What does it take to “beat” the single player Grand Prix and Knockout Tour modes in Mario Kart World? For some, simply finishing Rainbow Road and rolling the credits is enough to call it a day. For others, maybe you want to get gold trophies in every cup on 150cc, or even Mirror Mode if you know how to unlock it. But what if that’s not enough? What if you want bragging rights that well and truly signaled to the world “I’ve conquered this?” That’s what your Star Rank is for.
In short, your Star Rank is the extra stars you might see next to your gold trophies in both the single-player Grand Prix and Knockout Tour. The better you did during that particular challenge, the more stars you’ll earn (up to a maximum of three). If it sounds straightforward, that’s because… it kind of is. Still, critical details about this system are never explained in-game, so if you’re looking to earn a three-star rank on every cup in single-player mode, here’s what you need to know.
How do you get three stars in Grand Prix in Mario Kart World?
Similar to past Mario Kart games, your star rank in Grand Prix mode depends on your final point tally at the end of the final race. 54 points gets you one star, 57 points gets you two stars, and 60 points gets you the full three stars. To put that in straightforward terms, getting three stars requires finishing first in all four races of a single cup.
How do you get a three-star rank in Knockout Tour in Mario Kart World?
Since Knockout Tour is new to Mario Kart World, the rules here are a little different than the series’ standard Grand Prix mode. In lieu of a proper point system, your Star Rank is instead determined by your position when you pass through each of the checkpoints that kicks out the bottom four players from the race. To get three stars in Knockout Tour, you have to be in first when you pass through each of these checkpoints.
Yes, that includes the first one, so you’ll have to dash from 24th to 1st fast!
Your Star Rank in a higher difficulty will count as completion for all previous difficulties as well
If you want to get three stars in every cup in Grand Prix and Knockout Tour modes, your first instinct may be to start from 50cc and work your way up from there. After all, you might as well save the hardest stuff for last, right? Well, if you’re confident enough in your skills to pump up the difficulty ASAP, all Star Ranks are retroactive across all previous difficulties. That is to say, if you get three stars in a cup in 150cc, you’ll see your 50cc and 100cc completion appear as three stars as well. Conversely, if you get three stars in 50cc and only one star in 150cc, your previous record won’t be overwritten.
Mirror Mode also grants retroactive star rankings. This hasn’t been the case in past Mario Kart games, but a Mirror Mode max Star Rank in Mario Kart World will also carry over to 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc if you haven’t already done so. In other words, if you’re trying to get your bragging rights as fast as possible and you think you’re ready for it, you can immediately start in Mirror Mode.
What do you get for getting three stars in every cup in Mario Kart World?
Nothing! Absolutely nothing!
I’ve been calling this a bragging right for a reason. Much like most tasks in Free Roam mode, earning a max Star Rank is a challenge that exists for its own sake. This might be disappointing for longtime Kart fans, as previous games would often signify your accomplishment with some kind of reward. But here, you won’t even see a congratulations message for pulling off this feat.
Tips for getting three stars in Mario Kart World
If you’d like to press on to get a suite of maxed out Star Ranks despite knowing there is no reward attached, here are a few quick tips to propel yourself into first place (usually).
1: Practice. It sounds obvious, but the more you know which twists and turns are ahead of you on a track, the better equipped you’ll be to blow past the competition without slamming headfirst into a wall. The Time Trial mode comes equipped with ghosts for each track that you can study, and if you’re feeling adventurous you can load the ghost data of whoever holds the world record in a track too.
2: Focus on getting coins at the start. The more coins you have, the faster you’ll go. And the faster you’ll go, you’ll… I don’t need to explain why going fast matters in a racing game, right? You can stop going out of your way for coins once you have 10-15, and by the final lap you should focus on cutting tight corners as you approach the finish line.
3: Prioritize shortcuts. This is especially important for Knockout Tour, as you’ll need to make up a lot of ground to go from 24th to 1st before hitting the first checkpoint. Fortunately, players in a lower place will get better items from item boxes, and the first item you’ll usually get in Knockout Tour is a Mushroom (or something else that boosts your speed). Look for any turns that you can speed right across, and don’t be afraid to hold your item if it means waiting for that right moment.
4: Manage your items. As mentioned above, racers further back will get better items. And if you’re on a tear blazing past the competition with three red shells around you, you might want to use them strategically to specifically target opponents you can’t catch. Alternatively, you might want to hold at second so you don’t get targeted by a Blue Shell. Conversely, once you’re in 1st, the name of the game is defense. Shells and feathers can prevent you from taking a hit from red shells, and the Superhorn can break Blue Shells before they hit you. Try to have at least one defensive item ready at all times.
5: Be patient. No matter how good you are or how well you race, you can and will fail to get a three-star rank simply because you got hit with the wrong items at the wrong time. After all, there’s a reason the term “Mario Karted” is common internet slang. It can be incredibly frustrating and defeating when it happens, so just accept that a few bouts of impossibly bad luck are just going to happen and give it a try another time.
Remember, this challenge only exists for fun, and you should probably take a break if you’re not enjoying it. Take some time to grind coins or pull off some super cool stunts, and come back to it when you feel ready. Getting three stars wouldn’t be a bragging right if there was nothing to brag about!
