cc, 100cc, 150cc and mirror one with mario on both nitro and retro mode.
Play as Daisy
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Nitro Grand Prix in the 50cc class to unlock Daisy.
Play as Dry Bones
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix in the 50cc class to unlock Dry Bones.
Play as R.O.B.
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Mirror Mode Nitro in the 150cc class to unlock R.O.B.
Play as Shy Guy
Play a Download Play game against another player to have the option to play as Shy Guy. Note: Shy Guy can only be used Download Play mode.
Play as Waluigi
Win a Gold trophy in all cups in the Retro Grand Prix in the 100cc class to unlock Waluigi.
Quick start
During the initial countdown, hold down the gas (A) about a half of a second to a second after the number "2" appears to get a large boost when the race starts. You may have to practice to get the correct timing.
Rainbow Cup
Beat all the Staff Ghost Data on the Retro tracks to unlock the Rainbow Cup in the Retro Grand Prix.
Retro mode course Banana Cup
Donut Plains 1: SNES
Frappe Snowland: Nintendo 64
Bowser Castle 2: Game Boy Advance
Baby Park: GameCube
Retro mode course Leaf Cup
Koopa Beach 2: SNES
Choco Mountain: Nintendo 64
Luigi Circuit: Game Boy Advance
Mushroom Bridge: GameCube
Retro mode course Lightning Cup
Choco Island 2: SNES
Banshee Boardwalk: Nintendo 64
Sky Garden: Game Boy Advance
Yoshi Circuit: GameCube
Retro mode course Shell Cup
Mario Circuit 1: SNES
Moo Moo Farm: Nintendo 64
Peach Circuit: Game Boy Advance
Luigi Circuit: GameCube
Save time with sandy pits
On any sandy pit on a curve that would normally slow you down, use a mushroom to cross over it.
Shortcut in Bowser's Castle
When you get to the rotating floor, go around it all the way until you see the small entrance.
Shortcut in Delfino Square
Near the halfway point of the course, use a mushroom to cross the water and land on a dock. This is not easy, but saves a lot of time.
Shortcut in Sky Garden
When you get to the second green bridge, look to the left to see a cloud that goes across to the other track. Hop over it to get to it, then hop back off to avoid falling off. Note: This may require some practice.
Shortcut in Wario Stadium
This course is one of the longest in the game, but it has a shortcut that can cut a lot of time off your lap. It is possible to jump over the wall to the left of the starting line by using any one of the four small jumps there. Although you can make it over the wall without the assistance of any speed boosting item, a Mushroom or Mini-Turbo assist is helpful. Approach the wall at a high speed so that you are driving directly at it as you reach the peak of the small hill. Jump right before you hit the wall and you will fly over it. The timing requires some practice, but once you master it, it is not too difficult. It is also possible to jump back over the wall on the other side of the starting line, but the return jump is much more difficult and requires precise jump timing and aim.
Shortcut in Yoshi's Circuit
Just after the first two turns, go straight and you will see a gap in the wall. Hop over it to get ahead.
Shortcut in Yoshi's Valleys
This course is a tangle, as shown in the introductory map. However, there are a few shortcuts that will help you defeat just about anybody. Follow the course until you reach the maze part. Immediately go left and keep towards the left. The first shortcut is to stay left on the narrow part of the course. After doing that, you will hit a little checkered ledge, and see a large red and white sign on the left pointing to the right. This is the difficult part. Accelerate as fast as possible and stay to the far right. As soon as the rail on the left side ends, pull a hard left powerslide off the road. You will continue the powerslide onto the upcoming road after you land, and if done correctly, you will have shaved off at least ten seconds. This requires a lot of practice.
Skip credits
Press Select + Start to skip the credits to the congratulations screen.
Sky garden shortcut part 2
After the first shortcut in sky garden,in the next curve there's an accelerator ramp there.go towards the ramp.then you'll fly over. Happy landings!
Special Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Star Cup to unlock the Special Cup for that class.
Star Cup
Win a Gold trophy in the Mushroom Cup and Flower Cup to unlock the Star Cup for that class.
Star next to name
Win all cups in all classes with a 1 Star or greater rank for a star to appear next to your name in Multiplayer mode and on the "Records" screen.
Lightning Cup:
1)Choco Island 2 SNES
2)Banshee Boardwalk N64
3)Sky Garden GBA
4)Yoshi Circuit GCN
Note- You have to unlock the last 2 of each Grand Prix
Throw a banana peel forward
While throwing a banana peel, press Up.
Unlockables
Dry Bones-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 50cc nitro grand prix.
Daisy-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 50cc retro grand prix.
3 Karts-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 100cc nitro grand prix.
Waluigi-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 100cc retro grand prix.
7 Karts-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 150cc nitro grand prix.
150cc mirror engine class-Finish 50cc,100cc and 150cc engine class.
R.O.B.-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 150cc mirror nitro grand prix.
All Karts-Obtain a gold trophy with any rank at all cups in 150cc mirror retro grand prix.
Original Mario Kart DS Main Screen-Finish 50cc, 100cc,150cc and 150cc mirror engine class.
Using the "?" boxes correctly
Use the following trick to help your chance of winning in almost all modes of play. When getting a "?" box, wait until you see another item box before planting it. If timed correctly, the "?" box that was laid down will be directly on top of where the original one was. If anyone tries to get it, they will not be able to tell it is a fake until they hit it.