The best Mario Kart World character is not who you'd expect
One character is now deemed the best racer in Mario Kart World, thanks to hidden stats Nintendo doesn't want you to see.
Despite what some people try to pretend, Mario Kart is far more reliant on skill than getting lucky with the items. And that remains the case in Mario Kart World, even with the player count bumped up to 24 per race.
That being said, Mario Kart is the perfect casual game, that anyone of any age or skill level can pick up and have a good time with. But that's not stopped some players from getting into the nitty gritty to try and figure out the best way to win races.
You'd think that would only require getting better at the game, but a significant number of players have come to the conclusion that the best way to win is by using a specific character.
The character in question? Not Mario, not Bowser, not the fan favourite cow, but Spike – one of the random enemies you can unlock through the Kamek item.
As spotted and translated by Automaton, Spike has become a popular pick amongst Japanese players for his stats; something most casual players will likely ignore when it comes to choosing a racer.
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
他の方も仰っているようにノリで楽しんでるのはそうなのですが、実際にガボンは強キャラではありますその画像のステータスの他に隠しステータスが存在しているのですが、ガボンは通常のアスファルトの道に対しての補正が他のキャラより高く設定されているので、それが人気の秘訣でもあります — りんごもちぃ (@ringo_moti12) June 23, 2025
Although the game doesn't draw attention to it, characters in Mario Kart World are divided across different weight classes, which has an effect on your vehicle's stats.
Since Spike is a lightweight class, this gives him high acceleration and better handling than heavier characters, at the cost of being much easier to shove around.
As it turns out, though, characters have another hidden stat that the game never mentions: terrain bonuses. We don't know how players figured this out, but characters can essentially drive faster depending on the terrain they're on.
In Spike's case, he gains a boost in speed when driving on smooth roads, compared to rougher terrain and water. Although heavier characters like Bowser gain even more of a boost benefit from terrain, according to data by CrypticJacknife, they don't recover from being hit by items as quickly and have worse handling. More Trending
These are areas Spike excels at and his weaknesses can be offset by pairing him with the right vehicle, since all of those have their own stats as well.
It's too soon to tell if this info will spread far enough to fill the online lobbies up with nothing but Spike players, but this is both a strange insight into the more competitive side of Mario Kart and proof that Nintendo puts a lot more thought into balancing Mario Kart than you may think.
Nintendo could afford to be forthcoming about how Mario Kart World works in general, though.
Hiding weight classes and terrain bonuses is one thing, but it makes little effort to explain driving techniques like charge jumping to new players, hiding them away in an options menu that's easy to miss.
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.
To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
MORE: All 30 Mario Kart World racetracks ranked from worst to best
MORE: Mario Kart World's soundtrack is fantastic – here are the best songs
MORE: Nintendo explains why Zelda and Splatoon racers aren't in Mario Kart World
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26crop%3D3%3A2%2Csmart%26trim%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
M&S unveils brand-new ‘dessert sandwich'
It's inspired by the Japanese 'fruit sando' 🍓 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... M&S has unveiled a brand-new 'dessert sandwich' The sandwich is inspired by the Japanese 'fruit sando' The fruit sandwich is a new take on the British dessert classic of strawberries and cream Marks & Spencer has launched a brand-new sandwich, which has a unique, fruity twist. The limited-edition' dessert sandwich' is named the Strawberry & Creme and features Red Diamond strawberries and a thick layer of whipped cream cheese on sweetened bread. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The new sandwich from M&S is inspired by Japanese 'fruit sando', which are otherwise known as fruit sandwiches. M&S unveils a brand-new 'dessert sandwich' and it's already a hit with customers | Facebook - M&S However, strawberries and cream is a British dessert classic, usually enjoyed during the warmer months. Despite the sandwich including sweet foods, the Strawberry & Creme sandwich will actually be found in the savoury section at the M&S' Foodhall. M&S' Strawberry & Creme sandwich has already received praise from the public, including those who have already tried the sandwich, and those who haven't. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad M&S unveiled the brand-new sweet treat to its customers via a Facebook post, showcases an image of the sandwich. In the post, M&S wrote: 'New in the M&S Foodhall – WARNING: this summer stunner is going to be BERRY popular.' What has been the public reaction to M&S' new sweet sandwich? The reaction to M&S' Strawberry & Creme sandwich has been positive from customers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Facebook user said: 'I will definitely try this. Looks delicious.' Another wrote: 'Is it socially acceptable to go to my local store and buy all of them?' Other members of the public have urged M&S to make new variations of the Strawberry & Creme sandwich. Requests included; a gluten-free version, a vegan version, different bread types and different fruits. M&S' Strawberry & Creme sandwich is priced at £2.60 and is available to purchase at M&S Foodhall's across the UK now. If you have a food and drink story to share with us, we'd love to hear from you. You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
The Herald Scotland
11 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Is this the best Chinese food in Glasgow? I'm not so sure
Twenty minutes on the treadmill is surely a free pass for noodles and rice, right? I was a fan of this spot's previous incarnation as Salt & Chilli Oriental (also run by Lee), which had a relaxed street food feel and enormous portion sizes that would explain the pre-emptive exercise. The menu was short but sweet and no doubt driven by the city's enduring love affair with all things salt and chilli seasoning that sees restaurants and cafes sprinkle the stuff on everything from hash browns to 'haggis baws'. But Lychee is a different beast, vying to bring the cooler, more sophisticated vibes of its older sister restaurant, first established on Mitchell Street in 2015, to the Southside. While the interiors of the split-level venue on Kilmarnock Road have barely changed, the food offering is now hugely expanded, drawing inspiration from Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisines. On a Wednesday evening, the place is busy with a mix of families, larger groups and couples. We're shown upstairs, where a tight fit between tables is just on the right side of cosy rather than cramped, before ordering a couple of soft drinks. On another occasion, I'd have been drawn to the cocktail section of Singapore Slings or Lychee Cosmos, which sit at a reasonable £8.50 each. There's a selection of salt and chilli dishes available at Lychee, so we're going for a portion of the squid starter (£7.50) to see if they've still got it, as well as Yuk Sung, spicy minced pork and chicken served with little gem lettuce leaves (£8.50). Though we've not requested them, a small bowl of prawn crackers arrives to munch on as we wait. Some early bonus points there. But, oh dear, that squid is looking awful peely-wally against cubes of green pepper and fiery chilli as our server approaches with the starters. Pictured: Starters of Salt and Chilli squid and Yuk Sung (Image: Newsquest) Close up, it's not much better. Whatever has happened between the journey from the kitchen to our table, there's not a hint of crunch left in these chunky strips of battered seafood slick with oil. There's a good hit of salt and chilli from a surface dusting of dry seasoning, but otherwise the spicy, moreish flavour fails to carry through to the rest of the plate. The Yuk Sung is more appealing. Mixed mince is firm and meaty, holding up in a bowl of soupy sauce that's to be spooned onto boats of lettuce leaves and eaten by hand. With the addition of pickled red cabbage, it's fun and fresh, if nothing more. My confidence in Lychee has been shaken slightly by the time the half-finished plates are cleared, but there's a lot of hope reserved for the main dishes. Pictured: Main dishes selected from the Specialities section of the menu at Lychee Oriental (Image: Newsquest) Both selected from the 'Specialities' section of the menu, the chicken claypot (£14.50) and roast duck (£18.50) are served in identical ceramic dishes. They won't win any prizes for presentation, but with this kind of food, looks don't matter all that much. It's all about the big, punchy flavours that emerge as you get stuck in. After a few spoonfuls of each, I'm still searching. Slices of duck are served with oyster sauce and mushrooms, while the claypot chicken, which sounded like the most adventurous of options on the menu, shares its red beancurd base with cloud fungus and Chinese sausage. The latter is my favourite of the pair, the delicate mushroom caps of cloud fungus and slivers of sausage adding intrigue and layers of texture where bland chicken pieces fall short. But there's not an awful lot that differentiates the taste of these two seemingly contrasting dishes aside from a hint of sweet nuttiness from the redbean. Come to think of it, I'm not sure that in a blind taste test they would be all that distinguishable from the sauce in the Yuk Sung starter either. Eaten with side dishes of wok noodles (£4.50) and egg-fried rice (£4.00), this trio could be from any local takeaway I've tried over the years, rather than a sit-down spot that aims to serve 'the very best Chinese food in Glasgow'. I wonder if we would have had more luck choosing from the crowd pleasers, like Hong Kong sweet and sour or crispy lemon chicken while picking out the best bits of mangetout and tofu skin from the leftovers. Read more: We'll remain seated a while after admitting defeat, but with no offer of a dessert menu, decide to forgo any sweets this time round rather than catching a server's attention. They've been incredibly attentive all night, so this feels like a small oversight rather than a real inconvenience, and we're keen to give them the table back as the restaurant starts to fill up. A quick check on social media later indicates that banana fritters could be the star of their sweet selection, so if that's your thing, be sure to hang around for pudding. I'm not sure what prompted chef Jimmy Lee's decision to transform his Salt & Chilli restaurant into a second Lychee branch, but as we leave, I feel a small pang of sorrow for the demise of a failsafe favourite. I suppose you never really do appreciate what you have until it's gone. Menu: It's a tantalising selection of dishes ranging from crowd pleasers like crispy lemon chicken to more adventurous claypot dishes. Plenty to choose from. 4/5 Service: Aside from a slight hiccup with the lack of dessert menu at the end, the team here is amiable and attentive. 4/5 Atmosphere: The upstairs of the restaurant is cosy, but there's not much room as bigger tables start to arrive. We never quite settle in before feeling we should vacate our seats. 3/5 Price: Lack of wow factor means £18.50 for the roast duck feels steep, but overall prices here aren't bad. They also run a set menu and lunch deals if you're watching your budget. 3/5 Food: I fully expected a knockout meal from Lychee Oriental, but found nothing to rave about in any of our dishes. 5/10 Total: 19/30 Lychee Oriental is located at 67 Kilmarnock Road in Glasgow.
Glasgow Times
13 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Shetland's first Japanese cafe relocates to Glasgow
On the other side of the counter is a man I recognise from social media as Terence Tsao, who co-founded the original shop in Lerwick alongside Emilu Hasegawa with the aim of bringing a Japanese bakery experience to Shetland. It's no doubt warmer still working behind the coffee machine, yet Tsao is all smiles as he prepares a couple of iced coffees for takeaway customers in Shawlands. They've unfortunately sold out of the onigiri croissants (which have been causing a stir on Instagram in the run-up to opening) I'll hear him repeat a few times throughout my visit. But not to worry, there's still plenty of cream-filled matcha cake to go around. On top of that, there's a pastel-toned menu on each of the tables, listing fluffy pancake dishes for breakfast, sandos and salads prepared in the kitchen by Hasegawa. I'd imagine there's not much room to spare in the prep area of this small unit on Minard Road, once occupied by Silk Road Deli, but they're coping well with a steady stream of orders. Struggling in the heat, I decide to investigate the Kagigori shaved ice desserts, which come in a range of three different flavours with toppings like red bean and matcha, or fresh strawberry and crushed Oreos. Only available to sit in, these cartoonish, colourful creations are heaps of fun and sure to appeal to any young visitors. My choice is inspired by Mount Fuji, with a blue raspberry base that's topped with homemade ice cream to emulate a snowy peak and a scattering of dainty mini mochi balls to finish the whole thing off. Heed my advice and get stuck in fast, as the delicate ice quickly melts into a pool of slush. Still enjoyable, just an awful lot harder to scoop. Not wanting to take up a seat for too long on opening week, I ask for my sando to go, leaving a little time to browse a small but brilliant selection of branded Showa merch like t-shirts, tote bags and coffee beans as I wait. The team clearly have an eye for design, echoed in the shop interior that's been kitted out with retro figurines and bold, graphic prints. "It's a place we've made with care, and we hope you'll feel it the moment you step inside," they previously said after announcing plans to move Showa from Shetland to Glasgow late last year, and they've very much succeeded in this. Pictured: A takeaway sando from Showa Coffee House in Shawlands (Image: Newsquest) Resisting the urge to splurge, for now, I walk back out into the sunshine with a takeaway box containing the 'Onsen Egg Hamu Sando'. Thin slices of doughy white bread hold together layers of cheese, ham and a soy-marinated soft-boiled egg sliced through the middle so that its gooey, yellow centre oozes slowly when pressed. With lashings of kewpie mayo and a little crunch from thinly shredded lettuce, it's a solid lunch offering. I've got my eye on the chicken katsu version for future visits, though the 'beef and egg wee group pancakes' with square sausage, cheese omelette, a touch of golden syrup and a spoonful of beans is hard to ignore. I can safely say that's the first time I've seen this combination of breakfast items on a menu, and it begs to be investigated. In Shawlands, where a high concentration of independent coffee shops and cafes can make it difficult to stand out from the crowd, the wonderfully quirky Showa is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. Showa Coffee House is located at 34 Minard Road. Find them on social media @showacoffeehouse.
