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PS2 Isle of Man TT: Walk-through |
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Like most console racers the game starts off with a limited number of machines and features a challenge mode that unlocks uprated bikes to take on the legends. In the arcade mode you start off with a single bike only in each class, 125cc, 250, 400, 600, 750, 1000 and side-car.
One suprise when you fire up arcade mode in the IOM is that you can only enter the Southern-100 race, a shorter 4mile route to the South (funnily enough). Although its tempting to leap onto the beasty 1000cc machine and charge off round the circuit the Arcade mode doesnt actually unlock any further machines so you're stuck with the single bike in each class.
Obviously, what you have to do is complete the challenge modes in each class. At first you can only work on the 125cc class challenges until you complete the master-class at which point you can attempt the 250cc challenges until you finish that master-class and so on...
The master-classes are short tests, top-speed runs, braking distance tests, minimum cornering tests, and end to end short time trials. You need to finish on the podium in each one to progress to the next master class test, and it pays to work on each one until you finish first (gold) which will unlock more goodies, leathers, helmets, and especially bikes.
Once you've finished the master-class in each capactiy you get to race the Dunlop Cup, which in turn unlocks the Southern-100, which in turn unlocks the Castleton cup and after that you finally get to race the Men-and-Motors Trophy which is run on short stretches of the actual TT route itself.
This might seem a bit tedious at first, but the game is so good you hardly notice, and its actually fun riding the slower machines, and definately a bit easier to get round the Southern-100 route without too many fatalities.
If you repeat the challenges in the 250's, 400's you'll have unlocked a good number of the smaller capacity bikes and most of the TT circuit so you'll be starting to get to know the route pretty well and you'll have at a better selection of bikes to use in Arcade mode where it pays to have something a little beastier than the default machine that the game starts off in. I found it much easier to win Arcade races once I'd unlocked and used at least one bike in any class.
Once you actually start winning the Arcade races you eventually unlock the Duke-TT event in each class which is a full lap of the TT circuit in a grid-start race with 4 other maniacs. It takes loads of laps till you get your head round the real dodgy parts of the circuit. As Shaun Harris says in the master-class videos .. "I always take the fast corners fast, and the slow corners slow", seems obvious, but it actually takes a lot of conscious effort to get off the throttle.
Unless pride gets in your way I'd definately suggest you leave the bike handling in challenge mode set to Novice, and leave the gears on auto while you clear the challenges. You might also lower the fuel load and choose softer tires. You'll get through the challenges a lot quicker and can then get on with some real racing in the Arcade mode with the newly unlocked goodies.
See Also: Isle Of Man PS 2 | IOM Lap Records | My PS 2 Games