This would be specifically in the context of Mario Kart Wii online, where players using bikes (so most players) are often wheelying for extra speed on straight roads. Staying right behind another to get a draft for extra speed is fairly common too. However, if you bump into someone or something while in a wheelie, you get significantly slowed down for a few seconds.
People usually just wheelie bump people from the side but on occasion when someone is behind me trying to get a draft, I’ve had the thought to suddenly drop my wheelie and slightly brake, causing them to lose a lot of speed, and then I can just start another wheelie.
Am I onto something or is there a reason nobody’s doing it?
No. The reason no one’s doing it is because it’s not worth it to slow down one person and let four others pass you.
consider a situation where maybe first and second are neck and neck, but with a fair bit of distance between them and the pack - it might be worth it in that case to make it less close, surely?
And what if they’re able to avoid you? It’s definitely not worth the risk. The meta for Mario Kart Wii is very mature and established. If the top players aren’t doing it, you can bet it’s not a good strategy.
To be fair, it is entirely possible that top players wouldn’t consider something to be a valid strategy only because they never tried it and what they know already works well. Why fix it if it aint broke kind of thinking can lead to this, where someone experimenting can discover something new.
This happens in speedrunning all the time, bunch of top players stagnate and then someone tries a weird new approach and shatters the record all the top players stagnated at previously. Only reason they stagnated is because they weren’t trying anything new, they were only doing what they already knew.
Thats not to say new experiments always work, but to just hand waive it away by saying “none of the top players are doing it so obviously it isnt a good strategy” is kind of an invalid remark. I think OP should do some tests and then determine if it works or not. Maybe they change the meta with it, the worst is they got to play Mario Kart trying a new stat for a while. No big deal.
fair enough, it was just something i came up with during my hours online but never dared to risk
It’s a risky move. In order for it to work, you’d have to use a character with good acceleration, but you’re likely losing top speed all the times you’re not brake checking. Also, if they see you brake and are able to get out of the way, you’re stopped on the track while they’re flying past.
iirc mach bike has decent acceleration, and thats what i use mostly, and ofc a complete stop woukd never be a good idea
No, becsuse a faster kart hitting you causes you to momentarily lose control, so why would anyone behind you slow down or try to avoid hitting you?
Unless that changed in 8. I have it but don’t play it much.
Only if you plan to dodge blue shell ( bc you don’t have defensive items) or bag.
Mario kart karts can turn a lot easier than real cars at speed.
wheelying does heavily restrict your handling
But you can go from a wheelie straight into a drift, which with inline bikes is a very tight curve
very true
Can’t wheelie in a kart. But I did read your post now.
By no means, am I an expert on Mario Kart, but what’s stopping you from trying it? I agree with other commenters that there’s probably a reason why others aren’t doing it, but the stakes seem pretty low, and you won’t know for sure until you try it. Sometimes, doing something abnormal in a game works
ive never thought to do it quickly enough, and im tryna not lose any VR
Ah, fair enough




