FAQ - Guide for Cool Boarders 2

-------------------
Cool Boarders 2 FAQ
-------------------

Game: Cool Boarders 2
Last updated: March 20th, 2000
Version: 1.0
Author: Tom Hayes
E-mail: [email protected]

Version History
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VERSION 1.0 - March 20th, 2000

First version, so everything is nice and new!
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CONTENTS

I. Introduction
II. My review
III. Character statistics
IV. Board statistics
V. Move lists
VI. Levels
 1. White Resort
 2. Sunset Downhill
 3. Bear in the Forest
 4. Railroad trip
 5. Take It Easy
 6. Pipeline Canyon
 7. Freezing Point
 8. Winding River
 9. Snow Ruins
 10. Dive into the Cave
VII. Secrets
VIII. Shortcuts
IX. Special Thanks
X. Conclusion
XI. Copyright information

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I. Introduction
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Welcome to my Cool Boarders 2 FAQ. This FAQ is written to help you with 
the excellent game: Cool Boarders 2. Cool Boarders 2 is one of the best 
snowboarding games out on the Play Station, and by most people, it is 
even preferred over Cool Boarders 3 and Cool Boarders 4. What makes it 
so good is the trick system, the ability to combine tricks, flips and 
spins into one trick. The sense of speed as you zoom down some of the 
steepest courses ever seen in a game. The first-person camera angle 
view, which lets you see what the character in the game sees. All these 
different aspects pull together to make a stunning, and very playable 
game. I hope my Cool Boarders 2 FAQ helps!

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II. My review
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Graphics - 7/10

The graphics in Cool Boarders 2 are reasonably drawn. The tracks are 
huge, and for this reason, lose some of their detail. You can see the 
lines where the parts of the track have been joined, and this can be 
annoying in some places when you see lots of these little white lines on 
the track. Everything else, such as houses, trees and the backgrounds, 
are drawn to a reasonable standard, but could have been improved. The 
characters are well drawn, and are animated very well. The tricks that 
the characters do in the game look very similar to the tricks that real 
snowboarders do. Other than a few minor problems, the graphics are well 
drawn, and suit the game well.

Sounds - 8/10

There's no fast music in this game, but slow relaxing music which 
actually fits in with this type of game perfectly. There are too few 
sound effects in this game, which is disappointing, as a few more sound 
effects could have really added to the atmosphere of the game.

Gameplay - 9/10

The first thing that makes this game so fun is the range of tricks you 
can do! There must be at least 20 tricks you can do, and then you can 
mix those tricks with combinations, flips and spins! There are so many 
modes of play in this game. You can compete in Big Air mode, where you 
attempt to do the biggest and best tricks in order to get the best 
points. You can enter Master mode, where you have to do tricks of 
increasing difficulty down a seemingly never-ending course. There's 
Half-pipe mode where you can do tricks in a half-pipe (only one half-
pipe course is in the game, which is a shame). There's the Board Park 
mode where you can practice all of your skills on a level filled with a 
variety of obstacles such as cars, buses, rails and ramps. And finally 
there's the Tournament mode, where you have to compete in 10 huge levels 
against other competitors. With all these different modes of play, it's 
very difficult for this not be a fun game!

Lastability - 10/10

This game has so many modes of play (see the gameplay section of this 
review), that it's very difficult to become bored of this game. There 
are always new combinations of tricks to try out, and you can always add 
a few extra spins or flips to these tricks to make them look even 
better. Master mode is very fun, as you can do trick after trick in an 
attempt to get the furthest down the course. You can always try and 
improve your scores in Half-pipe and big air mode. And the Board Park is 
always something to do when you're bored. Add to this already huge game 
a design your own board feature and a two-player mode, and you have one 
of the most long lasting games ever made!

Overall - 9/10

Cool Boarders 2 will last a very long time, due to all of the different 
modes of play. There are a few graphical flaws in the game, such as 
white lines that appear on the track, but this doesn't detract from the 
gameplay value of the game at all. Everything seems to have been worked 
on in this game, such as the levels and all the different modes of play. 
It's just so fun trying to get a new high score, or trying to do a new 
trick. There has just been so much effort put into this game, and that's 
what makes Cool Boarders 2 the excellent game that it is.

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III. Character statistics
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10 stars is the maximum amount.

Yaggi
-----
Balance       - ****
Jump          - ******
Maximum speed - **
Power         - ****
Quickness     - ******
Technique     - ********

Jin 
---
Balance       - *
Jump          - ****
Maximum speed - **********
Power         - ********
Quickness     - **
Technique     - ****

Cindy
-----
Balance       - **
Jump          - ****
Maximum speed - ******
Power         - ****
Quickness     - ******
Technique     - ******

Irin
----
Balance       - **********
Jump          - *****
Maximum speed - **
Power         - **
Quickness     - **********
Technique     - ******

Boss
----
Balance       - *******
Jump          - ********
Maximum speed - ********
Power         - ********
Quickness     - **********
Technique     - ********

Gray
----
Balance       - **********
Jump          - ********
Maximum speed - *
Power         - **
Quickness     - **********
Technique     - **********

Snow Man
--------
Balance       - 
Jump          - ****
Maximum speed - **********
Power         - **********
Quickness     - **********
Technique     - **


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IV. Board statistics
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10 stars is the maximum amount. 

----------------
FREESTYLE BOARDS
----------------

Type 1
------
Maximum speed - *
Response      - **********
Stability     - **********

Type 2
------
Maximum speed - *
Response      - *********
Stability     - *********

Type 3
------
Maximum speed - **
Response      - ********
Stability     - ********

Special
-------
Maximum speed - ****
Response      - **********
Stability     - **********

-----------------
ALL-AROUND BOARDS
-----------------

Type 1
------
Maximum speed - ***
Response      - ******
Stability     - *****

Type 2
------
Maximum speed - ****
Response      - *****
Stability     - ****

Type 3
------
Maximum speed - *****
Response      - ****
Stability     - ****

Special
-------
Maximum speed - *******
Response      - ******
Stability     - *****

-------------
ALPINE BOARDS
-------------

Type 1
------
Maximum speed - ******
Response      - ***
Stability     - **

Type 2
------
Maximum speed - *******
Response      - **
Stability     - **

Type 3
------
Maximum speed - ********
Response      - *
Stability     - *

Special
-------
Maximum speed - *********
Response      - ***
Stability     - **

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V. Move lists
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Right ------------ = Spin to the right
Left ------------- = Spin to the left
Up --------------- = Front flip
Down ------------- = Back flip
Up + Right ------- = Misty flip
Up + Left -------- = Misty flip
Down + Right ----- = Misty flip
Down + Left ------ = Misty flip
L1 --------------- = Shifty
Down + R1 -------- = Lien Air
Up + R2 ---------- = Indy Grab
Up + R1 ---------- = Mute Grab
Down + R2 -------- = Stalefish
Down + L2 -------- = Method
L1 + L2 ---------- = Shuffle
Up, Up + R1 ------ = Nose Grab
Down, Down + R2 -- = Tail Grab
Up, R2 + L2 ------ = Indy Nosebone
Down, R1 + L1 ---- = Tweak
Up, R1 + L2 ------ = Stiffie
Down, R1 + L2 ---- = Melancholy

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VI. Levels
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1. White Resort
---------------

Level facts:
Length - 2660 metres
Maximum Slope - 28.4 degrees
Average Slope - 16.8 degrees
 
Level guide:
Hold down from the start, and drop down on the left side of the tree.  
You will now be in a long straight section, with nothing much to worry 
about except a few small bends. After a while, you will come to a 
checkpoint. Drop down the small jump, and go through the village, going 
through the small bends as you go. Near the end of the village, there 
will be an extremely tight corner. Use the square button and the left 
direction button to move through here, and then quickly press the right 
direction and square to get through the next corner. Carry on through 
the checkpoint, and down a bit further until you get to a section with 
trees on the bank. Swerve as far left as you can, and then use the 
square and the right direction button to get through this corner. Carry 
on down the rest of the course to the finish!

Hints:
Near the start of the level, at the 1st jump, don't jump off of the left 
side of the jump. If you jump off the right side, there is actually a 
rooftop that will boost you high in the air, and allow you to get far 
more points.

Things to try:
At the checkpoint before the village section, jump to the right to land 
on the snowy rooftop.

2. Sunset Downhill
------------------

Level facts:
Length - 2959 metres
Maximum slope - 32.2 degrees
Average slope - 23.1 degrees

Level guide:
Zoom down the hill at the start and ride over the first big jump. Swerve 
through the three mild bends around the rocky area, and you will soon 
come to a checkpoint. Jump through the checkpoint, and stay to the left 
when you land in the icy area. Continue along and go through the exit at 
the left side of the icy area. When you come to the first tight corner, 
hold square and left. Carry on down the course, and you will find 
yourself in another slidy icy area. Jump over, or swerve around the logs 
that litter this place, and then jump over the two jumps. AGH, more ice! 
Quickly swerve to the right as soon as you land, and you will shortly 
find yourself looking down on one rather steep looking mountain. Glide 
down here as quickly as you can, and stay as low as you can on the curve 
at the end of the mountain. Carry on down the rest of the course until 
you get to the end.

Hints:
This works well with Boss. Hold X + Down + Right from the start, and let 
go just as you are nearing the top of the jump. You should hopefully do 
a double misty 1080, and will get a lot of points! Add two grabs to 
this, such as Up, R1 + L2 and Down, R1 + L2, and you can get even more 
points! 

Things to try:
The start of the mountain is good for getting some pretty major air! How 
high and far can you go?

3. Bear in the Forest
---------------------

Level facts:
Length - 3120 metres
Maximum slope - 49.6 degrees
Average slope - 29.4 degrees

Level guide:
Glide down the start of the course, swerving around the mild bends, and 
ride over the 1st jump. Swerve through the vast amount of stupid trees 
that are in this level, and stay on the right hand side of the course as 
you go over the 2nd jump. Swerve around the trees for a while longer, 
and you will eventually come to a VERY sharp curve. Hold square, right 
and down, and you might be able to make it around this extremely tight 
corner. Carry on, and swerve once again around a few trees until you 
arrive at a checkpoint. Jump through this, and once again twist and turn 
through all of the trees until you arrive at another checkpoint. Stay on 
the right side as you go through the checkpoint, as this part of the 
checkpoint has a jump. Carry on once again through the extremely 
annoying trees, until you arrive at what could possibly be the biggest 
jump in the entire game. Jump over this, and then continue on to the 
finish.

Hints:
Use the square button to swerve between the trees.

Things to try:
Getting through the entire course without hitting one single tree.

4. Railroad Trip
----------------

Level facts:
Length - 2770 metres
Maximum slope - 34.0 degrees
Average slope - 23.5 degrees

Level guide:
Swerve around the first two mild corners, and jump over the first jump. 
Carry on down the course, and you will soon find yourself on an icy 
section, leading up to a nice little jump through a checkpoint. Carry on 
down the level a bit further to find yourself near a brown log. AHA, 
This must be one of those things snowboarders grind on! To do a grind, 
jump 90 degrees onto the log, so you land sideways, and then balance 
using left and right directions. Continue down the course, holding right 
as you take the exceptionally long corner. Go over the jump, and then 
swerve around the rocky corners onto a kind of half-pipe. For some 
reason, the game doesn't consider this to be a half-pipe, and won't let 
you do tricks when you go up it. Ah well, continue down this half-pipe, 
and go over the checkpoint. Hold right as you swerve around some pretty 
tight corners, and then jump over the three jumps on the way to the end 
of the level.

Hints:
This is pretty much a slow course. If you want to get through it 
quickly, hold down as much as you can.

Things to try:
That log about quarter of the way down the course looks useful. Can you 
grind the whole thing?

5. Take It Easy
---------------

Length - 1674 metres
Maximum slope - 34.9 degrees
Average slope - 22.6 degrees

Level guide:
There's a nice easy corner leading up to the 1st jump. Jump over this, 
and swerve around the mild corners on the way to the 2nd jump. After 
this, stay on the left side of the track, to avoid falling off of the 
mountain. Go along this bit of track for a while, and eventually you 
will drop down into an area where rocks are on all the sides. Glide down 
the middle of this part, and then hold left as you go around the corner. 
There's a nice easy ride up to the 3rd jump, so glide over this. There 
will be some pretty tight corners coming up, so make sure you use the 
square button to swerve around them. You should soon enter a tunnel, 
with a huge jump at the other side. After this, there are a few annoying 
trees dotted all over the track. Stay to the left side of the track, and 
you should soon notice a jump. This is the 5th jump, and after this is 
the finish.

Hints:
Having trouble beating this course in tournament mode? Use the shortcut 
(see the shortcuts section for more detail).

Things to try:
A back flip/front flip through the shortcut, it can be done!

6. Pipeline Canyon
------------------

Length - 3841 metres
Maximum slope - 41.3 degrees
Average slope - 30.8 degrees

Level guide:
Zoom straight down the beginning of this extremely fast course, and you 
should arrive at the 1st jump. After this, use the square button to 
swerve around the corners. After a while, you should arrive at a part 
with three poles. Be careful going through this part, and zoom straight 
on to the 2nd jump. You should soon arrive at a part of the course that 
has a blue fence on the left side. Drop down the hill, and then swerve 
off to the left and follow the course along, taking the sharp turns 
using the square button when necessary. Eventually, you should arrive at 
yet another jump. After this, it's a nice gentle ride down to a 
checkpoint. Soon after, you should come to a part of the course with 
nothing on the right side. Stay on the right side to avoid the two pipes 
that stick out of the ground. Carry on down the course and you should 
notice a long bendy pipe. This is great fun if you can actually get on 
the stupid thing. Carry on after this to another jump, which leads on to 
a sharp corner. After this, there is a very sharp corner with a drop on 
the right side. Hold left as you go around this corner, and then glide 
down the rest of the course to the finish.

Hints:
Having trouble beating this course in tournament mode? Use the shortcut 
(see the shortcuts section for more detail).

Things to try:
There is a very long, snow covered pole near the end of this level. Can 
you grind the entire thing?

7. Freezing Point
-----------------

Length - 3674 metres
Maximum slope - 49.8 degrees
Average slope - 40.1 degrees

Level guide:
Tap left and right to get around the first few corners, and then use the 
left + square combination to get around the particularly difficult 
corner. Carry on, and jump over the first huge jump near the trees. 
There is a few more corners before a rocky area. Most of these rocks are 
pretty harmless, and can be glided over. Some of them however, can not. 
It's best to just avoid them completely, and glide around them. After 
the rocky area, there is what could possibly be the tightest corner in 
the game. Use right + square + down to get around this corner, and then 
carry on down the course to the 2nd jump. Carry on down the course, and 
you will soon be in an icy bit, followed by a 3rd jump, followed by 
another icy bit. After this, there's a bridge, which leads on to a few 
corners, and then a checkpoint, which is actually a huge gap in 
disguise! Jump over the gap, and then follow the course until you get to 
another huge jump. After this, you should notice a few yellow warning 
signs. Swerve to the left as you take the first corner, and then quickly 
swerve to the right as you take the next corner. Carry on down the rest 
of this course until you get to the finish.

Hints: 
This is the fastest course in the game! Use square as much as you can, 
even for the little corners.

Things to try:
Getting down the entire course without falling over once. 

8. Winding River
----------------

Length - 2950 metres
Maximum slope - 34.7 degrees
Average slope - 29.6 degrees

Level guide:
Jump over the first gap near the start, and then use the right + square 
combination to go around the particularly nasty corner. After this, 
there is a few mild bends, leading up to a hidden corner. It looks like 
the track carries on, but it doesn't, it turns to the right. So hold 
right as you swerve around this corner, and carry on down this lengthy 
part of the track. Hold left as you reach the corner in the icy tunnel, 
and then zoom out the checkpoint on the other side. There's another 
hidden corner around here. Hold left as you reach the suspicious looking 
track, and then jump the gap at the other side. Glide down the bumps, 
and then hold right + square to get around the corner. There is a 
checkpoint near here, which neatly hides a big gap. Jump through the 
checkpoint, hopefully clearing the gap, and continue down the course. 
After the trees, there is a kind of slope section in the course. Jump 
onto the slope, and you should be able to make it up the other side. 
Jump over the two jumps that are in this part of the course, and then 
swerve around a few mild corners until you get to the finish.

Hints:
Pay attention to the corners. There are two corners in here that are 
cunningly disguised as pieces of straight track. 

Things to try:
Getting down the entire course without falling over once.

9. Snow Ruins
-------------

Length - 2664 metres
Maximum slope - 62.7 degrees
Average slope - 46.2 degrees

Level guide:
Zoom down the extremely fast first part of this course, and you should 
soon see a snow covered rock in the distance. If you go to the left of 
the rock, it is a quicker, but much more difficult way. If you go to the 
right of the rock, it is a slower, but much easier way. After the rock, 
there is a jump over a gap. There is a few more tight corners, and then 
suddenly you drop right down in to the steepest part of the course! Use 
the square to make it down this part of the course. Oh no, not another 
rock! Again, choose whether to go left or right. After this rock, there 
is yet another jump over yet another gap, into yet another steep part of 
the course. Carry on down the course, using the square button to get 
around some of the tight corners in the steep section. You should soon 
arrive at another jump, which secretly hides a gap. Jump over this, and 
zoom down to the next jump, which also secretly hides a gap. After this, 
it's a nice gentle ride down to the finish.

Hints: 
Although not the fastest course in the game, this certainly is the most 
difficult! Even square won't help in some cases around the corners in 
this course! Use a combination of square + down + left or right to get 
around some of the corners.

Things to try:
Getting down the entire course without falling over once.

10. Dive into the Cave
----------------------

Length - 1295 metres
Maximum slope - 58.5 degrees
Average slope - 30.2 degrees

Level guide:
At the beginning, you are faced with two tunnels.
(1ST LEFT TUNNEL) For the first part of this fast tunnel, stay near the 
right side, as there is a drop on the left side. After a while, you 
should arrive at a jump. Zoom over this, and stay in the middle of the 
track as you cross the thin bridge. Jump through the checkpoint, and 
over the gap. 
(1ST RIGHT TUNNEL) Glide down this icy tunnel, swerving around the mild 
corners, until you get to a jump, with a small gap. Jump over the gap, 
and stay in the middle of the track as you cross the thin bridge. Jump 
through the checkpoint, and over the gap.
You should soon be faced with two more tunnels.
(2ND LEFT TUNNEL) Go down this tunnel, and you should soon be outside of 
the cave. Swerve as far right as you can on this corner, and you should 
arrive back in the cave again. When you get to the part where light is 
coming through, stay to the left side of the course to avoid falling 
down the drop. Glide over the jump, and stay in the middle of the track 
as you cross the long thin bridge. Go through the checkpoint, and then 
jump through the huge jump at the end of the course.
(2ND RIGHT TUNNEL) Stay to the right side of this tunnel to avoid 
hitting that ledge, and then glide over the jump. You should be in a 
part of the tunnel with pillars everywhere. Glide around these pillars 
by using the square button. Stay in the middle of the track as you cross 
the long thin bridge. Go through the checkpoint, and then jump through 
the huge jump at the end of the course.

Hints: 
The fastest route seems to be: 1st left tunnel, 2nd left tunnel 
shortcut.

Things to try:
Go through either of the 1st tunnels, and then go through the 2nd right 
tunnel. There is a small ledge in this tunnel, and it is actually 
possible to grind it! Can you grind the ledge?

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VII. Secrets
---------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------
SECRET CHARACTERS
-----------------

Boss
----
Win mirror tournament event.

Gray
----
Score over 37.9 points in the half-pipe event.

Snowman
--------
Get over 100 tricks in the master big-air event.

-------------
SECRET LEVELS 
-------------

Dive into the Cave
------------------
Break all records for all of the levels in freestyle mode.

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VIII. Shortcuts
---------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Take it Easy
---------------
About half-way down the course, there is a section with lots of trees on 
the left hand side. Somewhere within that mass of green there is 
actually a shortcut. Swerve around the trees, and try and go as far 
right as you can. Hopefully, you will fly out the other side and land on 
the other part of the course.

2. Pipeline Canyon
------------------
This shortcut is near the part of the course with the blue fence of the 
left side. Once you are at the blue fence, you should notice a snow-
covered pole leading off into the distance. Grind this pole by jumping 
onto it sideways. Alternatively, get to the shortcut by jumping up the 
part of the mountain where the pole goes. 

3. Freezing Point
-----------------
About half-way down the course, there is an area on the left side of the 
course that has some trees. Hold left when you get to this area, and 
jump until you reach the top of the hill. This is a very annoying 
shortcut because of the stupid amount of trees!

4. Snow Ruins
-------------
This is the most creative, most fun shortcut in the entire game! Whereas 
all the normal shortcuts in the game, just skip a bit of the track, and 
don't take you anywhere new, this shortcut takes you to a whole new part 
of the level! But this is also the most difficult shortcut in the game, 
so don't expect it to work straight away. Here's how to do it: About 
half-way down the course, in the distance, you should see a roof. If you 
want to take the shortcut, slide over the jump, and angle yourself so 
you are pointing the front of your board at the roof. Hopefully, you 
should land so that you go inbetween the pillars. Enjoy the most amazing 
shortcut in the game!

5. Dive into the Cave
---------------------
Go through either of the 1st tunnels, and then go through the 2nd left 
tunnel. Near the beginning of the tunnel, you should notice a small 
ledge on the right side of the tunnel. Jump up onto the ledge. Wow, this 
shortcuts pretty good! You get to go through a waterfall, as well as 
having the opportunity to jump down one of the biggest drops in the 
game!

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IX. Special thanks
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Me - ([email protected]) for writing this FAQ.

You - for reading this FAQ.

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X. Conclusion
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I hope my Cool Boarders 2 FAQ helped! If you have any bugs, 
glitches, cheats or tips on Cool Boarders 2, e-mail me at 
[email protected] and I'll put them in the next version of this FAQ. 
Your name will go into the special thanks section, so please tell me if 
you would like your e-mail address to be shown. Have any questions or 
comments on Cool Boarders 2? Send them to the same e-mail address, and 
I'll try my best to answer them. Anyway, that's it for this version of 
the Cool Boarders 2 FAQ. Bye! 

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XI. Copyright information
---------------------------------------------------------------------

This Cool Boarders 2 FAQ, is copyright 2000 by Tom Hayes

E-mail: [email protected]

I am in no way affiliated with the makers of Cool Boarders 2.

DON'T copy this FAQ, or put it on your web site without my permission, 
which will probably be given if you ask. If you do want to put this FAQ 
on your web site, just send me an e-mail and ask me.   

Thanks for reading!