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With the announcement of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC, many players have been excitedly waiting to play remastered courses from the Mario Kart series of games. Since Super Mario Kart was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), shortcuts have formed part of each track. The shortcuts can often be challenging to find, yet enable vital seconds to be saved on lap times and to achieve first place.
Whilst Mario Kart 9 was rumored for a Nintendo Direct reveal, the announcement of the Booster Course Pass DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was welcomed by many gamers, with 48 new remastered tracks scheduled to be released in six waves of eight tracks. Whilst the DLC can be purchased separately by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe owners, it also adds more value to the Switch online expansion pack, as the tracks are available to subscribers at no extra cost.
The Lucky Cat Cup forms part of the initial Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass and features four tracks - Tokyo Blur and Ninja Hideaway from Mario Kart Tour, Shroom Ridge from Mario Kart DS, and Sky Garden from Mario Kart: Super Circuit.
To give an edge over other racers, this guide highlights the shortcuts in each track and how to access them.
Tokyo Blur Shortcuts
As the Ferris wheel comes into view at the end of the course, a faster route can be taken by cutting off the tight right turn below the flyover.
Use a Mushroom boost or Starman to speed over the grass, then take the ramp to jump the corner. A different route is taken around the Tokyo Blur course for the final lap, so the shortcut is only available on laps 1 and 2.
Shroom Ridge Shortcuts
Halfway around the course, a ramp can be used to get a speedy entrance to the tunnel. Boost across the first section of grass, then take the ramp to jump over the remainder.
After exiting the tunnel, a final shortcut is available just before the finishing line. Upon leaving the tunnel, the crash barrier on the right-hand side will eventually end, leaving a gap before the next corner.
Head between the rocks on the right and the yellow flower on the left, then let the wind take the kart past the corner.
Sky Garden Shortcuts
The first Sky Garden shortcut can be found as players come off the track’s first turn. Rather than heading into the next turn to the left, continue straight over the two leaves to miss out on the corner.
The other shortcut can be found after an uphill section at the course's highest point - just before finishing a lap.
Instead of taking the dogleg left, turn early through the tunnel made of vines to take a quicker route round. Use a Mushroom boost or Starman if possible to keep the speed up.
Ninja Hideaway Shortcuts
Upon entering the building at the start of the lap, a ladder is available after the first left turn. Traveling up the ladder provides a shorter route through the building and avoids the falling ceiling spikes.
If the ladder is missed, another shortcut is available within the building. Use a shell or drive into the Piranha Plant cutouts located to the left of the final ceiling spikes to take a faster route to the jump.
The final shortcut can be found after the large jump halfway around the course. After taking the ramp, aim for the wind coming up from the green pipes. The wind will take the kart up to the top of the next building, which offers a faster route around the remainder of the course.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass is available now for Nintendo Switch.
