F-Zero
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Release date(s) | JPN November 21, 1990 NA August 15, 1991 EU June 4, 1992 |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A); Everyone (E) |
| Platform(s) | SNES Virtual Console |
| Media | 4-megabit cartridge |
F-Zero is a fast-paced futuristic racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was first released in Japan on November 21, 1990 and later in North America on August 13, 1991 and in Europe on June 4, 1992. Its success led to a series of games for multiple Nintendo consoles, handhelds, and arcade. This game was downloadable over the Nintendo Power system in Japan,[1] but currently is available for the Virtual Console service for the Wii.[2] The F-Zero soundtrack which was released in 1992, features twelve tracks composed by Yumiko Kanki and Naoto Ishida and arranged by PeeWee and Michiko Hill.
F-Zero was the first SNES title to pervasively use a special hardware feature of the SNES called Mode 7 that allowed different kinds of scaling and rotation effects, which F-Zero used to simulate 3D environments. Such techniques in games were considered to be revolutionary in a time when most games were restricted to static/flat backgrounds and 2 dimensional (2D) objects. A direct sequel for the SNES was cancelled due to the impending release of the Nintendo 64. The unfinished game was instead released for the Satellaview attachment of the Super Famicom in Japan under the name BS F-Zero Grand Prix.[3]
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[edit] Gameplay
F-Zero introduced the Nintendo flagship character, Captain Falcon (as well as Dr. Stewart, Pico, and Samurai Goroh) to the beginning of a long line of Nintendo mascots. Each character has their own selectable vehicle, and in races, there are a dozen generic vehicles of different colors. All vehicles are capable of racing at speeds close to 500 km/h.
The goal of F-Zero is to beat opponents to the finish line while avoiding hazards such as land mines and magnets that pull the vehicle to certain sides of the track in an effort to make the player damage their vehicle or fall completely off the track, as well as completing each lap at least the position that the game requests without staying at the last place (20), which otherwise means disqualification. The player is rewarded with a speed boost for each lap completed.
[edit] Story
Near the end of the 20th century mankind was gripped by the fear of being invaded by extraterrestrials. They referred to the extraterrestrial spacecrafts as UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). In the year 2560, due to the human race's countless encounters with alien life forms throughout the Universe, Earth's social framework has expanded to astronomic proportions. Trade, technology and cultural interchange are carried out between planets. The multibillionaires who earned their enormous wealth through this intergalactic trade were satisfied with their rich lifestyles. However, they also yearned for new entertainment to stimulate their lazy lives, so a new entertainment based on the old F-1 races was founded. People came to call these races simply, "F-ZERO"."[4][5]
[edit] Leagues
F-Zero has a total of fifteen tracks separated by difficulty into three leagues. Additionally, F-Zero has three initial difficulty levels; beginner, intermediate, and expert. Upon completing the expert Grand Prix, a fourth difficulty level, master, opens up. Unlike most F-Zero games, there are three itinerations of Mute City, showing it at day, evening, and night. In BS F-Zero 2, Mute City IV continued the theme with an early morning setting. Some tracks have areas that can be opened and closed: Death Wind, Port Town, and Red Canyon. When there is a closed area it is not possible to go in that direction unless on another number of the track, which closes the direction on that number of the track previously accessible.
| # | Knight League (Easy) | Queen League (Moderate) | King League (Hard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mute City I | Mute City II | Mute City III |
| 2 | Big Blue | Port Town I | Death Wind II |
| 3 | Sand Ocean | Red Canyon I | Port Town II |
| 4 | Death Wind I | White Land I | Red Canyon II |
| 5 | Silence | White Land II | Fire Field |
[edit] References
- ^ Nintendo Power (Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
- ^ Vuckovic, Daniel (2006-10-18). First 7 Aussie Virtual Console games revealed. Vooks.net. Retrieved on 2006-10-23.
- ^ F-Zero sequel. gc.advancedmn.com (Jan 5, 2005). Retrieved on 2006-12-26.
- ^ (1991) Nintendo: F-Zero instruction manual (in English). Nintendo EAD.
- ^ WHAT IS F-ZERO?. mobygames.com (Nov 3, 2004). Retrieved on 2006-11-25.
[edit] External links
- F-Zero at MobyGames
- F-Zero Instruction manual
- History of F-Zero from Advance Media Network.
- F-Zero credits data
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F-Zero • F-Zero X • Maximum Velocity • AX / GX • GP Legend • Climax |
