What the heck ever happened to F-Zero?

[SuperiorShark]

I love me some F-Zero especially F-Zero X on Nintendo 64 but there hasn't been a new game in the series since 2004! Is Captain Falcon just reduced to being a character in Smash Bros? It's frustrating too because Nintendo constantly alludes to F-Zero in other games like with the mini game in Nintendo Land and the two tracks in Mario Kart 8, Mute City and Big Blue, but for whatever reason it's just a relic of Nintendo's past. It's a shame because F-Zero is one of my favorite series of all time. Any other F-Zero fans want to chime in and express your displeasure.

[Stalvern]

The official answer is that GX didn't leave any room for a sequel to revolutionize the series the way it and X did. Even today, almost two decades (?!) later, I'm inclined to agree that a new F-Zero would be only an incremental development from GX. Still, you'd think they could at least put that one on the Switch or something.

[SuperiorShark]

That's interesting. At this point, nearly 20 years since GX, I think if Nintendo just made a new F-Zero with HD graphics and new courses the people would be satisfied but maybe it wouldn't sell as much as Nintendo thinks it would.

[VideoGameCritic]

The official answer is that GX didn't leave any room for a sequel to revolutionize the series the way it and X did. Even today, almost two decades (?!) later, I'm inclined to agree that a new F-Zero would be only an incremental development from GX. Still, you'd think they could at least put that one on the Switch or something.

Who said a sequel needed to be "revolutionary"? I think I'd settle for new tracks and HD graphics.

Is this the same excuse used for Wave Race? Damn I miss that game.

[Matchstick]

...GX didn't leave any room for a sequel to revolutionize the series the way it and X did.

Couldn't agree more. Not only do I think I'll never see another F-Zero game as good as GX, I honestly have trouble finding any video game - period - that I enjoy more than GX. They simply got it all right with that one.

Part of me thinks a HD release on Switch with online play would be a great idea... buuuuuuut the game is rife with exploits, and I feel that anyone I play online would take advantage of "snaking" and using overpowered custom machines. I got my teeth kicked in enough just playing my buddies in split-screen, so I can only imagine what the online crowd would do to me!

Also, the crowd that developed this one has been disbanded. Wasn't it Amusement Vision, one of Sega's arcade branches? I think the Sega influence definitely shows in GX. Really, I think the game succeeded because AV had a better understanding of what F-Zero could be than Nintendo did, themselves. Just my opinion.

...Wave Race? Damn I miss that game.

A curious case, this one.

If you ask me, the 64 version is the only good Wave Race title. Much like F-Zero GX, the Gamecube release (Blue Storm) was developed by a different team - one based here in the US, if memory serves.

I hated that game. I bought it on launch and instantly regretted it. It was very detailed, but the game had some sort of Vaseline filter that made it hard to make out the nuances, and the physics felt waaaaaaaaay off versus the N64 title. It's a shame that game seems to have killed the series, but there you go.

The N64 Wave Race team did go on to make 1080 Snowboarding. I adore that one, and Wave Race 64. But both franchises really seemed to lose their way on the Gamecube when they shifted developers.

That sort of thing makes me appreciate the F-Zero GX success story more and more

[Hagane]

The original F-Zero still the best one for me, I just can't get enough of it, one of the few racing games of the era where you could control the car in 360º actually and not just pushing the car to the left or to the right on the screen. Mode 7 was an ingenious feature at the time, smooth rotation and gameplay, there are tech demos for other contemporary consoles trying to do their own Mode 7 style racing game but they simple can not touch the SNES own Mode 7 smooth rotation even 30 years later.

After GX Nintendo released other F-Zero games like the cool GP Legend and also Climax both on GBA, GX however was the last one on a home console, its a awesome game made by Sega under the guidance of Miyamoto of course, plus Toshihiro Nagoshi the guy who made Daytona USA a game highly influenced by the original F-Zero btw. Interesting that F-Zero GX also uses the same Super Monkey Ball's engine, another great game on Gamecube.

Sadly it seems like Nintendo forgot about the series ever since, they could have use Mario Kart 8's engine if they wanted too, but for those those who wanted a modern F-Zero style racing game there is one called Fast RMX on Switch, never played it but seems like a cool game.

[Wehrwolf]

Well, at least Nintendoland for the Wii U showed that they both remember F-Zero and it’s not like some lost rights issue or anything, as it has an F-Zero minigame.. But yeah, where’s the actual sequel?….

[Gentlegamer]

Nintendoland... reminds me the Metroid mini-game was awesome.

[RDReynolds]

Same question could be asked of many MANY Nintendo titles that just sit on the shelf.

Been waiting nearly a decade for Pikmin 4 myself...