Rocket Start
Rocket Start (also referred to as Turbo Start or Boost Start) is a move used in all of the Mario Kart games. It is a short boost that occurs at the beginning of each and every race. It is executed by pressing the acceleration button in tune with the starting lights held by Lakitu. If the player over-revs when the final beep sounds, it will make the player's vehicle falter for a few seconds at the beginning of the course (sometimes known as a Dud Start).
Controls
To perform a Rocket Start, drivers must press and hold the corresponding acceleration button when a race is about to begin. How to use it depends on which installment in the series and which control scheme the player uses.
Main series
| Game | Control | Timing | Failure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Kart | Holding down  |
Between first and second light | Kart accelerates slowly at the start |
| Mario Kart 64 | Holding down  |
When the light turns blue | Kart steers left and right with no forward movement |
| Mario Kart: Super Circuit | Holding down  |
Kart accelerates slowly at the start | |
| Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | Holding down or tapping  |
When the light turns green | Sparks appear between wheel and ground and kart does not move |
| Mario Kart DS | Holding down  |
When number "2" fades | Kart's engine blows up and stops working for a second or two |
| Mario Kart Wii | With Wii Wheel or Wii Remote –  With Classic Controller  With GameCube Controller – With Wii Remote and Nunchuck – 
| ||
| Mario Kart 7 |  or 
| ||
| Mario Kart 8 | With Wii U GamePad/Wii U Pro Controller–  ,  or  (tilt forward) With Wii Wheel or Wii Remote – With Wii Remote and Nunchuck –
|
Arcade series
- Mario Kart Arcade GP – Same as Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, but with the gas pedal.
- Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 - Pressing down on the accelerator when "1" appears on the game screen, or same as Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
- Mario Kart Arcade GP DX – Same as Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.
Double Dash!!
The Double Dash!! 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 at the same time when the light turns green to perform this technique, which will make the kart be launched at a higher speed. A blue trail will follow the kart, showing that the technique was performed correctly. This move's control is slightly different to that of a normal Rocket Start.
Super Mario Galaxy
A form of Rocket Start appears in Super Mario Galaxy. At the beginning of a Cosmic Mario or Cosmic Luigi race, if the player holds the 
up, then 
when the timer hits 2, and then hits just as the race starts, Mario or Luigi will get an extra boost at the beginning of the race. This can be shown by a yellow color appearing on Mario or Luigi, shrinking gradually, showing the end of the speed boost.
Names in other languages
Rocket Start
Double Dash!!
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