A speed boosting trick that many Mario Kart 8 players used to their advantage on Wii U is reportedly gone from the Nintendo Switch version. GameXplain test drove Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, out later this month, and found that the infamous “fire hopping” technique is no longer possible.
Fire hopping worked in Mario Kart 8 by using a mushroom item to apply a speed boost and then flipping the joystick rapidly in alternating directions right at the end. If done correctly, a racer will maintain their momentum until a player brakes or gets knocked off the track. The move was quickly polarizing when it was discovered shortly after the game’s launch, with many considering an unfair exploit that tipped the balance of competitive online matches.
Nintendo eventually released an update that toned down the effects of fire hopping, although it didn’t seem to work. Players only noticed a change when playing on the speedy 200cc courses, also included in the update; otherwise, they could continue to mine a little extra momentum by hopping around the track.
For Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, players will have to look for another way to cop an easy and indefinite speed boost. GameXplain tried to recreate the fire hopping trick in the Switch game to no avail.
There’s a note at the end of the video, though:
“I am a beginner at the technique, so I can’t definitely say that it’s 100 percent gone, but if there’s any remnant of it left here, it’s been toned down so dramatically as to not matter.”
Based on GameXplain’s playthrough, it definitely looks like fire hopping can’t lend players the same kind of extra speed. That’s one less thing to worry about in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for anyone wanting to keep competitions fair ... at least, until players discover a new, comparable trick. The game’s out April 28.
