| F-Zero GX | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Amusement Vision |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Director(s) | Hiroyuki Sakamoto |
| Producer(s) | Toshihiro Nagoshi Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Composer(s) | Hidenori Shoji Daiki Kasho |
| Series | F-Zero |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo GameCube |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
F-Zero GX (エフゼロ ジーエックス) 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 in 2003. 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.[2] 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.[3][4] 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.
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F-Zero GX is a futuristic racing game where thirty competitors race on massive circuits inside plasma-powered hovercars in an intergalactic Grand Prix at speeds that can exceed 2000 km/h.[5][6] Tracks include loops, half-pipes, cylinders, and jumps. Some courses have innate obstacles like dirt patches, mines, tricky jumps, and magnetic tubes to navigate.[7] Before a race, the player is able to adjust a vehicle's balance between maximum acceleration and maximum top speed. This adds strategy,[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[9] The Pilot Profile mode has each character's biography, theme music, information on their machine and a short FMV sequence.[11]
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.[12]
There are four F-Zero GX cups in the game with five tracks each. Though GX has more tracks than its predecessor F-Zero X, 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.[3] 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.[10] 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.[13]
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).[14] 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.[13]
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.[10] Each chapter can be completed in three difficulty levels, 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.[15] 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.[12]
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 GX's 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 snakes.[14] These back and forth snake-like movements set a high rate of oscillation, achieving speeds of over 3,000 km/h. This technique, called "dakou" or "snaking", has been known to deliver a massive increase in speed,[16] but it is best used on the early, easier tracks and when racing alone in Time Trial.[17] The technique is difficult to employ due to the constant back-and-forth motion, and may cause players' hands to ache.[18] 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.[16][19] According to Nintendo, the snaking technique was an intentional addition to F-Zero GX's gameplay.[17]
F-Zero AX
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|---|---|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Amusement Vision[20] | ||
| Publisher(s) | Sega[20] | ||
| Platform(s) | Arcade | ||
| Release date(s) | |||
| Genre(s) | Racing | ||
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer[22] | ||
| Cabinet | Standard (sit-down model), Deluxe (hydraulic), Monster Ride (Cycraft system) | ||
| Arcade system | Triforce | ||
| Display | Raster, horizontal orientation | ||
F-Zero AX (エフゼロ エーエックス) is a futuristic racing arcade game developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega for the Triforce arcade system board.[23] F-Zero AX is the second game by Sega to use Triforce, which was conceived from a business alliance between them, Nintendo and Namco.[22][24] This hardware allows for connectivity between the GameCube and arcade games.[25] 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.[26]
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,[25] 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.[27]
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.[21] 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.[9][12]
Nintendo GameCube memory cards, on which saved games 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.[28] 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.[10][13][29]
At the All Nippon Amusement Machine Operators' Union event in mid-February 2002, Nintendo announced that an arcade system board 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.[24] 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.[20] 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.[30]
In early March 2003, according to the official Nintendo website, F-Zero was delayed by two months.[31] 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.[12] 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."[12]
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.[32][33] The soundtracks features an array of songs from rock and techno musical styles[16] 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".[33][34] Kasho composed the character themes with lyrics by Alan Brey and both Shoji and Kasho were supervisors of its audio mastering.[35]
"With Nintendo, it comes to a question of letting some other companies work on our franchises. We focus more on specific relationships with talented producers; we look for people who will care, spend a lot of time and energy, on a specific franchise. We also want to allow these producers to work on franchises that they are interested in working on."
F-Zero GX/AX was the first video game collaboration between Nintendo and Sega.[36] 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.[37] Amusement Vision president, Toshihiro Nagoshi, was working on 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."[38] 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.[38] 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.[39] 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."[12] 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.[40] 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.[41]
While Amusement Vision was responsible for most of the game's development,[38][42] Nintendo EAD employees Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura took on the role of producer and supervisor, respectively.[35] Sega handled planning and execution and Nintendo was responsible for supervision of their product.[38] 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."[38] 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."[43]
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 89.26%[44] |
| Metacritic | 89/100[45] |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Allgame | [46] |
| Edge | 8/10[45] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | B+[47] |
| Eurogamer | 9/10[48] |
| Famitsu | 32/40[49] |
| Game Informer | 8.25/10[44] |
| GamePro | 4.5/5[49] |
| GameSpot | 8.6/10[3] |
| IGN | 9.3/10[16] |
| Nintendo Power | 4.9/5[44] |
| PALGN | 8 1/2[50] |
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.[51][52] When F-Zero GX was released, the game was well-received overall by reviewers; the title has an 89% average on aggregate web sites Metacritic and Game Rankings with some considering it as one of the best racers of its time and the greatest racer on the GameCube platform.[53][54] It was listed "Best GameCube Racing Game" in the E3 2003 IGN Awards and "Best Racing Game of 2003" by IGN.[55][56] 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.[57][58]
The game has been credited for its visuals;[3][7] arcade/home connectivity; plenty of longevity; sharp controls; tough challenge;[59] fleshed-out single-player modes.[7][54] The game's most common criticism is its difficulty, specifically in the game's story mode.[3][60] It earned fourth place in IGN's and GameTrailers' toughest games to beat.[59] GameTrailers mentioned F-Zero GX demanded players to master the "rollercoaster-style tracks [which] required hairline precision" to avoid falling off-course.[61] Electronic Gaming Monthly criticized GX's 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".[3][54] Bryn Williams of GameSpy mentioned that "purists may find it too similar to [sic] N64 version" and criticizes the lack of LAN play.[7]
1UP.com stated that the F-Zero series is "finally running on hardware that can do it proper justice".[62] Eurogamer's Kristan Reed pointed out that, graphically, "it's hard to imagine how Amusement Vision could have done a better job".[48] 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."[16] In Japan, F-Zero GX sold 100,981 units[63] and became qualified for the Player's Choice line in both Europe[64] and North America[65] by selling at least 250,000 copies.[66]
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