Tips and Tricks

This summer, Blizzard will release Rock 'N Roll Racing®, the next title in its line of "Classic Arcade" games for the Gameboy® Advance. Like The Lost Vikings™, this game was originally developed for the Super Nintendo game system, and features over-the-top, vigilante racing, including such memorable power-ups as streaking missiles, explosive mines, and rocket-fast nitro boost. We went to the producer of the current game for a list of tips to help you survive the alien landscapes of the new GBA Rock N' Roll Racing Circuit.

Cheat: Olaf the Viking

Those crazy Vikings always seem to wind up everywhere except where they belong - in their Nordic homeland. Olaf has managed to stumble through a portal from The Lost Vikings™ and into the interstellar Rock N' Roll Racing Circuit. Olaf is actually the best driver in the game (he learned to navigate high-tech racing machines on the high seas of the Atlantic) but can only be accessed by using the following cheat code at the driver selection screen:

1. Start on Snake Sanders.
2. Move left to Tarquinn.
3. Hold down the L, R, and Select buttons while moving right back to Snake Sanders.
4. Voila! Olaf the mighty Viking is now in his place.

Unlock a New World

There is an entire racing world that can be unlocked as well - the fiery planet of Inferno. To access this hazardous course, go to the planet selection screen and go through these steps:

1. Start on Chem VI.
2. Move left to Nho.
3. Hold down the L, R, and Select buttons while moving right back to Chem VI.
4. You're ready to feel the heat.

Multiplayer Tips

You can play Rock N' Roll Racing in single player mode and it's a lot of fun, but remember that this is Blizzard's first real multi-player game. So get a buddy and a link cable, and you'll be ready to rock with these multiplayer tips:

• Picking the right driver for the right car is the biggest decision you can make in multi-player racing. When you race in the single-player mode, you must progress through every track, utilizing several, if not all, of the available cars. In VS mode, though, you can select the best car (the Havac) in the game right off the bat to dust your friends.

• Eventually you're going to want to branch out, though, and compete using the different abilities and limitations of all the other vehicles. The Dirt Devil and Marauder are fun because of the oily madness they leave behind to send opponents flying off the track. The Air Blade and Battle Trak are the best-equipped cars for blowing your friends to bits with high-level firepower. The Havac is for those that want to frustrate their friends with the stunning effects of the sun-dog beam and the K.O. Scatterpack mines.

• If you are planning on racing against your friends using the Dirt Devil or Marauder vehicles, then it might be a good idea to select Cyberhawk, Ivanzypher, or Katarina Lyons - all drivers with strong jumping skills. With other cars, these drivers offer no real advantage, since their jumping skill doesn't translate into added acceleration while using a nitro boost (a vital ability present in the other cars).

• The Havac's real power is in its ability to stun the opponent with sun-dog beams and then lay powerful mines ahead of the helpless car as it races by. These mines have a timer, then explode into four smaller versions that each explode again. Placed properly, you can send an enemy right over the railing in a tight turn. Blowing someone up is good; watching them stare helplessly as they fly through the air and out into space is better.

• While it is generally accepted that the Havac is the best overall vehicle, the Battle Trak is actually the favorite of the Blizzard testing team. It has everything you need - powerful missiles, a good nitro zip, and the same mines as the Havac. This is the de facto vehicle for mass mayhem. Since the missiles fire straight and true, you can even use really tight turns to attack someone far across the track. Make straightaway's deadly by laying mines and firing your missiles at your opponents head-on.

• Ok, we'll throw in a single-player tip. It is very important to purchase the next available vehicle as you move on from world to world. So do your best to have at least $100,000 in the bank before moving on to the next world in the racing circuit.