Better start learning manual buddy#

A high-maintennance gear, based on Daytona USA’s gear shifting mechanic. Shift your current gear level based on the situation to take advantage of different speeds, proportional to your ring drain.

Gear specific details Special flags
Fuel type Rings
Special flags Starts with 50 rings, No speed loss while charging jump, Cannot use pits
Mechanics Manual Transmission System, Golden Experience
Frames to charge drift dash 60

Manual Transmission System#

Hang-On’s claim to fame is it’s Manual Transmission System. Instead of leveling up through the race based on laps or ring count, you can shift Hang-On’s level from 1 to 3 using the D-Pad.

   D-Pad left shifts to Level 1.
   D-Pad up shifts to level 2.
   D-Pad right shifts to level 3.

The tradeoff is that higher levels beget a higher ring drain. For example, level 3 boasts an impressive 235 Top Speed and 265 Boost Speed, but eats through your rings much quicker compared to level 1 or 2.

Hang-On’s game plan therefore revolves around smart usage of level shifting according to the situation and ring count. Taking a corner at level 1, then shifting back up to level 3 may be slower than just riding out level 3 for the whole turn, but you will end up with more rings for the next leg of the race.

Golden Experience#

Upon landing a hit with Hang-On, you will be locked to level 1 for three seconds. Evidenced by a yellow exhaust trail. In exchange, you will have infinite rings and a +11% boost chain modifier. At the conclusion of golden experience, you will be returned at level 1 with 99 rings.

Gearshift lockout#

While cruising or tricking, you can freely shift between each level. While boosting you may only shift up by one level at a time. After shifting up, you will encounter Gearshift lockout, indicated by a red trail. You cannot change levels during gearshift lockout. Once the trail disappears, you can change levels again.
  Gearshift lockout timers for each combination:
   Level 1->2 = 30 lockout frames.
   Level 1->2->3 = 30 lockout frames, then 40 lockout frames.
   Level 2->3 = 40 lockout frames.

When you shift levels in ascending order while boosting (nicknamed Shiftboosting), you will gain bonus boost speed depending on the shift order.
  Shiftboosting boost speeds for each combination:
   Level 1->2 = 230 -> 240 speed
   Level 1->2->3 = 230 -> 240 -> 245 speed
   Level 2->3 = 250 -> 255 speed

Level-dependent ring cap#

When you shift up, you will consume more rings, but your ring cap will also increase to match. While numerically you still cap out at 100 rings as normal, rings you collect while in level 2 or 3 are worth more than level 1. You have a 150% ring cap in level 2 compared to level 1, and a 200% ring cap in level 3.
  In other words,
   Level 1 rings are as normal
   Level 2 rings are worth 1.5x a normal ring in level 1
   Level 3 rings are worth 2x a normal ring in level 1

This may not be apparent until you shift levels, if you were to have 50 rings in level 3, shifting down to level 1 would give you 100 rings.
This also applies to ring boxes. A common strategy is to collect 30 ring boxes exclsuively in level 3, which gives your level 1 ring count 60 apparent rings.
Your ring costs for boosts, etc remain accordant to the numeric value of your current level.

Stats#

Gear stats Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Top Speed 185 215 235
Boost Speed 230 250 265
Drift dash Speed +50 +80 +100
Drift dash speed cap 260 270 280
Acceleration (speed/sec) -
Deceleration -
Boost Chain Multiplier -
Boost cost 5 rings 10 rings 15 rings
Drift cost/sec 0.25 rings 0.3 rings 0.5 rings
Tornado cost 25 30 40
Trick air gain modifier -
Shortcut air gain modifier -
Passive fuel drain/sec 0.45 rings 0.981 rings 3.763 rings
Weight modifier 0.4