The go-to party game for every Nintendo Switch and Wii U owner, Mario Kart 8 is one of the best multiplayer games. It gives you the option of picking your racer character, and fully customizing its sweet ride. While this may seem like pure cosmetics for beginners, picking the best combo gives you a competitive gameplay advantage in the game. In this guide, we’ll dive into the best Mario Kart 8 combination setups, from the characters and kart parts to its gliders and wheels.
Fastest Characters in Mario Kart 8
All of the characters fall into various weight classes. Each of them carries different stats. Lower weight classes boast better acceleration, handling, and traction. On the other hand, those on the heavier side have higher speed and weight. For top speed, going with heavier characters like Donkey Kong and Wendy is your best bet.
However, they are quite tricky to handle since they lack traction or grip. They also usually have low acceleration speeds, but characters like Bowser and Wario will zoom past opponents without a hitch.
Fastest Karts, Parts, Tires & Gliders in Mario Kart 8
If you want to know the kart parts with top speeds, the following should be your go-to picks:
- B Dasher
- Badwagon
- Circuit Special
- Mercedes GLA
- P-Wing
- Standard ATV
The fastest tires are as follows:
- Cyber Slick
- Gold Tires
- Metal
- Slick
And last but not least, here are the fastest gliders:
- Super Glider
- Wario Wing
- Waddle Wing
- Plane Glider
- Gold Glider
- Hylian Kite
Kart Combination Setup for Best Acceleration in Mario Kart 8
If you’re looking for kart combinations that will net you high acceleration, the smaller characters are the best choices to go with. Not only are the baby versions adorable, but they also dramatically reduce the time it takes for you to reach your top speed.
As for the karts, tires, and gliders, the following are your best picks for great acceleration in the game:
Karts
- Biddybuggy
- Mr. Scooty
Tires
- Azure Roller
- Button
- Leaf Tires
- Roller
Gliders
- Bowser Kite
- Cloud Glider
- Flower Glider
- MKTV Parafoil
- Paper Glider
- Parachute
- Parafoil
- Peach Parasol
Kart Combination for Best Traction in Mario Kart 8
As for kart combos with the best traction or grip, we recommend going with the lighter characters once again. Pair them with one of these two tires for the best traction you can get: Monster and Hot Monster.
Any of the picks that we’ve shown above for the best acceleration should also fare well when it comes to getting the best traction or grip.
What Do the Stats Mean in Mario Kart 8?
With this, it’s important to know what different stats mean so you can make your own strategy that perfectly fits your playing style. Here’s the definition of each, and how they affect the gameplay:
- Acceleration – The time it takes for you to reach top speed. If you have good acceleration, you also recover quickly from Items that hit you.
- Handling – How close you are able to stick to a corner. With better handling than karts, use bikes for tracks with more curves and corners.
- Speed – Your top speed. Coins that you collect boosts your overall top speed.
- Traction – Better traction means you are able to traverse routes off of the main track at a much quicker rate. This goes hand in hand with handling.
- Weight – Affects how far you drift off course when power sliding and how well you handle being hit by other players. Lighter karts are knocked around more, while heavier karts drift farther off the course.
Handling vs. Traction in Mario Kart 8
In a nutshell, handling dictates how tightly your kart can turn and drift. Prioritizing the handling stat allows you to lose less speed while turning.
On the flip side, having lower traction causes you to skid much more when turning and drifting.
Tips for Tracks with More Turns and Curves in Mario Kart 8
You can get a feel for yourself on what traction exactly does in the game by doing some practice laps in the Rainbow Road with kart combination setups that give you lower and higher traction. Again, lighter characters give you lower traction, paired with better handling and acceleration.
If you lower your traction by using a lighter character, you’ll find that it’s much more difficult to control your turns, especially when hugging the tricky corners of the track. It’s also important to note that driving on certain tracks with ice or sand automatically reduces both handling and traction.
Why Is the Kart Combination Setup Important in Mario Kart 8?
Mario Kart 8 gives players access to many different combinations of karts. You can change your glider, wheels, and body, that all effect your top speed, acceleration, weight, handling, and traction/grip. Depending how you customize your kart in the game, you can really suit it to your racing style and skill.
