F-Zero GX takes speed to the max

The king of the futuristic racing circuit returns with all of the classic gameplay features of its predecessors but now sporting the snazzy bells and whistles of 128-bit power. F-Zero GX should be instantly familiar to longtime fans while offering the pick-up-and-play enjoyment that is a hallmark of the series.

The game brings back all the play modes that have become genre standbys, like grand prix, time attack and versus battle, as well as a hilariously corny but well-executed story mode. Grand prix, the real meat and potatoes of the game, pits players against 30 computer opponents in a series of five courses. Players earn points by finishing ahead of the competition, and points are added up at the end to determine the winner. The courses are divided into three cups with three selectable difficulty levels for each, resulting in a wide range of challenges for anyone looking for an adrenaline rush.

Without a doubt, the gameplay of F-Zero is and always has been about pure speed. There are dozens of different vehicles with unique drivers and rankings for boost, durability and handling, as well as customization options, but this is no Gran Turismo—all of the vehicles handle roughly the same. The most important aspect is the ability of every vehicle to hit ridiculous speeds in excess of 1000 km per hour. Sound overwhelming? It will take quick reflexes, precise coordination and patience, patience, patience to come out on top in the harder difficulty levels.

Although 30 other racers compete against you, you're really fighting against the tracks in F-Zero. The courses range from simple ovals to complex mazes filled with jumps and shortcuts that eschew all sense of up and down. The camera gives only a limited view of the road ahead, and the speed throws sharp turns at you often before you even realize what's happening, forcing you to really master the twists and turns of each track in order to win. At times, this can involve a mere two or three attempts just to gain an overall sense of the course, while some courses may require half an hour of crashing into walls and flying off the track at unexpected jumps before moving on to the next stage. However, finally mastering a challenging course offers a near Zen-like experience. Banking gracefully into turns before they even show up and launching your ship hundreds of feet into the air from hidden air cushions delivers an exhilarating experience unmatched by any other racing title.

The controls are excellent in their simplicity but offer a surprising amount of control in the midst of the chaotic action that occurs. In addition to turning left and right with the analog stick, you can use the shoulder buttons to bank the ship left and right, perfect for making the 180-degree turns and sharp curves that come up. Holding both shoulders will make the ship drift, which is harder to control but reduces loss of speed. After the first lap, your ship gains the ability to boost with the press of the Y-button. Each boost drains your energy meter, which also decreases as your ship takes damage from knocking into walls and opponents. Thus, most races boil down to strategic management of the boost meter in addition to hitting as many speed-boosting zippers along the track as you can.

Players are able to knock other racers off the track, and a spin-attack is available to damage surrounding ships, but vehicular combat is only a minor component. While F-Zero may have spawned the futuristic racing genre, it has left out the weapons that are the now-cliché features of popular imitators like Wipeout and Extreme-G.

The graphics in F-Zero GX are utterly spectacular, and the tracks are a joy to look at, although there is little time for sightseeing when you're racing by at supersonic speeds. The tracks range in appearance from psychedelic cityscapes filled with neon fireworks to verdant forests with towering trees. The backgrounds are sometimes sparse, but it may be for the best, as your attention is always focused on the track ahead of you, and not the scenery around you. To top it off, the game runs at a silky smooth framerate even with 30 ships on screen at once, as well as during intense 4-player split-screen matches, quite an amazing feat given the hectic nature of the action.

F-Zero GX lacks any serious innovation, but the technical execution and aesthetic quality of the game is superb in every way. It is a challenging addition to the futuristic racing genre and a fun, fast-paced title that any relatively patient gamer can learn to love.