F-Zero
Developed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura.
Core elements of F-Zero include:
High speed racing simulator
Risk and reward system between health and boost
60 FPS gameplay
F-Zero can be categorized into:
Mainline Series
Reboot Continuity which coincides with the anime F-Zero: GP Legend
F-Zero Mainline Series
F-Zero (1990)
In the year 2560, 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.
Captain Falcon is a famous bounty hunter and racer in the F-Zero Grand Prix.
Additional racers include rival bounty hunter Samurai Goroh in the Fire Stingray, Dr Stuart in the Golden Fox, and Pico in the Wild Goose.
Falcon races through the 3 Grand Prix cups: Knight, Queen, and King.
A comic shown in the instruction manual of the game depicts one of Captain Falcon’s bounty mission where he is seen piloting the Falcon Flyer and beats Samurai Goroh in collecting a bounty. Falcon is then shown preparing to race in the F-Zero Grand Prix.
F.A.Q.
Unlock Master Difficulty: to unlock Master Difficulty, the player must beat all 3 Grand Prix cups on Expert Difficulty.
F-Zero X (1998)
During a Grand Prix race, an accident injures many pilots, including Mighty Gazelle and Captain Falcon. This leads to a suspension of Grand Prix races for three years.
Due to fan outcry, the Committee decide to open the F-Zero Grand Prix under a new name F-Zero X, with new rules and regulations. This includes up to 30 racers competing at once.
A Japan-only add-on disk F-Zero X Expansion Kit was released for the Nintendo 64DD and features 12 new tracks via the DD-1 Cup and DD-2 Cup, a car editor, track creator, and 3 additional machines (Super Falcon, Super Stingray, and Super Cat).
F.A.Q.
To Unlock Additional Racers: to unlock additional racers, the player must complete the Jack, Queen, and King Cups at different difficulties to unlock each row of machines. Completing Novice difficulty unlocks the 2nd row of racers, Standard unlocks the 3rd row, Expert unlocks the 4th row, and Master unlocks the 5th final row.
Unlock the Joker Cup: to unlock the Joker Cup, the player must complete the Jack, Queen, and King Cup on Standard difficulty.
Unlock the X Cup: to unlock the X Cup, the player must complete the Jack, Queen, King, and Joker Cup on Expert difficulty.
Unlock Master Difficulty: to unlock Master Difficulty, the player must complete the Jack, Queen, King, and Joker Cup on Expert difficulty.
Unlock Alternate Title Screen (Comic Panel): to unlock the alternate title screen featuring comic panel style, the player must complete Jack, Queen, and King Cups on Expert difficulty.
Unlock Alternate Title Screen (Blue Falcon Cutaway): to unlock the alternate title screen featuring a cutaway of the Blue Falcon, the player must complete Jack, Queen, King, and Joker Cups on Expert difficulty.
F-Zero GX (2003)
F-Zero GX takes place 1 year after F-Zero X with Captain Falcon being the winner of the previous F-Zero Grand Prix.
Black Shadow is driving down a highway after losing a Grand Prix. Deathborn catches up to him and gives him one more chance to win the Grand Prix.
Captain Falcon begins training for the Grand Prix, followed by racing his rival, Samurai Goroh, in a desert canyon. When he goes to Bet Race & Dollars to relax, he is forced by Silver Neelsen to enter the bet race under the disguise of 'Famicom'.
After winning said bet race, Falcon notices Black Shadow attacking the Lightning area on the news. Falcon makes his way to stop him, but is delayed by a group of thugs led by Michael Chain. After dealing with Chain's gang, Falcon enters a facility to save Jody Summer. He must escape the facility before the core detonates, with said facility going into lock-down procedures. With Jody out of harm's way, and reunited with John Tanaka, Falcon confronts Black Shadow.
With the help of Blood Falcon, Black Shadow binds Falcon and traps him inside his vehicle, strapping a bomb to the Blue Falcon that will detonate if the Blue Falcon goes below 800 km/h. Falcon manages to survive by driving the vehicle straight off an unfinished road and right under a crane, knocking the bomb off.
Falcon later attends the Grand Prix, racing against many pilots including Blood Falcon and Black Shadow. Falcon wins the Grand Prix and receives the champion's belt. He witnesses Black Shadow being punished by Deathborn for his incompetence. Deathborn reveals himself as the Grand Prix champion of the Underworld and challenges Falcon to a one-on-one race.
Before the race, Deathborn reveals that Falcon’s champion belt and Deathborn’s champion belt are the energies of light and dark condensed in each belt, and that when combined, provide ultimate power that will turn the owner into a god-like being. Deathborn plans to conquer the entire galaxy. Falcon races against Deathborn and defeats him. With both belts united into one, Falcon vows to keep winning so he can protect the belt from the forces of evil.
At his garage, Falcon is greeted by the Creator, three beings who supposedly created the whole world. The Creator reveal they were behind everything, that there are no universal forces and now that Falcon is the winner of 2 Grand Prix, they will take out his soul and turn it into their own creation, just like Deathborn. Falcon defeats them and the Creator disappears. Falcon then removes his helmet and leaves the room.
An arcade cabinet F-Zero AX is an arcade version of F-Zero GX. It features 14 playable vehicles and 6 race tracks. Players could plug a Gamecube memory card with an F-Zero GX save on the memory card to have a chance to win the AX-exclusive pilots, their vehicles, and tracks for use in GX.
F.A.Q.
Unlock the Diamond Cup: to unlock the Diamond Cup, the player must complete the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Cups on standard difficulty or expert difficulty.
Unlock Master Difficulty: to unlock Master Difficulty, the player must complete the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Cups on expert difficulty.
Unlock AX Tracks: to unlock the AX Tracks for purchase in the in-game store, the player must complete the Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, and Diamond Cups on master difficulty.
Unlock AX Cup: to unlock the AX Cup, the player must purchase all AX Tracks.
Unlock “Sounds of Big Blue”: To unlock the “Sounds of Big Blue”, the player must beat all cups on Master difficulty.
Reward for Completing Story Mode on Hard: completing story mode on hard unlocks Spade for purchase in the in-game store.
There is no reward for completing Story Mode on Very Hard however each story mission completed on Very Hard unlocks an additional character for purchase in the in-game store: Phoenix, Princia Ramode, QQQ, Don Genie, Terry Getter, Dai Goroh, Dai San Gen, Lily Flyer, PJ.