RALLY-X

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: In test mode, hold down the smoke button and move UP (2x), DOWN (7x), RIGHT, and LEFT (6x).  “© NAMCO LTD. 1980” will appear on the screen (picture #1).

• Smoke is only effective if enemy cars hit it while onscreen, otherwise it'll disappear as soon as you drive away and it scrolls offscreen.

• An easier version called New Rally-X (picture #4) was released a year after the original (picture #3).  The differences are:

Less enemy cars.
Car graphics have been slightly improved.
New background music and some different sound effects (particularly in test mode).
Mazes have been simplified to reduce dead-ends.
Along with earning an extra life at 20,000, you now also get one at 80,000.
Revised Instructions screen.
Flags are now referred to as check points.
The flashing square on the radar denotes location of special flag.
Addition of lucky flag that gives you extra points for the remaining fuel.
Challenging Stage screen notes the number of rocks and enemy cars.

• BUG: On the original Namco version, "CHALLENGING" is misspelled as "CHARANGING" (picture #4).

• BUG: It's possible to drive inside the barriers (picture #5).  It's tricky to do, but the easiest way is steer towards the center of a barrier just as you're driving around a corner of it.  This can also be done with New Rally-X.  It's possible to stay inside a barrier when your fuel runs out (picture #6).  {Scott Stilphen}