Skip to main content

‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’ will not have ‘fire-hopping’ trick

Is Fire Hopping Gone in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?
Nintendo has taken the executive decision to remove the “fire-hopping” or “frogging” trick from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. That means that when the enhanced edition of the latest Mario Kart launches on the Nintendo Switch on April 28, players will need to find new advanced tactics to get ahead in competitive play.

When Mario Kart 8 was released on the Wii U in 2014, fire hopping was rather controversial. The practice involves jumping left and right after initiating a boost, lessening speed lost and lengthening the boost. Some saw this as a cheat or cheap trick, but Nintendo never did anything about it so it is a practice that remains to this day. But in the Switch Deluxe version, it may even be counterproductive.

In a recent test of the new version of the game by GameXplain, the fire-hopping trick actually seems to slow you down when compared with just holding the proper racing line following your boost. The narrator does tell us that he’s hardly an expert at using the technique and it’s possible that some semblance of an advantage does remain, but if it’s there, it’s negligible.

This should be good news for anyone who considered the technique on the Wii U version of the game as cheating or at the very least a little bit of a dirty trick. Not everyone saw it as such, with most considering it more as a tool for time-trial racing, since it tends to make you more vulnerable to abilities in multiplayer, but it seems it was controversial enough for Nintendo to make some changes.

Other changes coming as part of the Deluxe re-release of the game include additional characters, bringing the total to 40 at launch; 48 tracks, including all DLC from the game’s Wii U release; returning items like ‘Boo’ and the feather, which turn you invisible and let you hop over obstacles respectively, and a revamped arena mode complete with new maps and unique game modes.

Editors' Recommendations

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s final DLC brings the series most iconic track
Mario and friends zip through a race course in Mario Kart 8.

The final wave of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass launches on November 9, ending the racing game's long line of updates. Wave 6 brings several classic Mario Kart courses to the Switch game, including the long-requested Wii Rainbow Road.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1719701295013953729

Read more
It’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s subtle changes that make it special
The flagpole is knocked away in Super Mario Bros. Wonder

While I’m only partway through Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I’m already utterly in love with the game.

As our glowing review outlined, it’s a highly polished 2D platformer that’s approachable for anyone to play and elicits a joyous and vibrant sense of wonder. But for me, what makes Super Mario Bros. Wonder special aren't so much the wild Wonder effects or elephant transformations. It's the subtle touches. These elements might not be immediately noticeable or relevant to most, but they all work together to create an experience that’s a step above most other platformers.
Changes enhance enjoyment
Super Mario Bros. Wonder isn’t afraid to show that it’s different from previous Mario games through small moments and changes. One instance that illustrates this early on is in one of the first Bowser Jr. fights. It starts like all his New Super Mario Bros. boss fights do, with him getting in his shell and spinning toward Mario. At first, I was disappointed that Nintendo was just doing the same thing again, but after the first hit, that changed. Bowser Jr. activates a Wonder effect and changes in size for the following two stages of his fight. It's a moment of surprise that subverts my expectations, which are based on decades of Mario games. This is a small moment and reference that many Super Mario Bros. Wonder players probably won’t even internalize. Still, it is a smart way to show how the platformer differs from what came before.

Read more
All Captain Toad locations in Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Toadette talking to captain toad.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is taking the series back to its 2D roots with a new and exciting art style and a ton of new mechanics. Alongside new power-ups and badges, this title has perhaps the largest amount of collectibles and hidden secrets of any game in the series. Between all the Wonder Seeds, Wonder Flowers, Flower Coins, and more, there's no shortage of things to do as you run, jump, and flip your way through all the various worlds. Among all the playable characters to choose from, one non-playable character makes his triumphant return. Captain Toad has managed to make his way to the Flower Kingdom, but this intrepid explorer is not so easy to find. Each time you interact with him, he will reward you with some Flower Coins and a hint at an upcoming world, so let's hunt down all his locations in Super Mario Wonder.
All Captain Toad locations

Captain Toad appears in five unique spots on the Super Mario Bros. Wonder world map. Talking to him at each spot will give you a little bit more of his story, plus the aforementioned rewards.
First Captain Toad location

Read more