Retro Game Walkthroughs for Downtown Run (PlayStation 2)
Submitted By: El Viking
This walkthrough is copyright Matt Brand (Der Nazi) 2004.
This walkthrough should detail all that you need to know about Downtown Run. If you have any queries/threats/insults/praises please email them to me at [email protected].
THE BASICS
Downtown Run is a very simple concept: Take part in road around various worldwide cities in standard production cars, using devious methods if needed: powerups can be used to improve your car, and weapons can be used against adversaries. Drivers can be forced to retire through damage, and you can bet on your success.
However, as with any other racing game, the aim of the game is to win races, gain new cars, and earn respect from your adversaries. To do this, you must gain prestige points, a currency gained through success. The main way to gain prestige points is by winning races, but they can also be obtained by showing flashes of skill: Handbrake turns, overtaking manoeuvres, catching adversaries in traps and stupid stunts such as flipping you car all win you points, and combining these can result in some very large payouts. The more points you gain, the faster cars you have access to and chance race against, and the more bets you can take part in (When you put money on yourself winning a race, and then take everyone’s cash at the end of a race). There are several different race modes available, each with different characteristics and options.
What separates Downtown run from other racing games is the fact that powerups and weapons can be acquired, giving you the ability to take adversaries out of the race, or to win you the race by improving your car for a period of time. These can be picked up on certain parts of each track, and have to be used quickly, otherwise powerups from the next section will not be usable.
RACE MODES
QUICK RACE- Here, you have all of the powerups and weapons available to use, as well as all available tracks. Here, prestige points are awarded for practically anything: a good way to earn points is by racing in this mode often, especially if you set a race to include plenty of opponents and last for a long time.
COUNTDOWN- In countdown, you race to get to checkpoints against several opponents: The winner is the quickest to go through all checkpoints. Speed is what’s needed here, not the ability to do tricks- prestige points can only be earned for reaching checkpoints in this mode. However, powerups and weapons aren’t at all restricted, so extra speed can be gained, and adversaries can be taken out of the race.
CHAMPIONSHIP- Same principal as any other championship: here you have to race against several opponents in several races. Powerups are not restricted, so a lot of prestige points can be gained. This is an important modem, though, because championship wins mean extra tracks can be unlocked for use in the other modes. There are several championships of varying difficulties, each earning you the unlocking of a new track for normal use.
TIME ATTACK- Here, you have the use of powerups taken away from you, but this is pure speed- trying to set lap records pitted against your ghost. Prestige points can be earned through stunts in this mode, and it can also serve as good practise for other races.
LAST MAN STANDING- The survivor is the winner here, because taking opponents out of the race here is the aim. Weapons are available, but repair and invulnerability powerups are not available here, so stunts are not an option. But as ever, destroying opponents earns you plenty of prestige points.
CHASE- In this mode, you have a head start against a police car that is trying to track you down, and you have no use of powerups. The aim of the game here is to either destroy the police car (Earning you plenty of prestige points, as do stunts in this level), or to complete the course. A good strategy is to always stay in front of the police car, because if it pulls far enough in front of you, it’s game over. You can also play as the police car, the aim being to overhaul and catch the hunted adversary, whilst limiting their speed to 80 Kph (50 Mph). Here, you can use powerups, but no weapons are available.
SUDDEN DEATH- Here, you must drive safely on a given track for a given number of laps without damaging your car, which will result in your losing of the race. There are no repair or invulnerability powerups, and prestige points are earned for stunts, winning, setting the fastest lap time, and finishing. Penalties, however, can be applied for losing the race or being affected by a powerup.
BET RACE-During a race, an adversary may challenge you to a special bet race for a large number of prestige points, with certain rules set down for the race by your adversary. The more points you have earned, the more bet races you can take part in.
CARS
When you reach a certain number of prestige points, a new car is available. You only race against cars of similar power/size, so that competition is fairer and easier. The attributes of each car are listed in the garage section, where you choose the car you are going to use. Generally, the more powerful a car is compared to those of rivals, the better it is to use. I recommend that you use cars with high power outputs and larger engine when you have the chance, due to the fact that these will accelerate better, and be faster generally. Smaller cars generally have better handling, but this is less important when it comes to racing- they are slower, and are no use for knocking over opponents with. I recommend that you use the Beetle at the start, due to its low weight and good acceleration, but eventually move onto the more powerful cars once you can use them. However, I advise you not to use the Saab 9-3 at all, due to the fact it is ungainly, hard to drive and overly slow.
POWERUPS
The powerups can be put into two different categories: Normal powerups and weapons. Every 400m on each track, there are four powerups: You get them by driving though the metallic containers they are housed in. Normal powerups should be activated immediately, because they work for a certain period of time, and if you still have one in use by the time you reach the next section of powerups, you won’t be able to gain a new one due to the fact that one is still in use. Weapons can be deployed in several ways, and work best if they are just put in an area of the track that is passed through by all adversaries. You have to keep your eye out, however, because you may get caught out by a weapon left there by an adversary, usually in the form of a box, but there are exceptions: they are spread over the track in the cases of nails, oil and chip busters (A laser set across the track to stop dead anyone who passes through it). These can usually be dodged by driving around them, except the chip buster, which you have to pass through (As the laser alternates from on and off, giving a 50/50 chance of evasion), and the bomb, which is fired at opponents in front of you. Evasion is always the best policy, seeing as these weapons can slow you down, damage the car or even lose you up to 1500 prestige points.
Well, that’s it. I hope you found this walkthrough helpful, but if you have any more problems with the game, please contact me via the email address at the top.
This walkthrough should detail all that you need to know about Downtown Run. If you have any queries/threats/insults/praises please email them to me at [email protected].
THE BASICS
Downtown Run is a very simple concept: Take part in road around various worldwide cities in standard production cars, using devious methods if needed: powerups can be used to improve your car, and weapons can be used against adversaries. Drivers can be forced to retire through damage, and you can bet on your success.
However, as with any other racing game, the aim of the game is to win races, gain new cars, and earn respect from your adversaries. To do this, you must gain prestige points, a currency gained through success. The main way to gain prestige points is by winning races, but they can also be obtained by showing flashes of skill: Handbrake turns, overtaking manoeuvres, catching adversaries in traps and stupid stunts such as flipping you car all win you points, and combining these can result in some very large payouts. The more points you gain, the faster cars you have access to and chance race against, and the more bets you can take part in (When you put money on yourself winning a race, and then take everyone’s cash at the end of a race). There are several different race modes available, each with different characteristics and options.
What separates Downtown run from other racing games is the fact that powerups and weapons can be acquired, giving you the ability to take adversaries out of the race, or to win you the race by improving your car for a period of time. These can be picked up on certain parts of each track, and have to be used quickly, otherwise powerups from the next section will not be usable.
RACE MODES
QUICK RACE- Here, you have all of the powerups and weapons available to use, as well as all available tracks. Here, prestige points are awarded for practically anything: a good way to earn points is by racing in this mode often, especially if you set a race to include plenty of opponents and last for a long time.
COUNTDOWN- In countdown, you race to get to checkpoints against several opponents: The winner is the quickest to go through all checkpoints. Speed is what’s needed here, not the ability to do tricks- prestige points can only be earned for reaching checkpoints in this mode. However, powerups and weapons aren’t at all restricted, so extra speed can be gained, and adversaries can be taken out of the race.
CHAMPIONSHIP- Same principal as any other championship: here you have to race against several opponents in several races. Powerups are not restricted, so a lot of prestige points can be gained. This is an important modem, though, because championship wins mean extra tracks can be unlocked for use in the other modes. There are several championships of varying difficulties, each earning you the unlocking of a new track for normal use.
TIME ATTACK- Here, you have the use of powerups taken away from you, but this is pure speed- trying to set lap records pitted against your ghost. Prestige points can be earned through stunts in this mode, and it can also serve as good practise for other races.
LAST MAN STANDING- The survivor is the winner here, because taking opponents out of the race here is the aim. Weapons are available, but repair and invulnerability powerups are not available here, so stunts are not an option. But as ever, destroying opponents earns you plenty of prestige points.
CHASE- In this mode, you have a head start against a police car that is trying to track you down, and you have no use of powerups. The aim of the game here is to either destroy the police car (Earning you plenty of prestige points, as do stunts in this level), or to complete the course. A good strategy is to always stay in front of the police car, because if it pulls far enough in front of you, it’s game over. You can also play as the police car, the aim being to overhaul and catch the hunted adversary, whilst limiting their speed to 80 Kph (50 Mph). Here, you can use powerups, but no weapons are available.
SUDDEN DEATH- Here, you must drive safely on a given track for a given number of laps without damaging your car, which will result in your losing of the race. There are no repair or invulnerability powerups, and prestige points are earned for stunts, winning, setting the fastest lap time, and finishing. Penalties, however, can be applied for losing the race or being affected by a powerup.
BET RACE-During a race, an adversary may challenge you to a special bet race for a large number of prestige points, with certain rules set down for the race by your adversary. The more points you have earned, the more bet races you can take part in.
CARS
When you reach a certain number of prestige points, a new car is available. You only race against cars of similar power/size, so that competition is fairer and easier. The attributes of each car are listed in the garage section, where you choose the car you are going to use. Generally, the more powerful a car is compared to those of rivals, the better it is to use. I recommend that you use cars with high power outputs and larger engine when you have the chance, due to the fact that these will accelerate better, and be faster generally. Smaller cars generally have better handling, but this is less important when it comes to racing- they are slower, and are no use for knocking over opponents with. I recommend that you use the Beetle at the start, due to its low weight and good acceleration, but eventually move onto the more powerful cars once you can use them. However, I advise you not to use the Saab 9-3 at all, due to the fact it is ungainly, hard to drive and overly slow.
POWERUPS
The powerups can be put into two different categories: Normal powerups and weapons. Every 400m on each track, there are four powerups: You get them by driving though the metallic containers they are housed in. Normal powerups should be activated immediately, because they work for a certain period of time, and if you still have one in use by the time you reach the next section of powerups, you won’t be able to gain a new one due to the fact that one is still in use. Weapons can be deployed in several ways, and work best if they are just put in an area of the track that is passed through by all adversaries. You have to keep your eye out, however, because you may get caught out by a weapon left there by an adversary, usually in the form of a box, but there are exceptions: they are spread over the track in the cases of nails, oil and chip busters (A laser set across the track to stop dead anyone who passes through it). These can usually be dodged by driving around them, except the chip buster, which you have to pass through (As the laser alternates from on and off, giving a 50/50 chance of evasion), and the bomb, which is fired at opponents in front of you. Evasion is always the best policy, seeing as these weapons can slow you down, damage the car or even lose you up to 1500 prestige points.
Well, that’s it. I hope you found this walkthrough helpful, but if you have any more problems with the game, please contact me via the email address at the top.