First and foremost this guide is my current opinion -- I am not super good in TGR or anything close to a pro gamer. I just really like the game and want to learn more and see the community grow and maybe see the game improve. Your comments can help all of us, I hope this guide will spark conversation. Feel free to comment, agree or disagree, whatever works -- just please leave behind a better way to try!

This game is essentially two games -- Racing and Golf. This guide is primarily about Racing but I will talk a little about Golf and sometimes compare Racing with Golf. I win a fair amount at Racing, less at Golf, not as much as I'd like in either. I sometimes get my rear handed to me -- this, I'm sure, is me...sometimes maybe not.

Do your own evaluation but when I'm not doing well I am typically on an EU server with a bigger ping than the Midwest US server I usually draw. I wouldn't think a 105 vs 50 ms ping would matter a whole lot and then again this game puts a premium on speed and precision.

Racing in TGR has one simple goal -- get your ball in the hole first. This simple goal requires the development of skills making speed in the game and in shot accuracy. Unfortunately, I cannot give you accuracy in a guide beyond telling you to treat your shots like 3D billiards shots. I do want to impart what I've learned about gaining and maintaining speed and getting the ball in the hole first. I try to look at what effect something will have to my speed and does that effect help accomplish my goal.

Golf in TGR does not use your Cores, it is a brutal, bare-bones game requiring excellent shot distances and placement. The tee shot is critical in Golf...of course you're full throttle with boost and then what?...hit A for some elevation? stay ground level and tilt nose up or nose down? I don't know for sure...I can hit a T shot 800+ yards and sometimes 1200, so there is a difference in approach...and I don't have it down yet. (The tee shot in racing is important as well -- just not so much.) (I grrr at traps and rough and trees in Golf -- perhaps why I'm so stuck on my Off-Roader Core in Racing.)

A side note about learning and playing this game -- remember that people that finish first must wait (and watch) while others finish...if you're having a bad round and will finish badly -- don't stop racing! There's nothing worse than having a close finish between several people and then having to watch some guy trying to be a cool entertainer and practice his flying or demonstrating every bad shot possible -- DON'T BE THAT GUY, practice your stuff in a solo room please. (If you see a lot of poop emos being sent out - you'll know why.)

Things to consider regarding racing to the cup:

1. BOOST: Boost, boost pads, boost pick-ups...anything faster should be gathered and used as much as possible. There are moments where boost might be best if delayed a few seconds, so do that. As much as boost is desired I have found it's almost always better NOT to swerve off course to get it. (A straight line is always faster that a zig-zag.) In contrast I will swerve a bit to get on a boost pad, even if it's not a huge bit -- you boost and get recharged.

2. PICK-UPS: Remembering that straight is fastest -- I recommend almost always NOT deviating from the straightest course to my ball for a pick up (I hate my ball being 2 car widths from a missile lol). Sometimes a slight jog off path and back works great -- you be the judge. If I run over a pick-up I'll evaluate whether it will be useful and if not I'll spend it immediately making room for a better one. I think the missiles and the freezing one are pretty good for disrupting any competitors ahead of me but I still spend them fairly quickly. I will hold a shield or flip pick-up longer for the next incoming missile but will even discard those if I can get a gas can, sticky goo, or stomp. The other ball-movement pick-ups are situational and fun. (I actually avoid the gas can boost if I'm carrying good speed-- every time I activate it I tend to fly past my ball! I gotta get better.)

3. RACE!: If you find yourself ever in reverse, chasing a bad shot, driving past your ball, dribbling the ball like a soccer player, or spending a lot of time doing aerobatics -- STOP THAT! You need NOT to do these things -- they waste your time and slow you down. Reverse is just that -- anti-racing forward. Chasing mostly comes from bad shot-making -- get to geometry class on time or go play some pool. Missing your ball -- aim is on you! (Trust me, I make a lot of bad shots and drive right past my ball a lot -- usually when trying to execute some fancy shot); Dribbling by it's nature is SLOW and not effective in TGR -- if you try to play soccer with your golf ball you won't have much fun; Flying is FUN and sometimes even productive but my ball is typically on the ground and the effort required to line up a shot is already tough -- from the air it's super-hard unless you're grappling mid-air.

So what then? Again -- aim is on you -- but the devs have blessed us with a wonderous tool, I think the best skill in the game and I use it a LOT -->

4. RESET: (Did you hear the chorus of angels sing when you saw that word?) Reset is the game mechanic which let's you find a lost ball, recover from an Out of Bounds, or a Car Out of Bounds.
Reset takes maybe 2 seconds and completely lets you start fresh lined up with your ball. In most of the situations from the section above -- the faster you recognize that your shot is off and reset yourself, the better. I have won races where I reset 3 or 4 times. What do I look for to reset?
-- I am past my ball. Reset. (Reverse and circles are always slower)
-- My ball will obviously be out-of-bounds. Reset. (I suppose you could wait for the ball to finish its flight and the computer to do the reset but waiting isn't winning.)
-- My ball is deflected by trees. Reset. (Unless the deflection is in a forward, not-too-bad path.)
-- Bad shot in general. Reset. (The whole chase to recover vs 2 seconds...your call.)
-- My shot to the hole misses and the hole is between me and the ball. Reset. (No amount of racing across the green, U-turns, and poorly lined up recovery shots can beat a 2 second reset)

RESET requires you to become familiar enough with the game to be able to decide when 2 seconds is better than what is happening. I will say that I am far from perfect -- I have reset 5x at the edge of the green because my shot was off-angle and heading to the far side...those times are usually highlighted by frustration (and a sound track best not uploaded) -- and there have been too many times I thought my shot would NOT get pulled in by the hole and I hit reset just as the ball started to curve in. DOH!! A friend asked if using Reset to that degree was cheating and I think if everyone can use it -- it's not cheating, it's a game mechanic.

GLHF!!

Cores are modifiers to your cars behavior. You have two slots for Cores -- one is Passive, meaning that Core's buff is ON in the background all the time, the other slot is Active and allows placing a Core requiring activation by you. (You can put a Passive Core into both slots and both buffs will run full-time.)

I have unlocked 19 Cores so far -- there may be more and, if so, I will update this guide.
CORES are the only thing differentiating you from anyone else. The rest is on you!

All 19 cores can be equipped in the Active slot with only 7 of them granting a user-controlled ability. The 12 Passive Cores can go in either slot. When choosing Cores always keep in mind that your goal is optimal speed and accuracy -- put your ball in the hole first. My comments are based on my experience and it's quite likely I've missed an opportunity with some synergy or way to use a power. (That's why I write this, in hopes that the secrets of success will spill forth!)

CORES -- Active or Passive Slot(12)

These 12 Cores can be placed in either your Active or Passive Core slot but DO NOT have any user-activated abilities like the 7 Active Cores. You could configure your Core slots with 2 of these or 1 of these and 1 of the Active Cores below.


1 ??

2 BIG BALL -- Increases the size of your ball.
Not recommended. You have two chances to maximize the performance of your ride -- imo
cosmetics are a waste of time. (If you need Big Ball so you don't miss the ball I'd suggest
practicing with a Small Ball.)

3 CURVE BALL -- Adds spin to your ball.
Personal choice. I think I can get any spin I want for a shot as it is...adding spin past game
mechanics level doesn't seem necessary to me but maybe it can be used in some combo?

4 SMALL BALL -- Decreases the size of your ball.
Not recommended -- see "Big Ball" above. I do see this as useful for practicing precision but
I don't think it should replace a more useful Core in competition.

5 SPRING BALL -- Increases the bounciness of your ball and gives a small boost refill.
Personal Choice. Maybe it's just me but I find that keeping tabs on my ball can be challenging,
and I don't think making it bouncier (ie: more NOT-in-my-control) helps.

6 STRAIGHT & STEADY -- Removes spin on your ball.
Personal Choice -- see "Curve Ball" above. If you are always able to line up a straight shot,
Kudos! I can't, I need spin sometimes.

7 DASH & SMASH -- Adds power to dash.
Not recommended. I think Dash itself is lame -- no power and way too short. I think adding a
little power to a lame function won't help much. I think using Boost or finding a pad is better.

8 DOUBLE DASH -- Can dash 2x in the air.
Not recommended -- see "Dash and Smash" above. So you get in the air and are maybe gliding
and you're going to press A 4 times to get two mini-farts of dash? I'm not a fan of flying to start
with. There are better Cores.

9 HOT HEAD -- Increases boost power making it deplete faster.
Personal Choice. At least the devs gave us the picture up front. I doubt that the exchange of
boost duration for boost power is exactly even - there is probably some advantage to one
number or the other but it sure seems like the net gain is about zero. Another Core that does
not contribute to overall your net GO FAST.

10 HYPER GLIDER -- Increases Glide Speed depletes Boost
Not recommended. First, I think flying is cool but a complete waste of time for racing. And it
depletes boost? Not a chance I'm using it. Maybe they could have a show for all the flyers --
like a parade maybe...

11 OFF ROADER -- Ball and Car are unaffected by rough or bunkers.
Highly recommend. This is a true passive core that provides the benefit of no speed loss on
obstacles -- the only thing left between me and true speed is my own skill and those pesky
trees. (How I wish the Golf side of TGR used Cores -- those traps and bunkers suck!)

12 BIG SHOT -- Increased power and speed boost when hitting your ball.
Recommended. Great Core and would be in my game if I used two passives but I find
Off-Roader gives me more results.

13 TRAIL BLAZER -- Increases speed on boost pads.
Personal Choice. This seems great but for the number of boost pads you can ride this Core
falls short. Besides -- I can roll plenty fast enough on boost pads...any faster and I'd just
drive right past my ball even more!

CORES -- Active Slot Only (7)

These Cores provide a user function and can only be used in the Active slot.


STICKY -- Ball sticks to your car.
Player Choice. I have seen this Core help players out of bad situations but imo, it doesn't get it
for speed improvement. The limiting thing in TGR is your car -- punching the ball forward
is speedy -- having to meet your ball and carry it to set up a shot or put one in is not.


ICE LOCK -- Freezes ball in place, unlimited boost until contact.
Not recommended. While freezing your ball when its sailing out of bounds seems good,
you are stopping a ball you want to accelerate! Then you have to go get it, like "Sticky."
Use Reset instead.


MAGNET -- Brings your ball to you.
Player Choice. I have seen some bad-ass use of Magnet -- a player on the far side of the hole
from his ball hits Magnet and pulls his ball over the hole for a dunk -- awesome. What I don't
like about Magnet is that it brings the ball back to you instead of advancing it and racing is about
advancement -- anything which increases the distance of my ball to the hole doesn't get it.


QUICK FLIP -- Performs a flip.
Not recommended. This is a fun and cool Core with only one practical use, avoiding a missile.
Missiles can be outrun and out-manuevered, and flips can be done manually. I can't see using
an Active slot for this.


SHOCK -- Pushes the ball away from you.
Not recommended. This Core has a great idea but done in a lame way. Shock simply has no
power behind it -- it's a little puff like Dash. If you like the action, consider the next Core...


STOMP -- Creates a large shockwave, propelling the ball away from your car, also boosts your car away.
Recommended. Stomp is everything Shock should be. I have seen countless "Shot of the
Match" replays where a player lines up his Stomp and scores from 1500 yards away. Lovely!!
The drawback is that you must carefully position yourself, usually having to stop, to make such a
shot. Stopping is a no-no for me and the precision needed to make this a killer Core isn't my
game - maybe yours.


GRAPPLE HOOK -- Grapples you to your ball.
Recommended. I presently use Grapple Hook along with Off-Roader. (All this means is that
my limited development has led here -- I hope to discover better set-ups and methods). This
Core is meant for advancement -- it brings you to your ball and doesn't slow down or stop your
advancement. Grapple lines up like Stomp does - a straight line from you to ball to hole is
preferred but unlike Stomp, Grapple can me altered mid-grapple -- your trajectory can be altered
in flight...yes, it's a one try thing (and one works better than zero all day long.)