Mario Kart 8: Tips for every item

In Mario Kart 8 there are again great items that you can use against your competitors on the racetrack. In this practical tip, you can read how you can get the most out of every single item.

Mario Kart 8 Items: The Banana

• One or three bananas are given to those racers who are far ahead in the ranking. The reason: the item is the weakest in the game. The fruit is placed behind the vehicle and causes the vehicle to spin into it. In this way you can skillfully extend your lead.
• If you have received the banana, you should not use it immediately. Wait for the perfect time to place the fruit on an obscure or dangerous part of the route. An example of this would be filing just behind corners or sharp curves.
• Alternatively, you can hold the banana and use it to ward off green or red tanks from your opponents.

Mario Kart 8 Items: The Green Tank

• The green tank is also one of the less effective items in Mario Kart 8. It is a simple projectile and throws the hit back a few meters.
• Since the tank is only moving in one direction, you should only throw it off when you are driving directly behind an enemy. Unless you have exceptional skill and meet the other drivers from afar.

Mario Kart 8 Items: The Red Tank

• The red tank makes it easier to hit an opposing player. This tracks the driver who is right in front of you until he hits him or is destroyed.
• Before use, make sure that the driver concerned has no protective item in front of you or has activated it. For example, that would be the star or three bananas placed at the rear. In such circumstances, the red tank is ineffective.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Stachi Tank

• With the Stachi tank, every race is exciting again. It always aims at the first place, regardless of where you fire the item.
• It is also important to make sure beforehand whether the driver has activated the star item. However, this is very unlikely since the first place will not receive such strong items.
• If you are first, you should of course refrain from dropping the tank - otherwise you will be hit by the big explosion yourself.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Turbo Mushroom

• The Turbo Mushroom gives you a speed boost over a certain length. With a little luck, you will get three instead of just one mushroom.
• Use the accelerator more on straight lines. Since you have a little control ability after activating the turbo mushroom, you often get stuck in curves.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Golden Turbo Mushroom

• The golden mushroom is particularly strong. You can give yourself as many pace boosts as you want - for a full 6 seconds.
• Again, you should take care not to waste the mushroom unnecessarily in curves, narrow or dangerous places. On the other hand, you should use the 6 seconds as effectively as possible and therefore use the item as often as possible.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Blooper (Spirit)

• If you pull the blooper out of a package and insert it, it will fly to all your fellow combatants and speckle you with ink. As a result, visibility is restricted for a while and drivers tend to hit obstacles or fall off cliffs.
• Use the blooper as soon as possible to be able to catch up properly if the opponents are driving around with a handicap.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Bomb

• The bomb runs around a bit before it explodes. All drivers in the explosion radius are thrown back.
• The bomb is particularly effective when detonated in a large cluster of vehicles. So it's best to throw them into a group of opponents if possible.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Lightning

• The flash, like the blopper, hits all drivers in front of you. It shrinks your teammates to a very small size, making them a little slower.
• Use this opportunity to clean up the field properly. Now that you are superior in size, you can easily push and overtake everyone else.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Star

• The yellow and gold star is the best item in the game. For a short time you are faster and nothing and nobody can harm you. Enemies you drive into will also be thrown away.
• But don't get too cocky. A fall from a cliff or a slope does not prevent even the star.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Ball Willi (Rocket)

• The Kugelwilli is especially there for the last placed. Players in ranks 10, 11 or 12 can get the item. It transports the player back to the middle of the action at enormous speed.
• You can't go wrong with the application. The Kugelwilli is invincible and does not fall off the track. Therefore, use it as soon as possible.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Fire Flower

• The fire flower gives the player the opportunity to throw fire at the opponents and slow them down. This item doesn't last forever.
• The fire flower is particularly good to carry when you use it in the middle of a large cluster of enemies.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Pot Piranha Plant

• The voracious plant sits on the player's vehicle for a while and attacks every opponent in the immediate striking distance. Bananas that are in the way are also cleared.
• Here the item is most effective if you use it near many other racing drivers.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Boomerang Flower

• If you pull the boomerang flower out of a package, you get 3 boomerang shots. The special thing about these shots is that they can hit other players both when flying away and when flying back.
• It is best to attack your fellow combatants before curves with the boomerangs. The thrown weapons cut off the player's path and force him to perform uncontrolled driving maneuvers.

Mario Kart 8 Items - The Super Horn

• The super horn is a newly implemented protection item in Mario Kart. At the push of a button, the horn emits a sound wave that fends off all attacking elements.
• After you have pulled the super horn, you should not use it immediately. Waiting for a while can pay off. This is especially true if you are the first to be threatened by a Stachi tank. If you then use the super horn at the right time, you will not suffer any damage and can keep your promising position.

On the next page, you'll learn how to quickly and easily collect many coins in Mario Kart 8.