_ __ _ __ __ ___ ___ __ /\ /\ | / | | /\ | | /\ |\ | | \ | \ | | | | / / | | | | | |--| | | |-- | | | | \ | | | |__/ |-- | | | \__ | | | | | | | |--| | | |--| | \| | | | \ | | | | \ | | | | \_ | | | | |__ |__ | | | | |_/ | \ |__ | | | ___/ _ _ __ _ __ _ __ | |\ | | \ \ / / /\ | \ / | | /\ | | | |\ | / \ | | | \ | | | | | | | |__/ | |--| | | | | |-- | \ | | |-- | | \| | | | | |--| | \ | | | |--| | | | | \| | -- | | | | |_/ | \_ | | | \ \_ | | | | |_ |_ |__ | | \_/ |__ =============================================================================== Table of Contents =============================================================================== [INTRO] Introduction [MODES] Modes of Play [TRACK] Track Guides [QUEST] Frequently Asked Questions [PASSW] Passwords [RECRD] Vinny's Records [REALL] Comparing to Reality [VERSN] Version History [COPYR] Copyright [CONTC] Contact Information Navigation tip: Press Ctrl and F to bring down a search bar. Then type in the name of the section you're looking for - like [VERSN] for the ever-popular Version History. =============================================================================== Introduction [INTRO] =============================================================================== With the IRL and Champ Car series back together again, why not celebrate with an FAQ/Walkthrough for a surprisingly good Indy Car motor racing video game back from when the two main American open-wheeled racing series were one? This is my Sweet Sixteen of walkthrough-writing, but it most certainly won't be my last. What's more, this my eighth guide for an auto racing game, so now my racing/non-racing quota is back in balance again. Michael Andretti's Indy Car Challenge is, in my opinion, the best racing game for the Super NES (except for Super Mario Kart). The graphics are fairly realistic by 1994 standards, and the controls feel very good. The gameplay is effective, intuitive, and fun. Also, I like being able to race on both ovals and road courses. =============================================================================== Modes of Play [MODES] =============================================================================== ---Championship--- In Championship mode, you run a 16-race season, earning points at the end of each race based on how you finished. Before each race, you'll run a qualifying session to determine your place on the starting grid. If you have the most points at the end of the season, something special will happen! ---Practice--- Here, you can run a five-lap practice race at the track of your choice. This is a good way to get used to the controls or to experiment with different car setups. ---Versus--- In Versus mode, you race head-to-head with another human player at any of the game's 16 tracks. ---Password--- This allows you to resume a saved season by entering a password. After you enter a valid password, simply select "Championship" and you'll resume a season in progress. ---Name--- This lets you change the name of your player. You can do better than "Player 1" and "Player 2." ---Options--- This allows you to change the controller configuration for each player. You can also switch between a manual or automatic transmission, change the difficulty level, choose between stereo and monaural sound, or listen to the sound test. =============================================================================== Track Guides [TRACK] =============================================================================== ---Australia--- The default settings (medium in all areas) should work well at this quick street circuit. With good driving, you'll win by a hefty margin. After the opening straightaway, take a straight line through the three-way chicane. Two 90-degree left-handers are ahead; start outside on both turns to maintain almost all of your momentum. After a short straight comes an easy chicane. After a few gentle curves, the track ends with two more lefts. These are a bit sharper than the earlier ones, but again start them from the outside edge. ---Phoenix--- The default setup is recommended here, although some players might prefer to lower downforce and set the car to its highest possible speed. The latter may become your preferred setup for all ovals, especially in qualifying. This trioval has three distinct turns. The first is long and not very sharp at first, but it gets sharper near the end. The second is quite gentle, while the third is fairly sharp. ---Long Beach--- Set your car up with medium tire pressure, high downforce, and a medium gear ratio to turn in some excellent laps at this twisty street circuit. Once you get started, take a medium right, then veer to the inside part of the left ahead. Then, starting from the outside, keep steering through the very sharp right. Then comes a very long straightaway, broken up by a gentle right. Stay near the left side of the road through the chicane, then traverse the sharp right from the outside part of the track. After a gentler chicane, you'll reach the finish line. ---Indianapolis--- You want speed - and as much of it as possible - at Indy, so change the downforce setting to low. You'll have to pit at the end of the sixth lap. There are four 90-degree turns here, and each has its own character. However, none of them require braking or deceleration. Try passing on the outside on straightaways. ---Milwaukee--- The default settings work well here. It's tough to win the race or the pole at The Milwaukee Mile, but you can do it. This short oval has two fairly sharp turns. ---Detroit--- Motown has perhaps the slowest track in the game. Use the default setup to maximize handling ability. This street circuit begins with a series of zig- zags, ending with a wide medium right. Take it smoothly and try to stay above 200 MPH. After a straightaway, you'll come to a very slow section. Start outside and decelerate to about 150 MPH for the medium right. From there, take the quick sharp left (it's not tough at this speed). Then comes a tough left- right S-curve. Cut through the grass a bit on the left-hander to set up properly for the right. After a couple of easy rights, you've finished a lap. ---Portland--- Portland is a road course with a slow section and a fast section. You'll get fast times if you select medium tire pressure, high downforce, and medium gear ratio. The course starts with a right-left-right. Take it smoothly to avoid losing speed. A long sweeping right is ahead. Be smooth and remember that the road is very wide here. Use the same strategies for the sweeping left, which is followed by a right. It may be helpful to go into the grass a little bit before the road slides to the left. Now the fast part of the course begins. Take the gently curved straightaway until you come to a sharp right. Start from the left side of the track, take it smoothly and that's that. ---Cleveland--- This road course was part of an airport in a former life. The default settings are fine. You will usually have just enough fuel to make it for all six laps, but I recommend refueling before the last lap. The lengthy opening straightaway is broken up by a wide, easy-to-navigate chicane. Set up outside for the quick right hairpin. Next is a medium straightaway. The right-left chicane is easy if you have enough downforce. After the short straightaway, start outside on the tricky left-right. The track concludes with two rights, with the second one being much sharper than the first. ---Toronto--- The default setup is far too speed-oriented. Use medium tire pressure, high downforce, and a medium gear ratio to shave several seconds off each lap. With good driving, it's possible to lap the field here. Contrary to what Michael Andretti tells you, don't bother trying to conserve fuel. After the long opening straight, veer outside and slow to about 120 MPH for the very sharp right. The upcoming sharp left will be easy, since you won't be going fast. Take the long right smoothly. Watch out, as the next right is immediately followed by a left and a few gentle bends. After the straightaway, start outside for the sharp right-hander, and then you're back on the opening straight. ---Michigan--- Use low downforce here to guarantee super speed. This is a pretty standard trioval; I really don't have much to explain here. ---Ohio--- The default car setup works well at this slow street circuit. Don't worry; you should have just enough fuel to finish. The Lexington course starts with a tough sharp right. Stay outside and decelerate to about 120 MPH. The upcoming sharp left isn't as tough. Take a straight line through the chicane, then navigate the pair of right turns. The left-right-left ahead is easy. Veer outside before reaching the sharp right. The straightaway ahead curves a little, and beware of the quick sharp left. Head outside on the straight in preparation for the right hairpin. You may want to let off the brake pedal a bit. After that, you're on your way to the finish line. ---New Hampshire--- The default settings work well here. It's tough to win the race or the pole at Loudon, but you can do it. This short oval has two fairly sharp turns. Will anyone notice that this track is the same as Milwaukee, except that the clock moves more than twice as fast? Will anyone notice this track guide's similarity to the Milwaukee track guide? ---Vancouver--- Another challenging street circuit. I'd stick with the default settings here. After the opening right, stay outside before slowing to 120 MPH for the sharp right. The short straight ends with a gentle chicane. Stay near the middle of the road and you'll be fine for the next chicane, which is much sharper. A medium right begins a slightly curving straight. Watch out; a quick sharp right is just ahead. Stay near the middle of the road. After one more sharp right and a gentle left, you're back on the opening straightaway. ---Elkhart Lake--- Elkhart Lake is a very long, fairly fast road course. I recommend medium setups in all three settings. You'll need to pit after the fourth or fifth lap. The course starts with a medium right, short straight, medium right, and long straight. Start out on the outside and use the curb on the slightly sharper left. Then comes a medium left, short straight, gentle right, gentle left, and a sharp right. Next is a long straight, broken up by a few gentle curves. A sharper right concludes with a gentle left and a straightaway. The final medium right shouldn't be any trouble. ---Nazareth--- This is another ordinary trioval, bearing a strong resemblance to Phoenix and Michigan. I recommend high tire pressure, medium down force, and high gear ratio. ---Monterey--- The default setting should work well, as Laguna Seca is a pretty tight road course. Make sure to pit at the end of lap six. The opening turn is a very gentle left. Start outside and decelerate for the sharp left hairpin ahead, taking it as smoothly as possible. A procession of short rights are ahead, followed by two medium lefts. After a gentle right, you'll reach a chicane, followed by an easy left and a fairly sharp right. Lastly, stay outside and consider decelerating a bit for the concluding sharp left - the last turn of the last track. =============================================================================== Frequently Asked Questions [QUEST] =============================================================================== Q: What are the controls? A: The controls in this game are not overly difficult: Accelerate: X Brake: A Steer: Left and Right on the Control Pad Shift up (only if using manual transmission): R Shift down (only if using manual transmission): L Reverse: Y (utterly useless) Pause game: START (press L and R when paused to end the current race) If you don't like this configuration, you can change it on the Options menu. Q: Is there any advantage to using a manual transmission? A: No. The automatic transmission provides better acceleration and top speed than the manual. The manual transmission's only advantage is that you can downshift to decelerate at certain turns (which is rarely, if ever, the best way to take a corner). Note that the far right side of the screen shows your current gear, regardless of transmission. Q: How does the Car Settings screen work? A: The graph at the bottom of the screen shows your current setup's attributes; for example, a "Balance" rating of five segments means your car will handle very well (but it won't be fast). Increase Tire Pressure and Downforce to boost handling but reduce top speed and acceleration. Increase Gear Ratio to improve top speed while reducing acceleration; decrease Gear Ratio for the opposite effect. Q: Can you change cars? A: Not really. You always drive a red car, although you can (of course) change its setup. However, in two-player games, Player 2 drives a white/orange car, although you're more limited in car setup in Versus mode. Q: Is there tire wear or damage in this game? A: No. Q: How do pit stops work? A: Simply enter the pit lane and you'll automatically make a pit stop. Your pit crew will come out and refuel your car. There's nothing you can do to speed up the stop. However, once it's over, make sure to start holding the gas button again before you leave the pits. By the way, if you run out of gas, you'll coast to a stop and have to quit the race and resume from your last password. For this reason, keep an eye on the gas gauge! Q: Why do my lap times get faster as the race goes on? A: In races, there may be less traffic later in the race, and you'll have become accustomed to the track's conditions and layout. But the primary reason is that your car consumes fuel during the race, lightening your weight and thus facilitating higher speeds. Q: What's the fastest straight-line speed you've achieved? A: 251 MPH, at Indianapolis. Q: How does changing the difficulty level affect the way the game plays? A: I haven't noticed any difference between the Normal and Pro difficulty levels. Q: Can I change options during the middle of a season? A: Yes, if you use a password to restore an existing season. From there, you can change your controls, transmission, and even the difficulty level, not that it seems to have much effect. Q: What other tips do you have? A: Here are a few other tips: * After you complete a race in Championship mode, make sure to write down the password you receive - and record it carefully. Since there's no battery backup, you need this password to resume your game. * The default car setups are generally good, but not necessarily ideal for the course. Refer to my track guides for the optimal setup for each course. * When starting, other cars usually accelerate better than you do. Let another driver hit your car from behind, giving you a good speed boost at the start and slowing your opponent down. Be willing to block aggressively. * Don't hit other cars in the back, or you'll lose about half your speed. Other contact won't cause you to lose momentum, though. * After completing a race in Championship or Practice mode, you can watch a full replay of the race if you want to. Try experimenting with the camera angles. * If you're running out of the gas on the final lap, enter the pits. Even if you've run out of fuel, you may be able to coast through the pits and therefore pass the finish line. If you follow my guide, though, you'll never have to worry about exhausting your fuel supply. * Take the inside line on ovals to shave off a small amount of time. Don't go into the grass, though. * The timer's speed runs faster at some tracks than others. This isn't a problem with your Super NES or emulator. * If you win the season championship, you'll get to run a special bonus track. I recommend racing this event at Indianapolis. =============================================================================== Passwords [PASSW] =============================================================================== These are the passwords I got during my perfect (352-point) season. Australia Q08J3D 0S0404 J24040 6J280M Phoenix Z1HJ5N 1S17J6 04D060 BJ8JXV Long Beach Z2RJ70 2N2CJD J6J0B0 HJCS00 Indianapolis Z2.JB8 3J3G0H J8S0D0 MJG090 Milwaukee Z351GJ 4J4K0L JB01G0 R0K89W Detroit Z4B1J0 5V4RJM 0G41L0 31TJPY Portland Z4J1N8 5Q5WJR JJ81S0 81XS16 Cleveland Z5QKRJ 626Z0V JND1X0 J1Z0L6 Toronto Z6WTS8 7L611X JSJ101 X159G3 Michigan Z62VX8 8673KZ JWN161 028KV1 Ohio Z77VZS 8L76K5 KZS1B1 52JTQ7 New Hampshire Z8HB1T 9G89K7 K112D1 B2M1MW Vancouver Z8NL25 BQ8HKC 1552J1 Q2W970 Elkhart Lake Z9VL6P BB9LKH K892N1 XLYKHB Nazareth 5B1M8F CBBN1L KCP2Q1 0M2V72 =============================================================================== Vinny's Records [RECRD] =============================================================================== Track Lap Race ----------------------------------- Australia 1:35.06 8:08.18 Phoenix 0:21.50 1:52.55 Long Beach 0:46.41 3:11.03 Indianapolis 0:42.84 6:12.06 Milwaukee 0:21.80 1:54.00 Detroit 1:06.50 8:06.10 Portland 0:49.14 4:09.90 Cleveland 0:50.58 5:09.78 Toronto 0:46.06 5:31.38 Michigan 0:29.82 3:07.60 Ohio 1:01.60 6:19.82 New Hampshire 0:56.29 4:54.84 Vancouver 0:49.49 5:57.28 Elkhart Lake 1:03.30 6:43.74 Nazareth 0:21.55 1:52.85 Monterey 1:05.16 9:16.11 All race times were achieved in Championship mode. I use the times displayed on the Results screen. =============================================================================== Comparing to Reality [REALL] =============================================================================== I think all the drivers in this game are game developers. For the record, those drivers are B. Asano, Sheila Boughten, R. Dupard, C. Gutierrez, John Knoll, H. Lazzarini, R. Richardson, T. Santini, M. (Betsy) Scougale, J. Whalen, and Z. (Patricia) Whisler. The tracks are identical to the real 1994 IndyCar Series schedule. =============================================================================== Version History [VERSN] =============================================================================== Date | Version | Size | --------|---------|------|----------------------------------------------------- 3-14-08 | 0.1 | 8KB | Started guide in honor of Pi Day. 3-15-08 | 0.25 | 10KB | Did some stuff. 3-16-08 | 0.4 | 11KB | Did some more work on the guide. 3-20-08 | 0.45 | 12KB | Started Modes of Play. 3-21-08 | 0.5 | 12KB | Happy Good Friday and Benito Juarez Day! Did little. 3-24-08 | 0.55 | 13KB | Started Australia guide. 3-26-08 | 0.8 | 21KB | Completed fifteen track guides and introduction. 3-27-08 | 1.0 | 24KB | Completed Monterey. Finished things up. =============================================================================== Copyright [COPYR] =============================================================================== (c) 2008 Vinny Hamilton. All rights reserved. All trademarks mentioned in this guide are copyrights of their respective holders. You can print this guide out for your personal use. You can download this guide to your computer for your personal use. You can post this guide on your Web site as long as you give proper credit AND you don't change a single letter, number, or symbol (not even an ampersand). Remember that the latest version will always be available at GameFAQs.com, but don't count on there being frequent (if any) updates. You can translate this guide into a foreign language (British, Southern, Australian, and New Yorker are not considered foreign languages) and post the translation on your Web site as long as you ask permission first. You can't post this guide on your Web site and then say you wrote the guide yourself. You can't post this guide on Web sites that contain (or have links to sites that contain) explicit depictions of naked humans (also known as pornography), racism, gambling, or flattery of totalitarian regimes. You can't post this guide on your Web site if you're going to change anything in this guide that took me so many hours to write. If you don't comply with these guidelines, your hard drive will be reformatted inexplicably and you will suffer from constipation for the rest of your life. Heed this warning. =============================================================================== Contact Information [CONTC] =============================================================================== If you have any questions or comments about this guide, please send an e-mail to VHamilton002@gmail.com. That's zero-zero-two, by the way. Remember that not all e-mail messages will be read. Please follow these guidelines: Do include "Michael Andretti" in the subject line. Do send polite suggestions for ways to make this walkthrough better. Do tell me about any errors or omissions you find. Do send information about any glitches, tricks, or codes you discover. Do ask any questions you have about Michael Andretti's Indy Car Challenge gameplay. I will respond eventually if you follow all of these rules. Do tell me if you break one of my records. Do make a reasonable effort to use decent spelling, grammar, usage, punctuation, and capitalization so that I can understand what you're trying to say. Do use patience. I check my messages quite sporadically. Do not send spam, pornography, chain letters, "flaming," or anything that contains profanity or vulgarity. Again, violating this rule will result in deletion of the message and permanent constipation. ******************************************************************************* Current list of VinnyVideo guides available on GameFAQs.com and Neoseeker.com: F1 ROC: Race of Champions FAQ/Walkthrough F1 ROC II: Race of Champions FAQ/Walkthrough SimCity 3000 Walkthrough/Strategy Guide Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing FAQ/Walkthrough Kyle Petty's No Fear Racing Strategy Guide/FAQ Madden NFL '96 (SNES) Strategy Guide/FAQ Madden NFL '98 (SNES) Strategy Guide/FAQ Madden NFL '97 (SNES) Strategy Guide/FAQ ESPN SpeedWorld (SNES) Strategy Guide/FAQ The Oregon Trail: Fifth Edition (PC) FAQ/Walkthrough The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest Low-Spoiler FAQ/Walkthrough Off Road Challenge (N64) FAQ/Walkthrough F-1 World Championship Edition (SNES) FAQ/Walkthrough Donkey Kong 64 FAQ/Walkthrough Where in America's Past is Carmen Sandiego (PC) FAQ/Walkthrough Michael Andretti's Indy Car Challenge FAQ/Walkthrough ******************************************************************************* Coming soon: All-Star Baseball '99 (N64) Strategy Guide/FAQs Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES) FAQ/Walkthrough The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Spoiler-Free FAQ/Walkthrough The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Spoiler-Free FAQ/Walkthrough The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Spoiler-Free FAQ/Walkthrough Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego (PC) FAQ/Walkthrough And lastly, a public service message: Fight for and affirm the rights of all humans, regardless of race, age, or creed! And... Don't forget to brush your teeth. No one's going to read this, anyway.