'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' Gliding Control Tips: How to soar through the air like a damn angel
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe isn't your grandpa's Mario Kart. Or more accurately, it isn't the Mario Kart you remember playing as a kid.
The updated version of the latest installment in the series still has moments where you need to drive upside down in your hovercar or hang-glide safely across the track. Once you've got yourself a kart that can do both, it's important to know the best skills when gliding in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
If you didn't get the technique in the original version of Mario Kart 8, here are the best tips and tricks for controlling the gliding portions of MK8 Deluxe.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gliding control tips: How to successfully glide every single time
At first sight, gliding may appear the most daunting part of the new Mario Kart experience. Luckily these moments are usually brief, and very easy to get accustomed to. Driving over blue ramps will shift your kart or motorcycle into gliding mode. It will look something like this:
The easiest thing to keep in mind when you start out gliding is being conscious of which directional button you're pressing. Don't worry about pressing up or down on the directional pad. At first, only use left or right to make sure you're heading in the right direction for a smooth landing.
When you've practiced your right and left then you can get fancy like Donkey Kong up there.
'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' gliding control tips: How to go fast and gain speed boosts while in the air
Now for the pro level stuff: Rumor says that in addition to the stats seen on the kart selection page, there are hidden stats specifically for air speed. It may be the case that some gliders contribute more to overall top speed, while others are better at acceleration, and it's possible that certain smaller characters may be faster when gliding. This may explain why Tanooki Mario is flying like a falcon into this Rainbow Road finish line.
Hold down on the directional pad to extend your flight time — which usually works better with lighter characters — while pressing up on the directional pad will make you land sooner, which is assumed to be better for heavier racers.
When gliding, flying through hoops will gain you speed in the air, but there are also less obvious techniques for getting your engine roaring while gliding. Certain levels will require you to fly over ramps of boost pads. While gliding, if you're able to direct your kart to just graze the ends of these ramps, you can hit the R button and jump off, as seen in this Youtube video. This will offer you an added boost.
Metal Mario knows exactly what we're talking about.
Practice gliding on all courses to get the hang of all the different types of flying you'll be required to do in Mario Kart 8. Fold them in with these seven tips to annihilate your friends in Mario Kart.
Check out more Mario Kart 8 Deluxe news, tips and tricks
If you're anxious to get racing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, check out our video gameplay of the first 20 minutes of the game and find out the eight characters the game needs ASAP. Check out the best techniques to race with and learn how you can buy the game bundled with the console, including one bundle from Nintendo. Find out if we're expecting DLC and our initial impressions of the new console it's on from back in January. Or you can play Mario Kart 64 on a newer console instead, if you're looking for some nostalgic throwback. And when all else fails, back that thang up.
