Muppet Race Mania complete guide (2024)

Why? I love Muppet Race Mania, and no-one else ever did a proper guide for it, so here I am.

OK, that’s an exaggeration. As you can quickly confirm in thelinkssection, there were at least two official sites for this PlayStation kart racer, and there were quite a few reviews of the game were written after its release in 2000. But the official Henson Interactive site used too much Flash, didn’t include detailed playing hints for every level and (most significantly) is now officially defunct. The site from developer Traveller’s Tales had lots of interesting preliminary graphics, not much else, and all that content is also offline. This guide fills in all those gaps and provides lots of detailed trivia for the obsessive Muppet fan and/or gamer, complete with a 2023 tidy-up.

Features of this guide include:

Anoverviewof the game, including general advice on how to win;
A completeguideto all 34 courses, including tips on winning specific races and finding hidden objects;
A comprehensive list ofMuppetsfeatured in the game, including dialogue and the cars they drive;
Cheat codesfor those of you who don’t want to finish the game the hard way;
Preliminary sketchesby the game’s designers;
Other miscellaneous bits and pieces, such as the originalpress releaseannouncing the game,linksto other relevant sites, a brief comment on thevoicesin the game, the less-confusing-than-the-manualexplanationof how to play, and other assorted pieces oftrivia.

Muppet Race Mania, Muppets, and characters were all trademarks of the Jim Henson Company when the game was released, and are now trademarks of Disney. Most of the graphics used on this site are originally from the game’s official sites, which are all now defunct; I’ve included them here to preserve the historical record. No infringement of copyright is intended; this is purely a fan guide.

How does Muppet Race Mania work?

Like virtually every kart racer before it, Muppet Race Mania owes a hefty debt to Mario Kart. Its main innovations are an extremely large cast of Muppet characters, a wider range of settings than is found in most kart racers, and some levels that are more than difficult enough to put lie to the idea that the Muppets are purely a kiddie franchise.

While casual players can simply enjoy running their preferred Muppet through the basic courses, unlocking everything that’s available within the game requires many hours of dedicated play. Fortunately, there’s a save option (though it isn’t automatic and is buried rather confusingly in the Options menu).

Henson produced a pretty good pretty goodexplanationof the basic game controls which I’ve included further on in this guide, so I’m not going to reinvent the wheel on that front.

Essentially, to completely finish the game, you need to do all of the following on every level (including levels which are only unlocked partway through the game):

Win the race;
Win the race or battle against the hidden Muppet (if there is one);
Find the movie in Adventure mode;
Collect all the stars in Adventure mode;
Collect all the fruit in Adventure mode;
Collect all the tokens in Adventure mode;
Rescue the Doozer in Adventure mode.

Doing this gets you a gold star for that course on the Status menu. Although collecting the fruit and stars on every level can be tedious, you’ll need to do so to unlock some courses. As well as all this, you need to win Tournament Leagues A and B with at least 30 points each, and the Battle League with at least 20 points. Accomplishing all this is extremely difficult; I haven’t yet managed it myself (though I am a pretty incompetent games player in general). Thecheat codeswill let you experience most of the levels without all this pain, but won’t unlock the Disco level.

Even between the original manual and the on-site explanation, there are lots of elements of the game which you can only learn about through playing. Here are some of the more crucial ones:

WHAT UNLOCKS WHAT?

On normal races, collecting all the stars unlocks a reverse race on that course, collecting all the tokens unlocks a battle race, and collecting all the food unlocks a battle. Each option can then be accessed from the Secrets menu. These extras can be fun, but don’t need to be completed to totally finish a course.
On battle races, collecting all the stars doesn’t unlock anything, collecting all the tokens unlocks a chicken chase race, and collecting all the food unlocks the boss challenge. Completing the boss challenge then lets you battle as that boss (and you need to complete the boss challenge to finish the course).
On stunt races, collecting all the stars unlocks a reverse race, collecting all the tokens unlocks a chicken chase race, and collecting all the food unlocks a battle.
Collecting all the stars on all the regular courses unlocks the Studio level.
Collecting all the food on all the regular courses unlocks the Arches level.
Rescuing all the Doozers on all the regular courses unlocks the Fraggle Rock level.
Fully completely all the regular courses unlocks the Disco level.
Fully completing all levels unlocks the six bonus courses.
Using a special power move during a race will make the vehicles of all Muppets racing against you available to the Muppet character you’re currently playing. (This means that getting all vehicles available for all Muppets requires you to repeatedly race as each character in a race where special power moves are useful — Central Park is probably the best bet.)

OTHER NOTES:

In Adventure mode, collecting the movie or finding the hidden Muppet automatically ends the level. If you’ve been collecting fruit, tokens or stars, you may be better off finishing that task and returning for the Muppet/movie another time.
To get 30 points in the tournaments, you need to score 5 points per race. This generally means you need to win the race (3 points), plus get at least two of the following: best start, most hits, or best lap. There are some hints below on how to achieve this.
When moving Doozers, use weapons you pick up to get them further faster. You can also force them over long areas or through tricky points by using fruit boost (using R1 when your meter isn’t full).
Fruit boost will also help you recover from a special move attack quicker, and move through water at a normal pace (which is essential on the Dock level).
Although all special move attacks last for 5 seconds, some are more dangerous than others. Most simply stop you moving; a few (such as Miss Piggy’s) allow you to keep moving, but at a reduced pace; and some (such as the Doozer’s) actually move you around, so you’re generally pointing in the wrong direction when the attack finishes. Not that there’s much you can do to avoid them, especially if you don’t want to waste fruit.
Each movie clip gets shown the first time you access a race; to view it again, you’ll need to find it in Adventure mode.
Once you become skilled at the game, penguins are by far the most useful weapon, since you can use them to cause chaos even when you’re in first place. If you’ve got a big lead and you pick up a chicken, you may as well get rid of it and try for something else.
When collecting fruit, stars and tokens in stunt mode, it’s much easier to begin at either the beginning or end of the course. If you get placed somewhere in the middle, abandon the course and try again.
If you’re having trouble steering, pressing Select will switch on Dr Julius T Strangepork’s assistance invention. The manual mentions this, but doesn’t note that the path you follow is the same one that’s used during a MegaBoost. In practice, it’s hard to win most races using this invention.

My recommended technique for winning races in Muppet Race Mania

While there are doubtless other ways of doing it, the most reliable way to win most of the races is as follows:

Make use of all the available shortcuts;
Concentrate on picking up enough fruit so that your meter is full by the time you hit the third lap;
Use your MegaBoost about halfway through the final lap, so that you land at the finish line just as it runs out. (In the course guide below, I’ve identified this as the launch point.)

There are some exceptions to this rule, mostly on courses which have unusual shortcuts (Graveyard) or huge amounts of fruit (Central Park). If you’re trying to win the tournament, using this technique will sometimes make it almost impossible to get the point for ‘most hits’ — but you’ll always get the fastest lap points, so if you get the best start points as well you’ll still score the 5 points you need in each race to achieve the dream target of 30 points or more. (On some courses, you can easily use this technique and beat the crap out of everyone else at the same time.)

In general, special power attacks aren’t worth doing to win races; save them for acquiring the vehicles of other Muppets in races you dedicate to that purpose. The only exception is if you can see someone’s a good way ahead of you and you think you can catch up.

In this site’sguideto each course, I’ve included information on how to ensure you collect enough fruit, which shortcuts are worth using, where the right place is to launch your MegaBoost attack in order to sail over the starting line. This technique isn’t absolutely guaranteed, but you will win most of the time using it.

Track-by-track guide to Muppet Race Mania

Muppet Race Mania includes 24 main courses (two races, one battle and one stunt for each of the six Muppet Movies), plus four bonus courses which are awarded during the progress of the game, and six bonus courses which become available when the game is completed. Information on the structure of each course, plus hints on how to complete it and sarcastic comments from Statler and Waldorf, are outlined below. I’ve included the hints and descriptions (minus the millions of errors!) from the official site, as well as the maps originally found on the Traveller’s Tales site.

The Muppet Movie:Swamp–Ghost Town–Canyon–Funfair
The Great Muppet Caper:Happiness Hotel–Mallory Gallery–Trafalgar Square–Restaurant
The Muppets Take Manhattan:Central Park–New York City–Theatre–Diner
The Muppet Christmas Carol:Old London Town–Graveyard–Chamber–Rooftops
Muppet Treasure Island:Dock–Treasure Island–Lagoon–Mountain
Muppets From Space:Secret Base–Cape Doom–Laboratory–Muppet Labs
Bonus:Studio–Arches–Fraggle Rock–Disco
The End:Speedway–Rally–Glacier–Volcano–Haunted House–Whatever

Swamp

Race type: Race A
Token: Banjo (10)
Food: 66
Stars: 37
Description: This course is based on Kermit’s home from the opening scenes of the Muppet Movie. It’s got lots of twists and turns amongst the logs and lily pads. Be on the lookout for swampy shortcuts!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Hey, do you want to watch this race?” “I can’t! I’m swamped!”
“So this is where it all began.” “Too bad this isn’t where it all ended!”
Hidden Muppet: Robin
Movie location: In the centre of the wooden hut just near the start line
Movie clip: Kermit singing ‘The Rainbow Connection’
Hints from official site: A quick left turn before the second log tunnel can make the difference between the checkered flag or swamp gas.
Gusworld’s hints: Be sure to take the shortcut just before the second wooden tunnel each time.
FRUIT COLLECTING: Follow a straight line all the way through the first tunnel and pick up the fruit on the first lilypad to be sure of getting a high enough total (since you’ll skip a lot of fruit taking the shortcut).
Don’t worry about getting a fast start — you’ll be able to collect more fruit if you let the others past initially.
This is a rather difficult course to begin the game — it has several false turns and lots of water!
Launch point: Just after turning into the shortcut tunnel (this means you overshoot slightly, but it’s safer than risking taking the long way round!)

Ghost Town

Race type: Race B
Token: Dynamite (10)
Food: 75
Stars: 33
Description: It’s a showdown in the Old West as the Muppets race amongst the cacti and the catacombs of this dusty ghost town. Choose your path carefully in the mine and blast your way through the saloon for a refreshing shortcut!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “The race starts at high noon.” “That’s our nap time.” “Good, then we won’t miss anything!”
“Things here are really old and falling apart.” “Yeah, it reminds me of you!”
Hidden Muppet: None
Movie location: In the last pool in the mountain (enter from the right-hand side)
Movie clip: Arriving in the Ghost Town
Hints from official site: Take the far left fork in the mountain or sharp shoot the targets in the saloon, and you’ll home before the others.
Can’t find all the fruit? Blow apart the boxes in the town!
Gusworld’s hints: Taking the far left fork is a good hint, but don’t worry about the targets. Instead, turn right (rather than the indicated left) as you exit the mountain, and follow the ramp up.
All the dynamite is hidden off the track (that is, in places you wouldn’t pass during a normal race) — check the indicated spots on the map.
You can save time when you reach the first bridge by jumping over the railings and to the left, saving a sharp left-hand turn.
FRUIT COLLECTING: If you follow the indicated paths, you’ll have fruit to spare.
Launch point: As you exit the mountain (this won’t include the shortcut, but it shouldn’t matter).

Canyon

Race type: Battle
Token: Barrel (10)
Food: 39
Stars: 30
Description: This battle of ‘grand’ proportions is set in Canyon country. Rev up on the ramps for a high-flying attack or sneak inside the tunnels to take cover.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “I could drive this track with my eyes closed.” “Well, that’s nothing new. That’s how you always drive!”
“Do you think they would drive me?” “Drive you where?” “Drive me crazy!”
Boss Muppet: Sweetums
Movie location: In the side tunnel (near the Doozer)
Movie clip: Kermit and Fozzie fall asleep in the car
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: Forget hiding in the tunnels — stay in the central area, and attack when other Muppets emerge from the tunnels.

Funfair

Race type: Stunt
Token: Ice Cream Cone (10)
Food: 101
Stars: 37
Description: It’s the world’s most thrilling ride! But take it slow; skill, not speed, is the key. A balloon ride can give you an aerial advantage or find a Warp Point to put you on the right track to finishing.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Have you ever seen a sideshow?” “Aren’t we watching one right now?”
“Do you want to go to the Midway?” “No, I want to go all the way — home!”
Hidden Muppet: Scooter
Movie location: At the end of the course
Movie clip: Piggy rushes to join the trip
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: The only really tricky part on this course is getting the Doozer over the pool (a cone is also hidden here) — you’ll need to launch off the track with some fruit boost to get this to work.

Happiness Hotel

Race type: Race A
Token: Alarm Clock (10)
Food: 96
Stars: 30
Description: If you thought this hotel seemed run down in the movie, imagine being run down by Muppet Racers crashing through its corridors! And all that fruit lying around in the halls is better than room service for the ravishing racer.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “This is the Happiness Hotel!” “Yep, does it make you happy?” “Yes, happy that I’m not staying here!”
“I thought hotels were for sleeping!” “Would you sleep here?” “Start the race!”
Hidden Muppet: Floyd
Movie location: Behind the second target to the right
Movie clip: Arriving at the Happiness Hotel
Hints from official site: Going Up! An elevator ride just past the starting line could make your stay on this track a pleasant one.
Gusworld’s hints: The elevator ride is only a useful shortcut if the elevator is there as you drive past.
FRUIT COLLECTING: If you follow the indicated paths, you’ll have fruit to spare.
When using the MegaBoost, be sure to hold down left as you come to the bottom of the main stairwell, otherwise you’ll be pointlessly diverted around the room with the table in it.
To grab the clock near the bottom of the stairs at the start, you’ll need to jump through from the balcony/lobby above.
This jump can also save you heaps of time during a reverse race — try it over 10 laps and you should be able to lap the other racers twice!
Launch point: Halfway down the stairs (or halfway up the stairs, if you’re thinking backwards and feeling especially Muppety).

Mallory Gallery

Race type: Race B
Token: Painting (10)
Food: 71
Stars: 45
Description: The fine art of racing is put on display in the Mallory Gallery, from the Great Muppet Caper. Race through the hallways or even through the paintings themselves! Your favourite canvas will be the checkered flag when you win.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Some of these pictures are really old.” “You should know, you probably dated the models!”
“I really appreciate fine art.” “You do?” “Yes, and this isn’t it!”
Hidden Muppet: Dr Teeth
Movie location: Under the glass dome in the centre of the gallery; you have to remove the glass dome by activating the device hidden behind the target just before the start line
Movie clip: “Tuesday midnight at the Mallory Gallery”
Hints from official site: Some of the paintings in this gallery are not what they seem. You can actually jump into them for a short cut, but beware of the painting of the spinning checkered tunnel. This is a not-so-short cut!
Gusworld’s hints: Going through the picture tunnels will not save you any meaningful time!
Many of the painting tokens are hidden in areas you won’t access during a normal race, including three separate areas near the glass dome.
To access the painting hidden behind the glass frame, shoot the large picture of Miss Piggy which you’ll find just after the long corridor. (There’s a small picture of this painting with a target on it as a hint.)
FRUIT COLLECTING: If you follow the indicated paths, you’ll have fruit to spare.
Launch point: Just after passing through the storeroom (the lowest point in the building, filled with target paintings)

Trafalgar Square

Race type: Battle
Token: Umbrella (10)
Food: 54
Stars: 36
Description: From the movie The Great Muppet Caper, a battle ensues in London’s famous Trafalgar Square. You won’t find any beefeaters here, but a healthy diet of fruit for a Special Weapon attack could win the battle just in time for tea!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “There sure are a lot of pigeons here.” “Good job I brought my umbrella!”
“Do you enjoy riding the double decker buses?” “Yes, especially when they’re headed out of town!”
Boss Muppet: Beauregaard
Movie location: In the bottom left fountain area
Movie clip: Gonzo stops a taxi
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: The easiest way to win this battle is to run a continuous circle between the two sets of tunnels — this gives you continuous access to fruit and stars and means you can easily see approaching rivals.
Does it need to be said that this has almost no resemblance to the real Trafalgar Square?

Restaurant

Race type: Stunt
Token: Bottles (10)
Food: 61
Stars: 37
Description: Welcome to the only New York hotspot that encourages ‘dining and dashing’. Hop over tables, wine racks and furnaces like a waiter after a tip to finish faster.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “They’re racing in a restaurant.” “Boy, that gives a whole new meaning to drive-thru!”
“Do you want dessert?” “Yes, definitely.” “I thought you weren’t hungry.” “Oh, I thought you said ‘Do you want to desert?’!”
Hidden Muppet: Johnny Fiama
Movie location: At the end of the level
Movie clip: The gang dine in style
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: Watch out for the lifts, it’s easy to get trapped in a loop if you don’t pay attention!
As the whole movie is set in London, why is this restaurant supposedly in New York? Looks like someone wasn’t concentrating!

Central Park

Race type: Race A
Token: Newspaper (10)
Food: 106
Stars: 43
Description: There’s nothing like a nice walk in the park — except for driving at top speeds through the park! You can take the high road or the low tunnel, whatever gets you to the finish line before the rest of the Muppets.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Can’t you ice skate in Central Park in the winter?” “No, but then again, I can’t ice skate anywhere!”
“Are they racing again?” “No, they’re looking for a place to park!”
Hidden Muppet: None
Movie location: In the tunnel to the right after the first hay bale
Movie clip: A frog and a pig in love
Hints from official site: Hay is not just for horses. The third bale you find, and its short cut, is for you! Also if it’s a close race, cut off the last turn with a sharp left just before the brick wall.
The tunnel containing the film slate in Adventure Mode will aso greatly aid in a race!!!!
Gusworld’s hints: Two out of three of the official hints are good — but if you take the shortcut through the ‘movie tunnel’, you won’t need the ‘third bale’ shortcut.
FRUIT COLLECTING: This is the only course where you can routinely collect enough fruit for a MegaBoost twice within a three-lap race, even when using the shortcut. Use the first one for a Special Power attack, and then use a MegaBoost for the third lap.
Launch point: When you reach the up ramp towards the end of the course (though if you use the shortcut and collect lots of fruit, it shouldn’t actually be necessary).

New York City

Race type: Race B
Token: Music note (10)
Food: 90
Stars: 40
Description: Dateline: New York City. The streets are safe once more . . . until the Muppets Take Manhattan! Not only did they take it, they made it their raceway. Streets, sidewalks, alleys and buildings . . . all are fair game in this game!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “New York! The city that never sleeps.” “Until the frog and his friends bore ’em to death!”
“Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today . . .” “Great, let’s go!”
Hidden Muppet: Sal
Movie location: Down the escalator behind the gates.
Movie clip: Statler and Waldorf sunbake
Hints from official site: Cut through the bushes at the start and use the sewer steam to propel you way ahead faster than a New York Cabbie.
Short Cut: Go down the conveyor belt under the building. Drive through and come out the other side. Take a sharp left and find an alley that will put you in the lead.
Gusworld’s hints: For once, the official short cut is actually useful! To make the left turn easier, jump left when you’re about two-thirds of the way up the escalator.
When collecting the tokens and Doozer, you need to use the steam vent near the start, not the one near the Doozer Warp Point, to climb on top of the hedges.
FRUIT COLLECTING: If you follow the indicated paths, you’ll have fruit to spare.
Launch point: After taking the sharp left into the shortcut tunnel (you can launch in the escalator tunnel, but it’s hard to force the turn).

Theatre

Race type: Battle
Token: Poster (10)
Food: 50
Stars: 37
Description: From the Muppets Take Manhattan, the gang is battling for the spotlight on Broadway. When you take centre stage by sabotaging your opponents, you’ll be more than a winner just waiting in the wings.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “What do we have to do to see a good show around here?” “Avoid the frog and his friends!”
“Have you ever done any acting?” “All the time — I act like I want to be here!”
Boss Muppet: Bill, Gill & Jill
Movie location: On the ledge at the back of the stage
Movie clip: Statler and Waldorf see the sign for the show go up
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: Running a continuous loop around the back corridors and using lots of MegaBoosts is the best way of winning this battle — just be careful when you’re climbing the backstage ramp that someone doesn’t hit you from the other side.
To collect the movie and fruit from the stage ledge, you need to approach from the ramp in the stage after blowing up the floor target.

Diner

Race type: Stunt
Token: Coffee Cup (10)
Food: 64
Stars: 41
Description: If you learn how to ‘cook’ on a ‘Flying Pan’ you’ll eat this stunt track for lunch . . . man. Steam on the stoves will elevate you to the finish line.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Do you think I could get a decent cup of coffee?” “Sure, if you go someplace else!”
“Why would you drive through a diner?” “Because it’s better than eating here!”
Hidden Muppet: Swedish Chef
Movie location: At the very beginning of the course (which, perversely, you access via a warp point at the very end of the course)
Movie clip: In the diner, we encounter a rat waiter
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: A relatively straightforward course, make sure you collect all the fruit and stars off the floor!

Old London Town

Race type: Race A
Token: Candy (10)
Food: 102
Stars: 44
Description: Merry old England’s never seen so much madness as when the Muppets race through its snow-filled streets. Practice and the other Muppets won’t have a ghost of a chance to beat you!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “So , here we are in merry old England.” “I wish I were in my merry old bed!”
“The fog sure is thick today.” “Great, it’s the perfect excuse not to watch the race!”
Hidden Muppet: Clifford
Movie location: In the hidden tunnel just after the first barrel to the right of the
Movie clip: Gonzo and Rizzo sell apples
Hints from official site: Look for three target barrels side by side to find a short cut that will lead you under the track and a head of the pack.
Gusworld’s hints: As well as taking the ‘official’ shortcut, follow the top path to the left of the icy tunnel, shoot the barrel and turn left. This means you barely need to travel on the icy tunnel surface.
Be careful at the start of the race; if you don’t turn left quickly, you can waste any momentum you’ve built up running into a wall.
FRUIT COLLECTING: If you follow the indicated paths, you’ll have fruit to spare.
This is perhaps the hardest course in which to collect all the fruit in Adventure mode; persist!
Launch point: At the end of the tunnel containing the movie.

Graveyard

Race type: Race B
Token: Top Hat (10)
Food: 38
Stars: 23
Description: You’ll never find a graveyard more lively than one where the Muppets are racing through, motors roaring loud enough to wake the dead! The snowy track will make you best friends with your brake button. And of course, when you win, no doubt you’ll declare “Bless us, every one of us, especially me!”
Statler & Waldorf gags: “This is the scariest part of this race.” “The graveyard?” “No, the drivers!”
“Is that a plot over there?” “Not if we’re talking about a Muppet movie!”
Hidden Muppet: Zoot
Movie location: In the graveyard to the left of the underground crypt
Movie clip: Rizzo rings the bells
Hints from official site: Stairs on the left at the start will lead to a Warp Point, cutting this race in half and burying the competition.
Gusworld’s hints: Actually, there are two Warp points; the first takes you to the church roof, the second is at the back and takes you to the tomb in the crypt. You won’t be able to use this the first time around, since you’ll need a weapon to break into the church.
If you don’t want to ‘cheat’ by using the Warp Points, be sure to take the archway that leads to the frozen lake to the right of the crypt entrance. You’ll get more fruit this way and are less likely to get tangled in the crypt itself.
FRUIT COLLECTING: Not necessary if you use the Warp Points; a tad tricky otherwise (you need to get all the fruit on the lake to be in with a chance).
Launch point: Not needed if you use the Warp Point; otherwise, just before the icy lake.

Chamber

Race type: Battle
Token: Candles (10)
Food: 73
Stars: 48
Description: Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring . . . except a bunch of Muppets in an all-out assault! So here’s your chance to be Santa Claus and leave plenty of ‘penguin presents’ for the others to find.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t let ’em drive in the bedroom.” “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t let them drive at all!”
“Where is the chamber maid?” “Probably the same place as the rest of the house!”
Boss Muppet: Marley & Marley (aka Statler & Waldorf)
Movie location: In the right hand side room (behind the target)
Movie clip: Marley & Marley describe their chains
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: You can win this by staying on the lowest level, collecting fruit and stars, and waiting until most of the other Muppets defeat each other.
The screen grab on the official site for this course is actually from the Graveyard level.
I still haven’t defeated the bosses on this one — or rescued the Doozer!

Rooftops

Race type: Stunt
Token: Bell (10)
Food: 108
Stars: 48
Description: It’s a rooftop, it’s steep, and it’s snowing. Can you guess what makes this tricky? This rooftop race is a delicate balance of brakes and boost.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “You think they can fall off those rooftops?” “I sure hope so, I paid good money for these seats!”
“I can see a long way from up here.” “Too bad you can’t go a long way from up here!”
Hidden Muppet: Bean Bunny
Movie location: At the end of the course (hidden in a slide ramp)
Movie clip: Opening shot of Muppets at roof level
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: Fruit-boosted motion is essential to moving the Doozer on this level.

Dock

Race type: Race A
Token: Anchor (10)
Food: 92
Stars: 44
Description: Ay mateys! You’ll not walk the plank, but drive it! Hopefully speeding over the bounding main won’t make you carsick and seasick at the same time!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Is that the Jolly Roger?” “Maybe, but if it’s in this game, it won’t be jolly for long!”
“Look at this shipwreck!” “I don’t see anything!” “No, I was talking about the game!”
Hidden Muppet: Link Hogthrob (on the roof accessed via the first warp point)
Movie location: In the tower off the bridge near the end of the race
Movie clip: Statler and Waldorf as figureheads
Hints from official site: Let the others sail around this track, while you back up at the start and take the short cut. You can take the short cut on each lap and you never have to cross the finish line until the end.
Gusworld’s hints: It isn’t worth trying to take the short cut at the start the first time, as you won’t be able to get enough fruit to get through the water. On subsequent journeys, it’s also easier to jump into the shortcut area to the left just after you pass through the first tunnel. To make effective use of the shortcut, you need to pick up as much fruit as possible.
FRUIT COLLECTING: There’s lots of fruit on the final bridge, so you should be OK — but if you have a full meter after the first round, you may as well use your MegaBoost straight away to get over the water.
Launch point: Just after jumping off the deck to the left of the first tunnel (this carries you over the water and drops you just before the hard left turn over the boat).

Treasure Island

Race type: Race B
Token: Treasure Chest (10)
Food: 82
Stars: 42
Description: Race the beaches of Treasure Island, in search of the greatest prize of all. No, not silver or gold, but black and white — the checkered flag of the finish line! Hidden caves will help make the way ’round the island shorter and faster!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Are there any cannibals on this island?” “We can only hope . . .”
“Did you bring the map for the buried treasure?” “No, I brought a map for getting home!”
Hidden Muppet: Janice (in the hidden cavern below the moving pool behind the fence)
Movie location: As for Janice
Movie clip: The ship prepares to land
Hints from official site: Shiver me timbers! There’s a tunnel on the right at the start or take the high road to aid you in your journey
Gusworld’s hints: The tunnel isn’t very helpful, since you’ll be slowed up by the water. Stick to the main path unless you’re on a token, fruit or star-collecting mission.
Be careful not to fall off the benches in the ‘hidden’ area when collecting fruit or stars.
FRUIT COLLECTING: No problem normally, but take the high path to the right at the start if you’re running short.
Launch point: Just as you reach the first set of stairs

Lagoon

Race type: Battle
Token: Cauldron (10)
Food: 57
Stars: 41
Description: The sandy beaches from Muppet Treasure Island will have you clawing for traction if you choose the wrong vehicle. This bayside battle can be won with a surprise attack from a shortcut tunnel.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “You wanna fish?” “No, and I don’t want a frog or a pig or a bear either!”
“It’s a lagoon!” “Yeah, well I see a lot of goons!”
Boss Muppet: Pig Chief (Spa’am)
Movie location: On top ledge in side tunnel near Doozer
Movie clip: Benjamina is revealed
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: A fairly straightforward battle course, try not to get caught on the water!

Mountain

Race type: Stunt
Token: Treasure Map (10)
Food: 96
Stars: 45
Description: You’re gonna have a whale of a time climbing this mountain, especially when they blow their top! Learn to leap so you can climb in time to beat the clock.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Is that the Jolly Roger?” “Maybe, but if it’s in this game, it won’t be jolly for long!”
“Look at this shipwreck!” “I don’t see anything!” “No, I was talking about the game!” [Both gags are also used on the Dock level]
Hidden Muppet: Sam
Movie location: In the tunnel near the end
Movie clip: The ship sails across the ocean
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: Be sure to check areas you wouldn’t normally visit for stars and fruit.

Secret Base

Race type: Race A
Token: Door In A Jar (10)
Food: 56
Stars: 30
Description: Race through the secret government facility that stumbled upon Gonzo’s quest for his family. It’s got steam vents and secret tunnels so you can get to the aliens’ arrival before the rest of our opponents!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “We need special clearance to get on this base.” “Great, let’s go home!”
“Everything moves so fast here.” “Then it can’t be run by the government!”
Hidden Muppet: Bobo
Movie location: Behind the fan near the finish line
Movie clip: Door in a jar in action
Hints from official site: Two key secrets to find here. An open vent and a target near the wind turbine. Find both and the track becomes half as long.
Gusworld’s hints: The second shortcut mentioned above isn’t worth using, as you’ll waste time trying to get through it. The first is more useful, but not essential to winning.
FRUIT COLLECTING: Can be tricky — try not taking the tunnel shortcut on the second lap and collecting fruit that way.
Launch point: As soon as you get past the wind machine.

Cape Doom

Race type: Race B
Token: Flying Saucer (10)
Food: 76
Stars: 48
Description: While you’re waiting for Gonzo’s family to land, why not race a few laps around Cape Doom? Steer carefully around the lighthouse to keep from falling in the drink. But if you do, jumping from island to island will get you back on track the fastest!
Statler & Waldorf gags: “Have we been here before?” “Yeah, it’s just the lagoon lit differently!”
“Ah, sea air makes me feel young again!” “Sea air makes you delirious!”
Hidden Muppet: Pepe
Movie location: In the lighthouse (left side)
Movie clip: The talking sandwich
Hints from official site: Look for multiple tunnels throughout the mountain on your right and don’t fret if you fall in the water, just use your boost to shoot you through, out and ahead.
Gusworld’s hints: Only look for tunnels after you’ve passed the lighthouse — the one beforehand drops you in the ocean!
Despite Statler and Waldorf’s comments, this course is actually much more like Treasure Island.
FRUIT COLLECTING: Not a problem during normal play.
Launch point: Just after turning into the shortcut tunnel (this means you overshoot slightly, but it’s safer than risking taking the long way round!)

Laboratory

Race type: Battle
Token: Beaker (10)
Food: 74
Stars: 44
Description: The CovNet laboratory has become an experiment in Muppet Battle-mania! No place to hide, but lots of places to run. Be inventive with the many levels and platforms to get the drop upon your opponents.
Statler & Waldorf gags: “What’s the difference between this laboratory and Muppet Labs?” “Competence!”
“This place kinda looks like a hospital.” “I hope so, because this game is making me sick!”
Boss Muppet: Dr Van Neuter
Movie location: At the middle of the top level
Movie clip: Dr Van Neuter in action
Hints from official site: None
Gusworld’s hints: An easy way to complete this level is to circle around the middle, collecting fruit and stars, launching an occasional sally into the middle with weapons and then attacking with special power moves as needed.
Owing to the tight limit, I haven’t yet rescued the Doozer on this course.

Muppet Labs

Which Muppets feature in Muppets Race Mania?

One of the most appealing elements of Muppet Race Mania is that you can play as any one of a number of Muppets, including characters from both the classicMuppet Showand the more recentMuppets Tonight. Eight Muppets are available when the game begins; the others have to be found in the Adventure mode on each course.

The list below outlines each of the available Muppets (racers and battle-level bosses), including their default vehicle and its attributes, location in the game, their special move attack, and the pre-recorded comments they make when they win or lose a race, and when you scroll through them on the ‘Meet The Muppets’ screen. It also notes who provides thevoice(as it wasn’t always the person normally associated with that character), and includes the official description of the Muppet and their vehicle from the game site.

Kermit The Frog

Location: Original
Voice: Steve Whitmire
Winning comment: Great job, we won! Yaaay!
Losing comment: Oh well, we lost. That’s OK, we’ll do better next time.
Greeting #1: Hi-ho! Kermit the Frog here.
Greeting #2: I think you and I would make a great team.
Vehicle: Racer
Special move: The Lily Pad
Effectiveness: Average
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: Kermit The Frog speeds down the middle of the road in his trusty Racer, as reliable as Kermit himself. His Lily Pad manoeuvre puts everyone on floaters to give him a frog leg up in a race.

Miss Piggy

Location: Original
Voice: Frank Oz
Winning comment: Of course we won! Was there any doubt?
Losing comment: What! No, there must be some mistake.
Greeting #1: I’m Miss Piggy — but you know that.
Greeting #2: Pick moi — if you wanna win.
Vehicle: Monster Truck
Special move: Hiyaaahhh!!!
Effectiveness: Kinda
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: As dainty and refined as Miss Piggy herself, Kermit’s leading lady drives a Monster Truck. Not the most powerful, but it won’t put you in a spin. Miss Piggy uses her Hiyaaahhh! chop move for that!

The Great Gonzo

Location: Original
Voice: Dave Goelz
Winning comment: Woo hoo! Wait till Camilla hears about this.
Losing comment: I guess we can’t win ’em all.
Greeting #1: I’m Gonzo the Great.
Greeting #2: It’s a great day for a drive.
Vehicle: Flying Saucer
Special move: Alien Abduction
Effectiveness: Pretty Darn
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: Borrowed from his alien relatives, Gonzo zooms through space and time in his Flying Saucer. Also borrowed from his relatives is the special Alien Abduction move, guaranteed to make every other race take an unceremonious time out!

Fozzie Bear

Location: Original
Voice: Frank Oz
Winning comment: See, I told you we’d win.
Losing comment: Can we try again?
Greeting #1: I’m Fozzie.
Greeting #2: I’m Fozzie. Wocka wocka!
Vehicle: Bubbler
Special move: Tomato Splat
Effectiveness: Pretty Darn
Grip: Grippy!
Handling: Drives itself
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: Bear-hugging the road in his bodacious Bubbler, Fozzie Bear has a need for speed as silly as his sense of humour! With more experience with tomatoes than a vegetable farmer, Fozzie uses his Tomato Splat power as his most powerful punchline yet!

Rizzo

Location: Original
Voice: Steve Whitmire
Winning comment: Alright, we won!
Losing comment: We lost, I need some food.
Greeting #1: Yo! This is Rizzo here.
Greeting #2: Hey, how ya doin’? It’s Rizzo.
Vehicle: Cheese
Special move: Mini-Cheese
Effectiveness: Average
Grip: Slippy!
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Almost Roars
Description: Rizzo’s Cheese may not be the most Grippy vehicle, but it sure is the tastiest! And it’s powerful enough to be made of Limburger! But if he uses his special Mini-Cheese power, that’s not Gouda for the rest of the racers!

Beaker

Location: Original
Voice: Steve Whitmire
Winning comment: Me! Me me me! Me me me me.
Losing comment:Ooooh . . .
Greeting #1: Me me, me Beaker!
Greeting #2: Me me me me me me me!
Vehicle: Moon Buggy
Special move: Electric Shocker
Effectiveness: Kinda
Grip: Slippy!
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: What it lacks in Grippiness, Beaker’s Moon Buggy makes up for in handling and stability. Add to that the patented Muppet Labs special move, and Beaker makes a science of Muppet racing!

Rowlf

Location: Original
Voice: Bill Barretta
Winning comment: We won! Not bad at all.
Losing comment: Losing is worse than a bad case of fleas.
Greeting #1: Woof woof! Rowlf the Dog here. Pleased to meet ya.
Greeting #2: Hi, I’m Rowlf.
Vehicle: Bulldozer
Special move: Dig For Bones
Effectiveness: Pretty Darn
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: Rowlf strikes a chord of harmony in Grip, Handling and Power. This reliable racer could easily take the lead when he sends his opponents digging for bones.
Comment: Rowlf is the racer I normally use when playing. This is purely because he’s my favourite Muppet, but it doesn’t hurt that his vehicle is also a good mid-range choice.

Animal

Location: Original
Voice: Frank Oz
Winning comment: Winning good, yeah yeah.
Losing comment: Uh-oh.
Greeting #1: Animal! Animal!
Vehicle: Dragster
Special move: Tornado
Effectiveness: Average
Grip: Kinda Slippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Almost Roars
Description: This Muppet drives to the beat of a different drum in his Dragster. If he’s behind in the race, watch out! His Tornado special move could put other racers into a spin.

Janice

Location: Treasure Island
Voice: Matt Vogel
Winning comment: Oh we won, far out!
Losing comment: We lost, bummer.
Greeting #1: Oh wow, like I’m Janice!
Greeting #2: It would be really groovy if you picked me.
Vehicle: Lovebug
Special move: Flower Power
Effectiveness: Way!
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: Peace, love and acceleration is Janice’s current mantra as she drives in her Lovebug. And while she’s at it, she likes to remind everyone to stop and smell the flowers — preferably when she uses her Flower Power special move to zoom ahead of the pack!

Dr Teeth

Location: Mallory Gallery
Voice: John Kennedy
Winning comment: Oh yeah baby! Absitively posolutely!
Losing comment: Oh man, we lost!
Greeting #1: Yeah! I’m Dr Teeth. Can you dig it?
Greeting #2: You pick me, it’ll be one cool ride.
Vehicle: Hotrod
Special move: Boogie Man
Effectiveness: Way!
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: How groovy is Dr Teeth’s Hot Rod? It’s so psychedelic, man, that when he uses his Boogie Man move, other racers may need to groove on the spot while Dr. Teeth boogies to the nearest finish line!

Floyd Pepper

Location: Happiness Hotel
Voice: Jerry Nelson
Winning comment: Man, nothing beats the feeling of winning.
Losing comment: I think I’m going to play the blues for a while.
Greeting #1: Floyd is at your service.
Greeting #2: Don’t be a-nnoyed, it’s me, Floyd!
Vehicle: Sportster
Special move: Take It Easy
Effectiveness: Pretty Darn
Grip: Grippy!
Handling: Hold On Tight!
Power: Roars Like A Lion!
Description: Floyd’s cool cat Sportster hugs the road with an intense power hidden behind a mellow facade. And true to his laid-back nature, Floyd’s special move advises everyone to Take It Easy. While other racers are taking a break, Floyd makes a break for the finish line!

Zoot

Location: Graveyard
Voice: Dave Goelz
Winning comment: We won! Woah.
Losing comment: Guess we lost.
Greeting #1: Racing’s cool.
Vehicle: Supercharger
Comment: Oddly, Zoot isn’t included in the descriptions on the official site.

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

Location: Muppet Labs
Voice: Dave Goelz
Winning comment: Woo-oh! We won. Science is our friend!
Losing comment: Oh dear, we lost.
Greeting #1: Greetings! I’m Dr. Honeydew.
Greeting #2: Oo-oo! I think you and I would make a great team.
Vehicle: Hovercraft
Special move: Invisibility Spray
Effectiveness: Kinda
Grip: Slippy!
Handling: Drives Itself
Power: Meows Like A Kitten
Description: It’s a good thing Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s Hovercraft practically drives itself, since it has the power and grip of a greased kitten in a non-stick pan! And fresh from the adventures of Muppets From Space, Bunsen uses Invisibility Spray to get ahead — while no one else can see their own heads! Or hands, or bodies or cars for that matter!

The Swedish Chef

Location: Diner
Voice: Bill Barretta
All comments: Insert pseudo-Swedish gibberish.
Vehicle: Hotdog
Special move: Flour Cloud
Effectiveness: Average
Grip: Kinda Slippy
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: Der Cheffy racy da Hotty Doggy, from der cookin’ kitchen. It purrin’ like der kitten cat mit the sturdy-driven, swervy curves. When racin der poof of der white-smoken cloud der flour getting der Chef to da flaggy checkered. Mort. Mort. Mort.

Sam The Eagle

Location: Mountain
Voice: Frank Oz
Winning comment: Winning is very patriotic.
Losing comment: We lost . . . but . . . it’s OK.
Greeting #1: Greetings! I am Sam the Eagle.
Greeting #2: Pick me if you are a true American.
Vehicle: Plane
Special move: Pull Over
Effectiveness: Not Very!
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: Sam The Eagle advises safety and stability while driving on America’s roadways. A race is no reason to speed, says Sam, so when the others are going too fast, he does his civic duty and makes the racers Pull Over. Allowing him to scout ahead to the finish line — to make sure the way is safe for others, of course.

Scooter

Location: Funfair
Voice: Matt Vogel
Winning comment: Gee boss, I love to win. Let’s do it again!
Losing comment: I hate to mention this, but we lost.
Greeting #1: I’m Scooter, I’d love to race today.
Greeting #2: I’m Scooter, the band’s road manager.
Vehicle: Dune Buggy
Special move: Bubble Gum
Effectiveness: Pretty Darn
Grip: Kinda Slippy
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: The happy-go-lucky stage manager drives a mod Dune Buggy, better on sand than on pavement, but fun to drive nonetheless. And even if he’s far behind, Scooter can stick with the competition using his Bubble Gum move. If you think it’s tough to walk with gum stuck on your shoe, try driving with your tires gummed up!

Pepe The Prawn

Location: Cape Doom
Voice: Bill Barretta
Winning comment: We win we win we win! Ha ha. We win, we win, we win.
Losing comment: That was so bad OK, should I get out and push? Come on! Come on! That was so bad OK . . .
Greeting #1: Pick me OK. I’m the one to pick OK, very handsome OK.Pick me, pick me. Come on, come on! What is you waiting for, pick me OK!
Vehicle: Kart
Special move: Little Shrimp
Effectiveness: Way!
Grip: Grippy!
Handling: Hold On Tight!
Power: Almost Roars
Description: Don’t call Pepe a shrimp, ’cause his Kart has the power of a great white and the grip of an octopus. When he shrinks the lead of his competitors with his Little Shrimp move, everyone has to make way for this King Prawn of the road!

Bobo The Bear

Location: Secret Base
Voice: Bill Barretta
Winning comment: We won. We won! You and me and me and you, we . . . we did it, we won! You were driving, and I thought you were doing bad, and then you got good, and we won!
Losing comment: OK, have a nice day sir. Bye bye now.
Greeting #1: Ooh, ooh, ah, ah, pick me, yeah.
Vehicle: Water Buggy
Special move: Paranoia
Effectiveness: Way!
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Nearly Drives Itself
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: Bobo’s wake-whacking Water Buggy skims the surf like the biggest of the Kahunas. And while he may disguise his dash for the finish line with his Paranoia move, this bear is no chicken on the run!

Link

Location: Dock
Voice: Steve Whitmire
Winning comment: It’s no surprise to me that we won.
Losing comment: We lost! Luckily it wasn’t my fault.
Greeting #1: Greetings, I’m Link Hogthrob, of course.
Greeting #2: Why would you pick anyone but me?
Vehicle: Spaceship
Special move: Ice Cube
Effectiveness: Way
Grip: Medium Grippy
Handling: Stable
Power: Almost Purrs
Description: “When Pigs Fly!” . . . Wait a minute, this one does! Link may not be heading to hyperspace in his spaceship, but he will leave the others frozen in their tracks with his Ice Cube special.

Robin

Location: Swamp
Voice: Jerry Nelson
Winning comment: Gee, I love it when we win.
Losing comment: That’s OK, we’ll do better next time.
Greeting #1: Hi, I’m Robin.
Greeting #2: Hi, I’m Robin, I’d love it if you picked me.
Vehicle: Steamroller
Special move: Cute Frog
Effectiveness: Pretty Darn
Grip: Grippy!
Handling: Stable
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: Leaping Lizards . . . I mean Frogs! This little guy rides a big Steamroller that’ll flatten the competition. And when Robin uses his Cute Frog special move, he’ll be racing to the finish line while everyone stands around looking adorable.

Johnny Fiama

Location: Restaurant
Voice: Bill Barretta
Winning comment: Wait, wait, I’m gonna tell Sal. Sal! Yeah Johnny? I won. Good for you Johnny. Can you believe it? I won.
Losing comment: Do you realise we just lost? I’m very upset. Sal! Sal, where are you?
Greeting #1: You know, if you race with me, you’re gonna win. Simple.
Greeting #2: You know, you look like you would like to race with me.
Vehicle: Speedster
Special move: Spotlight
Effectiveness: Average
Grip: Pretty Grippy
Handling: Hold On
Power: Purrs Like A Cat
Description: Johnny Fiama has always wanted to run the show, and in his vintage Speedster, he might just run over it. However, he’s not above giving everyone else their fifteen minutes (or . . . 10 seconds) of fame in the Spotlight with his special move.

Muppet Race Mania cheat codes

Don’t have the time or energy to master every course with every Muppet racer? The following cheat codes will speed you on your way. Each of these codes should be entered from the main title screen; press START after the code has been entered.

Access all 24 tracks: Circle-Triangle-Cross-Circle-Triangle-Cross-Cricle-Triangle-Square-Cross

Access all Muppets and vehicles: Triangle-Circle-Triangle-Square-Triangle-Cross-Triangle-Triangle-Cross-Circle

Access Studio track: Square-Square-Circle-Circle-Cross-Circle-Triangle-Circle-Triangle-Square

Access Arches track: Square-Circle-Cross-Circle-Square-Triangle-Circle-Cross-Circle-Triangle

Access Fraggle track: Cross-Square-Cross-Square-Cross-Square-Triangle-Circle-Cross-Square

Access game ending and other bonus tracks: Circle-Triangle-Square-Triangle-Cross-Triangle-Square-Circle-Triangle-Cross

Reset machine: Triangle-Cross-Circle-Cross-Square-Square-Cross-Circle-Cross-Triangle

Muppet Race Mania preliminary design sketches

The Traveller’s Tales Web site included a handful of early sketches showing plans for racecourses, some 3D renderings of the courses, and a brief pencil sketch of Gonzo in his spaceship.

Happiness Hotel sketch

Central Park sketch

Graveyard sketch

Treasure Island sketch

Secret Base sketch

Happiness Hotel 3D

Graveyard 3D

Treasure Island 3D

Secret Base 3D

Gonzo sketch

Muppet Race Mania original announcement press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIDWAY AND HENSON ANNOUNCE MUPPET RACE MANIA FOR THE PLAYSTATION GAME CONSOLE

First Video Game Featuring the Muppets Includes Tracks Based on Muppet Movies

LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2000 (E3 Booth #600, South Hall) – Midway Games Inc., a leading software industry publisher and developer and Jim Henson Interactive (JHI), the interactive division of The Jim Henson Company, today announced that Muppet® Race Mania™ will be available in retail outlets this October for the PlayStation® game console.

“Muppet Race Mania brings to life all the wacky antics people have come to expect from the Muppets,” said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing for Midway Games West. “Muppet fans and video gamers of all ages will enjoy the exciting racing action in Muppet Race Mania.”

“The PlayStation’s evolution into a truly mass-market family entertainment system will create a new, younger audience that should embrace titles like Muppet Race Mania. And as a company, we’re really excited to have Race Mania, the Muppets very first video game, introducing the franchise to game players of all ages this fall,” said Craig Allen, JHI’s general manager.

Players will enjoy six racing circuits based on the Muppet movies with hilarious clips from the films interspersed throughout the game. There are more than 30 wild tracks and gamers can choose from 25 classic Muppet characters and 25 wacky vehicles. Play modes include adventure mode, battle mode, stunt courses, tournament play and a multiplayer race and chicken-chase game. Parents will appreciate a special younger kids-mode in Muppet Race Mania, which allows younger players to concentrate on accelerating while steering takes care of itself. Madcap offensive tools available to gamers include flippy wet fish, penguin mines and bouncy-bombs. Each Muppet also has its own special Muppet power to careen ahead of the competition. Vibrant colors, and deep, beautifully rendered, 3-D backgrounds bring the Muppets alive with tons of secret passageways for hours of exploration and smooth, fluid, lightning-fast gameplay.

Muppet Race Mania was developed by the award-winning Travelers Tales, the creators of the multi-million unit-selling titles Disney’s Toy Story, Disney’s A Bug’s Life and Sega’s SONIC “R”.

Formed in 1998, Jim Henson Interactive (JHI), a division of The Jim Henson Company, is responsible for the worldwide digital expression of all intellectual properties owned by the organization including such globally embraced and commercially successful brands as THE MUPPETS, FARSCAPE, BEAR IN THE BIG BLUE HOUSE, MOPATOP’S SHOP, CONSTRUCTION SITE! and THE DARK CRYSTAL. The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more than 40 years, is a multimedia production company; one of the top character licensors in the industry; a leading publisher of children’s books; and home to Jim Henson Television, Jim Henson Pictures, Jim Henson Interactive and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™. The Company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices and production facilities in New York and London. The Jim Henson Company website is located at: http://www.henson.com.

The Jim Henson Company has recently been acquired by EM.TV & Merchandising AG based in Munich, Germany. Midway Games Inc. is a leading interactive entertainment industry developer, publisher and marketer of software for both the coin-operated and home markets. Midway games are available for play on all major dedicated home game platforms, including Nintendo® 64 and Game Boy® Color, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Sega Dreamcast, and personal computers.

Muppet Race Mania © 1999 The Jim Henson Company. Jim Henson’s mark and logo, muppets and characters are trademarks of the Jim Henson Company. All rights reserved. Published under license from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. All rights reserved. MIDWAY is a registered trademark of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. Distributed by Midway Home Entertainment Inc.

Links and resources for Muppet Race Mania

This isn’t an exhaustive list of every site which mentions Muppet Race Mania (that’s whatGoogleis for), but it does cover the main destinations relevant to the game’s history (most of which are now dead and buried).

racemania.netwas the official site for Muppet Race Mania (the URL is promoted within the game). However, the domain expired in August 2004 and Henson Interactive doesn’t seem to have made any effort to renew it. Most of the useful information on the site has been incorporated into this guide.
Thepageon the official PlayStation site devoted to the game has also now disappeared.
The site forTraveller’s Tales, which developed Muppet Race Mania, used to include asectionwith lots of interesting graphics outlining the original development of the game. That is also now defunct.
Most of the contemporary reviews of the game were quite positive, but I haven’t got the energy to dig up all the URLs. Muppet fans (as distinct from gaming obsessives) will probably enjoy the review atMuppet Central.

Who did the voices in Muppet Race Mania?

No matter what they thought of the game itself, the release of Muppet Race Mania was a major event for most Muppet obsessives. Not only did it mark the first major Muppet release featuring new material since ‘Muppets From Space’, it also marked the vocal reappearance of a number of favourite characters: notably Rowlf, Link Hogthrob, Scooter and Janice. Since the deaths of their respective performers (Jim Henson for the first two, Richard Hunt for the other two), these characters had made brief on-screen cameos, but hadn’t spoken.

While Steve Whitmire (who took over Kermit on Henson’s death) voiced Link, Rowlf was given new life by Bill Barretta. Scooter and Janice’s voices were provided by Matt Vogel (who then spent most of his time understudying Big Bird and Oscar onSesame Street, and now plays both roles, not to mention now being the voice of Kermit).

While this may have seemed like a permanent recast at the time, it didn’t work out that way. The next time the Muppets made a major appearance — their 2002 special ‘Very Merry Muppet Christmas’ — Barretta continued to play Rowlf, but Vogel was nowhere to be seen. Scooter and Janice were both taken over by Brian Henson. Link didn’t appear.

(A note of thanks to the very usefulTough Pigs Recast FAQ, which was my main source for most of this information.)

The other notable point about the voiceovers in the game is this: while it was inevitable that the ‘classic’ Muppets were going to dominate, much of the funniest material comes from the newer,Muppet Tonight-era characters. Bill Barretta in particular shines, and his dialogue for both Pepe, Bobo and Johnny Fiamma is the most amusing thing on the CD in vocal terms. The other dominant presence is Statler and Walford, simply because they have the most material.

And finally, a mystery: who does the voices for Sweetums, Bill and the Pig Chief? While it seems likely that Dave Goelz and Kevin Clash did the latter two — they played the roles in the original movies and they were scheduled for recordings for this game anyway — John Henson, who normally plays Sweetums these days, isn’t credited anywhere. Did someone else step in?

How to play Muppet Race Mania: The Henson site official guide

The manual which comes with Muppet Race Mania is full of attempts at Muppet humour, but can be confusing if you simply want to play the game. Recognising this, the game’s official site included a more straightforward summary of how to play, which is reproduced below:

GAME OVERVIEW

Like any good racing game, Muppet Racemania is-that’s right, you guessed it!-a race! Pick a car and driver and beat your opponents to the finish line! But it ain’t gonna be easy! Your opponents will be throwing penguins, fish, bombs and (oh the horror!) chickens at you to slow you down. Luckily, pick up the stars along the way, and you can return the favor. You’ll also want to eat plenty of fruit along the way. See that gauge in the upper right hand corner? That measures your boost power-the higher the meter, the more boost power you’ve got when you press the R1 button (see controls below). If the meter rises all the way to the top, you can either use the Mega-Boost to jet ahead of your opponents, or use your character’s unique special move to slow everyone else down.

Here are your basic controls for racing:

* · X: Accelerate

* · Square: Jump

* · Circle: Brake

* · Triangle: N/A

* · L1: Fires weapon #1 (the powerup showing on top in the upper left-hand corner of the screen)

* · L2: Fires weapon #2 (the powerup showing on the bottom in the upper left- hand corner of the screen)

* · R1: Uses boost or activates Mega-Boost (when available)

* · R2: Activates character special move (when available)

THE SCREEN

Current pickups are displayed in the top left of the screen. Current race position is displayed in the top centre of the screen. Current boost level is displayed in the top right of the screen. Lap number and timing is displayed in the bottom left of the screen. There is a map in the bottom right of the screen (except stunt mode). On the map the player is shown as the larger arrow and the other characters are shown as an arrow the same color as their character, i.e. Kermit appears as a green arrow.

THE MODES

Muppet Racemania features four manic modes of Muppet racing:

* Race

* Battle

* Adventure

* Stunt

RACE MODE

Each movie features two race tracks. Unlock the second course of each movie by being the first to zoom past the competition in the first course in either a single race or when participating in a tournament.

BATTLE MODE

It’s as plain as the beak on Sam’s face! In Battle Mode, take out the other players in a destruction derby devoid of détente! It’s an all-out battle where the last Muppet standing (or driving!) wins. Use weapons, jumps and accelerate to ramming speed to knock out your opponents!

ADVENTURE MODE

Each track (12 race courses, 6 battle courses, 6 stunt courses in all!) has an adventure mode. Complete the numerous tasks and solve puzzles to complete the adventure mode and unlock extra features, courses and characters. Each course has its own unique challenges using the following consistent elements:

* Food: Collect all of the boost fruit within the allotted time.

* Stars: Collect all of the stars within the allotted time.

* Movie: Find the movie slate hidden on the course.

* Tokens: Collect the ten tokens within the allotted time. These are hidden around each course (some behind exploding doors etc) and are course specific, i.e. Dock-Anchors, Central Park-Newspapers etc.

* Doozer: On each course there is a Doozer, the player must get the Doozer to the Doozer warp point. In order to do this the player must solve the simple puzzles. There are also a number of tasks that must be completed, however they are not on every circuit.

* Boss: On battle courses the player must unlock the boss… then defeat him!

* Muppet: Most courses have a secret character hidden somewhere. The player must find the Muppet (visible on map) and then beat him in a race or battle. When you do, that Muppet will become selectable in the main menu.

STUNT MODE

In stunt mode, race to the end of each course as quickly as possible by navigating the various puzzles and obstructions in your way. Driving fast isn’t usually the way to make it through quickly! Careful timing of jumps and finding the shortest routes are the keys to success!

OTHER RACING MODES

In addition to four basic race groups (that’s a food joke, folks!), additional modes can be unlocked with some radical racing on your part!

BATTLE RACE

Unlock this special mode where battle rules apply to your favorite racing course!

TOURNAMENT

When tournament mode is unlocked, players can race either in League A, League B or Random Tournament. League A is the first course of each movie played in order, League B is the second course of each movie played in order. Random is GUESS!

Tournament Point Scoring System

In a race tournament points are awarded as follows:

# For finishing 1st, 2nd,or 3rd, three, two and one point(s) are awarded respectively.

# One can also receive a point for the fastest start-in the event of a tie, both players receive this point.

# The racer with the fastest lap also scores an additional point-in the event of a tie, both players receive this point.

# The player who has scored the most hits against opponents in a race scores an additional point-in the event of a tie the player with least hits against gets the point.

After the last race in a tournament, the players compete in the Oval course, after which, the top three winners will be announced. In the event of a tie at the end of 6 races, the tied players will compete in a race-off around the circuit-there are no points up for grabs and the winner takes all.

BATTLE TOURNAMENT

Battle others in League A, League B or Random Tournament races!

# In a battle tournament points are awarded as follows:

# For the top three racers surviving the longest in battle, three, two and one point(s) are awarded.

# The player inflicting the most damage in a single collision scores a point.

# Also, one point is awared for the most damage inflicted overall.

# A point is awarded for the most knockouts-no ties!

After a battle tournament, the players go to the Arches course, after which, the top three winners are announced. In the event of a tie, the tied players have a “battle-off,” where the winner takes all!

EVEN MORE!

Watch this space for even more racing and battle modes hidden in Muppet Racemania!

ADDITIONAL RACE FEATURES

START UP BOOST

At the start of a race, four Playstation pad buttons appear on screen. Press the highlighted buttons in order to rev up your turbo start. An incorrect button press will knock your start boost down by one point. A correct press will give a point or two depending on the speed at which you react. The other Muppets receive a random amount of boost which varies between 0 and the player’s current best. Once a player has raced a few courses, the other Muppets will learn better boost along with you, gradually making it harder to obtain the best start! Better keep on your toes-and keep your toes on the accelerator pedal!

PICK UPS AND POWER UPS

As you race, collecting a star will award you with one of the following:

# Fish icon – a Fish missile that, once fired, will travel straight until it explodes upon contact with either a wall or character.

# Chicken icon – This chicken will chase other drivers around the track, homing in slightly.

# Bomb icon – A beautiful bouncing bomb! This bounces around the course until it either strikes another car or explodes on its own.

# Penguin icon – This perky penguin pickup acts as a mine. It will sit quietly in place until someone drives into it. And then, it’s time for the penguin in your video game to explode.

The various items of fruit and vegetables lying around the courses will increase the player boost level. In order to use the mega boost or special move, the player needs to fill their boost meter. Once full the icon will flash.

CHARACTER SPECIAL MOVES

Each special move acts like a smart bomb, affecting everyone except the player. The only time that a player is immune to a special move is when they are mid-mega boost. Though all special moves are different they all basically stop the opposition players for a short time (5 seconds) enabling the player that used the special move to catch up or cement their lead. When activating a special move, the player is credited with a hit for each player the special move affects.

COLLECTING, UNLOCKING AND USING CHARACTERS AND VEHICLES

In the beginning, players will only be able to use the vehicles assigned to each character, such as Animal in his Dragster. As you play, you can unlock the ability to drive in the other vehicles! These vehicles can then be selected as you enter a race, and also in the test drive area.

Initially there are only 8 characters available for selection. However the remaining characters are hidden in the various courses and must be found in Adventure mode. If encountered on a race or battle course, the player must race or battle against the character they have found. Those hidden in stunt courses are simply collected since they are more difficult to reach.

STATUS SCREEN

This shows exactly what the player has or has not unlocked in the game. When a full 100% of the game is complete, a star will appear for every course. A mark is awarded for completing the main objectives for each course, including unlocking each new character, collecting all the tokens and pickups required and unlocking all the secrets.

Weird and trivial facts about Muppet Race Mania

Still haven’t got enough Race Mania trivia? OK, here are some really obscure facts:

The interim loading screens which highlight individual Muppets against a chequered flag background featuremostof the available Muppet racers. Although Bean, Johnny and Sal are missing, for some reason Camilla (Gonzo’s favourite chicken), who doesn’t appear as a racer at all, is featured, as are Statler and Waldorf. The Traveller’s Tales site also includes an image of Lew Zealand (above) which didn’t make it into the final game.
If you win the race, Statler and Waldorf will regale you with one of the following sarcastic comments. Why there are seven of them, I don’t know, but if you play repeatedly, they come up in this order:
“They say that the best driver wins the race.” “Really? Then we’d better stay off the streets.”
“I love a good race.” “You do?” “Too bad this wasn’t one of them!”
“Do you know what the best part of winning the race is?” “No, what?” “It’s finally over!”
“Congratuations, you’ve won the race.” “Now maybe you’ll do something useful with your life.”
“You win! Here’s your trophy.” “Now go home, leave us alone.”
“Look, we have a winner!” “A what?” “A winner.” “Was there a race?”
“You’re a real winner.” “You’re being awfully nice.” “Oh sorry, I meant whiner.”
The memory card load and save screens feature five images, each of which is taken fromMuppets From Spaceand which has been modified by adding images (fairly poorly drawn, it must be said) of PlayStation memory cards. The five images show Bunsen and Kermit; a closeup of Kermit; a closeup of Beaker; a group shot with Pepe, Fozzie, Animal, Kermit, Bunsen and Beaker; and a similar shot with Pepe preparing to make an exit.
To judge from the graphics on the Traveller’s Tales site, the game was planned at one point to default to five-round races rather than three. Some of the graphics for weapons are also different in these screen shots, and many feature night lighting on races which are held in daylight in the final version.
The shot below of the Theatre level (used in the official Shockwave promo for the game) bears almost no resemblance to the final version. It also demonstrates an earlier attempt at the boost meter; this version (rather than the flask which was actually used) can also be seen in the game manual.
The graphic featured at the top of this page (which debuted in animated form on the official site) includes seven of the eight racers available when a new game is begun. For some reason, Rowlf has yet again been excluded.
The comments for Bobo, the Swedish Chef and Pepe appear to have been recorded very much on the fly; there’s an awful lot of audible microphone hum. One would suspect this meant Bill Barretta was forced to record over a phone or something, but there’s no such problem with Rowlf or Johnny Fiamma.
Most of the Muppets have two different comments recorded for the ‘Meet The Muppets’ screen, but for some reason Animal, Zoot, Pepe, Bobo and Sal only have one each.

Where can I buy Muppet Race Mania?

Sadly, if you want to buy the game (and I definitely recommend doing so), you’ll have to try eBay or a second-hand store, as it is no longer available commercially. Given the complicated copyrights involved (Disney owns most of the characters, but the Jim Henson Company still owns the Fraggles and the 1990s movies are owned by Sony), it’s exceedingly unlikely this will ever get a remaster or rerelease.