Revving Up to Rule 150cc: An Expert Guide to 3 Starring Grand Prix Races in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

As a hardcore Mario Kart racing fan, few feelings match the rush of barely sliding over the 150cc finish line in first to clinch that perfect 3 star Grand Prix rating. But as any veteran player knows, simply cranking up to 150cc isn‘t enough when the CPU competition shifts into frenzied overdrive. You need to fine-tune your entire approach.

That‘s why I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide so you can dominate 150cc with advanced strategies and unlock your inner racing champion. Let‘s get started!

Selecting Your Championship Winning Build

The foundation for any first place finish is putting together a winning package of driver, kart, tires and glider. According to extensive community testing, the Waluigi + Biddybuggy + Roller + Cloud Glider is the statistical top loadout, with the highest mini-turbo potential to rocket you out of drift fueled turns.

However, no single combination is objectively the best across all tracks due to varying course demands. For certain tricky technical sections, a build favoring handling over raw speed could claim gold. Test out multiple configurations in time trials to see what clicks with your racing style.

Statistical Top 5 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Builds

Mastering Drifts and Mini-Turbos

Simply racing around corners isn‘t enough for 150cc success; you need to aggressively drift into every plausible turn then utilize mini-turbos to launch ahead of the pack.

• Initiate drifts as soon as you enter a corner, don‘t wait. This allows you to charge the mini-turbo longer
• Time mini-turbo boosts for straight sections so the speed burst lasts longer
• Use tighter angles on straight drift sections to align boost direction
• Manage combinations into and out of multiple turn sequences

Here is a key example demonstrating how to string drifts together on Mario Circuit:

As highlighted above in green, maintaining mid-level mini-turbo charges between corners lets you carry speed much more effectively than lower level boosts.

Mastering Tracks: Optimal Routes and Shortcuts

To squeeze out victories on 150cc where Ai races near perfectly, you need to optimize every section of your drive. Analyzing the fastest time trial ghosts is incredibly valuable to understand where the maximum racing line and opportunities lie.

Here are two prime overtaking moments to target:

Sweet Sweet Canyon U-Turn

Approach from left and use mushrooms over sugar pile shortcut. Ai takes wide turn (see diagram).

Sunshine Airport Halfpipe

Trick off left side for massive airtime shortening course. Need well-timed tricks upon landing to build reserves.

I highly recommend watching world record replays on each track to spot areas you can shave seconds off. Gaining a few fractions per lap compounds to give you just enough of an edge.

Competitive Multiplayer Considerations

While much of the preceding advice translates directly, battling human players poses new challenges. The chaos of items evens out skill advantages, so optimizing usage is vital:

• Use defensive items preemptively based on race positions
• Target chain lighting and storms when packed together
• Trail bananas/shells to block on key overtaking sections
• Save speed boosts to break away or comeback

Analyzing your item and matchup strengths relative to the course is key. For example, Royal Raceway offers opportunities for giant banana mayhem off the central platform. identifying those winning moments translates into crucial points.

Closing Thoughts: Putting it All Together

Mastering 150cc leaves no room for wasted drifts, imprecise mini-turbos or uncertain racing lines. As covered above, focusing on your customized build, advanced techniques, smart racing strategy and competitive awareness will ultimately put you on the podium.

Now get out there, boost past those red shells fearlessly and surpass every AI racer until you clinch that glorious 3 star rating! Check back soon for more of my in-depth Mario Kart performance guides.