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F-Zero 99

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F-Zero 99
A wide track suspended above a city is filled with machines racing towards the horizon. A stylized rendering of the title "F-Zero 99" sits above the scene in all-caps.
Developer(s)Nintendo Software Technology
Publisher(s)Nintendo
SeriesF-Zero
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch
ReleaseSeptember 14, 2023
Genre(s)Racing, battle royale
Mode(s)Multiplayer

F-Zero 99[a] is a 2023 online multiplayer racing game with battle royale elements developed by Nintendo Software Technology. Publisher Nintendo announced the game during a Nintendo Direct presentation on September 14, 2023, then released it later in the day as a free download through the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) subscription service. It is the first F-Zero game since Climax's 2004 release, the fourth 99-style NSO battle-royale game and the first to not be developed by Arika, its regular developer.

Based on the 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) title F-Zero, gameplay is adjusted into a battle royale format by allowing the player to compete with up to 98 other online players. The objective of the race is to outlive other players and finish the race. The player is equipped with a power meter which if depleted through damage will cause the player to be eliminated from the race. The player can then get a KO from someone with low power and that can extend their own meter. The player can rack up Super Sparks on the tracks to access a road above the track called the Skyway, allowing the player to speed past other players for a limited time.

Gameplay

A screenshot of gameplay. The player's machine is on a transparent path above the track, and its surroundings display a vast body of water. The game's interface displays the current position and lap, energy meter, Super Boost meter, the speedometer, and time.
By using the Skyway, players can bypass opposing machines at a higher speed.[1]: 2 
See also: Gameplay of F-Zero

In a similar vein to Pac-Man 99, Super Mario Bros. 35, and Tetris 99 the game takes the gameplay of F-Zero and re-contextualizes it as a battle royale. The game reuses the graphical style, vehicles, and tracks from the SNES game.[2] The speed boost system is reminiscent of what debuted in F-Zero X.[3]

The game plays much like the original F-Zero, although it is adjusted into a battle royale format by allowing the player to compete with 98 other players in real-time, with the objective of the game being to outlive other players and finish the race in first place. The player's vehicle is equipped with an energy meter, which serves as both a measurement of its health and as an energy reserve for temporary boosts to its speed; collisions and use of the boost depletes the meter, and once empty it will cause the player's vehicle to explode and be eliminated from the race, though it can be refilled by driving through a pit zone.[4] The player can also collect Super Sparks, orbs dropped by colliding racers and special golden bumper cars, which fill up a Super Boost meter that allows access to the Skyway, a floating road above the racetrack allowing the player to speed above other players for a limited time.[5][6] As races progress, players that are below a minimum safe rank limit that usually increases when laps are completed are automatically eliminated. Slower moving bumper vehicles also spawn onto the track during a race, adding another obstacle for surviving players to contend with. Players can utilize a rechargeable spin move to knock away these cars and those of their opponents.

The game's main mode is a single online race with up to 99 players. A rotating playlist of modes includes a Grand Prix mode, a Team Battle mode, and races on more difficult Pro Tracks, as well as a Practice mode. The Grand Prix mode, which sees players compete in a series of up to five consecutive races, requires entry via tickets obtainable through racing in other modes, and points earned in this mode go towards placement on a weekly online leaderboard. Players can also unlock new color schemes for their vehicle and new player profile design elements by completing objectives.[7][8]

Development and release

Further information: Development of F-Zero

Takaya Imamura served as a graphic designer and Shigeru Miyamoto as producer for the SNES game.[b] Imamura later served as either a supervisor or designer for numerous future games.[10] When F-Zero GX went gold in July 2003, Imamura commented "hav[ing] worked on the F-Zero series, and seeing the results of the collaboration with Sega, I found myself at something of a loss as to how we can take the franchise further past F-Zero GX and AX."[11] Preference within Nintendo shifted over time to create games like F-Zero and Star Fox in-house. "[Nintendo has been working on increasing] internal staff in a way that will allow us to have more projects going at the same time," Miyamoto explained. "[S]o we can create new games and work on additional old [Intellectual Properties] and still maintain the other primary franchises that people want to see."[12] He claimed a small-scale project or full-fledged game necessitates a novel selling proposition when asked by Edge magazine in April 2012.[13] Comments about needing a new concept followed in the years since by both individuals.[12][14] However, other Nintendo franchises like Kirby or Fire Emblem saw iterative releases over the years, which Imamura believes is due to sales numbers. He explained Mario Kart is Nintendo’s most popular racing game, and "a new F-Zero would cost a fortune."[10]

F-Zero 99 was first revealed in a Nintendo Direct on September 14, 2023, and was released later that day.[15] Developed by Nintendo Software Technology,[16] it is the first F-Zero game since Climax's 2004 release. Digital Trends's George Yang response to F-Zero 99's announcement called F-Zero "Nintendo’s most neglected series" with no proper sequel since then.[17] As a result, critics stated that series fans may end up disappointed with its non-traditional gameplay.[c] Ash Parrish of The Verge dismissed it as "a simple [NSO] 99 game", preferring a remake or remaster instead,[20] while GamesRadar+'s Dustin Bailey expressed optimism since Tetris 99 was entertaining.[18] Giovanni Colantonio of Digital Trends agreed with Bailey's sentiment.[8]

The post-release content featured tracks and their Grand Prix modes from the original game. Five tracks from the "Queen League" were released on September 29, 2023.[21] This was followed by three tracks from the "King League" on October 18.[22] A few Grand Prix tracks were previously available in the Pro Tracks mode.[21] Original content such as quality of life improvements released over time.[23] A Classic mode was introduced on November 29 to recreate a similar gameplay experience to the original game by reducing course size, limiting player count to 20 and the aspect ratio to 4:3, removing the Skyway and spin attack, and reintroducing the original boost mechanics.[24] The December 19 update applied a limited-time event adding snowfall to the Knight League[25] while private lobbies accessible via 4-digit pass codes and hidden tracks that occasionally appear were added next month.[26]

Reception

F-Zero 99 received "generally favorable" reviews upon its release. It holds an average of 82/100 on aggregate website Metacritic.[27] The game was nominated for "Racing Game of the Year" at the 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.[31] Nintendo Life's Charlie Wacholz assured readers that the SNES game was already a small elimination-style battle royale that F-Zero 99 expanded into a much grander scale, writing the additional players "doesn't just feel perfect for F-Zero, it feels natural."[30] Rhys Wood of TechRadar echoed this enthusiasm writing its finesse gameplay with additional players was exhilarating and stressful making it infeasible to replay the SNES game.[3] Reviewers including Wacholz, Eurogamer's Ed Nightingale, and PC Games' Christopher Holler felt gameplay can be chaotic thus requiring players to use the spin attack defensively.[30] Holler lamented over this and Nightingale shared a similar opinion lambasting the pinball machine-like races as "tumultuous carnage."[1]: 3 [32]

Most publications agreed that the updated game mechanics were by far among the best features; Wood said F-Zero 99 has "a level of depth here that hasn’t really been seen in the series up to this point",[3] and Colantonio added these short races are highly nuanced forcing players into frequent risk and reward decision-making.[8] The sacrificial energy system to boost and Skyway were singled out as particularly strong features;[29][32] Wacholz highlighted experienced players benefit from timing Skyway activation, while Hardcore Gamer's Jordan Helm reflected the same opinion for timing the boost mechanic.[28][30] Some reviewers welcomed the rival system as a personal challenge.[1]: 3 [33] Helm thought its clever short-term accomplishments offered players another goal instead of a first place ranking.[28] Jeuxvideo.com's Charlanmhg mentioned the system helps with monitoring progression and skill level.[29]

Reviewers felt that the content at launch was a weakness, Helm blames F-Zero 99's lack thereof on the source material's sparse 15 tracks,[28] especially the highly redundant online course selection. Jess Lee of Digital Spy explained Mute City I and Big Blue are commonly chosen,[34] and Charlanmhg agreed adding the rotation of events also quickly gets dull.[29] The Grand Prix is considered a better take on the battle royale formula since racers are eliminated per round.[32] Colantonio thought the Grand Prix helped alleviate the game's weird middle-ground between battle royale and traditional racing, elaborating the lack of having a last man standing removed some tension compared to Tetris 99.[8] While he was somewhat disconcerted by it being part of a rotation instead of the main mode, Wacholz was more critical due to the ticket entry fee.[8][30] Overall, Holler noted the higher priory of placement over survival may disappoint classic battle royale players.[1]: 4 

Some critics who do not consider F-Zero 99 as an original and complete installment speculated what its release meant for future games. Nightingale reflected on Miyamoto's pre-release thoughts welcoming its 99-player count as an optional part of a future full-fledged game, but showed more enthusiasm for the potential of multiple online modes.[32] Colantonio and Wood thought F-Zero 99 created a foundation for the franchise.[8][35] Colantonio pondered if this is the beginning of Nintendo ascertaining how to distinguish its racing series from the competition. He felt the game backtracked from what GX perfected speculating that perhaps it is a "low-pressure way to gauge how serious its loudest fans are about a revival."[8] Wood agreed with the idea of performance metrics, theorizing a stable and healthy player base could incentivize the company to release an original game.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: エフゼロ99, Hepburn: Efu Zero 99
  2. ^ It was common practice for personnel to take on multiple roles for SNES game development.[9]
  3. ^ According to Digital Trends,[8] GamesRadar+,[18] and TheGamer.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Holler, Christopher (September 20, 2023). "F-Zero 99 im Test - Ein Battle-Royale auf der Überholspur!". PC Games (in German). Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Nightingale, Ed (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero arrives on Switch as a battle royale". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Wood, Rhys (September 15, 2023). "F-Zero 99 might not be the game you wanted - but it sure is a lot of fun". TechRadar. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Winslow, Levi (September 14, 2023). "Classic Nintendo Racer F-Zero Returns As A...Battle Royale". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Bonk, Lawrence (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero 99 blends the classic Nintendo racer with utter chaos". Engadget. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Scullion, Chris (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero 99 announced for Nintendo Switch, is out today". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  7. ^ "F-Zero 99 brings the series back as a battle royale, available today". Destructoid. September 14, 2023. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Colantonio, Giovanni (September 15, 2023). "F-Zero 99 isn't the revival I dreamed of, but it's a good start". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "F-Zero Developer Interview - Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition". Nintendo. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Robinson, Andy (July 3, 2023). "Interview: Takaya Imamura, the artist behind Star Fox and F-Zero, speaks out". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  11. ^ IGN Staff (July 8, 2003). "F-Zero Press Conference". IGN. Archived from the original on February 14, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
  12. ^ a b George, Richard (June 20, 2013). "Don't Get Your Hopes Up For F-Zero". IGN. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  13. ^ Brown, Nathan (April 12, 2012). "Miyamoto keen on new Link To The Past". Edge. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  14. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (April 15, 2021). "Ex-Nintendo Designer Says F-Zero Isn't Dead, It's Just 'Hard to Bring Back'". IGN. Archived from the original on July 10, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  15. ^ Winslow, Levi (September 14, 2023). "Classic Nintendo Racer F-Zero Returns As A...Battle Royale". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  16. ^ Nintendo Software Technology (September 14, 2023). F-Zero 99 (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo. Scene: Credits.
  17. ^ Yang, George (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero 99 revives Nintendo's most neglected series as a free battle royale". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Bailey, Dustin (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero is back - in battle royale form". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  19. ^ Foster, George (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero 99 Revealed, Fan Hopes Dashed Again". TheGamer. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  20. ^ Parrish, Ash (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero returns to the Switch in F-Zero 99". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Theriault, Donald (September 28, 2023). "F-Zero 99 Receiving First Track Update". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  22. ^ Denzer, TJ (October 18, 2023). "F-Zero 99's latest update brings its 'final new tracks' today". Shacknews. Archived from the original on October 19, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  23. ^ "How to Update F-Zero 99". Nintendo. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  24. ^ Wood, Rhys (November 28, 2023). "F-Zero 99's SNES-like Classic Race mode is coming in its next major update". TechRadar. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  25. ^ Doolan, Liam (December 19, 2023). "F-Zero 99 New Update Now Live, Adds "Limited-Time" Frozen Knight League". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  26. ^ Doolan, Liam (January 24, 2024). "F-Zero 99 Update Adds Secret Tracks, Private Lobbies And More, Here's Everything Included". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  27. ^ a b "F-Zero 99 Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  28. ^ a b c d Helm, Jordan (September 21, 2023). "Review: F-Zero 99". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  29. ^ a b c d Charlanmhg (September 20, 2023). "F-Zero 99 sur Nintendo Switch console-t-il les fans ?". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  30. ^ a b c d e Wacholz, Charlie (September 18, 2023). "F-Zero 99 Review (Switch eShop)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  31. ^ "27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  32. ^ a b c d Nightingale, Ed (September 14, 2023). "F-Zero 99 feels like a battle royale in a pinball machine". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  33. ^ Watanabe, Takuya (October 1, 2023). "なぜ『F-ZERO 99』はレースゲームとバトロワを「次の高み」に乗せたと言えるのか？". IGN Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  34. ^ Lee, Jess (September 25, 2023). "F-Zero 99 is Nintendo Switch's best '99' game yet". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  35. ^ Wood, Rhys (September 15, 2023). "Like it or not, F-Zero 99 is necessary if you want to see this franchise survive". TechRadar. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
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