Ultra

The ultra, also referred to as KCP skipping and the checkpoint manipulation glitch, is the most prominent glitch in Mario Kart Wii. It contributes to the most timesave overall over No Glitch than any other glitch or exploit, and exists due to a developmental oversight within the checkpoint system code.

Technical explanation

Very very rough draft:

Every course in the game has a number of checkpoints (CP). Checkpoints are not single lines, but rather quadrilateral boxes which extend infinitely upward/downward, and connect to the checkpoint boxes both in front and behind of it. Checkpoints are typically placed quite frequently throughout tracks, and their primary purpose is to determine where a player respawns should they fall off.

Some of these checkpoint boxes are also key checkpoints (KCP), which are placed more sparingly. Key checkpoints were designed to ensure that laps were driven as intended. Unlike regular checkpoints, key checkpoints can't be skipped, or else the game will not count the lap.

In Mario Kart Wii, all Nintendo tracks have just one finish line per lap. The finish line is also a KCP box, and is designated as checkpoint 0 (CP0). To count a lap, the player must drive through all KCPs, including the finish line, in order. Additionally, there exists a failsafe to prevent KCPs from being skipped as easily as regular CPs. At any given time during a race, the KCPs that are loaded are 1) the KCP you are in, 2) the KCP in front of you, and, if you're in the KCP box itself, 3) the KCP behind you also.

The game has a counter (starting at 0) which increments by 1 for every KCP passed in a race. A KCP must be loaded in order for the counter to update.

For example, say that CP5 is the KCP2 box. In this scenario, the vehicle is in CP7, which is not a KCP. Your current KCP counter is at 2. If you wanted to skip to CP14, which is also the KCP4 box, the counter would not update. This is because the only KCP boxes loaded are the one in front, KCP3, and the one you're in, KCP2.

TO PLACE: an labelled image of an example checkpoint map.

History

The first track to have an ultra was Grumble Volcano. Discovered by Ridley on June 1, 2008, it involved driving one lap of the race around a raised rock to the left of the finish line, which had drivable collision.

"I have discover a new SC in Grumble Volcano
I can make a lap in 10 seconds
It's not a fake I make a time and you can take my ghost"
—Ridley, Mario Kart Message Boards.

Only hours later, it was proven possible on all 3 laps. On June 1 alone, 18 runs lowered the world record from 1:46.052 to 23.512. Later that month, player Green Bean (Japanese: インゲン) found the game's 2nd ultra shortcut, and unveiled a 55.141 on Mushroom Gorge.

Figuring out how these ultras worked would be crucial in determining viability on other courses. A, well-known modder, MrBean35000vr, figured out the basics of the game's checkpoint system around August 2008, and used this new knowledge to demonstrate an ultra on Wario's Gold Mine using speed hacks.

Popular culture

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Tracks with ultras

Main article: List of tracks with ultras

• Luigi Circuit
• Moo Moo Meadows
• Mushroom Gorge
• Mario Circuit
• Coconut Mall
• Wario's Gold Mine
• Daisy Circuit
• Koopa Cape
• Maple Treeway
• Grumble Volcano
• Dry Dry Ruins
• Moonview Highway
• Bowser's Castle
• Rainbow Road
• GCN Peach Beach
• DS Yoshi Falls
• SNES Ghost Valley 2
• N64 Mario Raceway
• N64 Sherbet Land
• GBA Shy Guy Beach
• GCN Waluigi Stadium
• DS Desert Hills
• GBA Bowser Castle 3
• N64 DK's Jungle Parkway
• GCN Mario Circuit*
• DS Peach Gardens
• N64 Bowser's Castle

* NOTE: GCN Mario Circuit's ultra is classified as an ultra longcut.