Beat Midnight Club 2 with NO PROBLEM - Guide for Midnight Club II
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Game Basics a. The History of The Midnight Club b. Heads-Up Display c. Game Controls d. Racing Maneuvers III. Career Races a. Los Angeles b. Paris c. Tokyo d. Savo IV. Circuit Races a. Los Angeles b. Paris c. Tokyo V. Arcade Modes a. Cruise b. Circuit c. Battle d. Race Editor e. Career f. Power-ups VI. Cars a. Los Angeles b. Paris c. Tokyo d. Special VII. Tips and Tricks a. Racings Tips b. Cheat Codes VIII. Conclusion a. Legal Stuff b. Credits -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- I . I N T R O D U C T I O N -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- /==================\ --< a. Updates >-- \==================/ - 08/22/03 - v. 1.0 First version of the FAQ. History of The Midnight Club and game controls added. All cars and statistics added. - 08/26/03 - v. 2.0 All Los Angeles career races added except for the city champion races. Many racing maneuvers added. Racing tips and some cheats added as well. - 08/31/03 - v. 2.1 Minor format changes made. Los Angeles city champion races added as well as Two-Wheel Driving maneuver. Arcade Modes section completed. - 09/07/03 - v. 3.1 All Paris career races added as well as all Paris car notes added. A few more racing tips added and other minor changes made. - 09/21/03 - v. 3.2 Ricky, Shing, and Haley Tokyo races added and car notes completed. Some car resemblances changed. - 09/27/03 - v. 4.2 Revamped the format of the FAQ, making it look a lot spiffier. Finished the rest of Tokyo career races. - 10/09/03 - v. 5.2 All of Savo's races added, completing the career races. Added a small Heads-Up Display section. /========================\ --< b. Author's Note >-- \========================/ Hello and thanks to everyone that reads my Walkthrough/FAQ. This is the second FAQ that I have created and I hope it is to your liking and provides some needed help in Midnight Club II as I put a lot of time and effort into making it. I, personally, love the street-racing scene and so I naturally bought this game early when it first came out. I loved this game, but I admit that it is very frustrating at times. But overall it is a wonderful experience and the game has so much quality that it is fun to play over and over. I decided to make a step-by-step, checkpoint-by-checkpoint walkthrough of each race to help those frustrated racers. If you have any questions, information, or feedback for me, you can email me at [email protected]. Enjoy. -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- I I . G A M E B A S I C S -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- /===========================================\ --< a. The History of The Midnight Club >-- \===========================================/ In secret gatherings around the world a mysterious group of urban street racers - known as the Midnight Club - race for pride, power and glory in sleekly customized tricked-out sports cars. Racing through the crowded streets, running red lights, terrorizing pedestrians, driving on sidewalks and outrunning the cops are just the basics for the Midnight Club. Or so you've heard. While you're cruising through the dark streets, you spot a tricked out low- rider speeding and weaving through traffic. Intrigued and looking for thrills, you make your presence known to him with a few of your own daring maneuvers. After introducing himself with a sneer, he throws down the gauntlet and speeds off. Determined to get in the club, you race off after him with reckless abandon. Once you've followed and matched your new adversary move for move on a mad chase through the city, finally he pulls over. He dares you to meet him and his friends at midnight. You've got your shot. Victory will earn you membership in the club, which comes with pride, thrills and glory. You're on your way... /===========================\ --< b. Heads-Up Display >-- \===========================/ +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | # : # # : # # Current Lap | | Position (1) # : # # : # # | | # / # Lap | | ______ (3) # / # | | \_\ | | | / / _| (2) | | / / / | | \/__/ __ (9) | | | | | | _____________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | / |[] | | (4) | | / |[](8) | | .---N---. | Car Picture | .*******. __|[] | | // \\ | | ** 5 6 7 / # \ | | | | | | * 4 8\___/ (7) | | | A | | | * 3 # # # * | | | | |_____________________| * 2 * | | \\ // ___________________ **. 1 0 .** (6) | | '-------' (___________________) ******* | | (5) | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ (1) RACE TIME/POSITION - This is the current time for the entire race and your current race position. (2) ARROW - The arrow directs you to the nearest checkpoint or racer that you must follow. (3) CURRENT LAP - This is the time for your current lap and the lap number you are on. (4) MAP - This map shows your position in the city. The A (a yellow triangle in the game) represents your car. The N represents North on the map. Green triangles represent your other opponents while a red triangle is your main opponent. A light blue circle is an immediate checkpoint and a darker blue circle represents the next checkpoint. If the perimeter of your map is flashing, there are police on your tail. (5) REARVIEW MIRROR - This shows the position and distance of the players behind you. Bigger, brighter headlights mean a closer opponent. (6) TACHOMETER/SPEEDOMETER - Shows the vehicle speed in the center in MPH and an PRM redline around the perimeter. (7) GEAR - The gear that you are currently in. (8) NITROUS GAUGE - Displays the number of nitrous shots remaining in the tank (up to five). (9) TURBO GAUGE - Measures the level of boost you'll get from a slipstream turbo or a burnout. Your turbo gauge must be full in order to turbo, but you may burnout with the gauge at any level above zero. /========================\ --< c. Game Controls >-- \========================/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Default Configuration --------------------- A Button ............ Gas B Button ............ Look Back X Button ............ Brake/Reverse Y Button ............ Change Camera White Button ........ Horn Black Button ........ Nitro/Slip Stream Turbo Start Button ........ Pause Back Button ........ Unused Left Thumbstick ..... Steering . click in for Headlights/Powerups Right Thumbstick .... Gas/Brake/Reverse . click in for Nitro/Slip Stream Turbo D-Pad ............... Up - City Map . Left - Previous Song . Right - Next Song . Down - Map Zoom Left Trigger ........ Weight Transfer Right Trigger ....... Handbrake =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= MANUAL TRANSMISSION =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Configuration A - My Preference ------------------------------- A Button ............ Handbrake B Button ............ Look Back X Button ............ Weight Transfer Y Button ............ Change Camera White Button ........ Horn Black Button ........ Nitro/Slip Stream Turbo Start Button ........ Pause Back Button ......... Unused Left Thumbstick ..... Steering . click for Headlights/Powerups Right Thumbstick .... Shift Up/Shift Down . click for Nitro/Slip Stream Turbo D-Pad ............... Up - City Map . Left - Previous Song . Right - Next Song . Down - Map Zoom Left Trigger ........ Brake/Reverse (pressure sensitive) Right Trigger ....... Gas (pressure sensitive) /===========================\ --< d. Racing Maneuvers >-- \===========================/ As you progress through the game, you will unlock certain racing maneuvers that will drastically aid you in races. Nitrous ------- In my opinion, this is one of the best features in the game. It is essentially a short burst of speed but it can take you from last to first in no time. When used strategically, nitrous can win you races. To activate it, press the Black button or press in the Right Thumbstick. Your nitrous gauge is to the upper right of your tachometer and shows you how much nitrous you have. One use will drain one bar of nitrous. This maneuver is unlocked after defeating Moses in Los Angeles. In-Air Controls --------------- These maneuvers are very effective when landing jumps or dropping from higher places. In-Air Controls lets you transfer the weight of your car in mid-air allowing you to tilt the car a certain way or level it off. To use In-Air Controls, hold the Left Trigger (X Button in Manual) and move the car with the Left Thumbstick, while in air. By default, holding the weight transfer button in mid-air will correct any sideways flipping movement (barrel rolling), but any front, back, left, and right corrections must be done with the thumbstick. This maneuver is unlocked after following Maria to the race point. Burnout ------- The burnout maneuver is a highly used maneuver that can get you from 0 to 60 in about half the time of normal acceleration. This maneuver is very beneficial at the start of races as well as whenever you come to a near stop e.g. if you run into something or must pull a 180. To execute a Burnout, hold the Handbrake (Right Trigger, A Button in Manual), and the Gas (A Button, Right Trigger in Manual) and when the boost gauge is full, let go of the Handbrake. This maneuver is unlocked after defeating Angel in the Hollywood Hysteria race. Slipstream Turbo ---------------- This is a good maneuver to use at the start of the race as well as anywhere you have the opportunity. It is essentially a free nitrous boost, though not quite so good. At the beginning of the race, it can help you gain a slight lead over the competition or catch up to your opponents. To use slipstream turbo, be within a few car lengths of a car ahead of you and draft them until your boost meter fills up and flashes red. Then press a Nitrous button (Black Button or push in the Right Thumbstick) to shoot ahead of your opponent with a nice blur effect. This maneuver is unlocked after defeating Hector in the Block Party race. Two-Wheel Driving ----------------- I really never used this maneuver as I race in the first person camera view and driving on two wheels is very distorting and disorienting. It may prove of some use to you though. The maneuver pops your car on two wheels, allowing you to squeeze through tight spaces. It can be especially useful in Paris as there are many tight alleys and traffic is cramped. Turning is very hard, much like turning on a motorcycle without Leaning, so use sparingly. It seems that this maneuver can also only be performed when your car is going at least 40 mph. To execute Two-Wheel Driving, hold the weight transfer button (Left Trigger, X Button in Manual) and hold left or right on the Left Thumbstick to pop up on two wheels. This maneuver is unlocked after defeating Dice in the Droppin' Knowledge race. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- MOTORCYCLE MANEUVERS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Motorcycles can utilize both the Burnout and In-Air Controls maneuvers (they cannot have nitrous) and some other motorcycle-specific maneuvers. These maneuvers are unlocked after defeating the your opponent bikers in the Showdown race. Weight Transfer --------------- Motorcycles can use weight transfer while racing to greatly improve the handling, acceleration, and speed of the vehicle. Duck - By holding Weight Transfer (Left Trigger, X Button in Manual) and Up on the Left Thumbstick, the rider will lean forward, reducing drag and increasing your speed. Wheelie - To do a wheelie, hold Weight Transfer and Down on the Left Thumbstick. Your front will pop up, putting more weight on the back wheels, greatly increasing your acceleration and speed. However, if you pull back too far, you will crash. Lean - Hold Weight Transfer and Left or Right on the Left Thumbstick to lean your motorcycle, allowing for much sharper turns with little loss of speed. Endo - To do an Endo (also called a Nosie or Front Stand), hold Weight Transfer while pressing Up on the Left Thumbstick and applying the brake (X Button, Left Trigger in Manual). You will pop up on your front wheel and come to a stop. It looks very cool and also is an effective braking maneuver. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= OTHER MANEUVERS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= These maneuvers are either fun but useless maneuvers or apply to only certain cars. Boost ----- The Veloci and the SLF450x have another special maneuver, which greatly increases their already extremely rapid acceleration. When the car is going at least 60 mph, hold down the Handbrake (Right Trigger, A Button in Manual) to get an extra boost in acceleration. If the Handbrake is held before 60 mph, the car will slowly decelerate. Steering is very loose while doing this maneuver so only use on straightaways. Flips ----- In effect, flipping is a useless maneuver, but is fun to perform on huge jumps. To do a front or back flip, hold the weight transfer button (Left Trigger, X Button in Manual) and hold down or up (respectively) on the Left Thumbstick when going off a large jump. You can find some good jumps in Paris and Tokyo. Some cars flip faster than others for some reason. I found that the best cars for flipping are the Saikou, Saikou XS, and the Tokyo Cop Car. Barrel Rolls ------------ Another useless maneuver, barrel rolls are pretty hard to do. Upon going off a large jump, execute the Two-Wheel Driving maneuver, but let go of the weight transfer button immediately, so that you do not correct yourself in air. If done right and with enough hang time, you will do a complete barrel roll. -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- I I I . C A R E E R R A C E S -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- | __ __ /\ __ __ __ __ | | | |__ /__\ |\ | | _ |_ | |_ |__ |___ |__| __| / \ | \| |__| |__ |__ |__ __| Street Report: A balance of remote winding hills, expansive open highways, and thoroughfares. Arid, drought-plagued climate results in optimal traction. Precipitation is a relatively null race variable. Traffic Study: Over-populated and with a poor mass-transit system, Los Angeles is notorious for its traffic congestion. Although such traffic is much less of a concern late at night, local nightlife restrictions result in above average recreational cruising. =-=-=-=-=-=-= MOSES =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Citi As you start a new career, you will be introduced to Moses, a white, 280-pound, wannabe gansta street racer. He will tell you to follow him. Flash your headlights by clicking in the Left Thumbstick and follow him to the racing point. If you lose him or any other racer while following him for a period of time, you will fail and be forced to start over. Whenever tailing another racer, you distance affects how fast they will go. If you are right up on the racer's tail, he/she will floor it, but if you are pretty far behind, the racer will stay at a low speed so that you may catch up. Stay at least five car lengths behind to give yourself time to react to sharp turns. Moses doesn't make any drastic direction changes so just follow him to the race point and prepare to race. ---------- Initiation ---------- Recommended Vehicle: Cocotte Opponent Vehicle(s): Citi, Torrida Strategy: Being the first race in the game it is also the easiest. It is pretty much a straight shot to the finish line from the start. Like any good drag race, a lovely lady gives you the go call. There is no countdown, so just be prepared for the start. All of the opponents' cars are better and faster than your car, statistically, but they don't seem to be racing at their full potential. So while you will not be first off the line, you will catch up pretty quickly. The objective is to race through all the points in order. This is not hard at all because you can pretty much see the next point after hitting one and, as aforementioned, it is pretty much a straight shot to the finish. Beware of the vehicles that pull in front of you. As you go over the canal, a large semi- truck pulls in front of you, but you can safely drive under it's cab (Fast and the Furious anyone?). The only shortcut in this race comes shortly after this. Once you hit the next point, veer off to the right instead of staying on the road. You will hit a ramp leading to a rooftop and then another ramp back down to the next point. This isn't a very large shortcut but it might take a second off your time. ------------------- Welcome to the Club ------------------- Recommended Vehicle: Cocotte Opponent Vehicle(s): Citi (just Moses) Strategy: The last (usually second) race against your opponent is for his/her car. Don't worry about yours, however, because if you lose, you just race again until you win. In this race, you are introduced to the cops. Basically they just follow you and hit your car a lot, trying to run you off the road. There is no way to get arrested by them but they can slow you down. Luckily, they don't really bother you in this race. At the beginning of the race, bust open the gate and head right, then take the first right. You should be on Moses' tail. Follow the road to a construction site and ride up the ramp onto the freeway. Try to veer a little left off the ramp as the freeway goes slightly to the left. You will be going against light traffic so avoid oncoming any oncoming cars and hit all the points on the freeway. As you leave the freeway, stay to the left and look for a small alley for a shortcut leading to the next point. Avoid the dumpster and take a hard right out of the alley. Follow the points to another alley shortcut and take a left out of the alley to the finish. Reward(s): Citi, Nitrous maneuver =-=-=-=-=-=-=- STEVEN =-=-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Emu Each time you defeat a racer, you are placed in the cruise map of the city and must find another racer to beat. Once you find that racer, flash your headlights, follow him/her to the race point, and beat them in the races. To find a racer, press up on the D-Pad to bring up the city map with the locations of a couple racers. I suggest racing Steven first, as he has a slow car and his races are good for beginners. He's a young, obsessive-compulsive teenager who spends too much time with cars. Find him and follow him to the race point. He pulls some nasty turns and tries to fake you out. Just keep at a far distance but close enough so you don't lose him. ------------ Takeoff Time ------------ Recommended Vehicle: Citi Opponent Vehicles(s): None Strategy: This is a race against the clock, rather than against other opponents. You start out with 35 seconds and each time you pass through a checkpoint, more time is added to the clock. From the start go forward to the first checkpoint and right before you get to the second checkpoint, slow down. Hit the checkpoint and make a hard left into the gate. An SUV should bust in there ahead of you because he's running from the cops (don't you love LA?). Anyways, maneuver around the cone thingies and head right back onto the road. Take a right at the first side street you come to and a left right before the construction site. Hit the checkpoint and veer off to the right, bust through the gate and go up the ramp for a little shortcut. Drop down the other side and bust out of the gate back onto the road. Keep along this curved road and avoid the cop. For another shortcut, drive through the large building to your right as you enter the intersection. There is an entrance in the middle of the building. Head to the right and go straight through there and it should take you right to the finish where Steven and his friends are waiting for you. Use your nitrous at the end here if you are short on time. ------------- Triple Threat ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Citi Opponent Vehicle(s): Emu, Torrida Strategy: This is another different type of race where all the checkpoints are spread out and you may get them in any order. This race has its benefits because there will always be a shortest route. But as the races get increasingly difficult and number of checkpoints grows, finding the shortest route can be very tedious. The route that I choose may not necessarily be the shortest, but it works for me. There are four checkpoints in this race, excluding the finish, and they are all relatively far apart. Start out by going straight and nabbing the checkpoint ahead. Immediately make a hard right and then a left at the second intersection. Drive through the checkpoint ahead and take a right from it. Follow this road around the long curve, weave around traffic, and check your map for where the next checkpoint is. Once the curve sort of straightens out after the overpass take a right at the second intersection. Head through the checkpoint and then take a right where the road comes to a T. Head past the first intersection and take a left at the next one. Pass under the semi that crosses your path and head straight to the finish line. Again, use your nitrous here if you are shortly behind. Reward(s): Emu =-=-=-=-=-=-= MARIA =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Torrida Once back on the cruise map, locate Maria, the feisty Latina, and her Torrida next and follow her to the race point. She doesn't really pull anything on you, but she likes to run into stuff. Reward(s): In-Air Controls ------------- Freeway Rally ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Emu Opponent Vehicle(s): Torrida, Emu Strategy: This is pretty much a straightforward race on the freeway. The reason I chose the Emu over the Citi is because this race has few sharp turns and many straightaways. The Emu's high top speed will benefit you in this race. At the start, head forward, bust through the fence and drop down to the road below. You will enter the freeway shortly. Just follow it along, passing through the checkpoints and avoiding traffic. You should start to take a lead and pull away from your opponents. You can use your nitrous at any point here in the race to gain more of the race. The only real variations in the race before the end are the loop and the little dip where you go off the exit ramp and back on the entrance ramp on the other side. You do this twice in the race, and the second time, you pass under a semi truck that crosses in front of you...again. Later on, you will leave the freeway again, but instead of getting back on, slow up and take a hard left onto the road. Follow it to the finish (ignore the police), but beware the gasoline truck (you can pass under it too). ------------- Corner Cutter ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Citi Opponent Vehicle(s): Torrida (just Maria) Strategy: This race is similar to the Takeoff Time race where each checkpoint gives you more time, but instead, each checkpoint gives you a certain amount of time to reach the next checkpoint. The number of seconds you have will flash on the screen each time you hit a checkpoint. Your only opponent in this race is Maria, but your other opponent is the clock...well, and the cops. An effective strategy would actually be to just tail Maria the whole time, as she makes it to all the checkpoints on time, and then pass her near the end, but I know you really want to beat her. Head straight along the road from the start and you will pass under an overpass. Keep going a little ways past the side street immediately after the overpass and take a right at the next intersection. The cops will spot you now, but keep going past them and take a left at the T. Make another sharp left immediately after you hit the checkpoint onto another street heading almost back where you were. Take the first left and you should see the next checkpoint over to the right a bit. Turn right onto this road, drive through the checkpoint and then take the first right shortly ahead. For a shorter route, slow up when approaching this checkpoint and turn back left onto the road you were previously on after hitting it. Head straight on this road all the way to the next checkpoint. After driving through it, take the first right, and then another right while hitting the next checkpoint. There will be a barrier in front of you, so turn right to avoid it, then make a hard left across the bridge over the huge canal. Do not take the ramp shortcut here like you did in the first race with Moses, or you will miss the checkpoint. Instead, take a right immediately after the bridge and then the first left to the checkpoint. Then take a right and then another hard right and go back across the giant canal. Hit the checkpoint ahead and take the left onto the large street while doing so. You will be on a long straightaway, perfect for a nitrous boost, but beware the heavy traffic. Head straight and then take the second right after the road bends to the right a little. Head straight past the police roadblock into the construction site and veer a little left and drive through the wide opening. Bust through the gate straight ahead and veer a little right onto the road as you hit the checkpoint. Follow this street along the curve and take a right where it ends. You will come to another roadblock. Maneuver around it and keep heading straight. Veer off to the left a bit, towards the next checkpoint, and drop down to the road below. Hit the checkpoint and follow the curve around. Pass the intersection and take a right at the small P sign and the palm trees for a shortcut right to the finish. Reward(s): Torrida =-=-=-=-=-=-= ANGEL =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Interna Your next opponent is Angel, a rich, cocky, trust fund kid who likes to call you "friend" (though it sounds like Fred). You know what to do. Locate him on your map, flash you high beams, and follow him to the race point. ------------------ Hollywood Hysteria ------------------ Recommended Vehicle: Torrida Opponent Vehicles(s): Interna, Citi Turbo, Monstruo Strategy: This can be a pretty difficult race, as all of your opponents' cars are much better than yours. Use the Torrida for this race because it is a nice balance of acceleration and speed, which will benefit you in this race. This is another scattered checkpoints race where you can get them in any order. Again, I will give you what I found to be the shortest route. From the start, go straight and follow the road to a checkpoint and take a right. Follow this curved road hit the next couple checkpoints on it. At the second, take a right, and then take another hard right at the checkpoint. You should be at the start of a very long, curvy road with many checkpoints on it. At the sixth and final checkpoint, slow up and make a hard left. Follow this road around a little curve and make a left at the first side street you see. Then take the first right to the finish. Reward(s): Burnout maneuver ---- Drag ---- Recommended Vehicle: Torrida Opponent Vehicle(s): 1971 Bestia Strategy: This is a really short race against Angel's father, Diego, and his 1971 Bestia. At the start, head forward to the first checkpoint and veer to the right about 45 degrees or so. Watch out for the bus, drop down into the huge canal, and hit the next checkpoint. Remember to use your In-Air Controls for a nice landing. Follow the canal and use the left ramp to get over the wall. As you go off, try and veer a little to the right, as that is the way the canal goes. Fly through the checkpoint and then ride up along the bank to your left. Drive through the checkpoint on the bank and keep on it for the next checkpoint. Upon getting it, you will also hit a jump that will send you flying off the wall. Steady your car and follow the canal to the left. This straightaway is perfect for a nitrous boost. Hit the final checkpoint and fly up out of the right side of the canal to the finish. ------------------ Cheaters Never Win ------------------ Recommended Vehicle: 1971 Bestia Opponent Vehicle(s): Interna, Citi Turbo Strategy: At the start, you find out that Angel's no angel as he pulls ahead of you before the go call. Oh well, at least you'll strip his family of their tricked-out vehicles. Go forward to the checkpoint and take a left, then take the first right. Drive through the checkpoint and take the first left, then another left to hit a checkpoint. Keep going straight, watch out for the truck that crosses your path, pass the police, and take a right. Follow this road straight to the next checkpoint. Shortly after, veer to the left and hit a small conic ramp to the left for a small shortcut. After you land take the first right and follow this road straight to two checkpoints. Right before the second one, use your handbrake to pull a 180 and burnout back the other way. If you want an extra boost to your acceleration here, use you nitrous. Either avoid or drive under the semi-truck that turns in front of you and continue heading straight to the next checkpoint. Keep heading straight still, bust through the glass and out the other end of the building. Veer to the right and drive through the next checkpoint. After hitting it, veer left to go around the building and head back onto the road. Take a hard right at the checkpoint ahead and keep on this road until the next checkpoint. You could go through the construction site for a shortcut but it is dangerous and may actually slow you down. At the checkpoint, keep going straight around the curve and take a right at the T, where the last checkpoint is. Follow this road down and take the first right to the finish. Reward(s): Interna =-=-=-=-=-=- GINA =-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Citi Turbo Next find and follow Gina, a tomboyish street racer girl that has an eye for you. ----------------- Unexpected Guests ----------------- Recommended Vehicle: Interna Opponent Vehicle(s): Citi Turbo Strategy: This race isn't very difficult and the points are fairly easy to locate. Right from the start, a group of bikers rush past you. At the go call head straight forward to the first checkpoint. Your Interna should give you an initial edge in acceleration. After the checkpoint take a right and then a left at the next checkpoint. Follow the curve around to the right and take the first left, right before the bridge over the canal. Hit the checkpoint and immediately take another hard left. Hit the checkpoint ahead and take a left onto another street, avoiding the parker trailer. Now, at the first intersection come to, veer left a bit and hit the ramp of stairs, right to the next checkpoint. Hit it and then take a right onto that road. Take the second left and hit the next checkpoint and then continue straight to another one in the distance. You may want to use your nitrous here, as it is a long straightaway. You'll be in a parking garage. Hit the checkpoint and then veer right to get outside and hit the next two. When you are about to hit the next one, slow up and take a hard left onto the street. Shortly after, veer left and bust through the glass for another shortcut right to the next checkpoint. Hit it and veer left again onto the road. Take the first right onto another street with the final checkpoint. Hit it and take a left to the finish where the bikers await you. -------- Showdown -------- Recommended Vehicle: Interna Opponent Vehicle(s): Cohete Strategy: This race can be pretty tough as your opponents are fairly skilled motorcyclists. They have also have a great edge over you in acceleration. At the start, head forward to the first checkpoint and take a right at it. Follow this road as it curves to the right, hit the checkpoint and keep your eye out for a street to your left after the road curves to the right a second time. Hit this turn and take a right at the checkpoint. For a small shortcut, keep heading forward through a small alley right to the checkpoint. Make a hard left afterwards, then a right, and then another right to the next checkpoint. This checkpoint is the beginning of a large figure 8 shown simply in this diagram: ,->--(3)->--. +-------------------+ | | | KEY | | V +-------------------+ A | | (#) = checkpoint | | | | A = up | ;-<-(2&4)--<: | V = down | | | | < = left | V | | > = right | | A +-------------------+ | | Start by hitting 1-3 and then loop your way back '>--(1&5)->-' around to hit 4 and 5 the using the same directions. After hitting the fifth checkpoint, take the first right and then another right to the next checkpoint. While hitting this, make a hard left back into the alley you once came out of for a slight shortcut. Hit the checkpoint in the distance and take a left. Make a right at the T and follow this road to the last checkpoint. You may want to use your nitrous on this straightaway. After hitting it, keep on this road, which will lead you right to the finish. Reward(s): Cohete --------------- Weight Training --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Cohete Opponent Vehicle(s): None Strategy: This isn't much of a race rather than a crash course in motorcycle racing. Basically, you start near the northwest corner of the map and you must get to a checkpoint near the southeast corner and back in under 4:20. This isn't hard at all and requires no strategy. Just get familiar with the bike and its maneuvers because you will need them for the next race. -------------------- Flight to the Finish -------------------- Recommended Vehicle: Cohete Opponent Vehicle(s): Monstruo, Citi Turbo Strategy: Personally, I hate using motorcycles and this is the only race that I did use one because it is extremely hard to with the cars you have now. Anyway, from the start, head forward to the first checkpoint and enter the right side of the highway. Follow it until the next checkpoint, which leads off the highway and back on again. Keep following the highway until to another checkpoint, which leads to the exit ramp. Slow up and take a hard right when to get on the road leading to another checkpoint at the entrance to the airport. Follow the road as it makes two left turns, avoiding the number of cars that pull in front of you, hit the checkpoints, and then drive through the checkpoint up ahead. Shortly after, veer left at the fork and follow the curve to another checkpoint. You will end up going around the airport again, but this time on the lower level. Hit the checkpoint at the top and continue on the road leading out to another checkpoint at the entrance. Follow this road as it curves to the left and take the first right after the curve onto a road leading to the next checkpoint. The cops will spot you now, so be aware of their presence. Take a left at the checkpoint and then the first right. Veer to the left and bust through the glass for a shortcut through a building. Veer left again onto the road and hit the checkpoint in front of you. Follow the road a bit and look out for a little alley to the right after the road bends left. Go through there for a little shortcut to the next checkpoint. Veer right back onto the road and follow the road as it goes around a curve. Slow up and take the curve a little sharply and go into the grass where the checkpoint is. Head back onto the road on the other side and follow it down to the final checkpoint. Keep on this road as it bends left and take the first right you come to. Continue forward but veer to the left a bit to enter the construction site, and drive up the large ramp in front of you. Reward(s): Citi Turbo =-=-=-=-=-=-=- HECTOR =-=-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Monstruo Finally, find Hector and his phat Monstruo on the city map, the last available racer. He is another stereotypical angry Mexican (like Maria) looking for a fight. Follow him to the race point and get ready to flee from the fuzz. ------------- Lose the Cops ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Citi Turbo Opponent Vehicle(s): Monstruo (just Hector), LA Cop Car Strategy: For some reason it just started raining in Los Angeles. Anyways, this isn't really a race. You virtually have no opponents save for the LAPD, who are all over you. Your objective is to lose the cops before you reach the finish and you have 5 minutes to do so (actually a really long time). You actually aren't required to lose the cops, as if you don't, you just have to deal with them in the next race. I picked the Citi Turbo for this "race" for no real reason, as you can easily lose the cops with the Cocotte. The route I chose, which worked nearly all the time, starts off by going straight at the start and taking a right at the end of the road. Continue forward and hit the little ramp shortcut over the canal. You usually have lost the cops by now. Continue down this road and take a right at the end right before the canal. Another cop will spot you but he is going the opposite way, so if you hurry, you can lose him. Take the first left and head over the bridge across the canal. You may want to nitrous now to ensure losing the cop. After you cross the bridge, veer off to the right and take the ramp up for another shortcut right to the finish. ----------- Block Party ----------- Recommended Vehicle: Citi Turbo Opponent Vehicle(s): Monstruo Strategy: This scattered checkpoint race can be very difficult as it is in the rain and your opponents' Monstruos are very good cars. Choose the Citi Turbo for this race to have an edge in handling, as the Citi Turbo is FWD and FWD cars tend to handle better in the rain. From the start head right out of the area that you are in and take the first left. Head all the way down to the checkpoint and take a right. Hit the next checkpoint in front of you and take a hard left at it. Follow this road to the next checkpoint then veer off to the right, cutting through the parking lot to another road. Instead of following this road down to a checkpoint ahead of you, take the first left, cutting the corner, to another checkpoint. Hit it and take a right to yet another checkpoint, and then a right at that to hit the checkpoint that was once ahead of you. After driving through it, keep heading forward to a checkpoint in the distance. This straightaway is good for a nitrous boost. Hit the checkpoint and take a hard right. Follow the road as it curves to the left and take a right where it ends before at the canal. Hit the checkpoint in front of you and make another right, follow this road as it curves around, and hit another checkpoint. Hit it and take a right (cutting through the glass may make you miss it). Keep heading straight on this road, go in and out of the canal, and hi the checkpoint at the end of the road. Make a right at it, hit the next checkpoint and make another right. Hit the final checkpoint ahead of you and the finish should appear shortly afterwards. Reward(s): Slipstream Turbo maneuver ------------------- Slipstream Chicanes ------------------- Recommended Vehicle: Citi Turbo Opponent Vehicle(s): Monstruo Strategy: This race isn't too bad, but it can be hard. It's fairly long but the checkpoints are fairly easy to find and the race is pretty straightforward. If you know the map pretty well you shouldn't have much trouble once you get a feel for the race, but your opponents are good and have much better cars. The Citi Turbo is a good choice here as the race contains fairly decent straightaways throughout, and the Slipstream Turbo maneuver you just unlocked is very helpful. At the start, head straight to the first checkpoint. Utilize the Slipstream Turbo technique right at the start to get and early lead. Some other racers will join from the right. Drive through the checkpoint and continue heading forward. Take the next right to a checkpoint and continue to head straight after hitting this one. Take the next left to the next checkpoint, which you should turn right at. Follow this road for a while as it bends left then right, and take the first left after it bends to the right. Hit the checkpoint in front of you and take the next right after it, cutting through the little parking lot on the corner. Drive through the checkpoint up ahead and follow the road as it curves around and down, hitting the next two checkpoints. After the curve, veer left and take the road heading up to get to another checkpoint. Hit it and slightly veer right onto that side street. Follow the road as it curves to a checkpoint and take a left at the gas station a little ways down. Hit the checkpoint in front of you and continue down on this road, taking the first right after the overpass. Take a left where the road comes to a T and follow this street to the final checkpoint. Continue on this road as you cross a bridge over the canal. After the bridge, veer left to take the ramp to rooftop shortcut right to the finish. Reward(s): Monstruo **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** L o s A n g e l e s C i t y C h a m p i o n **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** =-=-=-=-=-=- DICE =-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Jersey XS After beating Hector and winning his car, choose to Continue Career with New Vehicle and you will be throw into the last set of races to become the Los Angeles city champion. Dice is your main opponent in these races and he's a mean, hardcore Japanese racer with his import (which looks like a Dodge Viper). --------- Crossover --------- Recommended Vehicle: Monstruo Opponent Vehicle(s): Jersey XS Strategy: This is one of my favorite races because it is a good test of skill and reflexes. I often replay this race in Arcade Mode just because it is so fun and is an overall great race. The race isn't too hard, and, while your opponents' cars have better acceleration, the Monstruo beats it in top speed, which is a good benefit to have. Just be wary of the close checkpoints near the beginning, and use your map a lot, and you shouldn't have very much trouble once you learn the race. This race is quite long, compared to any other race you have done so far, but try not to get frustrated and keep racing. From the start, head forward to the first checkpoint and take a right soon after. At this turn, either make a rather wide right or a fairly tight one because there are little buildings in the middle of the road. But then again, don't take the turn too tight or wide because of the palm trees that line the sides of the road. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a left to the next one. Hit it and go up hill as the road curves to the right and hit the next checkpoint. The next six checkpoints are very close together and you must weave across the median and between trees a few times to hit each one. The first one is to the left, second to the right, third to the left, etc. At the third checkpoint, watch out for the police chopper spotlight. The sixth checkpoint us at the end of the straightaway and is positioned in the center of the road. Hit it and follow the road as it goes down and curves right to another checkpoint. After hitting it, keep on this road to hit another checkpoint. The cops will start to chase you at this checkpoint, so be wary of their presence. Follow the road as it curves around to the right to spot another checkpoint. Slow up when you are about to hit it and make a hard right onto the exit ramp up to the freeway. Notice I said exit ramp, rather than entrance ramp. You will be going against a little high-speed traffic so rely on your reflexes and be prepared to weave. Hit the checkpoint ahead once you are on the freeway and then continue on it to another checkpoint. Hit it and veer to the right, crossing over to the other side of the freeway when there is no barrier. Drive through the checkpoint and hit the next one right in front of you, leading you onto a redirecting road. Hit the checkpoint at the end of it and continue forward to the next checkpoint at another redirecting road. Follow the curve to the next checkpoint at the end of it, and when you get back onto the freeway, veer to the left, crossing over the freeway again to yet another checkpoint at a redirecting road. Drive through the checkpoint at the end and continue forward to the last checkpoint leading to a redirecting road. Hit the checkpoint at the end, and once you are back on the freeway, slow up and avoid the orange barrier thing. But once you are past it, veer left sharply to fly off the freeway and through the checkpoint. Use Weight Transfer in mid- air to straighten your car before you land. Head out the gate up ahead and veer left onto a road with the next checkpoint. Hit it and make a left and follow this road as it curves left to another checkpoint. After getting it, veer left off the road and bust through the glass into a building for a shortcut. Once you bust through the other side, veer right, past the stairs and head through parking area to the next checkpoint. Hit it and veer right back onto the road. Continue down this road for a little and take the second left to a checkpoint. Hit it and take a hard right into an alley to get another checkpoint. Keep heading forward, through a little parking area and jump through the glass to the checkpoint ahead. Head to the next checkpoint as you land, hit it and veer right, cutting a corner to the road ahead. Stay on this road as it curves to the right. Hit the checkpoint on the bridge over the canal and then hit the next checkpoint on this road shortly ahead. Take a left at it and continue along this road to another checkpoint, at which you should slow up and take a hard left up onto the freeway. Hit the three checkpoints on the freeway, weaving through traffic, and the fourth should lead you off the freeway. Slow down a bit and make a hard left onto the street, hitting the checkpoint ahead. Keep on this road to get to the next checkpoint after the bridge over the canal. Make a hard left at it and drop down into the canal. Hit the checkpoint down in there and use one of the ramps to get to the next part of the canal. Hit the checkpoint ahead and follow the canal around to the right. At the final checkpoint, slow up and make a right into a little tunnel to the finish. ------------------ Droppin' Knowledge ------------------ Recommended Vehicle: Monstruo Opponent Vehicle(s): Jersey XS Strategy: I also enjoy this race. It can be pretty confusing at times but again, once you learn and get a feel for the race. You shouldn't have too much trouble. There are some long straightaways in this race, and the Monstruo should be your car of choice again, with the highest top speed. This is another rather long race so just stick with it to learn its ins and outs. You start in the tunnel area where you finished the previous race. At the start, go forward a block and veer left to hit a ramp shortcut to another street. Every other racer also takes this shortcut so try and get a Slipstream Turbo off in there somewhere. Veer a little right onto the street in front of you and stay on it for a long time. It seems as if it won't lead to the first checkpoint but it curves left three times and leads almost directly to the checkpoint. After the third curve, the road will head down and a little right. Take the second right after this to the first checkpoint. Hit it and take a right. The cops will be all over you now. Keep heading forward onto the really curvy, hilly road and keep on it for a while, avoiding any cops that you come across. Eventually, you will come to a checkpoint. Hit it and continue further on the road. You will want to take a right at the stop sign, but continue forward and the road will curve around to the right. When you get to a T intersection, veer slightly to the right and bust through the gate for a shortcut to the other side. Once out of the alley, head to the left, through the grass, trees, and rocks and get back onto the road. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a left onto another street. Take the first left and then the first right you come to. Follow this road and make a left right before the canal. Then take the first right to the bridge over the canal, hitting the checkpoint. Take the first right after the bridge and follow this road, making a right at the T intersection. Now follow this road a bit and take the first right after the overpass to the next checkpoint. Make another right after hitting it and keep on this road for a very long time. Eventually you will reach the canal. Drop down into it but veer to the right to get onto the street to the right of the one ahead of you after you get out of the canal. Hit the checkpoint at the end of this street and make a left. Then make another left and head straight across the canal to a long straightaway leading to the next checkpoint. Either of these long straightaways is perfect for a nitrous boost. Hit the checkpoint and continue straight to the final checkpoint. At it, veer to the right and bust through the glass into the building at the corner of the intersection. Drive straight through it to a construction ramp and fly through the finish. Reward(s): Jersey XS, Two-Wheel Driving maneuver, Los Angeles City Champion ---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::--- ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::--- ___ |___| _ __ __ | /_\ |__| | |__ | / \ | \ | __| Street Report: Old-world cobblestone streets are well preserved, but still don't provide the traction afforded by modern day pavement. Like much of urban Europe, city streets are a network of avenues, circles, and narrow alleyways - helpful when in need of shortcuts. Traffic Study: Known for their etiquette and enduring nationalism, Parisians are resentful reckless Yankee scofflaws. Commuter traffic is not at all accommodating to street racing. Congestion is mostly limited to daytime, however, nightlife crowds causing foot and vehicle traffic are a predictable constant. =-=-=-=-=-=- BLOG =-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Boost Blog is the only available racer on the Paris city map at this time. Find the trendy British racer, who sounds like he was taken right from the movie Snatch, and follow him to the race point. -------------- Eiffel Visions -------------- Recommended Vehicle: Jersey XS Opponent Vehicle(s): Boost, Stadt Strategy: This is your first Paris race, and it can be a tough one. You may notice that the handling in Paris is a bit looser than Los Angeles. Also, traffic can be a major bitch. There are many narrow alleyways and roads in the city so your driving skills need to be keen. Every car, excluding the city champion's car, has two nitrous available. This might change your strategy a little, but you now have an extra boost. I always recommend saving at least one for near the finish. At the start, you should see the first checkpoint in front of you a ways and your competitors spread out amongst you. At the go call, head straight forward to the first checkpoint. I do not recommend using Slipstream Turbo here at the beginning, as you need to pull a 180 at the first checkpoint. Slow up before getting the checkpoint and try to be turning while grabbing it. Start heading straight back from where you came towards the next checkpoint. You may want to use a nitro here or try and pull off a Slipstream Turbo to get back up to speed. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a right to another checkpoint, which you should make a left at. Stay on this road as it goes into an alley and make a veer left once you get out to hit the checkpoint. Now make a sharp left onto the street near the alley. Follow this road as it goes up and at the intersection, veer to the right to hit the next checkpoint. Get on the road to the right of the previous checkpoint and stay on it for a long time, avoid the many vehicles on the road. I find that it helps to stay on the little pinkish orange medians in the road to avoid traffic. No one drives there so it is a straight shot through traffic. Anyways, the road will bend to the left after a while and come to a circle area (very common in Paris). Veer to the right to grab the checkpoint and keep heading left around the circle to grab another. Keep heading left a little more and leave the circle on the road you came in on. Head straight forward to another checkpoint and veer to the right a little after hitting it to enter a ramp shortcut. When you are about to go off the ramp, do not aim straight for the checkpoint. Instead, aim to the left a bit so that you land on the road level to the checkpoint (aiming at the checkpoint will land you on a road lower than the checkpoint). On this road, make the first right to the checkpoint and then another right. You should be heading for the Eiffel Tower now. A little before you get to it, veer off to the right to get onto a road leading to the final checkpoint. Hit it and stay on the road as it curves to the left straight to the finish. -------------- Rooftop Vistas -------------- Recommended Vehicle: Jersey XS Opponent Vehicle(s): Boost, Stadt Strategy: This race can also cause you some problems, but it gives you a good feel for Paris. This race is very long, longer than either of Dice's races. I find that it is best to hang back a little, let your opponents make their mistakes, and run a solid race to claim the victory. Again, traffic can be a pain, but it also hinders your opponents. From the start, head straight and follow the road as it bends to the left to the first checkpoint. Stay on this road for a while longer, past the church, and you will come to a bridge. Take the first right after the bridge to the checkpoint. Slow up upon hitting it and make a left, busting the gate into a little tunnel for a shortcut right to the next checkpoint. Take the large red ramp in front of you and head left when you land to another checkpoint. Veer left again and make a left when you get back onto the road. Veer to the left slightly to hit the next checkpoint leading to a ramp up to a building. Hit the checkpoint up ahead, then slow down and make a U-turn to a path leading down and out of the building. Drop down out of the building and make a right at the checkpoint ahead. Continue on this road and veer slightly to the right at the Y intersection to hit the next checkpoint. Continue in this area to another checkpoint and then take the right path where it splits to a third checkpoint. You will go off a little ramp to another rooftop. Drop down off this rooftop, fly through the next checkpoint, and get out of the area through one of the arches, making a left onto the road. Follow this road as it bends to the right and hit the checkpoint. Continue a little further after hitting the checkpoint and make a sharp left where the road ends. The narrow road will curve around to the left straight to another checkpoint. Stay on the road as it bends to the left and you will come to another circle area. Make a right at the circle to get onto another road and hit the checkpoint all the way down near the end of it. Continue after hitting it and make a left at the Y intersection. Then make the first left and hit the checkpoint ahead. Continue on this road to hit another checkpoint further off. At this checkpoint veer left, staying to the right of the columns, and follow this area as it curves around to the left. You should see another checkpoint leading to an alley as you are coming back onto a street. Hit it and enter the alley. Follow it as it bends left and right to another checkpoint and make a right. You should see another checkpoint ahead at the entrance of an alleyway. Grab it and again enter the alley, but slow down as it bends to the right. Look for a red P sign and a tunnel to the right of it. Veer right and go down into the tunnel and make a right on the checkpoint. You are now on the Paris mini- freeway (there is another, bigger freeway). Stay on it for a while until you see a checkpoint on a bridge over the water. Slow up and take the exit ramp to the right, and then make a left to the final checkpoint. Stay on this road past the intersection and make a left into an alleyway marked with another red P sign. Follow this alley and veer to the right as you come to a clearing with the large church. Head up the ramp into the church and bust out the doors on the other end where the finish lies. Reward(s): Boost =-=-=-=-=-=-= JULIE =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Bryanston V Now find Julie, a hot French chick (I'd tap it) with a sexy accent, and her twin sister, Jewel, who seems a bit more rugged. Follow their Bryanston V to the race point. ---------- Twin Turbo ---------- Recommended Vehicle: Boost Opponent Vehicle(s): Bryanston V, Alarde Strategy: This is a relatively short and easy race, thankfully. It is the first of the scattered checkpoint races in Paris but it isn't too hard to come away the victor, if you go the shortest route. At the start, all the Alardes seem to go the left path, while Julie and her Bryanston Vs take the right path, which is faster. Take the right path at the start, following the Bryanston Vs, and hopefully getting off a Slipstream Turbo. Follow this path and hit the three checkpoints on it before the road bends to the right. Continue on this road and after you cross the bridge, veer left and take a diagonal route to a checkpoint in an alleyway. Hit it and make a left at the one ahead of it to a new alleyway with another checkpoint. Hit it and veer left to another alley and veer right onto the street once you are out of it. Make a hard left at the checkpoint in front of you onto a two-lane street. Hit the four checkpoints along this street, avoiding the construction barriers near the end, and once you are back to the circle area you started at, head to the ramp in front of you to the finish. ------------- Rollercoaster ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Boost Opponent Vehicle(s): Bryanston V, Fripon X Strategy: This race really isn't very hard nor is it long like Blog's second race; it's actually quite fun. You start off staring at the back end of a Fripon X. At the go call, accelerate quickly and get a Slipstream Turbo off before the first checkpoint. Hit it and make a sharp right onto a little two- lane side street. Make a right at the next checkpoint and head straight towards the one ahead. Veer to the right slightly while hitting it and take the ramp up to the building, but instead of making a U-turn, follow the curve around to a ramp shortcut leading to the next checkpoint. Fly through it and once you get out of the alley, veer to the right sharply to get on a cobblestone road. The road will soon come to a clearing where you should swing out to the left to grab the checkpoint and then turn back and take the first right to another cobblestone alleyway. Follow it to another checkpoint and then veer left, busting through the gate to get onto the freeway. Hit the checkpoint ahead and then pull U-turn, entering the area where the gas pumps are. Take the ramp over to the right and hit the checkpoint. Make a sharp right to another checkpoint and then another right, into the alley you were once in. It will lead you to the clearing you were also at once before. You should see the blue column of a checkpoint off in the distance. Time for a MASSIVE jump. Notice the large set of stairs and the steep grass hill leading up to the basilica? They act as a major ramp. Hit it with all you've got, including nitrous and launch up to the checkpoint. You won't actually hit it but you'll be close. I recommend aiming to the right a little and landing on the little street there, then heading left to the checkpoint, but you may land wherever. Hit the checkpoint and get onto the diagonal street leading downwards. Once you come to a road, veer left a little and get on another street. Pass through the arches and veer left to hit a ramp straight to the finish. Reward(s): Bryanston V =-=-=-=-=-=-= PRIMO =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicles: Vortex 5, Schneller V8 Now locate Primo, the Italian, slick-haired, daytime business man/nighttime street racer, and flash your lights at him. Follow his Vortex 5 to the race point and get ready to race. ------------ Seine Insane ------------ Recommended Vehicle: Bryanston V Opponent Vehicle(s): Vortex 5 Strategy: Yet another scattered points race, this race can be quite difficult due to the heavy traffic on the Paris mini-freeway, where the majority of the points lie in this race, and the fact that your opponent's cars are Tokyo level cars. Luckily, they don't seem to be racing to their fullest potential, but I could be wrong. Remember to take this race fairly slow along the mini-freeway and avoid as much traffic as possible to ensure your victory. Start off by going straight forward to the checkpoint ahead in the alleyway. Follow the alley a little to the left and hit another checkpoint under and arch. You should come to a little clearing with the church to you right. Keep heading straight to a checkpoint ahead and continue further on this street to another checkpoint. Hit it and make a sharp right onto another street, which you should follow as it curves a little left to a checkpoint. Make a hard right just after it to another checkpoint leading down to the mini-freeway. Again, be wary of the traffic that litters this two-lane freeway, as well as the other racers you cross paths with at different times. Stay on the mini- freeway for a LONG time and you should hit the remaining 14 checkpoints (though the 14th is actually just off the mini-freeway). Some of the checkpoints require you to use exit ramps as jumps to get checkpoints while maintaining speed. Here is a little diagram of the mini-freeway, plotting the remaining checkpoints in the race: ,-(8)---.----------,--o(11)-. / '(9)-(10)' o +-------------------+ / (12) | KEY | (7) ,-(2)-------. \ +-------------------+ / / (1) \ | (#) = checkpoint | / o \ \ | *** = entrance/ | (6) (3) | \ | exit point | / / | o | o = exit ramp | | / \ (13) | jump | | (4) \ \ +-------------------+ (5)----' \ | \ *** <----- Where you exit \ (14) Where you enter -------> *** Look out for checkpoints 9 and 10 as you can easily pass them up. Shortly after grabbing eight, look for a little area off the left right after an overpass and before a little tunnel. Veer to the right into that area, nab the two checkpoints, and veer left back onto the freeway. Exit the freeway to hit checkpoint 14 and make a left where the road ends shortly after. This narrow road will curve around to the left twice. Soon after the second curve, make a right into an open area, right before the long pink ramp, and head straight towards the finish. ------ Swerve ------ Recommended Vehicle: Bryanston V Opponent Vehicle(s): Schneller V8, Boost Strategy: Primo decides to switch to his Schneller V8 instead of cheating with that Vortex 5 again. It is a lot slower off the line, but it has a much better top speed, which is needed in this race. It isn't too entirely hard but it can be a bit tricky at times. A majority of the race is on the freeway, so your best bet here is to go with the Bryanston V, which has the highest top speed. From the start, you will notice on your map that the first checkpoint is a little behind you and to your right. You could turn your car around while burning out and head the other way for a slightly faster route, but it really isn't necessary. Simply head straight and make a right onto the road. You will come to a circle where you should head right at onto another road with the first checkpoint. Hit it and continue forward, veering to the right when you come to the Y intersection at the end, which takes you to the real Paris freeway. Either head down the far left entrance ramp or bust through the gate down to the freeway (making sure you land on the right side), and hit the checkpoint ahead. Look out for the next checkpoint just as the freeway bends to the left. Veer sharply left to hit it at the entrance to the gas pump area, and head out the other side, and veer back to the right to hit another checkpoint. You will soon come to another checkpoint on the freeway, but notice the little arches under the overpass. The next five checkpoints will require you to weave in and out of these arches to hit the checkpoints like so: +-------------------+ ----<-----(2)-----<-------(4)-----<-- | KEY | ====/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\==== +-------------------+ --(1)----->-------(3)------>---(5)--- | (#) = checkpoint | | === = highway | | divider | | /\ = arch | | <,> = flow of | | traffic | +-------------------+ Checkpoints 4 and 5 are closer together than the rest of them so slow down if necessary. After hitting those five checkpoints, continue on freeway and hit another checkpoint just ahead. The next checkpoint will be on an overpass, so slow up and take the exit ramp off and make a left at the top to the checkpoint. Continue forward to another, smaller circle and veer right about 45 degrees to another road with the next checkpoint. Hit it and make a right. Grab the checkpoint ahead and take the little alley it leads to off to the right. Keep on this fairly straight alley and you will be brought to another checkpoint just on the freeway again. Bust through the gate and fly through it, landing on the freeway (or in the gas pump area). You should be against oncoming traffic now. It seems to be relatively light so avoid all of it if possible. Hit the checkpoint shortly after the freeway bends left. You will soon come to another checkpoint to the upper left. Take the entrance ramp up, slowing down to gain control, and make a left at the checkpoint. You should be heading straight towards a massive arch thing. Look out for a little narrow, diagonal alleyway to the right after the first intersection you come to. It may be hard to spot so look closely. Veer to the right into it for a little shortcut right to the next checkpoint. Notice the light brownish building to your right while entering the road. Veer of to the right and take the tiny ramp up into the building. It will take you to a large ramp, sending you flying through the last checkpoint and in the direction of the finish. You will land on or just before another ramp, which you should use a nitrous boost on to shoot to the finish. Reward(s): Schneller V8 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- STEPHANE =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Alarde Your next opponent is Stephane, the French nationalist, Johnny Depp look-a- like. I thought he was gay at first but then he mentions how he will always have more women than you. Regardless, find his slow, ugly Alarde, flash your highs, and follow him to the race point. -------------- Roundabout Run -------------- Recommended Vehicle: Bryanston V Opponent Vehicle(s): Alarde Strategy: This scattered checkpoints race can be quite difficult as the points are in clusters that are very spread out from each other. But your Bryanston V should have no problem beating the Alardes once you have your route. From the start, head straight, bypassing the Alardes, to the group of three checkpoints at the massive arches. Hit the first and then swing around to the right to hit another and curve left to hit the next. You should be facing about in the direction of road, which you should take. The road will bend to the right at one intersection. Make a left at the next intersection and hit all three points at the circle. Then take the road you came in on, and take the second left and then the first right. You should be facing three archways two checkpoints ahead, and another group of three archways further off. Hit the two checkpoints and continue out through the other archways. You will cross a bridge and then the road will bend to the left. Take the first right into an alley after the bend in the road, and the veer off to the left shortly after the P sign to enter another circle with three checkpoints. Start with the one to the right and swing around left to hit the other two. Then take the nearest road out. Stay on it for a while as it bends to the left, crosses a bridge, passes the church, crosses another bridge, bends to the left again, and finally comes to the remaining three checkpoints. Hit the one to the right first, swing around to the left to hit the other two, and then keep winging around to make a full circle and hit the ramp next to the large building up ahead. Once you land veer to the left to get onto a narrow road and make a sharp right about where the P sign is (except the opposite way) to enter a little alley. Follow it as it bends to the left and you should see the orange column of the finish point in the distance. Once you come to a street, veer to the right about 45 degrees to enter another alleyway, which leads to the finish. -------------- Over and Under -------------- Recommended Vehicle: Bryanston V Opponent Vehicle(s): Alarde Strategy: This race is really awesome, for some reason. I don't know why I enjoy it, I just do. It's a good race, what can I say? Anyways, this is a fun race, in my opinion, and covers much of Paris not seen before in any other race. It's relatively long, but it's an enjoyable long rather than an excruciating long. Again, your Bryanston V should have no trouble against Stephane and his inferior Alardes once you learn the ins and outs of the race. Overall, it's not too tough. You start in the middle of a half-circle of Alardes, which is cute. You can see where the first checkpoint is, up past the steep grass hill. Just drive up there, either on the grass or using the path to the left, and hit the checkpoint. Veer to the right slightly to get onto the little street heading towards another checkpoint. Hit it and veer left at it to get onto an alley diagonal to the one you were on. Fly down the alley to a checkpoint and veer right to get onto the road. Continue down this long straightaway, avoiding the police roadblock, and take the right path where the road bends to an alley with a checkpoint ahead. Slow up and make a right at the checkpoint, busting through the gate into an underground catacomb area. Hit the checkpoint you come to, avoiding the stone pillars, and you will come to an open, concrete area. Veer right when you come to this opening and hit another checkpoint leading to another route. Avoid the pillars in here and slow up to make a hard left at the checkpoint ahead. This route will lead you out of the catacombs to another checkpoint. Hit it and then head straight forward to the glass pyramid. Use it as a major ramp to launch over the building and hit the checkpoint ahead. Soon after, the road will bend to the right, and you should see a bright red T sign to your left, indicating a tunnel. Veer off to the left and down into the tunnel, hitting the checkpoint at the entrance. Follow the tunnel all the way to the end, and slow up before you hit the checkpoint. Hit it and veer off to the right into an alley with a checkpoint at the end. Make a left at the checkpoint, avoiding another police roadblock, and then make another left where the road ends, hitting the next checkpoint in the process. You will soon come to where you exited the tunnel. Enter it again and hit the checkpoint as you do. When the path splits the first time, take the right path, and then take the left path when it splits a second time. Continue on and you should hit a couple more checkpoints before exiting the tunnel. When you come to the exit, again, slow up and veer to the left to hit a checkpoint leading to an alley marked with a P. Follow the alley to another checkpoint and make a right at it. Zoom on ahead to the next checkpoint and make another right. At the intersection you come to, veer to the right to get on an alley diagonal to the street you were on. Continue on it as it climbs up to the next checkpoint, and, after hitting it, veer to the right slightly to get on a narrow road adjacent to the church. Follow it to the final checkpoint, and then veer left off the platform, dropping down to the cobblestone area below. Take the center alley all the way to the freeway where the finish point lies. Reward(s): Alarde =-=-=-=-=-= IAN =-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Fripon X, Monsoni Next, find the Fripon X with the Aussie bloke Ian behind the wheel. Flash the high beams and tail him to the race point. ----------------- The Art of Racing ----------------- Recommended Vehicle: Bryanston V Opponent Vehicle(s): Fripon X, Boost Strategy: I, personally, hate this race, and I think you will too. It can be very difficult as the checkpoints are very spaced out and many are quite hard to get to. But I will help you as best I can. From the start head straight all the way down to the big Ferris wheel. Make sure you don't hit one of the red carts when going through there, as they will stop you dead in your tracks. Once you pass it, veer off to right slightly, making your way around the obstructions to the first checkpoint. Hit it from the right (you should be heading about towards the large glass pyramid) and veer left a little once you get onto the road. Now make a right at the second intersection after the three arches ahead and follow this road straight to the next checkpoint. Take the first right after the checkpoint into an alley and stay in it until you come to a T intersection with a breakable gate in front of you. Slow down upon approaching this intersection and make a hard left to a checkpoint, which you should make a right at. Continue heading straight at the T intersection into another alley with an arch at the entrance. Follow it around as it curves to the left and make a right when it joins with the road again. Make another right at the intersection right before the bridge onto a road with the next checkpoint ahead. Hit it and, instead of following the road as it bends left, stay relatively straight and hit a ramp ahead, busting through some glass for a shortcut to the checkpoint on the other side. Hit the checkpoint and then make a left and then a right to get out of the area, passing the Ferris wheel again, and onto the main street where you started the race. This is quite a long straightaway so use of nitrous is recommended. Hit the checkpoint under the massive arch thing then veer right to a road diagonal to the street you were previously on. Follow it around as it bends to the left to another checkpoint. Soon after, the road will elevate slightly. After it does so, veer off to the left, avoiding the rocks, and fly through an open area of a building right to the next checkpoint. Upon landing, veer to the left to get on road with the next checkpoint just ahead at the entrance ramp to the mini-freeway. Hit it and go down into the mini-freeway, nabbing another checkpoint ahead. Stay on the freeway for a little while longer and you should notice that you have passed up the final checkpoint. Don't worry, you're supposed to. Look for the nearest exit ramp, slow up, and take it out of the mini-freeway. Pull a 180 and head back the opposite way, towards the checkpoint. Take the second right after turning around, not the first, and then another right to the final checkpoint. Then head straight for the glass pyramid, using it as a ramp to lead to the finish point over the building. ------------------- Few and Far Between ------------------- Recommended Vehicle: Bryanston V Opponent Vehicle(s): Fripon X, Monsoni Strategy: This is another race that I hate because, as the race's name implies, the checkpoints are few but far between. The checkpoints are even more spaced out than the last race and finding a good route to them can be difficult. You now have to face off against some motorcyclists with Monsonis. They will surely have an advantage over you early on, but in the long run, your Bryanston's top speed should pull through. At the start, head down the road and take the second right you come to, following the Monsonis ahead. Follow this road a while until it comes to a Y intersection at the end. Make a right here and follow this road making another right immediately after crossing the river. The road will bend around to the left and come to an opening with the Eiffel Tower to your left. Veer left and hit the checkpoint underneath it. Veer right slightly, avoiding one of the bases of the tower, and then veer left back onto the road ahead. This road will bend left and come to a little circle area. Head through one of the three narrow arches ahead for a tiny shortcut (it seems like common sense but some of your opponents go around) and continue on this road. It will bend left again and then come to an intersection shortly. Make a right at this intersection, right before the bridge, and then make a left where the road ends. As the road curves right, you should notice an open area with a fountain and a checkpoint to your right. Veer out into this area and grab the checkpoint, then continue left around the structure in the middle until you spot a little road ahead of you. Take it and follow it as it curves to the left, passes the church, goes under an arch, and then turns into a cobblestone road. Stay on this cobblestone path and continue heading straight after you cross a road. The path should end shortly afterwards and you will fly onto a stationary boat in the river. Veer left upon going off the ramp at the end of the boat (using nitrous if need) to launch towards three arches for a sweet shortcut. Go through one archway to a second, and after the second archway, make a left at the T intersection. Now make a right at the first intersection you come to and it should bring you to a circle area with a checkpoint. Swing around to the left, hitting the checkpoint, and then back to the right around the circle and take the first road you come to (to the right from the road you came in on). Follow this small street upwards and past the church, and when it comes to a curve, continue forward and fly down the hill. When you land, veer to the right onto the cobblestone road and into a little alley. Make a left when you come to the road, and follow it around as it curves to the right to the final checkpoint. Make a right at it and stay relatively in this direction for quite a while. At the circle area, veer to the right slightly to get onto another road ahead. Stay with this road as it bends left then right and crosses over a bridge. At the T intersection right after the bridge, veer to the left and you should see the orange finish point at the end of an alley. Go through the alley straight to the finish. Reward(s): Fripon X --------------- Monsoni Monsoon --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Fripon X Opponent Vehicle(s): Monsoni Strategy: Even though you have Ian's car, he's not quite finished with you yet. He switches to a Monsoni and rides with his fellow bikers in this race, and he can be tough. This race also has checkpoints that are fairly spread out, but the routes to them are more direct, making the race less difficult. At the go call, head straight into the alley ahead. Your new Fripon is fast, but you will still get burned by the crotch rockets. After racing with the Bryanston V for a while, you will notice that the handling of the Fripon X is not as tight. You can manage, however, as this race does not demand to many sharp turns. Once you are out of the alley, veer left onto the road and make the first right to the first checkpoint on the bridge. The road will bend left and then right, crossing another bridge, and come to a circle area. Swing around to the right to hit the next checkpoint and then veer right onto the street you come to after hitting it. Continue down this street for a while and make a hard left where it ends at a Y intersection. Hit the checkpoint ahead and continue forward, though you may be tempted to make a left. The road will curve to the left and then come to a long straightaway. I can't tell you exactly where to turn to the next checkpoint but keep an eye on your map and make a left at the correct side street. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a right onto the street immediately before the arches. Take the first right you come to, hit the checkpoint ahead, and continue forward to a circle area with the next checkpoint. Hit it from the right and then swing left to get onto the road leading to the freeway. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a hard right onto the freeway entrance ramp and down into the freeway. Hit the first checkpoint you come to and veer left under one of the many arches to crossover onto the other side of the freeway, against traffic. Hit the checkpoint ahead, then again veer right under any of the arches to get back to the right side of the freeway. Hit the checkpoint ahead, and after the road curves to the right a little, veer off to the right to enter the gas pumps area where the next checkpoint is. Avoid the cars and pumps, hit the checkpoint and veer left back onto the freeway. The next checkpoint is off the freeway, so take the exit ramp up, slow down a bit, and make a hard right at the checkpoint. Take the left path at the fork ahead and follow this straightaway down to a large circle area. Veer left or right around the big pillar statue in the middle and head to the little street going the exact same direction as the road you were previously on. Make a right at the first intersection you come to, right before a bridge, and hit the checkpoint ahead. Take the first right you come to and follow this narrow road for a ways. Make a right after at the intersection after you cross a bridge to the final checkpoint, and then make the first left into an alleyway. Look for a P sign ahead and when you do, slow up and make a left right after it down into an underground area. Head left again and head straight for the finish. Reward(s): Monsoni =-=-=-=-=-=-= FARID =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Stadt The last available racer on your city map is Farid, big-eared, uni-browed Algerian. Flash the highs and follow his ugly Stadt to the race point. ----------------- Catacomb Criminal ----------------- Recommended Vehicle: Fripon X Opponent Vehicle(s): Stadt (just Farid) Strategy: Wow this race annoys the hell out of me. It is, in my opinion, one of the worst, if not the worst race in the game. This is mainly because I despise the catacombs. They piss me off because they are so narrow and bumpy making it hard to control your vehicle, especially at 100+ mph speeds. Plus, there are SO many obstructions; it's not even funny. You're bound to run into some sort of pillar or column down there more than once. Also, navigation can be quite confusing, as you never know which way one path might come out. Anyways, back to the race. At least Farid is driving a crappy Stadt, which you should easily burn in your Fripon X, and he seems really slow. You won't want to use your new Monsoni in this race, if at all, because motorcycles and catacombs don't get along. At the start, head straight forward through the tunnel, avoiding the pillars in the middle of the path. Bust through a couple gates and the tunnel will curve to the right a little bit. You should see a large concrete column in front of you in an open area. As you come to the opening, veer right and then back left, avoiding the columns, to a catacomb entrance ahead. As you start to head up hill, look for the first checkpoint up ahead, outside of the catacomb. Slow up when you are about to hit it and make a right, immediately after hitting it, into another catacomb (BAH!!). Continue in this tunnel, hitting the checkpoint as it curves to the left. When you come to another clearing with large columns, veer to the right and enter the catacomb in that general direction, avoiding the massive columns of course. This catacomb will curve to the left a couple times and then join with an alleyway. Bust through the gate at the end and make a hard left at the checkpoint. Make your way through the alley until it comes to a street, which you should veer left onto. Take the second right you come to and head through the arches ahead. Veer to the left, past the glass pyramid, and hit the checkpoint at the entrance to yet another catacomb (NOO!!). Hit the checkpoint and bust through the gate into the tunnel. Head forward and you will come to a small opening with a single pillar in front of you. Swerve to the left or right to avoid it and continue on ahead. You will come to a similar opening shortly after. Again swerve left or right to avoid the pillar and then hit the checkpoint ahead. The tunnel will now head upwards, meaning that the exit is up ahead. Bust through the gate and you will come to a clearing where the church is. Veer to the left a bit and get on the side road to avoid the church. Stay on this path until you come to another clearing with a fountain and the next checkpoint to your left. Veer off to the left to hit the checkpoint and then pull a 180 and head back to the road you came out on. Head straight back on this road and you will come to an archway beginning the cobblestone road. Veer right as it curves to hit the final checkpoint at another archway. Continue heading straight towards a gap in between buildings and fly onto the stationary boat in the river. Use the ramp at the end to propel yourself towards the three archways, and pass through either one of them. You should see the finish point in this area. Head towards the trees in the middle of the circle and then make a left to the finish. ------------- Lose the Cops ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Fripon X Opponent Vehicle(s): Stadt (just Farid) Strategy: What is it with Mexicans/Spanish and having to lose the cops in this game? Is it just me, or are there some heavy stereotypes here? Anyways, like the previous Lose the Cops "race" with Hector, your objective is to get the Paris police off your tail before you reach the finish point and before the time limit expires. This time, however, you are not placed on opposite ends of the city from the finish point as you were in LA. But you also only have 2 minutes to complete the race. The police are a lot more cunning this time around, and I've had as many as four on me at once. It wasn't a pretty sight. But I have found the perfect route to lose the cops...through the catacombs. (The catacombs?) Yes, the dreaded catacombs. But this time, you don't have to race through them at super speeds. Anyways, at the start, using a Burnout, turn your car around 180 degrees so that you are facing the entrance to a catacomb. Go down into it and you will come to an underground opening quite soon. Slow up and make a right once you reach this opening and head into another nearby tunnel. Follow this path to another opening and again head right. Avoid the large columns and make your way to another tunnel. Follow this tunnel as it curves to the right and bust through the gate at the end. After coming back outside, immediately make a left to another catacomb entrance, busting through the gate. Follow this catacomb as it comes to another opening. Avoid the large columns and head into the tunnel at the other end. Stay with this path as it curves around to the left and bust through the gates ahead, crossing the road then entering another tunnel ahead. Follow this tunnel straight to a road, which you should make a left at. Take the first right you come to onto a cobblestone road and head left at the clearing towards the church and the finish point. Use the stairs to launch you up to the finish. Reward(s): Stadt --------- Extortion --------- Recommended Vehicle: Fripon X Opponent Vehicle(s): Victory (just Owen) Strategy: Finally, a bearable race after so many horrible ones. Apparently Farid has some "information" in his car that some inspector named Owen wants to get to in Farid's Stadt (though you shouldn't use it); so he races you for it. This race can be quite tough given that his Victory is a somewhat better than your Fripon X in terms of acceleration. But he is your only opponent and traffic is light so you don't have as much to worry about in this race. At the start, you will be facing the church. While doing a Burnout, turn your car to the right about 45 degrees or a bit less. Jump up the little hill to a small road and follow it around to the left. When you spot the first checkpoint, veer to the left to hit it and take the little cobblestone street that it leads to. When the street levels off the first time, slow up and veer right onto a narrow diagonal street, then make the first right. Hit the checkpoint in the middle of this area and then continue to the other side and make a left onto the road ahead. Follow the road as it leads downwards to a circle area, then veer to the right a little to the next checkpoint at the freeway. Hit it and make a left onto oncoming traffic's exit ramp and head down into the freeway. Hit the checkpoint ahead and then pass under any of the arches to get to the other side of the freeway where the next checkpoint lies. Hit it and you should soon see another checkpoint ahead to the left. Veer left across the freeway and head towards the checkpoint. While hitting it, try to make a wide left turn and enter the gas pumps area. Take the exit ramp to the right up to the next checkpoint and then make a right, then another right into an alleyway. Follow the alley and make a right when it comes out to a road. Stay on this road as it curves to the left and take the first right onto another road. Head straight towards the next checkpoint at the freeway, and again make a left onto the exit ramp, heading down into the freeway against oncoming traffic. Hit the checkpoint ahead as the freeway bends to the left and then use the archways a little further on to get to the other side of the freeway, again, to hit the next checkpoint. You will come to more archways in the median a little while after hitting this checkpoint. For the last time, pass under one of them to cross over to the other lanes of the freeway and hit another checkpoint ahead. Continue on this freeway as it bends to the left and veer off to the left onto the entrance ramp. Slow up as you hit the checkpoint at the top and make a left. You will soon come to a circle area, at which you should take the upper right cobblestone path leading directly to the next checkpoint amongst the alleyways. Hit it and make a left to another alley leading to the next checkpoint up ahead. Hit it and make a right to another alleyway. Head straight, hitting another checkpoint and make a hard left at it. Follow this alley as it bends to the right and hit the next last checkpoint ahead. While hitting it, make a hard right, busting through the gate to another area with a gas truck ahead. Take either the left path for a ramp or the right as both lead to the same place, but head forward either way onto the road ahead. As the road starts to bend to the left, you should see a bright P sign above and archway. Make a right through the arch and keep heading right to the finish. Reward(s): Victory **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** P a r i s C i t y C h a m p i o n **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= PARFAIT =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Modo Prego Choose to continue your career with your newly earned Victory and you will once again be faced off with the city champion. This time, it's an older French woman named Parfait, who once was a movie star/model and has found a new love for street racing. --------------- View from Above --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Victory Opponent Vehicle(s): Modo Prego Strategy: Being one of the city champion's races, this race is relatively long. Luckily, it isn't very difficult as a whole, but some parts may cause you some trouble. The checkpoints are somewhat spread out, but the routes to them are fairly direct and the shortcuts are easy to find if you are familiar with Paris (which you should be by now). Your opponents' Modo Pregos are also sufficiently faster than your Victory (and they have 3 shots of nitrous), so that adds to the challenge; but you should be able to pull through in this race once know it fairly well. Before the go call, turn your car to the left about 45 degrees while doing a Burnout. At the start, head straight towards the street ahead and veer right onto it. Hit the first checkpoint as the road curves to the left and continue on this road. Make a right when it ends and then take the first left. Hit the checkpoint ahead and enter the archway with a P sign over it immediately after the checkpoint. Make a right into it, follow the cobblestone path, and you should come to a clearing with the church. Veer off to the right side of the church and continue forward, avoiding the trees, to the next checkpoint. Hit it and make a left onto the little street just beside it. Keep heading straight on this path, busting through the gated archway ahead. Follow the cobblestone path straight to hit a little ramp leading to a motionless boat in the river for a shortcut. Fly off the other end of the boat, still heading straight, to land in a little tunnel, which you should take up. When you come out of the tunnel, stay to the left and veer into a little alley. When it joins with the road, veer to the left to hit the next checkpoint then veer sharply back to the right to get on the long fuchsia ramp. Fly off the ramp and then head left and down into a little opening. Continue heading left through small alley and veer to the right, shortly after, when you come to the road. Miss the corner of the building ahead to get onto a road heading the same direction as the alley you came out of. Follow this road as it bends to the left and make a right at the second intersection you come to, getting on a cobblestone road heading upwards (it's the first right after the tunnel entrance). Once the road levels off, hit the next checkpoint ahead and then make a right onto the next street, cutting the corner through the grass. Continue heading straight on this street when it curves to the right and fly off the hill down to the area below. Veer to the right once down there to get onto the cobblestone road adjacent to the buildings. Once you come out to the street, make a left and follow it as it bends around to the right. At the Y intersection at the end of the road, veer to the right to get into an alleyway ahead for the start of a shortcut. Follow the path as it goes upwards and around to the right. When you come to a large wooden ramp with a fork at the end, take the left path right and fly through the next checkpoint. You will land on a fuchsia platform with glass around it, much like the huge ramp near the beginning of the race (though it is level this time). Keep heading straight on it and hit the ramp at the end for some MASSIVE air. You should land in a little clearing in between buildings with some trees and grass. Head straight out of it and when you come to the church, continue heading straight and bust through the doors. Make a hard right shortly after, in the middle of the church, and break through the other church doors ahead. Hit the ramp in front of you and fly through the next checkpoint. Wow, that was one major shortcut. After hitting the checkpoint, veer to the right slightly and enter the archway marked with a bright P sign. Follow the cobblestone path as it bends to the right and then continue heading straight through a gap between buildings. Fly onto another stationary boat in the river and hit the ramp at the end to fly towards the three archways for another shortcut. Make your way under an arch to a little circle area and hit the checkpoint in the center. Continue forward through the other set of arches and when you come to a T intersection shortly after, veer to the right a bit to get onto another cobblestone street heading upwards, but going in the same direction as the road you were previously one (there is another road heading upwards but diagonal off to the right; do not take this one). Slow up when you are about to hit the final checkpoint and make a right onto a narrow street as you hit it. Follow this little street all the way down past the church and veer a little to the left as you fly off the road down the hill. Once you land, make for the alley in the center of the area and follow, making a sharp left when it ends to the finish. ---- Haul ---- Recommended Vehicle: Victory Opponent Vehicle(s): Modo Prego Strategy: This race is a bit more challenging than the first race, mainly because of the fog and the traffic. The race is also longer than the first race but the checkpoints are quite straightforward and I will guide you to the shortcuts, though there aren't many. As I said, the fog and the traffic can be major bitches and they can deter you severely. This race may have you frustrated and even when you know the race perfectly, you still may not win. Always stick with it, however, and let the computer make their mistakes, giving you opportunities to pull ahead. At the start of the race, follow your opponents into the alley ahead, hopefully getting off a Slipstream Turbo quite early. When you come out of the alley to a clearing, widely veer off to the left, avoiding the rock in your way, and swing around into an alley marked with a P sign. You will not see it at first because of the fog, but just wing around to the left until you find it (it is level with the first checkpoint). Bust through the gate and enter the alleyway and head straight towards the first checkpoint. Hit it and make a sharp right onto the road and follow it down for quite a long way to the checkpoint off in the distance. Hit it and stay on the road as it bends to the left and comes to a large circle area with the massive arch in the center. Swing around the arch and continue heading in the same direction to another road with the next checkpoint. Hit the checkpoint and stay with the road as it curves to the left and then straightens out. Continue down this LONG straightaway and eventually the road will bend to the left slightly. You should see the next checkpoint ahead, so pass through one of the narrow arches ahead and hit the checkpoint. Again, continue on this road and hit the next checkpoint as the road bends left again. Head straight across a bridge, avoiding the traffic on this two-lane road, and hit the checkpoint off in the distance. The road will bend to the left again and then come to a circle area with the next checkpoint. Swing around to the left or right and hit the checkpoint then continue heading around the circle back to the road you came in on. Hit the checkpoint at the entrance then take the first left you come to, right before the bridge. Hit the checkpoint ahead by veer to the right and busting through the gate down into the mini-freeway. Take the first exit ramp (actually is the entrance ramp) out of the mini-freeway and hit the next checkpoint ahead, veering left onto that little street. Follow it as it curves to the left and you should see the blue column of the next checkpoint ahead to the left slightly. When you see the bright T sign, veer off to the left and hit the checkpoint at the entrance to the tunnel, entering the tunnel as you do. At the first fork in the tunnel, take the right path, and then hit the checkpoint you come to, taking the left path as it forks again. Continue on in the tunnel and veer left slightly as it ends to hit the next checkpoint. Get on the adjacent road and take the first right to another checkpoint. Hit it and veer to the right a little, instead of turning, and you should spot a little ramp ahead. Use it to bust through the glass and get to the other side of the building. Head straight, past the glass pyramid, to the next checkpoint, and veer to the right as you hit it into the little pathway. When you come to the road shortly, veer off to the right to hit another path through the stone barriers (you cannot see it because of the fog so you may not hit it the first time). Continue through this path, avoiding the Ferris wheel carts, back onto the road for a nice straightaway. Hit the checkpoint up ahead under the massive arch in the middle of the circle area, and then veer to the left to get on a road diagonal from the one you came from. Head up this road to the final checkpoint, but slow up as you hit it and make a left up some stairs for a shortcut through a gap in between buildings. Now cruise to victory in your Victory (sorry I had to say it) to the finish point up ahead. Reward(s): Modo Prego, Paris City Champion ---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::--- ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::--- _____ | __ __ | | | |_/ \_/ | | | |__| | \ | |__| Street Report: The silky black street twists and turns through Tokyo's neon canyons, perfect for laying down rubber and weaving between compacts. Take time adjusting to the left-side drive and beware of aggressive local authorities. Traffic Study: Tightly packed downtown but the raised highways move quickly. Congestion vanishes at night when strict curfews send most wanna-be racers back to the suburbs. =-=-=-=-=-=-= RICKY =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Vortex 5 As you cruise around Tokyo for the first time, get used to the area and become familiar with traffic on the left side of the road. You may hear Gina on your communicator tell you that she has had some trouble with a racer named Ricky. Find this crazy Japanese scientist guy, flash your high beams as always, and follow him to the race point. ---------------- Shibuya Scramble ---------------- Recommended Vehicle: Modo Prego Opponent Vehicle(s): Vortex 5 Strategy: As the camera pans back to your car, you may recognize the cars that your opponents are driving. They are Vortex 5s, the same cars you went up against in the first race versus Primo. Somehow it has changed hands and ended up all the way in the Land of the Rising Sun. This is your first race in Tokyo, and it isn't easy. The races are somewhat longer now but the races with Parfait should get you accustomed to that, and the layout of the city is not as elaborate as Paris. The races are still quite difficult however as the checkpoints are quite spread out and getting to them can be a pain. As a general rule for these races, stay behind but try to follow a racer to get a feel for the race and where the checkpoints and some shortcuts lie. Your opponents' Vortex 5s accelerate slightly faster than your Modo Prego, but your top speed is higher, allowing you to overtake them later on. At the green light, take the right path at the fork and make a hard left where it ends. Follow the road down to the checkpoint, hit it, and take the second left after it. You should now be on a two-lane road heading straight for the next checkpoint. Drive through it and continue on down the road a little further. When you come to a stoplight at a clearing, veer to the right and get on a ramp heading up to an elevated pathway. Follow the path all the way across to the next checkpoint, and then veer right back onto the road. Make a left at the corner and then another left immediately after the freeway entrance ramp. Hit the checkpoint ahead and then make another left. At the intersection ahead, again veer right to get onto another ramp to an elevated road and follow it as it bends right to the next checkpoint. Fly off the elevated path to hit the checkpoint at an intersection then veer off to the right and look for some black glass windows to the left side of the road shortly after. Bust through them and head up the escalator ramp, fly through more glass, and finally busting through a gate down back down to the road for a sweet shortcut. Head relatively straight to go through a little diagonal street straight to the next checkpoint. Hit it and make a hard left, then take the next left. Make the first right and then the first left you come to, cutting the corner through the columned area. Hit the checkpoint straight ahead then veer to the left slightly and get onto another elevated roadway. Follow this path over many buses, which you would have hit if you did not take this path, and veer right once you are back on the ground to get onto the street. Follow this street a long ways down to the next checkpoint, but slow up a lot before you hit it and make a hard left into an area underneath the bullet train tracks. Head straight across to an exit out of the area and make a hard left at the checkpoint ahead. Follow the curve around to the left and then make a right at the intersection. Take a left at the first intersection you come to (or cut left across a concrete area) and then take the third right onto a narrow street with the final checkpoint far off in the distance. Weave amongst the traffic and use a nitrous if you can handle it. Hit the checkpoint and continue on the road down into a little tunnel. As you jump out, you will pass an intersection. Make a right at the next intersection and follow it down to a T intersection. Veer right slightly at the intersection into a little alley and make a hard left when you come out to the road. Now head straight to the finish ahead. --------------- Ricky's Revenge --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Modo Prego Opponent Vehicle(s): Vortex 5 Strategy: I do not like this race very much, but it is somewhat fun. This race can be a pain, however, with checkpoints that are spread out and hard to get to and other variables such as traffic. It may take you some time to complete this race. At the start, Ricky cheats by getting a little ahead before the go call, the little bastard. Follow him left around the building, smashing through the glass to cut the corner. Hit the first checkpoint ahead and then make a left at the intersection immediately after the road bends slightly to the left. Make a right at the T intersection and hit the next checkpoint ahead. Make another right shortly after and you should see another checkpoint shortly ahead. Slow up and make a hard right at the checkpoint. Smash through the black glass and hit the ramp ahead, veering right back onto the road after you land. Keep on this road for a while and you should see the next checkpoint off in the distance after the road slightly curves to the left. Hit it and continue on the road as it makes a sharp left curve, goes under some overpasses, and finally comes to the next checkpoint. Hit it and then veer off to the right slightly and pass in between two orange and white striped barriers to enter an alleyway just past that for a nice shortcut. Follow the alley to another checkpoint back on the road and veer left as you hit it to get into another alley, continuing the shortcut. Eventually, this alley will come back to the road near a freeway exit ramp. Continue heading straight to hit the next checkpoint on the road and then veer left to get on the path of the curve. Make a left at the first intersection you come to and hit the checkpoint up ahead. After hitting the checkpoint, make a left at any of the next three intersections, and then take a right at the T intersection you come to. Follow this street down to the last checkpoint and make a right at it. When you come to the clearing shortly, veer to the left and get on the ramp up to an elevated pathway and follow the path diagonally all the way to the other end of the area. When you get off, stay relatively straight and bust through the glass on the side of the building ahead for a shortcut. Veer left upon entering to hit the escalator ramp and head through the two billboards to the finish. Reward(s): Vortex 5 =-=-=-=-=-=-= SHING =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: RSMC 15 Find yet another crazy Japanese racer guy named Shing, flash your highs at him, and follow his RSMC 15 to the race point. ----------- Red Herring ----------- Recommended Vehicle: Modo Prego Opponent Vehicle(s): None Strategy: This is a pretty simple race against the clock, well and the cops, as they can be a big pain in the ass if you don't take my route. There are a total of two checkpoints in this race, as well as the finish point, but they are extremely spread out and can be hard to locate, plus you have a slim time limit for getting there. But overall, this race shouldn't take you more than a couple of tries to complete. Choose the Modo Prego, as it has a higher top speed than the Vortex 5 because there is a pretty nice straightaway in this race. At the go call, head diagonally towards the road and then veer right to get on it. Stay with the road as it bends to the left and make a sharp left at the T intersection up ahead. Pass one alley on your right and make a right at the second alley, adjacent to the train tracks above, following it down to the first checkpoint. Now pull a hard 180 and head up the ramp to the tracks above. You're going to stay on these tracks for a LONG time as it takes you directly to the next checkpoint. Avoid the train coming to your left and continue on the tracks. Once you get up to speed, it can be difficult to stay on the tracks, especially as it turns and narrows. You have plenty of time, so slow up at these areas. Shortly after the tracks bend to the right, stay to the left side of the tracks, avoiding the oncoming train to the right. The track will bend out slightly, making an open area in the middle, which you would have fallen through had you not avoided it. The tracks will bend to the right again and narrow for a bit and come straight to the last checkpoint. Simply fly straight off the tracks into the checkpoint, holding Weight Transfer to steady your car. Now follow this narrow road as it goes under a little tunnel to the finish. ------------------ Ichiro's Challenge ------------------ Recommended Vehicle: Modo Prego Opponent Vehicle(s): Lusso XT (just Ichiro) Strategy: You get to now race Ichiro, who I presume is Shing's friend, one on one before you can race Shing. The race itself, technically, is about the easiest races in Tokyo, but certain factors of it can make it very hard. Traffic, for one thing, is very congested and things seemed to be timed perfectly for you to run into them. The number of police in this level is also aggravating and they like to come at you head on. This race also has many straightaways, and Ichiro's car, the Lusso XT, cannot be caught when it gets up to speed, so be wary of that fact. I recommend the Modo Prego, again because it has a higher top speed, but you ay want to try the Vortex 5 for its acceleration, as you may be stopping and starting a lot in this race. Head straight at the start and make a left where the road ends. Shing will use a nitrous here and start to pull away from you. Follow him into the diagonal street just after the first intersection and follow it to the first checkpoint. Veer left onto another street from here and stay on this long straightaway down to the next checkpoint. At the first intersection you come to, a bus and some cars will block you way. Veer off to the right to avoid them and continue on. A little later, a couple of cops will come and try to hit you head on. Do your best to avoid him as well and proceed ahead to the checkpoint. Hit it and then veer left, cutting the corner, to get onto another road. Make a right at the intersection up ahead and then take the first left here, before the bridge. Stay on this street as it curves to the left and hit the next checkpoint ahead. Follow the street to the right and stay relatively straight to hit an alley diagonal to the intersection for a small shortcut. Veer right as you come back onto the road and then make a hard left immediately when you hit the checkpoint ahead. Stay with this road as it bends to the right and make a left at the intersection immediately after the road bends back to the left. You should be heading up to a Tokyo highway now. Hit the checkpoint ahead after the road levels off and notice a building with many lit windows off to the left of the highway. Right before this building is a gated barrier on the highway that you can bust through down to the street below. Slow up and make a hard left into it and fly down to the street, hitting the checkpoint ahead. Now stay on this road for a long time, avoiding the traffic and the police that pursue you. Eventually, it will bend to the right and come to the next checkpoint. Slow up as you hit it and make a left onto another street. When you come to a circle area, go around it to the right and come back left, hitting the checkpoint on the other side. Now veer right onto the road ahead and hit the final checkpoint up ahead in the grass, veering to the right as you do. Launch off the rock ramp shortly after and continue to the finish just ahead. Reward(s): Lusso XT ------------- The Real Deal ------------- Recommended Vehicle: Modo Prego Opponent Vehicle(s): RSMC 15 Strategy: Shing finally decides to race you himself with his RSMC 15, which isn't all too good. It has a slightly better top speed than your Modo Prego, but you should overtake it with acceleration. Don't use the Lusso in this race as it is slow and cumbersome, and its only advantage is its speed, but it needs better acceleration to be worth anything. Overall, this is a fun race once you learn where the checkpoints are, though it can be frustrating trying to pinpoint them. At the start, veer to the left a little and fall in line with the RSMCs towards the little canal area. Ride up on the bank and hit the first checkpoint. Continue on the bank, riding it like a Nascar track, to another checkpoint. You should notice the next checkpoint up on the adjacent road. Fly off the bank into it, holding down the weight transfer button to steady your car, and immediately head back right into the canal to hit another checkpoint just before you go under a bridge. Get back on the left bank of the canal, hitting a couple more checkpoints and fly off again, for the last time, to hit another checkpoint back on the road. Make a left at the intersection you come to and follow this road straight down to the next checkpoint and make a left at it. Keep on this curvy road parallel to the highway and make a left at the first intersection. It may be hard to spot, so keep a good eye out. Follow this road down to the checkpoint and make a right. Make another right where this street ends at a T intersection, and then make another right at the first intersection you come to. Veer off to the left on this street to hit the checkpoint and continue ahead to an alley behind the highway. Follow this and make a left when you come out to the road, hitting the checkpoint ahead. At the T intersection up ahead, take a right and follow this curvy road as it proceeds through some yellow and black striped barriers on either side of the road. When they end, pass a small intersection and look for a ramp off to the right where you can get up onto the train tracks above. It's not in plain view so look for an orange and white striped barrier up above where the tracks begin. Once you are up there, hit the checkpoint ahead and notice the blue column of the next checkpoint off to the right. After you pass a tall purple building on your right, veer off the tracks to the right, flying back down onto the road. Hit the checkpoint ahead and stay straight on this road, hitting a massive jump over the river (nitrous is recommended). After you land, you will come to the circle area. Go either left or right around the obstruction in the middle and continue on this road to the checkpoint. Make a hard left at it and then veer off to the left, following the path of the train tracks above for a short while before veering back off to the right into a little alley for a shortcut right to the next checkpoint. Stay on this road and make a left at the final checkpoint up ahead. Follow this road down to a shipping area and veer off to the left side of the building to your left as you enter. Slow up, avoiding the crates and the truck that crosses you path and head through an opening on the other end of the area. Continue heading straight busting through the gate to another massive jump right to the finish. Reward(s): RSMC 15 =-=-=-=-=-=-= HALEY =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Saikou Your next opponent is Haley, an American blonde bombshell who has a thing for women and against men (I smell a rug muncher). She may seem quite out of place in this Tokyo environment, but her sweet Saikou fits right in. Seek her out and follow her to the race point. ------ Enigma ------ Recommended Vehicle: Vortex 5 Opponent Vehicle(s): Saikou Strategy: Welcome to your first scattered checkpoint race in Tokyo, and it is extremely hard. There are numerous checkpoints in this race and though they seem to be grouped to together, they really are not. You will have the toughest time finding every last checkpoint and a good route to get all of them to boot. I found that a good way to get a feel for the race and to find the best route is to follow Haley as best you can, though it is difficult keeping up with her speedy Saikou. There are a considerable amount of turns and direction changes in this race, so your best bet is to go with the Vortex 5, as it accelerates the fastest of your cars. When the light turns green, accelerate up to the intersection and make a hard right. Hit the checkpoint ahead then veer left, cutting under the miniature Eiffel Tower, and hit another checkpoint. Continue heading left around the tower to hit a couple more checkpoints, and after the second, make a hard left, cutting through the grass, onto a two-lane road. Pass a couple small intersections and make a left at the third onto another two-lane road near the train tracks above. Hit the checkpoint ahead at one intersection and make a right at the next. Hit the checkpoint in front of you and make another right. About halfway in the wall to your right is a gate, which you should veer into and hit the checkpoint in the grass. Make a right at the corner and slow up as you bust through the gate at the corner of the wall ahead. Make a hard right back onto the road and then veer off to the left to hit a ramp up to the next checkpoint. Land back on the road and stay on it as it bends left and eventually comes to another checkpoint. Hit it and make a right and then make another right at the next checkpoint ahead. You should be on a narrow road with another checkpoint ahead. Hit it as the road bends to the left and pull a sharp left at the Y intersection shortly after. Take the first sharp left you come to for an entrance into an underground tunnel, and hit the sole checkpoint down here. Continue on and as you leave the tunnel, veer off to the right and head right at the intersection you come to. Follow it down to a checkpoint and make a left at the T intersection just beyond it. Now you will see two highway entrances on either side of you, going the other way. Pull a hard 180 and get on the one to the left (to the right after the 180). Head up to the highway and hit the two checkpoints on it. Then, after the highway curves to the right, pull another 180 at the first exit ramp you see going the other way. Head down the curve, hitting the checkpoint at the end, then immediately make a left at the intersection and head straight to the finish. --------- Intuition --------- Recommended Vehicle: RSMC 15 Opponent Vehicle(s): Saikou Strategy: This race is slightly less difficult than Haley's previous race, but it still is awfully hard. There is an enormous amount of fog in the area, greatly reducing visibility and the traffic is atrocious. Again, some of the checkpoints can be difficult to find, but with a more straightforward race, you shouldn't have as much trouble and your opponents can lead to them you most of the time. Go with the RSMC 15 in this race as, even though it has fairly slow acceleration, there are some good straightaways to build up speed in this race. At the go call, head straight then veer right onto the road, heading for the checkpoint at an entrance ramp up to the freeway. Hit the checkpoint and take the ramp up to the freeway, staying on it a short while before hitting the next checkpoint at the exit ramp. Take that back down to the road and keep on this for some time. You should see the next checkpoint off to the right a little ways. Veer out there and hit it, following the concrete path back onto the road. Stay with the road as it curves hard to the right and comes to another checkpoint. Hit that and then take a right at the second intersection you come to, avoiding the pillars. Follow this road down, passing a fire truck, a collision, and a police car, to the checkpoint in the distance. Make a wide right at it into a Japanese culture area and make as you come to a wall ahead. Continue left to a checkpoint at the entrance to an alley, which you should take. When it comes back to the road, veer left slightly to get into another alley. Follow this out to a checkpoint and veer to the left, avoiding the hedges, shortly after hitting it. You will soon come back to a road with the next checkpoint up ahead. Make a right at it and proceed down this street to another checkpoint. Make a fairly wide right turn at this checkpoint and you should be at an area under the freeway. Veer back over to the right to get back onto the road, past the freeway exit, and follow this road to the next checkpoint by some hedges. Make a right to a little path behind the hedges and pass by an opening to the right and follow the path as it bends to the right. When you come to an open area, make a sharp right to a checkpoint and proceed on this concrete path through the hedges. When the path comes to a building, make a right and then veer left when you come out to the road, avoiding a building and getting on another road heading in relatively the same direction. Hit the checkpoint up ahead and take the exit ramp as it curves up to the freeway. Avoid the oncoming traffic and hit the checkpoint ahead in the distance, taking the entrance ramp off the freeway as you do. When you get to an intersection shortly afterwards, veer off to the right, cutting through the grass, and hit the last checkpoint. Veer back left to avoid the buildings and then make a right at the ancient Japanese-styled building ahead, following the path through some short buildings to the finish. Wow, that was a tough race, but it is worth it for the car. Reward(s): Saikou =-=-=-=-=-=-= NIKKO =-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Knight Seek out the Nikko, a younger, trendy Asian racer, riding in his Knight. Follow him as he leads you about Tokyo to the race point. -------------------- Drifter's Playground -------------------- Recommended Vehicle: Vortex 5 Opponent Vehicle(s): Knight Strategy: This race is hell, especially with the cars you have to race with. First off, this race has many checkpoints close to each other and requires some sharp turns, necessitating for good acceleration as well as handling. Secondly, the race is in the rain, and at super speeds, handling is atrocious and almost demands a front wheel drive (FWD) car. The thing is, none of your fast cars are FWD and the swift Saikou you just won drifts horribly in the rain. Your best bet is to go with the Vortex 5, which has great acceleration as well as superb handling for a rear wheel drive car. It will give you the least trouble in this race. Remember to lay off the brake in this race and rely heavily on downshifting if you are racing Manual. Your opponents, on the other hand, all have FWD Knights, which have excellent handling and acceleration to boot. As you can see, this race is amounting to be very difficult. At the go call, follow behind your opponents, hitting the checkpoint ahead and hopefully getting a Slipstream Turbo off before the turn ahead. Just after you come out to the road, look for a ramp off to your left, about perpendicular to you, and make a left into it, taking it up to the train tracks. Hit the checkpoint up here and stay relatively in the middle, following behind a train going the same direction as you while two trains pass by on either side going the opposite direction. You should notice the next checkpoint off to the left, but don't get hasty. Wait a bit before veering off the tracks to the left, landing on the road, rather than in the water. Hit the checkpoint up ahead on the road and veer to the right as you do and make sort of a wide U-turn as you do, entering an area with some crates and a semi truck. Continue through here and hit the checkpoint beyond, veering right back onto the road. Continue drifting right around this curving road to hit another checkpoint and then follow a diagonal path to the next checkpoint through another crate area. I cannot really explain it, but it runs under the highway above for a short time. Try following the other racers to find the route. Veer left once you come back to the road and hit the checkpoint you come to, veering off to the left as you do so. Pass through the grass and concrete here to the checkpoint ahead and veer right back onto the road, hitting another checkpoint as it curves around to the right. Take the first right you come to, veering off on a diagonal path and cutting corners to avoid sharp turns. Follow this path to another checkpoint and veer right onto another road. Stay with it as it bends to the left and hit the checkpoint at the T intersection at the end. Make a sharp left there, pass one alley to your right and enter a second one on your right, adjacent and parallel to the train tracks just above. Pull a left when you come out to the street and hit the next checkpoint in front of you. Continue on this path, staying to the left on the sidewalk and hit another checkpoint up ahead. Immediately swerve over to the right, onto the road, to hit another checkpoint that appears. Continue on, staying on the road and hit the next checkpoint up ahead. Follow the road as it curves to the left, hitting another checkpoint once it straightens out again. Take the next left you come to and stay with this road for a while as it bends to the left and then back right again. It will straighten out at an intersection. Make a left at the next intersection after this. Hit the checkpoint ahead, making a right as you do, and then take the first right afterwards, following this small street to another checkpoint. Make a left back onto the road you came in on and make another left at the first intersection you come to. Pass on intersection and look for an alley to your right a little ways after. Hit it and follow it all the way down to the final checkpoint, making a right at it into another alley. Follow it out to a clearing with the Japanese building in front of you and veer to the left of it, aiming for another alley ahead, with the finish point off in the distance behind it. Follow this alley to a large ramp, which you should nitrous off of to gain the speed needed to propel you over the water to the finish. --------------- Savant of Speed --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Saikou Opponent Vehicle(s): Knight Strategy: Whew, no more rain, allowing you to test out your slick, new Saikou. Note that it does drift heavily, despite rain, so get accommodated to its loose handling before racing with it. This race is fairly easy, relatively speaking, and straightforward. Finding the checkpoints should be little trouble for you, but your opponents as well as the traffic and some police can cause your decadence in this race. As I said, the checkpoints will not be your problem here, just keep your eyes on the road and be vigilant for traffic. Your opponents compete extremely well in this race, so it may still take you many tries and some stroke of luck before you pull away with the victory even if you've memorized the race. Try not to get frustrated and stick with it. Eventually, you'll pull through. At the start, stay to the left, avoiding the mass collaboration of your opponents in the middle. Make a left onto the road and another right up ahead where it ends to the first checkpoint. You will notice a number on the screen as you hit it, signifying the amount of seconds you have to get to the next checkpoint. No big deal, they always give you plenty of time. Stay with the road as it curves to the right and drive through the checkpoint as it straightens. Hit another at the end of a straightaway and keep on this path, bringing you to another checkpoint. Follow the road as it curves slightly to the left to the next checkpoint, and makes another curve to the right, hitting another checkpoint as you head around it. Veer off to the right slightly to hit the next checkpoint at a freeway exit ramp follow it as it curves up to the freeway, avoiding any oncoming traffic on it, and hit the checkpoint at the top. Immediately after getting on the freeway, stay to the right and get off on an entrance ramp, again avoiding oncoming traffic. Once back down to the road, head over to the left side of the road to hit a checkpoint on the sidewalk. Follow the sidewalk back out to the road and drive through another checkpoint at the end of the small straightaway. Slow up a tad while the road curves to the left and make a hard left as you hit the checkpoint when the curve ends. Follow this road down through a couple checkpoints and make a wide left at the second, getting up on another freeway ramp to the right shortly afterward. As always, avoid all traffic exiting the freeway and, shortly after getting on the freeway, hit the checkpoint to the right, taking the exit ramp behind it down to the road and another checkpoint. Stay relatively straight after you hit this, cutting the corner through a little diagonal lane to another street. Head down this street and hit the checkpoint after it curves to the right and make a wide left as you do. Once again, head up the exit ramp to your right, avoiding traffic and slowing up as you reach the top. Pull a sharp 180 once on the freeway and hit the checkpoint back the opposite way. Use a nitrous here to get you back up to speed in a jiffy. Follow the freeway down to another checkpoint and take the exit ramp just beyond it. As you rejoin with the road, make a hard right at the checkpoint ahead into a little alley. This is where it can get tricky. Basically, the remaining checkpoints are in or near these little back alleys near the road, so try to stay with them. As you proceed, watch out for the semi that pulls out in front of you. Hit the checkpoint ahead and veer left onto the road. After it curves to the right, make a left at the intersection, hitting the next checkpoint, and then make a right, immediately afterwards, into another alley. Stay on this path and hit a couple more checkpoints back here. When you come a clearing, veer out to the left to hit the checkpoint on the road and immediately swerve back to the right into the final alleyway. Hit the checkpoint here and the final one just ahead, making a sharp right at it to the finish. Reward(s): Knight =-=-=-=-=-= ZEN =-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Nousagi Your next opponent doesn't race a car at all, but rather a speedy crotch rocket. Find Zen on his Nousagi and flash the highs, following him to the race point. ----------- Wisdom Gate ----------- Recommended Vehicle: Saikou Opponent Vehicle(s): Nousagi Strategy: This is a fairly short race, or so it seems, compared to previous races. It isn't very technical and the path very rarely changes direction radically. Traffic is always a nuisance, and there is a fair amount crowding the narrow streets of Tokyo. Your skilled motorcycle opponents have a slight advantage as they can weave through traffic easier, but once they make a collision, they are delayed for some time while they are respawned. The bikes will beat your Saikou off the line, but the tops speed of your car should see you to the finish first. Make clean turns to get leads and be ever watchful for traffic. At the start, you will find yourself in the middle of a line of Nousagis. When you get the go call, accelerate forward, tailing them, and hit the checkpoint down at the little arch. Veer left onto the a street ahead and follow it as it bends back to the right and hit the checkpoint at the end, making a right turn as you do. Hit the next checkpoint just ahead and make another right, just before the canal. Follow this small street as it curves left, then right, and then left again down into a tunnel. Hit the checkpoint in the tunnel and continue on this street. You will come back up from the tunnel shortly. Stay with this curvy path for a while and you will reach another checkpoint. Hit it and make a wide left onto a slightly diagonal street. When you come to the intersection ahead, veer left and hit a checkpoint under the train tracks above. Now continue around to the left, staying under the train tracks, and veer onto a narrow street. Follow this straightaway down for a bit, and when it starts to veer off to the left, continue heading straight to am open path, staying under the train tracks. Veer right at the first alley you see and head onto the little street to the left. Hit the checkpoint at the intersection ahead and make a left at it. Follow this long straightaway down, avoiding the minimal amount of traffic, to the next checkpoint. Hit it and make a hard right. You should notice the final checkpoint off to the right of the road ahead. Veer off to the right and hit it then immediately make a sharp right into a little entrance. Once inside the area, make a left to the finish. ------------ Karma Rising ------------ Recommended Vehicle: Saikou Opponent Vehicle(s): Nousagi Strategy: This race is slightly harder than the previous race, but mostly because it is quite a bit longer. Again, this race is not technically as challenging as many races you have won before. Traffic is not even that bad in this race, though you do go against it at 150+ mph speeds on the freeway. This is a fun race that tests the reflexes but should not give you too much trouble. The Saikou is again the recommended car, as its top speed should pull through because a majority of the race takes place on the freeway. Stay back at first, letting your opponents make their mistakes, and pull ahead on turns and on the freeway. At the start, you will be in the roofed area that you ended the last race in. Follow it around to the left, avoiding the black vehicles scattered among the area. When you exit the area, veer out to the left, hitting the first checkpoint and getting onto the road. Hit the next checkpoint and make a right at it, entering a path under the train tracks overhead. Follow it down past three large block supports and head for the ramp to the rightmost ramp of the three ahead. Fly through the checkpoint as you go off, and try and veer to the right as you do. When you land, stay with the path underneath the train tracks, following it onto a narrow road and curving right onto another. Veer off to the right, hitting the checkpoint ahead and bust through the gate just beyond it. Continue heading straight through the grass field and bust through the gate at the other end, veering left back onto the road. Hit the checkpoint up ahead, and take the right path at the fork. Curve around to another checkpoint, which you should hit and make a left at. Follow this road and hit the next checkpoint at another fork after the road curves to the right. Again, take the right path and hit the checkpoint down at the end. Continue with the road as it curves sharply to the left and make a right when you reach a clearing with some grass to the right. Hit the checkpoint ahead and get up to the freeway on the exit ramp just behind it. As you climb to higher speeds, hone your driving skills and be ready for the oncoming traffic. Hit the checkpoint up ahead as the freeway curves to the right and continue down to another checkpoint at the exit of a redirecting road. Take the road off to the right to another part of the freeway and continue down to the next checkpoint off just further on. Follow the freeway straight and down into a tunnel area, where you should veer to the left, crossing over to the other side of the freeway when there is no physical barrier. Hit the checkpoint ahead on the left side of the freeway and stay with this path as it curves around to the left, comes out of the tunnel, and arrives at another checkpoint. Hit this and make your way straight ahead to another checkpoint off in the distance. Slow up as you hit this checkpoint off to the left and enter the exit ramp beyond it, marked with warning barrier. Continue to slow down as you follow it while it curves to the left and ends. Drop down onto one of those elevated pathways and hit the checkpoint on it. Follow it back down and veer right onto the road. Make a left at the checkpoint just in front of you and follow this straightaway down to another checkpoint at an exit ramp. Take it up to the freeway, once again against traffic, and drive through the checkpoint you see up ahead. Continue on as the path bends to the left and hit the next checkpoint at an entrance ramp, slowing up as you do. Take the curvy entrance ramp down, hitting the checkpoint on it in the process, and stay relatively straight to hit the next checkpoint ahead of you in the distance, avoiding the cop and the obstructions in the area. After hitting it, veer left onto the road and follow it straight to a massive ramp, launching you through the final checkpoint (nitrous is recommended). Upon landing, continue heading straight and once you reach the circle area with the two little cylindrical structures in the middle, head off to the left side and take it around to the finish. Reward(s): Nousagi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= KENICHI =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Vehicle: Saikou XS Your final opponent, minus the city champion, in Tokyo is good ole Kenichi. He is yet another hardcore Japanese dude with a goatee and looks like he wants to kill you. Seek out his sweet ride, the Saikou XS, and follow him to the race point, preparing for three tough races. ----- 8-9-3 ----- Recommended Vehicle: Saikou Opponent Vehicle(s): Saikou XS Strategy: This race proves to be very difficult compared to most other races you have encountered before. Traffic does not seem to be much of a problem here, however. The Saikou's counterpart, the Saikou XS, is a highly upgraded car and will smoke you in the long run. You must learn this race and learn it well if you want to win. Your opponents mess up in a lot of places so you have opportunities to pass them up. Checkpoints can be a challenge to find as well, but I will take you through them step by step. Again, let your opponents make their mistakes and pull ahead as they do. The race isn't too long so stick with it. At the start, head straight but do not take the first turn you come to. Your opponents fake like they are going to turn there by bowing out, but do not turn. Make a right turn at the intersection immediately after onto a two lane road, then take the first left. Follow this road down to the first checkpoint and make a right at it. On this street, head down into the tunnel and slow up as you come back out. Take the first left after it up to a highway. Hit the checkpoint up here then look for a short gray building off to the right. Slow down and bust through the gate off to the right, just before the gray building, down to the road below. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a right. Follow this small street down, taking the right path at the fork and then take the first left you come to afterwards. Keep on this road as it bends to the left and, after it does, head relatively straight and veer slightly right into a little alley. Hit the checkpoint at the end of it and veer right into another alley. Follow this one out to a clearing and veer right to avoid a building in front of you. Now head for an alley ahead where a checkpoint is and hit it, launching off the ramp beyond it. Note: Do not use nitrous on this ramp; just build enough speed so you make it to the other side but not on the freeway above it. When you land, head over to the left and hit the checkpoint there, continuing on the road. Make a left at the T intersection ahead and follow this road down a little ways. After you pass an exit ramp to you left. Veer left, cutting through some grass, onto a small road. Hit the final checkpoint as the road curves to the right, and veer off left with the road just before you come to the tunnel. Stay with this path as it curves to the left and make the second right you come to, at an intersection. Take the right path at the fork you come to and head fairly straight, through a concrete area, and veer left when you pass the hedge barrier all the way around to the finish. ----------- Machi-yakko ----------- Recommended Vehicle: Tokyo Cop Car Opponent Vehicle(s): Saikou, Knight Strategy: This is an interesting little race. You must payback Gina's debt by eliminating nine other racers with the Tokyo Cop car in less than two minutes. I guess they must be in a rival gang or something. To eliminate a racer, you must simply brush up against them. Anyways, you start off facing the racers. I cannot really give you a step-by-step strategy on this one, as there are no checkpoints or any of that. The racers follow a pretty direct path with some turns, but you should be able to follow them easily. The only advice I can give you is to go for the leader first and work your way back. It is so much easier than trying to overtake them from behind, even though the Tokyo Cop car is very fast. At the start, turn your car around while burning out and head out to the road this way, gaining a lead on your opponents. Then start taking them out. You have four nitrous boosts so use them whenever you need to. There is nothing much more to say, but with some luck and a good strategy, you can pull this off. ------ Oyabun ------ Recommended Vehicle: Knight Opponent Vehicle(s): Saikou XS Strategy: Haha, look at his expression before the race starts... Anyways, if variables such as rain, traffic, and tough opponents weren't put into this race, it would be tremendously easy. All the checkpoints are easy to find and the race is consisted of numerous straightaways. But then you have rain, which is always a bitch. Your Knight has some of the best handling in the rain, though its top speed is lacking, and that may hurt you in this race filled with straightaways. You may also want to try the Saikou for its higher top speed. The traffic is very high in this race too, and cruising along on narrow roads trying to avoid traffic is a disaster waiting to happen. In this case, the Nousagi might be better as it can slip through traffic much easier, though I never recommend motorcycles. If you use a car, stay on the sidewalks if there is one to avoid traffic. It's not the best solution, but it works. Just do your best in this race, trying each of these vehicles and you will succeed...eventually. From the start, head up to the highway and head straight down to the first checkpoint, getting off a Slipstream Turbo on this straightaway. You will head back down and come to the checkpoint. Hit it and veer left with the road. Follow this road down to the next checkpoint and make a right at it. Hit another checkpoint just ahead and take a right again. When you come to the T intersection on this road up ahead, head relatively straight and enter a small alley slightly to the right for a small shortcut. Hit the checkpoint ahead, back on the road, and stay with this wide road as it bends to the right. Hit another checkpoint at the end, slowing up as you do, and make a right there onto another, smaller road. Follow this on all the way down to the next checkpoint, making a right as you do. Stay with this path as it curves left, then right, and then right some more to another checkpoint. Hit it and continue on this road as it curves right and left a little more to the next checkpoint. Slow down greatly as you are about to hit it and make a right onto a small two-lane road as you do. Traffic will really get you here, so stay off to he right or left on the sidewalks. Follow this road a LONG time down to the next checkpoint, making a right as you hit it. Follow this street down to another checkpoint and take another right at it. Take this narrow street down to the final checkpoint, after you pass the mini Eiffel Tower on your left, and veer right with the road as you hit it. You should be under the train tracks now. Follow the path under them, getting off the road as they curve to the left and hit a ramp up to the finish. Reward(s): Saikou XS **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** T o k y o C i t y C h a m p i o n **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** =-=-=-=-=-=-=- MAKOTO =-=-=-=-=-=-=- Vehicle: Torque JX Immediately after the last race with Kenichi, choose to continue the career with your newly won Saikou XS and you will be thrown into the Tokyo City Champion races with Makoto. He's another older racer but he's no softy either and wants you to prove your skills right away. --------------- Rite of Passage --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Saikou XS Opponent Vehicle(s): None Strategy: There are a total of four checkpoints, and the finish, that you must reach in less than three minutes and thirty seconds. This race is really quite easy once you find a good route to the checkpoints. You have no opponents and the traffic is really quite low, making for a quicker time around Tokyo. The checkpoints are far apart, however and most must be hit off ramps, which can be hard to find if you don't know your way around Tokyo. Don't worry, I will give you the fastest route to all of them and get this first champion race out of the way. At the start, you will be in the little ancient Japanese building area with Makoto off to the left in his Torque JX waiting for you to complete this race. Head straight and veer left onto a little concrete path. Make a the first right you come to into a path between some short buildings and follow this out, veering left onto a narrow road. Follow it as it bends to the right, avoiding the cop, and make a left at the T intersection. Make a right at the intersection you come to and follow this road as it curves right and then bends back left. Spot the checkpoint on your map and when you come to an intersection nearly in line with it, slow up but continue heading straight for a short while longer. Look for a breakable gate to you left and a ramp beyond it. Turn into here and accelerate (nitrous is not needed) up the ramp, flying through the first checkpoint. When you land, head left onto the road, pass one intersection and continue on. Look for another ramp off to the left where the checkpoint is and head left up this one. Use your nitrous here to propel your car through the checkpoint and to the other side over the water. When you land, head straight to the circle area and make a right here. Continue past one intersection, cross over the little canal, and make a left at this T intersection. Make a right just up ahead at the intersection and follow this curvy road, taking the right path when it forks. Pass up an alley to the left and take a left at the first intersection you come to. Follow this road down, and when it starts to bend to the right, continue heading straight and veer left a little to enter an encircled area with a checkpoint. Head left around the barrier in the middle, hit the checkpoint and head left back out to the road you came in on. Head down and make a left at the first four-way intersection you come to. Take the right path when this street forks and follow this road a LONG ways down, making a hard left at the intersection right before the river. Head about halfway down this road, looking for another ramp to the right. Hit it with a nitrous boost and launch through the checkpoint and over the river to the other side. Now make a left when you come to the road, and another left at the intersection ahead. Veer off to the left of this road and pass under a freeway exit ramp to the finish. ------ Enduro ------ Recommended Vehicle: Saikou XS Opponent Vehicle(s): Torque JX Strategy: As you can presume from the name, this race is quite long, over five minutes long actually, and it is not easy either. Besides its massive length, your opponent's Torque JXs have a better top speed and acceleration compared to your Saikou XS. Trying to keep a lead in this long race against faster cars than you is one difficult task. Among other variables, the traffic seems to be mild, not low or high, but will still cause you problems. It is also raining, reducing traction, so rely on downshifting when turning if driving manual. This race will frustrate you and take you multiple times to finish. Stick with it the first few times and finish the race to get a feel for it before going all out. Use your nitrous sparingly and save some for the end. Keep racing and eventually you'll pull through. When the Asian hottie gives you the go, head straight and veer left over to the road when you come to a clearing. Try and pull off a Slipstream Turbo here to gain an initial lead. Hit the first checkpoint up ahead on this road and continue on it as it curves around to the right. The road will then straighten out and then curve slightly more. When you see a freeway exit ramp to the left, continue heading straight and hit an alley under it for a minor shortcut. Make a left back out onto the road and follow the path s it curves around to the right to the next checkpoint. Keep heading right a bit to get onto an exit ramp up to the freeway, avoiding the oncoming traffic here. Hit the checkpoint up here and then veer right, making your way down the entrance ramp off the freeway. Stay with this road as it curves slightly to the right then back left. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a left at the intersection just ahead. Head down this road and veer off left slightly to enter a little alley for a small shortcut. Veer left again when you come back to the road and make a right at the T intersection and hit the next checkpoint ahead. Shortly after, head up the ramp to the right to get onto the train tracks. Hit the checkpoint up here and continue on. As you pass a purple building near the tracks on you right, slow up and veer right off the tracks down to the road, holding Weight Transfer to steady your car in air. Head down this road to the checkpoint and continue straight up a massive ramp beyond. Use a nitrous off this ramp and fly over the river to the road down below. At the circle area ahead, make a right onto another street and then take a left at the first intersection ahead. When the road comes to a T intersection, continue heading straight through a concrete area. Veer left slightly and bow out to hit the checkpoint ahead, turning back to the right to get onto the road just beyond it. You should be under the train tracks now. Veer to the right veer so slightly when you come to an intersection and bust through the gate at the corner of a gate around a large building. Hit the checkpoint in the grass yard and head back left, busting through the gate at the opposite end back out to the road. Make a hard left at the next intersection you come to and veer right down into a tunnel under a large domed arena building shortly after. Head through this thing and hit the checkpoint when you come back to the road, making a left at it. Shortly afterwards, take the first left you come to, and before you start heading up to the highway, veer off to the right, making your way between some pillars and a wall, and hit the checkpoint in this area. Steer back left and head out the opposite side of this encircled area. When you come to the street, veer right again to enter a small alley with the next checkpoint at the end of it. Hit the checkpoint and make a left. Head this direction, swinging right around the hedges in front of you, and hit another checkpoint, making a right at it. When you come to the road, make a right and look for a couple ramps to your left immediately after. Head up the near one, hit the next checkpoint up here, then head back down the other side, veer left back to the road. Follow this road as it bends to the left for a while and when it ends at a T intersection, continue heading straight through an alley to a narrow road. Make a left where this road ends, cutting the corner under a columned area of the building there, and follow this road down to the next checkpoint. Continue straight on this road for quite some time as it goes under a small tunnel and cuts through an open area with the elevated pathways. Slow up at the second intersection after this open area and make a left into it to another checkpoint. Hit it and make another left heading back the direction you came. When you come back to the open area, veer left up a ramp to an elevated pathway. Keep on this curvy path through a checkpoint and back down to the road. When you are back on the road, veer right and bust through some black glass on the side of a building for a shortcut. Head up the ramp ahead and through the billboards beyond that, flying through the checkpoint back down to the asphalt. Veer right onto a road and follow it past the miniature Eiffel Tower up to a highway. Look for a gate to the right near a short gray building, slow up, and bust through it down to the road below. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a left at the first intersection you come to, and then another right immediately after at the next intersection. Follow this street down to the final checkpoint and continue heading straight down to the canal, busting through the wooden barrier ahead to enter a catacomb-type area. Simply head through the fairly linear path through here and hit the bank when you come out to the finish. Reward(s): Torque JX, Tokyo City Champion ---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::--- ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::---::--- **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** W o r l d C h a m p i o n **--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--** ___ |___ _ __ | /_\ \ / | | ___| / \ \/ |__| Vehicle: Veloci If you thought you were done with Career mode, think again. You now have to race Savo, the World Champion of street racing. He is a slick, sinister German guy who wants you to relinquish him of his title, as no one else has and he is getting sick of being the champion. But he won't go down without a fight as he takes you through six grueling races, two from each city. Make sure you have some time on your hands when racing this guy, he and his Veloci are a formidable pair and his races will take you some time to master. =-=-=-=-=-=-= TOKYO =-=-=-=-=-=-= ---------------- Stage I - Intake ---------------- Recommended Vehicle: Torque JX Opponent Vehicle(s): Veloci Strategy: Your first race against Savo takes place in Tokyo, which you should still be fairly familiar with. This race really isn't too technical or hard at all. The traffic is light and there are no other variables such as rain. All of the checkpoints are relatively easy to find and not too spaced out, though the race is quite long and may take you a while to learn. Your opponents' Velocis are blazingly fast acceleration-wise, but in terms of top speed, your Torque JX beats it, allowing you to pull ahead on the straightaways and freeway time of this race. Overall, this is one of the easier courses compared to what else Savo has in store for you. At the go call, follow your opponents along the concrete path through the hedges and veer to the right o hit the first checkpoint, entering the alley beyond it. When this alley ends, veer left slightly and then back right into another alley, and follow this one out to the road and a checkpoint. Slow up and make a hard right into the checkpoint and follow the road as it curves around to the right, hitting the next checkpoint as you do. As the road straightens out, keep straight and hit another checkpoint ahead, continuing down into a tunnel just after. Pass through the checkpoint down here as the path curves to the right and continue as the tunnel comes back out to the road. Hit the checkpoint ahead and make a right at it onto another road. Keep on this straightaway down to the next checkpoint, hit it, and make a wide right onto the entrance ramp of the freeway. Hit the next checkpoint when the freeway levels off and follow the path as it bends to the right. Make your way down to another checkpoint off in the distance and veer off to the left to hit it, proceeding on the exit ramp just beyond it. Back down on the street, veer over to the right to hit the next checkpoint at an exit ramp, and take it up again to the freeway, against oncoming traffic (though there isn't much). Hit the checkpoint as the freeway curves right and continue on to the next checkpoint at a redirecting road. Slow up and veer to the right to hit the checkpoint and follow the road as it curves to the right, avoiding any traffic on it. Continue on the freeway down to a tunnel area. Hit the checkpoint here and stay to the right, taking a path that curves right out of the freeway. Once back on the road, hit the checkpoint up ahead and make a left at it. When the road forks ahead, take the left path and follow the curve around to another checkpoint, making another left at this one. When you come to the intersection ahead with the canal in front of you, make a wide left turn down into the canal and swing back over to the left to hit the checkpoint at the left arch under the bridge. Veer left up onto the bank of the canal and ride it to the next checkpoint. Get off onto the road shortly after to avoid a little outward hump and then back on again, hitting another checkpoint along the bank. Now get off onto the road after it curves to the right and hit the checkpoint up ahead. Continue on this road for quite a while and make a hard left where it ends under the train tracks. Hit the next checkpoint as you are turning and continue around to the left to get onto a narrow two-lane road. Follow the path under the train tracks, not the road, and you should come to the next checkpoint at the base of a ramp up to the tracks. Slow down heavily as you make your way up as you want to land on the tracks, which take you a much shorter way over the river. If you are going too fast, you may hit a gap in the middle of the tracks, landing back on the road, and you don't want that. As the tracks begin to curve left, stay straight and fly off them into the next checkpoint back on the road. Get on the road just behind it and follow it as it curves to the left. When the road ends at a T intersection, make a right and veer to the right of this road to hit the next checkpoint, getting on the exit ramp behind it. Make your way up to the freeway again, against minimal oncoming traffic, and head down a ways to another checkpoint. When the physical barrier ends and is replaced by small pillars, cross over to the other side of the freeway and hit the checkpoint. Continue on the freeway as it curves to the right and cross over the freeway again when there is no barrier, hitting the checkpoint on the other side. Continue down the freeway for a short while longer and hit the next checkpoint at the entrance ramp, taking it back down to the road. Make a right at the corner, and then pass by an elevated pathway ramp, taking the first left you come to. Follow this road down to the checkpoint off in the distance. Hit it and make a right. At the T intersection ahead, veer right and bust through some glass at the corner of a building for a small shortcut. Follow this path, veering right when you come out to the road. Pass a couple of intersections and make a right at the third, following this street down to a checkpoint. Drive through it and continue down the road, taking the second left you come to. Follow this road down to the final checkpoint in a shipping area. Veer left into a gap in between two buildings, swing around the large crate ahead, and make your way straight across the road towards a large ramp. Propel yourself off it and fly through the finish. ---------------- Stage II - Light ---------------- Recommended Vehicle: Torque JX Opponent Vehicle(s): Veloci Strategy: This race is slightly harder than the first race, but mostly because of the traffic. Again, the checkpoints here are pretty easy to find and are not very scattered about, making for a less technically difficult race. The traffic is about medium in this race, but when cruising along at 200+ mph speeds, it can spring up on you quickly. A majority of the race, like the previous one, takes place on the freeway, allowing you to build up speed and overtake your opponents. The race is very long, like all of Savo's races, and keeping a lead will be very hard to do. Try and learn the race as soon as you can before taking it on full throttle. You will be at the end of a line of Velocis at the start of the race. Accelerate behind them, executing a Slipstream Turbo here, and hit the first checkpoint out on the road. Veer right onto the road afterwards and continue to stay to the right, hitting the next checkpoint at a freeway entrance ramp. Head up the curve to the freeway (finally, not against oncoming traffic) and hit the next checkpoint up here as the path bends right. Continue ahead to another checkpoint off in the distance. Stay to the left and hit it, taking the exit ramp just beyond it. Once back on the road, continue heading straight on it and make a right down where it ends at a corner. When you come to the open area with elevated pathways, veer left about 60 degrees and make a diagonal path, through the obstructions, to the checkpoint up ahead. Slow up as you approach it and make a right into the entrance ramp, hitting the checkpoint as you head up. Once on the freeway, hit two more checkpoints along the straightaway and the path will head down into a large tunnel area. Follow the freeway as it curves around to the right and stay to the left as it straightens. Take the left path at the fork ahead and follow this path around to the left up out of the freeway. Hit the checkpoint ahead, back on the road, and continue on down the street as it curves right to another checkpoint at a Y intersection. Make a right here and take the next right you come to onto another narrow street with the next checkpoint ahead. Head up and make a right at it, then a left at the first intersection you come to, heading back towards the tunnel are you came out of. This time, hit the checkpoint ahead, taking the left path into the freeway (going the direction with traffic again, what is this?). Follow the path as it curves to the left and proceed out of the tunnel area. Stay to the right of the freeway and hit the next checkpoint at a redirecting road, slowing up as you take it. Follow the curve up to another part of the freeway and keep with is as it bends slightly to the left. Hit the checkpoint up ahead off to the left and take the curvy exit road behind it down to the road. Follow the street as it curves around to the left, hitting the checkpoint at the peak of the curve. After the road bends to the right, make a left at the intersection you come to and then a right after that into either of the alleyways. Follow them back out to a road with the next checkpoint ahead. Veer off to the right of the road slightly and hit the checkpoint, proceeding up the exit ramp afterwards. You will now be going against traffic on the freeway (c'mon, you knew it had to happen). Hit the checkpoint here and make your way down the freeway to the next one a LONG ways off in the distance. Veer to the right to hit it and take the entrance ramp back down to the road. Slow up here and immediately veer to the left onto a wide road. Make a sharp right at the intersection ahead and hit the next checkpoint at another exit ramp off to the right of the road. Going against traffic at high speeds once again, make your way up to the freeway and hit the next two checkpoints straight ahead. Continue down the path to another checkpoint at an entrance ramp, hit it, and head back down to the road, ending your short freeway visit. When you come to an intersection, veer off to the right sharply into a grass area with the ancient Japanese buildings. Make for an alleyway ahead where the checkpoint is and hit it, turning left back onto the road. To be more clear, use this diagram for help: | : | Road | ___ '-----------------------___------------ |/ 2 \ _o_ _o_ _o_ _o_ _o_ _o/ 1 \ _ _ _ _ _ |\__o/ \o__/ | o .------.---------------. .------------ | : | | Building | o| Building |o : | | .------' |_ | : | '--------' o '---------- | : | : | o R| : | [] Building Building +--------------------+ o| : | [] <-----> o <-----> | KEY | a| : | [] |\ /| |\___/| +--------------------+ d| : | [] | >-< | o |/ \| | ___ | | : | [] |/ \| <-----> | / # \ = checkpoint | | : | [] <-----> o | \___/ | | : | [] Building | [] = stone wall | | : | [] <----A------> o | o o = path to | | : | [] |\__/|\____/| | follow | | : | [] |/ \|/ \| o +--------------------+ | : | [] <----V------> | : | [] o | : | [] Grassy | : | [] o Area | : | o | : | o | '------------o------------------------- | - - - - -o- - - - - - - - - - - - - - | .-----o-------------------------------- | : | o Road | : o| Veer off to the right past a wall and one building and make your way in between two other buildings to the alley where the checkpoint is. Make a left at the checkpoint and head down the road to another checkpoint at a T intersection. Hit this and make another left back onto the road you came in on. Head down the road to a checkpoint off in the distance and drive through it, proceeding up the exit ramp behind it. Hit three checkpoints up on the freeway before you come to its end and it heads back down to the road. When it does, veer left onto a fairly wide road with a checkpoint ahead. Head down this long straightaway through a checkpoint and continue down towards another. Slow up as you hit this one and make a hard left. When you come to an intersection, veer left into a wide alley where a checkpoint is and continue down, veering left into a little tunnel. This tunnel will bring you to a ramp that will send you flying through the final checkpoint. Continue heading that direction to hit another ramp straight to the finish. =-=-=-=-=-=-= PARIS =-=-=-=-=-=-= ---------------- Stage III - Burn ---------------- Recommended Vehicle: Torque JX Opponent Vehicle(s): Veloci Strategy: Welcome back to Paris. This is your first of two scattered checkpoint races that Savo has in store for you, and luckily, this one is rather short. This race may not seems so formidable or very hard because it has only four checkpoints and the finish point, but it will give you some trouble. The four checkpoints are spread out very widely across the Paris map and getting to them can be a problem. The route that I give you is the same one that Savo himself takes, but it may not be the fastest as many of the other racers often finish before him. You must be near flawless in this race to overcome the other racers and achieve victory. The only other aspect of this race that might give you trouble is the traffic, which appears to be quite heavy. Avoid it as best you can and try to never take it head on. From the start, veer right onto the road, and follow it through some arches and over a bridge. After the bridge, the path will curve to the left. When it straightens out, you should be at an intersection. Pass this and make the next left you come to onto a narrow street. Right before the church up ahead, there should be a clearing to your right with grass and trees. Make a right into this clearing and hit the first checkpoint ahead. Now continue on and veer left onto the small street ahead. Keep heading straight on this road, busting through the gate ahead and flying off the ledge to a stationary river barge. Slow up if you are going fast and hit the ramp at the end of it at about 120-140 mph. You should land in a little tunnel from the mini-freeway. Take this tunnel up, and then veer left into an alley. When you come to the road, head over to the large pink ramp ahead. Head right into it and soar back down to an area below. Once you land, head left around the area until you come back to the road. Veer right here, avoiding the corner of a building and any traffic at the intersection, and get onto another street heading the same direction you are. Follow the road as it bends to the left and make the first right you see after it straightens out into a cobblestone alleyway. You will come to a large clearing on your left with the next checkpoint up ahead. Keep straight for a while before veering left on a diagonal route through the trees to the checkpoint. Hit it and veer left up the stairs. When you reach the top, veer off slightly to the left to get onto a small diagonal street. Follow it as it curves right and heads down a long straightaway to a small circle area. Veer right here onto a road leading to the freeway. When you come to it, bust through the gate to the left down into it on either side (though I recommend going with traffic rather than against it). Hit the next checkpoint down the freeway and continue on it as it bends to the right. When it straightens out, you should see a gas station area to the left. Head into there, carefully avoiding the pumps, and pull a U-turn, heading back up the ramp to the right (to the left as you entered the area). At the top, make a right and head for an alleyway and follow it out to the road. Upon reaching the road, make a right and follow the curve around to the left. Veer left at the intersection you come to and head for a diagonal alleyway up ahead. Follow this up to another road and veer to the right here, entering a small tan building. Head through here to a ramp at the end and hit it at about 140 mph. Veer left ever so slightly in the direction of the final checkpoint as you go off the ramp and hit it as you land. Now make your way around the statue in the middle and hit the ramp at the other end of the little peninsula in the river. Make sure you are going about 90 mph as you go off this ramp so that you land on the road rather than on the mini-freeway. Once you land, head left on the road and make a left at the first intersection you come to. Follow this road across the river and make the second right. Veer left shortly after to the finish. ---------------- Stage IV - Turbo ---------------- Recommended Vehicle: Torque JX Opponent Vehicle(s): Veloci Strategy: I really enjoy this race, as it takes you all over Paris, through its many shortcuts and all of its massive ramps. This race is quite fun and I think you'll enjoy it as well. But it's no walk in the park...by far. It will have you frustrated in no time and you will find yourself constantly hitting Restart Race. Don't worry; this kind of trouble is intrinsic to Savo's races. This race seems quite long, through in actuality it takes less than 4 minutes to complete. Be wary of the medium traffic in this race and stick with it until the end. Once you get a feel for the checkpoint locations and the shortcuts, you should be fine. You will find yourself in a line a Velocis at the start of this race. Head straight behind them, pulling off a Slipstream Turbo early on to keep up with the group. Hit the first checkpoint up ahead under the massive arch and veer left sharply after hitting it and get onto the road there. Follow this road as it inclines and you will catch some air. When you land, look for a small building off to the left with a gap in between it. Veer left over to it and enter the further building, busting through some glass. Follow the path around to the left to a ramp and hit it to fly through the next checkpoint. Continue heading straight to hit another ramp over the water to a grassy area. Once you land, look for a wall to the left with an opening in it. Swing over to the left and take the opening in the wall to another checkpoint back on the road. Follow this narrow road as it curves slightly to the left and make your way to the next checkpoint down across the bridge. Slow up as you approach it and make a right into a concrete area. Veer left here and take a path between some hedges to a circle area. Continue straight through here and launch off the large glass pyramid to the next checkpoint. After you land, follow the road as it bends to the right and make the first left you come to. Head straight past the T intersection ahead into an arched alleyway and follow it to another alley, which you should make a left at. This alley should lead you back out to the road where you should make another right, hitting the next checkpoint ahead. Keep with the road as it curves to the right and when you reach a Y intersection, veer right slightly to enter an alley ahead. Hit the checkpoint as the path bends to the right and continue up some ramps. Continue heading right as the path bends and head up a long ramp, taking the left path at the top to fly through the next checkpoint. Take this silly pink path straight to a massive ramp and launch yourself off it aiming directly for the blue column of the next checkpoint. Soar through it and down to a grassy area in between some small buildings. Take the path ahead out of the area and head straight, busting through the doors of the church. Head through the doors at the other end to another grassy area and make left. Hit the next checkpoint ahead and continue heading left onto a narrow street. Continue heading straight, breaking through a gate under an arch, to a gap between buildings and fly down here to a stationary river barge. Hit the ramp at the end of the barge at no more than 140 mph to land in a little tunnel. Take this up to another checkpoint and veer left into an alley. When this alley reaches the road, slow up and veer left onto it, avoiding the building ahead. Take this path ahead to a circle area and head right around the structure in the middle. Continue in this direction and veer to the right of the ramp ahead. Follow this path as it curves right to the next checkpoint and continue right onto the road. Follow this narrow road, avoiding the traffic, down to the next checkpoint and make a right. At the Y intersection ahead, make another right and follow this road down, veering to the right to hit the next checkpoint. Take the ramp up into a building and, at the top, make a wide right around to a small ramp. Fly off this ramp through the next checkpoint and head down this alley to the road where another checkpoint lies. Hit it and make a right onto the road and keep on it as it curves to the right. You will soon come to the Y intersection that you were previously at (it is actually your third time here). Veer right slightly and enter an alley where the next checkpoint is. Hit it and follow the path as it curves to the right and heads up an incline. This time around, take the right path at the top to fly through the next checkpoint to a rooftop. Head around the structures here down to another rooftop and slow up a little to gain control of your vehicle. You should see a small ramp ahead leading to the next checkpoint. Hit the ramp, aiming directly for the checkpoint so that you land on the road rather than in the river, which would end your run. Hit the checkpoint down here and make a right at the second intersection you come to afterwards. Head down this street to the next checkpoint and continue heading straight under an arch to a cobblestone path. Follow the path as it bends right and hit another checkpoint at the end of it. Fly off the path here to another stationary river barge and launch off the ramp at the end towards the three arches. Head right into one of them and hit the checkpoint at the circle area. Continue heading straight through another set of arches at the other end of the area. When the road ends at a T intersection shortly afterwards, veer right and hit a diagonal cobblestone pathway that heads up in the direction of a checkpoint. Continue on this path after it levels off to the final checkpoint and make a right onto a small street adjacent to the church shortly after. When the street comes to a curve, veer right slightly and fly off a couple ledges down to the open area and the finish below. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= LOS ANGELES =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ------------------ Stage V - Traction ------------------ Recommended Vehicle: Torque JX Opponent Vehicle(s): Veloci Strategy: Ahh, back to the good ole City of Angels. It's been a while since you were last here - I hope you didn't miss it. Your welcoming back surprise is a bit of a doozy, however, as it comes in the form of a very difficult and frustrating scattered checkpoints race. You got your standard heavy traffic and hard-to-locate checkpoints, but an even more challenging factor is involved...the rain. As one might presume from the name "Traction," there will either be much of it or very little. And anyone familiar with this game, as you well should be, will know that the latter will be true. It seems in this race that the traction is even worse than when it normally rains, but that could be because of the extremely high speeds that you are traveling at. Other than this factor, be wary of the traffic and the hard-to-find checkpoints. Again, there is no clear-cut "fast" route in this race. Just follow Savo's route as always. You will start on the upper level of the airport. At the go call, take this road, getting a Slipstream Turbo off near the start. Stay to the left and take the road down for a short ways. You should see an overpass of the freeway ahead of you. Slow up to gain control and make a wide right turn into the entrance ramp nearest to you. It is easy to miss so downshift heavily if you are in manual to make the turn. Take this ramp up to the freeway and follow it as it curve to the left. Hit the first two checkpoints in front of you and, immediately after the second, veer to the right to enter a curved redirecting road. Follow this as it curves around to the right and head towards the next checkpoint on the freeway. Slow up heavily as you approach this one and pull a 180 as you hit it, entering the redirecting road behind the checkpoint after you nab it. Follow this out to another part of the freeway, going against traffic for a short while. After the path bends right then left, take the first entrance ramp down to the road, which you should make a left onto. Hit the next checkpoint ahead and take the first left you come to, just after a gas station. Now make the first right you come to and hit another checkpoint on this road. You should be heading for the massive canal thing. Make the first right, immediately before the canal, and follow this road all the way down where it ends at a T intersection. Make a left at the checkpoint here and take this road across the canal. After you pass an intersection after the canal, the road will bend left slightly and come to another intersection. Make a right here, busting through the black glass at the corner of a building. Follow this straightaway all the way down to the checkpoint off in the distance, going down and back up the canal to do so. Continue on this road and make a left at the T intersection ahead, then make another left at the first intersection you come to. Heading towards the large canal again, make a right immediately before it and drive through the checkpoint on this street. Make the next right after this checkpoint and another right at the intersection ahead. Finally, take the first left you come to and nab the checkpoint ahead, proceeding left to the further freeway entrance ramp immediately after. If this is confusing, check out this simple diagram that shows all of the checkpoints in this paragraph: +---------------------+ | KEY | +---------------------+ | ___ | Freeway Ramps | / # \ = checkpoint | --------------------- | \___/ | -------. o .------- | o o = path to | | o | | follow | -------' ___ '------- +---------------------+ -------./ 3o\.------- |\___/| .-----------------------------------' o '-----------------------------------. | _ _ _ _ _ _ o _ _o_ _o_ o _o_ _o_ o _ o _ _ _ _ _ _ | | o o o | | .-----------. o .-----------. .-----------. .-----------. . | : | | : | | o: | | : o| | : | | : | |o : | | : | | ___ | | : | | : | Buildings | : | Buildings | o | Buildings |/ 1o\| Buildings | : | | : | |o : | | : | |\___/| | : | | : | | : | | :o | | :o | | : | | : | |o : | | : | | : | | : | | '-----------' '----___----' o '-----------' o '-----------' | | _ _ _ _ _ _ o _ _/ 2 \_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | | o \_o_/ o o o | '-----------------------------------------------------------------------------' \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\o\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;o;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////o///////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Massive Canal o Once up on the freeway, follow the path around to the left and veer off on the first exit ramp to the right. Slow up as you take it down and make a left onto the road. Hit the checkpoint ahead then stay relatively straight to enter a wide concrete alleyway for a small shortcut. Make a left when you come back to the road and make the first left you come to, right before an ambulance. Pass under an overpass on this road and hit the checkpoint ahead, making a left at the corner. Take a right at the T intersection ahead and follow this street for quite a long time. The street will curve left and then curve left some more as it inclines. Eventually it will decline again and curve to the right slightly. After it does, make a right at the first intersection you come to and then a left at the next intersection. Hit the checkpoint ahead on this road and continue heading straight through the T intersection into a little dirt area with some trees and rocks. Slow up and veer left slightly, busting through the fence and flying down to the checkpoint on the road below. Slow down to make a hard left to get on the inclining road where the path forks. Follow this up and around to the left and hit the next checkpoint here. Now pass one intersection and at the next, look for a diagonal road and veer right onto it. Hit the checkpoint off in the distance and make your way through the trees, dirt, and rocks. Head left onto the road ahead and make your way to the next checkpoint. Make another left at the intersection ahead and hit the final checkpoint on this street. Again, make a left at the first intersection you come to and follow this road under an overpass. Once you cross under it, make a left at the intersection immediately after and then right into a parking area where the finish lies. --------------- Stage VI - Apex --------------- Recommended Vehicle: Torque JX Opponent Vehicle(s): Veloci Strategy: Wahoo! Last race of the career mode! All you have to do is win this race to complete it (though you still have the circuit races to get 100% completion). But if you think it's almost over, think again. This race is by far the most challenging and lengthy race in the game. The checkpoints are extremely spread out and it seems as if you travel on every single road in Los Angeles at least once. There are so many of them, too, that the race ends up being around SEVEN minutes long! This is insane compared to every other race. The traffic can give you some problems here (it seems to be heavy) but there is no rain, thankfully. The checkpoints will give you the most trouble here as they are quite distant from one another and there are many routes to get to them. Obviously, your opponents have a major upper hand here, but stick with the race at least once or twice and get a feel for the tricky areas (like the freeway part) and the fastest routes to the checkpoints. This is a tough race, but it is a great test of your skills to become the world champion. When the chick's arms drop, make your way forward towards the road ahead and veer right onto it. Pass the first intersection here and make a left at the second, cutting the corner of the building. Shortly after you go under an overpass, look for a small alley off to the right of the road as it curves left. Make your way in here for a small shortcut and head straight to the first checkpoint, veering left onto the road that it is on. Follow the road as it curves left and inclines and hit the checkpoint up at the intersection. The next four checkpoints along this divided road are on alternating sides of the road. Veer right to hit the first, left to the second, right to the third, and finally left to the fourth. Proceed on down the road as it curves right and goes down a hill. Pass the first intersection you come to as the road levels off and make a wide right at the second, avoiding the structures in the middle of the path. Hit the checkpoint down at the T intersection and make a right at it. Continue on ahead to the narrow road ahead and keep on it as it curves sharply to the left and then back to the right. Soon after it curves right, slow up and hit the checkpoint at the small intersection and make a right onto another narrow street. Follow this curvy road out to an intersection where you should veer right into the grassy area, avoiding the palm trees and making your way to a small entrance into the building ahead. Slow up as you hit the next checkpoint as you come out of the building and turn left onto another path. Take this out to the road and keep on it for some time as it bends left then back right and comes to another checkpoint. Shortly after you drive through it, veer right through the parking area where you started the race and veer right back onto the road when you exit the area. Make the first left you come to, just before the overpass, and nab the checkpoint at the T intersection ahead, making a right as you do. Hit the next checkpoint up ahead at another T intersection and make yet another right here. Follow this road as it curves to the right and make a sharp right at the first intersection you come to. Follow this road all the way down to a T intersection where the next checkpoint lies and hit it, making a left as you do. Proceed forward a short ways and take a left at the first intersection you come to (at the stop sign). Shortly after you get on this road, look for an opening to the right. Head into here and bust through the fence ahead, proceeding through the cone-shaped objects to another checkpoint back on the road. Make a left back onto the street and keep on it as it curves to the left. Pass some streets to your left and take a right at the first four-way intersection that you arrive at. Stay with this road as it curves to the right and heads toward the airport. Stay to the middle of this road, keeping on the ground, and follow the path to the back of the airport. Stay with the road as it curves to the left and comes to another checkpoint. Proceed on, following another left curve and make your way out of the area back onto the road you came in on. After the road bends to the left, make a right at the intersection you come to. Keep with this street as it curves left and goes under an overpass. Pass one street on your left and make a left at the next intersection you come to. Follow this road past one intersection and veer right shortly after into a little area in between buildings towards the next checkpoint. Hit it and veer right back onto the road, following it down past two intersections and make a left at the third. Hit another checkpoint ahead on this road and make a left into a large alley. Proceed ahead here under a little tunnel area, through some glass, and up a ramp and make a left onto the road you come to. Continue on down this street for a ways and hit the checkpoint in the distance, making a right as you do. Follow this street down to a corner where you should take another right, and, just before you reach the canal, veer left down into the canal in the direction of the next checkpoint. Drive through the checkpoint here as the path curves right and slow up once you see some support beams. Make a right into a little tunnel under the beam to the right and follow it back up to the road, flying through the checkpoint up at the top. Continue past the intersection when you first come out to the road and veer off to the left at the second, passing one ramp on your right and hitting the further one. Launch your car off this ramp through a couple buildings and veer right onto the road ahead. Hit the checkpoint ahead on this road and slow up as you hit it, making a left at the intersection. Take the next left you come to and follow this road straight to a large parking lot area. Veer your vehicle right here and make you way to an adjacent street. Proceed on this street across the giant canal to the next checkpoint off in the distance and continue on it to the freeway entrance. After the road curves left and right slightly and comes a freeway overpass, slow up and make a right onto the first entrance ramp. Take this up to the freeway and hit the checkpoint ahead up there. Continue on and veer right at the first redirecting exit that you see. Follow this around to the right to another checkpoint. Drive through it and proceed on the freeway. A little while later, you should see the blue column of the next checkpoint to the right. You may be tempted to take the first redirecting road you see on you right, but do not take this, as it will lead you to a totally different part of the freeway. Continue on past it and veer right into the next exit you see, following the path up and around to the next checkpoint. Immediately after hitting it, you may again be tempted to take the exit you see, but again, do not take this. Continue past it, slow down greatly as you do, and pull a 180 at the redirecting road going the opposite way. Head through the curve here back out to the freeway and the next checkpoint. Proceed on the freeway as it curves left and back right and eventually ends and turns into a road. Continue on the road as it curves up and around to the right and make a sharp right at the intersection up here. Swing out right into the grass-dirt area to hit the final checkpoint and veer left back onto the road. At the first four-way intersection you come to, make a left onto another street. Pass up one intersection and veer right at the next onto a diagonal road heading relatively towards the finish point. The road will curve to the right and go under an overpass. At the intersection just after it, veer left through the parking area where you first started the race (your third time through here) and make a diagonal route straight towards the finish at the gas station. Reward(s): Veloci, World Champion -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- I V . C I R C U I T R A C E S -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- COMING LATER... -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- V . A R C A D E M O D E S -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- The Arcade Modes can be accessed by pressing right on the Left Thumbstick or D- Pad after selecting a save game file. All vehicles, including special ones are available in all arcade modes, even Circuit Mode (though beating Circuit Mode is how you obtain special cars). /=================\ --< a. Cruise >-- \=================/ This mode allows you to cruise through any of the three cities. There are no other racers or opponents, just traffic and pedestrians (both optional). This mode is good if you need to get a feel for the city, learn some shortcuts, or just have some fun driving around. I have found that Cruise Mode is a great way to vent your anger. Set the traffic to high on any city, go on the freeway, and hit as many cars as you can while keeping your finger on the accelerator. Just crashing into other cars makes me feel better, and killing pedestrians too ;). Custom Settings for Cruise include: Weather: Clear/Rainy/Foggy Time: Midnight/Dawn/Dusk Traffic: Low/Medium/High/None Pedestrians: On/Off /==================\ --< b. Circuit >-- \==================/ This mode contains extra races based upon each city that are run in a circuit style, with a set track and anywhere from 2-4 laps. There are five races in Los Angeles, six in Paris, and seven in Tokyo. Beating each city's circuit races unlocks special cars. Strategies for each race can be found in the above section (IV. CIRCUIT RACES). Custom Settings for Circuit include: (available only after 100% completion of the game) Weather: Clear/Rainy/Foggy Time: Midnight/Dawn/Dusk Traffic: Low/Medium/High/None Pedestrians: On/Off Powerups: On/Off Computer Drivers: Default/Off /=================\ --< c. Battle >-- \=================/ There are two battle modes available in this game: Capture the Flag, and Detonate. Essentially, they are the same game, but one is with an explosive. These modes can be played in any city and also can be played in only a certain part of a city. In battle modes, use the power-ups to your advantage to ensure victory and avoid being targeted by another racer's offensive power-up. These power-ups are covered in a later section. Capture the Flag ---------------- This is the traditional game of capture the flag and return it to your base, except with cars... and there are no bases. Basically, a finish point and a flag spawn at certain places on the map. Grab the flag and hurry back to the finish point with the flag to get a point for yourself or your team. If another racer touches you when you have the flag, it is transferred to that racer, and vice versa for you. Once the flag is taken to the finish point, a new flag and finish point are made. There is about a three second invincibility period for whoever grabs the flag next. For instance, if you hit another racer who has the flag, no one else can take the flag away from you for about three seconds. This is so that there are no rapid flag changes and anyone who grabs the flag has some opportunity to make a move to get away. There is an option to make the flag heavy, so as to weigh down the flag-bearer's car, making them much slower. This is a good option to have so even the fastest cars can't get away from you. Custom Settings for Capture the Flag include: Settings: General Weather: Clear/Rainy/Foggy Time: Midnight/Dawn/Dusk Traffic: Low/Medium/High/None Pedestrians: On/Off Powerups: On/Off Settings: Battle Drop Limit: 1/3/5/10/None Time Limit: 5/10/15/20/30/None Flag: Heavy/Light Teams: No/Yes CPU Players: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 (only 1-4 with teams) CPU Vehicle Type A: Any car CPU Vehicle Type B: Any car Detonate -------- This is a game like Capture the Flag, in which you must get an object and bring it to the finish point to score either for yourself or for your team. This is a slight variation to Capture the Flag, however, because you are carrying a detonator, which, when aggravated, can explode. The person carrying the detonator has a little damage meter above their car which goes down severely when hit by opponents. When the meter is down all the way, the detonator explodes and a new round starts. Nobody gains any points. Like I said, this game works essentially the same as Capture the Flag. At the start of the race, a detonator and a finish point appear at certain areas of the city. The object is to take the detonator to the finish point to score drops for yourself or your team. Once the detonator is taken to the finish point, or is blown up, a new round begins and a new detonator and finish point appear. Custom Settings for Detonate include: Settings: General Weather: Clear/Rainy/Foggy Time: Midnight/Dawn/Dusk Traffic: Low/Medium/High/None Pedestrians: On/Off Powerups: On/Off Settings: Battle Drop Limit: 1/3/5/10/None Time Limit: 5/10/15/20/30/None Detonator: Heavy/Light Teams: No/Yes CPU Players: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 (only 1-4 with teams) CPU Vehicle Type A: Any car CPU Vehicle Type B: Any car /======================\ --< d. Race Editor >-- \======================/ To create your own races in any of the three cities, use the Race Editor. There are fifteen available race slots for each city. All of the information below is taken straight from the Game Manual. MAP SCREEN: Once on the Map Screen, move the cursor with the directional pad or the left thumbstick. The targeted checkpoint will turn yellow. Move the left thumbstick to place or a remove a checkpoint. LAYING DOWN THE COURSE: The letter S will appear on the first checkpoint you place, indicating the starting point for your race. An F will appear on the second checkpoint, indicating the finish line. Every checkpoint you place after that will become the finish line, and the previously placed checkpoints will change to number 1, 2, 3... the most checkpoints you can have is 64. RE-ARRANGING: When any of the checkpoints you have placed are targeted, you can switch around the checkpoint order by pulling the left trigger and right trigger. ZOOM: Zoom in and out on the Zoom Window by moving the right thumbstick up and down. PLAYER ONLY CHECKPOINTS: Pressing the X button accesses the Race Options screen. Scroll right or left to alter Opponent Options. When you change the number of CPU Players to None, and then return to the Map Screen, a host of Play Only Checkpoints will appear. OPTIONS: Aside from changing the number of CPU player, you can also change the types of vehicles the CPU will be using, to vary the challenge level. Any vehicles you have unlocked are available. Aside from Time of Day, Weather, and Pedestrian and Traffic Densities, you can also have the following Race and Time Options: RACE: Ordered: Racers must race through all checkpoints in order. Unordered: You must figure out the best route to clear all the checkpoints. TIME: None: There is no time limit to get from one checkpoint to the next. Reset Each Checkpoint: You only have a set amount of time to get to the next checkpoint. To change the time allowed to get from one checkpoint to the next, go to the Map Screen. Highlight any checkpoint except the last. Press the Black button and White button to adjust the time. Added Each Checkpoint: Same as Reset, except any extra time will carry over to the next checkpoint. EDITOR MENU: Press the Y button while on the Map Screen to get to the Editor Menu. Select Test Race to try out your race. In the Editor Menu you can also clear all the checkpoints off of the map, edit another of the 15 race slots, change the name of your race, or exit to the front end, and begin racing for real on your masterpiece. SAVING: Select Exit to Front End when on the Editor Menu screen. /=================\ --< e. Career >-- \=================/ This mode allows you to race any of the Career races you have unlocked with a few extra options including multiplayer. It's really nothing special and just provides you with the races you've unlocked in Career Mode so that you don't have to play through the Career Mode over again to get to a race you enjoy. All of the opponents and vehicles are exactly the same but I noticed that your main opponents do not talk trash like they do in Career Mode. Custom Settings for Career include: Weather: Clear/Rainy/Foggy Time: Midnight/Dawn/Dusk Traffic: Low/Medium/High/None Pedestrians: On/Off Powerups: On/Off Computer Drivers: Default/Off Cops: Default/Off /===================\ --< f. Powerups >-- \===================/ Power-ups are available in every Arcade Mode, excluding Cruise, though only after 100% completion of the races in Circuit. They are found throughout the course on roads and are used to benefit you as well as hinder other racers to ensure your victory. To use a power-up, drive through one, and press in the Left Thumbstick. The Nitro power-up is automatic and does not require anything further than driving through it. This is the list and effects of available power-ups (taken from the Game Manual): DISRUPTOR Target: Opponents Effect: An opponent hit by this power-up will have a distorted view. GO Target: Opponents Effect: An opponent hit by this power-up will accelerate, hitting the brake will not stop the acceleration. One of the opponent's available nitros will be used. ICE Target: Opponents Effect: An opponent hit by this power-up will drive as if on ice. PULSE Target: Opponents Effect: When the player activates this, opponents in the immediate vicinity will be pushed away. It's like an explosion force without the explosion. STEALTH Target: Player Effect: The player becomes invisible for a few seconds. NITRO Target: Player Effect: One nitro boost is added to the player's reservoir. QUAD Target: Player Effect: The player inflicts four times the normal damage to opponents. SHIELD Target: Player Effect: The player becomes immune to damage of any sort. STOP Target: Opponents Effect: An opponent hit by this power-up will suddenly engage both the brake and the handbrake. REVERSE STEERING Target: Opponents Effect: When an opponent is hit by this power-up the steering is reversed. Steering left turns right and vice versa. -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- V I . C A R S -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- Ratings are based on in-game ratings. Each of the cars are designed after and resemble real cars. What cars they resemble are my opinion. I don't really know that much about car models so if you have any information on the car models (and motorcycles) please send them to me at [email protected]. /======================\ --< a. Los Angeles >-- \======================/ =-=-=-= COCOTTE =-=-=-= Speed: || 0-60: 3.030 Acceleration: |||| 0-120: 13.690 Handling: |||||| Top Speed: 139.000 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Ford Mustang 5.0 Notes: This is the car you start out with, and (you guessed it) it's pretty crappy. It is slow off the line but it handles very well, which is not saying much because it is quite slow. However, it is a very good beginning car and will get you acclimated to the controls and handling of the game. =-=- CITI =-=- Speed: || 0-60: 2.866 Acceleration: |||||| 0-120: 12.599 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 138.977 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Honda Civic Notes: Another beginner car, the Citi has much better acceleration than the Cocotte, though nothing spectacular. It has a low top speed but tight handling and works well in early races with many turns. =-= EMU =-= Speed: |||| 0-60: 4.199 Acceleration: || 0-120: 13.766 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 156.732 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Volkswagen Passat Notes: A higher top speed of around 150 mph is about the only thing going for this car. It takes a long time to reach that top speed and it's handling is awful. It does not make tight turns but rather wide arches around corners and it doesn't deserve its high handling rating. =-=-=-= TORRIDA =-=-=-= Speed: ||| 0-60: 3.433 Acceleration: ||||| 0-120: 12.533 Handling: ||||||||| Top Speed: 147.418 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Second Generation Mitsubishi Eclipse Notes: The Torrida is and average ride, delivering an average top speed, fairly good handling, and average acceleration. It is a little slow changing gears, hurting its acceleration, but it will win you some early races. I especially like how this car sounds. =-=-=-=-=-= 1971 BESTIA =-=-=-=-=-= Speed: |||| 0-60: 3.033 Acceleration: |||||| 0-120: 12.966 Handling: ||||| Top Speed: 158.481 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Dodge Charger Notes: The only "classic" car in the game, the Bestia represents the good old, gas-guzzling, American muscle car. A neat feature of this car is that the front of the car pops up during a burnout. This can be bad, though, as you have no control of the car during this time. The car has good acceleration off the line but it gets much slower as you go faster. The car has only four gears but the time it takes to change gears is quite slow. The handling is decent but feels as if it is lagging and it drifts a lot. =-=-=-= INTERNA =-=-=-= Speed: ||| 0-60: 2.466 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 16.733 Handling: ||||||||||| Top Speed: 149.524 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Honda S2000 Notes: This is an excellent car for races with many sharp turns. It has superb initial acceleration and tight handling, but it has a fairly low top speed, which can hurt you in races with long straight-aways. The exhaust sounds awesome, too. =-=-=- COHETE =-=-=- Speed: |||| 0-60: 1.966 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 6.866 Handling: |||||||||| Top Speed: 145.466 Nitrous: 0 Resembles: Notes: I really never use motorcycles because they are hard to control in manual, but you are almost forced to use this one. It has great acceleration and reaches it's top speed very quickly, especially when doing wheelies. It has fairly good handling when using the lean techniques but can be very hard to control at high speeds. =-=-=-=-=- CITI TURBO =-=-=-=-=- Speed: ||||| 0-60: 3.833 Acceleration: ||| 0-120: 10.599 Handling: |||||||||| Top Speed: 163.258 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Honda Civic Notes: This car actually has fairly good acceleration despite what its statistics say, though changing gears is relatively slow. Paired with a nice 160+ mph top speed, this car can be a threat on the street. It handles well but not nearly as tight as the Citi. =-=-=-=- MONSTRUO =-=-=-=- Speed: ||||| 0-60: 2.666 Acceleration: |||||| 0-120: 8.833 Handling: ||||||| Top Speed: 171.303 Nitrous: 1 Resembles: Mazda RX-7 Notes: This car is the fastest and best among the beginning cars. It has good acceleration all the way through and the highest top speed. It's only downside is that the handling is not very tight and the car slides a lot, especially at high speeds, when trying to make turns. But still, this is a good car. =-=-=-=-= JERSEY XS =-=-=-=-= Speed: ||||| 0-60: 2.233 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 7.466 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 164.996 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: Dodge Viper SRT-10 Notes: Formerly the Los Angeles champion's ride, the Jersey XS has amazing acceleration compared to all the other cars you've unlocked until now. It is the first car with six gears and they shift almost seamlessly, continuing the fast acceleration throughout all of them. This is also the first car with 2 shots of nitrous, and the extra one comes in handy as the races get increasingly longer. /================\ --< b. Paris >-- \================/ =-=-= BOOST =-=-= Speed: ||||||| 0-60: 1.966 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 5.899 Handling: ||||||||| Top Speed: 182.011 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: Ford Puma Notes: This car is a great car for Paris. It has great acceleration and it handles wonderfully. The top speed is also rather decent allowing for a good chance to keep your lead once you pull away from the pack. The handling is very tight and the car slides minimally on tight turns. The only downside to this car is that after reaching 120 mph, its acceleration is really slow. =-=-=-=-=-= BRYANSTON V =-=-=-=-=-= Speed: |||||| 0-60: 2.144 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 5.733 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 189.617 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: BMW M3 Notes: Aesthetically, the Bryanston V is one of the coolest looking cars in my opinion. Plus it comes in pretty colors. Its statistics are pretty good as well. This car has the speed and the acceleration, but it doesn't take corners too well. I also noticed that the steering kind of locks up when downshifting hard for some reason. But if a race has some decent straightaways, this is the perfect car to use. =-=-=-=-=-=- SCHNELLER V8 =-=-=-=-=-=- Speed: ||||||||| 0-60: 2.633 Acceleration: ||||||| 0-120: 8.866 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 208.355 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: BMW 760Li Notes: I'm not a big fan of this car as the only thing going for it is a very high top speed, in fact one of the highest top speeds of all the cars. But it lacks severely in acceleration and the handling is below average. If a course has plenty of long straightaways that optimize this car's top speed, then use it, but you're probably better off with another car. =-=-=- ALARDE =-=-=- Speed: ||| 0-60: 2.033 Acceleration: ||||||| 0-120: 6.299 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 159.357 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: Lotus Elise Notes: I do not know why this is car is put this high up amongst the Paris cars, or even why it is a Paris car. It does have good initial acceleration, but nothing that the Boost or Bryanston V can't beat, and its top speed is awful. The car does have excellent handling, however, with enough drift to make clean turns. =-=-=-=- FRIPON X =-=-=-=- Speed: ||||| 0-60: 1.933 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 5.833 Handling: ||||||| Top Speed: 173.577 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: Volkswagen Golf GTi Notes: This little station wagon type car is one of the better vehicles of Paris. Its acceleration is relatively good all the way to its top speed, which may be lacking a bit. Some may argue that it handles a bit loosely and slides an awful lot for a FWD car. Anything more than a light turn at higher speeds will cause this car to slide, losing speed. Overall, though, this car is a nice little package. =-=-=-= MONSONI =-=-=-= Speed: ||||| 0-60: 1.666 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 4.066 Handling: ||||||| Top Speed: 148.456 Nitrous: 0 Resembles: Notes: As I said earlier, I don't like motorcycles very much, but you may. This has better acceleration than any other vehicle in Paris but its low top speed will hurt you in the long run. Handling is pretty much the same as all motorcycles, it is much harder the faster you go. =-=-= STADT =-=-= Speed: |||| 0-60: 1.959 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 6.033 Handling: ||||||||| Top Speed: 159.418 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: Renault Clio Notes: With a low top speed and fairly sluggish acceleration, this car has to have some good points, right? Well if you exclude handling, no. About the only thing you benefit from this car is that it does have very tight control and grips the road well. Other than that, this car is definitely sub par. =-=-=-= VICTORY =-=-=-= Speed: ||||| 0-60: 1.899 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 5.533 Handling: |||||| Top Speed: 168.219 Nitrous: 2 Resembles: Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Notes: I like this car, mostly because its engine sounds cool and the body styling looks awesome some other great attributes as well. This car has great acceleration from a standstill to its top speed, which isn't too great a number. The car handles quite well, though it tends to slide more than most cars, and it will benefit you in races with both turns and straightaways. =-=-=-=-=- MODO PREGO =-=-=-=-=- Speed: |||||||| 0-60: 1.733 Acceleration: ||||||||||| 0-120: 4.599 Handling: ||||||||| Top Speed: 190.265 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Porsche GT3 Notes: Your first car with 3 nitros is won from the Paris city champ, and it is well worth it. This car has amazing acceleration, unrivaled by any other Paris car and some Tokyo ones. It also has a nice top speed to balance everything out, though it takes quite a while to reach 190 mph without nitrous. It also handles rather well but it may drift a bit much on turns. /================\ --< c. Tokyo >-- \================/ =-=-=-=- LUSSO XT =-=-=-=- Speed: |||||||| 0-60: 2.099 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 7.199 Handling: ||||||| Top Speed: 226.854 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Infinity G35 Notes: The Lusso XT is just like the Schneller V8, but slightly better. It has a staggering 225+ top speed and with nitrous it can reach the fastest speed allowable in the game, 249 mph. But where this car succeeds in speed, it lacks in control and acceleration. It is quite sluggish off the line and its handling is too tight to take corners very well. This car should most definitely be used on races with long straightaways and little sharp turns. =-=-=-= RSMC 15 =-=-=-= Speed: ||||||||| 0-60: 2.066 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 5.833 Handling: |||| Top Speed: 199.454 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Nissan 350Z Notes: Another speed heavy car, the RSMC 15 is more balanced out. It still has relatively slow acceleration, though not as slow as the Lusso XT, but it handles slightly better, though it fluctuates. When turning very lightly, the car handles very tightly, but it slides a lot on sharper turns, which can be difficult to control. Again, this car is good for races with some good straightaways but it will provide you with some control. =-=-=-=- VORTEX 5 =-=-=-=- Speed: ||||| 0-60: 1.633 Acceleration: |||||||||| 0-120: 4.366 Handling: ||||||||| Top Speed: 177.088 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Third Generation Mitsubishi Eclipse Notes: This car has amazing acceleration and will beat many other cars off the line. Its top speed is quite low, however, though it gets there in good time. The Vortex 5 also has great handling and can make tight turns with ease, an attribute essential for Tokyo races. =-=-=- SAIKOU =-=-=- Speed: |||||| 0-60: 1.566 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 4.199 Handling: ||||||| Top Speed: 194.420 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Toyota Supra Notes: I'm a big fan of the Saikou mostly because it looks sweet but it has some great statistics as well. This car has excellent acceleration all the way to its top speed, which isn't too shabby either. It's control can give you some trouble, however, as it handles quite loosely and drifts a good deal on turns. The Saikou will win you some races, but never use it in the rain. =-=-=- KNIGHT =-=-=- Speed: ||||| 0-60: 1.533 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 4.232 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 183.117 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Notes: Straight off the line, this is the fastest accelerating car in the game, excluding special cars. On top of that, this is one of the best handling cars in the game. It drifts very little around corners but can still make the hard turns with ease. On a downside, its superb initial acceleration drops off sharply. It does get up to its top speed in good time, however, though it is not such a great number. This car is perfect for a races with many tight turns. =-=-=-= NOUSAGI =-=-=-= Speed: |||||| 0-60: 1.633 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 4.366 Handling: ||||||||| Top Speed: 177.088 Nitrous: 0 Resembles: Notes: Must I reiterate the fact that I do not favor motorcycles? I especially do not like this one, as it is the fastest, thus the most dangerous, of the three motorcycles available in this game. If you choose to use this machine, you must be very skilled at motorcycle maneuvering or you will find yourself thrown off of it quite frequently. This motorcycle is fast making it very hard to control. =-=-=-=-= SAIKOU XS =-=-=-=-= Speed: |||||||| 0-60: 1.699 Acceleration: |||||||||| 0-120: 4.253 Handling: |||||||| Top Speed: 207.015 Nitrous: 3 Resembles: Notes: This is definitely the best 3-nitrous car and one of the best overall cars in the game, in my opinion. It deserves a lot more credit than its statistics show. It has great acceleration, a 200+ mph top speed without nitrous, and much better handling than the Saikou, though it still drifts on turns. =-=-=-=-= TORQUE JX =-=-=-=-= Speed: ||||||||| 0-60: 1.633 Acceleration: |||||||||| 0-120: 4.133 Handling: |||||||||| Top Speed: 217.488 Nitrous: 4 Resembles: Nissan Skyline GTR Notes: The only 4-nitrous car in the game, the Torque JX has just about got it all. Blazing acceleration, a nice 210+ mph top speed, and sweet handling make this car a perfect package to take on the world champion. The only minor downside to this car, in my humble opinion, is that it sounds rather annoying, though others might like it. =-=-=- VELOCI =-=-=- Speed: |||||||| 0-60: 1.599 Acceleration: ||||||||| 0-120: 3.466 Handling: |||||||||| Top Speed: 210.307 Nitrous: 5 Resembles: Saleen S7 Notes: This car is won after becoming the World Champion of the Midnight Club, and it is well worth it. This car has the best acceleration in the game among the Career cars, and though its top speed is only about 210 mph, it gets there in a matter of seconds. This car can be trouble, however, for the inexperienced driver (though you must be very experienced to have won it) because of its extreme speed and acceleration. But I would definitely use this car to win the circuit races. /==================\ --< d. Special >-- \==================/ These are cars that can be unlocked during the game. They can only be used in cruise and battle modes. There are no in-game statistics for these cars so I have made them up according to their performance. =-=-=- LA COP =-=-=- Speed: |||||| 0-60: 1.610 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 4.840 Handling: |||| Top Speed: 184.000 Nitrous: 2 Unlocked by: Beating all the Los Angeles circuit races Resembles: Ford Crown Victoria Notes: The Los Angeles squad car is the fastest Los Angeles car and rivals many Paris cars. It's acceleration and speed are top notch among the other Los Angeles cars, but it lacks tight control and handling. This car slips and slides all over the place and it's hard to make a good turn with it. It's braking is horrible also. Like all cop cars, press in the Left Thumbstick to activate the police lights and press the White button to activate the siren. =-=-=-=-= PARIS COP =-=-=-=-= Speed: ||||||| 0-60: 1.570 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 3.560 Handling: |||||| Top Speed: 206.000 Nitrous: 3 Unlocked by: Beating all the Paris circuit races Resembles: Notes: The Paris cop car is much faster than the fastest of the Paris cars and is faster than some of the Tokyo cars. It has great acceleration and a good top speed. The engine sounds kind of weird though. The handling is the best among the cop cars but it isn't great. The car tends to drift but not nearly as much as the LA Cop car. Like all cop cars, press in the Left Thumbstick to activate the police lights and press the White button to activate the siren. =-=-=-=-= TOKYO COP =-=-=-=-= Speed: ||||||||| 0-60: 1.460 Acceleration: |||||||| 0-120: 3.030 Handling: |||||| Top Speed: 220.000 Nitrous: 4 Unlocked by: Beating all the Tokyo circuit races Resembles: Nissan 300ZX Notes: The Tokyo cop car ranks among the fastest cars in the game. It has blinding acceleration and a very high top speed, but like all cop cars, it is severely afflicted with awful handling. This car drifts the most out of any other car on turns. Though this car is not available in the Career or Circuit races, it is fun to mess around with as it is quite fast and hard to control. Like all cop cars, press in the Left Thumbstick to activate the police lights and press the White button to activate the siren. =-=-=-= SLF450x =-=-=-= Speed: |||||||||| 0-60: 1.190 Acceleration: |||||||||| 0-120: 3.010 Handling: |||||||||| Top Speed: 249.000 Nitrous: 5 Unlocked by: 100% completion of the game (finish career and beat all circuits) Resembles: the Batmobile Notes: The SLF450x is a jet car and is, by far, the finest car in the game. It can reach the highest possible speed in the game (249 mph) without nitrous and it gets there in a matter of seconds using the Boost trick. This two-speed jet car handles extremely well for the speeds it travels at and it sounds exactly like an airplane. This car is obviously to good to race with, but it is fun to fly around with. -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- V I I . T I P S A N D T R I C K S -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- /======================\ --< a. Racing Tips >-- \======================/ - Racing in Manual Transmission has great benefits. When making hard turns, downshifting can help slow the car and make for easier turns. Also, when accelerating, shift down a gear and then back up to the gear you were on to get a slight boost in speed. - When tailing your opponent as they lead you to the race point, it is good to always stay a good distance back so you do not lose them. Some of the racers can be pretty tricky and try and fool you with wild turns. Staying at least a good 10 car lengths back, especially with faster cars, will give you enough reaction time to keep on their tails. - As the game progresses and the races get longer and trickier, always finish the race a couple of times to get a feel for it. Once you make a mistake, you will be compelled to restart, but running through the entire race a couple of times will give you some knowledge of the course and a greater chance to win. - On the scattered points races, where you can get the checkpoints in any order, try following the main racer, as he/she usually takes the shortest route (if you don't use my strategy for the race). - Traffic can be a pain in the ass. Refine your weaving skills by cruising in Arcade Mode and setting the traffic to high. - When racing, it is good to glance down at your vicinity map every once in a while to know where you are as opposed to the next checkpoint. Look ahead on the map as to which turns you need to take to get to the destination. - To utilize nitrous most effectively, use it on long straightaways or when you are accelerating from a stop/near stop. - Always save one nitrous, if you can, for near the end of the race, as it can boost you to the lead quickly to snatch the victory. - When being chased by cops, weave in and out of traffic to get them off of you. They will usually run into one or more vehicles trying to get to you. If there is no traffic, wait until they are right behind you and veer left or right and slow down. They should go past you and slam on the brakes, and you should speed off ahead. - Hitting the back end of your opponents and causing them to fishtail is an effective way to take them out of contention. - Try and take as little damage as possible throughout the race. Each time your car blows up, it takes about three seconds for your car to be replaced, and these are precious seconds lost. Also, do not hit gas tanks, as they blow up your car immediately. Do not even try to push an opponent's car into one as you will likely blow up as well. - When driving in the rain, a Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicle can greatly benefit you as they have much better handling than a Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) car. The power of FWD cars comes from the front wheels instead of the back, reducing sliding/drift and increasing control in both dry and wet conditions. - As a general rule for avoiding traffic, stay in between lanes to squeeze between cars. In Paris, however, the roads tend to be narrower and it is not as easy to get by traffic. But on most main Parisian roads, there is a little cobblestone median/divider that can serve as an empty lane for you to shoot through even the heaviest of traffic, as there are no cars there. /======================\ --< b. Cheat Codes >-- \======================/ To input a cheat code, go to the Options Mode in the main menu. Press down and scroll through until you come to Option: Cheat Codes. Press A to come to the Option: Enter Cheat Code screen. These are confirmed cheat codes. They are case sensitive and only work in Arcade Modes. The typed code will disappear if it worked. Difficulty Level ---------------- howhardcanitbe1-9 Enter a number from 1 to 9 with 1 being the easiest difficulty and 9 being the hardest. Game Speed ---------- howfastcanitbe1-9 Enter a number from 1 to 9 with 1 being the slowest speed and 9 being the fastest. Guns and Rockets ---------------- lovenotwar One of the coolest cheats ever. Your car is equipped with a machine gun and rocket launcher with unlimited ammunition (don't you love Rockstar?). Press the White Button for rockets and press in the Left Thumbstick for the machine gun. Unlimited Nitrous ----------------- zoomzoom4 This gives every vehicle in the game unlimited nitrous. Notice I said vehicle, not just cars. Motorcycles also now get unlimited nitrous. -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=- V I I I . C O N C L U S I O N -=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*-^*- /======================\ --< a. Legal Stuff >-- \======================/ This file is Copyright 2003 Jeremy Groover. All Rights Reserved. This FAQ/walkthrough may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. This file may only be seen at: GameFAQs/==================\ --< b. Credits >-- \==================/ All work on this FAQ was done entirely by me but could not have been done without: =-=-=-=- GameFAQs =-=-=-=- Thanks to CJayC and all who have contributed to GameFAQs. This is an awesome sight providing free gaming help to anyone and everyone and has inspired me to write FAQs. =-=-=-=-=-=-=- Rockstar Games =-=-=-=-=-=-=- The creators of this game deserve most of the credit for creating an amazing arcade street racing experience with everything any racing fan could want without the reality of simulation racing. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Microsoft Corporation =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= These guys deserve a lot of credit as well for producing one of the best gaming systems available, providing us with excellent graphics and clarity as well as surround sound support. Without the X-Box, I wouldn't be able to play this game or write a walkthrough for it. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Game Manual =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Some of the information in this FAQ came directly from the game manual, so I have to give it, and its creators, much credit for the information. It helped greatly. =-=-=- Myself =-=-=- Lastly, I guess I can give credit to myself as I put a lot of time and effort into making this FAQ for the benefit of others. I hope some people find this Walkthrough useful. =============================================================================== It's not how you stand by your car, it's how you drive it...