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Playing

Table of contents

General

Elma is mostly about getting the best times but people can also just cruise for fun. Pick up a level you like or some random one from external level packs and then just drive and enjoy the bumps and hills. Also level designing is part of Elma playing. However the biggest part of the Elma is trying to be the best player and driving for the best possible results. And that can be divided into three categories:

  1. Style finding: The first thing is to get the correct styles. You can figure out them by watching the map, by copying replays you get from your team members, find public ones or trade with other players. Or of course find out them yourself by playing the level and test various things.
  2. Training: In a very professional level people open the levels in the level editor and move the bike around the level to train parts one by one. Internal levels as external levels conversion helps here.
  3. Höyling: For the last you need to get all the tricks driven perfectly in one drive. Usually that doesn't happen quite soon, actually it can take lots of time and that's called höyling. Most likely you never get everything perfect but only satisfying enough. Controlling oneself and pure luck play big role here. Usually training and höyling are combined.

Naturally people can improve on all these areas. You can develop your 'eye' to figure out the different styles immediately. Fortunately Elma is such a complex game that no one will be able to find out the fastests ones at first sight. Better bike control gives you more opportunities to know what's possible and what's not. And to be one of the best players you really have to rule almost all the tricks there are so better to learn them.

Playing Elma is much about controlling oneself. Try to stay calm and not lose your nerve even after failing the Labyrinth Pro end after doing the bounce for the first time. Be rational and unempathetic.

Controlling

As we know the controls of Elma are: gas, brake, left and right rotate, turn and alovolt. Alias brake, enter, alias ESC and normal ESC are not essential. The default keys and more about the controls on Elasto Mania information page

Pressing those keys after and before each other and also at the same time give thousands different combinations which will produce different behaviour and tricks for the bike. On this section most of the essential ones of those combinations and results of the key presses are introduced. Read, watch, practice, learn and invent new ones.

People find it funny to drive Elma without using some controls. For example all internal levels are possible to finish without the rotate keys - actually the very first version of Across levels were designed to be played without rotate keys. Moreover many internal levels are possible to finish without the gas. Brake isn't that important and it's very easy to finish the levels without the brake and even get satisfactory times. Alovolt is just a curiosity when it comes to finishing levels.

The different controlling categories are listed in order of difficulty. To beat the dream time you probably have to höyl quite a lot and it's not necessary at all, neither it's the primary purpose of this section. They are added just for the fun and are not updated here - at least not yet. Target times you should try to beat in order to be sure you master the certain controlling type or trick (in most cases just finishing the level without any critical flaws should be enough). There are four skill levels: novices should be able to beat most of the Easy ones quite soon after starting to play. Medium ones need more practicing, and to beat most of the Hard ones you probably have to play months. Finally the Expert ones need years of playing experience unless you are lucky enough.

The following list describes how each level should be driven, how it's played fast, and what's the point in the level. Each level is there for a reason, because each one of them presents a unique trick, a driving style or a bike controlling technique. The point hasn't been to make all kinds of level types but to include all kinds of playing styles.

Probably the best way to play these levels is to watch the target replays, copy the styles and do the höyling. Some levels or styles might fit to many categories. In that case, they are only in one category. We have to remember that there are many different kinds of players out there with different skills and therefore in some levels the Dream time may seem impossible while in some levels it's ridiculous.

Accelerating

The main purpose of accelerating is to get maximum speed but it can also be used for balance control and changing the angle of the bike and might also be used as a weak brake.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Accelerate gently so that you won't hit the killers. Keep your front wheel on the ground. 9,20 8,12 Easy
2. Keep the back wheel on the ground in order to accelerate all the time. 10,81 10,10 Easy
3. Release your gas at the uphill. 11,17 10,02 Medium
4. Accelerate very slowly in order to not hit your head to the ceiling. 12,75 10,57 Medium

Turning

What would Easto Mania be without the turning function? It is one of the most natural movements: when you want to drive to another direction, just turn.

Turning can also be used to balance the bike and keep the front wheel on the ground, as well as increase further rotation to the bike when it is in the air. Since the position of the head is not really in the center of the bike: turning can also be used in, for example, killer avoiding.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Turn your bike after the killers in order to not hit the third killer. Don't use rotates. 5,48 5,42 Medium
2. Turn your bike in order to not hit your head. 4,53 4,13 Medium

Braking

Braking is essential to the game, with it you can slow down, change motion energy from one direction to another through stopping at walls and gain speed back the other way. It is also cruical for bouncing and hanging. Braking is often a control more used by good players than bad, despite the fact bad players drive worse times. The brake is possibly the hardest control to fully master and is often also the last key control people learn how to use properly.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Brake at the apple and drive back. 8,57 6,67 Easy
2. Brake hard at the apple and drive back. 10,06 5,94 Easy
3. Brake when pushing the edge of the platform. 6,04 4,36 Medium
4. Find the best way to brake and drop to the flower. 7,36 6,37 Easy
5. Brake very hard. 14,65 13,26 Easy
6. Brake little by little at the apple. Don't drive any lower than you must in order to get the apple. 17,38 15,19 Easy
7. Use brake to get the grip at the hang. 7,56 6,63 Hard
8. Hang by your back wheel and brake at the end of the hang. 11,13 8,88 Medium
9. Brake at the end of the pipe. 8,78 7,59 Hard
10. Go head first and brake at the flower. 7,86 4,90 Hard

Pushing

Pushing means to get more speed from walls, stairs, ceiling and poles. Push your wheels against a wall by rotating the bike.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Push speed from the triangle. 5,27 4,88 Easy
2. Push the bike to the top of the stairs stairs. 8,46 7,50 Easy
3. Get to the top of the stairs. Use brake in order to not die to the killers. 9,10 7,57 Hard
4. Push speed from the wall. 9,00 8,87 Easy
5. Get vertical speed from the ceiling. 9,84 9,13 Hard
6. Drive up the wall. 8,96 7,79 Medium
7. Push the wall and get enough speed. So-called wall-push. 8,59 8,15 Hard
8. Get more speed by pushing the wheel against the pole. 11,06 9,35 Medium
9. Push yourself up to the flower. 5,18 4,91 Medium
10. Push and jump. 12,23 9,12 Hard
11. Get some vertical speed and push hard to the flower. 6,91 4,25 Medium
12. Find a best way to get the apple fast using pushing techniques. 14,59 10,02 Hard
13. Get more speed by pushings the poles. 14,36 11,62 Hard

Picking

Picking means to get apple so that you won't lose any extra time. There are many different styles to pick an apple.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Brake slightly and pick the apple. 5,15 5,02 Easy
2. Pick the apple by hanging. 8,22 7,45 Easy
3. Pick the apple by braking and rotating. So-called head-grap. 7,41 6,30 Easy
4. Pick the apple by your head. 5,01 4,51 Easy
5. Push your front wheel against the wall and pick the apple by your head. 8,35 8,00 Easy
6. Pick the apple by braking at the hang. 6,84 5,95 Medium
7. Pick the apple on the ground by pushing wheel towards it. Vsync ON helps. 8,23 6,82 Expert

Volting

Use your arrow keys to rotate the bike at the right time. In some levels you have to use supervolt or alovolt.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Use volts to pass the killer. 4,50 4,02 Easy
2. Volt to the top. 9,42 7,26 Medium
3. Do a volt to get to the flower. 7,05 6,74 Hard
4. Do a volt to get to the flower. 7,46 6,40 Medium
5. Do a volt to get to the flower. 8,09 6,96 Medium
6. Do a volt to get to the flower. 6,15 4,84 Medium
7. Use alovolt to get maximum speed. 6,75 6,57 Easy
8. Find the best way to volt to get to the flower. 8,20 7,66 Hard
9. Use alovolt to get enough speed to get up to the flower. 10,72 9,86 Hard
10. Use volting and braking to get enough speed to be able to jump to the flower. 10,91 10,12 Hard

Hanging

Hanging means dangling your bike in the air from a polygon. You can hang either with your left or right wheel or with both wheels.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Hang to the flower. 3,62 3,12 Easy
2. Hang to the flower. 7,04 5,33 Easy
3. Use hang to get the apple. 10,35 7,50 Easy
4. Hang to the flower. 5,82 5,13 Medium
5. Use hang to get the apple. 10,18 9,15 Easy
6. Do a so-called jaws-hang. 9,12 8,05 Easy
7. Hang by your back wheel. 9,89 8,03 Easy
8. Do a hang turnaround. The rail is called as rollercoaster. 8,19 7,56 Easy
9. Hang below the killers. 12,14 10,73 Medium
10. Hang to the flower. 6,93 6,27 Hard
11. Use hanging to get the apple. 9,17 8,09 Hard
12. Use a bottom-hang at the apple. 7,13 6,55 Hard
13. Hang by front wheel. 14,93 13,90 Medium
14. Hang-climb by back wheel. 19,06 15,78 Hard
15. Hang by both wheels. 32,24 25,70 Hard

Jumping

Jumping needs usually as high speed as possible and some volting at a hill. Try to jump through the following levels.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Do a little jump to the flower. 3,94 3,78 Easy
2. Do a little jump to the flower. 2,35 2,15 Easy
3. Jump over the killers. 6,02 5,62 Easy
4. Jump from the wall. So-called wall-jump. 11,70 11,23 Easy
5. Jump high. 6,09 5,61 Medium
6. Jump over the killer. 5,32 5,14 Easy
7. Jump over the killer. 7,23 6,48 Easy
8. Jump over the pole. 10,88 9,01 Hard
9. Jump to the platforms. Feel the rhythm. 16,13 14,76 Hard
10. Jump over the killers. Use volting not to die to the killers. 8,29 8,16 Expert

Climbing

Climbing needs usually a skillful use of brake and volting at the same time. Good luck to the levels.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Use gas to get to the flower. 5,14 4,44 Easy
2. Use gas to get to the flower. 13,91 9,39 Medium
3. Use gas to get to the flower. 12,40 10,88 Medium
4. Use gas, brake and volting to get to the flower. 22,72 17,28 Hard
5. Use volting to land properly to be able to climb to the flower. 8,30 6,79 Hard
6. Use alovolt to get to the flower. 14,60 11,10 Expert

Dropping

Dropping isn't very hard until you realize that the position and angle you land are quite important on how much speed you get after landing.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Drop to the flower. 4,76 4,26 Easy
2. Do a so-called zigzag-drop to the flower. 6,74 5,56 Easy
3. Do a so-called zigzag-drop to the flower. 7,55 6,28 Easy
4. Drop to the flower. You have to use brake at the apples. 16,32 14,44 Medium
5. Adjust the angle with gas and brake while dropping. 11,12 8,79 Medium

Stretching

To stretch your bike, you should get as much speed as possible and stop a wheel when other bike continues going.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Use volting to stretch the bike. 3,77 3,50 Medium
2. Use volting to stretch the bike. 2,36 2,32 Medium
3. Pick the apple by stretching the bike. 9,90 9,26 Hard
4. Hang by both wheels and use brake to stretch the bike to get the apple. 7,98 7,33 Hard
5. Hang by both wheels and use brake to stretch the bike to get the apple. 13,30 11,54 Hard

Gravity

Gravity playing is always hard and sometimes you might even want to turn your screen upside down. To be a good player, you should practice how to control the bike when the gravity doesn't point down.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Take the gravity apples and finish. 5,24 4,94 Easy
2. Take the gravity apples and finish. 8,81 8,30 Easy
3. Find a best way to collect the apples. 18,73 14,66 Easy
4. Take the gravity apples and finish. 15,33 13,84 Medium
5. Fly through the apple and take it as late as you can. 7,05 6,82 Hard

Killer avoiding

Killers are usually irritating and to best way to handle them is to avoid them, by not inserting them or by trying to dodge them. Try your best in the following levels.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Jump over the killer. 6,03 5,83 Easy
2. Use volting to get over the killer. 4,77 4,20 Hard
3. Use brake and rotating to get over the killers. 9,48 8,12 Medium
4. Use brutal volt to get over the killer. 6,43 4,63 Hard
5. Fly through the middle killer. 9,39 6,00 Hard

Bouncing

Bouncing means pressurizing your back/front wheel and pressing brake at the right moment. Practice your bouncing skills in the following levels.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Bounce to the flower. 7,85 6,50 Medium
2. Bounce to the flower. 4,73 4,52 Medium
3. Bounce to the flower. 5,57 5,24 Hard
4. Bounce to the flower. 7,29 6,47 Expert
5. Bounce at the apple. 5,54 5,28 Medium
6. Bounce back from the wall. 8,73 7,99 Hard
7. Bounce at the bottom. 4,83 4,01 Hard
8. Bounce before the killers. 9,86 9,39 Medium
9. Bounce with your front wheel at the bottom. 8,47 7,30 Expert
10. Bounce back from the wall. 10,23 9,43 Hard
11. Bounce to the flower. 8,68 7,52 Medium
12. Bounce to the flower. So-called twist-bounce. 10,03 9,02 Hard
13. Bounce back from the bottom. So-called kick-bounce. 9,35 7,68 Hard

Brutal volting

Brutal volting means volting in flat ground. It can be used to jump higher than you normally could. Brutal volting is pretty hard and you should practice it a little. Brutal volting can also be done in multiple ways.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Do a brutal volt. 6,51 5,79 Hard
2. Do a brutal volt. 6,23 5,18 Hard
3. Do a so-called bounce-brutal volt. 6,43 5,48 Hard
4. Do a brutal at the bottom. 8,48 6,50 Hard
5. Do a so-called double-volt-brutal to get the apple. 11,08 9,44 Hard
6. Do a so-called wall-brutal. 7,74 7,20 Expert

Piping

Piping is an elma art you should really try if you haven't tried yet. It's like yet another game. In the beginning it's very hard but in time you will learn it. Centered camera helps here.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. A very easy horizontal pipe. 4,02 3,63 Easy
2. An easy horizontal pipe. 4,09 3,63 Medium
3. Easy vertical pipe. 4,83 3,87 Medium
4. A 90 degree direction change inside a pipe. 6,58 5,52 Medium
5. A diagonal pipe. 11,89 8,87 Medium
6. A vertical pipe. 4,84 3,97 Hard
7. A tight vertical pipe. 5,84 4,09 Hard
8. An up-going pipe. 9,51 8,79 Hard
9. A climb-and-fall pipe. 11,04 9,26 Hard
10. A curvy pipe 9,33 8,43 Hard
11. A big curvy pipe. 15,77 13,55 Hard
12. An up-going pipe with gravity. 4,36 3,99 Hard
13. A vertical pipe upside down. 8,37 6,77 Hard
14. Pipe with gravity left and right. It's easier to drive if you rotate your own head when driving vertically. 19,72 16,36 Hard
15. A very tight pipe. 5,77 5,37 Expert
16. A turn inside a pipe. 13,74 12,70 Expert

Special tricks

Following levels contain some special tricks which you need in some special occasions. See the levels' descriptions.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Brake to get a maximum speed. Launcher, cannon. 3,43 3,01 Easy
2. Go below the pole. Limbo. 4,41 3,81 Medium
3. Take the flower with your head. 4,17 2,79 Hard
4. Push from the wall to get the flower. 4,02 3,80 Hard
5. Do a Deadbounce. 10,23 8,29 Expert
6. Do a Juish-p0p-bounce. 8,52 7,52 Expert
7. Do an O-bounce. 7,58 6,97 Expert
8. Do a wheel pressure. 5,81 5,54 Expert

Extra tricks

The tricks which were missed in the original pack are and will be included to this category.

#DescriptionTargetDreamSkill
1. Make an alo-brutal. 11,26 10,22 Hard
2. Bounce backwards to get the flower. 8,78 8,17 Hard
3. Volt wildly to get all the apples in one go. 39,77 31,45 Hard
4. Stretch your wheels to get the apple. 7,94 7,70 Hard
5. Climb the pipe upwards by volting with brakes on. 1:06,79 55,30 Expert
6. Brake in the pipe and volt in order to reach the flower. 4,33 3,83 Hard
7. Drive head-first in the pipe. 17,34 13,73 Hard
8. You have to get your head into the pipe too. 7,03 6,88 Hard
9. Make a front-wheel bounce. 11,74 10,66 Hard
10. Volt to reach the upper level. 11,78 10,80 Hard
11. Bounce from the wall. 7,81 7,70 Hard
12. Make a ground bounce or ground brutal. 13,68 13,13 Hard
13. Volt after the start launcher to reach the flower. 2,50 2,41 Medium
14. Get the apple by hanging from the ground. 9,73 9,29 Hard
15. Make a half-deadbounce. 10,21 10,10 Expert
16. Push your wheel to the wall to stop your speed and reach the flower. 5,39 5,25 Hard
17. Gas little-by-little to get the apple. 15,63 14,26 Hard

Files

The level filename pattern is PLxxyy.lev where yy is the level number in that category and xx is the category's two first letters, except for Picking which is PC because PI is reserved for Piping and Brutal volting which is BV because BR is reserved for Braking.

The levels are made mainly by zebra. In past years many other people have also been involved. The project started in 2002 when Barbapappa and Abula came with an idea of Moposchool which would teach tricks to newbies. Rigger and ciph were also helping them but as usually the project was taking time one more month after another. When Paprika was published the concept of the entire section was radically changed and zebra started to lead the project. Luther, Axxu and Abula have been helping in the second period of the project.

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2024-01-11

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Date: 29. Mar 2024
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