Star Wars: Ep. 1 Racer FAQStar Wars Episode I Racer -=: Player's Guide :=- This Player's Guide is Copyright 1999 Kurt Glaze. Table of Contents 1: Controls 2: Pods 3: Courses 4: Tips, Tricks, and Codes 5: Closing This FAQ was recently updated on 6/2/99. I rewrote some things and added more information. 1- The Controls Below is a list of basic controls which you will be using in Racer, as well as some helpful tips on some. Control Stick: Steers your Podracer Z Button: Slides the Podracer for better turning. Personally I never use this button because I never see the effectiveness of it. Try it anyways, as you might be better than I am with it. A Button: Accelerates the Podracer. B Button: The Air Brakes of your Racer, which slow it down. R Button: Repairs the Racer (hold down for maximum effectiveness). Also, when using Sebulba (and only Sebulba) a flamejet is accessible by quickly tapping R twice. L Button: Toggles between the Progress Bar, the Perimeter Progress Loop, and 2 different map views. C Up Button: The Camera Button, which conatins 4 different racing views. C Down Button: Hold this down to get a rear view behind your podracer. I would try to avoid using this button, as it only hinders your ability to race. If you really want to see if someone is close behind you, look at the map located in the top-right corner of the screen. C Left Button: Rolls the podracer onto its left side. C Right Button: Rolls the podracer onto its right side. Start: Pauses the game. The controls in Racer are very easy to handle, and any comments I listed above should help you throughout the race. Some quick side notes; if you pause the game you can easily toggle through the different map modes, as well as restart the race, which comes in handy if you are going for first place and are lagging behind. Also, to perform a boost, simply hold up on the control stick until the top of the spedometer turns yellow, and then quickly release A and hold it again. Don't use this for too long though, as your engines might catch on fire! 2- The Pods Each pod in Racer has its own unique styles and traits. Mainly though, each pods capabilities are based on 7 different performance bars, which you can see in many of the games menus. The 7 different performance bars are based on traction, turning, acceleration, top speed, air brake, cooling, and repair. When you start the game, only 6 pods are selectable. But as you progress through the different races, you can get up to 23 pods (not including secret characters). Anyways, below is a list of the first 6 racers that are available at the beginning of the game, as well as a few comments on each. 1: Anakin Skywalker- A small podracer, which comes in handy when getting through tight corners and spaces. His small size is also a bad thing, as it makes him less of a contender when battling other racers for position. Still, he is a very good racer for the Amateur Circuit because his vehicle stats are very even. 2: Ebe Endocott- Ebe is another good racer to choose in some respects. His mid-size racer has good traction, cooling, and repair. The rest of Ebe's stats are about half of the ones listed, especially his Airbrake, which is the lowest of all. 3: Dud Bolt- The name "Dud" really seems to describe this racers pod. Except for his traction, all of this pods stats are very low. Avoid using this racer. 4: Gasgano- This large racer has good traction, top speed, and repair. It is too bad all of his other stats are average and low, or this pod would be a good choice. Just take a look at his Air Brake and Cooling. 5: Elan Mak- This large pod has average turning and repair. Almost all of his other stats are very weak, which makes this a pod to avoid. 6: Ody Mandrell- This pod has good traction, acceleration, air brake, and repair. The rest of his stats are low, but that doesn't hold this pod back much. Another good choice when starting the game. Overall, I would definately choose either Ody Mandrell, Anakin, or Ebe Endocott when starting the game. I would also suggest that as you move on through the game and access new podracers, ( do this by getting first place each race in tournament mode ) try to choose a pod with good traction and turning, as these attributes become VERY helpful in later races. I would also suggest having a good top speed on your pod. The other stats are important too, but you can get by and win a lot of races without them. 3- The Courses Courses are accesed then you place high enough to pass that race and move on. Most of the time the game requires you to place 4th or 3rd to move on to the next race, which is very easy in most cases. I reccommend staying on a course until you obtain 1st place, as it opens up more racers, and increases the difficulty of the game ( which I though was very easy early on). Below I will list each of worlds that you can race on, as well as give some helpful hints for each. 1: Aquilaris- This world is mainly made up of sky cities and tunnels that are underwater.The races on this planet are mosly pretty easy, but watch out for doors that open and close, and tight spots. 2: Ando Prime- This ice filled world contains many frozen obstructions. Watch out for the ice lakes which make your pod hard to control. Also, look for many shortcuts in these races, as most of Ando Prime's levels have many options on which way to go. 3: Mon Gazza: This spice mining worl offers a good array of route options, and is sometimes a difficult place to see in. Watch out for the drilling machines that are sometimes in the track. 4: Malastare- This dry planet isn't too hard most of the time, but it can be hard to navigate because of all the green methane gas that is on the surface. Overall though, these are easy races. 5: Oovo IV- These races aren't too hard most of the time, and they offer a good amount of route options as well. Watch out for meteorties on some of the levels, though. 6: Tatooine- This famous Star Wars planet holds many tough courses, especially the Boonta Eve Classic. Watch out for rocks, tuscan raiders, and a farmillar vehicle that blocks a part of one of the tracks. 7: Ord Ibanna- This sky racing planet holds, in my opinion, the hardest couses in the game. The tracks hold nothing particular, but watch for falling off the couse into the sky. 8: Baroonda- This world holds many tough and easy tracks, as well as my personal track favorite, Baroo Coast. Look for shortcuts in these races, as they are very obvious at times. Also, look out for lava on some couses, as it slows you down and damages your pod. I find most of these couses, except for the invatational and the last couple of galactic couses, to be very easy. I would set the winnings to 1st places takes all the money, that way you can better upgrade your pod. Specific Tracks Below are a few tips on some courses that I either thought were tough or had a lot of route options in them. Galactic Podracing Circuit: The Boonta Classic- This course has many sharp turns to it, as well as a lot of obstructions. There are Tuskan Raiders who fire at you in one part of the race, followed right after by a large craft blocking part of the course. I would reccomend getting a really tight turning vehicle with an acceptable top speed for this race. Look out for some hard to notice forks in the track, and try to keep a slow pace sometimes if you want to avoid crashing. Invatational Podracing Circuit: Abyss- This race took me awhile to beat for one reason alone. I didn't know that the trick to winning this race is to keep on the top level of the course. Most of the time I would fall down to the bottom floor and basically you are out of the running after that. So to be most effective on Abyss, get a really tight turning pod and try to stay on the top level if you want to come in first place. Invatational Podracing Circuit: Ando Prime Centrum- This race has a LOT of course options, some which I still have trouble finding, even after playing it a lot of times. The main fork is one where you have the option to either go up a level and through, or stay down and circle around the center to 2 different holes in the walls. ( If you don't know what I am talking about keep looking at the track for it... it is hard to miss). Try to find the route that is easiest for you and take it the whole time. 4- Tips, Tricks, and Codes Tips: - Buy your pit droids as quickly as possible!! They keep your new parts in good conditon for a long time, where as if you don't have the droids these parts break easily, costing you a whole lot of money. - If you are having trouble beating a certain couse, take one race and explore the couse, looking for shortcuts and secrets, asthey are sometimes neccessary in beating that level. - Try to get as many pods as you can by coming in 1st place in all the races. The new pods give you a lot more choices for upcoming races, as well as make the game more fun for you and your friends! - As a little side note, if you have a big pod racer use it to your advantage! If you are near other racers, slam into them and send them crashing into the walls. It won't affect your speed much, nd it sets computer racers far behind you. - When you go off a big jump remember to pull back on the control stick for as long as possible. It helps to give you an edge over other pods by sort of shooting you over top of them. - If you finally access Sebulba, don't completely rely on his flamejet to win races. I find that it sets me back even more just trying to use that weapon, and I can't even tell the difference when it works, except for a slight delay. ( Sebulba does have great top speed though!) Codes!!! Below are some useful and cool codes when playing Racer: When at a blank player screen click into it holding Z down the whole time. Now, still holding Z, scan through the letters to spell out the following codes using L to type the letters in and remember** hold Z the whole time. When you are done typing in the code press the L button on "end". You should have seen the code appear in the lower left corner, and when you press end, OK should pop up. ( if it doesnt see if it worked anyways. ) Invincibility: Type in RRJABBA. When you get to a race press pause and simply use the control PAD* to press left down right up. A cheats screen should appear, as well as some debug screen which seems to serve no purpose. Then just turn on invincibility and enjoy! Duel Controls: Type in RRDUEL. Then plug in controllers to the first and third controller ports and have fun! Play as secret racer Jinn Reeso: Type in RRJINNRE. Go to the character select screen and look him up! (*** for this code to work you must have Mars Guo ) Mirrored Courses: Type in RRTHEBEAST. Again, pause the game during a race and type in with the control pad left down up right and unlock the code! Play as secret racer Cy Yunga: Type in RRCYYUN. Go to character seclect screen and look him up! 5: Closing I hope this guide has been helpful in playing Racer, and please, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please send them to VGTrader12@aol.com Your thoughts will be answered quickly and thoroughly!! Thank you for using my guide! Kurt "the Critic" Glaze