Biker Mice From Mars Driver FAQ Written by Alain Garamonde Version 1.0 (July the 25th, 2003) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The purpose of this guide is to help players of this awesome racing game truly understand the strengths and the weaknesses of all the characters in Biker Mice From Mars. I have analyzed each of the six characters to the best of my ability. If you would like to contribute some information about one (or several) of the characters that I do not have in my guide, send your info to racette_alain@hotmail.com. Make sure you have "Biker Mice From Mars" in the subject heading. Include your name as well, as you will be acknowledged. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I..........The Biker Mice -Throttle -Modo -Vinnie Appendix II.........The Villains -Limburger -Grease Pit -Karbunkle Appendix III........Summary Appendix IV.........Revision History Appendix V..........Legal Disclaimer ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * T H E B I K E R M I C E * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The three drivers that fall under this heading are Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie. They may share the common bond of being rodents, but they are all very different from each other. Read on to find out which Biker Mouse is best for you. The Biker Mice are the perfect characters for novices to use. ----------------------- THROTTLE ----------------------- He's one cool-looking rodent, complete with shades and a nice motorcycle. He looks good, and for the most part, is a good driver to use. Though he has no weaknesses in his stats, he does not have a single strength. Overall, he's the best all-round character in the game. Speed - >>> Accel - >>> Grip - >>>> Speed: Throttle is neither too fast nor too slow. However, at times (especially without any engine upgrades) he doesn't seem to live up to his name. Throttle, at first, is somewhat sluggish. It is quite intimidating to see Limburger or Grease Pit (and Modo, to a lesser extent) zoom up next to you in a matter of seconds! Sideswipe them out of your way until you can afford new engines (to sideswipe, use L or R, in their respective directions). To maintain his speed over track elements such as dirt, pop a wheelie (hold Down). This also applies to Modo, Vinnie, and Grease Pit. Accel: Throttle has an overall good acceleration rating. He should regain his top speed without falling behind... too much. Grip: Throttle has a good grip rating. He can turn corners quite easily, especially with the Power Drift (explained later) to zoom through them quickly. His special ability, as mentioned before, is the Power Drift. Hold L or R while turning a corner to gain an extra boost of speed. Follow this up with a nitro by tapping B to gain another speed boost! A good tactic to use to increase your lead or to catch up to the rest of the pack. The Tornado Shot is Throttle's projectile weapon, and he is the only Biker Mouse who has one. It is one of the most effective projectiles as well. The victim of the Tornado Shot is sent flying straight up into the air! This is VERY effective against Modo and Grease Pit, whose acceleration ratings are the lowest - they lose a second in the air, and lose even more time accelerating to top speed! Limburger is hardly affected, as he can take off at the apex of the spiral and catch up to Throttle again. Throttle, the Joe-Schmoe of the racers... PROS + an all-round, easy-to-use driver for beginners + can sideswipe + Power Drift and Nitro around corners greatly boost his speed + no glaring weaknesses + good projectile weapon CONS - seems slow at the beginning - no strengths (he's plainly average) My rating: 7/10 ------------------- MODO ------------------- It does not take a lot of "Modo"vation to select Modo at all. Though his acceleration and grip are somewhat lacking, his good speed makes up for it. However, the reason why Modo is widely used is because of his bone-crushing attack, the Bionic Crash. This rad rodent is a killer, and is perfectly suited for Battle Mode... or should I say "Battle Modo"? Speed - >>>> Accel - >> Grip - >>> Speed: He is the fastest of the Biker Mice, slightly faster than Throttle and much faster than Vinnie. You won't have to worry about upgrading Modo's engine until round 2. Without any upgrades, he can still hold his own in terms of overall speed. Accel: This is the Achilles Heel for Modo users. He is very slow at reaching his top speed when stopped, and often costs players a few places. If you have Bionic Crashes left, use them for a speed boost to get Modo's mojo going again. Grip: His grip is average, and if he peels out, it will take a long time to recover due to his acceleration. ALWAYS use the Sky-Hi Slide to turn corners - it will keep you ahead of the game! As mentioned, Modo's special ability is the Sky-Hi Slide. Turning corners with Modo is risky (even simple 90 degree ones) as he often skids and goes wide. His Slide is foolproof when it comes to turning corners, so use it to your advantage. Unfortunately, Modo cannot sidewsipe, so be careful if he gets bumped around (his acceleration rating is to blame if he is bumped into a wall or solid object). But, if a driver inches up anywhere near Modo, that driver is in for a rude awakening! Modo's Bionic Crash takes off THREE armor circles in the Main Race, and TWO in Battle Mode. YIKES!!! Every time you total another racer, you earn money. In the Main Race, you can destroy any driver an infinite number of times! The Bionic Crash is a cash cow (or "crash" cow)! The Crash is also good for gaining speed on straight stretches to increase a lead. Modo, the new Mighty Mouse... PROS + good speed + Sky-Hi Slide will save you very often + CRUSHING attack! + can gain money quickly in the first round + Bionic Crash also doubles as a speed boost CONS - poor acceleration - grip is something to be desired - no projectile weapon - cannot sideswipe - Ski-Hi Slide takes time getting used to My rating: 9/10 --------------------- VINNIE --------------------- Vinnie is knocked a lot and is generally ignored. However, I use him more often than any other character! Not only does his bike look awesome, but he has the potential to become the fastest racer in the game! Though his Speed rating may say otherwise, he is the fastest... but only when used properly. He is the hardest Biker Mouse to get used to, but when mastered, he can zip through courses with the greatest of ease! Speed - > Accel - >>>>> Grip - >>>>>> Speed: I am a Vinnie fan, but I'll admit it. Vinnie is VERY slow at the beginning. Engines are a priority for anyone who uses Vinnie, so always buy them over anything else. However, he is the second-best jumper in the game (Karbunkle is the best jumper), and can gain a ton of speed by tapping B to take off from a ramp. This jumping tactic can be well used in the Circuit-type courses, where ramps are plentiful. Accel: Vinnie has an excellent acceleration rating. It doesn't take this mouse long to reach his type speed (most likely because it is so low). You won't have to worry about losing places with Vinnie. Grip: A stellar grip rating! Vinnie can turn corners very easily (much to the chagrin of Grease Pit users!). Use the Tornado Twirl as well to take tight corners. The Tornado Twirl however, is very risky, especially for new Vinnie users. Though it is great to use for corners, try to save it for tight corners (Vinnie is perfect at wide turns anyway). If you hit the rail or a barrier, you can be turned right around and go in the opposite direction, so be careful when using it! The Twirl can even turn opponents around if they happen to get caught near Vinnie when he is about to perform it! Many people hate Vinnie's "attack", the Shooting Star. Just remember, it is NOT designed to kill! It was designed to help Vinnie gain speed... and to jump gaps in the courses (ie. the shortcut in the Mars Base). Use the Shooting Star (Y once, and then Y while airborne) on stretches repeatedly to gain an obscene amount of speed - tap Y very quickly! You can also knock back an opponent if you jump on them if you are lucky enough. Vinnie, The true Speed Racer... PROS + excellent acceleration + top grip + can gain a lot of speed with Shooting Star + Tornado Twirl is good for negotiating tight corners + opponents can be knocked back with Shooting Star and Tornado Twirl + excellent jumper + can sideswipe CONS - low speed - attack is not designed to hurt opponents - Tornado Twirl can backfire on you sometimes - takes a lot of time getting used to - not a very offensive driver My rating: 10/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * T H E V I L L A I N S * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The three villains in Biker Mice From Mars are Limburger, Grease Pit, and Karbunkle. These three are VERY different from the Biker Mice. Each villain has their own unique vehicle with its own sets of strengths and weaknesses, and are much harder to get used to as well. The villains are for the more seasoned Biker Mice From Mars players. ------------------------ LIMBURGER ------------------------ Just like the cheese he's named after, Limburger stinks... especially for newcomers. He, in my opinion, is the hardest character to master. His space vehicle, while flashy, presents many problems. I use Limburger occasionally, especially if I'm up for a challenge in Hard or Super Hard Mode. If you thought Vinnie was hard to get used to, Limburger will forever change your mind! Speed - >>>>> Accel - >>>>>> Grip - > Speed: Limburger's quick, so it is easy to jump out ahead of the pack without even trying. His special move, the Anti-Grav Dash, can be used to give him a speed boost in addition to tapping B. Limburger unfortunately cannot take the full advantage of using a nitro or zipper before taking off from a ramp. Limburger's jumps are much shorter than the other drivers. Limburger also hovers over the course, so the many elements on the track do not slow him down. Accel: Nothing can stop Limburger! When he is stopped by something, he'll kick it into high gear in less than second! Thank goodness for this, because you'll be hitting walls often due to Limburger's... Grip: If it weren't for his atrocious cornering, Limburger would be the best! Alas, he is not. First of all, you must tap (yes, TAP) the control pad to turn, as holding the direction down will cause Limburger to stop and turn around in a circle! Tight, hairpin corners are nightmares for Limburger! The Anti-Grav Dash, while useful, is very difficult to pull off successfully without hitting the rails or dashing into the drink! First you must tap L or R twice before making your turn. Then, you turn... and Limburger zips along with a speed boost. However, this move takes a long time to master and requires VERY precise timing. Use this around corners, and not on straight stretches. If you fail at doing it correctly, Limburger has excellent brakes (hold X) so you can make your turn without using the Dash. Keep trying the Dash and get used to it! Limburger's attack is a projectile... with several disadvantages. The Plutarkian Beam, unlike the Tornado Shot or Grease Gun, cannot travel as far a distance, often stopping in the middle of the track if the target is too far away. The Beam also cannot "climb" (go over) hills and stops dead on the slope (but this makes for a good "land mine" attack). Of all the projectile attacks, Limburger's is the worst. But there is a good thing about it. Unlike everyone else, Limburger can fire his projectile backwards by turning around (hold Down and fire away!). Limburger, like the cheese... PROS + high speed + top acceleration + excellent braking + maintains speed over track elements + can fire projectile backwards CONS - awful grip - must tap directions to turn - bad jumping distance from ramps - Anti-Grav Dash is tough to pull off - the hardest character to master My rating: 6/10 ------------------------- GREASE PIT ------------------------- Grease is the pits, if you ask me. This slick dude on three wheels may be fast, but his acceleration and grip are both, for lack of a better word, awful. Seems to me that ol' Greaseball oiled his engine too little and his tires too much... He, like Limburger is also hard to get used to, and requires just as much practice to master. Speed: Though I dislike this character, I love his high speed! He zooms quickly right out of the gate and leaves everyone in the dust. He is excellent on straightaways, but be VERY careful when cornering. He is also a bad jumper, and cannot launch his bike as far off of ramps. If an opponent uses the Earthquake item, Grease Pit doesn't have to worry about rolling down hills - he has four-wheel drive... er, THREE-wheel drive! Accel: His great speed comes at a great price... a price that often costs you many places, and often enough, the race. When he is stopped, it takes forever for him to reach top speed again. Boost his acceleration by purchasing engines and tires, preferably the latter. Why? You'll see... Grip: This is why tires are so important for Grease Pit. He slips and slides like an elephant on ice! He crashes into the rails and sides very often, and often stops, and then you'll have to wait for him to reach top speed again (bad acceleration). Use his special ability, Corner Crash, to hit the corner - this prevents him from screeching to a halt or slowing down substantially. The rails will be Grease Pit's home, so make the trip much easier on him by using the Corner Crash before hitting them. He turns VERY widely, so if you are about to hit the side, use this to prevent him from slowing down. This is the least useful special ability, but it saves you from waiting for him to reach top speed again. His projectile shares the same qualities as the Tornado Shot. Only, it melts the victim rather than shooting him straight up into the air. Useful on Modo, whose acceleration is the lowest when you are Grease Pit. Grease Pit definitely lives up to his name... PROS + top speed + can sideswipe + Earthquakes do not affect his performance on hills CONS - poor acceleration - poor grip - Corner Crash is not as useful as other drivers' abilities - bad jumper My rating: 4/10 ------------------------ KARBUNKLE ------------------------ The doctor is in the house! Of the villains, he is my favourite to use. In addition to his hilarious attack (and the sound that comes from it) and outlandish vehicle, he is a great character to use and does not require as much as practice to get used to. Behind Vinnie and Modo, Karbunkle is my third favourite character to use. Speed - >> Accel - >>>> Grip - >>>>> Speed: Like Vinnie and Throttle, Karbunkle seems a tad slow. Buy some engines for him early on and you'll be fine. If there are ramps, he can gain a ton of speed from them, as he is also the best jumper in the game. Tap B over a zipper that is before a ramp and take off... see how far he flies! This can greatly increase his lead, and is a very good way to catch up to everyone else. He unfortunately cannot pop a wheelie, and thus must go around track elements that may slow him down. Some tracks also have stretches of water that will greatly affect his speed (ie Whirlpools). Accel: Karbunkle's acceleration is good. It does not take all tht long to reach top speed with him, so don't worry about falling behind or shortening your lead. Grip: His grip rating is very good. He can turn corners without skidding a whole lot, unlike Grease Pit and Modo. Use the Bionic Anchor around corners as well to make turns more quickly, especially around tight corners, as Karbunkle is somewhat weak at making those kinds of turns. The Bionic Anchor is Karbunkle's friend. You can turn corners more easily with this, and gain a little speed boost as well. This is very useful for wide turns, as Karbunkle may go a little wide, depending on the terrain. Use it well, and time it correctly - it won't take long to get used to. The pride and joy of Karbunkle is his Mutation Beam. This projectile weapon turns characters into a little mutant creature (Fred from the Biker Mice cartoon)! This slows your opponents down, in addition to uttering a strange sound - "Warbly!", or something to that effect. Drivers, when transformed into Fred can be bumped around very easily - use that to your advantage. Karbunkle, the mad scientist... PROS + good acceleration + excellent grip + the best jumper + Bionic Anchor makes turning corners much easier CONS - must go around terrain that can slow him down - cannot sideswipe - seems slow at the beginning My rating: 8/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * S U M M A R Y * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Best Speed: Best Accel: Best Grip: Stats Total: -Grease Pit -Limburger -Vinnie -Throttle... 10 -Limburger -Vinnie -Karbunkle -Modo....... 9 -Modo -Karbunkle -Throttle -Vinnie..... 12 -Throttle -Throttle -Modo -Limburger.. 12 -Karbunkle -Modo -Grease Pit -Grease Pit. 9 -Vinnie -Grease Pit -Limburger -Karbunkle.. 11 Best Jumper: Best Weapon: Overall Rating: -Karbunkle -Modo -Throttle... 7 -Vinnie -Throttle -Modo....... 9 -Throttle -Grease Pit -Vinnie..... 10 -Modo -Karbunkle -Limburger.. 6 -Grease Pit -Limburger -Grease Pit. 4 -Limburger -Vinnie -Karbunkle.. 8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * R E V I S I O N H I S T O R Y * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.0 -First draft. Will correct any mistakes found in the future. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * L E G A L D I S C L A I M E R * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- And that's my guide. I hope it has been helpful for you. Remember, this FAQ is not to be distributed for profit, and if you do want to use it, contact me first, and I'll give you the go-ahead to do so. If you do plan on using it, give me credit where credit is due. After all, this FAQ is of my own concoction, and is the result of many hours of work. Failure to comply with international copyright laws will result in legal action against all third parties involved in taking this FAQ without my consent. Copyright - Alain Garamonde