Mario Kart 8
Bonus cups
Successfully complete the indicated circuits in first place to unlock the corresponding cup:
- Flower Cup: Successfully complete the Mushroom Cup.
- Star Cup: Successfully complete the Flower Cup.
- Special Cup: Successfully complete the Star Cup.
- Banana Cup: Successfully complete the Shell Cup.
- Leaf Cup: Successfully complete the Banana Cup.
- Lightning Cup: Successfully complete the Leaf Cup.
Bonus characters
Get a gold trophy by finishing first place in any cup and engine class in Grand Prix mode to unlock one of the following characters 13 characters at random. Note: Once a character has been unlocked on a particular track and CC class, you will not be able to unlock another new character the exact same way.
- Rosalina
- Metal Mario
- Lakitu
- Toadette
- Baby Rosalina
- Gold Peach
- Iggy
- Roy
- Lemmy
- Larry
- Wendy
- Ludwig
- Morton
Play as Mii
Finish first place in every cup of a single engine class to unlock Mii.
Bonus parts
Collect the indicated number of coins to unlock body, glider, and wheel parts to customize your vehicles. You will unlock a new part for every 50 coins earned; after earning 1,000 coins, the intervals increase to 100 coins for each unlockable part. Coins can be earned in Grand Prix, VS mode, and online races.
- Cushion Wheels (Wheels): 50
- Mr. Scooty (Bike): 100
- Blue Standard (Wheels): 150
- Pipe Frame (Kart): 200
- Tri-Speeder (Three-wheeled Kart): 250
- Slick (Wheels): 300
- Wild Wiggler (ATV): 350
- Button (Wheels): 400
- Cloud Glider (Glider): 450
- Varmint (Bike): 500
- Plane Glider (Glider): 550
- Yoshi Bike (Bike): 600
- Flower Glider (Glider): 650
- The Duke (Bike): 700
- Circuit Special (Kart): 750
- Prancer (Kart): 800
- Crimson Slim (Wheels): 850
- Landship (Kart): 900
- Flame Rider (Bike): 950
- Retro Off-Road (Wheels): 1,000
- Steel Driver (Kart): 1,100
- Azure Roller (Wheels): 1,200
- Wario Wing (Glider): 1,300
- Comet (Bike): 1,400
- Off-Road (Wheels): 1,500
- Metal Wheels (Wheels): 1,600
- Jet Bike (Bike): 1,700
- Teddy Buggy (Kart): 1,800
- Waddle Wing (Glider): 1,900
- Bowser Kite (Glider): 2,000
- Hot Monster (Wheels): 2,100
- Cat Cruiser (Kart): 2,200
- Sponge (Wheels): 2,300
- Peach Parasol (Glider): 2,400
- MKTV Parafoil (Glider): 2,500
- Cyber Slick (Wheels): 2,600
- Sports Coupe (Kart): 2,700
- Unknown: 2,800
- Unknown: 2,900
- Unknown: 3,000
Gold parts
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding gold part:
- Gold Glider: Collect 10,000 coins.
- Gold Handle: Use the Wii Handle for at least 50% of your most recent 100 stages.
- Gold Standard Kart: Get at least one star (score at least 54 points) on every 150cc and Mirror mode race.
- Gold Tires: Break all of the Time Trials Staff Ghosts records. Alternately, collect 15,000 total coins.
Mirror mode
Get a gold trophy on all eight Grand Prix tracks to unlock Mirror mode.
Grand Prix stars
Earn the indicated number of points in Grand Prix mode to be rewarded with the corresponding number of stars:
- 1 star: Earn 54 or 55 points (two 1st and two 2nd place finishes or three 1st and one 3rd place finish)
- 2 stars: Earn 57 points (three 1st place finishes and one 2nd place finish)
- 3 stars: Earn 60 points (four 1st place finishes)
Miiverse stamps
There are a total of 62 unlockable Miiverse stamps; 30 character stamps and 32 track stamps. Finish first place in any Grand Prix to unlock that character’s stamp. Beat the normal staff ghost time for a track to unlock the track stamp for the particular track.
Alternate credits and title screens
Get a gold trophy in all 150cc and Mirror mode races to alternate the credits sequence and title screens for Multiplayer and Single Player modes.
Totaka’s secret song
Lower the music volume, and go to a race that features Yoshi spectators in the crowd. They can be found at Donut Plains 3, Sweet Sweet Island, and the Yoshi Circuit in DLC 1. Eventually one of them will hum Totaka’s secret eight note song instead of their normal random grunt. Kazumi Totaka’s is Nintendo sound designer and has placed the same secret song in other games, such as Mario Paint and Animal Crossing .
Quick start
When “3” appears during the pre-race countdown, hold [Accelerate].
Using trams as a speed boost in Toad Harbor
The trams in Toad Harbor usually knock you out when you drive into them by accident, but if you are flying after jumping from a ramp or booster, you can actually use the roofs of the trams to your advantage. While in the air, land on a tram’s roof to bounce off it undamaged. For an extra boost, perform a flip.