Back in October of 2022,Mario Kart Tourintroduced the much-awaitedBattle Mode, a beloved side-mode that’s been a part of the series since its humble beginnings on the SNES. Despite being played with touch controls, this Battle Mode can get just as competitive as its home console counterpart.
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If you’ve been having trouble getting to grips with Balloon Battles,the following tipsshould help you out.
Choose Your Special Item Wisely
Items are the bread and butter of anyMario Kartgame,though some are always going to be better than others. In Mario Kart Tour, each character has asignature Special Itemthat they can obtain in addition to the usual selection of shells, mushrooms, and banana peels. In a standard race, nearly all of these items have their uses. In a Balloon Battle, however, some of these items are less than ideal.
Take, for example, Rosalina’s Dash Ring item. In a race, the Dash Rings can give you a much-needed boost of speed. In a Balloon Battle, on the other hand, speed isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. Characters withoffensive Special Itemswill be your best bet.Defensive Special Items(such as Peach’s heart shield) can also save you in a pinch.
Keep in mind that some items are exclusive toHigh-End characters, which can fetch a pretty high price in the in-game store. If there’s a particular High-End character you’ve been eyeing, be sure tosave up those Rubies!
Hold Onto Your Shield
When you see an item box up ahead, your first instinct might be to throw out all your current items and hope for a better selection. However, it might be wise tohold onto at least one item, especially if it canfunction as a shield.
Some items, like Koopa Shells and Bananas, willprotect your kart from the backif you hang onto them. If you dump out all your items at once, you’ll be leaving your kartvulnerable to attacks. Be sure to hold onto at least one “shield item” as often as possible.
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The Edge Of The Arena Can Be Dangerous
When a player loses all of their balloons, they beginautomatically circling the arenaon a hovering platform. Items will occasionally spawn for these defeated players to utilize, which can turn the edge of the arena into a real minefield.
Once you get down to 2-3 active players,stay away from the edge of the arena. You may get sniped by one of the many players circling the track like vultures.
Slow And Steady Wins The… Battle
The most surefire way tolosea Balloon Battle is to rush in, Koopa Shells a-blazing. Take your time, and only attack when you’re sure you havea clear line of sight. While Balloon Battles do have a time limit, it isveryforgiving. You’ll very seldom see the timer run out.
While some may consider this a sneaky tactic, one option is tolet the other players duke it outwhile you stay clear of the fracas. Then, once the combatants have been whittled down,you may swerve inand pick off the remaining players. Is this playing dirty? Probably. Is it effective? Absolutely.
Now that you’ve armed yourself with knowledge, you’re ready to take on the Balloon Battle competition! Keep in mind that there’s more to Mario Kart Tour than just coming in first place. Even if you don’t end up in first, you can still earn yourself anenviable high score. Balloon Battles followthe same scoring rules as races, so keep practicing, and you’ll be getting top-ranking scores in no time.Best of luck!
