Jump Boost
This article needs Mario Kart improvement. Specifically:
- Descriptions for what the characters are doing when performing these tricks. Using static screenshots leaves things somewhat ambiguous.
- Adding GIF versions of the files would also help resolve this issue.
- “Different drivers will perform different Jump Boosts.”
- —Lakitu, Mario Kart Tour
A Jump Boost (also known as a trick[1][2] or stunt) is a technical move in the Mario Kart series that first appeared in Mario Kart Wii. Pressing a certain button after jumping off most ramps, characters will execute Jump Boosts.
History[edit]
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
Tricks are introduced in Mario Kart Wii. When executed during jumps caused by small ramps, they cause a short boost after landing. If launching off of Dash Panels, the vehicle flips before the trick, the tricks increase the length of the boost received upon landing, and special animations can be seen when pressing up or down. Karts flip horizontally (similar to a corkscrew motion) while bikes flip vertically if using the up or down controls. Many basic tricks include Mario and Luigi looking backwards and waving or wagging their feet, but more notable tricks include Yoshi sticking out his tongue, King Boo shrinking and laughing, or Donkey Kong's and Funky Kong's one-handed upside down flip.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Tricks reappear in Mario Kart 7, where they are known as jump actions.[3] They can be activated by pressing 
while going over a ramp (including a Glide Ramp) or an element of the course that causes the kart to jump. They now are the sole way to obtain a boost, known as a Jump Boost,[3] when landing from said jumps. However, characters no longer spin or flip at all when performing one, and their animations are noticeably quicker. Unlike Tricks in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7 has only two variations of a stunt per character. Each character in Mario Kart 7 has at least one animation of them facing the screen, while the other animation does not (for Metal Mario's case, however, both of his animations show him not facing the screen, making him the only character with this trait). For example, Luigi has two stunts, the first being an animation of him punching the air, and the second being Luigi flailing his arms about.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
In Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the trick and Jump Boost mechanics are the same as Mario Kart 7.[2] There is a new sound effect when a character performs a trick. There are a total of nine tricks for each character, three for karts, three for standard bikes and ATVs and three for sport bikes, although all of the sport bikes tricks, despite their slightly different coding, end up being the same ones performed on standard bikes and ATVs, with the exception of the tricks of Peach, Larry Koopa, and Baby Daisy, who have a trick which is different when performed on a sport bike. Two of the three trick types have no special requirements, though the second type is always used as a glider pad trick. The third type is only seen at anti-gravity segments where the player can spin or flip their vehicle when performing a trick. When tricking, how karts/bikes/ATVs spin/flip can also be controlled by which button from the +Control Pad is pressed, or which way the Wii Remote/Wii U GamePad is tilted.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Tricks and Jump Boosts return in Mario Kart Tour. This time, the trick triggering a Jump Boost is automatically executed when the player runs over a ramp or an obstacle. It reuses the sound effect from Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 and many animations from Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, including the anti-gravity jump animations.
Additionally, nearly every course within the game gains a Trick and Reverse/Trick variant where players can rapidly rack up combos from executing several Jump Boosts. There are also tours entirely based on tricks, aptly named the Trick Tour, where all the courses within that tour are R/T variants of several courses. Though not named as such, the 2020 Mario vs. Luigi Tour, the Toad vs. Toadette Tour, and the 2023 New Year's Tour (aside from included battle courses) also follow this very concept. Builder characters all have mostly Trick and Reverse/Trick variants as their favored and favorite courses.
There is a bonus challenge in the game known as Do Jump Boosts, which, as the name indicates, requires the player to perform Jump Boosts. In these challenges, many additional ramps are added.
The following karts increase the boosting time and points from Jump Boosts.
| Special skill | Karts |
|---|---|
 Jump Boost Plus Increases Jump Boost boost time and points earned for performing one. |
+4 points |
  
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| +6 points | |
           
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| +8 points | |
                                                    
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Mario Kart World[edit]
Tricks and Jump Boosts return in Mario Kart World. This time, tricking has been made more versatile: it can now be performed multiple times while in the air, it can be performed at any time while gliding - which will make the character barrel roll, and is now possible to trick off of other racers or obstacles by landing on top of them. Each character possesses five trick animations on all vehicle types, though NPC drivers like Pokey and Snowman only have four. Like the characters added in the base game of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, these animations do not change across all vehicle types. Certain character outfits also have an exclusive trick animation tied to that outfit; for example, Wario's Pirate outfit has a trick animation of him showing off his pirate sword.
A new mechanic in the game, while not drifting, lets the racer charge up a Charge Jump to gain additional height off ramps, perform tricks, and obtain speed boosts.
Super Mario Party Jamboree[edit]
In the Showdown minigame Rosalina's Radical Race in Super Mario Party Jamboree, players can perform a move similar to a Jump Boost by shaking the Joy-Con while ascending a ramp, which grants them a speed boost in the air.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie[edit]
In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, when Mario and Luigi are driving through the desert, they perform a few of their tricks from Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8.
Jump Boost animations[edit]
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
It has been requested that more images be uploaded for this section. Remove this notice only after the additional images have been added. Specifics: Some existing screenshots need to be re-taken for better quality and cropped at a uniform size, and some images are missing for middleweight and heavyweight characters.
Kart[edit]
| Character | 
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| Baby Mario | 
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| Baby Luigi | 
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| Baby Peach | 
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| Baby Daisy | 
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| Toad | 
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| Toadette | 
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| Koopa Troopa | 
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| Dry Bones | 
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| Mario | 
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| Luigi | 
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| Peach | 
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| Daisy | 
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| Yoshi | 
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| Birdo | 
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| Diddy Kong | 
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| Bowser Jr. | 
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| Wario | 
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| Waluigi | 
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| Donkey Kong | 
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| Bowser | 
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