In a standard Mario Kart game, your primary objective is to reach 1st place. Mario Kart Tour is decidedly not a standard Mario Kart game, and as such, it flips this objective on its head. Reaching 1st place is nice, of course, but what really matters is your score. In that sense, it’s got more in common with a score-chasing arcade game than a conventional racing game.
As you play Mario Kart Tour, you’ll quickly learn that the best way to get a leaderboard-worthy score is to rack up combos. If you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your combos, the following tips should help you out:
Choose The Right Glider
Each racetrack in Mario Kart Tour has a different selection of gliders that provide a bonus to your combo score. Some gliders give a 2x bonus, others give a 3x bonus. Be sure to prioritize the gliders that offer the best possible bonus on any given track. If you level up a glider using level-boost tickets, you can increase your combo score even further.
The Higher The CC, The Higher The Combos
The cc you choose doesn’t just affect the speed of the race, it also determines how high your combo bonus can be. A 50cc race can only reach a total of 6 combos, while a 100cc race can reach 11. 150cc is the highest speed available by default, and it maxes out at 16.
Don’t Let Your Combo Time Run Out
Every time you perform an action (such as collecting a coin, jumping off of a ramp, or performing a mini-turbo) your combo time is extended. If you go too long between actions, your combo will be broken, and you’ll have to start over from scratch. Be wary of long stretches of empty track, as these can easily wipe out your combo.
Keep An Eye On Coins
Coins are often placed in out-of-the-way locations, but it’s usually worth going for them if it means maintaining a combo.
Always Drift When Taking Corners
When going for long combos, the Drift button near the bottom of your screen is your best friend. Whenever you take a sharp corner, be sure to hold that Drift button until you see blue sparks, then let go for a Mini-Turbo. This provides a boost of speed and an additional combo bonus.
You can continue holding it further until you get orange or purple sparks, which will give you more speed, but if you wait too long, you’ll risk running out of combo time. If you turn for long enough without holding the Drift button, the game will eventually start revving up a Mini-Turbo automatically.
Jump, Jump, Jump!
Ramps are the name of the game when it comes to building up combos. Mario Kart Tour’s racetracks are littered with ramps, particularly on the trick variant courses. Each time you drive over one of these ramps, your character will perform a trick, which adds to your current combo. If you’re trying to get better at chaining combos together, these trick courses are a great way to practice.
Long Gliding Sections Are Easy Combo Fodder
During gliding sections, your combo counter will increase automatically. Try to keep these glides going for as long as possible to really rack up the points. On some courses, the racetrack will split up between a gliding path and a non-gliding path. Take the gliding path whenever possible, and watch those points come pouring in!
Slipstreams Can Be Risky, But Offer Great Rewards
Slipstreaming is a great way to pick up speed when you’re falling behind, and it also provides a handy boost to your combo counter. Just drive behind another racer until you see a whooshing effect around your kart. You’ll quickly overtake the other racer, but watch out! If the player in front of you has an offensive item like a Koopa shell, ramming into them will cause you to take a tumble.
Item Tickets Can Help You In A Pinch
If you find yourself on a long stretch of track with no coins or ramps in sight, there is one last-ditch option to keep your combo going: Item Tickets! Item Tickets are often given out as Tour Gifts or from the Multiplayer Pipe. You can use one Item Ticket per race to give yourself a fresh batch of items, just as if you’d driven through an item box. Because you can only use one Item Ticket each race, you can’t rely on them to get you out of a jam all the time.
It is also important to remember that Item Tickets cannot be used in multiplayer races.
Hope For A Frenzy
Frenzies aren’t a reliable way to keep a combo going, as getting one is ultimately up to luck. However, you can increase your likelihood of getting a frenzy by leveling up your character. Note that only characters with three item slots can get a frenzy. This, much like the combo-bonus on the gliders, depends on which course you’re racing on.
If you’re lucky enough to get a frenzy, keep tapping the screen! Every time you tap, your character will perform a frenzy action, which will add to your total combo score. If you’re especially lucky, you can get up to three frenzies in a single race! This can be a real lifesaver if you’re playing on the weekly ranked cup, as getting a high placement can earn you plenty of tickets, coins, and rubies.
Most Hazards Aren’t Actually Hazardous
If you’re accustomed to conventional Mario Kart games, you probably know that running into oncoming cars and trains is a great way to wipe out and lose precious time. Mario Kart Tour works a little bit differently. Objects that seem like they should be hazardous are often just another way to rack up combo points. The train in Kalamari Desert? Drive into it to perform tricks! The cars in New York Minute? You can bounce on top of them! It may take some time to get used to this, but once you’ve rewired that old Mario Kart muscle memory, you’ll be racking up points like a champ.
Once you’ve got all the tricks of the trade committed to memory, you’ll be getting jaw-dropping scores in no time. If you can manage to maintain a combo for the entire duration of a race, you can even earn yourself the coveted Nonstop Combo bonus!