F-Zero series
Encyclopedia
is a series of futuristic racing video games originally created by Nintendo EAD
with multiple games developed by outside companies. The first game was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
in 1990 and prompted Nintendo to create multiple sequel
s on succeeding gaming consoles.
The series has been known for its high-speed racing, unique characters and settings, difficult gameplay, original music, and pushing the limits of its technology to be one of the fastest racing games ever. The first game inspired the creation of games such as Daytona USA
and the Wipeout
series.
As of November 20, 2011, The F-Zero series hasn't had a sequel within seven years.
The first game in the series and a launch game for the SNES, F-Zero was also the first Super Nintendo game to use a technique that Nintendo called "Mode 7
Scrolling". When Mode 7 was combined with scaling and positioning of the layer on a scanline-by-scanline basis it could simulate 3D
environments. Such techniques in games were considered to be revolutionary in a time when most console games were restricted to static/flat backgrounds and 2-dimensional (2D
) objects. The result was developer Nintendo EAD
creating the fastest and smoothest pseudo-3D racer ever on a console at that time.
Years later, BS F-Zero Grand Prix was released for the Super Famicom's satellite-based expansion, Satellaview
. It was released in separate parts, and featured a remix of the first game. It was followed up by a true sequel, BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2, which featured brand new courses.
Zero Racers (G-Zero), was a canceled game for the Virtual Boy
. The game was previewed by Nintendo Power
. Gameplay differs in one important point from its predecessor and all F-Zero games released afterwards. In Zero Racers, unlike other F-Zero games, the vehicles race in all three spatial dimensions in tunnels.
After a seven-year hiatus outside Japan, the series made the transition to 3D with the third installment, F-Zero X
on the Nintendo 64
. The game introduces 26 new vehicles, including the four from the original F-Zero game. In addition to a Grand Prix mode, the game introduces a "death race" mode and a random track generator called the "X Cup". In the death race, the player's objective is to annihilate the 29 other racers as speedily as possible, while the X-Cup generates a different set of tracks each time played. The hardware limitations of the N64 resulted in the game running at 60 frames per second with thirty machines on screen at the same time, but with little processor power left for graphical detail and music.
A Nintendo 64DD
expansion, F-Zero X Expansion Kit, was released in Japan as the last add-on disk for the system. The Expansion Kit added a course editor, a vehicle editor, two new cups, three new machines and new music. The course editor was the main attraction of this expansion, and was praised for its depth, as it was virtually the same program the game's designers used to make the courses.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
was the series' fourth released installment, but the first incarnation of the franchise for Nintendo's Game Boy handheld
. It was the first title developed by first party subsidiary Nd Cube. This Game Boy Advance
(GBA) launch title returned to the SNES F-Zeros gameplay with a Mode 7-styled game engine.
The next F-Zero game, F-Zero GX
, was released for the Nintendo GameCube
and developed by Sega
's Amusement Vision
team, and is the first F-Zero game to feature a story mode. The game was initially titled "F-Zero GC". The arcade counterpart of GX was called F-Zero AX, which was released alongside of its Nintendo GameCube counterpart in mid-2003. The game had three types of arcade cabinets; standard, the "Monster Ride" and the deluxe which resembled an F-Zero vehicle. F-Zero AX had six original courses and ten original characters. However, by certain difficult means, the six courses and ten characters could be unlocked in F-Zero GX.
F-Zero: GP Legend
is the second handheld
game released for the Game Boy Advance
and the second installment featuring a story mode; however, this one is based on the anime
series of the same name, introducing a new character named Rick Wheeler. Unlike the games before it, GP Legend takes place in a different period of time, the 22nd century, rather than the 26th.
F-Zero Climax was released exclusively in Japan for the Game Boy Advance on October 21, 2004. Like its handheld predecessor, F-Zero GP Legend, Climax was published by Nintendo
and developed by both them and Suzak
. This is the first F-Zero game to have a built-in track editor without the need for an expansion or add-on. Custom tracks can be saved to one of thirty slots for future use and they can be exchanged with other players via link cable. If memory becomes full or link cable connection cannot be done, the game can generate a password for the track; when it is input on any F-Zero Climax cartridge, the password will generate the track. Although unlike the previous F-Zero games, the traditional 30 racers on a track was limited to 24 now.
The most recent release in the franchise, F-Zero Climax, was released in 2004. In the years since Climax was released; both F-Zero and F-Zero X were re-released on the Virtual Console
service.
based on the video game series. It debuted in Japan on October 7, 2003, on TV Tokyo
; the final episode aired on September 28, 2004. 4Kids Entertainment
licensed the anime series for North American broadcast. According to Kombo, in North America
, the show was modified by 4Kids. Thirteen episodes of GP Legend aired on the FoxBox channel in the United States before its cancellation. It is now being re-aired on Tokyo Metropolitan Television
(Tokyo MX) from 7:30 to 8:00 every Thursday in Japan. It is a reboot of the franchise taking place in the year 2201. Lifeforms from all across the galaxy come to compete in the new racing tournament called "F-Zero".
Police detective Rick Wheeler (Ryu Suzaku in Japan) is one of the protagonist
s. He suffers a near-fatal car accident while in pursuit of an escaped criminal named Zoda. Rick nearly dies, but is revived in the year 2201 by Mobile Task Force members Jody Summer and Dr. Stewart. The Task Force tries to keep prize money out of the hands of unsavory people like the Dark Million Organization run by Black Shadow and Deathborn. That organization is responsible for cryogenically evolving Rick's old enemy Zoda. Now Rick joins the Task Force to help take down Zoda and the rest of Dark Million. While pursuing his objectives, Rick will unexpectedly meet up with the legendary racer and bounty hunter named Captain Falcon.
Captain Falcon is one of the protagonists, and is shrouded in mystery. When not racing, he works at a bar that he owns under the name Bart Lemming. Also, he's actually Andy Summer, Jody's brother, who apparently died in the accident that revolved around Zoda. He fights constantly against Black Shadow and the Dark Million Organization, and often lends a hand to the Task Force. In the middle of the series, "The Legend of Falcon" is told to Rick Wheeler by Dr. Stewart. According to the legend, Captain Falcon and Black Shadow are incarnations of light and dark, and in the manner of Yin and Yang, they can't defeat each other on their own. Also, in the beginning of the Universe, after the Big Bang, six powerful objects called "Reactor Mights" were created, and the one who controls them all gains unimaginable power. It is also revealed that Rick Wheeler is "The Savior" of the Universe and is destined to finally tip the scales in Falcon's favor. During the final battle, Falcon and Rick team up to destroy Black Shadow's Dark Reactor with their collected Reactor Mights, and Captain Falcon finishes off Black Shadow with his signature move, the Falcon Punch. Captain Falcon tells Rick that the name of "Captain Falcon" is a title given only to the best, that "only the one who can exceed Falcon can become Falcon". After Black Shadow's defeat and Captain Falcon's sacrifice shortly after, Rick becomes the new Captain Falcon.
The anime uses two pieces of theme music in the series; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is called "The Meaning of Truth" and is sung by Hiro-x
. The ending theme is called "Resolution" and is sung by Ai Maeda. The video animation for each changes after the first thirty-nine episodes. The final episode did not air with an opening.
, a speed boost is given to the player to use whenever for each lap completed. Starting with F-Zero X, players may execute speed boosts if they have finished at least one lap, but now in exchange for losing energy when boosting. It is therefore necessary to use recharge strips around courses to replenish this energy, or risk exploding when it drops to zero. Strategically situated dash plates allow boosts without energy loss. In combination with course obstacles, drivers are allowed to attack each other with their vehicle bodies.
The games' fantasy worlds includes different climates and terrains, and are home to many different races and tribes of aliens. There are geographical differences from game to game, but distinctive locations recur, such as Big Blue, Mute City and Port Town. Circuits are usually set on the outskirts of cities or above them situated high in planet atmospheres at an elevation as much as 300 feet (91.4 m) above ground. They contain anti-gravitational guide beams on both sides of the course that keep them in place. Rich merchants from cities in the clouds or asteroids with almost uninhabitable environments invested their wealth in the construction of racing circuits. Some cities have multiple circuits—circuits not used for the Grand Prix are open to pilots for practice. The dynamic structure of the courses are colossal in scale, as most circuits feature a single lap that spans over six miles (10 km).
. F-Zero machines have a maximum speed exceeding that of sound. This is possible due to the ultra-compact micro-plasma engines used by the machines.
Each machine has four basic performance attributes: body, boost, grip and weight. Body, boost, and grip are rated on a scale from A to E (A being the best, E, the worst). The higher a machine's Body rating, the more durable it is and the less damage it will sustain in a collision. Machines with a good Body rating are, therefore, able to withstand more attacks before exploding. The Boost rating takes into account the duration of a vehicle's boost, and how great a speed increase it provides. A machine with a high rating can travel at higher than normal speeds for a longer period of time. Grip determines how well a machine negotiates turns. A higher Grip rating means that the player's vehicle will execute steadier turns, while a low one will cause the vehicle to drift more, especially when turning tightly. Weight affects a vehicle's acceleration, grip, cornering ability, maximum speed, and the amount of damage it sustains in a collision. A lighter vehicle is superior in the first three categories, while a heavier vehicle has the advantage in the latter two.
races and the fictitious F-Max Grand Prix races from the 24th century. The games portrays races in the future as having come under the influence of wealthy ex-space merchants. They thought that a fast and violent race would be an effective way to get people to gamble, so the ex-merchants established the F-Zero Execution Project. The F-Zero Grand Prix dates to the 26th century, and is still sponsored by the wealthy elite who originally organized the Execution Project for those events. These races feature the most technologically advanced racing machines, competing in numerous circuits of fast-paced action. It is known for its wild fans, and usually eccentric competitors. Winners of the Grand Prix receive large sums of money, as well as a great deal of prestige throughout the universe.
F-Zero begins in the year 2560 where human race's countless encounters with alien life forms throughout the universe greatly expanded Earth's social framework resulting in trade, technology transfer, and cultural interchange are carried out on an interplanetary basis. An association of wealthy space merchants created the "F-Zero Grand Prix", in an attempt to add some excitement to their opulent lifestyles. When the first race was held, people were angered at the brutality of the competition, due to the various obstacles and traps along the raceway. As time passed, however, they became accustomed to these dangers, and even began to demand more excitement and danger in the races. Winning the F-Zero championship soon became the highest claim to fame in the universe. This period of time is called the "old-school" F-Zero days where the rules seemed non-existent in F-Zero X.
F-Zero X
s storyline starts after the seven-year suspension of Grand Prix races due to the Horrific Grand Finale. The game explains the "Horrific Grand Finale" was a violent and fiery accident that burnt fourteen drivers to death, including Sterling LaVaughn during the old days of F-Zero. A racer named Super Arrow escaped unscathed as the only survivor. No racing was allowed by the Federation after the crash; despite the F-Zero racing prohibition, the sport went underground where many racers went to hone their skills in secret. The crash ushered in the establishment of the "F-Zero Racing Academy", after a speech, by Super Arrow to the Federation Congress, which helped to lift the ban. The fictional competition was brought back with the rules and regulations revised.
F-Zero GX
does not mention the Grand Finale event, but instead the game states Sterling LaVaughn was racing during the F-Max era and the F-Zero Grand Prix was suspended four years ago. This game states the character Mighty Gazelle was injured in the huge accident four years ago. However, the Nintendo 64 game mentions that Mighty Gazelle's accident and the accident that suspended the Grand Prix were two separate events.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
takes place twenty-five years after the SNES title in the year 2585. Players race against the descendants of the original F-Zero racers. Maximum Velocity is considered a reboot continuity to the rest of the home console titles since the game has made no indication of the safety revisions carried forth after the huge accident, in fact it states just like the original F-Zero game, the extreme danger involved when participating in those races.
Another reboot continuity of the series has F-Zero started with F-Zero: GP Legend
in the year 2201. and continued with F-Zero Climax. These games feature some different incarnations of Captain Falcon
, Zoda, and other characters.
as an influence to the F-Zero series noting its sense of speed where players have "only a split second to react before you crash into a rock or enemy road warrior". Matt Casamassina
of IGN
said in 2003 that the F-Zero franchise has remained regarded one of the best video game series in the racing genre.
In 2008, an editor from Pro-G stated F-Zero GX "still ranks as one of the best high-speed racers ever made, but the series has been lying dormant for years".
The Tampa Tribune
s review of GP Legend mentioned "It feels a little strange to see what was an esoteric-but-outstanding racing franchise attempt to go mass-market."
Shigeru Miyamoto
commented that past F-Zero and Star Fox collaborations with outside development houses turned out to be a disappointment for Nintendo. He stated "consumers got very excited about the idea of those games, but the games themselves did not deliver".
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
, commonly abbreviated as EAD, is the largest division inside Nintendo. It was preceded by the , a team of designers with an art background responsible for many different tasks, which Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka originally belonged to...
with multiple games developed by outside companies. The first game was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in 1990 and prompted Nintendo to create multiple sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s on succeeding gaming consoles.
The series has been known for its high-speed racing, unique characters and settings, difficult gameplay, original music, and pushing the limits of its technology to be one of the fastest racing games ever. The first game inspired the creation of games such as 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 the Wipeout
Wipeout (video game series)
Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing games developed by SCE Studio Liverpool. The series is well-known for its fast-paced gameplay and high-quality 3D visual design, as well as its association with electronica and electronic dance music.-Gameplay:Wipeout is a racing series that...
series.
As of November 20, 2011, The F-Zero series hasn't had a sequel within seven years.
Games
| 1990 – | – F-Zero | |
| 1991 – | ||
| 1992 – | ||
| 1993 – | ||
| 1994 – | ||
| 1995 – | ||
| 1996 – | – BS F-Zero Grand Prix | |
| 1997 – | – BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2 | |
| 1998 – | – 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... |
|
| 1999 – | ||
| 2000 – | – F-Zero X Expansion Kit | |
| 2001 – | – Maximum Velocity F-Zero: Maximum Velocity F-Zero Maximum Velocity is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nd Cube and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance . The game was released in Japan, North America and Europe in 2001 as a launch title for the GBA... |
|
| 2002 – | ||
| 2003 – | – F-Zero GX F-Zero GX 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... , F-Zero AX, GP Legend F-Zero: GP Legend (video game) Doug Buel from The Tampa Tribune stated F-Zero: GP Legends effort to unite Nintendo's racing franchise with Japanese animation "works pretty well", but highlighted the game's inability to show all of the racers on the screen at once as its worst feature... |
|
| 2004 – | – Climax | |
Mode 7
Mode 7 is a graphics mode on the Super NES video game console that allows a background layer to be rotated and scaled on a scanline-by-scanline basis to create many different effects. The most famous of these effects this can create is the application of a perspective effect on a background layer...
Scrolling". When Mode 7 was combined with scaling and positioning of the layer on a scanline-by-scanline basis it could simulate 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
environments. Such techniques in games were considered to be revolutionary in a time when most console games were restricted to static/flat backgrounds and 2-dimensional (2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
) objects. The result was developer Nintendo EAD
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
, commonly abbreviated as EAD, is the largest division inside Nintendo. It was preceded by the , a team of designers with an art background responsible for many different tasks, which Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka originally belonged to...
creating the fastest and smoothest pseudo-3D racer ever on a console at that time.
Years later, BS F-Zero Grand Prix was released for the Super Famicom's satellite-based expansion, Satellaview
Satellaview
The is a satellite modem add-on for Nintendo's Super Famicom system that was released in Japan in 1995. Available for pre-release orders as early as February 13, 1995, the Satellaview retailed for between ¥14,000 and 18,000 and came bundled with the BS-X Game Pak and an 8M Memory Pak.The...
. It was released in separate parts, and featured a remix of the first game. It was followed up by a true sequel, BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2, which featured brand new courses.
Zero Racers (G-Zero), was a canceled game for the Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy
The was a video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was the first video game console that was supposed to be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional...
. The game was previewed by Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
. Gameplay differs in one important point from its predecessor and all F-Zero games released afterwards. In Zero Racers, unlike other F-Zero games, the vehicles race in all three spatial dimensions in tunnels.
After a seven-year hiatus outside Japan, the series made the transition to 3D with the third installment, 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...
on 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...
. The game introduces 26 new vehicles, including the four from the original F-Zero game. In addition to a Grand Prix mode, the game introduces a "death race" mode and a random track generator called the "X Cup". In the death race, the player's objective is to annihilate the 29 other racers as speedily as possible, while the X-Cup generates a different set of tracks each time played. The hardware limitations of the N64 resulted in the game running at 60 frames per second with thirty machines on screen at the same time, but with little processor power left for graphical detail and music.
Nintendo 64DD
The is a peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console. It plugged into the N64 through the EXTension Port on the Nintendo 64's underside, and allowed the N64 to use proprietary 64 MB magneto-optical discs for expanded data storage...
expansion, F-Zero X Expansion Kit, was released in Japan as the last add-on disk for the system. The Expansion Kit added a course editor, a vehicle editor, two new cups, three new machines and new music. The course editor was the main attraction of this expansion, and was praised for its depth, as it was virtually the same program the game's designers used to make the courses.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
F-Zero Maximum Velocity is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nd Cube and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance . The game was released in Japan, North America and Europe in 2001 as a launch title for the GBA...
was the series' fourth released installment, but the first incarnation of the franchise for Nintendo's Game Boy handheld
Game Boy line
The line is a line of battery-powered handheld game console sold by Nintendo. It is one of the world's best-selling game system lines with a combined 200+ million units sold worldwide....
. It was the first title developed by first party subsidiary Nd Cube. This Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
(GBA) launch title returned to the SNES F-Zeros gameplay with a Mode 7-styled game engine.
F-Zero GX
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...
, was released for the 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...
and 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
New Entertainment R&D Dept.
Amusement Vision, Ltd. is a former Japanese video game developer formerly known as Sega AM4.Amusement Vision was formed in 2000 and was then considered to be a second-party developer to Sega...
team, and is the first F-Zero game to feature a story mode. The game was initially titled "F-Zero GC". The arcade counterpart of GX was called F-Zero AX, which was released alongside of its Nintendo GameCube counterpart in mid-2003. The game had three types of arcade cabinets; standard, the "Monster Ride" and the deluxe which resembled an F-Zero vehicle. F-Zero AX had six original courses and ten original characters. However, by certain difficult means, the six courses and ten characters could be unlocked in F-Zero GX.
F-Zero: GP Legend
F-Zero: GP Legend (video game)
Doug Buel from The Tampa Tribune stated F-Zero: GP Legends effort to unite Nintendo's racing franchise with Japanese animation "works pretty well", but highlighted the game's inability to show all of the racers on the screen at once as its worst feature...
is the second handheld
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
game released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
and the second installment featuring a story mode; however, this one is based on the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series of the same name, introducing a new character named Rick Wheeler. Unlike the games before it, GP Legend takes place in a different period of time, the 22nd century, rather than the 26th.
F-Zero Climax was released exclusively in Japan for the Game Boy Advance on October 21, 2004. Like its handheld predecessor, F-Zero GP Legend, Climax was 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....
and developed by both them and Suzak
SUZAK Inc.
is a video game development company based in Japan. Suzak has worked with Nintendo to create games based on their intellectual property, such as Wario: Master of Disguise and F-Zero: Climax...
. This is the first F-Zero game to have a built-in track editor without the need for an expansion or add-on. Custom tracks can be saved to one of thirty slots for future use and they can be exchanged with other players via link cable. If memory becomes full or link cable connection cannot be done, the game can generate a password for the track; when it is input on any F-Zero Climax cartridge, the password will generate the track. Although unlike the previous F-Zero games, the traditional 30 racers on a track was limited to 24 now.
The most recent release in the franchise, F-Zero Climax, was released in 2004. In the years since Climax was released; both F-Zero and F-Zero X were re-released on the Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
service.
Anime
is a 51 episode anime series by Ashi ProductionsAshi Productions
is a Japanese anime studio, located in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan, known for its four magical-girl anime, especially Magical Princess Minky Momo. It was established by Toshihiko Sato and other artists on December 24, 1975 as...
based on the video game series. It debuted in Japan on October 7, 2003, on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
; the final episode aired on September 28, 2004. 4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
licensed the anime series for North American broadcast. According to Kombo, in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, the show was modified by 4Kids. Thirteen episodes of GP Legend aired on the FoxBox channel in the United States before its cancellation. It is now being re-aired on Tokyo Metropolitan Television
Tokyo Metropolitan Television
thumb|Tokyo Metropolitan Television old headquarters : Telecom Center Building is the only commercial television station in Tokyo, Japan that exclusively serves the city. It competes with Nippon Television, TV Asahi, Tokyo Broadcasting System, TV Tokyo, and Fuji Television, all of which are...
(Tokyo MX) from 7:30 to 8:00 every Thursday in Japan. It is a reboot of the franchise taking place in the year 2201. Lifeforms from all across the galaxy come to compete in the new racing tournament called "F-Zero".
Police detective Rick Wheeler (Ryu Suzaku in Japan) is one of the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s. He suffers a near-fatal car accident while in pursuit of an escaped criminal named Zoda. Rick nearly dies, but is revived in the year 2201 by Mobile Task Force members Jody Summer and Dr. Stewart. The Task Force tries to keep prize money out of the hands of unsavory people like the Dark Million Organization run by Black Shadow and Deathborn. That organization is responsible for cryogenically evolving Rick's old enemy Zoda. Now Rick joins the Task Force to help take down Zoda and the rest of Dark Million. While pursuing his objectives, Rick will unexpectedly meet up with the legendary racer and bounty hunter named Captain Falcon.
Captain Falcon is one of the protagonists, and is shrouded in mystery. When not racing, he works at a bar that he owns under the name Bart Lemming. Also, he's actually Andy Summer, Jody's brother, who apparently died in the accident that revolved around Zoda. He fights constantly against Black Shadow and the Dark Million Organization, and often lends a hand to the Task Force. In the middle of the series, "The Legend of Falcon" is told to Rick Wheeler by Dr. Stewart. According to the legend, Captain Falcon and Black Shadow are incarnations of light and dark, and in the manner of Yin and Yang, they can't defeat each other on their own. Also, in the beginning of the Universe, after the Big Bang, six powerful objects called "Reactor Mights" were created, and the one who controls them all gains unimaginable power. It is also revealed that Rick Wheeler is "The Savior" of the Universe and is destined to finally tip the scales in Falcon's favor. During the final battle, Falcon and Rick team up to destroy Black Shadow's Dark Reactor with their collected Reactor Mights, and Captain Falcon finishes off Black Shadow with his signature move, the Falcon Punch. Captain Falcon tells Rick that the name of "Captain Falcon" is a title given only to the best, that "only the one who can exceed Falcon can become Falcon". After Black Shadow's defeat and Captain Falcon's sacrifice shortly after, Rick becomes the new Captain Falcon.
The anime uses two pieces of theme music in the series; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is called "The Meaning of Truth" and is sung by Hiro-x
Hiro-x
Hiromitsu-Aoki, popularly known as HIRO-X, is a modern J-pop artist. His most well known works include the opening themes for the first two seasons of the anime The Prince of Tennis, "Future" and "Driving Myself", and the opening theme for the first season of the anime F-Zero Falcon Densetsu, "The...
. The ending theme is called "Resolution" and is sung by Ai Maeda. The video animation for each changes after the first thirty-nine episodes. The final episode did not air with an opening.
Common elements
Each of the games in F-Zero series requires the player to beat opponents to the finish line while avoiding obstacles such as land mines and slip zones. The games usually require a mixture of memorization of the tracks and quick reflexes for its fast-paced racing gameplay. In F-Zero and F-Zero: Maximum VelocityF-Zero: Maximum Velocity
F-Zero Maximum Velocity is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nd Cube and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance . The game was released in Japan, North America and Europe in 2001 as a launch title for the GBA...
, a speed boost is given to the player to use whenever for each lap completed. Starting with F-Zero X, players may execute speed boosts if they have finished at least one lap, but now in exchange for losing energy when boosting. It is therefore necessary to use recharge strips around courses to replenish this energy, or risk exploding when it drops to zero. Strategically situated dash plates allow boosts without energy loss. In combination with course obstacles, drivers are allowed to attack each other with their vehicle bodies.
The games' fantasy worlds includes different climates and terrains, and are home to many different races and tribes of aliens. There are geographical differences from game to game, but distinctive locations recur, such as Big Blue, Mute City and Port Town. Circuits are usually set on the outskirts of cities or above them situated high in planet atmospheres at an elevation as much as 300 feet (91.4 m) above ground. They contain anti-gravitational guide beams on both sides of the course that keep them in place. Rich merchants from cities in the clouds or asteroids with almost uninhabitable environments invested their wealth in the construction of racing circuits. Some cities have multiple circuits—circuits not used for the Grand Prix are open to pilots for practice. The dynamic structure of the courses are colossal in scale, as most circuits feature a single lap that spans over six miles (10 km).
Characters
While there were originally four F-Zero pilots in the first game, this has grown with each title to over forty characters in the later games of the series. Each character has their own unique vehicle, story and reason for entering the F-Zero Grand Prix. The winner of the Grand Prix receives a huge sum of prize money, but many pilots have been lost pursuing it.Vehicles
The vehicles used to race in these video games are known as "F-Zero machines", which are designed to hover, rather than travel on wheels. An anti-gravity unit, known as the "G-Diffuser System", allows them to drive at high speeds, while retaining a hold of the track, located from a few inches to a foot below it. However, the slip zones, also referred to as the "magnetic field block coat" in the first F-Zero game, blocks the vehicle from retaining a hold on the track. The racing machines developed for these tracks used the latest in this magnetic technology, and are able to perform tune-ups. Out of the over forty-four known machines, only five do not weigh over a short tonShort ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
. F-Zero machines have a maximum speed exceeding that of sound. This is possible due to the ultra-compact micro-plasma engines used by the machines.
Each machine has four basic performance attributes: body, boost, grip and weight. Body, boost, and grip are rated on a scale from A to E (A being the best, E, the worst). The higher a machine's Body rating, the more durable it is and the less damage it will sustain in a collision. Machines with a good Body rating are, therefore, able to withstand more attacks before exploding. The Boost rating takes into account the duration of a vehicle's boost, and how great a speed increase it provides. A machine with a high rating can travel at higher than normal speeds for a longer period of time. Grip determines how well a machine negotiates turns. A higher Grip rating means that the player's vehicle will execute steadier turns, while a low one will cause the vehicle to drift more, especially when turning tightly. Weight affects a vehicle's acceleration, grip, cornering ability, maximum speed, and the amount of damage it sustains in a collision. A lighter vehicle is superior in the first three categories, while a heavier vehicle has the advantage in the latter two.
Fictional universe
The F-Zero games derives from the 20th and 21st century Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
races and the fictitious F-Max Grand Prix races from the 24th century. The games portrays races in the future as having come under the influence of wealthy ex-space merchants. They thought that a fast and violent race would be an effective way to get people to gamble, so the ex-merchants established the F-Zero Execution Project. The F-Zero Grand Prix dates to the 26th century, and is still sponsored by the wealthy elite who originally organized the Execution Project for those events. These races feature the most technologically advanced racing machines, competing in numerous circuits of fast-paced action. It is known for its wild fans, and usually eccentric competitors. Winners of the Grand Prix receive large sums of money, as well as a great deal of prestige throughout the universe.
Timeline
The F-Zero games are primarily set on a futuristic Earth in the 26th century, although some games take place much earlier and some circuits have been set on different planets. F-Zero X defined the F-Max Grand Prix as the precursor to the F-Zero races which took place during the 24th century. According to F-Zero GX, the greatest driver in the F-Max Grand Prix was Sterling LaVaughn; a statement that would lead to inconsistencies in the sequence of events of F-Zeros storyline.F-Zero begins in the year 2560 where human race's countless encounters with alien life forms throughout the universe greatly expanded Earth's social framework resulting in trade, technology transfer, and cultural interchange are carried out on an interplanetary basis. An association of wealthy space merchants created the "F-Zero Grand Prix", in an attempt to add some excitement to their opulent lifestyles. When the first race was held, people were angered at the brutality of the competition, due to the various obstacles and traps along the raceway. As time passed, however, they became accustomed to these dangers, and even began to demand more excitement and danger in the races. Winning the F-Zero championship soon became the highest claim to fame in the universe. This period of time is called the "old-school" F-Zero days where the rules seemed non-existent in F-Zero X.
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...
s storyline starts after the seven-year suspension of Grand Prix races due to the Horrific Grand Finale. The game explains the "Horrific Grand Finale" was a violent and fiery accident that burnt fourteen drivers to death, including Sterling LaVaughn during the old days of F-Zero. A racer named Super Arrow escaped unscathed as the only survivor. No racing was allowed by the Federation after the crash; despite the F-Zero racing prohibition, the sport went underground where many racers went to hone their skills in secret. The crash ushered in the establishment of the "F-Zero Racing Academy", after a speech, by Super Arrow to the Federation Congress, which helped to lift the ban. The fictional competition was brought back with the rules and regulations revised.
F-Zero GX
F-Zero GX
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...
does not mention the Grand Finale event, but instead the game states Sterling LaVaughn was racing during the F-Max era and the F-Zero Grand Prix was suspended four years ago. This game states the character Mighty Gazelle was injured in the huge accident four years ago. However, the Nintendo 64 game mentions that Mighty Gazelle's accident and the accident that suspended the Grand Prix were two separate events.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
F-Zero Maximum Velocity is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nd Cube and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance . The game was released in Japan, North America and Europe in 2001 as a launch title for the GBA...
takes place twenty-five years after the SNES title in the year 2585. Players race against the descendants of the original F-Zero racers. Maximum Velocity is considered a reboot continuity to the rest of the home console titles since the game has made no indication of the safety revisions carried forth after the huge accident, in fact it states just like the original F-Zero game, the extreme danger involved when participating in those races.
Another reboot continuity of the series has F-Zero started with F-Zero: GP Legend
F-Zero: GP Legend (video game)
Doug Buel from The Tampa Tribune stated F-Zero: GP Legends effort to unite Nintendo's racing franchise with Japanese animation "works pretty well", but highlighted the game's inability to show all of the racers on the screen at once as its worst feature...
in the year 2201. and continued with F-Zero Climax. These games feature some different incarnations 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...
, Zoda, and other characters.
Critical reception
IGN's Lucas Thomas called the design and style of Mach RiderMach Rider
is a futuristic driving video game created by Nintendo. It was first released on October 18, 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, as one of the 18 initial launch games. A month later, on November 21, the title was released in Japan. On March 15, 1987 it was released in Europe and Australia...
as an influence to the F-Zero series noting its sense of speed where players have "only a split second to react before you crash into a rock or enemy road warrior". 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...
said in 2003 that the F-Zero franchise has remained regarded one of the best video game series in the racing genre.
In 2008, an editor from Pro-G stated F-Zero GX "still ranks as one of the best high-speed racers ever made, but the series has been lying dormant for years".
The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune, published in Tampa, Florida, is one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area, second in circulation and readership to the St. Petersburg Times. The paper's tagline is "Life...
s review of GP Legend mentioned "It feels a little strange to see what was an esoteric-but-outstanding racing franchise attempt to go mass-market."
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....
commented that past F-Zero and Star Fox collaborations with outside development houses turned out to be a disappointment for Nintendo. He stated "consumers got very excited about the idea of those games, but the games themselves did not deliver".
External links
- History of F-Zero at IGNIGNIGN 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...
- F-Zero Climax at Nintendo.co.jp