Mario Kart DS Cheats

The online experience is limited, but it can't bring down what may be the greatest victory lap for the Kart series

Mario Kart DS FAQs

Mario Kart DS Hints

  • DS | Submitted by Mysterious friend

    Misleading Short-cut At Bowser Castle

    At bowser castle after you get past this thing that kind of rotates and you take a turn or two you will see a split. The sign points left. Since the sign points left, you'll think going right is a shortcut. It isn't. If you go right you will end up right back at the rotating thing. even if you are in first you will almost always end-up in last.


  • DS | Submitted by nick T.

    Shortcut on Cheep Cheep Beach

    If the water is out after the 2nd ramp, drive on the seabed for a quick shortcut. You could also drive straight through the water if you have a mushroom.


  • DS | Submitted by Father Time Jr.

    Spinning Gears

    Tick-Tock Clock

    After you pass the clock-weight swinging back and forth, you will pass under the center clock. There will be four spinning gears under it. Drive in the direction they are spinning and it will give you sort of a short speed boost. You may need to turn a little so you wont hit the pillars in the middle of each gear.


  • DS | Submitted by Bunny Boy A.K.A. Brendan S.

    Avoiding Boo

    Any course

    To avoid boo when you have an item, simply just HOLD down the "L" button so your item is behind you. Then when Boo comes, he wont be able to get anything. To find out if he's coming, look at the bottom screen. NOTE:this will not work with stars, mushrooms, bullet bills, and king/queen mushrooms.


  • DS | Submitted by Long and complicated

    Balloon Battle Sniper

    This works best in balloon battle. In levels Pipe plaza and twilight house, there are places where you are pretty much guaranteed to hit the other characters.

    Pipe Plaza:

    When you come out of a pipe and have a box or banana, lay it as soon as you hit the ground. Anyone who goes through the pipe will get hurt. Also, Face the pipe but don't go in. Hold a shell or something. watch the bottom screen and wait until someone goes in the right pipe. Then let the shell go. The character should get hit. You will have to time it right.

    Twilight House

    On the outside of the house there are for corners with ? boxes on them. Go to the corner and sit where the box is just facing the corner of the house. If you get a banana or box, throw it forward. If you have a shell, wait for someone to come along, and let the shell go. If you time it right, you should hit them. Since you're always sitting where the box is, your stock of supplies will never run out. If you get a bomb, move back to the edge. Wait for someone to come and throw the bomb forward. You should hit them.


  • DS | Submitted by P'n'C'McG

    Mario Circuit - Goomba Mushroom

    On Mario Circuit, there are three goombas after going through the first turn. If you shoot one of them with a shell or you hit them while using a star, a mushroom will pop out. Note: This mushroom gives an instant boost, it is not the item mushroom.


  • DS | Submitted by loverdog88

    Backwards Bananza(or forwards)

    When you get a blue shell or a red shell as a weapon, you can hit the down key on your control pad and it will go backwards. If you get a banana peel or a fake ? mark block, you can hit this top one and it will go forwards.


  • DS | Submitted by GIGGLY345

    Shortcut : Bowser Castle

    Gamestop

    After going through a long hall, you'll confront a rotating platform.Keep going on it,pass the exit,you'll see a blast of fire. Behind is a short hall that cuts to an upward pillar.(if your'e on that the shortcut is over.)


  • DS | Submitted by mariokartgeek

    Special Item Box

    In DK Pass, go over the second hill in the map and you will see an item box. It will contain a mushroom, triple mushrooms, or a star, even if you're in first place.


  • DS | Submitted by Jack

    Ink Be Gone

    When you get inked and you can't see, look for the nearest speed boost or get a mushroom. Go on the speed boost (or use the mushroom) and the ink will fly off.
    Note: The power slide turbo boosts will not work.


  • DS | Submitted by Ice Cream

    Using Mushrooms

    On battle mode, balloon battle, it is dumb to waste up your extra balloons. You will need a golden mushroom, a triple mushroom, or a single mushroom for this. Go up to somebody and use the mushroom to bump into them. Once you bump into them with the mushroom, you steal one of their balloons. You must have good aim.


  • DS | Submitted by Payton Ellis

    Emblems

    Go to options, then go to edit. You will see paint. Then you can make designs.


  • DS | Submitted by ko64

    special box

    In DK Pass, follow up the road. After a couple turns, you will see a big hill with snow on it. Look at your map screen you should see a box - the box is a star or 3 mushrooms, even when you're in first place.


  • DS | Submitted by BLUEROBO

    Clockworks Shortcut

    When you are next to the gears that move at the end, go up the spinning wheel. This saves you time so you don't go up the hill, and if you have a mushroom you can fly for a short period of time.


  • DS | Submitted by Alex

    Secret Mushroom in Delfino Square

    Before the bridge with all those dash panels on it there will be a turn near a long shelf with all the fake fruit on it. There will be a wooden box. Run through the box and a mushroom will fly out.


  • DS | Submitted by BLUEROBO

    Battle Parm Island

    In the middle of the Battle Arena

    The island in the battle arena is a perfect place for letting a bomb explode. Wait there until you get a bomb. When they all come, leave the bomb there and get out of the blast radius.


  • DS | Submitted by CoDboy

    Get Two Different Weapons

    In Mario Kart, you drive through those diamonds to get items. When you press the L button, it fires off your item. If your item isn't a power up and it is a single weapon like shells or bananas, you can press and hold L to put the weapon on the back of your car. You are now able to pickup another.

    Hint: You can only do this with two weapons, and this doesn't work with power ups such as mushrooms, lighting strikes, stars, and bullet bills.


  • DS | Submitted by Henco

    Tip for Shortcut in Delfino Square 2

    The Shortcut in Delfino Square 2 (listed as another cheat on this page) will not work unless you have a mushroom. The brown sludge will slow you down, making it just as long as going the long way around.


  • DS | Submitted by vincent

    Player Colors

    multiplayer battles or races

    If you have 8 players all wanting a specific color (e.g player 5 light blue) have everyone join at different times. Here's a chart for when each player should come in.
    --------------------
    player 1 blue
    player 2 yellow
    player 3 red
    player 4 dark purple
    player 5 light blue
    player 6 orange
    player 7 purple
    player 8 green


  • DS | Submitted by Josh Burt

    Faster way through Tick-Tock Clock

    When you get the circular area were there are turbo pads and two arms, go to the right it is fatser. At the end of the course with the two gears, you can drive on them, it's like a turbo. On the first lap the left gear is the one to go on, the second lap you must go on the right one, and the third lap you need to go on the left one.


  • DS | Submitted by **Tazzy**

    Shortcut in Mushroom Bridge

    After you pass the finish line on Mushroom Bridge, keep to the right and as soon as you see a really big grassy hill keep a close eye out for a path way, it should take you 2-4 seconds ahead of everyone else.


  • DS | Submitted by Top secret cheater

    Magic Turbo

    This is easy! Stay for a while behind an other racer (3-4 seconds) and then go by on your way and you will go faster for a while. Like drafting in other racing games.


  • DS | Submitted by Dudeman

    Avoiding Red and Blue Shells

    If you have a shell of any color or a banana, you can be protected from red shells. Just hold down the item button and the shell or banana will stay behind your cart. Whenever a red shell comes it will hit the banana instead of you. If you are going around a sharp corner, just go really close to it and sometimes the shell will hit the wall. To avoid blue shell just simply drop a bomb right when it is behind you.


  • DS | Submitted by Marcus Terry

    Secret Item Box

    On the level DK Pass you can get a secret item box. Right before you go on the land of snow, there is a hill that you can go on. Go up the hill and grab the item box. This item box always has something good in it, even when you are in 1st place.


  • DS | Submitted by christian

    Booby Trap

    Go to balloon battle and go to pipe plaza. Once there, get either an item box or a banana. Keep it behind you by holding down L. Now go into a pipe. You will pop out the other end. As soon as you hit the ground, release the L button. The item should be behind you. Now, whenever someone goes through that pipe, they will get hit. Works every time if you do it right.


  • DS | Submitted by billy rogers

    Jump Higher

    When you hit a jump press A to make you go higher.


  • DS | Submitted by anthony

    Turbo Boost on Drift

    In any race

    When you start a drift you will see clouds of dust coming from your wheels. While drifting push the directional buttons repeatedly (eg. left right left right) and you will see blue sparks appear. Keep on doing this untill red sparks appear then let go of the drift/hop button and you will get a boost.


  • DS | Submitted by adlle

    Slight Speed Boost

    Hilly places

    When you have a hill with a steep drop press jump (R) and if you're going at top speed you'll do a big jump.


  • DS | Submitted by thegamingchoice

    Boost Start

    Start holding A when the 2 starts to disappear for a boost start.


  • DS | Submitted by Alex Hatzikides

    Destroying Blue Shells

    Drop a bomb behind your cart while a blue shell is coming. The bomb will destroy the blue shell. Warning: DON'T USE THE BOMB WHEN THE BLUE SHELL IS CLOSE BY!


  • DS | Submitted by mark nassim

    Drift

    This will tell you how to drift if you dont know how to do it. First you jump then press a and hold both r and a. Then you will press the arrow keys alot in any direction and then you will see blue sparks and then red sparks. On the red sparks you let go and it will give you a boost.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Retro Mode Courses

    Banana Cup
    Donut Plains 1: SNES
    Frappe Snowland: Nintendo 64
    Bowser Castle 2: Game Boy Advance
    Baby Park: GameCube

    Leaf Cup
    Koopa Beach 2: SNES
    Choco Mountain: Nintendo 64
    Luigi Circuit: Game Boy Advance
    Mushroom Bridge: GameCube

    Lightning Cup
    Choco Island 2: SNES
    Banshee Boardwalk: Nintendo 64
    Sky Garden: Game Boy Advance
    Yoshi Circuit: GameCube

    Shell Cup
    Mario Circuit 1: SNES
    Moo Moo Farm: Nintendo 64
    Peach Circuit: Game Boy Advance
    Luigi Circuit: GameCube


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut in Yoshi's Valleys

    This course is a tangle, as shown in the introductory map. However, there are a few shortcuts that will help you defeat just about anybody. Follow the course until you reach the maze part. Immediately go left and keep towards the left. The first shortcut is to stay left on the narrow part of the course. After doing that, you will hit a little checkered ledge, and see a large red and white sign on the left pointing to the right. This is the difficult part. Accelerate as fast as possible and stay to the far right. As soon as the rail on the left side ends, pull a hard left powerslide off the road. You will continue the powerslide onto the upcoming road after you land, and if done correctly, you will have shaved off at least ten seconds. This requires a lot of practice.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Lighting Bolt

    On the DK Jungle Parkway, Royal Raceway, or Wario Stadium courses, use a lightning bolt right before someone hits the jump. They should fall off the jump, which will slow them way down. Do not use a lightning bolt when someone is on the turbo pads as it will not affect them.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut in Yoshi's Circuit

    Just after the first two turns, go straight and you will see a gap in the wall. Hop over it to get ahead.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut in Sky Garden

    When you get to the second green bridge, look to the left to see a cloud that goes across to the other track. Hop over it to get to it, then hop back off to avoid falling off. Note: This may require some practice.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut 2 in Delphino Square

    After getting off the bridge and taking a left off of it, you will notice 2 boxes beside each other unlike others spread apart. right behind it is an alley that will cut distance from the track.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut in Delfino Square

    Near the halfway point of the course, use a mushroom to cross the water and land on a dock. This is not easy, but saves a lot of time.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut in Wario Stadium

    This course is one of the longest in the game, but it has a shortcut that can cut a lot of time off your lap. It is possible to jump over the wall to the left of the starting line by 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 a high speed so that you are driving directly at it as you reach the peak of the small hill. Jump right before you hit the wall and you will fly over it. The timing requires some practice, but once you master it, it is not too difficult. It is also possible to jump back over the wall on the other side of the starting line, but the return jump is much more difficult and requires precise jump timing and aim.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Shortcut in Bowser's Castle

    When you get to the rotating floor, go around it all the way until you see the small entrance.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Using "?" Boxes

    When you get a "?" box, wait until you see another item box before planting it. If timed correctly, the "?" box that was laid down will be directly on top of where the original one was. If anyone tries to get it, they will not be able to tell it is a fake until they hit it.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Sand Pits

    Use a mushroom to cross over sand pits that would otherwise slow you down.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Quick Start

    During the countdown, hold down the gas (A) about a half of a second to a second after the number "2" to get a boost when the race starts. Practice to get the right timing.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Skip Credits

    Press Select + Start to skip the credits.


Mario Kart DS Unlockables

  • DS | Submitted by Gamerman96

    How to get Waluigi

    Get all gold trophies on 100cc Retro to get Waluigi


  • DS | Submitted by Gamer Man

    36 Karts

    Earn gold trophies in all eight cups in 150cc Mirror Class and you get 36 karts to chose from.


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock New Kart

    To choose one of 7 karts for each character, get a gold trophy in every cup in Nitro Grand Prix on 150cc


  • DS | Submitted by salman al_muhannadi

    Unlock Starry Names

    To affix stars to your name in a wi-fi battle, just race all the grand prix races (including mirror tracks) and earn at least one star in the ranking. The number of stars earned during your grand prix career will be reflected in your wi-fi standing.


  • DS | Submitted by Pauluzz

    Unlockables

    Leaf Cup ... Achieve gold on Shell Cup and Banana Cup
    Lightning Cup ... Achieve gold on Leaf Cup
    Star Cup ... Achieve gold on Mushroom Cup and Flower Cup
    Special Cup ... Achieve gold on Star Cup
    More Kart Choices ... Achieve gold on all courses in 100cc, 150cc, or 150cc (mirror) Nitro Grand Prix
    150cc Mirror ... Achieve gold on 150cc Retro Class (all courses)
    Daisy & Dry Bones ...Achieve gold on all courses 50cc Nitro Grand Prix
    Waluigi ... Achieve gold on all courses 100cc Nitro Grand Prix
    ROB64 ... Achieve gold on all courses 150cc (mirror) Nitro Grand Prix
    Final Mission ... Achieve one ranking on all courses for all missions one through six


  • DS | Submitted by Sir Mike

    Alternate Main Menu

    If you complete every circuit in grand prix mode on every engine class, on the top screen on the main menu, there will be a new picture of mario with all the characters.


  • DS | Submitted by drake

    Star Cup

    Win a Gold trophy in the Mushroom Cup and Flower Cup to unlock the Star Cup for that class.


  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Development Team Ghost Times

    To unlock a development team ghost racer, beat the following time for the circuit.

    Nitro Cup: Airship Fortress: 2:10:000
    Nitro Cup: Bowser Castle: 2:20:000
    Nitro Cup: Cheep Cheep Beach: 1:45:000
    Nitro Cup: Delfino Plaza: 1:55:000
    Nitro Cup: Desert Hills: 1:35:000
    Nitro Cup: DK Pass: 2:15:000
    Nitro Cup: Figure-8 Circuit: 1:38:000 (1:36:481 best time)
    Nitro Cup: Luigi's Mansion: 2:00:000
    Nitro Cup: Mario Circuit: 1:57:000
    Nitro Cup: Peach Gardens: 1:53:000
    Nitro Cup: Rainbow Road: 2:17:000
    Nitro Cup: Shroom Ridge: 2:06:000
    Nitro Cup: Tick-Tock Clock: 1:55:000
    Nitro Cup: Walugi Pinabll: 2:24:000
    Nitro Cup: Wario Stadium: 2:15:000
    Nitro Cup: Yoshi Falls: 0:58:000
    Retro Cup: Baby Park: 0:55:000 (0:50:920 best time)
    Retro Cup: Banshee Boardwalk: 2:15:000
    Retro Cup: Bowser Castle 2: 1:53:000
    Retro Cup: Choco Island 2: 1:02:000
    Retro Cup: Choco Mountain: 2:16:000
    Retro Cup: Donut Plains 1: 1:09:000
    Retro Cup: Frappe Snowland: 2:09:000
    Retro Cup: Koopa Beach 2: 0:55:000
    Retro Cup: Luigi Circuit: 1:37:000 (1:29:759 best time)
    Retro Cup: Mario Circuit 1: 0:51:000
    Retro Cup: Moo Moo Farm: 1:18:000
    Retro Cup: Mushroom Bridge: 1:31:000
    Retro Cup: Peach Circuit: 1:13:000
    Retro Cup: Sky Garden: 1:45:000
    Retro Cup: Yoshi Circuit: 1:49:000


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock R.O.B. as a Racer

    Finish 150cc Mirror Mode Nitro Class with Gold Trophies on all cups


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock "Mission 7" in Mission Mode

    Get at least a 1-star ranking on all levels of every mission in Mission Levels 1-6


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock Character - Dry Bones

    Get a Gold Trophy on every cup in Nitro Grand Prix on 50cc


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock Character - Waluigi

    Get a Gold Trophy on every cup in Retro Grand Prix on 100cc


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock Character - Daisy

    Get a Gold Trophy on every cup in Retro Grand Prix on 50cc


  • DS | Submitted by ChristianRey

    Unlock 150cc Mirror Mode

    Finish 150cc Retro Class with Gold trophies on every cup


Mario Kart DS Glitches

  • DS | Submitted by ???????

    Game Freeze

    Luigi's Mansion

    When you are driving up the stairs to the mansion, stop on them. then hold A+B and move the control pad side to side really fast. the game should freeze.


  • DS | Submitted by Twice Daily

    Glitch in Bowser's Castle

    When driving up the spiral stairs before you get to the long spinning bridge, make sure you have a bomb. Try to drive close to the wall and be ready if someone is directly behind you. When passing a window, let the bomb go behind you. If done right, the person behind will land on the windowsill and will appear to be spinning out on the map.


Mario Kart DS Cheats

  • DS | Submitted by Nikolas Caravana

    Inflate Balloons Faster

    Instead of holding Select, blow into the microphone.