1. Snow Land – The Biggest Shortcut in the Game

One of the largest shortcuts in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can be found in Snow Land. Here’s how to pull it off: right at the start, many players hang back to grab mushrooms from item boxes. If you have mushrooms ready, drift to the right, aim for the snowman, use a mushroom, and hop off the edge. This maneuver saves over three seconds, making it an essential move to win on Snow Land.

2. Mushroom Gorge – Gap Jump

Remember the legendary gap jump from Mario Kart Wii? It’s back and even easier to execute in Mushroom Gorge! Drift and charge a mini-turbo off the mushroom to clear the gap, then use a mushroom to hop the gap. Master this, and you’ll fly past your opponents in no time.

3. DK Summit – The Double Shortcuts

DK Summit is known for its double shortcut that skips the entire S-bend. For the advanced version, you can drift and charge an orange mini-turbo to clear the gap without needing a mushroom. This shortcut can mean the difference between first and second place—so practice makes perfect!

4. Rock Rock Mountain – Triple Mushroom Power

Lap three is where the magic happens in Rock Rock Mountain. If you have triple mushrooms, you can bypass large sections of off-road terrain, gaining significant time on your opponents. If you only have one mushroom, save it for the glider ramp to gain some advantage.

5. Hyrule Circuit – Grass Cuts

The Hyrule Circuit shortcut lets you hop through the grass patches without slowing down. Trick off the ramp, charge a mini-turbo, and keep hopping to glide over the grass. This shortcut is essential for staying competitive online, especially on lap three.

6. Big Blue – Lap 2 Path Switch

On lap two of Big Blue, there’s a critical shortcut where you can switch paths by drifting and hopping off the first booster. This skips entire sections of the track, shaving off valuable seconds.

7. Rainbow Road – Path Switch Shortcut

After the cannon in Rainbow Road, switch to the right path, charge an orange mini-turbo, and hop to save time. This shroomless shortcut is a game-changer when racing online.

8. Mount Wario – The Easy Gap Jump

This gap jump on Mount Wario is simple but highly effective. Drift, charge an orange mini-turbo, and hop just as the wall disappears to clear the gap and keep your momentum.

9. Squeaky Clean Sprint – Glider Trick

For Squeaky Clean Sprint on laps 2 and 3, skip the slow path by tricking off the water and gliding through a faster route. This shortcut alone can win you the race if executed well.

10. Yoshi’s Island – The Cloud Shortcut

In Yoshi’s Island, a question mark cloud near the final glider opens up a shortcut for everyone. Hitting the cloud can help, but sometimes, it’s wiser to skip it and use your mushroom to create your lead.

11. Dragon Driftway – Shroomless Gap Jump

On Dragon Driftway, you can execute a massive gap jump without mushrooms. It’s one of the more technical shortcuts, but once you get it down, it’s a must-use for every race.

12. Mute City – Off-Road Skip

The off-road skip in Mute City may look simple, but timing is everything. Release your mini-turbo just before the ramp to glide over the off-road section. Perfect execution will make you unbeatable on this track.

13. Piranha Plant Cove – Water Float Shortcuts

Piranha Plant Cove features floating water shortcuts that allow you to drift over off-road sections while charging mini-turbos. These shortcuts are fun and rewarding, making them essential for any serious player.

14. GBA Mario Circuit – Tire Hop Shortcut

At the end of GBA Mario Circuit, you can hop over the tires using a purple mini-turbo. This is a shroomless shortcut you can pull off every lap to save critical time.

15. Waluigi Stadium – Purple Mini-Turbo Shortcut

In Waluigi Stadium, charge a purple mini-turbo to hop over the mud, keeping your speed up. This shortcut is one of the most exciting ways to get ahead and dominate the competition.

16. Mario Kart Stadium – Glider Shortcut

This is a game-winning shortcut on lap three of Mario Kart Stadium. Charge a purple mini-turbo, then glide diagonally with the help of tilt controls to gain extra speed and clear the shortcut. It’s a must-know move for anyone aiming for victory.

17. Cheese Land – Golden Mushroom Strategy

When racing on Cheese Land, using a golden mushroom allows you to take multiple shortcuts and skip large portions of the track. These shortcuts can be the key to victory, especially in tight races.

18. Dry Dry Desert – Water Section Shortcut

On Dry Dry Desert, use a single mushroom to skip the water section and cut through large portions of the track. If you have a golden mushroom, this shortcut can cut off nearly half the track, giving you a massive lead.

These shortcuts are game-changers for racing online in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Practice them, perfect them, and you’ll be ready to take on the best of the best. For more tips and tricks, check out the rest of our blog, and get ready to level up your racing game at HyperX!