Mechanic · movement · kart racing

Boost pad

A marked patch of track that gives a racer a burst of speed when it drives over it.

stubAlso: zip pad, zipper, dash panel, speed pad, boost panelUpdated 2026-10-22
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A boost pad speeds up whoever drives over it. Diddy Kong Racing gives a racer on a zip pad a boost timer of 45 when none is running, and its ground zippers top a boost back up1.

  • When idleDiddy Kong Racing (1997). A zip-pad surface sets a 45-count boost timer when none is running.1
  • RefreshDiddy Kong Racing (1997). A ground zipper sets 45 whenever less than 15 is left.1

See also

Mentioned in

Games

GameYearHowNote
Diddy Kong Racing1997When idlea zip-pad surface sets a 45-count boost timer when none is running
Diddy Kong Racing1997Refresha ground zipper sets 45 whenever less than 15 is left
F-Zero X1998Refresha dash plate sets the boost timer to 100 on each update the machine is on it, at no energy cost
Every claim about this mechanic, by game (2)
Diddy Kong Racing 1997In the US 1.0 version of Diddy Kong Racing, a zip-pad surface sets a racer's boost timer to 45 when it's at 0, in the car, hovercraft, and plane routines alike, and a ground zipper object sets 45 for a grounded racer within its radius whenever the timer is below 15. A Nitro sets 35, 55, or 75 at its first, second, and third level. In the car's ground routine, while the timer is above 0 after the countdown, the throttle is held open and the factor the code calls traction, unless it's 0, becomes 2.0.Code
F-Zero X 1998In F-Zero X's US build, on each update that a machine isn't crashed and is on a dash surface (COURSE_EFFECT_DASH), and B isn't starting a boost, the code holds A for it, sets RACER_STATE_DASH_PAD_BOOST, and sets boostTimer to 100, so a dash plate starts a boost or tops a running one back up. While that flag is set the boost costs no energy, and the boost multiplies the machine's two acceleration terms by at least unk_1C4, a value set with grade C's boost number (0.204, D_800CF174[2]), where a B boost uses unk_1C0, set with the machine's own boost grade.Code

References

  1. ^ abcIn the US 1.0 version of Diddy Kong Racing, a zip-pad surface sets a racer's boost timer to 45 when it's at 0, in the car, hovercraft, and plane routines alike, and a ground zipper object sets 45 for a grounded racer within its radius whenever the timer is below 15. A Nitro sets 35, 55, or 75 at its first, second, and third level. In the car's ground routine, while the timer is above 0 after the countdown, the throttle is held open and the factor the code calls traction, unless it's 0, becomes 2.0.CodeDavidSM64/Diddy-Kong-Racingrevised
    How we know
    5420    // If driving over a zip pad, apply a boost.
5421    if (racer->boostTimer == 0 && surfaceType == SURFACE_ZIP_PAD) {
5422        racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(45);
    src/racer.c lines 5420–5422 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    4400        switch (tempRacer->vehicleID) {
4401            case VEHICLE_CAR:
4402                update_car(updateRate, updateRateF, obj, tempRacer);
4403                break;
⋮
4406                break;
4407            case VEHICLE_HOVERCRAFT:
4408                func_80046524(updateRate, updateRateF, obj, tempRacer);
4409                break;
4410            case VEHICLE_PLANE:
4411                func_80049794(updateRate, updateRateF, obj, tempRacer);
    src/racer.c lines 4400–4411 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    1906    if ((racer->boostTimer == 0) && (lastWheelSurface == 3)) {
1907        racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(45);
    src/racer.c lines 1906–1907 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    152typedef enum SurfaceType {
153    SURFACE_DEFAULT,
154    SURFACE_GRASS,
155    SURFACE_SAND,
156    SURFACE_ZIP_PAD,
    include/enums.h lines 152–156 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    2795        if (racer->boostTimer == 0 && i == SURFACE_ZIP_PAD) {
2796            racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(45);
    src/racer.c lines 2795–2796 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    1011            if (racer->boostTimer < 15 && racer->groundedWheels) {
⋮
1015                if ((s32) sqrtf((diffX * diffX) + (diffY * diffY) + (diffZ * diffZ)) < obj->properties.zipper.radius) {
⋮
1020                    racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(45);
    src/object_functions.c lines 1011–1020 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    7092                            case WEAPON_NITRO_LEVEL_3:
⋮
7094                                racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(75); \
⋮
7097                            case WEAPON_NITRO_LEVEL_2:
⋮
7099                                racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(55); \
⋮
7102                            default:
⋮
7104                                racer->boostTimer = normalise_time(35); \
    src/racer.c lines 7092–7104 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗
    5492    // Force the throttle wide open if boosting
5493    if (racer->boostTimer > 0) {
5494        if (gRaceStartTimer == 0) {
5495            racer->throttle = 1.0f;
5496            if (traction != 0.0) {
5497                traction = 2.0f;
⋮
5499            racer->boostTimer -= updateRate;
    src/racer.c lines 5492–5499 at a5eb080 · upstream ↗

    Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

    Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

    In the claim ledger

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