F-Zero GX

F Zero first debuted on the SNES in 1990, there have been new updates of the game, for each console, the most recent being the GBA title “F-Zero : Maximum Velocity”.

This time the hovercraft battle-racing franchise is making its way onto the Cube, and it’s never looked better. The visuals for GX are simply mind blowing, even with loads of cars on the track and boosts lighting up the screen, the frame-rate doesn’t even hiccup.

GX will offer 4 different race modes : Grand Prix, Versus Battle, Time Attack, and Story Mode. Grand Prix will offer a mode similar to the past F-Zero’s where players race for first and compete for cups. Versus battle lets you face off to your friends with 4 player split screen action. Time Attack is simple, beat the allotted times on each track. And story mode, will let you play through 10 chapters, as the main character of the game “Captain Falco”.

The challenges found in the Story mode are very diverse. You will find yourself fleeing from certain things that are chasing you, racing one on one with certain characters, or race from start to finish with an explosive attached to your ship.

F-Zero GX will offer easy “pick-up-and-play” gameplay, but also require a lot of skill and concentration to continue going. The mechanics to your craft are rather interesting. Like previous F-Zero’s you will have a boost which you can use. When you use your boost though, you use your ships energy. Your ships energy runs out, and you explode. So it’s ultimately your ships health too. There are few areas on the tracks in which you can regain energy if you go over them, but other than that, it’s pure strategy how you manage your ship and staying in first.

The currency used in F-Zero will be known as tickets. You earn tickets for winning races and coming in first. And you can use your tickets in one of 3 shops. There’s a machine’s shop, which lets you buy new vehicles. There’s a custom parts store, which lets you buy additions to your craft (cockpits, bodies, and boost types that you can create new vehicles out of).

GX supports up to 4 players via split screen multiplayer, though it won't be supporting LAN play. It will also offer connectivity between the arcade version.

With brilliant visuals, a killer framerate, addictive gameplay, and enough extras to keep you busy for a few months, F-Zero GX is shaping up to be the next must have title for the Nintendo Gamecube.

F-Zero speeds into stores August 26th. We’ll keep you posted on any new developments, and read our review when the game hits shelves.