********************************************************************** TWISTED METAL HEAD ON: EXTRA TWISTED EDITION **********************************************************************
Email me here: khfever@gmail.com
Working on:
TMHO -Maps (Story Mode) -Armor points (i.e. how much health each car has)
TML -Characters (need to get them in order as in the character select screen as well as stories) -Maps (Story/Challenge/Endurance Mode) -Armor points (i.e. how much health each car has)
Intend to add: -Multiplayer strategies -Bugs -Perhaps a tier list -Suggestions for the next TM
Table of Contents ================= 1. Introduction a. About TMHOETE
2. Twisted Metal Head On (work in progress) a. Menus b. Characters/Vehicles c. Upgrades d. Energy Attacks e. Weapons f. Bonus Levels g. Maps (Story Mode) (unfinished) h. Deathmatch Maps (Challenge/Endurance Mode)
3. Twisted Metal Lost (work in progress) a. Menus b. Characters/Vehicles c. Energy Attacks d. Weapons e. Maps (Story/Challenge/Endurance Mode)
4. Bonus material/Extras (coming soon) a. Sweet Tour b. Documentary c. TM1 Ending Movies d. Cheats/Unlockables
5. Outro
*********************************************************************** 1. Introduction Welcome to my Twisted Metal Head On: Extra Twisted Edition guide. While I originally planned a guide for TMHO, there was already a good one for it on gamefaqs and even then all I would probably do is just go into detail about the maps and characters since everything else is well documented. With TMHOETE I made this guide because it’s a much more complete TM experience compared to TMHO for PSP. While the game content is largely the same there are plenty of changes, thus warranting TMHOETE a FAQ. With that said, I’m sure you’ll be into reading the other sections by now.
a. About TMHOETE Twisted Metal Head On Extra Twisted Edition is a port of Twisted Metal Head On from PSP to the PS2, except it’s much more than a port. It has plenty of extras, but the game’s true highlight is the separate addition of TMLost, an intended sequel to TMB that was sadly cancelled when the 6 key members of the team (who named it TM:Harbor City) died in a plane crash. With TMLost however, comes an important note that explains TMLost… as well as shedding light on a possible new TM for the PS3! If there’s a downside to TMHOETE, it’s that it has no online play, but that’s fair enough as all the extras compensate to make this the ultimate TM experience. If you haven’t picked up TMHO for PSP then you won’t go wrong with a port of a great game.
*********************************************************************** 2. Twisted Metal Head On (work in progress) This is the original TMHO game from TMHO PSP, everything was carried over with a few changes and additions, but overall it’s largely the same game. I’ll cover the changes in the sections below, mainly because I find squashing them together in one section is unnecessary.
a. Menus ========
When you get to the menu (I have to mention that menus load faster now, compared to TMHO PSP!) these are the following options.
Single Player – Play the game solo, with three different modes of play. Story – Play through the game in 11 levels, this is necessary to unlock the extra levels and characters. You can play through the game with every car except for one. Challenge – Choose a level, a car, and 5 opponents. All cars are playable in this mode. Endurance – Choose a level, and a car then battle it out until you die or leave.
Multiplayer – As mentioned before, multiplayer is cut down heavily without the existence of online. Thus, you have the following two modes of play. 2P Deathmatch – Battle with a friend. 2P Coop – Play through Story mode with a friend.
Options Audio – Adjust the music and sound effects volume. Controls – Choose from three control options: Classic, Hit n Run, and Run n Gun. Difficulty – Choose from four difficulties – Super Easy, Easy, Medium and Hard. Save Game – Save your game as well as your settings. Load Game – Load a previously saved game. Restore Default Settings – Restore everything back to where it was before. Movie Clips – See the intro cinematic, unlocked character endings and credits.
b. Characters and Vehicles ========================== I’m not bothering with the stories, just the car stats and specials. I added ramming damage for Mr Slamm and Dark Tooth because you can beef up their specials’ damage by ramming an enemy. Sure, you can do this with other cars but the ramming damage sometimes even occurs during the special which is why I added it. 6 is the bare minimum without the ramming upgrade, and the ramming upgrade lets both Slamm and Dark Tooth do up to 12 points of ramming damage thus their upgraded specials will always have the 12 ramming damage tacked on because you forego getting the ram upgrade before the special weapon upgrade.
In addition, I’m also adding armor points (i.e. how much damage a car can take before blowing up, so if a car has 100 points of health they can take up to 100 points of damage) as well as boundary damage. Boundary damage occurs when you exit the map’s solid ground and go right into a part of the level that will hurt your health. The damage will always be the same for every map but not for every car.
It appears to me that Boundary Damage will take away about 1/5 of a car’s health, as four or five Boundary Damages will kill a car. There’s a rather odd discrepancy with this though, as Dark Tooth has 200 points of health but dies after 4 boundary damages (33 x 4 = 132 last time I checked). The only exception is Tower Tooth, as he can’t go on any map that has “Out of Bounds” penalties in them and Roman Ruins deathmatch has no out of bounds penalties.
Roadkill Handling: 5/10 Armor: 4/10 (100 points of health) Special Weapon: 6/10 Speed: 6/10 Boundary Damage – 29 points Special - (Boomerang, 15 points normal, 30 points with a return shot) Fires a boomerang at an enemy. It has low homing ability. Hitting the fire button after firing a boomerang will cause it to return to Roadkill. If you fire it with no target present, the boomerang will only go straight ahead. Unlike TM2, you must hit the fire button to manually return the boomerang. Upgraded – (Charged, 27-35 points normal based on range, 31-35 points after the 3 light blinking charge delay, 30-62 on a return shot) Fires up to six boomerangs, all home in on the enemy much better than the regular version IMO. They deal decent damage, even better if you get all 6 to hit an enemy on their way back. It is the most powerful special by itself, but other characters have more powerful.
Shadow Handling: 5/10 Armor: 4/10 Special Weapon: 8/10 Speed: 6/10 Boundary Damage – 28 points Special – (Soul Shadow, 12 points) The weakest special, even weaker than Spectre’s (and doesn’t abide by its special stat where it says it’s powerful). However, it does have a useful ability to pass through walls, whether you detonate it or not. When you detonate it the explosion also goes through walls, and the area of effect is somewhat similar to a Napalm. Fortunately, unlike TM2 you can’t hurt yourself with this. It is faster compared to TM2’s Soul Shadow but it’s slower compared to TMB’s. Upgraded – (Charge, 27-29 points, 27 on a full charge and 29 after the three light blinking charge delay) While the special does more damage, the damage varies based on the distance the enemy is from the explosion. Thus, if you’re trying to go for the full 29 points you must get detonate when the enemy is near the center of the Soul Shadow. However the 2 point difference isn’t worth going for.
Mr Grimm Handling: 10/10 Armor: 2/10 Special Weapon: 10/10 Speed: 8/10 Boundary Damage – 21 points Special – (Screaming Soul, 25 points) Fires three skulls ahead at an enemy. A direct hit not only causes damage, it also bounces them up a bit. However, this was slowed down from TMHO PSP because the special has a delay, so now you can’t fire two in a row for 50 points of damage. BUT it gives you a chance of making your shot more accurate incase your enemy is moving and you’re trying to adjust the shot to hit where they’re going. Another change from TMHO PSP is that the special is now red even when not upgraded (just a minor graphical difference). Upgraded – (Mash, fires missiles with small homing ability, 3 points per missile, I got 43 points as max so far) Until the Screaming Soul hits something (be it a wall, obstacle or enemy), you can continue to fire missiles at the enemy. It’s best to utilize the special by freezing an enemy, backing up so that you have a large gap between you and your enemy, then fire and mash like crazy. If you’re upclose, the special will hit and you won’t be able to get even 1 missile to hit (whereas in TMHO PSP, if you mash the fire button fast enough a missile will come out right after firing the screaming soul, thus letting you get 28 points even if you’re right next to an enemy).
Sweet Tooth Handling: 2/10 Armor: 8/10 Special Weapon: 6/10 Speed: 2/10 Boundary Damage – 31 points Special – (Napalm Cone, 18 points) Fires a cone that homes in onto an enemy. If it hits a wall it’ll bounce around, but it loses its homing abilities. Perfect for long range combat but not too powerful on its own. Upgraded – (Charge, 18-30 points, fires up to 6 cones, each doing 5 points of damage) Fires up to six cones, all home in on the enemy but if an enemy turns too much some of the cones may miss. It’s only slightly more powerful than a charged Swarmer.
Thumper Handling: 5/10 Armor: 4/10 Special Weapon: 8/10 Speed: 6/10 Boundary Damage - 26 points Special – (Balls of Fire, 4 fireballs, 5 points per fireball, 20 points plus fire damage if an enemy doesn’t turbo/shield) A weak special, the homing abilities are similar to a freeze missile – good but not great. Plus you have to aim all 4 successfully in order to get 20 points of damage. Special – (Mash, up to 32 points, each fireball is 1 point worth of damage) Thumper’s special is different; it becomes a flamethrower (colored green… O_o) when you fire it but when you mash it also fires fireballs (WOOHOO for repetition!). Unlike other mashed specials, even after you hit an enemy initially with the “main” special (in this case the flamethrower) the mashed projectiles can still continue to be fired until the special ends. It’s hard to rack up even 25 points of damage, so freezing first may help. Add some machine guns to supplement your damage potential.
Spectre Handling: 10/10 Armor: 2/10 Special Weapon: 8/10 Speed: 8/10 Boundary Damage – 24 points Special – (Ghost Missile, 13 points of damage) Fires a missile that goes through walls until it hits an enemy. It does very low damage but it’s a sure hit. An opponent targeted by a ghost missile will have a green circle around their car to indicate that they’re being targeted, giving them time to Shield or Flak so only use this when you know they won’t have enough energy to avoid it. Upgraded – (Charge, 23 points on full charge, 27 points after the three light blinking charge delay) The upgraded version is perfect for sniping from a higher area. Again it’s better to only fire the special when you know an enemy doesn’t have the energy to Flak or Shield.
Twister Handling: 10/10 Armor: 2/10 Special Weapon: 8/10 Speed: 10/10 Boundary Damage – 23 points Special – (Tornado Twist, 18 points of damage) Twister gets on its front and then spins wildly creating a tornado. Any nearby enemies will get dragged into the tornado and spun around until the tornado finishes, which tosses them all away. Perfect for throwing an enemy “out of bounds” for more damage, even if they activate a shield. Don’t use the special near walls; an enemy who hits a wall after will fall to the ground immediately and will be immune to the rest of the special. Upgraded – (Mash, 31 points of damage) The same, just mash for extra damage.
Outlaw Handling: 5/10 Armor: 4/10 Special Weapon: 6/10 Speed: 8/10 Boundary Damage – 25 points Special – (Tazer, 4-17 points based on how long the tazer latches onto the enemy) Shocks the nearest enemy with a lightning bolt. It does minor damage and you have to run near an enemy in order to ensure the full damage, making this one of the weakest specials. However when upgraded, it is one of the most powerful specials overall. The Tazer can also pass through walls. Upgraded – (Mash, 4-32 points based on how long the tazer latches onto the enemy and how many times you pressed the fire button) The tazer will now shock enemies repeatedly if you keep tapping the fire button, similar to Crazy 8’s from TMB. However what makes this better is that it disorientates the enemy (i.e. flips them over or causes them to be imbalanced). If you fire your machine guns while shocking the enemy, you can do about half damage to every car in the game. An improvement over the normal special.
Grasshopper Handling: 10/10 Armor: 2/10 Special Weapon: 4/10 Speed: 6/10 Boundary Damage – 24 points Special – (Body Slam, 18 points) When selected, an enemy closest to you will have a green circle surrounding them, thus warning them of Grasshopper’s special. This is also the only way to get Grasshopper to do her special. She jumps into the air and then charges at the enemy. If you’re closer, she’ll bounce off of them which gives them a possible chance to retaliate so it’s better you use it from far away. If no enemy is in sight, Grasshopper jumps up, which can be useful to get to certain areas without having to use the jump upgrade (especially in multiplayer). The special causes the enemy to bounce really high into the air, thus setting up for further punishment. Upgraded – (Mash, 20-32 points, each green ball does 1 point of damage) After jumping, mash the fire button to fire green balls at the enemy (which will always hit), until Grasshopper connects with the special. More damage is possible when the special is used far away. When you hit fire, even if you don’t mash, two green balls will always be fired thus ensuring at least 20 points of damage.
Warthog Handling: 2/10 Armor: 8/10 Special Weapon: 6/10 Speed: 4/10 Boundary Damage – 33 points Special – (Patriot Missiles, 6 per missile, 18 points overall with 3 missiles) Fires a trio of homing missiles, red, white and blue. Good overall weapon for long range combat, but in comparison to other specials Warthog’s doesn’t do too much damage but it’s useful to wear an enemy down, really quickly. Upgraded – (Charge, 27 damage when charged) The special is still the same but the missiles do more damage when charged, equivalent to a fully charged Swarmer missile.
Axel (secret character) Handling: 5/10 Armor: 6/10 Special Weapon: 6/10 Speed: 4/10 Boundary Damage - 30 points Special – (Shockwave, 15 points) Axel releases a burst of energy that crosses the ground, forming a circle. Anyone hit by the shockwave will bounce into the air, and if they’re driving they’ll even flip over thus setting them up for further punishment. Good to hit multiple enemies at once. Upgraded – (Charge, 27 points) The same, and a lightning bolt is latched onto an enemy from Axel’s vehicle although it doesn’t seem to do any extra damage.
Mr Slamm (secret character) Handling: 2/10 Armor: 8/10 Special Weapon: 10/10 Speed: 2/10 Boundary Damage – 34 points Special - (Bucket Shake Slam, 22 points + 6-12 ramming damage = 28-34 total) When selected, all you do is drive your front end into a vehicle and it will pick them up, slam them a few times and then throw them away. A change from TMHO (and TM2) is that now the enemy that’s getting slammed will temporarily have their weapon/energy display disabled. They can still shield it, not what I originally thought, but they can’t fire anything. Throw an enemy into a wall with your special, then rinse and repeat until you’re out of specials. Fire your machine guns to accelerate the process! An enemy can only deal with this by putting a shield up after they’re thrown away by your special and then remote bombing their way out, so when they’re out of energy they might as well be doomed!!! To be fair, Slamm’s special will always count the opponent ramming him so he’ll take minor damage from the special. Upgraded – (Charge, 22-34 points + 12 ramming damage = 46 total) No longer automatic, you have to manually fire the special (which causes the crane at the front to go forward a bit, increasing its range). However, you can get 47 points of damage per freeze (Freeze, Ram + fully-charged Special) so that’s still a lot. You can’t spam it in the same manner as when it was normal, though.
Crimson Fury (secret character) Handling: 10/10 Armor: 2/10 Special Weapon: 8/10 Speed: 8/10 Boundary Damage – 24 points Special – (Reticle Pulse Blast, 16 points) A red box appears in front of Crimson Fury; any target in the box will have a crosshair on them (a change from TMHO PSP). Once the crosshair is shown, it is your cue to hit the fire button to shoot. It launches a laser ball at an enemy with minor homing ability (though it sounds pretty cool). Upgraded – (Charged, 25 points) The charged special fires up to 5 laser balls for five points each. You’ll have to aim carefully for all 5 laser balls to hit.
Hammerhead (secret character) Handling: 2/10 Armor: 6/10 Special Weapon: 6/10 Speed: 2/10 Boundary Damage – 30 points Special – (Ram Attack, 15 points) When selected and near an enemy, the ground becomes highlighted in blue. Press fire, and Hammerhead will do a wheelie (i.e. lift the front wheels up), jump onto the victim and then bounce off of them. If no target is present, Hammerhead just does a wheelie. The initial wheelie leaves you pretty wide open since Hammerhead doesn’t leave the ground immediately. However once it hits, it disables the enemy’s ability to fire until Hammerhead lands back onto the ground, but they can still shield it. Also if no target is present, the special will still be in- tact until you actually hit an enemy. Upgraded – (Mash, up to 25 points) Once Hammerhead is on an enemy, he will accelerate his wheels and rub it over his enemy’s paint for further damage.
Cousin Eddy (secret character) Handling: 5/10 Armor: 10/10 Special Weapon: 10/10 Speed: 8/10 Boundary Damage – 25 points Special – (Bull’s Rush, not named officially, 25 points) Cousin Eddy rushes forward and charges straight ahead. Anyone unlucky enough to cross his path will get pushed aside. The special flings the enemy into the air depending on your distance from them when you activate the special. At mid range, it will fling them into the air, but at close or long range, it will just push them aside. 25 points is quite a lot and if you throw them into the air it sets them up for further punishment. You can also use this special as a means of getting away from danger in an instant. Upgraded – (Minion Flamethrower, not named officially, 36 points + fire damage) Remember Minion’s flamethrower from TMB? Well here is the same. Just get close to an enemy and fire it off! It does pretty good damage for such little effort, but beware that an enemy can freeze you to stop it. Special Note – Cousin Eddy’s machine gun fires white missiles that home in onto an enemy now. A nice improvement from TMHO PSP, where his machine gun was lame (it did not home in like boss Cousin Eddy’s and it was VERY hard to hit with).
ATV (secret character) Handling: 10/10 Armor: 1/10 (50 points of health) Special Weapon: 4/10 Speed: 8/10 Boundary Damage – 13 points Special – (Bullet, not officially named, about 20 points) Fires a few orange-ball shaped bullets. It has no homing ability, and a pretty weak weapon overall as well as a lame excuse to get up into an enemy’s face. Upgraded – (Dynamite, not officially named, 29 points) ATV now throws a dynamite at an enemy that follows them and hits for good damage. It’s an excellent way to strike enemies from above and below you, since the Dynamite arcs up pretty high.
Dark Tooth (Secret character) Handling: 10/10 Armor: 10/10 (200 points of health) Special Weapon: 10/10 Speed: 10/10 Boundary Damage – 33 points Special – (Grapple, 20 points + 6-12 ramming damage = 26-32 total) The mechanical jaws at the front grab an enemy, slam them a few times, and then throws them away. Dark Tooth’s special animation has changed; at the end, it now lifts an enemy into the air BEFORE tossing them. Whereas in TMHO PSP after slamming an enemy Dark Tooth just flings them up after (but this would cause some damage to him). Also there was an occasion where Dark Tooth’s special failed to throw an enemy away, it just dropped them right in front of him. However it loses its sound effects from TMHO PSP. After throwing an enemy away, you can follow-up by firing your machine guns along with another weapon for HUGE damage. BTW, the range is HUGE for a close range weapon, and the special isn’t named Grapple but I based the name off of the Concept Art manual that came with the game. However, the special does come with a price; it will count the opponent ramming Dark Tooth so he takes damage as well. Upgraded – (None, 30 points + 12 ramming damage = 42 total) Dark Tooth’s upgraded special is just more powerful, no need to hit anything! Special Note – Dark Tooth’s machine gun is Sweet Tooth’s special. His shield is coated in purple instead of green like the other characters. Author’s Note – Nevermind, you can still shield during Dark Tooth’s special. Same with Mr Slamm. My mistake here.
Tower Tooth (secret character) Handling: 10/10 Armor: 10/10 Special Weapon: 10/10 Speed: 10/10 Special – (Flamethrower, 15-30 points) Tower Tooth’s special is essentially Cousin Eddy’s upgraded special, although it’s not as powerful. It automatically targets the nearest enemy, no need to aim. In multiplayer, the flamethrower can be a good threat when you combine it with your machine gun fire. Alternative – (Tower Lightning, no damage listed) Now this special sucks, compared to TMHO PSP. It no longer fires 6 extra cones during the special, and it does essentially the same damage as a fire missile. It’s not as powerful as TMHO PSP. It’s been colored red instead of blue (minor graphical difference) but at half health and nearly dead all you can do is fire some lousy lightning that’s not even powerful?!?! Ah well. He can now be used in multiplayer, a change from TMHO – though once you select him he still can only be used in Roman Ruins deathmatch level (why couldn’t they make him selectable in Tokyo Streets – Dark Tooth? That’s where his boss battle takes place anyway). Special Note – Tower Tooth’s machine gun is Sweet Tooth’s special just like Dark Tooth’s. His shield also covers him with purple energy instead of green.
C. Upgrades =========== One thing the TMHO PSP manual screwed up on was the upgrade list, it did not go in the order specified compared to the game. Thus, in ETE’s manual it was fixed.
Upgrades are powerups gained after destroying a car, they have varying effects and are permanent until you are destroyed, in which case you lose all upgrades and must start over. When you get an upgrade the next one comes available; after all 6 upgrades the 7th upgrade is random. Upgrades carry over to the next level giving you a nice advantage. In ETE the upgrade icons (yellow green triangles) now have words circling it thus showing you what your next upgrade will be.
1st upgrade: Turbo and Energy upgrade Speeds up Energy regeneration by 10%, turbo now burns slower by 10%, it also refills your energy/turbo meters in case you used some of it up.
2nd upgrade: Jump upgrade Now when you jump, it jumps 2x higher than normal, back to TM2 height. Very useful IMO, especially since Jump no longer uses any energy!!!
3rd upgrade: Ram upgrade Adds 10% more damage to a ramming attack. Much more useful in a higher armored car where the effects are more apparent. Average armored cars get up to 8 ramming points, higher armored cars get up to 12 ramming points, and lower armored cars can get up to 6 ramming points (which is odd, but yes, even Grimm can ram Dark Tooth for 6 points of damage).
4th upgrade: Machine Gun upgrade Your machine guns now fire red bullets instead of white ones, and will rapidly whittle down an enemy’s health. Very useful.
5th upgrade: Armor Upgrade Although the manual says your armor is increased by 15%, really all it does is add an extra health bar in your health (colored blue). However this health bar goes down more quickly compared to a normal health bar, but at least you won’t start taking normal damage until it is depleted. BTW, the upgrade also regenerates your health in case you’re running short.
6th upgrade: Special Weapon upgrade Your special attacks/weapons can now do more damage based on two mechanics: charging and mashing. Charging is typically for the projectile/long range type specials, and mashing is for the melee-type specials though there are some exceptions (Mr Grimm uses the mash mechanic even though his special is a projectile, and Mr Slamm uses the charge mechanic even though his special is a melee-type special). Some characters’ specials become different, and there are a few who don’t even need to charge/mash to maximize their damage. Only Tower Tooth can’t receive a special weapon upgrade, but he makes up by having two specials based on his current health. Charged specials, when fully charged, will blink three times warning you to release the special before wasting it completely. A change here is that charged weapons now charge a bit faster compared to TMHO PSP (really I only noticed this with Warthog, other charged specials seem to charge at the same speed). It seems to me that some Mashed specials were toned down in damage, a bit (although I may be a bad button basher).
7th upgrade: Random upgrade You will either get three extra missiles (Fire, Homing, or Power), a 15% health regeneration, or a Turbo and Energy refill. To maximize your chances of a Turbo and Energy refill or 15% health regeneration get as much weapons as possible, or have 30 weapons (the maximum) so that you can only get 15% health regeneration or the Turbo and Energy refill.
d. Energy Attacks ================= All Energy Attacks are based off of their TMB-inputs, save for one that was changed from TMHO PSP/TMB.
Freeze Missile (Up Down Up, uses about 40% of the energy bar) Fires a freeze missile at an enemy. A hit freezes them and thus lets you continue with whatever weapon you have in mind. The homing abilities are still pretty good but they are not as great as in TMHO PSP. Any weapon above 10 points of damage will break the freeze, thus to do the most damage, fire your Machine Guns and use a strong weapon – preferably a special or power missile. For some reason the D-pad input is rather unresponsive compared to the other Energy Attacks; I recommend using the left analog stick to input the Freeze (it’s more responsive than the D-Pad input but it sometimes fails occasionally). A freeze missile does 1 point of damage to an enemy. When you’re frozen, rapidly tap a button to break out. Unlike TMB, if you turbo during a freeze it will actually use Turbo from your turbo meter.
Shield (Right Right Down Down, uses about 60% of the energy bar) Causes green energy to envelope your car thus protecting it from weapons. Use it when low on health, trying to escape, or getting to a health, but use it wisely since it uses the most energy out of all energy attacks. It protects you for about 5 seconds.
Mine (Right Left Down, uses about 10% of the energy bar) Drops a mine onto the ground. Best used after taking a teleport to ensure that an enemy will take the damage, rarely will you ever need to drop one into the path of a relentless enemy. A mine hit does 6 points of damage. It is interesting to note that one of the trailers for TMHO PSP showed a mine doing 22 points of damage to Mr Grimm, so perhaps the mine in its previous state was too powerful… unless they meant a REMOTE BOMB but it clearly said a MINE hit.
Cloak (Left Left Down Down, uses about 40% of the energy bar) Renders your car invisible from sight and even from the radar for about 5 seconds, however it will leave behind a shadow of the car’s wheels as well as a smoke, so if a human player notices the smoke/shadow and shoots you it will unveil you so beware. Unlike TMB, ANY weapon fired (be it Machine Guns, energy attacks such as Freeze Missiles and etc) will uncloak so it’s better that you use this as a getaway option, not a surprise attack method. Also, when you use invisibility an enemy typically drives away from your location and will not notice you at all. This is VERY useful in the deathmatch versions of levels, especially since DM maps have fewer healths and most of them have wide areas thus making you a big target for anything.
Flak (Up Down Left Right, uses about 20% of the energy bar) Causes a radial explosion to burst out of your car. The explosion can damage (for 10 points) and knock away enemies BUT it can also destroy missiles too. This is basically a less expensive Shield, but only for missiles, and you have to time it carefully so that a missile hits the explosion before it hits you. I rather not use it, but it looks pretty cool, IMO.
Rear-Fire (Up Up Down Down, no energy is consumed) The only command that’s changed from TMHO PSP. Rear-Fire no longer needs you to hit the fire button after inputting the command but it’s still somewhat unresponsive. It fires the currently selected weapon out of your car, however weapons such as Swarmer Missiles can’t be rear- fired. Best used with Homing weapons, especially the Homing Missile.
Napalm (Right Left Up Up+Fire button, uses about 30% of the energy bar) A Homing Napalm is fired along with your current weapon, it adds 11 more points of damage as well as doing fire damage and disorientating the enemy. However, it does not work with special weapons. The command is rather unresponsive, even in TMHO PSP. If you’re going for the kill use this, otherwise don’t bother with it.
Jump (L1+R1, consumes no energy) Yay, it doesn’t use energy anymore!!!! Even if it did the difference is hardly noticeable. When you get the jump upgrade it’s even better. Be wary of Napalms.
e. Weapons ========== The weapons return from TMHO, however two of them received a damage boost. Otherwise they are largely the same (but the missiles look like fireballs now so they are cooler :]). Each weapon will always give you 2 per pickup, compared to previous TMs.
Fire Missile (12 points of damage, common, limited homing ability, can be rear-fired) Basic missile; only slightly more damaging than the homing missile but a better weapon to waste since there are much better weapons. You start with two of these. Fire missiles are color coded orange with a missile in them. They’ve been slowed down from TMHO PSP, equal to TMB’s Fire Missile.
Homing Missile (10 points of damage, common, great homing ability, can be rear-fired) Homing Missiles are the best overall missile, they only do half the damage of a Power Missile but you can fire several of these and cause some huge damage really fast. Very useful on speedy vehicles such as Grimm. Homing missiles are color coded purple with a missile in them. They’ve been slowed down from TMHO PSP, equal to TMB’s Homing Missile.
Power Missile (20 points of damage, uncommon, no homing ability, can be rear-fired) Power Missiles are what they imply; powerful. However in TMHOETE they really do feel “powerful” since they produce a knockback that’s much more noticeable compared to TMHO PSP or even TMB – very TM2-ish. Freeze into Machine Gun and Power Missile is one of the easiest damaging combos you can do to an enemy, and if an enemy doesn’t run for it or use a shield you got yourself another power missile for up to 41+ points of damage! Power missiles are color coded red with a missile in them. They’ve been slowed down from TMHO PSP, equal to TMB’s Power Missile.
Napalm (20 points of damage, uncommon, no homing ability, can be rear- fired) Napalms have gotten an upgrade from TMHO PSP; they will always do 20 points of damage regardless of the distance the enemy is from the target crosshair. However they can now actually hurt you if you drop them too close to you so Napalms have to be used more carefully. The area of effect is solely inside the target crosshair so the enemy has to be as close to the target crosshair as possible in order for the explosion to hurt them. Fortunately, Napalms are great for “shooting” people behind walls; the explosion will pass through the wall and hit them if they’re hugging the wall too much. They’re also great for shooting enemies on roofs or some higher area. Napalms are color coded yellow with a can in them.
Ricochet Disc (10 points of damage in a straight on hit, 30 points on a bank shot hit regardless of how many times the disc bounces, rare, no homing ability, can be rear-fired) While ricochet discs are fast (actually faster than TMHO PSP) and the knockback is a bit more noticeable compared to TMHO PSP there’s still very little reason to use them, except in narrow hallways/areas. They only deal as much damage as a homing missile and are not too powerful without a bounce hit so you might as well fire these away since maps are very wide open, and it’s hard to get a bank shot. A bank shot will have the disc colored darker orange as well as giving an even greater knockback than a dead-on hit. Ricochet Discs are color coded lavender with a disc in them.
Remote Bomb (25 points of damage irregardless of distance, rare, no homing ability, already rear-fire-able) Remote Bombs received a bit of a boost; they now do 25 points of damage, whether you detonate the bomb and catch them in the explosion or an enemy runs into it. They are excellent for teleport traps (i.e. dropping a remote onto a teleport pad after getting warped over) when interspersed with mines and a little “surprise” with a freeze missile. Drive-by bombings are not recommended except on a slower car, and even then they usually try to run for it before you can detonate the bomb on them. Make sure not to be within the Remote bomb’s explosion area or else you get hit too. Remote bombs are color coded green with a dynamite in them.
Swarmer Missile (4-27 when fully charged, uncommon, great homing ability, cannot be rear-fired) The Swarmer Missile is essentially Roadkill’s special from TMB, only not as powerful, but it’s still a powerful weapon on it’s own. You charge it up with the fire button, and release after 6 missiles appear. You only need the 6 missiles to appear for the maximum 27 points of damage; the blinking is only a warning to let you know that you should release the weapon before it backfires (i.e. wasted). If you’re aiming for a single enemy, make sure to get closer to him since all 6 missiles don’t congregate until they’re about to hit their enemy, thus letting some of the missiles target another enemy. Swarmer missiles are color coded yellow with a missile pack in them.
Turbo (pickup) Not a weapon obviously. This completely refills your turbo meter when you deplete it. Turbos are color coded light green, so be careful when trying to distinguish them from Remote bombs. They look like Nitro Gas tanks.
Health (comes in two flavors; Partial and Full) Well if you’re nearly dying, pick up some healths! Partial ones are common and restore 30% of your health, and Full ones are rare (only 1 except in Monaco where there’s two and they appear in MOST levels save for about two or three) but completely restore your health. Health regeneration is faster compared to previous TMs, which if anything, makes TMHO easy. A change from TMHO PSP is that Full Healths actually regenerate now, whereas in TMHO PSP once you picked them up, they were gone for good. There are no full healths in the deathmatch maps, and there are also no full healths in even the ones that have them when playing challenge mode. Partial ones are white with a red cross in the center, and the full ones are simply bigger.
f. Bonus Levels =============== I’m sure one thing you’ll definitely hate are TMHO’s bonus levels. They are necessary to complete in order to unlock extra levels and cars, however they can be pretty frustrating and the levels that give them are anything but easy. This is a quick guide to the bonus levels. Bonus levels are accessed by entering the Mini-game teleporter (the pink ones) but some are hidden away in certain levels. After completing a bonus level, you’ll obtain whatever weapons you picked up from the level as well as a full health recharge. If you complete the bonus levels that give you extra levels/cars again then you get a cheat code. In most of the bonus levels, if you try to reverse and go back, the game will give you a 5-second warning to turn around and keep going or else you self-destruct automatically (it’s not really bad since the countdown only briefly appears 2 seconds after you turn around). A change from TMHO PSP is that you can now re-enter the minigame teleporters after completing them. Whereas in TMHO PSP completing them would seal them off so you can never go in until you re-play the level with that minigame. BTW, some minigames reward you with extra lives but I only put it down for the ones I remember getting extra lives from.
Big Blue Stadium Minigame: Demolition Derby Location: Enter the room with the full health. Look to your right to find a Swarmer Missile, shoot down the glass to reveal the teleporter and a Homing missile. Goal: Ram 5 taxicabs. Turbo is infinite, and Energy Attacks are usable. Must be completed in under 3 minutes to get the bonus. Bonus: Extra Life Strategy: Ram the taxicabs to take them out, using turbo. The taxicabs will try to ram you sometimes, but they also have an annoying habit of ramming another taxicab (often the one that is your intended target). Fortunately the Freeze Missile can be used here, and a taxicab will stay frozen indefinitely until you ram them which is a nice thing. Try to aim for the taxicabs’ sides rather than pursue them since they usually turn at the last minute when you’re about to ram them. A change from TMHO PSP is that you can actually ram the taxicabs for MORE damage now (the most you could do to a taxicab in a high armored car was 16), you can do 24 points with a high armored car, so they go down faster. It’s better to use slower/higher armored cars for this bonus level, since taxicab rams won’t hurt you much at all, but it’s the easiest one to complete nonetheless.
Los Angeles Woods Minigame: Freeway Slalom Location: In the area with the construction workers and Mr Slamm-like vehicles, go to the building that’s closer to the sewers and shoot down the brown door (it’s the one that has a door on the left side of the building) to reveal the teleporter. Goal: Complete the obstacle course in under 2 minutes to get the bonus. Turbo is usable but not infinite. Bonus: Mr Slamm Strategy: Shoot down the toxic waste cans in the beginning and keep going. When you reach the part with the wrecking balls, just drive carefully and stop right before they swing. After you past them, you will drive into a traffic area. Avoid the cars (they won’t hurt you or anything, they’ll try to get off your path) so that they don’t slow you down.
Paris Minigame: Chopper Shoot Location: It might be easier if you use a Remote Bomb to blow up the Eiffel Tower first. The Eiffel Tower drops down its top which is used to activate the Lightning environment weapon. Just go straight from where the Eiffel Top Lightning is and shoot down the door in front of you to reveal the teleporter. Memorize this spot in case of future trips. Goal: Shoot the helicopters with Napalm. After destroying them a bridge to the next building will form, until you reach the end. Complete in under 2 min to get the bonus. Bonus: Paris deathmatch level Strategy: For the helicopters that lay low, fire a Napalm and drop it on top of them, aim carefully too. For the helicopters that fly high enough, try to get a direct Napalm hit so that you don’t have to drop the napalm onto them. A change from TMHO PSP is that you can’t use the Jump energy attack anymore. You could bypass shooting the helicopters by jumping onto the next building without having to cross on the bridges (although the buildings closer to the end have wider gaps so you can’t turbo and jump to get through).
Egypt Minigame: Balance Beam Location: In the area with the ENV weapon, on the side where there are no ramps going to a higher location, there’s a small door (with a small opening at the top) that can be shot down to reveal an ENV weapon and the teleporter. Goal: Complete the obstacle course. Complete under 2 minutes to get the bonus. Bonus: Egypt deathmatch level Strategy: It’s better that you use a fast car for this one. Okay, start off driving and going around the bonfires. At the end of the bonfires are the rotating spikes, drive forward and with the spikes while keeping a small distance between you and the spikes. Afterwards, there are the crusher doors. Wait, and keep going. After the crusher doors, and bonfire, more spikes (with a second one right behind the 1st). Drive carefully again. After the spikes, you get to an area where lightning moves from left to right. Wait for them to go to the other end, then move forward. After the lightning, you get to an area with the slicer blades moving left to right. They don’t swing around the “non-mat” (i.e. the ground that looks normal) parts of the area so get onto the non-mat area, wait, keep going, etc. Afterwards, more spikes to deal with. Followed by that, you get to the hammers (gosh I hate that part). They slam the non-mat areas but NOT the mat areas, drive carefully through, stop when necessary, etc. After the hammers, rush forward to claim your prize.
Roman Ruins Minigame: Top Down Driver Location: In the middle of the area (the large circle with the ENV weapon there), go to the second floor via the ramps and then the third floor via the ramp leading up to it. Drive towards the temple-like area with the poles. Afterwards you should find the teleporter at the left. Goal: Finish the course. The catch is that you will always be accelerating and cannot use brakes so you’ll have to look ahead in orer to line up your jumps properly. Turbo is infinite, at least. Complete in under two minutes to get the bonus. Bonus: Roman Ruins deathmatch level, necessary for unlocking Tower Tooth’s challenge in both Challenge and 2P Death Match mode. Strategy: A change here from TMHO PSP is that there are a lot more toxic waste barrels, but you can get rid of them all with machine guns. I suggest you don’t use Cousin Eddy or Dark Tooth for this bonus level, their machine guns aren’t rapid enough to shoot down the barrels. Another change is that you no longer have 3 chances to survive when getting hit by the barrels. While I never died from the barrels, they did minor damage to me, so I would think that you have a few more chances to survive to compensate for all the extraneous barrels. Anyway, just shoot down all toxic waste barrels, collect weapons, and if necessary try to avoid the ramps, but make sure to hug the left or right to avoid the pits that follow after the ramps. When you get to the JUMP part, you must Turbo and use the Jump command to get across, especially if you’re in a slower car, otherwise you’ll fall short. After the entire JUMP part, watch out for more ramp and the finish line ahead will redeem you your prize.
Russia Minigame: Shooting Rink Location: Start at the area that has a Health, Turbo and Homing Missile there. Then from there, go to the area ahead of you that has a Power Missile. Turn left to notice a bell-like structure with a large building behind it. Shoot down the end to reveal a tunnel going underground, and go into it. To your left is the teleporter, and in the tunnel there is a partial health, Ricochet and Swarmer Missiles (I think it’s the Swarmer Missile, I’m not sure). Goal: Survive by shooting 6 tanks while in an ice rink area (thus there’s more traction). You can only use your machine gun, however you can also use the Shield energy attack. When you destroy a tank, a new, bigger, and stronger one respawns. They typically show up at a corner and will slightly rotate to turn into your direction while constantly shooting. Complete in under three minutes to get the bonus. Bonus: Axel Strategy: At the beginning with the small tank, get behind it and shoot. Do the same for every other tank, but if you’re out of energy just wait and keep staying behind a tank. Activate the shield approximately 2 seconds later after destroying a tank to ensure you don’t get cheap shotted by the next tank. This is recommended with faster cars, but Dark Tooth is also a good candidate since his machine gun is stronger and he has more armor than anyone else.
Greece Minigame: Jump skill Location: In the area with the ship, go to the back (the front has a Homing Missile and Health) and go down that roadway that enters the ship. Go straight ahead, and turn right to find the teleporter. Goal: Finish the course by jumping from platform to platform. Complete in under 2.5 minutes to get the bonus. Bonus: Greece deathmatch level Strategy: You now actually have to use your Jump command to get you across platforms now, compared to TMHO PSP (at least if you’re using a slower car, that is). At the beginning, turbo and jump, then get onto the elevator. Go up, turn right, and either turbo + jump twice to get by or you can wait for the moving platform to get to your side, get onto it, then get off at the other side. Go down, navigate carefully through the moving platforms, then get off at the other end. Take the jump and aim for the wall of that platform. Take the next ramp, jump, turn right 90 degrees in midair then hit brake so that you don’t fall off. Do that again for the next jump, but turn 90 degrees left. Do the same thing for the next platform. When you go down, you have the option of taking the moving platform or using the ramp to turbo + jump. Use whatever suits your fancy. After two of those, take the next elevator up. Now this is the tricky part. Get onto the moving platforms that are spinning, keep turning so that you face the other moving platforms, get onto the next one CAREFULLY and hit brake, then get off at the other end. Drive around, when you get to the area with the constantly rotating platform (it’s connected to the other end but they have edges so you can still fall off) get onto the platform and drive deep so that you don’t get your car stuck on the edges, and keep turning so that you can face the other end and get off without rotating and falling off. After this part, you are finally free to get your bonus.
Monaco Minigame: Death Race Location: Take the road that goes into a tunnel that has turbo, keep going and following the road until you see a green area that has a Remote Bomb and the teleporter. Goal: Survive a race going in the opposite direction for two laps. Destroy 10 racers with your Infinite Fire Missiles (they won’t home in) for a bonus and 15 for another bonus. Bonus: (with 10 racers) Crimson Fury, (with 15 racers) Extra Life Strategy: You will constantly be turboing the whole way and time is not a big factor here so you just need to watch out for the racers. Hug the walls of the track to avoid the racers, and shoot any that are in your path. A change from TMHO PSP is that you no longer have 3 chances to survive the racers. Instead, during the first lap they only deal minor damage to you but during the second lap, they will deal double the damage. Therefore try your best not to get hit on the first lap so that you reserve your beatings during the second lap. A racer that runs into you will still be factored in towards the kill count at the top left corner.
Transylvania Minigame: Platform Puzzle Location: It’s hard to explain. But keep circling the area outside the castle until you see another castle to your left. Behind it is a ramp going to the top with the teleporter and a Napalm pickup. Goal: Finish the course through the moving platforms. The Jump energy attack is enabled. Complete in under 2 minutes to get the bonus (I forgot but I completed it in under 2 minutes so it shouldn’t be too un- obvious). Bonus: Translyvania deathmatch level Strategy: Just keep getting onto the moving platforms, brake, and go to the next one. When you get to the area that has the rotating gears (which causes the platforms connecting the path to circle) stop, turbo through, stop, and turbo through (there’s three). At the end you get your bonus.
Tokyo Streets Minigame: Subway Gauntlet Location: Just roam the center of the street (where it’s more straightforward) to the end that has a red building. You should spot the teleporter with no problem. Goal: Shoot all 6 Sweet Tooth heads with a Power Missile and collect the stars (they only appear after destroying a Sweet Tooth head with a Power missile, it only takes one). Avoid all Sweet Tooth Nitro Buggies that are circling the subway as well (they do minor damage). The Sweet Tooth heads will constantly fire Ricochet Discs at you, so watch out. Destroying a Sweet Tooth head will restock your Power Missiles by 2, and picking up a star will restore a bit of health. I don’t remember this but I think touching a Sweet Tooth head may instantly kill you (based on TMHO PSP). Machine Guns and Energy Attacks are disabled. Complete in under two minutes to get the bonus. Bonus: Tokyo deathmatch level Strategy: Stay off the path of the nitro buggies, collect the Power Missile, and aim carefully at the Sweet Tooth heads. Try to avoid the Ricochet discs as much as possible, especially if they are already bouncing around in the subway. The stars are only a few feet away from the Sweet Tooth heads so after destroying one, turn towards the star and keep moving. You can turn back and go after a Sweet Tooth head if you miss one, the 5-second count shouldn’t hinder you too much.
Tokyo Rooftops Minigame: Sky Track Location: In the central roof with the Full Health inside, the teleporter is to the left (or right in front of you based on where you enter). Goal: Complete the race in two laps. Finish first to get the bonus, and 4th or better to keep all weapons. Bonus: Hammerhead Strategy: Use a fast car, obviously, and turbo the whole way (it’s infinite). The racers are actually competent this time compared to TMHO PSP, and will put up a good fight in the race. The ones ahead of you will drop mines to try to slow you down, although not as often as they did in TMHO PSP, so try not to tail them for too long lest a mine should steer you off track. If you bump into a racer it will slow them down, if you keep bumping into them it will knock them back thus letting you claim their position. Just try to bump into them from the side.
g. Maps (Story Mode) (unfinished) ================================= With the addition of Transylvania you now have to go through 11 levels instead of 10. Story mode is necessary to unlock the extra cars/levels as well as character endings. Once story mode is completed you will be taken back to the TMHO/TML menu screen.
Here I’ll try to detail the 11 maps as best as I can. Health locations, teleporters (minigame teleporters not included), and specific areas of the map will be noted, and then strategies. Changes will also be noted, although they will be noted separately as opposed to the previous sections. Environment weapons will only be noted for the maps that have them.
One universal change though, is that each level now only plays 1 music, whereas in TMHO every level except for Tokyo – Dark Tooth (with Dark Tooth and Tower Tooth) had two.
For the maps that are listed with Map # 1/2 are one of the two maps you can choose to play in, Map # 2/2 is the other (just so that you don’t get confused).
Map 1 - Big Blue Stadium ------------------------ Health Locations: Full – In the room that has the teleporter (if it’s not obvious just use the teleporter that is in the area outside). Partial – Underneath the stadium area where the Power Missile/ENV weapon is. Partial – Behind the band Level.
Teleporters: 1 – In the central area of the stadium, there’s one sitting near the stadium seats. It leads to teleport 2, in the room with the Full Health and weapons. 2 – In the room with the Full Health. Takes you outside to teleport 1.
Changes: 1. Disaster Proof, the song played by the band Level is not played if you skip the cutscene of the intro to TMHO. 2. Weapon places have been changed. For example, the trench in the middle has a Napalm instead of a Power Missile. In front of the band Level, there’s a Power Missile instead of a Ricochet Disc and to the right is a Napalm instead of a Remote Bomb. Other weapons/pickups seem in-tact.
Environment Weapon: Band Attack – From where the band Level is, sparks fly out and then home in on an enemy in the Racetrack area. It does 7 points of damage. Not a great ENV weapon but at least you can “snipe” enemies when you’re in the Stadium Bench or Backstage Room areas.
Areas: Racetrack – This is where all the ATV racers are, they will drive around the whole map. You can shoot the ATV racers to get weapons. A lot of weapons are present here but they’re pretty scattered out.
Stadium Benches – The upper part of the map, you can get here via the ramps. The benches that are covered with a roof have a lot of weapons so this place is good for stocking up. Underneath the benches is a Power Missile, ENV, and 1 of 2 Partial Healths. The benches that are not covered with a roof is where the band Level is playing. Behind them is the 2nd partial health, and around them there is a Napalm, Power Missile, Remote Bomb, and a ENV weapon. You can still blow up the band Level by detonating a Remote Bomb next to them (they will fly out which looks hilarious).
Backstage Room – This is the room with the Full Health, teleporter, Ricochet Disc, Swarmer Missile, Homing Missile, and minigame teleporter. You can get here by Teleporter 1 in the Racetrack area or look for a glass-like area in the corner (to the left of Level) and shoot it down to enter it). This is probably the best room to hang out in, since you can fire away at enemies outside, retreat via the teleporter, and grab the full health in case you need it. It’s best that you actually leave some damage for yourself and get the Full Health; the AI may grab it (intentionally).
Strategies: Just grab all weapons from the Stadium Benches and Racetrack area, and let it rip. There’s only three enemies in this level so taking them out shouldn’t be too hard. If you want to play it safe, get into the Backstage Room, drop a Remote Bomb at one of the two entrances, shoot enemies outside with Fire/Homing Missiles, and when they come, retreat deeper into the Backstage Room, detonate when they cross the entrance, and freeze an enemy (if there’s one). You can do lots of damage this way, in a short period of time, and if you’re taking too much damage the Full Health is sitting at the corner waiting to be taken.
When there’s more than one enemy that enters the Backstage Room, retreat via the teleporter. Some may try to take the teleporter or leave the normal way; whatever the case is, shoot them with missiles when they leave the Backstage Room and leave a few mines for those who teleport. If you’re a faster car, grab all the weapons in the Racetrack area and Stadium Benches since those are the best places to stock up.
In a bigger car, freeze any enemies in the Racetrack area and unload everything on them. Healths are few and there’s a good chance enemies may take them so try to leave a little bit of damage in case.
Map 2 – Los Angeles Woods ------------------------- Health Locations: Full – The ramp in the construction site area. Partial – By the power plant/ENV weapon. Partial – Underneath the road area, it’s the road area that has a support underneath it. Partial – From the power plant/ENV weapon area, there’s a three door building. Shoot the brown doors to reveal the health. Partial – Take teleport 1 to the area with the LA WOOD sign, it’s all the way in the back. Partial – In the sewers area (the green watery stuff), there’s a tunnel going underground that has the health. There’s also a Fire Missile and a Swarmer Missile.
Teleporters: 1 – Where partial health #2 is listed, go to the square-ish building that’s closest to the road area and shoot down the brown door (there’s only one door). Behind it is a Fire missile and the teleporter, it takes you to the LA WOOD sign area with teleporter 2. 2 – Located in the LA WOOD sign area, returns you to Teleport 1 and the central battleground areas.
Changes: 1. Already noted the music change – It no longer plays the Menu Music from TMHO PSP, it plays the “Fight to Survive” music.
Environment Weapon: Powerplant Lightning – Notice the Power plant area where partial health #1 is listed? Activating the ENV will cause lightning to strike anyone who’s on the platform. It will not hit anyone that is on the road around the Power Plant. It hits for 11 points of damage on one enemy.
Areas: Sewers – The green watery area surrounds the construction site area. You’ll find some weapons here, as well as a tunnel that goes underground for Partial Health, Swarmer and Fire missiles.
Construction site – See all those Mr Slamm-like vehicles and construction workers? Yep, this is the construction site. On one end of the huge road circling the map, it holds Partial Health #3, a couple of buildings with weapons, and the minigame teleporter. On the other end, it has a pretty wide open area and two ramps; one that has a Power Missile and another that has the Full Health. Since the Full Health is out in the open you should grab it when you can.
Suburban – On the other side of the sewer, there’s a lot of buildings you can go into for weapons as well as a teleporter to the LA WOOD sign and a partial health.
Power Plant – This is where the ENV weapon is located. There’s a partial health and swarmer missile here, but if you blow up those box- things it reveals a Power Missile, 2 Fire missiles and one other weapon I forgot. There’s also a ENV weapon and a Homing Missile on the road around the lightning generator.
Traffic Road – This is where the traffic is. The road is huge and circles around the map (very remniscent of LA from TM2). The bumpy roads are close to the Power Plant area, everything else is pretty straightforward. You can find a couple of weapons here as well as turbos. There’s a break in the road that’s closest to the sewers which leads to a remote bomb sitting at the edge.
LA WOODS sign – The teleporter from the Suburban area leads you to the area with the LA WOODS sign. You can blow up the sign by shooting the black structure thing that connects them, which allows a lot more room for combat but less cover. There’s a partial health here as well as a couple of weapons; it’s pretty wide.
Strategies: The easiest way to deal with this level is to take the teleport in the Suburban area to the LA WOODS sign area, drop Remote/Mines onto the teleporter after, then back up and freeze any enemy coming in. This deals a lot of damage to them in a short time and is safe, since only one enemy can come in at a time. Run away while shooting missiles at them to take them out quickly.
The best place to stock up would be the Suburban area with the buildings and roofs (that you can use to snipe enemies with). Blow up the doors to get lots of decent weapons. The Construction site area is the best area for Homing Missiles, and you can pick up Swarmer Missiles and Power Missiles in the Sewers area.
The ENV weapon can be pretty effective when there’s multiple enemies. Just lure them onto the Power Plant area, use the ENV weapon (there’s one around the road) when multiple enemies congregate onto the platform, and pick them apart while they’re hanging helpless. The Power Plant area is also a good place to stock up on weapons, there’s an ENV, Homing Missile, two Fire Missiles, Swarmer Missile and a Power Missile along with a health.
While you can use the Traffic Roads to your advantage, it’s very hard to fight here since missiles will most likely hit the Traffic cars instead of your enemies. Either stay at the roads near the Construction site or Suburban area so that you can drop off and get away when necessary.
After killing all 5 cars in this map you should have all of your upgrades if you didn’t die yet.
Map 3 1/2 – Paris ================= Health Locations: Full – Underneath the bridge that crosses to the Eiffel Tower. Partial – In the museum on the side that does not have the Eiffel Tower. Blow up the door in the middle to get it. There’s also a Power Missile here. Partial – Once the Eiffel Tower is blown up, in the area where Partial Health #1 is, there should be a ramp going up and around the roofs, there’s another ramp that has a Partial Health floating in the air. Partial – On the other side of the Eiffel Tower, there’s one sitting right out in the open. Partial – After the Eiffel Tower is blown up, there’s another one sitting on the roofs (take the ramp going down to the left side).
Teleporters: 1 – Right underneath the Eiffel Tower. Takes you to the top of the Eiffel Tower. 2 – At the top of the Eiffel Tower, takes you back down.
Changes 1 – Already noted the music change. Only plays the non-rockish music (i.e. the one that does not have a French woman talking).
Environment Weapon: Eiffel Top Lightning – After the Eiffel Tower is blown up the top will fall down in the middle of the other side near two ramps. It effects everyone that’s within the green-ish area. It hits for 10 points of damage.
Areas: Museum Side – This side does not have the Eiffel Tower in it. There’s a pool area in the center with a Swarmer Missile and Turbo, a museum you can access by blowing up the doors in the middle, and eventually after the Eiffel Tower is blown up, you can access the roof of the Museum to get a Napalm, Swarmer Missile, and Partial Health. The roof is also a good sniping spot; the ramps can be used to protect you from homing weapons. A few weapons are on each side of the pool. Above the Museum is some sort of skate-ish area, which you can probably use to conceal yourself if you’re using invisibility.
Waterfront – This is the area underneath the bridge that leads to the Eiffel Tower. There’s a Full Health, Napalm, and Turbo down here. Get under the bridge to avoid getting shot when trying to get to the other side with the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower – Anyone who played TM2 will definitely feel traces of Paris from TM2 with this lovely tower, which can be blown up. Use a remote at the top; drop one onto teleporter 2 and hug the sides of the Eiffel Tower so that unsuspecting victims will taste a nice little surprise. Blowing up the Tower does lots of things. One, it lets you access the roofs of the Museum area, two, it lets you access the roofs of the buildings in the City area (that loops around from the Eiffel Tower, to the ground next to the building with the minigame teleporter, and back to the Eiffel Tower), and three, the top can be used to trigger the ENV weapon for this map. I definitely recommend doing this early on, because the roofs in the City area is packed with weapons and you can snipe at enemies below with missiles. If you can’t reach them, Jump (L1+R1 if you forgot) and fire. There’s also a partial health here, which is probably the safest one to get overall since you can’t get shot with anything except Napalms.
City – Sounds a bit boring for an area, but eh I couldn’t think of anything better. This area extends from the Eiffel Tower all the way to the back with buildings. It’s also heavy with traffic (they loop in a square), which is good in case you need cover from heavy fire. There are a couple of weapons here.
Park – This is the center of the City/Eiffel Tower areas. It’s very wide open and good for combat. In a straight line, there’s a Swarmer Missile, Power Missile, Partial health, and a Remote Bomb. Once you blown up the Eiffel Tower, the Eiffel Top will land here so you’ll have to be extra careful, especially if getting the Partial health.
Strategies: Your first priority should be blowing up the Eiffel Tower. There’s a Remote Bomb and Homing Missile at the top when you take the teleport. Plant one near the teleporter, wait for someone to come up, and then detonate. Now you have access to the roofs of the buildings in the City and the Museum. If you go down the right side you’ll pick up plenty of missiles; on the left there’s a Partial Health. It might be better that you go down the right so that your enemy doesn’t get the Partial Health. You can take shots at anyone going down from the Eiffel Tower via Jump + missiles. When they reach the roof, freeze and pummel them with Power Missiles/Specials/etc., then get away. The building with the minigame teleporter is a safe area to retreat to since enemies rarely occupy the area there. You can also jump above it from the roofs and snipe enemies with missiles.
While the Museum area has a nice sniping spot and two healths (only if you blown up the Eiffel Tower), there’s not much weapons compared to the City area. However there is a Full Health nearby in the Waterfront area and the bridge is a nice cover from enemy fire.
The AI typically wages war in the Park area or the pool in the Museum; they usually don’t fire too much when roaming the roofs of the buildings/museum. That opens up a nice opportunity to use the ENV weapon and hit several enemies at once when too much gather around. Leave mines/remotes when using the ramps instead of the Eiffel Tower to get to the roofs, and shoot the enemies from above to take them out easily.
Map 3 2/2 – Egypt ================= Health Locations: Full – Shoot the butt of the Sphinx. Go down and the Full Health is at the middle of an intersection. If an AI goes down here, they may pick up the Full health. Partial – There’s one above the ENV weapon area, with ramps leading to it. The AI tends to activate the ENV weapon only after you crossed the jump so it’s safe to get. Partial – Shoot one of the four entrances of the main pyramid (the darker parts of the wall) to get this. It sits in the middle. Partial – On an island near the Pyramid C (the one in the corner). An AI will likely pick this health up.
Teleporters: Teleporter 1 – In Pyramid A, the one with partial health. Takes you to Pyramid B. Teleporter 2 – In Pyramid B, the pyramid on the side and a little further away from the Partial Health. Takes you to Pyramid C. Teleporter 3 – In Pyramid C, the one in the corner and closest to the Partial Health. Takes you to Pyramid A.
Environment Weapon: Tornado – In the area with Partial Health 1, there’s a huge gap and two ramps in the side. Activating the environment weapon will cause a tornado to form and swirl around, becoming bigger until it reaches the top (where it can affect anyone on the ramps). It hits for 10 points of damage, and at the end it will throw away any cars in the tornado. The helpless cars can be pummeled with weapons of your choice. It affects anyone closest to the center of the gap, and eventually reaches outwards to the end of the slope in the gap when the tornado grows.
Changes: 1. Already noted the music change.
Areas: Burial Grounds – This is the area with the ENV weapon (if you don’t know it’s the large pit in the middle). On the sides, there are four ramps going up to the top that you can use to shoot at anyone below. You can also get behind the ramps on the ground for cover. Behind the ramp with the Partial Health is the room with the minigame teleporter and ENV weapon pickup. To the left of the ENV weapon pit is a trench with a ramp leading to a Power Missile.
Pyramid A – The only pyramid that has all four sides to it in tact. There’s a few weapons hanging in mid-air at the sides of the pyramid as well as some giant poles. You can enter the pyramid by shooting the darker areas of the wall; there are four entrances in all. Inside the pyramid is a partial health, and Teleporter 1. The entrance closest to the Nile River area has a Sphinx with its rear end towards the pyramid, which can be blown up to reveal one of three entrances to the Underground area.
Nile River – This area contains an island with a Partial Health. Pyramid B is to the side, and Pyramid C is to the corner straight from the Partial health (shoot down the spots outlined in black to enter them). You can use the statues on either side (the ones when you pass the Sphinx) as cover, but they can be blown up.
Pyramid B – The Pyramid on the side, it has teleporter 2 as well as the second of three entrances to the Underground area. There’s a Ricochet Disc and Remote Bomb in this pyramid.
Pyramid C – The Pyramid straight ahead from the Partial health on the island, it contains a Fire Missile, Napalm, teleporter 3 and the third entrance to the Underground area.
Underground – The Underground area can be accessed from the Sphinx, Pyramid B and Pyramid C. Here you’ll find a few weapons (from the Sphinx, you get a Swarmer Missile, from Pyramid B you’ll find a Napalm, and Pyramid C a Ricochet Disc. In the center of the Underground is the Full Health. Enemies who are in the Underground may take the Full Health.
Strategies: Weapons are scattered pretty well in this map so there’s no convenient place to stock up. I tend to hang around Pyramid A since there are quite a bit of weapons including Homing, Power and Swarmer missiles. Also when you need health you can blow an entrance up as well as escape via Teleporter 1.
With the abundance of teleporters in this map, teleport traps are the best way to safely take out enemies without taking too much damage. Since you warp to Pyramid B, you can use the Remote Bomb there. There’s also a Ricochet Disc which is useful in case you should enter the Underground area, though in Pyramid B (as well as C) there’s plenty of room to pick apart your enemies one by one when they invade the Pyramids.
Out in the open, there’s plenty of room to shoot enemies with missiles, as well as freeze combos. You should fight by Pyramid A or the Sphinx so that you’re less open to enemy fire and you’ll have no problem escaping.
The Burial Grounds area only has one good place to go, and that is at the top. You can shoot enemies down below with missiles, as well as freeze any that reach the top since this area is flat and straight. You can also try leaving Remotes/Mines at the entrance to the minigame teleporter and then take on any enemy that comes in, although this area is pretty small so there’s a lot more risk involved.
There’s less health in this map than other maps, and the AI can take at least two of them so beware.
Map 4 – LA – Cousin Eddy ======================== Health Locations: Full – Take the ruined street to the broken roads (where the Remote bomb used to be in LA Woods) Partial – At the corner of the sewers. Partial – In the middle of the sewers (the one closest to the weapons on the platform next to it). Partial – At the side of the sewers that has the remote bomb, go to the first ruined building that has a small entrance to get this.
Teleporters: None
Changes: 1. Cousin Eddy (after the ATV part) no longer says “EEEEEEEEEEE! Come on boys, let’s get him!” for some odd reason. 2. The music now only plays the Main Menu music from TMHO PSP. It will not play the “Fight to survive” music, which LA Woods has. 3. The ruined buildings have more walls between them now. Specifically, the ruined building that holds the Partial Health now has a small entrance. Whereas in TMHO PSP getting to the Partial Health was pretty easy since there was a bigger opening. 4. The “human shields” now have more health and thus require more hits to kill.
Areas: Ruined Construction Site – This is the only area you can access, every other area from LA Woods is blocked off. There are no construction workers or Mr Slamm-like vehicles, just you and the boss. It’s surrounded by the sewers.
Strategy: The ATV part is relatively easy. Each ATV only has a health meter of 50 points so it takes only five homing missiles to kill them. At the beginning they will always charge at you, so fire homing missiles and some machine gun fire. If you’re in need of Homing Missiles, there’s one at the corner from the broken roads, and one underneath the broken roads. Grab the Napalm at the sewers as well as the one at the side closest to the Partial Health and other weapons. Once all 5 ATVs are destroyed, Cousin Eddy fights you.
Initially, Cousin Eddy starts with 6 “human shields”. They will fire at you constantly (the sides of the left, right and back fire bullets at you while the top fires a flamethrower), while Cousin Eddy shoots his machine gun (which fires white missiles that home in on you) and occasionally freezes you. Take out the top human shield first by freezing Cousin Eddy, and using a Napalm. With Napalms at 20 points of damage, it only takes ONE Napalm to destroy the top human shield. To destroy the side ones, freeze Cousin Eddy, use your machine gun and Power Missile. Since Cousin Eddy is not taking damage at this point, the ice won’t thaw. Two Power Missiles plus several rounds of Machine Gun fire (hopefully upgraded) will kill the human shields on the sides and back. If you’re low on health, run around the sewers picking up the healths, and turbo all the way through. Cousin Eddy will not pursue you on the sewers, instead he’ll just hang around on the Construction Site and will get to you by cutting you off (but it takes a while for him to do that). After all human shields are destroyed you can finally take down Cousin Eddy.
Cousin Eddy now resorts to a ramming special that will fling you into the air really high, but he is not terribly accurate. He will of course, continue firing his machine gun and the occasional freeze, but they’re only dangerous when he’s facing you. If you get to his sides or back, you’ll be much safer especially with a low armored car. Since Cousin Eddy is a big target, employ Power Missiles and Machine Guns on him to deplete his health. He should go down quickly. Freeze him if he’s not staying still and give him the beating he deserves.
I suggest that you stock up on as much weapons as possible, particularly Homing Missiles and Swarmer Missiles so that the next level is easier.
After you beat Cousin Eddy, the map LA – Cousin Eddy is unlocked, as well as ATV and Cousin Eddy as playable characters.
Map 5 – Roman Ruins =================== Health Locations: Full – Take teleporter 1 in the Agricultural Fields area. The Full Health is behind one of the poles. Partial – It is to the left of the Homing Missile in the Agricultural Fields area (or right if you took Teleporter 1 and then Teleporter 2 back to the Agricultural Fields area). Partial – There’s one above the bonfire ENV weapon. Use the middle ramp to get it. Partial – Take Teleporter 3 to the highest tier of the Central Ruins area. Go ahead a bit and below to your right, the health is there.
Teleporters: Teleporter 1 – In the Agricultural Fields area, it’s next to a Fire Missile. Goes into the Sacred Ruins area. Teleporter 2 – In the Sacred Ruins area, takes you back to the Agricultural Fields area. Teleporter 3 – In the Temple Ruins area, takes you to the highest tier of the Central Ruins area. Teleporter 4 – In the Central Ruins – Fourth Tier area, takes you back down to the Temple Ruins area.
Environment Weapon Fireball – In the Central Ruins area, there’s a bonfire in the middle of the ramps with the Partial Health. It shoots a fireball out of it at an enemy for 5 points of damage.
Changes: 1. It looks better (graphically). 2. Touching the bonfire now sets you on fire, it didn’t do that in TMHO PSP.
Areas: Agricultural Fields – This side has a lot of trees at the side, plus a Partial Health at the left. In the middle is a green-ish area that has a Homing Missile and Remote Bomb, and ahead is a Fire Missile and Teleporter 1.
Sacred Ruins – Accessed by taking Teleporter 1. Here, there are four pole-type objects you can use as cover, as well as a Full Health. There are two exits. One takes you back to the Agricultural Fields area, the other takes you to the Temple Ruins area. If you turn around after leaving both exits, you enter the Central Ruins area.
Central Ruins – This is the main area of the map, a large circle. It has several tiers. The bottom tier has three ramps, one leading to a Power Missile, the middle one leading to a Health (it also has the bonfire ENV weapon), and the third with a Swarmer Missile. If you take the ramps going up, you enter the second tier, and there’s another ramp going to the third tier that’s completely flat and circles around the area. The third tier has a side covered by a temple which leads to the minigame teleporter on the right as well as a Fire Missile and a Swarmer Missile on the left. Jumping off the edge from the minigame teleporter takes you to the Temple Ruins and jumping off the edge from the Swarmer Missile takes you to the Agricultural Fields area. Both are good sniping points for the respective areas mentioned. The fourth and final tier can only be accessed by taking Teleporter 3 in the Temple Ruins area. The fourth tier contains a Partial Health as well as a nice sniping spot, and you can jump off to any of the three main areas at once.
Temple Ruins – On the other side of Central Ruins is the Temple Ruins. All three standard missiles are here as well as a Ricochet Disc and teleporter 3. The ruined temples can be used for cover.
Strategies: The teleport traps (drop Remote/Mine after teleport, freeze and power missile enemy) is very effective. Another effective tactic is to fire Homing Missiles from the third tier down on enemies in the Central Ruins. They rarely, if ever, try to get up and come after you. Only Homing Missiles will hit you on the third tier; fortunately the healths aren’t too hard to get and you can use the jumps to the Agricultural Fields/Temple Ruins to get away from the opposition without having to expose yourself. You shouldn’t have too much of a problem destroying your enemies with ease.
Map 6 1/2 – Russia ================== Health Locations: Full – Take the hill ramp in the area with the ENV weapon to the long bridge and go to your left. The Full Health should be there. Partial – By the ENV weapon. Partial – From the ENV weapon, shoot the door in the middle to reveal a room with a ENV weapon pickup and the Partial Health. Partial – Shoot the bell structure in the Soviet Union area, and go into the underground area to find it, as well as the minigame teleporter. Partial – In the area of the ENV weapon, there’s a building and stairs on the right side. The health sits at the top of the stairs. Partial – There’s one out in the open next to a turbo and homing missile.
Teleporters: Teleporter 1 – Where the Full Health is (mentioned above). Takes you to an area with Teleporter 2 and a Napalm. To get out this area without using Teleporter 2, shoot the wall that has a two-door like structure and shoot the other wall ahead to reach the Soviet Union area. Teleporter 2 – In the confined area with the Napalm. Without using Teleporter 1, go to the Soviet Union area. From the Partial Health/Homing Missile/Turbo, look for a two-door structure on the building to the left. Blow up the following door at the end of the hallway and you’ll access the teleporter to the bridge with the full health. Teleporter 3 – In the area with the ENV weapon, shoot the two-door structure of the building to the left. The teleport is to the right. Takes you to the third tier of the Abandoned Building. Teleporter 4 – Located on the third tier of the Abandoned Building. Takes you back to tier 1.
Environment Weapon Nuke Shockwave – Notice the huge missile pointing up with the Power Missile and Health to the side of it? This is the ENV weapon. Activating the ENV weapon causes the missile to quickly explode causing a huge explosion. It does up to 20 points of damage, and is one of the stronger ENV weapons.
Changes 1. There is now a new building in front of the bell structure in the Soviet Union area. I don’t understand the purpose of this included building, it can’t be blown up and you can’t enter it. 2. The ends of the bridge with the Power Missile and Homing Missile seem to have extended so there’s more room to move around when you get to those ends of the bridge. 3. In the Abandoned Building area, the third tier now has a few areas darkened out.
Areas: Soviet Union – Russia is split up into two main areas; this is one of them. The Soviet Union area is the one with the multiple buildings. In the area with the Partial Health and Homing Missile, shoot down the double-doors to reveal a room with a Ricochet Disc and two stairs that give a Swarmer Missile and Remote Bomb. Shoot the wall at both ends to leave, as well as make a good sniping spot. Use the hill next to the newly included building (mentioned above to jump into the building. Shoot down all the light colored/rectangle-outlined walls to reveal secret paths. The right has a Napalm, the left has a Power Missile. To the left from the Partial Health/Homing Missile area, shoot the double- doors of the leftmost building and then the wall ahead to get to Teleporter 2. To the right from the Partial Health/Homing Missile, is a bell structure. Shoot the structure to open up the Underground entrance (which is very similar to Amazonia from TM2). The right has a snowy area that has a few weapons. Nuclear Site – This is the area with the ENV weapon. From the ENV weapon, shoot the double doors to reveal an ENV and Partial Health pickup. In this area, there are four missile launchers. Shoot the control panels attached to them to release the missiles, which will shoot down the roof structures on top of the only building in this place. The square-ish building closest to the ENV weapon has a dark wall that can be shot down to access the Underground area that can get you to the Soviet Union area. The only building in this area has stairs leading to a Partial Health; to the left is a circular room that you can drop into. There’s a Ricochet Disc in this place. Shoot the double- doors to get out; there are four.
Abandoned Building – In the Nuclear Site area, shoot the double-doors from both sides to get into the Abandoned Building. You are currently at the 1st tier; Teleporter 3 is at the bottom as well as a Ricochet Disc and Fire Missile. There is a staircase leading to the second tier, which has a Homing Missile and Napalm. Shoot the double-doors to open up nice sniping spots from the second tier. The third tier is accessed via Teleporter 3. Up here, you can get a Swarmer Missile at the end. If you destroyed the missile control panels as mentioned above, you can get onto the bridge.
Bridge – This is the center of the map. It has Teleporter 1 with Full Health next to it. At one end, you can pick up a Homing Missile, at the other, a Power Missile. When you destroyed the missile control panels, the roof structures from the building in the Nuclear Site will connect to the roof with a Power Missile and an entrance into the third tier of the Abandoned Building (closest to Teleporter 4) and to the building with the aforementioned roof structures that leads to the other end of the Abandoned Building. You can snipe at enemies from anywhere on the bridge.
Rooftops – You can access the Rooftops of the buildings in the Soviet Union area from the Bridge. Here, you can shoot at enemies below, or drop into the pit (of the triangle shaped building) with Teleporter 2 as well as a quick escape into the Soviet Union area. You can jump onto the other building (the one with multiple destroy-able entrances) as well and escape into the pits within the building to avoid enemy fire.
Underground – When you shoot the bell structure in the Soviet Union area or the black wall of the building (the side with those weird red letters on it) you can access the Underground area to go to the other area. A Partial Health, Swarmer Missile, Ricochet Disc, and minigame teleporter is here.
Strategies: The best way to take out enemies is to access the Abandoned Building, take Teleporter 3, then drop Remote/Mine and back up into the narrow hallways on the left/right. Once an enemy warps up, freeze them and do as you will. They can’t hit you if you’re hiding behind the wall, so it’s pretty safe. If any enemies enter the first tier of the Abandoned Building, you can shoot at them with Homing Missiles in the second tier (beware of Napalms and Homing Missiles) or the third tier (safer overall). The second tier also gives you a nice sniping spot for anyone in the Nuclear Site area as well as a view of the ENV weapon (in case you have any). The first tier, while not as safe, is flatter and completely covered so you can duke it down here in case of 1v1 battles. The Underground area (if you ever want to access it) is great to unload Ricochets in, especially since the hallway going down and up is narrow thus increasing the chances of a Bank Shot. If you haven’t shot down the missile control panels, you’re pretty safe in the third tier since the only way up for the AI is Teleporter 3. If you’re in need of weapons though, shooting the missile control panels lets you access the Bridge for a Homing and two Power Missile pickups, and Full Health. Again, the Abandoned Building is probably the best place to hang by since you can shoot at enemies below and hammer on them once they come up.
Map 6 2/2 – Greece ================== Health Locations: Full – Enter the Hub area of the ship from the back (it has a roadway going down into it). Keep going and in the first opening you see the Full Health is there. Partial – In the Greek City area. It’s all the way at the top. Partial – It sits at the front of the boat (parallel to a Homing Missile). Partial – In front of the ENV weapon. Take Teleporter 1 (mentioned below to get there). Partial – From the ship side (the side with the Partial Health), there’s a long narrow white bridge with a Partial Health on it.
Teleporters: Teleporter 1 – In the Temple area. From the side of the ship that has the Partial Health, go up and turn left. Look for a area that has several poles and a Homing Missile, the Teleporter is there. Teleporter 2 – It’s closest to the Zeus statue. Takes you to Teleporter 1 in the Temple area from the side of the ship with the Partial Health.
h. Deathmatch Maps (Challenge/Endurance Mode) ============================================= These are compressed, compact and/or confined versions of some maps. I hate these maps for single-player overall but they do make great 1v1 maps since there’s less health and it’s easier to memorize the best sniping points, health, weapons, etc.. There are fewer healths in these maps though, and there are no teleports so I prioritize killing the lowest armored car first, use invisibility a lot, and try not to get into fights when too many cars are present. You’ll die very easily; this is the only time I’ll ever say that Hard mode is actually HARD.
While I have some strategies covered for the maps, I won’t go into too much detail. In single-player, Cloak/Invisibility is your best friend, especially when trying to get Partial Health without being blown into smithereens.
Paris Deathmatch ---------------- Health Locations: Partial – Above the entrance into the Museum room (that has the pictures in it). Partial – Inside the Museum room (it now sits in the middle instead of on the right). Partial – On the roof of the Museum, the ramps from the Eiffel Tower going into the health is still in-tact.
Area: Museum – Everything up to the pool is in-tact from Paris, and the Eiffel Tower ramps are already connected by default.
Strategy: Run up to the roofs and shoot at anyone from down below. Escape to the Museum room and try to take out a car before getting health. Do not chase anyone on the roofs, especially since they may very well take the health sitting in between the ramps.
Egypt Deathmatch ---------------- Health Locations: Partial – In Pyramid A blow up the darkened parts of the wall to get it.
Area: Pyramid A – You only have Pyramid A as well as a limited area around it.
Strategy: By god, this is the hardest map to play in due to it containing only one Partial Health. However, you still have a chance. First, try to kill the lowest armored car with less damage taken, use only ONE shield if necessary, and grab the Energy upgrade to refill your energy and turbo meters. Shoot down ALL four entrances into Pyramid A, and then go in. Grab the health and weapons, and wait. Depending on what the AI does, they may either get in or make botched attempts to. If you’re lucky, they tend to occasionally hit the walls of the entrances into the pyramid and have their sides to you, thus making them good target practice. Some may even climb the Pyramid for no apparent reason. In either case, shoot the enemies that fail to get in, and fire Napalms at the walls where the enemies are trying to climb the Pyramid so that the explosion hits them. If you’re low on health, you should have plenty of energy to do Invisibility at least three times courtesy of the Turbo and Energy Upgrade. Go to the side of the Pyramid not occupied by the enemies, and turn around so that you face them and watch for what they do outside the Pyramid. The Invisibility stall should hopefully be enough that the Partial Health regenerates and you can grab it; this is possible even if you’re nearly dying. Enemies to watch out for are Shadow, Twister, Outlaw, Spectre, Thumper and Cousin Eddy since their specials can go through walls.
LA – Cousin Eddy ---------------- Health Locations: Partial – At the corner of the sewers. Partial – In the middle of the sewers on the other side (closest to the area with weapons). Partial – Inside a ruined building; it has a small opening from the side.
Area: Ruined Construction Site – Already mentioned in Story Mode’s LA – Cousin Eddy info.
Strategy: I play this level like I play LA in TM2. Run around the whole level while shooting cars along the way. Run along the Construction Site to pick up missiles and turbo while retreating into the sewers to keep on moving. Keep some damage to grab the Partial Health in the corner because that’s the health the AI will go for most of the time. However if you’re on the bumpy roads while the AI is in the sewers (at the corner with the Partial Health) they may fight each other and won’t take you into account, so let them have it.
Roman Ruins Deathmatch ---------------------- Health Locations: Partial – In the middle ramp on the bottom tier. Partial – In the center of the second tier. Partial – In the center of the third tier (where the temple cover used to be).
Area: Central Ruins – With the lack of a teleporter, the fourth tier was removed so you can’t go there anymore. The temple on the third tier was removed, as well as the side-exits that went into the Agricultural Fields and Temple Ruins areas.
Strategy: Always run to the upper tiers while grabbing weapons and shooting at anyone below. The third tier is best for the space you need in one-on- one fights since it’s flatter than the other two tiers. Swarmer and Homing Missiles are your best weapons here. You can also pick Tower Tooth as an enemy in this level, and he will only have the red lightning by default, but when he can be frozen AND you no longer need to target his head when he’s half-dead so that compensates. Run to the third tier and let him take care of enemies for you, while wearing him down slowly with Homing Missiles and Swarmer Missiles. He will try to go for you all the time, so just turbo around the third tier, freeze him when he comes, and let him have it.
Greece Deathmatch ------------------- Health Locations: Partial – In the opening of the Central Deck of the ship, where the Remote Bomb used to be. Partial – In the Lower Deck of the ship, where the minigame teleporter used to be.
Area: Ship – I liken this map to Prison Ship from TMB. You’re on the Ship only, and there are now barriers around the map preventing you from falling off. However, you can still jump over it from the Top Deck.
Strategy: The cheesiest way to dominate in this map is to kill two cars for the Jump upgrade, take one of the two ramps going to the Upper Deck, turbo, and jump at the edge so that you reach the highest place of the Ship. Except for Napalms and Homing Missiles, enemies will NEVER be able to shoot you at the top. When you need Health making a dash for the Lower Deck and then return to the top to be safe. Keep an eye on Homing Missiles and Swarmer Missiles at the back of the Central Deck that goes into the Lower Deck. There are very few pickups here and only two of them are great for this strategy (I don’t use Napalms especially if you’re shooting them close).
Tokyo Streets Deathmatch ------------------------ Health Locations: Partial – In the tunnel next to the subway on one side. Partial – In the tunnel next to the subway on the other side.
Area: Subway – Remember Tokyo Streets’s bonus level? This is the level you fight in, and it was expanded a bit to include two tunnels on each side for health and weapons.
Strategy: Since there’s only one area to go, and that is the loop in the Subway area, you should always keep moving. Fire weapons at enemies in the Subway, but make sure you pull back and retreat if you’re entering an enemy-infested territory. Make sure to grab the healths on each side immediately when you take damage.
Tokyo Streets – Dark Tooth -------------------------- Health Locations: Partial – In the corner on one end. Partial – In the middle of a street on one of the slanting roads at the sides.
Area: Roadway – This area consists of the four buildings and 6 streets. Four streets slanting at the sides, one street slanting in the middle, and a flat street smack dab in the middle.
Strategy: Grab weapons around the streets and use the buildings to shoot at enemies roaming the streets. Take the building with the big ramp going up to it and shoot any enemy that goes up, hopefully causing them to fall forth back into the street. With only two healths in this level, try not to take the streets to them since the AI may very well grab them.
Transylvania Deathmatch ----------------------- Health Locations: Partial – Take the ramp on the first floor into the health that floats in mid-air. Partial – In the middle of the second floor, take one of the two ramps up and head for the part of the second floor that has a large cover in it. Partial – In the middle of the third floor, next to the elevator taking you up to the fourth floor.
Area: Transylvania Castle – With the exceptions of openings into and out of the castle sealed off, every other part of the Castle is in-tact. This makes it the largest DM map in the game.
Strategy: Always take the elevator going from the first floor to the third and take the elevator to the fourth floor. Leave a Remote Bomb in the elevator going to the fourth floor, or shoot at enemies with Ricochet Bombs for easy bank shots. Then drive backwards off the edge while shooting the enemies with missiles back into the first floor, grab weapons, and rinse and repeat. If you do this, you’ll have the AI intent on chasing you down thus keeping them away from the Partial Healths. Do not fight on the second or third floor, especially since enemies will very likely grab the healths in these floors.
*********************************************************************** 2. Twisted Metal: Lost Relive your TMB moments in this short-termed sequel to TMB. Yes, it’s a sequel (as demonstrated by the character stories that expand the background of each character’s future from TMB except for Minion, as well as an interesting link between the colorful and dark universe). Two games in one! Only except for the fact that TML is not as complete as TMHO is. Fortunately, with only four levels, ESP put plenty of work into them to make them just as enjoyable as if it were a complete game. Many of the modes from TMHO are present here, but a pro that TML has that TMHO doesn’t is that it has four-player death match! TML ultimately gives you the better multiplayer experience while TMHO gives you a more complete single player and multiplayer experience. Both are still enjoyable and worth playing. Besides, you have a few important things to do here.
a. Menus ======== Single Player – Play the game solo, with three different modes of play. Story – Play through the game in 4 levels, this is necessary to unlock one extra level and two characters. You can play through the game with every car. Challenge – Choose a car, a level and 7 opponents. Endurance – Choose a car, a level, and then battle it out until you die or leave.
Multiplayer – As mentioned before, you can play up to four-players, which makes TML the better multiplayer experience. Teleport domination no longer exists (with the exception of one map) so it’s proper mano- to-mano or FFA fights. 2P-4P Deathmatch – Battle with a friend. 2P Coop – Play through Story mode with a friend.
Options Audio – Adjust the music and sound effects volume. Controls – Choose from three control options: Classic, Hit n Run, and Run n Gun. Difficulty – Choose from four difficulties – Super Easy, Easy, Medium and Hard. Save Game – Save your game as well as your settings. Load Game – Load a previously saved game. Restore Default Settings – Restore everything back to where it was before. Movie Clips – See the intro to the game as well as *spoilers* the note sent by the deceased team members once you complete Story mode.
b. Characters/Vehicles (unfinished) ====================== I will put up the stories later but for now the only thing worth mentioning are the specials. In TMLost, cars do not have any stats listed for them, though you can assume that everyone (except for 12-Pak and Gold Tooth) has the same stats from TMB. The specials are not officially named, I just made them up.
Roadkill Special – (Swarmer Missile, 27-37 points fully charged) Selecting the special causes a rack with 6 missiles to appear. Hold the fire button and one by one the missiles will light up. Once all 6 missiles are lit up, they will blink up to five times to warn you to release the missiles before it backfires (i.e. wasted). If you achieve the five blinking light delay, a Max Charge message will display once you fire the missiles. All 6 missiles alone without the blinking delays does 27 damage, exactly the same as a Swarmer Missile from TMHO. The missiles do not congregate when fired unlike TMB; they only pack themselves together when they are about to hit their enemy, thus some of the missiles may fly to a different target. To ensure all 6 missiles hit, get closer to an enemy. It is much better for one on one fights rather than group fights.
Brimstone Special – (Hell’s Sinner, 23 points) Brimstone fires a human follower attached to the front of the vehicle. It zooms in on its target, lands on their roof, shouts “REPENT!” then blows itself up. If an enemy turns too much, the follower may miss. If no target is present, the human follower will prematurely blow up after hitting a ground or wall. Very… disturbing.
Mr Grimm Special – (Scythe, 34 points) Mr Grimm throws a scythe at an enemy. Like all of his other specials, it only goes straight ahead, but when it hits it does great damage. It also causes them to bounce up a bit. Freezing your target is always the best way to ensure a guaranteed hit.
Shadow Special – (Soul Shadow, 23 points) Shadow fires TMHO’s version of the Soul Shadow. Pressing L2 again detonates it. It was slowed down to TM2 speed, but it has a bigger area of effect and it also does better damage than TMHO’s Soul Shadow. A hit will cause an enemy to bounce and if they were driving prior that, they will get flipped. You can hurt yourself with the special, like TM2. Alternate Special – (Human Turret, 27 points) To activate the Alternate Special, tap Up three times. Shadow pops up from the roof of the vehicle, and fires a machine gun at an enemy (similar to Outlaw’s). You can no longer use both specials at once compared to TMB.
Outlaw Special – (Turret + Siren Missiles, up to 42 points so far) Agent Stone pops out from the roof of the vehicle with a machine gun turret and fires it at a nearby enemy (they home in with great accuracy). If an enemy enters his sight, a red laser will lock onto their car. At this point, mashing the fire button showers them with bullets and homing missiles (colored blue). Whereas the machine gun is omnidirectional, the missiles only fire out from the front of the vehicle so you’ll have to adjust your position in order to get the full damage from both the turret and homing missiles.
Crazy 8 Special – (Static Field, 40 points) Crazy 8 zaps the living hell out of a poor sap near him. Mashing the fire button results in an extended period of shocking. If your mashing is good enough, the special does 39 points at the least making it quite powerful. You’ll have to use your speed and control if you’re going to pursue the enemy you’re shocking, when they run away. While you can still tap a direction 3 times, it does not modify the damage anymore. Rather, it only specifically attacks enemies in that direction.
Junkyard Dog Special – (Spikeball, 21 points) Junkyard Dog’s special is essentially a slightly stronger gas can, but without the fire damage added on. He can hurt himself like the gas can, unlike TMB.
Yellow Jacket Special – (Iron Spikes, 5 points per spike fired, 20 points + 11 points turbo ram = 31 points overall when ramming) 8 spikes protrude around Yellow Jacket’s vehicle. You can fire them manually, however they don’t home in this time (the three spikes at the front don’t home in at all) unlike TMB. However, a ram with the spikes does Power Missile-damage, but turbo ramming damage adds another 11 points thus 31 points of damage overall. Because of the removal of homing ability, Yellow Jacket is much better as a melee-type character rather than a long-range character. If you leave the spikes out, you can discourage anyone trying to ram you (especially Darkside).
Manslaughter Special – (Rolling Stones, 50 points total, 5 per rock, 10 rocks in all) Manslaughter lets loose a bunch of stones that slide straight ahead. The further they go, the wider they get, which increases chances of hitting an enemy but also decreases the overall damage you can get. Unlike TMB, the stones no longer knock an enemy back. However, you can supplement the damage by turbo ramming an enemy for upwards of 66 (50 + 16 turbo ram damage) points of damage, and add machine gun fire to it.
Spectre Special – (Ghost Missile, 13 points) Spectre’s special is essentially the same as TMHO Spectre. It is not as powerful as TMB’s. A hit also doesn’t bounce the enemy anymore. It’s still good for long distance shots when you know an enemy can’t out run them or block them with Shields.
Darkside Special – (Blaring Horn, 35 points + 16 turbo ram damage = 51 points total) Darkside charges full speed ahead (with the blurring screen effect, to boot). An enemy unlucky enough to get in her way will get pushed aside as well as lose a chunk of health. If you turbo ram before hand, you can get 51 points of damage, which easily makes this one of the easiest, more powerful specials to use. The special however, loses its T-Slide and Ram bonuses so it’s not as powerful as it was before, but it’s still quite powerful, being able to take more than half on low- average armored cars.
Sweet Tooth Special – (Mecha Assault, 30 points, 15 missiles total, 2 points per missile) Sweet Tooth transforms into a mech when you initially “fire” the special. Firing the special again will shoot a barrage of fifteen missiles with limited homing ability, each doing 2 points of damage. While it looks cool, it’s less damaging compared to TMB and you no longer get a bonus on your tenth hit (the bonus would make the 10th missile that hit do a little more damage as well as bounce an enemy).
Axel Special – (Shockwave, 23 points) Same as TMHO’s Shockwave, but more damaging. It’s also very TM2-like compared to TMB’s. Overall, a welcome improvement for Axel, who was incredibly weak in TMB.
Warthog Special – (Flamethrower, 24 points + fire damage) Warthog has taken quite a hit. His special is no longer as powerful as it was in TMB for two reasons. One, his special is now HIGHLY dependent on your distance from the enemy as well as the side that you’re flaming them at. If you’re close to the enemy as well as next to their sides, the flamethrower will incur the 24 points of damage (should all hit). If you’re at the front or back, the flamethrower will do less damage. This was different in TMB, where all that mattered was that you needed to be close to the enemy so that the flamethrower would chomp down their health. And two, you can no longer switch weapons during the special (a combo I remembered doing in TMB was Freeze, special, Power missile, machine gun. The power missile disorientates the enemy so that they couldn’t escape from the rest of the flamethrower) so now you have to chase down the enemy to ensure they are within your flames all the time. Oddly enough, the game seems to exaggerate the damage of Warthog’s flamethrower; it actually does a lot more damage than it seems (assuming you’re flaming them at the side). Also, a change is that when you use the special on a frozen enemy, it actually takes a while before the flames break the ice (it shows the flames melting the ice rather than instantly breaking it like TMB). Other than that, the two hits to the special easily makes Warthog one of the worst vehicles (VERY low damage compared to TMB).
12-Pak (secret character) Special – (Reticle, 40 points total, 5 points per missile, 8 missiles total) 12-Pak is a rather… interesting car to say the least. Since Lost doesn’t have the Reticle weapon, you can enjoy using the weapon made specifically for this one car alone. Instead of a 5-second timer, there’s a 10-second timer, and the box is also much bigger thus giving you a LOT more time to prepare shooting it. When an enemy is in the box, a crosshair appears on them, hit fire to begin the countdown. The target will go from green, to yellow, to red, and when it’s red it will eventually blink signaling your cue to fire. Up to 8 homing missiles can be fired, and they all congregate so there’s less chance of some of them flying towards a different enemy. The damage is nowhere near the damage potential of Reticles in TMB but compared to other specials, 40 damage is quite a lot.
Gold Tooth (secret character) Special – (Mecha Assault Gamma, 60 points total, 15 missiles, 4 points per missile) Gold Tooth’s special is essentially Sweet Tooth’s 2x the power. If all missiles hit, you’ve already done more than half damage on low armored cars and about half or a little more on higher armored cars. Very powerful and cheesy.
c. Energy Attacks ================= Energy Attacks have been changed from TMB’s inputs. Instead, you have a universal button (Triangle) and all you do is input a single d-pad button to use them. Everything except for Cloak/Invisibility had their inputs changed. Energy Attacks are a lot more responsive in TML than TMHO, and I hope they keep the simplified command in the future TM(s). For more info, read the TMHO EA section.
Freeze (Triangle+Up, uses about 40% of the energy bar) Essentially TMHO’s Freeze, only more responsive and easier to input.
Shield (Triangle+Right, uses about 60% of the energy bar) It coats your car with green energy instead of blue, unlike TMB.
Mine (Triangle+Left, uses about 10% of the energy bar) At least you’ll never accidentally input this.
Cloak (Left Left Down Down, uses about 30% of the energy bar) The Cloak is a great EA in Lost compared to TMHO due to the maps lacking teleports (except for one). Since there are more enemies to deal with you should use this to get away when you’re in danger.
Rear-Fire (Triangle+Down, consumes no energy) To use Rear-Fire properly, I suggest you hold the Square button to accelerate and cross your thumbs over to Triangle so that you’re holding both, allowing you to accelerate and use energy attacks without having to stop (specifically for this attack). Much more responsive than TMHO’s rear-fire.
Jump (L1+R1, consumes no energy) Jump has been made TM2-style – that is, you jump HIGHER whereas in TMHO you needed the jump upgrade. A welcome change from TMB!
d. Weapons ========== Since TML has the same weapons as TMHO (with the exception of the Swarmer Missile and ENV weapon), I’ll only note the changes and cover the weapons in less detail. Every weapon is pretty uncommon so I won’t mention that. Also for some reason, the manual has the Machine Gun Upgrade pickup listed but unless anyone tells me where to find it in the maps there is NO such pickup.
Machine Gun (damage varies, no homing ability, can’t be rear-fire-able, can’t be picked up) Machine Guns are more powerful in TML than TMHO to make up for the lack of a Machine Gun Upgrade (unless that pickup exists here). They also overheat slower thus making them more convenient to use.
Fire Missile (10 points, limited homing ability, rear-fire-able, 2 per pickup) The Fire Missile does Homing Missile damage from TMHO, which makes it a bit more valuable as a weapon.
Homing Missile (7 points, great homing ability, rear-fire-able, 2 per pickup) The Homing Missile now significantly does less damage, but that doesn’t make it any less of a great weapon.
Power Missile (20 points, no homing ability, rear-fire-able, 1 per pickup) Essentially = TMHO’s Power Missile.
Gas Can (20 points, no homing ability, rear-fire-able, 1 per pickup) Gas Cans are essentially TMHO’s Napalms. They are considerably less powerful than TMB’s Gas Cans without the Bullseye bonus and they can hurt you but still, a great weapon. Due to the return of Remote Bombs, the Gas Can no longer can be dropped by pressing down up down+fire button.
Ricochet Bomb (15 points, 30 on a bank shot, no homing ability, rear- fire-able, 2 per pickup) Woohoo! TM2 Ricochet Bombs! Slower, but stronger than Ricochet Discs on a regular hit though the damage is same for a bank shot. However, it does knock an enemy back which briefly locks their mobility so you can capitalize on that with machine guns, turbo rams or any offensive assault you can think of.
Remote Bomb (25 points, no homing ability, already rear-fire-able, 2 per pickup) With the lack of teleports, Remote Bombs are best for “kamikaze”-ing with your shield on or controlling your space by placing a remote in a confined area to discourage an opponent from coming after you.
Turbo The turbo pickup was color coded light-violet-ish so distinguishing it from the remote bomb is a lot more easier now.
Partial Health/Repair Station Partial Health is the same as from TMHO (restores 30% of your health), as opposed to TMB where there were more pickups but the game was stingy about how much it restored your health. Repair stations are the Full Health-equivalent but unlike TMB, they can only be used once (hence why there’s only one in every level except Death Port).
e. Maps (Story/Challenge/Endurance mode) ======================================== There are only four maps in TML and one of them has to be unlocked and can only be played in every other mode aside from Story. Other than that, since there’s fewer maps compared to TMHO I might as well cover them all. In order, I cover Health Locations, areas, and then strategies (on hard mode).
Map 2 - Stadium Slaughter ------------------------- Health Locations: Repair Station – In the Stadium Entrance area (take the first tunnel- like area to exit the Stadium). Partial – On the ramp in the middle of the Stadium area. Either jump or turbo into it depending on how you take the ramp up. Partial – In the middle of the Crisscross Road area. Partial – At the end of the Crisscross Road area, to your right is a cracked wall. Shoot it down, the Partial Health is there along with a Power Missile.
Areas: Stadium – The main area of Stadium Slaughter (obviously), it consists of a huge circle. In the inside is a wide area you can do combat in, there’s a ramp in the middle for a Partial Health, Power Missile and Homing Missile (use jump for the missiles). The outside of the central area consists of several walls. There’s lots of turbo and ricochet bomb pickups here as well as a Remote Bomb.
Stadium Entrance – To get here, take the tunnel-like exit at the back of the Stadium (the easiest way is to take the ramp going out of the central circle that’s placed in between two walls). Here, it is rectangle-ish and very wide so this is the best place for combat. There’s a Repair Station, turbo, Gas Can, Fire Missile, and Ricochet Bomb. Use Ricochet Bombs in the tunnel coming into the Stadium Entrance area. Parallel to the tunnel coming into the Stadium Entrance is another tunnel that is a ramp; taking it shoots you back into the Stadium area. In the air is a Homing and Power Missile pickup, and you can snipe at anyone in the central circle of the Stadium.
Crisscross Roads – In the Stadium Entrance area, there’s a ramp going into a flat platform that leads to a road that consists of one big turn to the right (in a circle basically) with a Partial Health and turbo. At the end is a ramp that takes you back to the Stadium Entrance area, but if you turn right before the ramp, there is a cracked wall that you can shoot down to find a Partial Health and Power Missile. The garage door will open up when you get close, allowing you to exit this hidden area.
Strategy: The best area to fight enemies is in the Stadium Entrance area. Typically, you begin in the Stadium area so run around the outskirts collecting Ricochet Bombs. The walls here cover you pretty well if you keep moving and you can always shoot enemies on the other sides of the walls with gas cans. Once you reach the tunnel entrance taking you to the Stadium area, turn around and wait for enemies to take the tunnel. Shoot your ricochets into the tunnel and hopefully you score some bank shots. The moment an enemy that sticks their head out, freeze them and follow up. When too many enemies gather, retreat into the Crisscrossing Roads area (hopefully with damage so that you can grab the Partial Health there), jump back out and make a run for the Tunnel that leads you back to the Stadium. Rinse and repeat. Missiles are pretty rare; I suggest the central area of the Stadium area as well as the tunnel ramp from the Stadium Entrance area to pick up Homing/Power Missiles. Make sure to make good use of your Jump command.
Map 3 – Carnival of Darkness ---------------------------- Health Locations: Repair Station – In the Funhouse area, there’s a huge circular coaster track. Take it to the highest point of the level, and you’ll find the Repair Station sitting at the top. Partial - In the Carnival area, there’s a head of Sweet Tooth with a waterfall going down. Use the waterfall ramp to get to the back of Sweet Tooth’s head, then go up the ramp to the Partial Health sitting at the eye. Partial – In the Twisty Roads area, there’s one sitting in the middle. The AI will likely grab this. Partial – Underneath the tent in the Funhouse area; it sits in the middle. Teleporter: Teleporter 1 – Surprisingly, this is the only level with a teleporter. Anyway, if you follow the directions to get to the Repair Station above, the coaster tracks actually end at a tunnel with the teleporter. The teleporter takes you to the top of the Sweet Tooth head with a Homing Missile. This is the perfect sniping point of the area and fortunately the AI never takes this teleporter.
Areas: Carnival – The largest area; it’s broken down into three parts. First, it has the amusement park (the large rectangle area) with the swings and that spinning thing I can’t remember the name of. It has a Gas Can and Remote Bomb here. The next area is the Haunted Pit; it’s in the side by the Sweet Tooth head. You can get here in many ways; the most obvious is to go down through the trap-door. The other way is to go around the ship (that has a Power Missile on top of it) and turn left into it. The third way is to jump from the waterfall into a small ramp that is the ceiling entrance into the Haunted Pit. There’s a skeleton hanging from the ceiling above a firey…thing (perhaps burned to death). The only pickup here is the only Ricochet Bomb for this map. There’s a glitch where the AI sinks into the ground sometimes, so you can’t see them but they’re definitely shooting at you (which is why I always avoid this area unless the AI is present there). The last part of the area is the Sweet Tooth head. There’s a waterfall coming down from it. If you go up, you’ll find a Power Missile of the map at the top. When you turn around, you’ll find a Fire Missile. There’s a ramp going up into and out of the eye socket of the head with a Partial Health. The top of the head can only be accessed by taking the teleporter, and you have the best sniping spot in the level (a Homing Missile pickup is here so you can keep waiting, grabbing, and shoot at enemies below). To exit the Carnival area, you can use the exit on the left which takes you to the Twisty Roads area, or the one on the right which takes you to the Funhouse area. The AI tends to fight in this area a lot but they also fight each other too.
Twisty Roads – This area extends from the Carnival area all the way to the side of the Funhouse area. Take the left exit in the Carnival area or the only side entrance in the Funhouse area to enter the Twisty Roads. The Twisty Roads is pretty wide and has a lot of twists and turns in addition to a Partial Health. If you chase down any AI in this area be sure that there’s no one approaching from behind; again make sure to reserve some damage so that you can grab the Partial Health without the AI taking it for themselves.
Funhouse – Accessed by the right exit in the Carnival area or from the Twisty Roads. This area is the shortest of the map, consisting of a circular area with a tent that has Partial Health and a Homing Missile at the top of it (jump from the Roller Coaster track with turbo+jump to get here, the tent also lets you shoot at enemies in the Twisty Roads area), and Funhouses ahead.
Roller Coaster - To your left from the Tent in the Funhouse area is the entrance to the Roller Coaster tracks. It starts from the bottom in the left side from the Tent, and loops all the way up. At the mid most part of the Roller Coaster is the Tunnel; there is a Remote Bomb and Homing Missile. When you exit the Tunnel, the Roller Coaster slopes down and has two intersections. One takes you back to the Tent, the other slopes all the way up and stops at a tunnel with Teleporter 1 on the right, and a Repair Station on the left at the Cliff. You can use the Cliff with the Repair Station to snipe at enemies from below, or you can use the teleporter and catch your breath at the top of the Sweet Tooth head in the Carnival area. The AI does not take the teleporter.
Strategy: For this map, I tend to stock up in the Roller Coaster area and Funhouse area (specifically for Homing Missiles), go to the Sweet Tooth head in the Carnival area and grab the only Power Missile there, and the amusement park for Gas Cans. For the most part I tend to shoot the AI with machine guns. They wage war in the Carnival area a lot, but they do fight each other so you can witness some damage being dealt to them. If you need a breather, charge for the Roller Coaster tracks and take the teleporter. At the top of the Sweet Tooth head you’re pretty safe since no enemies will follow you there (or at least it never seems like they do). A homing missile pickup is at the top, so you can keep grabbing it and sniping enemies from the top. If you need health, the Sweet Tooth head and the tent in the Funhouse area are the best places to pick up health; the AI will only get the health in the Sweet Tooth head if you’re chasing them, and they usually miss the Partial Health under the Tent even though they make a couple of passes. I suggest you stay away from the Twisty Roads area since the AI will surely gang up on you and also grab the health in this area. Other than that, you’re always safe if you retreat to the teleporter and Roller Coaster tracks.
This is the last level for story mode in TML. Completing it on medium earns you 12-Pak and Death Port as well as a sample of the note from the supposedly deceased developers, and completing it on hard earns you Gold Tooth as well as the full note from the supposedly deceased developers.
Map 4 – Death Port/Port of Death (secret map) --------------------------------------------- Health Locations: Partial Health – On top of the box thing in the Docking Ship area, use Jump and turbo when approaching it from the Central Deck area with the ramp. Partial Health – In the Central Hub area, it’s inside the tunnel formed by two pipes. Partial Health – In the Cabin area, shoot the double-door at the back of the structure with the Partial Health, Homing Missile and Power Missile on top. The Partial Health sits at the left corner. Partial Health – In the aforementioned structure. To get to it, access the Upper Deck area from the Central Hub via the ramp. Turn right, you should see the structure ahead. Get as close to the edge as possible. Use turbo, and jump just when you’re about to charge off of the edge and hopefully you’ll make it. It’s much easier if you’re using a faster car. Make sure to hit the brakes to prevent overshooting the platform.
Boundary: Falling off into the waters outside does 25 points of damage to you, equivalent to a Remote Bomb. Oddly enough, the AI is actually dumb enough to keep jumping into the water usually through mis-timed jumps.
Areas: Central Deck – This is where you start off most of the time. This area is occupied frequently by the AI so getting into a battle with them is a risky idea in this area. The Central Deck contains a Power Missile, Ricochet Bomb, Turbo and a Homing Missile. It also has a fairly tall structure with a Power Missile, Partial Health and Homing Missile on it, as well as two doors that you shoot down to access the Cabin area. Watch out for Gas Cans from enemies in the Cabin area.
Cabin – As mentioned above, you can access the Cabin area by shooting down the double-doors from behind the structure in the Central Deck. In here is a very large area as well as a Homing Missile, Power Missile, and Partial Health. There’s a ramp going down into it, which is perfect to lay Remote Bombs or fire Ricochets into. You can also shoot anyone in the Central Deck area with a Gas Can (the explosion will hit them from below), but you may hit yourself (since the can immediately hits the ceiling a short distance from you) thus a shield is recommended in case.
Central Hub – From the Central Deck area, you can access the inside of ship via three ramps going into it. There’s a Fire Missile and Partial Health, as well as a ramp going into the Upper Deck area.
Upper Deck – Accessed by going up the ramp from the Central Hub room/area, this is the largest area and is perfectly flat for nice combat. Up here is a Gas Can inside a tunnel connected by pipes, a Power Missile at the edge, a Remote Bomb, and Turbo. If you turn right after you entered the Upper Deck, you’ll find the structure from the Central Deck with a Homing Missile, Power Missile and Partial Health. This is the only place you can use to get on top of that structure. The Upper Deck is infrequently visited by the AI and you can retreat here to safety. You can shoot at anyone in the Central Deck area, unload Ricochets into the ramp at enemies coming up from the Central Hub area, and take off when too many enemies gather. Watch out for Gas Cans from enemies in the Central Hub area, though.
Docking Ship – You can access the Docking Ship area via a ramp from the Central Deck. Here, weapons (Homing Missile, Power Missile, Gas Can) are hanging on the edges of the ramp-like surfaces, but they’re pretty risky to get since you might go out of bounds. A Partial Health is sitting on top of the structure here; use Jump to get onto the structure to get it. A ramp on the other side takes you back to the Central Deck area, and there’s also a Homing Missile here. If anyone is at the Upper Deck, you can shoot them by using the ramp edges closest to the ramp from the Central Deck, jump, and firing a weapon (hopefully a homing one). The AI makes a lot of botched jumps to get to the Docking Ship area, so if you hang around on the Upper Deck and let them go about their business, they might even eventually kill themselves.
Strategy: The Upper Deck is your best bet. You can play a game of cat and mouse with your enemies by retreating into the Central Deck, rushing back into the Central Hub, and taking the ramp back to the Upper Deck. Ricochets are a great space controlling weapon, especially when you’re in the Upper Deck and enemies are approaching from the Central Hub. From the Upper Deck, you can shoot at enemies in the Central Deck and Docking Ship with missiles; the most they’ll do to you is a Gas Can. Fortunately, the Partial Healths are well protected, except for one, so you can get them when you need it. Overall, not too hard of a map; its my favorite TMLost level.
*********************************************************************** 4. Bonus Material/Extras Here you can view content including a 30-minute documentary, Sweet Tour (which has factoids for the process of making TM straight from the developers) and TM1 movies that never made it into TM1 (though you can view them on youtube. At the start of the menu screen when you arrive to choose between TMHO or TML, hitting Square will let you view these.
b. Documentary -------------- Here, you view a 30-minute documentary on the TM series. I’m not going to put down a transcript, but I’ll put down some interesting points…
TM1 – One thing that Dave goes into is the live TM1 ending movies. He goes into how depressed he was when they didn’t want those movies in the game (saying it would sell better without them). He says they were sexist and stuff, and then is glad that the audience in the gaming world can finally look at the ending movies (believing that in today’s standards they are humorous and stuff). For TM1, they apparently aimed the game to hardcore fighting gamers, labeling TM1 as a “fighting game in cars”. The hardcore gamers didn’t see how it was a fighting game in cars. Just when Scott and Dave thought they were doomed… a guy comes up to Dave one day and tells him that his game received a lot of gaming awards. Boy, was Dave sure shocked. Scott shows amazement that his name was used for one of the characters in TM1. One of the guys behind the game said that Mr Grimm was always his favorite car.
TM2 – Here, Dave talks about increasing the depth of TM2, improving upon what TM1 lacked and what they otherwise couldn’t put in TM1 (they had such a huge list… O_o). They also gave a nice insight on the level design, most notably Paris, which apparently received some controversy after a French designer took a look at the levels and was offended by the destruction of the Eiffel Tower. And of course gave them new ideas; Scott got into talking about destroying bigger things in wacky ways… aside from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, shots of the Statue of Liberty in New York and windmills in Holland being destroyed were shown.
They then show a group photo of the original team, until eventually…
TM3 – Dave had no plans for a TM3, although he seemed quite shocked to hear that they announced it. He says that he would help the creators if possible, but he didn’t get involved in the process making. He’s pretty nice here actually – the most he ever said TM3 was (and TM4) was that they were good games, just not great Twisted Metals. He flipped out when he mentioned that he looked at the ending for Sweet Tooth, and he says “What the f!ck did you do to Sweet Tooth, you turned him into Barney the clown” (or whatever the original quote was, I forgot). He says he met some of the people at 989 and says they went on making great games, but for now TM3 is nothing to be proud of.
TM4 – Dave only briefly talked about TM4. However, the other two guys (sorry for forgetting your names >_>) criticize it, saying it’s not Twisted Metal and the art designer even said that Sweet Tooth is just horrible in TM4. Personally, I think Dave’s just being nice here for Sony.
TMB – Wa la, the return to Twisted Metal glory… starting with a game darker than any of its predecessors. The transition from the “colorful” to “dark” universe was Dave’s idea, hence the more graphic and disturbing content placed into each of the character’s stories. They went into levels; the art designer talked about Suburbs being his favorite level. I can’t remember much here.
Then Dave goes back and makes TM comparisons. He says TM2 is his favorite, and he believes that TMB is just a good game but not a great game. In order, he puts them with TM2 first, TM1 second, and then TMB.
They begin wrapping up with gameplay shots of each Twisted Metal (including Small Brawl which was never discussed in the documentary), with Scott and Dave being grateful for the fans being faithful to their series.
They finally end with a credits screen, with videos of the fans for the game (all from TMA), Scott and Dave giving their two cents, and a shot of each TM game (including 3 and 4) as well as ending with a thanks to Mortimer from TMA.
d. Cheats/Unlockables ---------------------- I honestly don’t cheat, I only use cheats to explore levels as well as characters better. The cheats work for both TMHO and Lost; only one cheat was changed for TMHOETE. And one person at gamefaqs confirmed the God Mode code but has yet to discover it so perhaps some curious people may want to try it out. And since you may not want to read the respective sections for unlockables, I’ve gathered them all here.
Cheats: Hold L1+R1 and then input the following (NOT ALL FOUR shoulder buttons):
Infinite Weapons – Triangle Triangle Down Down Gives you Infinite Weapons. However, specials no longer go up to 99 (as opposed to TMHO PSP). Instead, when you input the code when you have a special it will be unlimited. What I’m saying here is that if you have NO specials when you input the command, then you’ll have to wait for your special to recharge before it becomes infinite. A plus is that you automatically receive all 6 upgrades in TMHO.
Invincibility – Right Left Down Up It’s not Up Down Left Right Right Left Down Up, btw. And Invincibility does not protect you from boundary damage, but at least you’re pretty much god.
Killer Weapons – X X Up Up Your weapons both regular, special and machine gun, will kill an enemy in one hit as long as their shields are not up.
Mega Guns – X Triangle X Triangle Your machine gun not only becomes upgraded, it also homes in on an enemy and will do uber-tastic damage.
Trade Weapons for Health – Triangle X Square Circle You lose all your weapons, energy, and turbo to rejuvenate your health. The more weapons you have, the more health is restored. I have not checked this with Infinite Weapons, but I’m pretty sure you’ll still lose all of your turbo and energy.
God Mode - ?? Someone on the gamefaqs message boards confirmed this, and this was only tested in TMLost. Apparently the commands are only d-pad; the original TM2 and TMB commands do not work. If someone’s curious enough to test I think everyone would be appreciated.
TMHO unlockables ---------------- Extra Characters: Mr Slamm – Beat LA Woods’ minigame. ATV – Beat Cousin Eddy. Cousin Eddy – Beat Cousin Eddy. Axel – Beat Russia’s minigame. Crimson Fury – Beat Monaco’s minigame as well as shoot 10 racers. Hammerhead – Beat Tokyo Streets’s minigame. Dark Tooth – Complete story mode once. Tower Tooth challenge – Complete story mode with five different characters to unlock Tower Tooth for Roman Ruins deathmatch in challenge mode only.
Extra Levels: Paris DM – Beat Paris’ minigame. Egypt DM – Beat Egypt’s minigame. LA – Cousin Eddy – Beat Cousin Eddy. Roman Ruins DM – Beat Roman Ruins’ minigame. Greece DM – Beat Greece’ minigame. Transylvania DM – Beat Translyvania’s minigame. Tokyo Streets DM – Beat Tokyo Street’s minigame. Tokyo Streets – Dark Tooth – Complete Story mode.
TML unlockables --------------- Extra Characters: 12-Pak – Complete story mode on medium difficulty (default difficulty). Gold Tooth – Complete story mode on hard difficulty.
Extra Level: Death Port – Complete story mode on medium difficulty.
Note: Completing medium difficulty lets you see the regular note, the full note is read after completing the game on hard mode. I’ll put it up here, but everyone knows the magical words… “TWISTED METAL IS COMING TO PSTHREE”.
*********************************************************************** 5. Outro
Took me about 5 updates to include an outro >_>
Credits: -ESP/Dave and Scott for making this port a great TM game. -Me for writing this guide and getting the game. -kazen16’s TMHO FAQ, which I conveniently used to copy and paste the car stats when I didn’t have the patience to look at the screen and write it down at the same time XD Great FAQ also, btw. -TMA being responsible for giving TM a future. -Lastly, you readers for reading the FAQ (as well as sending me the occasional comments in my email).
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