Chase Your Way to a High Score in Chariot Chase!

Game Basics

In this game you will be guiding an Alabriss-led chariot through a figure-eight track. You get to choose from four different Alabrisses in the beginning of the game which is a nice change (although you don't really see your Alabriss in the game since it's so tiny, but who cares, right?).

You will use the arrow keys to guide your Alabriss; the up arrow moves you forward, the left key moves you left and the right key guides you right.

Your aim in this game is to make as many figure-eights as possible in order to accrue laps. The more laps you complete, the more points you get!

Playing the Game

There are two different ways to play this game: normal mode and hard mode. The horses are more aggressive in hard mode I find and you will come across more dung (explained later) which will trip you up. Experiment with each mode to figure out which works best for you.

After you've chosen the mode you want to play in, you'll get to choose your Alabriss. Then you will be randomly placed somewhere in the line up with the other chariots and are given 5 seconds before the race starts. I suggest holding down the up arrow key from when the timer starts so that when it's time to go you get a good head start above the others. When it's time to go you are actually given a second head start before the computer generated chariots start. It is important to use this head start to your advantage!

Once you've started, you will need to guide your chariot through the figure eight following the pattern of the other chariots. Make sure to make a complete figure eight back to the red lap line. If you only make circles around one side of the eight your laps won't count and you won't get any points at all.

Look out for the following objects which can either harm or help you:

Other Chariots: These are not only your competitors but the way that you will lose lives! You start the game with 4 lives but each time you hit or get hit by another chariot you will lose a life. Not only this but, in addition, you will temporarily be "stunned" and blinking red, preventing you from picking up a power-up should you come across one. These are nasty little buggers aren't they?

Dung: Another thing to stay away from but the name should make this quite obvious! If you hit some dung along your way you will slip and slide and it will be quite hard to steer correctly. These are often put directly in your path so be careful to maneuver around them.

Altador Sun: This is a power-up that will help you a lot! It gives you temporary invincibility which will enable you to hit any and every chariot in your way without causing you to lose a life! Woohoo! Keep watch though, once it starts blinking it means the power-up is about to run out.

Clock: This is another power-up that will slow down all your opponents enabling you to whiz past them as they stare in jealousy. This too won't last long, however, so use it wisely to get as many laps in without interruption as possible.

Cloud: This is the third and last power-up in the game. Pick this up and you will grow wings! Literally! This power-up will give you a burst of speed and also acts as invincibility. Double the goodies! :)

Walls: These aren't necessarily an enemy, but they aren't your friend either. If you hit these they won't cause you to lose lives but they will stop you in your tracks. If you've got a groove going gliding through those figure-eights, the walls will be the first thing to stop you if you happen to hit it! Try to stay away if you can, although it's quite hard to avoid them entirely.

Tips and Strategies

In this game you are timed but that doesn't mean you should go crazy sliding along the track hitting any and everything in your path just to get in those laps. This is a surefire way to losing all your lives very quickly. Remember, even if you don't hit another chariot but they hit you, you lose a life. You will need to use caution and good timing to guide your chariot along the figure eight to avoid the other chariots. If you're at the crossing of the figure eight, for example, and a lot of other chariots are blocking your way, just wait for a second until they pass. It's better to lose some time and complete the laps then lose your lives along the way.

This isn't really a tip as much as a reminder to keep an eye on the green arrow which notifies you which chariot is yours. With all the chariots on screen it is easy to lose track of which chariot is yours until you realize you've been following one that isn't yours. Use the little green arrow, that's what it's there for.

-Try to keep your chariot in the middle of the track to help you keep yourself away from the walls. Hitting walls really slows you down so keep your eyes in the middle of the track and try to make your chariot follow the path you're making with your eyes.

You can increase your score by completing more laps in less time. Generally, if you take a long time to complete a lap then you will make 100NPs per lap. If you complete a lot of laps in a short period of time you can increase your score by a lot. This doesn't take place of my first tip though, you need to balance going fast and keeping control of your chariot so you can gain points AND keep your lives.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. I hope by reading this guide that you have learned a little bit more about this game. Remember that practice is the best strategy in increasing your score! See you on the high score tables!