A FAQ for... 88888888888 8//////////8 8///---//////8 8888888 8888 888888888 8//8 8/////8 888888888 8//////8 8//8 ^/\ 8//8 8////////8 8//8 8/////8 8/////////8 8///////8 8//8 8//8 8//8 8//---///8 8///---/////8 8/////_/////8 8////////88888//8 8//8888//8 8//8 8//8 8///////////8 8/////(_)///8 8///////////////8 8////////8 8//8 8//8 8/////////////8 8////////8 8/////8888///8 888///8888 8///--///8 8//88888//////////8 8888888 8//8 8//8 8///8 8////////8 8//8 8////////////8 88 8888 88888 8888888888 8888 8////////////8 _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ __ ___8////////////8 /_ _/ / // / / // / / \/ / /_ / / _/ / \///////////8 / / / _ / / // / / / /(_)/ / =_ / O / /////////8 /_/ /_//_/ /____/ /_/\_/ /___/ /___/ /_/\_\ ////////8 8///////8 8///////8 8///////8 8//////8 8/////8 8///8 88 Hydro Thunder Platforms: Dreamcast, N64, PlayStation Version: Final Brett "Nemesis" Franklin E-Mail: thebeefycow@hotmail.com Website: http://www.geocities.com/i_am_nemesis_99 ================================ T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S ================================ 1. Introduction 2. Legal Stuff 3. Updates/Revision History 4. The H.T.R.A 5. Game Options 5.1: Game Contols 6. Tracks 7. The Boats 8. General Tips 9. Secrets 10. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) 11. Credits 12. Contact Info ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1. INTRODUCTION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Hello, and welcome to my Hydro Thunder FAQ for the Dreamcast. I wrote this FAQ for two reasons: A) I like this game a lot, because it's a lot of fun, and one of the best racing games on the Dreamcast so far, and B) Because there were no other Hydro Thunder FAQs on GameFAQS.com other than a few Arcade ones, but none for the Dreamcast, so I wrote one. Hydro Thunder is an incredible arcade conversion to the Dreamcast, and is one of the best games available for the Dreamcast. It's really fun and addicting, and is a very solid purchase for any gamer. I suggest you buy it immediatly, cause it's worth every penny. GAME INFO: - - - - - Game: Hydro Thunder Platform: Dreamcast Price: $44.99-49.99 Available: Now Also available on: Arcade, Nintendo 64 soon! Players: 1-2 Number of Boats: 13 (including hidden ones) Number of Tracks: 13 Better than WaveRace 64? Hell yeah! Best Tip: Hit those boosters! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 2. LEGAL STUFF ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• E-Mail Address: thebeefycow@hotmail.com Copyright: © Copyright 1999-2000 Brett "Nemesis" Franklin. It may not be stolen, altered, or used for any type of profit. It may be reproduced electronically, and printed for PRIVATE, PERSONAL use. It may not be placed on a CD, printed in a magazine or any type of publication. If you would like to contribute to this FAQ (you will be credited,) please e-mail me, as well as any questions, comments, or corrections, to the address above. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 3. UPDATES/REVISION HISTORY ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Version 0.2 (02/07/00) ------------------------- * First Version Version 0.3 (02/13/00) ------------------------- * Added a cool code that unlocks all the tracks and boats in the game. Version 0.4 (03/27/00) -------------------------- * Changed my e-mail address * Added some more track strategies Version 0.6 (04/17/00) --------------------------- * Added some more Track Strategies ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4. The H.T.R.A ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Here's some backround info on Hydro Thunder (from the Manual): -------------------------------------------------------------- So, you have your own boat you say? You've tapped out your bank account and spent endless months building it out of state-of-art racing materials. You've tuned the specialized motors, refined the hull-shape to perfection and won more races than you can count. You're at the top of the international boat racing game. Nobody comes close. You long for a challenge. Then one day that challenge comes to you in the form of a sealed envelope with no return address on it. Only the words Hydro Thunder Racing Association mark the envelope. You open it. Inside, a single sheet of blue-paper, with your name written upon it, simple states, "You have been chosen as a permanent member of the H.T.R.A." Below, a map and date are printed. The next secret race location! Now, you've certainly heard of the H.T.R.A. There is no signing up with these guys. Nobody even knows who they are or on which water location they'll race next. But if you're good enough and have what it takes to be one of them, don't worry, they'll find you. This underground clan of adventurous racing renegades doesn't let anything get in the way of their racing. No place is too sacred. No time is too dark. No unexplored waterway is too dangerous. No guidelines. No restrictions. No manners. No law. These guys are deadly serious and have only one goal: Do anything to cross the finish the line first. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5. Game Options ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Controller Configuration: This option allows you to choose from two different controller configurations. VMU Screen: The VMU option allows you to either save your game, load your game, or delete your game. You'll need to come here a lot to save your game since there is no auto-save feature in this game. Jump Pack Screen: This option allows you to change the amount of force that is used with the Jump Pack. It also lets you different vibration controls like: Boost, Splash Down, Boat Collision, and Terrian Collision. Sound effects screen: This option is very basic and allows you to change the volume of the sound effects and the music. ******************** *********** 5.1: Game Controls ************** ******************** L Trigger-------------Brake (Hold for reverse) R Trigger-------------Accelerate Analog stick/D-Pad----Steer boat Start-----------------Pause game Y---------------------Change camera view A---------------------Use boost X---------------------Not used B---------------------Not used ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6. Tracks ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• There are 11 different tracks or courses in the game. 4 of them are hidden, and only 3 of them are available from the start. These are the Easy tracks. The other tracks are: 3 Medium tracks, 3 Hard tracks, and 4 Hidden ones. To unlock the Medium tracks, you'll need to finish in 3rd place in all of the Easy tracks. To unlock the Hard tracks, you'll need to finish in 2nd place in each of the Medium tracks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ EASY TRACKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------- Thunder Park ------------- A traditional H.T.R.A. circuit track. On a sunny day, Thunder Park offers a competition-style hydroplane raceway loop. Try to find the hidden 9 second boost on this track. NOTE: When racing on a circuit track, each boost icon can only be picked up once. Strategy: - - - - - This track is a very simple and straighforward track to race on, since it's a circuit track, and you'll do a few laps around this baby, so you'll get used to this track fast. -------------- Lost Islands: -------------- Located somewhere in the South Pacific, the Lost Island track offers a fast- paced trek through a volcanic island. Lush greenery, native villages, ancient ruins, and numerous secrets await you! Strategy: - - - - - This track is a very cool track, since it has a type of "Jurassic Park" feel to it. You basically race along a river, and next to some tour boats. I haven't found any shortcuts yet, but once I find some, I'll put them here: When you come you to the fist waterfall go into it for a nice shortcut and a boost. Second one, when you come out of the first shortcut (one I just said) you'll see the big arch and you'll see a clear spot of grass just in front of the rock arch. Steer hard to your left and you'll enter a cave full of boosts and a check point. There's a waterfall that comes from halfway down a hillside on your left (look for the rainbow). You can hydro-jump up this to a river on top of the hill. You'll get a 9 sec boost for your trouble, but the jump is almost impossible to make cleanly, so only do this for sight-seeing. -------------- Arctic Circle -------------- Gigantic ice formations and a variety of wildlife line this unique track. The race starts near a fishing village high above sea level, continues in a river that winds its way down a glacier, through water-carved ice tunnels until finally dropping you to the ocean for the remainder of the race. Strategy: - - - - - Arctic Circle is a pretty cool track, since there are a few cool shortcuts. One of them is near the floating blocks of ice near the Polar Bears, where you can turn left sharply to find a very narrow path with plenty of Boosts galore. Another shortcut which is easy to find is towards the end of the track, where there are penquins on some ice. Instead of turning RIGHT, turn LEFT (you can even hit the penquins :) and you'll enter a dark cave. This cave has a ramp that leads to a 9-Second boost, but you'll need to have your boosters turned on to reach it. Right after you leave the ramp, you should be turning right, and towards the finish line, so just keep the boosters on for the whole time. At the start of the race you'll hit a ramp and get a boost. To your left there's a house, you can use the roof as a ramp and jump over a mountain. Later in the race you'll see a big hole in a mountain, hydro jump into it and you'll be way ahead of the others and most likely in about 5th place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MEDIUM TRACKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --------------- Greek Isles --------------- The Greek Isles water track through both modern towns and ancient ruins, providing one of the most visually stunning tracks available. This is a bright and challenging track, highlighted by a downhill sliding finish. Strategy: - - - - - Just when you meet with the police boat an jump to the bottom there'll be a waterfall, steer to your left and go into it. There's boosts in there too. Another is when you enter the dark cave steer hard to your right and you'll jump the waterfall and be rewarded with a nice 9 sec boost. --------------- Lake Powell --------------- Lake Powell, located in Utah, is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. With its gigantic narrow canyon walls, 1000-year old Ansazi ruins and smooth water, it is the perfect place for a high-speed super-boat race. Unfortunately, the Utah State Police don't agree. Strategy: - - - - - I only know one for know. After you enter the Indain ruins there'll be a waterfall in front of you, go into it and get the boosts. As you approach the first turn, make a hard right turn, staying all the way to the right -- there's a ramp that takes you up and over the arch to a 9 sec boost. -------------- The Far East -------------- The Far East track, located on a river deep in the misty mountains of China, offers a unique blend of challenging river racing and beautiful scenery. The river drops from the mountains into small villages, ancient brick canals, and even through palace motes. Strategy: - - - - - The Far East: There's a two-step waterfall near the end of the course that takes you into some tunnels. Hydro jump off the second of these to stay above ground. You'll skid along the road through some villages and pass most or all of the remaining boats. This is arguably the most effective shortcut in Hydro Thunder (at least in the PSX version) HARD TRACKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- Ship Graveyard -------------- This deserted atoll was once a productive military shipyard. Now, endless numbers of forgotten, decript naval ships line the coast as far as the eye can see, forming a maze-like water raceway in and out of hollow steel hulls. Rough waves, shark-infested waters, stormy weather and the military police await you! Strategy: - - - - - Ship Graveyard: On the second long straightaway, there are two barges parked on the left, with enough space to squeeze between them -- a 9 sec boost is waiting alongside the second barge. Later, just as the pursuit boat and its dock appear on the left, you should see a waterfall dead ahead while the main track turns right. Go into the waterfall for some easy 4 sec boosts. Hyrdro-jump up and into the second waterfall (after the wrecked airplanes and the big jump) for a 4 and a 9 sec boost. In the last tunnel (under the lighthouse), there's a wrecked boat on the right side of the hard left turn -- a 9 sec boost is behind the boat, but it will usually cost you more to get than you can make up by using it. ------------- Venice Canals ------------- Ah, Venice. One thinks of lovers, romance and of course the ear-piercing roar of sixteen super-boat motors tearing through the moonlit canals! With its extremely sharp turning that never lets up, Venice Canals is arguably the most difficult track in Hydro Thunder. Strategy: - - - - - At the bgining of the race get the boost. You'll see a fence to your right before the first turn head straight at the fence and go through. It's not super helpfull. As soon as you pass the first checkpoint keep heading straight, you'll see an opening to the right of a turn sign at the very corner go into it for a boost. At the big hairpin turn, instead of turning be sure you have a bost and jump over and save ALOT of time. Right after that you'll meet the police boat after the fist turn you'll notice a gap between 2 buildings with a 9 sec boosts in it to your left, turn into it and get that boost. Venice Canals: Save a little time by hydro jumping the first chicane (that bump of land on the left that forces you right and then back left again). I haven't done much on this track. -------------------- New York Disaster -------------------- A giant meteor has destroyed the Big Apple an dflooded its crowded streets. Sounds like a fun race, huh? Tear through the remains of the late city, avoiding the N.Y.P.D. and the countless submerged vehicles along the way, until you come crashing down to a tragic finish. Strategy: - - - - - New York Disaster: In the first tunnel, there's a shortcut to the left of the blue boost. Look for the walls with the "checkered flag" pattern. This takes you into a "dog leg"-shaped pair of rooms, the second of which has a floating 9 sec boost that's very hard to get, because there's a big overhang right after it -- jump too high and you'll come to a dead stop. The trick is to just start your hydro jump as you go under the boost, so you get the boost and not the wall, or do just do a very shallow jump. Later, in the subway tunnels, after the lines split, you can hydro jump over the subway stand from one line to the other, picking up a 9 sec boost along the way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BONUS TRACKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --------------- Nile Adventure --------------- Race through the pyramids and narrow waterways. This track features danger at every turn. The longest track in Hydro Thunder, Nile Adventure is also perhaps the hardest. Strategy: - - - - - ... --------------- Hydro Speedway --------------- Set at night, Hydro Speedway is the second bonus circuit track in the game. With fast-paced excitement and boost icons at every turn, Hydro Speedway will test even the best racer. Strategy: - - - - - ... ------------ Catacombs ------------ Go full throttle through a mysterious cavern filled with crashed ships, sharp rocks, and of course, the competition. Turn and Hydro Jump your way to victory, if you can. Strategy: - - - - - ... ----------------- Castle Von Dandy ----------------- Journey to Scotland and take a watery romp though an abandoned castle. Steer around the moat and ancient graveyard to victory! Strategy: - - - - - ... ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 7. The Boats ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• EASY BOATS ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------- Damn the Torpedoes ------------------- Damn the Torpedoes is an ok boat to use. I suppose it might be good for beginners to use, since I used it when I first started. It's kinda slow, but it looks cool, so that makes it worth a try. Rating: ***/***** ------------- Midway ------------- One of the better Easy boats to use, since it's faster than Damn the Torpedoes. It doesn't get flipped over as much as Damn the Torpedoes, so that's a plus. I like it because it's pretty fast, and looks cool. Rating: ***/***** ------------------ Miss Behave ------------------ Miss Behave is the best Easy Boat. It's the best because it's smaller so it can turn better, it's faster with better acceleration than the other two boats, and boosts pretty fast. Once you got the boost on, prepare for a ride, since it goes REALLY fast. The best Easy boat, and great for beginners too. Rating: ****/***** MEDIUM BOATS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------- Banshee ------------- ... ------------- Tidal Blade ------------- ... ------------- Thresher ------------- ... HARD BOATS ~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- Cutthroat -------------- ... -------------- Rad Hazard -------------- ... -------------- Razorback -------------- ... ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 8. General Tips ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• - Find the shortcuts! Once you've found a shortcut, the game will usually give you a bonus 4-Second Boost, and the shortcut will provide a lot of extra Boosts along the way. Oh yeah, the shortcuts also cut the amount of time it takes to go around the course... - Aim high! To reach those hard to get Boosts like the 9-Second ones, you'll need to use the Hydro Jump. To perform the Hydro Jump, quickly tap the L Trigger (brake), then tap A (boost). You'll need to let off the gas to do this. Doing this will cause your boat to jump into the air, and will give you that extra power to reach high places... - Use the boosts at the right times! Once you've collected enought time Boosts (4 and 9 second ones are available along the track), you should use them to speed ahead of the pack, and secure your victory. You can use your Boosters when the announcer tells you to, or just whenver you feel the time is right to do so. Just make sure you DO NOT use the boosters unless you have enough time racked up, or you'll run out way too fast. :( - Use the Hydro Jump on some ramps. Using the Hydro Jump on some ramps will cause your to reach EXTREME heights, and will elevate you to some hidden areas and items like 9-Second boosts. - Collect those Boosts! There are two types of boosts to collect along the track: Blue Boosts (4-Seconds) and Red Boosts (9-Seconds). These represent the amount of time you get to use your Boosters. For example, if you grab a 4-Second Boost, you'll have 4-seconds worth of juice in your boosters. Collect as many as you can to rack up the time, and to have the ability to use your boosters for the majority of th race, and smoke the competition. - Look in the Caves and Waterfalls for the shortcuts. These are the places with the most hidden areas, so be aware of them. They could help you in a jam... - Collect as many 9-Second Boosts as possible. This one basically explains itself. :) - Keep an eye on your Boost gauge. This will show you how much boost fuel and time are left in your boosters, so watch it in case it runs low. - Use the Boost Start to get ahead of the pack. To do this, once the announcer says "three", press and hold the R Trigger. Once he says "two", let go of R and press L. Once he says "one", let go of L and press R again. You should now get a Super Boost. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9. Secrets ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Boost Start- Once the announcer says "three", press and hold the R Trigger. Once he says "two", let go of R and press L. Once he says "one", let go of L and press R again. You should now get a Super Boost. Hydro Jump- To perform the Hydro Jump, quickly tap the L Trigger (brake), then tap A (boost). You'll need to let off the gas to do this. Doing this will cause your boat to jump into the air, and will give you that extra power to reach high places. Unlock ALL TRACKS- Place in the top 5 times for a race, then enter the intials "?PB". This unlocks all tracks and boats in the game. -From: ad@kingsbruton.somerset.sch.uk ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 10. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1) Q: How many boats are there in Hydro Thunder? A: There are 13 of them: 4 of them are hidden. 2) Q: How many tracks are there in Hydro Thunder? A: There are 13 tracks total in the game. 3) Q: Is this game worth buying? A: Good question, since I asked myself this same question. Well, yes, it is, since it's virtually arcade perfect in everyway, and is extremely fun to play. 4) Q: Is Hydro Thunder like the arcade game? A: It's exactly like the arcade game. 5) Q: Is it arcade perfect? A: Almost. Some of the graphics have been toned down, but barely. 6) Q: Is Hydro Thunder the best racing game on the Dreamcast? A: Yes it is. Sega Rally is a very close second though. :) 7) Q: What's the difference between the arcade version and the Dreamcast one? A: I couldn't tell you, since the differences are so minute. Barely ANY differences at all. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 11. CREDITS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• CJayC- For accepting all of my FAQS, and for creating the best web site on the net! ME- For writing this! :p Hydro Thunder Manual- For some track info. - For some of the track strategies. Thanks! Chris Adamson- For some of the Track Strategies. Thanks!! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12. CONTACT INFO ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Shameless Self-Promotion: Other FAQs by me: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- PLAYSTATION: -Ape Escape -Brave Fencer Musashi -Crash Team Racing -Gran Turismo 2 -Medal Of Honor -NBA Live 2000 -Need for Speed: High Stakes -Tony Hawk's Pro Skater -R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 -Rollcage -Syphon Filter 2 NINTENDO 64: -NBA Live 2000 -Mario Party 2 DREAMCAST: -Carrier -Crazy Taxi -Hydro Thunder -MDK 2 -Sega GT: Homologation Special -Sega Rally 2 -Sega Swirl -Resident Evil Code: Veronica (Coming soon!!!) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: E-Mail Address: thebeefycow@hotmail.com E-MAIL RULES: --------------- Types I WILL accept: - Small questions that are NOT answered in the FAQ - Comments - Any types of contributions that can be HELPFUL to others - Corrections for this FAQ Types I will NOT accept: - Hate mail - Small contributions that will NOT help anyone - Chain letters - Any mail that is in ALL CAPS - Any mail that demands an answer - Mail asking me to send you this FAQ - Unconstructive critism - Any questions that are already answered in this FAQ - Any mail asking if you can use this FAQ on your website. ~End of Document~