When F-Zero made his appearance in the middle of the dance at the latest Nintendo Direct, the hearts of millions of fans literally skipped a beat, only to quickly calm down when they recognized the unmistakable graphics of the Super NES. The series created by Takaya Imamura and Shigeru Miyamoto has been absent for many, many years: notwithstanding the publications for portable machines, the memory of F-Zero GX for Nintendo GameCube remains tremendously fresh in the memory of fans, since It is treated without There is no doubt that it is one of the best "sci-fi racing" video games ever created, a box full of content and still extremely relevant today in terms of aesthetic performance.
If a rumor has been circulating for a few months that Next Level Games studios, a team known for the work done on Luigi's Mansion, are developing a remastered version of F-Zero GX, the general feeling is that the return of the series is currently within reach. around the corner, perhaps right among the ranks of the selection destined to accompany the debut of the much-desired Switch 2. It is probably precisely from this perspective that F-Zero 99 should be read: as a small test bed ready to test the waters to understand if Captain Falcon's explosive flame still burns in the public's chest. Judging by the number of players we've challenged over the past 48 hours, we're looking forward to confirming with reasonable certainty that yes, the fire is still burning, and very bright.
Framed in the newborn "99 Games" family, a stream of titles introduced to the public by Tetris 99 and then enriched with thematic variants of Pac Man and Super Mario, this variation of the F-Zero theme represents without a doubt the most refined to date. date, extraordinarily refined for a production included “free” in the Nintendo Switch Online service. This is not a simple arcade-style battle royale, but a small nostalgia operation that exudes the crazy essence behind the series from every pixel.
Welcome back to Mute City: fasten your seatbelts, turn up the volume on your headphones, step on the accelerator and take off. F-Zero 99 Review.
An immortal formula
F-Zero 99 puts solid roots in the original code of the SNES version, leaving it almost unchanged the essential components of the recipe to focus on clean graphics and the range of advanced mechanics. It is an extremely simple structure on paper: there is a button to accelerate and another to activate the turbo, the pair of axles to drift or slide on the track, and finally an input for the pirouette with which to try to knock down the others. pilots or protect themselves from their attacks. This new version does not skimp on tutorials, introducing any neophyte to three different races designed to introduce the few dry mechanics that regulate production, impeccably preparing them for the hell they will face.
Everything orbits around power management, a resource that is not limited only to feeding the turbo, but corresponds to the real state of the car, causing the total destruction of the vehicle if it falls below the minimum threshold. Consequently, each race takes on the characteristics of a "death race" in which damage management is essential, because in the event of an explosion there is immediate defeat and withdrawal from the eventual tournament. If the elimination formula typical of the original adapts perfectly to the laws of modern Battle Royale, the essence of the project has not at all abandoned the soul of pure racing, to the point that the guide always wins over all the other elements of the amalgam.
The only completely new mechanic is found in the super turbo, a special variant that allows you to float above the track for a few seconds after having collected a certain amount of Sparks, that is, small luminous spheres that emerge from opponents every time they are hit. At first glance, it might seem like a classic "catch-up" feature implemented to enable otherwise impossible comebacks, but a few hours of gameplay are enough to begin to glimpse the dense strategies that can be implemented using it the right way. . Overall, this is an unexpectedly deep gameplay formula, where the difference is almost always raw driving skill, coupled with the ability to knock out opponents to instantly recharge to the maximum.
Furthermore, in order to accommodate 99 drivers on the same track, Nintendo had the brilliant idea of integrating the same Start System of the motocross world championship, adding dedicated smart grills that transform the so-called "holeshot", that is, the possibility of entering the circuit first, into a decisive element to achieve victory. Otherwise, the gameplay perfectly follows the original architecture, with the big, sometimes very big difference, that there are 98 other players on the track who can't wait to get familiar with it.
More content than expected
F-Zero 99 offer presented enormously richer compared to that of its predecessors: instead of simply offering the most classic arcade races, it opens up a range of alternative limited-time modes that culminate in the big Grand Prix event. Every ten or fifteen minutes, in addition to the simple races, variations such as Pro Circuits, Team Races and Mini Prix alternate to update the recipe with variations on the theme and specific rules. By completing the different activities, you will finally get the necessary tickets to participate in the Grand Prix, which is a championship of five races that will be held together with the same group of drivers, in an attempt to take home the maximum points.
Il Grand Prix It is a special event that usually adorns the shores of the opera, so it is not possible to face it indefinitely but rather you have to wait for very specific windows in which to try to conquer - for the moment - only the Cavallo. Cup. The reason for this choice is easily explained: the points accumulated during both variants of the Prize contribute to the creation of a world ranking - reset every week - which highlights the names and statistics of the hundred best pilots in the galaxy, further proof that the element of luck finds very little space. Then there is an additional challenge within the challenge: when starting any activity, the matchmaking system selects four rivals of comparable skill to that of the player, and only by defeating them will you be able to increase - or in case of defeat see your Pilot Rank Decrease.
With a nod to anyone not interested in the competitive component, Nintendo opted to create a wide progression system game that, after completing certain challenges, allows you to customize the appearance of the four cars present, specifically the captain's Blue Falcon, Dr. Stewart's Golden Fox, Pico's Wild Goose and Samurai Goroh's unmistakable pink fire stripe; All of them, in addition to including dozens of liveries and cosmetics, have maintained the traditional differences on a statistical level, so anyone who has appreciated the original work will immediately feel at home.
About circuits, at the moment there are Mute City I, Big Blue, Sand Ocean, Death Wind I, White Land I and Port Town II, to which is added the very difficult Silence, which however can only be definitively unlocked by reaching the stages. finals, that is, the first 20, of the Cavallo Cup. The missing tracks, including the infamous Fire Field and Red Canyon variants, will be introduced alongside the Coppa Regina and Coppa Re, which will likely see the light of day in the coming weeks once traffic releases. The hope is that Nintendo, rather than pulling the plug prematurely, will make the rare decision to provide adequate support over time, perhaps fishing some elements out of the portable versions.
A new addiction
Leaving aside the purely content aspect, we approached F-Zero 99 convinced that it would be completely incapable of replicating the Tetris effect, presenting itself as an interesting Niche detour destined to tire after about ten runs. Nothing could be more wrong: the speed, cleanliness and immediacy of the recipe achieve this. generate the same form of dependency experienced from the tetromino parts, putting music to the cauldron through what is one of the most iconic original soundtracks of the early 90s, written by Yumiko Kanki and Naoto Ishida.
The result is that the hours pass as if they were minutes, as what initially presents itself as total chaos slowly begins to take shape: once you internalize the need to drive cleanly and understand the potential of the Super Turbo, you realize how marginal the impact of the other 98 drivers really is. and Finally we started winning consistently. At the same time, it's hard to imagine that F-Zero's soul can boast the same durability as an immortal work like Tetris, which due to its unique nature has never considered the need to pass on its legacy to a sequel. And you know what would be the perfect cure for fight against repetitiveness Intrinsic to the formula? Getting your hands on a new chapter of F-Zero, perhaps the one that fans have been waiting for for more than twenty years.
Conclusions
Tested version Nintendo Switch digital delivery Nintendo eShop Holygamerz.com 8.0 Readers (23) 7.4 your voteF-Zero 99 currently represents the richest and most refined box to emerge from the small nostalgia operations carried out around Nintendo Switch Online. The house, without distorting the original recipe, has chosen to sew it on a very fun background that winks at the real battle, creating a quick and immediate experience that runs the risk of causing addiction. While, on the one hand, it's the perfect hook to introduce new fans to the essence of the series - and any long-time fan should give it a chance - on the other hand, it has already happened that this type of experience has faded away. prematurely without a trace. It's easily the best "99" game out there - the hope is that it can pave the way for the series' big return, perhaps alongside the new Grande N console.
PRO
- Can cause addiction
- Fast, immediate, very fun.
- Many modes and customization options.
- Individual skill stands out even among 99 players
AGAINST
- The contents of the SNES version are what they are.
- As already happened, Nintendo could disconnect
- Too bad I can't play with friends.
