F-Zero GX
- August 25, 2003 00:00 AM PST
Hold on to your bird hat! Captain Falcon returns in this evolution of Nintendo�s classic racer.
The New Red-Bull Racing ChallengeWhat�s faster than light, smoother than creamery butter, and so over the top that even gravity can�t hold on? If you guessed F-Zero GX, then go get yourself a cookie! Nintendo�s latest reinvention could very well be the ultimate racing anti-sim, but �arcadey� doesn�t begin to describe it: shoulder-button lateral power slides cancel out the laws of inertia; hitting the �boost� button a lot is absolutely critical to success; tracks are ramp-loaded and designed like impossible roller coasters; and some levels have you racing on cylinders that completely change the dynamics of hovercars as you know them.
Mode 11
F-Zero GX makes expert use of the GameCube hardware: the game moves at a ridiculous speed, even with loads of cool effects turned on and 30 racers on screen at once, but the tradeoff comes in the form of iffy textures and models that become evident once you�re not moving at maximum velocity.
The game�s extra-stuff quotient is especially high with tons of unlockable aliens/robots/dogs and plenty of options to customize the look and handling of your racer. If you�re into the arcade scene, a single regular GameCube memory card can be used to transfer data to and from the coin-op version�bring your custom racer from home to the arcade, bring arcade tracks back to your home. If you�re more the hermit soloist type, the Story mode is exceptionally stout: it follows the wholesomely superheroic adventures of racer/thwarter Captain Falcon through CG cinemas and sets you up with mortal enemies, weird goals, and interesting twists, like boulders being rolled at you by thugs or racing while packs of villainous scum desperately try to crush your fabulous hull.
While the buzz behind F-Zero GX hasn�t been nearly as loud as that for some of Nintendo�s bigger names (Zelda, Metroid, Mario), keep up your guard�momentum can be dangerous when you�re not paying attention.
