Unlock All Mario Kart Cups and Characters: A Comprehensive Guide
Mario Kart, a beloved franchise for gamers of all ages, is known for its exhilarating races and iconic characters. A core element of the Mario Kart experience is unlocking new content, from challenging cups to diverse characters. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on how to unlock everything in various Mario Kart games, ensuring you get the most out of your racing experience.
## General Unlock Methods Across Mario Kart Games
Before diving into specific game unlockables, it’s helpful to understand common strategies across the Mario Kart series:
* **Completing Cups:** This is the most fundamental method. Winning or placing highly in previous cups unlocks the next tier of cups. Aim for gold trophies to guarantee advancement.
* **Meeting CC Requirements:** Higher engine classes (CC) often unlock new content. Play through cups in 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and Mirror Mode to uncover new karts, characters, and more.
* **Time Trials:** Beat the staff ghost times in Time Trials to unlock characters or kart parts.
* **Winning Races:** Consistently winning races in Grand Prix mode is key to unlocking many characters and karts. Persistence pays off!
* **Accumulating VR (Versus Rating) or Points:** In some games, online play and accumulating a certain amount of points is necessary to unlock content.
## Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe boasts a massive roster of characters and karts available from the start. However, certain karts and vehicle parts are still locked and require effort to unlock.
### Unlocking Karts and Vehicle Parts:
Unlike previous iterations, unlocking karts and parts in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is primarily based on coins collected. The more coins you amass, the more parts become available.
**Steps:**
1. **Collect Coins:** Coins are earned by driving on the track during races or battles. The higher your placement in the race, the more coins you earn. You can also collect coins scattered throughout the tracks. Offline or online doesn’t matter.
2. **Milestone Unlocks:** Vehicle parts unlock at certain coin milestones:
* First kart part: Unlocks after collecting 50 coins.
* Subsequent unlocks: New parts unlock randomly after every 30 coins collected up to 450 coins. After that, new parts unlock every 50 coins until you’ve unlocked all vehicle parts.
3. **Gold Glider:** The Gold Glider is unlocked by collecting 10,000 coins.
4. **Gold Kart:** The Gold Standard Kart can be unlocked by clearing all Grand Prix cups in mirror mode with at least one star.
5. **Gold Wheels:** The gold wheels are unlocked by beating all Staff Ghost data in Time Trials mode.
**Tips for Earning Coins Quickly:**
* **Balloon Battle:** Participating in Balloon Battle is an excellent way to earn coins rapidly, as coins are abundant in the battle arenas.
* **Grand Prix:** Playing through Grand Prix cups and consistently placing high will reward you with a steady stream of coins.
* **Use a Coin-Boosting Kart:** While there isn’t a specific kart that *boosts* coin collecting, selecting a kart with good acceleration and handling helps you stay on the track and collect more coins overall.
### Unlocking Characters:
In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, *all* characters are unlocked from the beginning *except* for Gold Mario.
**Gold Mario:**
1. **Complete all cups in 200cc:** To unlock Gold Mario, you need to earn a gold trophy in *every* cup in Grand Prix mode at the 200cc engine class. This is a significant challenge, requiring excellent driving skills and mastery of the tracks.
2. **Practice:** 200cc is *fast*. It’s essential to practice drifting and braking techniques to navigate the tracks effectively. Using a kart with high handling and braking stats can be helpful.
## Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii offers a robust unlock system for both karts and characters. The methods vary, providing a diverse range of challenges.
### Unlocking Characters:
* **Mii Outfit A:** Win the 50cc Mushroom Cup.
* **Mii Outfit B:** Unlock all 32 Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trial mode.
* **Baby Luigi:** Unlock 8 Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trial, or win 100 races.
* **Toadette:** Play all 32 courses in Time Trial, or win 1,000 races.
* **Dry Bones:** Win the 100cc Leaf Cup.
* **Birdo:** Play Time Trials on 16 different courses, or win 250 races.
* **Diddy Kong:** Complete the 50cc Star Cup.
* **Funky Kong:** Unlock 4 Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trial mode.
* **King Boo:** Win the 50cc Star Cup.
* **Rosalina:** Have a Super Mario Galaxy save file, or win the Mirror Mode Star Cup.
### Unlocking Karts and Bikes:
* **Standard Kart M:** Win the 100cc Star Cup.
* **Standard Kart L:** Win the 150cc Special Cup.
* **Standard Bike S:** Unlock one Expert Staff Ghost in Time Trial mode.
* **Standard Bike M:** Win the 100cc Leaf Cup.
* **Standard Bike L:** Win the 150cc Star Cup.
* **Bullet Bike:** Obtain a Star Rank in all 150cc Grand Prix Cups.
* **Mach Bike:** Unlock all 32 Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trial mode.
* **Quacker:** Win the 50cc Mushroom Cup.
* **Rapide:** Get a Star rank in all 50cc Grand Prix Cups.
* **Torpedo:** Unlock 12 Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trial mode.
* **Dolphin Dasher:** Win the Mirror Mode Mushroom Cup.
* **Phantom:** Win the Mirror Mode Star Cup.
* **Flame Flyer:** Win the 150cc Wii Wheel Grand Prix.
## Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DS has a diverse set of unlockables tied to Grand Prix performance and other game modes.
### Unlocking Characters:
* **Dry Bones:** Win the 50cc Leaf Cup.
* **Toadette:** Play all 32 courses in Time Trial, or win 1,000 races.
* **Wiggler:** Win the 50cc Flower Cup.
* **ROB:** Complete one Mirror Mode Grand Prix Cup with any rank.
### Unlocking Karts:
Each character has unique karts that can be unlocked. You can unlock them by performing well in the Grand Prix mode. The most common method is to earn a Gold Trophy in a cup.
*To unlock karts, you have to unlock the characters first.*
* **Standard DB:** Win the 100cc Mushroom Cup with Dry Bones.
* **Standard TG:** Win the 100cc Mushroom Cup with Toadette.
* **Standard WL:** Win the 100cc Mushroom Cup with Wiggler.
* **Standard RB:** Win the 100cc Mushroom Cup with ROB.
* **Egg 1:** Unlock all 36 staff ghosts in time trial mode, or beat the time on 4 courses.
* **Banisher:** Beat all staff ghosts in time trial mode.
* **Hurricane:** Beat all staff ghosts in time trial mode.
### Unlocking Cups:
* **Leaf Cup:** Unlock by finishing in third place or higher in the Mushroom and Flower Cups in 100cc.
* **Special Cup:** Unlock by finishing in third place or higher in the Star Cup in 100cc.
## Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GameCube)
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! introduced co-op gameplay and unique unlockable characters and karts.
### Unlocking Characters:
* **Birdo:** Play 50 races in multiplayer mode.
* **Diddy Kong:** Complete the 50cc Mushroom Cup and Flower Cup.
* **Toadette:** Play 1000 races in multiplayer mode.
* **Petey Piranha:** Win the 100cc Special Cup.
* **King Boo:** Win the 50cc Luigi Circuit Cup.
### Unlocking Karts:
Unlocking karts in Double Dash!! generally involves winning cups in Grand Prix mode. The karts are specific to character pairs.
* **Red Fire:** Get a gold trophy in all 50cc cups.
* **Green Fire:** Get a gold trophy in all 100cc cups.
* **Barrel Train:** Win the 100cc Mushroom Cup.
* **Bullet Blaster:** Win the 100cc Flower Cup.
* **Boo Pipes:** Win the 50cc Mushroom Cup.
* **Koopa Dasher:** Win the 50cc Flower Cup.
* **Piranha Pipes:** Win the 100cc Special Cup.
* **Waluigi Racer:** Win the 50cc Luigi Circuit Cup.
### Unlocking Cups:
* **Leaf Cup:** Place third or higher in the Mushroom and Flower Cups.
* **Special Cup:** Place third or higher in the Star Cup.
* **All-Cup Tour:** Win all cups.
## Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)
Mario Kart 64 is one of the most iconic entries in the series. While it has fewer unlockables compared to later installments, unlocking everything still adds a fun challenge.
### Unlocking Characters:
Unlike most other entries, all characters are available from the start in Mario Kart 64.
### Unlocking Extra Mode (Mirror Mode):
* **Complete the Game:** Beat all cups (Mushroom, Flower, Star, and Special) in 150cc. Once you’ve achieved this, the Extra difficulty, also known as Mirror Mode, will be unlocked.
## Mario Kart: Super Circuit (Game Boy Advance)
Mario Kart: Super Circuit brings the kart racing action to the handheld realm. Unlocking content here involves completing cups and earning trophies.
### Unlocking Extra Tracks:
* **Complete All Cups:** Win a gold trophy in all cups (Mushroom, Flower, Lightning, and Star) at 150cc mode. Doing so will unlock all tracks from the original Super Mario Kart, providing a nostalgic challenge.
### Unlocking Mirror Mode:
* **Earn Gold Trophies:** After unlocking the extra tracks, win Gold Trophies on all cups in 150cc *again* to unlock Mirror Mode.
## Tips for Faster Unlocks
* **Practice and Improve:** The better you are at the game, the faster you’ll win races and unlock content. Focus on mastering drifting, item usage, and track layouts.
* **Choose the Right Kart/Character:** Certain karts and characters have advantages in specific areas. Experiment to find combinations that suit your play style.
* **Focus on Objectives:** Prioritize the specific requirements for unlocking what you want. For example, if you need to win a certain cup, concentrate on that cup first.
* **Utilize Online Resources:** Watch videos and read guides to learn advanced techniques and strategies for specific tracks or challenges.
* **Persistence is Key:** Don’t get discouraged by difficult challenges. Keep practicing, and you’ll eventually unlock everything you desire.
## Conclusion
Unlocking cups, characters, and karts in the Mario Kart series adds depth and longevity to the game. While the specific methods vary across different entries, the core principles remain the same: hone your driving skills, complete challenges, and enjoy the thrill of unlocking new content. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the franchise, this guide provides the knowledge and strategies you need to unlock everything and become a true Mario Kart champion. Happy racing!