F-Zero (Video Game Review)

Video Game Review
F-Zero
Super Nintendo
1991
Developed by: Nintendo
Published: Nintendo

Before F-Zero, there were few racing games that offered what most players wanted: speed. The NES had a few good games like Rad Racer and Mach Rider but for those who wanted a good racing video game, they had to look at the arcades for some excitement. Nintendo released F-Zero during the launch of its new console, the Super Nintendo. Not only was it a challenging racing game but it was fast too. It does have its issues like the lack of multiplayer but it is still a great racing game for the SNES.

The game is set in the distant future. Racing has evolved to the point the cars hover over the tracks; which are suspended high above the ground. The cars go extremely fast and speeds of over 500 km/h are not uncommon. The tracks aren’t the normal tracks that we are used to today as these futuristic tracks have obstacles on the course. Drivers need to make sure their cars don’t lose all their energy or they’ll disintegrate on the track. Falling off the track is another hazard as it is a long way down from the suspended tracks.

There is only one game mode to speak of (outside of a practice mode). The Grand Prix mode is split into three groups: Knight, Queen, and King. Each group has five tracks giving the game fifteen tracks total. There are also four skill levels. The goal of each race is to finish above a certain position to be able to move on to the next race, although the final race requires a first place finish to complete the group of races.

The controls are solid. The d-pad moves the vehicle around. The B button accelerates while the Y button acts as the brakes. The A button can be use for boosting. You get one super boost after you complete a lap and can keep up to three in inventory that can be used during a race. The shoulder buttons are used to shift the weight of the car to the left or right to handle tight cornering at fast speeds. It takes a little getting used to but once past the learning curve, the game handles beautifully.

The idea behind the game is to show off the graphical prowess of the SNES and F-Zero does a remarkable job. The mode-7 graphics make the game look visually stunning. The game feels fast which is a plus for any racing game. The cars show a nice amount of detail. When turning, the cars themselves are animated. It doesn’t seem like much today but with SNES hardware, it’s a nice touch. If anything, the only problem is the landscape. It feels a little too barren at times. Rarely do you see more than one opponent on the track at a time and most of the opponents look the same. It’s a letdown considering how gorgeous the graphics look relative to the hardware.

The sound is great as well. The robust sound card that the SNES possessed was put to good use here. The themes are incredible and really make a good argument for video game music to be considered an artform. The sound effects are very good too as they really help emphasize the intensity of the game.

I still don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing but F-Zero feels less like a racing game and more like a really long minigame. It’s because it doesn’t feel like you’re racing against competitors but racing against time and trying not to crash. It sometimes feels like you’re not really racing and just focusing on not crashing. This could have been solved somewhat by including a multiplayer option but Nintendo made this a single player experience only. It’s too bad because that would have this game exponentially better.

The level design is really good and the tracks provide a decent challenge. That’s why the format of the game might be a good thing after all. The game demands perfection from the player. Anything less is punished. So perhaps making the game feel more like a race against others instead of against the clock wouldn’t have worked considering the design of the game.

Nintendo was smart to release F-Zero for the launch of the SNES. It’s a fun game that looks as good as it sounds. Sure, there could have been improvements made but that the package here is still great. Some may not be able to forgive the lack of multiplayer here but it stands up well as a single-player experience. If you like old-school racing games, you really should give this one a shot.

☆☆☆☆