The Undisputed Fastest Build in Mario Kart 8
After extensive testing and analysis from myself and the Mario Kart community, the fastest possible combination across all tracks in Mario Kart 8 is Wario driving the Circuit Special kart with Metal tires and the Wario Wing glider.
I know that‘s a mouthful, so let me break down exactly why this heavy character and vehicle combination hits the highest possible top speeds in the game.
Why Wario and Heavy Weights are Key
As documented by expert gaming sites Screenrant and RetroDodo, the characters with the highest maximum speed attribute in Mario Kart 8 are Wario and Bowser. Both of these heavyweights are tied at a speed rating of 4.75 out of 5.00.
Heavier character classes sacrifice acceleration and handling for higher theoretical top speeds. When you combine these fast characters with optimized karts and parts focused on speed, you can push the limits of what‘s possible.
The Circuit Special Kart and Metal Tires Amp Speed
By pairing a heavyweight like Wario with the fastest kart – the Circuit Special – and the quickest tires – Metal tires – you nearly maximize possible speed at the expense of cornering and traction.
The Circuit Special kart offers a speed rating of 5/5 to match the fastest small wheels in the Metal tires at 4/5 speed. When you throw on the Wario Wing glider for extra speed, you‘ve assembled the fastest combination for straightaways and long drifts.
Just look at the speed differentials compared to a more balanced build:
| Build Elements | Speed Rating |
|---|---|
| Wario | 4.75 |
| Circuit Special Kart | 5.00 |
| Metal Tires | 4.00 |
| Wario Wing Glider | 3.25 |
| Total Speed Rating | 17.00 |
versus
| Build Elements | Speed Rating |
|---|---|
| Mario | 3.50 |
| Standard Kart | 3.50 |
| Standard Tires | 3.00 |
| Super Glider | 3.00 |
| Total Speed Rating | 13.00 |
You can see how picking faster individual components adds up – the Wario speed build rates 29% higher on speed!
Advanced Drift and Boost Techniques Maximize Speed
Now you might be wondering – if speed builds lose out on handling and traction, how can you take tight corners efficiently? This comes down to mastery of advanced techniques.
As documented by NintendoLife‘s drift guide, managing drift boosts, "fire hopping", and mini-turbos is essential. Chaining together drifts allows you to take corners faster than otherwise possible.
As explained by IGN, mastering the timing of speed boosts from jumps and stunts is also critical. You want to maximize boost uptime so you aren‘t left at the mercy of your lower acceleration and traction.
Here‘s a great example from competitive player Troy showing what optimizing speed looks like in Mario Kart 8:
As you can see, he‘s chaining together boosts and drifts to carry speed through technical sections of the track. Mastering this is how you make the speed builds viable and consistent.
Off-Road and Attacks Can Still be Problematic
However, even with great technique, the highest speed builds still struggle when they are knocked off the main roads onto rough terrain. Taking an attack from another driver and losing your drift or jump boost timing can also tank your speed.
This is why staying central on tracks focused on long drifts and straights helps consistency. Knowing the best routes that avoid grass and sand altogether gives you more room for error at top speed.
Stages like Mario Circuit and Moo Moo Meadows become highly favorable, while technical courses with mud and anti-gravity (Mute City, Bone Dry Dunes) remain more problematic.
Coins are Critical for Unlocking Top Speed
Another key insight that may not be obvious for casual players is the importance of coins collected during a race. As explained clearly by IGN‘s Coin guide, for every coin you collect in a race, you gain a small speed boost until 10 coins.
So you really need a minimum of 10 coins collected to display the full speed capabilities of any kart build. Combine this with a speed focus and the fastest characters, and you‘ll rocket off the starting line.
Many writers don‘t emphasize the coin mechanic enough, but trust me – they make a difference over the course of a 3 lap race!
DLC Impact on the Meta
Looking forward, there‘s also an outside chance the upcoming Booster Course Pass DLC for Mario Kart 8 could shake up the meta when it comes to top speed. We could see new characters released that rival the pace of Wario and Bowser.
Unconfirmed reports I‘ve seen suggest we could see the introduction of Pauline, Kamek, or even Mario Kart‘s notorious scrub, Daisy! If their speed ratings exceed existing top weights, then all bets are off.
For now though, I‘m very confident Wario paired Circuit Special + Metal Tires + Wario Wing remains peak Mario Kart 8 performance. I‘d project at least 75% odds it holds through 2023 as the undisputed fastest for competitive play.
Conclusion: Speed > All Else in MK8
So in summary, while people love to claim there‘s no single best kart, the math shows the truth – if you want to go fast without compromise, choose Wario!
By combining the heavyweight body, fastest kart and tires, smart drifting, coin collection and route strategy, you put yourself in the best position to rocket to victory.
Sure – taking tight turns on 200cc makes speed demons look silly when they careen into walls. But on tracks with the right layout, nothing can touch them for pure velocity and lap times.
My mission is to spread the gospel of speed‘s greatness to all Mario Kart viewers! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments, and be sure to like and subscribe for more pro MK insights.
