F-Zero Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
in: Games, F -Zero series

Changes: F-Zero X

Back to page
Edit
Tag: Visual edit
(37 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
{{Infobox_Game
−
{{cleanup}}
  
  +
|title1=F-Zero X
  +
|title=
  +
|caption1=F-Zero X box art
  +
|developer=Nintendo EAD
  +
|publisher=Nintendo
  +
|series=F-Zero
  +
|release=Nintendo 64:
  +
JP: July 14, 1998
   
  +
NA: October 26, 1998
−
[[File:256px-Fzeroxbox.jpg|thumb|256px|right|F Zero X Cover]]
  
   
  +
EU: November 6, 1998
−
{{nihongo|'''''F-Zero X'''''|エフゼロ エックス|Efu Zero Ekkusu|F-ZERO X}} is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo 64 console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America, in 1998. F-Zero X has been re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan, in Europe as the 100th VC title, and in North America, in 2007. When the game was later developed and released for the iQue Player in China in 2004, it became the first and only title of the series to feature online multiplayer, as well as being Nintendo's first racing title with online multiplayer. In 2000, an expansion of the game was exclusively released in Japan providing numerous extra features not in the original game.
  
   
  +
|genre=Racing
−
''F-Zero X'' is the third released installment in the [[F-Zero series]] and the first released video game in the franchise to feature 3D graphics. The game has a steep learning curve and its gameplay experience is similar to that of the original F-Zero title. However, the title does introduce a "death race" mode and a random track generator called the "X Cup". In the death race, the player's objective is to annihilate the 29 other racers as speedily as possible, while the X-Cup "creates" a different set of tracks each time played.
  
  +
|modes=Single-player, multiplayer
  +
|platform=Nintendo 64, iQue Player
  +
|pregame=[[F-Zero]]
  +
|nxtgame=[[F-Zero: Maximum Velocity]]
  +
|image1=256px-Fzeroxbox.jpg
  +
}}'''F-Zero X '''is a futuristic racing video game for the [[Nintendo 64]] console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, Europe, and North America, in 1998. ''F-Zero X'' has been re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan, in Europe as the 100th VC title, and in North America, in 2007. When the game was later developed and released for the iQue Player in China in 2004, it became the first and only title of the series to feature online multiplayer, as 2000, an expansion of the game was exclusively released in Japan providing numerous extra features, not in the original game.
   
  +
==Gameplay==
−
At first, only six machines are available for play, extra ones are unlocked by beating the Grand Prixs on the various difficulty levels. These are : Novice, Standard, Expert, and Master (unlockable).
  
  +
''F-Zero X'' is the third released installment in the [[F-Zero series]] and the first released video game in the franchise to feature 3D graphics. The game has a steep learning curve and its gameplay experience is similar to that of the original F-Zero title. However, the title does introduce a "death race" mode and a random track generator called the "X Cup". In the death race, the player's objective is to annihilate the 29 other racers as speedily as possible, while the X-Cup "creates" a different set of tracks each time played.
   
  +
At first, only six machines are available for play, extra ones are unlocked by beating the Grand Prix on the various difficulty levels. These are:
−
Mute City
  
  +
* Novice
−
Sector α
  
  +
* Standard
−
Fire Field
  
  +
* Expert
−
Rainbow Road
  
  +
* and Master (unlockable).
−
Silence 3
  
−
Mute City 4
  
−
Silence
  
−
Red Canyon
  
−
Silence 2|Devil's Forest 3|Sand Ocean 3
  
−
Space Plant 2
  
−
|[[Sand Ocean]]
  
−
|Devil's Forest 2
  
−
|Sector β
  
−
|Space Plant
  
−
|Devil's Forest 4
  
−
|Port Town 4
  
−
|Devil's Forest
  
−
|Mute City 2
  
−
|Red Canyon 2
  
−
|Sand Ocean 2
  
−
|Port Town 3
  
−
|Fire Field 2
  
−
|Big Blue
  
−
|Big Blue 2
  
−
|White Land 2
  
−
|Port Town 2
  
−
|Devil's Forest 5
  
−
|White Land 3
  
−
|Port Town
  
−
|White Land
  
−
|Mute City 3
  
−
|Big Hand
  
−
|Big Blue 3
  
−
|Big Foot
  
   
−
===Death Race===
 +
==='''Death Race'''===
−
Death race is where 30 racers assemble to eliminate 29 racers on track.Also you need to do this as quick as possible.This race also needs alot energy,defence and offence such as black shadow.Also need to be a little fast.You dont need to be first on line though.
 +
Death Race is a mode where the player tries to eliminate 29 other racers on the track as fast as possible.  There are no points awarded for being in first, only for destroying the other racers machines.
   
−
===Time Attack===
 +
==='''Time Attack'''===
  +
In Time Attack, the player can run a course as many times as they like.  The player's best lap can be used as a ghost to race against.
   
−
===Characters===
 +
==Characters==
  +
{| class="article-table"
  +
!
  +
Row
  +
! colspan="6" |'''''Pilots and Machines'''''
  +
|-
  +
|1<sup>1</sup>
  +
|'''[[Captain Falcon]]<sup>2</sup>'''
  +
[[Blue Falcon]]<sup>34</sup>
  +
|'''[[Dr. Stewart]]<sup>2</sup>'''
  +
[[Golden Fox]]
  +
|'''[[Pico]]<sup>2</sup>'''
  +
[[Wild Goose]]
  +
|'''[[Samurai Goroh]]<sup>2</sup>'''
  +
[[Fire Stingray]]<sup>4</sup>
  +
|'''[[Jody Summer]]'''
  +
[[White Cat]]<sup>4</sup>
  +
|'''[[Mighty Gazelle]]'''
  +
[[Red Gazelle]]
  +
|-
  +
|2
  +
|'''[[Baba]]'''
  +
[[Iron Tiger]]
  +
|'''[[Octoman]]'''
  +
[[Deep Claw]]
  +
|'''[[Dr. Clash]]'''
  +
[[Crazy Bear]]
  +
|'''[[Mr. EAD]]'''
  +
[[Great Star]]
  +
|'''[[Bio Rex]]'''
  +
[[Big Fang]]
  +
|'''[[Billy]]'''
  +
[[Mad Wolf]]
  +
|-
  +
|3
  +
|'''[[Silver Neelsen]]'''
  +
[[Night Thunder]]
  +
|'''[[Gomar & Shioh]]'''
  +
[[Twin Noritta]]
  +
|'''[[John Tanaka]]'''
  +
[[Wonder Wasp]]
  +
|'''[[Mrs. Arrow]]'''
  +
[[Queen Meteor]]
  +
|'''[[Blood Falcon]]'''
  +
[[Blood Hawk]]
  +
|'''[[Jack Levin]]'''
  +
[[Astro Robin]]
  +
|-
  +
|4
  +
|'''[[James McCloud]]'''
  +
[[Little Wyvern]]
  +
|'''[[Zoda]]'''
  +
[[Death Anchor]]
  +
|'''[[Michael Chain]]'''
  +
[[Wild Boar]]
  +
|'''[[Super Arrow]]'''
  +
[[King Meteor]]
  +
|'''[[Kate Alen]]'''
  +
[[Super Piranha]]
  +
|'''[[Roger Buster]]'''
  +
[[Mighty Hurricane]]
  +
|-
  +
|5
  +
|'''[[Leon]]'''
  +
[[Space Angler]]
  +
|'''[[Draq]]'''
  +
[[Mighty Typhoon]]
  +
|'''[[Beastman]]'''
  +
[[Hyper Speeder]]
  +
|'''[[Antonio Guster]]'''
  +
[[Green Panther]]
  +
|'''[[Black Shadow]]'''
  +
[[Black Bull]]
  +
|'''[[The Skull]]'''
  +
[[Sonic Phantom|Sonic Phantom]]
  +
|}
  +
# Default pilots.
  +
# Returning pilots.
  +
# An alternative machine the [[Super Falcon]] is available through a cheat device.
  +
# In the Expansion Kit, the Blue Falcon, Fire Stingray, and White Cat can be swapped for Super Falcon, Super Stingray, and Super Cat, with all A stats.
  +
Note: By completing the first three cups on Novice you will unlock a new row of machines, this cycle will continue when you complete them on Standard, Expert, and Master.
   
  +
==Circuits==
−
<center>
  
  +
{| class="article-table"
−
{{|bgcolor="#f7f8ff" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 91%; border: gray solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse; text-align:center"|-bgcolor="#cccccc"!#
  
  +
!#
−
!''Returning Pilots''
  
  +
!Jack Cup
−
|colspan="7"|'''New Pilots'''
  
  +
(Easy)
  +
!Queen Cup
  +
(Moderate)
  +
!King Cup
  +
(Hard)
  +
!Joker Cup
  +
(Very Hard)
  +
!X Cup
  +
(Impossible)
 
|-
  
|-
 
|1
  
|1
−
|[[Captain Falcon]]
 +
|'''[[Mute City]]'''
  +
Figure Eight
−
|[[Antonio Guster]]
  
  +
|'''[[List of locations in the F-Zero series|Sector '''α''']]'''
−
|[[Billy]]
  
  +
Inverted Loop
−
|[[Dr. Clash]]
  
−
|[[Jack Levin]]
 +
|'''[[Fire Field]]'''
  +
Zig-Zag Jump
−
|[[Kate Alen]]
  
−
|[[Octoman]]
 +
|'''[[Rainbow Road]]'''
  +
Psychedelic Experience
−
|[[Super Arrow]]
  
  +
|X
 
|-
  
|-
 
|2
  
|2
−
|[[Dr. Stewart]]
 +
|'''[[Silence]]'''
  +
High Speed
−
|[[Mrs. Arrow]]
  
−
|[[Bio Rex]]
 +
|'''[[Red Canyon]]'''
  +
Multi Jump
−
|[[Draq]]
  
  +
|'''Silence 2'''
−
|[[James McCloud]]
  
  +
Wavy Road
−
|[[Leon]]
  
  +
|'''Devil's Forest 3'''
−
|[[Roger Buster]]
  
  +
Mirror Road
−
|[[Zoda]]
  
  +
|X
 
|-
  
|-
 
|3
  
|3
−
|[[Pico]]
 +
|'''[[Sand Ocean]]'''
  +
Pipe
−
|[[Baba]]
  
  +
|'''Devil's Forest 2'''
−
|[[Black Shadow]]
  
  +
Up and Down
−
|[[Mr. EAD]]
  
  +
|'''[[List of locations in the F-Zero series|Sector '''β''']]'''
−
|[[Jody Summer]]
  
  +
Double Somersault
−
|[[Michael Chain]]
  
  +
|'''[[List of locations in the F-Zero series|Space Plant]]'''
−
|[[Silver Neelson]]
  
  +
Cylinder & High Jump
  +
|X
 
|-
  
|-
 
|4
  
|4
  +
|'''[[List of locations in the F-Zero series|Devil's Forest]]'''
−
|[[Samurai Goroh]]
  
  +
Corkscrew
−
|[[Beastman]]
  
  +
|'''Mute City 2'''
−
|[[Blood Falcon]]
  
  +
Technique
−
|[[Gomar & Shioh]]
  
  +
|'''Red Canyon 2'''
−
|[[John Tanaka]]
  
  +
Slim Line
−
|[[Mighty Gazelle]]
  
  +
|'''Sand Ocean 2'''
−
|[[The Skull]]
  
  +
Wave Panic
−
|[[Super Falcon]]*
  
−
|}}
 +
|X
  +
|-
−
</center>
  
  +
|5
  +
|'''[[Big Blue]]'''
  +
Cylinder
  +
|'''Big Blue 2'''
  +
Quick Turn
  +
|'''White Land 2'''
  +
Half Pipe
  +
|'''Port Town 2'''
  +
Snake Road
  +
|X
  +
|-
  +
|6
  +
|'''[[Port Town]]'''
  +
High Jump
  +
|'''[[White Land]]'''
  +
Dangerous Steps
  +
|'''Mute City 3'''
  +
Jumps of Doom
  +
|'''[[Big Hand]]'''
  +
Deadly Curves
  +
|X
  +
|}
   
  +
==='''Expansion Kit Circuits'''===
  +
{| class="article-table"
  +
!#
  +
!DD-1 Cup
  +
!DD-2 Cup
  +
|-
  +
|1
  +
|'''Silence 3'''
  +
|'''Mute City 4'''
  +
|-
  +
|2
  +
|'''Sand Ocean 3'''
  +
|'''Space Plant 2'''
  +
|-
  +
|3
  +
|'''Devil's Forest 4'''
  +
|'''Port Town 4'''
  +
|-
  +
|4
  +
|'''Port Town 3'''
  +
|'''Fire Field 2'''
  +
|-
  +
|5
  +
|'''Devil's Forest 5'''
  +
|'''White Land 3'''
  +
|-
  +
|6
  +
|'''Big Blue 3'''
  +
|'''[[Big Foot]]'''
  +
|}
   
  +
==Disk Drive Expansion==
−
*Only playable with the Expansion Kit or a cheat device.
  
  +
The ''[[F-Zero X Expansion Kit]]'', released in Japan on April 21, 2000, was the first add-on disk for the Nintendo 64DD. The Kit will only operate in conjunction with the cartridge of the original game, however, all of ''F-Zero X's'' regular features are accessible plus twelve new tracks, a car editor, and a track creator. The Expansion Kit includes new soundtracks in stereo as well as the entire collection of monaural audio tracks from the original game. In addition to the two new cups, it is also possible to create custom cups. The disk can save up to a hundred tracks and up to three ghost racers per course. The track creator was singled out as the Expansion Kit's strongest feature since it is virtually the same tool the designers of ''F-Zero X'' used for themselves to create the original circuits.
   
  +
The Car Editor offers a variety of options when creating a vehicle. Using a set of pre-existing parts, the player must balance their creations' settings and performance abilities before the machine is finished and named. The Track Editor is a detailed track creator that allows the player to design their own racing circuits. Using a cursor, the player can determine the basic layout of the track and also add points to it to create track elements such as curves and hills. Furthermore, numerous different properties like half-pipes and cylinders, as well as numerous road surfaces, such as slip zones, can be added. The player also can test their creation at any time and run practice laps.
−
==Development and audio==
  
−
Initially titled ''F-Zero 64'', ''Famitsu'' magazine revealed the project in mid-1997.<ref name="Announced">{{cite web|url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060910p1.html|title=First look at F-Zero 64 |accessdate=2007-05-29 |author=IGN Staff|date=1997-06-16|publisher=IGN}}</ref> The game, which was produced alongside ''[[Zero Racers]]'', was renamed late in its development. Several key ''Wave Race 64'' programmers including the lead programmer made up the in-house ''F-Zero X'' development team.<ref name="IGN review"/><ref name="sider"/> The game made its debut at the Nintendo Space World event in late November 1997 where the public was able to play it for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/061/061480p1.html |title=F-Zero X Marks the Spot|accessdate=2007-06-07 | author=IGN Staff | date= 1997-11-21 |publisher=IGN }}</ref><ref name="preview">{{cite web|url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/120/120418p1.html |title=F-Zero X| accessdate=2007-06-18| author=IGN Staff |date= 1998-07-14 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> ''F-Zero X'' became the first racing game to run at 60 frames per second with up to 30 vehicles on screen at the same time, but in order to keep the frame rate, polygon counts on the vehicles, textures and track detail are sacrificed.<ref name="GSreview">{{cite web |url= http://www.gamespot.com/n64/driving/fzero10/review.html?mode=gsreview |title=F-Zero X review| accessdate= 2007-05-22|last = Mielke|first = James |date=1998-08-13|publisher=GameSpot| quote=F-Zero X is a stunning achievement in that it's truly the first racing game that runs at a brisk 60 frames per second, even in multiplayer.}}</ref> The North American release of ''F-Zero X'' suffered from a three month delay due to Nintendo of America's policy of spacing the release of first-party games out evenly. Features from the Nintendo 64DD are included in ''F-Zero X'' which allow for the cartridge to be compatible with add-on disks such as track editors or course updates,<ref name="IGN review">{{cite web |url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/150/150418p1.html |title=F-Zero X review|accessdate=2007-05-22 |author= Schneider, Peer | coauthors= Casamassina, Matt|date= 1998-10-27 |publisher=IGN}}</ref><ref name="sider">{{cite web |title=F-Zero X - Development| url= http://www.n-sider.com/gameview.php?gameid=17&view=dev |accessdate= 2006-06-13|publisher=N-Sider}}</ref> however none of these were utilized outside of Japan,<ref name="Import review">{{cite web|url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/155/155488p1.html|title=F-Zero X Expansion Kit (Import)|accessdate= 2007-06-15|last= Schneider |first= Peer|date= 2000-07-18| publisher= IGN}}</ref> due to the 64DD's commercial failure.<ref name="64DD failure">{{cite web |url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/091/091306p1.html |title=F-Zero X|accessdate= 2007-05-22|last= Schneider| first= Peer | coauthors= Casamassina, Matt|date= 1998-10-27 |publisher=IGN}}</ref><ref name="AMN history">{{cite web| url= http://gc.kombo.com/article.php?artid=4063&pg=4| title=The Legendary Race - The History of F-Zero|accessdate=2007-10-09|last =Lucas|first =DeWoody|date= 2005-01-05 |work=Advanced Media Network |publisher=Kombo|pages=pp. 2, 4}}</ref>
  
   
  +
Lastly, Captain Falcon, Samurai Goroh, and Jody Summer receive updates in the form of unlockable 'Super vehicles' which boasts perfect stats (Body, Boost, and Grip at A), slightly altered design and a new color scheme as well as the pilots themselves wearing new clothes.
−
''F-Zero X'' features remixed music from its predecessor.<ref name="EGM112">{{Citation|publication-date= November 1998| title= F-Zero X| periodical= Electronic Gaming Monthly | publisher= Ziff Davis Media| issue= 112| pages=| id= ISSN 1058-918X|url= http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8219910&publicUserId=5739595 | accessdate=2007-11-15}}</ref> Besides the games' visual detail, another setback in order for the title to run well at its frame rate is the quality of its audio. Due to compression, the game only features monaural sound.<ref name="IGN review"/><ref name="aussie">{{cite web|url = http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/?v=article&p=14631|title = Nintendo's Eight Famous Franchises #5 - F-Zero|accessdate = 2007-08-14|last = White|first = Nick|date = 2007-06-25 |publisher = Aussie-Nintendo}}</ref> Two soundtracks were released featuring music from this game. The ''[[F-Zero X Original Soundtrack]]'' was released on September 18, 1998. The ''[[F-Zero X Guitar Arrange Edition]]'', which was released on January 27, 1999, contains ten guitar arranged musical tracks from the game. Both the original soundtrack and the guitar arrangement are composed by [[Taro Bando]] and [[Hajime Wakai]].<ref>{{cite web | title=F-ZERO X Original Soundtrack| publisher = Square Enix Music Online | url = http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/fzerox.shtml | accessdate =2008-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=F-ZERO X Guitar Arrange Edition| publisher = Square Enix Music Online| url= http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/fzeroxguitar.shtml | accessdate =2008-02-18}}</ref>
  
   
  +
==Development==
−
== Critical Reception ==
  
  +
Initially titled ''F-Zero 64'', ''Famitsu'' magazine revealed the project in mid-1997.<ref name="Announced">{{cite web|url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060910p1.html|title=First look at F-Zero 64 |accessdate=2007-05-29 |author=IGN Staff|date=1997-06-16|publisher=IGN}}</ref> The game, which was produced alongside ''[[Zero Racers]]'', was renamed late in its development. Several key ''Wave Race 64'' programmers including the lead programmer made up the in-house ''F-Zero X'' development team.<ref name="IGN review" /><ref name="sider" /> The game made its debut at the Nintendo Space World event in late November 1997 where the public was able to play it for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/061/061480p1.html |title=F-Zero X Marks the Spot|accessdate=2007-06-07 | author=IGN Staff | date= 1997-11-21 |publisher=IGN }}</ref><ref name="preview">{{cite web|url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/120/120418p1.html |title=F-Zero X| accessdate=2007-06-18| author=IGN Staff |date= 1998-07-14 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> ''F-Zero X'' became the first racing game to run at 60 frames per second with up to 30 vehicles on screen at the same time, but in order to keep the frame rate, polygon counts on the vehicles, textures and track detail are sacrificed.<ref name="GSreview">{{cite web |url= http://www.gamespot.com/n64/driving/fzero10/review.html?mode=gsreview |title=F-Zero X review| accessdate= 2007-05-22|last = Mielke|first = James |date=1998-08-13|publisher=GameSpot| quote=F-Zero X is a stunning achievement in that it's truly the first racing game that runs at a brisk 60 frames per second, even in multiplayer.}}</ref> The North American release of ''F-Zero X'' suffered from a three-month delay due to Nintendo of America's policy of spacing the release of first-party games out evenly. Features from the Nintendo 64DD are included in ''F-Zero X'' which allow for the cartridge to be compatible with add-on disks such as track editors or course updates,<ref name="IGN review">{{cite web |url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/150/150418p1.html |title=F-Zero X review|accessdate=2007-05-22 |author= Schneider, Peer | coauthors= Casamassina, Matt|date= 1998-10-27 |publisher=IGN}}</ref><ref name="sider">{{cite web |title=F-Zero X - Development| url= http://www.n-sider.com/gameview.php?gameid=17&view=dev |accessdate= 2006-06-13|publisher=N-Sider}}</ref> however none of these were utilized outside of Japan,<ref name="Import review">{{cite web|url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/155/155488p1.html|title=F-Zero X Expansion Kit (Import)|accessdate= 2007-06-15|last= Schneider |first= Peer|date= 2000-07-18| publisher= IGN}}</ref> due to the 64DD's commercial failure.<ref name="64DD failure">{{cite web |url= http://ign64.ign.com/articles/091/091306p1.html |title=F-Zero X|accessdate= 2007-05-22|last= Schneider| first= Peer | coauthors= Casamassina, Matt|date= 1998-10-27 |publisher=IGN}}</ref><ref name="AMN history">{{cite web| url= http://gc.kombo.com/article.php?artid=4063&pg=4| title=The Legendary Race - The History of F-Zero|accessdate=2007-10-09|last =Lucas|first =DeWoody|date= 2005-01-05 |work=Advanced Media Network |publisher=Kombo|pages=pp. 2, 4}}</ref>
−
Critics generally praised F-Zero X for its fast gameplay, abundance of courses and vehicles, keeping a high framerate even though there can be up to thirty racers on screen at the same time, and track design. However, the game has been widely criticized for its lack of graphical detail. The title received Game of the Month for the month of November from Electronic Gaming Monthly. An editor stated "the graphics may be simple, but they're smooth and the action is fast". IGN described F-Zero X as an exceptional update to the original game that "only suffers under its generic look". They believed that unlike the first game, F-Zero X "is not about showing off graphics or sound capabilities -- it's all about gameplay". They considered the game to rival Wave Race with its "perfectly fine-tuned controls and a fresh approach to racing".
  
   
  +
''F-Zero X'' features remixed music from its predecessor. Besides the games' visual detail, another setback in order for the title to run well at its frame rate is the quality of its audio. Due to compression, the game only features monaural sound.<ref name="IGN review" /><ref name="aussie">{{cite web|url = http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/?v=article&p=14631|title = Nintendo's Eight Famous Franchises #5 - F-Zero|accessdate = 2007-08-14|last = White|first = Nick|date = 2007-06-25 |publisher = Aussie-Nintendo}}</ref> Two soundtracks were released featuring music from this game. The ''[[F-Zero X Original Soundtrack]]'' was released on September 18, 1998. The ''[[F-Zero X Guitar Arrange Edition]]'', which was released on January 27, 1999, contains ten guitar arranged musical tracks from the game. Both the original soundtrack and the guitar arrangement are composed by [[Taro Bando]] and [[Hajime Wakai]].<ref>{{cite web | title=F-ZERO X Original Soundtrack| publisher = Square Enix Music Online | url = http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/fzerox.shtml | accessdate =2008-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=F-ZERO X Guitar Arrange Edition| publisher = Square Enix Music Online| url= http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/fzeroxguitar.shtml | accessdate =2008-02-18}}</ref>
−
Allgame called F-Zero X as "certainly not up to Nintendo's usual standards" in terms of detail and texture quality. GameSpot also criticized the games' graphical detail, calling the low polygon count on the vehicles as "particularly uninspiring" and that the "track detail is also very limited, giving the track a spartan feel to it". In GameSpot's re-review of the Virtual Console release, they gave it a 6.5/10 calling it "the black sheep of the series" when compared with the other F-Zero games in "visual style and technical flair".
  
   
  +
==Critical Reception==
−
Despite its visual setbacks, critics exalted the game for managing to keep a steady 60 frame/s, which some felt made up for the lack of graphical detail. The Electric Playground found the framerate to give "the game a major boost in the feel department" making it "seem like your vehicle is bursting through the sound barrier". In regard to the music, EGM considered it "really good with some excellent remixes of the old F-Zero tunes", while CVG called the music dreadful. The Electric Playground thought it goes hand-in-hand to the feeling of speed in the game, but not much else.
  
  +
Critics generally praised ''F-Zero X'' for its fast gameplay, the abundance of courses and vehicles, keeping a high framerate even though there can be up to thirty racers on-screen at the same time, and track design. However, the game has been widely criticized for its lack of graphical detail. The title received Game of the Month for the month of November from Electronic Gaming Monthly. An editor stated, "the graphics may be simple, but they're smooth and the action is fast". IGN described ''F-Zero X'' as an exceptional update to the original game that "only suffers under its generic look". They believed that unlike the first game, ''F-Zero X'' "is not about showing off graphics or sound capabilities -- it's all about gameplay". They considered the game to rival Wave Race with its "perfectly fine-tuned controls and a fresh approach to racing".
   
  +
Allgame called ''F-Zero X'' as "certainly not up to Nintendo's usual standards" in terms of detail and texture quality. GameSpot also criticized the games' graphical detail, calling the low polygon count on the vehicles as "particularly uninspiring" and that the "track detail is also very limited, giving the track a spartan feel to it". In GameSpot's re-review of the Virtual Console release, they gave it a 6.5/10 calling it "the black sheep of the series" when compared with the other F-Zero games in "visual style and technical flair".
−
F-Zero X sold 383,642 units in America and 77,154 units in Japan, making it the 49th best-selling Nintendo 64 game. The game sold 56,457 copies during its first week of sale in Japan, but sold nearly five times less the following week.
  
  +
  +
Despite its visual setbacks, critics exalted the game for managing to keep a steady 60 frame/s, which some felt made up for the lack of graphical detail. The Electric Playground found the framerate to give "the game a major boost in the feel department" making it "seem like your vehicle is bursting through the sound barrier". In regard to the music, EGM considered it "really good with some excellent remixes of the old F-Zero tunes", while CVG called the music dreadful. The Electric Playground thought it goes hand-in-hand to the feeling of speed in the game, but not much else.
   
  +
''F-Zero X'' sold 383,642 units in America and 77,154 units in Japan, making it the 49th best-selling Nintendo 64 game. The game sold 56,457 copies during its first week of sale in Japan, but sold nearly five times less the following week.
−
== Disk Drive Expansion ==
  
−
The F-Zero X Expansion Kit, released in Japan on April 21, 2000, was the first add-on disk for the Nintendo 64DD. The Kit will only operate in conjunction with the cartridge of the original game, however all of F-Zero X's regular features are accessible plus twelve new tracks, a car editor and a track creator. The Expansion Kit includes new soundtracks in stereo as well as the entire collection of monaural audio tracks from the original game. In addition to the two new cups, it is also possible to create custom cups. The disk can save up to a hundred tracks and up to three ghost racers per course. The track creator was singled out as the Expansion Kit's strongest feature since it is virtually the same tool the designers of F-Zero X used for themselves to create the original circuits.
  
   
  +
==Trivia==
−
The Car Editor offers a variety of options when creating a vehicle. Using a set of pre-existing parts, the player must balance their creations' settings and performance abilities before the machine is finished and named. The Track Editor is a detailed track creator that allows the player design their own racing circuits. Using a cursor, the player can determine the basic layout of the track and also add points to it to create track elements such as curves and hills. Furthermore, numerous different properties like half pipes and cylinders, as well as numerous road surfaces, such as slip zones, can be added. The player also can test their creation at any time and run practice laps.
  
  +
* The actual models from this game were reused for the [[Super Smash Bros. Melee]] stage [[Mute City]].
  +
* This is the only game in the series to have a 6-track cup (Besides [[F-Zero GX|GX]]'s AX cup.).
  +
**This is also the only game to have all of the cups with 6 tracks. 
  +
*The ''F-Zero X'' North America commercial doesn't have an announcer voice, because it shows road signs while zooming on the road in real life instead.
   
  +
==Videos==
−
Lastly, Captain Falcon, Samurai Goroh and Jody Summer receive updates in the form of unlockable 'Super vehicles' which boasts perfect stats (Body, Boost and Grip at A), slightly altered design and a new color scheme as well as the pilots themselves wearing new clothes.
  
  +
<gallery>
  +
File:F-Zero X (1998) USA Commercial|The United States commercial of "F-Zero X" with road signs with different words.
  +
</gallery>
   
 
==References==
  
==References==
 
{{reflist}}
  
{{reflist}}
  +
{{F-Zero franchise}}
 
[[Category:Games]]
  
[[Category:Games]]
  +
[[Category:F -Zero series]]

Revision as of 14:51, 31 May 2020

F-Zero X is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo 64 console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, Europe, and North America, in 1998. F-Zero X has been re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan, in Europe as the 100th VC title, and in North America, in 2007. When the game was later developed and released for the iQue Player in China in 2004, it became the first and only title of the series to feature online multiplayer, as 2000, an expansion of the game was exclusively released in Japan providing numerous extra features, not in the original game.

Gameplay

F-Zero X is the third released installment in the F-Zero series and the first released video game in the franchise to feature 3D graphics. The game has a steep learning curve and its gameplay experience is similar to that of the original F-Zero title. However, the title does introduce a "death race" mode and a random track generator called the "X Cup". In the death race, the player's objective is to annihilate the 29 other racers as speedily as possible, while the X-Cup "creates" a different set of tracks each time played.

At first, only six machines are available for play, extra ones are unlocked by beating the Grand Prix on the various difficulty levels. These are:

  • Novice
  • Standard
  • Expert
  • and Master (unlockable).

Death Race

Death Race is a mode where the player tries to eliminate 29 other racers on the track as fast as possible.  There are no points awarded for being in first, only for destroying the other racers machines.

Time Attack

In Time Attack, the player can run a course as many times as they like.  The player's best lap can be used as a ghost to race against.

Characters

Row

Pilots and Machines
11 Captain Falcon2

Blue Falcon34

Dr. Stewart2

Golden Fox

Pico2

Wild Goose

Samurai Goroh2

Fire Stingray4

Jody Summer

White Cat4

Mighty Gazelle

Red Gazelle

2 Baba

Iron Tiger

Octoman

Deep Claw

Dr. Clash

Crazy Bear

Mr. EAD

Great Star

Bio Rex

Big Fang

Billy

Mad Wolf

3 Silver Neelsen

Night Thunder

Gomar & Shioh

Twin Noritta

John Tanaka

Wonder Wasp

Mrs. Arrow

Queen Meteor

Blood Falcon

Blood Hawk

Jack Levin

Astro Robin

4 James McCloud

Little Wyvern

Zoda

Death Anchor

Michael Chain

Wild Boar

Super Arrow

King Meteor

Kate Alen

Super Piranha

Roger Buster

Mighty Hurricane

5 Leon

Space Angler

Draq

Mighty Typhoon

Beastman

Hyper Speeder

Antonio Guster

Green Panther

Black Shadow

Black Bull

The Skull

Sonic Phantom

  1. Default pilots.
  2. Returning pilots.
  3. An alternative machine the Super Falcon is available through a cheat device.
  4. In the Expansion Kit, the Blue Falcon, Fire Stingray, and White Cat can be swapped for Super Falcon, Super Stingray, and Super Cat, with all A stats.

Note: By completing the first three cups on Novice you will unlock a new row of machines, this cycle will continue when you complete them on Standard, Expert, and Master.

Circuits

# Jack Cup

(Easy)

Queen Cup

(Moderate)

King Cup

(Hard)

Joker Cup

(Very Hard)

X Cup

(Impossible)

1 Mute City

Figure Eight

Sector α

Inverted Loop

Fire Field

Zig-Zag Jump

Rainbow Road

Psychedelic Experience

X
2 Silence

High Speed

Red Canyon

Multi Jump

Silence 2

Wavy Road

Devil's Forest 3

Mirror Road

X
3 Sand Ocean

Pipe

Devil's Forest 2

Up and Down

Sector β

Double Somersault

Space Plant

Cylinder & High Jump

X
4 Devil's Forest

Corkscrew

Mute City 2

Technique

Red Canyon 2

Slim Line

Sand Ocean 2

Wave Panic

X
5 Big Blue

Cylinder

Big Blue 2

Quick Turn

White Land 2

Half Pipe

Port Town 2

Snake Road

X
6 Port Town

High Jump

White Land

Dangerous Steps

Mute City 3

Jumps of Doom

Big Hand

Deadly Curves

X

Expansion Kit Circuits

# DD-1 Cup DD-2 Cup
1 Silence 3 Mute City 4
2 Sand Ocean 3 Space Plant 2
3 Devil's Forest 4 Port Town 4
4 Port Town 3 Fire Field 2
5 Devil's Forest 5 White Land 3
6 Big Blue 3 Big Foot

Disk Drive Expansion

The F-Zero X Expansion Kit, released in Japan on April 21, 2000, was the first add-on disk for the Nintendo 64DD. The Kit will only operate in conjunction with the cartridge of the original game, however, all of F-Zero X's regular features are accessible plus twelve new tracks, a car editor, and a track creator. The Expansion Kit includes new soundtracks in stereo as well as the entire collection of monaural audio tracks from the original game. In addition to the two new cups, it is also possible to create custom cups. The disk can save up to a hundred tracks and up to three ghost racers per course. The track creator was singled out as the Expansion Kit's strongest feature since it is virtually the same tool the designers of F-Zero X used for themselves to create the original circuits.

The Car Editor offers a variety of options when creating a vehicle. Using a set of pre-existing parts, the player must balance their creations' settings and performance abilities before the machine is finished and named. The Track Editor is a detailed track creator that allows the player to design their own racing circuits. Using a cursor, the player can determine the basic layout of the track and also add points to it to create track elements such as curves and hills. Furthermore, numerous different properties like half-pipes and cylinders, as well as numerous road surfaces, such as slip zones, can be added. The player also can test their creation at any time and run practice laps.

Lastly, Captain Falcon, Samurai Goroh, and Jody Summer receive updates in the form of unlockable 'Super vehicles' which boasts perfect stats (Body, Boost, and Grip at A), slightly altered design and a new color scheme as well as the pilots themselves wearing new clothes.

Development

Initially titled F-Zero 64, Famitsu magazine revealed the project in mid-1997.[1] The game, which was produced alongside Zero Racers, was renamed late in its development. Several key Wave Race 64 programmers including the lead programmer made up the in-house F-Zero X development team.[2][3] The game made its debut at the Nintendo Space World event in late November 1997 where the public was able to play it for the first time.[4][5] F-Zero X became the first racing game to run at 60 frames per second with up to 30 vehicles on screen at the same time, but in order to keep the frame rate, polygon counts on the vehicles, textures and track detail are sacrificed.[6] The North American release of F-Zero X suffered from a three-month delay due to Nintendo of America's policy of spacing the release of first-party games out evenly. Features from the Nintendo 64DD are included in F-Zero X which allow for the cartridge to be compatible with add-on disks such as track editors or course updates,[2][3] however none of these were utilized outside of Japan,[7] due to the 64DD's commercial failure.[8][9]

F-Zero X features remixed music from its predecessor. Besides the games' visual detail, another setback in order for the title to run well at its frame rate is the quality of its audio. Due to compression, the game only features monaural sound.[2][10] Two soundtracks were released featuring music from this game. The F-Zero X Original Soundtrack was released on September 18, 1998. The F-Zero X Guitar Arrange Edition, which was released on January 27, 1999, contains ten guitar arranged musical tracks from the game. Both the original soundtrack and the guitar arrangement are composed by Taro Bando and Hajime Wakai.[11][12]

Critical Reception

Critics generally praised F-Zero X for its fast gameplay, the abundance of courses and vehicles, keeping a high framerate even though there can be up to thirty racers on-screen at the same time, and track design. However, the game has been widely criticized for its lack of graphical detail. The title received Game of the Month for the month of November from Electronic Gaming Monthly. An editor stated, "the graphics may be simple, but they're smooth and the action is fast". IGN described F-Zero X as an exceptional update to the original game that "only suffers under its generic look". They believed that unlike the first game, F-Zero X "is not about showing off graphics or sound capabilities -- it's all about gameplay". They considered the game to rival Wave Race with its "perfectly fine-tuned controls and a fresh approach to racing".

Allgame called F-Zero X as "certainly not up to Nintendo's usual standards" in terms of detail and texture quality. GameSpot also criticized the games' graphical detail, calling the low polygon count on the vehicles as "particularly uninspiring" and that the "track detail is also very limited, giving the track a spartan feel to it". In GameSpot's re-review of the Virtual Console release, they gave it a 6.5/10 calling it "the black sheep of the series" when compared with the other F-Zero games in "visual style and technical flair".

Despite its visual setbacks, critics exalted the game for managing to keep a steady 60 frame/s, which some felt made up for the lack of graphical detail. The Electric Playground found the framerate to give "the game a major boost in the feel department" making it "seem like your vehicle is bursting through the sound barrier". In regard to the music, EGM considered it "really good with some excellent remixes of the old F-Zero tunes", while CVG called the music dreadful. The Electric Playground thought it goes hand-in-hand to the feeling of speed in the game, but not much else.

F-Zero X sold 383,642 units in America and 77,154 units in Japan, making it the 49th best-selling Nintendo 64 game. The game sold 56,457 copies during its first week of sale in Japan, but sold nearly five times less the following week.

Trivia

  • The actual models from this game were reused for the Super Smash Bros. Melee stage Mute City.
  • This is the only game in the series to have a 6-track cup (Besides GX's AX cup.).
    • This is also the only game to have all of the cups with 6 tracks. 
  • The F-Zero X North America commercial doesn't have an announcer voice, because it shows road signs while zooming on the road in real life instead.

Videos

References

  1. ↑ IGN Staff (1997-06-16). First look at F-Zero 64. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Schneider, Peer; Casamassina, Matt (1998-10-27). F-Zero X review. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 F-Zero X - Development. N-Sider. Retrieved on 2006-06-13.
  4. ↑ IGN Staff (1997-11-21). F-Zero X Marks the Spot. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
  5. ↑ IGN Staff (1998-07-14). F-Zero X. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
  6. ↑ Mielke, James (1998-08-13). F-Zero X review. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2007-05-22. “F-Zero X is a stunning achievement in that it's truly the first racing game that runs at a brisk 60 frames per second, even in multiplayer.”
  7. ↑ Schneider, Peer (2000-07-18). F-Zero X Expansion Kit (Import). IGN. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.
  8. ↑ Schneider, Peer; Casamassina, Matt (1998-10-27). F-Zero X. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
  9. ↑ Lucas, DeWoody (2005-01-05). The Legendary Race - The History of F-Zero. Advanced Media Network pp. 2, 4. Kombo. Retrieved on 2007-10-09.
  10. ↑ White, Nick (2007-06-25). Nintendo's Eight Famous Franchises #5 - F-Zero. Aussie-Nintendo. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  11. ↑ F-ZERO X Original Soundtrack. Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  12. ↑ F-ZERO X Guitar Arrange Edition. Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
F-Zero
Video Games: F-Zero • BS F-Zero • F-Zero X (Expansion Kit) • Maximum Velocity • GX / AX • GP Legend • Climax • 99
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms