F-Zero GX
Encyclopedia
is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo GameCube
console. Developed by Sega
's Amusement Vision department and supervised and published by Nintendo
, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America . F-Zero AX, the arcade
counterpart of GX, uses hardware conceived from a business alliance between Nintendo, Namco
and Sega. F-Zero GX runs on an enhanced version of the engine that powered Super Monkey Ball
. F-Zero GX/AX was the first video game collaboration
between Nintendo and Sega. The game received critical acclaim as one of the best racers of its time and the greatest racer on the GameCube platform.
F-Zero GX is the fifth released installment in the F-Zero
series and the successor to F-Zero X
. The game continues the series' difficult, high-speed racing style, retaining the basic gameplay and control system from the Nintendo 64
game. A heavy emphasis is placed on track memorization and reflexes, which aids in completing the game. GX introduces a "story mode" element, where the player assumes the role of Captain Falcon
through nine chapters while completing various missions. Overall, the game was well-received by critics for its visuals, intense action, high sense of speed and track design. Complaints centered on its sharp increase in difficulty that may alienate players.
-powered hovercar
s in an intergalactic Grand Prix at speeds that can exceed . Tracks include loops, half-pipes, cylinders, and jumps. Some courses have innate obstacles like dirt patches, mines, tricky jumps, and magnetic tubes to navigate. Before a race, the player is able to adjust a vehicle's balance between maximum acceleration and maximum top speed. This adds strategy, as players with greater knowledge of the circuits can make better decisions. There is a wide range of machines available for the player to choose, each with its own characteristics and performance abilities, including and limited to varying levels of top speed, acceleration, cornering, grip, boost, body, and each is driven by a different character. Custom machines can also be created, they consist of three adjustable parts that affect the overall performance of the vehicle.
A race in F-Zero GX consists of three laps around the track. Each machine has an energy meter, which serves two purposes. First, it is a measurement of the machine's health and is decreased for example when the machine hits another racer or the side of the track. Second, the player is given the ability to boost after the first lap. Boosting greatly increases the racer's speed for a few seconds, but also drains their energy. Energy can be replenished by driving over recharge strips that are placed on the track. There are also dash plates located at various points around the track that give a speed boost without using up any energy. If the player has a "spare machine
" then falls off a track or runs out of energy, the race will be restarted, or their machine will be restored to the track with half depleted energy. As with all F-Zero games, combat is not a crucial part of the game, but machines can attempt to damage and destroy each other using side or spin attacks.
F-Zero GX features several different modes. In the Grand Prix mode, the player chooses a cup and races against twenty-nine opponents through each track in that cup. Players get a certain amount of points for finishing a track depending on where they placed, and the winner of the circuit is the character who receives the most total points. There are three difficulty levels available at the start: Novice, Standard, and Expert. Master difficulty can be unlocked by beating the Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald cups on Expert. Placing first in a cup on Master difficulty with a non-custom machine unlocks a full motion video
(FMV) featuring that machine's pilot. The Vs. Battle is the multiplayer mode where two to four players can compete simultaneously. Time attack
lets the player choose a track and complete it in the shortest time possible. Ghost data can be saved to a Memory Card, racing against a staff ghost or transparent re-enactments of the player's best three-lap performances is possible. Up to five ghosts can be shown at a time. A new Story mode allows the player to follow Captain Falcon
as he races through missions and completes a wide array of challenges. The replay mode allows saved replays to be viewed under different camera angles and music. Customize is where items such as pilots and machine parts can be bought. Practice allows the player to practice any track with an adjustable number of laps and opponents. The Pilot Profile mode has each character's biography, theme music, information on their machine and a short FMV sequence.
An Internet ranking system was established where players enter a password on an F-Zero Internet website and get ranked based on their position in the database. Players can receive a password after completing a race, enter it into a webpage database, and it tracks their time and the machine they have used.
, there is no longer a code to unlock them all, resulting in players having to go through the Grand Prix's increasing levels of difficulty. Furthermore, the "X Cup", which randomly generates tracks, was removed in GX. Initially, only the Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Cups can be played. The Diamond Cup can be unlocked by coming first overall in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Cup on standard or a higher difficulty in the Grand Prix. Beating the first three cups on Expert also unlocks the Master class difficulty level. Individual circuits from F-Zero AX can be unlocked by placing first on the tracks in this arcade counterpart and saving progress to a memory card. Placing first overall in the other four cups on the Master difficulty setting also unlocks five of the six AX Cup tracks for purchase using tickets. The sixth, which is the 26th and last track in the game, Mute City: Sonic Oval, can be unlocked by placing first in the AX Cup on any difficulty level.
s, each of which unlocks an item in the game's shop: "Normal", which unlocks the next chapter; "Hard", which unlocks parts from the arcade version, F-Zero AX; and "Very Hard", which unlocks driver-specific vehicles from F-Zero AX. Toshihiro Nagoshi
, one of the game's co-producers, stated that this mode was included because the development team felt that the F-Zero universe was unique and they wanted to explain some of the characters' motivations and flesh out the game world.
s. These back and forth snake-like movements set a high rate of oscillation, achieving speeds of over . This technique, called "dakou" or "snaking", has been known to deliver a massive increase in speed, but it is best used on the early, easier tracks and when racing alone in Time Trial. The technique is difficult to employ due to the constant back-and-forth motion, and may cause players' hands to ache. Because this gives the user a distinct speed advantage, players regard snaking in general as anything from legitimate and advanced racing strategy, to an unfair tactic, to outright cheating. According to Nintendo
, the snaking technique was an intentional addition to F-Zero GXs gameplay.
developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega
for the Triforce arcade system board
. F-Zero AX is the second game by Sega to use Triforce, which was conceived from a business alliance between them, Nintendo and Namco
. This hardware allows for connectivity between the GameCube and arcade games. The game was released in Japan, Europe and North America in 2003, alongside its Nintendo GameCube
counterpart, F-Zero GX. Its arcade cabinet
is available in three types: standard, deluxe and Monster Ride. The standard version is a regular sit-down model while the deluxe version is shaped like Captain Falcon's vehicle and offers a hydraulic tilting seat simulating the craft's cockpit. The F-Zero Monster Ride uses a machine called "Cycraft", which was developed between Sega and Simuline. The machine uses three servo motors
to offer a movement motion based simulation.
F-Zero AX includes two different modes of play. In the Race mode, the player chooses a cup and races against twenty-nine opponents through each track in that cup. Using this mode, up to three other people can join in to compete simultaneously when the cabinets are connected to open up "Versus Play". Though each track must be completed before time runs out, the player is awarded "time extensions" for reaching multiple checkpoints on the course. In the mode Time Attack, the player chooses a track and complete it in the shortest time possible.
Using a cardboard "F-Zero License Card", the game builds a custom vehicle which can later be upgraded using pilot points earned for winning races. The card also saves the players' user ID, custom machine data, race data and pilot points, and gives a password for the F-Zero AX Internet Rankings. This Internet ranking system is where the player can enter a password on the Internet and be ranked based on their position in the database. When using the F-Zero License Card, the player receives a password after racing in Time Attack which can be entered into the F-Zero Internet Rankings. It saves their time with the machine they used on the database and ranks it against other peoples scores.
s, on which saved game
s are kept, can be taken to an arcade with F-Zero AX, the game's arcade counterpart, to download special data. Players are meant to use the AX arcade cabinets to unlock permanent access to the fifth and last cup, the AX Cup; a number of new custom machine parts and ten new vehicles. AX cabinets are quite rare; according to a fan-compiled F-Zero AX Locations database, less than twenty are available in the North America region. However, more can be located and its content can instead be unlocked in F-Zero GX by going through the game normally or by the use of a cheating device
. In GX, the AX Cup can be unlocked by completing all other cups (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond) on Master difficulty, the vehicles by completing Story Mode missions on Very Hard difficulty and all the custom parts by completing Story Mode on Hard difficulty and the Grand Prix on expert in the Diamond cup.
under the name of "Triforce" was being developed in conjunction between Nintendo
, Namco
, and Sega
. The idea for the arcade board originated after discussions between Sega and Namco about the capabilities and cost effectiveness of the GameCube architecture to make arcade games. A month later, an announcement from Sega and Nintendo revealed Sega's subsidiary Amusement Vision and Nintendo will collaborate to release F-Zero video game titles for the Triforce arcade board and the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo revealed the first footage of F-Zero GX at the Pre-Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) press conference on May 21, 2002. While the game was known to exist several months prior, it had remained behind closed doors until that conference.
In early March 2003, according to the official Nintendo website, F-Zero was delayed by two months. Via a live video conference
call from Japan on July 7, 2003, co-producers Shigeru Miyamoto
and Toshihiro Nagoshi, and supervisor Takaya Imamura
answered questions about the two F-Zero games. There, Miyamoto announced the Japanese version of the game was finished and would soon be available to the public. Nagoshi mentioned that back at E3 2003, he was hoping that they would have that time to include a local area network
(LAN) multiplayer mode, however they chose not to support this mode. The development team focused more on the game's single-player aspects, and a LAN multiplayer mode would distract greatly from it. Imamura commented that even though he worked directly on F-Zero throughout its different incarnations, this time he took a "step back and was involved at kind of a producer level at looking over the game." Imamura added "hav[ing] worked on the F-Zero series, and seeing the results of the collaboration with Sega, I found myself at something of a loss as to how we can take the franchise further past F-Zero GX and AX."
F-Zero GX/AX Original Soundtracks, a two-CD
set composed of BGM
soundtracks to the video games GX and its arcade counterpart, was released on July 22, 2004 in Japan under the Scitron Digital Content record label
. The soundtracks features an array of songs from rock and techno
musical styles composed by Hidenori Shoji
and Daiki Kasho
. The first disc consists of forty-one tracks composed by Kasho and the second has forty composed by Shoji with an additional track rearranged by Supersweep's AYA (Ayako Sasō) of "Big Blue". Kasho composed the character themes with lyrics by Alan Brey and both Shoji and Kasho were supervisors of its audio mastering
.
for GameCube which opened up the opportunity for a collaboration between the two companies. Since Sega helped to develop Nintendo's Triforce arcade system, the company wanted to support it with software that would "stand out and draw attention to Nintendo's platform." Nagoshi was suggested to develop a driving game and agreed under the stipulation he could come up with something unique—which was working on the next installment in Nintendo's F-Zero series. During its development, Nagoshi focused on what he called the self-explanatory "Interface" of the game, and "Rhythm"—to give the way the tracks are laid out a rhythmic feel. Miyamoto stated "[Nintendo] have gained a lot of fans among current game developers, including famous producers like Mr. Nagoshi who grew up playing Nintendo games and are big fans of some of our titles." In 2002, Nagoshi claimed that 1991's F-Zero "actually taught me what a game should be" and that it served as an influence for him to create Daytona USA
and other racing games. Before development started on F-Zero GX/AX, he mentioned abandoning the project due to personal pressures he faced to make a great impression on Nintendo and personal admiration of an established franchise.
While Amusement Vision was responsible for most of the game's development, Nintendo EAD employees Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura took on the role of producer and supervisor, respectively. Sega handled planning and execution and Nintendo was responsible for supervision of their product. Nagoshi was initially concerned about differences in opinion between the two companies, and mentioned "If Nintendo planned to hold our hands through development, I would have suggested they develop the game themselves. That way we could focus on a project which would reflect our studio's abilities. I figured that would cause a war, but I was told most of the responsibility would be left to us." Miyamoto thought the collaboration resulted in a "true evolution of the F-Zero series", enhancing the simulation of racing at high speeds and expanding the "F-Zero world on a grand scale."
and Game Rankings
with some considering it as one of the best racers of its time and the greatest racer on the GameCube platform. It was listed "Best GameCube Racing Game" in the E3 2003 IGN Awards and "Best Racing Game of 2003" by IGN. F-Zero GX was awarded "Best GameCube Driving Game" in GameSpot
's "Best and Worst of 2003" feature and was nominated for "Console Racing Game of the Year" in the 7th Annual Interactive Achievements Awards held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
.
The game has been credited for its visuals; arcade/home connectivity; plenty of longevity; sharp controls; tough challenge; fleshed-out single-player modes. The game's most common criticism is its difficulty, specifically in the game's story mode. It earned fourth place in IGN's and GameTrailers
' toughest games to beat. GameTrailers mentioned F-Zero GX demanded players to master the "rollercoaster-style tracks [which] required hairline precision" to avoid falling off-course. Electronic Gaming Monthly
criticized GXs sharp increase in difficulty and GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann
agreed stating it "will surely turn some people away before they've seen the 20 tracks and unlocked all the story mode chapters". Bryn Williams of GameSpy
mentioned that "purists may find it too similar to N64 version" and criticizes the lack of LAN
play.
1UP.com
stated that the F-Zero series is "finally running on hardware that can do it proper justice". Eurogamer
's Kristan Reed pointed out that, graphically, "it's hard to imagine how Amusement Vision could have done a better job". Matt Casamassina
of IGN
praised the developers' work commenting they have "done a fine job of taking Nintendo's dated franchise and updating it for the new generation" and summed up the general opinion by stating that "For some, GX will be the ultimate racer. For others, it will be flat out too difficult." In Japan, F-Zero GX sold 100,981 units and became qualified for the Player's Choice
line in both Europe and North America by selling at least 250,000 copies.
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
console. Developed by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Amusement Vision department and supervised and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America . F-Zero AX, the arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
counterpart of GX, uses hardware conceived from a business alliance between Nintendo, Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
and Sega. F-Zero GX runs on an enhanced version of the engine that powered Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball is an arcade platform game developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega. The game debuted in Japan in 2000 as an upright arcade cabinet called Monkey Ball and was released the following year as one of the launch titles for the Nintendo GameCube.-Modes:Super Monkey Ball...
. F-Zero GX/AX was the first video game collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
between Nintendo and Sega. The game received critical acclaim as one of the best racers of its time and the greatest racer on the GameCube platform.
F-Zero GX is the fifth released installment in the F-Zero
F-Zero
is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . The game was released in Japan on November 21, 1990, in North America on August 23, 1991, and in Europe on June 4, 1992...
series and the successor to F-Zero X
F-Zero X
, is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo 64 console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America, in 1998. In 2000, an expansion of the game was exclusively released in Japan providing numerous extra features not in the original game. F-Zero...
. The game continues the series' difficult, high-speed racing style, retaining the basic gameplay and control system from the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
game. A heavy emphasis is placed on track memorization and reflexes, which aids in completing the game. GX introduces a "story mode" element, where the player assumes the role of Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon
Douglas Jay Falcon, better known by his alias, , is a playable character in the racing video game series F-Zero. He first appeared in F-Zero, and has been called the poster boy of the F-Zero franchise. Nintendo first envisioned Captain Falcon as a flagship character to represent the release of a...
through nine chapters while completing various missions. Overall, the game was well-received by critics for its visuals, intense action, high sense of speed and track design. Complaints centered on its sharp increase in difficulty that may alienate players.
Gameplay
F-Zero GX is a futuristic racing game where thirty competitors race on massive circuits inside plasmaPlasma (physics)
In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
-powered hovercar
Hovercar
A hovercar is a transport vehicle appearing in works of fiction. It is used for personal transportation in the same way a modern automobile is employed. You must steer it, like you would a normal vehicle...
s in an intergalactic Grand Prix at speeds that can exceed . Tracks include loops, half-pipes, cylinders, and jumps. Some courses have innate obstacles like dirt patches, mines, tricky jumps, and magnetic tubes to navigate. Before a race, the player is able to adjust a vehicle's balance between maximum acceleration and maximum top speed. This adds strategy, as players with greater knowledge of the circuits can make better decisions. There is a wide range of machines available for the player to choose, each with its own characteristics and performance abilities, including and limited to varying levels of top speed, acceleration, cornering, grip, boost, body, and each is driven by a different character. Custom machines can also be created, they consist of three adjustable parts that affect the overall performance of the vehicle.
A race in F-Zero GX consists of three laps around the track. Each machine has an energy meter, which serves two purposes. First, it is a measurement of the machine's health and is decreased for example when the machine hits another racer or the side of the track. Second, the player is given the ability to boost after the first lap. Boosting greatly increases the racer's speed for a few seconds, but also drains their energy. Energy can be replenished by driving over recharge strips that are placed on the track. There are also dash plates located at various points around the track that give a speed boost without using up any energy. If the player has a "spare machine
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
" then falls off a track or runs out of energy, the race will be restarted, or their machine will be restored to the track with half depleted energy. As with all F-Zero games, combat is not a crucial part of the game, but machines can attempt to damage and destroy each other using side or spin attacks.
F-Zero GX features several different modes. In the Grand Prix mode, the player chooses a cup and races against twenty-nine opponents through each track in that cup. Players get a certain amount of points for finishing a track depending on where they placed, and the winner of the circuit is the character who receives the most total points. There are three difficulty levels available at the start: Novice, Standard, and Expert. Master difficulty can be unlocked by beating the Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald cups on Expert. Placing first in a cup on Master difficulty with a non-custom machine unlocks a full motion video
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
(FMV) featuring that machine's pilot. The Vs. Battle is the multiplayer mode where two to four players can compete simultaneously. Time attack
Time attack
A time attack is another term for time trial. The term is commonly used in Japan for individual time trial events for motor vehicles that involves a vehicle running around the circuit in lieu of a qualifying lap and the term is widely adopted outside the country for tuner event and...
lets the player choose a track and complete it in the shortest time possible. Ghost data can be saved to a Memory Card, racing against a staff ghost or transparent re-enactments of the player's best three-lap performances is possible. Up to five ghosts can be shown at a time. A new Story mode allows the player to follow Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon
Douglas Jay Falcon, better known by his alias, , is a playable character in the racing video game series F-Zero. He first appeared in F-Zero, and has been called the poster boy of the F-Zero franchise. Nintendo first envisioned Captain Falcon as a flagship character to represent the release of a...
as he races through missions and completes a wide array of challenges. The replay mode allows saved replays to be viewed under different camera angles and music. Customize is where items such as pilots and machine parts can be bought. Practice allows the player to practice any track with an adjustable number of laps and opponents. The Pilot Profile mode has each character's biography, theme music, information on their machine and a short FMV sequence.
An Internet ranking system was established where players enter a password on an F-Zero Internet website and get ranked based on their position in the database. Players can receive a password after completing a race, enter it into a webpage database, and it tracks their time and the machine they have used.
Circuits
There are four F-Zero GX cups in the game with five tracks each. Though GX has more tracks than its predecessor F-Zero XF-Zero X
, is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo 64 console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America, in 1998. In 2000, an expansion of the game was exclusively released in Japan providing numerous extra features not in the original game. F-Zero...
, there is no longer a code to unlock them all, resulting in players having to go through the Grand Prix's increasing levels of difficulty. Furthermore, the "X Cup", which randomly generates tracks, was removed in GX. Initially, only the Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Cups can be played. The Diamond Cup can be unlocked by coming first overall in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Cup on standard or a higher difficulty in the Grand Prix. Beating the first three cups on Expert also unlocks the Master class difficulty level. Individual circuits from F-Zero AX can be unlocked by placing first on the tracks in this arcade counterpart and saving progress to a memory card. Placing first overall in the other four cups on the Master difficulty setting also unlocks five of the six AX Cup tracks for purchase using tickets. The sixth, which is the 26th and last track in the game, Mute City: Sonic Oval, can be unlocked by placing first in the AX Cup on any difficulty level.
Customize mode
F-Zero GX introduces a customize mode which allows the player to buy items or to create emblems to place on the machines. Options include parts to customize a machine, in-game sounds, unlockable pilots, circuits and difficult "staff ghosts" that players can race against. All of these items, once unlocked, are purchased using "tickets", which the player wins by completing one of the five Grand Prix Cups (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond and AX) or story missions, or by achieving specific minimum times in time trial mode (which also unlocks that track's Staff Ghost). Depending on what gameplay mode is selected, the amount of tickets earned can vary based on the cup chosen, difficulty level and the finishing position of the player.Story
The new story mode lets the player race as Captain Falcon in nine chapters of various non-standard racing scenarios, such as Falcon's training regiment, a battle against a rival's gang, an escape from a collapsing building through closing blast doors under a narrow time limit, the F-Zero Grand Prix race against 29 other veteran pilots, a race against the villain Deathborn in the Underworld and ending with a race against the sinister "Creator" of the world. Each chapter can be completed in three difficulty levelDifficulty level
In general usage, difficulty level refers to the relative difficulty of completing a task or objective.In computer and video games, the term specifically delineates the ease or difficulty with which an average user may complete a game or a part of a game. Arcade games as well as many early console...
s, each of which unlocks an item in the game's shop: "Normal", which unlocks the next chapter; "Hard", which unlocks parts from the arcade version, F-Zero AX; and "Very Hard", which unlocks driver-specific vehicles from F-Zero AX. Toshihiro Nagoshi
Toshihiro Nagoshi
is a Japanese video game producer and designer for Sega. Nagoshi headed Sega AM4/Amusement Vision. He is best known as the producer and director of the Super Monkey Ball series, excluding Super Monkey Ball Adventure. His credits also include Virtua Striker, Daytona USA, and Spikeout...
, one of the game's co-producers, stated that this mode was included because the development team felt that the F-Zero universe was unique and they wanted to explain some of the characters' motivations and flesh out the game world.
Snaking technique
After properly navigating out of banked turns, the game's physics modeling allows F-Zero machines to get a boost of acceleration if it has high grip, high acceleration and/or heavy weight. Players can exploit F-Zero GXs finely tuned physics model to simulate special boosts caused by correctly leaning into curves using the controller's shoulder buttons. This can be done easily on a wide straight stretch of a circuit to generate movements likened to actual snakeSnake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s. These back and forth snake-like movements set a high rate of oscillation, achieving speeds of over . This technique, called "dakou" or "snaking", has been known to deliver a massive increase in speed, but it is best used on the early, easier tracks and when racing alone in Time Trial. The technique is difficult to employ due to the constant back-and-forth motion, and may cause players' hands to ache. Because this gives the user a distinct speed advantage, players regard snaking in general as anything from legitimate and advanced racing strategy, to an unfair tactic, to outright cheating. According to Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
, the snaking technique was an intentional addition to F-Zero GXs gameplay.
Arcade counterpart
is a futuristic racing arcade gameArcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
for the Triforce arcade system board
Arcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards...
. F-Zero AX is the second game by Sega to use Triforce, which was conceived from a business alliance between them, Nintendo and Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
. This hardware allows for connectivity between the GameCube and arcade games. The game was released in Japan, Europe and North America in 2003, alongside its Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
counterpart, F-Zero GX. Its arcade cabinet
Arcade cabinet
A video game arcade cabinet, also known as a video arcade machine or video coin-op, is the housing within which a video arcade game's hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the JAMMA wiring standard...
is available in three types: standard, deluxe and Monster Ride. The standard version is a regular sit-down model while the deluxe version is shaped like Captain Falcon's vehicle and offers a hydraulic tilting seat simulating the craft's cockpit. The F-Zero Monster Ride uses a machine called "Cycraft", which was developed between Sega and Simuline. The machine uses three servo motors
Servomechanism
thumb|right|200px|Industrial servomotorThe grey/green cylinder is the [[Brush |brush-type]] [[DC motor]]. The black section at the bottom contains the [[Epicyclic gearing|planetary]] [[Reduction drive|reduction gear]], and the black object on top of the motor is the optical [[rotary encoder]] for...
to offer a movement motion based simulation.
F-Zero AX includes two different modes of play. In the Race mode, the player chooses a cup and races against twenty-nine opponents through each track in that cup. Using this mode, up to three other people can join in to compete simultaneously when the cabinets are connected to open up "Versus Play". Though each track must be completed before time runs out, the player is awarded "time extensions" for reaching multiple checkpoints on the course. In the mode Time Attack, the player chooses a track and complete it in the shortest time possible.
Using a cardboard "F-Zero License Card", the game builds a custom vehicle which can later be upgraded using pilot points earned for winning races. The card also saves the players' user ID, custom machine data, race data and pilot points, and gives a password for the F-Zero AX Internet Rankings. This Internet ranking system is where the player can enter a password on the Internet and be ranked based on their position in the database. When using the F-Zero License Card, the player receives a password after racing in Time Attack which can be entered into the F-Zero Internet Rankings. It saves their time with the machine they used on the database and ranks it against other peoples scores.
GameCube connectivity
Nintendo GameCube memory cardMemory card
A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles...
s, on which saved game
Saved game
A saved game is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a video game. This saved game can be reloaded later, so the player can continue where he or she had stopped...
s are kept, can be taken to an arcade with F-Zero AX, the game's arcade counterpart, to download special data. Players are meant to use the AX arcade cabinets to unlock permanent access to the fifth and last cup, the AX Cup; a number of new custom machine parts and ten new vehicles. AX cabinets are quite rare; according to a fan-compiled F-Zero AX Locations database, less than twenty are available in the North America region. However, more can be located and its content can instead be unlocked in F-Zero GX by going through the game normally or by the use of a cheating device
Cheating (video games)
Cheating in video games involves a video game player using non-standard methods for creating an advantage beyond normal gameplay, usually to make the game easier, or may also create unusual effects which do not necessarily make the game easier to play, such as giving characters different...
. In GX, the AX Cup can be unlocked by completing all other cups (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond) on Master difficulty, the vehicles by completing Story Mode missions on Very Hard difficulty and all the custom parts by completing Story Mode on Hard difficulty and the Grand Prix on expert in the Diamond cup.
Development and audio
At the All Nippon Amusement Machine Operators' Union event in mid-February 2002, Nintendo announced that an arcade system boardArcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards...
under the name of "Triforce" was being developed in conjunction between Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
, Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
, and Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
. The idea for the arcade board originated after discussions between Sega and Namco about the capabilities and cost effectiveness of the GameCube architecture to make arcade games. A month later, an announcement from Sega and Nintendo revealed Sega's subsidiary Amusement Vision and Nintendo will collaborate to release F-Zero video game titles for the Triforce arcade board and the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo revealed the first footage of F-Zero GX at the Pre-Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) press conference on May 21, 2002. While the game was known to exist several months prior, it had remained behind closed doors until that conference.
In early March 2003, according to the official Nintendo website, F-Zero was delayed by two months. Via a live video conference
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing is the conduct of a videoconference by a set of telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously...
call from Japan on July 7, 2003, co-producers Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
and Toshihiro Nagoshi, and supervisor Takaya Imamura
Takaya Imamura
is a Japanese artwork designer for Nintendo. He designed the characters from the F-Zero and Star Fox series of video games. He is credited for creating many of the characters, universe, and overall concept of those franchises. He is the original designer of Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud in Super...
answered questions about the two F-Zero games. There, Miyamoto announced the Japanese version of the game was finished and would soon be available to the public. Nagoshi mentioned that back at E3 2003, he was hoping that they would have that time to include a local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
(LAN) multiplayer mode, however they chose not to support this mode. The development team focused more on the game's single-player aspects, and a LAN multiplayer mode would distract greatly from it. Imamura commented that even though he worked directly on F-Zero throughout its different incarnations, this time he took a "step back and was involved at kind of a producer level at looking over the game." Imamura added "hav[ing] worked on the F-Zero series, and seeing the results of the collaboration with Sega, I found myself at something of a loss as to how we can take the franchise further past F-Zero GX and AX."
F-Zero GX/AX Original Soundtracks, a two-CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
set composed of BGM
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
soundtracks to the video games GX and its arcade counterpart, was released on July 22, 2004 in Japan under the Scitron Digital Content record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. The soundtracks features an array of songs from rock and techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
musical styles composed by Hidenori Shoji
Hidenori Shoji
is a video game music composer who has contributed to such Sega titles as Fighting Vipers 2 , Yakuza 2 , and Yakuza Kenzan. He is a member of H., a band composed of Sega sound designers.-Live performances:...
and Daiki Kasho
Daiki Kasho
is a Japanese video game composer who has worked on the Gran Turismo, F-Zero, Wangan Midnight, and King of Fighters series.For Gran Turismo 5 Prologue the song, "SURV1V3" is featured as the opening sequence for the Japanese and European titles....
. The first disc consists of forty-one tracks composed by Kasho and the second has forty composed by Shoji with an additional track rearranged by Supersweep's AYA (Ayako Sasō) of "Big Blue". Kasho composed the character themes with lyrics by Alan Brey and both Shoji and Kasho were supervisors of its audio mastering
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
.
Collaboration and relationship
F-Zero GX/AX was the first video game collaboration between Nintendo and Sega. After Sega transited from first to third-party development in 2001, the two companies worked together on F-Zero GX/AX and developed a close relationship. Amusement Vision president, Toshihiro Nagoshi, was working on Super Monkey BallSuper Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball is an arcade platform game developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega. The game debuted in Japan in 2000 as an upright arcade cabinet called Monkey Ball and was released the following year as one of the launch titles for the Nintendo GameCube.-Modes:Super Monkey Ball...
for GameCube which opened up the opportunity for a collaboration between the two companies. Since Sega helped to develop Nintendo's Triforce arcade system, the company wanted to support it with software that would "stand out and draw attention to Nintendo's platform." Nagoshi was suggested to develop a driving game and agreed under the stipulation he could come up with something unique—which was working on the next installment in Nintendo's F-Zero series. During its development, Nagoshi focused on what he called the self-explanatory "Interface" of the game, and "Rhythm"—to give the way the tracks are laid out a rhythmic feel. Miyamoto stated "[Nintendo] have gained a lot of fans among current game developers, including famous producers like Mr. Nagoshi who grew up playing Nintendo games and are big fans of some of our titles." In 2002, Nagoshi claimed that 1991's F-Zero "actually taught me what a game should be" and that it served as an influence for him to create Daytona USA
Daytona USA (arcade game)
Daytona USA is a 1993 racing video game by Sega. Considered one of the highest grossing arcade games of all time, Daytona USA was Sega's first title to debut on the Sega Model 2 arcade board, and at the time of its 1993 introduction, was considered the most visually detailed 3D arcade racing game...
and other racing games. Before development started on F-Zero GX/AX, he mentioned abandoning the project due to personal pressures he faced to make a great impression on Nintendo and personal admiration of an established franchise.
While Amusement Vision was responsible for most of the game's development, Nintendo EAD employees Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura took on the role of producer and supervisor, respectively. Sega handled planning and execution and Nintendo was responsible for supervision of their product. Nagoshi was initially concerned about differences in opinion between the two companies, and mentioned "If Nintendo planned to hold our hands through development, I would have suggested they develop the game themselves. That way we could focus on a project which would reflect our studio's abilities. I figured that would cause a war, but I was told most of the responsibility would be left to us." Miyamoto thought the collaboration resulted in a "true evolution of the F-Zero series", enhancing the simulation of racing at high speeds and expanding the "F-Zero world on a grand scale."
Critical reception and sales
Nintendo's announcement that the next installment of their F-Zero franchise will be developed by Sega's Amusement Vision development studio came as a surprise to some critics. When F-Zero GX was released, the game was well-received overall by reviewers; the title has an 89% average on aggregate web sites MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
with some considering it as one of the best racers of its time and the greatest racer on the GameCube platform. It was listed "Best GameCube Racing Game" in the E3 2003 IGN Awards and "Best Racing Game of 2003" by IGN. F-Zero GX was awarded "Best GameCube Driving Game" in GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's "Best and Worst of 2003" feature and was nominated for "Console Racing Game of the Year" in the 7th Annual Interactive Achievements Awards held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences , founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization that promotes computer and video game entertainment with the annual D.I.C.E. Summit event, where its Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony has been held annually since 1998...
.
The game has been credited for its visuals; arcade/home connectivity; plenty of longevity; sharp controls; tough challenge; fleshed-out single-player modes. The game's most common criticism is its difficulty, specifically in the game's story mode. It earned fourth place in IGN's and GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
' toughest games to beat. GameTrailers mentioned F-Zero GX demanded players to master the "rollercoaster-style tracks [which] required hairline precision" to avoid falling off-course. Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
criticized GXs sharp increase in difficulty and GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann
Jeff Gerstmann
Jeff Gerstmann is an American video game journalist and former editorial director of the gaming website GameSpot and the founder of the gaming website Giant Bomb. He began working at GameSpot in the fall of 1996, around the launch of VideoGameSpot when GameSpot separated PC and console games into...
agreed stating it "will surely turn some people away before they've seen the 20 tracks and unlocked all the story mode chapters". Bryn Williams of GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
mentioned that "purists may find it too similar to N64 version" and criticizes the lack of LAN
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
play.
1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
stated that the F-Zero series is "finally running on hardware that can do it proper justice". Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
's Kristan Reed pointed out that, graphically, "it's hard to imagine how Amusement Vision could have done a better job". Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina is a video game journalist who worked for IGN until April 23, 2010. In his time at the site, he was the author of many reviews and previews of Nintendo games. He resides in Los Angeles, California, is married and has two daughters, Zoe and Fiona Jade, and a son named Rocco Archer...
of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised the developers' work commenting they have "done a fine job of taking Nintendo's dated franchise and updating it for the new generation" and summed up the general opinion by stating that "For some, GX will be the ultimate racer. For others, it will be flat out too difficult." In Japan, F-Zero GX sold 100,981 units and became qualified for the Player's Choice
Player's Choice
Nintendo Selects is a marketing label used by Nintendo to promote video games on Nintendo game consoles which have sold well; Nintendo Selects titles are sold at a lower price point than other games...
line in both Europe and North America by selling at least 250,000 copies.