Now you are cruising through a desert, where you'll run into many of the toughest challenges posed by the initial 24 tracks. It's important to memorize track layouts as possible, so that you can be sure to take advantage of ramps that keep your vehicle moving while your opponents are perhaps slowed by rugged, dangerous terrain (who put bombs on the track, anyway?).
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For whatever reason, the green car goes nutso on this course and starts firing missiles at anyone who passes him. If you're in such a position, move back and forth so you're not an easy target.
The rampaging green car is your main concern here, and ironically he's quite nice on any of the other tracks. This is the only stage where he even pulls out his artillery, so you might just want to bring some shields along in preparation.
I didn't find any letters here, so the green car is apparently the star attraction. You'll also find a lot of zipper pads, most of them along the center of the track. Keep to the center and watch your back and you'll finish in fine condition.
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Hold right along the downward descent for an engine block, then keep near the top for a series of 'S' icons. When you wrap around to the straight stretch on the bottom, hit a zipper pad to propel you over most bumps.
The third set of log-like bumps has a '?' resting on it, between two bombs. Make sure to grab that icon; it contains an extra continue. As the track wraps upward, hold to one of the sides as an airplane attacks, then cross gradually over to the opposite side to avoid his shots. You'll find 'R' tiles near the top along the way.
Because of the airplane, it's pretty easy to finish poorly on this track. Remember to grab that 1-up icon I mentioned and it won't matter. Onto the next one!
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This can be a nail-biting track. There are lots of 'M' tiles scattered throughout, so be sure to pick one up along the way. It might well be the only letter that stands between you and your final vehicle upgrade.
When I tackle this track, I find that my main problem comes from the vertical left side. The whole of the track is littered with zipper pads you'll be able to utilize to stay ahead of your opponents, but it's rather common on the third lap to come around a corner on the left side, hit a zipper pad, then strike a bomb just shy of the finish line. Then everyone passes and you lose a continue. Be sure that doesn't happen to you! Either hit the bomb intentionally on your first lap if you think you'll likely strike against it later (thus giving you more time to catch up), or just get really good at avoiding it on each pass.
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This track is as straight-forward as they come. Just race around it, grabbing the nitro boosts and being sure that you hit the zip pads near the bottom (otherwise, you'll slow significantly). There's really nothing else to say.
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There's only one lap on this particular track, so it's important that you stay in third place or better at all times. Early on, there are some nitro boosts. Make sure you're in the lead and that you snag as many of those as possible.
Then when you get near the end of the track, you'll go over a series of log-shaped grooves that slows you down. Meanwhile, your opponents drive over them just fine, and will pass you as if you're standing still. When you get past the grooves, be ready to use your nitro like crazy to take a better place again before crossing the finish line.
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It's essential that you grab the nitro boosts when they are available for this track. There's a trap of sorts along the top portion of the stage. When you hit the straight stretch, stay near the bottom of the screen. You'll see a hill coming ahead. Hit the nitro and you'll fly over the air, bounce off the next mound, then the one after this. If you don't use the nitro before-hand, you'll just run into a series of bombs.
The trap referenced above can easily prevent you from finishing better than third if you fall for it, so be careful not to. Otherwise, the only interest in this particular track are the 'I' letter tiles scattered around the bottom half of the stage. If you needed those, now's the time to collect them.
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Careful on the first and last laps for this course; there's an airplane that likes to fire gunshots on the second of the two vertical stretches on the track's left side.
Otherwise, this is just another straight-forward track, as seems to be the case at this stage in the game. You can expect a lot of aggressive driving from your opponents, and the usual oil slicks and roll cages, but by now you know how to deal with such threats and should do fine.
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The final of the 'original' courses is remarkable only because it has so many laps. There are four, in fact, which means you'll have to stay ahead of your opponents for a rather extended period of time.
Though you will find nitro pick-ups littering the early portions of the course, you should save them all for the last third or so of the final lap. Good driving should keep you running close to your opponents, even if you don't have the best of motors, and you'll be able to pull into the lead during the final leg of the race through judicious use of your speed boosts.
Now you'll be going through eight more courses, taken from those you've faced already. The strategies are the same, but the driving is much fiercer. Have good fun and remember: winners don't use drugs!
