Mario Kart 64 HQ

Mario Kart 64 HQ
Release date	1997
Language	English (United States)
URL	http://www.nintendo.com/product/n64/mk64/index.html

Mario Kart 64 HQ is a minisite themed after Mario Kart 64 that was available on nintendo.com in 1997. The page was accessible from the "Product Lab" section of nintendo.com. Mario Kart 64 HQ featured details on various aspects of the game, such as the game's playable characters, controls, and game modes. In addition to these, the site featured three other sections, referred to as "Road Maps", "Speed Zone", and "Pro Shop".

Sections

Road Maps

Graphic

Road Maps featured details on each individual course appearing in each cup in the game, as well as those appearing in Battle Mode. It also provides the distance for each track and an overhead image of it.

Image	Description	Tips
	Luigi Raceway, with its long straightaways and wide, sweeping turns, is the perfect course for beginners to practice on. The track is straight and flat for a short distance from the Starting Line, with only a small bump that will hardly slow down your Kart. Just before the first banking turn, you may see a balloon with an Item Cube hanging from it. Time your jump just right and you can get the item inside, which is usually a Spiny Shell. The first turn is a perfect practice ground for Power Slides. A good racer can usually get 4-5 Mini-Turbo boosts in this turn. After the turn, the track descends into a tunnel. The next turn isn't as big as the first one, but you can still get 3-4 Mini-Turbo boosts there. The track then curves back towards the Starting Line and past the grandstands, which are always full of cheering race fans.	General Tips Power Sliding is the key to keeping top speed on this course. Try to Power Slide into Mini-Turbo boosts at every opportunity. You should be able to get 4-5 Mini-Turbos in the first turn, a couple in the tunnel curve, and 3-4 in the last turn. Try not to weave around when you are in the straightaway. The straight, direct course is best. You can use the shadow of the Luigi balloon to judge if you are in position to jump for the Item Cube. Best Places to Use Items Speed boosters can help you cut across the grass. If you have a Triple Mushroom or Super Star, use it to cut on the grass in the second loop, right along the inner wall of the course. Red Shells can easily track their target on Luigi Raceway. Use them wisely. Saving them for a last lap attack on an opponent in VS. Mode is usually a good idea.
	Moo Moo Farm is essentially a wide, slightly distorted oval. The track's surface, however, is very bumpy in some places, and slopes up on either side. From the Starting Line, the course goes into a dip and then into a gradual right turn. It's after that first turn that you might run into some of the course's many moles. A racer who crashes into a mole will wipe out, just as if he had hit a Fake Item. After the first turn, there is an easy S-curve which then goes into a broad straightaway. The course again turns to the right, and more moles are waiting in this turn. After the turn, the supports of a bridge are a potential hazard if you aren't careful.	General Tips Try to stay in the center of the track. Going up the slopes on the side of the track will slow you down. Needless to say, try to avoid the moles. It's worth the extra time it takes to go around them. It isn't difficult to avoid them since they are usually on the right side of the track. One place where you might save some time by cutting onto the slope on the side of the course is just before the Starting Line. Go up the slope on the left and through the gap between the rightmost bridge post and the fence to shave a few seconds off your lap time. Best Places to Use Items Shells are effective at long range on this course due to the wide open track. Lay Bananas to the left of the moles. This will create an obstacle for other drivers who may be swinging wide to avoid the moles. While active, a Super Star or Boo will protect you from the moles. Activate the item and cruise through the mole infested portions of the track.
	The Koopa Troopa Beach race takes place on the beach of a small desert island. As the race progresses, the waves come in and out, at times totally washing over the track. Those who study the tidal patterns may notice some sandbars that are briefly drivable as the waves ebb. From the Starting Line, the sandy beach curves to the left, straight into a rock formation that resembles a partially submerged dinosaur. The track goes around either side, and the shortest route is on the right. From there, the beach continues to curve around to the left, where racers will run into the first jump of the course. The track continues under a large stone arch into a series of four jumps. One of these jumps seems to lead to a cave up in the cliff side, but it can be difficult to make this jump without some practice. The beach then curves right before hanging a tight left back around the island. Ahead, racers will have a choice between taking a narrow but tall jump over a huge boulder, or going through a grove of palm trees. Taking the big jump is difficult, and the reward-a single Item Cube is not worth the risk. Hitting a palm tree may wipe out a Kart, so precise steering is essential. The beach then curves around the left back into a gentle cove with two more ramps. Going around these ramps may lead to trouble as there are many crabs on the beach here, just before the Starting Line.	General Tips An obvious tip: avoid the crabs. They will make you spin out. They're not too difficult to avoid since they only appear at two points on the island. Avoid going over the ramps if you don't have to. They will slow you down slightly, and you may lose control slightly when you land. If you're not Power Sliding through a turn, try to go in as straight a line as possible. Turning without Power Sliding in the soft sand seems to slow down your Kart. Instead of going under the large stone arch, go to the right side of the opening and you will see a sand bar that stretches across the cove. If you aren't going to go for the shortcut, this is a quicker way around the island, though you will have to watch out for crabs. Best Places to Use Items Try to place Bananas in points where the beach narrows. You can also lay them when the tide goes out. That way, when the tide comes in, it might hide the Bananas. You can make it over the jump into the shortcut cave without a speed boosting item if you jump from the very top of the ramp. The safest way to make the jump is to line up straight on the ramp and then boost over with a Mushroom. Bananas, dropped in the shortcut cave, can make for a nice surprise for the next racer to use the cave.
	Like all Mushroom Cup courses, the Kalamari Desert doesn't have any really tricky turns. However, the track does narrow in places, and the off road dirt will slow you down in a hurry if you leave the paved surface. The Kalamari Desert course actually crosses the tracks of the "N64 Express," an old fashioned, steam powered train. Drivers would do well to avoid the train at all costs, since it will severely wipe you out if it hits you! From the Starting Line, the track goes into gentle left handed curve which straightens out into the first railroad crossing. On your first lap you should be able to make it over the crossing before the train if you hurry. The track continues in a gradual right turn where it again crosses the tracks. By the time you reach the second crossing, the train might be there, so be ready to slam on the brakes and wait for it to cross. After these two crossings, the track winds around to the left as it circles a scenic desert butte back towards the Starting line. This course can wreak havoc on the heavy karts like Donkey Kong, Wario and Bowser, since they tend to slow down more when they go off-road.	General Tips Avoid the train! If you run into it, it will wipe you out! It's best to come to a "rolling stop" rather than completely stopping if the train is in the railroad crossing. The dirt road is relatively narrow on this course. Try to stay on the road as much as possible. Not only will the off-road dirt slow you down, but you will also run into cacti off the beaten path. Best Places to Use Items Place Bananas just before the rail road crossings. An opponent might hit a Banana as they try to stop and slide right into the oncoming train. A Super Star or Boo Item will make you invulnerable to the train. Activate one of these items and you can drive right through the train. Red Shells are valuable on this course since they can easily track their target for some distance. Green Shells, on the other hand, will shoot off into the distance, never to be seen again, if you miss. Go to Pro Shop for information on the Kalimari Desert shortcut.
	Toad's Turnpike may look simple with its basic figure‑eight layout and retaining walls to keep traffic from going off the track, but don't let that fool you. Drivers here must compete not only against opposing Karts, but also against heavy, rush‑hour traffic! The course starts out with a wide, easy loop with only light traffic to dodge. Skillful use of the power‑slide should reward a good driver with several mini‑turbo boosts in the first corners. After coming out of the first loop, the road dips under the overpass and into the second loop. In the last half of the course, the road narrows to two lanes, and the traffic becomes heavier. Once a racer falls behind on this track, it can be difficult to catch up. Most projectiles will not follow their target around the corner, and the lack of visibility caused by the cars, trucks, and buses on the course will hinder your efforts.	General Tips Watch out for the traffic on this course! If you hit any of the vehicles on the turnpike, you will wipe out - and you may get hit again by another vehicle right behind it. Try to clear out all the Item Cubes from each area as you drive through. This prevents racers behind you from grabbing items. As in any course, you will need to Power Slide and get Mini‑Turbo boosts to achieve the best times. Use the marks on the road to guide your Power Slides between trucks, then release your Mini‑Turbo boost to escape danger. Best Places to Use Items Use Bananas in the narrow lanes just before the Starting Line. Because of the turns on this course, Shells are not always effective. However, on straightaways, shooting a Green Shell directly behind you can discourage tailgaters.
	Frappe Snowland is set in a winter wonderland of perpetual snowfall. Although the track is not as icy as Sherbet Land, it is still slippery, and the snowbanks along the roadside will slow your Kart significantly. A bigger problem is the many snowmen that litter the course, often positioned in the most inconvenient places. From the Starting Line, the track meanders through a series of gentle turns. The turns themselves are not too difficult, but snowmen placed at strategic intervals add to the challenge. Since the curves are not very sharp, it can be difficult to get Mini‑Turbo boosts here - but you must do so to achieve the best time. After the opening series of curves, the course jumps over a river and into a field of snowmen, one of the most hazardous areas of the track. The track then enters a canyon that doubles back in a hairpin turn, leading to a bridge crossing over an icy river. The Starting Line is just beyond the bridge!	General Tips Don't hit the snowmen! There is a safe path through the snowman field, just to the left of the gigantic Mario ice statue. Line up your Kart through the opening and avoid steering unless absolutely necessary - most accidents here come from panicked overcorrections. Use a series of short hops to negotiate the hairpin turn in the canyon, then set yourself up for a Power Slide and Mini‑Turbo boost. Best Places to Use Items Any obstacles you leave in the snowman field will only add to the misery of racers behind you. A Super Star or Boo will make your trip through the snowmen safe and enjoyable. Try using items to knock other players off the bridge just before the Starting Line.
	Get ready for a rough ride on Choco Mountain! This track snakes up and down the mountain, through narrow valleys and dangerous switchbacks. From the Starting Line, the track twists and turns through a narrow valley. After a sharp turn - the first solid place to get a Mini‑Turbo boost - the track enters a short straightaway through a tunnel underpass. Coming out of the tunnel, the course goes through a series of S‑curves which are again too short for a solid Power Slide. After a small jump, the course begins to slowly gain altitude through a long, curved switchback. Watch out for falling rocks ahead! The track doubles back up the mountain, circling a small mountain lake. Although a guard rail is present during Time Trials, it will not be there during most Mario GP races. Without the rail, it’s possible to fall from the upper road down to the lower road, or into the lake. After this dangerous mountain road, the course returns to the valley with three more jumps before reaching the Starting Line.	General Tips Avoid hitting the walls - they slow you down significantly. Hit the jumps straight on. If you go over a jump and clip the side wall, you will wipe out. It is extremely difficult to Power Slide through most turns on this course, but it can be done with quick reflexes. The falling rocks look more dangerous than they actually are. Don’t slow down - just drive straight through. Best Places to Use Items There are many blind corners on this course. Drop Bananas just after rounding a corner. Red Shells are practically worthless here. Be careful with Green Shells - they tend to ricochet off the mountainsides. Firing a Green Shell backward is very effective in the narrow mountain valleys. Use a Lightning Bolt on the mountain switchback. With good timing, your opponent may fall into the lake or drop to the lower trail. Don’t use speed‑boosting items on the mountain switchback - it's too easy to fall off when going fast. Use a Mushroom on the first of the three jumps before the Starting Line. You’ll clear the second jump entirely, saving time. Just make sure you’re lined up straight before activating the Mushroom.
	Mario Raceway is another grand prix circuit‑style track with many twists and turns. The roadway is quite narrow throughout the course, with expanses of soft grass and Piranha Plants on the sides that slow down drivers who stray from the pavement. From the Starting Line, there are two quick turns that a skillful driver can take in one wide, sweeping Power Slide. The track then goes uphill into a slight S‑curve around a hill on the left. Rumor has it that using a Mushroom to jump over the wall after this S‑curve can cut your time in half, but this is likely only a legend. The track then dips into a sharp hairpin turn followed by another S‑curve framed by Piranha Plants. The second half of the track features another S‑curve, this one surrounded by soft, speed‑sapping sand. Just before returning to the Starting Line, the track passes through a giant green pipe - one of the most distinctive landmarks of this course. With its challenging but simple layout, Mario Raceway is often used as a proving ground for measuring true Kart skill.	General Tips The key to this course is getting Mini‑Turbo boosts in as many turns as possible. If you are in a Power Slide, you can cut across the grass without losing too much speed. Power Slide around corners, charge your smoke to Red, and release the Mini‑Turbo boost as you return to the pavement. Best Places to Use Items There are many sharp turns on this course that create great blind spots for Banana drops. One of the best places to drop Bananas is right after the second turn past the Starting Line. If an opponent hits a Banana there, they will spin out onto the grass, slowing them down dramatically. Use speed‑boosting items to cut corners across the sand before reaching the big green pipe.
	Wario Stadium contains literally tons of dirt and mud, formed into a torturous course of hills, moguls, bumps, and jumps. The track is one of the longest in the game and will test the endurance and concentration of racers in addition to their driving skill. The layout fills the stadium field efficiently and features many gradual, easy curves ideal for Power Sliding. Near the end of the course is the ever‑popular, crowd‑pleasing monster jump. Drivers must hold their Karts steady while going over the jumps to avoid smashing into the retaining walls. Some turns are fairly sharp, so the best technique is to use a series of quick hops.	General Driving Tips Avoid hitting the side walls when going off jumps - this will cause you to wipe out. The wide turns are perfect for Power Slides. Get as many Mini‑Turbo boosts as possible in each turn. If you are driving a heavy Kart, avoid changing direction too quickly or you may spin out. Don’t turn while going over jumps or you may lose control. Hit jumps straight on whenever possible. Best Places to Use Items Shrink your opponent with a Lightning Bolt just before they go over the monster jump. They won’t make it across and will have to redo the entire approach. Red Shells can follow opponents for a long time on this course. Fire them in straightaways so they don’t crash into walls. Use speed‑boosting items to climb the big hills. You can also use a Mushroom or Super Star over the series of small jumps - just make sure you’re aimed straight before activating the item.
	Most of Sherbet Land takes place on the surface of a frozen lake. However, the ice is solid only around the lake’s edges, and the large hole in the middle is a major hazard for racers. Another obstacle is the many penguins that populate the course - running into these sliding arctic birds will stop a Kart dead in its tracks. The track begins with a few curves on the ice along the shore. Although Power Sliding is possible here, the slippery surface makes it tricky. The course then forks around a large boulder: the right path is narrow and contains a single Item Cube, while the left path is wider and has several Item Cubes. After this, the course continues into an ice cave filled with penguins! Pairs of penguins circle the stalagmite pillars and can be very difficult to avoid. After exiting the narrow cave passages, the track loops around the lake back to the Starting Line. It may sound simple, but the slippery surface and danger of falling into the freezing lake make this one of the more challenging tracks to master.	General Tips This course is infested with Penguins. Colliding with one will make you wipe out - avoid them at all costs. The Penguins in the cave march around the pillars in a predictable pattern: the first two pairs move counter‑clockwise, the third pair moves clockwise, and the last pair moves counter‑clockwise. Best Places to Use Items Outside the cave, the wide‑open spaces are great for using Red Shells. It’s difficult to avoid Bananas in the narrow cave entrance. Drop Bananas or Fake Items inside the ice cave to add to the chaos created by the marching Penguins.
	Situated just across the drawbridge from the Mushroom Kingdom's castle, Royal Raceway is the longest and most elaborate of the circuit‑type courses. Like the other circuit tracks, it features a wide variety of turns and curves, but it also includes a perennial crowd‑pleaser - a monster jump! From the Starting Line, the course banks along the edge of a large pond. This water hazard fills the center of the course and punishes any Kart that leaves the track in the wrong direction. After a tight hairpin, the course winds through a series of gradual curves with Piranha Plants placed strategically to punish drivers who stray off‑road. Another hairpin leads up to the monster jump, where Booster Arrows help racers clear the pond. The landing area is a narrow mountain valley, so drivers must go straight off the jump to avoid disaster. The next series of turns, though not extremely sharp, can be punishing if not negotiated accurately - falling off to the left dunks a Kart in the pond, while falling off to the right traps it in a grove of trees. Royal Raceway demands mastery of Power Sliding across a wide variety of turns and curves.	General Tips The track is fairly narrow, and falling off often means a bath in the Royal pond. Learn where to Power Slide and where to take turns normally. Several corners can be cut by Power Sliding over the grass without losing too much speed. When going off the monster jump, hold Down on the Control Stick to avoid bouncing too high. Don't drive toward the castle - it's a dead end, and there is no known way to enter it. Best Places to Use Items Like Mario Raceway, many turns create blind spots that are perfect for dropping Bananas. There is a wicked series of S‑curves after the big jump. If you have a speed‑boosting item, you can jump onto the grass to the right and then boost back onto the track after the S‑curves. A Lightning Bolt used just before an opponent goes over the monster jump will prevent them from making it across. However, racers are immune to Lightning while on the Booster Arrows, so timing is critical.
	Racers who challenge Bowser’s Castle will find themselves competing not only against their opponents, but also against the many traps the Koopa King has set throughout his home. The race begins with a sprint into the castle courtyard, where a huge fire‑breathing statue of Bowser belches flames - though it poses no real threat. The entry corridor is where the trouble begins: four ferocious Thwomps wait in the rafters, ready to pound intruders into dust. Bowser’s Castle wasn’t designed for racing, so most of the turns are sharp right angles. Just around the corner, it’s out of the frying pan and into the fire -four more Thwomps hang from the ceiling, and one pair roams back and forth, making the entire room unsafe at any speed. It’s best to stay off the carpet here, out of their range. Next is a narrow hall leading to yet another chamber of horrors. Although there are only two Thwomps, their back‑and‑forth movement can throw off even the most skilled racer. Exiting this room puts the racer onto a narrow, rickety bridge over molten lava - one wrong move and you're toast! Cross safely, and a set of giant stairs will shake up even the toughest Kart suspension. At the bottom, the track leads outside into a courtyard with double 45‑degree turns and plenty of shrubbery to avoid. The final stretch features a tricky spiral ramp leading to a leap over lava. Bowser’s Castle is one of the most demanding courses in any Cup. Only at full speed, without hesitation, can a racer weave between the stone guardians and reach the Finish Line in one piece.	General Tips There are no real shortcuts in Bowser’s Castle. Victory comes from blazing through at top speed. If you go fast enough, you can slip through the openings in the Thwomps’ falling patterns. Stay off the carpet in the first few rooms - it keeps you out of range of several Thwomps. Because some corners are 45‑degree turns, hopping around them is often better than Power Sliding. Best Places to Use Items Use a speed‑boosting item to cut across the grass before the castle entrance. Line up between the bushes and activate it. Super Stars are excellent for plowing through Thwomps - just be careful with the extra speed! The narrow lava bridge in the middle of the course is a perfect spot to drop Bananas or Fake Items. Hit an opponent with a Lightning Bolt just before they go off the jump at the top of the spiral ramp - they may not make it across. The spiral ramp is also a great place to drop Bananas.
	Donkey Kong’s Jungle Parkway is one of the most scenic courses in any Mario Kart Cup. From the Starting Line, the dirt track takes a hard right and runs along the banks of a jungle river. Rubberneckers will catch a glimpse of the river boat “Mario” as it lazily drifts downstream. The track then leads to a spiral ramp that uses Booster Arrows to launch racers over the water and onto the opposite riverbank. From there, it’s back into the jungle for a series of wicked twists and turns. The jungle inhabitants don’t appreciate trespassers and will throw spiny projectiles to knock stray Karts back onto the beaten path. After several turns, the track crosses a narrow wooden bridge with a breathtaking view of a roaring waterfall. On the other side, the course ducks into a cave with a hairpin, switchback turn that leads back up to the Starting Line. The moderate length of the course and its many hazards make every race here an action‑packed Kart safari!	General Tips If you're driving a heavy Kart, don’t change direction rapidly or you may spin out. Don't go off‑road unless you have a speed‑boosting item such as a Mushroom or Super Star - the spiny jungle projectiles will slow you down too much. Don't go off‑road if you’re small from a Lightning Bolt. The spiny projectiles will crush tiny Karts. When going off the jump over the river, steer slightly left and aim for the line of Item Cubes to save time. In the tunnel, you can use a speed‑boosting item to cut the corner instead of climbing the full switchback. Start cutting the slope near the Item Cubes. Best Places to Use Items If you have a Lightning Bolt, use it when your opponent is off‑road - they'll get squished. It’s also effective just before they hit the Booster Arrows on the ramp, since small Karts can’t make the jump. Drop Bananas on the narrow bridge before the cave - they're hard to see and even harder to avoid. Because of all the twists and turns, Shells aren’t very useful. Ditch them and hope for a better item. If you launch a Spiny Shell, try to do so on as straight a path as possible.
	The Yoshi Valley course starts out innocently enough, but quickly becomes a twisting, chaotic maze of narrow roads winding over a deep valley. Although some edges are fenced, most are not - and a driver who gets too close to the edge will likely fall off. There are several possible paths through the maze, but some are faster than others. One of the best routes is left, right, and left again. This route is the shortest, but extremely dangerous, as it passes through two major groups of Spinys and contains no Item Boxes, which can be a disadvantage in Grand Prix and Vs. Mode. Another good route is right, left, right, and then a hard left. This path has fewer Spinys, but includes a tricky narrow opening to a bridge after the first left turn, and the final hard left is off a jump, which can be disorienting. Both routes lead to the same place - a long loop curving around a giant egg. The egg will squash a Kart flat if it rolls over it, but it can be avoided on either side. After the egg, a narrow bridge leads out of the maze and back toward the Starting Line. All routes eventually reach the egg, but any other detour will cost a lot of time.	General Tips Be extremely careful on the narrow roads inside the maze. Falling off costs a huge amount of time. The two best routes are: left, right, left, then around the corner to the big egg - shortest, but full of Spinys; or right, left, right, then left - fewer Spinys, but includes a narrow bridge and a very sharp final turn. Don’t let the giant egg squish you! Best Places to Use Items Almost anywhere in the maze is a great place to drop a Banana - an opponent who hits one may slip right off into the valley. The narrow bridge inside the maze, and the one after the big egg, are perfect Banana drop locations. Use Lightning Bolts when opponents are in the maze - they'll likely slide off the edge. Save speed‑boosting items for the wide‑open area after the maze.
	As the course name suggests, most of Banshee Boardwalk runs over a wooden boardwalk above a dark, haunted body of water. The rotten planks seem coated with slimy ectoplasm in places, making handling slippery. From the Starting Line, the track blasts into two quick right‑angle corners. A quick and skillful driver can get Mini‑Turbo boosts here, but it’s tough. The track then enters a longer but sharper left turn where a Mini‑Turbo is easier to pull off. After a dip in the track, the course reaches one of its most dangerous sections - a quick, narrow S‑curve with no railings. A short jump follows, leading into another hard left turn and the entrance to an ancient stone building. Although the sign above the door says “Welcome,” the batty inhabitants won’t make racers feel wanted if they collide with them. The course weaves through the haunted mansion and then returns to the boardwalk. After a sharp right out of the house, the track enters a short straightaway before curving left back toward the Starting Line.	General Tips Don’t fall off the boardwalk! The most dangerous part of the track is the quick S‑curve halfway between the Starting Line and the house. Ghosts can obscure your view, and in Mario GP and VS Modes, a Mini‑Bomb Kart hides behind the Item Blocks before this point. Take it slow for best results. Power Sliding through some turns requires precise timing. If you're in the zone, you can chain flawless Power Slides through the house. You can jump over the cracks in the floor on the left side of the pillar to set up a Power Slide around the wall on the right. Don’t be afraid to Power Slide - almost every turn allows it, though the timing takes practice. Best Places to Use Items Drop Bananas in turns with no railing. Opponents may hit them and slide off the boardwalk - the S‑curve is the best spot. The long straightaway leading up to the Starting Line is the safest and most effective place to use speed‑boosting items. The bats inside the house will squish opponents who have been shrunken by a Lightning Bolt.
	Big Donut As its name suggests, Big Donut is shaped like a circle with a large hole in the middle. The course surface slopes up and away from the fiery central pit, and there are sections of wall situated around the track. Use these walls to hide from your opponent. Block Fort Block Fort is a multi-level arena with three levels of platforms linked by ramps and elevated roads. The four blocks that make up the arena are color coded so you can tell where your opponents with a glance at their screen. Double Deck Even though Double Deck is about the same size as Block Fort, it seems like the largest of the Battle Mode arenas. Double Deck has multiple levels but the different sections are not color coded, so it can be difficult to locate your opponents. This is a good arena to play with four players. Skyscraper The Skyscraper arena is situated high atop a skyscraper. If you fall off the building, you will lose one of your balloons. Heavier Karts can knock lighter ones off the roof without using an item. Since this arena is the smallest of all, you can't hide, and it's a good idea to keep your speed down. It's also easy to ambush you opponent when he is put back on the course by Lakitu.	Battle Mode Tips If you need to change direction quickly, press and hold the A and B Buttons. When you stop you can then use the Control Stick to spin in place. Towing an item behind you, such as a shell or banana, can protect you from an attack. Press and hold the Z Button to tow the item. Sometimes you can figure out where your opponent is by looking at their screen. In four-player Battle Mode, you can turn off the radar map by pressing the C-Right Button.

Speed Zone

Graphic

Speed Zone simply featured instructions on how to submit a record in Mario Kart 64 to Nintendo Power, including a mailing address. The section states that before submitting a photo, one must ensure that it is fully legible, including the course and clear time. The site also states that one must ensure that they are not using any game enhancement devices, so they must include their Nintendo 64 in the photo.

Pro Shop

Graphic

Pro Shop contains details on Staff Ghosts and shortcuts in Mario Kart 64, as well as a section reserved for codes. Each section for shortcuts contains details on how to perform said shortcut, as well as various screenshots depicting the shortcut being performed. While this section contains details for a large amount of tracks, the Staff Ghosts section only briefly and broadly covers Staff Ghosts as a whole.

Shortcuts

Track	Shortcut
Koopa Troopa Beach	The tunnel through the island is probably the most obvious shortcut in the game. After all, there is a visible tunnel entrance in the hillside, with a ramp leading up to it about two-thirds of the way through the course. It's possible to make it over the ramp into the tunnel opening without the use of a speed boosting item, but you'll need to jump from the very top of the ramp. It's easier to use a speed booster to blast your way over the ramp. Make sure you are aimed straight at the tunnel entrance before you hit the speed booster. For best results, skip the three ramps before the one leading up to the tunnel. This will make it easier to line up with the tunnel entrance.
Kalimari Desert	In Mario GP, if you have a Super Star, you can take a shortcut through the train tunnel and gain a lap on your first and second lap. To do the shortcut, you will need a Super Star. From the second crossing, turn left and follow the tracks to the entrance to the train tunnel. Activate the Super Star just before you enter the tunnel, and your lap counter will advance by one around the min-point of the tunnel. This shortcut doesn't save as much time as you would think, because following the train tracks will slow you down. Because you need a Super Star to pull it off, it isn't a practical shortcut for Time Trials.
Mario Raceway	One of the best, and most difficult to accomplish, shortcuts in Mario Kart 64 is jumping over the central wall on Mario Raceway. To take this shortcut, you will need a Mushroom. The point where you will need to jump to get over the wall is just before the fourth turn (the hairpin turn around the giant mushroom). After the third turn, veer slightly to the left, and go slightly up the hill on the left. Turn sharply back towards the wall and hit your Mushroom boost just before you leave the road, jumping at the same time. You'll want to aim just to the right of where the sections of wall intersect. If you make the jump, you will come down near the giant green pipe. If you manage to take this shortcut every lap in Time Trial mode, and do the rest of the course perfectly, you will be able to complete the track in under one minute. Note: This trick is extremely difficult to perform.
Wario Stadium	Wario Stadium, usually one of the longest tracks in the game, has a super shortcut that can cut tons of time off your lap. It's possible to jump over the wall to the left of the Starting Line using any one of the four small jumps there. Although you can make it over the wall without the assistance of any speed boosting item, a Mushroom or Mini-Turbo assist is helpful. Approach the wall at high speed so that you are driving directly at it as you reach the peak of the small hill. Jump just before you hit the wall and you'll sail over. The timing takes some practice but once you master it, it's not too difficult. It is also possible to jump back over the wall, on the other side of the Starting Line, to get a 22 second lap on this course, but the return jump is much more difficult and takes precise jump timing and aim.
Royal Raceway	On Royal Raceway, after the first hairpin turn, go off-road to the left about halfway between the hairpin and the next turn. Aim for dark spot on the opposite shore, and use a Mushroom to boost you over the water as you jump. If you make it to the other side, Lakitu will pick you up and put you back on the course just before the monster jump over the pond! You can save about 15 seconds per lap with this shortcut.
DK Jungle Parkway	You can advance the lap counter a lap without going around the track in DK Jungle Parkway. Try to jump into the wall to the left of the exit from the tunnel just before the Starting Line. Your angle of approach is important. If you angle too far to the left, you will fall back into the tunnel. If you angle too far to the right, the trick won't work. You want to fall into the "dark space" behind the wall. Lakitu will pick you up. If he puts you back on the track, inside the tunnel, the trick worked. When you go across the finish line from there, the lap counter will advance one lap. If Lakitu puts you back on the track outside of the tunnel, the trick didn't work. The best way to use this trick is to turn around and go into the tunnel right from the start. If you pull it off, you can get a 20-30 second lap on this course.
Yoshi Valley	You can shave a few precious seconds off your lap through Yoshi Valley if you're daring. After you go through the maze, you'll enter a long, curving road that leads towards the giant egg. You'll see a fence on the right hand side of the road that leads to the left turn loop. Head for the end of that fence, and a little before you go over the edge, turn sharply to the left. Just before you leave the track, jump! If you timed it right, you will make it across the valley to the lower track on the other side. It will probably take some practice to master this shortcut.
Rainbow Road	You can cut a good 20 to 30 seconds off a lap in Rainbow Road with this shortcut. It works best on Time Trial mode because you are guaranteed to have a speed boosting Mushroom. After the Starting Line, the track goes a short distance and then descends down a monster hill. Near the top of this hill, on about the third yellow stripe, hang a hard left turn and activate your Mushroom as you jump to go over the fence. If you angled your jump correctly, and had the right speed, you will land on the track below. Turn left and continue the race as fast as you can.