Nintendo staff ghost times
When you beat a certain time, you will unlock one of the Nintendo's staff ghost, as follows.
Luigi Circuit: Beat 1:29:000; Staff time: 1:26:277
Peach Beach: Beat 1:23:000; Staff time: 1:20:404
Baby Park: Beat 1:14:000; Staff time: 1:11:108
Dry Dry Desert: Beat 1:53:000; Staff time: 1:50:755
Mushroom Bridge: Beat 1:34:000; Staff time: 1:31:458
Mario Circuit: Beat 1:44:000; Staff time: 1:41:384
Daisy Crusier: Beat 1:55:000; Staff time: 1:52:207
Waluigi Stadium: Beat 2:02:000; Staff time:1:59:658
Sherbert Land: Beat 1:28:000; Staff time: 1:25:904
Mushroom City: Beat 1:53:000; Staff time: 1:50:663
Yoshi Circuit: Beat 2:02:000; Staff time: 1:59:886
DK Mountain: Beat 2:15:000; Staff time:2:12:639
Wario Colosseum: Beat 2:24:000; Staff time: 2:21:106
Dino Dino Jungle: Beat 2:03:000; Staff time: 2:00:908
Bowsers Castle: Beat 2:47:000; Staff time: 2:44:690
Rainbow Road: Beat 3:19:000; Staff time: 3:16:476
Kart stats
The stats for each kart is as follows.
Red Fire (Mario)
Speed: ***
Acceleration: ***
Weight: ***
Heart Coach (Peach)
Speed: **
Acceleration: ****
Weight: ***
Turbo Yoshi (Yoshi)
Speed: **
Acceleration: ****
Weight: ***
Goo: Goo Buggy (Baby Mario)
Speed: *
Acceleration: *****
Weight: **
Koopa Dasher (Koopa)
Speed: **
Acceleration: ****
Weight: **
DK Jumbo (DK)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: **
Weight: ****
Koopa King (Bowser)
Speed: *****
Acceleration: *
Weight: *****
Wario Car (Wario)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: **
Weight: ****
Green Fire (Luigi)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: **
Weight: **
Rattle Buggy (Baby luigi)
Speed: **
Acceleration: ****
Weight: **
Bloom Coach (Daisy)
Speed: ***
Acceleration: ***
Weight: **
Waluigi Racer (Waluigi)
Speed: ***
Acceleration: ***
Weight: ***
Turbo Birdo (Birdo)
Speed: ***
Acceleration: ***
Weight: ****
Para Wing (Parakoopa)
Speed: *
Acceleration: *****
Weight: **
Barrel Train (Diddy Kong)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: **
Weight: ***
Bullet Blaster (Bowser Jr.)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: ***
Weight: *
Toad Kart (Toad)
Speed: **
Acceleration: ****
Weight: **
Toadette Kart (Toadette)
Speed: *
Acceleration: *****
Weight: **
Piranha Pipes (Petey Piranha)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: **
Weight: *****
Boo Pipes (King Boo)
Speed: **
Acceleration: ****
Weight: *****
Parade Kart (???)
Speed: ****
Acceleration: ***
Weight: ****
Acceleration kart attribute
The more stars, the faster you will reach your top speed. Weight of course will alter how fast you accelerate. It is fractional, but a kart with *** speed and **** weight will accelerate slightly slower than a *** speed and *** weight kart. Acceleration also dictates control and stability. Basically, the higher the acceleration and the heavier the kart and/or the higher the speed, the harder the kart is to control and the more you will get to power-slide to be able to complete those turns and not lose speed.
Unlocking new Karts in Grand Prix
Win a Grand Prix in first place to unlock a new Kart. There is a bonus Kart in each cc class and Grand Prix that you can win (nine total).
Bowser's Castle: Shortcuts
When you reach the part of Bowser's Castle where Bowser is sending fireballs at the racers, continue going straight instead of turning right. You will fall off the ledge and onto the road behind it, gaining plenty of time.
At the end of the course, when it bends around in a curly "V" shape, there is a location with no wall. Normally you would avoid the spot, but if you go through the absence of wall you can cut off a difficult turn. Note: Do not use a mushroom.
When entering the area where the the giant Bowser statue hurls fireballs in your direction, look straight ahead. You should see an open area through which the Bowser statue shoots a fireball from time to time. Avoid all oncoming fireballs and stationary obstacles and race for that opening. If you are moving fast enough, you should make the crossover. Note: This can only be done in 150cc and Mirror mode. When attempting to make the shortcut on 50cc or 100cc mode, you must use a Mushroom Dash or Golden Mushroom Special.
Daisy Cruiser: Shortcut
Drop down into the cargo area and get a double item box and an exhaust pipe that will give you a speed boost.
When you are at the point with the life rings on the ropes, hit one and immediately place a fake box or banana. Other players will not see them.
When you get to the part near the pool area, instead of taking a left, slow down, go backwards slightly, and you should see a thin path on the right side of the pool. This is a little slower to get to, but its better than getting hit by an item or losing your lead by other people going faster than you.
DK Mountain: Shortcut
After you are shot up the hill, on the second turn on the grassy area of the mountain, power slide to the left. Then, let go and power slide again to the right. The back of your kart should hit the mountainside. Go forward to jump the abyss. Note: If you have a big kart and you fall, this will not work.
Dry Dry Desert: Shortcut
At the end of the course, there will be a billboard with an arrow that you cannot see. Its shadow makes an arrow pointing to a two second lead. Note: It will not slow you down.
Luigi's Mansion: Bob-omb Blast mode
When playing in Bob-omb Blast mode, if you are in top, throw bombs on the middle floor. If you are in the middle floor, throw bombs in hallways. If you are in the basement, defend your turf with ground-zero explosions.
Luigi's Mansion: Balloon Battle mode
When playing Luigi's Mansion in Balloon Battle mode, outrun everyone and if you get homing weapons, fire them from the third floor.
Luigi's Circuit: 50cc course change
When you're racing in the Luigi Circuit, the shortcut will be covered with grass. In the same track, the shortcut behind the Chain Chomp will be buried underneath a slope.
Mario Circuit: Mushroom
On the Mario Circuit course in the Flower Cup, when you approach the Goombas, use a red or green shell, star, or some other special item. Use it to hit a Goomba and a mushroom should appear.
Mushroom Bridge: Boost
When you locate a mushroom car, bump into it. If you do, it will throw out a mushroom on the ground to give you a boost.
Mushroom City: Boost
When you locate a mushroom car, bump into it. If you do, it will throw out a mushroom on the ground to give you a boost.
Peach Beach: Items
When you start, keep going straight until you see a gray road to the left (to the right in mirror mode), that leads to a green tube. Go into it and you will be shot out and always hit a double item box. It depends on which cc class you are on for which place you will have when exit. In the 50cc class, it will be first to fifth; 100cc class, second to seventh; and 150cc, sixth to eighth. You will always get very helpful items from this trick. In the 150cc class, you will get a star, three mushrooms, first-place seeker (blue-winged shell), that character's special, and a red shell.
After you go through all the items, you will see a fountain. Instead of going straight, turn left and there will be two items boxes. Note: You will lose time.
Wario Coliseum: Shortcut
When you are entering the circular room with the huge pit in the middle, go straight instead of around and hit the boost ramp to jump the pit. This will shave some distance and time.
Balloon battle mode: Stealing balloons
In multi-player balloon battle mode, you can steal other players' balloons with mushrooms.