Battle Mode is a multiplayer mode in all Mario Kart games. In Super Mario Kart to Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Battle Mode was only available in multiplayer. In Mario Kart DS and all games after that, Battle Mode could be a single player mode with computer players or a multiplayer mode with or without them.
Types[]
Balloon Battle[]
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A Balloon Battle in Mario Kart 8.
Balloon Battle is a type of Battle in which players have three Balloons and if they lose all of them, they are out. In Super Mario Kart to Mario Kart: Super Circuit, this was the only battle mode available. Balloons can be lost by getting hit by an Item, falling into a pit (where possible), getting hit by certain stage obstacles, or getting hit by a Mushroom boost, the last of which causes the player that used the boost to steal the other player's balloon. In Mario Kart DS, the rules were the same, however you start with one balloon but you have four in inventory, and you can blow up whenever using the mic, or holding down the "Select" button. In Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, this is different. The game is separated into 2 equal teams with a 3 minute time limit (2 in 7). Each time you hit someone on the opposing team, you get one point. If you lose all 3 of your balloons, you lose points and respawn with 3 balloons. At the end of the time limit, the team with the most points wins. In Mario Kart 8, Balloon Battle returns to the rules it originally had but the time limit is still present but this time you can set the time limit from 1 minute to 5 minutes. It is also the only battle mode to not feature battle stages but original racing tracks. If you hit someone, you get a point. But if you get hit, you lose a point. It is still possible to win while losing all balloons. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it goes back to the Mario Kart Wii/Mario Kart 7 style however this time, you start off with 5 balloons and if you lose all of them, instead of losing one point you lose half of your points and you respawn with only 3 of your balloons.
Shine Thief[]
Shine Thief appears in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The game style is similar to capture the flag. The object of it was to collect the Shine and keep it until the time runs out. If the player falls off the cliff or takes damage, he or she will drop it. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, carrying the Shine additionally causes the carrier to slow down a tad bit.
Bob-omb Blast[]
Bob-omb Blast (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)
This mode was introduced in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, but returned in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The only item the player can get is a Bob-omb and the player gets points for hitting opponents with them. The player can have up to five Bob-ombs per character. After receiving three or four points, the player wins. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, each player can have up to 10 Bob-ombs at a time, and cannot be hurt by their own Bob-omb explosions. The rules are otherwise the same as for Balloon Battle.
Shine Runners[]
Only appearing in Mario Kart DS, this mode involved nine Shines appearing all over the stage, to which the player must collect as many Shines as possible before players with the least amount of shines are eliminated via the time limit, and the game continues until only one player remains. The time limit is 60 seconds in the first round and 30 seconds for every round afterwards.
Coin Runners[]
This mode was introduced in Mario Kart Wii. In this mode, players are split into 2 equal teams with a 3 minute time limit, and coins are scattered all over the battleground. Players can pick up coins by running over them. More coins will fall from the sky periodically until a certain amount is on the field, then they will stop falling (unless coins go out of bounds, in which case they will disappear and reappear at a random spot on the field). Getting hit by a Banana Peel or a Fake Item Box causes the player to lose 3 coins, while falling into a pit, getting hit by Green Shells Red Shells Spiny Shells, a Bob-omb, a POW Block, or run over by a Mega Mushroom causes him to lose half of their coins (with a minimum of 3). Getting hit by a Star or a Mushroom causes the rammer to steal 3 coins. At the end, whichever team has the most coins wins the round. The battle game returned in Mario Kart 7, but with a time limit of two minutes and players can only hold up to 10 coins also, it can be played by themselves. It returns in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, here the rules are exactly the same as they are in Mario Kart Wii. However, only the first 10 Coins collected by Player 1 on each system will contribute to the player's Coin Tally.
Renegade Roundup[]
First appearing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Renegade Roundup is basically played in the same way as Cops and Robbers although this time, it's the Authorities vs the Renegades. Each team switches between being the authorities and renegades within every round. The authorities have Piranha Plants attached to the front of their Karts/Bikes/ATVs (like the item) and their goal is to chase down the renegades and trap them in a cell. The renegades have nothing except items to defend themselves with which if used on an authority, it'll not only cause them to spin out but it will also stun the Piranha Plant allowing you to slip past them without the Piranha Plant chomping you in its maw. Authorities can also get items to give themselves the upper hand in catching the renegades. If a renegade teammate pushes the button below the cell, the cell will break open releasing the imprisoned teammates. The authorities win if all the renegades are caught within the set time limit and the renegades win if at least one of the teammates is not imprisoned after time is up. This is also the only other battle mode (besides Coin Runners) to feature coins which one player can hold up to 10 to increase their maximum speed. You should try to collect coins as much as you can regardless of your position. If you are an authority, you should collect them to be fast enough to catch your rivals (the renegades) and if you are a renegade, you should try to collect Coins to outrun your rivals (the authorities), especially if their combination is faster than yours. Another notable thing is that on the map members of the opposing team will disappear from the map. Some will reappear for a few seconds. This was more than likely implemented to make the game more challenging.
In local multiplayer and tournaments, the winning side receives match points equal to the number of renegades each player freed or captured individually. In online battles, the winning side gains VR points, while the losing side loses VR points.