SURVIVING DESTRUCTION

STAY ON THE TRACK WITH THESE KEY TIPS

USE YOUR BRAKES

This isn’t Mario Kart – braking is essential to avoid banging into the sides of the narrow courses of the original Destruction Derby. Ricocheting off the sides will cause your engine to smoke out well before the end of the race, and there are some vicious turns to deal with on courses like Ocean Drive.

PROTECT YOUR RADIATOR

Damage to the rear and sides of your car will affect its handling and speed, even causing you to constantly veer to the left or right. But as long as the front of the car is intact, you can keep going. Avoid head-on collisions at all costs to make it to the end of the race.

GET INTO FIRST PLACE AND STAY THERE

Not as easy as it sounds, of course, but gaining an early lead makes things a whole lot easier. You’ll encounter the odd back marker, but these are far easier to deal with than being stuck in the middle of the pack, constantly getting shunted from fore and aft. SLOW DOWN FOR CROSSROADS

A couple of tracks feature crossroads that are utterly lethal. It’s easy to get spun off course by cars approaching from the left or right, and you can end up being shunted down the wrong stretch of track entirely. Even if it means losing your position, it’s better to slow down and cross carefully.

AIM FOR THE REAR CORNER TO SPIN OPPONENTS

You gain points by spinning other cars, and the safest way to do this is to pull alongside and gently nudge the left or right rear corner of the other car with your wing. Slamming into another car head on is a sure-fire way to knacker your radiator before the race is over.

GO BACKWARDS

The game will try to flip you around to driving forwards if you attempt to reverse on the main race tracks, but going backwards is a valid tactic on The Bowl arena. In fact, it’s pretty much essential if your radiator is one hit away from smoky doom.