There are 6 new cups and 6 retro cups, the latter featuring 3 tracks from Super Mario Kart, 64, Super Circuit, and DS, and four tracks from Double Dash!!, Wii, and 7. Slipstream: Stay behind an opponent long enough to get a speed boost by drafting.Double Dash: In two-player co-op, have both players do a rocket start.Tricks: Shake the controller on a jump.Rocket Start: Press and hold A as the countdown before the race gets to 2 (3, 2 (push here), 1, GO!.Glide: Use a P-Wing or get on a blue ramp and move the control stick.Mini-Turbo: Drift long enough for blue sparks to appear, then orange, then red.There are many techniques in the game, all of which can be performed using The Future Nintendo's vertasile controller, which can morph into seventeen different forms, but only the main one is used in Mario Kart ULTIMATE. In Double Dash mode, 8 and 12 are not usable and 16 and 24 feature 8 and 12 karts, respectively. There can be 8, 12, 16, or 24 racers on the track at a single time. Also, this is the first game where the number of people in a race can vary. If the player's gas meter drops and he/she hasn't found one of the fifty gas tanks scattered around the course, Lakitu will also stop him/her to refill them. If a flat tire occurs (by a sudden collison or bumpy and jagged road), Lakitu will stop the player briefly to change their tire out. This game also introduces tire pressure and gas as a factor. There are also several new modes, listed below.
This game sports the greatest number of characters (49) and items (35). Firstly, four new cups have been added to accomodate retro courses, and this is the first Mario Kart where DLC will be usable. There are many new elements in this game. Also, similar to Mario Kart Wii, up to four players can simultaneously play VS, Battle, or go online. Speaking of special items, they also return from Double Dash!!, each pair having their own. Gliding can be activated by using a blue ramp, or instantly with a P-Wing, which is Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa's special item. Gliding returns, though underwater doesn't.
It also has the kart format of each player having their own karts at their disposal from Mario Kart DS, instead of having to use karts shared by the character's size class. Two people in a kart from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! returns as well, being unlockable for later use.
It brings back the Poison Mushroom, which was only used in Super Mario Kart. It brings back tracks from each Mario Kart game. Gameplay will be similar to previous installments. 5.1 Standard Items (Everyone can use them).