Editing Rocket Start

{{distinguish|Start Dash}}

[[File:Rocket Start (Mario Kart 8).jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|The Rocket Start in action, as seen in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'']]

{{quote2|Get off to a Rocket Start! To launch from the starting grid at a high speed, press and hold {{button|ns|A}} at just the right moment during the countdown.|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' in-game manual}}

'''Rocket Start''' (also referred to as '''Turbo Start''',<ref>''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' Instruction Booklet, page 26</ref> '''Boost Start''', or '''Head Start''') is a technique used in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], as well as the racing games of the [[Donkey Kong (franchise)|''Donkey Kong'' franchise]] such as ''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]''. It is a powerful burst of speed that occurs at the beginning of each and every race, which easily accelerate racers to top speed from standing still. It is executed by holding the acceleration button at the correct time in the starting countdown, with each game having different timing to do so, although the general timing of the technique in most games is to press the button sometime when the number '''2''' or equivalent appears on-screen. If the player holds the button too early and over-revs when the final beep sounds, the player's vehicle will backfire and stall for a few seconds at the beginning of the course (sometimes known as a '''Dud Start''' or '''Fail Start''').

==Strength==

[[File:Rocket Start MK7.png|thumb|The strength of the rocket start determines how long it'll last after the match starts.]]

Since ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', the strength of the Rocket Start depends on the power of the rev is currently at the moment before '''START'''/'''GO!''' appears onscreen. For example, if the player starts to rev when the countdown reaches '''2''', depending on when the player started to hold down the acceleration button when '''2''' was onscreen, the duration of the technique can be roughly between half a second to two seconds long, indicated by the flames coming off of the exhaust pipes of the vehicle. In other words, if the player starts to rev right at the moment when the countdown reaches '''2''', the resulting rocket start would be longer than if the player started to rev half a second after the '''2''' came onscreen.

{{br}}

[[File:MK7RocketStartReady.jpg|thumb|Holding {{button|3ds|A}} or {{button|3ds|Y}} while '''2''' appears onscreen in ''Mario Kart 7'' is one way of performing the technique.]]

{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 align="center" style="background:#ffffbb; color:black; text-align:center" width=75%

!colspan="1" style="background:gold"|Game

!colspan="1" style="background:gold"|Control

!colspan="1" style="background:gold"|Timing

!colspan="1" style="background:gold"|Failure

|''[[Super Mario Kart]]''||Hold {{button|snes|B}}||Right as the beep sound from the first light stops||Kart's tires spin and accelerates slowly at the start

|''[[Mario Kart 64]]''||Hold {{button|n64|A}} or tap it three times in sync with the lights||When the light turns blue||Kart's tires spin with no forward movement

|''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''||Hold {{button|gba|A}}||rowspan="2" |When the light turns green||Kart accelerates slowly at the start

|''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''||Hold or tap {{button|gcn|A}}||Sparks appear between tires and ground and kart does not move

|''[[Mario Kart DS]]''||Hold {{button|ds|A}}||rowspan="2" |When number "2" starts fading||rowspan="5" |Kart's engine backfires and stalls for a second or two

|''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''||With [[Wii#Wii Wheel|Wii Wheel]] or [[Wii#Wii Remote|Wii Remote]] – {{button|wii|2}} <br> With [[Wii#Classic Controller|Classic Controller]] {{button|wii|cca}} <br> With [[Nintendo GameCube#Nintendo GameCube Controller|GameCube Controller]] – {{button|gcn|A}} <br> With [[Wii#Wii Remote|Wii Remote]] and [[Wii#Nunchuk|Nunchuck]] – {{button|wii|A}}

|''[[Mario Kart 7]]''||Hold {{button|3ds|A}} or {{button|3ds|Y}}||rowspan="3" |When number "2" fully appears

|''[[Mario Kart 8]]''||With [[Wii U#Wii U GamePad|Wii U GamePad]]/[[Wii U#Wii U Pro Controller|Wii U Pro Controller]]– {{button|wiiu|A}}, {{button|wiiu|Y}} or {{button|wii|CCStickR}} (tilt forward) <br> With [[Wii#Wii Wheel|Wii Wheel]] or [[Wii#Wii Remote|Wii Remote]] – {{button|wii|2}} <br> With [[Wii#Wii Remote|Wii Remote]] and [[Wii#Nunchuk|Nunchuck]] – {{button|wii|A}}|

|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''|| With [[Nintendo Switch#Joy-Con|Joy-Con]] R - {{button|ns|x}} <br> With Joy-Con L - {{button|ns|Right}} (what would players actually view as up)<br> With Dual Joy-Cons, Joy-Con Grip Controller, [[Nintendo Switch#Nintendo Switch Pro Controller|Nintendo Switch Pro Controller]], [[Nintendo Switch]] (handheld mode) - {{button|ns|A}}

*''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP]]'' – Same as ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' and ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!''.

*''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'' - Pressing down on the accelerator when "1" appears on the screen.

{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 align="center" style="background:wheat; color:black; text-align:center" width=75%

!colspan="1" style="background:#9C6936"|Game

!colspan="1" style="background:#9C6936"|Control

!colspan="1" style="background:#9C6936"|Timing

!colspan="1" style="background:#9C6936"|Failure

|''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]''||Press {{button|N64|A}}||As soon as the words "Get Ready" has almost completely faded||rowspan="2" |Vehicle accelerates slowly at the start

|''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]''||Press {{button|DS|A}}||As soon as the word "Go" appears onscreen

|''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]''||Shake the {{button|wii|Wiimote}} and {{button|wii|Nunchuk}} simultaneously||Right as the word "Start" appears onscreen||The player may either accelerate slowly or jump by accident

==Double Dash==

[[File:DoubleDash-MKDD.png|thumb|upright=1.1|right|The Double Dash in action at [[Mushroom Bridge]]]]

The '''Double Dash'''<ref>''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' Player's Guide, page 25</ref> is a technique that can be performed only in the co-op play mode of ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', which is named after the game's subtitle. Both players must press {{button|gcn|A}} at the same time when the light on Lakitu's starting signal turns green to perform this technique, which launches the kart at a higher speed. Blue flames follow the kart, showing that the technique was performed correctly.

==Official descriptions==

'''''Mario Kart 64'''''

*'''Instruction booklet:''' "''When you start, if you press the {{button|n64|A}} Button when the signal changes from red to blue, you can make a dash start at maximum speed (called a "Rocket Start"). But if you press too early, the tires will spin and you will start even slower, so be careful.''"

'''''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'''''

*'''Instruction booklet:''' "''If you press the {{button|gba|A}} button at just the right moment before the light turns green, you'll start the race with a huge burst of speed.''"

'''''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'''''

*'''Instruction booklet (Rocket Start):''' "''If you press {{button|gcn|A}} just as Lakitu's start signal turns green, you'll perform a Rocket Start.''"

*'''Instruction booklet (Double Dash):''' "''In co-op play you can get an even better launch if both the front and rear perform a Rocket Start at the same time. This is called a Double Dash.''"

'''''Mario Kart DS'''''

*'''Instruction manual:''' "''During the countdown to the start, hold {{button|ds|A}} down with the right timing to rev up your engine and give yourself a burst of speed off the starting line.''"

'''''Mario Kart Wii'''''

*'''Instruction manual:''' "''Press and hold {{button|wii|2}} at just the right time during the countdown to rev up your engine and give yourself a burst of speed off the starting line.''"

'''''Mario Kart 7'''''

*'''Digital manual:''' "''If you press and hold {{button|3ds|Y}} or {{button|3ds|A}} at just the right time during the starting countdown, you will launch off the starting line much faster than normal.''"

'''''Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'''''

*'''Digital manual (''MK8''):''' "''Get off to a Rocket Start! To launch from the starting grid at a high speed, press and hold {{button|wiiu|A}} at just the right moment during the countdown.''"

*'''In-game manual (''MK8D''):''' "''Get off to a Rocket Start! To launch from the starting grid at a high speed, press and hold {{button|ns|A}} at just the right moment during the countdown.''"

*'''Guide (''MK8''):''' "''Timing a perfect Rocket Start can determine the whole nature of a Grand Prix race's first lap, and this technique is essential for posting record-breaking Time Trials. When Lakitu begins the countdown, start accelerating when "2" is on screen and the second red light is lit. If this is well timed, you'll have a perfect Rocket Start.''"

*'''Guide (''MK8D''):''' "''Timing a perfect Rocket Start can determine the whole nature of a Grand Prix race’s first lap, and this technique is essential for posting record-breaking Time Trials. Pay attention to Lakitu’s countdown, and begin accelerating immediately after the “2” appears onscreen, accompanied by a tone. Properly done, you’ll rocket off the line with a Mushroom-like boost. If you begin accelerating too soon, as the tone sounds and the 2 appears, rather than just after, you’ll stall at the starting line.''"

Rocket Start (Diddy Kong Racing).jpeg|''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]''

Rocket Start (Mario Kart Super Circuit).png|''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''

Rocket Start (Mario Kart Double Dash!!).png|''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''

Rocket Start (Mario Kart Wii).png|''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''

Rocket Start (Mario Kart 8).jpg|''[[Mario Kart 8]]''

RainbowRoadPaperMarioColorSplash.jpg|''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''

Rocket Start (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe).jpeg|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''

MK8-Line-Mario-Start.gif|Animated art of Mario performing a Rocket Start

|Spa=Salida rapida<br>Turbosalida

|SpaM=Fast Start<br>Turbo Start

|Por=Inicio a Jato

|PorM=Rocket Start

|Rus=Быстрый старт

|RusR=Bystryy start

|RusM=Fast Start

|Fra=Départ turbo<br>Départ canon

|FraM=Turbo Start<br>Rocket Start

|Dut=Raket Start

|DutM=Rocket Start

|Ita=Partenza a razzo

|ItaM=Rocket Start

|Chi=火箭起步

|ChiR=Huǒjiàn Qǐbù

|ChiM=Rocket Start}}

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[[Category:Game Mechanics]]

[[Category:Mario Kart Series Moves]]