Mario Kart Tour is already one of the most popular games in the franchise and has been downloaded over 20 million times. While critics are handing out mixed reviews (here at TheGamer we praised the faithful translation but hated the greedy microtransactions), it seems to be a hit with gamers around the globe. Although you can’t compete directly with all these other players yet, you can compete indirectly as you rise through the different Tiers offered by the game. Here are a few beginner tips to get you started down the road to success.
Fine-Tune The Controls
Tour offers several different control options. The first one you’ll notice on the setting screen is for Manual Drifting. It’s recommended to turn this on after you’ve gone through a few races, as this will allow you to perform Ultra Mini-Turbos. This means that when you come out of a drift, you’ll gain a speed boost based on how long your drift lasted. It’s a great feature to use, but wait to turn it on until you’re comfortable with your basic driving abilities as it can be difficult to use.
The opposite goes for the Smart Steering option; keep this turned on until you can safely navigate most of the courses. With this turned you’ll receive some steering assistance from the game which will help keep your kart on the track. However, it does restrict your overall movement and could prevent you from making some sharp corners.
Auto-item is a feature that will automatically use your items when you break a new item box. This one is a bit of a personal preference, so take time to explore whether or not you like this feature.
The final control option offered by Tour is Gyro Handling. This allows you to steer the kart by tilting your phone. We’ve found that this feature in combination with Manual Drifting allows for the most precise controls. Turn both these on when you’re ready to up your Kart-Racing game.
Pick The Best Karts and Characters
When you select a race, you’ll have the option to choose your Racer, Kart, and Parachute. Be sure to select the one that offers you the largest advantage for the course. Proper racer selection could net you three items each time you collect an Item Box, while Karts and Parachutes improve your Bonus Points and Combo Bonus, respectively.
Pipe Dreams
While the gacha rates are low, its still important to use your Rubies to fire off that pipe. The more racers, karts, and parachutes you acquire, the more likely you are to have top tier racers for each map. This improves your chances as gaining the bonuses mentioned above.
Learn The Maps
It should go without saying but improving your knowledge of the courses will significantly improve your performance. Understanding when to drift, when to use items, and where shortcuts are hidden can make the races much easier. Take the time to learn everything you can about all the available levels.
These tips should get you started on your Mario Kart Tour journey. Take your time to learn the game and you’ll be winning every race in no time. Or, you can spend some money on Rubies and pay your way to victory. The choice is yours.
NEXT: Mario Kart Tour: How Monetization Works (Or Doesn’t)
