Track FAQ
By: The Last Avenger
Email: [email protected]

This guide covers strategies for beating the tracks, and I walk you
through most of the levels (the really long ones I can't do.) I also
have some boss strategies and list all the shortcuts I have discovered
to date. This work is completely original and was made by the Last
Avenger.
Please note that I will NOT list relic times and CTR token locations.
It's too hard to do and explain, and you can find that information
almost anywhere else. It deals with beating the tracks, in an adventure
mode order. Slide Coliseum and Turbo Track, are listed, along with the
standard 16 tracks. I'll give a gem cup walkthrough after Turbo Track
as well. At the end, I'll give a brief summary, and what power-ups work
best here.
VERSION UPDATES
1.0     Finished general FAQs. Decided to make a more walkthrough format.
1.1     Finished walkthrough. Submitted it to the site. I'm going to
add something.
1.2     Added the Turbo Track and Slide Coliseum walkthrough
1.3     Added Gem Cups and the result of winning (i.e. new racers).
1.4     Added level summaries and usefulness of power-ups.

CRASH COVE
Right in the beginning, try to pull ahead and grab a power up, taking
the left path to save the most time. Now, jump off the end of the
wooden ramp, get a fruit crate, and continue on to the main course.
Alternately, drive into the pool of water. Toward the left, you'll see
a grassy plateau. Drive toward it (still in the water) and close to it,
you racer will be completely submerged. If you time a jump right,
you'll get catapulted into the air and onto the plateau, where you can
save a VERY small amount of time and get a power up crate besides. This
shortcut isn't really effective and don't worry about it if you can't
reach it.
In any case, you'll soon drive across a long wooden bridge. You'll get
a power up crate at the end, then it's a straightaway. Do not drive up
the pirate ship toward the end. It's not a shortcut, and besides
providing a jump has no practical use.
Turn left and take the two speed pads to the finish line.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Very Easy
Shortcuts: Leap out of the water and onto the plateau
Things to remember: None really… don't take the pirate ship, and take
the left fork at the beginning… also, the second speed pad sneaks up on
you and can be missed easily.
Power-ups: Almost any sort, since this course is so all around. A good
place to shoot a bowling bomb backwards is on the long bridge.

Now, drive up the dock to access Roo's Tubes. This is where you will
fight the boss, so pay attention to the layout of this course.

ROO'S TUBES
This reminds me of the Test Track ride in Disney World… at least the
first little section. Anyhow, there's a small jump in the beginning.
You can get a really small boost. You'll now land on the next section,
which is an underwater tube area (hence the name.) Stay to the right of
the track and take the two speed pads. Again, you'll get another small
jump. Stay in the center and take the speed pad, take the last
underwater tube, and take one last jump into a big whale skeleton.
Alternately, if you have a speed power up, you can take a side path. To
the left of the skeleton if a dirt path. If you don't have a mask or
boost, don't take it, it slows you down quite a bit. Otherwise, it can
be quite useful.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Very Easy
Shortcuts: Side trail next to skeleton
Things to remember: Don't take the shortcut without a speed boost.
Also, stay to the right in the first tube area for speed pads.
Power-ups: Well, you can use anything but potions. They're too easy to
dodge, and there's no real blind area. TNT is only more useful because
it's harder to dodge.

Now you can race at Mystery Caves. Go over there, and get ready for
your first somewhat challenging race.

MYSTERY CAVES
Hit the two speed pads in the beginning. When you get to the turtles in
the water, taking the one that ISN'T raised. They alternate every
second and a half, so that should help your timing. If you succeed,
you'll get a small boost upon landing/
Take the speed pad after the second set of turtles by staying to the
left. Otherwise, you won't make it. Take the left path, it's shorter.
The fireball jumps that follow look intimidating, but the game is
pretty forgiving on whether you get hit or not. Jump toward the one
that's in the air at the moment, and you should be okay. Now, it's back
into the caves. There are a few more turtles and such before you circle
back around to the finish and start line.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Easy
Shortcuts: None really…
Things to remember: The speed pad after the second turtle jump is all
the way to the left. It's hard to see until you get right up to it. The
fireball jumps are all a matter of location and timing, both easily
alterable.
Power-ups: I would definitely take a mask here, for the speed boost and
the invulnerability… missiles too since there isn't really any ways to
dodge them except for the fireball jumps.

Now you can go race at Sewer Speedway. Be sure to be ready, since this
course introduces a new kind of obstacle, rolling obstructions in the
middle of the road.
SEWER SPEEDWAY
At first, you simply race through a section of metal platform. Pretty
early on, you'll have a choice of what path you want to take. Choose
the RIGHT path. Now, you'll get a speed pad jump. Leap onto the raised
pipe on the LEFT and after exiting that tube, you'll be in a half pipe.
A very difficult shortcut is available. In the right wall, a hole is
visible. You need a mask or speed boost. Or, if you're experienced
enough, jump off the edge and do a one eighty spin. You'll get a boost
of speed. Try to aim your last jump perpendicular to the hole. If you
jump while boosted, there's a good chance you'll make it. If you
succeed, you'll get a few rows of speed pads, power-up crates, and
fruit crates. Otherwise, continue racing, take the speed pads, and soon
you'll get to a rolling barrel in the middle of the road. Nothing you
do can affect it, so avoid it. If you get squashed, you'll get a speed
penalty for a little while.
Now, you're in a pipe. Jump off the ramp, and you'll be in yet another
pipe. Dodge the barrel, and you'll be back onto the metal platform
section. A series of small jumps ensues, and soon you'll be back at the
finish.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Easy
Shortcuts: Hole in the wall. Really hard to get to.
Things to remember: Jump from left to right or have a speed power up
for the shortcut… don't get run over by barrels, and after the second
rolling barrel don't run into the dividing pillar.
Power-ups: Don't leave anything in the shortcut, since no one but you
takes it… otherwise, you might want to leave a Nitro or other contact
obstacle immediately after the barrels to limit maneuvering space for
your fellow racers. Aside from that, there's little I can help you
with.
BOSS: RIPPER ROO
This boss is basically a complete psycho. Look at him! His eyes are
screwed up, he bites his tongue, and his way of speech is an insane
laugh. He says: "You crazy enough to race me? I'll show you wild
driving! Last one across the finish line is a rotten brain!" This, of
course, relates to himself. And also, if you look closely, you'll see
that he steers with his feet. Weird.
Well anyhow, you're in Roo's Tubes. This really shouldn't be much of a
surprise. Start out with a speed boost, and then Ripper Roo will catch
up.
He's faster than everyone, and can lay down as much TNT as he feels
like. He releases one every second or so except on tight turns. If you
get three missiles (more likely than not) shoot them all at once since
some are bound to hit the TNT he leaves behind. Oh, and also when the
TNT Ripper Roo drops is out of sight, it vanishes. The shortcut is
somewhat useful. Once you beat him:
"You are crazier than me! Here, take this key! Good luck, you'll need
it." Still with that psycho laugh (his words appear as subtitles.) I
actually think it's funny, especially while you're racing.
Go back and get some CTR tokens, then come back here and bother me some
more.

COCO PARK
After driving through the spaceship level, you'll end up in an Aztec
looking place. Drive straight ahead, and Coco Park should come into
view.
Note: This level is boring. There is no shortcut, no jumps, and the
scenery is very gaudy.
At first, you get to race over a few bumps. A couple of pathetic turns
follow this, and then you'll see one of the only speed pads in this
whole level. Take it and rush into the tunnel. Grab the fruit crate,
and then continue on, through some more pathetic jumps and bad turns.
One last bump leads to the other speed pad, and then the finish line.
If this seems like a short walkthrough, that's because it is. This
course is really boring and really short. I really don't like it. Have
fun anyway… heh heh…



SUMMARY
Difficulty: Average (since the course is hard to get through without
sleeping, no shortcut, and boring course altogether.)
Shortcut: None. Yawn.
Things to remember: Take EVERY speed pad and grab EVERY fruit box. It's
the only way you'll stay awake.
Power-ups: I hate this level… stop making me think about it… hmm, an
obstacle right after the first bump could be useful, or an obstacle on
a speed pad. Find the rest yourself, this level stinks.

TIGER TEMPLE
This is actually the alternate level you can do instead of Coco Park.
You still have to do both, but this level beats the Park by a long
shot…
From the start, go downhill, leap off the stone ramp (getting a fruit
crate) landing (giving you another fruit crate, thereby maxing you out)
and then leap over every little bump, and one more stone ramp, before
you enter a hallway. Along the sides are yellow faces that occasionally
spit fire. If you run into those, you get spun out for a while. The
flames don't stretch across the entire width of the tunnel,
fortunately.
Now, if you have any attack power up besides missiles or warp orbs, you
can take a handy little shortcut. There's a big stone head shortly
after the first hallway. Shoot your power up (if you have a shield,
shoot if off) and if you hit, the mouth will open and give you access
to a secret passage. Fruit crates await you here if you're not already
juiced up, and then it's a few more jumps and one more hallway before
you complete the lap.
Note: The power-ups that work for the shortcut are: mask (run into,)
shield (shoot if off), bowling bomb (shoot it forward) or potion (shoot
forward.)
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Easy
Shortcut: The head after the first temple hallway.
Things to remember: Don't get torched by the fire spitters in the
hallways. Leap off every single ramp and bump… you'd be surprised at
the speed boosts you can get.
Power-ups: The main area you should use them is in the hallways and for
the shortcut. Let back bowling bombs in the hallways (they're hard to
dodge) and also a Nitro or potion in the lane opposite the fire
spitters forces your racers to get torched or to get blown up. If you
have a choice, get torched (unless it's a green potion or TNT; the
former isn't really all that bad, and you can just get the latter off
your head.) Watch out for bowling bombs on you in the hallways though,
because they're just as hard, if not harder, to dodge.

PAPU'S PYRAMID
Right at the start, veer right and jump off the ramp, hopefully
grabbing a fruit crate. Now, there are four very sharp turns. I suggest
power sliding BEFORE you actually turn, because the course is very
narrow, and scraping against the walls if nerve grinding and slows you
down. These turns take practice; don't worry if you can't master them
at first.
Now, you'll hit a speed pad. You'll be introduced to some unique
enemies, carnivorous plants. Do not, repeat DO NOT drive onto the dirt
areas in front of them. Sometimes you'll get lucky, but others the
plant will strike suddenly and eat your car, making you lose lots of
time. So again, don't go in front of them. It isn't worth it.
After a few turns and a crate, manage to have a mask or speed boost.
You'll see two low walls with arrows pointing to the right; if you
don't have a speed power-up, turn. Otherwise, activate the power up and
jump BETWEEN the walls. You'll (hopefully) land on a column of land and
will soon jump back down, putting you ahead of whoever was competing
with you before.
If you can't take that shortcut, you can take another. When you get to
the other speed pad, jump diagonally across it to the left, and into a
small ledge. Three fruits are available, and it also intersects with
the main road, allowing you to get one of the few crates in this level.
Avoid some more plants, jump off the hill, and make a sharp turn to the
right. You might run into the plant, especially if you have a speed
boost or good speed to begin with. You'll get one big jump, then a
little jump, and then you'll be back to the finish line.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Hard (interesting turns and obstacles…)
Shortcut: Side ramp, pillar jump
Things to remember: Do not get eaten by the plants. Use power sliding
to your advantage on the actual pyramid, or slow down on the
accelerator to improve your turning. Also, use every speed pad, there's
not a whole not around.
Power-ups: Well, masks and speed boosts for the shortcut… maybe an
obstacle on the tight turns, because they'll be much harder to dodge.

DINGO CANYON
At the start, there's some stray fruit hanging around, grab them if you
want. Avoid the blue thing rolling across the track, or you'll spin out
of control.
Now, you'll be inside a tunnel. Grab a power up and fruit crate, then
hop in the water. Occasionally, you'll be shot up high into the air,
rewarding you with a speed boost once you land. The only places this
works are right in front of islands (it uses the Slide Coliseum
physics.)
Now turn right and take the speed pad. Avoid the two blue guys rolling
around (this can be difficult) and take the right path (for fruit, if
you need or want it) or the left path (which is the shorter way.) They
both open up into a final stretch, where there's a jump, ones last blue
guy, and then the finish line. There are no shortcuts in this level.
Note: Place a Nitro or potion in the air so that those jumping cannot
see it. By the time they see it, it'll be too late. Of course, if they
do dodge it, then you might be the victim…
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Easy (no real challenge)
Shortcuts: Nope.
Things to remember: Well, I suppose I listed them up there already…
dodge the blue things, jump in the water, and only take the right path
for needed fruit.
Power-ups: As said before, in the air. Another good place for obstacles
is right after the watery section with the turn, since there's a little
blind spot they won't be able to see until it's too late.

BOSS: PAPU PAPU
I believe this guy was from the first Crash, since he isn't in the
other two. He is this really fat guy who is hard to understand (I can't
get his voice, sorry) and talks kind of primitive, bad grammar and all.
Tsk, tsk…
When you start, you'll be racing at the pyramid. Papu usually gets a
speed boost at the beginning, but I'll have to check that sometime.
Right off the bat he'll drop red and green potions which are like
Ripper Roo's TNT in that they disappear when you drive past them.
Again, shoot all three missiles (if you get them) to slow him down,
because he's the fastest of the bosses, and catches up alarmingly
quickly.
Any of the shortcuts are useful in this course. Papu doesn't take any.
If and when you manage to beat him, he complains about him not being
himself and gives you a key, saying "Oxide much bigger problem than I."
With these two spiffy looking keys, head over to the igloo place.
Brrrrrrrr… this must be the Minnesota level. Honestly, we get tons of
snow…
Almost immediately, Blizzard Bluff will come into sight.

BLIZZARD BLUFF
This is the only level where I haven't succeeded at taking the
shortcut.
There's some stray fruit toward the beginning. If, after the first few
seconds, you're not in first, the other racers will probably steal it
all. You've been warned.
Race along the snowy path for a while, making a few turns. After a
while, you'll run into a boulder. This is like the barrels in Sewer
Speedway, but since you enter at an angle, it's a little harder to
avoid. A few more jumps follow, then you'll be on a frozen pond.
Turning and control is much harder on the ice, and here's where you can
take a shortcut.
The impossible shortcut I mentioned earlier requires a heck of a lot of
speed. Probably you need a speed boost AND a mask. After the first icy
area, there's a short little side path which leads to a jump over the
river. If you successfully take it, you cut off a few seconds, and that
can be significant. It might be possible with an Aku, but only if you
have above average speed (i.e. the best stat in the selection screen.
Crash and Cortex do not have good speeds for purposes of this
shortcut.)
Now, you'll get to a snow area and a sharp left turn. Grab the speed
pad, race in the house bridge for a little while, then you're back on
the snow. After some more turns, a couple of jumps will follow (don't
jump on the hill before the speed pad, you'll miss it) and there's one
more stretch of ice to race on before you reach the finish line.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Hard (not really hard, but for some reason it seems more
challenging.)
Shortcuts: Impossible river jump
Things to remember: Don't get hit by the boulder. Don't take the
shortcut unless you're SURE you have the right amount of speed. Jump
over every hill except for the one right before the final speed pad.
Power-ups: Well, attack power-ups are better here because obstacles are
obvious and stand out (red against white….) Bowling Bombs begin getting
harder to pull off because you're turning a lot.

DRAGON MINES
This is a hard level, one of the hardest in the game actually. It
consists of four parts: an outside (where you start) a short stretch
where you can get a few crates, a corkscrew, and a mine cart area.
Try to start out in first. Don't take the pool of water as it slows you
down (you can "dip" into it to shave off a little time.) To my
knowledge, the other racers ignore the fruit crate near the water, so
get that for sure.
Next, we enter an insane turn. Even if you're Polar or Pura, you'll
have a tough time negotiating this. Power slide the entire time, and do
it over and over… I had to do this three times. I can only imagine what
this must be like playing as Tiny.
Lastly, we enter a stretch where mine carts cross the track several
times. Getting run over by one slows you down, plus you lose almost all
of your fruit, so try not to get hit.
A shortcut can be found. When the mine track first intersects with the
course, turn into the tunnel where the cart runs. It slows you down for
a while, the mine cart will slow you down even more. Then, at some
point you can jump back onto the main track. Getting a mask will
prevent you from getting run over, but the sharp turn to get back onto
the course will probably send you flying off the edge.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Very Hard
Shortcut: Mining tunnel
Things to remember: Don't get run over by the mine carts… power slide
the wooden corkscrew… a lot of common sense mostly.
Power-ups: In spite of the turns, Bowling Bombs work quite well because
the course tends to be rather narrow. Also, obstacles on the tracks
limit maneuvering room.


POLAR PASS
Another Minnesota level, but this time the turns are sharper, the
obstacles are meaner, the jumps are bigger. Much more fun than Blizzard
Bluff, if you ask me.
In the beginning, get a fruit crate but avoid the seal. Shortly after,
you'll reach a fork. Take the right hand path, and when that ends take
the other right hand path and take the speed. Grab a power-up (avoiding
the seal) and take the speed pads until you get to a series of jumps.
Get another fruit crate, and turn SHARPLY to make it to the last jump
without falling off.
If you've been doing this faithfully, you should have maximum fruit by
now. Take the wooden ramps for some small boosts, and then drive into
the tunnel. Avoiding the two seals is a bit more challenging, but time
it carefully and you'll make it fine
Right about now, you can find a shortcut. Notice that the end of the
hill in the tunnel slopes upward. With a good speed and good jumping,
you can leap OVER the wall and back onto the course… saves lots of
time. If you fail however, you'll lose lots of time trying to recover.
It's a risk.
Now, take the speed pad, race over the three frozen ponds, then either
jump (if you don't want a power-up) or cruise up the hill at the end to
land on the speed pad for the final jump. If you land correctly, you
can hit a fruit crate.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Hard (average once you're used to it)
Shortcut: Leap over the wall
Things to remember: Take your time on the sharp turns. There are plenty
of chances to get maxed out on fruit, so don't stress about that. Watch
out for the two seals in the tunnel. If you hit one, you won't be able
to take the shortcut.
Power-ups: No speed ones here, especially masks, because they penalize
your turning. Don't use on if you know there's a turn coming up, you'll
just end up losing time.
TINY ARENA
This level's too big and monotonous to write a walkthrough for, sorry.
Leap off every single hill and take every one of the few speed pads you
encounter. Toward the beginning, there's a bit of mud to slow you down,
but maximize your air time and you'll be fine. Get all the fruit crates
you can and use every power-up to your advantage, because this level's
very difficult to get ahead in. It lacks a shortcut as well.
Good luck.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Very Hard
Shortcut: None at all. What a waste.
Things to remember: See walkthrough
Power-ups: Heh… I have no clue. Just Warp Orb your way is how I won.
BOSS: KOMODO JOE
At the beginning, Joe will hiss at you and say that you're too slow and
he's sick of your parody of racing, or something like that.
You're racing in Dragon Mines, so keep that in mind. Komodo Joe is fast
and leaves Nitro (if you're close behind him) or tosses TNT behind him
that explode on contact. They have a big blast radius, so watch out.
Since this level's path is so narrow, avoiding his crates can be tough.
Missiles again are the best way to go. Try to get all the fruit you
can, and use Nitro crates to slow him down (but don't hurt yourself!)
Do not shoot missiles on the wooden corkscrew, as they will always
miss.
This was the first boss I lost to, but persevere and you'll make it
through. The second time was much easier. He should have been hard,
except for that he hit every single obstacle I left for him… bad AI.
Ouch.
Komodo Joe will concede defeat, saying "Maybe your not sssso ssssslow,"
and will hand over a key. You can now race at the final four levels.

CORTEX CASTLE
Note: Many of the turns in this level are right angles, so power slide
to your advantage.
In the beginning, turn left and grab a crate before jumping to the next
section. A fruit crate is seemingly unguarded, but a spider from above
drops down occasionally. Turn right.
Now, take the left path and the next few jumps will be lined up
perfectly for you. You'll soon end up on the roof of the castle. Stay
to the inside and hit a speed pad, then down the steps you go, hitting
a couple fruit crates to juice you up.
Now, you enter an area with Neo's face on stained glass. If you have a
mask or speed boost, jump to the left after the hill and you'll land on
a small ramp which cuts off a good bit of time. Otherwise, negotiate
the right angle turns and after three such turns you'll be jumping off
a ramp, landing back toward the beginning. If you jump at the right
moment, you can grab the fruit crates if you need them.
Avoid the spiders and take the last speed pad to the finish line.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Average
Shortcuts: Ramp jump
Things to remember: Getting maxed out is easy here, like in Polar Pass.
Do not get seemingly unguarded single crates, because they're very
probably guarded by a spider. Jump at the end of every turn.
Power-ups: Place a few on the speed pads to slow opponents down.
Missiles are pretty useless, because all of the turns are "straight"
and can easily block them. Potions and TNT are okay, I suppose. Masks
are just as useful here as in others.

N. GIN LABS
Right at the start, turn left to get a concealed fruit crate. Now, hit
the speed pad for a jump, where you can get a power up. Again, you'll
hit another jump where you can pick up a crate, then it's one last to
the next section.
Grab a power-up (hopefully you're close to being in first by now) and
go into the blue tunnel, which gives you a long lasting speed boost.
This is a good place to leave obstacles, because the path is extremely
narrow. You'll eventually exit onto a metal walkway and a moderate turn
which curves right. You'll get to an area where large barrels move
along the course. Stay on the side and take only the speed pads that
aren't about to be run over. Usually, you can only get one but
occasionally you'll get both (you can ignore the barrels if you have a
mask.)
Now, there's a set of right angle turns. You can leap over the corners
to save time, and the last two have a fruit crate and power up
respectively if you jump at the end of the ramps. Then, two more bumps
await you before you run into a sharp right and back to the start line.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Easy (seriously!)
Shortcuts: None…
Things to remember: Right after the barrel run, with the tight turns,
leap across the corner to shave off a bit of time.
Power-ups: Obstacles in the blue tunnel are extremely effective. Speed
power ups are good because of the lack of sharp turns. I would also
think putting stuff on the speed pad jumps are good because of limited
maneuvering space.

HOT AIR SKYWAY
This is a very long and hard level, and I will describe it as best I
can…
Grab a power-up and fruit crate toward the beginning, and soon you'll
enter a nightmarish turn. Worse than the one in Dragon Mines, belive it
or not, but the track's wider so you get a little more maneuvering
space. There's a speed pad on the outside of the track, so be sure to
get that.
When that's done, you get to do a jump. Either jump straight for the
normal path, or jump slightly to the right for a bit of a shortcut. Be
sure you have a good jumper, or you'll fall for sure.
Now, you have a lot more turns and jumps. There's one more corkscrew,
but thankfully not as long as the first turn. When you enter the belly
of the blimp, grab the last fruit crate and zoom over the finish line.
This walkthrough is quite vague, but that's only because the course is
long and hard to explain.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Hard-Very Hard
Shortcuts: Alternate landing
Things to remember: Sharp turn all the time. Do not fall off here; it
is entirely too easy. Take your time. It's better to lose a little time
on the turns then to fall off entirely. Also, don't try the shortcut if
you have a bad jumper.
Power-ups: Any obstacle or bowling bomb because the course is so
narrow. When you get to the straightaway, throw a warp orb (non-juiced)
and it'll hit anyone on the area. Cool.

OXIDE STATION
In my opinion, this is the most fun level in the game. It has fun
turns, tons of speed pads, and really long and fun jumps.
Toward the beginning, you'll get a set of turns and speed pads. Power
slide to negotiate this section of track. Go for fruit crates as
they're more important right now. When you reach the jump, you'll get a
short straightaway with a few speed pads before you get to a jump. Leap
over and onto the next jump, which is incredibly long…. you'll get a
bit of a boost before a long ramp covered in speed pads for another big
jump. Don't try to land on the horizontal course, you can't. You'll
fall just before it and back onto the main track, where you have more
turns and speed pads. Power slide and boost every single time, and it's
possible to stay boosted almost the entire time.
SUMMARY
Difficulty: Average
Shortcuts: None
Things to remember: Take all the speed pads you can to win. Also, jump
over all hills, and power slide + boost to maximize your speed. This is
a fun level. Oh, and before I forget, take fruit crates before power-
ups, as non-juiced power ups aren't nearly as useful.
Power-ups: Normal, but there's one really good place to use an N. Tropy
clock… I'm thinking of the huge jump in space. While everyone is in the
air, activate it. They'll spin out of control, and since there won't be
any momentum, they'll all fall! I must have knocked out, oh, maybe four
racers this way. Very useful. Warp orbs aren't as handy here because
they strangely go backward for some reason and hit guys behind you
before getting around to those in front. Weird.

BOSS: PINSTRIPE
As soon as you get the trophy in Oxide Station, the boss will confront
you, saying to "forget about it," and that you'll "have to get past me
first." He is obviously from New Jersey, as his speech indicates…
You're racing in Hot Air Skyway again, so get ready. Now, he throws
unlimited Bowling Bombs behind him. Fortunately, they're easy to avoid;
don't stay directly behind him for long. Also, he doesn't shoot them
back on tight turns, so rest assured.
He is particularly vulnerable to missiles because his bombs can't
intercept them. In fact, that's the reason why he's so much easier than
he would otherwise be.
The first (and last) time I raced him, I left a Nitro on the speed pad
of the final jump. He hit it and tumbled right into a pit… I was
already ahead but now I had an enormous lead. I suggest doing the same
thing. I found this boss wasn't as hard as the previous.
I can't remember what he says when you beat him, but in any case he
forks over the last key.

FINAL BOSS: NITROS OXIDE
Now Nitros Oxide himself will appear, challenging you to a final race.
This is quite a tough boss, understandably the hardest one of all.
A few notes regarding Oxide:
-he starts before the green light
-he throws behind all the previous obstacles the bosses used. In the
case of potions, he leaves behind two. Also, he uses every power up in
specific places.
-if he's hit by a missile, warp orb, or whatever, he'll only spin
around for a short while and won't lose as much time as the car racers
(he's in a UFO.)
Keeping these in mind, start with a turbo boost and avoid the power-ups
as best you can, concentrating on taking every speed pad. Oxide can't
take them (I don't think) or doesn't take all of them which gives you a
slight advantage. You can't out race him outright. He stayed ahead of
me for the first two laps, but not by much, before I got three bowling
bombs. Since he was close by, I fired one, then the other, and then my
last one, sending him spinning for a while. He didn't stay that way for
long, but it was enough for me to get ahead. It was then a matter of
taking EVERY SINGLE speed pad and beating him by less than a second.
When you win, you'll see credits and the scrapbook. If you got 97%
before you beat him, he'll provide the last 3% and you'll get to see an
epilogue involving all the racers, the bosses, and the trophy girls.
This will be followed by the scrapbook.

If you have all five gems and at least 10 relics, you can visit the two
extra tracks in Oxide's little area. They are Turbo Track and Slide
Coliseum. The former requires you to have all five gems, and the latter
(the easier one to get to) requires that you have at least 10 relics
(of any type.) This walkthrough focuses on the non-relic arenas. If
you're playing in adventure mode, you can't access it (to my
knowledge.) You can in vs. or arcade mode.

SLIDE COLISEUM
At the start, try to grab the fruit crate and take a sharp left turn,
power sliding and getting a boost while doing so. Follow the track
until you find a raised area with stacks of tires. If your timing is
good, drive up the small ramp and jump at the right time. If you do it
right, you'll go flying over the lowest tire; if you don't you'll hit
grass and will be slowed down a bit. Now, continue on, getting a power
up, and another, easier, jump will be presented. As soon as you're over
the tire, though, make a sharp left and try to grab a power up.
Now, you should be in 1st place. If you're not, there's one last jump.
It's like a line down the middle. There are tires, but don't jump over
them, they're too close by. Just leap over it.
NOW you should be close to first. Use all the power ups you can. Masks
can be useful, but be sure you're on a straightaway because your
turning is severely hampered while you have one. It's also hard to
dodge fired missiles. There's one more tire leap, and then it's a few
fruit crates and turns before you're back at the start line.




TURBO TRACK
This level is nearly identical to Slide Coliseum, except for that it
has speed pads, and lots of them. If you're doing Time Trial, go behind
the walls of tires, there are often rows of 2 and 3 boxes.
If you're actually racing, then take all the speed pads you can… this
level has by far the most. Don't go behind the tires, you're wasting
your time. After getting a fruit crate and a few power ups, you'll be
making 180 degree turns. Sharp turn like the end is coming, and
hopefully you won't crash into the wall (if your character make a
noise, he crashed.) You'll probably scrape against it, but you should
be able to recover fairly easily. The rest is basically more of the
same. To my mind, this is a dull and uninteresting course. On the other
hand, it's the easiest to get a platinum relic on. You don't have to
get all the boxes, and that helps a lot.

GEM CUPS
If you have four CTR tokens of a certain color, you have the option to
race in a gem cup. The cups are not available until you have four boss
keys.
RED GEM CUP
Courses: Crash Cove, Mystery Caves, Papu's Pyramid, Blizzard Bluff
You'll note that half of the courses are in the first area. That's
because the character we're going to unlock is Ripper Roo.
Anyhow, since Crash Cove is such an easy course, you should get first
in that. Mystery Caves is more or less the same. Since you should have
16-18 points by now, you can afford to lose some at Papu's Pyramid,
since it's a tough level… if you can beat it though, all the better.
If you've gotten first in all three races, you're assured of success.
Last one is Blizzard Bluff. I can't really say much, but try to get the
best place possible. Do not take the shortcut unless you are absolutely
positively sure you will make it.
Once you win, you get Ripper Roo.
GREEN GEM CUP
Courses: Roo's Tubes, Coco Park, Polar Pass, Cortex Castle
If you beat this cup, you'll unlock Papu Papu.
You can easily beat Roo's Tubes. It's not a hard level at all. Coco
Park might be a little different, because the other racers are more
competitive, and there is not surefire way to win. Polar Pass is easy;
take the shortcut to cut off MAJOR time and you'll win. With this in
mind, use all the skills you have (notable power sliding and boosting)
and finish Cortex Castle in flying colors.
Papu Papu is now yours.
BLUE GEM CUP
Courses: Sewer Speedway, Tiger Temple, Dragon Mines, N. Gin Labs
Sewer Speedway is easy. Get first in the course. The shortcut, if you
can get to it, does help, though it would seem to hamper you somewhat.
Tiger Temple is a shorter course, but still isn't hard. The shortcut is
very useful here, especially since it cuts off so much time and can be
accessed so easily. Now we come to Dragon Mines. You might not place
first in this, but the previous two courses should make up for any loss
of points. And lastly, we have N. Gin Labs. Not too bad, right?
Oh yeah, you get Komodo Joe when you win. He has a great car and a
funny voice to boot.


YELLOW GEM CUP
Courses: Dingo Canyon, Tiny Arena, Hot Air Skyway, Oxide Station
Dingo Canyon might be a trifle difficult, lacking a shortcut, but you
should still be okay. Tiny Arena is a different story. It's a long and
tedious course. Race very aggressively to place first, because the
other cars play rough here. Hot Air Skyway… well, what can you do. Do
what you can, and try not to fall. And lastly we have Oxide Station.
You should have no trouble completing this level and placing first.
Assuming you won, you can now play as Pinstripe.
PURPLE GEM CUP
Courses: Roo's Tubes, Papu's Pyramid, Dragon Mines, Hot Air Skyway
This cup is a little different from the others. First, notice that all
the tokens are received by beating the collect-a-crystal levels.
Secondly, all the courses are boss levels. Thirdly, YOU'RE UP AGAINST
ALL FOUR BOSSES AT ONCE!
Fortunately, they're slower than before, having stats that they
normally do (i.e. if you played as them.) Additionally, they no longer
have their infinite power up.
This is a hard race. Papu was my biggest challenge here, because he's
the fastest of the bosses. In fact, I only placed first because of a
lucky mask and a shortcut… very close. Then, we have Papu's Pyramind.
Simply take the shortcuts and you should be all right. No one else
takes them. Next comes Dragon Mines. Have fun here; it's really hard,
because of the obstacles and sharp turns. Papu doesn't do as well,
though, because his turning hampers him on the wooden corkscrew.
Lastly, you're once again racing at Hot Air Skyway. Again, Papu
shouldn't pose too much of a threat, ceding to Ripper Roo and Komodo
Joe, who have better turning. Of the two, Komodo Joe is faster, so try
to stay ahead of him.
Once you win, you get a weird racer, Fake Crash.


This strategy guide was written by the Last Avenger in Januray-February
of they year 2001, and has been updated four times from its original
version. Feel free to use any information to help you in the game, but
do not copy me, imitate me, or put my work anywhere else. As of yet,
this is allowed on these and only these following sites:
GameFAQs
If you see this anywhere else, please contact me at
[email protected] . Thanks!
Copyright 2001 by Karl Schaumann

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