California Games Game System: Atari Lynx Cheat Category: Cheat Game Company: Epyx Game Category: Sport game Hint, Cheat, Walkthrough:   California Games ================ Although the manual says it's two player, up to 4 can be Comlynxed. It may take a few tries, but keep at it. (It's also a bit slow, but hey, it wasn't meant for 4 players.. :) Surfing: =+=+=+=+ In the surfing game, you can ride the pelican. Run your last man into the bottom of the screen a few seconds before the timer runs out. The bird will fly across the screen until the timer runs out and you'll land on it! It's possible to do an UNREAL 360 (5 360's) for 1200 points (As opposed to 600 for a Quadruple 360) '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' BMX: +=+= If you stay just a little (about one pixel) above the place where the grass meets the dirt there won't be anything in your way (Like those pesky bales of hay). You can crash the game by hitting the bale of hay on the bottom of the track just before the finish line. The game will freeze and the only thing you can do it turn it off. Tiny tid-bit: If you're going _really_ fast when you cross the finish line and jump just a little after crossing it, you will end up crashing into something you can't see way to the right. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Strategies: 1 Make as many somersaults as you can, where ever you can. 2 Keep the speed up. 3 Drive in the middle. 4 Big points: At the 4th hill from the start(the long hill with the bar in the middle at the end) make a somersault and land on the edge below,you'll make another somersault:50 points. At the first BIG cliff, don't do anything, just dive on, with a little luck your bike will make a double somersault foreward:200-250 points. At the second BIG cliff make a somersault at the ramp(the one after the hill), your front wheel will hit the other ramp(not a complete somersault)and bounce back,you'll land on another ramp and make a few somersaults backwards:300 at the hill before the 2nd BIG jump make a somersault when driving up the hill, your front wheel will touch the end of te ramp and bounce back:100 points. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'd normally ride along the "bottom" of the road, just a hair above the grass. That way you miss all the obstacles. You just need to learn when to jump then {unless you're going *real* fast, don't forget that you'll need to do a "back flip" off of that first _big_ hill}. If you go fast enough, you should be able to get a 500+ score without too much trouble. If you want to get much bigger scores, you're going to have to do some "tricks." The one I do the most is at the first big hill there; Instead of just jumping off it, and not going to fast, do a "normal" jump real early, so that just your rear wheel clips the "corner" of the hill on your way down, and you'll do a double {triple?} FORWARD flip! Good for the extra points. And that hay-bail at the top of the hill will help you develop consistent timing for doing it. Once you've got that under your belt, try it on the next big hill. This one's much easier to mess up, though. But since it has those "landings," and if you do it right, you can end up doing a forward-backwards-then-forwards-again flip by bouncing off of the terrain without even hitting a button! BIG POINTS for this one, from what I recall. But remember: that one's not easy. (hmmm... this seems to have saned-out a bit... I wonder what's wrong...) Oh! Even when you get over a thousand, it still says, "As Good As James." (I was kind of hoping it would say, "Better Than James" or some junk, eventually.) ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Half-Pipe: +=+=+=+=+ Hitting Option 2 while skating will show off the Lynx's awesome scaling capabilities. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have also discovered another undocumented feature in California Games halfpipe. When the guy falls down, *immediately* hold down the option 2 button. Hold down this button for as long as you like. Eventually the music will be instrumental (best if using stereo headphones). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You also get more points for *slower* turns in the air. That is, if you have a lot of speed, start your turn IMMEDIATELY after leaving the ramp. You will do a graceful arc and chalk up to 1000 points. I seem to remember 1000 being the maximum, but its been a while since I've played. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you keep just pushing down, up, down, up...you'll never get anywhere. So here's what you do: start off by pushing down, push up as you start to climb, press A to turn (a tap should do it; you really don't even have to hold it), then repeat. When you pick up enough speed to clear the top of the pipe, you'll want to start holding the A button longer, so that you can get maximum points for the hold-your-skateboard-as-you-do-a-midair-180 turn. (Sorry, I don't know the real name). You don't ever need to do the B turn... but I always try to throw a few in, 'cause it looks so cool! :) '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Footbag: +=+=+=+= If you spin right after jumping, you spin faster than normal. Thus, jump and hit the bag with your head, then spin away... Also-- in the manual under Foot Bag it says: "Score an extra 50 points for hitting the seagull in the beak with the foot bag (but only in this game -- be kind to the birdies in the other events)." [ Thought that was pretty cute. :) d.g. ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To even get MUCH higher scores bounce the sack off your head continously, this increases your score by 20 (I think) each time and also is quite quick.