____ _ _ _ __ _ / \ | | _ _ | | | | / /_ | | / /\_|_ _ _ _| |__ ___ | |/ |_| | | | / /|_| _| | __ | | | |/ \ ___| | | | \/ \ __ | _// | | |/ / _ / |/ _\ \ \ | _ |/ \ \/\/ /| | || | |/ \ | | / | | | / | |/ | || \ \ \ | // || | |\ /| | || | |\/\ || | | | | | \ | || | |\ \ | ||_|/_|| | |\ /\ /|_|_/ \___/__/ ||_| \__|_| | |\ \ | |\__|_| / / /\/ / \___/ \/ \/ / __ | | | \ \/_\ /_/ | / \____/ | | | \ \___/ |_| |_/ FAQ/WALKTHROUGH +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | First Written: November 15th, 2011 | | Last Updated: February 3rd, 2012 (Version 1.01) | | Written and Compiled by Andrew Barker | | Contact the Author: barkera0[at]gmail[dot]com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you have any suggestions or see any errors in this file, please contact me using the email above. If you know any good strategies or having any good tips then please let me know. This guide is not to be used without the author's permission under any circumstances. See the bottom of the document for more details. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- TABLE OF CONTENTS [0.00] -----------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Hit Ctrl + F then enter the corresponding number in the table of contents | | to jump to the section you want. | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ [1.00] -- Introduction [2.00] -- Game Basics & Tips [2.01] -- Basic Game Mechanics [2.02] -- Tricks [2.03] -- General Racing Strategies [2.04] -- Items & Weapons [3.00] -- Characters [4.00] -- Boards [4.01] -- Freestyle [4.02] -- All-Around [4.03] -- Alpine [4.04] -- Special [5.00] -- Walkthrough (Battle Mode) [5.01] -- Rookie Mt. [5.02] -- Big Snowman [5.03] -- Sunset Rock [5.04] -- Night Highway [5.05] -- Grass Valley [5.06] -- Dizzy-Land [5.07] -- Quicksand Valley [5.08] -- Silver Mt. [5.09] -- Ninja Land [6.00] -- Time Attack [7.00] -- Skill Games [7.01] -- Speed Game [7.02] -- Shot Game [7.03] -- Trick Game [8.00] -- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [9.00] -- Legal Information +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- INTRODUCTION [1.00] ----------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Six years ago I wrote my walkthrough for Snowboard Kids 2 and it was, uh, a little lacking. I spent some time earlier this year updating and it improving it to what it is now. With that out of the way, I thought it was time to write a walkthrough for the first Snowboard Kids. Why write a walkthrough for a game over ten years old? Because I can, and because it's a great game! If you happen to have read my SBK2 guide, you'll notice some of the 'Game Basics & Tips' section is quite similar. As both SBK games share mechanics, much information is identical for both. However, I've rewritten most of it so it applies better for this first game in the series! Normally I like to make these introductions a little longer and a little more interesting but, frankly, I don't have anything else to say! If you've found your way to this guide I hope it is both helpful and an interesting read. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- GAME BASICS & TIPS [2.00] ----------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If this is your first time playing Snowboard Kids then you might find this section a good place to start. The same goes for anyone who hasn't played in many years. It is not a conventional snowboarding or racing game and there are a few unique mechanics it's great to be aware of before you start playing. +---- BASIC GAME MECHANICS [2.01] --------------------------------------------+ -- BASIC BOARDING -- -------------------- The goal of any Snowboard Kids race is to reach the goal line at the end of the final lap before your opponents. As you might expect, every track is more or less downhill so there's no button to accelerate as you would in any other type of racing game. -- ITEMS -- ----------- As you race you'll notice coins scattered around. These act as a currency for each race and for buying boards outside of the competition. Within the race you need one coin to 'buy' an item. Items can be obtained from blue and red boxes all over the course. Red boxes contain offensive items and blue boxes contain defensive and miscellaneous items. WARNING! If you don't have enough coins to buy an item and run into the box you'll slam into it as if it was a solid object. This will really slow you down so make sure to keep an eye on your funds! -- THE CHAIRLIFT -- ------------------- At the end of each lap is the chairlift. By going through a small gate you can use the lift to return to the top of the course and start a new lap. You are invulnerable to all items while on the lift. See the next sub-section for specific strategies to use the chairlift against your opponents. When you get dropped off the chairlift for your next lap, tap A a few times to get moving quickly again. -- TRICKS -- ------------ By holding down the A button you can make your character crouch. Releasing the button will make them perform flipping trick. These tricks can be used to increase your speed off jumps and to earn additional gold. See the tricks sub-section for specific tricks and how to perform them. You can also grab your board for shorter, less impressive tricks by using the C buttons. These are much easier to perform, but worth less money. You can even do a simple hop by tapping the A button to jump over obstacles. -- RECOVERY -- -------------- If you hit a wall, get hit by an item, or stop moving for some other reason tap A lightly a couple of times get get moving again. Don't hold it down or your character will crouch down and try to flip and do a trick. +---- TRICKS [2.02] ----------------------------------------------------------+ Tricks are one of the core mechanics of Snowboard Kids racing. They allow you to jump gaps, earn money, deflect items, and distract your opponents. They can be broadly divided into three different categories: board grabs, special flips, and grinding. Each are useful in different situations and, if you read below, you can get some tips on the best ways to use them. -- BOARD GRABS -- ----------------- Board grabs can be performed by jumping and then using any of the four C buttons. Depending on which button you hit will change what direction your character grabs his or her board. The direction makes no difference to the difficulty or prize money earned from the trick. -- FLIPS -- ----------- Flips are large jumps performed by holding down A, releaing it and then tapping it and pushing the analog stick in a direction. These flips look quite fancy, emitting sparkles, and earn you 150g each. Additionally, each character has a unique flip that you need a large jump to pull off, but it earns you far more gold than usual. Check out the character section to find out how to pull off each one. -- GRINDS -- ------------ Grinds can only be performed on specific rails that appear in very few locations. These net you a small amount of gold, but are mostly just used when taking specific short cuts. Performing a grind is as simple as jumping on the railing, but getting that accuracy right is mostly harder than it sounds. +---- GENERAL RACING STRATEGIES [2.03] ---------------------------------------+ -- QUICK START -- ----------------- Before a race begins, while the countdown to start is going, start tapping the A button. If you can tap is right when 'GO' appears on the screen you can get a brief boost in acceleration. Very handy for getting ahead of the competition. -- CHAIRLIFT BLOCKING -- ------------------------ One of the most useful strategies you can employ at the end of each lap is making use of the fact every single racer has to enter the tiny gate leading to the lift. After a player enter the gate to the chairlift there's a few seconds where it cannot be used again. This is indicated by a small red light next to the gate. If another player is close behind you, by timing your entry carefully you can lock them out of the gate and they will slam into the wall and be temporarily stunned. In reverse, if someone is about to enter the lift just before you, slow your speed down so you can at least avoid the stun from tumbling head-first into a wall. If you have a stone item you can even drop it right before the gate. This is usually a guaranteed location for someone to trip on it. -- ITEM DEFLECTION -- --------------------- This is an extremely difficult trick to pull off and is recommended only for experienced players. Newer players are advised to use the terrain or defensive items to evade enemy attacks. If you jump and perform a board grab right before an enemy hits you with an item such as the glove, parachute, or ice crystal, you can actually deflect it and send it back at them. Wait for the exclamation mark to appear to indicate you're about to be hit and then jump and board grab. Even with a lot of practice it's hard to be able to continually pull it off or not trip up. For a slightly easier trick, you can just jump over an offensive item. Tap A to jump and, if timed correctly, the item will harmlessly pass underneath you. It's still tricky, but it's easier than deflecting. -- SHARP TURNING -- ------------------- Depending on the character and board you're using, turning some tight corners may be a difficult feat. Instead of simply pushing the analog stick left or right to turn a corner, push it diagonally left or right. If your analog stick were a compass you would push south-west to turn left and south-east to turn right. This will make your character do a much sharper turn than normal. +---- ITEMS & WEAPONS [2.04] -------------------------------------------------+ Offensive weapons are found inside red boxes on the course. They are used only to attack opponents. A couple can cause you to injure yourself if you're not careful! Defensive items are found inside blue boxes. They are generally used to avoid attacks, speed yourself up, or deter an enemy without actually hurting them. -- BOMB -- ---------- The bomb can be your best friend or your worst enemy. By firing it off it causes an explosion as soon as it hits a solid object. It seems to sometimes home in on an enemy, but often just travels in a straight line. It will explode when it hits a players, wall, or obstacle. When it does explode it will damage anyone caught inside the large radius. So, in short, don't shoot a target right in front of you! -- ICE CRYSTAL -- ----------------- Like the bomb, the ice crystal can be very handy or quite dangerous. It tends to home towards the nearest player and, when it hits them, will freeze them solid for a couple of seconds and then trip them up. On the downside, while an enemy player is frozen they act as a solid object. In other words, if you run into them you'll be stunned the same as if you hit a wall. -- SNOWMAN SNOWBALL -- ---------------------- These snowman head shaped items aren't overly useful, but are always hilarious. They do not home well, but they will bounce off walls for quite some time. Anyone they hit, including the person who fired them, will be turned into a snowman and lose control for a few seconds. A great tip if you get these when in 1st is to save them for the goal area. When you're approaching the line, fire them off and they will rebound off the back wall. Move slightly out of the way so they don't hit you and they'll travel behind you, possibly hitting an opponent! -- GLOVE -- ----------- When they collide with a target they will send them flying forward and make them drop three coins. They are especially useful if you can hit someone just before they go over a jump. The results are both helpful and hilarious. They sometimes home in on opponents. -- PARACHUTE -- --------------- The best of all offensive items. Parachutes home in on enemies quite well and, when they hit someone, send them flying up into the air. Unlike tornados, however, the enemy will not fall straight back down. Instead they will slowly descent with a parachute strapped to them. They will massively slow down an opponent. If you can hit an opponent just before they go over a jump, the results can be devestating. -- SPEED FAN -- --------------- This item straps a fan to your board for a medium-length period of time. It increases your speed by a good amount, but makes turning more difficult. Best used when taking easy corners or on a straight. -- FRYING PAN -- ---------------- Firing off pans causes one to hit every opponent, temporarily flattening and stunning them. Pans will hit all three opponents and can only be dodged by using an inviso board or being on the chairlift. -- ROCK -- ---------- Rocks are usually only picked up when it 1st, or sometimes in 2nd, place. By pressing B you can drop them behind you for someone else to trip over. These are best placed just before a jump or right in front of the chairlift. You can trip over your own stones, so take note of where you place them! -- INVISIBLE -- --------------- Temporarily turns you invisible. In this stage you are invulnerable to all offensive attacks. You can still be hit by ghosts, rats, and you can trip over stones. If you get one of these in 1st, hang onto it. It might be the difference between a win and a loss. -- GHOST -- ----------- Sends a ghost to whoever is in 1st place or, if you're in 1st place, sends it to whoever is in 2nd. Being possessed by a ghost greatly slows your speed for a short period of time. You can be possesed by more than one ghost if two different players use one at the same time. -- RAT -- --------- This item steals gold from all other racers. It's extremely rare to get. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- CHARACTERS [3.00] ------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ When you first begin playing you'll have access to all the characters, excluding one secret one which you will unlock at the end of the game. For information on how to unlock Shinobin, scroll down to his section. Each character also have some individual and unique tricks. Pulling them off will take some getting used to, but they reward a lot more gold than a normal one. You can read how to perform them by using the following key: (A) A Button -> Right <- Left ^ Up D Down 360 Rotate Joystick Counterclockwise ^> Upper Right (North-East) ^< Upper Left (North-West) D< Lower Left (South-West) D> Lower Right (South-East) +---- SLASH KAMEI ------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Age: 10 | Speed: ** | Jump: ** | Turn: ** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Slash has spiky black hair and a bit of an attitude. He's a competitive guy that fights for what he believes in and always stands up for his friends. He is the central character for Snowboard Kids and one of the best characters for new players to start out with. He has a fierce rivalry with Linda. He's average across all stats and is one of the most balanced characters in the game; making him a great choice for any and all of the courses. I'd recommend Slash or Jam for your first playthrough or if you're struggling to win a race with another character. -- SPECIAL TRICKS -- -------------------- Slash's Banzai Bash (A) <- -> The Slash Spin (A) ^ D ^ The Slash Dynamite (A)-> <- -> <- +---- NANCY NIEL -------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Age: 10 | Speed: * | Jump: *** | Turn: *** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Nancy is the sweetest and nicest of the bunch. She's always kind to others and tries to see the best in every situation. She gets on well with all the other racers, but she's especially good friends with Linda. She had a friendly rivalry with Jam. Nancy is one of the slower characters, but she can be useful on later tracks that have higher jumps and tighter corners to turn. Beginner players may want to try her out if they like her, but they may find her speed lacking in some situations. Pairing her with the Alpine board makes her quite formidable. -- SPECIAL TRICKS -- -------------------- Nancy's Spinning Star (A) <- -> The Nancy Cross (A) ^< ^> The Nancy Grab (A)<--><--> Nancy's Best (A)^ D <- The Nancy Groove (A)<- -> ^ D +---- JAM KUEHNEMUND ---------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Age: 10 | Speed: *.5 | Jump: **.5 | Turn: **.5 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ With his dreadlocks and beanie, Jam is one of the most popular SBK characters amongst the players' community. He's heavily into rap, but is a lot smarter than he generally lets on. Even though his stats don't indicate it, he likes to think of himself as the trick master. Because of this he had a friendly rivalry with Nancy. Jam, along with Slash, is a great choice for anyone new to SBK. He's extremely well balanced and a good choice on any course. -- SPECIAL TRICKS -- -------------------- Jam's Spinning Moon (A) <- -> The Jam Jam (A)<--><--> The Strawberry Jam (A) ^ D ^ D The Blueberry Jam (A) D ^ <- The Boysenberry Jam (A) D +---- LINDA MALTINIE ---------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Age: 11 | Speed: **.5 | Jump: *.5 | Turn: *.5 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Linda is a spoiled rich girl and the daughter of the owner of the Maltinie corporation. She tends to believe she is superior to others and constantly argues with Slash about everything. The two of them have a fierce rivalry. Linda is best friends with Nancy. Linda can be a little challenging for newcomers to the game because of her high speed and low turning. However, put her on a freestyle board (or even an all-around) and she can adapt to most situations. -- SPECIAL TRICKS -- -------------------- Linda Spin (A) <- -> Linda Luxury (A) <- -> ^ D Linda Bourgeoisie (A) ^ D ^ D <- Goregeous Linda (A) ^ D <- -> ^ D +---- TOMMY PARSY ------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Age: 10 | Speed: *** | Jump: * | Turn: * | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Tommy is a kind, gentle boy with a love for hamburgers. He's quiet and rarely speaks whats on his mind. He's been Slash's best friend since they were little and people often think of him as a troublemaker because of his association with the spiky haired boy. Even though Tommy is lovable, he's really not that great on most courses. His low turn and jump handicap him too much, even considering his high speed. Linda, who is only slower by .5, is a superior option for a speedy character. -- SPECIAL TRICKS -- -------------------- Tommy Spin (A) -> <- -> Tommy's Shake (A) <- -> <- -> Tommy Tumble (A) ^ 360 +---- SHINOBIN ---------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Age: ?? | Speed: **.5 | Jump: **.5 | Turn: **.5 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Not much is known about this mysterious ninja. Nothing, in fact. You can unlock him as a playable character by winning the Ninja Land race. He even has his own unique boards. Level 1 is comparable to freestyle, Level 2 is comparable to all-around, and Level 3 is like the alpine board. -- SPECIAL TRICKS -- -------------------- Shinobin's 1080° (A)-> <- -> <- Shinobin's Quick Draw (A) -> Shinobin's Special Flip (A) U o> o> U Shinobin's Double Dash (A) <- U -> D +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- BOARDS [4.00] ----------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ After starting the game and picking a course, you'll get to choose the board for your character to ride on. Freestyle and All-Arounds can be great choice for newcomers while Alpine tend to be a little more challenging. At the end of the day, picking the right board to compliment your chosen character's stats is the most important thing. New boards can be bought from the 'Board Shop' after loading your file. You can also paint them with different designs. +---- FREESTYLE [4.01] -------------------------------------------------------+ Freestyle are great boards for anyone new to the game (or anyone who uses Tommy) because of their high turn and jump abilities. They can also be handy for maneuvering through some of the more difficult late-game courses. -- STATS -- ----------- Speed: 1 Jump: 3 Turn: 3 -- COSTS -- ----------- Level 1: None. Level 2: 12,000g Level 3: 24,000g +---- ALL-AROUND [4.02] ------------------------------------------------------+ All-Around boards, true to their name, suit all characters well. They balance out all three stats which makes them a useful choice for any and all courses. -- STATS -- ----------- Speed: 2 Jump: 2 Turn: 2 -- COSTS -- ----------- Level 1: None. Level 2: 10,000g Level 3: 20,000g +---- ALPINE [4.03] ----------------------------------------------------------+ Alpine boards are quite difficult to handle and not recommended for anyone new to the game. They can be great on early courses for most characters, but they can be quite a challenge to win on in later courses except for characters that have high turning skills. -- STATS -- ----------- Speed: 3 Jump: 1 Turn: 1 -- COSTS -- ----------- Level 1: None. Level 2: 11,000g Level 3: 22,000g +---- SPECIAL [4.04] ---------------------------------------------------------+ Special boards are unlocked by winning specific races and then buying them from the board shop. They all have some special features, so read below to get all the information on them you need! ----------------- | FEATHER BOARD | ----------------- Unlocked By... Getting 2,500 points in the Trick Game. Special Skill: Allows you to float briefly in the air when going off a jump. Cost: 100,000g ----------------- | ICE BOARD | ----------------- Unlocked By... Buying all 3 levels of Freestyle, All Around, and Alpine boards. Special Skill: Quite fast, but very poor turning. Not useful. Cost: 1,000g ------------------ | STAR BOARD | ------------------ Unlocked By... Getting 1st place on Ninja Land. Special Skill: Very high speed and turning. The best board for racing. Cost: 80,000g +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- WALKTHROUGH [5.00] -----------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Welcome to the main walkthrough! If you're looking for tips or tricks on a particular track then you've come to the right place! Here you can find details and strategies about each course, what sort of rewards you can get for beating them, and what characters are the best to use. Take a look at section 2 of the guide for tips if you haven't played before. +---- ROOKIE MT. [5.01] ------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 541m | Laps: 5 | Difficulty: * | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 3,000g | 2nd: 800g | 3rd: 400g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Rookie Mt is a simple, very straightforward course designed for beginners. There are no real obstacles, no tight turns, and only a few small jumps. Take this chance to practise come of your skills such as performing tricks, using items, entering the chairlift and so on. If you need any tips on these, check out section 2 which is all about game basics and tips to get you started. I'd advise players new to the game go for the Freestyle Lv.1 board at this stage/ It may not be as fast as the others, but it's well-rounded and won't cause you any problems. For those of you who have played before I'd recommend the All-Around Lv. 1. I'd advise against the Alpine board for most players, except for those playing characters with good turning skills, but poor speed. If you pick up an parachutes or glove weapons, the best time to use these is just before your enemy goes off a jump. Using weapons on them at that stage will slow them down more than usual. Likewise, the tops of jumps are great places to leave stones. +---- BIG SNOWMAN [5.02] -----------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1750m | Laps: 2 | Difficulty: *.5 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 3,600g | 2nd: 900g | 3rd: 500g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Unlike Rookie Mt. Big Snowman is much longer, but only has two laps. It is a little bit more challenging though, so get ready to start putting your skills to the test! The track starts off in a fairly ordinary manner. Head down the snowy slopes and through the cave; getting read for a jump at the end. Once you hit the ground, things start to get a little harder. You're presented with a forest of trees to weave around. Hitting one too fast will knock you over, so stay on your toes. Shortly past the trees is a tight-ish corner to move around. This shouldn't be a problem unless you're using Linda or Tommy. Past the turn is another jump followed by a chasm. Make sure to stay around the bend to the right and don't fall into the pit! The track eases up a bit with some straight slopes for a little while. If you're feeling confident you can attempt some trips off the small, snowy bumps to make some extra cash. After emerging from bneath the rocky overhang you'll be treated to a long, steep downhill with a number of jumps to flip off. Once you reach the bottom you'll find the namesake for this course and the goal line. You can find the chairlift on the right side. Enter hit and go for a second lap! +---- SUNSET VALLEY [5.03] ---------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1706m | Laps: 3 | Difficulty: ** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 4,000g | 2nd: 1,000g | 3rd: 500g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Sunset Valley starts throwing things as you pretty quickly. Shortly after the start line you'll need to weave around some large rocks and try and pick up the item boxes inbetween them. This is also a great place to leave your own rocks to trip up opponents while they're concentrating on something else. Past the rocks is a long corner followed by a downhill with roaming penguins. Make sure to avoid these cute little animals as they can trip you up. Just past the penguins is a jump, followed by a highly dangerous zone. To your right is a ledge that drops off into a chasm; to the left are falling rocks. Stay towards the left and keep an eye on the sky to avoid getting squashed. Leap off the next jump and down the slope. This next section features a new challenge. You'll notice a small river you have to cross at the bottom of the snow. In the middle of it is a hard-to-see wooden rod that you can actually grind on. There's no penalty for simply boarding across the water, but if you can manage to grind on the rail, it's a huge speedup. Take a look at section 2 for some grinding tips. Just past the river, the track briefly splits to a low and high path. The high path features an item box and a jump, so take the opportunity to do a trick. This is followed by some more boulders to avoid and then a large snowman that shoots the snowball attack item out randomly. Weave around them to avoid getting hit. The next features some large rocks to avoid like at the bgenning of the lap. This time, however, there's preset small rocks scattered around them too. If your character has poor turning, this section can be rather awkward. If you're not confident, try staying around the right side; their tend to be less stones there. These rocks lead to a large, steep jump through a waterfall. Make sure not to jump to early/late as you'll tumble into a ravine. It can also be an issue if you're slowed down by a ghost. Once you clear it, just board on through the cave. This last part of the track is a long half-pipe. Don't bother going up the sides unless you're trying to avoid an incoming item. Just stick to the flat land and you'll eventually come out at the goal line. The chairlift is in the back left corner. +---- NIGHT HIGHWAY [5.04] ---------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1368m | Laps: 3 | Difficulty: **.5 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 4,400g | 2nd: 1,100g | 3rd: 600g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Night Highway is one of my favourite courses, but it can be a little tricky too. It's the first course that really has good shortcuts, and it has quite a few to look out for. Take the first lap to get aquainted with the track and then start doing the hard stuff. First off, leap off the first jump and keep out for an 'IN' sign on your right, just at the end of the fence before the tunell begins. Angle yourself in there and you can skip the tunnel entirely; a substantial shortcut. If you miss it, don't worry and just head on through that tunnel. A little side note: don't ever leave stones inside shortcuts as the computer controlled characters never use them. Obviously, if you're playing against other humans then it can be a good strategy. Go through the downhill cave and off another jump. Stay around the right to avoid fall off the side of the cliff. As you come up to the next jump, get ready for a very tricky section. You might notice as start jumping that there's another 'IN' sign on the right, just where you'll land. This is a great shortcut, but an extremely difficult one to get into unless you're using someone with a high turning skill such as Nancy on the fresstyle board. If you can get in there, go for it. Just make sure not to fall off in the process. A little tip to try and get in there if you don't have high turning, it to actually jump AT it off the previous ledge. Come at the jump from the far right and angle yourself towards the tunell. Then jump (don't do a trick) right in there. It's a big shortcut and worth trying to get in. Assuming you didn't make the shortcut, you'll be forced to navigate a thin apth without railings. Keep as much in the middle as you can or you'll fall off and lose a lot of time. If you're using Tommy, this is one of the hardest parts of the game. On the bright side, it's a great spot to use items. You can shoot offensive items in a straight line and they'll come back up out of the ravine to attack. Just past that section, and off another jump, is the third shortcut! Look carefully to the left and you should spot another 'IN' sign on the side of the rocks. Head in there to save some time! If you took the big second shortcut, you'll come out past this one and won't be able to take it. From that point, the course is fairly ordinary. There's another tunnel, a couple of jumps, and a pit you need to not fall down. Just before the goal line is a massive jump and a great opportunity to pull off some special character tricks. The chairlift is on the right side of the goal. Don't worry if it takes you a few tries to win this one. It can be difficult. +---- GRASS VALLEY [5.05] ----------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1490m | Laps: 3 | Difficulty: *** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 5,200g | 2nd: 1,300g | 3rd: 700g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Shortly after the course begins the track will split in a fairly obvious manner and you can easily go either left or right. Left is a slightly shorter path and, as far as I'm aware, computer controlled characters will never take it. However, it's a rather difficult path. There's no railing on the left side and there are a couple of diffcult jumps that don't allow for mistakes. If this is your first race on this course, I'd recommend just going right. Those with confidence can try left. Just keep in mind, if you fall off, you would have been better going right. The right side has you go down through a mine. There are a few twists and turns that may be challenging for some characters, but it's much easier than the left side. It's also a great place to leave stones for others to trip on. You may notice what looks like a secret tunnel up top as you're going off a jump inside the mine. It's actually just for asthetics and you cannot get in there. Don't use parachutes in there; opponents will quickly hit the roof and come back down faster than usual. After that, the course is ordinary for a while with nothing to watch out for. Shortly after that, the track splits again in an obvious manner. This time, the right path is faster and more difficult than the left. Going right forces you to clear some very difficult, shallow jumps. Left involves an ordinary part of the track that's slightly windy, but otherwise nothing special. Right is extremely difficult and should only be attempted by skilled players. The track then goes down through a sunflower field, followed by a few turns through a village. It's pretty easy to navigate and shouldn't cause you any problems. The chairlift can be found on the left side of the goal area. Just a side note... shortly before entering the village area, there's a chain fence followed by a big STOP sign out to the right. It's rather difficult, but you can actually jump over it for a bit of a shortcut. It's quite risky though and difficult to recover from if you mess it up. You'll need a character with good turning and a lot of speed to clear it. Even then, I've only managed it a couple of times by doing a well-timed jump with A. For some reason, often one computer controlled character can be a bit of a speed-demon on this course. Often he/she races out ahead of everyone else for no apparent reason. Even if they get ahead a bit, just keep going. Often a string of pans or ghosts will pop up and you should be able to catch up before the end. I've found this person is most often Tommy, but I've noticed Linda doing it a couple of times too. If you're having trouble, the best advice here is to stick with the computer characters; you're not going to get a lot in front of them anyway. Use your attack items carefully and save them for when someone jumps in front of you. If you get bombs or snowmen heads, get rid of them and hope for ice crystals or parachutes. +---- DIZZY-LAND [5.06] ------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1490m | Laps: 3 | Difficulty: *** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 6,000g | 2nd: 1,500g | 3rd: 800g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ It's time for Dizzy-Land! An up front warning: the course is as crazy as its name indicates. This is challenging enough to navigate, let alone win! Unless you're a low speed character, I'd suggest starting off with a freestyle board. Once you feel more comfortable with how it plays out, feel free to change to your board of choice. After you round the first corner, the track splits into a high and low path. The high path has some coins and the lower an item box. Once the bricks end, it appears the high path comes to an end. However, with carefully timing, you can actually jump up again and onto the railroad around the mountain. This isn't really much quicker than just hitting the snow again, but it looks cool! The track is straight for a little while and doesn't hold any surprises. Soon, you'll enter a bright blue and yellow tent. Jump down the gap and keep to the left to avoid falling off. Not long after exiting the cave you'll enter into a tea cup amusement ride. Avoid the spinning cups as you'll bounce off them in an unhelpful direction. Enterting into the next undercover area brings you to a dinosaur filled landscape. A little way in you may notice that a small path juts out of the main track and to the left. Take if if you can because it completely cuts off the next tight turn you would otherwise have to make. Down and around the snowy corner is a hidden jump. Keep a careful eye on the ground for a red line that indicates it. Make sure to do a little tap jump (don't do a trick) to make sure you clear it and don't end up in the river. A little way on, though, and you have no choice but to enter it! The river looks intimidating, but it's no different to boarding on the snow. After the river is a big jump before the final home straight to the goal. The chairlift is on the left side. Winning Dizzy-Land (along with the previous tracks) will then unlock the next one, Quicksand Valley. +---- QUICKSAND VALLEY [5.07] ------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1638m | Laps: 3 | Difficulty: **** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 7,000g | 2nd: 1,800g | 3rd: 900g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Ah, Quicksand Valley. A course full of tight turns, multiple pathways, and tricky jumps. Difficult enough to win to make even the most hardened, macho men break down into tears. Well, no guarantees on that last one, but it's true that winning in Quicksand Valley will be by far your most difficult challenge yet. Using a character who can turn well is a must. The course gives you a false sense of security to begin with. Just follow the fairly simple sandy pathway down and around a few corners, through a brief cave and then off a jump under a sign reading Suspension Bridge. Once you hit the ground, get ready to choose between going left and right. Taking the right path is fairly straight forward. It stays out in the open and even though it features lots of twists and turns, none of them are particularly hard to maneuver around. The left path is basically the same, but most stays under the cover of a tunnel. Neither is much different from the other in terms of speed, so make your choice based on where your opponents are. A little further down is another split. Both paths are extremely difficult and neither is faster than the other. However, the right side branches off again at a second point, so I'd recommend you go that way. The right path features some nasty twists and turns followed by a tight corner with no railings. The left side has less turns, but more jumps to clear and takes you through a tunnel. Very close to where the two paths come together, if you took the right path you should see two big blue arrow signs. One points left and one points right. Taking the left way will immedietly rejoin you with the left path, whilst the right path offers a slightly shorter route with a few coins. Once all the paths rejoin, you'll spot a blue arrow pointing into a sand wall. Don't be fooled! You can actually board right through that sand waterfall! Do so, and you'll hit the home downhill stretch. It's straightforward, but has a number of turns. Don't worry about that body of towards the end, it won't slow you. The chairlift is on the right side past the goal line. It's likely you'll need a lot of practise to win on this course. Stick with it, and you'll get there eventually. +---- SILVER MT. [5.08] ------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 1664m | Laps: 3 | Difficulty: ****.5 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 8,000g | 2nd: 2,000g | 3rd: 1,000g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ For better or worse, there's really not much advice I can give you for Silver Mt. It's a mostly straight track with a few high jumps and that's about it. There's no shortccuts, alternate pathways, or any obstacles to watch out for. If there's any track that's simply a true test of your snowboarding skills, then this is it. It's quite lengthy and, as you'll notice as soon as the race begins, compeltely covered in mist; making it difficult to see more than a few meters in front of you. However, as previously mentioned, there aren't any real obstacles so there's nothing to watch out for. If you use a speedy character with low-ish turning, Silver Mt. is your time to shine. There lots of narrow chasms and caves to leave stones down. Apart from that, you race to the best of your ability. The chair lift is on the right side. +---- NINJA LAND [5.09] ------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | STATISTICS |=-=| Length: 382m | Laps: 9 | Difficulty: ** | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | RANK PRIZE |=-=| 1st: 10,000g | 2nd: 2,500g | 3rd: 1,300g | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Here we are, the finale! An extremely short course with 9 laps? Didn't see that coming, did you? At only two star difficulty, the Ninja Land course itself is really not a challenge at all. What is a challenge, however, is a brand new opponent exclusive to this race. His name is Shinobin, and he's by far the best character of the game. He's a really toughie to beat but, if you can, you get to unlock him as a playable character. Now, for the course... it's basically reskin of Rookie Mt. There's no tight turns, only a few small jumps, and no gaps or other nasty things to watch out for. There's some lovely scenery though, so I hope you can enjoy it! Shinobin isn't any smarter tha the other characters, but he is much faster and likes to break ahead quite often. Managing your offensive items wisely is the key to this race. Immedietly get rid of bombs or snowball heads; they're not going to help. Instead, focus on picking up parachutes, ice crystals, and even gloves will suffice. Ultimately, Ninja Land comes down to practise and a little bit of luck. Once you win, you've beaten the game! Congratulations! +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- TIME ATTACK MODE [6.00] ------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ In Time Attack mode you can use your speed skills to earn some extra money. You only do one lap of each course and the idea is to do it as quickly as possible. You're given a single fan, and no other item, for your race so make sure to use it wisely. Below you can find the leaderboard times for each course along with good places to use your fan. ------------------ | Rookie Mt. | ------------------ Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Any place in the course that you'd like. It doesn't really matter. Just make sure not to use it too close to the end so it's not wasted, or when you're turning a tight corner. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- Slash, 00'36"00, Alpine 1 Nancy, 00'40"00, Alpine 1 Jam, 00'45"00, Alpine 1 Linda, 00'50"00, Alpine 1 Tommy, 00'55"00, Alpine 1 ----------------- | Big Snowman | ----------------- Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Again, it's not really important. Anywhere you feel comfortable using it is fine. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 02'15"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'20"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'30"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'40"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'50"00, Alpine 1 ----------------- | Sunset Rock | ----------------- Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Anywhere is fine, really. Avoid using it around tight corner or on the field covered with penguins. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 02'12"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'15"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'20"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'30"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'38"00, Alpine 1 ------------------- | NIGHT HIGHWAY | ------------------- Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- It's not so much where you use it on this course, but rather where you SHOULDN'T use it. Don't use it while you're insideany of the courses or you'll just end up hitting the walls. Also avoid using it on the windy section without railings. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 01'47"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 01'50"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 01'56"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'00"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'08"00, Alpine 1 ------------------- | GRASS VALLEY | ------------------- Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- If you're taking either of the shortcuts, pick one and use it then to make sure you can clear the jumps. I'd advise using it on the second one to minimise the chance of making a mistake. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 01'56"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'00"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'12"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'21"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'25"00, Alpine 1 ------------------- | DIZZY-LAND | ------------------- Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Like Night Highway, it's more important where you DON'T use it. Don't use it in the teacups section, in the waterfall cave, or in the river. Try to find a long straight area such as the railway road downhill. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 01'52"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'00"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'05"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'09"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'13"00, Alpine 1 ---------------------- | QUICKSAND VALLEY | ---------------------- Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Right at the beginning. It's about the only straight part of the course and guarantees you won't end up sailing off a cliff or hitting a wall. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 01'53"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 01'56"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'00"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'04"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'10"00, Alpine 1 ------------------ | SILVER MT. | ------------------ Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Anywhere is fine. The entire track is pretty straight. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 01'59"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'02"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'11"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'17"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'20"00, Alpine 1 ------------------ | NINJA LAND | ------------------ Use The Fan Item At... ---------------------- Early on is best to guarantee you won't hit a wall, but it's not really a big deal. -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 00'28"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 00'33"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 00'36"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 00'40"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 00'42"00, Alpine 1 +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- SKILL GAMES [7.00] -----------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The three mini-games listed here can be accessed from the menu along with Battle Mode or the Board Shop. They can be quite a challenge and are a great way to test your skills! +---- SPEED GAME [7.01] ------------------------------------------------------+ In the speed mini-game you can choose one of three courses to try and get the best time on. It's mostly just for the fun and challenge, but you can earn some money too. Each course has a leaderboard which you should aim to be the top of. There's not really much unique advice to give for this game. Use the advice in the main walkthrough and don't fall off, turn corners as tightly as possible, and pick up as many fans that are scattered around the snow as possible. Next, I have listed the times to beat (and the boards used) for each course. Just because Alpine is the fastest board, does not mean it will always give you the fastest time. If you have a character with poor turning and use Alpine you'll just end up running into walls a lot. In fact, you can beat all the times on a Level 1 Freestyle board as long as you pick up a lot of the fans. So, basically, use whatever you want. ------------------ | Rookie Mt. | ------------------ No. of fans on course: 10 Time Limit: 1'00"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 00'36"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 00'42"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 00'44"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 00'48"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 00'53"00, Alpine 1 ----------------- | Big Snowman | ----------------- No. of fans on course: 20 Time Limit: 2'30"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 01'58"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'03"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'11"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'13"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'21"00, Alpine 1 ----------------- | Sunset Rock | ----------------- No. of fans on course: 20 Time Limit: 2'30"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 02'01"00, Alpine 1 #2 Nancy, 02'06"00, Alpine 1 #3 Jam, 02'13"00, Alpine 1 #4 Linda, 02'18"00, Alpine 1 #5 Tommy, 02'22"00, Alpine 1 +---- SHOT GAME [7.02] -------------------------------------------------------+ The shot game is a highly challenging (and sometimes frustrating) test of both boarding and aiming skills. The idea is to use bullet-like objects to shoot down all snowmen on the course. Your ammo is unlimited, but using too many at one time will briefly 'overheat' you and you won't be able to use any more for a few seconds. I haven't bothered to list the snowman locations because they're all pretty obvious. None are hidden away in odd spots or secret areas. ------------------ | Rookie Mt. | ------------------ No. of Snowmen: 30 Time Limit: 1'30"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 20 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #2 Nancy, 15 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #3 Jam, 10 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #4 Linda, 5 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #5 Tommy, 0 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 ----------------- | Big Snowman | ----------------- No. of Snowmen: 60 Time Limit: 3'00"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 40 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #2 Nancy, 30 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #3 Jam, 20 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #4 Linda, 10 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #5 Tommy, 0 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 ----------------- | Sunset Rock | ----------------- No. of Snowmen: 60 Time Limit: 3'00"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 40 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #2 Nancy, 30 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #3 Jam, 20 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #4 Linda, 10 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 #5 Tommy, 0 Snowmen, Freestyle 1 +---- TRICK GAME [7.03] ------------------------------------------------------+ Trick mode is extra special because it gives you a new course to work with that isn't available anywhere else in the game. It's a fairly easy course to race down, but performing tricks on it is another matetr entirely. The idea of the trick game is to score as many points through tricks as you can before reaching the goal line. You're also on a time limit, so you must reach the goal before it runs out or you'll be disqualified. Here is a chart showing how many points you get per trick: +------------------------------+------------------------------+ | TRICK TYPE | POINTS | +------------------------------+------------------------------+ +------------------------------+------------------------------+ | Board Grab | 1 Point | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Backwards Flip | 10 Points | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Front Flip | 10 Points | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Diagonal Flip (Left) | 10 Points | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Diagonal Flip (Right) | 10 Points | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Horizontal Flip | 10 Points | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Any Flip + Board Grab | 10 Points + 1 Per Grab | --------------------------------------------------------------- | Special Character Trick | 40 Points | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ ----------------- | ANIMAL LAND | ----------------- Time Limit: 3'00"00 -- Default Course Records -- ---------------------------- #1 Slash, 400 Points, Freestyle 1 #2 Nancy, 200 Points, Freestyle 1 #3 Jam, 100 Points, Freestyle 1 #4 Linda, 50 Points, Freestyle 1 #5 Tommy, 0 Points, Freestyle 1 -- STRATEGY -- -------------- Any character with high jump and turn make them the best choices for the trick mini-game. However, you can certainly beat the top score with any character as long as you practice. The freestyle, or one of the special, board is recommended. First thing you should be aware of is that the 3 minute time limit is huge. If you raced straight down the course you'd be done within 1 minute. So, don't rush and pull off as many tricks as often as you can. As soon as the race begins, don't speed off! Pull back on the joystick to move as slowly as possible. You should see a half-pipe in front of you with the words JUMP written on either side. Bring yourself to a stop in the middle and start boarding horizontally towards the words JUMP (either side is fine). Board back and forth for a while to build up some speed and then start doing flips on the sides of the pipe. You should keep this up until the time limit is at least half done. Even leaving only 1 minute on the clock is fine. Do any regular flip of the first jump and then, instead of turning the corner, use the side of the track as a half-pipe. Board straight up it and do another flip. If you can pull it off, turn around and then flip on the opposite side. Head down the hill and do a short-input special characetr trick of the jump. You'll land in the river. Do another flip trick or two off the sides of the corner just past the water and head on towards the grind rail. Jump on it to grind and cross the goal line. It sounds much easier than it all is. It's pretty tricky to get the 400 points needed to beat the top score. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) [8.00] --------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you have a question about SBK you may well be able to find the answer here! Q. What's the best way to earn money? A. It depends what you're best at. If you're an awesome racer and can win any course almost every time, then keep winning Ninja Land. If you haven't unlocked that yet, do the most difficult course you've got. If you're not a great racer, but are awesome at tricks, then try your luck at the Trick Game. Q. How do I unlock the secret courses? A. To unlock Quicksand Valley you must get 1st place in all the default stages --Rookie Mt. to Dizzy Land. To unlock Silver Mt. you need to win Quicksand Valley, and to unlock Ninja Land you must win Silver Mt. Q. How do I unlock the special boards? A. Take a look at the 'Boards' section of this guide for specifics. Basically, there are three boards that can be unlocked after you fulfil certain requirements. A. How do I unlock Shinobin? A. Come 1st place in Ninja Land. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- LEGAL INFORMATION [9.00] -----------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ This file is Copyright(c) 2005-2011 Andrew Barker. This file was entirely written by me, unless otherwise noted in a specific section. It may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. Only the following sites have permission to use and display this guide: -- GameFAQs [http://www.gamefaqs.com] If you wish to use this guide on your site, you MUST ask me before copying or using any part of it. You must have advanced written permission from me, the author, to use it. To contact me, use the email address at the top. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---- THE END [x.xx] ---------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Written by Andrew Barker. Nov 15th, 2011 - Feb 3rd, 2012, 2011. Version 1.00 (November 15th-17th, 2011) -- Guide written. Version 1.01 (February 3rd, 2012) -- Info about a new Grass Valley shortcut added.