Super Mario Kart > Tracks > Battle Mode

Written By: Pete Philippis

1. Lingo
2. The Drivers
3. Frequently Asked Questions
4. Tips & Tricks
5. DON'T
6. Varying Game Play
7. Competition Sheet

Lingo
The following 17 items define the terms used in the record sheet at the end of this guide.

Some stats affect other stats as well. For example, ramming an opponent into his own red shell when he fires it would count as a hit by own red shell as well as ramming. A 3 hit combo with 3 red shells would also count as 3 hits by red shells.

01 + 02) COMBOS are valid if at least one hit is not random and the opponent could not avoid getting hit in succession because he was immobilized or had just begun to takeoff. For example, the player gets hit by a random green shell and then the opponent moves in and fires a red shell for a second hit before the player gets a chance to recover. This would count as a 2 hit combo.

03) RED SHELL HITS are collisions into red shells by karts.

04) GREEN SHELL HITS are valid on direct and indirect hits, rebounds off walls, as long as the shot was immediate and planned. Firing a green shell so that it bounces from wall to wall down a corridor
in hope of it hitting an opponent would not count as a green shell hit.

05) Rare hits by an opponent who throws, not drops, a banana peel which hits the opponent or is thrown in front of the opponent who can not avoid driving over it is a BANANA PEEL HIT.

06) DROP SHELLS include driving in front of an opponent and laying a green shell or banana peel so the opponent can not avoid driving over it.

07) When a pursuing opponent enables star power, hitting an opponent counts as a STAR HIT.

08) Sometimes, a player's own red shell that he fired will hit his own kart. This can occur if the opponent drives near the player who fired the shell.

09) RANDOM COLLISIONS include hitting a rogue green shell or driving over a dropped shell or banana peel (one that was not placed purposely by opponent so he hits it). Also hitting one's own green shell that was just fired is a random collision.

10) RAMMING is hitting an opponent's kart with one's own which results in a hit into a red or green shell, or banana peel. Also, blocking an opponent's path so he gets hit by an oncoming green shell. These do not count as random collisions.

11) AMATEUR MISTAKES occur by a player when the opponent shoots or drops an item to hit another oncoming item. Includes shooting an oncoming red or green shell with another red or green shell or dropping a green shell or banana peel to disarm an oncoming red or green shell from behind. Disarming a green shell only counts if the danger was immediate. The firing opponent should be able to tell that these shots would not have hit the opponent assuming the player is competent enough.

12) RED SHELL SHAKES, also known as "OK"s, include eluding an oncoming red shell that would have hit the opponent. Shakes do not include just going around the corner or poor shots by the pursuing opponent. Lining the wall is a red shell shake as is jumping shells (not with feathers) or leading them into your opponent, other items, or walls. Subjective criteria.

13) Occasionally, a red shell will be fired at such an angle at a standing opponent, the shell will circle the opponent and be unable to hit the kart.

14) A FAST TAKEOFF occurs when a player times revving his engine before the green light hits so the takeoff is as fast as using a mushroom.

15) A SUCCESSFUL STEAL is when a player uses his ghost when the opponent has an item in his position.

16) A QUIT is purposely hitting start and selecting give up cause either
a) The karter is a baby or
b) To deprive the opponent of the satisfaction of finishing him.

17) A player can have a FLAWLESS VICTORY if he wins 1 game without losing any balloons.

GAME - One game played opponent vs opponent with winning as a result of 3 hits on opponent.

KARTER - That's you!

LAKITU - 'The cloud rider' is the guy that sits in the cloud and helps you out by pulling you out of the water, informing you that you are driving the wrong way in race mode, and holds the race light in race and battle mode.

LINING THE WALL - One technique to avoiding an oncoming red shell, is to drive along the side of the wall. If done correctly, the red shell will hit the wall, not you, no matter how fast or slow the shell is traveling. As you drive parallel to the wall, you'll notice that about half of your kart can drive in the wall. This technique rarely works for head-on red shells fired at an angle.

MATCH - Best of X Rounds.

POWER SLIDES - The kart will enter a slide when it is turned in excess and if held, spin-out.

PROFESSIONAL PUNISHMENT - When an player does not follow through in creating an amateur mistake by canceling an oncoming shell, it is called a PROFESSIONAL PUNISHMENT by the pursuing opponent.

ROUND - First player to win 15 games. A player must win by at least 2 games, otherwise, round continues.

TIME BOMB - Purposely firing a red shell slowly so that it hits the opponent at a later time. Used to follow an opponent who is unaware that it is following him to set up for a combo, for an opponent that is lining a wall to avoid it and anticipates its demise incorrectly, or for an opponent weaving around corners only to connect with it. It can sometimes be harder to hit an opponent with a fast red shell than with a slow incoming one.

PENALTY SHOT - If you think certain tactics in the game are cheap, set up PENALTY SHOTS. Have one kart at the outer edge and corner of the track, and another kart at the other corner. The penalized kart must sit and wait while the opponent kart gets one free standing shot with a green shell. The Penalized kart can set his kart anywhere between the two walls of the corridor as long as the back of the kart touches the back wall and the opponent has a clear shot. Neither kart is allowed to move during the penalty shot. Both karts are allowed to move after the green shell either hits or misses. The penalized kart is not allowed to hold onto any items. Use PENALTY SHOTS for an opponent who selects quit in a middle of a game, messes with the opponent's controller, and other unethical tactics.

The Drivers
The most important factors for battle mode seems to be handling (i.e. ease of which the kart makes a turn) and acceleration. Top speed isn't much of a concern in battle mode since you are bound to hit walls a lot. Koopa and Toad are my personal favorites because their karts have quick responses and can turn a full 180 quickly. The best combined score for steering and acceleration is Koopa Troopa and Toad with Princess and Yoshi following. All the characters are pretty good and selection is a personal preference. About the only characters I don't recommend for battle modes are Bowser & Donkey Kong Jr. because of their poor acceleration which sets them up for some massive combos. I recommend Princess and Yoshi for race mode.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is it sometimes I fire a shell it goes slow, and other times it goes fast?
A: The speed of a shell is directly proportional to the speed of the kart at the time of firing. A shell can be outrun if the firing kart is stationary or moving at a very slow velocity. Of course it also depends on the top speed of the pursued kart.

Q: Why do I keep getting my butt kicked in battle mode?
A: Because you suck? No? Well then... As you record your games on the record sheet, you'll see that it's red shells that kill your opponent more than any other object so the more red shells you get, the better your chances. Even if your opponent is a better shooter and shaker, the bottom line is, if you get significantly more red shells, you'll end up on top. Basically, if you get an object and it's not a red shell, lose it if there are ample free question marks, and try again. Of course this is not a good idea if you have a green shell and your opponent has a red shell and is nearby.

Q: How do you do a fast takeoff?
A: As soon as you hear the first beep (not see the light), hit and hold the accelerator. Don't hit or tap the accelerator before the lights light up. If your motor is running at all when the first light hits, you'll have to hit the accelerator slightly later than usual for a fast takeoff.

Q: I could have sworn my shell went right through my opponent. Is it a bug or can you jump shells?
A: No, you can not jump shells or banana peels. For a shell to hit, it must be centered on the back of the kart. Often what happens is, the shell will appear to come directly at the kart, but if you record and play back the animation, you will see the shell will pass slightly off center from behind. This is not always the case however. If you time firing your shell, your shell and your kart can pass right through your opponent. Fire the shell just before you collide with your opponent. This and other shells going through your opponent are most likely bugs.

Q: Cool, my partner is being picked up by Lakitu to be put back on the track and I have a green shell but I don't know where Lakitu will put him?
A: There seems to be certain magic spots the clouds will drop you on. If you are past a certain mark, it will always advance you to the next magic spot clockwise, even if there is a closer one counter- clockwise so keep this in mind. When you see Lakitu, go to your partners location, face right and then just follow Lakitu enough to get a good shot. There seems to be an exception to this when two karts are being picked up by Lakitu to be placed on the same magic spot. If this is the case, one kart will go to the nearest magic spot clockwise, and the other to the nearest magic spot counterclockwise.

Q: It seems the question marks are placed randomly after each match or at least when I turn the machine off especially on track 1 of battle mode. Does it?
A: No, all the question marks have been placed and saved at a permanent location.

Q: What determines when the question marks get reset?
A: Don't know. Maybe when all the question marks have been taken (except the ones in the puddles of track 2) or after a certain amount of time has transpired.

Q: How long does a shell and peel last?
A: Varies. Have not been able to determine what makes some shells last longer than others. May have to do with how active the players are and how many other items are on the playing field.

Q: How long does invisibility last?
A: 20 seconds.

Q: How long does invincibility last?
A: 10 seconds.

Q: What's the best strategy against an evasive opponent when I got a star?
A: Get as close to him as possible, preferably in an open area and make sure there are some free question marks nearby. Then, enable star power mode and immediately start getting objects. If you get a red shell, you may have set yourself up for at least a 2 hit combo on your opponent, 3 if you hit your opponent correctly with your kart. Remember, you have superior braking powers when you have a star. After you hit your opponent at full speed, you can always break to avoid flying past him or if your opponent is trying to be cute by slowing down to let you pass, hit brake, line up, and then charge. He won't know what hit him.

Q: How do you hit the opponent correctly with star power?
A: For the combo, if you hit the opponent slightly off, you will be thrown off and will have to waste time turning around to come in for another hit which may give your opponent enough time to get away. If you are almost out of time, charge full speed head on and as straight as possible and you may get multiple hits on one pass, otherwise, come in slowly, hit, turn your kart slightly, hit again. For those who think combos are cheap, I say, they are rare, and each opponent has equal chance to do it. It's just another "feature" to be mastered.

Q: Somehow I got a red shell to circle me. What do I do now?
A: Oh boy, this is a tough one. You've got to respond immediately. You cannot give your opponent time to get another shell or ram you. If it's slow enough, you might want to try to build speed inside the encompassing area the shell has created and then make a break for it to a wall as soon as the red shell passes in front of you. You may get lucky and be able to get a question mark inside the circle. If worse comes to worse, get yourself hit to avoid being combo'd on by your opponent.

Q: A red shell is on my tail. What do I do?
A: You can do several things. Outrun it. Line the wall. Jump into the wall at the last possible moment. Drop a shell or banana peel if you have one, if not try to obtain an item because virtually any item you get will be able to help you. About the only thing that can't help you is a red shell. If it's wiggling but moving fast on you, jump like crazy. The shell will often get confused and make a sharp turn to come around for another pass. Hopefully its turn will lead it into a wall. Most importantly, if you are in the center of the track when a red shell is coming at you, head for the nearest wall full speed and then don't stop turning and jumping, that or line the wall if you have time and can do it accurately.

Q: Shoot! A red shell is coming right at me head on. What do I do?
A: If you got a shell (green or red), wait until the last possible nanosecond before firing your shell at the red shell to kill it. You do not have to be perfectly lined up for this to work although, the more lined up you are, the earlier you can fire the shell to intercept. When firing red shells, it's still best to wait until the last possible moment as they might rear off and miss their target.

Tips & Tricks
Practice firing green shells on turns at an angle that can send it straight down a corridor.

Practice making turns without slowing down and hitting walls. The best way to make a turn is to hit the jump button coming up on a turn and then turn in that direction. Sometimes you may need to jump more than once.

Practice lining the wall on the fly.

When you get hit by a shell, hold the gas and hit the jump button. It seems hitting the jump button will break you out of dizzy spell quicker.

After making a jump and turning, if you hold the jump button you will be at more of an angle. Try this on track 2. Start yourself in a circle, then jump and hold the button. After you release the button you'll notice your kart straighten up a little. Keep this in mind when you have a red shell and are being pursued. You can use this to your advantage to make a quick 180. Remember, you don't have to be fully turned around for your shell to turn around.

It is possible to drop a shell or peel on top of a sitting opponent and other shells and peels.

Remember, you can't spin-out when you are invincible.

Learn to tell, by the music, when exactly invincibility will run out.

As you near an opponent, if you shoot the shell just before you hit him, you and your shell will pass right through your opponent.

If you are sitting right next to your opponent (whether sideways, behind, etc) and fire a shell, the shell will pass right through your opponent. Be careful. Firing a red shell like this will undoubtedly cause it to loop around and hit you!

You are not immune to your own red shells that you have fired. If your opponent has fired a red shell and and is standing still or moving slowly, you might want to try to whip by your opponent and hope
that as the red shell is coming around for a pass to hit you by following you, it takes the same path and hits your opponent. I usually have this happen once every couple rounds.

Use the colors on the map to quickly locate your opponent and move in for the kill. Counterclockwise Red - Yellow - Green - Blue

The manual that comes with the cartridge has a few useful hints listed on page 17,18, and 33 for battle mode tactics and tips.

Racing Tips
Power slides slow your kart down. Rather, to do a more efficient turn, drive on the outside of the track and take the turn close on the inside (like they do in formula 1 racing). Perfect it so you don't slide or hit the wall. If you think you can't make it at the speed you are going, try letting go of the gas, or better yet, tap the gas which will slow the kart down yet still keep you at the fastest speed coming out of the turn.

I recommend using Yoshi and Princess for the best results in race mode once you have learned the tracks. While Donkey Kong and Bowser have the best top speed, hitting other opponents and walls can be costly and you are bound to have it happen on the 100cc and 150cc races. Beginners should stick with Koopa and Toad because they are easiest to handle and can recover from crashes quickly.

Practice, practice, practice. Learn where all the turns are so you can anticipate where your kart should be for best turns.

DON'T
Don't pursue an opponent in an open area (as in track 2) when you have a star and he has a red shell. This is suicide because with practice, an opponent can estimate when invincibility will run out by the music so the opponent can fire the shell while you are still invincible and it will hit right after invincibility runs out giving you no time to make your escape. Either pursue for a reasonable amount of time or more intelligently, obtain items to fire at your opponent.

Don't hold on to a ghost indefinitely. The opposing player can just continue jumping or avoiding question marks. Although it's probably somewhat cheap, it's sometimes advisable to use a feather to wait out an opponent's invincibility in a puddle. If you got a ghost during the pursuit by an opponent with enabled star power, I suggest holding onto it in case the opponent gets a red shell. Otherwise, if he is near, use it to avoid capture.

Don't underestimate red shells. I've thought I've lost some fast moving red shell only to get hit by it a minute and 5 corners later.

Don't ever give up. Even if your opponent is waiting with a red shell and you are being brought in out of the water by Lakitu, jump like crazy and for the wall. You'll be surprised what you can avoid sometimes and soon it'll be the norm to avoid red shells, rather than get hit by them.

Varying Game Play
Have a contest to see who can kill themselves first. Hint, if you have a green shell or banana peel, go full speed into a wall and just before you hit the wall, drop the shell or peel. If done right, you'll bounce off the wall and into the shell or peel killing yourself.

Allow no use of red shells. Vary the items you can use to tweak your aiming skills.

When you spin-out, use the star and you will continue to drive straight with your kart turned on its side until you steer.

Get a star, build as much speed as possible, get a feather, then jump into the water on track 2. After you land, keep driving. Yes, you can drive underwater. See how far you can drive out.

Hip Hop the tiles on track 2 that hold the puddles of water. If you do it right, you can hop tiles until the corner and you will bounce backwards, hopping the tiles backwards. Sometimes this can continue for several hops.

Practice having red shells chase you. I've had 4 on my tail.

Practice having red shells loop immobile opponents. I've had up to 4.

Hit jump just before you die. It will make your kart do jumps after he is dead adinfinitum.

After you die, don't release the gas button, instead keep your kart going. You can continue to pickup items and shoot them at your opponent. On a couple occasions, after I was killed, my kart suddenly took on a life of its own. The kart would drive itself around the track as if the computer was controlling it. The demo does show computer players battling it out in battle mode. This makes me wonder why Nintendo didn't have computer opponents in battle mode instead of just leaving it as a 2 player only mode.

If there is a banana peel laying on the outside of the track, it is still possible to hit it by jumping onto it using a feather.