Anti-gravity

Anti-gravity is a fundamental game mechanic introduced in Mario Kart 8. When drivers are in anti-gravity mode, they can drive upside-down as well as on walls and various other surfaces. Additionally, drivers receive a speed boost whenever they bump into other drivers or designated obstacles. Drivers enter anti-gravity mode when they pass over blue panels in the road akin to Boost Pads. While driving in anti-gravity mode, the wheels of the player's vehicle turn so that they are on their sides. Every nitro course in the game but Excitebike Arena, Animal Crossing and Super Bell Subway is given an anti-gravity section, likely to fully incorporate the new feature. However, only twelve (7 originally added; 5 DLC) retro courses are given this feature:


 * GBA Mario Circuit
 * N64 Toad's Turnpike
 * 3DS DK Jungle
 * DS Wario Stadium
 * GCN Sherbet Land
 * 3DS Piranha Plant Slide
 * N64 Rainbow Road
 * Wii Wario's Gold Mine (part of The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8)
 * GCN Baby Park (part of Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8)
 * GBA Cheese Land (part of Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8)
 * 3DS Neo Bowser City (part of Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8)
 * GBA Ribbon Road (part of Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8)

If the player goes in the opposite direction than what they are meant to, the wheels will turn horizontal once they touch an anti-gravity section despite an anti-gravity strip not being present. This is because the vehicle is programmed to avoid glitching by falling in anti-gravity sections. This applies to any course with anti-gravity where it is possible to drive backwards from a non-anti-gravity section into an anti-gravity section, such as Mario Circuit.

Trivia

 * Neither of the two Super Mario Kart Retro Courses (Donut Plains 3 and Rainbow Road) received anti-gravity sections, thus making Super Mario Kart the only game with Retro Courses in Mario Kart 8 that lack any anti-gravity sections.
 * In contrast, all three courses from Mario Kart: Super Circuit received anti-gravity sections.
 * Mute City, Big Blue, and GCN Baby Park are the only courses to take place entirely in anti-gravity; the wheels are turned sideaways already before starting.
 * When the player leaves the anti-gravity section, the SFX is similar to the zoom-in camera adjustment in Diddy Kong Racing.
 * None of the non-DLC retro courses have spin boost bumpers, while some of the nitro courses and two DLC retro courses, GBA Cheese Land and  3DS Neo Bowser City, do.