Wacky Races Starring Dastardly and Muttley (PS2 Game)

Infobox VG| title = Wacky Races Starring Dastardly and Muttley


developer = Infogrames
publisher = Infogrames
designer =
engine =
released = 2001
genre = Racing
modes = Single player, 2-4 multiplayer
ratings = None
platforms = PlayStation 2
media =
requirements =
input =

Wacky Races Starring Dastardly and Muttley is a Playstation 2 game released in 2001. It was made by Infogrames and distributed by Warner Brothers. The game is based on the cartoon series Wacky Races which features 11 cars all racing over various landscapes to win first place. The most infamous vehicle is The Mean Machine driven by Dick Dastardly and Muttley.

Modes of Play

The game starts by showing two modes: arcade and adventure modes. Arcade mode features various challenges across various tracks. Adventure mode features normal racing across various tracks; in adventure mode the game's hidden secrets can be discovered.

Arcade Mode

1 Player Games

If you wish to play one player mode the following challenges can be played:
*Track Attack- Features cars trying to win battle points for setting traps and tricks on other cars.
*Wacky Cups- Requires you to win a series of tracks and come first place in an overall league to unlock hidden items.
*Time Trial- Involves you having to complete a track in a certain amount of time.

2-4 Players Games

If you wish to play 2-4 players mode you can take part in the following challenges:
*Track Attack- Features cars trying to win battle points for setting traps and tricks on other cars.
*Wacky Cups- Requires you to win a series of tracks and come first place in an overall league to unlock hidden items.
*Battle Games- These involve you battling other cars in the "Battle Arena".
*Versus- Involves 2-4 players racing on various tracks on an optional number of laps.

Adventure Mode

olo Adventure

Solo Adventures are for one player only and release you into "The Adventure Hub". You then race on tracks to win gold stars or Wacky Trial clocks to unlock more tracks and challenges.

Co-Operative Adventure

You and another player can team up to beat other cars in races. You and the other player must come in 1st and 2nd places however.

Team-Up Adventure

3-4 players can play any track or challenge event. Unfortunately nothing can be unlocked in this mode as the game manual states "It would be "too" easy."

The Adventure Hub

The Adventure Hub is where your adventure begins. There are four very distinct themes:
*Snow- Snowfall Peaks
*City- The Big Apricot
*Forest- Redwood Valley
*Desert- Wild FrontierWhen you go into each theme there is a challenge sign post.

Challenge Sign Post

These are located in the themes usually along the roads which can be followed. They give you the option of various races and challenges that can be unlocked.

Events and Challenges

Track Challenge

This is the first type of event. You must race around a track in a 3-lap race and come in first place in order for you to win a gold star. If you're fast enough you can also unlock a wacky trial clock.

Wacky Cup Challenge

Once all five tracks have been unlocked and one at one of the signposts another type of challenge is available; the Wacky Cup Challenge. You must race along all five of the tracks in that area. You must then come in a high position in order to win points. The person with the highest overall score is awarded with a gold star.

Golden Muttley Challenge

Once a Wacky Cup Challenge has been won you then unlock the Golden Muttley Challenge. This involves the exact same thing as a track challenge except that there are 10 Golden Muttley Statues hidden on the way. To complete the challenge you must pick up all 10 and come in 1st place.

Battle Challenge

The next challenge is the Battle Challenge. You are pitted against 7 other opponents in a themed arena and must compete in a "battle-royale".

Team 00 Tag Challenge

This is the final event. In this 5 round race you must come higher than last place since at the end of every round the car(s) in last place is eliminated.

Themed Areas and Tracks

Each themed area has 5 tracks to unlock by winning gold stars. The theme starts you off with 2 "free tracks". The others must be unlocked by winning other races.

Wild Frontier

Wild Frontier is a huge desert packed with places such as Wild West towns and coal mines. The races here are:
*Oil be Back "(Free track)"
*Tombstone Pass "(Free track)"
*Los Angle Tease Square "(4 stars needed)"
*Railway Canyon "(7 stars needed)"
*Manic Mines "(8 stars needed)"

nowfall Peaks

Snowfall Peaks is a cold place where snow falls all the time. This theme features mountain towns and huge lakes. The races here are:
*Snow La Costa "(Free track)"
*Snow Hope Village "(Free track)"
*Gruesome Towers "(5 stars needed)"
*Glacier Lake "(7 stars needed)"
*Ice Caverns "(9 stars needed)"

Redwood Valley

Redwood Valley is a huge forest area. It features various locations such as twisty creeks and a Wacky Races version of Mount Rushmore. The races here are:
*Lumberjack Lake "(Free track)"
*Scarecrow Creek "(Free track)"
*Wood Stockade "(15 stars needed)"
*Redwood Springs "(17 stars needed)"
*Rush More Rapids "(19 stars needed)"

The Big Apricot

The Big Apricot (a pun on the Big Apple) is a huge city. It features twisting subways and rooftop race tracks. The races here are:
*Fish 'n' Ships "(Free track)"
*Subway Shenanigans "(Free track)"
*Alone in the Park "(26 stars needed)"
*Terminal Turmoil "(28 stars needed)"
*Rooftop Runaround "(30 stars needed)"

Boss Area

Once 10 stars have been rewarded the Boss Area is unlocked. There you must compete against the 3 boss cars: the Convert-a-Car, the Crimson Haybailer and the Mean Machine. There are also three special boss tracks:
*Snow Top Drop: Convert-a-car "(Challenge one: x10 stars) (Challenge two: x20 wacky trial clocks)"
*Wood Stockade 2: The Crimson Haybailer "(Challenge one: x20 stars) (Challenge two: x30 wacky trial clocks)"
*Up Sand Downs: The Mean Machine "(Challenge one: x30 stars) (Challenge two: x40 wacky trial clocks) (Challenge three: x53 wacky trial clocks and x53 gold stars)"Cars can be unlocked after second challenge is completed with the exception of the Mean Machine which is unlocked after all three challenges are completed.

Battle Arena

This is unlocked in a very late stage in the game. It is hidden in a huge volcano shaped like Muttley's head.

Collectibles

Tokens

These are pink discs floating along the track. When picked up they fuel gadgets and give you the option to perform one. Once they are used, they are shot out the back and left for other drivers to pick up.

Gold Stars

Gold stars are needed to unlock various things such as tracks and areas. They are gained by winning various events.

Wacky Trial Clocks

These clocks are rewarded when a race is a won in a certain amount of time, (by beating the time Dick Dastardly did the race in). These are needed to unlock boss challenges as well.

Wacky Mirrors

These are hidden away on the tracks. To unlock them you must drive into them. After this you are given the option of playing the game as if it were mirrored.

Gadgets

Gadgets mainly fall into 7 categories. They are:
*Homing
*Shielding
*Flying
*Turbo
*Mine
*Stuck!
*Other

Homing is where you will launch an attack at another Wacky racer and follows them until they are hit or it loses them. Once hit, the victim do a 360 degree flip and stars or birds will fly over their heads. They will not be able to use any gadgets until the stars/birds have gone and the flip slows them down. If a homing weapon is deflected from a shield, it will home in on the car who shot it. These include The Compact Pussycat "Lippy Shot" and the Army Surplus Specials "Mortar".

Shielding is where your car will somehow cover itself. All enemy attacks and mines will be deflected when the shielding weapon is on. Also, accidental shielding can happen as well. When this occurs, the weapon will be deflected but it will not home in on another car. Moments of accidental shielding are when the Convert-a-car is in the middle of transforming or when a car has been shrunk by the mean machine or the creepy coupe. This includes the Mean Machines "Mean mobile".

Flying gives the vehicle using it to fly for a short while.

Turbo speaks for itself.

A mine is where your vehicle leaves behind an explosive or otherwise. Any other car unfortunate to run over it will do the standard flip and stars. If run over by a shielded vehicle, the mine will only explode when the car who set it runs over it.

Stuck! weapons immobilise another vehicle for a short amount of time. These include the Bullet proof bomb "Concrete-a-coat gun" and the Arkansas Chuggabug "Bubble gum shot".

Other gadgets do not fall into these categories. These are:
Bullet proof bomb "Rat-a-tat-attack" - A series of bullets that shoot straight forward.
Compact Pussycat "Kiss" - Homes in on another vehicle. Once it hits, it reverses the controls of the car for a short period of time and hearts fly above their heads.

Vehicles

All vehicles from the cartoon are featured in the game. The vehicles are put in 5 groups.

Average cars

These cars are good all-rounders. The manual states that they are especially suitable for novice players. Their ratings are:
Grip: 3
Acceleration: 3
Speed: 3

Average cars are:
*The Boulder Mobile
*The Buzz Wagon

Grippers

These cars are the best at going round corners. These cars are useful for tracks with especially tight corners, although they struggle on long straights due to their low top speed. Their ratings are:
Grip: 5
Acceleration: 3
Speed: 2
Grippers are:
*The Compact Pussycat
*The Arkansas Chugga-Bug

High Speedsters

These cars have the highest top speed and are useful on tracks with long straights. However, they take a long time to reach top speed and handling is compromised, especially on the Creepy Coupe.
Ratings:
Grip: 2
Acceleration: 2
Speed: 5
Speedsters are:
*The Creepy Coupe
*The Army Surplus Special

Accelerators

These cars accelerate up to speed quickly at the start of the race or after a corner. Their speed is decent, but they suffer round the corners. Their ratings:
Grip: 2
Acceleration: 5
Speed: 3
Accelerators are
*The Turbo Terrific
*The Bullet Proof Bomb

Boss Cars

These are unlocked through boss challenges which are played in the boss areas.

*Professor Pat Pending in the Convert-a-car.
Pat Pending's car is able to transform into several different vehicle to suit the circumstances, e.g. rocket on a straight and turtle shell when evading attack. His ratings are:
Speed: 5
Grip: Depends on the gadget being used
Acceleration: 5

*The Red Max in the Crimson HaybailerRed Max is the only Wacky Racer who flies without using a power-up (although he can grip the track with a certain power-up), making him useful on tracks with many water sections. Speed and acceleration are good but turning is very poor. His ratings are
Speed: 4
Acceleration: 4
Grip: Depends on the gadget being used.

*Dastardly and Muttley in the Mean MachineDastardly and Muttley are the villains of the game, with many of their power-ups geared towards attack. Their speed and acceleration are very good but handling is poor. Their ratings are:
Speed: 5
Acceleration: 5
Grip: 1

Cheats

All of the cars can be instantly unlocked through the cheat code: MONKEYSPOILERS

Cast

* Gregg Berger - Narrator
* Greg Burson - Red Max, Sergeant Blast, Peter Perfect, Rufus Ruffcut
* Jim Cummings - Dick Dastardly, Rock Slag, Gravel Slag, Big Gruesome, Private Meekly, Clyde
* Scott Innes - Professor Pat Pending
* John Stephenson - Luke
* Janet Waldo - Penelope Pitstop
* Billy West - Muttley, Lil Gruesome

ee also

* Wacky Races

External links

* [http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0253921/ Wacky Races] at The Internet Movie Database