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   {META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Aaron Manvell"}
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{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}{FONT SIZE=+3}Mario Kart 64{/FONT}{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}

{CENTER}{P}{B}{I}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}{FONT SIZE=+1}By Aaron Manvell{/FONT}{/FONT}{/I}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}

{P}Mario Kart 64 is one of the best racing games out, but it can be a bastard
in some aspects of the game. The point of this guide is to help anyone
who is having trouble with the game{/P}

{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Drivers{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}

{P}You should base your selection of driver on your driving style. If you
are a someone who wants speed you should choose one of the lighter drivers;
they have better acceleration and top speeds. If you are a person who likes
to shove people around and bash them into walls you should take a heavier
driver as their shear weight and size give you the advantage in any collisions.
The following is a table of each drivers characteristics (SPEED- 1 is fastest,
8 is slowest; WEIGHT- 1 is lightest, 8 is heaviest):{/P}

{CENTER}{TABLE BORDER=1 BGCOLOR="#FF0000" }
{TR BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"}
{TD BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"}
{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Speed{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Name{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Weight{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}1{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Toad{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}1{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}2{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Yoshi{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}2{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}3{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Peach{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}3{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}4{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Mario{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}4{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}5{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Luigi{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}5{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}6{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Wario{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}6{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}7{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Donkey Kong{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}7{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}

{TR}
{TD}
{CENTER}{P}8{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}Bowser{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}

{TD}
{CENTER}{P}8{/P}{/CENTER}
{/TD}
{/TR}
{/TABLE}{/CENTER}

{P}As you can see, the lighter a driver is the faster they go. You should
only use this table as a rough guide (based on my own observations). In
the game computer-controlled drivers tend to vary their speeds depending
on how well you are going (eg.If you are winning they go faster).{/P}

{P}Out of all of the drivers my two favourites are Toad (for his speed
and handling) and Wario (a good balance of speed vs. size). Your driver
selection should also be based on the type of track that you are racing
on. If the track is smooth and surfaced a smaller driver will give you
an advantage but if it is more of an 'off-road' track the lighter drivers
tend to loose traction (no matter what the manual sez).{/P}

{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Short-Cuts{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}

{P}Not every track has a short-cut, but the ones that do can cut down your
laptimes considerably. (These short-cuts are based on the 150cc races because
some require lots of speed, and the names are from the Australian version
of Mario Kart because that is the one that I have. If the names don't match-up
you can usually guess what track I'm talking about).{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Mushroom Cup{/FONT}{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Koopa Troopa Beach{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: When you come to the stone arch-way veer right instead
of going through it and you will see a sandbar which takes you to the other
side of the bay.{/P}

{P}2nd Short-Cut: Go through the stone arch-way and you will see three
ramps one after another. After these three ramps there is another which
leads up to a cave in the wall. If you are in 150cc mode (and you are a
good shot) you can jump (using the jump button) off the end of the ramp
and into the cave. If your aim is not to good, or your playing in either
50 or 100cc mode then use a mushroom boost just before the end of the ramp.
If you are having trouble going up the ramp straight and going into the
cave (eg. You keep hitting the walls) they do what I do. Instead of going
over the three precceding ramps go alone the sand to their left. This gives
you more time to line-up with the ramp.{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Kalimari Desert{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: Just after the first railway crossing there is a large
stretch of sand to your right. Using a golden mushroom to boost your way
over it can decrease your lap time.{/P}

{P}Hint: Having trouble with the train? In 150cc single player mode the
train is damn long, and impossible to beat on the first lap. Try this before
you get to the crossing slowdown. When the end of the train has passed
the fence accelerate and veer around it's end. If you time it well you
will be zooming down the road before the rest of the drivers have started,
and you will beat the second train whilst the rest have to wait for it.
A big time saver!{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Flower Cup{/FONT}{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Mario Raceway{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: Appartentely (according to some people on the Net) there
is a part of the brick wall that you can jump. I have tried this many times
and can't do it. Don't bother if you want to win, but if you do do it,
tell me about it.{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Star Cup{/FONT}{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Royal Raceway{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: The middle of the third and forth corners, turn left,
aim of the hill, and use a boost. Press jump right of the edge and if you're
lucky you will roll up the hill and fall into the water. When you get pulled
out you should (if you have done it right) get placed on the end of the
big ramp.{/P}

{P}2nd Short-Cut: As you get boosted off the end of the big ramp try to
turn sharply left (not sure exacly when). You might roll down the big hill
and get warped to the finish line!{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Special Cup{/FONT}{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}DK's Jungle Parkway{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: Just before the finish line in the underground section,
instead of driving around the track drive up the embankment. If you are
driving a heavy drive you should make it, but if your driving a light driver
sometimes you can't. A boost will get you up there easially.{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Yoshi Valley{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: The shortest route is supposed to be the first left and
along the thin section. But when you are going really fast (and when you
can't steer) you usually end up falling off the track and losing any adavntage
you might have had. The simplest that I have found (and the one that the
computer usually takes) is to turn right, then left, then to go over the
bridge. After the first spiney guy keep turning hard left and at the end
jump. You should hit the tower and bounce off, facing the right way.{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Banshee Boardwalk{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: At the clock go really fast and jump to it's left, cutting
off a corner and making it easier to take the next.{/P}

{P}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Rainbow Road{/FONT}{/P}

{P}1st Short-Cut: This is easily the longest, and most difficult, short-cut
in the game. Just after the start/finish line, just as the road slopes
down, pull hard left and jump the guardrail. You may land on the track
down below (but you probably will miss entirely to the amusment of your
friends).{/P}

{CENTER}{P}{B}{FONT COLOR="#FF0000"}Battle Mode{/FONT}{/B}{/P}{/CENTER}

{P}You truly haven't experienced the fun of Mario Kart 64 if you haven't
played a 4-player battle. These are sooooo much fun (especially killing
someones bomb). These hints should give you an advantage during battles.{/P}

{UL}
{LI}The perfect armerment is three green shells orbiting you with a red
shell in 'the Box'. This way you are well protected from most attacks and
it makes it easier to inflict damage.{/LI}

{LI}When chasing someone while armed with three green shells fire all three
at them quickly. It makes it harder to dodge.{/LI}

{LI}If someone has three shells around them and you have a red shell goto
a level above them. This way the red shell will fly over the green ones
and into their head!{/LI}

{LI}Always try to block red turtle shells! (With bananas, fake item boxs,
both types of shells). This is important. Don't rely on your driving skills.{/LI}

{LI}If you are near a corner when a red shell is fired turn around it sharply
and cause it to hit a wall.{/LI}

{LI}Red shells go {U}directly{/U} towards the closest enemy. Hide behind
the firer and let them loose a balloon.{/LI}

{LI}If you have a bunch of bananas just leave them trailing behind you.
They will protect you from red shells and you can swerve in front of other
players and make them spinout.{/LI}

{LI}Don't forget that you can fire backwards. Surprise someone!{/LI}

{LI}Drop fake item boxes when someone is right behind you.{/LI}

{LI}When you hit a banana and start to slide (before you spinout) brake
and you shouldn't lose a balloon.{/LI}

{LI}You can kill players who are bombs by running over them when invincible.{/LI}

{LI}The lighter the driver the faster you can get away and the more manuoverable
you are.{/LI}
{/UL}

{P}And just a tip for both battles and racing; pay attention to where the
opposition. Especially during races when you have a shrinking lightning
thingy. Use it when they are on a sharp corner, or a bridge, and they will
spinout.{/P}

{CENTER}{P}{FONT SIZE=-1}By Aaron Manvell ({A HREF="mailto:[email protected]"}[email protected]{/A}).
It would be nice to be asked {U}before{/U} this is copied (hint hint).{/FONT}{/P}{/CENTER}

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