Basic Tips

• Before the start of the race, rev your engine until the tachometer needle turns blue. Keep the needle in the blue area and you will get a boost of speed when the race begins. The blue area is located in a different spot for every car, so practice the speed boost when you upgrade your car or when you buy a new one.
  
  Watch the onscreen map for curves or turns. For gentle turns, keep your speed up and steer toward the middle of the road. For sharp turns, release the accelerator button as you approach the turn. Keep to the middle of the road, and speed up as you complete the turn. Do not take turns so quickly that you skid off the road or end up on the shoulder; however, try not to use the brake unless you are taking a very sharp turn.
  
  Watch the road for obstacles, such as crates, signs or traffic. If you hit an obstacle, skid during a turn or lose control of the car, use a nitro boost to center yourself and regain your speed. If you have to brake or slow down for a turn, use the nitro boost to bring yourself back up to speed. Save some nitro for the end of the race and boost over the finish line.
  
  Use the map to keep track of the locations of your opponents. If your opponent uses a shortcut, follow his lead, and take advantage of the shortcut yourself. Use Speedbreaker techniques on very tight corners to gain an edge over your opponents. Keep a lookout for pursuit breakers, which are large objects on skinny poles that you can knock loose with your car, causing pursuers to crash. Use pursuit breakers to slow down opponents or police cars. If you are playing a circuit race, make sure to save the pursuit breakers for the final lap.
  
  

Police

• Occasionally, your antics will attract the attention of the local police. When the police are chasing you, you will see a "heat level" indicator on the screen. The heat level will increase as the pursuit goes on, and the police will become more aggressive as the heat level increases. At heat level 1 or 2, you can easily ram into police cruisers to get them off your tail. At levels 3 and up, however, the police cars become much tougher.
  
  Use Speedbreakers to dodge roadblocks and police SUVs. Change your car's body kit and paint decals at a car shop to lower the heat level. Take quick turns down side streets and use pursuit breakers to lose the police. Avoid the freeway, since police can follow you more easily there. Look for hiding areas on the map, which allow you to lose the police more quickly.