You're tough, smart, and hungry for fame. You live for speed and danger - you
live for the race! In the 51st century, armored turbocraft racing is just the
thing for a kid with a mean streak. You'll start out in the minor leagues of
Mercury, but if you're good, you'll move up. If you're good and lucky, you
might race against the best in the Solar System oh the icy wastes surrounding
Pluto. in turbocraft racing, beating the clock is the bottom line. If you don't
finish in time, it's over. To race quickly, you need to exploit the track
layout find the shortcuts, knock out the defenses, make the tough jumps. To win
later races, you need an edge. Beating the competition provides that edge by
earning you the prize money needed to repair your turbocraft and obtain better
racing equipment. But watch out - competitors get better equipment, too, making
them tougher and tougher in later races. So strap on your helmet, and get
ready for the ultimate racing thrill!
1 Player: you against three computer-controlled craft.
You're also racing against the clock. If you come within 10 seconds of running
out of time, the track starts to disintegrate beneath you - but if you're lucky
you can make a last-ditch leap to the finish. There are nine planets in the
solar system, with four races on each planet, and four laps per race. Each
planet has different gravity. Each race on each planet offers more hazards and
rewards than the one before. You must cross the finish line to count a lap. As
you win cash with your racing, you can purchase better, faster turbocraft.
2 Player: you and a friend against two computer controlled craft in the races
of Mercury.
Selecting a 2-player game allows dual competition on the four races of Mercury.
When one player gains a screen's length advantage, he earns a point bonus, the
trailing racer is brought forward, and the race continues. A player wins by
earning the most money over four races. In all other respects. 2-player racing
is the same as 1-player racing.
Each type of turbocraft has a built-in weapon. There is also an extra weapon,
available for capture during the tater races. Once you have both, the Start
button chooses between the two. An icon of the chosen weapon will then flash
above your car. No weapons will fire during the first ten seconds of the race.
There are five turbocraft models:
Tomahawk: Standard Weapon: Rapid-burst machine gun.
Special weapon: Batter bombs
Crusher: Standard weapon: Fireballs
Special weapon: Bolo bombs
Phantom: Standard weapon: Laser
Special weapon: Mortar bomb
Scorpion: Standard weapon: Guided missiles
Special Weapon: Terminators
Stiletto: Standard weapon: Plasma bomb
Special weapon: Sidewinders
Press B to fire your weapons at other turbocraft and obstacles. Turbocraft are
harder to destroy than obstacles, but you gain points for each thing you
obliterate. Careful, though - some of them are firing at you! You fire in the
direction of your turbocraft's movement. When enemies are behind you. you can
also fire backwards: To fire backwards while using Alpha controls, release the
D-pad while pressing the B button. When using Beta Controls, hold down the B
button, then press the D-pad down (when holding down the B button, your
turbocraft doesn't lose speed).
Turbocraft flash when damaged, and flash rapidly when heavily damaged. If your
turbocraft is destroyed during a race, you revert to the next lower type of
craft.
Finish Position
Seconds Left (Seconds x 100)
Bonus Stars Captured
Number of Objects Destroyed
Number of times getting ahead by a screen (2P mode)
Your total earnings for all races are shown as your score at the top right.
Your current cash on hand (for making repairs and buying new craft) is shown on
the bottom right. At the bottom left is the amount of damage you've taken. When
you're ready, press A to move to the Damage Repair Screen.
Drive over Bonus Stars to pick them up. There are three kinds:
- Money Stars (Green) add to your money.
- Weapon Stars (Blue) give you your special weapon. A second Weapon Star
gives you Rapid Fire until you're severely damaged.
- Repair Stars (Red) help repair your turbocraft.
Continues are awarded for successfully completing all four races on any planet
(one Continue per planet). If a Continue is available when the game ends, you
have the option of using it. Once you use a Continue, you can't earn any more
Continues. If Continue is selected you'll be placed on the first race of the
planet where you died, with the crafts you had when you started the planet's
races.
The only way to find Invisible Roads is to risk driving out into space. As
your craft passes over the road it will magically appear beneath you. Knowing
these will help you complete races faster and have an advantage against the
other drivers too.
You can use your cash to repair the damage to your current turbocraft by
pressing the D pad to the left (both your cash and your damage decrease). If
you change your mind or spend too much, pressing the D-pad to the right moves
you back toward the credit and damage totals you started with. As you make your
repair decision, the price of the next turbocraft available to you is shown
below your current turbocraft. If you have enough money, you automatically
purchase the next craft. When you buy a new turbocraft, any others you
currently have are kept in reserve (so if you lose, say. your Crusher, you can
attempt to complete the race in your Tomahawk). Be careful, though - if you
don't repair the damage to your previous turbocraft, it will still be damaged
when you use it again. When you've done what you want to do, press A.
