Review Mazinkaiser 4/5 · Aug 18, 2024
F-Zero X: Blazing Into the (real) Third Dimension
F-Zero X is a game whose strategies and steep learning curve can be a little obtuse and frustrating to figure out, but the gameplay experience that one can manage is an absolute blast of speed.
Years after the original tournament gets discontinued (for extreme danger!) the Grand Prix makes a comeback once again with 30-car races in five cups (six …
F-Zero X is a game whose strategies and steep learning curve can be a little obtuse and frustrating to figure out, but the gameplay experience that one can manage is an absolute blast of speed.
Years after the original tournament gets discontinued (for extreme danger!) the Grand Prix makes a comeback once again with 30-car races in five cups (six tracks each, the last randomly generated).
Ironically enough, the new tournament has some added mechanics that encourage even more devastation, with the ability to attack other racers (and to use that attack to make some tight turns!) with an entire mode devoted to taking other racers out.
Cars are a little difficult to figure out, with weight, size, grip, boost, and durability stats that only favor a small handful of vehicles. There are also settings on acceleration and speed that can be tweaked from track to track but are a little obtuse to figure out, outside of the game's meta.
Along with cars and settings the player has some other mechanics they can operate to get by - a manual boost which drains their health to be paired with placed dash plates, sliding for minimal speed loss while drifting, and even crazier exploits like side attack dives. This rarely pays off and is more aggravating than enjoyable but the pros willing to stick out for this can reach crazy speeds and break all kinds of time trial records.
For the actual fun part of racing, it's still a rush on some of the lower difficulties to weave around an entire mass of vehicles, figure out who to pick off (the game designates rivals who will be aggressive to you so pick them off!) and figure out the smoothest way to manage around turns, corkscrews, dives, etc. There's a practice mode to get a feel of the track but it doesn't quite allow practicing actual races - there's also a life system where taking too much damage or falling off the course can kick you out of the race, which can also be a little aggravating when you're looking to simply practice placing well in a single track.
For all the rough edges it's still leagues above the original, with a massive rush to get closer to the (rubberbanded) AI and getting right up on top. The tracks are fairly simple and low-poly (the vehicles themselves have some impressive LODs and optimizations that allow them to go REALLY fast) and the framerate is buttery smooth. It feels great to play and the simple graphics are satisfying to zoom through. Music is a crank of instrumental metal, something to really get the blood pumping (with an unintelligible vocal or two).
F-Zero X is intimidating, and without a careful hand to guide players through its obtuse advanced mechanics they may drive straight into a wall pretty early. For those who can get the hang of things and like the thrill of the race this will be just the thing they need!
