@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@ !@@ @@! @@! !@! !@! !@! !@! @!!!:! @!! !!! !!!!!: !!! :!! !!: !!: :!: :!: :!: ::: ::: :: :::: :: :::: :: :: : : :: :: : :: : : @@@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@! @@@ @@! @@@ @@! @@! @@! @@! @@@ !@@ @@! !@! @!@ !@! @!@ !@! !@! !@! !@! @!@ !@! !@! @!@ !@! @!@!@!@! @!! !!@ @!@ @!@!@!@! !@! @!@!@ @!!!:! !@! !!! !!!@!!!! !@! ! !@! !!!@!!!! !!! !!@!! !!!!!: !!: !!! !!: !!! !!: !!: !!: !!! :!! !!: !!: :!: !:! :!: !:! :!: :!: :!: !:! :!: !:: :!: :::: :: :: ::: ::: :: :: ::: ::: :::: :: :::: :: : : : : : : : : : : :: :: : : :: :: CEL DAMAGE FAQ For play on Nintendo GameCube Presented by BoredGamer Last Updated: 6/12/03 Version: 1.33 Phase: Technically Complete THE FOLLOWING SITES HAVE HOSTING PRIVILEDGES: GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) NeoSeeker (www.neoseeker.com) Cheat Happens (www.cheathappens.com) Cheating Planet (www.cheating-planet.cjb.net) Computerunderground (www.computerunderground.com) The E-mail Dealy... If you are e-mailing me about feedback, questions, or anything having to do with any FAQ, please send it to Blublublublu1129@cs.com. If any e-mail is sent to Blublublublu1129 that does not concern a FAQ, it will be deleted/ignored, as I primarily use this address for FAQ-related stuff. Please stop sending me files. I will not download them unless they are someone I know, and by this I mean someone I know -personally- like family or best friends. I have suspected that some files that have been sent to me are viruses (with good justification after being persecuted) and did not download them. This also means not to send me FAQs or any other material to critique. This FAQ is technically complete. If there's something else you'd like to see up here, do e-mail me and I can see about putting it up. _______________________________________________________________________ UPDATE HISTORY 5/20/02 -1:50 PM Update Saw that there we no FAQs for this game last night and decided to begin writing one. -5:30 PM Update Section 1B complete. I may add more, though, as I see fit. 5/28/02 -1:10 PM Update Added ASCII art. Section 4A complete. Section 1A complete. Added some info on Violet. -4:30 PM Update Started work on Section 5. Also added some questions to the FAQ Section. -6:10 PM Update Integrated Sections 1B and 1C. Added some info on Sinder, Fowl Mouth, and Whack Angus. Got a start on Section 3, but since my file doesn't have all weapons unlocked yet, it won't be complete for a while. I think that's a wrap for today. I should be adding more in the future, possibly even later tonight if I get bored enough with my gaming. 5/29/02 -7:52 PM Update I'm going to change a lot of the info I have on weapons. I've decided that two categories isn't enough. Did a little work to the game mode section, too. Not a major update, but surprising that there even is one considering I have homework to do. -11:54 PM Update Meager update before I go to bed. Added info for Flemming and Dominique Trix. I'll probably play as B.T. Bruno soon so I can add some stuff on him. 6/3/02 -4:15 PM Update Very small update. I'm mainly going to be spending today updating my Robotrek FAQ. Changed the Freeze ray data a bit. Also added a new question to the FAQ. Look for a bigger update on this maybe next week when I don't have school (Monday, Tuesday; My last final is on Thursday). 6/26/02 -12:20 AM Update Many apologies. It's been a while since I've updated this guide. No, I don't plan to completely abandon this guide. You'd think that now that I'm on Summer break, I would have plenty of time to update this. Meh, my damned social life has gotten in the way of many updates outside of the Monster Rancher 3 guide. Either way, look for this guide and my Robotrek guide to be complete sometime this Summer. Added a bit more to Section 5A. This is probably going to be the section that will be getting the most attention over the next few updates. -1:21 PM Update Added Count Earl, T. Wrecks, B.T. Bruno, and Brian the Brain to the character section. Also added their weapons to the weaponry section. -6:15 PM Update Just a meager update before I eat. 7/11/02 -12:00 AM Update Good news! My computer finally has been fixed! That means I now can continue this project. Adding a little info given through e-mail. Added more info on a couple more levels. Completed the info for Count's Castle. There may not be too many more updates this week. I am heading to Canada and Seattle come this Saturday. I'm thinking of actually loading this up onto a disc (along with the zip file) and just doing it while I'm at my bro's house. 8/16/02 -11:04 PM Update Added some more stuff that was sent via e-mail. Completed the tip section on Smack Attack. Moving on to Gate Relay. 9/5/02 -11:55 AM Update Thanks to a wonderful stomach virus, I have been kept indoors for most of the last two days. My diet has consisted of bananas, chicken broth, water, sports drinks, and crackers. Oh well, I'm well enough to update the FAQ anyway. 9/23/02 -9:50 AM Update Ironically enough, I said that Summer would be a good time to finish this FAQ, although all Summer did was take more time out of my available life and force me to have to wait until I have my freetime during school to update. I'm still not finished with the two FAQs I'm working on, and quite frankly, I'm not working on any new ones until these two are in technically complete phase. Tips up for the first three races in Gate Relay (that would be all of the canyon levels). Look for another update, hopefully soon. 10/13/02 -4:05 PM Update Adding more to the FAQ. Oh happy day! Completed the Gate Relay section of the tips. 10/17/02 -4:50 PM Update Hoping to finish this off tonight or within the next few days. I'm pretty close to done. Added a bit to the Flag Relay section of the tips. After that's done, there's really only a few more things left to do and this should be complete. Ahh... It'll feel nice to finally have this damn thing done. -5:16 PM Update Took a short break for dinner. This FAQ is finally complete. Thank you all who contributed. If anyone else has more, please send it. Even though this FAQ is technically complete, I still do accept more info for it. 11/12/02- FAQ-wide update... 6/12/13- Just added another site to the permissible use list. Reference credit goes to: Instruction manual for a bit of the plot outline and driving stats. CodeHunter64 Cadaverian DragonNoah Contents According to Joe ------------------------- Section 1: Introduction 1A: Cel Damage: Every Night @ 8 1B: Just Another Twisted Metal Clone? (Game Basics) Section 2: Characters 2A: Readily Selectible Characters 2B: Unlockable Characters Section 3: Weapons 3A: Regular Weapons 3B: Special Weapons Section 4: Game Modes 4A: Smack Attack 4B: Gate Relay 4C: Flag Rally Section 5: Tips 5A: Level Tips (as per mode type) 1: Smack Attack 2: Gate Relay 3: Flag Rally 5B: Individual Character Tips and Ratings Section 6: FAQ Section 7: Legal Bit Section 8: Thank You and Goodbye ------------------------- / SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION \ ----------------------------- 1A: CEL DAMAGE: EVERY NIGHT @ 8 An awkwardly familiar premise seen in many films before (e.g. Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cool World) seems to be the idea of a "toon world." A world that is dominated by cartoons rather than living human flesh and reality. In the game Cel Damage, such a world exists. In fact, the game takes places in said world. This world is a lot like our own: It has many jobs that are fulfilled by various high and low income people and there are some that would rather entertain than try so hard to actually make it life. Those who would martyr themselves for the enjoyment of those viewing from home. Such can be seen in 'Toon TV's hit show, Cel Damage. In this show, several cartoons have come together to battle it out in a various matches of global proportions. There are six very well known names that appear on this show: Violet, B.T. Bruno, Sinder, Flemming, Dominique Trix, and Fowl Mouth. All together, they battle every night at 8 PM. All for what? To make a living, of course. I guess entertaining is another factor in that as well... 1B: JUST ANOTHER TWISTED METAL CLONE? (GAME BASICS) For those of you who haven't seen or played Cel Damage and are interested in knowing just what it's all about... I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is any "Twisted Metal Clone." We've seen many in the past (Rogue Trip, Vigilante 8, Star Wars Demolition). Although this game does carry in the tradition, it is not a fully clone. Rather, think of this as being a cross between Twisted Metal and Unreal Tournament where you have the TM style of driving and destroying things, but you have Unreal Tournament's different types of modes and winning conditions. Add in the element of cel-shading which gives the game a more cartoony look (hence the name "Cel Damage") and voila. You have the gist of the game pretty much down. This game does differ on some levels from Twisted Metal. First, there aren't as many characters to immediately select from. Second, the weapon system is much different. In Twisted Metal, you start with some weapons and can pick up more as time advances. As you pick them up, they accumulate and you can switch amongst which weapon you wish to use at a given time. In Cel Damage, you only start with one basic weapon (which differs from character to character, but pretty much has the same effect). This cannot, as far as I know, destroy any of your opponents with the rocks, but you can build up your Smack (see the section on game modes to get a better explanation on "building Smack") slowly with this. When you pick up a weapon, that is the only weapon you can use until it runs out or until you grab another weapon. Once you grab another weapon, though, you lose the one you previously had. So, if you grab an axe, then grab a cluster bomb, you will lose the axe even after the cluster bomb is totally consumed. Another difference this game has from Twisted Metal is quite a simple one. The core idea to Twisted Metal is to destroy everyone else on the screen. There isn't a mode in this game in which you really have to destroy everyone else. The closest it comes is Smack Attack, which you build up points by damaging the other cars. As you've guessed, this is a driving game. The environment presented is a 3D cel-shaded one with much in the environment to give it an authentic feel. Each level has different stimuli you can mess with and activate by running over certain bullseye signs. There are even stimuli that don't need to be activated, but are very much deadly such as lava, deep water, or even man-eating plants. As said before, you can pick up weapons by running over particular signs. To accelerate your car, you push to the R Trigger. Deceleration and reverse are the L Trigger. You steer your car with the analog control. Two buttons you may be using a lot are A and B. A fires your ready weapon, which could either be your primary weapon or the weapon you just picked up. B always fires your primary weapon, and it also allows you to jump where applied (e.g. when you're on the vines in a certain level). B probably won't be used as much as A. X and Y are fairly useless buttons, but are there more for the hell of it. X blasts your vehicle's horn, while Y executes a taunt. Finally, you have the Z button, which toggles between your screen's radar and the leader of the game. Button Breakdown: Analog Stick: Steers vehicle (using left and right directions) D-Pad Up: Accelerate D-Pad Down: Brake, Reverse D-Pad Left, Right: Steers vehicle A Button: Primary Attack/Use Weapon B Button: Primary Attack, Jump where applied X Button: Horn Y Button: Taunt Z Button: Toggle between radar and match's leader C Stick: Not used in game R Trigger: Accelerate L Trigger: Brake, Reverse ----------------------- / SECTION 2: CHARACTERS \ --------------------------- 2A: READILY PLAYABLE CHARACTERS NOTE: Some of the stats were taken from the instruction booklet. Character Name: Violet Vehicle: APC Primary Weapon: Skull Balls Special Weapon: Mortar Top Speed: Medium Acceleration: High Turning: Fair Deceleration: Fair Traction: Fair Weight: Very heavy Violet is a demonic anime chick. This becomes self evident just by observing the skulls in her hair, the bat wings, the purple hair color, etc. Violet is a decent character to play as. She's almost perfectly rounded. Her only downside happens to be the fact that her vehicle is very heavy and can be hard to control at times. Character Name: Sinder Vehicle: ATV Primary Weapon: Flame Balls Special Weapon: Woodchipper Top Speed: Medium Acceleration: Medium Turning: Good Deceleration: Poor Traction: High Weight: Heavy Sinder was once a demon that worked for Satan down in Hell. Unfortunately for him, he was released from his duties in Hell due to the fact that he is just too rambunctious. Sadly, he walked off that very day and found himself right in just the right place at the right time. He "applied" for the show (watch the intro movie and you'll see what I mean) and was instantly hired. Sinder is, in my opinion, one of the best characters for Smack Attack. While he's not incredibly fast, he is very easy to handle. Character Name: Fowl Mouth Vehcile: Studebaker Primary Weapon: Bricks Special Weapon: Tommy Gun Top Speed: Slow Acceleration: High Turning: Good Deceleration: Fair Traction: Fair Weight: Light Fowl Mouth is a callous, ass-kickin' duck. He was born in the black and white era and his colors reflect as such. This mean gangster duck may not have a fast vehicle, but he handles very good considering that his frame is light and the steering is great. He's good for Smack Attacks, especially. Character Name: Dominique Trix Vehicle: Caddy Primary Weapon: Spiked Balls Special Weapon: Dynamite Crossbow Top Speed: Fast Acceleration: Medium Turning: Fair Decelation: Good Traction: Poor Weight: Light Dominique Trix is a dominant little girlie obviously into S&M and subjegating the opposite sex. She favors very much pain and torment and has entered into Cel Damage as a means to torture and and punish others. Since her vehicle is fast and light with fair turning, it's fairly good for Gate Relays. However, she has very bad traction. Character Name: Flemming Vehicle: Hovercraft Primary Weapon: Shuriken Special Weapon: Laser Top Speed: Fast Acceleration: High Turning: Good Deceleration: Poor Traction: Poor Weight: Medium Flemming is a typical nerdy character who got on Cel Damage through his elaborate vehicle and weapon designs. Could it be this, or the girls (as his intro movie suggests) that got him to join up Cel Damage? If you look at one side of his stats, you see that he's got high acceleration, a fast top speed, and good turning. However, he has very poor deceleration, poor traction and weighs a bit. Because of this he can get up fast, but can't slow down quick enough. He's an effective killer and can go very fast, but when you need to turn around in Gate Relays, he can be a very frustrating character to use due to his lacking maneuverability. Character Name: B.T. Bruno Vehicle: Bulldozer Primary Weapon: Hammers Special Weapon: Sledgehammer Top Speed: Slow Acceleration: Low Turning: Good Deceleration: Excellent Traction: High Weight: Super Heavy B.T. Bruno is one of my least favorite characters. His vehicle is just incredibly too slow. Basically, B.T. is a construction worker who loves to destroy things. According to the book, he also has an eating disorder and an Elvis fetish. One thing I can say positive about Bruno is that his special weapon, the Sledgehammer, is decent. It can rack up large amounts of points, especially when you're near large groups of people. 2B: UNLOCKABLE CHARACTERS NOTE: Stats were not taken from the book and were assessed by me. Character Name: Whack Angus Vehicle: Dragster Primary Weapon: Dung Balls Special Weapon: Clevers Top Speed: Fast Acceleration: Medium Turning: Fair Deceleration: Fair Traction: Poor Weight: Light Whack Angus is a pissed off bull. Much of his bretheren have been taken to the slaughter house. Because of this, Angus very much supports the vegan movement and fights with much ire. He can be unlocked by winning all 9 of the desert levels (3 for each mode of gameplay). Character Name: Count Earl Vehicle: Batarangs Primary Weapon: Looks like the Batmobile Special Weapon: Seeking Missile Top Speed: Fast Acceleration: High Turning: Fair Deceleration: Poor Traction: Fair Weight: Medium I'm not sure what the full story is with Count Earl. All that seems apparent is that he's a vampire entered into Cel Damage. I'm sure that if I unlock his intro movie, I could find out a bit more about him. Any info on Earl would be appreciated. Count Earl is unlocked when you complete all 9 Transylvania levels (3 for each mode of gameplay). Earl is pretty fast and can be used quite aggressively. I've been able to lead with almost 200 points using Earl mainly because I got so cheap with the Seeking Missile. Character Name: Brian the Brain Vehicle: High-Tech Tank Primary Weapon: Moon Rocks Special Weapon: Nuclear Mine Top Speed: Medium Acceleration: High Turing: Good Deceleration: Good Traction: Below Average Weight: Heavy Again, not sure of Brian's full story either. He's a brain in a tank that seems to want to take over the world (just throwing possibilities out the window). You can unlock Brian by beating all the space levels. Brian isn't a bad character at all. However, he's not the best either. One thing positive that can be said is that the Nuclear Mine is very helpful. It is quite obvious to say that he's best used for Smack Attack purposes. Character Name: T. Wrecks Vehicle: Monster Truck Primary Weapon: Bones Special Weapon: Shrink Ray Top Speed: Medium Acceleration: Medium Turning: Poor Deceleration: Fair Traction: Good Weight: Heavy T. Wrecks is a movie star dinosaur. Could it be that he's seeking fame and fortune by being on Cel Damage? Could be, could be. Yeah, you guessed it. Not sure about his story, either. You can unlock T. Wrecks by completing all the jungle levels. Personally, I don't like using T. Wrecks all that much. He seems to be a decent character for Smack Attack. I think my main beef with him is that I hate his one-liners. Yes, I know. It's dumb reasoning, but they bother the living hell out of me. -------------------- / SECTION 3: WEAPONS \ ------------------------ NOTE: Each weapon is rated out of five stars. Weapons are also listed in no particular order. I should also say that these ratings are based solely on my opinion of each weapon AND MAY DIFFER FROM YOURS. I'm saying that so I don't get any e-mails saying, "D00d, u suxorz!!!11 Hwo can u giv teh ax a 5 an than giv protibol whole a too?" My rating system: 1- Next to worthless 2- Just crappy 3- Fairly good, but has its bugs 4- Good weapon 5- Excellent weapon Weapons are a fundamental part of this game. Using them greatly increases your chances of winning a battle. It is also beneficial to master each weapon you unlock. Learn where the best places are to use the weapon, best situations, which weapons are good and bad according to your playing level. You can unlock weapons for use on other levels by completing levels. Should you complete a level that has a weapon you have not yet unlocked, that will unlock the weapon, in other words. 3A: Regular Weapons Regular weapons are those that can be picked up by any character. These you'll see in the form of different signs and such around the arena. Grabbing one will immediately equip it and allow you to use it either until it runs out or you grab another weapon. Bear in mind that you can use your primary weapon when you have any other weapon equipped. This may help your weapon to last, but it seems that primary weapons can be so weak that it really doesn't seem to matter much anyway. Axe Rating: ***** Use: Instant kill This is probably my favorite non-special weapon. You swing it and it instantly chops an opponent into pieces. It can take out more than one character at a time easily. It's best used almost any time, but especially in situations where everyone is grouped togehter or you are being persued. I find this weapon most beneficial in Smack Attack. Cluster Bomb Rating: **** Use: Leave as a level hazard The cluster bomb is a good weapon to set in places that get a lot of traffic. This drops out time bombs that explode after time or when someone runs over one. These can easily take out multiple characters in just one use. However, you only get one use per pick-up. I find this weapon most beneficial in Gate Relay mode. Portable Hole Rating: ** Use: Leave as a lever hazard I'm actually not too fond of this weapon. You throw a small, black hole and any driver that drives over it is sucked in. While this may sound like an ideal weapon, it has its quirks. You pretty much have to set this up in an almost perfect position such as hallways or in front of passage ways. It's pretty unreliable and I usually don't aim to grab this weapon unless I have to. Effective in Gate Relays, however. Broadside Cannon Rating: ** Use: Instant kill, if positioned right While I do give this one a low rating, it's still not incredibly bad. This weapon is mainly only good when you can get opponents on either side of you. This sets cannons up on either side of your vehicle and fires them on command. Sure, this can be effective in Gate Relays, but not so much in Smack Attack. Chainsaw Rating: **** Use: Instant kill Almost as good as the axe. This is almost the same thing, actually, except this one sweeps across rather than vertically. It, too, cuts enemies into bits. Effective in Smack Attack mode. Harpoon Rating: *** Use: Well-placed, long-range instant kill This weapon is only good once you've actually mastered it. This fires a harpoon out that skewers your opponents and kills them. This can skewer multiple drivers, if used right. There are two qualms I have with this. One is that your aim has to be almost perfect in order for this to be effective (or you have to be really close), and the other being that it takes a while for this to reload. All the time that you are waiting to reload, others are racking up their smack or trying to destroy you. Needless to say, the harpoon is best kept away from surrounding situations. One upside to this is that it will fetch you 15 smack per target. 10 for a successful shot and 5 after the target is destroyed. Best used in Smack Attack or Flag Rally. Buzzsaw Rating: *** Use: Level hazard This is good weapon to keep your opponents on their toes. You basically let one go and it'll run all around the battlefield. Should it hit a target, said target will be split in half. This weapon, however, isn't incredibly reliable though. So, I say throw them almost immediately (have a bit of placement involved, anyway) and just let them go; Grab another weapon. Best used in any mode. Grenade Rating: ** Use: Well-placed instant kill I'm not too crazy about the grenade, as you can tell. My main problem with this weapon is that you pretty much have to have your opponent directly in front of you for it to be effective. This, as you can probably tell, launches a grenade out to destroy nearby opponents. It's best used in Smack Attack and can be used effectively in the fray. Chain Gun Rating: * Use: Seek and destroy This is, without a doubt, the worst weapon in the entire game. This installs a chain gun on your vehicle which rapidly fires bullets. It doesn't instantly kill and just hitting with it doesn't even seem to bring up Smack at all. You basically have to have an enemy cornered and quite still in order for this to be effective. Fowl Mouth has a much better version of this called the tommy gun. Baseball Bat Rating: *** Use: Rack up smack/Knock opponent away This isn't the best melee weapon, but it's not bad. This swings a bat left to right. This can be effective in Smack Attack levels with pits, as it can launch your opponent right to the pit. In terms of racking smack, though, this weapon can be a bit ineffective. I've noticed it's also good for throwing opponents off course in Gate Relays. Freeze Ray Rating: **** Use: Slow down and destroy This is not my least favorite weapon, but it's down there close. I've had early on complaints with this weapon, but someone called Cadaverian on GameFAQs pointed out how to really use it. I do feel a bit dumb for not realizing this to begin with, but eh... Such is life. Anyway, you can freeze characters with this weapon, then throw your primary weapon at them and cause them to shatter. Sounds easy, but you can be interupted if there are others around. Effective in Smack Attack and Gate Relay. Boxing Gloves Rating: ***** Use: Rack up Smack This is probably my favorite Smack-racker. This installs some boxing-gloved hands on your vehicle which punch the crap out of anyone in your way. This weapon can be cheap because it can be rapidly used. By rapidly pushing A, you can crank up your Smack (crank and smack used in the same sentence and it has NOTHING to do with drugs, LOOK AT THAT!!!) quickly. I find this weapon best used in Smack Attack, of course. Vacuum Rating: *** Use: Take away weapon/flags or disturb relay placement This weapon is a lot like the Woodchipper, except less destructive. This sucks opponents into a little vacuum on the front of your vehicle, assuming they're close enough. What's good about this is that any flags the person is carrying will transfer over to you. It's a decent weapon, but it's by no means a destructive one. If the opponent you use it on doesn't have any special weapons or flags, it's almost worthless (unless you're trying to build Smack). Best used in Flag Rally. Gunship Rating: *** Use: Seek and destroy or getting over cliffs/drop-offs This will add chopper blades to your vehicle and temporarily give it flying capability. You can also use high-powered guns to gun down your enemies. This seems to be like a much more effective version of the chain gun. I suggest using this to hunt down your targets. Best used in Smack Attack mode. Spring Rating: * Use: Jump ahead and effect surrounding opponents I hate this weapon. This gives you a little boost by springing you into the air. Landing on or around enemies causes damage, but good luck hitting effectively. I find this also to be uneffective in Gate Relay and Flag Rally. Best left alone, if you want my opinion. Rocket Booster Rating: *** Use: Boosting ahead or getting rid of a huge group With this weapon, you can jet rocket yourself incredibly fast across the battlefield with the R Trigger. You can also launch the rocket with the A Button and cause a huge explosion. It's not always effective, though. Best used in almost any mode, actually. 3B: SPECIAL WEAPONS Mortar Rating: *** Use: Long-range instant kill Violet's Special Weapon. Not bad, but has a major downer. You need distance. You see, this launches bombs a good distance away and kills any enemies it comes into contact with. If you're too close, then it really doesn't work well. Effective in Smack Attack and Flag Rally. Also thanks to DragonNoah for pointing out that the Mortar can somewhat seek out your targets. Keep that in mind also, people. Woodchipper Rating: ***** Use: Short-range instant kill Sinder's Special Weapon. Very effective and used best in the fray during a Smack Attack. This is a close range weapon that sucks opponents into a grinder and grinds them to bits. The only downside is that you have to get close. Tommy Gun Rating: **** Use: Smack racking/killing Fowl Mouth's Special Weapon. The reason I call this one an instant death is that it actually can kill seemingly right away. This is a better version of the chain gun that seems to be much more effective in taking opponents out. Best used in any mode. Dynamite Crossbow Rating: *** Use: Destruction Dominique Trix's Special Weapon. While this doesn't instantly kill, it does ensure death. This fires an arrow into a driver's vehicle that will detonate after a given amount of time. The downside to this is that the driver actually gets a grace period before it explodes. You also need fairly good aiming for this weapon. Effective in Gate Relay, but you must be patient. Sledgehammer Rating: **** Use: Rack up Smack, especially in groups B.T. Bruno's Special Weapon. Brins a huge hammer down on characters, adding Smack to his score. Best used in large groups. Effective in Smack Attack or Gate Relay. Clevers Rating: *** Use: Long-range kill Whack Angus' Special Weapon. Imagine having an axe you can actually throw. That's what this is. However, it only goes out straight. This is a meat clever that Angus throws that can take out opponents that are a little ways off effectively. Best used in Gate Relay. Seeking Missile Rating: ***** Use: Long-range kill Count Earl's Special Weapon. This can be a very cheap weapon to use. By firing it at a person, it will chase after him/her until either it hits the target or an obstruction. This can be used to rack up Smack quite quickly. What's more is that it seems to take out multiple targets if fired at a group (bearing in mind that it will only chase one target, though). Best used in Smack Attack. Nuclear Mine Rating: *** Use: Destroy big groups It takes out so many, so why only 3 stars? Well, there is a bit of an uncertainty factor here. You have to hope there's enough people around it when it explodes. Basically, Brian drops one green bomb down and after some time it lets out a HUGE explosion, destroying anything within a certain radius. Makes good for Gate Relays, and still decent for other modes as well. Shrink Ray Rating: *** Use: Shrink and crush T. Wrecks's weapon. You hit your enemy with a ray, it shrinks him/her and gives you Smack, then you can run your enemy over for more. I really don't like it too much, though. Works well in almost any mode, especially Gate Relay since it can slow cars down. Laser Rating: **** Use: Rack Smack and Kill This is Flemming's weapon. It's a pretty good weapon, at that. You can rapid fire it like the chaingun, except every hit gives you Smack. After a while, your opponent will catch fire and die, giving you more Smack. Oh, joyous day! ----------------------- / SECTION 4: GAME MODES \ --------------------------- Before, I compared this game to Unreal Tournament in that this game has different modes with different winning objectives. If you get killed during the matches, you are respawned right back into the fray. There are three different types of matches on this game: Smack Attack, Gate Relay, and Flag Rally. 4A: SMACK ATTACK Smack Attack seems like something directly out of an online deathmatch FPS game such as Tribes or Unreal Tournament. However, this mode is not directly set up to necessarily kill as much as you can (although you can "kill" your other opponents, it is not necessary). The major objective here is to gain as many points (or Smacks) off your other opponents as possible. You gain Smacks by damaging your opponents with the different weapons you are given. The first one to gain 500 Smack is the winner. Which means if you don't get to 500 Smack, someone else will and you'll have to begin the battle over again. Part of being successful in this mode relies on a few different factors: 1) What weapons you grab- Some weapons are very effective in building you Smack (like the axe), while others tend to be a bit unreliable (like the hole). 2) Jumping into the fray- I pretty much refer to "the fray" as the area where most of your opponents have congregated. If you avoid most enemies, chances are you're not going to build up too much Smack. While this may not guarantee you to gain Smack (as you will be surrounded), it is a good way to get it as your Smack up because there are more victims around. This means that you probably should just chase after one person too often if said individual is far off from the rest. 3) Proper use of special weapon- Know what situations your weapon would be good in and how to use it effectively. Each character has an incredibly effective weapon, but not all can be used in the same instances. For example, Violet's special weapon is best used from a distance, where Sinder's is best used up close. One thing that I feel is worth noting is that different types of weapons build Smack in different ways. Hitting enemies with Smack-racking weapons may only do it one or so point at a time (usually more), but there are some weapons like the boxing gloves that can actually build Smack quite quickly. Mainly, the type of Smack-rackers you want are ones that hit very quickly and very often; Ones you can get really cheap with. You can get very cheap with the gloves because you can hit enemies a hell of a lot with them, as well as even corner them and continue to rack a ton of Smack on just one character. Some weapons can instantly kill your opponents. Instant death weapons can be very effective as well. Most of them will give you about 5-10 Smack for killing one enemy. An example of a great instant death weapon would have to be the axe. This can hit multiple characters, assuming there's more than one nearby, and thus allow you to rack up tons of Smack. The fact that these weapons actually kill is both a blessing and a curse, however. A blessing in that it gets them away from you and gives you more Smack to your score, but a curse in that they will probably respawn further away from you, meaning that you'll have to hunt them down. 4B: GATE RELAY What driving game is complete without a racing mode? This is the closest to a race you're actually going to get. In this mode, two gates are position at two ends of each arena. Driving through one gate will give you a point. Naturally, you cannot drive through the same gate twice. So, you must drive across the other side of the arena and go through the other gate. The major emphasis in this is not necessarily aggression, although aggression does help. The major emphasis in this is speed and precision (in terms of handling). You'll need the speed to get ahead of your opponents and the precision to slow down and angle your vehicle properly such that you do not peel out too much. Peeling out could cause you to lose a bit of distance between you and anyone behind you, allowing them to get ahead of you. The first one to get twenty points is the winner. Weapons are very useful in this mode. However, it probably isn't a good idea to go out of your way for all the best stuff. Different weapons can be effective in different areas of the race. You may also find that there are some that really aren't useful at all. Gaining Smack is useless in this type of a match. However, attacking can be important. You see, weapons will stymie your opponents just long enough to give you a lead, especially if the weapon kills them. Making an opponent take time to respawn can be quite effective. You will have to deal with very chaotic situations in races, particularly in ones where the racers will group up and congest areas. There are also certain weapons that can be very effective in these cases. This is where the game can also get very frustrating. Almost forgot to say... Gate Relay must be unlocked and can only be done when you complete one Smack Attack match. Nothin' to it! 4C: FLAG RALLY Flag Rally does not start out readily available. In order to unlock this mode, you must complete 4 Smack Attack or Gate Relay matches. Flag Rally is probably my favorite type of event on this game. This actually tends to emphasize almost every point of the game. You must be aggressive to get all the flags before anyone else and take out characters whenever need be, you must be fast to grab the flags in a hurry and get away, and you must be a good driver to dodge any dangers that may come your way. The gist of this mode is this: You are on the screen with all the other divers, starting at random positions. Scattered about the screen are a few little flags running around (yes, running around- they have feet!). The object is to snag four flags and head to a designated area (which you just can't miss as it is a huge pole with a bit light on it) to win. Now, when I say four flags, I mean you must be carrying all four at the same time. This does not mean you can go grab one, then take it to the circle. You must have all four. If you are killed, you lose all flags. If you are hit with various non-killing weapons, you lose one flag at a time. Your opponents, of course, win the exact same way. So, they're pretty much going to go straight after the flags as well. Not only do you want to concern youself with grabbing all the flags, but you also want to make sure your opponent doesn't win. In doing this, you must cause him or her to lose his/her flags before they can reach the winner's area. This means you must stay well equipped. While you can cause them to lose just one flag at a time using primary weapons, it's a whole lot easier just to use other weapons and specials. It should be well noted that the Vacuum comes quite handy in this mode, as any flags a character is holding when he or she is vacuumed will go straight to you. The opposite is true if someone should happen to vacuum you. Keep your ears open. You will most likely, through the course of a match, hear a strange tone. This means that an opponent somewhere has gotten four flags. This is also where your radar comes very handy. You can look on your radar to see which character it is. That character will have a star of sorts around their head. Also keep your eye on the radar for the flags. They can be most easily found using the radar. ----------------- / SECTION 5: TIPS \ --------------------- 5A: LEVEL TIPS Each level is different. Obvious, succinct, applicable to almost any game, but very much true. Because of this, I feel that each level also has its own particular strategy. So, that's why I've given tips and strategies for each level. I guess you could say this is the closest thing to an actual walkthrough as you can really get. The main reason that a walkthrough for this game might seem in some ways awkward is that this game is pretty non-linear and you really can't give a person descript places to go on each level at a given time. Each level is, in a sense, an impromptu job. You start the level and work with what fate gives you. Those who can work effectively off what they are given are the ones who usually succeed. It seems that one word also comes to mind when I think of success in this game: Domination. One of the best ways to win is to be aggressive and dominate the match. While sure, all out aggression isn't the best way through, it does help a lot. Take every chance you get to push another opponent down. In Smack Attack, always beat the living crap out of the other drivers. In Gate Relay, push yourself to the end. Just because you've fallen back doesn't mean you should just give up right way. Use what weapons you are given to push the others back behind and you keep them there. Just because you are in the lead doesn't mean you should use weapons. However, you also shouldn't persue the other opponents too much in Gate Relays either. In Flag Relay, always go after a flag regardless as to whether or not someone may be close to the flag. Attack and destroy everyone, regardless as to whether or not they actually do have a flag. 1: Smack Attack It's been stated before. The best way to win a Smack Attack is to dominate. Take every chance you can to inflict punishment on your opponents. Favoring a particular weapon can also be a fatal mistake. You should work with what you're given and only grab other weapons if they happen to be nearby. It's like the old saying goes, "Beggars can't be choosers." If you don't like a weapon, it may not be necessarily wise to avoid it. If you can find a better weapon that's incredibly close by, though, that could be a different story. Pay attention closely to what's in your environment that could be of use to you. There are signs that you can knock over that will cause certain environmental stimuli to activate and damage other opponents. For example, there is one level in which knocking down a bullseye sign will cause a train to come out and destroy anything in its path. -DESERT LEVELS- <<<<>>>> There really isn't much of a strategy to apply here. I find that this was more or less designed to be a beginner's level. All you really have to do is be aggressive. Stay in the fray whereever it may be. Take out anybody at the drop of a dime. There should be plenty of weapons laying around in this level, especially the axe (which can be unlocked through this level). I highly recommend doing this level first above all not only because it unlocks the axe, but it also norms you with the game's controls and gameplay basics. The only things really worth acknowledging are that there are three traps set up in this level. One of them is a small exploding building inside a small loop along one wall. This can be activated through knocking over a sign near it. This thing can actually work to your advantage or disadvantage. You could explode the building on others to gain Smack, but others can do the same for you. There is also another such environmental hazard that can work for or against you. This is the train. This one comes out at random. There is a sign near a sign near one of the train tunnels. This will cause boulders to fall from the mountain. Also, Codemaster64 pointed out that you can drive in one train tunnel here and pop out in the other. <<<<>>>> This is another easy level, but that doesn't mean you should treat it like a downhill coast. You should still stay aggressive. If you aren't out there damaging other characters, someone else is, which means they're stealing your thunder. The best way to get around this is simple. Fight. Stay as close to the fray as you can. Don't get be too picky with weapons here, but one thing I should note is that it seems that the harpoon seems quite ineffective in this level. It's a bit hard to get a good aim on the characters because most of the straightaways don't last very long. Take notice to a few things in the environment. First, there's a magnet on one side of the cliff that can be activated by using the sign below it. This will put you up on a cliff that can't be reached by normal means. Here is where your special weapon is. I've noticed that Sinder is a good character for this level since everything is tightly crunched in. You can grab the special weapon here on the cliff and chew everyone to bits. You may also notice that there's three ways to get across the valley easily. One of them is a regular land bridge that has no traps, although it is simple to force opponents off here (and yes, you do get smack for forcing opponents off the edge on this level, but you have to be the one responsible). There are two other ways across. One is a bridge that has a trap door on it. Hitting one of the bullseye signs near the bridge will activate the trap door and thus cause anyone who drives over it to fall. You will also gain Smack if anyone should fall when you activate it. It is worth noting that just because the door is open doesn't mean you can't get over. If drive all the way to one side of the bridge, you can actually cross on the little piece of bridge that's left. Just make sure that you're scrunched over far enough or you could fall. I actually do recommend you drive that way across this bridge whether it is open or not, mainly because you never know when it will open. To the furthest side of the bridge is another path that you can use to cross the valley, except this has a huge weight above it. Of course, there are signs you can use to activate this weight and drop it on unsuspecting victims. However, this is not an efficient way to gain Smack. I would mainly only use this if the situation permits. It seems to be much more effective to just run around and beat everyone up. On the side of the valley opposite the manget is also a small cave you can enter. There is a path here that takes you upward through the cave where you can find a special weapon and an exit. That makes two areas in particular in which you can find a special weapon. Keep those locations in mind as they can be helpful and even beneficial towards winning this match. <<<<>>>> There isn't a whole lot to note here, either. There are a few environmental things that should be brought to your attention. You should notice a huge, natural ramp in the very middle of the battlefield. You can use this to throw you over to a small, secluded area where you can find a special weapon. To get back off this little area, there should be a rock positioned diagonally and pointing back toward the battlefield. In front of this rock is a natural pillar with a stone one it. Position yourself at one end and the stone will fall off the pillar and launch you back onto the battlefield. There is also a compactor that can be activated in this level. It doesn't seem to cause much damage, though. As always, being aggressive should be an objective in this battle. I've also found that one of the best places to put cluster bombs or holes is right underneath the ramp, as that area gets a lot of traffic. -JUNGLE LEVELS- <<<<>>>> This level is practically all about environment and almost nothing but. While the level's layout really doesn't matter until you actually race here, it's environment is noteworth in this section at least. There really aren't any strategies I can give you on this level that you can't gain from others. Again, aggression is the key. Take notice to the two ponds on either side of the level. Both of those ponds have deadly alligators in them. Worry not, they're easy to dodge and can also be attacked with your various weapons. There is also a tree here that has a hole in it. Going into that hole will take to a higher part of the level. Also take note of the vines. Should you jump just right on the ramp, you can grab hold of one vine and actually jump from it by pushing the B button. Other than that, there isn't much to this level at all. <<<<>>>> There are a few things worth noting in this level. First, you should notice that there are two pieces of land. Both pieces are separated by water. Running into the water can be hazardous, as it will result in you being eaten by fish. Naturally, use the bridge to get across. There is also some shallow water just down the way of the bridge that you can also use to cross. One piece of land has a huge temple in the middle of it. There should be some stones on each side of this temple with faces on them. These stones can be easily moved either by being driven into or hit from a certain angle with your weapons. From here, you can drive into the temple and pick up your personal weapon. The other side of the river has a small path leading into the back. You should notice that there is a special weapon back here, as well as what appears to be moving bushes. These "moving bushes" are man-eating plants and will destroy you if you get too close. Watch yourself when going around corners. You never know when an opponent might pop up and nail you. Careful when crossing the bridge. If someone else is on it, there will be a conflict that may result in one falling off. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but something you should keep in mind. Notice that any time you are able to hit someone into the water and they get eaten by the fish, you get Smack for it. The bridge and the pathways around the temple are also a great places to put cluster bombs. Again, stay aggressive. <<<<>>>> To tell you the truth, I absolutely hate this level. I think it's mainly because I tend to have high amounts of stress, a lot of which seem to be generated by this level. Some people may find this level to be easier than me, but that's just my own personal beef. Anyway... This level contains probably the most obvious hazard of them all: Lava. Quite simply put... You fall in the lava, you die and respawn. This can make the level frustrating. Why, you ask? Well, the more you die, which I seem to quite often in this level, the more time you waste that you could be using racking up Smack. You should also notice that at one end of the battle field, huge flames rise up from the ground. As you would imagine, these flames, too, can kill you. Boohoo. Also featured on one side of our track are the killer tendrils. One swipe from one of these babies and you're in pieces. There is a weapon in front of the tendrils that you can grab. The only way to get it without getting killed is to kick the very corner that is sticking out away from the tendrils. This should keep you out of their reach. Well, that's pretty much the gist of the hazards of this level. There is a small tunnel of sorts you can go into in this level. Near the huge, stone structure (near the bottom of it) should be a bullseye on each side. Hitting those will trigger the wall to open and let you inside. In there is a special weapon. Weeeee! While driving through it, don't worry about the wall on the other side, as it will open when you approach it. The cluster bomb will be your friend in this level. While not to say that you should seek it out particularly, should you find one... USE IT! Use it on the pathways with the most traffic, or behind the row of pillars in the stone structure (you should notice that that gets plenty of traffic). As you can guess, you must be immensely aggressive in this battle all while trying to stay alive. On the opposite side of the lava flow from the stone structure should be a couple of destroyed staircases and a huge platform in between them. I feel it worth noting that you can use either set of staircases as ramps to get you onto the platform. On that platform will be a weapon. This trick (if you can really call it that) will come very handy (and necessary) when you do this level on Gate Relay mode. Try your hardest at this level. Stay aggressive, use the cluster bombs well, and push people into fire or lava any time you can. The key is to stay away from the hazards as much as possible. Do not get too careless or you will wind up losing your head. -TRANSYLVANIA LEVELS- <<<<>>>> Yet another level I dispise. The main idea behind this level is to create a huge arena so that the participants have a possible chance of scattering out so you cannot find them easily. Needless to say, your radar will come incredibly handy here. One thing you should definitely be careful of here, and all other Transylvania levels is Count Earl's personal weapon. This weapon can be very cheap because it seems he always grabs it and it can home in on people and kill multiple targets. So, if a lot of people are having a huge melee in the middle of the battlefield while Earl has his weapon, he can take out most of them with just one shot. There have been battles where he has led by 80+ points, sometimes even over 100. All I can really say other than stay aggressive (which is starting to sound like a broken record) is to check your radar. Go to the area where the most people have accumulated and try to take them out (possibly) from a long range. Attacking Earl is not a bad idea, either. The more you destroy him, the less of a chance he will have to grab his weapon. If you destroy him while or before he grabs his weapon, all the better. There really aren't too many noteworthy structures here. There are many huge, stone structures. One of them in the middle of the arena has a personal weapon in it. There is also a personal weapon off to one corner in front of a huge pair of cemetary gates. Don't fear the water in this level. There's nothing in it and it can be crossed from any area. One thing that can be handy (mainly when the other participants are congregated towards the middle of the arena) is a huge spider web on one side of the battlefield (should be on the other side of the water). Driving into this will fling you toward the middle of the arena. It's also handy for helping you to get away if you're in a desperate chase. <<<<>>>> There is actually a bit of different things to do in this level. The first thing that is worth noting is the wooden ramp running up along the wall. Following along this ramp will take you to a stone tower. This tower has a special weapon on it. You should notice that this little area is actually a respawning zone. You should frequently be respawning here. When you do as such, grab the special weapon right away. It shouldn't be any surprise that falling into the moat will result in your untimely death. Next to the bridge should be a cart that is pointed upward. If you drive along that cart, it will shoot you into the air and across the moat. Not incredibly useful yet, but it will come handy in Gate Relay mode. One the side of this arena opposite the large, wooden ramp, you'll find a catapult and a ballista. Both should be at opposite ends of each other. The ballista can be used as a weapon. To engage it, position your car onto the flat wooden platform. From there, you can push A to launch flaming arrows from it. Each arrow acts like a harpoon against the opponents. To get off the ballista, push B. Now, before I speak of the catapult, I will talk about the building in the middle of the arena (mainly because the catapult ties into this). You can enter the middle building one of two ways. One way is to go across the draw bridge. Take notice that on either side of the bridge are bullseyes. Hitting either of those will cause the bridge to lift. The other way into the building is, of course, is through the catapult. Position yourself onto the wooden platform on the catapult and it will launch you into the building. Now, why enter the building, you ask? Well, there's a personal weapon inside of it. If you want to leave, you can either use the entryway or take notice to the ramp in one corner of the structure. If you back up far enough and drive really fast, you should be able to fly out of the building. <<<>>> Such a relatively small level with so much packed into it. There is a huge house up at the top of the hill on this level, but I don't think you can interact with it too much. Near that house, however, is a rock set up like a ramp which you can use to throw you to the other side of the arena. Other side? What's in between the sides? A huge drop straight to the ground. You may find that using this rock can be more reliable than using the bridge. The bridge can actually be used as a weapon, both by you and against you. If the bullseye near it is struck, the bridge will shift and people can fall off. If you're lucky, instead of falling, you'll fly up in the air and hopefully land back on the bridge. Taking us to the other side of the arena now... There is a cave near a fountain to one corner of the arena. Do not try to "explore" the cave as I did. I knew I should've follow my first notion on the eyes in the cave. Should you go in, you'll be brutally attacked by whatever creatures live within the cave. However, should you be the one who causes someone to fly in there, you will gain Smack for it. The cart returns in this level. This will send you to the other side (where the house is) much like the rock. Yep, it's got Count Earl in it. You know he's like a sick bastard shark who not only smells blood, but practically sweats it. Because of that, he's quite good at gaining the lead. Keep on your toes. Use your weapons as much as possible. Try to avoid using the bridge (unless it's against someone else). Use the rock and cart instead. They've always seemed a bit better for me. Of course, don't wander into the cave and careful if you are hit out of control around that area, as you could fly into the cave and give one of your opponents some Smack (not heroine, you silly lune!). -SPACE LEVELS- <<<>>> Ahh, the first space level. Space levels seem to be a bit... weirder than all the rest. They're also home to Brian the Brain. Brian can be a little bit cheap, too, sometimes. It's mainly because his weapon, the Nuclear Mine, can destroy everyone within a certain radius of it (and it's usually quite a few people). This means he can rack the Smack like anyone else in Cel Damage. There's quite a few little neat toys to tinker with here. The first thing I'll indicate is the basic structure of the area: | | | | | | __ / \ __ B | | / \ | | C |__| / \ |__| / A \ / ________ \ / / \ \ / / __ \ \ / / | | D \ \ / / |__| \ \ Note to remember before reading ahead: There is a ramp all around the perimeter of the level that can be accessed a few different ways. Read ahead to find out how. This may not be to scale or even symmetrically correct, but it is pretty much the gist of the level. You see, A is a huge platform with a rocket on it that is elevated above the floor. You can make it up to that platform using the ramps (those long things you see sticking off the ASCII triangle). You can also drive under the platform for a personal weapon. Now, you should recognize that your frame of reference in relation to this area will differ from where you are. B, C, and D are some small ground level platforms. One of them has strange specimins in little bottles that are fun to smash, but ultimately useless. Another one is a platform that will lift every now and then. On this is a small ramp that you can drive up that will convert you vehicle into an aeronautic device. You can fly around with this thing, grab weapons that are nearby, and wrack up points. Great for raising hell! You can also use this to get up to a very high up platform. This platform has a teleporter and a personal weapon on it. You can also use this flying machine to get onto the ramp around the perimeter of the arena. Finally, the last of the two ground level platforms has a teleporter on it that will take you to the ramp around the perimeter of the arena. From here, you can grab some weapons or even take another teleporter to the high up platform and get that personal weapon. This level is a jumbled mess and can be very chaotic. On top of attacking a lot, you'll want to focus on staying alive. I suggest that unless you're well normed with the flying, try to avoid getting the flying machine on the ramp. Also, try to time your driving on this level (and other space levels). You should notice that your weapons will float up and down as time passes. If you time your driving speed just right, you should be able to hit weapons while they are down or just coming down. This can be especially helpful since weapons = Smack. If you see Brian's Nuclear Mine, get the living hell away from it as soon as possible. You may not make it, but there's always a chance. This thing can kill a lot of people, especially those in big groups. I've found that since your personal weapon in this level is so easy to grab (as it is in the middle of the arena), grab it! You should also know that platform A has a hole in it that you can use to drop through and grab the special weapon more easily. <<<>>> This one is actually quite an odd level. If you notice, a lot of the features seem to have a pinball-like feel to them. I should start off by saying that this level is somewhat divided (rather unevenly) into two areas, both of which are separated by wall. Let us first look at the environment of the first area, that being the one you start in. Take notice of your surroundings. There will be four craters, some huge crystals sticking out of the ground, a huge building, and a patch of mushrooms (there's also a rocket, but it seems to really serve no purpose other than for decoration). Starting off with the crystals... Avoid these. I usually even avoid driving through that area. If you hit the crystals, you die and have to respawn. The reason being is that they puncture your tire and send you flying off the planet. It is worth noting that the crystals can be destroyed, even with your primary weapon. If at any time you are in in the position that you really can't avoid this area, being using your primary weapon to take the crystals out. While you are doing this, though, you still shouldn't get over zealous with the gas pedal. The crystals that are falling apart can obstruct your view of the other crystals and cause you to drive right into ones that haven't been destroyed, so be careful. I say, drive a bit more slowly until you get through the area and make your drive though the area as brief as possible while going a fiesible speed. The four craters are all pretty much the same. In the middle of each is a weapon just waiting to be grabbed and loved by a willing owner. You should also notice that there is a ramp with some small wheels at the top of it moving outward in each crater. If you drive into these, they will throw you a good distance away. These don't seem to be incredibly useful in this mode of gameplay, but it seems like they may come handy in a circumstance in which you need to get away from an area. In that case, these can serve as a great help in flining you away, especially if you're trying to avoid one of Brian's Nuclear Mines. The mushrooms are more of a impediment than an actual help. However, if you're good at navigating through them and find a way to the center, there's a nice personal weapon waiting for you. This can be instrumental, especially if you're character has a good personal weapon. At the far end of the battlefield, right near the building are also some sheep you can slap around. Ultimately useless, but fun to do nonetheless (reminds me of the Spyro games as well). Now, getting to the other part of the battlefield... Getting there is incredibly easy! Just drive up to the huge building and hit the target on the right side. The door should open and you can go in. There should be a target right as you enter as well; This will close the door behind you (which would not be a good idea in this mode because you wouldn't be able to get any Smack if there's no one around). You should be going down a long hallway now. A little past halfway through the hall is a moving target. Hitting that will activate some UFO's just outside, which will use some beams to destroy any cars that come near them. Like a hardcore match in WWE, this is going to be almost all tooth-and-nail fighting. There aren't a whole lot of things you can use to an advantage other than biffing your enemies into the crystals (if you can). I wouldn't advise making that your goal with every opponent, but if you can, go for it. Try to avoid using the other part of the arena. It really doesn't seem to be a deciding factor in the battle. Also remember that the wheels on the ramps in the craters can help you get away from sticky situations. Aggression will be another key. Since this area is actually quite closed in compared to others, Brian has a huge advantage here. His Nuclear Mine can really help him rack up Smack. I advise either killing Brian when you have the chance, keeping your Smack up as much as possible, or run like hell to avoid the Nuclear Mine's blast (which can prove to be difficult on a whim). <<<>>> Tell you no lies, I hate this level! Well... Sort of... It's my least favorite level on Gate Relay mode, and Flag Rally mode is also a bit painful or even redundant on this level. Still, there is so much to write on for this level. Aside from my basic whining about this level, it's easily the most unique level out of the bunch. Yes friends, you are driving on the planet's rings! Driving off said rings results in what? Right class! You fly off into space and then begin to be pulled in by the planet's gravity! The planet will then throw you back onto the battlefield. Notice, however, that this takes a lot of time. In other words, avoid falling off like the plague. Time wasted is Smack wasted. It's especially aggrivating in Gate Relay mode. Take notice at least now of the downed rocket. You can actually drive up it, but it seems there's nothing there now. I could've sworn I remember there being a Personal weapon up there on Flag Relay mode... Anyway, a couple things you should also pay attention to are the platforms and the teleporters. The platforms aren't hard to miss. There should be a ramp and some metal rings leading out to a small platform in space. To get there, just drive up on the ramp and keep your finger on the gas. If you release, I've noticed that you'll fall before getting to the platform and just get pulled over to the planet. Both platforms have special weapons. Remember that! One of the platforms has a target in front of its ramp and rings. Hitting this target will activate a shower that rains down meteors (Get it, meteor shower! Ha! That's too much!) Also, there's the teleporters. Depending on which teleporter you enter, you will be sent to another teleporter. The teleporter closest to the huge arch will take you to another one that's in between the two platforms. The one in between the two platforms will take you onto one of the platforms. Finally, the one on that platform will take you to the one closest to the arch. See the connection? This level can be a bit tough, and it's mainly keeping Smack up since everyone seems to like to disperse in this level. Always stay on top of the game. Grab the weapons you are best with (unless you can't find those, go for second best) and seek and destroy your opponents. Do not hold back anything you have. Let it all out! I've noticed some guys love to fall for the meteor shower, acting as though it isn't on (like flies to fly paper). So, turning that on isn't so bad every now and then. Just beware of flying through that ramp with the meteor shower next to it. I have died several times when the shower was activated while I was trying to get to the platform. Timing can be critical here, too. Your weapons are all floating up and down and if you don't hit them at the right time, you'll miss and have to reposition yourself or just seek out a different weapon. This level can be difficult. The best weapon you can have is perserverence. Don't give up. If you've been beaten once, dust yourself off and try again. Yes, it's normal to mutter four and five leter words like I do when playing this game, so I've prepared some nice replacement words in case there are little 'uns around... Instead of that nasty word you say involving "mother," say "featherduster". Rather than using that word that ultimately means excrement, say "grit". Instead of that one word that almost everyone claims is the worst dirty word you can say, say "frig". Instead of calling your enemies female dogs, call them "stitches". Yes, they're corny, but I sometimes have to resort to them. 2: Gate Relay Think now... What's the one thing in gaming that can cause a grown man to yell obsceneties, pull out hair, and wish death upon a concept designer or game developer? Okay, other than Spyro: Ripto's Rage's mini-games. Um... Okay, other than building up legit MMORPG characters, only to be punked out by a cheater. Okay, other than paying $50 US for WWE Wrestlemania X8 on GCN. Argh! Yes! You hit the nail on the head! Gate Relay mode! Yogurt! I hate Yogurt- er... Gate Relay mode! Maybe it's just me. There has to be some other people out there who are much better, hands down. It's actually pretty hard for me to give advice for this mode. There are a few general tips I can give before delving into level tips. 1. We have no time to explore. Your goal is to be as fast and skillful as possible. 2. Know the environment. If there are any easily workable shortcuts, take them. However, try to avoid any shortcuts with any degree of uncertainty. If it's a dangerous shortcut, then it's best left alone as just one mistake in this mode could cost you the game. 3. Don't give up. I've won races where I was in sixth and seventh place for the longest time. 4. Don't deviate too much from the main track. Sure, there are some nice weapons that are out of the way, but they may not be worth it. Try to only grab weapons that are on route to either gate. 5. Pay attention to what path the computer cars take. It may be easiest to follow them. Also, on that note, try not to go against the traffic of the other cars. That has screwed me up quite a bit before. 6. Gather any weapons that throw someone off course or that may set up hazards on the screen (a la Cluster Bomb). -DESERT LEVELS- <<<>>> Gate Locations: In between a couple of canyon walls near the train tracks Near the exploding outhouse I really hope this explanation isn't too confusing... As you can guess, this is one of the easiest levels, if not the easiest level, in Gate Relay mode. There's several different possibilities as to how you can go through this area, but it's best to pick the one that works for you. I prefer to go straight through the first gate, then cut straight to the left and either turn through the curve (heading toward the outhouse) or keep going and take the furthest left turn. Both sort of have their own advantages. Taking the curve can increase your chances of dodging the explosion, assuming someone sets it off. On your way out taking the curve you can also use the bullseye and cause the building to explode, killing anyone behind you and thus pushing them further back. On the other hand, the track can seem to go a bit quicker if you take the furthest left. By the time you hit the gate going that way, you won't have to back track, you'll already be on your way to the next gate, so to speak. <<<>>> Gate Locations: Near the huge weight On one side of the bridge This is another easy one. I actually kind of find this one easier than Wild Wooly West. The biggest advice I can give you is to learn how to cross the bridge while the trap door is down. Basically, drive right against the side (almost as though you're trying to drive on the little bit of floor that's left). If you can do that, the bridge can work to you advantage, as the computer doesn't always seem smart enough to know not to drive down the middle of the bridge. The huge weight can be a bit of a problem, should you be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It can also be quite helpful in establishing your place in the race. If there's a good number of people behind you, hit the bullseye once you get across. Not only can this help take out some of them, but block others. Keep in mind, if the weight is down when you get there, you can crush some of the rocks and get around it. This hopefully shouldn't be too difficult for you to figure out. <<<>>> Gate Locations: Across the arena from the junkyard In the junkyard This one can be incredibly frustrating. The main reason would be the trash compactor. As you should (hopefully) know, you can get picked up by a magnet and thrown into a compactor that will send you across the arena. So, if you are on your way to the gate in the junkyard (which is where the magnet and compactor are), and you get picked up by the magnet, you will have to travel all that distance over again and be even further behind in the race. Do not give up if you are caught in this position. You can still pull off a victory as long as you're persistant enough. There really isn't a whole lot of advice I can give you as far as the route to take between the two gates. It's all pretty much a straight shot. The only advice that may help would be not to go against the stream of traffic. I've been messed up many a time doing that. -JUNGLE LEVELS- <<<>>> Gate Locations: Under the tree platforms Near the swinging logs This is actually one of the easiest Gate Relay levels. You will start out just underneath the tree platforms. After heading through the first gate, cut to the right and make your way towards the incline where the swining logs are. There should be a personal weapon on the way there in the middle of the arena. Grabbing it can help greatly. Try to cut the corner as much as possible when going up the incline. Also be absolutely sure you avoid the logs. They can be very detrimental to the outcome of this match. Get past them and through the gate and continue on. At the edge of the incline should be a couple of jumps. Hit the left jump that sends you over to the tree with the platforms on it (the first gate you went through should be there). If you should happen to catch the vines, no biggie. Just make sure you don't jump onto the platforms in the trees. Drop off the vine if/when necessary and drive around the tree and through the gate. Now, repeat what was done earlier. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. If you're having trouble, keep trying or just be more aggressive. <<<>>> Gate Locations: At the far end of the temple Near the man-eating plants Not too hard, not too easy. Just right balance of difficulty here. There is not much to explain to this track, since it's just a simple oval shape (so to speak). After going through the first gate, just head across the river at the shallow spot, then go through the gate near the plants. I have only two warnings on this level. First, watch out for the plants. Since the gate is really close to them, your chances of being killed by one are fairly good. Second, try not to go against the grain here. Keep an eye on traffic because everyone in this arena loves to switch the train of traffic. Also, having a bat while you're close to the river can be quite a mean prank to pull on your opponents, as smacking them into the water can delay them fairly well. <<<>>> Gate Locations: Near the stone stairs In the middle of the path on the opposite side of the river from the other one This is one of the hardest levels in the game! I honestly dread doing this level. Head straight through the first gate and your presented with your first judgment call of the level. Should I take the high road or the low road? Taking the low road (through the structure that opens by hitting the target) can be helpful assuming you can go fast enough and aren't screwed over by the camera angles. All in all, I've found that it isn't much better than taking the high road, and can even be worse. The high road doesn't have any level of uncertainty to it, which means it could be your best choice. Which way you do go is personally up to you, just know that the low road can more of a hinderance at times. On the other hand, the low road does contain a personal weapon, so if you can make up for lost area with a powerful special attack, then you may be able to pull youself into the pink. After getting around that curve, head straight and through the gate. Another hazard has come up. Your only way across the river (short of backtracking) is to use the stairs as a ramp. The only problem there is the random firewall that builds up in front of you before you can quite hit the stairs. Getting hit by this can create a large set back and thereby making this level quite hard. The only thing I can say in relation to that is to take it fairly slow around this area, but not so slow that you get past up. This can also serve to your advantage because other drivers could well drive themselves right into the firewall. Skill is what's going to get you through this level. Skill and opportunity. Hope that you can maneuver well enough to get around the harsh curves or even get past the impedements of the track. Grabbing the right weapons can help. Any weapon that really doesn't do you much good on the Gate Relay should be avoided. Don't give up and remember to try your damnedest. Take it easy near the firewall and hope that only your opponents run into it. -TRANSYLVANIAN LEVELS- <<<>>> Gate Locations: At opposite ends of the arena from each other This level isn't complicated, but it can be difficult. This one can be easily one by just about anyone. Basically, the gates are on opposite ends from each other. There are a few things that you can do to help bring about your victory here, but nothing is definite: -Use weapons (appropriate ones) as much as possible. -Do not take any pathways that are full of obstacles or that could hamper your traction. -Follow the arrow at the top of the screen. -Don't go too far out of the way for weapons. Yeah, not much I can lend here mainly because this level is so open and large that there really isn't anything envorinmentally that gives you an advantage. The only advantage you can take is to be aggressive, as I have stated on many other levels. <<<>>> Gate Locations: Near the castle structure Just before the wooded area This area does have one environmental agent that can give you just that much of an edge. After crossing the first gate there should be a cart to the right. If you're good enough at controlling the car, angle toward the cart and it can shoot you a bit ahead. However, only do this if you're confident enough to hit the cart almost every time, lest you should fall into the quicksand. If not, then just follow the other cars across the broken bridge. Also be careful when going through the forest, as the curve in there could cause you to hit some trees and tie you up a bit. Going against the traffic in this level would be particularly unwise, especially while going through the forest. Not much more to offer here that hasn't already been stated before. <<<>>> Gate Locations: Near the cave Next to the haunted house This level can also be made quite easy thanks to an environmental ramp. Go through the first gate and follow all the cars to the haunted house. You can help tie up a bit of drivers if you cause the bridge device to toss them around. Drive around the back of the house and through the gate. Go straight from the gate and you should see near the cliff a large stone set up on another. You can actually drive on this stone and it will take you clear across the arena! This can give you an edge against most of the other drivers, remember that! Again, not much more than that... -SPACE LEVELS- <<<>>> Gate Locations: Opposite ends of the arena from each other This one has yet another judgment call. As you go through the first (keep this gate in mind particularly), you are given a choice. You could go turn right and head through the middle of the arena or go up the ramp leading to the rocket and go above the middle. This is honestly your call, both have advantages and disadvantages. Going through the middle can be quicker (keyword: can) and has a personal weapon, but you are also most likely to be destroyed or caught up in traffic here. You could take the extra time, which isn't much, if you wanted and take the ramp that comes after the first gate and jump across the middle. This can be a lot easier, but it can also expend more time. This really depends on which car your driving. I mainly only recommend that you take the ramp with faster cars, as it can be harder for slower ones like Bruno to catch up. <<<>>> Gate Locations: At the far end of the main area (farthest away from the building, that is) Other side of the building Go through the first gate as you normally would. Remember the small field of bumpers? If you feel like risking it (which I wouldn't), you can go through them to get a special weapon. I say just stay clear of them and keep going straight. Eventually, you should make it to the huge buildling (don't worry, the door is always open). On the way down the long hall, you could hit the bullseye and activate the UFO. This in incinerate anyone who dares go through its beams. Try to avoid it youself and hope your enemies fly into it. Head through the gate and back to the beginning again. Just make sure you don't go against traffic here, as that has screwed me over here as well. Also be sure to take the least crowded route. <<<>>> Gate Locations: On either side of the huge arc structure This is a very difficult level and the worst part is that I really haven't found any parts that can give you any bit of an advantage. The only thing I've been able to use to aid me in victory is kicking the living crap out of everyone with any weapon I can grab and keeping a resounding lead. After you go through the first gate, head straight through the arc and you should see the other gate almost right away. It is much easier to turn around and go back the way you came rather than to just keep going straight (as doing the latter will be entirely too long). There isn't much I can give as far as tips for this level. If anyone could give an effective strategy for this level, I'd be incredibly pleased... I would honestly like it if you got the strategy through playing the Gamecube version, but if you got it through the Xbox version, I may still consider it for posting. I say this mainly because I don't know how much different the mechanics are between the two, except that I've heard the Xbox version is harder... 3: Flag Rally You may find this a bit strange. Others may charge this as an act of laziness. I, more or less, see this as an attempt to cut back on blatant repetitive actions. This section will not have as much content as the other two modes above, simply because you can apply the same strategy to each level. The only difference is the environment, which I've already covered in the Smack Attack section. I will do only one thing for each level, and that is give the locations for the goals and how to get to them. Instead of giving you level by level tips for each, I'm going to give you the basic strategy for Flag Rally matches that can be applied for quite possibly every Flag Rally match. Do note, though, that there will be some levels that may actually have some side notes added to them. -Pay close attention to your radar. You can acutally see each flags' relative positions on the radar around the outside of the screen. Use it to locate a flag that you think would be close by and nab it. -Try your hardest to stay alive. The instant you are killed, you will lost all your flags. Be thankful, though, that you can restart as many times as you want without any penalty (aside from losing your flags). -Become acquainted with the vacuum. It's possibly the best weapon to use during a Flag Rally for one simple reason. When you use the vacuum on a character carrying any flags, all the flags he or she has are immediately added to your flags. However, you can only have up to four, so any more than four are left on the opponent. Now, this is a two-way street meaning the computer can just as easily do the exact same to you. -Make good use of any weapons. Destroying others will cause them to lose their flags, which measn you can grab them as they drop. Attacking others can also work as a form of self-defense. It's pretty much kill or be killed in this situation. -Make sure you know where the goal is and how to get to it early on. It really sucks having all four flags and not knowing where the goal is. It's happened to me before. -You can only finish the level with four flags on you similtaneously. So, you cannot just grab one and take it to the goal, then go grab three more and take it to the goal (not really a tip, but more or less a reminder of the rules). -Be sure you learn the art of chasing flags. The flags love to try to maneuver away from you. You need to learn how to keep up with them, especially when they make sharp turns away from you. -Don't remain still for too long, otherwise you're leaving yourself wide open. -DESERT LEVELS- <<<>>> Goal Location- Near the wooden bridge on which the tracks run. Getting to the goal- Cross the bridge and take a left. Notes: none <<<>>> Goal Location- On a cliff. Getting to the goal- On one side of the arena should be a huge magnet with a target underneath it. Hit the target and have the magnet pick you up and it will carry you to the cliff with the goal on it. Notes: none <<<>>> Goal Location- On a piece of land that is separate from the arena. Getting to the goal- There should be a huge natural structure in the middle of the arena. Drive up it as though it were a ramp. Drop off the edge at the very top and it should send you straight to the piece of land where the goal is. Notes: none -JUNGLE LEVELS- <<<>>> Goal Location- At the very end of the inclined area. Getting to the goal- Head to the inclined area (where the swinging logs are), avoid the swinging logs, drive clear to the end and the goal should be there. Notes: none <<<>>> Goal Location- On top of the temple. Getting to the goal- Drive up one of the flattened corners of the temple. Notes: none <<<>>> Goal Location- Near the huge blaze. Getting to the goal- Drive down to the section of the land where the wall of fire comes up and head straight into the goal. Notes: This goal can be the most difficult one to get to. One thing to remember is to go at a safe enough speed such that you do not drive right through the wall of fire as you head towards the goal, lest you should lose all of your flags. -TRANSYLVANIA LEVELS- <<<>>> Goal Location- At the end opposite the spider web. Getting to the goal- It should be pretty self-explanatory as this level doesn't have any higher secret passages or anything like that. Notes: none <<<>>> Goal Location- Inside the structure in the middle. Getting to the goal- Hit the targe on the outside of the structure and it will lower the bridge. Cross the bridge and you're there. Notes: In case you didn't remember, there's another way in. Near the forest area should be a catapult that will throw you over the wall and into the structure. Use that if you have difficulty using the other method. <<<>>> Goal Location- Near the haunted house. Getting to the goal- Cross the wooden bridge and drive around the back of the house. Notes: none -SPACE LEVELS- <<<>>> Goal Location- Along the outer ledge. Getting to the goal- Use the transporter to get onto the ledge, then drive to the goal. Notes: Make sure you know which transporter takes you to the goal for sure. <<<>>> Goal Location- On the other side of the huge building. Getting to the goal- Hit the target to open the door, drive down the hallway and out onto the other side. The goal should be there. Notes: If you accidentally hit the target in the hallway, stay clear of the UFO's beams, as that can cause you to lose all of your flags. <<<>>> Goal Location- On one of the floating platforms, the one near the meteor shower. Getting to the goal- Find the platform that has the meteor shower near it and drive off the ramp and to the goal. Notes: The meteor shower may be turned on when you get there. The best thing to do is drive around, but not too far away. Just don't stay still as that will make you an easy target. 5B: INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER TIPS AND RATINGS Ever since games like Street Fighter 2 gave us the option to chose multiple characters, it has been a must to have characters that have strengths and disadvantages; characters that excel in some areas, but fall short in others. There are some who say that there are no characters in any game that suck, there's just characters you don't know how to use... Well, okay so those people perhaps haven't played as Ball in Gundam Battle Assault 2. One thing that I will say right now is that it IS possible to finish every level with every character. It is true, albeit hard. I will not assess anyone based on Flag Rally simply because how you do on that is much more dependent on how good of a player you are rather than how good the character is. Now remember, these ratings are based solely on my opinion. You don't have to agree with what I say. -Violet- It's not a surprise why many people like Violet. She's very effective in both Smack Attack and Gate Relay. What makes her so effective in Smack Attack is, as many other characters, her personal weapon. The Mortar can be actually somewhat home in on enemies and help you rack up Smack from a good distance. Her stats are very well balanced. Not only is she fairly fast, but she also has very good handling. This makes her incredibly effective for Gate Relays. I personally say that beginners should start out with her for her balanced abilities. Violet's Ratings Smack Attack- 8/10 Gate Relay- 8/10 Catch Phrases- 6/10 -Sinder- Sinder is one of my favorite characters. Not only is he decent to play as, but he's full of nice catch phrases like, "Wanna see my weasel?" Honestly, I think Sinder excels as a Smack Attack character. The reason being would be his personal weapon, the Woodchipper. I've been able to kill four characters within about a two second period with that. All of them were in one big group battling it out and one by one they were sucked in and destroyed. As far as a Gate Relay user, he's not bad. The only problem I have with him there is his brake response. That and the fact that he's quite easily knocked off balance. However, he does get decent enough speed. Sinder's Ratings Smack Attack- 9/10 Gate Relay- 7/10 Catch Phrases- 9/10 -Foul Mouth- Foul Mouth is not the greatest character, but by no means a bad one either. He really doesn't have much of a Smack Attack advantage, since his weapon isn't powerful enough. So, in Smack Attack it's best to make due with what you have around you instead. I'm not saying to totally avoid all the other weapons, but don't necessarily go after the Tommygun if there's something better close by. He really doesn't leave much of a favorable impression for Gate Relays, either. While he does handle very well, he's fairly slow. You can make up for lost time by just destroying those in front of you. However, the good handling does come handy on levels where you must make sharp turns. Foul Mouth's Ratings Smack Attack- 7/10 Gate Relay- 6/10 Catch Phrases- 8/10 -Dominique Trix- Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Dominique. I don't like the way her car maneuvers, for one thing. It may have a decent amount of speed behind it, but it's still hard to turn. She doesn't seem to have too much of an extra incentive to use in Smack Attack. Her weapon may give you Smack right away with the first hit, but you have to wait until they explode to get any more. Honestly, I think she's an inefficient character and they really should've done something to her handling to make up for dull advantages. She still isn't totally bad to use in Gate Relay, I'd just prefer not to use her all around. Dominique Trix's Ratings Smack Attack- 6/10 Gate Relay- 6/10 Catch Phrases- 7/10 -Flemming- All around, Flemming isn't bad. He's actually a favorite for many people next to Violet. When he's going straight, he gets a pretty high top speed. The only problem is he handles corners like absolute crap! This makes him almost ineffective for some Gate Relay matches, particularly Shooting Stars. However, he's got one of the best personal weapons. His Laser not only adds to Smack while it's damaging an opponent, but any opponent that dies from the extreme heat adds an additional 5 Smack to his rating, making Flemming a professional killer. I personally like using Flemming in Smack Attack, but almost dread using him in Gate Relay. Remember that weapons can help you make up mistakes in Gate Relay mode. I find his catch phrases actually quite a snoozer, though, with exception to a few. Flemmings Ratings Smack Attack- 10/10 Gate Relay- 4/10 Catch Phrases- 5/10 -B.T. Bruno- Bruno is one of my least favorite characters, mainly because of how clunky he is. He isn't all that bad for Smack Attacks. His personal weapon works nicely since it can hit multiple times per pick-up. His worst quality comes from his slow speed. Honestly, he is the one character I'm going to dread playing completely through with. I say go for his special weapon when you can. Possibly save Gate Relay with him for last. B.T. Bruno's Ratings Smack Attack- 7/10 Gate Relay- 3/10 Catch Phrases- 2/10 -Whack Angus- Whack Angus is one of my favorite of the hidden characters, actually. He was the first character I actually completed all levels of the game with. His personal weapon is to die for simply because it has a decent range and it instantly kills, making Angus a good competitor for Smack Attack. He's actually also very well used in Gate Relay because he accelerates really well and has decent control. My only real problem with him is his traction, which is pretty low as mentioned in the character description section. Part of playing with Angus is knowing how to control him so you aren't all over the place. I've literally had problems keeping him from actually driving up walls at times or not going in the direction I wanted him to. I recommend him mainly to seasoned vets who can whoop ass with any character. Whack Angus' Ratings Smack Attack- 8/10 Gate Relay- 8/10 Catch Phrases- 7/10 -T. Wrecks- Some people may be shocked to hear me say this, but I hate T. Wrecks. It's mainly because he's got some of the most annoying phrases I've heard someone say in any game, and yes that includes the "All Your Base" thing. As far as a driver, he's pretty average for Smack Attack and he just seems to suck on Gate Relay for some levels, but seems not bad for others. It mainly comes from having somewhat average speed and bad handling. I've actually driven this guy off a cliff where I usually make a nice tight turn with almost any other character. I say seasoned vets take Wrecks only. T. Wrecks' Ratings Smack Attack- 7/10 Gate Relay- 5/10 Catch Phrases- 1/10 (mainly because they're so ungodly annoying) -Count Earl- Earl is another one of my favorite characters. Not only does he have a devastating personal weapon, but he's got a high top speed with tight handling. I highly recommend grabbing his personal weapon because it can home in and destroy multiple targets in one blow, plus you get three shots per pick-up! No wonder he racks up Smack so quickly when the computer uses him... For Gate Relays, he's awesome mainly because of his speed. The only problem you might have with him is his acceleration and traction. Just be sure you clear anyone out of your way as it is a pain trying to get his speed back up. Count Earl's Ratings Smack Attack- 9/10 Gate Relay- 8/10 Catch Phrases- 7/10 (Although I like, "Your Great-Grandfater was a putz too!") -Brian- Brian is another average character. There isn't much more to him than that. He is fairly good in a Smack Attack situation, if you know how to utilize the Nuclear Mine. When you get that weapon, I highly recommend placing it in an area that would be congested with characters. Any of them within a certain radius will succomb and all the Smack from it will go to you. In Gate Relay, Brian isn't all that good mainly because he isn't that fast and his traction is horrible. Brian's Ratings Smack Attack- 8/10 Gate Relay- 5/10 Catch Phrases- 7/10 ---------------- / SECTION 6: FAQ \ -------------------- Note of Indication: The "redering movies" are not the same thing as the "finale movies." I've gotten several e-mails answering the rendering movies question, but telling me how to view finale movies. Your intent is appreciated, but I figured I'd put this up. Q: Is there really a difference in characters you play as? A: Yes indeed. Some of them do handle different and drive at different speeds. However, it should be noted that the differences aren't quite as radical as those in Twisted Metal. Q: How do you unlock new levels or weapons? A: Completing certain events. For instance, if you don't have cluster bombs activated, but you go into an event that has cluster bombs in it and complete the event, you can unlock cluster bombs for every level. Q: What would you say are the best weapons? A: In terms of non-specials, I'd say the axe and the boxing gloves. There are some others that are pretty good, but those two are my personal favorites. Q: Are there any hidden characters? A: Yes. Q: How do you unlock them? A: By completing every level in a character's area. For example, to unlock Whack Angus you must complete all of the desert levels in Smack Attack, Flag Rally, and Gate Relay. Q: Is this game worth the $20 it's currently slated for? A: Yes. Q: Is this just another Twisted Metal clone? A: No, it's quite different actually. See Section 1B for more. Q: Do you unlock anything special for complete every level on every mode? A: No. I just did so today and I didn't get squat! I did unlock Brian, but that was only because I had completed all of his areas. Q: How do you unlock special weapons for regular usage? A: According to CodeHunter64, you must finish every level with a given character to unlock his or her special weapon. For instance, if you finish all 36 levels with Whack Angus, you will unlock the Cleavers as a regular weapon. Now, there's a question as to whether or not this is truly worth doing. That is up to you, but remember this: If you want to unlock every special weapon, you'll pretty much have to do 360 levels (so to speak). That's 10 characters, 3 modes with 12 levels, making 36 levels per character. Yep, that's a lot! Personally, I would say only do it with your favorite characters or ones you're really good with. Q: Aside from the four level-bound hidden characters, are there any others? A: I don't think so. There are no special weapons for any other characters on the weapon screen that I've noticed. Q: How does this differ from the Xbox version? A: According to CodeHunter64, the Xbox version is supposed to be harder and it actually has realistic shadow effects. Q: How do you unlock Flag Rally Mode? A: Complete any four Smack Attack or Gate Relay levels. Q: How do I view finale (not redering) movies? A: Go into Options. Select "View Progress." At the bottom of the screen for the six original characters, you can see finale movies. There are none for the hidden characters. Q: It says I unlocked some rendering videos for some characters. Where do I view them? A: Still not sure. I'm still looking into it. Q: You indicate which weapons are best used in certain modes. Does this mean that I should avoid a certain weapon in a certain mode if it's not best for that mode? A: Not necessarily. In Smack Attack, you're going to need all the weapons you can get. You can grab the crappy weapons until you find the better weapons. All that's important is racking up Smack there. The only time I could say that you really want to avoid grabbing weapons, depending on where they're placed, would have to be Gate Relay because you need to stay off course and going out of your way to grab a weapon will only put you behind everyone else. ---------------------- / SECTION 7: LEGAL BIT \ -------------------------- This FAQ is copyright 2001 to Joe Shaffer, aka BoredGamer. Any use of this FAQ for commercial purposes in any way, shape, or form without confirmed consent of the author is strictly prohibited. This can be used for personal use and freely distributed, as long as there is no profit being made off the FAQ without my approval before hand (this includes magazines). This also cannot be posted on any websites without my solid approval. Any failure to comply with said premises can, and probably will, result in legal actions. ---------------------------------- / SECTION 8: THANK YOU AND GOODBYE \ -------------------------------------- Thanks to the following... Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and GameFAQs. Everyone at NeoSeeker. EA Games for Cel Damage. Chris and Cheat Happens. CodeHunter64 for the information on unlocking special weapons and other recently submitted info. Many apologies on the name. It's been many moons since I've seen a good night's sleep. Cadaverian for giving some info on the Freeze Ray. Broodbath3 for the info on videos. DragonNoah for some info on Violet. Time to note, if you send me info on something I haven't yet covered, you will be pretty much ignored and you will not get credit. So far, only one person sent me info on a level that I hadn't yet covered in the FAQ. Likewise, the info was not added. Cheat Planet for delivering yet another great cheat site. Extra special thanks to The Spirits. (c) Joe Shaffer 2002