F-Zero: Maximum Velocity Review
Back in 1992, nearly a decade ago, F-Zero was one of many games released for the Super Nintendo launch, a racing game known for its furious speed. It wasn’t very bad, yet it wasn’t very good. In 1999, F-Zero X came out on the N64, and this extreme racing game has finally become 3D. Now in 2001, F-Zero once again became a launch title, in the form of F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, this time for the new 32-bit handheld, the Game Boy Advance. But this time, it’s returning back to its pseudo-3D world.
F-Zero is a game set in the future, far into the distant future. You’re not driving on cars, nope, you’re gonna be driving on machines drifting in air. But hey, don’t worry, they work just like cars, well uhh kinda. It’s just a game, and a game is a game.
Despite the similarities one may foresee in this racing game, it is not a port of the Super NES F-Zero. It is indeed a brand new game with new tracks, and new modifications, but with similarities some to the SNES predecessor.
The graphics in F-Zero: Maximum Velocity are in fact very similar to the Super NES, but on a portable system. The game uses the same style as the SNES game, and runs at blazing speeds. There is never any slow down in the game, it always continues to run smoothly, until you cross finish line.
The sound is one thing extremely lacking in this game. The sound effects are just like regular “crash” and “bonk” sounds, nothing big, it’s easy to live with. But gone is the great traditional F-Zero music, found in both F-Zero (SNES) and F-Zero X (N64). Instead you’re stuck with these boring repetitive tunes that will make you fall asleep.
Despite entirely new tracks, overall, the gameplay is a little disappointing. The AI in the game is horrendous (even in the beginner cup), the computer players are so good, it takes quite awhile to learn how to play the game well. Another really annoying thing about the AI, is that the computer cheats (!), for example, you take a boost, and then suddenly, they’re right behind you again. Yes, they have boosts too, but I don’t think it’s that effective, is it?
The controls are quite easy to learn, but are hard to master. The B button is for brake, the A button is for acceleration, and the L and R buttons are for better cornering and such. Different techniques are required to navigate throughout the courses. At first it’ll seem very easy to play, but as you progress through the tougher tracks, it becomes a challenging task to maneuver through the sharp turns, one after another.
Pros
- Over 20 tracks
- Up to 10 machines
- Single-Pak Link
- Incredible graphics
Cons
- Challenging AI
- In Grand Prix mode, the map only shows your machine
- Only 1 track for Single-Pak Link
- All of the tracks generally look the same
- Boring music
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity isn’t really bad, but some factors are really such a let down in the game. One really disappointing thing is the music, it is really boring, and nowhere near as good as the previous F-Zero music, Nintendo should have included some themes from that kind of music, and not use these boring tunes. But the gameplay is where the game comes into play, while it is a little harder, but once you get into the hang of things, it’ll be a lot more fun. So overall, F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, is a good title, but if you want some real fun racing, wait for the upcoming Mario Kart: Super Circuit.
Visuals: 10
Sound: 5
Originality: 9
Replay: 7
Overall: 8