San Francisco Rush 2049 - Strategy Guide (Page 01)

Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for San Francisco Rush 2049 - Strategy Guide (Page 01).

<<< SAN FRANCISCO >>>
<<<<< RUSH 2049 >>>>>
<< FAQ/WALKTHROUGH >>

For the Nintendo 64 system.

Written by Jordan Stopciati (superstar64). 
E-mail: js_sstar64@hotmail.com

This FAQ was last updated: 03/21/2001
This is version number: 0.99.5

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San Francisco Rush ® 2049 and all related logos are © 1999 Midway Games 
West Inc.
This FAQ/Walkthrough is copyright © 2000-2001 by Jordan Stopciati.


<<< TABLE OF CONTENTS >>> 

1. Updates
2. Legal Stuff
3. Rush 2049 from A to Z
4. Tracks
5. Cars
6. Rush Setup
7. Silver Coin Locations
8. Gold Coin Locations
9. Stunt Mode
10. Battle Mode
11. Obstacle Mode
12. Race Mode Shortcuts
13. General Strategy
14. Cheats
15. Unlocking Extras
16. Questions
17. Credits
18. End

<<< FORMATTING >>>

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<<< 1. UPDATES >>>

COIN PROGRESS

Race coins - 48/48 silver, 48/48 gold, 96/96 total.
Stunt coins - 32/32 silver, 26/32 gold, 58/64 total.
Total coins - 80/80 silver, 74/80 gold, 154/160 total.

So at the time being, stunt coins are excluded from this 
FAQ/Walkthrough. However, once I have gotten all the stunt coins, which 
means I will have unlocked the Panther car, they will be included. 
Expect to be updated regularly.

February 13, 2001 - Version 0.98 - Happy premature Valentine's Day. 
Descriptions for battle courses 3 to 8 and shortcuts for tracks 5 and 6 
are missing, but that's because I'm in a hurry to get this online. They 
will appear in version 1, which should be coming within the next couple 
of weeks.

February 24, 2001 - Version 0.99 - You'd probably think that I'd be 
done version 1 by now, but I have completed the descriptions for battle 
courses 3 to 8 - but shortcuts are yet to be completed. I do have a tip 
submission, though.

March 21, 2001 - Version 0.99.5 - Track 5's shortcuts are done, and now 
for a version 1 all I need to do is just do Track 6's shortcuts. I was 
also notified of a TYPO in this document (gasp, shock...horror!) It 
turns out that in "Rush 2049 from A to Z", I put down "Unlock in SFR in 
Rush 2..." when I meant "Unlike in SFR and Rush 2...". Thanks to 
madster@canada.com for notifying me of this error. Also another 
question.

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<<< 2. LEGAL STUFF >>>

First of all, under no circumstances can I be held responsible for any 
of the following unsolicited or solicited events:
 - Damaged Rush 2049 game
 - Damaged game(s) 
 - Damaged Nintendo 64 system
 - Damaged system(s)
 - Damaged reputation
 - Damaged wall(s) or house(s)
 - Damaged computer(s)
 - Damaged privilege(s)
 - Damaged body part(s)
 - Damaged city(ies), state(s)/province(s), country(ies), or the whole 
world
 - Damaged...etc.
...that seem to be the source from this FAQ/Walkthrough. I don't intend 
to wound everyone within a fifty-mile or eighty-kilometer radius, or 
farther. If in any case any of these happen, I sympathize, unless my 
life is in danger because of it. But I cannot do anything, it's not my 
fault, I just wrote this thing, it's supposed to help you, not hurt 
you. Not to mention I'd feel guilty for the rest of my life if 
something like that happened. Next...

NO PLAGIARISM, PLEASE. Don't get me wrong - I know there are plenty of 
people out there who are very good up-and-coming FAQ writers, or 
writers, period - but they shouldn't have to rip off other people's 
work just to get fame themselves. If you do wish to use this FAQ for 
information, I'd much prefer that you give me credit. It's just a lot 
easier, isn't it? I'll find out anyway if you do rip me off, too. And 
I'm pretty sure that there are so many lawyers right here on planet 
Earth that are looking for a way out of their mounting bills, so they 
can sue your butt off. Then maybe with the extra money the lawyers get, 
they can take their family (or themselves) for a vacation that they've 
been thinking about for the last three years. You have been warned.

Finally, if you wish to use my FAQ on a web site you must get 
permission from me, and that means sending me an e-mail. Now, that 
means that the FAQ is on your site. You don't link to it. GameFAQs, 
which is pretty much the "home" for all my online video game work, 
clearly says, "Feel free to link to the HTML pages, but not directly to 
the FAQs." Or something like that. But if I do create an HTML version 
or create a site where the FAQ is available for linking, well, sure, 
why not. But right now that isn't happening. If I do approve it, you 
can use it. Oh, and did I mention that if I hear bad things about a 
website, I turn them down? I actually did that once. But most of the 
time I will say "yes."

Now that's out of the way, you can finally get to the meat of all this!

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<<< 3. RUSH 2049 FROM A TO Z >>>

It's pretty sad that Nintendo 64 doesn't have very many games. But Rush 
2049 is absolutely, positively, no doubt about it, the best arcade game 
to hit the N64 console. Two previous Rush games have ported to Nintendo 
64 - San Francisco Rush and Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA. While SFR had 
six overblown tracks but nothing else, and Rush 2 had a total of ten 
tracks plus a stunt track, SFR 2049 delivers huge in everything that 
made the previous two games a hit. And it also flashes forward 49 years 
into the future.

But let's take a look at it first. The slogan of Rush 2049 is 
"Adrenaline cubed". And it's cubed for good reason. There's Race Mode, 
where you scream through six futuristic San Francisco tracks. Stunt 
Mode, where you twist, flip, and wheelie through four awesome arenas. 
Then, finally, Battle Mode, where you do your best to kill other 
players in 8 killer arenas. (Rated E for Everyone with animated 
violence, available for Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color.)

And 2049 delivers huge in the in-the-future department. Midway left a 
few unforgettable landmarks of the City by the Bay where they were, 
like leaving the most crooked street in the word, Lombard Street, right 
where it was and also leaving the Golden Gate Bridge where it was. Even 
though the days of fog are long gone in SF, you can still shroud the 
city in pea soup through adjustment. But as for futuristic looking 
stuff, there are plenty of futuristic-looking buildings, monorails 
aplenty, but the dark days of the 20th century are gone. Ignore big 
brother and keep your finger on the A button. A for acceleration.

And what about the hills? They're there, all right, and they still let 
you fly through the air, thanks to a lack of gravity. Thanks to wings 
hidden in the undercarriage of your car, you can glide in the air and 
also recover your car from spins, which can become very helpful.

There's practically one thing that has not changed from previous Rush 
games: shortcuts. Yes, look around and you will find very good ways to 
kick the competition's butt. Not to mention, hidden around the courses 
are switches that open or close doors. (See strategy later.) Even 
better, there are silver and gold coins in the streets, waiting for 
someone to pick them up. First you get a pile of money, then you get to 
drive the hot cars. Unlike SFR and Rush 2, cars can not be driven on 
only one track if you get a certain number of items on that certain 
track. Coin collection is cumulative.

Even better, there are four new stunt tracks. Plus battle mode. It's 
just too much. Rush 2049 took what we wanted from the previous two 
games and gave even more. Oh, and one more thing - keep your eyes 
peeled for green and red arrow strips on the track. If you approach 
them head-on, they'll boost your speed to well over 200 miles per hour 
in the direction they are pointing. If they're pointing forwards, great 
- but beware arrows going in the opposite direction. They bring you to 
a dead stop and then send you backwards.

(By the way: Coins are not exclusive to the Nintendo 64/Dreamcast 
version of Rush 2049. And neither is the unlocking part. Let me 
explain. The arcade version of Rush had coins in their tracks. 100 each 
track, and once all 100 were collected, they were put back into their 
original positions, you have to collect them ten times, then you can't 
do any more collecting, for a total of 1,000 collectable coins. And 
that's a feature that you can get with "Team Rush". By entering a ten-
digit number into a keypad, you get all these cool features. Enter the 
number on any Rush 2049 machine and you get access to all your cool 
stuff, like tracks, cars and their paint job. Awesome. I've never tried 
it, but that's what I hear.)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Now for my review from the GameFAQs website (very much extremely 
condensed):
 
SCORES 
 
Play Control - 9.0 - Easy. Simple. Use it. Love it. Win. 
Front end - 7.0 - Not artistic. But easy to use, though (think Rush 2). 
"Show-offs" - 10.0 - How could they do it all? It's amazing. 
Graphics - 7.0 - Not good, but satisfactory. 
Music - 10.0 - Priceless compared to the previous two Rush games. 
Sound - 7.0 - I guess this was all right, too. 
Multiplayer - 10.0 - Excellent. 
Satisfaction - 10.0 - Oh yeah! 
 
Total score - 70.0 / 80.0 
Average score - 8.8 / 10.0

Opinion score (without Controller & Expansion Pak) - 5.0 
Opinion score (with Controller & Expansion Pak) - 10.0 
Opinion score average - 7.5 
 
FINAL SCORE - 8.2 (rounded off to 8) 
 
BUY/RENT - Buy it, on the condition that you get a Controller Pak and 
Expansion Pak. You'll be missing out on too much if you don't get one. 
The whole package will most likely add up to big bucks (possibly around 
$100 US or $150 Cdn.), so if you're really under pressure for money, go 
for the controller pak at first.
 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

And finally, the controls (with the default controller setting):

Control Stick - steer, control car while in the air and wings are 
activated.
A - accelerate.
B - brake.
Z - wings (hold down to keep the wings extended).
  - shoot weapon (battle mode only).
C-Up - abort, place car back on track.
     - get rid of weapon (battle mode only).
C-Right - nothing.
C-Down - downshift (manual transmission).
C-Left - activate reverse gear.
L - change camera angle (helicopter view, tail view, bumper view, and 
hood view)
R - upshift (manual transmission).
Right (control pad) - horn.
Start - pause game.

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<<< 4. TRACKS >>>

Track 1 (Marina) - Track 1 is the easiest track and couldn't be much 
simpler than what it is, except if it was an oval. There are plenty of 
long straights that allow you to burn it down at almost 200 MPH and 
gain position in the race. There are some turns that are sharper than 
90 degrees but they are not difficult to make. The coins in this level 
will not be difficult to find and therefore you'll probably clear out 
this track's coins before any of the other tracks. The track itself 
runs along the Marina, goes around the Palace of Fine Arts, and also 
Market Street makes the cut (not to mention Coit Tower and the 
Embarcadero) and the track has a huge jump that sends you flying over 
Lombard Street (but when you are running the track backwards, you skip 
the Lombard section of the course and go onto a road that runs parallel 
to it.)

Track 2 (Haight) - Track 2 goes through the Haight Ashbury section of 
San Francisco and also goes through Golden Gate Park, Sunset Boulevard, 
and makes a brief trip through the Mission District. There are also 
plenty of straight stretches for you to blow away the competition, but 
this time they have turns so your fast Sunday drive needs to be 
adjusted once in a while. There are plenty of turns here but the 
majority of them are sweeping so you shouldn't have a hard time taking 
them - however there are a few turns that are tight. The coins here are 
more difficult and four of the gold coins are in secret areas that are 
tough to reach. Use the lava lamps to play cheap, and when you're 
running side by side bump people into them and send them flipping 
through the air.

Track 3 (Civic) - Track 3 winds through various sections of town, but 
was especially known in the arcade version - and is known in Rush 2049 
console versions - the Mount Sutro shortcut (just after the tunnel). 
This is a dangerous shortcut that, if you can get to the top, can be a 
very good time-saver. The course itself mainly consists of sweeping 90 
degree turns and plenty of shortcuts, not to mention shortcuts that 
lead to these shortcuts. The coins in Track 3 are not that difficult, 
but they might be tough to reach at some times.

Track 4 (Metro) - Track 4 is in the same area as Track 1 and on the 
start finish straight, you might just catch a glimpse of Lombard Street 
behind the cones. There are plenty of cool shortcuts and FIVE GOLD 
COINS are in the same area. A good source of money. The track itself 
consists mainly of sharp 90-degree turns that challenge you to slow 
down at the curves. There's no question about it - this is not as easy 
as it looks!

Track 5 (Mission) - Track 5 winds through the Mission District and also 
by Lake Merced, Candlestick Park, and plenty of other San Francisco 
landmarks (Track 5 is in the same area as Track 2). Surprisingly enough 
the turns are not the hardest in the game and are just like Track 3's - 
smooth and sweeping. On the other hand, the coins are murder to get - 
they're that tough.

Track 6 (Presidio) - Track 6 goes through the area where Track 1 took 
place in the original San Francisco Rush. The track starts just off the 
Golden Gate Bridge and then begins to wind through the Presidio, making 
some brief trips through the well-lit city - but the turns are 
extremely tough to make - in both the city and the forest area. Don't 
let it fool you, though - the coins are still there and this track is 
long - and you know what that means - the coins aren't going to be a 
piece of cake to find.

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<<< 5. CARS >>>

There are 13 cars in San Francisco Rush 2049, but only six of them are 
available when you hit the ignition. You'll have to collect coins lying 
and levitating in the streets if you want to see these cool vehicles. 
So here they are. They're all the same in stats, but they don't quite 
handle the same. Try them all out to see which one fits you the best.

Formula 1
Rocket ZX
Magnum
Super GT
Bruiser
8-Ball
Venom (hidden)
Crusher (hidden)
Euro LX (hidden)
Locust LX (hidden)
GX-2 (hidden)
Mini XS (hidden)
Panther (hidden)

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<<< 6. RUSH SETUP >>>

This section details all the options that can be set in each mode. 
Press A to select an option and press B to back out of a menu, and use 
the Control Stick to change options.

MAIN MENU

Players - Select from 1 to 4 players. This is what the choice is going 
to be if you want to get into the game. If you don't have four 
controllers plugged in, the game will gray out the appropriate numbers.

Records - Select this option to enter the records area. You can see the 
totals for the game, or you can view a specific player's statistics.

Options - Control the options in the game. Most of these options will 
affect what you see in the race mode.

Audio - Control your audio setup.

Video - Control your video setup.

OPTIONS MENU

Player Arrows - In ghost mode or any multiplayer mode, player arrows 
mark the location of another player or ghost car. They are marked as 
arrows and show the location of another player or ghost. If you have it 
on, you will see someone coming. But if you don't, well, you're in the 
dark when it comes to locations - you'll have to rely on the track map 
if you have one. You can turn this option on or off.

Track Map - The track map is located on the right side of the screen 
and is only shown in any racing mode. It shows your location on the 
track and other players if there are any. If you don't need it, turn it 
off. But if you do need it, keep it on. Computer players are identified 
by gray squares. (Player 1 is blue, Player 2 is red, Player 3 is 
yellow, and Player 4 is green when you are playing in Ghost Mode or 
Race Mode.)

Radar - The radar is located on the left side of the screen and is only 
shown in any racing mode. It shows where other players are and keeps a 
focus on who is behind you. If you want to be left in the dark knowing 
who's behind you, and give yourself a challenge, you can turn this 
option off, or keep it on.

Time Elapsed - This is shown below the track map and indicates how much 
time has gone by in the race. This is useful to most racers, but if 
you're not one of them, you can change this option from on to off, or 
vice versa.

Time Remaining - If your allotted time limit runs out, your game ends. 
The time remaining clock will show how much time you have left. This 
option can be changed from on to off or off to on, but the time still 
counts down anyway. The time remaining clock is only displayed in ghost 
mode and stunt mode. (NOTE: you will get a warning at the 30-second 
mark, and then that same sound will play for a five-second warning, 
then every second after, until time is up. If the time remaining clock 
is on, it will begin to flash when there are only five seconds left.)

Tachometer - If you have a manual transmission on your car, this bar 
keeps track of the RPM your car's engine is running at. If you turn 
this off, you will have to listen to your engine to decide when to 
upshift. If you turn it on, it will be beside the speedometer, and be 
shown as a bar with a green area (safe), then a yellow area (caution), 
then a red area (upshift once the brighter area reaches this point).

Speedometer - This will show you the speed of your car. Usually racers 
will want to know their speed, but if you don't, try turning this 
option off.

Odometer - This option is shown below the speedometer and shows the 
difference you have travelled so far IN THIS RACE, not in the whole 
game or for the car. It can be turned either on or off.

Place - This is shown in the top right corner of the screen and shows 
both your current position in the race and the lap. The place indicator 
shows your position out of how many racers. Try to put a 1 up there as 
soon as possible. It also shows the lap you are on and how many laps 
there are in the race (if they match, you are on the final lap). If you 
don't want these, turn this option off.

Gearshift - If you have a manual transmission on your car, this display 
shows what gear your car is currently running in reverse, 1st, 2nd, 
3rd, or 4th, indicated by GEAR and then, respectively, R, 1, 2, 3, and 
4. This should be used in conjunction with the tachometer. But if you 
don't like the gearshift on your screen, you can turn it off (it will 
not be there if you have an automatic transmission on your car.)

Metric - This shows what measurement system you will use, and it 
applies to the whole game. If metric is turned on, kilometers per hour 
is shown as the speed, kilometers are shown on the odometer, and it 
applies to records as well. If it is turned off, miles per hour is 
shown as the speed, miles are shown on the odometer, and it applies to 
records as well. Usually the difference between using the imperial or 
metric system in Rush 2049 is what country you're in (probably either 
Canada or the United States) and what measurement system you're used 
to.

Wrong Way - If you've made a wrong turn, and you're now driving the 
wrong way on the track, and this option is on, text will appear on the 
center of your screen, which will say, "Wrong Way". If this is turned 
off, well, you'd better know the course, because it will not tell you 
that you are going the wrong way.

Coins - There are silver and gold coins in the tracks, and this will 
show how many have been collected out of 8 silver coins and 8 gold 
coins. Turn it off for a true arcade feel. Keep it on if you want to 
know how many coins you have for that track. The number of coins you 
have collected for each track is also accessible from the records 
screen.

AUDIO SETUP MENU

Music Volume - This option has a selection from 0 to 10. The higher the 
number, the louder the volume. The number 0 indicates that the music is 
off/muted. "Music" is the background music that plays during a race, it 
is not sound effects.

Sound Volume - This option has a selection from 0 to 10. The higher the 
number, the louder the volume. The number 0 indicates that the sound is 
off/muted. Examples of sound effects are: menu navigation sounds, 
engine, announcer, etc.

Music - This option has a selection from the following selections. When 
you select a particular song selection, it will play for every track. 
 - Default (this plays the respective music for every track, as shown 
below beside every music track.)
 - Bassy (Track 1, Battle 1 background music)
 - Garage (Track 2, Battle 2 background music)
 - Night (Track 4, Battle 4 background music)
 - Seventies (Track 3, Battle 3 background music)
 - Trancey (Track 5, Battle 5 background music)
 - Title (Title screen, menu music)
 - Credits (Credits, end of game music)
 - Retro (Track 6, Battle 6 background music)
 - Stunted (Stunt 1, Stunt 2, Obstacle background music)
 - Flier (Stunt 3, Stunt 4 background music)
 - Battle1 (Battle 7 background music?)
 - Battle2 (Battle 8 background music?)

Speakers - Select from Stereo or Mono. The Stereo option is for two-
speaker TVs, the Mono option is for one-speaker TVs. Make sure that you 
set to the appropriate setting, otherwise you may not hear all the 
sounds.

VIDEO SETUP MENU

Horizontal Position, Vertical Position - Set this to the appropriate 
integers to center the screen appropriately if not all of it is 
visible. The picture will be moved accordingly as you set it. (NOTE: 
some TVs are rounded at the edges and will still block out some of the 
picture. Newer televisions are square at the edges.)

Restore - Reset the Horizontal Position and the Vertical Position 
indicators back to 0 and in turn reset the screen back to the original 
position.

(NOTE: There are colour bars below the screen - if the gray scale bar 
is not fully visible, e.g. black is too far to the right, or black is 
not completely black, adjust the contrast on your TV so it goes from 
black to white accordingly. If the red, green, and blue colours are 
bleeding, the TV is too saturated - turn down the brightness, so the 
picture is of maximum quality.)

PLAYER MENU

Just Play - Select this option to get your race going immediately, but 
your scores will not be saved. You will have no choice if you do not 
have a Controller Pak but to select this option.

Controls - This is next to the "Just Play" option and any players 
available. Select this to change your controls to whatever you want it 
to be. The default setting is usually the most comfortable, but change 
it to your preference.

Controller Pak - You can select from controllers 1, 2, 3, and 4. If 
there are any Controller Paks plugged in on any of the controllers, 
select that controller and it will detect the Controller Pak, along 
with any players available on the pak.

Create Player - If there is a Controller Pak available, this option 
will appear. Select it, then enter in your name, then go to "END". A 
file will be created for you and will be available on that Controller 
Pak. (NOTE: A player takes up 9 pages out of 123 on a Controller Pak.)

Delete Player - If there is at least one player on a Controller Pak, 
this option will appear. Select it, then select the player you want to 
delete. You will receive a screen that will ask if you are sure you 
want to delete this player. Select YES if you really want to delete the 
player. Select NO if you don't. If you select yes, the player's stats 
and the player itself are removed from the Controller Pak, freeing up 9 
pages.

*player name* - Select a player to enter the respective game file. You 
will enter the Mode Selection Menu like in the Just Play option.

MODE SELECTION MENU

Single Race - This is for one or two players. This is basically a 
simple racing mode. Player 1 selects the track and then the car is 
selected. This is for anyone who just doesn't want to go through 
complicated stuff and wants to get right down to the racing part.

Practice - This is for one or two players. Practice mode allows players 
as much time as they want to explore a track to the fullest (a 
difference from original Rush games - SFR and Rush 2 gave only 999 
seconds, Rush 2049 has absolutely no time limit). Bonus coins can also 
be collected here.

Ghost Race - This is for one player only. The ghost race mode puts you 
on a track by yourself, trying to set the best time. You have a time 
limit here, and you can record ghost(s) and race against it. (With an 
Expansion Pak, you can race with up to three ghosts, but without it, 
you can only race with one ghost. Ghost races can not be saved to your 
Controller Pak.) In ghost mode, you can not use wings.

Circuit - Are you good enough for the big time? You can enter one of 
four circuits (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Extreme), but only 
the Beginner Circuit is available to you at first. Place in circuits to 
unlock more circuits.
 - Beginner Circuit - Tracks 1 through 4 forwards and backwards (8 
races).
 - Intermediate Circuit - Tracks 1 through 5 forwards and backwards (10 
races).
 - Advanced Circuit - Tracks 1 through 6 forwards and backwards (12 
races).
 - Extreme Circuit (without Expansion Pak) - Tracks 1 through 5 
forwards, backwards, mirrored, etc. (20 races)
 - Extreme Circuit (with Expansion Pak) - Tracks 1 through 6 forwards, 
backwards, mirrored, etc. (24 races)
The Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced circuits all go in order - 
Track 1 forwards, then Track 2 forwards, until all the tracks have been 
raced forwards, then they are raced backwards in order - Track 1 
backwards, etc. The Extreme circuit randomizes the tracks and how they 
are raced - forwards or backwards, normal or mirrored, etc.
After every race, you score points for your finishing position. The 
point system is set up like the following:
 - 1st Place - 10 points
 - 2nd Place - 7 points
 - 3rd Place - 5 points
 - 4th Place - 3 points
 - 5th Place - 2 points
 - 6th Place - 1 point
Points are scored cumulatively through each of the races. At the end of 
the circuit, the final point scores are determined and the player with 
the highest score earns 1st place, the second highest score earns 2nd 
place, and the third highest score earns 3rd place - circuit placing 
and circuits are registered into the records. Circuit Mode is for only 
one player.

Stunt - In Stunt Mode, you can put your foot to the floor in four 
arenas and just go crazy to pull off the most awesome stunts possible. 
But you only have one to start with and you'll have to earn the other 
three by scoring stunt points. See "Stunt Mode" for more details. This 
is for up to four players.

Obstacle - This is a level that consists of several rooms, and each has 
its own unique challenge to master, and will not be easy to solve. And 
you'll only have a five-minute period to get through - and that's not a 
very long time. Getting through this level itself is a challenge, but 
unlocking it is just as much of one. This is only for one player.

Battle - Battle Mode is a two to four player death match mode where you 
pick up weapons lying around arenas and use them on other players, 
trying to get them to blow up. The question is, will they do the same 
to you? Whoever reaches the point goal first wins.

TRACK SELECTION MENU

Track - You can select from six tracks. However, when you start the 
game, only four are available. You will have to place in circuits to 
earn the remaining two tracks.

Laps - Make the race longer by adjusting this option. You can select 
from one single lap or a lengthy eight laps. Beginners will no doubt 
lean towards allowing more laps to pass the field faster. The default 
lap setting is three.

Backwards - This option can be turned on or off. If Backwards is turned 
on, you race the track in the opposite direction. The track itself is 
basically the same (except for tracks 1 and 6, where some minor 
adjustments are necessary); you just race it in the opposite direction.

Mirror - This option can be turned on or off. If mirror mode is turned 
on, the track is inverted. For example, if a track has a left-hand 
turn, it will now be a right-hand turn.

Fog - Control the weather in this option by moving the meter left and 
right to select from four different settings. The farther to the right 
the meter is, the more fog there will be on the track. Racing with fog 
can be fun and challenging, but it does reduce visibility and when fog 
is at the extreme point (far right), it can turn deadly because turns 
and obstacles will pop out of nowhere.

Wind - The further right you move the meter (to five different 
settings), the harder the wind will blow. If you become airborne with 
windy conditions, you can start sailing off the track. Practice flying 
with your car before racing with windy conditions.

Drones - This option can range from 0 to 5. Drones are also known as 
artificial intelligence (AI) cars or computer players. The drones 
actually were raced by real humans. There are four or five types of AI 
on each track, and is set up that if you bump a drone off its path, it 
will find the closest route and start racing on that AI path. If you 
can keep up with them, you can easily beat them. Watch closely!

Difficulty - The further this meter is moved to the right (between six 
settings), the more difficult drones will be to defeat. Usually the 
difference between an easy drone and a hard drone is their knowledge of 
the tracks and shortcuts, as well as the power under the hood. Remember 
that the more difficult you set the drones to be, the more likely your 
chances of not winning the race.

Handicap - The further this meter is moved to the right (between three 
settings), the easier it will be for less advanced players to compete 
with tougher players. This is only in two player races only.

Deaths - This option can be turned on or off. If Death Mode is turned 
on, a skull and crossbones will appear in an area on your screen. If 
you crash when Deaths are turned on, you're out of the race. Just like 
in real life. This also applies to drones as well. If Death Mode is 
turned off, your car will reset itself back on the track after every 
crash, and you can use the C-Up button to reset your car or "abort" 
manually.

Minutes (Stunt Mode only) - Select how much time you want to allot 
yourself. You can select from a quick one-minute freestyle drive up to 
twenty minutes of stunting. The more time you have, the more 
opportunities you will have to score major points - and most likely 
your score will be larger.

Points (Battle Mode only) - Select how many points you want to play to, 
from five to fifty. The more points, the longer the match will most 
likely be - the first player to reach this amount will win the match.

Negative Points (Battle Mode only) - There's an option to liven things 
up a little in Battle Mode. If Negative points are turned on, every 
time you flip over and crash (in Battle Mode, you can't blow up just by 
slamming hard into a wall), you will lose one of your points. This can 
increase the difficulty of getting to the point goal - and doesn't let 
you crash just to escape someone that's after you.

CAR SELECTION SCREEN

Car - There are thirteen cars to choose from in Rush 2049, but seven of 
them are hidden at first. The other six are yours to start with. They 
all start the same when it comes to performance, but by tweaking 
settings, they start to become different.)

Transmission - You start with a simple automatic transmission and a 
simple manual transmission (automatic does not require gear shifting, 
but manual does), but there are also sport and pro transmissions in 
both manual and automatic to be unlocked. Sport transmissions and pro 
transmissions are faster than the regular transmissions.

Handling - There are three types of handling to choose from: normal, 
advanced, or extreme. The way your car handles depends on the handling 
style you choose. Normal cars are perfect for beginners, but advanced 
racers will be able to work up to extreme handling. There are no types 
of handling to be unlocked.

Engine - Ah, yes: the power under the hood. There are three engine 
categories, and you start with one in each category: high performance, 
turbo, and aspirated. The three engines you start with are the 3.2L HP 
V6, Turbo 350, and 5.0L V8, but you have six others to unlock: two in 
every engine category. The more powerful the engine, the heavier it is, 
so keep that in mind, too - but there is more speed as well.

Tires - These are also very important. You only have radials to start 
with, which work well on the road but are fine off the road too. Slicks 
and pro slicks work well on the road, but work poorly on grass or other 
surfaces. (Note: pro slicks and extreme handling do NOT go together.) 
On the other hand, All Terrain tires come in handy on all surfaces, and 
offroad tires are not good for the road, but okay for excursions when 
you're not on the pavement.

Frame - Your car's frame dictates how it will behave on jumps and 
hills. Lighter frames will climb hills faster, glide farther, but lose 
control more often. Heavier frames, on the other hand, are slower, get 
less air, but are less likely to lose control. You start with light, 
standard, and heavy frames, but alloy frames in all those weights are 
also to be unlocked. Alloy frames are faster but have the same 
behaviour as normal frames. Also, the lighter the frame, the more 
likely you are to be pushed around.

Wings - The difference between 2049 and previous Rush games is that 
cars can sprout wings. They will allow you to glide and spin in the 
air. There are two sizes available, small and large. Stunt wings are 
only available in stunt mode. Smaller wings do not glide as far when 
extended, and do not spin as fast (or recover from spins), but if 
that's what you have in mind for your car, small wings it is. Larger 
wings glide far and spin and recover fast.

Colors - You don't like the colour of your car? Forget about it. It's 
no problem. You can select from either two or three colours, depending 
on the model. Find the perfect combination from a large palette and 
show off your stuff! And you don't even have to put up with the smell. 
Trust me. It stinks. :)

Rims - Why not customize your car further to make it as individual as 
you are with some cool rims? There are 21 different rims that you can 
put on your car. They don't affect performance, and you most likely 
won't see much of them when you're racing, but who knows who might be 
watching?