Mario Kart World: How To Boost | New Mechanics Guide

Boosting is everything in Mario Kart World — if you’re not boosting, you’re falling behind. Boost mechanics are back and largely unchanged, but we could all use a refresher since the breakout success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch. Boosting at the start of the race, called a Rocket Start, is an essential mechanic that the game won’t teach you unless you’re scouring the manual. There’s an all-new method for earning boosts that give your karts more mobility than ever before.

Here’s your refresher course. This is how to Rocket Boost, Mini-Turbo, Jump Boost, Draft and Charge Jump.

How To Boost at the Start of the Race

By pressing and holding [A] at the right time before a race begins, you can gain a boost that launches your racer forward and helps give you a strong start. This is called a Rocket Start.

• Rocket Start | Bonus Boost
  • Press [A] when the second green light (out of three) lights up.
  • Don’t press too early. Press when the second light appears (not before) and hold down [A].

It’s important that you time your button press. It doesn’t have to be strict. Don’t press it BEFORE the green light lights up. When the light is on, press it and hold. When the race begins, you’ll launch forward.

The starting boost is a time-honored tradition in Mario Kart and works the same way here as it’s worked in previous games in the series. But there are other new mechanics you might not know about.

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More Boost Methods

There are more ways to boost in Mario Kart World. Some are returning methods and some are totally new — and the game doesn’t fully explain how they work unless you explore the Free Roam map.

• Drift Boost: The most basic way to boost is while drifting. This type of boost is called a Mini-Turbo. Told [R] to perform a drift while tilting the [Left-Stick] to smoothly take corners.

The longer you hold a drift, the more you’ll charge a boost. The burners on your kart will go from blue to red — that’s the maximum boost. Watch the sparks, as they can change up to three times.

• Jump Boost: From previous games in the series, driving over a ramp and launching, press [R] to perform a trick and gain a small boost. This works on any size ramp, including small hills or inclines.

There’s one final method for earning a boost.

• Drafting: Driving close to another driver and staying in their draft zone — right behind them, essentially — you’ll earn a quick boost. If other players are sticking close to your draft zone, try swerving so they don’t get a boost off you.

The Jump Boost and Mini-Turbo are old methods that work exactly the same in this game as previous entries. The next methods are totally new.

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New Boost Method

There’s a new boost method that allows you to perform a new technique called Wall Ride. You can now perform a technique called a Charge Jump — it is essentially a drift that you perform by going forward instead of left / right.

• Charge Jump: To perform a charge jump, hold [A] and press [R] to jump. Continue to drive straight (instead of tilting to enter a drift) and hold [R] while charging. Release to perform a high jump that is both a boost and a jump that can transition into two new moves.

From a Charge Jump you can transition into a Rail Ride or Wall Ride — by performing a Charge Jump onto a railing, you’ll rail grind automatically. You can also stick to walls by charge jumping onto a wall — putting your kart onto the side of a wall and allowing you to reach areas that were previously impossible. Using these techniques, you can unlock new advanced shortcuts and reach almost anywhere in the open world.