Shutokou Battle FAQ/Walkthrough/Secrets

By Felis Concolor (10/18/1999)
concolor@cris.com
concolor@concentric.net
rev 3.0

1. Overview
2. Menu and Interface
3. Car Types
4. Game Play
5. Driving Clubs
6. Tips and Suggestions
7. Secret Cars and Upgrade Parts (TokyoX Specific)
8. Differences between Shutokou/TokyoX

1. Overview

Welcome to Shutokou Battle.  This racing sim immerses you in the world of late
night street racing on Tokyo's famed Shuto, the expressway and business loop
that circles the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower.  The accuracy of the track is
exact:  For further research check out a street and rail atlas of Japan; the
outline is clearly visible and follows the course laid out in exacting detail.

The game itself is fairly straightforward; take your 25,000 initial construction
points and buy a car, outfit it with engine, transmission, brake, chassis and
cosmetic upgrades, then take to the streets and pick a fight.  If you're good,
you'll win the respect and "money" of a rival.  If not, you can always try again
later in the night or later in the game if you feel your car is not up to the
task.  For those willing to hammer away and practice on a few laps that night it
is entirely possible to defeat members of such lofty driving clubs as TR Racing,
Speed Box and even the highest echelon, Speed Master on your first outing.  For
the latter I have been extremely lucky with traffic but a win is a win and I
will take the credit and the points no matter how it happens; the street is an
unforgiving battleground.

As you begin to defeat cars, your database fills with info on your fellow
rivals.  Their car types, names and a little bio on each member become available
upon your first victory.  If you have challenged and lost or your race ended in
a draw the only data you receive is the car type and driver name.  Keep at it;
one day you will know all by winning everything.

As your wins increase, so does your reputation.  This changes the rules of the
game as you no longer challenge all drivers but are increasingly challenged by
other club leaders wanting a piece of you.  Stomp on them and the Devas begin
asking, "who is this guy?"  You can expect some nights to be quite hectic as you
shut down several club members followed by their leaders and then battle for
your honor against such characters as Death Driver, Midnight Cinderella and the
Silver Wolf.  Outdrive these loners and you'll earn a congratulations screen and
some great closing music by Ziggy.  Those who have access to Tokyo Pop or
another anime music importer might want to check out the CD advertised in the
back of the game flyer; with today's exchange rate it will cost from $29-37 but
I feel it is worth every penny.  Oh yeah, the order number for the latest Ziggy
CD is AICT-1040.

2. Menu and Interface

The Main Menu

After you press Start to begin the game you are presented with a menu screen.
Menu selections are (from left to right):

Quick Race:  Choose this for practice against an increasingly stronger selection
of adversaries.  You can choose either the sprint race (good for practicing your
Quest Mode battles) or a single lap of the circuit.  You are given the choice of
using the pre-packaged cars or loading your own from the VMS.  As you defeat
more cars in the sprint your challenge bar is not replenished; you must stay
ahead for the entire battle in order to win.  The Time Battle selection on the
lower part of the screen is a single lap of the Shuto either clockwise or
counterclockwise; whoever crosses the green line at the end first wins.
Opponents start out fairly anemic in both and are ratcheted up in speed and
handling until you fall.  This is where you can unlock the Fairlady Z or Type
S30 car (TokyoX only).

VS Race:  Challenge a friend with their controller and VMS.  You can use one of
the stock vehicles or load your favorite saved car from Quest Mode.  The battle
selections are the same as in Quick Race.

Quest:  The core of the basic game.  Selecting this allows you to start up a new
quest or load a save that is in progress.  This takes you to the Quest Mode menu
system.

Practice:  Build up your skill sets without any rivals on the course.  You can
choose A or B circuits, traffic or no traffic and your saved cars or the Quick
Race cars.  Practice can be ended by taking an offramp or pressing Start and
using the menu.

Options:  Miscellaneous settings and replay saves can be found here.  In order,
clockwise from the bottom left of the screen, are:

Key Config:  Change your controller settings and default shift and flash
buttons.

Load Replay:  Saved a favorite race on your VMS?  Relive the glory here.

Save Game File:  Save settings to your own or another VMS.  Also used to save
high scores from the SP and Time Battle games.

Load Game File:  Load settings from your or a friend's VMS.

Sound:  Change BGM levels from 0 to 127, select stereo or mono sound playback
and test each of the available race and BGM music tracks.  The vocal track is
not available here; use the default Dreamcast system menu to play that one.

Network:  If you are already running the Dream Passport software,
congratulations.  I have been unable to set my own machine up for Internet use
so have been unable to further research this area.

Below follows a brief description of each menu setting from the Quest Mode menu.
In clockwise order from the top right, they are:

Tuning:  This submenu allows you to purchase parts, adjust settings on your car
and change such accessories as Aero parts, Muffler types and custom Wheels.
This section will be covered in depth later.

Battle:  The core of the game.  Choose this selector and you will be presented
with the A and B courses for your evening cruise.  The following screen allows
you to turn on the generic car markers (use the triggers to toggle) and select
between manual or automatic shift modes with the analog hat.

System:  Allows you to save or load a game, end the Quest Mode and return to the
pening screen (any unsaved data will be lost) and change the key configuration
on your controller (switches shifting buttons and the high beam flash button
only; all other controls are locked in place).

Rival:  The logbook.  Use this to check up on who you have defeated, who you
have met and who remains to be found.  When the rival has been defeated at least
once the car will appear as a brightly lit model and the biography section will
be filled with some data on the driver him/herself.

Shop:  Buy and sell cars.  You are not allowed to sell your driving car; use the
garage to change them over.  You cannot sell your only car so if you are just a
few CPs short of that Skyline or Supra you will have to go back out and earn
them on the street that night before parting with your old ride.  I tend not to
sell any of my purchased cars as it is more fun to upgrade them and compare
notes on their unique performance profiles.

Garage:  Your storage area.  Here is where you can change over to a different
vehicle in the stable and rename them to suit your tastes.  Select the car you
want to use or work on and change it with the A button.

The Quest Mode menu also displays which day/night it is for you in the game and
how many CPs you have in your personal stock.

The Tuning Menu

Buy Parts:  Selecting this takes you to the upgrade purchase section for your
selected car.  Using the triggers on your controller brings up the data screen
overlay, listing your car's critical dimensions, its power and torque ratings,
the drive system and final drive ratio.  The settings are listed in metric
terms, multiply the Torque rating by 6.8 for the equivalent foot-pounds listing.
The upgrade choices, listed left to right, are:

1.  Engine:  This upgrades the heart of your machine and affects acceleration
and to a lesser extent top speed.  Engine upgrades start at around 10% of your
car's purchase price and in some cases can exceed the cost of the car itself.

2.  Brakes/Control Arms/Shock Absorbers:  This section unlocks greater levels of
adjustment on the Settings submenu.  Level Two opens up Brake Balance, while
Level Three allows you to change Ride Height (setting 4), Jounce and Rebound (5
& 6).

3.  Transmission:  Your greatest top speed gains occur here.  As you upgrade
your transmission you are given the ability to modify your shift points (Level
Two, setting 7) and Final Drive ratio (Level Three, setting 8).  Higher
transmission upgrades give you a closer ratio gearbox and your acceleration
improves noticeably.

4.  Chassis:  How stiff your car's subframe is.  Cranking this up reduces flex
and gives you greater control when your car starts to slide or bumps an
obstacle.  Settings are not affected by these upgrades although it does give
some of the best overall performance gains.  Couple chassis upgrades with the
higher end wheels for a car that is easy to aim.

5.  Muffler:  Speed and sound.  These upgrades give you a freer flowing exhaust,
improving acceleration slightly and top end performance as well as changing your
exhaust note.  I tend to wait until I can afford the storm drain pipe, then slap
it on and crack some windshields.

6.  Wheels:  Where the rubber meets the road.  These items are expensive not
just because they look good:  They can radically improve your car's performance
in the corners.  Most cars have two or three different styles for each upgrade
level.  The breakdown is as follows:
The first three wheels in a series are soft compound for the front, hard
compound for the rear.
The second three wheels in a series are hard compound for the front, soft
compound for the rear.
The third set of wheels are soft compound front and rear.
Each wheel increases diameter by one inch within a set, ergo wheel five would be
a +2 wheel with hard compound front and soft compound rear tires.

7.  Aero:  Looks good, feels great.  This submenu is composed of separate
sections for each car, some of which will not apply to certain automobiles.
Sadly there is no way to check the overall look of several separate pieces
before you buy, so page through each one until you figure out what bits will
look best for your ride.  Use your save feature before trying them out; if you
do not like the look, reload the previously saved game.  I have not tested this
area but the various wings and spoilers do not seem to affect overall
performance.

8.  Color:  Match the hues to your moods.  Are you the strong, silent type?
Perhaps a bold "ticket me red" scheme is more to your liking?  Each color slider
has nearly 200 clicks available; if you cannot find the mix you like you
probably cannot get it from DuPont either.  For metallics slide the adjustment
towards the low end of the scale; bright solids can be found from the midpoint
upwards.

Settings:  This submenu is straightforward and uses sliders for settings (press
A to lock in the changes) with a default button for use if you really screw
things up.  The list in order is:

1.  Steering Response:  Do you want a twitch car or do you prefer larger, more
deliberate inputs?  Settings range from Slow to Quick.

2.  Brake Response:  How quickly do you want your brakes to grab?  Quick
response allows for rapid flicking of the tail during high speed maneuvers but
you run the risk of locking up and losing control.  These first two settings are
the only ones available on a stock car.

3.  Brake Balance:  Available after level two suspension upgrades, this allows
you to change which set of discs engages strongest.  Forward bias enables
straight stopping while rearward bias allows one to drift through corners with
ease.

4.  Ride Height:  Low to high, this allows you to alter the car's center of
gravity.  Low cars are more stable but not as responsive during cornering.

5 and 6.  Jounce and Rebound:  Shock absorber terms that allow you to change
your car's behavior on bounces, braking and drifts after Level Three suspension
upgrades.

7.  Crossmission (Transmission) Shift Points:  Lower them for a quicker dash to
top gear, raise them for a higher top speed.  Appears after Level Two
transmission upgrades.

8.  Final Gear:  Raise it for quicker overall acceleration, lower it for a
higher top speed.  It is available as part of your third transmission upgrade.
Traditionally the terms used reflect the opposite of their settings; "tall
gearing" refers to a low number while "short gearing" is a high ratio.

Change Parts:  If you have upgraded your car or have more than one Aero, Wheel
or Muffler unit in your system you can change between them on this menu.  Each
subsystem you have will be displayed here.  Select the item you wish to place on
your car and press the A button.

3.  Car Types

Your limited funds prohibit you from purchasing many of the neatest bits of
hardware when you start up the game but do not fret; any car you can afford
initially may be upgraded to the point where you can hold off and defeat the
first three Devas (although defeating Silver Wolf in the Toyota Corolla can be
an exercise in frustration).  For first cars I usually purchase the EK9 or S14.
These are quite different in their performance and handling profiles and are
where most drivers diverge in their styles.  A brief description of the cars
available for first purchase follows.

25,000 CP and under cars.

AE86L:  Toyota Corolla (80s variant).  Classic starter car.  16,000 CP cost
allows for two engine upgrades necessary to challenge the middle ranks.  Use
your first night's winnings to crank up your engine and transmission once again.

AE86T:  Toyota Corolla (80s style, pop up headlights).  Another favorite.  Same
price, similar in most areas to AE86L but with slightly higher top speed after
upgrades.  In the import version of the game (Shutokou Battle) it can be
purchased as an experimental car sponsored by the West Japan Industrial Company.
Beware; taking that upgrade path means you will be spending much more on the car
before maxing it out.

S13:  Nissan Silvia/240SX.  20,000 CP will give you enough for a single engine
upgrade, but I would instead recommend:

S14:  Same model, this one even newer.  Upgrade this to its maximum and you'll
have no difficulty taking on the Devas when they appear.  25,000 CP means you'll
be flat broke after you purchase it.  Both S13 and S14 are RWD and exhibit lift
throttle oversteer in addition to kicking out the tail at speed.

RPS13:  Nissan 240SX.  Good looks, delightful balance just like the original.
This is another car that leaves you next to nothing.  24,000 CP means you can
buy a few cosmetic bits or change the color to your liking before hitting the
streets.  The learning curve is steep for this car; give it two to three engine
upgrades before cranking up the chassis and transmission to match.

EK9: Honda Civic.  The perennial favorite of the boy racer, this car has an
especially tight FWD chassis and can outsprint the Toyota Corolla when maxed
out.  This car corrects any steering inputs in a matter of milliseconds;
pointing it straight or sliding through wide sweepers is especially fun.  20,000
CP gives you enough for one engine upgrade; take three before working on
anything else.

DC2:  Acura Integra.  Tight FWD chassis, understeers horribly at speed.  Use
throttle and brake adjustments to point the nose where you want to go.  This car
can be developed to take on Silver Wolf before retirement.  25,000 CP.

Over 25,000 CP cars

SW20:  Toyota MR2.  The first performance car to prove that mid engine and high
reliability are not mutually exclusive items.  Balance is neutral with a slight
bias towards oversteer.  Careful chassis tweaks can keep this one in the game
until Zero shows up.  The highest club this one appears in is Wind Stars.
30,000 CP.

JZA80:  Toyota Supra.  This car remains loose in its handling all throughout its
upgrade cycle; use the chassis mods to unlock its best performance.  This car
can take you through the end of the Quest; be prepared to rechallenge the Devils
once they show up.  45,000 CP.

XE10:  Toyota Altezza.  A mid sized luxury performance sedan that is very good
in the midgame.  Only the CE9A/CP9A have a tighter initial chassis among the
sedans.  35,000 CP.

JZX100:  Toyota Crown Mark II.  This looks to be a very close relative of the
Lexus 400 series.  Do not let its size fool you; this car has the acceleration
curve of an express train.  Get up to speed and you'll be leaving many of the
wedge cars behind.  33,000 CP.

R32:  Nissan Skyline (early 90s model).  Some people wonder why I am glad that
Renault now controls much of Nissan.  Knowing that we have been denied their
finest performance sedan for nearly thirty years is reason enough for me.  If
you are having trouble finishing the game with your current supercar, pick up
one of these and max it out.  If that does not seem like enough, then try:

R33:  Nissan Skyline (mid 90s model).  Slightly higher top speed, same neutral
balance.  R32 costs 45,000 while R33 tips the scales at 50,000 CPs.

Z32:  Nissan Z.  Abandoning the numeric codes in favor of the letter that made
it famous, this car exhibits greater neutral balance than the SW20/MR2.  Letting
go of the steering wheel or analog hat simply leaves the car drifting in the
direction it was pointed.  You need to actively point the nose where you want to
go; this diminishes with upgraded chassis modifications.  40,000 CP.

Y33C/Y33G:  Nissan Cedric/Gloria.  The big ones.  More than a ton and a half of
steel, glass and rubber means you can really throw some weight around.  Perfect
for those who like to get ahead and win through intimidation.  38,000 CPs for
both.

NA2:  Acura NSX.  The fastest car in the game; only experts need apply.  Getting
it up to speed demands absolute precision in traffic sorting and cornering but
when you do it right it is wonderful; being in the lead at the start of the long
straight spells "it's over" for most pursuers.  95,000 CP.

CE9A/CP9A:  Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III/V.  An AWD coupe with a tight
chassis.  Some drivers will avoid this model as it can be difficult to set up
for drift or oversteer.  Others enjoy its stability; it is very difficult to
screw up with this one.  Great for midgame to endgame playing, tweak the
transmission for best acceleration and let your rivals figure out how to get
past you.  CE9A is 35,000 CP, CP9A is 40,000 CP.

FC/FD:  Mazda RX7 2nd/3rd generation.  Although they lost their focus briefly in
the mid 80s Mazda returned to the high performance arena with a vengeance in the
90s; an ounce here and an ounce there equals one of the lightest and quickest
two seat cars on the road today.  Slight oversteer balance is easy to tune; pick
up Midnight Cinderella's secret paint job and impress your friends.  FC costs
30,000 to start with while FD will set you back 45,000 CP.

GC8:  Subaru Impreza WRC.  Having experienced all of the real world mini-4WD/AWD
offerings from Japan (for the domestic market) in the past decade I ask; why
bother?  Subaru's chassis continues to define the genre and set the standard; if
it weren't for those horrible cupholder ergonomics and awful seatbelt/window
ledge positioning I would be driving a Forester today.  This chassis is for
those who like the AWD sedans but desire something a little looser in the
corners; setting up drifts in this model is easy.  Remove the rear loop spoiler
and stick on the flat wing tab for understated elegance.  40,000 CP.

GFLF/GFLS:  Mitsubishi Eclipse (Tokyo Xtreme Racer only).  It must be me; I love
the GFLF chassis but find the GFLS's handling to be even less attractive than
the styling (and here I thought Honda Quaaludes were soporific).  Changing to
FWD only serves to hurt this car's reputation.  It is all subjective, however;
do not be too annoyed with my rant.  The GLFS is preferable to the DC2 in
overall performance, however; I would rather be stuck in the former than have to
find a workable chassis tweak for the Integra once again (two weeks of game
time; ouch!).

Special Cars:  These cars cannot be had until certain Quest Mode points have
been reached.  After you defeat The Four Devas you will be presented with
purchase options for:

S15:  This is the latest iteration of the S13/S14/240SX line and has several
main upgrades greyed out.  I assume this is because the parts used are actual
aftermarket units and nothing has yet been developed for this car.  The major
areas (Engine, Suspension, Transmission, Chassis and Wheels) are still available
for upgrades as is the color menu.  33,000 CP.

AP1:  Honda S2000.  Apparently Honda will treat us to this beauty in the next
model year; go ahead and give your local dealer some grief if you really want
one.  This car makes you feel like you are a much better driver than you are;
drifting is easier in this car than any other.  You have to be perfect with it
in order to challenge the middle and upper ranks, however; its top speed is
quite limited in relation to the larger sedans.  40,000 CP.

For the next pair of cars you have to finish the game (defeat the final driver
in his Fairlady).  After saving, check out the shop; you will be able to
purchase:

R34:  Nissan Skyline GT-R (current model year).  This is it; the car that makes
it all worthwhile.  If you enjoyed the R32 and R33 you'll love how much further
the R34 takes them.  Maxed out and with a transmission tweaked for acceleration
you can pull anyone on the track, except maybe the following model:

P930:  Porsche 930.  This, the ultimate evolution of the famed 911 series never
made it out of the 80s.  Its legacy can be seen to this day in the many frog
faced iterations rolling down the highways.  Formidable in stock trim, max it
out and it becomes a physical manifestation of the equation "Delta-V".  Rear
engine rear wheel drive means you really have to lock down the chassis or be
slapping the walls on every corner.  Upgrading this monster can easily set you
back over 400,000 CPs.  Only one car costs more to upgrade.  The R34 will set
you back 55,000 CPs if you pick it up but this pales in comparison to the P930's
startup cost; 130,000 CPs!

4. Game Play

After you choose your car and outfit it the way you like, you then hit the
streets and see how you measure up against the speed kings and queens who prowl
the circuit.  Yes, there are female drivers in this game.  You will have to deal
with girls who can outdrive guys when you start to ascend the ranks.  Choice of
course is limited to a clockwise or counterclockwise circuit; each has a unique
flavor and some drivers will find one direction to be their forte.  You will
need to switch back and forth between sides to optimize your challenges.  Some
of the drivers you battle will also have weaknesses on certain courses.

As you circle the Shuto you will see your car indicated as a blinking yellow
square on the overall course map.  Other cars to challenge are indicated in
blue, red or green squares.  Blue squares are car/driver combinations you have
not met before, red squares indicate a racer whose status is still undefeated
(Lose/Draw on the outcome menu) and green is the all clear light.  You have
defeated that racer at least once but can still challenge them for more CPs.
Often you will find yourself taking someone on a second or third time because
the race is on the way to a new rival.  The rival's purse is set highest for the
first victory; it is reduced to 40% of its original value afterwards.  You also
receive bonus points for how many ticks are left on your challenge bar at the
end of the match (100-1 x modifier, 0 means you have lost) and how many meters
you have travelled (1CP/10Meters, 100CP/Kilometer).

Challenging other drivers is straightforward.  Approach from the rear until the
club logo and challenge bars appear at the top of the screen.  You will also see
a name in hiragana, katakana, kanji and the occasional roman alphabet on the
left hand side of the screen (only applies to Shutokou Battle; all names are
alphabetic in TokyoX).  When you feel it is time, press the B button (default)
to flash the driver with your high beams.  This challenged, the autopilot takes
over and you both activate your hazard lamps to begin the contest.

In most cases you will be challenging in the overtaking position.  On occasion a
fortuitous placement of traffic or freeway dividers can give you the lead when
the timer counts down to takeoff.  Use these situations wisely; you can often
defeat a clearly superior car simply be being in the lead at the start of a
favorite section.

The victory conditions are simple; stay ahead of your rival for as long as
possible, demonstrating your superior driving skills.  The further ahead you are
the faster your rival's challenge bar drops.  This can also be used as a
subliminal indication of how hard you need to push things.  If the bar is
dropping like a stone you might want to take it easy and clean up your line
through traffic.  If the bar seems like it is not moving at all you'll need to
stand on the throttle in order to give yourself some distance and breathing
room.  When the rival is within several tens of meters you can also hear the hum
of his or her engine, another useful indicator.

The drivers are programmed with differing skill levels and skill sets.  Some are
insanely fast on the long sweepers, some are especially adept at weaving through
shifting traffic, some can barrel through chicanes and complex passages with
ease.  A select few can do all of these:  Fear them.

Races can be won, lost or drawn.  Wins are straightforward;  you made it, now
take the money and pick on somebody else.  Losses indicate a need to hone
technique or upgrade a car.  Draws can be initiated by several events; you can
split up where the highway divides between high and low roads, take an offramp
accidentally or on purpose.  In either case the contest is unresolved and the
car's blue square turns to red to remind you of unfinished business.

After the race the Results Menu will appear, allowing you to relive the glory
(or cringe through the debacle) and analyze your attack, save the race movie to
your VMS (expensive, 75 blocks required) or return to the track and harass some
more drivers.  This also allows you to hook up a VCR and record your victories
to show disbelieving friends ("Silver Wolf in a CRX?  I'll believe it when I see
it.").

The menus also allow you to exit the evening with a simple command but I
consider this bad form.  Use the supplied exits to end the night; this also
allows you to practice a bit after challenges and can help maintain the
atmosphere created by the game.

When you start to pick off the members of a club the word gets back to whoever
leads that group and his or her interest rises in you.  When you remove the
second to last member of the club you will exit the Results Menu to find that
this time you are the one being challenged by the club leader in a final
reckoning race.  It is almost as if they are saying, "alright; you have
humiliated every member of my club; let's see how good you really are."  Win
that race and the Devas become interested in your abilities.  The first Deva
will challenge you after you defeat two club leaders.  This will be your first
three race back-to-back stint as you defeat the club member followed directly by
the club leader followed by Death Driver himself.  Shut him down and you will
have more than enough points for at least one high level engine upgrade or
possibly a new car.

Each successive Deva will appear after two clubs have been defeated.  Some
nights will see you fending off two Deva attacks if you shut down enough driving
clubs that evening.  If you are unable to defeat the Deva that night he or she
will continue to harass you each following night after any regular or club
victory until you slap them hard.  Occasionally they will not show up after a
battle; it usually means they are one of the red squares on the track waiting
for your challenge ("You are not a Jedi yet.").  The earliest I have encountered
a Deva was night two after closing out Rolling Guy and Curving Edge, the longest
was six days as I laboriously worked my way through seven separate clubs, never
completely defeating any until that fateful evening.

After you race and defeat the fourth Deva the game ends and you are given a
victory screen and some great music by Ziggy.  After saving your progress you
then find out the game was only beginning; you still have to defeat the other
club members and leaders.  There are also four new super drivers out there, this
time called The Four Devils.  These drivers show up when the Devas refuse to
cruise the Shuto.  When they appear it is to say, "alright; let's see how rough
you can play."  The CP values are quite high; you can purchase most cars on a
single victory's points.  Take care of these masters and you will receive a
second victory celebration and a well deserved rest.  The frequency of each
Devil's appearance is timed to the defeat of three clubs.

5.  Driving Clubs

A list of the clubs, their general styles and select members follows:

1.  Rolling Guy:  These guys are feeble both in cars and mind.  With such
imaginative names as Rolling Guy 1, Rolling Guy 2, Rolling Guy 3 and so on you
should feel ashamed if you ever lose to one of these putzes.  Looks like Bob
Marley behind the wheel on their logo; perhaps they have been hitting the weed
too often?

2.  Curving Edge:  Better equipment but whoever is behind the wheel is woefully
inadequate.  Names get better; Shutokou Prince leads this group.

3.  SS Limited:  Luxury cars with jerks behind the wheels.  Names like Heaven's
4 Doors and Black Line (Brakeline?  Black Rain?  Until they create a katakana
'l' translations will be less than exact) belie their abilities; they have mass
and know how to use it.  Pass them and it's all over.

4.  Elegant Wild:  Cars as curvaceous as the name.  Deep Green, White Revolution
and 300 Mile Red Ruby have decent top speeds; screw up early if at all.

5.  Max Racing:  SS Limited hopes to one day be first class assholes like these
guys.  Bloody Rose leads this crew of heavyweights.

6.  Diamond Image:  A motley crew of basic and second level cars.  Lone Wolf,
Lightning Foot and Yellow Angel might well be insurmountable for some stock
cars.  They have decent traffic abilities; mix it up with them on the ramps.

7.  Fine Drive:  Look at their logo and say, "Club ED".  Red Comet leads this
large club, driving a car you can't purchase until the first game is finished.
Think Elegant Wild with higher top speeds and better traffic sorting.

8.  Twister:  Good in traffic, great for top speed.  Keep them to the twisties
and you should not have a problem.  Names like Shooting Star and Blue Light are
found here.

9.  R. Gang:  Vintage revolvers for a logo, insanely tall final drive ratios for
speed.  They are deceptively easy to pull at the start; screw up late in the
game and it's all over.  Street Dancer and Raindrop are members.

10.  Tokio Jungle:  These guys know how to keep close by your tail; defeating
them usually involves driving past the next rival on the course.  MJ6feet6?  If
that's a height measurement this driver is not only the tallest racer in Japan
he's the tallest who can fit into a Honda Civic.  Slide Freak drives a second
generation turbocharged RK-7 while their leader is simply titled "ii-oh".

11.  Top Level:  The tree huggers.  Lots of AWD Sedans means they can take any
line they want.  Pass them, then run like hell.

12.  Free Way:  The name is the game.  What would happen if you combined R.
Gang's high final drive ratios with real power?  The result can reel you in on
any long straightaway.  Make all your gains in the technical sections and hope
to be in the lead by the next corner.  Axle Junkie is the most colorful of the
bunch while Crystal Nights has a nice front end aero treatment.  Stand on it and
steer; they're right behind you.

13.  Another Star:  By the time you meet them you'll say Another Scrub.  Names
like Blue Speed and Silver Speed will bring back memories of Rolling Guy
although Battle Scratch does redeem their ranks somewhat.

14.  Speed Box:  The most expensive club on a per car basis.  Everyone drives
Acura NSX vehicles and they know how to use them.  Try to set up a lead when you
flash to challenge; they're fast and can hurt your challenge bar early and
quickly.  Burning Red has a nice aero treatment, while Killing Machine keeps his
missile looking stock.

15.  TR Racing:  Their logo has wings and for good reason; these drivers can
fly!.  No matter how many times I defeat them, neither Lovely Lina nor 180
Master will give me their phone numbers.  Street Queen's the hardest of the
basic club members while Dancing Chaser drives a Lexus 400-series luxury sedan
faster than any male driver.  Hey, Evangelion fans; the purple Skyline is
driven by Rev Limit Shinji!

16.  Cupid Arrows:  The all girl kickass team.  A name that screams "pansy" with
drivers that make grown men cry.  This team is ranked below Speed Master, Wind
Star and RR yet you need a high level car in order to defeat them.  Uniformly
nasty, they excel in traffic, corners and straights with their only weakness
being a limited top speed.  Once you shut them down you know you have reached
the big time.  Moonlight Child and 246 Heartbreaker are noted traffic sorters.
Sonic Runner drives the only Honda S2000 in the game.  It's painted
blue...perhaps she's a relative of the hedgehog?

17.  Wind Star:  These fellows do much more justice to the name than the
minivan.  R Magic, Black Magic and Diamond Dust are worthy opponents with Yellow
Flare driving a gorgeous S15.  Black Magician's MR2 has a large wing on the
nose; one friend cannot help but give a Kevin Cartman "ramp him!  ramp him!"
whenever he drives by.

18.  R. R.:  The Rotary Club.  Nothing but Mazda RX-7s of second and third
generation design.  Cornering Artist, Hiroshi and High Speed Star are all
highlights.

19.  Rings:  Win Ugly.  These fellows are better at playing in traffic than you
are.  See the wall, feel the wall, make them eat the wall.  While you can get
lucky with traffic against Speed Master there is no such out for this club; high
level cars are required for the win.

20.  Speed Master:  The pinnacle.  You don't need to be perfect, it just makes
winning a lot easier if you are.  The leader's name says it all:  Iceman.  Put
the freeze on these after honing your skills to perfection.  Maniac Player
drives a well done red GC8, while Black Angel has butchered his onyx Supra's
lines with one of the larger wings in the game.  He could use some style points
from First Beat.

That's it for the basic drivers.  The Devas and Devils are unique in that they
are listed with the same club name yet are not displayed subordinate to each
other.

The Devas

1.  Death God Driver/Grim Reaper:  The logo speaks louder than words; this
fellow is here for your soul.  With a level three engine and an upgraded chassis
on your basic ride he can be tough but defeatable.  Once he has been closed down
pour your winnings into one more engine and chassis upgrade before taking on:

2.  Midnight Cinderella:  Her family name is Hayashibara but this is no Megumi.
Her white RX-7 is painted with a wild blue flame job and is quite difficult to
get around, possibly because she learned her unique driving style while living
in America.  EK9 with three engine upgrades can keep ahead briefly; give it four
and she is no problem.

3.  Silver Wolf/Nocturnal Wolf:  Silver Skyline, black heart.  This fellow knows
the perfect line; too bad if you're trying to take it as well.  Work hard on
traffic sorting and line changing on sweeping curves and he will fall
eventually.

4.  Dreaming Apparition/Banshee:  Driving a tricked out golden NSX with flames
and sporting a logo that features a skull with a manji carved into its forehead
this car screams, "run, little one or I will chew you up, spit you out, slurp up
the pieces and spit them out again."  The final super driver for the first game.

The Devils

1.  Crimson Demon/Raven Blood:  This fellow drives a new R34 Skyline with
impressive graphics and numerics printed on the hood, sides and wings.  Easily
the ugliest driver of the Devils; you should feel no qualms when you slam him
into a guardrail, highway divider or other car.

2.  Exhaust Eve:  Check it out; she's an Office Lady!  Piloting a hot pink
Toyota Supra with Italian racer style red and green stripes this girl drives as
beautifully as her car is brash.  Keep her in traffic for the best challenge.

3.  ZERO:  This driver has been bothering people for over 10 years and it's easy
to understand why.  A Porsche 930 turbocar is still a formidable foe, despite
the last ones being produced before the 80s were over.  He's good but perfection
can be his undoing; traffic can upset him heavily.

4.  The Man With No Name.  He drives a car that is already older than most
people who will play the game.  His logo features a demonic skull munching on an
inverted Christian cross with the numerals 666 stamped above.  His weapon of
choice?  A 1972 Datsun Fairlady Z.  Be afraid; be very afraid.  This driver has
been kicking everyone around for well over 10 years and no one has shut him
down...until you come along.  It is up to you to show him who is the master,
once and for all.

6.  Basic Tips and Suggestions

Construction Points

Each driver has a basic purse that is modified according to the victory
conditions.  The first time you race somebody the bonus modifier is five; you
can never receive this bonus again.  If you lose or draw the first race the
bonus modifier drops immediately to four for the first victory.  This means that
you win 20% more CPs if the car's light goes straight from blue to green.  Any
further challenges after the first victory have a bonus modifier of two, just
40% of the original prize purse.  You also receive a challenge bar bonus based
on the number of percentage points left.  If you win a race going away you
receive a nice extra; if it was ugly and involved switching the lead several
times expect there to be very little as a challenge bonus.  You always receive
points for the race at a rate of 1CP per 10 meters driven.  This has altered my
strategy on several occasion as I let more difficult drivers go for a night or
two until I knew my upgraded car could finish them off.

Upgrades

Upgrading your car can make a major difference in how it handles on the course
as well as how quickly it responds to your inputs on the controller.  Engine,
Chassis, Brakes, Transmission and other areas can all make a difference in how
the car behaves and balancing them can be crucial to early success.

Use your save feature to your advantage.  When you have lots of CPs to spend
after an evening save the game first, then go shopping and pick up the parts you
want to play around with and hit the highway once again.  If that setup does not
seem right then reload the old save, pick up different equipment and try again.
With diligence you can shut down everyone within 25 game days and may even lower
that record with a lucky break on the evening's new rivals mix.

Challenges

You are not required to return to active driving after a victory; the automated
driving system takes over after each victory or loss and sends you around at
120Kph (other cars are set at 80) until you activate Free Ride on the menu.  Use
this to your advantage when you know a heavy challenge is coming (Club Leader,
Deva, Devil).  Once you approach a favorite section, punch out and let the other
car flash you from behind; he's on your turf now.  Using this method I have shut
down the final Devil in under 30 seconds (right before the southern chicane and
he got stuck in traffic during the countdown; yay!).  Using the chicane on the
southern section of the highway is especially effective as is setting up a
challenge right before a lane divider or onramp.

Traffic

Traffic is not only there as an obstacle, it can be used to your advantage to
create impossible lines through difficult sections.  Caroming off the side of a
large truck can give you an edge on the high speed sweeping curves near the
Southeast section of the highway.  Dashing in between a crowded pack of cars
just in front of a road divider spells "it's over" to any pursuing adversary;
they must wait for traffic to clear before giving chase once again.  Sometimes
you can slow down a foe by pushing a crowded car into their lane during traffic
sorting or stop them in their tracks.  Braking while taking a line between two
cars can also result in the chase driver ramming you from behind, giving you a
welcome speed boost while forcing the follower to cycle through the gears once
again.  Practicing without traffic can be helpful in determining the best racing
line but is useless when you are out in the Quest; practice with other cars
present as much as possible.

Course Selection

I have found that alternating between the A and B courses each night gives the
largest number of rivals in the mix.  Spending several days on one course means
you can miss key players to close out clubs on the other circuit.  I will also
concede the first encounter with Dreaming Apparition if there are a few more
rivals on the course, then close them out and take on the final driver.

Use your game saves to your advantage here as well; in the early days see if you
can get as many "six new driver" nights as possible; this allows you to close
out clubs much earlier than if you only find four or fewer new rivals a night.

7.  Secret Cars and Upgrade Parts

So you have stomped on the various Devas and Devils but you're still wanting
more?  How about taking some of those hundreds of thousands of spare CPs and
buying yourself a new car?  How about buying one of the cars you defeated,
complete with the same wild paint and graphics?

At least three cars are available from the Shop Menu in this manner.  You must
purchase the exact model of car as the Deva/Devil.  You must also enter their
exact prefecture on the license plate selection screen and you must enter their
logbook location as the license plate number (remember to use a period for the
first of the four digits).  Death God, Silver Wolf and ZERO are not available in
this manner; you can create their standard paint jobs and aero treatments with
the regular upgrade menus.  Dreaming Apparition/Banshee is not available at all;
I believe it has something to do with the car's unique paint (surface graphics
must be a subset of the base color).

You must also have defeated the drivers in question in order to appropriate
their graphics for your use.  Crimson Demon's car is not available until the
game is completed as the R34 is a final bonus car.

To obtain Midnight Cinderella's wild flame paint purchase the FD type car.
Enter the Shinogawa prefecture kanji followed by any numbers next to it.  It is
the very first one highlighted when you go to the prefecture select menu; look
for three stacked boxes next to three vertical strokes.  You can use any
hiragana on the left of the plate, then enter "dot-1-3-5".  You will hear a
confirming "twang" when you purchase this car, then when you check out your
garage the flame job will be there.  The base color can be altered for this car;
the flames reflect the amount of blue used in the final mix.  Crank red all the
way up and blue all the way down for a dramatic effect, or work with reds and
greens for orange/yellow/gold finishes.

Crimson Demon's graphics are only available in yellow on red; don't worry about
what color you use for the car's purchase.  His car is the type R34, his
prefecture is Shushiya (Shushino?) and his plate number should be 138.  For the
prefecture, count right ten places after Shinogawa; it is the first triple kanji
prefecture on the default line.

Exhaust Eve is another surface graphic; the underlying paint can be altered to
suit your tastes.  Again, the stripes reflect the amount of red and green used
in the final mix.  She hails from the Tama prefecture (I think; kanji used as
names can be quite confusing); it is three steps right from the Shinogawa kanji.
Look for two stacked katakana "ta" symbols next to a complex form consisting of
a "cliff" symbol surrounding two "trees" above the "hand" symbol.  Her logbook
number is 139 and the car itself is type JZA80.

For those seeking a special challenge in the game there is another hidden car,
based upon the AE86T.  This is the only secret car that can be had from the
start of the game.  When you select that car for purchase you then select the
final prefecture on the default line to head up the license plate and enter
"dot-1-0-2" as the license plate number.  Congratulations, you now have the
experimental Corolla with a sponsor and an insane upgrade path.  The regular
AE86T has the following upgrade costs:

Engine:  2000, 4000, 7000, 11000, 16000 CP
Suspension:  3000, 3000, 7000, 10000 CP
Drivetrain:  3000, 3000, 6000, 10000 CP
Chassis:  1000, 5000, 10000, 16000 CP
Total cost for upgrades:  117,000 CP

The secret AE86T has the following costs:

Engine:  3000, 7000, 12000, 18000, 25000 CP
Suspension:  3200, 3200, 7500, 15000 CP
Drivetrain:  4000, 4000, 8000, 10000 CP
Chassis:  2000, 7000, 13000, 20000 CP
Total cost for upgrades: 161,900 CP

What does that extra 44,900 CPs get you?  The basic Corolla maxes out with 306
horsepower and a curb weight of 864 Kilograms.  The secret Corolla has a curb
weight of 860 kilograms and total horsepower of 406!  In real world terms this
psychotic creation could stomp on Vipers, Vettes and anything from across the
Atlantic Ocean.  Be forewarned; while I have managed to complete the game and
the SP Battle modes with this car it is by no means easy.  Some cars reward
perfection; this car demands it.  Its light weight makes for outstanding
handling but a single bobble can send you bouncing around the lanes like a
pachinko ball.  Game saves with this car from Shutokou Battle are compatible
with Tokyo Xtreme Racing; pop this car as a surprise the next time you visit a
friend with the domestic variant.

Taming the secret AE86T

After seeing a friend flail about with the overpowered Corolla I decided to add
this small section detailing my favorite settings for use of the car.  When
applied to the West Japan Industrial AE86L it makes the car manageable although
its steering is still on the twitch side.  The settings are as follows; left
means the slider is put all the way to the left, right means it is set all the
way to the right.

Steering Response:  1-3 right of center
Brake Response:  2 left of center
Brake Balance:  1 right of center
Ride Height:  2 left of center
Jounce:  Right -3
Rebound:  Right -2
Crosmission:  Left
Final Gear:  Left

Your MaxSpeed should read 291.77 kph when finished.  This setting also works
well for the R32/33/34 cars although the Final Gear setting does not have to be
set as low.

The following section applies only to Tokyo Xtreme Racer; I have been unable to
duplicate the feat using Shutokou Battle.

It is a legend in its own right, a car spoken of in reverent tones and hushed
whispers.  It is desired by many but driven by a select few.  It is the
Fairlady, a special high performance version of the car we know as the 240Z.  It
is the final Devil, the favorite ride of the ultimate street cowboys and a
fitting capstone for one's racing achievements in the game.  For weeks I
believed the only way to obtain this particular car was to download it from the
Genki website, a site my domestic Dreamcast has been denied access to.  To put
it in Weekly Famitsu terms:

Z!  Z hoshii!!  Z wa doko!?  For those not familiar with the language it
translates out as "Z!  I want the Z!  Where is the Z!?"

It has been sitting on your disc all along, just waiting for the right
combination of conditions to be met before it is enabled.  The solution is
simple but the execution can be anything but.  So sit down, grab a Coke and a
Snickers bar and prepare yourself for the final challenge; unlocking the Z.

To obtain the Type-S30/Fairlady Z simply choose Quick Race from the opening
menu, select SP Battle and load your most powerful, capable car from the VMS.
Defeat all 100 foes in SP Battle Mode, exit and save the game file on the
Options menu.  To ensure keeping your original game data load the existing game
file from the Options menu before taking on the SP Battle; I have not tested it
for overwrite but do not want to erase anyone's game file on a mistaken
assumption.

As you progress through the ranks you will initially be challenged in a three-
step stagger; an easy rival followed by a mid level rival followed by a tough
rival.  Once you reach the 70s they are all tough; you will recognize individual
foes by their unique paint and aero jobs.  The final challengers are from the
Deva/Devil ranks.  They progress in order:

94.  Death God/Grim Reaper
95.  Midnight Cinderella
96.  Silver Wolf/Nocturnal Wolf
97.  Dreaming Apparition/Banshee
98.  Exhaust Eve
99.  Crimson Demon/Raven Blood
100. ZERO

ZERO is listed as challenge 100.  Defeating him takes you back to challenge #1
and Rolling Guy 2.  You can then end the race, save your game in the option menu
and return to the Quest Mode.  It's a little bit early but think of this as my </pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
holiday season gift to all of you who have followed this FAQ's progress.

One final note regarding the S30/Fairlady Z car; it is the single most expensive
vehicle to upgrade.  The Porsche 930 has an upgrade path of:

Engine:  4500, 15000, 50000, 50000, 80000 CP
Suspension:  3500, 3500, 8000, 18000 CP
Drivetrain:  4000, 4000, 8000, 10000 CP
Chassis:  1500, 6000, 18000, 45000 CP

For a grand total of 455,000 including the 130,000 CP cost to purchase the car.

The S30/Z starts out at a measly 30,000 CP, but its upgrade path is:

Engine:  8000, 20000, 60000, 60000, 90000 CP
Suspension:  6000, 6000, 16000, 36000 CP
Drivetrain:  7000, 7000, 12000, 20000 CP
Chassis:  3000, 10000, 24000, 60000 CP

For a grand total of 475,000 CP.  When you are finished building up the Z's
subsystems crank the acceleration and top speed sliders all the way to the left,
then giggle as you outpull a maxed Porsche 930.  Spring this one on an unwary
friend during a VMS challenge; you are guaranteed at least one outraged cry.

Secret Upgrade Parts

Several cars you will encounter in Shutokou/TokyoX will sport special aero and
muffler upgrades that you cannot access initially.  The level 7 muffler and type
5 spoiler in the Aero submenu allow you to duplicate the unique look of several
driving club cars.  They should unlock after final victory in the Quest.  If
this does not happen keep at it even after the game finishes; I have had the new
aero bits unlock after challenging and defeating Crimson Demon/Raven Blood on a
post-victory night.

8.  Differences between Shutokou and Tokyo Xtreme Racer

Shutokou Battle is one of the more popular Dreamcast games currently released.
While I do not have any of the domestic sales figures yet it had sold over
150,000 units in Japan as of the latest FAQ revision.  I purchased the domestic
version with some trepidation, wondering if Crave would perform any savage
modifications on the wonderful game engine that Genki had created.  Happily all
my worst fears proved unfounded, although there are a few notable differences
between the two games.

The license plate system has been removed from TokyoX; those who read through
this trying to figure out how to get the special cars might be saddened to know
they cannot activate Midnight Cinderella, Exhaust Eve and Crimson Demon/Raven
Blood's graphics in that manner.  This might have been done to avoid the
confusion associated with the license plate kanji and possible hints and tips;
it is difficult even for those fluent with the language to translate kanji used
in names.

TokyoX gamers have it much easier, however; once the particular Deva or Devil is
defeated that particular car (with paint job) is available for purchase as an
extended type on the main menu.  The cars will be identified with an added
letter "D" in the listing; Midnight Cinderella's car can be purchased as TYPE-
FDD, Crimson Demon's car can be had as TYPE-R34D and Exhaust Eve's stripes are
found as TYPE-JZA80D.

Sadly I have found no way to activate the special Corolla in TokyoX; game saves
from Shutokou that contain the car are fully compatible with TokyoX so you might
want to experiment with a friend who has the import version.  Perhaps a game
start with "Super Corolla" can be used for those who wish all the cars but
prefer to unlock them on their own.

The two new car types in TokyoX cannot be ported back to Shutokou; they appear
as the TYPE-AP1 when loaded from the VMS.

There are several variations in the names of select drivers, the logos for each
driving club and the Devas/Devils.  The most obvious change from Shutokou Battle
to TokyoX is the removal of all Christian images from TR Racing and Noname's
graphic.  In Shutokou the TR Racing phoenix logo features a cross in the chest
of the bird while TokyoX replaces that with a simple oval.  In Shutokou,
Noname's inverted cross and 666 logo has been replaced in TokyoX with a simple
pentagram background for the skull.  Several names of car & driver combinations
have been slightly altered; Crimson Demon is now Raven Blood, Dreaming
Apparition is now Banshee and Silver Wolf is now Nocturnal Wolf.

Finally, the Internet/modemplay feature has been removed from TokyoX.  As I have
never been able to activate the modemplay feature on my import DC I am not
entirely certain of what we are missing but I do hope that future iterations of
this series will contain modem and Internet support; part of the appeal of this
game is to challenge other drivers and show off what you have done to your ride.

Revision History

1.0: What, no FAQ for one of the more popular DC games?  Let's get something out
there.

1.1: Hooked the DC up to the VGA box and computer monitor for better kanji
translation; amazing what a difference that makes.  No more guesses as to which
radical is in use now!  Slightly revised the sections and added more menu and
submenu coverage.

1.1.1: Spent a few more minutes with the kana books and revised a few names;
Deva 3 continues to elude me as to the complete name.  Added a few paragraphs
here and there for description and clarification.

1.1.2:  I stand corrected:  For the first time since I started this game I have
encountered two Devas in one night.  The incorrect paragraph has been edited.

2.0: Whoa; this license plate secret is too big to be part of a minor revision!
The new digit celebrates this incredible find.

2.1: I'm huge.  The Fairlady Z does indeed exist, it's part of the Dricas
network system and you can download the car along with equipment upgrades.  This
was found while clicking links on the Genki website this weekend; you
adventurous types should have no problem finding this stuff with proper browser
setup and use.  We also translated Deva 3; The Silver Wolf of Darkest Night was
a bit too cumbersome for the main text body.

3.0: Swapped VMS units one night to check out hidden AE86T's performance
profile.  Whoa; how did I ever overlook this discrepancy?  Added section
detailing major differences between Shutokou and TokyoX and how to obtain the
Fairlady.  Enjoy!

Many thanks go to those who contributed clarifying information regarding special
upgrade parts and positive identification of car types.  Thanks to Brian Nilsen,
Jeff Helmes and Model Grafx magazine for assistance in identifying the various
makes and models of cars used in the game.