In any racing game, you are looking to cut as many corners as possible to get ahead of the pack. The Mario Kart games are no stranger to providing secret pathways and quick diversions off the track that will cut off a few seconds on your time. Here are all of the shortcuts we have found in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass.
Related: All confirmed tracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course pass
Golden Dash Cup shortcuts
Paris Promenade
Right off the starting line is the Arc de Triomphe with a couple of cardboard Piranha Plants. On the first passing, just avoid them, but when you come back around, you can use a Mushroom to blast through them without slowing down or taking the loop. When the track reverses itself, you can use this path again right before the end of the race.
Toad Circuit
There is not much in the way of shortcuts on Toad Circuit because it is a pretty standard race track. Just out of the tunnel, though, is a ramp you can hit with a Mushroom. Just past that is also a small sandy area with pipes. If you have another Mushroom, blast through here without hitting the pipes.
Choco Mountain
There are no real shortcuts on Choco Mountain aside from cutting corners like in the cave tunnel with a Mushroom.
Coconut Mall
Past the first set of escalators on the right is a store that you can use a Mushroom to speed through. If you don’t, the floor will slow you down.
Lucky Cat Cup shortcuts
Tokyo Blur
There is a ramp you can hit with a Mushroom on the first two laps about halfway through the track.
Shroom Ridge
There are two shortcuts in Shroom Ridge. The first is a ramp you can hit with a Mushroom once you reach the grass area. If you use your Mushroom too early, you will be slowed down right before hitting the ramp.
The second shortcut is at the beginning of the winding road near the end of the track. Where the barrier is missing, you can use a Mushroom to blast onto a wind current that will propel you back onto the road.
Sky Garden
Around the first turn in the lap are two leaves that you can drift boost yourself into and do tricks off of.
After that, you can use mushrooms to boost through some grassy areas, and when you come upon the beanstalk poking through the course, you can use a Mushroom to cut off the winding turn there.
Ninja Hideaway
On Ninja Hideaway, there are multiple pathways you can take, but none are much faster than others. That being said, there is one shortcut. There are some cardboard Piranha Plants you can blast through with a Mushroom in the rooms with the spike ceilings that go up and down.
Turnip Cup shortcuts
New York Minute
While you can use Mushrooms to save a little time around grassy corners, the only real shortcut here is after you pass under the bridge on the first and third lap. To the right is a little patch of dirt you can boost through.
Mario Circuit 3
On the stretch right before the final turn towards the starting line on Mario Circuit 3, there is a break in the block wall that you can pass through easily with a Mushroom. You could also cut off a few split seconds by taking advantage of Mushrooms around the curves of the track.
Kalimari Desert
Kalimari Desert has a few ramps you can hit if you have a Mushroom depending on the lap you are on. The first one is right after the starting line, but you will only have access to it on the first and second lap.
The second ramp is right after the first railroad crossing, and you can hit it on any lap if you have a Mushroom.
The final ramp is right before the finish line and is only accessible on the first and final lap.
Propeller Cup shortcuts
Sydney Sprint
Sydney Sprint has two areas where you can use a Mushroom to cut through some grassy areas. The first becomes available in the second lap when you reach the winding track. Be careful when speeding through the grass here, if you hit any rocks it will slow you down exponentially, so you need to balance the risk and reward for this maneuver.
The second one is a simple cut through the grass right before the finish line. Technically, this is available right on the first lap as well, but with it being at the beginning before any item boxes you will just slow yourself down.
Snow Land
There are plenty of spots in Snow Land to cut a few seconds off your time by using a Mushroom to cut through some snow around corners. The most apparent one comes right before the last turn to the finish line where you can speed through a break in the wall.
Just after that wall section is a ramp that you can hit with a Mushroom.
Mushroom Gorge
There are two optional shortcuts in Mushroom Gorge that are both high-risk, high-reward situations. The first one is right after the starting line. Boost yourself to the left and you can bounce on two big mushrooms.
The second leap is probably the most challenging shortcut to hit in the game. After getting out of the cavern filled with bouncy mushrooms, you need to be going at a speed fast enough and have a Mushroom to boost you over the pit to skip the big curvy turn. If you hit it just right, you can go over the boarded fence. Make a mistake anywhere and you will fall into the pit or drive into the rock wall.
Rock Cup
London Loop
On the first and third lap, when you approach the Chain Chomp, you can boost yourself across the grass and cut by the looping road. This is a bit of a risky play that requires you to pay attention to the Chain Chomp’s positioning and make sure it isn’t leaping at you.
Boo Lake
When you go underwater, there is a small plank area to the left of some cardboard bushes. Use a Mushroom to blast through these quickly.
Rock Rock Mountain
On the first and second lap, when ascending the mountain towards the starting line, you will glide through the air. If you control your kart right, you can maneuver through the pipes and get small boosts to jump in front of other races who take the safer path.
Maple Treeway
Maple Treeway is a pretty straightforward track and has no shortcuts.
Moon Cup
Berlin Byways
On the second and third lap, as you cut through the park, you can boost yourself through a couple of grass sections instead of drifting around them.
On the third lap, there’s another grass area to boost through shortly after the starting line.
Peach Gardens
There is a grass portion to boost through with a Mushroom near the beginning of the first two laps, and the end of the final lap when you are going through the track backward.
Merry Mountain
When going up the mountain, you can use a Mushroom to boost yourself through a small bit of snow to the right of a set of green and red candles.
After the previous patch, you can also boost yourself and drift through the patch of snow in front of the curve to go back down the mountain.
Rainbow Road
There are no shortcuts on Rainbow Road. Just be sure to drift around corners as closely as you can without falling off.
