Zen #1: When first registering & outfitting your new racecar with weapons & stickers & things in the Machine Shop, buy the weapon first. You can use the weapon to get the paintjob you want. You will find it very difficult to use the paintjob to get the weapon you want.
Zen #2: Before purchasing any weapon, make sure beforehand that you have the engines to be able to use it. It is a torment to buy a weapon & not be able to use it immediately. There are six different kinds of engines. Some weapons will use multiple types. The 'Power Car' bodies can be a good alternative to buying expensive engines, but they can also immediately identify your racing style & weapons used to other more experienced racers, even before the race begins.
Zen #3: Combining the effects of weapons will win races for you quickly. I'll leave it up to you to decide which combinations will work successfully for your particular racing style.
Zen #4: Frequently alter the way you race & the weapons that you use, so that your opponents will not become too familiar with your tactics and hand you your bottom to wear as a hat. Purchasing several different cars with differing engines & weapons over time will help to accomplish this.
Zen #5: Develop your driving skills on the 'one on one tracks' located inside the Flaming Pizza building, for weapons alone will not win you any races.
Zen #6: You have two hands on the keyboard. Learn to use them both at the same time.
Zen #7: If you know that you've lost the race, than trick out. A maximum of 250 points per race (500 points per race for World Race tracks) can be obtained using tricks. Pretend that you are a skate punk. Combinations of tricks will earn you significantly more points, especially tricks in two or more directions at once. You must merely finish the race to claim the points.
Zen #8: Promptly clear the track for other racers after you have finished a race. any water trap or road shoulder will do nicely. This will appear polite & courteous to your fellow racers.
Zen #9: Every ten races go to the Town Center and check your score using the blimp. This saves your score & helps to prevent game crashes. If it is obvious that things are a bit strange while you are racing, then go the Town Center every five races instead, because this is still BETA software. It will crash on you before you can say "Mario Andretti" and you will lose the credits you have earned since your last save. It's a real bummer to have to earn them all over again.
Zen # 10: You can almost double your score by continually buying and selling weapons, engines, stickers, and paintjobs in the Machine Shop until your credits are gone.
Zen #11: While in the chat room, be polite and well mannered. Rude or obnixious chatters often are lonely. Keep it clean.
The Final Zen: Losers don't get to do the Superior Dance in the Winners Circle, don't get sloshed with champagne from a trophy, and don't get smothered in smootches by twins. Winners at PlanetHotWheels don't get any of those things either (unless you live with twins), but it sure is fun to pretend.
