Game Guide - Guide for Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero

====================================

TOKYO EXTREME RACER ZERO: GAME GUIDE

By

Wolf Feather/Jamie Stafford
[email protected]

Version:   1.1
Completed: July 3, 2001

====================================

UPDATE
Without question, the question I have been asked the most
concerns the Wanderers.  Whenever you encounter and challenge
a Wanderer, he/she will always turn you down, and that can
get to be 	QUITE frustrating.  The Wanderers will come to
challenge you on their own schedule; however, I have not seen
any information concerning their criteria for coming to find
you.

====================================

CONTENTS
Spacing and Length
Permissions
Introduction
Cars
General Tips
Wish List
Contact

====================================

SPACING AND LENGTH
For optimum readability, this driving guide should be
viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier.
Check for appropriate font setting by making sure the numbers
and letters below line up:

1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

====================================

PERMISSIONS
This guide may ONLY be posted on FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com,
PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com,
InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire,
a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com,
vgstrategies.com, and neoseeker.com.

Permission is granted to download and print one copy for
personal use.

====================================

INTRODUCTION
Tokyo Extreme Racer Zero is an intriguing game, similar to
the PlayStation game Tokyo Highway Battle, but far more
developed and with much more highway to explore.  Also, the
CPU-controlled Rivals are far more challenging and varied.

However, after a week of playing TERZ, my interest level has
greatly dropped.  So while my copy of the game is up for
auction on eBay, I have decided to post some tips gained from
my week of gameplay.  Because of this, I may not be very
effective in answering questions, as I will not have the game
in my possession much longer - gomen!!!

One of the most interesting aspects of the game (to me) is
that it shows the complexity of the highway system of a major
urban area.  The initial course is especially intriguing in
this respect.

====================================

CARS
At the beginning of the game, you will be forced to buy a
car.  The initial car choice is important, as it should be a
vehicle with which you will feel very comfortable
immediately.  Specifically, choose a car type you are already
familiar with from other games; in my case, I am rather adept
with 4WD vehicles in the Gran Turismo series, so my first car
was a 4WD vehicle.

At the beginning of the game, a fairly powerful Class A car
can beat just about anyone, even without modifications.
However, do not buy the most expensive car you can afford.
Instead, save a little money to buy parts.

The first parts you should buy are tires.  Buy the best
possible tires you can afford.  Better tires mean more
traction, which means both less wheel spin (thus better
acceleration) and better cornering at high speeds.  Even if
you are racing a higher-power car, if you have better tires,
you can take advantage of corners to catch up and pass the
Rival.

Once you have bought a car and made any initial
modifications, go to the Settings screen and make any
adjustments necessary.  Then leave Quest mode and go to Free
Run.  Learn the initial course in both directions, so that
you will not have any surprises when you go back to Quest
mode and begin challenging other drivers.  Using Free Run,
you will also be able to discern if the Settings need to be
adjusted, and you may begin to notice which new parts to buy
next once you have enough money to do so.

When ready, go to Time Attack and complete a few rounds there
on each course.  While you may not necessarily be driving at
top speed in Free Run, you WILL in Time Attack - after all,
that IS the point of Time Attack.  This will allow you to set
a few records to start with, and will give you an idea of how
the car handles at top speed.  Especially note how to best
use the car in cornering.

Now go back to Quest mode and take on a few Rivals!!!  Return
to the Garage when necessary to add parts and change
settings.

====================================

GENERAL TIPS
First, most CPU-controlled Rivals have trouble cornering.
Therefore, it is a good idea to tune a car for quick
acceleration and to have the best possible tires.  This also
means that a car tuned in this manner will do fairly well on
the initial course, but very poorly on long, straight
stretches of highway.  To the extent possible, strategically
pick the starting point for each battle, even if it means
tailing a Rival for several kilometers until you reach a
section with many corners.

In a battle, the car in the lead dictates the direction of
the battle; if you are trailing and take a different route
than the leader at a fork in the highway, the battle ends in
an instant draw.  Only once has a CPU-controlled Rival taken
a different route than me when I was in the lead, so this can
be used to your advantage if you are leading.  Best of all,
if one of the forks leads to an area of the course which you
personally prefer due to better performance, take it!!!

CPU-controlled Rivals do occasionally make mistakes: ramming
other vehicles, overcorrecting, hitting toll booths, etc.  Be
constantly aware, and be ready to take advantage of such
situations.

One of the best sections to master is Yaesu.  The lower,
tunnel section of Yaesu is relatively straight compared to
the upper, open-air section.  However, the open-air section
has a number of sharp, two-lane, right-angle corners.
Mastering Yaesu will definitely work to your advantage in
most cases, as Rivals rarely ever go through Yaesu willingly
and cannot keep up through its tight corners.

As you unlock new courses, go to Free Run to explore, and
Time Attack to hone your top-speed skills in these new areas.
For the full-circuit challenge, allow at least 25 minutes.

Whenever you encounter and challenge a Wanderer, he/she will
always turn you down, and that can get to be 	QUITE
frustrating.  The Wanderers will come to challenge you on
their own schedule; however, I have not seen any information
concerning their criteria for coming to find you.

Be careful when buying parts if you are concerned about
getting the most horsepower for your money.  I noticed that
the most expensive muffler, for example, does NOT always give
the best horsepower.  For example, if there are six mufflers
to choose from, the fourth muffler may give a better
horsepower rating than the sixth and most expensive muffler.
Just something to keep In mind.

====================================

WISH LIST
There is really only one item I would like to see in future
incarnations of Tokyo Extreme Racer Zero: more traffic on the
opposite side of the highway.  It is rather rare to see a
vehicle going in the other direction, which is very
unrealistic, even in the middle of the night.

====================================

CONTACT
For rants, raves, etc., contact me at [email protected];
however, I may not be able to answer in-depth questions as I
am selling off my copy of the game.

To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2
game guides, visit FeatherGuides at
http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/

====================================




=======================================================================
                   Wolf Feather    Jamie Stafford
=======================================================================
Just as there are many parts needed to make a human a human, there's a
remarkable number of things needed to make an individual what they are.
                - Major Kusinagi, _Ghost in the Shell_
=======================================================================