F-Zero GX

Captain Falcon enlists help from Sega, returns to the racing circuit, and wins back his laurels.

If Wipeout was the last eXtreme fUture rAcing game you actually cared about, you?re not alone?it was a trendsetting classic that left a million forgettable clones in its wake?clones that quickly and efficiently killed any interest you might have had in any future eXtreme future racing game. Prepare to have your interest revived and renewed.

Super Falcon Ball
In crafting F-Zero GX, Nintendo wisely enlisted the help of Sega?s Amusement Vision to try to tap into the same sort of frantic delight it captured with Super Monkey Ball. While it?s not quite the instant party that Monkey Ball was, it?s still furiously fast, awfully addictive, perilously playable, and loaded with enough cool stuff to keep your interest until the next big first-party Nintendo title comes along.

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All the basic stuff that makes a solid eXtreme fUture rAcer is here: The tracks are incredibly cool to watch; they twist, knot, and blaze by at absolute maximum velocity even with 29 other racers on screen and layers of cool-looking, subtly handled effects. The controls are extremely arcadey?the L and R shoulder buttons essentially cancel centrifugal force, and most of your effort is expended figuring out the best place to push the boost button?but, more importantly, it?s extremely friendly and fun.

What really sets F-Zero GX apart, however, is all the neat gameplay decisions that make the game feel balanced and varied. Your boost is tied to your shield meter and restricted to second and third laps, so your strategy alters considerably after your first buzz around the track. Certain levels have you racing along the interior and exterior of tubes, a thing which considerably changes how you handle your vehicle. The Story mode is also a wonderful addition with its wide range of different twists (dodge boulders, smash up a rival) and fun CG cinemas of Captain Falcon?s superheroic exploits. There are also tons of customization options and unlockable goodies. The game can be pretty difficult, however?careening off the side of a track (an instant ?game over?) can be horribly frustrating when you?re on the last lap of the last race in the game?s five-track Grand Prix mode.

Mode 11
No, F-Zero GX doesn?t totally reinvent eXtreme fUture rAcing as you know it; it?s simply a complete, polished package with long legs and tons of fun-ness. Heck, it may even rekindle your love for this once-majestic endangered species of game. The momentum is dangerous.

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