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A basic guide on how to perform a clean drift and getting the boost afterward.
Drifting Like a Pro & Getting the Boost
Keys
This guide is particularly written for keyboard users, but the same principles apply no matter what interface you use to race. Here are the keys for certain actions here:
- Drift Key – Shift
- Item Key – Control
- Accelerate – Up arrow -OR- W key
Turn Off Aids and Auto Settings
We’re going to do this the professional way; as a result, you’ll need to turn off all driving aids and assists in the settings to gain full control over your drifts and angles.
Getting the Drift Down
How Does Drifting Work?
Pressing or holding Shift will trigger a drift. Drifting allows you to make sharper turns and also charges your nitro boost gauge faster in Speed mode. Performing a perfect drift will also give you a small speed boost.
Getting the Right Angle
Note that the longer you hold Shift, the touchier your turn will be. By tapping shift while turning right, you can hold down your right arrow key with no fear of turning too sharp and spinning out.
If you hold shift, holding down your right arrow key with it will trigger a very sharp turn which will likely throw you into the wall.
Holding shift longer is useful for getting sharp turns, but be sure to release it before you spin out.
Finishing the Drift
Release shift if you haven’t already. Straighten your kart by counter steering, which is simply turning left after a right hand drift, or turning right after a left hand drift.
Achieving the Extra Boost
Getting the Boost
By finishing a perfect drift, you can perform a little boost that brings you back up to speed.
To achieve this boost, accelerate right as your drift finishes. Right after your counter turn to straighten up is finished, release the accelerating key and immediately press it down again. Timing it correctly will give you a short boost.
Performing Fast Drifts and Maintaining Speed
Nitro Boost
Drifting is a crucial aspect of Speed mode, as it decreases the time until your next nitro boost tremendously. Using a nitro boost just before a drift will give a wider, longer, and faster drift that will fill up the nitro gauge much more than a drift without the boost.
This also allows you to maintain top speed on a drift. Doing so is just like a normal drift, but you generally only need to tap shift instead of holding it when using nitro on a drift to maintain better control.
Be sure not to let off of the accelerator while drifting as that will cancel the boost. You can tap the accelerator at the end of the drift to get that bonus boost, but missing the timing will mess up your speed.
The End
And that’s basically it! The best way to learn drifting is to try it out yourself as not every aspect of a drift can be explained easily.
I’ll be updating this guide as I learn more tips to drifting. Thanks for reading!