How to Do Tricks on Mario Kart Wii

Using the WiiMote

These instructions are for the Wiimote + nunchuk and the WiiMote + steering wheel control schemes.

1. 1
   Look for an opportunity to get airborne. In Mario Kart Wii, you can't do tricks just anywhere. For aerial tricks, first, you need to go off of a jump, a ramp, or anything else that will put you in the air. Most tracks have plenty of opportunities to get some airtime.

   • The most obvious spots for doing tricks are often the boost ramps that glow with a rainbow color — any of these will give you a chance for a trick. Some tracks, like Coconut Mall, even force you to go off one of these. ^[1]
   • However, even tiny bumps in the track that send you off of the ground for a second or so can give you a chance to do a trick, so be ready!
2. 2
   Shake the WiiMote as you leave the ground to do a trick. As you go off of the ramp or jump, shake or flick the WiiMote in any direction. Do this with some force so that the controller registers your motion, but not so hard that you aren't ready to start steering as soon as you hit the ground. If you get the timing just right, you should do a trick! You will feel the controller rumble, hear an audio cue, and your racer will cheer.

   • Each direction that you shake the WiiMote (up, down, left, or right) should make you perform a different trick. However, the boost you get from each will be the same.
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3. 3
   Keep under control once you land. If you do a trick, when you make it to the ground safely (in other words, as long as you're not hit by a shell, etc.), you will get a quick, small boost of speed — sort of like a mini-mushroom.

   • Be careful to control your steering when you get this boost. While the boost is great for passing the racers next to you, it can also make it a little harder to dodge obstacles since you'll have less time to react.
4. 4
   String together many tricks to keep your speed up. You can only perform one trick per jump , so you'll only get a max of one boost per jump. However, if you can do several jumps in a row and pull off a trick each time, you'll get a significant speed boost. Pulling off lots of tricks in a row without crashing or going off the course can be really tricky, so keep practicing! Once you master this skill, you'll have a big advantage over tough opponents.
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Using a Traditional Controller

These instructions are for the Wii Classic Controller and the GameCube controller control schemes.

1. 1
   Go off of a ramp or jump. The way that you do tricks on a non-WiiMote controller is a little different — some players even believe that it's easier. ^[2] To start, go off a jump (just as you would if you were using a WiiMote.)
2. 2
   Use the directional pad as you enter the air. The GameCube and Classic controllers don't have motion sensitivity, so instead of shaking them, you must hit one of the four directions on the D-pad to do a trick. The D-pad is the cross-shaped directional button on the left side of the controller — it is not the stick you use to steer.

   • Note that the D-pad is in a different location on the Classic Controller than it is on the Gamecube controller. On the Classic Controller, it is above the left stick used for steering, while on the GameCube controller, it is below it.
3. 3
   Stick the landing. Once again, if you pull off the trick correctly, you will get an audio cue and your character will cheer. When you hit the ground safely, you will receive a short boost.

   • As with the WiiMote, the different directions of the D-pad will cause you to perform different tricks. However, they all give the same amount of boost when you hit the ground.
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