Mario Kart Wii Intentional Shortcuts

Luigi Circuit

When you reach the sandy patch, cut to the ramp and you can do a nice trick off it to gain a quick boost.

Mushroom Gorge

Go to the left near the start, and you can see some bouncy mushrooms. Bounce to the bridge.

Mario Circuit

By the chain chomp, boost to the ramp and jump then do a trick to cut the grassy area.

Coconut Mall Alternate Routes:

Area 1: Downward elevator 1;

1. Go down the elevator to the turning.
2. Use the two boost pads to the right of the elevator.
3. Go to the left, through a shop and along the top floor.

Area 2: Outside Garden

1. Go straight and do tricks off the fountain and trees.
2. Go to the left, and use the sneakily hidden boost pad.

Area 3: Outside Exits

1. Go to the left, use the boost pad and shoot off the roof (and it says, 'have a nice day!'
2. Go to the right, past the shops and use the mall front exit...

DK's Snowboard Cross

After the bumps and ramps, head to the fence and power slide. Then use a mushroom or boost and you should at one point be able to jump the mini canyon, as in, cut the corner and keep going.

Wario's Gold Mine

Follow the gold carts. They'll take a left from the normal route, so follow and you'll go down a tunnel with loads of booster pads which takes you out to the finish line.

Daisy Circuit

After a few turns, you'll see an opening in a building. Use a mushroom to boost in and up the steps where you'll fly into the roundabout section off a ramp where you can do a trick for a boost!

Koopa Cape

When in the river section, you can use a ramp to jump an area of grass and a side path, or go through a hollow shell for an item, or through an arch towards another shell for a minor corner cutter.

Maple Treeway

Near the start, take a sharp right through the hole in the fence, and follow the path along booster pads for an alternate route to the cannon.

At the end, after the net, go right and through the hollow tree and along the path for a nice booster ramp sending you speeding towards the finish.

Dry Dry Ruins

At the end, you can cut the last corner between the rocks with a mushroom.

Moonview Highway

Early on, you can go up the bank to a higher path with a boost ramp.

Rainbow Road

After the bumpy road and ramp, you can use a mushroom or trick boost to jump the two large holes in the centre of the road. You can also then, at the next bend, cut to the left to skip part of the bend.

After the corkscrew type section, there is a secondary road to the left. Take it,

Peach Beach

There is a Pianta on a box near the beach, and just behind it is a nice booster ramp to use to head towards the island! You can then take the island shortcut from Double Dash, although it's quicker to race through the main area...

Ghost Valley 2

There is a hole in the wall part way through with a small wooden ramp. A wheelie, mini turbo or mushroom should take you across and cut the nearby corner.

Mario Raceway

Part way through, you can boost to a blue ramp in the grass to the left which you can do tricks off of.

Sherbet Land

To the right of the large rock structure part way through is a boost ramp to do tricks off of.

Shy Guy Beach

Part way through, you can boost across an island in the middle of the water.

By the end of the race, there is a very narrow path to the left on the last island near the finish line. This seems a slightly quicker route...

Delfino Square

Both the dock and alley way shortcuts return from Mario Kart DS.

Desert Hills

Both the pyramid and final sand area shortcuts from the DS version return.

Bowser Castle 3

Like 2 on the DS, you can ride the walls again...

DK's Jungle Parkway

You can still cut the last mud patch in the cave...

Mario Circuit GCN

You can cut the grass behind the chain chomp with a mushroom.

Mario Circuit 3 SNES

Halfway through, there is a gap in the fence you can cut through with a mushroom.

DS Peach Gardens

Cut through the first flowerbed.

Or take the passages to the side of the second and final flowerbed.

You can also use the blue ramps near the monty moles at the end.

DK Mountain

After the first two sections with rolling boulders is a deep canyon/gore in the mountain. You can use a powerslide, mushroom or just driving to cut across this and cut the nearby hazardous corner.

Areas where you can ride walls for safety:

Coconut Mall (elevator rail)

Dry Dry Ruins (outside temple step rail)

Bowser Castle 3 (walls around the level)

Bowser Castle from Mario Kart 64 (some walls around the level)