Mario Kart 8 - How to Get a Perfect Rocket Boost Start

Getting the right start can make or break a race in Mario Kart 8, that’s why, with the increased focus on online multiplayer, it’s more important than ever that you know the secrets to nailing that perfect rocket boost as soon as the light turns green.

Truth be told, it’s not all that difficult to learn the trick, it is however very easy to get it wrong, and a simple mistake will leave you stalled at the line as your competition races off into the distance, leaving you praying for a Bullet Bill or mighty Blue Shell to save you from finishing last.

The basics of the rocket boost start are simple: as soon as you see the countdown hit “2”, hold down on the accelerate button until you’re off.
In theory that’s all there is to it, but after giving this a few goes I’m sure that you’ll run into a couple of stalls along the way, apparently for no reason. The reason for this is that the countdown timer itself is very difficult to read properly, and when it shows “2” it may actually be a split-second until the ideal acceleration point is actually reached.

A much more reliable strategy is to keep your eye on the countdown lights to the right, as this way there’s no mistaking whether or not you’re ready to put the pedal to the metal.
You’ll be able to see this in action in our guide video, where by being just a couple of milliseconds out when judging by the number countdown our whole race is messed up.

So to sum up: Don’t take your eyes off the lights!
As soon as that second light starts shining get your wheels spinning ready to go, and when the green light clicks on, your car will be all warmed up for that perfect beginning to win the race, pushing you into first place by the time you reach the first corner.

And remember, once you’ve gotten the perfect rocket boost start, your work is far from over, make sure that you’re hitting the drift jump button at the top of ramps to get an extra boost, and make the most of the new Super Horn item to block those pesky Blue Shells that everyone stuck behind you will no doubt be throwing at you!

If you prefer to see our perfect rocket boost start guide in video form, check out our YouTube channel, where we make the whole thing a lot clearer. (Be sure to take careful note of our counter vs lights comparison!)

Found any other secrets when racing around the Mario Kart 8 track? Let us know in the comments below! (we promise not to use them against you)

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