SNES Game Review: F-Zero

 Another blog, another racing game.  This one is a bit of the twist though, as it might be the most notable racing game that became part of a legacy.  F-Zero is part of the series of games on different systems from 1990-2004, with this one being the first.  F-Zero and Super Mario Kart are two of the biggest racing games on the SNES, but also that they are the most notable as they then become a series on different consoles.  Super Mario Kart is viewed as highly regarded by just about everyone.  Same goes for F-Zero.  How do I rate the game? Here it is below.

Positives

1. The graphics honestly are superior.  A futuristic idea of a city based in 2560, racing Grand Prix is awesome enough.  However the Mode 7 graphics model that they had allowed for it to look 3-D and allow for the multiple twisting/turning of the game through the multiple races. 

2. The music in this game is absolutely phenomenal.  It gets you pumped up to play a game.  This includes racing.  If this were the music in every racing game, it'd make a lot better overall (even if the game is not very good.) 

3. The fact that Captain Falcon becomes a major person into this Nintendo life and becomes a main character in a lot of ways.  This was his big moment and now as a result of it, he is a major character in the life of Nintendo after that.  

4. The pace of the game is quick, which makes it for a quick playthrough.  It isn't a game that will take you hours upon hours to beat (IE: Most Final Fantasy games overall so to speak) and with it being racing, most races are a short distance so don't expect to take hours on one race.

5. Contact can be restored as well as power without a pitstop.  There are places on track to restore your power and repair damage.  Remember, futuristic cities so they planned on futuristic ways of fixing stuff.

Negatives

1. The driving is a bit slick to be honest here.  You are susceptible to the 'wall' (It's more like orbs for a wall but hey we'll call it a wall) and damage which forces you to do the repair.  This is a common occurrence on a lot of racing games on SNES.  This is the main real flaw to the game overall.

Review, rating: 

All in all, F-Zero is a great start to the series for Captain Falcon and his cast of people.  While yes the driving is slick, it isn't a whole sale detriment and it is a very playable game otherwise.  From a pure racing standpoint, it is probably 2nd to Super Mario Kart.  It is ahead of Top Gear but a game that is top 20 definitely in the SNES era.  I would probably rate it 18th in SNES games.  My overall grade is a 9 out of 10.