: Phew, we finally arrived.



We're finally here. That was a long drive.

...Wow, this place is quite pretty!


: Anchorage. I thought it snowed all year round. That’s not the case…



Actually, me too Hiro. In my head I assumed this was going to be some snowy ice town, especially because I figure locations were chosen for ice races. I had thought the same for Winnipeg too, which ended up having an odd mix of summery town and ice races.

I feel like the director of this game and some of the devs must have gotten the work trip of a lifetime to fly around the US to all these locations to gather photographs and material for inclusion in the game. They just happened to do this in summer / spring.

Speaking of which, that odd looking building with the grass roof intrigued me, so I got to Googling. Turns out it's the Anchorage Log Cabin Visitors Information Centre. That sign post is one of those novelty ‘12 zillion miles to Sydney’ type ones.





Looks like the centre still exists today, and is just as colourful and eclectic as is shown here.

Anyway, the reason we travelled halfway across the continent was to visit a shop at the recommendation of a snotty teenager, so let's select Shop.


: There are no shops…



What??

I think we've been had… :doh:

Surely we can at least get some sort of novelty snow globe or fridge magnet? Something to make that 47 hour trip through the middle of nowhere worthwhile?


: Would it be quicker to ask someone?



Hrm ok. Let's try Talk


: Sorry, I'm going to post the Zero Yon parts around here. Is there anywhere that sells it?






Oh hey, its-a Mario! What's he doing in Alaska?


: Zero...? What's that?



He doesn’t know what Zero 4 is? Surely you’ve heard of the most important sport in the world?


: There's only one store around here. They only sell daily necessities there.



By daily necessities I'm sure he means tyres, turbochargers, transmissions… etc.


: I see. Then please tell me the store!


: That store is right in front of Onshi.


: Eh? Is this a store? It doesn't look like it…



Is he talking about the Visitors Centre? Let’s go there! I'll Select Shop again.





: Welcome



Gah! What kind of Visitors Centre is this place? There's skulls on the wall, and all kinds of odd potions. Is that… a trident?

Now, I don't like to stereotype, but uh… Goons, I think this might be a Witch...


: Can I see what you have for sale?


: Yes.






What on earth. What the heck is this stuff?

How could any of this be relevant?

...Maybe we can select things and then get an explanation? That's what happens in the mechanics store.


: What does this do?

: You'll have to buy it to find out.


Well. That's some solid marketing tactic there, witch lady.

I don't think there is anything really worthwhile here, so let's check the local ‘Circuit’.


: I don't even know the word "zero-yon" I'm doing it, right?



I think this was meant to be ‘they don't know what zero 4 is here, let alone have a circuit’

Pipsqueak said Anchorage has a ‘dedicated ice course’ - but we should have realised by now not to trust a word out of her lying mouth.

…Well. Since this seems to be the only thing we can do here in sunny Anchorage, I'll put a couple of questions to you goons:


The items for purchase are as follows:

Don't worry about the price for now.

Possible locations are: