Tokyo Xtreme Racer - Strategy Guide (Page 01)

Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Tokyo Xtreme Racer - Strategy Guide (Page 01).

Shutokou Battle FAQ/Walkthrough/Secrets

By Felis Concolor (10/18/1999)
concolor@cris.com
concolor@concentric.net
rev 3.0


1. Overview
2. Menu and Interface
3. Car Types
4. Game Play
5. Driving Clubs
6. Tips and Suggestions
7. Secret Cars and Upgrade Parts (TokyoX Specific)
8. Differences between Shutokou/TokyoX



1. Overview

Welcome to Shutokou Battle.  This racing sim immerses you in the world of late 
night street racing on Tokyo's famed Shuto, the expressway and business loop 
that circles the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower.  The accuracy of the track is 
exact:  For further research check out a street and rail atlas of Japan; the 
outline is clearly visible and follows the course laid out in exacting detail.


The game itself is fairly straightforward; take your 25,000 initial construction 
points and buy a car, outfit it with engine, transmission, brake, chassis and 
cosmetic upgrades, then take to the streets and pick a fight.  If you're good, 
you'll win the respect and "money" of a rival.  If not, you can always try again 
later in the night or later in the game if you feel your car is not up to the 
task.  For those willing to hammer away and practice on a few laps that night it 
is entirely possible to defeat members of such lofty driving clubs as TR Racing, 
Speed Box and even the highest echelon, Speed Master on your first outing.  For 
the latter I have been extremely lucky with traffic but a win is a win and I 
will take the credit and the points no matter how it happens; the street is an 
unforgiving battleground.


As you begin to defeat cars, your database fills with info on your fellow 
rivals.  Their car types, names and a little bio on each member become available 
upon your first victory.  If you have challenged and lost or your race ended in 
a draw the only data you receive is the car type and driver name.  Keep at it; 
one day you will know all by winning everything.


As your wins increase, so does your reputation.  This changes the rules of the 
game as you no longer challenge all drivers but are increasingly challenged by 
other club leaders wanting a piece of you.  Stomp on them and the Devas begin 
asking, "who is this guy?"  You can expect some nights to be quite hectic as you 
shut down several club members followed by their leaders and then battle for 
your honor against such characters as Death Driver, Midnight Cinderella and the 
Silver Wolf.  Outdrive these loners and you'll earn a congratulations screen and 
some great closing music by Ziggy.  Those who have access to Tokyo Pop or
another anime music importer might want to check out the CD advertised in the 
back of the game flyer; with today's exchange rate it will cost from $29-37 but 
I feel it is worth every penny.  Oh yeah, the order number for the latest Ziggy 
CD is AICT-1040.



2. Menu and Interface


The Main Menu

After you press Start to begin the game you are presented with a menu screen.  
Menu selections are (from left to right):


Quick Race:  Choose this for practice against an increasingly stronger selection 
of adversaries.  You can choose either the sprint race (good for practicing your 
Quest Mode battles) or a single lap of the circuit.  You are given the choice of 
using the pre-packaged cars or loading your own from the VMS.  As you defeat 
more cars in the sprint your challenge bar is not replenished; you must stay 
ahead for the entire battle in order to win.  The Time Battle selection on the 
lower part of the screen is a single lap of the Shuto either clockwise or 
counterclockwise; whoever crosses the green line at the end first wins.  
Opponents start out fairly anemic in both and are ratcheted up in speed and 
handling until you fall.  This is where you can unlock the Fairlady Z or Type 
S30 car (TokyoX only).


VS Race:  Challenge a friend with their controller and VMS.  You can use one of 
the stock vehicles or load your favorite saved car from Quest Mode.  The battle 
selections are the same as in Quick Race.


Quest:  The core of the basic game.  Selecting this allows you to start up a new 
quest or load a save that is in progress.  This takes you to the Quest Mode menu 
system.


Practice:  Build up your skill sets without any rivals on the course.  You can 
choose A or B circuits, traffic or no traffic and your saved cars or the Quick 
Race cars.  Practice can be ended by taking an offramp or pressing Start and 
using the menu.


Options:  Miscellaneous settings and replay saves can be found here.  In order, 
clockwise from the bottom left of the screen, are:

Key Config:  Change your controller settings and default shift and flash 
buttons.

Load Replay:  Saved a favorite race on your VMS?  Relive the glory here.

Save Game File:  Save settings to your own or another VMS.  Also used to save 
high scores from the SP and Time Battle games.

Load Game File:  Load settings from your or a friend's VMS.

Sound:  Change BGM levels from 0 to 127, select stereo or mono sound playback 
and test each of the available race and BGM music tracks.  The vocal track is 
not available here; use the default Dreamcast system menu to play that one.

Network:  If you are already running the Dream Passport software, 
congratulations.  I have been unable to set my own machine up for Internet use 
so have been unable to further research this area.


Below follows a brief description of each menu setting from the Quest Mode menu.  
In clockwise order from the top right, they are:


Tuning:  This submenu allows you to purchase parts, adjust settings on your car 
and change such accessories as Aero parts, Muffler types and custom Wheels.  
This section will be covered in depth later.


Battle:  The core of the game.  Choose this selector and you will be presented 
with the A and B courses for your evening cruise.  The following screen allows 
you to turn on the generic car markers (use the triggers to toggle) and select 
between manual or automatic shift modes with the analog hat.


System:  Allows you to save or load a game, end the Quest Mode and return to the 
pening screen (any unsaved data will be lost) and change the key configuration  
on your controller (switches shifting buttons and the high beam flash button 
only; all other controls are locked in place).


Rival:  The logbook.  Use this to check up on who you have defeated, who you 
have met and who remains to be found.  When the rival has been defeated at least 
once the car will appear as a brightly lit model and the biography section will 
be filled with some data on the driver him/herself.


Shop:  Buy and sell cars.  You are not allowed to sell your driving car; use the 
garage to change them over.  You cannot sell your only car so if you are just a 
few CPs short of that Skyline or Supra you will have to go back out and earn 
them on the street that night before parting with your old ride.  I tend not to 
sell any of my purchased cars as it is more fun to upgrade them and compare 
notes on their unique performance profiles.


Garage:  Your storage area.  Here is where you can change over to a different 
vehicle in the stable and rename them to suit your tastes.  Select the car you 
want to use or work on and change it with the A button.


The Quest Mode menu also displays which day/night it is for you in the game and 
how many CPs you have in your personal stock.



The Tuning Menu


Buy Parts:  Selecting this takes you to the upgrade purchase section for your 
selected car.  Using the triggers on your controller brings up the data screen 
overlay, listing your car's critical dimensions, its power and torque ratings, 
the drive system and final drive ratio.  The settings are listed in metric 
terms, multiply the Torque rating by 6.8 for the equivalent foot-pounds listing.  
The upgrade choices, listed left to right, are:

1.  Engine:  This upgrades the heart of your machine and affects acceleration 
and to a lesser extent top speed.  Engine upgrades start at around 10% of your 
car's purchase price and in some cases can exceed the cost of the car itself.

2.  Brakes/Control Arms/Shock Absorbers:  This section unlocks greater levels of 
adjustment on the Settings submenu.  Level Two opens up Brake Balance, while 
Level Three allows you to change Ride Height (setting 4), Jounce and Rebound (5 
& 6).

3.  Transmission:  Your greatest top speed gains occur here.  As you upgrade 
your transmission you are given the ability to modify your shift points (Level 
Two, setting 7) and Final Drive ratio (Level Three, setting 8).  Higher 
transmission upgrades give you a closer ratio gearbox and your acceleration 
improves noticeably.

4.  Chassis:  How stiff your car's subframe is.  Cranking this up reduces flex 
and gives you greater control when your car starts to slide or bumps an 
obstacle.  Settings are not affected by these upgrades although it does give 
some of the best overall performance gains.  Couple chassis upgrades with the 
higher end wheels for a car that is easy to aim.

5.  Muffler:  Speed and sound.  These upgrades give you a freer flowing exhaust, 
improving acceleration slightly and top end performance as well as changing your 
exhaust note.  I tend to wait until I can afford the storm drain pipe, then slap 
it on and crack some windshields.

6.  Wheels:  Where the rubber meets the road.  These items are expensive not 
just because they look good:  They can radically improve your car's performance 
in the corners.  Most cars have two or three different styles for each upgrade 
level.  The breakdown is as follows:
The first three wheels in a series are soft compound for the front, hard 
compound for the rear.
The second three wheels in a series are hard compound for the front, soft 
compound for the rear.
The third set of wheels are soft compound front and rear.
Each wheel increases diameter by one inch within a set, ergo wheel five would be 
a +2 wheel with hard compound front and soft compound rear tires.

7.  Aero:  Looks good, feels great.  This submenu is composed of separate 
sections for each car, some of which will not apply to certain automobiles.  
Sadly there is no way to check the overall look of several separate pieces 
before you buy, so page through each one until you figure out what bits will 
look best for your ride.  Use your save feature before trying them out; if you 
do not like the look, reload the previously saved game.  I have not tested this 
area but the various wings and spoilers do not seem to affect overall 
performance.

8.  Color:  Match the hues to your moods.  Are you the strong, silent type?  
Perhaps a bold "ticket me red" scheme is more to your liking?  Each color slider 
has nearly 200 clicks available; if you cannot find the mix you like you 
probably cannot get it from DuPont either.  For metallics slide the adjustment 
towards the low end of the scale; bright solids can be found from the midpoint 
upwards.


Settings:  This submenu is straightforward and uses sliders for settings (press 
A to lock in the changes) with a default button for use if you really screw 
things up.  The list in order is:

1.  Steering Response:  Do you want a twitch car or do you prefer larger, more 
deliberate inputs?  Settings range from Slow to Quick.

2.  Brake Response:  How quickly do you want your brakes to grab?  Quick 
response allows for rapid flicking of the tail during high speed maneuvers but 
you run the risk of locking up and losing control.  These first two settings are 
the only ones available on a stock car.

3.  Brake Balance:  Available after level two suspension upgrades, this allows 
you to change which set of discs engages strongest.  Forward bias enables 
straight stopping while rearward bias allows one to drift through corners with 
ease.

4.  Ride Height:  Low to high, this allows you to alter the car's center of 
gravity.  Low cars are more stable but not as responsive during cornering.

5 and 6.  Jounce and Rebound:  Shock absorber terms that allow you to change 
your car's behavior on bounces, braking and drifts after Level Three suspension 
upgrades.

7.  Crossmission (Transmission) Shift Points:  Lower them for a quicker dash to 
top gear, raise them for a higher top speed.  Appears after Level Two 
transmission upgrades.

8.  Final Gear:  Raise it for quicker overall acceleration, lower it for a 
higher top speed.  It is available as part of your third transmission upgrade.  
Traditionally the terms used reflect the opposite of their settings; "tall 
gearing" refers to a low number while "short gearing" is a high ratio.


Change Parts:  If you have upgraded your car or have more than one Aero, Wheel 
or Muffler unit in your system you can change between them on this menu.  Each 
subsystem you have will be displayed here.  Select the item you wish to place on 
your car and press the A button.



3.  Car Types


Your limited funds prohibit you from purchasing many of the neatest bits of 
hardware when you start up the game but do not fret; any car you can afford 
initially may be upgraded to the point where you can hold off and defeat the 
first three Devas (although defeating Silver Wolf in the Toyota Corolla can be 
an exercise in frustration).  For first cars I usually purchase the EK9 or S14.  
These are quite different in their performance and handling profiles and are 
where most drivers diverge in their styles.  A brief description of the cars 
available for first purchase follows.


25,000 CP and under cars.

AE86L:  Toyota Corolla (80s variant).  Classic starter car.  16,000 CP cost 
allows for two engine upgrades necessary to challenge the middle ranks.  Use 
your first night's winnings to crank up your engine and transmission once again.

AE86T:  Toyota Corolla (80s style, pop up headlights).  Another favorite.  Same 
price, similar in most areas to AE86L but with slightly higher top speed after 
upgrades.  In the import version of the game (Shutokou Battle) it can be 
purchased as an experimental car sponsored by the West Japan Industrial Company.  
Beware; taking that upgrade path means you will be spending much more on the car 
before maxing it out.

S13:  Nissan Silvia/240SX.  20,000 CP will give you enough for a single engine 
upgrade, but I would instead recommend:

S14:  Same model, this one even newer.  Upgrade this to its maximum and you'll 
have no difficulty taking on the Devas when they appear.  25,000 CP means you'll 
be flat broke after you purchase it.  Both S13 and S14 are RWD and exhibit lift 
throttle oversteer in addition to kicking out the tail at speed.

RPS13:  Nissan 240SX.  Good looks, delightful balance just like the original.  
This is another car that leaves you next to nothing.  24,000 CP means you can 
buy a few cosmetic bits or change the color to your liking before hitting the 
streets.  The learning curve is steep for this car; give it two to three engine 
upgrades before cranking up the chassis and transmission to match.

EK9: Honda Civic.  The perennial favorite of the boy racer, this car has an 
especially tight FWD chassis and can outsprint the Toyota Corolla when maxed 
out.  This car corrects any steering inputs in a matter of milliseconds; 
pointing it straight or sliding through wide sweepers is especially fun.  20,000 
CP gives you enough for one engine upgrade; take three before working on 
anything else.

DC2:  Acura Integra.  Tight FWD chassis, understeers horribly at speed.  Use 
throttle and brake adjustments to point the nose where you want to go.  This car 
can be developed to take on Silver Wolf before retirement.  25,000 CP.


Over 25,000 CP cars

SW20:  Toyota MR2.  The first performance car to prove that mid engine and high 
reliability are not mutually exclusive items.  Balance is neutral with a slight 
bias towards oversteer.  Careful chassis tweaks can keep this one in the game 
until Zero shows up.  The highest club this one appears in is Wind Stars.  
30,000 CP.

JZA80:  Toyota Supra.  This car remains loose in its handling all throughout its 
upgrade cycle; use the chassis mods to unlock its best performance.  This car 
can take you through the end of the Quest; be prepared to rechallenge the Devils 
once they show up.  45,000 CP.

XE10:  Toyota Altezza.  A mid sized luxury performance sedan that is very good 
in the midgame.  Only the CE9A/CP9A have a tighter initial chassis among the 
sedans.  35,000 CP.

JZX100:  Toyota Crown Mark II.  This looks to be a very close relative of the 
Lexus 400 series.  Do not let its size fool you; this car has the acceleration 
curve of an express train.  Get up to speed and you'll be leaving many of the 
wedge cars behind.  33,000 CP.

R32:  Nissan Skyline (early 90s model).  Some people wonder why I am glad that 
Renault now controls much of Nissan.  Knowing that we have been denied their 
finest performance sedan for nearly thirty years is reason enough for me.  If 
you are having trouble finishing the game with your current supercar, pick up 
one of these and max it out.  If that does not seem like enough, then try:

R33:  Nissan Skyline (mid 90s model).  Slightly higher top speed, same neutral 
balance.  R32 costs 45,000 while R33 tips the scales at 50,000 CPs.

Z32:  Nissan Z.  Abandoning the numeric codes in favor of the letter that made 
it famous, this car exhibits greater neutral balance than the SW20/MR2.  Letting 
go of the steering wheel or analog hat simply leaves the car drifting in the 
direction it was pointed.  You need to actively point the nose where you want to 
go; this diminishes with upgraded chassis modifications.  40,000 CP.

Y33C/Y33G:  Nissan Cedric/Gloria.  The big ones.  More than a ton and a half of 
steel, glass and rubber means you can really throw some weight around.  Perfect 
for those who like to get ahead and win through intimidation.  38,000 CPs for 
both.

NA2:  Acura NSX.  The fastest car in the game; only experts need apply.  Getting 
it up to speed demands absolute precision in traffic sorting and cornering but 
when you do it right it is wonderful; being in the lead at the start of the long 
straight spells "it's over" for most pursuers.  95,000 CP.

CE9A/CP9A:  Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III/V.  An AWD coupe with a tight 
chassis.  Some drivers will avoid this model as it can be difficult to set up 
for drift or oversteer.  Others enjoy its stability; it is very difficult to 
screw up with this one.  Great for midgame to endgame playing, tweak the 
transmission for best acceleration and let your rivals figure out how to get 
past you.  CE9A is 35,000 CP, CP9A is 40,000 CP.

FC/FD:  Mazda RX7 2nd/3rd generation.  Although they lost their focus briefly in 
the mid 80s Mazda returned to the high performance arena with a vengeance in the 
90s; an ounce here and an ounce there equals one of the lightest and quickest 
two seat cars on the road today.  Slight oversteer balance is easy to tune; pick 
up Midnight Cinderella's secret paint job and impress your friends.  FC costs 
30,000 to start with while FD will set you back 45,000 CP.

GC8:  Subaru Impreza WRC.  Having experienced all of the real world mini-4WD/AWD 
offerings from Japan (for the domestic market) in the past decade I ask; why 
bother?  Subaru's chassis continues to define the genre and set the standard; if 
it weren't for those horrible cupholder ergonomics and awful seatbelt/window 
ledge positioning I would be driving a Forester today.  This chassis is for 
those who like the AWD sedans but desire something a little looser in the 
corners; setting up drifts in this model is easy.  Remove the rear loop spoiler 
and stick on the flat wing tab for understated elegance.  40,000 CP.

GFLF/GFLS:  Mitsubishi Eclipse (Tokyo Xtreme Racer only).  It must be me; I love 
the GFLF chassis but find the GFLS's handling to be even less attractive than 
the styling (and here I thought Honda Quaaludes were soporific).  Changing to 
FWD only serves to hurt this car's reputation.  It is all subjective, however; 
do not be too annoyed with my rant.  The GLFS is preferable to the DC2 in 
overall performance, however; I would rather be stuck in the former than have to 
find a workable chassis tweak for the Integra once again (two weeks of game 
time; ouch!).


Special Cars:  These cars cannot be had until certain Quest Mode points have 
been reached.  After you defeat The Four Devas you will be presented with 
purchase options for:

S15:  This is the latest iteration of the S13/S14/240SX line and has several 
main upgrades greyed out.  I assume this is because the parts used are actual 
aftermarket units and nothing has yet been developed for this car.  The major 
areas (Engine, Suspension, Transmission, Chassis and Wheels) are still available 
for upgrades as is the color menu.  33,000 CP.

AP1:  Honda S2000.  Apparently Honda will treat us to this beauty in the next 
model year; go ahead and give your local dealer some grief if you really want 
one.  This car makes you feel like you are a much better driver than you are; 
drifting is easier in this car than any other.  You have to be perfect with it 
in order to challenge the middle and upper ranks, however; its top speed is 
quite limited in relation to the larger sedans.  40,000 CP.


For the next pair of cars you have to finish the game (defeat the final driver 
in his Fairlady).  After saving, check out the shop; you will be able to 
purchase:

R34:  Nissan Skyline GT-R (current model year).  This is it; the car that makes 
it all worthwhile.  If you enjoyed the R32 and R33 you'll love how much further 
the R34 takes them.  Maxed out and with a transmission tweaked for acceleration 
you can pull anyone on the track, except maybe the following model:

P930:  Porsche 930.  This, the ultimate evolution of the famed 911 series never 
made it out of the 80s.  Its legacy can be seen to this day in the many frog 
faced iterations rolling down the highways.  Formidable in stock trim, max it 
out and it becomes a physical manifestation of the equation "Delta-V".  Rear 
engine rear wheel drive means you really have to lock down the chassis or be 
slapping the walls on every corner.  Upgrading this monster can easily set you 
back over 400,000 CPs.  Only one car costs more to upgrade.  The R34 will set 
you back 55,000 CPs if you pick it up but this pales in comparison to the P930's 
startup cost; 130,000 CPs!



4. Game Play


After you choose your car and outfit it the way you like, you then hit the 
streets and see how you measure up against the speed kings and queens who prowl 
the circuit.  Yes, there are female drivers in this game.  You will have to deal 
with girls who can outdrive guys when you start to ascend the ranks.  Choice of 
course is limited to a clockwise or counterclockwise circuit; each has a unique 
flavor and some drivers will find one direction to be their forte.  You will 
need to switch back and forth between sides to optimize your challenges.  Some 
of the drivers you battle will also have weaknesses on certain courses.


As you circle the Shuto you will see your car indicated as a blinking yellow 
square on the overall course map.  Other cars to challenge are indicated in 
blue, red or green squares.  Blue squares are car/driver combinations you have 
not met before, red squares indicate a racer whose status is still undefeated 
(Lose/Draw on the outcome menu) and green is the all clear light.  You have 
defeated that racer at least once but can still challenge them for more CPs.  
Often you will find yourself taking someone on a second or third time because 
the race is on the way to a new rival.  The rival's purse is set highest for the 
first victory; it is reduced to 40% of its original value afterwards.  You also 
receive bonus points for how many ticks are left on your challenge bar at the 
end of the match (100-1 x modifier, 0 means you have lost) and how many meters 
you have travelled (1CP/10Meters, 100CP/Kilometer).


Challenging other drivers is straightforward.  Approach from the rear until the 
club logo and challenge bars appear at the top of the screen.  You will also see 
a name in hiragana, katakana, kanji and the occasional roman alphabet on the 
left hand side of the screen (only applies to Shutokou Battle; all names are 
alphabetic in TokyoX).  When you feel it is time, press the B button (default) 
to flash the driver with your high beams.  This challenged, the autopilot takes 
over and you both activate your hazard lamps to begin the contest.


In most cases you will be challenging in the overtaking position.  On occasion a 
fortuitous placement of traffic or freeway dividers can give you the lead when 
the timer counts down to takeoff.  Use these situations wisely; you can often 
defeat a clearly superior car simply be being in the lead at the start of a 
favorite section.


The victory conditions are simple; stay ahead of your rival for as long as 
possible, demonstrating your superior driving skills.  The further ahead you are 
the faster your rival's challenge bar drops.  This can also be used as a 
subliminal indication of how hard you need to push things.  If the bar is 
dropping like a stone you might want to take it easy and clean up your line 
through traffic.  If the bar seems like it is not moving at all you'll need to 
stand on the throttle in order to give yourself some distance and breathing 
room.  When the rival is within several tens of meters you can also hear the hum 
of his or her engine, another useful indicator.


The drivers are programmed with differing skill levels and skill sets.  Some are 
insanely fast on the long sweepers, some are especially adept at weaving through 
shifting traffic, some can barrel through chicanes and complex passages with 
ease.  A select few can do all of these:  Fear them.


Races can be won, lost or drawn.  Wins are straightforward;  you made it, now 
take the money and pick on somebody else.  Losses indicate a need to hone 
technique or upgrade a car.  Draws can be initiated by several events; you can 
split up where the highway divides between high and low roads, take an offramp 
accidentally or on purpose.  In either case the contest is unresolved and the 
car's blue square turns to red to remind you of unfinished business.


After the race the Results Menu will appear, allowing you to relive the glory 
(or cringe through the debacle) and analyze your attack, save the race movie to 
your VMS (expensive, 75 blocks required) or return to the track and harass some 
more drivers.  This also allows you to hook up a VCR and record your victories 
to show disbelieving friends ("Silver Wolf in a CRX?  I'll believe it when I see 
it.").


The menus also allow you to exit the evening with a simple command but I 
consider this bad form.  Use the supplied exits to end the night; this also 
allows you to practice a bit after challenges and can help maintain the 
atmosphere created by the game.


When you start to pick off the members of a club the word gets back to whoever 
leads that group and his or her interest rises in you.  When you remove the 
second to last member of the club you will exit the Results Menu to find that 
this time you are the one being challenged by the club leader in a final 
reckoning race.  It is almost as if they are saying, "alright; you have 
humiliated every member of my club; let's see how good you really are."  Win 
that race and the Devas become interested in your abilities.  The first Deva 
will challenge you after you defeat two club leaders.  This will be your first 
three race back-to-back stint as you defeat the club member followed directly by 
the club leader followed by Death Driver himself.  Shut him down and you will 
have more than enough points for at least one high level engine upgrade or 
possibly a new car.


Each successive Deva will appear after two clubs have been defeated.  Some 
nights will see you fending off two Deva attacks if you shut down enough driving 
clubs that evening.  If you are unable to defeat the Deva that night he or she 
will continue to harass you each following night after any regular or club 
victory until you slap them hard.  Occasionally they will not show up after a 
battle; it usually means they are one of the red squares on the track waiting 
for your challenge ("You are not a Jedi yet.").  The earliest I have encountered 
a Deva was night two after closing out Rolling Guy and Curving Edge, the longest 
was six days as I laboriously worked my way through seven separate clubs, never 
completely defeating any until that fateful evening.


After you race and defeat the fourth Deva the game ends and you are given a 
victory screen and some great music by Ziggy.  After saving your progress you 
then find out the game was only beginning; you still have to defeat the other 
club members and leaders.  There are also four new super drivers out there, this 
time called The Four Devils.  These drivers show up when the Devas refuse to 
cruise the Shuto.  When they appear it is to say, "alright; let's see how rough 
you can play."  The CP values are quite high; you can purchase most cars on a 
single victory's points.  Take care of these masters and you will receive a 
second victory celebration and a well deserved rest.  The frequency of each 
Devil's appearance is timed to the defeat of three clubs.



5.  Driving Clubs


A list of the clubs, their general styles and select members follows:

1.  Rolling Guy:  These guys are feeble both in cars and mind.  With such 
imaginative names as Rolling Guy 1, Rolling Guy 2, Rolling Guy 3 and so on you 
should feel ashamed if you ever lose to one of these putzes.  Looks like Bob 
Marley behind the wheel on their logo; perhaps they have been hitting the weed 
too often?

2.  Curving Edge:  Better equipment but whoever is behind the wheel is woefully 
inadequate.  Names get better; Shutokou Prince leads this group.

3.  SS Limited:  Luxury cars with jerks behind the wheels.  Names like Heaven's 
4 Doors and Black Line (Brakeline?  Black Rain?  Until they create a katakana 
'l' translations will be less than exact) belie their abilities; they have mass 
and know how to use it.  Pass them and it's all over.

4.  Elegant Wild:  Cars as curvaceous as the name.  Deep Green, White Revolution 
and 300 Mile Red Ruby have decent top speeds; screw up early if at all.

5.  Max Racing:  SS Limited hopes to one day be first class assholes like these 
guys.  Bloody Rose leads this crew of heavyweights.

6.  Diamond Image:  A motley crew of basic and second level cars.  Lone Wolf, 
Lightning Foot and Yellow Angel might well be insurmountable for some stock 
cars.  They have decent traffic abilities; mix it up with them on the ramps.

7.  Fine Drive:  Look at their logo and say, "Club ED".  Red Comet leads this 
large club, driving a car you can't purchase until the first game is finished.  
Think Elegant Wild with higher top speeds and better traffic sorting.

8.  Twister:  Good in traffic, great for top speed.  Keep them to the twisties 
and you should not have a problem.  Names like Shooting Star and Blue Light are 
found here.

9.  R. Gang:  Vintage revolvers for a logo, insanely tall final drive ratios for 
speed.  They are deceptively easy to pull at the start; screw up late in the 
game and it's all over.  Street Dancer and Raindrop are members.

10.  Tokio Jungle:  These guys know how to keep close by your tail; defeating 
them usually involves driving past the next rival on the course.  MJ6feet6?  If 
that's a height measurement this driver is not only the tallest racer in Japan 
he's the tallest who can fit into a Honda Civic.  Slide Freak drives a second 
generation turbocharged RK-7 while their leader is simply titled "ii-oh".

11.  Top Level:  The tree huggers.  Lots of AWD Sedans means they can take any 
line they want.  Pass them, then run like hell.

12.  Free Way:  The name is the game.  What would happen if you combined R. 
Gang's high final drive ratios with real power?  The result can reel you in on 
any long straightaway.  Make all your gains in the technical sections and hope 
to be in the lead by the next corner.  Axle Junkie is the most colorful of the 
bunch while Crystal Nights has a nice front end aero treatment.  Stand on it and 
steer; they're right behind you.

13.  Another Star:  By the time you meet them you'll say Another Scrub.  Names 
like Blue Speed and Silver Speed will bring back memories of Rolling Guy 
although Battle Scratch does redeem their ranks somewhat.

14.  Speed Box:  The most expensive club on a per car basis.  Everyone drives 
Acura NSX vehicles and they know how to use them.  Try to set up a lead when you 
flash to challenge; they're fast and can hurt your challenge bar early and 
quickly.  Burning Red has a nice aero treatment, while Killing Machine keeps his 
missile looking stock.

15.  TR Racing:  Their logo has wings and for good reason; these drivers can 
fly!.  No matter how many times I defeat them, neither Lovely Lina nor 180 
Master will give me their phone numbers.  Street Queen's the hardest of the 
basic club members while Dancing Chaser drives a Lexus 400-series luxury sedan 
faster than any male driver.  Hey, Evangelion fans; the purple Skyline is 
driven by Rev Limit Shinji!

16.  Cupid Arrows:  The all girl kickass team.  A name that screams "pansy" with 
drivers that make grown men cry.  This team is ranked below Speed Master, Wind 
Star and RR yet you need a high level car in order to defeat them.  Uniformly 
nasty, they excel in traffic, corners and straights with their only weakness 
being a limited top speed.  Once you shut them down you know you have reached 
the big time.  Moonlight Child and 246 Heartbreaker are noted traffic sorters.  
Sonic Runner drives the only Honda S2000 in the game.  It's painted 
blue...perhaps she's a relative of the hedgehog?

17.  Wind Star:  These fellows do much more justice to the name than the 
minivan.  R Magic, Black Magic and Diamond Dust are worthy opponents with Yellow 
Flare driving a gorgeous S15.  Black Magician's MR2 has a large wing on the 
nose; one friend cannot help but give a Kevin Cartman "ramp him!  ramp him!" 
whenever he drives by.

18.  R. R.:  The Rotary Club.  Nothing but Mazda RX-7s of second and third 
generation design.  Cornering Artist, Hiroshi and High Speed Star are all 
highlights.

19.  Rings:  Win Ugly.  These fellows are better at playing in traffic than you 
are.  See the wall, feel the wall, make them eat the wall.  While you can get 
lucky with traffic against Speed Master there is no such out for this club; high 
level cars are required for the win.

20.  Speed Master:  The pinnacle.  You don't need to be perfect, it just makes 
winning a lot easier if you are.  The leader's name says it all:  Iceman.  Put 
the freeze on these after honing your skills to perfection.  Maniac Player 
drives a well done red GC8, while Black Angel has butchered his onyx Supra's 
lines with one of the larger wings in the game.  He could use some style points 
from First Beat.


That's it for the basic drivers.  The Devas and Devils are unique in that they 
are listed with the same club name yet are not displayed subordinate to each 
other.


The Devas


1.  Death God Driver/Grim Reaper:  The logo speaks louder than words; this 
fellow is here for your soul.  With a level three engine and an upgraded chassis 
on your basic ride he can be tough but defeatable.  Once he has been closed down 
pour your winnings into one more engine and chassis upgrade before taking on:

2.  Midnight Cinderella:  Her family name is Hayashibara but this is no Megumi.  
Her white RX-7 is painted with a wild blue flame job and is quite difficult to 
get around, possibly because she learned her unique driving style while living 
in America.  EK9 with three engine upgrades can keep ahead briefly; give it four 
and she is no problem.

3.  Silver Wolf/Nocturnal Wolf:  Silver Skyline, black heart.  This fellow knows 
the perfect line; too bad if you're trying to take it as well.  Work hard on 
traffic sorting and line changing on sweeping curves and he will fall 
eventually.

4.  Dreaming Apparition/Banshee:  Driving a tricked out golden NSX with flames 
and sporting a logo that features a skull with a manji carved into its forehead 
this car screams, "run, little one or I will chew you up, spit you out, slurp up 
the pieces and spit them out again."  The final super driver for the first game.


The Devils

1.  Crimson Demon/Raven Blood:  This fellow drives a new R34 Skyline with 
impressive graphics and numerics printed on the hood, sides and wings.  Easily 
the ugliest driver of the Devils; you should feel no qualms when you slam him 
into a guardrail, highway divider or other car.

2.  Exhaust Eve:  Check it out; she's an Office Lady!  Piloting a hot pink 
Toyota Supra with Italian racer style red and green stripes this girl drives as 
beautifully as her car is brash.  Keep her in traffic for the best challenge.

3.  ZERO:  This driver has been bothering people for over 10 years and it's easy 
to understand why.  A Porsche 930 turbocar is still a formidable foe, despite 
the last ones being produced before the 80s were over.  He's good but perfection 
can be his undoing; traffic can upset him heavily.

4.  The Man With No Name.  He drives a car that is already older than most 
people who will play the game.  His logo features a demonic skull munching on an 
inverted Christian cross with the numerals 666 stamped above.  His weapon of 
choice?  A 1972 Datsun Fairlady Z.  Be afraid; be very afraid.  This driver has 
been kicking everyone around for well over 10 years and no one has shut him 
down...until you come along.  It is up to you to show him who is the master, 
once and for all.



6.  Basic Tips and Suggestions


Construction Points

Each driver has a basic purse that is modified according to the victory 
conditions.  The first time you race somebody the bonus modifier is five; you 
can never receive this bonus again.  If you lose or draw the first race the 
bonus modifier drops immediately to four for the first victory.  This means that 
you win 20% more CPs if the car's light goes straight from blue to green.  Any 
further challenges after the first victory have a bonus modifier of two, just 
40% of the original prize purse.  You also receive a challenge bar bonus based 
on the number of percentage points left.  If you win a race going away you 
receive a nice extra; if it was ugly and involved switching the lead several 
times expect there to be very little as a challenge bonus.  You always receive 
points for the race at a rate of 1CP per 10 meters driven.  This has altered my 
strategy on several occasion as I let more difficult drivers go for a night or 
two until I knew my upgraded car could finish them off.


Upgrades

Upgrading your car can make a major difference in how it handles on the course 
as well as how quickly it responds to your inputs on the controller.  Engine, 
Chassis, Brakes, Transmission and other areas can all make a difference in how 
the car behaves and balancing them can be crucial to early success.