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F-Zero [Model SHVC-FZ]

Nintendo Super Famicom cart. published 34 years ago by Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Listed in MAME

F-Zero [Model SHVC-FZ] screenshot

F-Zero © 1990 Nintendo Company, Limited.

F-Zero is a fast and futuristic hover-craft racing game by Nintendo and was one of the launch title for the American Super Nintendo system. The game takes place in the 26th century, humans and aliens now share the universe and seek for new kind of entertainments. High-speed races called F-Zero were created for that matter and became increasingly popular. Four pilots and their respective hover-craft are available from the start, each one of them balancing out Power, Speed and acceleration .The game counts not less than fifteen tracks all spreaded around nine areas such as Myûto Shiti (Mute City), Biggu Burû (Big Blue), Sando Ôshan (Sand Ocean), Desu Uindo (Death Wind), Sairensu (Silence), Howato Rando (White Land) and Pôto Taun (Port Town), Tracks are also group into three leagues (Knight, Queen and King) with various difficulty levels. More than racing their vehicles in an effort to cross the finish line, players also have to take care of land mines scattered around the tracks, holes or powerful magnets that dramatically affect their driving. Thankfully, turbo-boosts are available and can be used to avoid some of those hazards. A power shield bar is constantly displayed on the screen and will decrease as the vehicle gets hit or goes out of the track. The only way to refill it is to drive over special pit-stop areas on the track which will slowly regenerate the precious magnetic field. The game counts many surprises, such at the strong wind blowing on Death Wind, split ways or the super-start trick to get a special boost at the start of every race.

Goodies for F-Zero [Model SHVC-FZ]
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TECHNICAL

Cartridge ID: SHVC-FZ

TRIVIA

Released on November 21, 1990 in Japan for 7000 Yen.

F-Zero was one of the first game to use the excellent Mode 7, native hardware feature included with the Super Famicom and allowing incredible real-time sprite deformation effects. When originally released in 1990, F-Zero's graphics were light years ahead of most of the competition.

The game introduced Captain Falcon, it appears later as a playable character in Super Smash Bros (Nintendo 64, 1999), Super Smash Bros. Melee (Nintendo GameCube, 2002), and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo Wii, 2008).

The Blue Falcon appears as an unlockable kart in Mario Kart Wii (2008, Nintendo Wii).

Samurai Goroh appears as an assist trophy character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii (2008).

Reviews:
[FR] 1990 - Consoles + HS N.2: 91/100

The Super Famicom game even comes with a eight pages comic book story included at the end of the game's documentation. The style of the drawing is really unusual for a Japanese game and looks more like an American comic book.

Tokuma Japan Communications released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (F-Zero - TKCA-30516) on 25/03/1992.

Export releases:
[US] "F-Zero [Model SNS-FZ-USA]"
[FR] "F-Zero [Model SNSP-FZ-FAH]"

TIPS AND TRICKS

Master Class
------------
Beat the game on Expert Class, placing 1st in all 5 courses (any league).

SERIES

1. F-Zero [Model SHVC-FZ] (1991, SFC)
2. BS F-Zero 2 - Grand Prix (1997, SFC)
3. F-Zero X [Model NUS-CFZJ-JPN] (1998, N64)
4. F-Zero for Game Boy Advance [Model AGB-AFZJ-JPN] (2001, GBA)
5. F-Zero AX [Model GDT-0004] (2003, ARC)
6. F-Zero - Falcon Densetsu [Model AGB-BFZJ-JPN] (2003, GBA)
7. F-Zero AX Monster Ride (2004, ARC)
8. F-Zero - Climax [Model AGB-BFTJ-JPN] (2004, GBA)

STAFF
PORTS

CONSOLES:
Nintendo Wii [Vitual Console] (2006)

OTHERS:
Arcade "F-Zero [Super System]"

SOURCES

Game's ROM.
Game's description by Laurent Kermel; http://www.videogameden.com